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Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

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11–20 of 151 posts

Re: Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

#11

I'm a cross-country runner averaging 30+ miles a week. I don't see any harm. It's had a great impact on me. I feel healthier and more fit. Some articles just don't make sense.

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Jesus Christ. The problem is not saturated fats and dietary cholesterol.

I see you're new here

Re: Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

#12
post #2

The usual rule is "if a headline asks a question the answer is no." This is not a yes or no question, thus I believe the answer is unequivocally "yes."

The answer is always least surprising, because more surprising answer would be included in the title.

Re: Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

#14
post #10

Look at a male Olympian long distance runner's physique. Is that what you want to look like? You probably won't get there, but is that a worthwhile goal? Whereas a short or mid distance runner looks more normal and healthy. This tells me that I probably want to run shorter distances. In fact, I never run more than a mile, but do it quickly.

interesting comment. i wonder though -- how much of this is cause vs effect (e.g., people with bodies naturally suited to shorter vs longer distances), and how much of "do i want to look like that" is your particular, perhaps arbitrary cultural associations of "this is good"?

Re: Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

#15
I ran 80-90 miles per week while in college and continued running 20-30 per week for a couple of years after until my knee stopped cooperating (I'm really looking forward to knee surgery in October).

I have experienced some of the described symptoms (irregular heartbeat and etc), but wouldn't have done much differently. Honestly, this article basically boils down to 'do what your body can handle'.

People are different. Bodies are different. Some people can handle 120 miles per week. Some people struggle to run one. Running is obviously good for your health, just don't over do it. And stretch and foam roll, that's as important as anything.

Re: Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

#16
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Jesus Christ. The problem is not saturated fats and dietary cholesterol. I see you're new here

.

there's a lot of recent (& to many:) convincing arguments that saturated fats have been demonized w/o cause, for social dynamics reasons. arguably "good calories, bad calories" was the book that started this modern reexamining of nutritional orthodoxy, but see also many other recent articles and studies.

Re: Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

#17
The article frames the question as a sort of strawman in some ways. Rather than ask "is running good or bad for you?" you could ask "is an alternative form of exercise, that has fewer damaging side effects, better?" For example, would you be just as well off walking, skiing, or biking? My understanding is the answer to that is even less clear.

Re: Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

#18
post #10

Look at a male Olympian long distance runner's physique. Is that what you want to look like? You probably won't get there, but is that a worthwhile goal? Whereas a short or mid distance runner looks more normal and healthy. This tells me that I probably want to run shorter distances. In fact, I never run more than a mile, but do it quickly.

That's not at all how it works. One doesn't get that body type from running long distances, one runs long distances well because they are predisposed to that body type.

Consider, for example, a swim meet. If you look at the competitors in prelims, you'll see a variety of body types. By the semifinals, you'll see a smaller variety, and by the finals, you'll likely see a field of competitors with similar builds. Most look at that and assume a build like that of those in the finals is the result of an intense swimming regiment, when actually it's that body type that enabled swimming success. The entire field of competitors may have put in similar levels of effort, but the physiological advantages genetically granted to the better swimmers is what resulted in their relative success.

Re: Is Running Good or Bad for Your Health?

#20
> [Lee concludes his data] "don't support that more is worse. But more may not be better." [Williams concludes] 40 miles a week [...] were 26 percent less likely to develop coronary heart disease than those running just 13 miles per week.

So to sum up, running is way way better than doing nothing. More than 40 miles a week may have not only diminishing returns, but negative consequences.

I'd guess most people here don't realize what a crazy time commitment running 40 miles a week actually is. Even if you can pull off 6 minute miles (4 hours/week), there's still a need for rest after the run, more sleep, more food, replacing shoes and clothes as they wear out. The extra time adds up.

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