Opinion Piece: Marathons
Marathons do more harm than good. Runner’s high is a true phenomenon, but that could be achieved from any exercise routine that is strenuous. You don’t have to tire your body for hours on end and run for a long distance to experience endorphins. Marathons provide medical assistance for a reason. You would not keep medical assistance on standby at a restaurant. Even the first person believed to have ever run the marathon died after completing it.
Doesn’t it make you wonder why people worldwide participate in a potentially life-threatening event? Well, money makes the world go round. Some may run for charity and others for honor, but even then, money is the primary incentive. But beware! Running marathons may cost you more money to recover than the prize money.
Weakened Immune System
Have you recently finished a marathon and developed a sore throat or experienced fits of sneezing? Then you have the marathon sniffles. It may be true that moderate activity boosts immunity, but rigorous activity temporarily weakens it. Your body can only take so much stress.
When running a marathon or training for it, the body uses cortisol, a stress hormone that significantly reduces immunity. Running marathons regularly would mean short windows of recovery, making you more prone to diseases in the long run. Don’t get me wrong, running is not the culprit; the intensity and the distance matter.
Cardiac Events
It is a known fact that you cannot survive without a healthy heart. When you run, the pressure on the heart to pump blood increases, and respiratory organs work harder to stabilize the oxygen levels to maintain the body's function. This process makes you scar your heart more easily. Famous multi-marathoners like Micah True, Ryan Shaw, and Micah True have died from heart conditions such as cardiac arrest or heart arrhythmia while running the marathon.
In an interview with NBC, James O’Keefe, head of preventive cardiology at St. Luke’s Health System, stated that runners who finish marathons have elevated troponin levels, which is a marker and irrefutable evidence for heart damage. Sure, the results may be temporary, but the damage may be permanent if you are a regular marathon runner. You may earn another medal and the right to brag, but it may cost you your life.
Kidney Problems
Renal failure is a common concern among marathon runners. In a recent study published by the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, 22 people from the 2015 Hartford Marathon were analyzed for acute kidney injury. And surprisingly, 82% of the participants tested positive for the condition. A six-year-old study by William Beaumont Hospital in Michigan discovered that 40% of marathon runners suffer from acute kidney failure. If your kidney does not function properly, the waste accumulates, making it difficult to maintain the body fluids. You might collapse and even lose control over your bodily functions.
I would like to know if you agree or disagree with me on the matter. Please contact us to share your thoughts.
