As the legend goes, in 490 B.C., the Athenian Army successfully defeated the Persians in a battle fought on the Marathon plain of Northeastern Attica, which was 26.2 miles north of Athens. The Athenian General ordered a 40-year-old messenger by the name of Pheidippides to run ahead of the other soldiers and announce the victory to the city of Athens. Pheidippides did as he was told and rushed backed to the city to share the good news. Upon his arrival, Pheidippides exclaimed “Nike!” meaning “Victory!” and dropped dead from exhaustion.
To commemorate Pheidippides’ infamous run, many running enthusiasts today, compete in a long-distance race (26.2 miles to be exact!) known as The Marathon. According to Livestrong.com, over 1 million runners complete a marathon each year.
One modern day marathon runner that is especially impressive is named Fauja Singh, also known as “Sikh Superman.” Fauja grew up in Punjab, India and for the first five years of life, couldn’t walk. He was often teased by peers and called names, such as “danda,” which meant “stick” due to his thin and weak legs. Despite his handicap early in life, Fauja was determined to do what he loved most: run. Throughout his running career, Fauja completed a total of 9 marathons, with his fastest completion time being 5 hours and 40 minutes. The Sikh became so popular in the late 90s and early 2000s that he appeared in an advertisement for Adidas alongside Muhammad Ali and David Beckham, two of the greatest athletes in history. What’s most notable about Fauja’s running career is that he finished his final marathon in Hong Kong in February 2013, just a few weeks shy of his 102nd birthday.
Fauja, along with millions of others use long-distance running as their fountain of youth. Can this be what humanity needs to live a longer and healthier life or are long-distance runners destined for the same fate as Pheidippides?
There’s no question that running for long periods of time is a full body workout that burns a massive number of calories and helps you become leaner, but there are a couple things to consider before indulging in this extreme exercise.
First, the recurring impact of your feet hitting the ground can cause inflammation of your muscles and put stress on your joints and bones. These effects vary from person to person, but it’s important for all runners to utilize proper equipment, a.k.a. shoes - which should be changed every 500 miles. Similar to shock absorbers on Evel Knievel’s motorcycle as he landed on the other side of the Grand Canyon, supportive footwear will help minimize impact and keep joints, bones and muscles healthy and strong.
The potential for cardiac arrest is also a consideration. In the New York Times article, “Does Marathon Running Increase the Risk of Cardiac Arrest,” science, statistics and sports cardiologists are referenced saying marathon running can increase risk of cardiac arrest in the short term, but actually decreases your risk of such an event in the long term.
For those that don’t want to take the risk, less can be more. After all, short-distance running is also a great workout that reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and various cancers - so don’t think 26.2 miles is needed to reap the running rewards.
Those that are up for the challenge and willing to go the distance, I offer one final piece of advice: remain gradual in your progress.
It’s a marathon, not a race.