Caroline Jones

UWRT 1103-H
Campbell
6 November 2015
Are Long Distances Safe in the Long Run?
In the month of June of 2015, I had the pleasure of working with a physical therapist,
Michael Wright, in my home town of Eden, North Carolina. Michael was not only a physical
therapist as his daytime job, but as soon as he walked out of the clinic doors he was a
marathoner. My first visit in the clinic and I found out Michaels extreme hobby I questioned his
sanity. Fast forward a month, Michael had convinced me to run a half marathon. Fast forward
another three months, I recently finished my first half marathon, over 45 minutes before my goal

Courtney Cole 11/9/2015 10:15 AM

Comment [1]: The wording here is
awkward, try Michael was a physical
therapist by day and a marathoner by
night

time. Not only did I finish, but in three weeks I am planning to start training for another half
marathon! At some point during the hundreds of miles I have run in the last three months, I have
wondered, Is this safe? Is running this much, in this short amount of time, safe for my body?
Every ache and pain during training a runner thinks, Can I run through it? Will it go away? Am
I seriously injured or sore? Can I still run tomorrow? These thoughts were alarming so I wanted
to do a little more digging.
I first wanted to compare my feelings with that of a professional. Maybe these thoughts
were of an amateur, so I compared myself to the feelings/thoughts experienced by very
established ultra-marathon runner, Nikki Kimball. A few of the major events mentioned that
Nikki Kimball has won include: Western States 100 miler (2004, 2005, 2007), 50 Mile Trail
National Champion at Crystal Mountain (2003, 2004, 2005), and 50 Mile Road National

Courtney Cole 11/9/2015 10:19 AM

Comment [2]: Good opening question to
lead into your inquiry

Champion, State College, PA (2005). Nikki is by no means inexperienced in the world of

running, and experienced the same lows in training and racing that I felt. Throughout her
documentary, Finding Traction, Kimballs mental and physical characteristics are documented as
she attempts to defeat a set record of running the Long Trail in upstate Vermont, a 273 mile
trek. Kimball is attempting to run this ultra in under four days to overtake a previously set record
by Jonathan Bashum. During a long distance runs above a 10k, races have what are called aid
stations. Aid stations are like a NASCAR pit stop if you will, it is all about food, water, first aid,
and whatever else the runner needs. It is every aid station, Nikki shows the same lows that I
experience. She questions whether she is hurt, if she can continue. It is also seen the intense
pressure her legs and feet are under through the continuous taping, cleaning, Kinesiology tape (a
type of tape to reduce the amount of stress on a particular tendon or muscle), and PRICE

Courtney Cole 11/9/2015 10:23 AM

Comment [3]: I like how you include her
experience and compare it to your
narrative. I would expand more on why
you think you all experience these lows.

(pressure, rest, ice, compression, and elevation) (Jacobsen, Finding Traction).

Even though runners like myself and Nikki question our bodys capabilities in running,
there are some proven benefits to running the longer distances that we do. Dan Tunstall Pedoe,
the author of Marathon Medicine, writes about the multiple benefits to running longer

Courtney Cole 11/9/2015 10:29 AM

Comment [4]: Counter claim

distances like marathons. Some of the musculoskeletal benefits of distance running include an
increase in size, strength, and endurance of muscles as well as in thickness and strength of
tendons and ligaments. In addition, the mineral density and strength of bones were shown to
increase (278). What does this mean exactly for those whom do not know anatomy? Tendons and
ligaments are both made up of cartilage that is produced in the body as we grow, and the only
way to strengthen these, like muscles, is to put stress upon them. If no or minimal stress is put on
tendons or ligaments, they become more flexible, and weaker, meaning that they will slowly be
unable to support our muscles they connect to joints. Muscles are strengthened in the same

Courtney Cole 11/9/2015 10:29 AM

Comment [5]: Could this be who

fashion. The stronger and larger our tendons, ligaments, and muscles are the more support is
provided to our body as a whole. CBS News reports that long distance running contains benefits
such as weight control, stress reduction, improved blood pressure, better cholesterol, and the
potential for a longer life (Shallow). In fact, CBS cites a study done by the Journal of the
American College of Cardiology that wanted to prove if runners lived longer which did prove
correct by an average of three years (Shallow). Pedoe also argues that long distance runners age
better! Now thats a new one. As runners age, they remain active even beyond their sport due to
the greater sense of wellbeing that a runner has later in life. Pedoe states that older marathon
runners have a better quality of life, independence, mental wellbeing, increase in motivation,
increase in balance, and an increase in mobility (280).
However, even though there are positive outcomes from distance running, there are
certainly negative aspects that raise questions to the safe nature of running. When running a long

dead, heat stroke, dehydration, exhaustion, as well as myocardial fibrosis (a build-up of excess

Courtney Cole 11/9/2015 10:41 AM

Comment [6]: Just make sure to have
more information on the dangers of long
distance running, after all that is your
primary argument

scar tissue around the heart) (Shallow). One of the most frightening negative outcomes of

Courtney Cole 11/9/2015 10:34 AM

Deleted: t

distance like a marathon, CBS News touches on a few of the extremes that may occur: dropping

distance running is the danger the cardiovascular system is under. For example, CBS News
reports dropping dead is only recorded to occur on average every 0.5 in 100,000, according to
their cardiologist expert James H. OKeefe M.D. (Shallow). However, a still rare but more
frightening negative outcome is myocardial fibrosis occurs in 12% of marathon runners due to
the constant strain of the heart under training, causing the build-up of scar tissue. In addition, it is
recorded that 30 to 50% of runners show increased levels of enzymes and biomarkers that are
typically released during heart attacks and associated with heart failure immediately after a
marathon. Also, athletes heart, a thickening of the heart muscle and enlargement of the heart,

Courtney Cole 11/9/2015 10:36 AM

Comment [7]: Expand on your
commentary after statistics

an asymptomatic, yet dangerous condition due to the overworking of the heart of athletes. An
example to the amount of cardiac work done during exercise is an example given within the
article, How much running is bad for your heart?: Sitting at your desk, your heart pumps about
five liters per minute, but during exercise it can pump up to 25 liters a minute. Thats a lot of
cardiac work to do for four hours at a time [in reference to the time it takes to run a marathon]
(OMara).
Now not all negative outcomes of long distance running are as deadly as dropping dead
or a cardiac condition, however minor yet life changing outcomes can still occur. For example,
female marathoners or distance runners often suffer from athletic amenorrhea. Athletic
amenorrhea is defined by the American College of Sports Medicine as a lack or exclusion of a
period other than pregnancy, thyroid or endocrine disorders, androgens, a pituitary tumor,
polycystic ovarian syndrome, or genetic abnormalities. Athletic amenorrhea is caused primarily
when there is not enough nutrients in a womens body left over to have her monthly period. Due
to the intense training periods of distance runners, this is a common disorder; it is recorded to
affect 24 to 26% of runners. Most women would think, Thank goodness! No Aunt Flow this
month! However, these condition can have some serious consequences. These consequences
can include: lack of productive estrogen which causes bone demineralization or premature
osteoporosis, increased risk of stress fractures, infertility, early onset of menopause, increase in
blood lipid levels, cancer of the reproductive organs, and an increase for premature
cardiovascular disease (American College of Sports Medicine).
When looking at these few negative consequences of long distance running, it may be
time to throw in the towel and conclude than long distance running is not safe. However, a study
of Christina Haugaard Rasmussen, et. al from the International Journal of Sports Physical

Courtney Cole 11/9/2015 10:40 AM

Comment [8]: Wait a minute, isnt your
argument that its not safe? I wouldnt
make that seem like a miniscule thing. You
need to amp up the dangers of long
distance running and really show how
detrimental it could be to runners.

Therapy correlates directly with my conclusion. It is all about the miles in moderation. Now, you
may think this is a crappy answer. However, it can be proven with risk related injury, which is
the related risk of injury for a given activity. The study observed 662 marathon runners, 68 of
which experienced a risk related injury that was directly correlated with marathon running. A
correlation with the amount of miles per week and the increase in injuries was found. The study
concluded overall that a minimum of 30 km/week before a marathon would reduce their risk of a
running related injury. However, runners with a weekly average below 30 km there was a 95%
increase for a running related injury (111-120).
After looking the this data, it can be concluded that if a long distance runner wants to be
safe it must be in strict moderation and careful calculation of mileage. However, with the
overarching consensus of serious, lifelong runners in mind, moderation is extremely hard to find.
When I was told not to run due to shin splints in the middle of my training, the look on my face
was of pure horror. What did I do anyway? Run. What happened? It hurt. Every runner I have
met, Michael Wright included, has a similar story. However, this leads to a further question If
a runner cannot moderate, as the research suggests, it would only be safe to stop all together. The
sport of distance running is found to be a gamble at the Roulette table. A lucky spin could get
you one of the greatest memories of your life, crossing the finish line of a marathon; or could
cause heartache and pain, such as infertility due to amenorrhea.
Just be sure to check grammar and what not, expand upon your argument, and really hone
in on the negative. Expand on your commentary. I recommend changing your paper to an
exploratory essay based off of your initial question are long distances safe in the long run?
because now it sounds like you are arguing against long distance running rather than explaining
and exploring its dangers.

Courtney Cole 11/9/2015 10:41 AM

Comment [9]: I really like this concluding
sentence

Works Cited
Jacobsen, Jaime. Finding Traction. YouTube, YouTube. 26 June 2015. Web. 7 Oct 2015.
Pedoe, Dan Tunstall. Marathon Medicine. The Royal Society of Medicine 1.1 (2000): 278-308.
British Heart Foundation and the Flora London Marathon. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.
Rasmussen, Christina Haugaard et. Al. Weekly Running Volume and Risk of Running-Related
Injuries Among Marathon Runners. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy 8.2
(2013): 111-120. United States National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. Web.
13 October. 2015.
Shallow, Parvati. Is running marathons bad for your health? CBS News CBSNews.com. 13
Mar. 2015. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.
OMara, Kelly. How much running is bad for your heart? Competitor.com. 29 Jun. 2012. Web.
5 Nov. 2015.