Another Two Seemingly Healthy Runners Die in the Philadelphia Marathon

[Conley]

PHILADELPHIA -- Authorities say two who ran in the Philadelphia Marathon collapsed during the race and died of apparent heart attacks.

Philadelphia police officer Jillian Russell, a spokeswoman, said a 21-year-old man collapsed at the finish line. She said a 40-year-old man collapsed about a quarter-mile before the finish line.

Russell says both were taken to a hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

Melanie Johnson, executive director of The Philadelphia Marathon Race Weekend, says their names were not being released pending notification of relatives.

She says in a statement that organizers are "deeply saddened."

http://espn.go.com/olympics/trackandfield/story/_/id/7261093/two-runners-die-collapsing-philadelphia-marathon

Now you can say these two had preexisting conditions if you want, but this kind of thing convinces me that running marathons are just not worth it. Most people's bodies aren't designed for this sort of thing, especially if you're working an office job and just the weekend warrior type. RIP. :(

[Mister D]

I do 5 mile runs 4 or 5 times a week when it's warm and 3 when it's cold. I don;t run marathons because I don't think I could handle it physically. I'm inclined to agree with you. That's really over doing it. On the other hand, I know people who have run marathons and they are much weaker than I am. ??? There is a middle aged Indian lady in my office who ran last year in Philadelphia. She's thin but flabby and she must be in her 50s. She really doesn't look like she's in shape. I just don't get it.

[Conley]

I do 5 mile runs 4 or 5 times a week when it's warm and 3 when it's cold. I don;t run marathons because I don't think I could handle it physically. I'm inclined to agree with you. That's really over doing it. On the other hand, I know people who have run marathons and they are much weaker than I am. ??? There is a middle aged Indian lady in my office who ran last year in Philadelphia. She's thin but flabby and she must be in her 50s. She really doesn't look like she's in shape. I just don't get it.


Some people say they're running marathons but at twelve minute miles I think it's called walking a marathon. ;D I think if you are smart about it and monitor your heart rate, say don't go over 70% of your max or so you will probably get a good cardio workout. I don't have anything to back this up but I think when people push too hard and red line their HR is when they get into trouble. Some of these guys are probably competitive and trying to prove something as well.

[Mister D]

I do 5 mile runs 4 or 5 times a week when it's warm and 3 when it's cold. I don;t run marathons because I don't think I could handle it physically. I'm inclined to agree with you. That's really over doing it. On the other hand, I know people who have run marathons and they are much weaker than I am. ??? There is a middle aged Indian lady in my office who ran last year in Philadelphia. She's thin but flabby and she must be in her 50s. She really doesn't look like she's in shape. I just don't get it.


Some people say they're running marathons but at twelve minute miles I think it's called walking a marathon. ;D I think if you are smart about it and monitor your heart rate, say don't go over 70% of your max or so you will probably get a good cardio workout. I don't have anything to back this up but I think when people push too hard and red line their HR is when they get into trouble. Some of these guys are probably competitive and trying to prove something as well.


I was thinking that but didn't want to accuse her. ;D Yeah, they must be pushing themselves to perform at a level and for a length of time that they simply aren't used to.

[Peter1469]

Long, steady state cardio is counter productive to health. It does not protect the heart against stresses that don't resemble that slow slog of steady state cardio.

Google high intensity interval training and give that shot for your cardio training. 12-15 minutes 2-3 times a week.

I ran one marathon and wish that I never did. It killed my feet and knees, or at least contributed to what the airborne infantry did.

[Conley]

Long, steady state cardio is counter productive to health. It does not protect the heart against stresses that don't resemble that slow slog of steady state cardio.

Google high intensity interval training and give that shot for your cardio training. 12-15 minutes 2-3 times a week.

I ran one marathon and wish that I never did. It killed my feet and knees, or at least contributed to what the airborne infantry did.


Yes, the joint problems from long distance running are another major negative. Once your knees and back are out forget about doing any kind of cardio.

Long steady state cardio does burn calories according to what I've read. High intensity seems like it would not last long enough to start drawing fat reserves, it would just use up the glucose in the blood for anaerobic activity, right?

[Mister D]

A man of my size won't burn as many calories as a heavier guy but running and swimming burn by far the most calories hands down. That said, a 26 mile run is over doing it to such an extent that I can't imagine how that could be a positive in physical terms. Psychological? Sure.

[Mister D]

Long, steady state cardio is counter productive to health. It does not protect the heart against stresses that don't resemble that slow slog of steady state cardio.

Google high intensity interval training and give that shot for your cardio training. 12-15 minutes 2-3 times a week.

I ran one marathon and wish that I never did. It killed my feet and knees, or at least contributed to what the airborne infantry did.


Yes, the joint problems from long distance running are another major negative. Once your knees and back are out forget about doing any kind of cardio.

Long steady state cardio does burn calories according to what I've read. High intensity seems like it would not last long enough to start drawing fat reserves, it would just use up the glucose in the blood for anaerobic activity, right?


Long duration is key to burning fat.

[Conley]

A man of my size won't burn as many calories as a heavier guy but running and swimming burn by far the most calories hands down. That said, a 26 mile run is over doing it to such an extent that I can't imagine how that could be a positive in physical terms. Psychological? Sure.


26 miles for primitive man may have been no big deal, but with our builds and diet today I don't think there's a comparison. Also, considering how our weight (including lean muscle mass) has grown in the last several generations it's no wonder our joint and skeletal structure haven't had time to evolve accordingly. Even if you eat healthy and are relatively lean the risks outweigh the benefits, and if you're already fit enough to run 26 miles comfortably then why do it?

[Conley]

Long, steady state cardio is counter productive to health. It does not protect the heart against stresses that don't resemble that slow slog of steady state cardio.

Google high intensity interval training and give that shot for your cardio training. 12-15 minutes 2-3 times a week.

I ran one marathon and wish that I never did. It killed my feet and knees, or at least contributed to what the airborne infantry did.


Yes, the joint problems from long distance running are another major negative. Once your knees and back are out forget about doing any kind of cardio.

Long steady state cardio does burn calories according to what I've read. High intensity seems like it would not last long enough to start drawing fat reserves, it would just use up the glucose in the blood for anaerobic activity, right?


Long duration is key to burning fat.


Agreed. Long duration and then not using your hour and half work out as a justification to stop at Baskin-Robbins on your way home :D

[Mister D]

A man of my size won't burn as many calories as a heavier guy but running and swimming burn by far the most calories hands down. That said, a 26 mile run is over doing it to such an extent that I can't imagine how that could be a positive in physical terms. Psychological? Sure.


26 miles for primitive man may have been no big deal, but with our builds and diet today I don't think there's a comparison. Also, considering how our weight (including lean muscle mass) has grown in the last several generations it's no wonder our joint and skeletal structure haven't had time to evolve accordingly. Even if you eat healthy and are relatively lean the risks outweigh the benefits, and if you're already fit enough to run 26 miles comfortably then why do it?


Running long distances is common in some African cultures (the Zulu come to mind). Their bodies have probably adapted to it to some extent.

Yeah, I think I'm probably not ever going to go passed 5 or 6 miles. Like you said, why? I get a great workout and I feel great afterward with what I do now. Plus, I've gotten very sleek and toned from it. Why take the risk of an injury?

[Peter1469]

Long, steady state cardio is counter productive to health. It does not protect the heart against stresses that don't resemble that slow slog of steady state cardio.

Google high intensity interval training and give that shot for your cardio training. 12-15 minutes 2-3 times a week.

I ran one marathon and wish that I never did. It killed my feet and knees, or at least contributed to what the airborne infantry did.


Yes, the joint problems from long distance running are another major negative. Once your knees and back are out forget about doing any kind of cardio.

Long steady state cardio does burn calories according to what I've read. High intensity seems like it would not last long enough to start drawing fat reserves, it would just use up the glucose in the blood for anaerobic activity, right?


That is my point. No exercise is going to burn enough calories to matter- unless you have a major corporation sponsoring you and you can work out all day. The key is your resting metabolic rate. You build your lean muscle mass (which adds pounds) and you will burn much more calories. My resting metabolic rate is 3064 calories. That means that I can sit on my butt and still burn 3064 calories a day (of course if I don't get off my butt, that number will drop).

If I want to lose weight I cut 500 calories. If I want to gain weight I add 500 calories. But that forces a lot of counting.

[Conley]

But how did you get your resting metabolic rate so high? With the 15 minute high intensity interval training?

And how did you calculate your RMR so precisely?

I have had success losing weight by counting calories in the past but it's such a pain. I found myself eating a lot more packaged food to have precise measurements.

[Peter1469]

I got my resting metabolic rate so high though weights, not cardio. That is the keep. Lean muscle mass is what increases your metabolic rate.

There are websites to do the calculations, some are better than others. Also there you can get the formulas and run the numbers yourself. Also there is a device that you breath into for 10 minutes and it gives you a reading.