Have you ever wondered why some people are never interested in running a marathon? Research on motivation says it might be something to do with their brains….
Archive for November, 2012
How running the marathon affects the body
Posted: November 28, 2012 in marathonTags: Runners high, Running
Boston Globe has a good article on how various body parts work during a marathon and how the marathon affects them.
http://www.boston.com/interactive/graphics/20090416_marathonbody/
How To Start a Love Affair With Marathon Running
Posted: November 27, 2012 in Running HumourTags: health, Love Affair, Runners high, Running, sports
Marathon running is like having a love affair. Both are risky but rewarding. Pastors frown upon love affairs and it is the same thing in marathon running. Physicians will deter people from running marathon distances, but it’s such a powerful allure that it becomes greater than risk of hamstring injury.
You might be apprehensive at first but it only gets better
Tom Holland, running coach and author of “The Marathon Method,” tells his clients that running for 3 miles was horrible for him too, but farther down the road things changed.
“It happens for different people at different times and different distances: that runner’s high,” he said. Holland calls it a cardiovascular turning point where the run becomes exponentially easier.
“There’s a point where the run becomes enjoyable,” he said. “Whether this happens at 8 or 10 or 12 miles down the road, it will happen,” he said.
When you start it will feel like hell but if you stick at it, it gets easier and better.
It can be addictive
Qualitative evidence for the runner’s high suggests that for those prone to its euphoria, it probably contributes to running’s addictive quality.
Marathon running is not for everyone
Long-distance running seems to be appreciated by those who enjoy solitude – or periods of solitude – and are OK with monotony. Richard Finn, spokesman for New York Road Runners, organisers of the New York City Marathon, agrees that long distances do not suit everyone.
“Running 26.2 miles is a big, bold brash undertaking,” he said. “You’ve got to put heart, soul, mind, body in it for months. It’s like climbing Mount Everest. Not everybody should be doing it.”
He said a runner is a runner whether you’re doing a marathon or a five-kilometre (3.1-mile) race.
If you feel 42K is not for you, go for 5K, 10K or 21K races.
Source of material : Reuters Health article