Racing with your body weight: Debunking 5 myths

(Author: Ben Davis)

Misconceptions about runners and racing

Before I started running, I thought people who ran were completely different from me. They're hardy, crunchy, and oatmeal-eating health freaks who never worry about weight or self-image or are tempted to nap or skip a run.

Of course, I was wrong. Here are some of the myths I hear most often about runners and running, and the facts behind them.

1. If you run a marathon, you will have a heart attack and die while running.

When I talk to non-runners about my running career, I often hear this response: “I’d love to run a marathon, but I’m afraid of having a heart attack midway, like I see on the news all the time.”

The fact is, the reason you see all those heart attacks in the news is because they are so rare. If this happened in every game, it wouldn't be newsworthy. It's just like airplanes. Plane crashes become news because they are sensational and unusual. There are millions of successful takeoffs, but you won't see them on the front page of the news.

A study published in January 2012 in The New England Journal of Medicine found that in a 10-year study of 11 million runners, only 59 people had a heart attack while running. If you're still concerned, ask your doctor's permission before starting any exercise. (All new runners should consider doing this.)

2. You must spend a lot of time stretching before running to avoid injuries

Before the game starts, it is common to see people bending over and touching their big toes, or sitting on the ground with their legs spread out, stretching their muscles to the limit and trying to "loosen" them. However, most experts now encourage jogging for a few minutes to warm up and then stretching after your run to prevent injury. I found this to be true. I never stretch before running. I just jog in place for a few minutes. As a result, I always feel more comfortable when I run. It always feels good to stretch after a run.

3. Strength training is not important for runners

Simply put, it is important. If you do a few hours of strength training each week in addition to running, you'll become a more endurance runner. Runners use their core muscles, shoulders, and arms much more than you think. If you spend time doing movement training, not only will you be less likely to get injured, you will also be pleasantly surprised to find that your running performance has improved.

4. Running hurts joints

I often hear people who are against running say things like, "If you run for a long time, I wish you good luck with your artificial hip and knee joints." The traditional concept is that running will hurt the joints, but this concept is not correct. Recent research shows that there is actually no connection between running and arthritis. Even better, running can prevent joint problems from occurring in the first place.

5. Running training leaves you no time for socializing

This statement is simply bad math. Even during the peak period of intensive marathon training, runners ran about 50 to 65 kilometers per week, which averaged only 45 minutes to an hour a day. If you don't even have time for this, then there's no point in thinking about a social life.

The article is excerpted from Sancai Culture Publishing House (http://www.books.com.tw/exep/prod/booksfile.php?item=0010584617)