preview

Negative Effects Of Running Marathons

Decent Essays

For most, running 26.2 miles just for fun is not appealing; however, others do want to run marathons for the excitement of a race or to prove to themselves that they can do it. For many reasons, runners are on board to hit the pavement, whether it is for the challenge or for the numerous health benefits that come along with it, including weight loss and fitness. Because of the positive effects of running, the negative aspects of running long distances are sometimes overlooked. Before deciding to just get up one day and start training for a marathon, know that running this lengthy race has both desirable and undesirable physical consequences.
Often, running is a route to weight loss and, thus, motivates individuals to get out and exercise, to burn calories. The activity does burn calories. For example, running at a 6-mph pace burns 372 calories in 30 minutes for a 155-pound person, according to Andrea Cespedes a freelance wellness expert. However, since calories are needed for performance during long runs, one must increase calorie intake to fuel the run, especially if the runner’s mileage is lengthy (Cespedes). In addition, some uneducated runners believe that the exercise can be an excuse to eat unhealthy food, saying that their running makes up for what they eat. This, however, is a myth because often the calories are empty and do not promote general health. “You ran 10 miles, therefore you deserve the fries, shake and burger. Calories still count and running doesn't

Get Access