So it's official, I have signed up with the Connor Clinic in Oakville to train for a Marathon in May-ish (perhaps the Mississauga one...though it was not my fav). Leading up to the day I will be doing 'The Chilly 1/2' (hopefully with Box and Steph) and 'Around the Bay' in March. I am still going to keep at my swimming and hopefully transition to triathlons come summer time...but I am itching to get back on the roads and to go for long runs. As weird as it may sound to some, I just love the feeling of training for something big! Maybe this next race will be the race that gets me to Boston?!?! Here's hoping!For those who think I am insane I found an insightful article online that explains my crazy addiction of running/training. (http://www.medicinenet.com/)
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When you're running a marathon, whether it's in New York City, Washington, or Chicago, you need every trick in the book to get through not only months of grueling training, but the grand finale as well: 26.2 miles of road that you cross step by agonizing step.
Through the blood, sweat, and tears, many runners report that their favorite trick -- and part of the reason they wake morning after morning to pound the pavement -- is what is referred to as runner's high. While runner's high might be more short-term, it's well-known that regular exercise also offers long-term benefits, on both the mind and the body.
Through the blood, sweat, and tears, many runners report that their favorite trick -- and part of the reason they wake morning after morning to pound the pavement -- is what is referred to as runner's high. While runner's high might be more short-term, it's well-known that regular exercise also offers long-term benefits, on both the mind and the body.
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"On average, you tend to see people who are runners and habitual exercisers having better moods, suffering from less depression and less anxiety, and more general feelings of well-being," says Bryant. "For people who are physically active on a regular basis, they have active relaxation -- kind of by moving the body and focusing on the sensation of moving your body and getting into the rhythmic activity (swimming included) and motion, it produces this relaxation response, and that I think contributes significantly to the feelings of psychological well-being."
While marathon running can take its toll on the body, it does offer significant benefits as well.
"Clearly, there are many health benefits of running at this level," says Rick Hall, MS, a registered dietitian and advisory board member of the Arizona Governor's Council on Health, Physical Fitness, and Sports. "A smart marathon runner has put in many hours of training for many weeks or months, before the event, and the health benefits of sustained aerobic exercise are well documented: improved circulation, reduced body fat, lowered blood cholesterol, and better self-esteem."
"On average, you tend to see people who are runners and habitual exercisers having better moods, suffering from less depression and less anxiety, and more general feelings of well-being," says Bryant. "For people who are physically active on a regular basis, they have active relaxation -- kind of by moving the body and focusing on the sensation of moving your body and getting into the rhythmic activity (swimming included) and motion, it produces this relaxation response, and that I think contributes significantly to the feelings of psychological well-being."
While marathon running can take its toll on the body, it does offer significant benefits as well.
"Clearly, there are many health benefits of running at this level," says Rick Hall, MS, a registered dietitian and advisory board member of the Arizona Governor's Council on Health, Physical Fitness, and Sports. "A smart marathon runner has put in many hours of training for many weeks or months, before the event, and the health benefits of sustained aerobic exercise are well documented: improved circulation, reduced body fat, lowered blood cholesterol, and better self-esteem."
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When a runner comes down off the high, many are left asking, "Why bother?" What sense is there in running a 26.2 mile race?
"I've completed three full marathons and two half-marathons in the past two years," Hall tells WebMD. "In the next year, I plan to complete two half-marathons and two full marathons -- one as a component of an Ironman competition."
While it sounds insane, for Hall, it's the epitome of accomplishment after months of training and hard work that drives him to compete in marathons over and over again.
"For me, the event itself isn't really about competition," says Hall. "The marathon is my reward for the months of training leading up to the event itself. You don't build a house in one day: You make a plan, wake up early every day, and work hard. Such as it is, for me, with a marathon."
And of course, there's more than runner's high -- there's finish-line high.
"There is no better feeling than raising your hands as you cross the finish line of a 26.2 mile course to the sound of hundreds of spectators cheering," says Hall. "The emotional high of completing an endurance event can last for days."
While it sounds insane, for Hall, it's the epitome of accomplishment after months of training and hard work that drives him to compete in marathons over and over again.
"For me, the event itself isn't really about competition," says Hall. "The marathon is my reward for the months of training leading up to the event itself. You don't build a house in one day: You make a plan, wake up early every day, and work hard. Such as it is, for me, with a marathon."
And of course, there's more than runner's high -- there's finish-line high.
"There is no better feeling than raising your hands as you cross the finish line of a 26.2 mile course to the sound of hundreds of spectators cheering," says Hall. "The emotional high of completing an endurance event can last for days."
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