Running to the extreme

Just this week, I was asked if the body can cope with running two marathons back-to-back, in this case, the Dublin and New York marathons. Like anything in life, if it is a labour of love and makes you happy, who is to say whether two marathons in a row shouldn't be taken on? To take on big marathons or triathlons like Gaelforce and New York, the person would have to be in a healthy state of mind and in good physical shape. From posting the application to passing the finishing line comes with it a positive mental power and the belief it can be achieved. It can take up to 50,000 steps to run a marathon. Every time the foot hits the ground, a stress three to four times the body weight is absorbed by the ankles, knees, hips and lower back and that is just the surface effects. The organs, too, take on added stress and pressure from running continuously for such an extraordinary length of time. I have been practicing Ashtanga yoga for over a decade and while it is no doubt one of the most physically challenging practices there is, it brings with it acute body awareness. By using the breath and easing the body over time into some very complex poses, the body responds with ease and gentleness, so trauma or damage to the body is minimal. It is therapeutic and stands the test of time. I ran a marathon once. I wouldn't do it again. Injuries go hand-in-hand with sports like running and weight training. Low impact sports like swimming have a quiet respect for the body just like yoga, which is why I often see people come to me towards the end of their running life or when an injury keeps on reoccurring through physical sport. A simple forward bend using deep breathing for an athlete can bring enormous relief to their body. David Murphy from All Sports Injuries in Navan has had to refer many patients from his clinic in Johnstown to orthopaedic consultants. "I think partaking in back-to-back marathons is very unwise as the impact on corresponding joints can have many long-lasting consequences," he says. David doesn't believe that high-impact sports are healthy. "It may have certain cardiovascular benefits, but the repeat damage to joints far outweighs the benefits over long periods of time." Darren Kelly, physical therapist at Base2Race, says the most common injuries treated post marathon/triathlon are muscle fatigue from the stresses and strains involved in the event. Triathlon coach Eanna at Base2Race adds: "Athletes frequently wish to race triathlons on back-to-back weekends. If the athlete is well-conditioned and biomechanically sound, this can be a feasible option. It is not always an ideal practice." She adds: "One other element the athlete should ponder when making the decision to race on back-to-back weekends would be the effect it has on their performance. If an athlete is racing on consecutive weekends, ironically, they are at risk of losing fitness; hence their race performances will not be as good." To learn more about Claire, visit www.yoga-meath.ie