Wanted to open up a dialogue about the potential adverse effects of marathoning on the heart. I love running (and marathons in particular) so much that there isn't a second of the day where finding ways to improve isn't on my mind. I'm also convinced that despite all of the nonsense you hear from mainstream media that running is somehow unhealthy, it's one of the BEST things you can do for you body and brain.
But there is some legitimate research out there that shows marathons (or any hard, sustained effort for more than 2 hours) can lead to long-term heart scarring. My concerns with that research are twofold: 1) I don't want to leave my best marathons on the table by running too many early in my life (I'm 28); 2) I don't want to suffer later in life with heart issues.
Here are my serious questions for you guys.
-Is racing more than one marathon a year harmful in the long run?
-Is a runner who is still building mileage and looking to reach his potential better off racing shorter distances and doing only 3-4 lifetime marathons, or marathoning once-twice a year?
-Is there any definitive research to suggest that marathoning is somehow MORE damaging than shorter, more intense distances like the half marathon?