Is Running a Marathon Safe?

More People than Ever are Taking Part in Events, but 7 Runners Have Died in Races this Fall

(CBS)  A few hours from now, tens of thousands of runners will hit New York streets.

Some hope to break a record, but most just want to say they finished all 26.2 miles. Last year, two people died trying.

Seven more runners have died this fall in full or half marathons. Most of them were young and healthy, like 23-year-old Peter Curtin, who ran the Baltimore Marathon this month.

That sent shock waves through the running world and led some to ask if marathons were good for a person's health.

Statistically, the risk of death is less than 1 percent for every 100,000 runners, reports CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier.

They take no chances at the annual Marine Corps Marathon, held last Sunday in Washington, D.C., where thousands of spotters watch every runner, every step.

"Anyone who's staggering, that's usually the first thing you'll see, a little wobbly when they're running or walking," said Capt. Bruce Adams, a doctor with the Navy.

Doctors treat a few hundred runners every year, most for aches and pains. Some cases are much worse. These cooling stations are for heat stroke victims, whose temperatures soar to as high as 108 degrees. But what often kills is what you don't see: hidden heart disease, brought on by the stress of the race - and running it too fast.

A Canadian study showed marathoners' blood post-race was like that of a mild heart attack victim. Yet, you don't have to have a medical check up to sign up.

"To go to the depths that you'd have to, to screen everybody to be able to pick out those things, is not very practical and easy to do," Adams said.

One marathon-running doctor's advice?

"I don't recommend that people run marathons," said Dr. Paul Thompson, the director of cardiology at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut. "I want all my patients to walk a minimum of 30 minutes every single day."

If you have to run, he says to put in enough training time to make it across the line safely.

[RedWings_ninety_one]

There is a tribe in centeral america that can run for hundreds of miles on end without rest. They wear no shoes, and have no disease or obeasity problems. The human body wasn't designed to wear shoes, which is why they can run so far painfree.

[cbvill72]

Answers vary:
Liberal democrat: It's not safe and it's too hard. People shouldn't do it and we should get the govt. to create a subsidy educating people to not do marathons.
Right Wing republican: I do them so EVERYONE do them. Marathons (and Jesus) saved me from alcohol/drug addictions so I will tell the world that they too need to be saved.
Moderate: Who gives a $hit...If you want to tackle the challenge, GO FOR IT. If you think it's too hard STAY AWAY from the starting line, but leave me the H3LL alone.

[Sloughfoot]

For crying out loud-"Let people run"! Let people climb mountains, dive deep, fly into outer space. Let them look, search, explore, let them taste life-if you're too damn scared to do so yourself - go home, shut up and leave the rest of us alone.

[justsane-2009]

"More People than Ever are Taking Part in Events, but 7 Runners Have Died in Races this Fall" let's try rearranging the words, and making one substitution: "Seven runners have died in races this fall BECAUSE more people than ever are taking part in events" It's just common sense. The more participants there are in any activity, the greater number of reported injuries or deaths...

~doh~

[erb0087]

"Is Running a Marathon Safe?"

Reasonably.

Unlike running a Ponzi Scheme.

[erb0087]

"Is Running a Marathon Safe?"

Probably safer than walking the streets of some big cities.

Seriously, you don't need to go to those extremes to be healthy. Moderate exercise and a healthy diet will do the trick.

People compete in marathons for the challenge and the accomplishment of being able to do it. Just finishing a marathon is no small accomplishment.

As others have noted, being fat and lazy isn't very safe at all.

[incog-nito]

Running a marathon is perfectly safe. Just make sure you ease off if you feel you're about to collapse and die.

[bann65]

I'll stick to walking and the treadmill. At least you know you're limits when your on a treadmill and can STOP.

[incog-nito]

So people running a marathon don't know their limits and cannot stop?

[John_Merritt]

"Is Running a Marathon Safe? More People than Ever are Taking Part in Events, but 7 Runners Have Died in Races this Fall"

As a great American person and one of my all time favorites was known to say "A man has to know his limitations". A marathon is run because people like to know their capacity for success. Success is not always measured in winning, but how you run the race and what have you accomplished?

A marathon was never meant to be a foot race to the finish line but to collect victory points, milestones, along the path of the route traveled. For those people who have never run more than 10 miles, victories are set at 11,12,13 miles and further. For those seven who have died there are 100,000's more who lived.

For all those who have died in the service to our country for great causes, many more have lived because of their meritorious service to their comrades and countryman. Getting to the finish line is important but it is not always the end all to our endeavors. Life is a marathon and we will all be tested as to our stamina, abilities and capacity to test ourselves to the nth degree.

[Detoxer]

I think it is great that we have people who run these marathons. However, I think that the message from armyoftwelve is important. We need to be focusing not only on marathons but the prescription drug epidemic. OxyContin is legal heroin and our patients use it interchangeably with heroin.

Steve
http://novusdetox.com

[aubfmet]

For everyone who dies training for a marathon, 1000 will be better off for it. That's my guess and I like those odds.

[SAMTORRES66]

marathons - too much ponding on your knees and leg joints.. I stick with swimming & cycling.....

[cbvill72]

The hardest part about swimming and cycling no doubt was telling your parents about being G@Y. :)

[fo_sho_yo]

I still thing that being fat is deadlier than being a marathoner

[armyoftwelve]

wow, SOMETHING else you've got to cross off your list.

7 people died in marathons and 35000 from drug overdoses. You decide which one is more important.

[kmwaugh]

The story says, "Statistically, the risk of death is less than 1 percent for every 100,000 runners, reports CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier."

One percent holds true for ANY number, stastically, your moron!!! Whether it's 100 or 100,000,000... one percent is one percent... PERIOD! Go back to grade school and don't come out until you're smarter than a 5th grader... which may be never!

[barnhill23]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who noticed that. :) Hooray for intelligence!

[rwsmith29456]

It's the same for any sport involving endurance. You have to be ready for it. Not just go out and do it, though there is a mindset to the contrary.