What's your reason for training for a marathon? Personal sense of achievement? A bet with your buddies? To get a hot body? To improve your heart health? If you answered yes to that last one only, you might consider re-thinking your motivation after recent studies that showed marathoners aren't as heart-healthy as you might think.

In fact, marathoners tend to have higher levels of calcium build-up in their arteries, which can lead to plaques and ultimately heart attacks. The reason? Unknown. What is known is that these findings contradict everything we know about regular running -- it's been shown to reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure and help in the maintenance of a healthy weight.

The bottom line? I wouldn't stop running just yet if I were you -- it seems the benefits greatly outweigh the risks. But all the same, if you feel compelled to scale back your running routine to, say, half marathons, go for it. Any amount of running is better than none at all.

(Via CalorieLab)

Source

Some might think fitness isn't a prerequisite for race car driving. I mean, how physically taxing is it to sit behind the wheel and alternately slam on the gas and brake?

Racing is definitely a physically demanding sport, according to racing star Danica Patrick. When asked by a reporter for USA Today if she considers herself an athlete, Patrick says: "Absolutely, I'm an athlete."

If people took a little time to learn what Patrick does, they'd see just how physical her sport it. They'd see what she does to work out too.

Patrick works out daily and balances strength training (especially upper-body work) and stamina and endurance. She uses free weights, runs, and does yoga and pilates.

Clearly, racing isn't for the faint of heart. Driving a go-kart will give you a sense of it, says Patrick, who reports that bruises are a common occupational hazard. And in Indy cars, there's no power steering. "The forces are such that we could drive upside-down," she reports. The cars weigh more than 1,000 pounds."

Says one exercise physiologist at Florida Atlantic University: "Elite drivers have to have a fine-tuned sense of timing and excellent focus so they can anticipate and respond to stimuli ... The heat, the powerful lateral forces on the body and the constant vibrations make for intense stimulation during a race."

Convinced fitness and racing go hand in hand? I am.

Source

Dire Tune, of Ethiopia, and Alevtina Biktimirova, of Russia, made Boston Marathon history yesterday with the closest women's finish in the race's history.

Part of a pack of 10 women who had stuck together from the beginning of the race, Tune and Biktimirova pulled ahead and fought it out until the end. Biktimirova held the lead, but Tune overtook her during the final stretch. Both women have won other marathons this year. Tune took first in the Houston Marathon in January and Biktimirova won the Honolulu Marathon last December.

The top American woman, Ashley Anklam, took 15th in Boston. Though most of the top women runners ran in the Olympic trials, their place in this race doesn't guarantee them a spot in the Olympics.

Source

Looking for an intense, but very "short" race? Consider New York City's Empire State Run-Up. One of the world's most popular tower climbs, the race starts in the lobby then heads directly to the narrow stairwell -- 86 flights to the top. The male and female winners of this year's race finished 10:08 and 12:44 respectively.

Racers say that it's mentally a tough race. The stairwell wasn't meant for large crowds and is only wide enough for two people at a time. As runners gain altitude, their ears start to pop. And of course, there's the whole climbing stairs thing, 1,576 to be exact. Whew!

Source

Correct me if I'm wrong, women of the world, but I get the impression that, while high-heeled shoes may help you look good, they're not helping you get anywhere fast.

Apparently, however, this isn't always the case. In fact, in Eastern Europe, they've made a sport out of running races in stilettos.

In St. Petersberg, Moscow and Berlin, ladies wearing shoes with a minimum heel of 9cm (3.5 in) competed with one another for thousands of dollars in prize money.

Seems crazy to me, and looks like a good way to break an ankle. But it's also yet another reminder that, no matter what your interests, you can find a way to get active and stay fit in a way that's fun for you.

To see a video of these ladies in action, check out this YouTube clip.

Source

Obviously, when you're exercising, it's important to keep yourself hydrated. So, when you're running a race, it's a god idea to drink plenty of water, Gatorade, etc.

Unless you're in Wisconsin, where it's customary to down a couple beers instead.

Ok, ok, so not everyone in Wisconsin likes to drink while they work out, but that's part of the fun at the annual Beer Belly Two -- a 2-mile charity race with "a lot of beer stops," that's geared more towards good-time enthusiasts than anyone that would consider themselves an athlete.

While it may not be getting anyone in shape, the race has raised $350,000 for local charities since it first began 19 years ago, so I'd say it's certainly doing some good.

Source