Running slower and less often may be better for your health. A recent finding found that people who run less than 20 miles a week at a slower pace of 10 to 11 minutes per mile tend to live longer than people who run more miles at a faster pace. It might be that most of the cardiovascular and health benefits of exercise are obtained in the first 35 to 40 minutes. After that, runners burn more calories and get better at their sport, but there may be long-term negative changes to their hearts. The study found that people who do any running have a 19% lower risk of dying within a given time period than those who do not run at all.
Source: BOTTOM LINE Personal, October 15, 2012. Study of 52656 people by researchers at Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, presented at a recent meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine in San Francisco.
rehabilitateyourheart
October 16, 2012 at 8:39 am
I love any post about slow running. I will never be a 6 min miler more like 9-10, but have the endurance to go forever. I usually run 40-75 minutes 3-4 times per week. Seems to work well with all the old athletic injuries sustained over the years.Any more than that the joints start complaining.