Mind over Marathon: The magic of movement (running)

[User19783]

I've just watched this on iPlayer.
Very moving and informative.


Mind over Marathon, Episode 1: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p04yy0r8 via @bbciplayer

 

[thecube]

I haven't watched this yet, but I do have concerns that getting people to run a marathon with very little experience is likely to put them off running in the long run (no pun intended!).

 

[User19783]

I understand that, but watching it, they do talk about not being able to complete the Marathon.
I know it's for telly, but it looks like there is care and support for the runners.
I wish then luck and I hope they achieve their goals.

One step at a time.

 

[thecube]

As a runner I am fully aware of the mental health (and physical) benefits of running. So I will watch this with interest. But I always feel there is too much emphasis on marathons when it comes to running. It's like running 10k's or half marathons count for nothing. Our running club has a couch to 5K sessions and they are proving very successful. It is great to see people start out on the their running journeys. But there is too much kudos attached to marathon running, like nothing else is quite as impressive.

 

[User19783]

As a runner I am fully aware of the mental health (and physical) benefits of running. So I will watch this with interest. But I always feel there is too much emphasis on marathons when it comes to running. It's like running 10k's or half marathons count for nothing. Our running club has a couch to 5K sessions and they are proving very successful. It is great to see people start out on the their running journeys. But there is too much kudos attached to marathon running, like nothing else is quite as impressive.

I am with you on this,
But as a runner, I enjoy the feelings running gives me.
I've never ran a Marathon, but I run 3 to 4 times a week, from twenty minutes upto ninty minutes,.

Maybe one day, I will do one.

 

[thecube]

I'm fresh from a marathon User19783, it was not my finest run! But people should promote running as a great way to meet people, see nature, get healthy, experience endorphins, have some quality "thinking" time and solitude, etc. etc. And if someone loves it so much they want to attempt a marathon that is good. But I know people that get inspired into running purely to complete a marathon and it's a case of too much too soon and they suffer. There is a big risk of causing physical harm and putting them off running long term. I tend to do 40 to 90 mins on average, but needed to up it for the marathon. Hard work and took the fun away a little.

 

[PaulB]

I think the biggest mistake I ever made was to run marathons. I'm grateful it was the interest in the distance that got me involved in running and even though people were tougher and more resilient back in the 80s I really wish I'd gone for shorter distances instead. I think the thing that drew me in was a comment someone made about everything else you ever did after the marathon would seem easier in comparison so to run that distance (I mean run it, not just get round the course) did provide a) a residual fitness that would last a long, long time and b) something to compare all future challenges against.

 

[Tin Pot]

I'm uncomfortable with the idea of exercise as a treatment for mental illness.

Self medication is part of the problem, and a solitary, pressured thing like marathon training could be more destructive for a depressive than constructive.

I saw one episode last night, and the guy who bailed on it just screamed out as the opposite of what's needed for endurance training.

All that said, I do believe a healthy body supports a healthy mind. I don't think men are designed for inactivity, our inate infraspecies aggression must be exercised or frustration sets in.

I have benefited emotionally from endurance training these past 18 months. My highs and lows are fewer and further between - though not by any means gone - and I think my behaviour and mood are less extreme. What is worse though is my patience, when you're tired from training all the time, you can't be patient as well.

As a runner I am fully aware of the mental health (and physical) benefits of running. So I will watch this with interest. But I always feel there is too much emphasis on marathons when it comes to running. It's like running 10k's or half marathons count for nothing. Our running club has a couch to 5K sessions and they are proving very successful. It is great to see people start out on the their running journeys. But there is too much kudos attached to marathon running, like nothing else is quite as impressive.

+1

It's the guys and gals who become weekly park runners or club runners that have changed their lifestyle, imo.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Back in the day, over 30 years ago, I ran four. Never again.

I do not understand the modern and current obsession with marathons, and urban, city, marathons at that. I'd much rather run across and through the countryside myself. I limit myself to 3 or 4 half-marathons a year; because training for a half doesn't take over your life and become about 'the journey' and you don't become a mono-maniac obsessive the way you do with marathon training. I get just as much satisfaction out of running a local 10k or a parkrun as I do from my hm's. Each to their own.

And if you are doing VLM tomorrow - you're a hero and bluddy good luck, and respect, to you, but it ain't for me.

 

[thecube]

GrumpyGregory, I agree. I get asked whether or not I have run marathons and what the times were. But my half marathons are far better than my 2 marathons. I love between 10-15miles, easy to train for and lots of local events. Marathons are time consuming and pose a far greater injury risk. My favourite races are the cross country ones, where you don't even look at your watch, you just run as fast as possible and deal with the mud, hills, tree roots, cold, wind etc. It's proper running to me.

 

[Garry A]

As much as I'm looking forward to doing my first marathon next month, I can't wait to get back to shorter distances. I much prefer 10k-half marathon but just want to have done a full marathon at least once.

 

[Beebo]

Guess where I have been with my son? Great atmosphere and quite warm once the sun came out.