When fitness is unhealthy

I’m reading two books at the moment (don’t take that too literally: I’m actually writing at this exact moment, and I can’t read two books simultaneously). One is called Running with the pack: Thoughts from the road on meaning and mortality. It was written by Mark Rowlands, a philosopher and a runner. And for him, running and philosophizing are inextricably connected. In the book, he recounts his most significant runs at a time when he is embarking on a midlife marathon with almost no training.

The second book, Body by Science, written by Doug McGuff and John Little, calls itself a research-based program for strength training, body building, and complete fitness in 12 minutes a week. Body by science claims to “challenge everything you thought you knew about exercise and takes you deep inside your body’s inner workings”. In this book, the authors present a different workout protocol that "leverages the positive effects of high-intensity low-frequency weight training, while avoiding the negative effects of traditional aerobic-centric exercise".

Ironically, in the very first chapter, McGuff and Little discuss the connection – or lack thereof – between health and fitness, and go on to make the argument that running is not healthy!

But wait a minute! It’s pretty obvious we were designed for walking and running. Unlike primates, humans have evolved to stand upright, developed the ability to sweat, and our long legs and large glutes enable the energy-conserving nature of our gait. When you think about it, from an evolutionary standpoint, it’s evident that the ability to run far for long periods of time was a necessary adaptation that allowed humans to gain access to higher quality food.

It is the purest form of exercise. Running can help you get in shape for other sports, like boxing or mixed martial arts. Running will improve your rowing or cycling too – but not the converse. (I know many a runner who has changed to cycling, with impressive results.) Running is one of the best ways to improve cardiovascular conditioning. It takes the exact same number of calories to cover the same distance regardless of how fast you run. So how can running not be healthy?

Studies have documented that 60 per cent of runners are injured in an average year, with one running injury occurring for every one hundred hours of performance. The damage caused by running often manifests after a period of fifteen to twenty years, often in the form of knee pain, shoulder immobility, or lower back pain. That running can cause injuries is not news. It is a high-impact sport that takes a hefty toll on the body.

The very fact that Mark Rowland, at age 48, is planning to run a marathon with almost no training is a red flag. It’s an invitation for injury.

So where has running gone off the rails, from being a natural physical activity to an unhealthy one? Part of the answer lies in the high-impact nature of running on pavement. Typical running injuries tend to be progressive conditions, rather than immediate ones, and are consequences of inappropriate activities and activity levels that are chronically catabolic (breaking down of muscle) and are performed far too frequently to allow an anabolic (muscle building) state to manifest. Any activity, not just running, done too frequently, will sooner or later override the body's ability to recover and repair itself, and this is where the real problem lies. In fact, most activities at the elite level run into this problem, because health is not the ultimate goal: performance is.

Does this mean we shouldn’t run or engage in any activity with the potential for injury if health is a priority? I don’t believe so. It is possible to achieve exceptional level of fitness without compromising health.
It means we should practice a variety of activities and at the right frequency, volume and intensity. For some, this is easier said than done. If you love your chosen activity, it can be very difficult to not overtrain. Your brain wants to keep going but your body says no. I can relate: it's a beautiful day, I am on vacation, but I had a hard day on the bike yesterday and I need to recover. The brain wins. 

So lace up your trainers and go for a run. Because running is the very essence of humanity and our evolutionary development. Keep in mind that more isn't necessarily better. If fitness and health are your goals, running with a mind to what is going on in your body, should be part of your plan. (Or, you could take up cycling!)