Marathon Training for Anti-Aging Benefits

As we get older, it’s not uncommon to notice signs of slowing down. You might start to notice this while doing everyday activities. Carrying groceries, doing housework and even taking a jog can seem just a little more difficult.

For people who exercise regularly, particularly those who perform marathon training, getting older seems to be slower. People who eat well and work out age more slowly, have fewer medical issues and even live longer.

Heart Health

Aside from your daily dose of cardio, exercise that has an end goal, like marathon training, is proven to help people live longer. Since cardiovascular activity keeps arteries pliable, the risk of cardiovascular complications that often accompanies aging is reduced.

According to the American College of Cardiology, training for a marathon can actually turn back the hands of time and give your ticker an extra four years of health.

Benefits of Marathon Training

While running does have proven health benefits, running with a purpose offers even more anti-aging benefits.

Below are the top anti-aging benefits you can reap from training:

– Significantly reduce stress levels
– You’ll get into shape faster than with simple dieting
– Sleep quality is improved
– Cardiovascular health is improved

Aging comes with a lot of downsides, but training for the marathon can help counteract many of them. The key is understanding how to start the training process as well as building up your momentum.

How Training for the Marathon Impacts Your Health

Training for the marathon can do a lot more for you beside the benefits listed above. To start, the rigorous exercise can work wonders for maintaining your cholesterol and blood pressure levels.

High cholesterol and hypertension are precursors to more serious, sometimes fatal, medical conditions. In fact, undiagnosed hypertension is the leading cause of strokes in adults.

Marathon running also helps supply your body with the appropriate amount of oxygen and improve blood flow. Furthermore, your immune system is significantly boosted, which makes it easier to get rid of potentially dangerous germs and viruses.

Remember how we mentioned that your legs would be toned much faster? It’s important to build up training at first. If you’re elderly or are new to running, chances are that your leg muscles aren’t conditioned enough to go long distances.

Trying to go too far without proper conditioning can also lead to rhabdomyolysis. This condition happens when training is too vigorous leading to your muscles’ release of lactic acid. Rhabdomyolysis is a serious condition that requires emergency medical attention.

Conclusion

Although it may be tempting to charge full steam ahead, it’s not recommended. Doing so makes you more likely to suffer a muscular injury. Even the best runners have to take their training one step at a time. Your focus needs to be on longevity, not speed.

Training for a marathon is hard work, but the anti-aging benefits make every step worthwhile. Even though we can’t stop the aging process, we can slow it down, just by taking better care of ourselves. As with any type of new exercise regimen, always check with your family physician prior to lacing up your sneakers.