The first group of runners set off at the 2024 Irish Life Dublin Marathon, October 27, 2024 Photo: (DublinLive) 

Spanning 42 kilometres, with an average completion time ranging between four and five hours, marathon running can be regarded as the ultimate test of human endurance.   

Marathon participation in Ireland is high, particularly for the Irish Life Dublin Marathon which took place on Oct 26 where over 22,500 runners took part in one of Ireland’s largest participation events.  

The popularity of long-distance running has seen a major increase in Ireland post pandemic. A survey conducted by Teneo reported that the number of Irish people who took up running as their main form of exercise doubled in 2020.  

Although running comes with benefits such as increased cardiovascular fitness and a decrease in blood pressure, if sufficient training and preparation is not done, long distance running can prove costly to the average human. Punishing your body weeks before an event to get yourself up to speed can prove to be detrimental for your heart.   

Major studies have shown a direct correlation between intense long distance running and Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), particularly in men. CAD is an increase in plaque buildup in the arteries. This can lead to heart scarring, which can increase a person’s risk of going into cardiac arrest by 50% during a race.   

Speaking on the long-term effects of heart scarring, Senior House Officer Dr. Eve McDermott said, “Heart scarring cannot be reversed, the scar tissue will limit the heart’s ability to pump blood.” 

“Whilst enduring long-distance running, the body is regarded as being in a state of stress, therefore increasing your cortisol hormones,” said Dr. McDermott.  

“Cortisol is a stress hormone. High levels and overexposure to this hormone can lead to high blood pressure and heart rate. Over time, this can increase your risk of cardiovascular events such as ischemic heart disease, heart attacks, etc,” added Dr. McDermott. 

The dangers of poor preparation do not stop there as muscle and joint injuries are also a topic to worry about. Physiotherapist Leanne Power from Empowerment Physiotherapy, Fermoy, Co. Cork works to combat these types of injuries.   

Throughout Power’s career, she has dealt with many forms of muscle and joint injuries ranging in levels of seriousness. Power mentioned how vital it is for people to be proactive with smaller injuries such as shin splints to prevent more serious injuries occuring.

“Essentially shin splints is the overloading of the tibia, leading to an inflammatory response. The reason people get it is that they go into something too soon. For example, they would have a period of little movement and then decide today they will go for a run,” said Power. 

“If someone isn’t managing this, it has the potential to lead to stress fractures in that area, or the load will be transferred elsewhere, annoying other bones,” she added.   

Power highlights the importance of slowly introducing training. “Introducing strength and conditioning is a huge part that people do not do,” she said.

Power recommends people introduce these types of activities in smaller forms whilst gradually increasing their tolerance to ensure their physical abilities improve in a safe manner.  Gym facilities can be scarce, especially in rural areas of Ireland, but a lot of strength exercises can be done at home with the use of everyday household items.  

“Use bags of flour or bottles of water for weights, do simple things like bridging, single leg bridging, lunges, squats, sit to stand exercises, and step-ups are also good as they activate many types of muscles,” added Power. 

When you are running, you put your body weight three and half times through one leg so it is crucial that your legs can take such weight. 

Marathon runner Danny O’Brien has been partaking in long-distance events for the past six years, with the 2019 Cork City half Marathon being his first. 

O’Brien is a big believer in “knowledge is power” and speaks about how important steady preparation is.  He recommends that you should never train at your race day pace and suggests adopting  the 80/20 model where 80% of your training is at a lesser pace. 

Although an experienced runner, O’Brien also endured a period of injury due to his own lack of knowledge when he first began long distance running.  

“I applied for a half marathon in Galway in 2019 and during my training, I ended up pulling a calf muscle because I had just put too much stress and strain on my body,” said O’Brien. 

“With the knowledge I’ve acquired since I am able to build a good running base, but at the time I didn’t know the dangers, and I was going hell for leather every time,” he added. 

“A solid foundation of understanding is vital for taking on body-taxing tasks and you should be realistic about your level and your goals, and they should coincide with your training,” said O’Brien.   

“Your body is like a machine, for it to be in top condition it will need to be looked after,” he added.  

O’Brien emphasised the importance of preparation.“Getting a sweat on is not what is important but building your body over time to give yourself more of an accurate representation of your abilities, is.” 

As more people take the leap into long-distance running, it is vital that an understanding and appreciation of the body remains core to a training plan. Before competing in events, it is important to get medically evaluated, as underlying heart or health conditions can play a tragic role in intense competitions.