Just as there is a natural rhythm when running - surging and breathing out to expel the "bad air", relaxing and letting the lungs inflate to breathe in fresh air ready for the next surge - so also there is a natural rhythm during weeks and months of running - pushing hard for a time, then running more easily for a time. It's called "racing" and "recovery". And conventional wisdom says that the longer the race, the more recovery time is required.
Here is a quote from an article at
http://running.competitor.com/2012/06/news/how-much-running-is-bad-for-your-heart_54331
which warns of potential dangers to the heart caused by running too many ultras.
"Much of the damage seen immediately after the race goes away within the month. It is only when the heart is consistently and repeatedly damaged that the scarring builds up. If you’re going to continuously compete in long-distance running, cycling or triathlon events, there are a few precautions you could take, O’Keefe says.
"Break up your exercise to give your heart a rest, recommends O’Keefe. Sitting at your desk, your heat pumps about five liters per minute, but during exercise it can pump up to 25 liters a minute. “That’s a lot of cardiac work to do for four hours at a time,” he said."
Sensible running makes the heart stronger but only if you have sensible rest as well. It is actually the rest after the stress of running which does the strengthening! Good news: "doing nothing" is an essential part of training. So don't just do something: sit there!
Song of the Week: Always a Winner, by Pete Murray
From http://youtu.be/DGWI-5uFLxQ
This year there have been released many very good new albums, it is really hard to separate out which are the best. But just at the moment I tend towards nominating Pete Murray's "Blue Sky Blue" just ahead of many others.
This album has kept growing on me all year.
"Always A Winner"
Hey, see it my way
If we all had a dream
We could bust this place
And we could take it down
Like a runaway train
I bet you'd make me smile
Like I'm going insane
So pick your style
And pick your place
And we can burn like the summer
With amazing grace
Gonna win now
Cause I know you are
You are my one true love
And you got me this far
Always a winner, yeah you're always a winner for me
Always a winner, yeah you're always a winner for me
With my best friend
I put my best foot forward
Gonna dry you out like a winter time wind
And it wont stop now no I keep coming
Better knock me down sober so I can't get up
This time will see the last time
Oh you're always a winner
Don't you burn yourself out
Always a winner, yeah you're always a winner for me
Always a winner, yeah you're always a winner for me
Pick me up don't bring me down
Take me right now to the other side of town
That's where I wanna be, you and me alone
We've gotta build it right up so we can make it our home
Guilty man, don't want no guilty man seen
I'm gonna break it right now
Your a winner to me
Always a winner, yeah you're always a winner for me
Always a winner, yeah you're always a winner for me
Always a winner, yeah you're always a winner for me
Always a winner, yeah you're always a winner for me
Footnote: It's funny, lyrics sites often get lyrics wrong, and they obviously copy each other, which propagates these errors across the net. I reckon I've got the lyrics right, but one line of mine differs from all the lyric site versions.
