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Metro
26-04-2025
- Health
- Metro
This is what running 26 miles actually does to your body
This weekend thousands of people will be pounding the pavement in London, as the London marathon takes place. The runners will be undertaking the 26.2 mile route, and whether they're an elite athlete or a novice, there's no denying that it will have a major impact on their bodies. Even with all the necessary training and all the right gear, even the fittest of individuals will notice considerable changes to their body when running such a distance. Obviously, it goes without saying that running a marathon is a very personal experience and a variety of things will affect your run – such as stress, injuries and training. But, on the whole, there are a few different things that will happen to your body during it, and afterwards. From endorphin surges to back 'bounces', experts share some of the things to expect when you run 26 miles. Pounding the pavement for 26.2 miles will have an impact on your body (Picture: Getty Images) Body enters overdrive mode When running a marathon, your body goes into overdrive, uses up energy stores, breaks down muscle, and loses fluid and electrolytes. Physiotherapist Sammy Margo, who works with Deep Freeze and Deep Heat, explains: 'The body goes into overdrive, uses up glycogen (energy) stores in the liver, breaks down muscle and loses fluid and electrolytes – all of which contribute to fatigue and a sense of grogginess and tiredness after the run.' Muscles become inflamed Obviously, most people don't run 26 miles every day – so it's a bit of a shock to our muscles. Sammy says: 'Muscles become inflamed and sore – particularly the calves and thighs – and runners may develop cramp. 'Biomarkers of muscle damage – such as lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase – increase during the run, peaking after the end of the marathon. 'These enzymes take around a week to fall back to normal levels.' She says warming up is essential to reduce the risk of sore muscles, particularly delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Proper stretching and warm ups are essential (Picture: Getty Images) Performance Physique's Head Coach, Arj Thiruchelvam, also adds that marathons cause substantial muscular damage – and this is even more noticeable if runners lack sufficient carbohydrate fuelling. He says: 'Very often we consider the impacts are limited to the visual (blistering, nail issues or swollen feet) but many runners also suffer joint discomfort post-race to go along with their muscular soreness. 'These sensations are not the limit and that is why recovery is so vital.' Cramps and joint discomfort are common From over-contraction and overuse of muscles to a lack of sodium, there are numerous reasons why runners experience the notorious 'cramp'. Kimiko Ninomiya, the founder of women's running collective Hot Boys Athletics, is running today – her sixth marathon – and she expects a few cramps and aches to happen. She explains: 'This time around, I like to think I've properly prepared and I've been consistent about all my training (from everything I've tracked on Strava, you'd say I'm ready). But I'm prepared for the race to take everything out of me. I'm expecting my hamstring to cramp up, ankles and knees to ache, back pain, a headache – literally all the worst things I've ever experienced combined into one race. 'I'm expecting to hobble from the finish line, like Bambi, while simultaneously feeling a wave of euphoria wash over me for having just finished such a hard effort. 'In the days following a hard race, my legs are always very stiff but it's important to try to get moving, whether it's tracking a short and easy run on Strava or going for a long walk around the city (my favourite is to go to an art gallery).' Feeling on top of the world – followed by post-run blues Get ready for 'feel good' endorphins (Picture: Getty Images) 'Runner's high' is a real thing – and it's all down to endorphins. Sammy continues: 'Running this distance over several hours also increases positive neurotransmitters, like norepinephrine, and 'feel good' endorphins – which keeps you alert and serotonin, which improves mood.' But, in a similar way to a workout class, this effect does wear off shortly afterwards. Kimiko says: 'Beyond the very physical toll, there's also the chemical drop-off that happens, when your serotonin levels switch off that my friends and I call 'marathon melancholy', where you feel quite sad/down, so it's important to give yourself grace and try to surround yourself with people or things that lift you up.' You'll get (temporarily) shorter According to the Journal of International Medical Research, you're expected to lose almost half an inch in height during a marathon. This loss in height is a result of the back muscles tensing under strenuous conditions and fluid loss between the intervertebral disks. But, worry not, this is only temporary and you'll be back to full height when fluid levels are replaced. Stress on knees, hips and ankles Even when you've trained, your body still goes through a tremendous amount of stress while running. Physiotherapist Ben Lombard says: 'The muscles in your hips, knees, ankles and spine are constantly loaded with each step, which is a great way to strengthen them – but if loaded too much too soon you can easily create overload injuries. 'These commonly include muscle sprains, tendon injuries, or even ligament sprains and bone stress injuries.' Ben says to help lessen the load on your joints, it all comes down to training and preparation. He explains: 'To run 26.2 miles, you should condition your body appropriately with a carefully considered training plan. 'This should include both running and strength and conditioning sessions. Your runs should get progressively longer, and ideally you will do some shorter faster intervals, some race-paced runs, and some hills, too.' Strain on your spine While you might think your knees and ankles get the worst of it when running 26 miles, Michael Fatica – a consultant osteopath for The Back in Shape Program – says it's actually our backs that take the full impact. He explains: 'The action of running causes a repetitive impact on the load bearing structures of the lower back – primarily the discs. 'When running, the main force is one of impact going through the body, the joints of the lower limbs, ankles, knees and hips and the into the spine. When we think of the impact on our lower back – even with good posture – the average marathon consists of somewhere between 55,000 and 65,000 steps. 'Think of these steps as tiny impacts through the spine for the duration of the event. From the outset in the early part of the race, you're likely soft on your feet, posture tall and efficient. As time wears on and the number of steps climbs, more and more of these impacts will become less efficiently handled by our bodies. 'At the same time, your postural muscles will be having to manage these many 'bounces' up and down during the entirety of the event.' As a result, runners might experience fatigue and discomfort in the lower back at the end of the gruelling run. This article was first published on September 25, 2023. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ Arrow MORE: Mark Wright 'truly heartbroken' to pull out of London Marathon in emotional statement Arrow MORE: Mark Wright shares 'tough' goal after welcoming daughter with Michelle Keegan Arrow MORE: Every celebrity London Marathon scandal – from cheating to star forced to return her medal
Daily Mail
26-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Hour by hour, the excruciating toll of running a marathon on the human body
Tens-of-thousands of runners are expected to take part in the gruelling 26-mile London Marathon this weekend. Here, experts reveal the extraordinary toll undertaking a marathon has on the body, before, during and after the race. They've also detailed some of the surprising health impacts that can leave runners shorter, more prone to infection and even at risk of life-threatening complications. Hour Zero: Runners hype themselves up at the starting line Such is the impact of a marathon that people's bodies actually being to exhibit changes even before the race itself. Physiotherapist Sammy Margo from muscle and joint care range Deep Heat and Deep Freeze explained that the anticipation of the race can have a physical effect. 'From a hormone perspective, adrenaline and cortisol start surging,' she said. Adrenaline is part of the body's 'fight or flight' response prepping muscles for action. On the other hand, cortisol, also known as the 'stress hormone', helps the body unlock energy reserves. Ms Margo said the release of this due of hormones then triggers a number of other biological responses. 'Your heart rate increases in preparation as does your blood flow and your breathing rate starts going to get your oxygen levels up,' she said. 'People have been building themselves up for this event which for some is a major life milestone for months if not years. It's a big deal.' Hour One:..and now they're off Now, with the race underway the real impact on the body starts. Firstly, to fuel the first hour of running the body starts to burn all of the readily available carbohydrates, called glycogen, which is stored in the muscles. Ms Morgan added that, after an immediate spike from the starting line, a runner's heart rate will begin to settle to a still elevated but sustainable 60 to 80 per cent of its maximum. All this activity will lead to a rise in body temperature, which in turn will lead to sweating in response. Ms Morgan said, while the exact increase varies by person and the weather on the day, runners can see their body temperature rise by a couple of degrees. Personal Trainer Elyn Marwick, also of Deep Heat and Deep Freeze, added that within the first hour is when runners' muscles first start to become damaged. But she added this wouldn't cause any issues for most people, at least not at this stage. 'These are just microscopic tears in the muscles fibres, very normal from exercising,' she said. 'They're not going to impact you in that first hour, they'll just start accumulating.' Hour two: the race begins to take its toll For many runners this is when a bit of pain and soreness starts to kick in. Ms Marwick said it was inevitable that waste products from the muscles burning energy, like lactic acid, start to accumulate and may even cause cramps. While the 'when' varies depending on the runner, this can lead to pain in the legs which are naturally the muscles working the hardest during the event. Ms Marwick also said this is when a runner's energy stores of glycogen start to ebb. 'These usually last 60 to 90 minutes when you're running at a moderate heart rate,' she said. 'If you don't start to fuel up a little bit with carbs, from sweets, gels or energy drinks, you're going to run out of that glycogen and then out of energy.' Sweat continues to build with Ms Marwick saying a runner may lose between two to four litres of water by the end of the race. Ms Margo added that, as glycogen reserves begin to dry up runner starts burning fat to keep going. She added that all this strain leads to start ramping up production of stress hormones to unlock more energy to keep a runner going. Hour 3: 'The Wall' Ms Margo said while some runners will now be approaching the end, this is when many participants hit 'the wall'. This references a sudden collapse in energy levels as the body starts primarily using fat for energy a more taxing process than using glycogen. 'Your fat becomes your main fuel source, which is less efficient,' she said. All the other processes that started in hours one in two now take on a new dimension, with dehydration leading to electrolyte imbalances in the body and muscles damage becoming increasingly significant. Joint pain now joins the cascading issues a body has to contend with, as ankles and knees start to feel the impact of hours of continuous use. This is also when some of the more surprising impacts of a marathon start to take effect. A runner's immune system can now become weakened, leaving them vulnerable to infection from viruses and bacteria, as the body contends with dehydration, stress hormones and lowered energy levels. Hour 4: Zombie-runners and health risks in the final stretch Muscles damage has now reached a point where injury becomes increasingly likely and stress hormone levels begin to rise, Ms Margo said this was when runners need to be aware of a particular danger which can occur during marathons. Dehydration, and subsequent depletion of electrolytes like sodium, can leave runners at risk of hyponatremia. Also known as water intoxication, this where they drink too much, too quickly leading to brain tissue swelling to a dangerous size with potentially fatal consequences. Sadly, fatally have occurred from this in the past with hyponatremia killing London Marathon runner David Rogers, 22, who died after consuming too much water during the 2007 event. Now in the final stretch the body can be forced to call upon energy levels in the brain, which Ms Margo said could leave some people in zombie-like state as they near the finish line. 'People can look like zombies, and someone can come and pick them up to help them finish,' she said. Post race: the surprising aftermath While the race is over the impact on the body can last for days. Ms Margo said a runner's immune system, their defence against infections, can remain weakened for days after the event. 'After finishing your immune system might be compromised for 24 to 72 hours,' she said. Similarly, she added that a runner's glycogen stores may take up to two days to recover. This is also when, for many the pain from muscle damage from the race now peaks in the aftermath as the body goes out of fight or flight mode. To help combat this, Ms Marwick advised people to try and keep moving a little after the marathon and not just collapse on the ground. And in a final surprising quirk, runners may find themselves shorter than when they started. Scientists have found that the course of a marathon the vertebrae in the spine compress leaving athletes about 1cm shorter. This naturally reverses about 24 hours after the event.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Holly Willoughby breaks silence in emotional statement following Dancing on Ice axe
Holly Willoughby has spoken out about the recent announcement that Dancing on Ice would be axed from television screens around the UK. The TV personality thanked ITV for the "burst of glittering, dazzling light" which Dancing on Ice brought to her life. Holly commended all of the crew, celebrities and television viewers who had made Dancing on Ice possible over the last 19 years. Read more: Dancing On Ice axed after 17 series as ITV shares statement In a statement on Instagram, she said: "A huge thank you to ITV, the brilliant team, Crew, Celebrities and Everyone who has been part of our Dancing on Ice family over the last 19 years. "Every year, just when January felt at its greyest, Dancing on Ice arrived like a burst of glittering, dazzling light, warm, joyful, and full of heart… "It has been an absolute privilege to work alongside true national treasures Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, and to have a front-row seat to their breath-taking skating. "Watching them glide across the ice was nothing less than pure magic… A special thanks must also go to Arnica, Deep Heat, Spanx and fake tan, unsung heroes of the rink! "I will miss it hugely, but I count myself so lucky to have had it for as long as we did. Finally and most importantly, thank you to you for watching, you're the BEST!" The Dancing on Ice host posted the heart felt tribute alongside an image of herself and co-host, Stephen Mulhern, with the whole cast of celebrities from the most recent Dancing on Ice season. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Holly Willoughby (@hollywilloughby) The presenter first began hosting dancing on ice in 2006 until 2011, when she briefly hosted The Voice UK. She then returned to hosting the ice dancing programme in 2018, where she has remained as the co-host since. The Dancing on Ice host was previously the co-presenter of Phillip Schofield, who stepped down from the show in 2023 following a series of allegations about an affair with a colleague. Read more: ITV Dancing On Ice faces axe as staff 'told show won't be returning' Stephen Mulhern had stepped in to host the show since. Holly's Instagram posts follows the announcement that Dancing on Ice would be axed after a whopping 19 years on air. Professional dancers and judges Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean also announced their retirement from performing earlier this year following a 50 year partnership.
The Guardian
19-03-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Off the scent: how Atherton and Katich thrived in cricket without all senses intact
On the weekend, a friend and I went walking. As we strolled along the River Goyt, a sweet smell hit us like a packet of Love Hearts, which, as it turns out, is pretty much what it was. We had inadvertently walked past the Swizzels factory – producer of Parma Violets, Rainbow Drops and more in the Sett Valley since the company moved out of blitzed London in 1940, to an old textile mill in New Mills, Derbyshire. Alongside the sugary cloud drifted a junk shop of memories, sweets handed out at jelly and ice-cream parties, shared on the curb outside the corner shop, sucked on the way home from school. Later on, we passed a man pushing a mower to and fro on his front lawn and that fresh hit set off a whole other chain of flashbacks. As a cricket lover, you probably know where this is going. In the UK, where there are four seasons, albeit more confused these days, and the winters are long and damp and quite barren of natural smells, cut grass is the first sign the cricket season is on the way – quite quickly on the way now. There are only 16 days until Surrey walk out (probably wearing beanies and carrying handwarmers) to start their County Championship title defence. Smell is the most underrated of all the senses; the least glamorous, the most neglected, often held at bay by the indignity of a runny nose. But it is also the sense most connected to memory and is linked to the part of the brain involved with emotional and behavioural response. Which is why we have such a strong reaction to mown grass: sitting next to the cricket season to come is also the cricket season past, with people and players we have loved, but who have now slipped away to rest a while on the bench in the shadows. Alongside the lawnmower and the daffodils and the hawthorn blossom and the rudely fragrant hyacinth bulbs calling out from shop fronts, the world is slowly coming to life as the days stretch towards the spring equinox, first overs and beyond. It is one of the great pleasures in life to go for a walk in March and smell possibilities all around. But this isn't the way for every cricket lover or every cricketer. There are at least two Test players who have never sniffed the linseed oil, the groundsman's cuttings, stale kit or Deep Heat or, in Mike Atherton's case, even the odour of sweet toasted corn floating out of the Kelloggs factory round the corner from his former home ground, Old Trafford. Atherton has no memory of having had a sense of smell. His mum first noticed when he was six or seven years old. 'We lived in a village called Woodhouses [in Greater Manchester] where there are more pig farms per square mile than anywhere else in the country,' he says. 'At tea time, they would feed the pigs and there was apparently an almighty stink and she began to realise I was not registering any of this stuff.' However, it wasn't something that he had ever thought about until the Covid pandemic. 'Then, when everyone else was talking about losing their sense of smell, and what a loss it was, I thought, for the first time, what am I missing?' Practically, it means he needs someone to tell him if his food smells bad and he has begun to think his taste buds might be different to everyone else's – he sometimes struggles to tell the difference between tea and coffee and tends to like spicy food rather than anything more subtle. It also means he may have made a few olfactory faux pas in his time: 'My teammates could probably tell you about some stinky shirts I might have worn out of ignorance.' But he is typically no-nonsense about the whole thing, signing off with: 'What goes in my nose is air, it doesn't mean anything. If you're going to lose one sense, then that is the one to lose.' Sign up to The Spin Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week's action after newsletter promotion Another Test cricketer without a sense of smell is Simon Katich, who lost the ability to sniff an old baggy green after an attack of glandular fever. That also knocked him down the waiting list for a Test place after the rookie Ricky Ponting muscled into the vacant spot in the Australian middle order while Katich languished in bed. Not being able to sniff the difference between parsley and sage did not hold him back when he got to the semi-finals of Australia's Celebrity MasterChef in 2009, impressing the judges with his crispy salmon with wilted spinach and mashed potato, and then a 10-layer crepe cake. Can we take anything away from these two fine cricketers being unable to smell? Could it be that their inability to register the stinking pheromones of an angry fast bowler – thinking here in particular of a furious Allan Donald pawing at the ground at Trent Bridge in 1998 – helped keep them calm? Might a lack of flamboyance at the crease be related to their inability get a sensory hit from a morning espresso or never having to endure the whiff of a post-match nightclub? Fun as it might be to ponder, no amount of ruminating can stop the passing days. There is something in the air: the season is coming. This is an extract from the Guardian's weekly cricket email, The Spin. To subscribe, just visit this page and follow the instructions.
