As road racing and distance running and all of it’s hot trends (i.e.barefoot running) are gaining popularity, people in the medical field are seeking to quantify definitive answers on the question of whether or not the human body is built for distance. Researchers at the University in Minnesota are gathering data in a pretty interesting way: make training for a marathon a class! Students with little to no marathon or even running experience sign up for a class aptly named “Marathon Training” within the PE disciplinary and are encouraged to run 5x a week and meet at 5:30am on Sundays (somehow this is even more grueling than usual considering that it’s school work). Throughout the 12 week course, the students are given various fitness tests and measured to track progress. The final for this class relies upon completion of the Eau Claire Marathon, or risk failing the class (as if you needed another reason to hate DNFs).  From the data gathered of students who participate in the class, researchers hope to shed some light on the question of whether or not we’re truly born to run. I’m just curious to know if they grade you on your eating habits (that’s one test I am not sure I could pass with flying colors).

Whatever the answers may be, I would still hesitate to get anyone to sign up for their first time marathon or running off into the wild without any shoes on. I would be glad to see some reliable data that would refute popular claims that running deteriorates certain physical prowess (please don’t tell me I’ve been training  all this time for nothing). However, I know from just knowing a lot of distance athletes that anyone who is a true runner (and by runner I mean runners of ALL distances) can tell you about true physical prowess. Any form of prolonged physical activity can wreck an untrained body. It seems like common sense to me, but perhaps I’m wrong, we’ll see what comes from this and other studies being conducted out there.

Till then, there is still a ton of marathon training to be done on my part: according to my iGoogle L.A. Marathon countdown we’re about a month and change away from race day! I have no words that can properly express my sentiments at this moment… It’s a lot of strong and overwhelming feelings though, trust me.

Read more about the U of M program here.

Just added this to LA Marathon training playlist:
Gossip  -  Love Long Distance (Riva Starr Vocal Remix)