Run for your life! At a comfortable pace, and not too far: James O'Keefe at TEDxUMKC on HackerTube: recommended by 3 Hacker News commenters across 5 separate months, 2016–2026.
talk · evergreen
Cardiologist James O'Keefe argues in a TEDx talk that moderate running confers the best longevity benefits, while extreme endurance training can damage the heart. He draws on data and his own experience as a lifelong runner.
HN cites it whenever people question whether more exercise is always better, especially extreme endurance running.
“I think about this TED Talk from 2012 a lot..”
11 Hacker News comments link this video. Each one links back to its thread.
I think about this TED Talk from 2012 a lot.. and he presents some data. It changed some of my goals, and I’m a bit more multi-sport than I used to be. Run for your life! At a comfortable pace, and not too far: James O'Keefe at TED×UMKC ▶ this video
in “Why are so many young, fit, non-smoking women getting lung cancer?” · View on HN
This guy looked at longevity stats for runners. He recommends running a little, not a lot. 2012 TEDx Talk: ▶ this video
in “Five minutes of exercise a day could lower blood pressure” · View on HN
I believe running your heart at such high intensity every day isn't particularly healthy. It causes scarring of the heart tissue and possible problems as you age. I think watching this Ted might be helpful: ▶ this video
in “Aerobic exercise can reduce the risk of metastatic cancer in mice: study” · View on HN
On the topic of how overexercise can damage the heart by James OKeefe, a cardiologist and lifetime obsessive runner: Notably he points out that they tested people blood after doing long distance events and found that many of them had chemicals usually found in heart attack victims, indicating heart damage. Basically he says that the long term overexercise/heart damage means the heart muscle constantly has microtears which heal up and the healed tissue is scar tissue which is hard and not like normal heart tissue - much harder and less elastic. So people who overtrain end up with a heart much older than their physical age. ▶ this video Transcript: [link] Another video: [link] And from another author on extreme exercise and the heart: [link]
in “How to Live with Dying” · View on HN
Here's an interesting video if you are an extreme athlete: it is a cardiac researcher and lifelong exerciser who identifies that such exercise patterns damage the heart: ▶ this video
in “Extreme Athleticism Is the New Midlife Crisis” · View on HN
It’s well known ultra training destroys your heart. In any sport. They tested the blood of marathon runners and found heart attack markers in many of them because the heart muscle is being damaged and healing and scarring and hardening the muscle leaving young ultra trainers with the heart of an 80 year old. The best modern advice is don’t overtrain. ▶ this video
in “The Mysterious Syndrome Destroying Endurance Athletes” · View on HN
Big issue of doing running. ——- read the old HN below and if not at least these “andrewstuart on Oct 24, 2020 | prev | next [–] On the topic of how overexercise can damage the heart by James OKeefe, a cardiologist and lifetime obsessive runner: Notably he points out that they tested people blood after doing long distance events and found that many of them had chemicals usually found in heart attack victims, indicating heart damage. Basically he says that the long term overexercise/heart damage means the heart muscle constantly has microtears which heal up and the healed tissue is scar tissue which is hard and not like normal heart tissue - much harder and less elastic. So people who overtrain end up with a heart much older than their physical age. ▶ this video Transcript: [link] ... Another video: [link] And from another author on extreme exercise and the heart: [link] ... DoreenMichele on Oct 24, 202… about walking “
in “How to live with dying (2020)” · View on HN
Great story. Think twice though before adopting mind over matter approach. The Born to Run hero died at ~60 while doing a 12 mile training run of massive heart damage. Running too far or even with too fast a pace may be hazardous for the average individual according to scientists studying this subject ▶ this video
in “The World’s Oldest Ultramarathon Runner Is Racing Against Death” · View on HN
>My uncle was a professional national level runner Running long distances regularly isn't healthy: ▶ this video Multiple studies have found a U-shaped curve of CAC scores as a function of regular running distance/intensity: [link] Conclusion A significantly higher rate of coronary artery calcification existed in long-term marathon, ultramarathon, and extreme runners than in submarathon runners. Marathoners and ultramarathoners also had a higher incidence of calcification, as well as higher average plaque burden, as compared to a standard database. Marathoners and ultramarathoners also had above-average coronary calcium scores as compared to a national database. Other forms of endurance exercise (swimming, cycling) have similar effects if taken to excess . Sprinting short distances is great, and walking seems to have no upperbound on how much you can safely do of it (the Hadza do it all day and have childlike levels of LDL and minimal CAC).
in “I am the healthiest person I know, and I got cancer” · View on HN
Numerous studies show that exercise provides U-shaped benefits to health [1], [2]. Specific to cardiovascular disease, repeat marathon runners [3] have higher calcium buildup than those who do not run in marathons, which as Robin might say, is one of those cases where the animal is driven too hard. While you have a point for extreme exertion, I'm not sure what you mean by "lazy". Current general recommendations are 150 minutes a week, or <30 minutes a day [4], which definitely falls underneath moderate exercise. I don't think "no one" is ignoring these recommendations (or, at least, they agree with them-- few people follow them :^)). As for your grandpa's longevity-- your genetics is just a risk modifier, not a nullifier. Wearing a seatbelt doesn't prevent your death, it just reduces your odds of it during a car crash. So, at least, I hope you still wear your seatbelt, because the time cost of this activity is so miniscule compared to the time reward. As I like to say, "Run for your life! At a comfortable pace, and not too far" [5] EDIT: I should add-- I ran competitively a few years ago. My "animal" is no longer as fierce, and thus am a bit more moderate these days. But there is a large emotional aspect and validation to pushing yourself that goes beyond physical health. As with any sport-- running, swimming, football, basketball-- the physical toll is worth it. This, though, is what I would classify under Robin's description of a "tired animal" and is likely what Bolt, MJ,
in “The Animal Is Tired” · View on HN
As always some of something is great does not mean more of it is better: "Run for your life! At a comfortable pace, and not too far: James O'Keefe at TEDxUMKC" ▶ this video
in “Dead Men Write No Code” · View on HN