Copy link Copied Copy link Copied Subscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Already a subscriber? Login Everyone seems to be running these days, and they’re not just doing park runs. Jaw-dropping feats of endurance are popping up everywhere.
Whether it’s British runner Russ “Hardest Geezer” Cook running the entire length of Africa in 352 days, compatriot Jasmin Paris becoming the first woman to finish the gruelling 100-mile (161-kilometre) Barkley Marathons within the 60-hour time limit, or Australian sparkie Nedd Brockmann running almost 4000 kilometres from Perth to Bondi Beach , long-distance running is having a bit of a moment. So much so that standard marathons have become almost pedestrian . I say that with tongue in cheek, of course.
Running 42.2 kilometres continuously will always be impressive, especially if you race around the course in less than four hours. But for a rising number of people, running a marathon is no more than a starting point.
Exercise inflation, if you will, is in full swing. British runner Russ Cook became the first man to run the length of Africa earlier this year. AP To be clear, this is mostly a good thing.
Many health professionals, including longevity expert Dr Peter Attia, describe exercise as our most powerful weapon in the fight against chronic disease. The evidence is overwhelming that improving our fitness significantly reduces our risk of dying from any cause , and most o.
