Did you know? Runners who average more than 80 km (50 miles) per week are twice as likely to suffer from respiratory illnesses. Those who run 20-30 km (12.4-18.6 miles) a week have a stronger immune system and are less prone to colds. Regular running training is good for improving the long-term stability of bones. Researchers at the University of Michigan came to the conclusion that 12-20 minutes of running three times a week can increase bone mineral density. The French ultramarathon runner Serge Girard holds the world record for the longest distance run in 365 days. He ran every day for a year, crossed a total of 25 countries and covered a total distance of 27,011 kilometers (16,783 miles).
Researchers have found that the majority of runners will straighten up when an attractive runner of the opposite sex is coming towards them. The German Markus Jürgens holds the marathon world record in backward running. At the 2017 Hannover Marathon, he crossed the finish line in a time of 3 hours, 38 minutes and 27 seconds. In contrast to men, women usually run the second half of a marathon faster than the first. They tend to hang back more than men at the start, but continue to increase speed and finish strong in the second half of the race. This is what Professor Eric Allen and Patricia Dechow found when they analyzed 300,000 results from the Chicago Marathon.
Thanks to Sprouts for supporting the 2019 Road Race Series and the 2020 Winter Off-Road Series.
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