Track and field athletes are widely known to be some of the fittest people on the planet. This is quite true, as they have to maintain certain fitness levels to touch the inhumane speeds they are known for on the track. They need to be light on their toes to burst into a sprint when the gun is shot. However, it is quite different for marathon runners.
Their sport requires them to concentrate more on the longevity of the race rather than having the best acceleration possible. Thus, they concentrate more on staying lean than building muscles, with most of them having barely any body fat at all. This has now ignited an intense debate in Reddit’s Track and Field Community.
A user on X named Rachel posted a tweet, remarking that sprinters look like some of the fittest people on the planet. But her remarks about the marathon runners were less than flattering as she compared them to cancer patients. Then, in a completely typical form of communication on the platform, she ended the post abruptly, saying, “There’s a lesson there.”
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This attracted a reply from Steve Magness, a track and field writer and coach. He said, “This is interesting because if you look at the data, Olympic distance runners live longer than sprinters. When it comes to longevity, marathoners and vertical jumps do well. Sprints and power athletes not as well. Maybe our perception of what’s healthy is off?” People on Reddit reacted to this, igniting quite a ferocious debate.
Steve Magness was apparently citing a study conducted by BMS Sports on this issue. After their research, they concluded that high jumpers and marathon runners who have competed at the Olympics live longer than the sprinters who have done so. This was because of differences in their body structure, as heavier athletes had worse results than lighter ones. Thus, while the marathon runners and the high jumpers lived longer than the general population, the sprinters did not.
Reasons for this were debated heavily in the community. Many users stated that this was because the sprinters don’t take care of themselves after they retire from elite sports. But, marathon runners don’t have any specific time to retire from the sport as many race deep into their senior ages. Thus, they stay fit for a longer period. Another user stated that the use of performance-enhancing substances decreases the life span of these sprinters. This has been a controversial topic that has haunted the track community for decades giving another angle to the debate.
Track and field community debate ferociously on the life span of sprinters and marathon runners
One user said, “I wonder why though, is it possibly PEDS or lifestyle following retirement?” The user felt this was a valid argument as they follow rowing where competitors die only of old age, probably when they are pushing a century. “Power and sprinting athletes also have higher instances of PED use than distance athletes; I wonder if this plays a role. I love the point Steve made; I’m just curious on the why!” they added.
PEDs have been a topic that has been present for a long time in track and field. Many top athletes like Justin Gatlin, Yohan Blake and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce have been caught using it and have faced suspensions. Thus, it has been present in the top level of sprinters in the past. They have also been linked to early deaths too.
The journal of medicine conducted a study stating that men who use these substances may face a higher risk of early death and diseases. Thus, this usage could be linked to earlier mortality in track stars too. However, there have been several cases of marathon runners using PEDs too, which would mean that they would also get affected by this. Thus, this theory has some loopholes.
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Another user said, “The problem isn’t active sprinters/distance runners affecting these numbers. It’s retired athletes. People don’t typically continue to train sprints for the rest of their lives after their peak. I don’t know a single-distance runner from college that doesn’t still run (even if it’s just a few miles a week). Lifelong healthy habits outweigh being super fit for 5-10 years.” Many marathon runners run deep into their old ages. Fauja Singh, a British Sikh runner, completed a marathon at the age of 89. Whereas in sprinting, most athletes don’t compete after the age of 40. Some of these people fall into sedentary lifestyles, unlike the marathon runners, which leads to their early death. Thus, while marathon runners stay fit their whole lives, sprinters most of the time only stay fit during their careers.
Another user expressed the same sentiment, saying, “Also, the most obvious discrepancy to me is that you can’t casually sprint after you retire, whereas distance running continues to be a part of most distance athletes lives throughout their retirement, leading to unhealthy habits for sprinters and being much more sedentary.”Most of the marathons around the world don’t have specific age limits. People from any walk of life can take part in them. However, to compete in sprints, the only option is top-level, which requires incredible fitness and talent. Thus, most can’t do it after a certain age, prompting retirement and then an undesirable lifestyle.
A user said, “When is the last time you saw an obese marathoner?” This comes from the age span too. As marathon runners are sometimes quite old and have to endure long races, they must keep fit so that they could run for that long. It is very important for them and their body can’t be too fat or else it’ll eventually affect them in the race. Thus, this staying fit in old age is what seems to be helping them live longer than the sprinters who retire after a certain age.
‘Is It Possibly PEDs?’: Track and Field Coach Ignites Heated Debate Among Fans With Weird Sprinters-Marathoners Comparison
