Since ancient times, endurance activities have challenged human potential. Feats like the dolichos Olympic race in ancient Greece, the inaugural long-distance bicycle race in France, and the first crossing of the English Channel by a swimmer — and their modern adaptations — are achievements of grit, perseverance, and discipline.
The discipline you practice while training for a marathon or other endurance event can apply elsewhere in life, too.
“In the world of fitness, when you say you’re going to be at run group at 5:30 a.m., the more you do this, the easier it gets,” says Mike Thomson, CSCS, Life Time coach and endurance athlete. “The more you do the things you say you’re going to do, the easier it is to do the things you say you’re going to do. That’s not just with working out.”
Physiologically, endurance training may lower all-cause mortality by improving blood flow.
“Once you start doing cardiovascular activity — specifically zone 2 — your left ventricle gets larger in size and your capillaries get larger in diameter so your blood can be transported to the rest of your body better,” Thomson says. “The better your plumbing — your heart, veins, and capillaries — the longer you’re capable of living, and the less likely you are to die of a cardiovascular disease.”
Sample Goals:
- Run/bike/row/ski continuously for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Complete your first 5K or 10K.
- Complete a triathlon of any distance: super-sprint, sprint, Olympic, half-Ironman, or Ironman.
- Complete a half-marathon, marathon, or ultramarathon.
- Complete a century or other long-distance bike ride.
- Complete an open-water swimming race.
- Set a PR in an endurance event.
Your Next Fitness Adventure
Whether you’re looking to break out of a workout rut or pursue a new goal, you’ll find expert insights and inspiration in “What’s Your Next Fitness Adventure?,” from which this article was excerpted.
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