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Aaron WebsteyAaron Webstey Administrator, Rooster Endurance Member, Rooster Endurance Officers
Thanks to @A_drizzle , I am now free to lose the dadbod and get as fit as I want!



So sure, there are no diminishing returns as you move into the top 2% of fitness. But is anyone looking at the impact that long-term, high-level Ironman training has on the body? Is it really "healthy" to be fit enough to race at the level of the top pros?
#KOAT
gregk

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    MartinMartin Member, Rooster Endurance Member
    I had a doctor prescribe less fitness as a way to regulate a minor cardiac issue.
    Aaron Webstey
  • Options
    Assuming that the latter half of your question is serious,
    (1) Yes
    (2) No and yes, depending on how you're defining healthy. In terms of just your cardiovascular system - yes, as per the research Hutchinson cites. In terms of hormonal imbalance, chronically elevated cortisol and the downstream effects of such - more likely no.
    Aaron WebsteyCraig_DTad_M
    Resident Genius.
  • Options
    Aaron WebsteyAaron Webstey Administrator, Rooster Endurance Member, Rooster Endurance Officers
    Thank you @A_drizzle , it was a serious question.
    A_drizzle
    #KOAT
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    gregkgregk Member
    edited November 2018

    Thanks to @A_drizzle , I am now free to lose the dadbod and get as fit as I want!



    So sure, there are no diminishing returns as you move into the top 2% of fitness. But is anyone looking at the impact that long-term, high-level Ironman training has on the body? Is it really "healthy" to be fit enough to race at the level of the top pros?

    @AaronWebstey I'm not a doctor or scientist or genius. But I've been in and around endurance sports for 25 years, known a whole mess of pro athletes, doctors, coaches, scientists, physical therapists, etc. Plus I have an insatiable curiosity in general, and a desire to be healthy from a very young age (so I have a ton of related books and stuff). I've seen/heard from a LOT of sources that being a top-tier pro athlete is not healthy. Being fat is also not healthy, and I think there is a WIDE middle ground between the two extremes in which you can be very healthy. Health could be defined as a lack of injury, illness, or chronic conditions causing pain and interference with normal life... and pro athletes have these problems all the time. Did you listen to Episode 10 of the Minimal Multisport Podcast, where I discussed this topic at length with Ironman crusher Ben Hoffman?! Shame if you didn't! ;)

    The thing I see a lot of regular folks miss (like that tweet) is that they don't quite understand the depth of fatigue and true damage that pro athletics can do to you - and especially ultra endurance athletics. Pro's aren't the top 2% of the population. They're the top 2% of those already actively participating in regular training (so probably 0.1% of the overall population). It's so common to see high cortisol, jacked up hormones, chronic fatigue, injuries, and sometimes serious stuff like heart problems. And subjectively, a lot of top pros look like they've aged more than the average person.

    I think it's possible to still be pretty healthy and be a pro. But it requires a lot of management, proactive therapy, supplementation, a great (personalized) diet, stress management, and ideally enough money that you don't need to have another job.
    Aaron WebsteyCraig_DwchevronGasBombIanLdoyoueventribroTad_MKenElPescadoPeladofyrehaar
    The Dude at Minimal Multisport Podcast, Blog, and YouTube.
    MY PATREON!
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    Be like me. Don't be an ironman. Nothing screams fun like Sprint distance Tris and Dus.
    Aaron WebsteyMattyournotuniqueRashTad_M
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    yournotuniqueyournotunique Member, Rooster Endurance Member
    I think the "top tier pro athlete" statement applies to almost every physical sport or endeavor, endurance or other. Anecdote isn't data, but my personal experience is with soccer, and every former pro I've met or played with had their bodies start breaking down starting around their mid 30s to early 40s. All the military people I served with who were more than desk jockeys have pretty similar stories.

    Now that I think about it, this really explains my last couple years...
    Aaron WebsteyTad_MKenElPescadoPelado
    -I know it's wrong. Blame old AOL character limits. Illadelph |

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