Run for your life! At a comfortable pace, and not too far: James O'Keefe at TEDxUMKC

"The fitness patterns for conferring longevity and robust lifelong cardiovascular health are distinctly different from the patterns that develop peak performance and marathon/superhuman endurance. Extreme endurance training and racing can take a toll on your long-term cardiovascular health.  For the daily workout, it may be best to have more fun endure less suffering in order to attain ideal heart health."

Dr. James O'Keefe Jr. is the director of Preventative Cardiology Fellowship Program and the Director of Preventative Cardiology at Cardiovascular Consultants at the Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute, a large cardiology practice in Kansas City. He is the co-author of four bestselling books including The Forever Young Diet & Lifestyle (Andrews McMeel Publishing LLC, 2005). In 1989, he became a professor of medicine at the University of Missouri - Kansas City and has contributed to over 200 articles in medical literature. He is also the chief medical officer and founder of Cardiotabs, a company that creates nutritional supplements to aid in a healthy lifestyle.

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[hsheean]

I have been an endurance athlete/triathlete my entire life. My perfect Saturday was a 45-mile bike ride, followed by an 8-mile run with a 5 hours rest afterwards and then an afternoon masters swim chased with several pints at the La Jolla Brewing Co. I always thought that my activity would make me bulletproof, and I'd live to be 100. 2 years ago, after a vigorous masters swim in the lead lane with an ex-olympian, holding times that I would be proud of in my 20's and 30's, - I went home, had a sandwich, sat down at my desk and (with no prior history - family or otherwise) had a heart attack. They told me it was SCAD (Spontaneous Coronary Arterial Dissection) It was a super rare type of heart attack that effects women having a baby (90%) and endurance athletes (10% male). It floored me. I asked my Cardiologist "what caused this?" he said - "I don't know". I asked, "Will it happen again?" he said - "I don't know". I now hang in the back, I am at about 65% of where I was 3 years ago, I take long walks and am enjoying the view from the middle/back of the pack. I'll be 60 next year, and I know my kids would like to see another 40 more.

[seattlegrrlie]

I'm an avid walker. I love to walk. Sometimes I even enjoy a nice run or some hill climbs. The runners in my life don't understand. They're into their best time. Training for that next race. We don't understand each other. I walk to lower my stress and be happy. I hope it does good things for my heart.

[DrGFS]

for those who don't have a spare 18 rambling minutes of time this is the conclusion from Dr O'Keefe's paper:
The take home message for most is to limit one’s vigorous exercise to 30– 50 min/day. If one really wants to do a marathon or full-distance triathlon etc, it may be best to do just one or a few and then proceed to safer and healthier exercise patterns. On the other hand, light or moderate intensity exercise does not present the dose-dependent risks associated with excessive endurance exercise. A routine of moderate physical activity will add life to your years, as well as years to your life. In contrast, running too fast, too far, and for too many years may speed one’s progress towards the finish line of life.

[isatousarr]

In life, there are often moments when we feel like we need to escape, whether it’s from stress, a toxic environment, or overwhelming challenges. While the instinct may be to rush away or cut ties completely, it’s important to remember that the key to enduring such moments lies in pacing yourself. In this sense, the "run" is symbolic, it's about taking proactive steps to protect your well-being, but doing so in a way that is sustainable. You don’t need to go too far, but rather, focus on finding the right distance to distance yourself from harm while maintaining your resilience.

This balance of running for your life but at a pace that doesn’t overwhelm you is a reminder to prioritize mental, emotional, and physical well-being. It's about knowing when to retreat for self-care without burning out. In times of crisis, it's okay to take things one step at a time. The goal isn't to flee forever, but to regain control and keep moving forward at a pace that serves your health and future, rather than pushing yourself to an unsustainable extreme.

[Yu_Adventurer]

I'm a runner, personally I believe that life isn't all about how long we live. The meanings of life, the adventures in it, the accomplishments are what matter more.

Distance running gives me that sense of being alive and freedom. I don't need to live so long. What I want is though, to let life blossom before it wilts.

[rosemarylivingston]

I’ve begun slow jogging and I love it. Going on 56 I’ve never participated in sports but have always been drawn to running. Bad knees forced me to find a happy medium and following the advice of my orthopedist I perform what I love “in moderation” and note significant gains in muscle and a drop in my blood pressure. This is sound advice.

[PerfectionHunter]

Metric System sum up: Run 15-25Km as max distance. Run 10Km/h as ideal speed. Run maximum 2-5 times per week. This applies to weekly training over the course of your life. Running a Marathon or ten wont hurt you in the long run.

[TheDtfamu]

Like most things in life, balance is the key.

[colintyler]

Less is more! An excellent talk from an expert. Very helpful for a 72 year old with high blood pressure, anxiety and depression. I can only walk and not too fast either. This is very encouraging. I'm just off for my afternoon circuit of the block.

[PezerettaDarling]

At 56 he looks amazing! Too much of anything isn't good for you. What a great talk and hopefully it will save lives!

[Billy]

I think a reason many people train too hard is because of things like they want to "lose weight." So they run more than they should a day.  It should be a lifestyle, not a temporary thing. And there is no hurry when you make it a permanent lifestyle change as long as you make progress in reaching your goals.

[awakening]

Loved this talk. At 66 I exercise almost every day. Yoga, walking/jogging, some short HIIT workouts, usually mixing it up. I find recovery and energy come from not over doing it. Often I'll do another 10 minute workout before bed, jumprope or rebounder. or just stretching. My goal is not big muscles or even measuring gains but optimal health in which to enjoy life. It's working.

[michaelfibich]

I did a 20 mile training run yesterday and all watching this made me do is wish I had run farther. Everyone knows running that much is not healthy for you, but I’m not trying to live the most mediocre lifestyle just so I can live longer and not experience what being human means. In the 24 hours that it takes some people to run 100 miles they will find out more about the world than 10 years of just existing between the ages of 70 - 80.

[gracey]

I'm 37 now, and I've been running since I was 14. Nowadays, I average 25 miles per week, but when I was in my teens and twenties, I used to run even more, like 35-45 miles a week. Once I entered my 30s, I purposely reduced the time spent running to incorporate more of strength training programs, such as weights, HIIT, and pilates. I've never ran a full marathon in my life - I never saw the point of it. I ran a half marathon once out of curiosity, and never felt the need to run more races. I feel and look pretty good now. I think the amount of running I'm currently doing is especially necessary for my mental well-being.

[DarxusC]

Summary of recommendations he showed from studies, run:

10 to 15 or 20 miles per week - 12:57
maximum 8 miles an hour = 7:30 pace - 13:17
2 to 3 or 5 days a week - 13:37, 13:48
1 to 2.5 hours a week - 13:48

[jamesallen]

This is a much needed talk today with all the extremists around like goggins and liver king, they will talk about being primal and ancestral but in reality our ancestors would NEVER voluntarily excersise

[jrh]

David goggins entering the room:

“From the time you take your first breath, you become eligible to die. ... Stay hard!"

[paigehansen]

I really appreciate this video! I'm a new runner and feel the pressure to get the miles up but I'm more comfortable knowing the range where it's safest for me and my health. It takes so much pressure off when I'm surrounded by people running marathons and even longer races. Nothing against them. Such great research and info.

[CSWRB]

Started running in middle school and have been a runner all my life. Had afib episodes all my adult life and they started to get worse as I got more into the longer distances. I couldn't even bend over when running (stopping to tie a shoe) without triggering my afib. About two years ago, I took a year off running due to a knee injury and then, when I starteted back exercising, I started running shorter distances and alternating with biking. Haven't had an afib episode since. Just my experience.

[aycfit]

Fitness is a journey, not a destination!  Great presentation!!!