I used to love all of my 4 day weekends away from NYC to run a half marathon. They’ve taken me as far as Seattle, San Diego, Miami, Philadelphia, San Antonio, and Washington DC. And, of course, I can’t forget the two Brooklyn half marathons that I ran and the incredible DisneyWorld Half. My wife and I used these weekends as a respite from the doldrums of Brooklyn—and as a great excuse to get away from it all. And, quite honestly, I even loved the training—it kept me fit and somewhat lean (at least it kept the weight off, for the most part) and mentally, I always felt that it kept me somewhat healthy and more or less “stress-free”.
Lately, though, I’m having second thoughts about investing SO much time in the training and I question whether it really is doing me and my body so much good. Sure, I’m still jogging and I love the 4 mile or 5 mile jogs that I do regularly. But do I really want to spend two plus hours on a 10 mile training run? And then after the 10 miles, there’s all the stretching and recovery to go through. And the soreness. And, do I really want to train and jog four days a week for yet another marathon or would all that time and hours be better spent in flexibility training, yoga, or weight training?
I know that AI is not alway the best resource for a question of this sort, but I love it and use it all the time. So, I actually asked Chat GPT4 for “its” opinion on the matter and here is the question I posed:
“I am a 69 year old man who has already done 11 half marathons and the full NYC marathon. I’m pretty healthy. Is it better to spend time in weight training and balance and flexibility training for someone my age, or better to do all the training necessary for the half marathons. I can’t do both so what is the healthier route?”
And here is the answer it gave me: “That’s impressive! As you age, incorporating weight training, balance exercises, and flexibility training into your routine can be beneficial for overall health and injury prevention. These types of training can help maintain muscle mass, improve bone density, enhance stability, and promote mobility. While running is a great cardiovascular exercise, diversifying your training regimen can provide a more well-rounded approach to fitness. It’s important to consult with a healthcare professional or a qualified fitness trainer to develop a personalized plan that suits your specific needs and goals”.
Great answer! And so I asked both my cardiologist AND my personal trainer the same question. And, both agreed—-some jogging (or even walking) is very highly recommended for cardiovascular fitness. But, both also indicated that if the consistent half marathon training would prevent me from concentrating on balance, flexibility and weight training at least 3-4 times per week, then the more balanced, multi dimensional approach is the better one. I’m indeed, very lucky! I received great advice from my cardiologist, my trainer, and ChatGPT. What an incredible combo!!
