Sacramento Running News

A few weeks ago, every non-running friend and relative sent me some version of this story: Fast Running is as Deadly as Sitting on the Couch!

I was immediately suspicious since the findings of this most recent study: 1. Don’t mesh with a ton of other studies, and 2. Don’t seem to mesh with my personal observations.

They report: “A study of 1,098 runners found that those who ran the fastest were nine times more likely to die prematurely within 12 years than those who enjoyed a more sedate pace of around 5mph for two or three times a week.”

Wow! If this were reflected in the world around me, then I’d have a lot fewer people to race than I do.

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You may have noticed it gets hot during the summer in Sacramento–and the rest of interior California. For the most part, you can adapt to running in the warmer weather.

It gets more challenging when the air is still, or there are wildfires upwind, and the air quality in the Valley begins to degrade.

This summer, we’ve been fortunate to have so few bad air days–with only a handful of Spare the Air Days, so far.

What, exactly, is air pollution and what does it mean for me?

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One of my favorites.

It looks like that chocolate bar I keep in my desk drawer is not a bad thing after all.

NPR explores the question: Does a Chocolate Habit Keep You Lean? 

Spoiler alert: Possibly!

A new study finds that people who eat chocolate several times a week are actually leaner than people who don’t eat chocolate regularly.

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Running may protect that knee

As you know by now, I am always happy to write about scientific studies that support my existing bias.

Here is more science finding that, regardless of what my mother believes, running is actually beneficial to your knees.

Money quote:

In one study, Swedish researchers found that exercise, including jogging, may even be beneficial. Felson describes how researchers took one group of people at risk of osteoarthritis and had them engage in exercise, including jogging. The other group didn’t exercise. After imaging the joints of the participants in both study groups, they found that the biochemistry of cartilage actually appeared to improve in those participants who were running. Felson says that suggests that “running is actually healthy for the joint.”

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