Health matters

Last year, an astonishing 36,748 people managed to complete the course, making the London Marathon the biggest in the world.

This year’s runners includes the usual mix of professional athletes, who whizz from start to finish making the 26.2 miles look like a breeze, and celebrities as well as the hordes of regular folk taking part.

Whatever the motivation, there’s no denying that completing a marathon is a huge achievement, a test of both physical and mental endurance.

Though the hardest part of a marathon is running it, of course, there’s a lot more to it than the 26 miles on the day – training (hopefully for a good few months at least) is crucial, and plays a vital part in preventing and minimising injuries on the day.

“The training that you need to complete a marathon is a lot of work,I would advise at least six months’ training,” says Dr David Stensel, reader in exercise metabolism at Loughborough University.

Marathons are growing increasingly popular. And while the likely assumption is that anybody able to complete a 26-mile run in one piece must be in pretty good shape, are marathons actually entirely good for our bodies and health?

Though there have been cases of people dying during the marathon, it is extremely rare, and there have only been 11 fatalities linked to the race in its 31-year history.

Cases of fatal heart failure usually occur due to an undiagnosed existing problem or defect, and for most marathon runners the health consequences will be minor.

Dr Stensel is adamant that the benefits are greater than the risks. “The pros do outweigh the cons if you are sensible,” he says.

The crucial thing is to be prepared, which includes eating well, training sensibly before taking part in a marathon – bearing in mind that over-training can be potentially hazardous too – and seeking professional advice and being cautious if you have existing injuries or health conditions which may be aggravating by running, such as back and joint injuries.