competitive results have variations in running speeds and, therefore, different levels of heart biomarker in their blood.
“Novice runners appear to pace themselves well below their cardiac limit, self-selecting a safe pacing strategy for their hearts,” Hohl said.
Despite the findings, ultramarathon runners shouldn’t consider themselves free of risk from heart damage, according to the researchers.
“Our study provides evidence for caution and self-monitoring, especially for experienced runners,” Hohl said. “After participating in an ultramarathon, runners should recover for at least two days before running any significant distance. This time is needed to normalize cardiac markers and allow the heart time to recover after such a challenge.”
More information
ULTRAmarathonRunning.com offers resources on training for an ultramarathon.
