Myths Busted

71-years-young Roger Brockenbrough, right, at the Ironman World Championships, Oct. 2005. (Ironmanlive photo)

“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.” Aldous Huxley.

Decades ago, Tour de France cycists drank wine during the race as a stimulant, and smoked cigarettes because they believed it “opened the lungs”. Fortunately, through scientific research (and trial & error) we know better now. Here are a few current myths and untruths relating to fitness and endurance training:

You can never hydrate too much.

Taking in excessive water during training or racing flushes out valuable electrolytes such as sodium and potassium. Low blood sodium concentration can result in a condition known as hyponatremia. Symptoms range from headache and mild confusion, to collapse, convulsions, coma and rarely, death. Ironman North America is so serious about preventing athletes from experiencing hyponatremia, it dedicates over two pages to it in the Contestant Information guides for its races.

Companies like Gatorade have spent millions of dollars in research to formulate sports drinks with the appropriate balance of carbohydrates and electrolytes for endurance events. They are available on the course at every aid station, approximately every 10 miles on the bike, and every mile on run. Why? Because they work. (I raced my last two Ironmans, and the Boston Marathon, on Gatorade only.)

Swimming too soon after eating will give you cramps.

Cramps are caused by electrolyte deficiency or muscle fatigue. I swim on a full stomach several times a week, and have never had a cramp. You might chunder your breakfast if you swim too hard on a full stomach, however. If you do this in open water, bring a camera; it attracts fish.

Your heart has only so many beats in it.

Possibly the lamest excuse ever, for not exercising. Your heart is a muscle, and like any other muscle, gets stronger from consistent cycles of work, then recovery. There have been many well-publicized incidents of extremely healthy athletes dying suddenly of heart failure, the most notable being the case of runner/author Jim Fixx. This may be the origin of the untruth above.

After starting to jog at age 35, Fixx quit smoking and shed 50 pounds. Yet at age 52, he collapsed while running on a tree-shaded road in Vermont. He was found lying beside the road, dead of a heart attack. Naysayers and couch potatoes alike used Fixx’s death to reinforce their belief that running and other forms of endurance exercise were bad for your health.

However, in his classic study of Harvard alumni, Ralph S. Paffenbarger, Jr. MD found that we can live an extra two-plus years if we do even minimal exercise. Other researchers, including those connected with the fitness guru Kenneth H. Cooper, MD, believe that we actually may be able to extend our lifespan six to nine years through exercise and attention to diet!

Jim Fixx may have done just that, given the fact that his father died of a heart attack at age 43, and he survived nine years longer to age 52.

Running in cold weather will freeze your lungs.

Air has a long way to go from your mouth and nose to your lungs, therefore ample opportunity to warm up in your upper respiratory system before reaching them. A bigger risk of running in the cold is frostbite, or injury due to the bad footing associated with snow and ice.

Age slows you down

Only if you let it. Take a look at Ironman triathlete Roger Brockenbrough’s Kona results since 2000:

Year: 2000
Age: 66
Result: 14:08:58

Year: 2001
Age: 67
Result: 13:43:45

Year: 2004
Age: 70
Result: 13:38:13

Year: 2005
Age: 71
Result: 13:01:25

Even in his early seventies, Roger continues to improve. How? You can’t reverse the aging process, but you can sure slow it down by staying fit. In addition, Roger is gaining efficiency. Spend enough time doing something, with a focus on doing it better, and you will develop efficiency. But that’s a topic, for a whole ‘nother post.

Carbs are bad for you

We can thank the purveyors of the Atkins diet for this one. There are two types of carbohydrates: Simple and complex. Simple carbs are the quick burning kind found in soda pop, candy and most any kind of sweet junk food. Complex carbs are those found in wholegrain form such as wholegrain breads, oats, muesli and brown rice. Complex carbs are broken down into glucose more slowly than simple carbs and thus provide a gradual steady stream of energy throughout the day.

Research suggests that those who have had success with the Atkins diet, or similar low-carb diets, have done so for two reasons:
1. By virtue of cutting carbs from their diet, they have cut down on the excessive simple carbohydrate consumption that made them overweight in the first place.
2. They have made a corresponding lifestyle change, by incorporating exercise.

Check out the aid stations at any endurance race, and you will find fresh fruit, sports drinks, pretzels (for salt), and energy bars and gels. All carbohydrates. You won’t find any low-carb diet food! Wonder why?