When engaging in long-distance running for fitness, it is essential to follow exercise principles and progress gradually.
Beginners should ideally create a well-rounded running plan and progress step by step; people with cardiovascular conditions are best advised not to run in the morning.
Jogging, night runs, marathons... Running, a simple and sometimes even monotonous activity, is now becoming one of the most favored sports among urban white-collar workers. Starting this year, the optional test items in the annual student physical health tests for middle and high school students will be canceled, while long-distance running has become a mandatory test. However, in recent years, sudden deaths during marathons have become increasingly common. As a beginner, how can you reduce the risks associated with running? Experts point out that runners of every age group have their own maximum heart rate limits, which should preferably not be exceeded during running. Moreover, beginners are advised to develop a comprehensive running plan and progress gradually without rushing. If you feel chest tightness or shortness of breath during a run, you must slow down, reduce pace, or stop exercising—never push yourself too hard.
Running is in fashion, but risks must also be noted
Mr. Xu, a 36-year-old advertising industry designer, often works overtime until late at night. With an irregular diet and long hours at his computer desk, the 36-year-old has developed an early “beer belly,” and his blood pressure and blood lipid levels have reached critical points. Recently, Mr. Xu decided to follow the example of his colleagues in the office and try jogging as a form of aerobic weight loss. However, the frequent news reports about sudden deaths during long-distance running have made him somewhat worried. “Am I really suited for running? What method should I use to start running?”
Professor Xu Dingli, Director of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, said Mr. Xu’s concerns are not unfounded. For ordinary healthy individuals without a background in exercise, engaging abruptly in strenuous activities such as running over 1,000 meters or boxing requires careful control of heart rate to avoid cases of sudden cardiac death.
“Often, intense physical exertion, intense sympathetic nervous system stimulation, and failure to promptly replenish water and functional drinks after heavy sweating by athletes can lead to electrolyte imbalances—all of which may cause sudden death in beginners,” Xu Dingli explained. In addition, individual physical conditions such as being in the infection phase of a cold or other inflammatory diseases, excessive fatigue, or even dietary and hydration status before running may trigger sudden death.
Beginners should pay attention to their maximum heart rate
For ordinary people, what level of running is considered strenuous and what is considered jogging? Xu Dingli said, “The four key elements of exercise—volume, duration, type, and frequency—form the prescription for an aerobic workout. Monitoring heart rate is the easiest and most important indicator to assess whether the exercise intensity is appropriate.”
Xu Dingli explained that during exercise, the heart rate of ordinary people should preferably not exceed 140–160 beats per minute, which varies according to different age groups and individual health conditions. For someone like Mr. Xu, who intends to lose weight through aerobic exercise, the target heart rate zone for aerobic workouts should be between 60% and 80% of the maximum heart rate. All exercise intensity should prioritize the individual's own feelings—the target heart rate is just a reference, and attention must also be paid to the effects of some medications on heart rate. Therefore, patients are best advised to seek professional consultation at hospitals offering cardiac rehabilitation services.
Xu Dingli stated that patients with cardiovascular conditions can undergo treadmill or cycling tests to measure their maximum heart rate, and their heart rate during exercise should preferably not exceed 70%–80% of the maximum.
Three steps to creating an exercise prescription
Sudden deaths during long-distance races usually stem from two causes: either the athlete has an underlying, hidden disease that goes unnoticed under normal circumstances but flares up under intense physical stress, leading to sudden death; or the athlete is generally frail, rarely exercises, and suddenly engages in high-intensity activity, triggering an “exercise stress syndrome”—the most severe form being exercise-induced sudden death. Xu Dingli said that with adequate preparation before exercising, these hidden conditions can be detected.
The first step is to undergo a cardio-pulmonary health check and an electrocardiogram stress test. Before exercising, a medical check-up should be done, primarily focusing on cardio-pulmonary function, and it is best to also take an “electrocardiogram exercise stress test” that can help diagnose whether the person has any hidden heart disease.
The second step is to understand your own maximum heart rate and target heart rate. It is advisable for beginners to jog for about 30 minutes during their first few long-distance runs, and it is best not to exceed one hour.
The third step is to definitely progress gradually. When engaging in long-distance running for fitness, it is important to adhere to exercise principles: first and foremost, gradual progression. In addition, warm-up exercises before the run should be sufficient, and cool-down exercises after the run are also necessary. During the run, if symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, pale complexion, dizziness, blurred vision, or cold sweats occur, exercise should be stopped immediately.
Do not push through discomfort while running
Experts point out that during a run, if your heart rate becomes too high, you can reduce your stride and slow down your speed—this is an effective way to lower your heart rate. However, stopping running abruptly is a dangerous move. Because during exercise, the heart cannot quickly adapt to such changes and will continue to pump blood rapidly, causing blood to pool in the legs and reducing blood flow to other parts of the body such as the brain. In mild cases, this may result in dizziness after a long run, and in severe cases, it can easily trigger cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
Of course, there are still some people who need to pay special attention to safety while running. For example, older adults over the age of 50, even if they do not exhibit any discomfort, are still advised to undergo a professional medical assessment before running to prevent potential risk factors from being triggered. People over 35 with high cardiovascular risk should also undergo a comprehensive medical examination, which can help identify their true physical condition and the intensity of exercise they can safely undertake.
Xu Dingli also mentioned that the period from 6 to 10 a.m. is the peak time for cardiovascular-related sudden deaths, so patients with cardiovascular conditions are best advised not to exercise in the morning.