Cuba-Florida swimmer “fails” at “only” 50 miles!

Zane R. -- ‘Ultra’ Athletes are becoming much more common as of recent years. The definition of an ultra-endurance event is any run longer than a marathon or a cycling over 100 miles. While there is no set mark for swimming, but any swim threw oceans or the like tends to be where people draw the line. The most common (and probably most difficult to answer) question is “why”? People are drawn to these intense sports because of how difficult they are. They want a chance to prove themselves to themselves and others, and to text the limits of there physical and mental endurance. Also, its easier for older people to preform these feats, when their past the point in their lives where they would be fast enough to compete in shorter races, but have lived long enough to have a strong will and a great endurance. It becomes more a point of finishing than finishing first. However, scientists are worried about the effects of such intense exercise:

“Ultra-endurance sports can hurt. Bikers can suffer neck seizures and genital numbness, or crash. Runners injure feet, joints and soft tissue. And there is some evidence linking regular, long-term exertion with atrial fibrillation, a sometimes permanent heart-rhythm abnormality. “Endurance sport practice increases between 2 and 10 times the probability of suffering atrial fibrillation, after adjusting for other risk factors,””

Also, there seems to be some correlation between increased exercise and shortened lifespan, simply because the body wheres out faster. On the other hand, exercise has shown in many cases a great deal of benefits both physical and mental. The cerebellum deteriorates as people get older, and exercise can help rebuild in. In fact, as little as 1 hour a day has been seen to counteract as much as 20 years of aging in the cerebellum.

This article presents information about astounding feats of physical endurance among humans as well as a great deal of interesting and helpful facts. Such as the effect of exercise on the cerebellum or the fact that humans are the most efficient endurance runners on the planet. It describes a new trend occurring in recent years that tends toward the extreme and the most common/ likely psychological motivation behind it. And it presents it all in a well organized and easily understandable way. The article tends on the long side. Seen with the summery above being significantly over the 7 line minimum and not even discussing every major point of the article. However it makes up for it with a body of information that catches the attention, and had I come across it I would have read it even without the need to review it. All in all an effective article over an interesting topic.

Link:  Cuba - Florida swimmer "fails" at "only" 50 miles!