Keeping Fit

Somebody died in a triathalon over the weekend. He's not the first, and unfortunately he probably won't be the last.

Sure it's tragic, and this is in no way showing disrespect to the dead (or if it is it's totally unintended), but this is something that strikes me everytime I read about somebody dying in these events.

It annoys me. Greatly. I read about a man who's about 40, and he dies leaving behind a wife and kids, in the aim of 'keeping fit'. Personally I have nothing against people who want to keep fit when they're old. Or at any age, even though I've never made any such efforts. But running a marathon/triathalon is NOT in any way an example of how to 'keep fit'. I can only think of a two reasons why people might be persuaded to undertake such an idiotic endeavour.

a) They are completely unaware that it is a risk to their health to push their bodies beyond their normal physical limits.
b) They're aware of the risk, but they do it anyway because of the 'high' they get when they complete this.

Speaking of this 'high', I have never and I don't think I ever will understand the feeling of accomplishment that comes from these things. Admittedly I've never run a marathon, but a friend who had likened it to completing that torturous 24km Route March in BMT. He said that the feeling at the end of it was uncomparable, knowing that you've pushed your body to it's limits... to walk 24km, similar to that of completing a marathon. I wondered where he would've got this strange feeling of accomplishment from. As I recall when I finished 24km, exhausted and dehydrated, my feet burning from the blisters and my back aching from the injury that was going to be a permanent one, the only thing I thought was 'Great we finally finished it. Now hurry the fuck up and let me go sleep.' When my officer went up to all of us and said 'Congratulations, guys! You've walked 24km!', everyone cheered, and I was too tired to even raise my eyebrows in irony.

But hey who am I to question what gets you off? I get highs from things others might consider stupid as well. What I don't do is pursue these highs at risk of my HEALTH. The closest thing I can compare that to (which admittedly isn't very fair) is taking drugs. And most common people would have the sense not to do THAT.

It really saddens and angers me, when I see someone who goes after this without stopping to consider the risk he puts himself in, and what he could leave behind if something happens. No matter the amount of training this is something that you cannot influence in any way. There is a point where your body tells you that you should stop doing whatever it is and rest, which can be overridden by your mind if you so choose. This happens all the time, and most of the time it's okay, because our bodies are pussies and want you to give up the minute you feel the slightest discomfort. And as much as I advocate this Mind over Body thing, there is a point where you should listen to it, because there are just some things your mind can't see. (Then again if you were using your logical faculties you wouldn't be in that position in the first place)

Go play your sports and go for your daily runs and do whatever you want to prolong your life. But please THINK before you jump into something like this for whatever reason. Life's too short to chase down these highs when you've people around you who love you, whether or not you've ran 42km.