Maggie's Farm

I get it, if you don't like running you don't get running. I ran almost every day from about 13 to 56 or so. I ran 3-9 miles every time except when I was in a marathon or a half marathon when of course I ran further. It is exhilarating, satisfying, a super fitness workout and it makes long hikes and mountaineering seem effortless. I also lifted weights every day from age 13 and still do it. My pulse rate was as low as 45 and my energy was always great. I of course heard that it would hurt my knees or feet or whatever but it never happened. I'm 72 still hike, knees are good, heart is good (the doctor says I have a runners heart because it is so large). Before my lung surgery my lung capacity was 136% of normal after removing my lower right lobe it was 122% (doesn't seem to make sense but my lower right lobe was occluded so it wasn't doing much good). I had my second lung surgery a year and a half ago to remove my upper left lobe and my lung capacity is still close to normal. All of that thanks to a runners heart and lungs. You won't develop that from sprints or weights.

I don't have a runners body and never really did. I'm 6'2 220 lbs. I literally lost 20 lbs in a 4-5 hour marathon. I didn't run to win, I couldn't win, at my height I would have had to lose 50 lbs just to be competitive. I think each sport is self-selective; anyone can choose to run a marathon but only the very lean around 5'8" will be competitive. Just as anyone can choose to be a body builder but unless you are a mesomorph you will never be competitive. The point is that when you see a "too thin" runner 120-140 lbs what you are seeing is more about their body type than it is about their choice of excercise. Just as most NFL linemen are endomorphs who turn into fat blobs once their rigorous physical training ends with retirement.

As for knees and hips, most knee and hip surgery is on people who never exercised in their life but were 50-100 lbs over weight all their life. Your body does wear out. I often see old farmers stooped and stumbling or old retired mill workers bent and broken. Physical activity over a lifetime "can" cause problems in old age. I would recommend moderation and diversity in exercise, however exactly what that is would be different for different individuals. You cannot ignore the genetic component and the body you are born with.