Training for your first marathon can help reduce the stiffness in your arteries, lowering your risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
, pointing them to a suggested 16-week training plan for first-timers provided by the race. Before they began training, the researchers measured their blood pressure and aortic stiffness, or the flexibility of their blood vessels. Over the course of training, runners averaged six to 13 miles a week.
“You don’t have to be an elite athlete to gain the benefits from marathon running,”Anish Bhuva, Ph.D. a British Heart Foundation Fellow at University College London, told. “In fact, the benefits appeared greatest in those who were older and slower. By completing training, and getting to the finish line, it is possible to rejuvenate the cardiovascular system of first-time marathon runners.”
Reducing arterial stiffness is important, since as you age, blood vessel stiffening can increase your chances of issues like, stroke, and heart disease. Stiffening of the aorta—the main blood vessel supplying blood from the heart to the rest of the body—is one hallmark of aging, which can cause increased pressure on the heart and damage to other organs, Bhuva said.is known to help lower blood pressure, which may be why exercise—in particular marathon training—may help reduce stiffening.
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