Why do most hardcore Marathoners
 

and runners look sickly and unhealthy?

It's because they're the only ones healthy, so healthy looks to the sickly unhealthy.

In order to have a body which can face the demands their bodies need, they must shed weight on other parts, so they have extremely low body fat, low weight to increase the power to weight ratio, and everything in their body is structured to produce one result, run fast for a long period.

Amen. Hardcore runner body is gross.

Look at the dudes who win the Marathon in the Olympics. It looks like they need to slow down and run through a few cheeseburger factories.

There is a reason Playboy or FHM has not done a "Women Marathoners" issue. yuck.

WAIT! Upon further review.....what do I need to do to take up running? Any hints or advice?

http://z.about.com/d/studenttravel/1...hon-solo-2.jpg

Gross. She needs to stay away from the tanning beds. Now that is unhealthy.

I don't know about that. I heard Jay Cutler ran a 2:30 and he has some muscle:

http://runkz.files.wordpress.com/200...ay_cutler2.jpg

I've done two marathons. I don't regret doing them but I really don't think running 26.2 miles is necessarily good for you. Don't get me wrong. I think those hardcore marathoners, ultra-marathoners, iron-man athletes, etc., who push themselves beyond unbelieveable limits are freakin' awesome. But if your only goal in exercise is your health, you can stop running long before 26.2.

Actually for most people I agree that the half is all one needs to do to be healthy. Joints wear out with too much exercise. The muscles and lungs can take it, but the joints and bones cannot.

http://z.about.com/d/studenttravel/1...hon-solo-2.jpg

I didn't notice the color of her skin. But then, I'm blind to that. I see people for who they are, not the color of their skin. ;)

LOL. OK, I'll admit it. I discriminate against orange people.

I hated these guys as a kid. Very freaky.

http://www.1halloween.net/images/cosoompa.jpg

Those are NOT runner's sunglasses. Those are designer sunglasses.

Those are NOT runner's eyebrows. Those are designer eyebrows

There are a couple of reasons that I can think of, the most obvious is that some runners expend so many calories during training, that they just can't eat enough to replace them.

The other is more sinister: a lot of runners just flat out don't eat. A couple of years ago, my wife was concerned that I wasn't eating enough and forced me to go to a nutritionist. It took the lady about 5 minutes to tell me that I was bordering on anorexic. I was a complete freak about what I was eating, and in the process of trying to be healthy, I was instead starving my body. It's an easy trap to fall into.

Fair enough. I do the same to Yankee fans.

Gotta discriminate against someone, eh? :D

This seems to support Rocky's initial observation.

I dont care how you slice it.....if the little dudes that win the Olympic marathon are allegedly "healthy," then I will pass on "health."

Nobody wants to look like a runner.

That statement doesn't make any sense, since "runners" come in all shapes and sizes. If you're saying nobody wants to look emaciated, I think that goes without saying. But there are many runners who look perfectly fine: slim, toned and lean.

He's just projecting an excuse for being a fat, prematurely baldly typical white boy Mormon. On top of that, he has bad taste in music.

I have to disagree here. Most runners do not look emaciated. Sure, some of the world's fastest look emaciated, but you don't often meet one of the world's fastest. Most of us are just incredibly good looking, fit people with a toned sexy core. No need to hate on us.

Ha. Fair, I am just jealous, I guess.

I am not talking about people who run to stay fit, along with other types of activities and exercises.

I am talking about marathoners....hard core runners. They always look emaciated.

My taste in music is beyond reproach.

My latest recommendation for you would be a band cut from your own cloth: the late 80s indie punk band, "Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine."

They are actually still around and touring.

Despite it sacred cow status I think that the elite cyclist can be freakier looking than the elite distance runners. I mean, the young Galen Rupp is freaky

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/...lazar650.3.jpg

but as MW immortalized previously as his avatar, rupp can't hold a candle to Rasmussen on the freaky scale:

http://www.professionalcycling.info/.../rasmussen.jpg

ON a related note, it was just discovered that Kenya has lots of good endurance runners.

http://www.theonion.com/content/atlas/