Do marathons damage your heart? Decade-long study finally settles the debate

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A marathon pushes the human body close to its limits. Legs tire, lungs burn and the heart works hard for hours on end. For years, that strain has raised an uncomfortable question: does running 26 miles actually damage the heart?

The strongest reassurance comes from a new ten-year study of 152 recreational marathon runners, published in the journal Jama Cardiology. Researchers checked the runners’ hearts before and after races, then tracked their heart health over the next decade.