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In this episode of the I Don’t Know Running Podcast, we dig into a question a lot of long-distance runners quietly wonder about:

What does ultrarunning actually do to your body over the long term?

This isn’t an episode meant to scare anyone away from endurance sports. Instead, we talk honestly about what science does know, what it doesn’t, and how real runners experience these things in real life.

We discuss:

• How long-term endurance training reshapes the heart and cardiovascular system
• Why some adaptations may be neutral, beneficial, or still poorly understood
• Real medical findings one of us is currently navigating with doctors
• The difference between healthy adaptation and accumulated stress
• Why recovery, fueling, and sleep matter just as much as mileage
• How to stay in the sport longer — not just push harder

We’re not doctors. We’re not experts. We’re runners sharing lived experience, research, and honest conversation — because longevity in ultrarunning isn’t about doing less, it’s about doing it wisely.

If you run ultras, marathons, or any long-distance endurance events — or you’re thinking about it — this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen, share it with a running friend, and let us know your experience.

Happy running.

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