Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
The grueling sport of ultramarathon has fostered a mingling of two seemingly opposite camps: endurance jocks and potheads.
"If you can find the right level, [marijuana] takes the stress out of running," says Avery Collins, a 22-year-old professional ultramarathoner. "And it's a postrace, post-run remedy."
The painkilling and nausea-reducing benefits of marijuana may make it especially tempting to ultramarathoners, who compete in races that can go far longer–and be much more withering–than the 26.2 miles of a marathon. Ultramarathon is one of the fastest-growing endurance sports; there were almost 1,300 races in the U.S. and Canada in 2014, up from 293 in 2004, according to UltraRunning Magazine.
Ultramarathons last anywhere from 30 to 200 miles, and typically crisscross mountainous terrain and rocky trails. Runners endure stomach cramps and intense pain in their muscles and joints. Competitors often quit after a sudden loss of motivation, matched with the boredom of running for upward of 24 hours straight.
"The person who is going to win an ultra is someone who can manage their pain, not puke and stay calm," said veteran runner Jenn Shelton. "Pot does all three of those things."
Shelton said she has trained with marijuana before, but she made a decision to never compete with the drug for ethical reasons, expressly because she believes it enhances performance.
The phenomenon isn't easily quantified, because even in Colorado, which legalized marijuana, ultra runners declined to go on the record with their marijuana use. But marijuana is a common topic on endurance-running blogs. Often debated is whether marijuana can improve performance, particularly because of its much-heralded capacity for blocking pain. The drug is now legal for medical use in 23 states plus the District of Columbia, and a sizable portion of legal medical users cite chronic pain as a reason.
"There's good science that suggests cannabinoids block the physical input of pain," said Dr. Lynn Webster, founder of the Lifetree Pain Clinic in Salt Lake City. Cancer patients have also used marijuana to treat nausea from chemotherapy. For distance runners, nausea can ruin a race, preventing them from ingesting needed calories and nutrients.
In a nod to the growing acceptance of marijuana as a recreational drug, the World Anti-Doping Agency in 2013 raised the allowable level of THC–the drug's active ingredient–to an amount that would trigger positive results only in athletes consuming marijuana in competition. That essentially gave the green light to marijuana usage during training, not to mention as a stress reliever the night before a race.
In competition, a WADA spokesman said that marijuana is banned for its perceived performance enhancement, and because its use violates the "spirit of sport."
USA Track & Field, which governs distance running in America, follows the WADA guideline. "Marijuana is on the banned list and should not be used by athletes at races," said Jill Geer, a representative with USATF. "We are unequivocal in that."
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: The Debate Over Running While High - WSJ
Author: Frederick Dreier
Contact: Customer Center - The Wall Street Journal & Barron's
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: The Wall Street Journal - Breaking News, Business, Financial and Economic News, World News & Video - Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com
"If you can find the right level, [marijuana] takes the stress out of running," says Avery Collins, a 22-year-old professional ultramarathoner. "And it's a postrace, post-run remedy."
The painkilling and nausea-reducing benefits of marijuana may make it especially tempting to ultramarathoners, who compete in races that can go far longer–and be much more withering–than the 26.2 miles of a marathon. Ultramarathon is one of the fastest-growing endurance sports; there were almost 1,300 races in the U.S. and Canada in 2014, up from 293 in 2004, according to UltraRunning Magazine.
Ultramarathons last anywhere from 30 to 200 miles, and typically crisscross mountainous terrain and rocky trails. Runners endure stomach cramps and intense pain in their muscles and joints. Competitors often quit after a sudden loss of motivation, matched with the boredom of running for upward of 24 hours straight.
"The person who is going to win an ultra is someone who can manage their pain, not puke and stay calm," said veteran runner Jenn Shelton. "Pot does all three of those things."
Shelton said she has trained with marijuana before, but she made a decision to never compete with the drug for ethical reasons, expressly because she believes it enhances performance.
The phenomenon isn't easily quantified, because even in Colorado, which legalized marijuana, ultra runners declined to go on the record with their marijuana use. But marijuana is a common topic on endurance-running blogs. Often debated is whether marijuana can improve performance, particularly because of its much-heralded capacity for blocking pain. The drug is now legal for medical use in 23 states plus the District of Columbia, and a sizable portion of legal medical users cite chronic pain as a reason.
"There's good science that suggests cannabinoids block the physical input of pain," said Dr. Lynn Webster, founder of the Lifetree Pain Clinic in Salt Lake City. Cancer patients have also used marijuana to treat nausea from chemotherapy. For distance runners, nausea can ruin a race, preventing them from ingesting needed calories and nutrients.
In a nod to the growing acceptance of marijuana as a recreational drug, the World Anti-Doping Agency in 2013 raised the allowable level of THC–the drug's active ingredient–to an amount that would trigger positive results only in athletes consuming marijuana in competition. That essentially gave the green light to marijuana usage during training, not to mention as a stress reliever the night before a race.
In competition, a WADA spokesman said that marijuana is banned for its perceived performance enhancement, and because its use violates the "spirit of sport."
USA Track & Field, which governs distance running in America, follows the WADA guideline. "Marijuana is on the banned list and should not be used by athletes at races," said Jill Geer, a representative with USATF. "We are unequivocal in that."
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: The Debate Over Running While High - WSJ
Author: Frederick Dreier
Contact: Customer Center - The Wall Street Journal & Barron's
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: The Wall Street Journal - Breaking News, Business, Financial and Economic News, World News & Video - Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com
