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| Learning From a Father-Son Marathon Team | Learning From a Father-Son Marathon Team |
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| To run a Guinness world-record marathon, it may help to have a large aerobic capacity, plenty of brief tuneup races, a uniform race pace and, not least, a family member chasing you from behind or dusting you from up ahead, according to an inspiring new study of an Irish father and son who recently set a world record for fastest combined parent-child marathon finish. | To run a Guinness world-record marathon, it may help to have a large aerobic capacity, plenty of brief tuneup races, a uniform race pace and, not least, a family member chasing you from behind or dusting you from up ahead, according to an inspiring new study of an Irish father and son who recently set a world record for fastest combined parent-child marathon finish. |
| The study anatomized the father’s and son’s divergent physiologies and athletic histories, raising interesting questions about the roles of genetics, environment, training and luck in marathon success and underscoring that one person’s route to a fast finish could be quite different than another’s, even if that person is your parent. | The study anatomized the father’s and son’s divergent physiologies and athletic histories, raising interesting questions about the roles of genetics, environment, training and luck in marathon success and underscoring that one person’s route to a fast finish could be quite different than another’s, even if that person is your parent. |
| Now is, of course, a discombobulating moment to be writing about marathons. Until last week, many of us who run were ramping up our training in anticipation of upcoming spring races. Then, most events, including the London, Boston and Big Sur marathons, were postponed or canceled because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. | Now is, of course, a discombobulating moment to be writing about marathons. Until last week, many of us who run were ramping up our training in anticipation of upcoming spring races. Then, most events, including the London, Boston and Big Sur marathons, were postponed or canceled because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. |
| But where possible, many of us are continuing to head outdoors to run, and to burn off excess energy — while maintaining appropriate social distancing. As we refine our goals and training in anticipation of the time when races will return, the new study, which was published in February in the Journal of Applied Physiology, could prove useful and pertinent as science and story. Its protagonists, Tommy and Eoin Hughes, are so aspirational. And so fast. | But where possible, many of us are continuing to head outdoors to run, and to burn off excess energy — while maintaining appropriate social distancing. As we refine our goals and training in anticipation of the time when races will return, the new study, which was published in February in the Journal of Applied Physiology, could prove useful and pertinent as science and story. Its protagonists, Tommy and Eoin Hughes, are so aspirational. And so fast. |
| The new study in fact grew out of an earlier scientific examination of the unexpected prowess of Tommy Hughes, an electrician from Northern Ireland, who set a single-age world record last year when he turned 59 and ran a scorching 2:30:15 marathon. That finish caught the attention of researchers at the Inserm research organization in France and other institutions who study elite athletes. They invited Mr. Hughes to their lab to delve into what had allowed him to be so swift. | The new study in fact grew out of an earlier scientific examination of the unexpected prowess of Tommy Hughes, an electrician from Northern Ireland, who set a single-age world record last year when he turned 59 and ran a scorching 2:30:15 marathon. That finish caught the attention of researchers at the Inserm research organization in France and other institutions who study elite athletes. They invited Mr. Hughes to their lab to delve into what had allowed him to be so swift. |
| Mr. Hughes owned, they found, an impressive, if front-loaded running résumé. As a young man, he had represented Northern Ireland in an Olympics marathon, but then quit running for 16 years to work and raise a family. After that hiatus, he nonchalantly signed up for the 2008 Belfast marathon and, with little training, finished sixth. From there, his speed and results only improved. | Mr. Hughes owned, they found, an impressive, if front-loaded running résumé. As a young man, he had represented Northern Ireland in an Olympics marathon, but then quit running for 16 years to work and raise a family. After that hiatus, he nonchalantly signed up for the 2008 Belfast marathon and, with little training, finished sixth. From there, his speed and results only improved. |
| An almost preternatural aerobic capacity most likely aided him, the researchers found when they tested his physiology. At 59, his capacity remained exceptionally high for his age, despite years without running, which should have reduced his endurance more permanently than it had. His current approach to training was probably crucial, the scientists decided. Uncoached, he logged at least 100 weekly miles, running twice a day and entering local 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer races for speed work. | An almost preternatural aerobic capacity most likely aided him, the researchers found when they tested his physiology. At 59, his capacity remained exceptionally high for his age, despite years without running, which should have reduced his endurance more permanently than it had. His current approach to training was probably crucial, the scientists decided. Uncoached, he logged at least 100 weekly miles, running twice a day and entering local 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer races for speed work. |
| During this testing, Mr. Hughes mentioned that he and his 34-year-old son Eoin were planning to enter the Frankfurt marathon, aiming to break the Guinness world record for fastest parent-child marathon finish, which stood then at 5:02:12. Eoin, his father told them, had not begun running until he turned 30. Now, the two of them often trained and competed together locally. This would be Eoin’s first marathon. | During this testing, Mr. Hughes mentioned that he and his 34-year-old son Eoin were planning to enter the Frankfurt marathon, aiming to break the Guinness world record for fastest parent-child marathon finish, which stood then at 5:02:12. Eoin, his father told them, had not begun running until he turned 30. Now, the two of them often trained and competed together locally. This would be Eoin’s first marathon. |
| The researchers quickly realized that the father and son represented a remarkable test case of how different trajectories and biologies affect athletic success, with one runner beginning young, stopping and returning, and the other not starting until adulthood. Plus, they were related. | The researchers quickly realized that the father and son represented a remarkable test case of how different trajectories and biologies affect athletic success, with one runner beginning young, stopping and returning, and the other not starting until adulthood. Plus, they were related. |
| So, they invited the Hugheses to the lab and completed more tests, including measuring Eoin’s maximum aerobic capacity, which was similar to his father’s, and tracking each man’s oxygen uptake at various race paces, a number that provided the researchers with detailed data on how hard they were straining. | So, they invited the Hugheses to the lab and completed more tests, including measuring Eoin’s maximum aerobic capacity, which was similar to his father’s, and tracking each man’s oxygen uptake at various race paces, a number that provided the researchers with detailed data on how hard they were straining. |
| Then they waited for the marathon. It was a success, in that the Hugheses broke the old record by more than two minutes. But the father’s and son’s results diverged. Tommy outdistanced his son by almost four minutes, with his pace hardly varying from start to finish. Eoin, on the other hand, sped at the start then faded, finishing the second half of the race about 6 percent slower than the first 13 miles. | Then they waited for the marathon. It was a success, in that the Hugheses broke the old record by more than two minutes. But the father’s and son’s results diverged. Tommy outdistanced his son by almost four minutes, with his pace hardly varying from start to finish. Eoin, on the other hand, sped at the start then faded, finishing the second half of the race about 6 percent slower than the first 13 miles. |
| The son’s workload was also slightly laxer. According to the scientists’ calculations, his average pace represented about 85 percent of his maximal endurance capacity, meaning he was pushing himself hard. But his father’s average pace hovered at around 90 percent of his maximal capacity, suggesting a supernal comfort with discomfort. | The son’s workload was also slightly laxer. According to the scientists’ calculations, his average pace represented about 85 percent of his maximal endurance capacity, meaning he was pushing himself hard. But his father’s average pace hovered at around 90 percent of his maximal capacity, suggesting a supernal comfort with discomfort. |
| Over all, the two men’s results have lessons for anyone planning a future marathon. They tell us, for one thing, that it may be advisable to choose your parents well. | Over all, the two men’s results have lessons for anyone planning a future marathon. They tell us, for one thing, that it may be advisable to choose your parents well. |
| “I believe there is a genetic component, for sure,” says Romuald Lepers, a researcher affiliated with Inserm and the University of Burgundy who led the new study. | “I believe there is a genetic component, for sure,” says Romuald Lepers, a researcher affiliated with Inserm and the University of Burgundy who led the new study. |
| Updated June 5, 2020 | Updated June 5, 2020 |
| A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. | |
| The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. | The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. |
| Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. | Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. |
| Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. | Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. |
| States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. | States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) |
| Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. | Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. |
| The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. | The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. |
| If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. | If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. |
| But even for those without a family history of Olympic qualification, focusing on abundant mileage, frequent 5Ks, and an ability and willingness to reach and remain at a pace that feels, frankly, unpleasant are probably key. | But even for those without a family history of Olympic qualification, focusing on abundant mileage, frequent 5Ks, and an ability and willingness to reach and remain at a pace that feels, frankly, unpleasant are probably key. |
| Experience helps, too. “It is very difficult to pace optimally during a first marathon,” Dr. Lepers says. | Experience helps, too. “It is very difficult to pace optimally during a first marathon,” Dr. Lepers says. |
| So, if a future race will be your first, consider bungee-ing yourself virtually to an older or more seasoned runner, even if that racer is your dad — or sister, mother, neighbor or spouse. | So, if a future race will be your first, consider bungee-ing yourself virtually to an older or more seasoned runner, even if that racer is your dad — or sister, mother, neighbor or spouse. |
| In fact, the primary takeaway of the study may be that training and competing with someone we love might keep us active in the months ahead. | In fact, the primary takeaway of the study may be that training and competing with someone we love might keep us active in the months ahead. |
| “Having a common goal such as finishing a marathon together and sharing in the training could be very motivating,” Dr. Lepers says. | “Having a common goal such as finishing a marathon together and sharing in the training could be very motivating,” Dr. Lepers says. |
| The Hugheses would agree. While they had hoped to break their own world record during this year’s London Marathon in April, Tommy Hughes told me, with the race postponed until October, they will run together until then. | The Hugheses would agree. While they had hoped to break their own world record during this year’s London Marathon in April, Tommy Hughes told me, with the race postponed until October, they will run together until then. |