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5K is the perfect running distance? We take up the article written by Davide Marco Corvino that appeared just a few days ago on Running to explain how important it is to run "only" 5 km whether you are training for the next marathon or have just finished your daily thirty kilometres.
Do you know why? There aren't any scientific reasons to think that a longer run is more likely to improve your health than shorter ones. In fact, many studies seem to confirm the opposite.At the American College of Sport Medicine, Duck-chul Lee, Professor at the University of Iowa, has presented a study that explains that the benefits of running decrease over a certain threshold. Those who run for more than 50 kilometres a week appear to have a higher risk of mortality than those who run less!
These studies indicate that the perfect distance is 15 - 50 kilometres a week. But that’s not all. These reduced distances also significantly reduce the risk of injury. What's more, training to prepare for a 5 kilometre race clearly demands less time than that required for a marathon. You could focus on intensity rather than distance, without having to spend too much time away from family, friends and work.
