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Diane provided great information.

I'm one of the marathoners on board, here, and - so far - have only benefitted positively from distance running. As a lupus patient with a myriad of issues, like rheumatoid arthritis, scoliosis and osteoarthritis, one would think running would be more damaging to my joints than not. Actually, running helps keep my bones and joints healthy.

I've never heard of running causing ovarian cysts. We can develop cysts for no apparent reason. I have a few on my ovaries, but they are not at all serious enough for my doctor to be concerned.

Women do have different issues from men when it comes to running. We have wider hips, smaller hearts, less testosterone, higher body fat, lower muscle mass. We also run differently because our biomechanics are different.

Women make up more than 50% of new runners and walkers participating in distance events each year (I forget exactly where I learned this statistic), which is why we rarely refer to them as "races," any more. They are events for participants of all ages and abilities.

During the last summer Olympics in Beijing, there were several stories about the "older" female Olympians, from swimmers to a marathoner, who were moms. Elites have trained most of their adult lives, so these women were testament to the possibilities of super athletic achievement not hampering childbearing.

Just get out there, get good training and enjoy your run!

June 22, 2009 - 5:03pm

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