Do
Iron Men Rust Faster Than Others ?
It's
a common spelling that sport is a boon for health, but is it really
the case that the more we practice, the better we are ?
Everyone
knows the famous hero of Marvel comics, Iron Man, who is
gifted with great powers thanks to his self made iron suit. In the
real world some men, even if they can't fly, are nevertheless capable
of physical performances which are quite impressive.
These
men bear the same name of this famous avenger of steel and they
achieve probably the most difficult sportive event of all time :
3.8km of swimming, 180km of cycling and a marathon - that is to say
42km of running - including the equipement exchanged and all of this
without resting between the events. This discipline, viewed as a bit
insane for many, was born in 1977 when John Collins, a commander
Navy, created it to reconcile the opinions of his cyclist, runner and
swimmer friends each of whom thought their own discipline the most
difficult.
Since
then the challenge has become more and more popular, and each year
new « Iron Men » emmerge everywhere in the world. Some of
these are ordinary athletes who become legends, like Mark Allen who
holds the title of world champion for the longest time with his own
record of 8 hours 7 minutes and 46 seconds, or Paula Newby Fraser
who who has been proclaimed 8 times.
Countless
studies have shown that sports are a boon for health. It prevents the
occurence of diseases, brings peace and happiness and lengthens life.
But do these beneficial effects increase with the practice of sport ?
Experts would say apparently not. It seems to be merely a U curve,
according to an American study published in 2012, which shows that
athletes running more than 32km per week, begin to see their life
expectancy decreasing. Iron Men are capable of impressive feats, one
must ask the affect of this extreme sport on the human body.
These
atheltes live only for their next challenge and often sacrifice their
family life for their training, which often lead them to social
isolation. Moreover, the human immune system weakens after very
demanding sportive activities, and the risk of contracting a
pulmonary infection is multiplied by six. These extreme races are
dangerous in and of themselves. The most common hazard is the
physical collapse which occurs during the race and can lead to coma
or even death. Overhydratation and a drastic fall in bood sodium
levels can also be threatening. Despite the dangers and the warnings
of medical professional, these adrenaline addict extreme sportmen are
passionately devoted to this challenge which brings them a real sense
of accomplishment. Despite the fact that not all of us are able to
survive such hardships, they also embody a real message of equality.
Indeed,
some Iron Man champions bear their titles very well. Dominique
Benassi has an iron prosthesis in place of his right leg and has this
year been crowned in wordchampion for the fourteenth time, in the
Handisport category. He finished 1584th out at 2300 competitors,
ahead of valid triathlets. This is a huge sign of inspiation and
motivation for all who have lost a limb, Benassi proved that despite
this handicap everything remains possible.
Gabriel
Vallejo and Alexandre Mignucci
http://www.lactualite.com/opinions/le-blogue-dalain-vadeboncoeur/liron-man-bon-pour-la-sante/
