THANK you for publishing the inspirational article by Chris Lines, 'Why I'll Keep Running' (Echo, Feb 13) describing the wonders of running.
The article mentions a recent piece of research that suggests running is bad for you.
If you unpick this research you'll find it is about as reliable as basing any decision on meeting a bloke in the pub who gives you spurious advice. If a bloke in the pub said he knew two people who died prematurely and they both ate two bananas a day, you would rightly raise an eyebrow, smile and move on.
If the research about running that is mentioned is examined it shows wonderfully how statistics can be interpreted to tell you anything.
It was based on a sample of 878 people. It showed that ten years after the initial survey two people who took part in intensive running had died. This sample is obviously too small and any statistician would say it is statistically insignificant and not valid.
Like Chris Lines, I am runner. I regularly get informed by people who read such spurious research who tell me running is bad for me. I reply with a smile that research actually indicates running is very good for your heart, your mental well-being, and your bone strength amongst other health benefits.
R Bulmer, Sheffield.
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