Those of you who entered last year’s event might recall the medal-ordering problem that we encountered. Seemed like every week there would be another surge of entries and, as organisers, we were determined to ensure that every participant received a commemorative 25th anniversary medal at the finish line that we kept having to order and re-order more and more medals.

It was getting to such a stage that instead of shipping the heavy medals by boat, we were bringing medals by jet courier service from China to make sure that they got her before race-day.

Anyone who received one will admit that these medals are a solid piece of metal: no flimsy aluminium here. So, those courier flights cost the organisers a fortune, money that could have been more profitably spent on other aspects of the event organisation.

All of which goes to explain that we are not going through all that again. We have already agreed with the medal manufacturers that we can make a one-time medal order on January 17 and be confident that the shipment will get to Malta in time for race-day. So, that’s what we will do. Hence the closing date for entries the day before.

Please make sure you apply online at maltamarathon.com before January 16. No entries will be accepted after that date.

Walkathon

A research study published in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association demonstrates that those who walk more quickly will tend to live longer than their peers.

According to an analysis of nine studies and 34,485 adults, a faster walking pace was linked to an increased life expectancy. The crucial pace seems to be 3ft (or one metre) per second, with those who walked faster than this tending to live longer than the average.

They specify a walking pace so as to exclude window-shopping and the like, which offers little health benefits and instead tends to place a rather large strain on the wallet.

Walking faster than one metre/second would mean you cover one kilometre in approximately 15 minutes: well within the capability of those expecting to complete the Walkathon inside the time limit.

According to the leader of the study, Dr Stephanie Studenski, of the University of Pittsburgh, “predicted years of remaining life for each sex and age increased as gait speed increased.”

While on the subject of walking, another study in American Heart Association journal Stroke, revealed that women who walked briskly had a 37 per cent lower risk of stroke than those who didn’t walk. Women who reported walking at least two hours a week at any pace had a 30 per cent lower risk.

While previous studies have shown that physical activity decreases the chances of having a stroke, this new study focused on what kind of exercise might be most beneficial for women.

How brisk is brisk? Well, you should be able to talk – but not sing.

The research involved about 39,000 female health workers.

The study also looked at vigorous activities like running, swimming and biking, but researchers didn’t find a link between those vigorous activities and a reduced stroke risk. It’s possible, they said, that moderate activity is better at lowering blood pressure, a strong risk factor for stroke.

The American Heart Association recommends that adults do a total of two-and-a-half hours a week of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity or a combination.

So, you’re doing good work out there, keep it up. And don’t forget to apply online at maltamarathon.com before January 16.

johnzwalsh@yahoo.com

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