ABSTRACT
A 51-year-old man had been healthy until his sudden death in March 1980. In 1975 (aged 46 years), he started jogging and quickly began averaging about 19 km (12 mi) weekly (4.8 km four times a week). At that time, his blood pressure was 140/95 mm Hg, and he began taking a diuretic daily. The total serum cholesterol was 273 mg/dl. At necropsy the heart weighed 390 g. Transverse ventricular sections showed a healed transmural myocardial infarct extending from base to apex and involving primarily the ventricular septum. The left anterior descending and left circumflex coronary arteries were narrowed 76 to 100 percent in cross-sectional area by atherosclerotic plaques. Running appears to be the most efficient regular exercise, and it is estimated to be done regularly by about 25 million Americans. Few conditioned runners smoke cigarettes, are overweight, or go to psychiatrists. Nearly all “feel better” and perform their tasks better than they did before they began running regularly.
