POINT COUNTERPOINT : Marathon Debate Outruns the Course

When a canon signals the start of the City of Los Angeles Marathon V on Sunday, about 20,000 are expected to run the 26.2-mile course. Despite that horde, the debate still rages. Is marathon running an exercise in compulsion or in discipline? Here are two local experts’ views.

Dr. Tony Daly Jr., orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist, Daniel Freeman Marina Hospital; medical director, 1984 Olympics.

“I’m not anti-exercise, but I don’t think you have to run 26 miles to prove the point. I think most runners run excessively, and I think a marathon is too much exercise for most people. Running 26 miles puts a tremendous strain on the body. A couple of years ago, people said, ‘If you’re a marathoner, it’s insurance against a heart attack.’ It gave people a false sense of security. I think the whole idea has been disproved.

“People jog, get bored and decide to try a marathon because they need a goal to keep themselves interested. There’s nothing wrong with running just a 5-K or a 10-K. People often don’t train properly for a marathon. They increase their miles too quickly. The overuse syndrome is rampant. People run too many marathons too fast, and they break down.”

Dr. Sonny Cobble, orthopedic surgeon and director of the Sports Medicine Clinic, Orthopaedic Hospital, Los Angeles, medical commissioner, City of Los Angeles Marathon; former marathoner.

“All life is a matter of compromise, and I think how an individual spends time is his or her choice. I would advise individuals to consider a marathon over other, deleterious habits such as smoking, drinking, or watching 4-7 hours of television a day. As a runner and a physician who treats runners, I see few people who require surgical intervention directly because of running. I do see athletics-related injuries. But other sports are more dangerous. Bicycling, football and soccer result in more injuries.

“Running requires no special preparation, no special equipment, no particular time frame, no interpersonal interactions between a trainer or a team.

“And runners do benefit from their commitment to a higher goal.”

SHOP TALK Something New for the Nose

Right after a bad cold gets better, it often hits--a nose so sore on the outside and dry on the inside it hurts. Two new over-the-counter products marketed under the “Nose Better” name may help.

Nose Better spray, a saline solution, rehumidifies the nose when it’s dried out from decongestant use, says Jeffrey Bloom, spokesman for Goldline Laboratories, the products’ Florida manufacturer. Nose Better gel, applied to the outside of sore beaks, has camphor, menthol and eucalyptus oil. The spray retails for $3.49; the gel is $2.99.

Consumers with persistent dry nose problems should consult a pharmacist or doctor, says Teresa Miller, spokeswoman for the California Pharmacists Assn.