Some Ultra-Marathoners Now Swear by Marijuana to Help Their Training

As the cannabis legalization movement continues to grow, so does public education about the long-demonized pot plant. There is an increased understanding of marijuana as being less of a dangerous drug (though the U.S. government still stubbornly classifies it as such) and more of a potentially beneficial medicinal herb. Its benefits have been invaluable for cancer patients, children with epilepsy, veterans, rape survivors and others suffering from severe PTSD.

As public opinion shifts, more athletes are coming out publicly about their pot use. In a recent article, Leafly writer Gage Peake discussed the “CannAthlete movement” with 24-year-old runner Avery Collins, part of an emerging group of high-intensity extreme distance runners, or ultramarathoners, who openly incorporate cannabis into their training and recovery routines. Ultramarathoners run distances of 50 to 500 or more miles with inclines reaching thousands of feet. A Runner’s World article last February detailed the many reasons runners are “mixing marijuana and mileage,” and the subject has been a source of major debate in running circles....
http://www.alternet.org/personal-health/some-ultra-marathoners-now-swear-marijuana-help-their-training