Marathon running

Question
My 34 year old son ran the Chicago Marathon October 7, 2012 in 3 hours 47 minutes and .03 seconds.  He also plans to run the Grand Rapids marathon on October 21st.  Should we as parents be concerned about injury or overstrain on the heart?  He has been training for several months but aren't these marathons too close together?

Answer
Sharon, I know these seem close together, but if he feels alright he should be alright. The bigger concern is strain on his joints and muscles. Again, though, if he feels alright then he should be. Our bodies are remarkable at speaking to us if we will just listen. Depending on his level of training his time could be slower this time due to overtraining. If his time is slower then he should definitely take some time off until he feels completely healthy again. Finally, to hopefully alleviate concerns,  there are "ultra-marathons" that can be up to 100 miles in length and are run in one day. Those people are very healthy as well with no negative effects on the heart.

If you have any other further questions or concerns don't hesitate to ask.