Gretchen Reynolds writes frequently about running and exercise in The Well, a blog within the New York Times. She often asks and then answers simple but profound questions and everyday myths we should question, but don’t. Like who says we need to drink 8 glasses of water a day? Turns out, no science involved, and no one can really pin it down, other than exercise professionals thought it sounded good, so they promoted the practice. Seems harmless enough, but Ms. Reynolds then asked, well, how much is enough water, and can you drink too much? The answer was refreshingly simple: your body will tell you when you’re not drinking enough, for the most part, but if you go extended periods without having to urinate and it comes out dark and smelly, well, drink some more water. And you can drink too much, as evidenced by stories of people collapsing from over hydration in races (very dangerous) and stories of fraternity hazings where hazers switched to water from beer but caused their subjects serious harm from consuming too much water.

This story is how our seemingly awkward bodies are made to allow us to run upright for long distances, a singular feature in the animal world.

From The New York Times:

Running Is a Total Body Affair

We can thank our heads and shoulders — and not just our knees and toes — that we evolved to run as well as we do.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/10/well/move/running-body-evolution.html?smid=em-share