The Cure

"Running has improved their sex lives, made them stop smoking, cured hangovers, jet lag, ulcers, constipation, alcoholism, depression, insomnia, and prevented the common cold." - Marilyn Wellemeyer, Addicted to Perpetual Motion, Fortune, 1977

In the pharmaceutical business, billions and billions of dollars are spent bringing new drugs to market to cure or at least improve conditions for every disease and condition possible.  I'm in the industry so I know the amount of money needed to get a drug or device to market.  I also know the amount of money wasted on inefficiencies of the same process.  I also see the cost of a drug or device to a patient making it prohibitive for some to get the care they need.  It is unfortunate that all of the R&D expenses have to be recouped before patent expiry.  I am sure pharma companies do not want to see cures or conditions helped through running, though.  Maybe I am being a bit of a cynic but Pharma companies exist with their drugs and having diseases or conditions to cure.  They are likely not interested in seeing running cure disease.

With that said, more and more Pharma companies and Clinical Research Organizations are becoming title sponsors of marathons and other running events.  Novo Nordisk in New Jersey, Quintiles and PPD in North Carolina, Otsuka in Japan, Cadila Pharma in Amedabad, AstraZeneca in Calgary, Valient Pharma in Ontario, PAREXEL Informatics in Nottingham, UK to name a few.  Other pharma companies sponsor other distances like the Novartis 5K.

I do think that there is  truth and evidence to support the claim in the quote above.  I'm not saying that running is the end all, cure all but it (along with exercise in general) plays a important part in a healthy physical and mental lifestyle.  I don't think that there is any other communal sport that has changed people's lives for the better the way running has. There are so many unique stories about the running journey finding its way to be a running lifestyle.  Can it be a cure?  I believe it can but the cure will be unique to each individual.

Today Day 56: 3 miles: 2014: 303 miles