The news desk
On September 30, 2026, on World Heart Day, Canadian Running Magazine interviewed Mass General Brigham cardiologist David Martin to discuss the effects of endurance running on the heart. The report states that endurance training leads to cardiac changes, including enlarged heart chambers, known as athlete's heart; resting heart rate can be below 60 beats per minute, and even drop to 30 to 40 beats per minute; in addition, coronary artery calcification is elevated, but is usually located in the vessel wall rather than causing blockages. The report also covers screening recommendations. Currently there is only this one report on the event, with no follow-up developments yet.
Canadian Running spoke with Dr. David Martin, a cardiologist at Mass General Brigham, for World Heart Day about heart changes from endurance training, including enlarged heart chambers known as athlete's heart, resting heart rates under 60 bpm or even in the 30s to 40s, and higher coronary artery calcium that is usually in the artery wall rather than blocking it.