Table 1 The “Berlin Beat of Running” study: Inclusion and exclusion criteria

·Preregistered participant of the 38^th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2011

·Age ≥ 35 and ≤ 60 years

·Marathon history: at least 2 marathon runs within the last 5 years

·Amount of physical activity: running for at least 40 km per week

·Sinus rhythm on the day of enrolment

Exclusion criteria

·Known cardiac disease or cardiac arrhythmia

·Known stroke or TIA, brain tumour or infectious disease affecting the brain

·Contraindications for magnetic resonance imaging

·Acute cerebral infarction or other clinical relevant pathological findings detected by brain magnetic resonance imaging before the marathon

·Severe liver or kidney disease

·Hyperthyroidism, pregnancy or lactation