Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Nutrition Before & After Runs

What are the perfect foods to eat before and after a run?

Below are some general guidelines that may or may not be right for you. Some people do better with more or less carbohydrates in general; or with their pre-race meal earlier or later… do some experimenting with your workouts that don’t matter as much, so you can learn more about your body and be prepared to do what’s best for you come race day.

Before

A good carbohydrate meal ideally 2 hours in advance of the event is important for providing the energy you need to get through your race feeling good. This means no sleeping in race morning! Most people do okay good having finished the food by an hour in advance however you will still be digesting it during your run. Personally I like to finish eating about a half hour before, and this doesn’t bother my stomach as it may most people. Some examples of good pre-race foods are bananas (my favorite!), oatmeal, and whole grain bread with honey. For fluids, 8 oz of water 1-2 hours before the race, and another 8 oz in the 60-30 minutes before, are suggested amounts assuming you can make time for a pre-race potty break. Most of your hydration should be done in the days before – so stay hydrated at all times!

After

Once again you need adequate carbohydrate consumption afterwards to replace the energy you used up in the run. Sure it was nice to burn those calories, but if you don’t replace your glycogen stores shortly after your event, your workouts will suffer in the following week. Get the calories in right away in the first half hour after. Protein is important as well. Before the event you didn’t want or need them – they’re just harder to digest and may interfere with your performance. Afterwards, you need moderate protein to help start repairing those hard-working muscle cells. Here’s my plug for Olympia Granola bars – and not just because they are our sponsor! They really are the perfectly balanced post-race recovery food, with plenty of carbs and 9-10 g of protein per bar. Tasty too. Some other options are bread with peanut butter, fruit and nuts, or a protein shake with half a serving of protein powder. For fluid replacement consider a natural sports drink or coconut water immediately following the run.

Race Considerations

For a distance of 10k or longer, consider a carbo-loading regimen in the week before the race. This could be as simple as eating more complex carbohydrates in the 2 days before the event to store up energy, to a more advanced plan of depriving the muscles of carbs by eating extra protein at the beginning of the week such that your body more easily wants to soak up those carbs when they are available before the race. If you try the low-carb plan at the beginning of the week, be sure to increase your water intake as your body will lose water more easily. We will cover carbo-loading at depth more in the future - when we have more MOTR ready for their first marathon!

To sum up -

Carbs before, carbs and protein after (moderate fat consumption after is fine as well), and experiment with your workouts so that you know how your body will react for races.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Trail Safety - a police perspective

Q: How can I be safe when I’m out running alone on the trails? Should I carry pepper spray?

This is too important of a question for me to do it justice, so I have asked the opinion of Detective Ben Johnson from the Blaine Police Department. Here is what he has to say:

A: I do not recommend carrying pepper spray. For starters, its effectiveness varies too much and people put too much confidence in it. Some people are highly sensitive to it and some are not very bothered. Some attackers will simply get angrier. Then, when it doesn't work victims are prone to freeze and not know what to do next. It isn’t like you see in the movies where there is an immediate effect. It can take a long 5-10 seconds for the effect to take place, and during that time when there is no response the victim might panic. Also, people need to understand that when they spray someone there is a high likelihood some of it will get on them. I don’t use it on duty because I am very sensitive to the stuff and personally don't want to risk getting it on me, because if I do, I can't see.

More important is general awareness of one’s surroundings. This includes the location, lighting, and the amount of other citizens (witnesses) in area/trails/etc. Simply being smart and using common sense will keep people safe most of the time. Of course it is most ideal to run with a partner. But for solo runs, never run after dark, and as hard as this is to hear, do not run with headphones in. This prevents a person from being aware of their surroundings.

Have a practiced plan in place for when self-defense is needed. Self-defense moves don’t need to be complex martial arts moves. Self-defense is as simple as striking the groin or gouging an eye. Women may wince at the thought of gouging an attackers eye out, but it is a great defense move and easy to perform. Understand the alternative! You need to be prepared with the mental fortitude to do what it takes to survive. I tell people to use multiple strikes to disable the attacker and then run away. Too often people think an attacker will stop if they hit them once. Not likely. You need to have a plan, and a willingness to follow through on that plan.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Feet!

This post is courtesy of guest blogger Beth Jensen, instructor from White Bear Lake. For more from Beth check out: http://momsontherunwbl.wordpress.com

Some of you might be experiencing blisters, hot spots, calluses, and/or “black toe” (hopefully not already on the last one!) already. Here are some tips I’ve found useful for keeping your feet healthy. First, socks. The best socks for running or walking are ones with a cotton blend (usually cotton/polyester), synthetic (polyester, nylon), or others (bamboo, wool), but not straight cotton. Look for labels like “CoolMax” or “sweat-wicking.” Thickness of the socks are a personal preference. Some like very thin socks to let their feet breathe well and others like the cushioning of thicker socks which is fine as long as it is not an all cotton sock. There are a lot of “performance” socks that average around $12/pair. Many of these are shaped to fit your feet better (they are labeled Left/Right like shoes) and have targeted cushioning for the common hot spots for runners or walkers. I’ve worn a variety of socks and although the performance socks are more comfy for the longer distances, I’ve also had a lot of success from the big multi-pack of sweat wicking socks from Target I’ve had for years (and are just starting to wear out).

Other options for reducing blisters/hot spots is to wear 2 pairs of socks (usually thinner socks work better for this) or putting petroleum jelly/Vaseline on your feet before putting them in your socks (I’ve done this for all of my long runs). Make sure to keep your toenails trimmed as well.

The last foot problem is “black toe.” This happens when one of your toenails bangs up against the top of your shoe over a long period of time and causes a blood blister to form under the nail. Having properly fitting shoes, a distance of a thumbs width between your big toe and the front of the shoe, can help prevent black toe. Once it has formed, you can put a sterilized needle in and drain the pressure of the blister. Hopefully this won’t happen to anyone this season because it happens more often with longer distance running, but it isn’t a major problem once the blister is drained and kept clean.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Beat the Heat: Tips for running when it's HOT!

It’s the heat more than the increase in the interval schedule that’s making our workouts real tough these days! Here are some tips for making it through during these hottest days of summer.

1. Safety first: If the heat index (temperature combined with humidity) is over 100, choose to exercise indoors.
2. Lower your expectations. Change your goal for the day – maybe just to finish the workout! Understand that every 5 degree increase in temp can lower your pace by 20-30 seconds a mile.
3. Drink extra water – consider bringing a water bottle with you during your workout, but especially be drinking a lot the day of/day before to get yourself extra hydrated. Cold water is more beneficial in these temps than room temperature water. Also, help drop your core temperature by pouring water on your head!
4. Be willing to alter your workouts – it’s okay to do more cross-training (swimming! water running!) and less running…when you do run, head out earlier in the morning or later in the evening. Sunrise is best.
5. Consider adding a sports electrolyte drink for a little more energy. Choose a natural brand that does not contain artificial flavors or colors such as Recharge or Y Water. Also check out some of the online recipes available to make your own.
6. Clothing: wear a visor and/or a sweat band; a hat will not allow the heat to escape your head. Wear performance materials that wick sweat away from the body rather than cotton.
7. Embrace your chance to soak up some vitamin D by choosing only moderate protection sunscreen made from natural ingredients such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Chemical sunblocks will increase your risk of skin cancer. There are many acceptable choices available at your local natural foods store; check out bronze sponsor Fresh & Natural for a great selection.
8. Get creative to stay cool: here are some tips I found in Runner’s World, definitely on the creative side!

Miami Ice: Steve Brookner of the Bikila Athletic Club in Miami came up with this idea while running the marathon leg of Ironman Arizona. "They had thin sponges at each aid station," he says. "So I took one and grabbed a couple of ice cubes." He put the cubes on top of the sponge, then put his hat on over both. As the ice melted into the sponge, it created a cool spot on his head and a nice trickle of water running down his neck.

The Tucson Cold Cap: Randy Accetta, president of the Southern Arizona Roadrunners and a 1996 Olympic Trials marathoner, keeps his head cool in the extreme heat of Tucson with his "cold cap." "I'll soak a baseball cap in water and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight before a morning run," he says. "An old baseball cap retains the moisture longer than the new technical hats."

The Badwater Bandanna: For years, Denise Jones puzzled over the best way to keep the competitors in the Badwater Ultramarathon cool. Finally, Jones--considered the "dean" of Badwater aid-station volunteers--came up with the answer: Lay a bandanna out in a diamond shape. Place a row of ice cubes in a horizontal line, just below one tip of the bandanna. Then roll it up "like a burrito," and tie it around your neck. "We've found that this is the best way to keep runners cool," she says. "It feels wonderful.