 Fall race season is over and many of you may be taking time to reflect on your race and what you could do better next time. Did you bonk? Did you start to experience cramping? Did the run feel effortless or did it feel exhausting from start to finish?
Whether your next goal is a spring marathon or maybe you are waiting until the next fall season; racing a half, full, or ultra-marathon you will have many progressive long runs integrated into the training plan weekly to help you improve in your endurance for your goal race. In order to achieve these distances, you must fuel correctly. When it comes to fueling for a race, you don't have to be be new to running to have questions. It takes many of us quite a few tries to understand what works best during a long run or race and, at times, learning how to fuel your long runs can feel overwhelming. How Long Before I Start Fueling? In general, runners need to add in 30 grams to 60 grams of carbohydrate each hour that they are running when they are running longer than 90 minutes. The timing of your fueling will need to start earlier than 90 minutes into a run. If you waited until 90 minutes to being your fuel, by that time your tank will be empty. Once your tank hits empty it is very hard to recover - if you can recover at all. You should plan to eat 30 grams - 60 grams (depending on your specific body weight/needs) every 45 minutes when you are running longer than 90 minutes. Any long runs greater than 2.5 hours, male or female, consumption of 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour is recommended. If you are starting from scratch with fueling for your long runs, starting with much smaller quantities of carbohydrates every 45 minutes during your runs may be beneficial to avoid gastrointestinal distress. Start small and work your way up. But WHY is the timing so important? Our bodies have been continuously working for an extended amount of time and when working for that amount of time we start to run low in glycogen (stored carbohydrate) and get closer to “bonking” or feel the need to stop running at the same intensity. If we fuel ourselves before we start to feel tired and while we are still feeling strong, we can keep our glycogen levels and, in turn, our intensity levels consistent. It's also important to note that the longer you are moving at a certain effort level, cardiovascular drift occurs. This means that for a constant effort level, the longer you go, there is a gradual increase in heart rate . So by fueling earlier in your run, you are able to absorb carbs better because the need to pump blood (and oxygen) to working muscles is less and the blood flow needed to promote proper carbohydrate digestion is higher. Remember to start practicing your fueling early into your training. The earlier the better, this way you can try various products and train your gut to take on fuel. Just like you train your legs and your lungs to be strong enough to carry you through a workout, you must train your body to take in calories. If you neglect gut training until race day, you may experience gastrointestinal distress, cramps, or bonking. What Should I Fuel With? When you run long distances, your body relies initially on glycogen as its primary fuel. Glycogen is derived from eating carbohydrates and stored in the muscles and liver for easily accessible, efficient energy. Running fuel should consist of easily digestible carbohydrates that contain minimal protein, fat, and fiber. While fat is an essential energy source for your body, it takes a while for your body to convert fat into fuel. Protein should be a huge part of your daily diet and post exercise recover; however, it is not a primary energy source and, therefore, not a typically essential component of mid-run fueling. Fueling also consists of hydration. It is important that you take into consideration your hydration strategy for long runs. Chews, gels, sports nutrition beverages, and whole foods may be used to fuel your long runs as these contain those quick digesting carbohydrates. Some athletes use bananas/gummy bears/home-made energy bites as their fuel. You should also aim for 300-500mg of sodium per hour with 16-24 ounces of fluid. How to Practice Fueling Here are some tips on how to start practicing your fueling. Remember it will look different for each runner.
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 It is often times celebrated when one completely goes above and beyond and gives "110% of themselves 120% of the time". More often than not, in running, the very opposite is necessary for performance gains and growth. This is because adaptations can occur over a range of a certain stimulus and within that range, the benefits your receive from hitting on the high range of your target are the same (or basically the same) as as hitting your low range of your target.
When a workout is given by a coach, they are aiming to get the athlete to hit a certain percentage of effort for a duration of time/distance in order to elicit a specific adaptation. If that range isn't hit, then the intended adaptation won't occur as effectively as it would if it did. What athletes sometimes forget is that hitting the low (read slower) end of the range will satisfy the adaption just as effectively as the upper (read faster) end of the range. Athletes even more so forget that hitting out of range (read much faster) than the target effort will yield either the same benefit or in some cases have negative impact on adaptation. This can lead to slower recovery times, over training, etc. When an athlete goes harder than prescribed they are stressing the body too much either mechanically or chemically that leads to faster or more breakdown in the short and long term. For example: Running easy runs too hard. A lot of times, runners will run too hard on their easy days., whether it be from meeting a friend who is a little faster or naturally on their own. Many of us believe that a run is not complete unless a feeling of complete exhaustion comes upon us . We feel that we did not put in enough "work". This, however, can be further from the truth. The main goal of an easy run is to run...easy. This helps to support recovery and build an aerobic base which is essential for endurance running. Running at a higher intensity more often than not can lead to unnecessary stress and fatigue which can ultimately lead to lack of motivation and even injury. So, how do you know how often and what effort level you should be running? It depends. What are your goals? What distance/time peaks your interest? What do you want to get out of running? How much time (daily and throughout the year) do you have available to give to running? With these questions answered there are many groups/coaches/forums that can help you guide your way so that when you set out to go for a run or workout, you know what the intent is, and how to manage your effort through out. You will also know where the workout fits in the grand scheme of your training. Ultimately, whether you decide to join a group, have a personalized coach, or self coach remembering to aim lower will help set you up better for growth and consistency for a long career. Everyone is always looking for easy and efficient hacks and this can be considered one of them. If you have more interest in personalized running coaching and getting the most out of yourself please take a look at our running services at https://www.milesandmacros.net/coaching-services.html  The 4 Benefits Of Running On A Track 1. Safety. Unlike running on the streets, where you must remain alert to avoid collisions with other people, dogs, cyclists, or cars, a track is a safe and traffic free wonderland. Also, unlike trail running, there are no mud, rocks, roots, or animals to cause problems. For obvious reasons running a road or trail route may be more engaging and free; however, the track allows you safety and a mindless running opportunity. 2. Flat and Springy. A track, of course, is pancake flat, so you may enjoy a level surface as well as a nice springy pep in your step allowing a bit faster of a pace. The synthetic rubber of a track is easy on the joints and is less likely to aggregate or cause injury 3. Measured. As tracks are precisely measured, they provide a good opportunity to test your abilities and complete distance specific workouts. Yes, it is possible to do speed workouts on the roads using your GPS watch, but it can be challenging to figure out exact distances with or without variables such as traffic. 4. Motivation(s). Often there are other athletes on the track or turf that are working on their craft and while in their company you can draw motivation. Sometimes you can get more out of yourself with the energy you feel from another athlete. You are all working there for the propose of achieving goals. Another motivation that overcomes you is the act of going to a track. You know that when you step foot on the track you are in the mindset of performing at higher level an that THIS is your weekly QUALITY session you have planned for the day/week. Track Basics (adapted from the marathonhandbook.com)
 Changing the composition of your body is not an easy process and it is entirely different for everyone. Everyone’s body is unique and it takes a bit of experimentation and a great deal of knowledge to find out what will get you to your goals. You might be at a cross-roads with your nutrition wondering - do I count macros or do I count calories? It is a great question and it all depends on what you are trying to achieve. With calorie counting, you have a set number of calories to eat each day based on your height, weight, age, activity level, and goals. With macro counting, you dive deeper by having those calories divided between three main macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Ok, first. What is a calorie? A calorie is simply a unit of measurement for energy. When you eat food, it contains calories. Fruits, vegetables, and meats all contain calories. Eating these calories provides your body with energy to put to use somewhere. Factors such as your height, weight, age, gender, activity level, determine what amount of calories your body needs to carry out its daily processes. Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the bare minimum number of calories that your body needs to function on a day to day basis. This means that even if you spent the entire day reading in bed you’ll still be burning calories just to live – and that number will be your BMR. For most of us, we often do a bit more than just lay in bed and read. In that case, we’ll need to know our Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). One formula that is very easy to use is the Harris Benedict Formula. This formula will calculate your TDEE. By factoring in how active of a person you are, you simply multiple the Harris Benedict Formula to your BMR number. This will give you your TDEE. Even though you have determined your TDEE; the number will vary from person to person depending on overall health, body composition (how much fat your body is holding), and what your fitness goals are - calories will need to be subtract or added to/from your TDEE. One historic rule of thumb that people come back to is that to lose weight you simply just need to eat less calories than what you are burning. This "rule" is not always that simple. Yes, if you want to lose weight you need to burn more calories than what you are consuming AND if you want to build muscle or gain weight you need to eat more calories than you are burning. HOWEVER, one main aspect that most overlook is that calories can’t just come from anywhere. You’re not going to get the same results eating an all chicken wing diet while counting calories as you would while eating a well-balanced diet and paying attention to your macros. What are macros? There are three different macronutrients – carbs, protein, and fat. Your body uses each macronutrient differently. CARBS: Carbs are the body’s preferred source of energy. When you eat carbs, your body breaks them down into glucose. Glucose (blood sugar) is the main source of energy for your body's tissues, cells, and organs. Glucose can either be used immediately or stored in the liver and muscles for later use. For every gram of carbs you eat it is 4 calories. Because your body loves to use carbs for energy, excess carbs are stored as body fat in case your body needs more energy later. Since it is safe to say that most of us do not want to store fat, if we eat just the right amount of carbs in order for our bodies to burn it as fuel - we wont store any excess. PROTEIN: Every cell in the human body contains protein. The basic structure of protein is a chain of amino acids.. Protein is needed in your diet to repair cells and to create new ones. When you eat protein, your body breaks it down into a variety of amino acids that can be used for anything from the function, repair, structure, and regulation of your body. As with carbs, for every gram of protein you eat it is 4 calories. The body can’t store protein for later use like it can store carbs. The important thing to know about protein is that it is the only essential macronutrient. While you can get energy for you body from carbs, protein, or fat for energy, your body specifically needs protein to form amino acids and all the cells within your body. It is crucial to get enough protein in your diet than any other macro. FAT: I know, fat...the "bad guy" of the group. Wrong! Consuming fat will not make you fat. When you ingest fats your body puts it to work in a multitude of ways. Did you know fat can be used as energy if you’re lacking in carbs? Fats form cholesterol and fatty acids which serve as helpers within your body to ensure that the proteins are doing their job. For every gram of fat you eat it is 9 calories – making fat the most calorie-dense macro. Eating healthy fats like avocado, extra virgin olive oil, and animal products can also help you feel satiated longer. So adding the correct amount of fats to your diet can help keep you on track towards your goals. So, which is it calories or macros? It is a fact that our bodies need precise amounts of each type of macronutrient in order to fuel our workouts, repair muscle damage, grow stronger, and shed fat. While you could get all your daily calories from any one of these macronutrients, it's important that you maintain a balance of carbs, protein, and fat to make sure your body is fully equipped to make the transformation you want it to. Instead of focusing on how many total calories you’re eating, it’s best to look at the content/quality of what you’re eating. This will help to build a better you.  1. Warm up:
More often than not, runners are guilty of skipping their warmup. No matter the excuse you have, you will pay the price in winter if you can’t muster up the time to get your heart rate up before hitting the roads/trails. It may be easier to warm up inside and that is a great way to start. Performing butt kicks, A-Skip, B-Skip drills, and leg swings for about 5-10 minutes prior to your run is a great warm up for your muscles/body, reducing your risk of injury, and getting your engine running. 2. Dress properly:
3. Run with a friend or group: Well, they say misery loves company, haha. When the nights get dark so soon and the cold weather hits, you will find plenty of nights or early mornings where running is the last thing you want to do. To help combat your warm and comfy bed consider running with a friend, training partner, or running group for motivation and accountability. 4. Hit the 'mill: Sometimes it’s just too cold and too rainy. Under these poor weather circumstances, it’s best to opt for the treadmill. As mind-numbing as it may be, the treadmill is a great option for faster running or getting in those base miles. Don't let it get boring! Mix it up! Running interval sessions, tempo runs, long runs (come on, you can do it!) will make the time go by faster and can even improve your running by keeping a steady pace and not naturally slowing down. 5. Find your foot wear: Once the snow starts to fall, it is time to rethink your foot wear. Why? Because beneath that powder is ice, roots, potholes, and more uneven terrain. Trail shoes are an excellent choice to put into your running shoes arsenal. Trail shoes often have water-resistant uppers that will protect your feet from getting wet and their more aggressive lugs improve your grip on slippery terrains. Are you not willing to splurge on a new pair of shoes? There are grip-enhancing devices that slip over the soles of your existing shoes, like YakTrax. 6. Adjust your form: Grippy shoes are a good start, but you’ll also need to modify your running technique if you want to stay on your feet. Be intentional with each step. Each stride should be more of a shuffle, both feet closer to the ground, shorten your stride when making a turn, and you should run at a slower pace. Look for plowed streets and well traveled paths to run on - often packed snow provides better traction. All of these tips can prevent you from taking a pretty nasty spill. 7. Enjoy the seasons: Each season brings a certain element to running. Summer - needing to adapt to heat and humidity. Fall - a break in humidity allowing for fast times and the beauty of the changing color of the leaves. Winter - Tough terrain, cold temperatures, and the need for mental toughness and determination. Spring - breaking into warmer temperatures but still surprising weather changes of rain, snow, sun...a new awaking. In summary, running all year round is extremely do-able and often magical. Snow covered streets and trees, beautiful fall foliage, the warmth of the summer, and the new beginnings in spring. Don't miss out on what nature has in store for you, each season's run will bring you closer to nature and stronger in your runs.  This summer we had a guest speaker come to visit the group and he opened the floor up to questions. One athlete had a really good question: "How do you find that motivation to get out the door to run instead of going to the couch or the fridge after a long day at work?" This question reminded us that not everyone signing up for a half/full marathon running group necessarily has a strong will for a PR or a goal race in mind; but, maybe, they are here for comradery and generally building a healthier lifestyle. They were not looking for the day in and day out exercise goals. When coming into a group training setting some often wonder what they signed up for, haha. Why, where, how do some of these athletes get the motivation to get out the door on a daily basis while dodging life's curveballs? There are two types of motivation that play a huge role in training, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Let's explain what these are. Intrinsic Motivation and Extrinsic Motivation There are two kinds of motivation that you have during training: Intrinsic and Extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation refers to a behavior that is driven by internal rewards. Intrinsic motivation engages in behaviors coming from within because it is naturally satisfying or pleasing to you. Intrinsic motivation occurs when we act without any obvious external rewards - money, praise, medals. We simply enjoy an activity or see it as an opportunity to explore, learn, and increase our potential. In contrast to this motivation, is extrinsic motivation which involves engaging in a behavior in order to earn external rewards, receiving praise, and approval. Running a speed session on your own for the inherent satisfaction of the challenge or joy of the work you are putting into it; rather than for some separate consequence is an example of intrinsic motivation. Having a great time with friends at a group run is an example of extrinsic motivation. You may enjoy spending your day doing something other than running, but you're motivated to go run because you get time to see your friends and chat. In this example, you're extrinsically motivated by the ability to spend time with friends. How do you find intrinsic motivation during a busy lifestyle? Ok, you want to run more or run better but how do you find the time? Now that we know the two types of motivation and it may be a little clearer to you as to which motivation you possess less of. So, what can you do to help yourself get into the routine of training and try to prioritize it while living a busy day to day life? Let's face it, not everyone can wrap their heads around 5 a.m. runs every morning before work, working all day, and then coming home to take care of their families. What can you do to make training seem more attainable? It is about training blocks. What is a training block? Training blocks are sectioned times of training/specific training. Most training blocks are 12-16 weeks of work put towards a half/full marathon goal. During those 12-16 weeks of your year (depending if you are doing one race or two - Fall/Spring or Fall AND Spring) you sacrifice for your running goal. You are going into those 12-16 weeks with the knowledge that you are getting up early to run or running directly after work, you have a long run on the weekends, you are cross training/mobility/core, getting enough sleep, and fueling your body appropriately. You put aside every excuse and get the work done. This is all intrinsic motivation - you are doing something for yourself, for the challenge, for bringing out your potential. Even within our own half/full marathon training groups I see some athletes that have decided to dedicate their season to a goal race and are strictly executing their plans to reach their goals. I also see other athletes attending the group to maintain their consistency, find enjoyment in the run with friends, and stay generally fit. This is extrinsic motivation. These athletes are still maintaining their fitness; however, it is more about the continued bonds they have with other athletes and continuing their running to have fun, reward themselves with group time and teammates to share exercise with. What should a training block look like? Using my own training blocks as an example: Winter I focus on maintaining my running and adding some strength into my routine. When spring comes, I add in short/fast workouts to get a half marathon completed well. Summer hits and things slow down, mileage increases, and I focus on a longer race goal for the fall. Then all fall I like to get in anything I can after my goal race and before I am "dormant" again. My real training blocks are usually early spring and late summer. With everything mentioned above, you will notice one thing holds true throughout the year. I am always maintaining, I do not have a goal race and then stop running for weeks. Maintaining my base always allows me to jump into a training block without having to lay the foundation work down all over again. I can get a few weeks of solid training in and run a half marathon well. That is why I see some of the athletes attending group training without any races on their plates, their extrinsic motivation to attend to be with friends, exercise, and maintain keeps their bases up. Summarization In summary, some athletes will always have strong self discipline in running (intrinsic motivation) and some athletes have outside factors that bring them into running (extrinsic motivation). Depending on the season, it can differ for all of us and that is ok. You should not be training hard all year round. Implementing training blocks allows for your body to build up to it's peak fitness level and execute a well planned race. Having downtime and maintenance time allows for recovery, finding enjoyment in running, and bonding with your friends. The best way to handle a busy lifestyle while being an athlete is about breaking things down into smaller sections, blocks you can handle.   As Sophia Patrillo in Golden Girls would say, "Picture it"... you are starting out on your run and feeling at ease when for no certain reason you start to hear those negative voices creeping into your mind.
Running consistently is important and it is physically demanding; however, the mental aspect of running is often even more important. What is that mental barrier some of us have from time to time and how can we break it in order to obtain success in running long distance? Running is 90% mental and 10% physical, and once you get a mind block it can be hard to overcome. In this article we will go over some training tips to help you get over your mental block and get your mind ready to keep up with your body. Building Up Your Mental Toughness For Running Athletes spend a enormous amount of time planning and executing physical workouts; however, we are often delinquent on the amount of time spent on mental training. "The human brain has many jobs, but they all boil down to protecting you and to keeping you alive. When you begin to experience discomfort, the intensity of your discomfort all depends on how much further your brain thinks you have to go with this pain. When the finish line is really far away, your rate of perceived exertion is higher even if the workload or effort level is the same. This is the way your body is trying to protect you to make sure you don’t empty your reserves. Even though it’s well-intentioned, your brain will convince you that you’ve reached your limit when, in fact, you’re quite far from it." (cited: https://www.trailrunnermag.com/). Belief is the key: You have to believe that what the mind conceives it can actually achieve. By race day, you have trained and worked toward your goal. When you are toeing the start line, you need to believe in your ability to achieve a successful race. You strengthen the mind the same way you strengthen your body, with practice. You need to condition your mind to believe in success and reframe any negative thoughts. A great way (and leads us to the next tip) is differentiating between ruminating and problem-solving. Visualization for runners: This is a very effective tool. Playing the "what if" game over and over until every "what if" has an answer to it that reveals success. Let's Play. What if:
Playing the “what if” game, prior to race day, is helpful only if you provide a solution to every possible fear. When you take the guess work out of the game and replace you questions with realistic solutions, you are left with confidence and determination. Make peace with discomfort: No one ever gets stronger by stopping when things get difficult. You have to accept and get used to the discomfort that is happening during training so you can embrace the pain during race day. "Roebuck et al. performed a research study to uncover some of the contributing factors to what they identified as “supranormal pain tolerance” in ultramarathon runners. They had participants perform a cold pressor test (holding their hands in ice-cold water) and then, upon completion, issued them pain-related questionnaires. Compared to the control group, the immersion time for ultrarunners was significantly longer. Through the information gathered in the questionnaires, the researchers found that up to 40 percent of the performance disparity in the test could be explained by differences in pain-avoidance behaviors. In other words, it wasn’t that the ultrarunners felt less pain. They were just better at accepting it. When you try to avoid or escape something, the resistance generally intensifies the experience rather than ridding you of it. Not only do you not feel any less pain or discomfort, but the fact that things aren’t improving increases anxiety about the situation you’re in. It’s in that state that athletes start to make mistakes or decide to call it quits when they physically could have made it to the finish line. Mindfulness and acceptance techniques are a very effective way to start noticing and acknowledging any discomfort while also making peace with it. In workouts and training runs, practice noticing that it’s hard or that your legs are throbbing without putting mental energy into wishing it away. Learn to embrace the struggle as a welcomed and reliable training partner. " (cited: https://www.trailrunnermag.com/). Develop a inspirational saying or motto: You could pick the hook from your favorite song, chant your favorite quote, or make up something on your own. But, when the going gets tough don't let your inner negative thoughts begin speaking, quiet them and replace them with your motto. Some of my go-to quotes are always, "You didn't come this far, to only go this far" or "If you stop now, you will regret it later". Whether it’s a lyric from your favorite song, one of your favorite quotes, or something you make up in your own mind, being able to turn to a motto when hit a mind block can make a big difference. In summary, running is not just physically demanding. Arguably it is more about mental toughness. Practicing mental strength, prior to race day, is just as important as running consistently. You have to find whatever mental exercise that works to help you get every last bit of energy out of yourself and to the finish line. Remember, nothing worth doing is ever easy. Don't let all your physical training go to waste because you allowed mental barriers/negative thoughts to creep in. Prepare yourself mentally and physically.
 Written by Pat Hallahan.
What an event! Escarpment Trails 45th year! For those unfamiliar with the course, it runs roughly 17.6 miles (average of the GPS watches) with 4,800-5,000ft of elevation gain. The terrain consist of mostly relentless rocks, some roots, and steep ascents and descents. The descents can be a bit brutal with steep drop offs and jagged/loose rock. The course is very front heavy on the climb; you start running right up Whindam Mountain until hitting the peak about 3.4 miles in. After a gnarly fun descent, you will then cruise until your second big climb heading up Blackhead Mountain (8.6 miles in). Things start to get interesting here as you will climb 1,000ft+ in .86 miles (23.5% grade). After that, most of the intense climb is over. There will be one more gradual final climb until mile 14.6 when it’s time to hit the final descent. Don’t let this fool you! The final two miles are very technical and demanding after the work you put in. One final nail in the coffin on the legs. The morning started real smooth as Bethany and I woke up at our campsite and headed to the starting line which was a close 15 minutes down the road. Going into the event, I had no real structure as far as training. The first part of my season was starting to wear me out and I needed to dial it back a bit. This was my 11th race of the season. I really wanted to run Escarpment so I accepted the fact I wouldn’t be able to hammer this in the hard effort that I wanted to. After seeing some familiar faces and catching up, the race was off. We started in wave 1 and Lee Berube led the pack. I saw him for all of maybe two minutes until he was out of site for the remainder of the race where he would eventually take the win, as well as his second fastest course time. We started our ascent up Whindam. This section consists of switch backs in the first half so one must be careful of pacing themselves because it’s very easy to burnout starting straight up the mountain. I paced myself a bit slower than I had hoped for, but that was just where my fitness was at. The aid stations were so, so amazing as far as the logistics; they were placed about every 3 miles which became fairly crucial for me. When I hit the first aid station, I could not get the twist lid off the top of my flask. I fumbled for far too long and decided to grab a cup of water and continue on. Luckily, I got the lid off at the second aid station! To my surprise, the rubber on the top somehow got a hole pierced in it and all of my liquid came squirting out. I did take a tumble before this station and I assume that was the culprit. Unfortunately, I had to chug most of the water during the race and my belly was not happy. I had to run it out for 4 minutes afterwards and then it would settle. Looking back, I’m lucky I didn’t cramp looking, but I really needed that hydration. After leaving aid station two, I felt ok and just continued on at a pace I knew would be sustainable for me to keep the rest of the race. After my buddies, Jay and Justin, took off from me, I was basically alone the rest of the race just enjoying the beautiful trail! On the steep climb up Blackdome, I had some final company with another racer. We paced one another the entire way up. I was hoping to put on a push and make up some time, but each time I tried, my toe would find a rock and I’d have a tumble or a close fall. Every time my morale would start to get a bit low, I would run into an aid station and instantly be in a great mood. I can’t begin to thank all those volunteers enough for hiking in miles upon miles with gallons of water and snacks for us. Those guys truly made this experience that much better. At about mile 14.5, right before my final descent, I was for sure feeling some exhaustion setting in and I had been running alone for some time at this point. I looked up and there was my buddy Steve. He jumped behind me for a couple minutes and really amped me up! My exhaustion was now excitement and I started my final descent! I tried my best to keep it smooth and steady, but the drop offs started to really be hammering my legs at this point. Going from the steep climb to descent, the muscles are always a bit thrashed at this point. My inside abductors/thighs both seized up on me cramping pretty freaking bad! I had 1.5 miles to go and I just had to drag it out. What made it easier was the amazing views on that final stretch!! I couldn’t help but flaunt a smile. It turns out after finishing, the inside leg cramping was a common theme for people, including Lee and Michelle Merlis, who ended up being the female champ for the day and had a 12 minute PR I believe. Super pumped for her as she will be representing Team USA in Thailand later this year. At 3h34m I crossed over the finish line and plopped my butt down on a chair. I was happy to be done and it felt like my season had been wrapped up there. It was a bit of a relief! I’m excited to get back to a training block and get my fitness back up to another level. If you love technical trail with big climbs and steep descents this course is for you and is a must on the bucket list! The atmosphere was top notch and the event was run super professionally. The race director, Dick, is somewhat of a legend himself and I commend him on 45 years of hard work and dedication. It brings so much joy to myself and the trail community! Thank you, Dick! Thanks for taking the time to read this! Shoutout to Miles & Macros for the continued support! Also, to Jared for getting a win at Swain Mountain race on August 6th! I’m excited to have started a new training block this week and look forward to putting one final legit effort in this season.  What is running economy and why is it important? Running economy is the relationship between oxygen consumption and running speed. Running economy measures a runner’s energy usage when running at aerobic intensity (how hard the workout feels to you). Running economy is influenced by many internal and external characteristics. The internal characteristics include: Biomechanics. Running mechanics influence running economy because any unnecessary movements or muscle contractions increases the amount of oxygen the body consumes to maintain the current pace you are running at. The more optimal your mechanics are the more economical the runner you will be. Biomechanics includes proper foot placement, correct arm swing, impact force, and center of gravity. Muscle fiber recruitment. The less muscle that’s recruited to run at your desired pace, the better. Our bodies have over 600 muscles. If you teach your body to recruit only the specific muscle fibers to use powerfully and efficiently you will be able to run faster. When you use any extra muscle during running activities your running economy decreases because of the need for more oxygen to your muscles. Number of slow-twitch muscle fibers. There are two types of muscle fibers – Type 1 (slow twitch) and Type 2 (fast twitch). Slow-twitch fibers are made for aerobic activities like distance running. They’re much more efficient than fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are made for sprinting or weightlifting. Number of mitochondria. The amount of energy your muscles receive is supplied by mitochondria. The key benefit to training is that you develop more mitochondria and better functioning mitochondria. Since you have more mitochondria in your cells to spread around the work during your run, this improves your running economy. Body weight. There is no perfect weight to be a runner; however, science shows the less volume a person has from the waist down, particularly the knee down, is more economical because they require less energy to lift off of the ground. Ability of tendons to store and use elastic energy. Tendons are like a rubber bands when they are stretched. The Achilles tendon, which connects the calf muscle to the heel bone, stores energy when the foot lands on the ground and then it returns that energy at push-off, propelling us forward. A long, thin Achilles tendon stores energy with each step. The tendon makes our legs work like springs which improves running economy. The external characteristics include: Training. Training is the biggest external factor that affects running economy. Increasing weekly mileage in increments in addition to adding in faster-paced running and strength training all improves running economy. Shoe weight. Finding a pair of lightweight shoes that will still provide cushioning improves running economy. Nutrition. Nutrition is a key aspect of running economy. An increase in carbohydrates will supply your muscles with fuel. Without carbohydrates, the body breaks down fats in a process called lipid metabolism. However, runners without a high body fat percentage cannot rely on this. Hydration with electrolytes in larger supplies fuel to the muscles sooner. Wind. If you are running into the wind, this will decrease economy because there is more air resistance to overcome. Temperature. "Training in warm/hot temperatures will increase your core temperature. This has shown to improve running economy by improving the working efficiency of your muscles. This creates a lasting effect when running at lower temperatures in which a relatively lower core temperatures can be achieved. A lower core temperature is associated with reduced increases in breathing, sweating and circulation at aerobic intensity, thereby increasing overall energy efficiency and improving running economy." (Saunders, Philo U; Pyne, David B; Telford, Richard D; Hawley, John A (2004). "Factors Affecting Running Economy in Trained Distance Runners". Sports Medicine.) In conclusion, if your athletic goals include personal bests and faster finish times in general, running economy will give you an advantage. If you focus on improving your running economy you will begin to run more productive workouts and have better overall training. Even if your goals are not race-related, focusing on your running economy still provides benefits to your running. The higher your running economy, the better you will feel during your runs. You will notice that runs will feel less like a struggle and more enjoyable.  Health, nutrition, and sports go hand in hand. It can be difficult to discern what is considered healthy when there are a plethora of influencers, marketing scams, and general toxicity in social media pushing people to act, dress, and behave in a certain way. What it is to be healthy can be hard to define, hard to understand, and it is often over shadowed by highlight reels. It seems obscure to look beyond weight and aesthetics when determining your health. However, it’s not these factors that matter, it’s WHAT constitutes your weight and how this impacts performance, because; after all, this is a discussion of SPORTS NUTRITION. Understanding body composition such as learning if you have too little muscle or too much fat can be a good place to start, but; again, these factors do not determine the impact on performance. It can be valuable to implement a strategy that allows for muscle gain and fat reduction which may lead to the number on the scale staying the same, however, you may be able to now jump higher, run longer, be less prone to injury, etc. These latter metrics are what are important, slimming down or looking different are side effects that may come along with these changes but should not be your main goal.
So, how do you eat to perform? What is a sports nutrition plan about? Sports nutrition is not a diet plan. Sports nutrition differs from a regular nutrition plan because athletes require different amounts of nutrients compared to non-athletes. In order to perform optimally, you need to train hard and fuel your body appropriately. Sports nutrition is not about cutting out any whole food group or lowering calories to lose weight. A sports nutrition plan is primarily made to help fuel an athlete to perform at their highest level. Eating to support your goal. If you want to build muscle it takes more than just upping your protein intake. Building muscle requires a combination of: resistance training, keeping a balanced energy state to encourage anabolic hormone production, a healthy distribution of nutrients to sustain tissue health, and adequate sleep. If you want to run longer or faster, you need glycogen. When the body needs a boost of energy or when the body isn't getting glucose from food, glycogen is broken down to release glucose into our bloodstream to be used as fuel. We get glycogen from complex carbs like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Making sure we are eating enough calories through proper macronutrients aids in supporting these goals. Timing of your meal consumption: When you consume the correct amount of macronutrients at the right times, you encourage MPS (muscle protein synthesis) and energy sustainability. Example: If you work out first thing in the morning, this means your last meal or snack was the night before. This should indicate to you that you most likely need a small meal or snack before beginning your workout. If you are working out later in the day, be sure you have eaten something no sooner that 3 hours before. Do not skip meals or eat infrequently. Putting yourself into a pattern that fails to satisfy your energy requirements in real time is problematic. Skipping meals can lead to higher body fat levels, lower lean mass, and cardiovascular problems. Eating 3 meals and 2 snacks, spaced correctly throughout the day, has shown to satisfy the appetite, stabilize blood sugar levels, and aid in a more efficient metabolism. Variety. It is not just about eating the right foods verses staying away from the wrong foods. Obviously, whole food sources are the best and the healthiest options for you to make but eating the same prepped/planned foods on a daily basis can put you at nutritional risk. There is no substitute for eating a wide variety of foods that are well-distributed throughout the day. Consuming plenty of seasonal fruits and vegetables helps to sustain good bacterial colonies that live in your gut. Hydration. Having a balanced fluid amount is important for many reasons. When an athlete is dehydrated their blood volume is restricted, sweat rate is decreased (resulting in an increased core temperature), and muscle glycogen use begins to increase. Studies have shown that athletic performance can decrease by 2% when an athlete is dehydrated. Recovery. Getting the proper amount of recovery from exercise is just as important as your workout and fueling yourself. You must give muscles an opportunity to recover from all the stress you have placed on them so that they can benefit from the exercise. Adequate sleep is important by helping to sustain appropriate eating behaviors and muscle recovery. In conclusion, sports nutrition is important because it impacts performance. A proper nutrition plan aids athletes in achieving their specific goals in their sport. The plan can include when to eat, what to eat to perform, what to eat to prevent injury, what to eat to aid injury, and what to eat to recover properly. |
