• Beginners: Comfort, support, and durability are the three most important factors for beginners. Choose shoes with good cushioning and shock absorption to reduce impact on your joints. It is best to visit a running specialty store where they can recommend shoes based on your specific needs. Shoes that may work well for beginners include the Brooks Ghost or Asics Gel-Nimbus.
• Overpronators: If you have flat feet or tend to overpronate, look for shoes with good arch support and motion control. Choose shoes with a firm midsole and supportive structure to prevent excessive inward rolling of the feet. Shoes that may work well for overpronators include the Brooks Adrenaline, Asics Kayano, and Saucony Guide.
• Supinators: If you have high arches or tend to supinate, choose shoes with good cushioning and flexibility. Look for shoes with a soft midsole and a wide toe box to allow for natural foot movement. Shoes that may work well for supinators include the Nike Zoom Vomero, Asics Gel-Cumulus, and New Balance Fresh Foam 1080.
• Trail Runners: If you plan to run on rugged terrain, choose shoes with good traction and stability. Look for shoes with a durable outsole, protective toe cap, and good grip. Shoes that may work well for trail runners include the Salomon Speedcross, Altra Lone Peak, and Brooks Cascadia.
• Racers (Road): If you're looking to improve race day performance, choose shoes that are lightweight and responsive. Look for shoes with a minimal design and good traction for quick starts and explosive movements. Shoes that may work well for racing include the Nike Vaporfly, Newton Distance+, or the Brooks Hyperion Elite.
• Minimalists: Minimalist running can be risky, but if you want to try it out, choose shoes that provide a natural and lightweight feel. Look for shoes with a minimal design and a low heel-to-toe drop to encourage a forefoot or midfoot strike. Shoes that may work well for minimalist runners include the Newton Distance or the New Balance Minimus.

When choosing running shoes, it is important to consider your individual needs and preferences. Take the time to try on different shoes, while also considering your running style and foot shape. By choosing the right pair of shoes, you can ensure a comfortable and successful running experience. Happy (Shoe) Hunting!

You have done all the hard work, sacrificed precious time and energy along the way and now race week is here.  Your nerves run wild exacerbated by the taper and fewer miles.  Don’t worry, here’s how to push through and keep your eyes are on the prize!

As race week inches nearer, let's take a deep breath and keep these considerations top of mind:

1) Remind yourself that the hardest work is done and you've already won! You've been consistent, remained disciplined with the "small things" and completed the workouts and miles, despite hectic schedules and every day life challenges. Congratulations - you took the journey and won! Throughout the week prior to your goal race, go through your training log and remember the hard workouts, long runs, the grit and tenacity you've shown again and again! You have built the strength inside of you that will help you push you through race weekend to the finish!

2) Relax - you deserve it! It's okay to back off your total volume. You’ve begun your tapering for this event, and you can trust our recommendations to back off your total weekly mileage while keeping some intensity on any strides/tune up workouts you have on the schedule.

3) Study up! As you approach race weekend, it can be helpful to study up on the course. If you've already done this - awesome! If you haven't - no worries! For an endurance race, you're bound to run into some changes in the course (hills, twists and turns, surface changes with sidewalks, roads, dirt, etc.). Breaking down your race into chunks and mentally preparing yourself to know when you can dig a little more on a hill or relax on some downhills can not only help with your race strategy and energy conservation, but also break up the race into chunks so it's not so daunting.

For those almost there, we're so excited for you! You're going to prove to yourself just how limitless you are.

See you at the finish line!

The early mornings, long workouts and countless miles are the engines that drive an athlete from the start to the finish line, but how do you fuel for the big day?

My name is Rosie Edwards. I am a professional marathoner from Great Britain and running coach.

Recently, I had a fascinating conversation with a professional cycling coach. I was wanted to learn about the elite cycling world and their training. He emphasized that attention to recovery was paramount compared to the training itself.

I intuitively knew that nutrition and hydration are vital for not only competition, but for recovery into the next training session. Training at its simplest is stress, response, and adaptation. Appropriate hydration and nutrition (ie. Fueling) is paramount for the optimal response = improved fitness.

Glycogen (our body’s form of carbohydrate) is the main energy for our working muscles while it also assists in fat metabolism. In addition, glucose is the primary fuel for the brain. If the body is glycogen depleted then this can lead to physical (decreased force production, increased soreness, increased muscle weakness) and cognitive impairment.

Picture the last 10 km of a marathon when it is “go” time. If your cognitive function is impaired and your glycogen stores are depleted, responding to your competition's moves and staying engaged will certainly become a challenge.

How does fueling look for me?

Before the race and within training:

I aim for 7-10 g of carbohydrate/kg/day when in peak training. I lean towards low glycemic index or GI (slow release) carbohydrates including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, sweet potatoes, and lots of oats. Low GI is my preferred choice for preparation to avoid spiking my insulin levels too drastically. However, on race day or while training, high GI is preferred for fast energy.

On my heavier training days where the marathon workouts are longer and I have an additional strength session, I will be on the upper end of consumption in order to enhance recovery. On a lighter day that does not precede a hard workout, I will aim for 7 g/kg alongside 1-1.6g/kg of protein and healthy fats.

For those who train at altitude full-time or intermittently, protein is especially important as it aids in the formation of red blood cells. When training at higher elevations for a prolonged period of time or for Sunday long runs 2g/kg per day may be beneficial.

My pre-race my routine does not alter too much:

I will try to ingest the upper limit of carbohydrates before a race. I like to take some of this in the form of a fruit juice or sports drinks rather than heavy carbohydrate-dense foods.  I always consume a protein and healthy fat included the night before. Race morning is simple: oats and honey.

I have been lucky enough to work with The Feed for the last 18 months. This has been a game-changer. Runcoach Members also have access to The Feed perks.
I hyper-hydrate 2 hours prior to my marathon using LMNT in 20 fl oz of water to ensure that my electrolytes are topped up before the start. Hyper-hydration is not something I would practice daily but before a particularly hot or long workout, I will.

When deciding how many carbohydrates to take in during the race I used a breath analysis test to measure carbohydrate oxidation. This occurs when we burn carbohydrate for fuel.

During the race, I take 75-80 g of carbohydrates per hour in the form of Science in Sport gels and Beta Fuel I also drink 24 oz of water. I aim to consume fluids and gels ~5 km (~20 mins). This setup provides me with a perfect blend of fast-release energy and hydration in addition to topping off my electrolytes in order to eliminate the risk of cramps. I make sure to practice every new fueling strategy in each marathon buildup multiple times before race day.  It is vital to practice carbohydrate tolerance. You can train your gut in the same way you train your body and mind.  Work up to the amount you can ingest and practice during each long run. Some people can tolerate 50g of carbohydrate which is then used as glucose, for others it can be as high as 85g. 

After the race:

Ahhh! The time we can enjoy all the foods we have missed.

Personally, I struggle for many hours after a race or hard session to ingest solid food so I always opt for a smoothie. I blend 25 g of protein powder, almond milk, spinach, frozen berries, and a banana and aim to drink it as quickly as I can. Adding a frozen component can help to decrease your core temperature and aid recovery. This provides me with 50 g of carbohydrate and 25 g of protein (2:1 ratio) immediately. I then aim to eat a good source of antioxidants, fat, and protein to decrease inflammation within an hour.  Avocado, spinach, and eggs on toast was made for this.

In addition to quantity, the most important piece is figuring out which fuel will elicit the best response from your body. More carbohydrates can be digested when glucose and fructose are ingested together because they are absorbed via different routes in the intestine. However, some people have difficulty absorbing fructose. Like many ingredients in a sports drink fructose is a simple sugar known as a monosaccharide. However, if the cells on the surface of your intestines are unable to break down the fructose efficiently malabsorption occurs. Not only will your body struggle to absorb it efficiently, but you may also experience the dreaded “tempo tummy”. Nausea and headaches can also ensue. Surprisingly it affects 1 in 3 people.

If you have experienced any of these issues during training or racing it may be advisable to try some products which do not contain fructose.  Nuun Endurance is a non-fructose based equivalent. It’s very much a case of trial and error but beginning an informed self-study from day one of your build-up will give you the best shot of reaching the finish line feeling great.

For more info, please don’t hesitate to reach out: rosie@runcoach.com. Happy fueling!