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!

As a runner, chances are at some point or another you’ve experienced pain in your hamstrings, knees, or lower back that just won’t seem to let up no matter how much you stretch.
Interestingly enough, this pain may actually be stemming from inactive glute muscles (also known as the ol’ butt).

Luckily, performing a few simple activation exercises pre-run can stop this pain in its tracks, allowing you to run powerful, strong, and injury free.

“So why aren’t my glutes firing?” you may ask.
The most commong reason is that most people sit for long periods of time. The glute muscles tend to stop firing due to a lack of oxygen and tightened hip flexors. This, in return, puts more strain on the lower back, hamstrings, and knees, that imbalanced and stiff feeling when you head out for a run.

Add these simple exercises to your warm up routine and get those glutes firing.
Turn up the intensity of these exercises by adding a resistance band. Aim for 2 sets of 10 reps on each leg.

>> Glute activation video via Single Leg Squat <<

Exercises:

1. Clam shells  Lay on your side, with your knees bent at 90 degrees. Keep your feet and ankles together and raise your top knee. Make sure not to raise the knee too high-you should feel a slight tug in the glute area

2. Single Leg Bridge
Keep your one knee bent, and straighten the other legs. Slowly move your leg up and down. Make sure you aren’t feeling this in your hamstring, you want the glutes to be doing all the work.

3. Prone Leg Lifts
Lying flat on your stomach, focus on raising first one leg at a time. If the knee bends you are using too much hamstring.

4. Fire Hydrants
Place your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. Flex your feet and keep both your feet flexed even as you raise one leg.

Then raise one leg out to the side, keeping the knee bent to 90 degrees. Lift it as high as you can while keeping your arms straight. Try to not let the foot get higher than the knee or the knee get higher than the foot. Really squeeze the butt cheek as you lift.

Hold for a second or two at the top. Lower down and then repeat. Complete all reps on one side before switching.

1-Wash your hands! It’s simple, takes one minute, and can protect you from germs that hand sanitizer can’t kill. 

2-Get a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise 4 times per week. Getting the blood flowing re-oxygenates your body and helps boost your immune system.

3-Stay well hydrated. In the cooler weather, we forget that hydration is still important!

4-When you travel, change your clothes and take a shower after every flight to get rid of the germs you encountered en route.

5-Don’t skimp on sleep! Rest is essential for your health.

6-Mediatation, yoga, or a short walk to start your day and put your mind in the right place can significantly improve your day.

7-Cut back on sugary foods and increase your vegetable and protein intake to boost your energy and your immune system.

8-Spend time outside getting fresh air on a daily basis. 

9-Avoid sitting down for long periods of time. If you get up every hour to get a drink, walk around, or stretch, your body will thank you.

10-Smile, laugh, and be happy. One of the most important, but easily forgotten, components of health is happiness!

Originally Written by; Neely Gracey 2020

The adjustment to heat training is not easy, and not always fun either. We want to share some ways to help summer training not be entirely miserable, and, you may find you even gain more fitness along the way thanks to the added stress heat puts on your body!

1-RUN EARLY: Set yourself up for SUCCESS by running first thing in the morning. It is way easier to wake up, run early, and get it done, than to have life get in the way and you're left trying to force a run in the heat or after a long day.

2-HYDRATE: We recommend waking up at least 30 minutes before you head out for a run to consume 12-24oz of electrolytes. If you have a long run or a hard workout, get creative with your options during the run... know where you can stop every 2-4miles to get a drink, leave a bottle and run a 2-4mile loop or out and backs, carry a bottle, or have a friend/significant other bike with you to provide fluids. More tips on hydration here.

3-ADJUST: Recognize that heat is an additional stress on your body. You should not expect to hit the same splits as you could on a cool day. Slow down, focus on effort vs pace. Add in an extra minute of two of recovery in between intervals or pause tempos to dump water on your head and to get a drink. Cut the long runs back a mile or two or find locations more suitable for hot weather that can provide more shade, and listen to your body if you start to feel dizzy or over heated... be smart! You can also do your quality sessions on the treadmill if you want to stick to paces and build confidence.

4-RECOVER: To help boost recovery after a hot run, take a cool shower, get in the pool, or put your feet in a creek to bring the core temperature down. You will find this strategy will prevent you from feeling so zapped the rest of the day. More recovery tips here to help you reset after a hard day of training.

5-REHYDRATE: After a hot workout, you will be in the hole in terms of hydration. Spend the first 30 minutes post run being sure to get in a lot of fluids. I recommend an electrolyte mix because something with flavor is more appealing and it will help you get caught up on your hydration needs. Rehydrating after a workout in the heat is critical to ward off cramps, injury, and allows the body to be ready to run again tomorrow!

6-REFUEL: It can be tough to eat after a workout in the heat. The belly often feels icky, but replenishing is very important to reap the benefit of the workout you just put your body through! Try greek yogurt, fruit, a smoothie (Summer Smoothie recipe!), kombucha, coconut water, or protein shake. These liquid calories are easier on the stomach and your body will be able to start the recovery process once you get some fuel in the tank. Interested in nutrition for runners? More info here.

We hope you can use these tips to help you crush your training this summer, please reach out if you have any follow up questions!

Edited by Cally Macumber

We know not every goal ends in a race, so don’t worry, we got your back. Our New Goals list has been updated to better suit your training endeavors as you progress from where you are to where you want to be.

While you can still sign up using a race as your goal, these four New Goals options help you find the perfect amount of training and intensity you want in your personalized fitness program.

1-Get Started! A 12 week plan to get you moving and in a new lifestyle routine. This plan is designed to build you to 8-12 miles/wk with a 4-5 Mi. Long Run.

2-Get Faster! A 24 week plan to get you more active towards long term goals. This plan is designed to build you to 8-12 miles/wk with a 4-5 Mi. Long Run.

3-Get Fitter! A 12 week plan to get you from your current fitness to the next level. This plan is designed to build you to 18-22 miles/wk with a 7-8 Mi. Long Run.

4-Go Further! A 24 week plan to get you more miles and intensity. This plan is designed to build you to 18-22 miles/wk with a 7-8 Mi. Long Run.

Happy Running!

Sign up here!
Runcoach
My Run Plan
Movecoach

Even if you’re not competitive or you’ve never raced, a Turkey Trot is fun way to get the holiday season off to an exhilarating start. Most Thanksgiving day events are fun, non-competitive community events that benefit worthy causes. If you’re a more seasoned runner, you can use the Turkey Trot to test your fitness, or in lieu of a quality workout. Either way, you’ll be able to enjoy all the holiday treats much more knowing that you’ve already made an investment in your health.

1. Make it a Family (and Friends) Affair. Whether you’re spending the day with family members or friends, a Turkey Trot is something loved ones of all ages, and levels of fitness and experience can savor. After the race, you’ll all have plenty of time for prepare the meal, catch the sports, and relax. The companionship from family and friends can ease any pressure you might feel about the event. And having a family outing helps reduce the stress and the focus on the holiday meal. Some exhilarating outdoor time can ease holiday stress and relieve any guilt you might be feeling about missing out on training.

2. Dress Well. Wear shirts, shorts, and pants made of technical materials that wick sweat away from the skin. Avoid cotton, which can cause painful chafing. Dress in layers that you can shed as you warm up. If you’re racing in wintry conditions, it’s especially important to cover your fingers, ears, and head.
   

3. Set Realistic Expectations. If you’ve been running on a regular basis, look at your training log and consider the paces of your recent workouts to figure out what a realistic finishing time be. If you haven’t been working out regularly, or you’re recovering from hectic travel, don’t sweat the outcome. Consider doing the race as a run/walk or running without your watch. Alternate between walking and bouts of running so that you can sustain an even level of effort from start to finish..  
   

4. Fuel Well. There’s no need to carb load for a short race like a 5-K or 10-K. But have a carb-rich snack of foods that give you a boost without upsetting your stomach. Aim for foods that are low in fat and fiber. Bananas, oatmeal, and toast are all great choices. If you’re running in a 5-K, aim for 200 to 300 calories. Drink plenty of water, as dehydration can make even an easy pace feel difficult. Leave plenty of time before the race to hit the bathrooms.
   

5. Start Slow, Finish Strong. When everyone around you is running as fast as they can, it can be tough to focus on running at a comfortable pace that feels sustainable for you. It’s easy to get caught up in the adrenalin of the race pack. But if it’s your first race, it’s important to focus on a strong finish that leaves you feeling positive, confident, and excited about racing again.  When the starting gun fires, think about taking the first 5 to 10 minutes of the race to warm up your muscles, shake out any stiffness and pre-race stress, and ease into your own personal feel-great pace. As the race continues, think about gaining strength with each step closer to the end, and finishing feeling strong.

6. Adjust your schedule. Add your race to your Goals and Results feed, so we can make sure you have the proper spacing between this effort and your next challenging tasks, and “Adjust Schedule” if necessary. Use the unique flexibility of our training platform to stay on track!

Have questions? Contact Us!

 With our system, you can design a training plan that's customized to fit your current level of activity and fitness. Get started with just 5 easy steps.

1. Identify yourself.  Go to the Settings, and identify what kind of athlete you are.

2. Plug in your goal. On the Goals and Results Page, select “+NEW GOAL."

3. Tell us about a racing history. Click  “+NEW RACE” and plug in a recent race time.

4. Design your workout schedule. On the Schedule & History page,  tell us about how much exercise you’re currently doing, and tell us when you’d like to workout and rest.

5. Sync your activity tracker. Movecoach syncs with many popular activity trackers. When you sync your service, and your miles will automatically be uploaded to your Movecoach or Runcoach log. Movecoach and Runcoach sync with Garmin, Strava, Apple Health, RunKeeper, GoogleFit, FitBit.. To learn more, click here.

Written by Jen Van Allen
Updated by Rosie Edwards

While training with us, you'll have a variety of workouts to help you build all-around fitness. Each workout plays a unique role in building your all-around fitness, and helping you reach your goals.  It's important to stick to the pace and distance assigned for each workout. On your Schedule & History page, under the "Pace Chart" you'll see the suggested paces for each workout.  Below, you'll find more guidance on how to gauge your effort for each run.

MAINTENANCE: Run at a conversational pace, or 65 - 85% of max heart rate. If you’re huffing and puffing, you’re going too fast.   These workouts are designed to build your aerobic fitness, without stressing your bones, muscles, and joints. Don’t take your easy runs too fast; save your energy for quality workouts like speed sessions and long runs.

REST: Let your body recover from training stresses, get stronger, and bounce back quickly for your next workout.  You may do a low-impact activity: walk, swim, bike, or ride the elliptical. Just take it easy.

LONG RUNS: Long runs are meant to build endurance, and get you comfortable spending hours at a time on your feet. Focus on finishing the distance at your target pace feeling strong. Practice fueling strategies and gear logistics to figure out what will work on race day.

THRESHOLD: This workout, also called a “tempo run,” should feel comfortably hard, but it’s not an all-out sprint.  You should be able to say 2 to 3 words while running.  Threshold workouts should be done at 85-92% of your maximum heart rate. Threshold workouts will help you develop the ability to hold a faster pace for a longer distance, and they’ll train your legs and your lungs to be more efficient.

SPEED SESSIONS: During speed sessions you’ll alternate between short, fast-bouts of running (typically 800 or 1500-meter repeats) and periods of recovery with walking or easy running. These workouts build cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, stride efficiency, and they get your fast-twitch muscle fibers firing. Those benefits will help you no matter what kind of goal is. Try to complete the assigned workout feeling strong.

To learn more about the purposes of each workout, click here.  Have questions? Contact Us.

Think Sleep Doesn’t Matter?  Think Again!

Runners tend to enjoy challenges.  How else to explain things like 50 state marathoners and people running in the driving rain or the dark of night?  Many times the daily challenge is how to fit everything into 24 hours, run included (definitely), and sleep included (maybe…some at least).  Runners often rationalize the lack of sleep because it is the only way (often waking up early in the morning) that they can conquer this “24 hour challenge”.  But, does it really matter if you sleep enough?  You bet it does.

Dr. Michael Fredericson of Stanford University, long time team doctor for the track and cross country teams, as well as one of the most experienced medical researchers on running related injury patterns, maintains that when compared to time, money, and effort spent on things like vitamins, minerals, supplements “If you get a really good night’s sleep, it outweighs almost everything else.”  To consider why, he encouraged a look at several recent explorations of the effects of sleep on performance for several important points.

Running for your health might not erase the health risks from lack of sleep.

Drs. Stephan Esser and Rick Feeney in their recent article “ZZZs for Speed”  (Marathon and Beyond, March/April 2012), relate how studies show chronic sleep deprivation can increase the risk of high blood pressure, depression, certain cancers, and diabetes…just for starters.  It also increases an appetite-stimulating hormone, which might challenge the efforts to use running for weight loss.   Yikes!

Sleep has a demonstrable effect on your athletic performance.

We have all survived days or longer periods where we have been sleep impaired.  College or high school finals might come to mind.  However, if you are looking for a PR, extra sleep is more than a marginal concern.    Cheri Mah of the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic (along with famed sleep researcher William Dement), conducted a study on the Stanford Men’s Basketball team, where their performance on sprints, shooting accuracy and other measures were charted based on their levels of daily sleep.  Those who slept more during the course of the study found significant improvements in their time on sprints and their accuracy on shooting improved as much as 9%.  Imagine even just a 2-3%% improvement in athletic execution in your next goal race and a 4 hour marathoner gets to the finish line almost a half mile faster!

Don’t just take it from basketball players, though.  Esser and Feeney also cite studies that have found a cyclist getting twice as much sleep during a 4800 kilometer event could make the top 10, while spending much less time in the saddle than the other nine.  Another study found that one night without sleep caused an average of an 11% drop in time before exhaustion with a spread of 5-40% (in other words, some folks fell much further off than the average)!

Even if you can make it on less sleep, the running usually feels much harder.

Perceived exhaustion also spikes like crazy when sleep is elusive.  Most busy people can attest to this – when the 2pm meeting feels interminable or the key workout just feels more like “5k pace” than the “80% pace” written on the training plan.    David Martin’s oft cited study enforces that believe that even one night of reduced sleep not only decreases time to exhaustion, but time until perceived exhaustion.  Other literature cited by Esser and Feeney indicates that mental fatigue can greatly hinder the drive needed from our brains to require our musculoskeletal system to continue moving.  The limbs might still be able to keep moving with less sleep, but the brain is less inclined to require them to do so, and feel much less inclined more quickly.

Lack of sleep also results in the slowing of glucose metabolism, resulting in a lesser ability to draw needed sugars from the muscles during that next bout of exercise following the short night’s sleep.  Most of us in this fatigued situation then turn to some simple sugars to help flood the system and get what we need right now, even if it is not helpful energy for the long term.  You can guess where this leads in terms of diet…..

Sleep to recover from and prevent injuries….You can’t run if you can’t run

While your bones are constantly remodeling during the day, important amounts of this protective and ameliorative process take place during sleep.  In one 2008 study cited by Esser and Feeney, bone resorption was increased by 170% when sleep was increased among army recruits under a consistently challenging physical demand.  If stress fractures are a concern, sleep might be a particularly huge and important variable for you.

OK, OK, OK….I get it!  Now what should I do?

Most people need 6-8 hours to function regularly and healthily.  However, your individual needs may vary.  If you are using remedies (coffee, sugary foods, 5 Hour Energy, Red Bull) to alleviate sleepiness on most days, then it probably is appropriate to track your typical patterns for several days. Seek to improve upon your amount of sleep if even temporary adjustments result in an improvement on performance or perceived level of exertion.  Even if change is difficult to come by due to structural forces beyond your control, a healthy dose of mindfulness about nighttime habits might yield a more quality level of sleep during the shut-eye you do get.

Read Esser and Feeney’s entire article here.

Read a detailed summary about the Stanford Basketball Sleep Study here.

Will Running on Cement Injure Me?

Many runners run in urban settings for years, logging mile after mile on cement and other hard surfaces without any apparent problems.  Other runners swear by the trail and believe it has prolonged a running career and mitigated many risks of injury.   Still others do the exact same thing, and still fight injury after injury.  Who is right?

Force = mass x acceleration

Conventional wisdom would indicate that the hard surfaces found in cement (your average city sidewalk), or asphalt (black top road surface) would increase the risk of injury for runners.  After all, the body creates 2-3x its actual weight in force just during the heel off phase while walking. This increases to 5-8x body weight during running due to the increase speed and the fact you are (for some of us, very briefly!) completely airborne before each foot lands.  Cement is about 10x harder than asphalt so it seems reasonable that cement would be an absolutely horrible surface on which to run.

If all your concerns related to problems that occurred due to force alone, then perhaps abstinence from cement would be a wise idea, and indeed, many runners opt for the street instead of the sidewalk, or go long ways out to find trails and grass surfaces.  However, many of the injuries runners suffer have a more complicated genesis.  Are your shoes appropriate for you?  Does your foot strike the ground efficiently?  Are you hips in alignment or do you have muscle imbalances and weaknesses that have left your joints and ligaments vulnerable to forces that your body has not been able to dissipate?  All of these factors come into play, and have been much more easily researched as injury culprits than the surface itself.

What is good for the bones might be tough on the ligaments

Likewise, the even, but forgiving surface of a golf fairway (when rarely available) might provide a luxuriously feeling run, as does a well- manicured forest trail.  But when does that desired effect dwindle when the trail become rocky and uneven, or muddy and slippery?  When the grass is long and mushy, or the bark trail too soft, such that you sink perceptibly on each step, or the blacktop road so cambered that you are running on a slant instead of a flat sidewalk next to you, do you receive the same benefit?

While these surfaces might provide relief from the abrupt forces of cement, they often demand a great deal more from stabilizing muscles and ligaments and present their own challenges to your goal of staying injury-free.  If tendonitis, muscle strains, or other soft tissue ailments are your kryptonite, you might risk more by continuing to run on these surfaces all the time and may benefit from a steadier ride on a hard surface.

Running is healthy for the spirit as well as the body

One of the reasons pavement and cement may get the blame for many maladies is the correlation with the environment where these surfaces are typically found.  Not many runners would prefer the start and stop of a sidewalk interrupted every hundred yards with a stoplight, complete with honking, speeding cars and loud noises, crowds, and the like.  The peaceful environment of a trail deep in the forest, around a lush and green grass field, or along the ridge of a slowly descending dirt path sounds much more reparative to the soul.  Studies show that the body is best prepared to run hard late in the afternoon, or early in the evening.  Potentially a study might show that those who run along peaceful dirt paths can extend their running careers later into middle age and beyond.  But just as not everyone has the luxury to knock off work or family obligations for a 60 minute run in the hills at 4pm, not everyone can get to an idyllic nature setting for their daily run, whenever it occurs.  For them, running along a busy street or the best bike path available most definitely is better than not running at all, and that may mean running on cement or non-ideal surfaces.

Look at the whole picture

Rather than automatically assume the risk of the surface one way or the other, a more thoughtful approach is in order.  Consider your problem areas, where injury trouble tends to start or flourish, and then work through each of the other variables:  shoes, foot striking pattern, known muscle weaknesses or misalignment issues, sleep, stress, nutrition, hydration, etc.  It may be that a change to soft surfaces may be in order, but the investigation may uncover other areas where change may eliminate the risk or problem, even if the ground under your feet remains the same.