In writing Novemberʼs article on endurance tips, it was hard to narrow down to just a couple of items that would be the most bang for the buck, so to speak. Therefore, I decided to continue last monthʼs theme and expound upon a few more components for great endurance.
First off I just want to say that my main competition Kelly Magelky turned out to be one of the coolest guys I have ever met! His attitude throughout the race towards my crew and me was really incredible, plus the guy is super strong and he made this hard race even harder.
INFINIT’s exclusive blend of electrolytes is made up of four salts that match your sweat rate. This is primarily sodium, with potassium, calcium and magnesium. Our electrolytes are the most readily absorbable forms and are pharmaceutical grade. Developed by staff nutritionist Kim Brown MS, RD., this blend of these essential salts gives you everything you need for racing or training. Now there is no need to supplement with salt tablets or to juggle pills while running or riding your bike. Unlike most other products, Infinit gives you enough electrolytes to meet your personal goals. Just set the slider bar to suit you and throw the pills away!
New Year’s resolutions have been set and many are embarking on their first marathon training program as a result! In order to maximize performance, it is essential to fuel yourself properly during training runs and racing, especially when runs are prolonged (>90 minutes). As a nutritionist, I have found that many runners tend to overestimate actual run energy expenditure, causing them to overeat during the day and gain unwanted weight during the season. Furthermore, an overzealous calorie intake during training can trigger a multitude of stomach issues (e.g., nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, side stitches, sloshing) and ultimately diminish run performance. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to calculate your calories burned during runs as well as your target calorie replacement needs after about 90 minutes of running. Happy running trails!
Much of the research on aging and endurance performance suggests that there are physiological and nutritional changes that start occurring between the ages of 35 and 40 years that may limit endurance performance. Several master athletes complain of weight gain, slowed recovery time, nagging injuries, and diminished performance. Yet, many master athletes continue to conquer the running scene, beating their younger counterparts. Look at 42 year-old Yekaterina Podkopayeva, a female Russian distance runner who ran 1500 meters in less than 4 minutes. Or marathoner Jack Foster who conquered 26.2 miles in 2:19 at the age of 41. As simple as it may sound, peak performance for all ages relies on 2 factors: smart training and proper nutrition.
USAT certified coach Sonni Drer is a long time INFINIT certified partner and 6x USAT All American. He has coached numerous All Americans, National Champions and World Champion.
I have been racing endurance events for a long time. Last week I was trying to remember the date of my first race, I think it was a duathlon in Columbus Ohio way back when Pyro pedals were the hot equipment. Late 80’s or early 90’s I think, I really cannot remember which. The only hard clues I have is some finisher plaques from the Muncie Endurathon dating back to 1991. So it has been a while.
I know that sounds like an obvious statement, but it is still hard to do in everyday life. Even when things are a bit chaotic, most of us seem to under estimate the effects of stress on the body. As athletes we look at our training, equipment, and nutrition in hopes of a faster race and improving our fitness level. However, the majority of us never consider our stress levels. As an athlete stress can hurt your performance in many ways including an increased heart rate and oxygen consumption. It can also harm your exercise efficiency and cause a workout or race to feel tougher than it actually should. Increased muscle tension and reduced leg turnover are also contributed to stress.
Sweat Rate Testing. Most athletes this time of year find themselves measuring and analyzing things like VO2 Max, Lactic Threshold, etc. On the hydration side of this is Sweat Rate testing. Understanding the amount of fluids your body uses and loses on a per hour basis can give you a much better understanding of how many ounces of fluids you need to be replacing each of activity. Below is a great way to find what your sweat rate is.
Trying to use food + drinks + gels is a complicated proposition ESPECIALLY when I am racing. If I have to think about more than one thing, I am going to probably going to mess it up. Multiple tasks are a sure recipe for failure and possible DNF. I may have food in my pocket…but I certainly ROCKS in my head.
