The Wrong Advice

So I will first start by saying, I by no means am an expert in running.  I have been running now, and enjoying it, for the last four years.  What makes up for my lack in running knowledge I make up in my obsessive compulsiveness in doing research.  Even from the onset of my running journey with my wife, we wanted to do it right.


This meant I was always reading and Googling everything from what shoes to wear, how to train for a marathon, nutrition, how to run certain types of terrain, etc.  I would ask people I knew who had run a while tips of the trade. I follow different bloggers (check the blog role to the left). We subscribed to both Runners World and Trail Runner magazines.  I have now even jumped into listen to podcasts, like Endurance Planet, UltraRunnerPodcast, and Trail Runner Nation for psuedo mentors.

Lately I have discovered Reddit and LinkedIn (my favorite groups being Bay Area Trail Runners, Run Lovers, Running In Business, and Marathon Runners) as sources for tips. For the most part, the tips and information is pretty reliable.  Advice broken down by:

• Terrain specific
• Running method specific (trail, sprinters, marathon, etc.)
• School of hard knocks (do what I say and not copy what I did)
• Equipment and Nutrition 

Maybe its because I am getting cynical in my old age (in my prime for a trail or ultra runner), but it amazes me when people don't take the time to get answers to nagging problems or ways to improve. And it irks me when someone gives inacccurate or just plan wrong.   In fact, when looking for tips or advice it is easy to also find a rehash of old and outdated advice, or tips that, if someone would apply a level of thinking ability, make no common sense.  It is typically from runners (or any athletes) that are still learning from the school of hard knocks and haven't graduated.

For example, my wife and I have some friends that have been running for years.  They frequently get injured; however, have never looked into why.  However, they are also the first to jump into the latest running fad.  They have never asked why they can't walk a week because they tore up their quads going down hill. Or if you decide to go minimalist, do your research so that if the change is for you, you make the switchover without injury.

Dinner for the Napa Marathon.  Source: Winterjade.com

I learned the hard way early in my running about accepting wrong advice.  For me it was carb loading before my first half marathon.  More specifically the pasta dinner the night before.  Don't get me wrong, I understand the importance of glycogen stores and the purpose of carb loading.  The problem is that I (and many others who are tempted by the pasta feed the night before) is how much is enough without overloading.   I in fact repeated this error at my first, third, and fourth marathon and ended up in the porta-potty at mile 18 (pretty much at all three).  

The key here is not accepting advice on face value.  Evaluate it against other research you have done.  Ask questions and learn.  If the advise you are given doesn't add up, move on.   Find what works for you.

Another example, when we began running I was 265 pounds.  That was March 2008.  By February 2009, I was 195 pounds running the Surf City Half -Marathon, and by October 2009, I was 177 and running my first marathon in Long Beach.  Eating wise, I subscribed to a ratio of 46% carb, 30% protein, 24% fat diet.  My weight had stabilized at Long Beach and wasn't bonking on runs.  I actually felt the best since high school. 

I wanted to get a bit more serious about running and did a lot more reading.  I surmised from what I read and the advise given,  that my ratios were wrong!  My carb and fat intake was too low and my protein to high.  SO, I started messing with a good thing.  Now I was finding that, while maintaining my calories at the same level, I was gaining weight.  I also noticed that my blood sugar was swinging.  So for me, a traditional "runners diet" was not good for me.  It wasn't until I started paying attention to more of the nuances of the advice that I understood what would be better.

Keep in mind, every bit of advice you will get may be due to that runners experience.  That said, a sprint runner's advice will be completely different than a 10K, a sub-3 hour marathoner to a 100 mile distance ultra runner.  It means discernment on your part.

So next time you get wrong advice, smile, and move on.

Runner Refueling Part 2: Timing of Nutrition

This post will is focus on timing of your nutrition on a run. Like the last post, I will start by saying that what I describe in this post works for me.  Every person is different, and therefore you should identify what works for you and stick to it. That said, the timing of pre-workout / race meals, refueling during long runs, and recovery meals directly after is very important. You might also like to find out what I eat here.

Pre-workout

What would you eat on this half marathon?

If it is race day or I am going to take a long run in the morning, I typically have either oatmeal and blueberries and a protein shake or just my Oatmeal Berry Shake.  Either is about 570 calories, which is less than the typical bagel and banana before.  There is typically 30 to 40 grams of protein; however, typically I have this about 2 to 3 hours before the activity for it to digest.  In recent studies, it has even been suggested to eat this way 3 to 4 hours before theactivity for the full benefit during the race.  Eating this way also has limited my need to use the bathroom race day.  Also, I am using the protein to regulate the digestion of  the carbs which plays into when I begin refueling during the run.

If we are away from home, I will typically eat a Cilf Builder bar (mint) followed by a bagel and maybe a banana.  Again, I am using the protein to regulate the digestion of the carbs.

During the Run

The timing of refueling during the run is pretty much a balancing act.  For example, for most, you pretty much don’t need to refuel during a race if you are running under an hour.  Unless it is a hot day, I also subscribe to this rule for hydration.  If it is a road race, after the first hour, I will start off with a piece of Builder Bar, followed by 3 or 4 gummy bears, and chased by water.  I do this about every 15 minutes to 20 minutes until the end of the race.  

For a trail run, it is more dependent on what I just covered (aid station at the top of a hill) or will be facing (an aid station before a long climb).  Since I lose more salt on a trail run, the salted potatoes, potato chips, or salted pretzels, come in handy and of course gummy bears.  Since aid stations are paced further apart on a trail race (between 3 to 10 miles in some cases) I also take with me some gummy bears or something else to tie me over between stations.  I have recently tried FrontierBites.  It is made by local Bay Area start-up and are pretty tasty.  I will write a complete review soon.

After the Run

I strongly believe in eating protein directly after a longrun is extremely important for recovery.  So I either have a Clif Builder Bar and some sort of chocolate milk right after the run.  If I am going directly home, I may eat cottage cheese and or fat free yogurt with some sort of berry.  I always find it a challenge at road races to find what I need post-race; however, trail races always seem to have what I need.

Other nutrition items

Carb-loading the night before.  Simply said, unless you want to spend a few minutes in the Porta-Potty and miss a PR, eat smart and sensible.  Think more about what you are eating to store up your glycogen during the week instead of trying to load it up all  at once.

On race day, as said here and elsewhere so many times, don’t introduce a new type of fuel unless you have tried it on your training runs. If you do it will catch up with you at some point during the race.

Finally, if it is a trail run, don’t overeat at the aid station!  Remember, all you are trying to do is replenish your muscles and get you to the next aid station.  What you don’t want to happen is your body switch the blood supply and effort from running to digestion.

Again, as I stated at the beginning of the post, this is what works for me.  Everyone is different and you will have to find out what works best for you.