Proper nutrition and hydration can help endurance athletes maintain their health, train efficiently, prevent soreness and recover quickly.

Running, especially training for endurance events, can cause fatigue quickly. Proper nutrition and hydration help runners meet the demands of their physical training. Sports nutrition includes staying hydrated, fueling before and during exercise and replenishing nutrients after running.

What to Eat Before Running

Before a long training run, many runners increase their intake of carbohydrates. Carbs will provide the glycogen, the fuel that the body needs to burn when exercising. Without this fuel, the body will be sapped of energy and forced to slow or stop.

A high-carb meal should be consumed 2 to 4 hours before exercising. Traditionally, these meals include pasta, brown rice, oatmeal or sweet potato. Foods that are high in sugar, fat or fiber should be avoided before a workout.

Runners who train in the early morning may not have time to eat and digest an entire meal before lacing up. In this case, a snack or light meal should be consumed about an hour before going out. Options include a banana and an energy bar, cereal and milk, or a bagel with peanut butter.

What to Eat During a Run

Once a workout exceeds 60 minutes, runners will need to refuel every 30 to 45 minutes. This should include the intake of sodium to replenish the loss of electrolytes. The necessary sodium is often found in the form of sports drinks. It is often advised to alternate between water and sports drinks at the water stops along the route of an endurance event.

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A number of people who take up distance running as an exercise have done something like this. Sometimes, it may be because some people can’t concentrate on the running if they have to bother guzzling down water while on the run. Others simply don’t feel good drinking water while they run so they would rather do without it.

For whatever reason it may be, drinking water like this may have adverse effects on the body. One common concern is water intoxication. This is also known as hypotremia. Hypotremia is a condition that indicates overhydration. How does it happen?

During a running race, athletes sweat a lot. This causes the body to lose electrolytes. After the race, athletes start taking in fluids again to restore water to their bodies. However, without the accompanying electrolytes, hypotremia may follow.

Water alone is not enough and too much of it too soon will only lead to an electrolyte imbalance. This condition is characterized by tissue swelling as well as an irregular heartbeat and fluttering eyelids. The latter is a probable result of the fluid that has entered the lungs. Since swelling often puts undue pressure on the brain as well as on the nerves, behavioral symptoms that are very similar to alcohol intoxication may be observed. The worse is when an athlete falls into a seizure or coma.

This happens when the swelling reaches the brain tissues. In extreme cases like this, water intake is controlled and a salt solution given to the athlete. This treatment must be administered to the patient or afflicted athlete even before the cellular damage caused by the tissue swelling has reached a massive level. If done so, the athlete is certain to recover within only a few days.

So make sure that you drink a lot of water over appropriate intervals instead of guzzling liters in one shot. Learn to take your time when you drink your water, when you take in your fluids. Unless you are competing in a race, there’s no reason to rush. Water intoxication is a condition that’s quite easy to prevent if you remember to take time to drink your fluids properly.

As a standard rule, adults in general must take in three quarts of fluid every day. Since a portion of that can already be found in food, 8-12 eight-ounce glasses per day is commonly recommended for a daily intake. However, if the day proves to be too sunny or the weather too hot, or if you engage in regular exercises like distance running that causes you to sweat quite a lot, then you should take in more water.

This is also true if you are taking in medicine. After all, it’s good to drink plenty of water. Just keep in mind to drink right so you won’t have to suffer the effects of overhydration.

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By FitMom

Last spring a couple of my neighbors started training for a half-marathon. I watched as they ran past my home office window. After several weeks of watching them I couldn’t help but be inspired. I laced up my shoes and headed outside.

I knew two things about running: 1) It worked and 2) I didn’t like it. However, I’d never run with music. The iPod would become my secret weapon. When I cued up the right songs, I was transported by the beat. Just like the good old days of step aerobics class, the steady music propelled my movements. My legs moved forward in a rhythmic and automatic fashion.

Just keep running. Just keep running.

When my neighbors saw me making my first pathetic passes around the block, they cheered me on. Then they lapped me. I longed for the day I could run with them, the REAL runners.

Running got easier. I bought the shoes and then the right ‘moisture wicking’ clothing. I had become a legitimate runner. However, it was clear I would not be running with my friends – in a race or otherwise. I realized that I liked running for its convenience and efficiency. I liked the way it made me feel and the way it made my thighs look. But I had no desire to run longer than three miles, or improve my time. I didn’t feel the need to push myself or prove anything. For a competitive person like me, that was a pleasant surprise.

A few weeks ago I noticed another neighbor started running past my window. Maybe she was inspired by my marathoner friends, or maybe she saw me and knew that if I can do it, anyone can. Now that’s inspiring!

What gets you going?

By: Daniela Nahas

With the good weather fast approaching, there are many runners coming out of hibernation. I thought it only appropriate to speak about how strength training and interval cardio training can increasing your speed, stamina and prevent injury down the road.

Prevent injury: Running is great for building cardiovascular strength, however it also puts a lot of strain and impact on your body and not just the lower extremities. The body should be looked at as one fluid machine with many parts working towards one common goal ? in this case running effectively. If one of those parts is weak, it will not only affect your speed and strength as a runner, but also begin a domino effect of sprains, strains and injury.

If you plan to have a long life as a runner, it is necessary that you work on strengthening the muscles that are commonly weak in runners: this includes the glutes, the hip flexors (which do a tremendous amount of work while you run and enable the upward movement of the knee), tibialis anterior, your quadriceps and of course your core/trunk stabilizers.

Your core muscles run the length of the trunk and torso – when they contract they stabilize the spine, pelvis and shoulder girdle to create a solid base of support. This support then enables us to transfer energy from the center of the body out to the limbs and generate the movement needed for running. Core training supports the efficient interaction of the ankle, knee, and hip mobility.

Muscles included in the core are: Rectus Abdominis (located at the front of your absomen, Transverse Abdominis (are the deepest abdominal muscles located under the obliques – which wrap around the spine for support, Multifidus (under the erector spinae along the vertebral column (sacrum to axis), these muscles help extend and rotate the spine), External Obliques (run along the side and front of the abdomen) and Internal Obliques (located beneath the external obliques and run in the opposite direction, Erector Spinae (group of muscles and tendons that run along your neck to your lower back).
The hip Flexors, hip adductors and gluteus are also considered to be part of the core stabilizers.

If any of these muscles are weak, it can have a big impact on your form while running: If the hip abductors are weak for example, it can cause the entire leg to overpronate. Some common injuries include anterior knee pain, patellar tendonitis, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, stress fractures, achilles tendonitis, IT band tendonitis, low back pain, and various strains and sprains.

Furthermore, strengthening your core will not only help you as a runner, but also in everyday activities. Since we are not always moving in the same plane when we perform everyday activities, training the body to stabilize, control, and produce force in a three-dimensional environment is crucial.

Increase stamina: Many runners generally train at one consistent speed for a certain time. While this is great exercise in itself you may have a hard time increasing your stamina. Interval training which involves doing quick and intense burst of activity followed by periods of lower intensity, allows you to rapidly increase your cardiovascular endurance and improve your VO2 Max – which that describes how much oxygen your body can transport during exercise or activity. The higher your VO2 Max, the less winded you become during exercise. Translating this into your running routine, you will increase your speed and power and be able you to run for longer durations.

Weight loss: Many people who run, began running in the first place in order to lose weight and then continue to run to keep it off. However many find that after a while of just running your body begins to plateau and you stop losing any pounds and also find that you need to run much longer distances to stay trim. This is because doing solely Aerobic activity will not help you increase your metabolism. Anaerobic activity on the other hand does. It increases your lean muscle mass as well as your resting metabolic rate (your metabolic rate while at rest).

Anaerobic activity includes weight/strength training and sprinting, while running is aerobic activity.  Anaerobic activity increases lean muscle mass while aerobic activity for long durations of time breaks it down. Quite simply, muscle burns fat and anaerobic activity creates muscle, while aerobic activity does not promote the increase of muscle and actually breaks down lean muscle mass.

I am not by any means saying that you should not run, I am impressed everyday by people who are able to run marathons, and people who turn their life around when they begin running. I am simply saying that you should incorporate other components into your routine.

Have a great run!

How does a fat guy get fit enough to run? Are you thinking of taking up running? Here’s some advice:

Trails versus Street

First, a word about trail running. Trails are softer which gives two immediate results. One, your knees thank you for less painful impact. Two, because trails are less solid than streets, you end up running slower than your maximum potential. This is great from my perspective, because I have a habit of overdoing it. I want the slowdown.

The Right Shoes

It’s really important to us proper footwear. I learned firsthand all the crazy things that can go wrong. I will throw out there, however, that barefoot running is a really small niche interest right now, and I’ve tried it on beaches and on safe trails, and I loved it.

Every one is different and there are all kinds of articles out there for selecting shoes. Just know that you need new shoes, you need them to be really well fit for your needs (for instance, you take a larger shoe size for running than you do for casual wear), and that you need the right kind of support for the way your feet land. Google around for this, or email me. I’ll help you further, if you’d like.

Run / Walk Programs

When I had my first running breakthrough, it was this: you are still a runner if you have to slow down and walk for a bit. John Bingham’s great book, NO NEED FOR SPEED, was an excellent resource for me in learning how to run. All of John’s products are great that way, and “The Penguin,” as he likes to call himself, is a wealth of knowledge unto himself.

Standard Disclaimer: see your physician before trying this or any other program. This is just for informational use and doesn’t constitute something worth doing. Worked for me.

Here’s a sample of a run/walk program that I mentioned to a friend the other day. The “R” stands for running, and the “W” stands for walking. The number is for how many minutes of each one might do. I do this in multiples of 30 minutes for the first few weeks. As time progresses, I consider adding more minutes (maybe another cycle of the run/walk program) into the mix. The basic premise is to slowly build yourself up to running more and walking less. Each line represents a week of training:

Warm up by walking briskly for 2 minutes, maybe 3. Then, start this:

• 1R , 4W x 6 times. Week 1
• 1R , 3W x 7 times. Week 2
• 2R, 3W x 6 times. Week 3
• 2R, 2W x 7 times. Week 4
• 3R, 3W x 5 times. Week 5
• 3R, 2W x 6 times. Week 6
• 3R, 1W x 7 times. Week 7
• 4R, 2W x 5 times. Week 8
• 4R, 1W x 6 times. Week 9
• FULL Running for 30 minutes.

If you have to skip a running minute or two early on, do so. Just walk briskly and catch your breath. Don’t be religious about this. Make it work for you.

How FAST?

When I’m saying running, this is basically a step above brisk walking. Think of it as a controlled shuffle. Focus on turning your feet over quickly, and not running fast. Just keep thinking about turning your feet over, which should be slightly longer strides than if your shoes were tied together, but not big huge gaping stretches. With a run/walk program, the trick is to keep the “difference” between the running and the walking down to a minimum, so when you’re walking and catching your breath a bit, make sure that’s still a brisk walk.

Don’t worry about speed. Get your distance and your duration up. Then, speed will come out of your endurance and your toning.

Mileage versus Minutes

I’m a bigger fan of minutes versus miles, but as you get faster and better, and more confident in your running, you might switch. The best thing to realize is: unless you’re trying out for a world-class team, there is no official right or wrong way to do it, only strong suggestions and passionate people on either side of every possible schism one could experience. This is how *I* did it the first time, and how I plan to do it next.

Hydration, Eating

First, get a lexan water bottle. The famous brand name is Nalgene. They are recycling number 7, in case you’re being offered a ripoff. In the US, they cost around $7 on the low end. But why? Because those bottles handle bacteria way better than when you re-use your disposable water bottles, and they’re nicer on the environment. Having them around makes you want to drink more. And other hacks I haven’t considered.

A note about eating: do so a half hour or so before you run. An hour’s best, but fit it into your schedule. What’s good to eat (and NOT good to eat) before a run? High carbs and low glycemic index food, like energy bars (CLIF Bar is my personal favorite), Oatmeal is easy, even the instant kind. What NOT to have are things high in fats, like sausage. Peanut butter is usually a great energy food, but keep it to maybe 1 table spoon along with a slice of multigrain bread.

The point is, it’s important to have energy in the tank. The more you have ready for your run, the better you’ll feel while trying to run.

Your Advice

I’m open to your advice. One thing that’s certain about things like running: you’ll get about 50/50 responses to the above where some will say, “This is full of crap” or “that’s not running, that’s jogging” or whatever. You know what? YOU are the person qualified to tell whether advice works for you. If it’s running to you, it’s running to me. But what else will you add? I’m looking for tips before I get out all the lead and start running this week.

–Chris Brogan produces a weekly audio podcast called Fat Guy Gets Fit.

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By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Exercise and moderate caffeine consumption together could help ward off sun-induced skin cancer, researchers said on Monday, but cautioned against ditching the sun screen in favor of a jog and a cappuccino.

Experiments on mice showed that caffeine and exercise together somehow made them better able to destroy precancerous cells whose DNA had been damaged by ultraviolet-B radiation, according to scientists at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

"We think that it will be important in terms of prevention, and possibly not only for skin cancer but possibly for other cancers as well," Rutgers cancer researcher Allan Conney, one of the scientists, said in a telephone interview.

The researchers studied groups of hairless mice that were exposed to lamps generating ultraviolet-B radiation that damaged DNA in their skin cells.

One group drank water containing the human equivalent of one or two cups of coffee a day. A second group exercised on a running wheel. A third group exercised and drank the caffeine. A fourth group neither exercised nor drank caffeine.

Both caffeine and exercise alone increased by roughly 100 percent the mice's ability to kill off precancerous cells that could lead to skin cancer compared to the mice that did neither. But the mice that did both showed a nearly 400 percent increase in this ability, the researchers found.

The researchers are eager to discover if the findings would apply to humans, but in the meantime warned people not to give up the sunscreen.

"Don't go out and exercise and drink a lot of coffee and assume you're going to be protected," Conney said.

"Keep in mind that these are studies in mice. Although I think that they may be applicable to humans, it really has to be studied carefully before we can say that," Conney added.

The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The researchers said some previous studies have provided evidence that exercise and caffeine consumption through coffee may be linked to reduced risk for some other cancers.

STUDYING COMBINATION

Conney said they want to figure out precisely how the combination of caffeine and exercise seems to have a protective effect against skin damage caused by the sun.

"It's great that people are doing research looking for different ways to help reduce the risk of skin cancer," dermatologist Dr. Bruce Katz, a spokesman for the Skin Cancer Foundation and the director of the Juva Skin & Laser Center in New York City, said in a telephone interview.

But the study provided "extremely preliminary data," and there is no evidence of such an effect in people, Katz added.

The foundation said skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with more than 1 million people diagnosed with it annually.

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In this day and age of energy bars, protein powders and weight gain shakes, many athletes forget about "real" foods, such as peanut butter. Peanut butter is one of the best sports foods around. It is tasty, inexpensive, satisfying, nourishing, and even good for our health. But all too often, one can hear athletes say "I don't keep peanut butter in my house: it is too fatty, too fattening" or "I ration peanut butter to once per week, on my Sunday morning bagel". They try to stay away from peanut butter. That is nuts! Yes, peanut butter is calorie-dense, but it can beneficially fit into your sports diet

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The following information explains why peanut butter (and all nuts and nut butters, for that matter) can be considered a super sports food for athletes who want to eat well and invest in their health.

Peanut butter is satiating and satisfying… perfect for dieters – Because you will never win the war against hunger, your best bet is to eat foods that keep you feeling fed. This means, foods with protein and fiber, like peanut butter (and nuts, in general). You will feel fuller for longer if you have half a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter, as compared to the same amount of calories of a plain white bagel. The protein and fiber in peanut butter "sticks to your ribs" and is not fattening, unless you overeat total calories that day. A Perdue University study reports subjects who ate peanuts every day did not overeat daily calories (Kirkmeyer, "International Journal of Obesity", 24:1167, 2000). Peanut eaters tend to naturally eat less at other times of the day (Alper, "International Journal of Obesity", 26:1129, 2002). Plus, if you enjoy what you are eating on your reducing diet, you will stay with the food plan and be able to keep the weight off. This is far better than yo-yo dieting!

Peanut butter is a quick and easy way to reduce your risk of heart disease – Just slap together a peanut butter (and honey or jelly) sandwich on multi-grain bread, and you have the makings of a heart-healthy meal, if not a childhood memory. A quick and easy peanut butter sandwich is healthier, by far, than a fast-food burger or fried chicken dinner and far better than, let's say, an equally easy "meal" of chips or ice cream. That is because peanut butter offers health-protective mono- and polyunsaturated oil. Trading burgers (saturated fat) for peanut butter sandwiches reduces your risk of developing heart disease. In fact, the more often you eat peanut butter (and nuts), the lower your risk of heart disease(Hu, "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" 20(1):5, 2001). Start spreading peanut butter (instead of butter) on toast. Enjoy peanut butter & banana for a "decadent" snack in place of ice cream.

Peanut butter is an affordable source of calories – If you are a hungry athlete who needs 3000 or more calories a day, you can spend a significant amount of money fueling yourself (especially if you routinely eat protein bars, weight gain shakes and other engineered sports foods). Peanut butter can fuel your body without breaking the bank. One hundred calories of peanut butter (about 1 tablespoon) costs far less than 100 calories of other protein sources, such as cottage cheese, tuna and deli turkey breast. The cost of 200 calories of peanut butter is far less than the money you would spend on 200 calories of an energy bar… and generally, the peanut butter is far tastier!

Peanut butter is a source of protein, needed to build and repair muscles – But take note: peanut butter is not protein-dense. That is, two tablespoons of peanut butter, the amount in an average sandwich, provides about 7 grams of protein. In comparison, the calorie equivalent of turkey in a sandwich offers about 20 grams of protein. Athletes who weigh 140 pounds may need 70 to 100 grams protein per day; 200-pound athletes, 100 to 150 grams. For 100 grams of protein, you would have to eat the whole jar of peanut butter! Unlikely. To boost the protein value of peanut butter, simply accompany it with a tall glass of milk: a peanut butter & jelly sandwich with 16 ounces lowfat milk equals 28 grams of protein, a good chunk of your daily requirement. Milk simultaneously enhances the value of the protein in the peanut butter sandwich. That is, peanuts are low in some of the essential amino acids muscles need for growth and repair. The amino acids in milk (as well as those in the sandwich bread) nicely complement the limiting amino acids in peanuts.

Peanut butter is a reasonable source of vitamins, minerals and other health-protective food compounds – For example, peanut butter contains folate, vitamin E, magnesium and resveratrol, all nutrients associated with reduced risk of heart disease. Magnesium is also associated with reduced risk of adult-onset diabetes. Peanut butter offers a small amount of zinc, a mineral important for healing and strengthening the immune system. As an athlete, you need all these nutrients to keep you off the bench and on the playing field.

Peanut butter contains fiber – not a lot (1 gram per tablespoon) but some – Fiber in food contributes to a feeling of fullness that can help dieters eat less without feeling hungry. Fiber also promotes regular bowel movements and helps reduce problems with constipation. By enjoying peanut butter on whole grain bread, you can contribute 6 to 8 grams of fiber towards the recommended target of 20 to 35 grams fiber per day.

Peanuts contain mostly health-protective mono- and polyunsaturated fats – When peanuts are made into commercial peanut butter, some of the oil gets converted into a harder, saturated fat. This keeps the oil from separating to the top. The hardened oil, called trans-fat, is less healthful. But the good news is, commercial peanut butters contain only a tiny amount of trans fats and just a small amount of (naturally occurring) saturated fat. For example, only 3.5 of the 17 grams fat in two tablespoons of commercial peanut butter are "bad". To minimize your intake of even this small amount of unhealthful fat, you can buy all-natural peanut butter. If you dislike the way the oil in this type of peanut butter separates to the top of the jar, simply store the jar upside down. That way, the oil rises to what becomes the bottom of the jar when you turn it over to open it. And if you eat peanut butter daily, you won't have to refrigerate it, thereby making the all-natural peanut butter easier to spread.

Caution: peanut butter is a poor source of the carbohydrates needed for muscle fuel – Don't try to subsist on peanut butter by the spoonful! Luckily, peanut butter combines nicely with banana, bread, apples, oatmeal, crackers, raisins, and even pasta (as in Thai noodle dishes). These combinations will balance your sports diet.

By Dr. Lorraine Williams, chiropractor turned TrackMom.

One of the biggest challenges for parents, athletes and their coaches is determining how much water an athlete needs at different times in their day and training.

If the athlete’s urine is dark and scanty, it is concentrated with metabolic wastes and the athlete needs to drink more fluids. When the urine is pale yellow, your body has returned to its normal water balance. Your urine may be dark if you are taking vitamin supplements; in that case, volume is a better indicator than color.

All athletes must drink water before, during, and after exercise. Follow the basic guidelines below to be sure that a child is drinking enough water throughout an exercise session.

• Before Exercise: Drink 10 to 14 oz. of cold water 1 to 2 hours before the activity. Drink 3-6 oz.of cold water or diluted fruit juice 15 to 20 minutes before the activity.
• During Exercise: Drink 3 to 4 oz. of cold water every 15 minutes.
• After Exercise: Drink 2 cups (16 oz.) of cold water for every pound of weight loss. With no weight loss still drink the minimum of 8oz of water.

You must watch and see how much water a young athlete actually drinks. Supervision is essential because children do not instinctively drink enough fluid to replace body water losses. Children may not recognize the symptoms of heat strain, and they may push themselves to the point of heat injury. Young athletes can use non HFCS sports drinks, especially during activities lasting lore than 90 minutes (such as Football or  Soccer). These drinks should contain between 6 and 8 percent carbohydrate or 15 to 18 grams of carbohydrate per cup.

Other tips include:

• If products labeled “sports drinks” do not meet these guidelines, they may need to be diluted. Water is adequate for most children.  However, some youth athletes are more likely to drink sufficient amounts if you give them flavored fluid; sports drinks or diluted fruit juice are appropriate choices.
• Be sure to dilute fruit juice at least twofold: 1 cup of water for every 1 cup of juice.  Tell children not to drink carbonated sodas or undiluted fruit juice as a fluid source during exercise. These beverages are too rich in carbohydrate (which can cause stomach cramps, nausea, and diarrhea).
• Caffeinated beverages (such as tea, coffee, and cola beverages) will dehydrate the body even more.
• Athletes can also replace their body fluids with foods containing a lot of water, such as oranges, watermelon, apples, grapes, and tomatoes, along with water. These foods provide water and carbohydrate, and they are good for replacing lost water and lost energy (glycogen) after exercise.

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