| Training & Nutrition Newsletter:
April 2009
Improving the Running & Walking Experience - for you!
See
past issues of this newsletter
April 2009
Getting faster is a fairly common goal. If that is on your wish
list, here are some tips on how to get faster:
* Target a shorter event than you would normally train for
* Improve your form by doing Acceleration Gliders and Cadence drills
* Run longer and slower long runs
Individual instruction in getting faster will
be included in my Beach
Running Retreat (May 15-17). Personalized running form improvement,
water running, Cadence Drills, Accleration Gliders—all are
explained and taught. You'll learn how to run up hill and downhill—without
pounding or getting out of breath. The area is relaxing, with wonderful
trails. The experience is priceless.
Enrollment is up in marathon and half marathon
training programs! With the right group, you can enjoy your long
runs, with lots of laughing and support. If you haven't found a
fun group yet, search
for one in your area. To set up a Run-Walk-Run™ group
in your area, get in touch with Tim Prefume (Tim@jeffgalloway.com).
Want quick answers to running questions? My new
book MARATHON
FAQ has them. We have restocked RUNNING
AND FAT BURNING FOR WOMEN which has been a best seller. For
guidance in women's issues, see WOMEN'S
COMPLETE GUIDE TO RUNNING.
HOT? Then run in the Water! As the weather gets
hotter, you can substitute one of your short runs with a run in
the water. You can maintain the same cadence, intensity and length
of training time as a land workout without the heat and without
the impact. Since your head is out of the water, don't forget to
wear a cap or hat if you are running in an outdoor pool. This tip
is sponsored by AquaJogger®,
who has introduced a travel model that fits easily into a suitcase.
As a Galloway Newsletter subscriber, you can receive a free gift
with any order placed on AquaJogger.com
when you enter promotion code 150 in the box provided at the top
of the home page.
Compression sleeves reduce the chance of blood
clotting. I wear my Zenzah
calf sleeve on long runs and marathons and long plane flights.
My legs feel better and research shows the circulation and recovery
is faster.
The
Wave Nirvana 5, by Mizuno, is reviewed this month with
information about how the WAVE technology reduces weight while improving
performance. I've found the Mizuno shoes to be at the highest level
of quality, and they don't tend to revise their models every 6 months.
Remember: By adjusting pace and run-walk-run, you can make every
run a good one!
Jeff Galloway
US Olympian
www.JeffGalloway.com,
www.JeffGallowayBlog.com
Follow me on Facebook
and Twitter
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Medical Advice
Always see a doctor for medical problems, especially a physician
who wants to get you back out there on the sidewalks or trails.
Always get your doctor's OK when you train strenuously. This newsletter
is an offering of information from one runner to another.
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Hills build strength
Hill training will help you maximize the strength needed for running
5Ks and 10Ks. Doing a few hills, before the start of the speed training
season will strengthen the legs for running better than any exercise
or equipment. Hill repeats will produce muscles that have a higher
capacity to perform - in speed training and in a race. From 5K/10K
RUNNING - Receive a 20% discount on 5K/10K
RUNNING by using coupon code book75 by 5/15/09.
Why can't I run faster now?
Time improvement is a very complex process that is influenced
by many factors beyond our control. The best approach is to stay
focused on the goal and stay with a program that is realistic for
you. By getting a reality check on your goals you can avoid pushing
youself beyond your limits.
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The hottest trend in performance
running apparel is "compression."
Sponsored by Jeff's running store Phidippides
The hottest trend in performance running apparel is "compression."
The technology itself is not new, but it has steadily been gaining
a foothold in the running market. So why has this technology taken
off? Simply put, because it works.
Studies have shown that compression apparel (including socks, tights,
and leg sleeves) helps to both reduce fatigue and improve recovery.
By using graduated compression to improve blood flow, nutrients
and oxygen are delivered to working muscles more easily and waste
products are cleared quicker.
Compression products also help to reduce muscle vibration. This
not only saves energy while you're exercising, but also helps to
reduce "delayed onset muscle soreness."
One study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine
predicted that the energy saved by reducing vibration could result
in as much as a six minute improvement for a 3:30 marathoner!
Also, these products can help you recover from workouts by keeping
capillaries dilated even after your workout is finished, speeding
clearance of waste products and letting you recover faster.
To get the maximum recovery benefit, you should wear your compression
products for a minimum of two hours following the workout. However,
studies have shown significant improvement in the clearing of waste
products in as little as twenty minutes!
In addition, wearing these products during exercise can help stabilize
muscle groups and make them work more efficiently.
It's a rare new product line that can actually help you run faster
and feel better doing it!
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Upcoming Galloway Training Program Kickoffs/Events
Atlanta North Gwinnett Getting Started & Half Marathon- April
25, 2009
Natchitoches, LA - April 25, 2009
Sarasota, FL - April 25, 2009
Sacramento, FL - April 25, 2009
Savannah, GA - April 25, 2009
Atlanta Metro Getting Started - April 27, 2009
Springfield, MO - April 28, 2009
Valparaiso & Schererville, IN- April 30, 2009
West Hartford, CT - May 30, 2009
Bryan-College Station, TX - May 2, 2009
Waco, TX- May 2, 2009
Philadelphia, PA - Meet & Greets on May 4-5, 2009
New York, NY - May 6
Mahwah, NJ - May 7, 2009
Charlotte, NC - May 9, 2009
Nashville, TN - May 9, 2009
Philadelphia, PA - May 9, 2009
Get
more info and see the complete list
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Water Running
Is it too hot to run? I've found that water running can be a substitute
for a short midweek run. In other words, if you are running Tuesday
and Thursday for 30 minutes, you could run in the water for this
time period and maintain all of your running capabilities for that
week.
It's best to use the deep end of the pool. As you go through the
motion, your feet should not touch the bottom. If you only have
a shallow pool, hold on to the side or the ladder and extend the
body almost parallel to the surface of the water or, better yet,
use an AquaJogger buoyancy belt to support you in a recumbent bike
position utilizing the form mentioned below. Your feet should not
touch the bottom of the pool, and your legs should move freely.
An AquaJogger buoyancy belt is the best flotation device I've found:
just the right amount of buoyancy, allowing the body to move freely
through the water. The quality of the water running is better when
you don't have to struggle to keep your head above water. Besides,
I'm against drowning.
Move your legs in a motion you would use when running: lower leg
extending slightly in front of the knee, with the leg flowing behind.
This extended range of motion, against the water's resistance, will
force the legs and feet to find a more efficient path. The water
running posture can be upright or a slight forward lean.
As with all exercises you have not done recently, you should ease
into water running. On the first workout, do this for 5 minutes.
After a 10-30 minute rest break, you water run for another 5 minutes.
On each successive water run workout, increase each segment by 3
minutes. When you get up to 15 minutes in each segment you can choose
2 x 15 minutes or 1 x 25 minutes.
One water run a week (10 minutes), is the minimum needed to keep
the running form efficiency improving. To use this minimum, you
need to do this every week.
There is a water running guide found in the information section
of AquaJogger's website that you will find helpful in adapting your
land based running program to the water. As a Galloway Newsletter
subscriber, you qualify for a free gift with any purchase on AquaJogger.com
and enter the Galloway Productions promotions code 150 in the promotions
box at the top of the home page.
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Featured Shoe: The
Wave® Nirvana! 5
Shoe review by Westin Galloway, Tech Rep Mizuno USA
Extra Support Shoe Review
The Wave® Nirvana! 5 has been updated to better fit the runner
that needs maximum support. The new Triple Density Wave is designed
to flow with the natural movement of the foot while maintaining
strong support. Gender Engineering allows us to tailor the Wave®
Nirvana™ 5 to the different needs of men (wider forefoot for
more cushioning and security) and women (increased flex grooves
and rounder heel for a more natural ground impact).
Mizuno’s Wave Nirvana 5 is SmoothRide Engineered, and also
has Full-length Composite Double Fan Wave that provides superior
protection while offering excellent support to the moderately overpronationg
foot. It also offers a combination solid rubber/blown rubber forefoot
outsole design for cushioning, flexibility, and durability. One
new component that we have added is a NEW Ortholite® sockliner
for a plush step-in feeling.
The Mizuno Nirvana 5 also features:
* Pebax Renew Wave Plate - Using materials from a renewable resource
(Castor plant) reduces the amount petroleum that is used to make
the wave plate. This allows for variance in the density of the plate
creating a more stable and smoother riding shoe.
* Sensor Point technology. Suspension system which connects the
wave plate to the ground, thereby enhancing stability and traction.
* Dynamotion fit- At heel strike most all shoes have a “gapping”
that occurs when the heel hits the ground and deforms the midsole
(but the upper around the heel counter doesn't conform) This new
feature will create an area of “give” in the heel collar/cradle
that adapts for this.
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A Success Stories
Dear Jeff: This last year I ran a marathon every month and set
my PR two times. Since I heard you speak I have completed 15 marathons
in 15 months. We are the same age and I have become a true believer
in the run/walk. I bought the Gymboss and I just think it's great
- I never have to be looking at my watch and worry about when to
take my next break. In my last race I used the Zensah sleeve and
I feel that helped out a lot. Thanks for all the work you do in
helping us old guys keep on running. - V.B.
Dear Jeff: I did 3/1 run/walk from start to about mile 21. It worked
great and was just enough of a rest to give my glute a chance to
calm down before I started again. You said do run/walk for first
20-21 miles, then evaluate how I feel and if feeling good break
away and run all the way to the finish. That's what I did....it
worked! I was so happy with my finish time. It was really hard to
walk at first but it was truly amazing how it worked. I really think
you can use that system, decide what time you want to run and what
pace per mile you need, take into consideration the "walk"
part, and do whatever time you want. It was just an incredible experience!!!
One I will NEVER forget.... - M.T.
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Strategies to Eat Better
Copyright: Nancy
Clark, MS RD, The Athlete’s Kitchen, April 2009
Engineered Sports Foods: Convenience or Necessity?
To look at all the ads for sports drinks, energy bars, electrolyte
replacers, and sports candies, you'd think these engineered products
are a necessary part of a sports diet, particularly if you are doing
endurance exercise such as training for a marathon or a triathlon.
When runners ask for advice about how to use these products, I first
assess their daily sports diet to determine if they can get—or
are getting—what they want from standard foods (carbs, sodium).
In most cases, they can get their needs met with a wisely chosen
sports diet.
While there is a time and a place for engineered sports foods (particularly
among runners who train at a high intensity), many runners needlessly
waste a lot of money misusing them. The purpose of this article
is to help you become an informed consumer, so you can wisely spend
your hard-earned money.
Pre-exercise energy bars
While fueling with a pre-run PowerBar and Gatorade ($2-$3) is one
way to energize your workout, you could less expensively consume
300 calories of banana+yogurt+water ($1) or pretzels+raisins+water
(50¢). Any of these choices are carbohydrate-rich and will
offer the fuel your muscles need for a stellar workout.
The best pre-exercise snacks digest easily, settle well in your
stomach, and do not talk back to you. Standard supermarket foods
can do that as well as engineered foods. Experiment to determine
what settles best in your body.
Energy Drinks
There's little doubt that Red Bull and other energy drinks are popular,
particularly among runners who use them for alcohol mixers. The
110 calories of sugar “helps the medicine go down” (for
those who don't enjoy the taste of certain alcoholic beverages).
The resulting problem is wide-awake drunks who think they can drive
themselves home—but then get into accidents.
For runners, energy drinks are the source of enough sugar and caffeine
to give you a quick energy boost. The problem is, one quick fix
will not compensate for missed meals. That is, if you sleep through
breakfast and barely eat lunch, having a Red Bull for a pre-workout
energizer will unlikely compensate for the previous inadequate food
intake. If you can make the time to train, you can also make the
time to fuel appropriately, rather than rely on a quick fix.
Caffeine
A known “ergogenic aid”, caffeine enhances performance
by making the effort seem easier. A pre-run caffeine-fix—especially
if accommodated by carbs—can energize your workout. Here’s
how the options compare:
Option Caffeine (mg) Cost
Coca-Cola, 20 oz 60 $1.59
Red Bull, 8-oz 80 $2.19
No-doz, 1 tablet 200 $0.33
Starbuck's, 16 oz 300 $1.94
Sports Drinks
Many runners believe the sodium in sports drinks is essential to
replace the sodium lost in sweat. Wrong. Sports drinks are actually
relatively low in sodium compared to what you consume in your meals.
Sodium enhances fluid retention and helps keep you hydrated, as
opposed to plain water that goes in one end, out the other.
If you are sweat heavily, you might lose about 1,000 to 3,000 mg
sodium in an hour of hard exercise. Here are options for replacing
these sodium losses:
Replacements Sodium (mg) Replacements Sodium (mg)
Endurolytes, 1 capsule 40 Cheese stick, 1 oz 200
PowerBar Electrolytes, 8 oz. 65 Pizza, 1 slice 500
Gatorade, 8 oz. 110 Salt, 1/4 teaspoon 600
Gatorade Endurance, 8 oz. 200 Soup, 1 can Campbell's 2,200
As you can see, there is no need for anyone to drink a sports drink
with their lunch, because the soup or cheese sandwich have far more
sodium than the small amount of sodium in the sports drink. By consuming
some salty food such as 8 ounces of chicken broth before exercising
in the heat, you can get a hefty dose of sodium into your body before
you even start to exercise. This has been shown to enhance endurance.
(1)
Electrolytes
One triathlete reported using electrolyte replacers throughout the
day. He then admitted he didn't even know what electrolytes are.
I explained they are electrically charged particles, more commonly
known as sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Standard foods
abound with electrolytes, more so than engineered sports foods—
Sodium Calcium Magnesium Potassium
Endurolytes (1 capsule) 40 50 25 25
Nuun, 1 tab 360 12 25 100
PBJ & milk 600 300 130 750
Pizza, 1 slice 650 200 30 220
Vitamin Water and vitamin-enriched sports foods
Many engineered foods tout they are enriched with B-vitamins “for
energy”. Yes, B-vitamins are needed to convert food into energy,
but they are not sources of energy. Few runners realize the body
has a supply of vitamins stored in the liver, so you are unlikely
to become deficient during exercise.
Runners, who eat far more food—hence more vitamins—than
sedentary folks, have the opportunity to consume abundant vitamins.
A big bowl of Wheaties offers 100% of the Daily Value (DV) for B-vitamins.
(Most cereals, breads, pastas and other grain foods are enriched
with B-vitamins unless they are “all natural”.) Eight
ounces of orange juice offers 100% of the DV for Vitamin C. In contrast,
8 ounces of Energy Tropical Citrus Vitamin Water offers only 40%
of the DV for C.
Sports Candy
I groaned when one runner told me she ate Sports Beans ($1/100-calorie
packet) for her afternoon snack. Like sports drinks, sports beans
are designed to be taken during exercise. Regular jellybeans would
be a far less expensive snack! She unlikely even needed extra sodium,
given she ran for only an hour. Raisins, dried pineapple, or grapes
would make a healthier snack option
Conclusion
Not everyone uses sports foods to enhance their performance. Research
on a simulated 3-day adventure race suggests otherwise (2). When
the racers were given a buffet of fueling options during this event,
86% of their calories came from supermarket foods (candy, pizza,
sandwiches, soft drinks, coffee, bananas, etc.) as opposed to only
14% from engineered sports foods (sports drinks, gels, energy bars,
protein bars). They reported standard foods tasted better and were
more palatable. As an educated consumer, do you want to do the same?
Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sports
Dietetics) counsels both casual and competitive athletes in her
practice at Healthworks, the premier fitness center in Chestnut
Hill MA (617-383-6100). Her Sports Nutrition Guidebook, Food Guide
for Marathoners, and Cyclist’s Food Guide are available via
nancyclarkrd.com.
See also sportsnutritionworkshop.com.
References
1. Sims, ST, van Vliet L, Cotter J, Rehrer N. 2007. Sodium loading
aids fluid balance and reduces physiological strain of trained men
exercising in the heat. Med Sci Sports Exerc 39(1):123-130.
2. Zimberg IZ, Crispim CA, Juzwiak CR at al. 2008. Nutritional
intake during a simulated adventure race. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc
Metab 18(2):152-68
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