Recent Things I've Learned About Running

Running has looked quite different for me recently. Yes, I ran quite a few races this year. The 15K in March was my longest since my one and only half marathon. The changes, though, have been more behind this scenes. Listening to podcasts and reading about running have become taken second and third places behind my running, and as I result, I have changed some things. Here's a bit of what I have learned in order to run better, (and more enjoyably!):

Running fasted is not faster. Fuel makes all the difference.

It takes 20-30 minutes for fuel to reach the bloodstream, so fuel early, and fuel often (Featherstun, n.d.a)!

(But you can eat [graham crackers (Featherstun, n.d. b); poptarts (Wingeroth, 2022) etc.) and run out the door. The energy will just set in later.)

The body prefers to run off carbs (Featherstun, 2022).

Protein is best used for hypertrophy when eaten in the morning (Hubermann, n.d.)

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Running shoes are worth the investment.

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Body heat affects performance (Thermohuman, 2022). Drinking cold water/dumping water on you can increase performance in the heat.

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Decreasing HRV can mean overtraining (Couzens, n.d.). (I get this data from my Apple watch and sometimes use it to determine if the day is better for a speed workout, steady state training, or a long run).

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Good running form engages the core (Martin, 2023).

Polarized training is better (80/20 running) (Fitzgerald, n.d.).

Strength training matters (Martin, 2023). Strength train after running for endurance, before running for strength.

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Stretch, stretch, stretch.

Foam rolling helps greatly with recovery (How to Run Guide, 2018).

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Running is a privilege. To learn how to do it better is immense privilege. Thank you, Jesus, for these resources!

References:

Cozens, A. (n.d.) How monitoring your heart rate variability helps you avoid overtraining. Training Peaks. https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/how-monitoring-your-heart-rate-variability-helps-you-avoid-overtraining/

Featherstun, M. (n.d. a) Fueling for race day. Featherstone Nutrition. https://www.featherstonenutrition.com/fueling-for-race-day/

Featherstun, M. (n.d. b) The graham slam. https://www.featherstonenutrition.com/fueling-for-race-day/ https://www.featherstonenutrition.com/the-graham-slam/

Featherstun, M. (2022, September 26). Featherstone Nutrition. Why you need to stop being scared of carbs. https://www.featherstonenutrition.com/why-you-need-to-stop-being-scared-of-carbs/

Fitzgerald, M. (n.d.). Understanding your 80/20 run plan. 80/20 Endurance. https://www.8020endurance.com/understanding-your-8020-run-plan/

How to Run Guide. (2018, July 22). The complete guide to foam rolling for runners. https://howtorunguide.com/foam-rolling-for-runners/

Huberman, A. (n.d.) Why is protein good in the AM? Dexa. https://dexa.ai/huberman/?q=why+is+protein+good+in+the+AM

Martin, H. (2023, January 4). How to unlock proper core engagement for running. The Run Experience. https://therunexperience.com/proper-core-engagement-for-running/

Martin, H. (2023, February 7). How to combine running and weightlifting for optimal results. The Run Experience. https://therunexperience.com/how-to-combine-running-and-weightlifting-for-optimal-results/

Thermohuman. (2022, November 30). Negative effects of heat on performance, what can we do to avoid them? https://thermohuman.com/2022/11/30/negative-effects-of-heat-on-performance-what-can-we-do-to-avoid-them/

Wingeroth, L. (2022, September 2022). Why this RD says Pop-Tarts are the ideal pre-run fuel. Well + Good. https://www.wellandgood.com/pop-tarts-pre-workout/