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Basics of Fueling Strategy

by Adolfo Salgueiro | Sep 6, 2022 | Article, Science

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

When I started running marathons back in the early 1980s, the only fueling strategy available to most weekend warriors was to drink enough water so you wouldn’t dehydrate. Yes, I know. This is not a fueling strategy. But consuming calories during a race was not a thing back then. The most calories I consumed during a marathon were when a friend handed me oranges al mile 15 or my girlfriend waited with a sugary lemonade around Mile 21. No wonder I hit the wall every time.

Carbohydrates with a bit of protein is still the pre race day preferred meal (Photo: Engyn Akyurt, Pexels)

But both science and the running consumer goods industry have developed exponentially in the last 4 decades. Not only do we know that the average body doesn’t have enough resources (beyond fat if you have trained to properly tap into it) to last you 26.2 miles, but we also have dozens of products to assist us on which calories should be consumed and when.

Although fueling consists of both Hydration and calorie intake, this post is only addressing the latter. Hydration was referred to in a previous post, “Hydration Basics for Runners”, which you can read by clicking here.

Despite the average body having enough fat stored to run over 1000 miles, and the first known 100-miler without fueling was recorded just a few months ago, most runners are not trained to run on fat as their prime fuel source. So, we depend on glycogen, of which we have a finite amount, around 2000 calories, which is needed to fuel everything, not just your running muscles, so it is insufficient to last a marathon.

When it comes to fueling, it is not just about the gels you will consume in your race. There are four distinctive phases you need to address. From the list below, the “During Race” segment is not intended for 5K or 10k efforts, as an average well-nourished and well hydrated body should have plenty of resources for those distances. While most intermediate and advanced runners should be able to complete a half marathon with no additional fuel, it isn’t required, either. But when you go for a marathon or an ultra, you must fuel the body, so your tank won’t deplete, and you won’t hit the wall. And yes, it is like hitting aa actual wall.

DAY BEFORE RACE – By this time you should know what works and what doesn’t work for you. As healthy as a big bowl of salad may be, consuming all that fiber right before a race may not be a clever idea. Complex carbs and protein are usually what work best. Fatty foods should be avoided, same as simple carbs. The carbs in a bag of Doritos will be burned way before you need them at the race and are crap. It is obvious that your pre-race fueling strategy is not just a dinner thing, but a full day affair if not a full week one. Also, please, you need to dine at a time that will allow enough time to digest it. Last thing you want is compromising your digestion within hours of the starting gun.

PRE-RACE – Your body consumes glycogen and other resources just by being alive. The brain, the liver, the beating heart, etc. need energy to perform their duties. So, to get to the starting line with your tank topped off you need to replenish whatever was consumed during the night, if you have a morning race, or during the day for an afternoon affair. You can certainly run short races in a fasting state, but when it comes to a half and beyond, why would you start with your tank at 70-75% when you can do so at 98 or 99%? Carbohydrates and a touch of protein is the way to go. And, as usual, this must be perfected during training. Don’t wait until race morning to try it out.

Chocolate milk is the post-race refueling product by excellence. This is my favorite brand.

DURING RACE – Fueling strategy is as personal as your choice in running shoes. It is what works for you, not for your friend. Your fueling strategy on race day is the execution of the plan you’ve already perfected during training. So, apply it! Mile 20 is not the time to figure out a caffeinated gel will send you to the port-a-potty, or that you can’t stomach a 5th serving. Fueling also includes replenishing electrolytes either though a product you already know, trust and you carry yourself, or through whatever your race is serving. Personally, I don’t advise relying on the availability of Gatorade in a race. After you’ve invested so much time, money, emotion and effort on your race, better carry what you’ll need and know works for you.

AFTER RACE – Once your race is over, it is time to splurge, sure, but don’t rehydrate with alcohol and junk food. That comes later. Both carbs and protein need to be consumed as soon as possible to replenish and start the muscle repair process right away. Chocolate milk is the recovery drink for excellence. This is the day to go crazy. Have all the extra beer you want, that fatty burger you passed on during training or go for the entire pizza instead of just a couple of slices. But please do so after you’ve taken care of your initial post-race care recovery.

Now, go for that half or marathon PR!

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When Doubts Start to Creep In

by Adolfo Salgueiro | Aug 16, 2022 | Article, Coaching, Reflection

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

It is human nature to doubt when your running is not going your way. You doubt your training, or your training plan, or your gear, or your health, or your coach. Especially as racing season or your goal race approach and you may not be hitting all your workouts or paces on the dot. I am not saying it can’t be one or more of those topics, maybe a combination of all of them, sure. Yet, if you’re able to identify the culprits and tweak your training, you fall in the category of the perfectly normal runner. These things come with the territory.

Doubting during a difficult time is human nature, but it doesn’t necessarily mean defeat (Photo by Andrea Piacquadio, Pexels)

It is imperative differentiate if what’s happening is an isolated incident or a chronic issue sabotaging your entire training cycle. I recently had a trainee questioning his training because he couldn’t hold marathon pace on a 3rd 2-mile rep within a 14-mile long run. It was later determined that he started way too late, so it was too hot; a rest day was skipped, and not enough water was consumed during the training session.

An athlete must understand that all workouts have a specific purpose, and workouts are interwoven with each other. A long run alone means nothing without the speed workouts, cross trainings and rest days that compliment it. Understanding the objective of each workout is a shared responsibility between runner and coach.

These are some factors to consider when doubt starts creeping into your training, so you can return to the path of success and be in a position to conquer your running goals:

Training vs. Racing: In 40 years of running, I’m yet to see the first medal or podium for winning a training run. Too many runners train at 100% effort on a regular basis, not understanding they are undermining their performance by basically racing once, twice or even three times a week. Training is training and you shouldn’t be racing through it. It is that simple. If you train at 80% effort, you should be able to race at 100% effort. It is basic physiology. If you run faster, you will run shorter.

Long run: Sure, it is one of the staples of training and one of the most important drills in our entire plan. But on its own, it does nothing for you. If you don’t run throughout the week, if the long run occupies too large a percentage of your mileage or if you are running faster than prescribed, you won’t be reaping the benefit you are supposed to obtain. Even worse, you could end up injured.

If your training runs end up with this feeling, you are in for a rude awakening (Photo Pexels)

Peaking: Most have questioned at one time, how am I supposed to run 26 miles in October if we can barely make it through 16 in July. And the answer is quite simple: follow your training plan. It is designed to help you run a certain distance, at a certain pace, on a certain period. It is not good to be ready to run goal distance at goal pace, 6-8 weeks before the race. It is physiologically impossible to keep yourself at top performance condition beyond 3-4 weeks, so the time to peak must be managed.

Accumulated Fatigue: As training evolves, the athlete accrues fatigue. This results in heavy legs or not hitting the mark on certain training sessions. When you need to run 20 miles, or 10×800 with four weeks to go on a marathon training cycle, you should be very tired. It is normal. But remember a tapering period is on its way so you’ll be to get the starting line with fresh legs and a strong mind.

Recovery: Runs together with fatigue. Recovery is as important of an element in a training plan as the work itself. Now, as you train hard, the time will come when a recovery run or one off-day is not enough. Be smart and take an additional off-day or a recovery week if needed. Be wise and don’t overtax yourself by completing a specific workout when your body just doesn’t have it on any given day. You are better off cutting a few miles or a couple of reps than spending additional days recovering from an excessive effort.

Adrenaline: Be mindful that race conditions are way different than training conditions. Starting a pre-dawn run around your block is not as appealing as the starting line of the Berlin Marathon or arriving to First Avenue at the NYC Marathon. The spectators, the surroundings and your excitement will give you an adrenaline boost to carry you through. So, don’t overthink it if you lack enthusiasm for a few days. It is covered during race day.

While many of these parameters seem to be common sense, it comes the time when the obvious must be stated so a struggling athlete can be guided to that eureka moment that will allow him/her to regain the trust in the process.

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On Running with Music

by Adolfo Salgueiro | Jul 12, 2022 | Article, Opinion, Personal, Reflection

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

The latest issue of Runner’s World magazine (Issue 4/2022) had a special report titled “Music Makes You a Better Runner”. They ran 17 articles on the subject and, and to be honest, the whole thing was disappointing. Underwhelming. Most articles dealt with anecdotal stories on music saving runners, or helping them overcome obstacles, or getting them hooked on the sport. Sure, they are nice tales, but, for my taste, the overall report lacked substance.

The latest edition of RW has a special report on music making you a better runner. I was not impressed by it.

RW touched on building a play list, the history of music devices from the Walkman (1983) until today’s GPS watches, apps where to listen to music, podcasts and, as you may expect, a list of the best gadgets currently on the market to enhance your running-with-music experience.

In the 20 pages of their special report, they only dedicated 24 column-inches (3.5% of the space) to studies on the benefits (or lack of them) of listening to music while you run. And those mentions are buried in an article about building the right playlist.

Even though running with music is not my thing, I’ve done it at times, and I certainly am not opposed to it. What bothers me is that a magazine like Runner’s World uses 20 pages on the subject and there is not a single mention of the opposite point of view. There must be someone out there who doesn’t think running with music is the best thing since sliced bread. Based on these series of stories, the only conclusion to take is: “I better start listening to music if I want to become a better runner”, and that is categorically untrue.

With my rant over, this is my personal take on running with music:

1 – It is a personal choice: We must respect every runner’s personal decision to listen to music or not. I run how I want, and they run how they want. There is not a single right way to do it. Now, understand that purposefully impairing one of your senses because of the music could put you and others in danger, so, read #2.

2 – You are not alone out there: If you are the one running with music, it is your responsibility to realize you are not alone out there, so you must be aware of your surroundings to keep yourself and other runners safe. You shouldn’t expect the outside world to be on the lookout for you and your safety just because decided to wear headphones.

3 – Don’t miss out on a marathon start: We’ve all seen runners with bulky, noise-cancelling headphones during our races. Nowdays it is all about tiny air pods. What I can’t seem to fathom is runners missing out on the energy, the camaraderie and the experience of starting lines such as New York, Berlin, Chicago or Boston, because they are immersed in their music. Seems to me like they wish they could be alone somewhere else. I always recommend that runners absorb the experience and then, once they are in a rhythm, use music if they need it.

4 – Learn to enjoy your own company: Give running musicless a try and at least figure out if you can enjoy it. Don’t just assume it is impossible for you to run if you don’t have something blaring in your ears. Who knows, maybe you will enjoy time with yourself, with your thoughts, listening to the pounding of your shoes or just watching the time and the landscape pass by. This way, when you do listen to music, it could be even more powerful.

5 – Do not carry the phone in your hand: It is a bad habit that could lead to injury, because clutching something in your hand will mess up your arm swing, and thus, your counterbalance. Nope, Runner’s World didn’t even mention this critical issue. I recently wrote a blog post about it. You can read it by clicking here.

One more thing: If you need a song equivalent to a shot of adrenaline in your heart, I invite you to check Everdream, by Nightwish. It was my go-to song during the brief time I finished my long runs with music.

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It’s Gotta Be Fun!

by Adolfo Salgueiro | Jun 28, 2022 | Article, List, Reflection

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

There are countless valid reasons why we engage in running. Health, weight loss, social interaction, doctor’s orders, keeping stress at bay, we are dopamine junkies, or fill in the blank. And, unless you have an underlying physical condition or health issue, most people can complete a 5K or even a 10K race with no major problem. More adventurous runners can get to the half marathon or even marathon club. But if you want to become more than a check-it-off-the-bucket-list runner, if you want to develop into a lifelong athlete, if you want to constantly assess your limits; your running must include one unavoidable characteristic: It’s gotta be fun!

You would be surprised at how many runners focus so much on results, times, Instagram likes and stats that never realized they could also be having fun.

Explaining why it should be fun is a waste of space. It is so obvious: if it stops being fun, then you will quit. So, I will use my space in this post to list eight basic tips you can apply to make sure you won’t get bored or burnt out in the long run (pun totally intended).

There are no podiums during training sessions. Don’t become that runner (Photo Pexels)

1 – Find a running partner or group: Even though many people run because they want to be alone and take a break from the world, someone to run with can make a world of difference in your athletic life. Being a member of a team may not work for everybody but running buddies will change your life.

2 – There are no podiums during training sessions: We all know that one person who runs all out in each single training session. The one person who will accelerate and refuses to let you pass. Well, that person is on its way to injury, burnout or both. Don’t become that person.

3 – Let the GPS watch do what it was designed to do: Always remember the GPS watch is an indicator of your performance, not the director of your training. It is the GPS watch that serves you, not the other way around. Same principle applies to Instagram, Strava and all other social media platforms.

4 – Learn about the sport: You don’t have to become an erudite on the subject, but you should know the basic elements of running physiology, science and mechanics so you can monitor yourself as you progress and prevent injuries.

5 – Register for a race: Maintaining a race in your schedule is the biggest motivation to keeping you focused on your training. If you know you must run X distance on X day and you paid X Dollars for it, then most likely you’ll plan ahead and make it happen.

Yoga is one of many options to cross train and get better at running (Photo Pexels)

6 – Cross train: As much as we love running and it is our primary sports activity, you won’t last long if all you do on behalf of your running is run. Strength training, yoga, biking, swimming or walking are just a handful of alternatives that may complement your overall program to make you a better runner.

7 – Vary the elements in your route: Switch your running course, run somewhere else, change your daily distance, vary your speed, switch the surface in which you run, the time of the day, get rid of those old, beat-up shoes. This will help you keep it fresh and exciting.

8 – Recover properly: Make sure your body has recovered from your previous workout before you take it for another hard running session. Rest and recovery are as important to your running as running itself. Recovery will keep you fresh, injury free and thus, looking forward to your next run.

Peter Magill sums it up like this in in his book Build Your Running Body: “In the long run, it’s the combination of fun and results that keep your motivation from waning. When you are accomplishing your goal and having a blast, too, chances are that you’ll keep going.”

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Running by Perceived Effort

by Adolfo Salgueiro | Jun 14, 2022 | Article, Reflection, Science

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

As athletes, we have become so accustomed to technology that is has become an intrinsic part of our daily activity. Our GPS watches capture more data about more metrics than we even know what to do with. Even worse, we feel the need to share every single mile, every single plank and every single cross training session with the world, via our social media channels.

Your GPS Watch can measure many parameters, but only you can measure your effort.

As great as it is to have all our metrics a screen-tap away, the need to impress running friends and strangers with our daily achievements could be in detriment of your progress as runners. We know that slow runs are not sexy, they don’t get as many likes. We understand that running 11-minutes miles when you are a well-known Sub-4 marathoner is not what your brand is all about. But, when 80% of your training is supposed to be done at an easy pace, you either make peace with it or stop posting your easy runs. But I digress.

The time has come for us runners to understand that pace and effort are two different parameters. The primary measuring boundary is not how fast you are running, but how hard your body is working at any given time. The latter measurement is called the Perceived Rate of Exertion (PRE). It is also known as Rate of Perceived Effort (RPE).

According to the CDC, Perceived Exertion is how hard you feel like your body is working. It is based on the physical sensations a person experiences during physical activity, including increased heart rate, increased respiration or breathing rate, increased sweating, and muscle fatigue.

PRE can fluctuate dramatically depending on the athlete and the circumstances of any particular run. A 50% effort after a restful, full night of sleep, on a flat surface, at sea level during a cool, dry spring day, will have you running faster than if you ran a hilly course, at noon, in the middle of the summer, at 90% humidity, right after a big fight with your spouse.

There are a handful of scales to measure your PRE, and regardless of the one you prefer, they are all subjective and they end up evaluating the same thing, just using a different label. The most prominent are the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale and the RPE Scale.

Click on the image to expand

The Borg scale was developed by Swedish researcher Gunnar Borg, as a tool for measuring an individual\’s effort and exertion, breathlessness and fatigue during physical work. Its scale goes from 6 through 20 and it is set to roughly correlate heart rate. But, as revolutionary as it was when first proposed, that 6-20 range results very awkward to visualize. Plus, not everyone’s heart rate rests at 60 nor it maxes out at 200. Even experienced athletes have a challenging time figuring out where they are from 6-20 at any given moment when 6 is sitting/resting while 20 is maximal exertion. See the accompanying chart.

I personally prefer and recommend to my trained runners, an RPE Scale that goes from 1 to 10. This is nothing but a modification of Borg, but much easier to visualize both in theory and in practice. A Training at 5/10 RPE is at 50% of maximum effort instead of a 12/20 PRE. When you need to do a hill repeat at 7/10 RPE it is easy to figure out where 70% of maximum effort is, rather than a 16/20. See accompanying graphic.

Click on the image to expand

Because the cardinal sin of running is going too hard on easy days, the key to these scales is to figure out where your easy pace fits in. When your coach asks you to “run easy”, understand that you are asked to run at a 4-5/10 effort (40 to 50% of maximum effort), or whatever other parameter your coach has set up for that day. This is the sweet spot. It will feel like walking if you are not used to easy running but, with time, it will serve you well. Guaranteed.

As cliché as it sounds, always remember the GPS watch is an indicator of your performance, not the director of your training. It is the GPS watch that serves you, not the other way around. Stick to your plan and don’t get exerted more than prescribed. It is the key to maintaining yourself fresh, rested, injury-free and ready for hard workouts.

Have faith in the process. In a Runner’s World article from October 2021, Grete Waitz, former marathon world-record holder, Olympic medalist and nine-time winner of the New York City Marathon, was quoted stating: “Hurry slowly”. Believe me, she knew what she was talking about.

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Adjusting to Summer Running

by Adolfo Salgueiro | May 31, 2022 | Article, List, Reflection, Science

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

Since the majority of my readers and trainees are in the Northern Hemisphere and the weather is warming up rapidly despite being three weeks away from the Summer Solstice, the time has come to remind all athletes that running during the hottest times of the year requires purposeful and intentional adjustments. These modifications are not optional. If you don’t alter your habits, you will not only be unable to maintain or increase your fitness, but you could get seriously hurt.

Heat related injuries won’t break your bones, but they could have lasting effects on your body, and thus, on the future of running.

So, here are 5 tips to adjust to summer running.

1 – Understand what is happening – There are two basic things that happen when you run in a hot and/or humid environment. They just are, so there is no use in fighting them.

1A – The first one is basic physics: Humid air is denser than dry air, so it takes more effort to displace a heavier mass of air, thus enhancing the effort it takes to run at the same speed.

1B – The second one is basic biology: The human body cools off by sweating and the blood contains about 92% water. The more you sweat without replenishing fluids, the more water gets sucked out of your bloodstream and the ticker blood becomes, making it more difficult to circulate. That alone, spells deep trouble.

If you can’t adjust the time of your tun, you may end up on the dreaded treadmill (Julia Larson, Pexels)

2 – Adjust the time of your running – If you live in places like Florida, Texas or similar, your two options are adjusting to run in the heat/humidity or not running at all. If you want to continue running, you must do it at the coolest time possible, when it is gentler to the body. Before sunrise or after sunset are the basic choices. Wake up earlier or wait until later. If you can’t then the dreaded treadmill seems like your option, but that comes with its own set of particularities that you will have to deal with.

A good hack is to keep your running shirt and hat in the freezer and put them on right before you hit the road. This will cool off your core and provide you with a few comfortable initial miles before the inevitable sets in.

3 – Slow your race – There is a reason most mainstream races take place in the fall or the spring. Who wants their goal race in the thick of the scorching summer? So, since summer is usually the time to get ready for the upcoming season, it is the perfect time to take care of the feared strength training and to build up your aerobic engine, which is done by running slower than usual. Your fall and spring PRs are built during the summer. Take advantage of it. Don’t worry about what the fast people in your running group may say or what your Instagram followers may think.

Hydration during the summer months is key, but overhydration can be a life threatening condition (Ketut Subiyanto, Pexels)

4 – Careful about overhydration: Hydration is key during the summer, but hydration is not only what you consume as you run. Hydration should be a 24/7 habit that will put you as close to fully hydrated when you start your GPS watch. Your body is designed to lose fluids and run without replenishing every single drop of water you lose. Don’t fall into the temptation of overindulging on water or sports drinks or you could experience hyponatremia, a condition in which the sodium levels are so diluted that it could cause seizures, coma and even death. For more on hyponatremia, I invite you to read what the Cleveland Clinic website has to say about this serious condition.

5 – Beware of the signs – Running during the summer has challenges that go beyond having to run earlier, later or slower. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are two of the most serious perils from running in inhospitable climates. It is important to know and recognize the symptoms of each one, so you can adjust properly and avoid a mishap that with luck, it will only keep you out for a few weeks, without it, it could kill you. I wrote an earlier post on heat exhaustion vs. heat stroke. I invite you to revisit it by clicking here.

Running in the heat and humidity is no joke. Please be careful out there. Never lose sight that you need to live to run another day. The line between toughness and doing something stupid is very thin and if you cross it, you can get seriously hurt.

There are no medals or podiums during training, so, be smart out there and remember you are only getting ready for next season.

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