7 Running Myths

7 Running Myths

by | Feb 2, 2021 | Coaching, Exercises, List, Science

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

As running becomes more popular and there is more money to be invested and made in the sport, snake oils and other bogus claims permeate the popular culture and get hold of our running ethos. While some explanations made sense in the 1920s or the 1980s, science has developed and progressed enough to prove, adjust or disprove most of our understanding on these concepts and their application to running.

These are seven myths that once were held as running gospel that today, no longer apply. Of course, this is not a comprehensive list, it is just a handful of the most prevalent myths of our day and age.

1.      Carbo loading before a race or long run: The carbs we consume throughout the day are metabolized by the body into glycogen, which is the go-to fuel burnt by the body for energy. The amount of glycogen our bodies can story is finite, and it is stored in the liver and muscles. Muscles don’t borrow from each other, so, that 3rd or 4th serving of pasta the night before a race does nothing for you. Actually, it will adversely affect you because your body will be spending energy digesting food it won’t need to produce energy the next morning and you may also need a potty break to unload all that unneeded food you consumed last night.

Running Myths

You don’t have to look like a Kenyan to be a runner. You only have to run.

2.      I don’t have a runner’s body, therefore, I can’t be a runner: You don’t have to look like a Kenyan to be successful runner. You may not win the Boston Marathon, but you don’t need it to be a considered a runner. There is one and only one parameter to measure your worthiness of being labeled as a runner: you must run. Skinny, overweight, tall, short, young, old, male, female, or in-between. It doesn’t matter. If you run, you are a runner.

 3.      The 10% rule: According to many experts and training gurus, you should never increase your mileage run more than 10% week over week. This is an urban myth from the 1980’s not based on science.  It is a guideline, not a rule. According to University of Houston Coach Steve Magness, this theory has been tested a couple of times and there was no decrease on injury rate based on this guideline, which is what this parameter is supposed to control. The amount of mileage an athlete can increase will depend on what their body structure and level of fitness are able to withstand, and this can change over time.

 4.      Only fast running will make you fast: It is intuitive to think that to run fast you need to train running fast. And fast running is an important part of the equation. But to maintain your speed during a long run, you need to train your aerobic system and teach your body to burn fat as fuel, which can only be done by not taxing the body into only using the immediate sources of energy (glycogen). No one is stating you only need to run slow, but you do need to make slow running part of your training to run fast.

 5.      Stretch before you run: Cold static stretching is not recommended when your muscles are unready for such a movement. It is a recipe for injury. Dynamic warm up moves such as lunges, leg swings, jogging in place and hip openers will get your muscles warmed up, your heart rate elevated and your core temperature ready for action. Stretching after your workout could be beneficial but it is not required. If it feels good, go for it .Personally, it makes me feel better, so I do it.

 
Running Myths

What may have made sense in the 1980s regarding the 10% rule or carbo loading, has already been disproved by science, yet the myths are still holding strong.

6.      If you have energy for a fast final kick, you didn’t give your all: When we kick at the end of a race to shave off a few seconds off the clock, push for that PR or pass that last few runners, it is not because we did not give our all out there. According to the Central Governor Theory by Tim Noakes, once the brain realizes we are almost there and it will not run out of resources, it unleashes the reserves. Therefore, usually, nobody dies at the end of a race. So feel free to kick at the end if you have it in you. It is your brain is giving you permission to do so.

 7.      VO2Max is the end-all measurement of performance: As popular as this measurement has become thanks to our Garmin watches giving us constant updates, what it measures is the maximum amount of oxygen our bodies can handle at maximum effort. If we don’t know what it means and what we can do with it, it becomes useless. And, by the way, VO2Max cannot be measured by an algorithm in your watch. So don’t overthink this one.

Did I miss anything?

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The Basics About Electrolytes

The Basics About Electrolytes

by | Oct 13, 2020 | Science

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

Electrolytes

Table salt is the most basic and cheapest way to keep your electrolytes in balance, but there is still much more to it than that.

As runners, we’ve all heard the term “electrolytes”. We know they are key to our success and most likely they are at fault when we bonk during a long run on a hot day. We know that Gatorade has them. We know we better replenish them lest we get into trouble. As Robb Wolf, co-founder of LMNT Hydration well put it: “Electrolytes can mean the difference between feeling like a champ and feeling like garbage”.

But… do we know what they are? Do we know what they do? There hast to be more than one of them since the word is plural, so, which ones are they?

According to Medlineplus.gov, “Electrolytes are minerals in your body that have an electric charge. They are in your blood, urine, tissues, and other body fluids. Electrolytes are important because they help balance the amount of water in your body, balance your body\’s acid/base (pH) level, move nutrients into your cells, move wastes out of your cells and make sure that your nerves, muscles, heart, and brain work the way they should.”

As you can see, you don’t need to be much of a scientist to realize these are important elements to keep well stocked and balanced within your body, not only during long runs but during your daily life.

Your body can and should take in electrolytes during the day through the foods and drinks you consume. You don’t need to drink Pedialyte all day to keep them topped off.

Electrolytes

As you can see in this graphic, there is way much more than water in your sweat.

We need to be careful with electrolytes as we may run into trouble not only if we run low, but we can also break homeostasis if we consume too much of them. Have you ever washed an electrolytes tablet with Gatorade in the latter part of a long run? Believe me, you don’t want to know.

It all has to do with the delicate balance of water your body requires to function properly. Tipping such balance either way will affect the electrolyte concentration and could have you either dehydrated or overhydrated. None of these options are good.

The key electrolytes to keep your eye on, are:

Sodium and chloride: maintain fluid balance and nerve function.
Potassium: prevents cramping.
Calcium and magnesium: control muscle contraction and heart rhythm.
Phosphate: Used as a building block for the substances used by the cells for energy, cell membranes and DNA

According to hydration experts, during your running the most common electrolytes you sweat are sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl). These are the two elements that form common table salt (NaCl). This comes to show that replenishing basic electrolytes can be as basic and cheap as having a plan to do so before you get into trouble. Other elements like potassium, magnesium and calcium are sweated in lesser amounts but shouldn’t be overlooked.

There are many electrolyte options in the market to keep yourself properly hydrated and balanced throughout your day and long runs. Personally, I am not a fan of Gatorade because of the excess sugar, which causes a spike as soon as you ingest it, but it is followed by a crash. That is why I no longer take it even during races.

My electrolyte choice for the last couple of years has been the Nuun tablet. I also consume Hammer Endurolytes as an alternative and they both have worked like a charm for me. I have also experimented with Generation UCan hydration with solid results but no longer use it. Coconut water is amazing but since it is not easy to carry around and it is not offered during races, I had to stop using it.

None of these products endorses me. There are plenty of other options in the market. The ones I mentioned are based on my individual experience. Visit your local running store and ask for help, they should be able to offer you choices based on what type of runner you are.

Keep yourself hydrated and your electrolytes well balanced so you can safely enjoy the countless benefits of a long run.

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Running with a Mask in Times of Pandemic

Running with a Mask in Times of Pandemic

by | Oct 6, 2020 | Article, Reflection, Science

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

Before we get started, I must remind everyone that I am not an infectious medicine specialist. If you want scientific advice, I recommend you listen and follow what Dr. Anthony Fauci has to say regarding Covid-19. With this disclaimer out of the way, the following are my thoughts on running with a mask during times of pandemic.

Running with a Mask

By trial-and-error we will find what works best of us individually (Photo by cottonbro from Pexels)

Eight months or so into the Covid-19 pandemic, and four after the economy was inevitably reopened, we’ve returned to our group activities such as work, extended family and exercising with as much caution as possible. Social distancing keeps being the new norm, hugs and kisses have been replaced to fist and elbow bumps, and masks have become a political issue. As runners, we’ve had to adjust to this new reality in order to keep moving forward and to keep the social aspect of our sport alive. The uncomfortableness of wearing a mask is a small price to pay.

According to Certified Personal Trainer Timothy Lyman in a recent article in Runner’s World Magazine,  “Running with a mask, or any other type of face covering, is inherently more difficult because you have to work harder to get the same amount of air into your lungs”. Of course this will vary depending on the type of are wearing.

Getting used to running covering your nose and mouth requires time, commitment and training. Figuring out what mask works better for you, when is the best time to have it on or just available for immediate use, are part of such training. Knowing in what situations you should or should not wear it has also been a trial-and-error endeavor.

The same article in Runner’s World states that: As a general rule, a mask is necessary if you’re running in a populated area where you’re likely to encounter other people. If you’re running alone in an area where you won’t encounter others or come within 6 feet (at a minimum) of others, it’s likely not necessary. But keep in mind that wearing a face covering is not a substitute for physical distancing—make sure to still keep at least six feet of distance between yourself and others while running.

Through my personal experience running over 600 miles during the pandemic, what I’ve figure out is that even though I may not need a mask when I run alone, I rather have one because inevitably I will cross paths with strangers that either do not care to help you create the safe distance or, you meet them in places where it is just impossible to separate. Therefore, I always run with a cloth mask on my chin or neck, which I can immediately access to cover my face when required. It has worked so far for me and I recommend it.

Running with a Mask

It is important to keep your social distance even if you are running with your buddies (check how I have a mask on my neck ready to be used at a moment’s notice) – Photo by Ted Sassi.

In my two running groups, we all use face coverings until we start. As for running together, we try to stay close enough to keep the social aspect of running alive but separate enough to adhere to the protocols. The post-run cafĂŠ-con-leche or beers, are strictly held outdoors.

For group running, Dr. Jennifer Marin, from @Obesalud, recommends not running one behind the next but keeping a diagonal formation with 5-meter (15 feet) of separation. This is an interesting, overcautious suggestion, worth looking into.

An important consideration is that, regardless of the type of mask you wear, you need to go out of your way to keep it clean and disinfected. The constant breathing will dampen it and thus less effective. I you don’t wash it; it will attract microorganisms that you will be breathing in and may negate the benefits of wearing a mask in the first place. So make sure you keep several of them in your running bag so you can rotate them appropriately.

Yes, running with a mask is a pain in the ass. No questions about it. But a worse option is having Covid-19. So suck it up, get used to the discomfort, wear a mask like a good citizen and keep on running with your buddies.

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So, Tell Me About Your VO2Max

So, Tell Me About Your VO2Max

by | Jul 8, 2020 | Article, Reflection, Science

By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

It is interesting when you with your running buddies and they start bragging about their VO2Max number. “Mine is 41”, says Runner #1. “Mine is currently at 39 but it has been going up for the last 3 weeks”, comes back Runner #2. “I am down to 43 but have been up to 44 as recently as last month”, chimes in the Runner #3. Funny thing is that if you ask any of them what VO2Max is, you can pretty much bet that none of them will know.

VO2Max

These are the elements that conform VO2Max (British spelling used here)

VO2Max stands for the maximum (Max) volume (V) of oxygen (O2) that your body can utilize at maximum effort. It is obvious that the more oxygen your body can handle, the more efficient it is and the faster you should be able to run. Eliud Kipchoge has been measured at 75 while the fittest of my readers most likely be under 50.

VO2Max is measured as an absolute rate in liters of oxygen per minute (L/min) or as a relative rate in in milliliters of oxygen per kilo of body mass per minute (ml/kg/min). Yes, this is a little bit technical, well, more than a little bit. The point here is to understand that if you can barely grasp the concept and how this parameter is measured, you shouldn’t make it your end-all factor to measure your progress, let alone your value as a runner.

The VO2Max is a valuable tool if you know what you are looking at. But lately it has become overemphasized, primarily because watches now flash the number as if it were a badge of honor.

VO2Max

Unless your watch can be hooked to this machine, it cannot measure your VO2Max

VO2Max is tested in a specialized lab. While on a treadmill, with a mask covering your nose and mouth, while running to exhaustion, the machinery measures how much oxygen goes into your body and how much oxygen comes out. The difference between the two numbers while at maximum effort, is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can process at such speed, thus, your VO2Max. Your watch cannot measure this, regardless of how sophisticated and expensive it is.

In conclusion, VO2Max may work or not, I am not a sports scientist nor have read enough to know the extent of its reach. But what I do know is that it is not the end-all parameter to measure your progress or success. To me, a PR on my next 5K or marathon seems a much better way. And, once again, it CANNOT be measure by an equation on your watch.

It is not in the scope of this blogpost to advocate for or against VO2Max. It is not either to explain the science and value of the parameter, which, of course, does have a value.

If you want to learns more about the subject and are ready for a deep technical read, Steve Magness, head coach for the University of Houston, and an authority on the science of running, has a few articles on this, which I highly recommend. You can click on the links below to access them:

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Book Review: Run for Your Life

Book Review: Run for Your Life

by | Jun 17, 2020 | Book Review

Run for Your LifeBook Author: Mark Cucuzzella
Review by Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

I read about Mark Cucuzzella for the first time through mentions on another book I have read a couple of years ago. To the author he seemed to know what he was talking about. Then, in the Marathon Training Academy podcast I heard an interview of the author about his “Run for Your Life” book and I knew I had to read it. It took a bit longer than I wanted to get my hands on it but once I got it, I consumed it with passion.

Cuccuzzella is a doctor and a runner who is passionate about both. His bio on Google Books reads as follows: Dr. Mark Cucuzzella, Air Force Reserve lieutenant colonel, practices family medicine in Ranson and Martinsburg, West Virginia. He is a professor at the West Virginia University School of Medicine and conducts Healthy Running Medical Education courses. He has run competitively for almost four decades, with more than one hundred marathon and ultramarathon finishes, and he continues to compete as a national-level masters runner with an active streak of thirty straight years under a three-hour marathon. Cucuzzella owns the first minimalist running and walking store, Two Rivers Treads, in his hometown of Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

The book is divided into three parts and an Appendices section. The parts are: Before the Starting Line, The Body in Motion and Running is for Everyone. Each one touches in form a different perspective, the importance, the right way, and the approach to human movement so you can do it smarter, stronger and springier. This book is as much for sub-3 marathoners as it is for walkers wanting to complete their first 5k.

Run for Your Life

Dr. Cucuzzella has run sub-3 marathons for 30 years in a row

Each one of the 19 chapters concludes with a short section of drills to address what was taught in the previous pages. Such drills are not just strengthening or stretching exercises, but approaches, mental exercises or adjustments in your mechanics, your approach to exercise on your everyday life. It also has a companionship website where the recommended exercises and drills are explained in video format and additional scientific resources are available.

Dr. Cucuzzella is a firm proponent of the minimalist shoe. He gives a scientific-based explanation on why this is the way to go, as well as the right way to transition there. As interesting and well supported as his theory is, I don’t see myself switching to a minimalist shoe anytime soon, although it has made me reassess my selection of footwear, which I have already discussed with the manager of my local running store.

Part II was the key section of the book for me. It is about the science of running. The part the brain controls, the engine that builds endurance, nutrition, recovery, injury prevention, flexibility; how to make your muscles, tendons and ligaments work on your behalf and biomechanics of our gait. His explanation is so well adjusted for non-doctor readers and so solidly and convincingly based on science, that I have already adopted a few of his recommended adjustments and have seen amazing improvements on my step, which are confirmed in the way my running shoes have started wearing out.

This book is worth the money and the time invested in reading it. It is not about how many miles to run on Saturday and how many 400 reps you need to do on Wednesday. Once you are done with the book, make sure to keep it handy because it will become a consultation volume for years to come.

I someone knows Dr. Cucuzzella, please send him a big thank you on my behalf. There are many great running books out there. This is certainly one of them.

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