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Written by Neely Gracey
Updated by Cally Macumber

The main way to meet your goals is to follow your training plan, but it never hurts to put a little thought into what could help support your active lifestyle! Recovery, Strength Training, Consistency, Hydration, Mid Run/Race Fueling, and Pre-Run /Post-Run Nutrition are all important details that will help you feel stronger and healthier. There will be a series of blog posts on each of these topics, stay tuned!

Pre-Run and Post-Run Nutritionsmoothie

When it comes to good eating habits, the number one thing to remember is moderation. Unless you have an allergy, or know certain foods don’t sit well in your stomach, then nothing is off limits. It’s all about the timing, and learning a good routine that works well for you. There are two key times when nutrition is critical during training; pre-run, and post-run. Let’s explore these in more detail.

Pre-run fueling is critical to dial in, especially if you have a sensitive stomach. If you’re a morning runner, you may not have much time to grab a snack before heading out to get in your training. Try something light, easy to digest, and carb focused for quick fuel. A banana, piece of toast, granola bar, sports chews, electrolyte mix, etc. All followed by water to wash it down and kick start your hydration for the day. Getting in some calories and fluids before a morning run is really important because you haven’t eaten for many hours, and you may have become dehydrated throughout the night. Fueling up beforehand will help ensure the success of your training efforts.

If you’re an afternoon/evening runner, than you have a day of meals to plan before your run. The morning isn’t too specific, but the meal/snack 3 hours prior to your run is very important. You will want to stick to something bland and not too heavy. A giant burrito may not leave you feeling great on your upcoming workout. Instead, try a sandwich, soup and side salad, sushi, etc. Good choices are things that are low in fats, easy to digest, and include no ingredients that irritate your stomach. Having a meal 3 hours before a run allows the body time to process and use the food as fuel. This will also help prevent cramps from eating too close to exercise.

Post-run fueling is all about starting the recovery process. In a run, your muscles are put under stress, and afterwards, they need protein to rebuild. Having carbs with your protein helps expedite this process, and according to the Olympic Training Performance Center, can also help boost your immune system. If you struggle to eat solids after running, you’re not alone! Try yogurt, smoothies, popsicles, or protein enriched milk. Whatever you consume post run, focus on carbs, proteins, antioxidants, essential fats, and fluids. The suggestion is to get in 100-200 calories within an hour of completing your run. You then have enough fuel to kick start recovery, protein synthesis, and rehydration before you get in your next full meal.  Finding a routine that works for you will allow your body to function at it’s best and be ready to nail those workouts as you chase your goals.

Published in Nutrition
January 20, 2023

Select Your Goal

We know not every goal ends in a race, so don’t worry, we got your back. Our New Goals list has been updated to better suit your training endeavors as you progress from where you are to where you want to be.

While you can still sign up using a race as your goal, these four New Goals options help you find the perfect amount of training and intensity you want in your personalized fitness program.
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1-Get Started! A 12 week plan to get you moving and in a new lifestyle routine. This plan is designed to build you to 8-12 miles/wk with a 4-5 Mi. Long Run.

2-Get Faster! A 24 week plan to get you more active towards long term goals. This plan is designed to build you to 8-12 miles/wk with a 4-5 Mi. Long Run.

3-Get Fitter! A 12 week plan to get you from your current fitness to the next level. This plan is designed to build you to 18-22 miles/wk with a 7-8 Mi. Long Run.

4-Go Further! A 24 week plan to get you more miles and intensity. This plan is designed to build you to 18-22 miles/wk with a 7-8 Mi. Long Run.

Happy Running!

Sign up here!
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Published in New Features

New_Goals_Page

Did you update your iPhone app?  The new Runcoach release allows members to more easily manage goals, review historical data, and adjust training progress through our vVO2
marker!

What is vVO2 and how does it apply to me?

You may have come across this term in your Runcoach, Movecoach, or My Run Plan training.  vVO2 is the marker we use to determine your training paces. The little v is for velocity. VO2 is the maximum amount of oxygen an individual’s body can use during intense aerobic exercise. Put together, vVO2 means the meters per minute covered by the individual; essentially how fast you are running when you hit VO2 effort.

But wait, there’s more! vVO2 changes constantly. As your body becomes more efficient, your vVO2 will increase. The heart gets stronger and can pump more blood, the running muscles become better developed and can handle more stress put on them, and your form improves due to repetition. This development of increased economy is what makes you faster! The more improvement you get in economy, the easier it will be to run further and faster with less effort.

So how can you apply this to your training? We do it for you! The algorithms used with Runcoach, Movecoach, and My Run Plan take into consideration your current fitness to start. As you progress, your plan will automatically update to match your improvements in economy (thus increasing your vVO2) as you get faster by consistently following your training plan!

Tap here from your phone or go to the new "MANAGE" tab in the app to check it out.

Android update will come in April, don't think we forgot about you!

Published in How it Works

This is a great read about endurance activity and increased heart metabolism.

One of the key points is that the research was done with heart rates at 65-75% of capacity.  Since maintenance pace keeps you in the 65-80% MHR range this study is highly applicable to running.  The fact that these stimuli seem to return the heart to a metabolic state of youth could be paramount in heart disease prevention and overall cardiac throughput.

In theory our threshold/10K/VO2 work could stimulate an even greater cardiac metabolism since we operate closer to 85-95% of MHR.

If you’re in anywhere between 30-90 years old, this is a great read.

Exercise Makes Hearts Grow Younger
Published in Running Research

This week, I finally gave our double stroller away – my kids now weighing far too much in combination, and having long since passed the time when they found it acceptable to be belted into the stroller and pushed along the bike path or the sidewalk.   As I watched it folded up and driven away in someone else’s car for someone else’s kids, I must confess to a bit of nostalgia. 

Published in Training
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