Us runners love our carbs. And for a good reason. Carbohydrates are the preferred fuel for endurance exercise that is anything above leisurely pace. Many of us runners are also familiar with the dreaded bonk – also known as hitting the wall. Bonking describes the point when your body runs out of available muscle glycogen …
“You’re not you when you’re hungry.”– Snickers The crash comes suddenly. One moment you’re cruising over the trails, marveling at the scenery and taking in nature’s sounds, feeling at peace with yourself and the world. And then your legs give out. Your stomach suddenly feels squeezy, and you feel like you can’t run another step. …
I have always been an early morning runner. When it’s still dark outside, and only the sounds of a lonely blackbird and the whistling of tree branches disrupt the eerie silence, I lace up my running shoes. Coffee has been my fuel of choice for the longest time. What’s been missing? Calories. I ran fasted …
“Self-Talk is the most important conversation of your life.” ― Jesus Apolinaris Running is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one. The quality of your thoughts determines whether you enjoy your training sessions and how you will respond when you hit a rough patch during a run. Negative self-talk undermines your …
3 Strategies To Harness The Power Of Positive Self-Talk And Level Up Your Running Read More »
Every runner has their favorite type of workout. For me, it’s fartlek runs. For others, it may be interval sessions or the weekly long run. However, very few runners will cite recovery runs as their favorite workout types. In fact, recovery runs may be one of the most underrated workouts in a recreational runner’s arsenal. …
I fell in love with running in my 20’s. At that time, I was an exchange student in South Africa and wanted to lose weight. It wasn’t long before I discovered running’s powerful positive effects on my mental health. My relationship with my body changed from self-criticism and fault finding to one of thankfulness and …
Fartlek equals fun. And not only because the name might make you giggle. No. These workouts are perfect for breaking any boredom you might experience from the monotony of doing the same structured workouts week after week, month after month. Fartlek is a Swedish term that means “speed play.” You can think of it as …
3 Reasons Why Fartleks Are Your Secret Weapon To Becoming A Stronger Runner Read More »
When I got interested in ultrarunning, I started to think about how to fuel myself during a run. Before stepping up to ultradistances, I hardly considered eating during my runs a necessity. I also raced half-marathons and marathons on nothing more than water. Foolish, I know. Today, I know better and include a source of …
“Ultramarathons are eating contests with a little bit of food thrown in.” That statement by ultrarunning legend Ann Trason illustrates perfectly the importance of fueling during ultramarathon racing. More often than not, however, this is an area many runners overlook when training for an ultramarathon. The result? Stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, and a resulting inability …
If you want to develop your potential as a runner and don’t work with a coach, you need to learn how to plan your running year. This is especially true if you are running ultra-marathons, as ultra-running programs are usually longer and, on top of that, differ from training plans for shorter distances and even …
A 5-Step Framework To Plan Your Ultra-Running Year Read More »