5 Foods to Improve Your Running Performance

With the great weather we've been having this fall, there is plenty of opportunity to keep your fitness routine going all the way up through the holidays. If you're a runner, living in a cold climate can often derail your exercise goals if you are not able to get outside and run as much for several months in the winter. You can still run indoors though, and when you do, make sure you're eating the right foods to stay on track!

There are a few things you may already know about food and your running performance. You may have realized, perhaps by learning the hard way, that it’s not good to eat right before you run. You may have also realized that some foods give you more energy than others. But what you might not realize is that food also has numerous health benefits, and when you choose the right foods it can enhance your running performance. Here are 5 to incorporate into your diet year-round.

#1. Nuts

(Image courtesy of zole4 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

Nuts like almonds and pecans have three benefits for runners. They contain healthy omega fatty acids which reduce inflammation. Reduced inflammation means less irritation and pain in your muscles and joints. They also contain a healthy amount of protein which is needed for muscle repair. And during runs nuts are rich in fiber which digests slowly in your body and helps your blood sugar levels remain even.

#2. Quinoa

Perhaps you’ve heard about this wonder grain. Quinoa is a whole grain that is packed with protein. As a whole grain that means it is an excellent source of carbohydrates which runners need for energy. And the protein in quinoa helps your muscles repair after your run. When your body has a food source to turn to for muscle and cellular repair it results in fewer aches and pains.

#3. Coffee

Caffeine is a common ingredient in many sports nutrition drinks, gels, and bars. It provides a nice energy boost during your workout. Studies have also shown that people who consume caffeine before a race or a run have a lower perceived effort level. Meaning they don’t feel like they have to work as hard to achieve the same result. Take care though; some runners suffer from stomach distress if they consume coffee before a run - and moderation is always key. One cup of coffee is plenty.

(Image courtesy of dan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

#4. Salmon

We’re back to those amazing omega three fatty acids. Salmon is one of the best sources for these fats. They reduce inflammation throughout your body including your lungs and heart too. Studies have shown that eating salmon reduces asthma symptoms. You can also take an omega three fatty acid supplement or try another cold water fish like cod.

#5. Steel Cut Oats

Steel cut oats are the unprocessed form of oatmeal. They take a bit longer to cook than your standard quick oats but they taste better too. Try them with nuts and berries for a breakfast that will keep you full and energized for your entire run. The carbohydrates from the oats are an excellent source of energy. The berries provide antioxidants and the nuts are rich with omega fatty acids and protein.

Experiment with different foods to find the pre and post workout meals that work best for you. As a runner you know the importance of providing your body with energy, so give it the best fuel possible with these five foods.

5 More Running Tips For Beginning & Advanced Runners

Last week we covered the top five running tips, but there are always more ways to make running easier and more effective.  The previous article addressed starting small, choosing the right running gear, staying motivated, running when it’s right for you, and pushing through on those tough days.  This week we're continuing where we left off, with some more tips to help improve your running program - no matter what level you're at.

Stretch hips & back after running. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

#1. Stretch after you run. 
Many people believe that it’s important to stretch before you run; however stretching after you run is significantly more important.  What is important to do before you run is to warm up your muscles.  This can be accomplished by walking for a few minutes.  When stretching after your run, you’ll of course want to pay attention to your leg muscles, however your neck and back muscles will benefit from a good stretch too.  Running uses your core and stretching will help you maintain proper form resulting in less pain.

#2.  Take days off.  Running every single day will actually cause you more harm than good, and may cause painful overuse injuries which will inevitably force you to take weeks if not months off from running.  If you don’t want to take a day completely off, do some form of exercise that doesn’t require using your running muscles.  Lift weights, do yoga or some other form of exercise to give your joints and muscles a well deserved rest.

#3.  Don’t try anything new on race days.  If you’re competing, it’s tempting to try a new sports nutrition item that day or to wear different clothing.  This is almost always a mistake.  Race days are the days where you do what you best know how to do.  If you want to try something new - and by all means do - it’s a great way to improve, try it on your training days.

#4.  Always tell someone where you’re running and when you’ll be back.  This is a must.  If you live alone and don’t have anyone to tell, then at least write it down and carry your cell phone and mace with you.  When you’re running many things can happen from running into a dangerous animal to being hit by a car.  It’s important to have your ID on you, a cell phone and mace or pepper spray if you’re running by yourself.

#5.  Learn running safety and follow the rules.  Running safety rules dictate that you run facing traffic.  If you’re running at night then a reflective vest and even a headlamp can help you both see where you’re going and help others see you.  It’s okay to run with music however make sure you can still hear others around you.  These are by no means all the safety rules but they’re a beginning.  Learn them and follow them to stay safe.

As you continue running you’re sure to find a few tips that work optimally for you.  Every runner has their favorite running tips.  Chat with other runners, learn from them and share. It’s part of the fun of being a runner!

5 Running Tips for Beginning & Advanced Runners

Running is a great sport that offers something for almost everyone.  Regardless of whether you are running for health or competition, you can run for a few miles or a few hours – there are even races which last a few days!  However, regardless of how or why you run there are a few tips that apply to just about everyone.

Tip #1:  Start Small.  Rome wasn’t built in a day, and deciding to hit the road and run ten miles when you’ve not run nine, eight, seven, six, or fewer miles is a sure way to injure yourself.  Not only that but if you decide to just hit the road without any prior training or buildup you may end up unable to accomplish your goal and end up feeling bad about yourself.  Not what running is about at all!

A "low profile" sole provides greater stability. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tip #2:  Don’t Neglect Proper Running Gear.  That includes running bras for the women, support shorts for the men, and well fitting running shoes all around.  Well fitting running shoes are worth their weight in gold and can prevent injuries and needless pain. (Stay tuned later this month for some tips on picking the right pair for you.)

Tip #3: Take Steps to Stay Motivated.  Some people are motivated by running with groups.  The social aspect of it makes the time more enjoyable and they push themselves more if they’re running with others.  Other people are motivated by running by themselves and simply enjoy the quiet time.  Some are motivated by small progression in speed and/or distance, while others long to compete and will be motivated by signing up for an upcoming race.  Find your motivation!

Tip #4:  Run When It’s Right for You.  Often when people get started running they try to squeeze extra time into the day by getting up early and running then.  That’s great if you’re a morning person however if you’re not a morning person then getting up early is going to be pure torture.  Rather than trying to force yourself to be something you’re not, run when it feels right for you.  That can be at lunch, or after work in the evening if the timing is better for your mind and body. 

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tip #5:  Know That Some Days Are Better Than Others.  While it would be great if every run were better than the last one and every run felt great, that’s just not reality.  Whether the weather is crummy, or you just don't feel like running, some days it’s just difficult to put one foot in front of the other.  When you get out and run on those tough days and manage to complete it, those are the days to really be proud of yourself.

Finally, and yes the article says top 5 tips, but there’s one last tip that is vital to your success – stay hydrated and remember to pay attention to your nutrition.  If you’re running for more than 60 minutes you will want to take water with you and always consume a high protein snack when you return.  It’ll help your muscles recover more quickly which means less muscle pain for you the next day.

[Video] Introduction to Interval Running for Beginners

Interval running, or applying interval training methods to running, can be a great way to both improve your overall health and fitness and boost your metabolism to accelerate your weight loss efforts. The interval method helps to strengthen your cardiovascular system, and improve your recovery time, as well as burning fat more quickly than steady-pace running.

If you're a runner wanting to improve your results, or someone just getting started with running, check out this short video to  learn how and why the interval running method works. And feel free to click the link below the video for two FREE sample audio training workouts.

Click Here to Get Your Two FREE Interval Training I-Pod Workouts...

Getting Started With Running for Fitness

It's finally lovely spring weather outside, so for the next couple of months, we're going to share some great tips and workouts for getting in shape for the summer!

Since the weather is so beautiful and it's not too hot yet, we're starting off by talking about getting started with a running program. Running is a great way to get in shape while enjoying the beautiful outdoors!

Beginning running can be a big step for some people. Not only are you committing to better health and fitness you may be committing to losing weight and finding time in your day for yourself.  Once you’ve made the choice to run it’s time to choose a running program. 

Types Of Running Programs For Beginners

One of the most common running programs for beginners involves interval training.  Yes, the very same interval training sprinters use to increase their speed only your goal isn’t’ really to increase your speed your goal is to increase your time running.  Here’s how it works.

Choose a distance or a time goal, for example thirty minutes or three miles.  You can even choose one mile, it’s all up to you.  Once you’ve chosen a realistic distance or time goal, break it up into manageable intervals. 

For example if you’ve chosen thirty minutes, which is the minimum amount of time doctors recommend you spend on cardiovascular exercise each day, then you might decide to walk for four minutes and run for one minute.  If you continue this for thirty minutes you will have walked for 24 minutes and run for six minutes.  Depending on your running speed, you may run anywhere from half a mile to a mile which is a great start. 

Repeat this interval training three days a week, adding one minute to your running time and subtracting one minute from your walking time.  The goal being to eventually run the full thirty minutes and from there you can increase your running time or choose to work on how fast you run depending on your goals. (If you want some guidance with this, Treadmill Trainer has some great iPod workouts to get you started.)

Another type of running program for beginners is to run as long as you can initially, assuming you’ve warmed your muscles up by walking for ten minutes, and then to walk the remainder of the time or distance. 

For example once you’ve warmed up perhaps you’re able to run for five minutes leaving you twenty five minutes to walk.  The next time you head out to run you’ll push it to six, seven or even eight minutes of running while walking the rest.  Eventually, assuming you run about three times a week and you make sure to rest and take care not to push your body too hard, you’ll be running for a full thirty minutes.

Once you’ve reached your goal of running for a predetermined distance or time then your next goals will be to either increase your distance or speed.  So for example if your first goal was to run for thirty minutes without stopping and you’re able to run two and a half miles during that time your next goal might be to run faster so you can cover three miles in the same time or you may wish to run for forty minutes at the same pace.

Creating a running program for beginners starts with deciding why you’re running and what your initial long term goal is.  Once you’ve established that, your next step is to break it up into smaller manageable pieces.  If you have a date by which you wish to achieve your goal, for example you want to be running for thirty minutes three times a day before swim suit season in two months, then you’ll be able to create weekly goals too.  Start slow, pay attention and take good care of your body, and success is almost guaranteed.

How to Get Started Running For Fitness

Running is a great way to exercise for cardiovascular fitness, overall health, and to lose or maintain your ideal body weight. Running is also enjoyed by many as a great stress reliever, especially when choosing to run outdoors. Getting fresh air after working indoors all day and enjoying the beautiful outdoor scenery is a nice perk of running.

If you want to experience all these benefits, or even just a few, there are some steps to take to get you started in the world of running. It takes time and dedication, but with patience, you will easily begin to accumulate miles on your running shoes.

(Photo credit: Grand Canyon NPS)

Set Your Goals

No matter if your goal is to increase your physical activity level or to lose weight, the first step to starting a running program is to set goals specific to you. When you set goals that are personal to you, and are achievable, you will be more likely to stick to obtaining your goal.

Obtain Medical Clearance

If you have never exercised, it is important that you make an appointment to see your medical doctor. Ask for a complete physical, and let your doctor know that you are considering starting a running program. He or she will be able to tell you if a running program is appropriate to your current health.

Plan Running Days

You should make a commitment to schedule time in your busy calendar for a running session. Anywhere from three to five times a week, beginning with a minimum of 10 minutes, is great to start a running program. You can slowly build up this time, but in the beginning, your focus in on making that commitment to running.

ASICS stability running shoes, model GEL-Kinsei (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Purchase the Right Running Shoes

With each sport, there is certain equipment that is needed to protect you from injury. Running is no different. When it comes to running shoes, ensure that you purchase shoes that are designed specifically for running – not walking or cross-training – just running.

Running shoes have more cushion and support that is needed for this kind of exercise. If you are unsure as to which running shoes are good for you, visit a sporting store that sells running shoes and speak to a professional sales person. He or she will be able to guide you in your particular needs. Also see our earlier post on how to choose the right running shoe.

Build Your Endurance

Now that you are prepared, it’s time to begin your running program. Don’t start off by thinking that you have to run fast and run many miles. In the beginning, focus just on time spent running. If you start off running too fast, too soon, you could be setting yourself up for injury, which will ruin your running goals.

To begin, start with a brisk walk for about two minutes and run slowly to moderately for one minute. Keep repeating this process until you have completed 10 minutes. You can slowly increase this time to 20 minutes as you feel stronger. Once you are at 20 minutes, try increasing your running time to your walking time. For example, run for four minutes and walk for one minute.

You can then slowly increase this time to 30 minutes. Once you are running more, you will notice that you are covering more distance. This is a great time to start re-analyzing your goals if you just want to keep running just for weight loss or weight maintenance at 30 minute sessions, or whether you want to get into long-distance running and races.

Stay tuned over the next few weeks as we share some tips for starting a regular running practice, and even working up to running some races if that's one of your goals!

Is Trail Running Right For You?

There are many fun and interesting places to run. Each runner has their own running goals, preferences, and style. Some need quick convenience and a jog around the neighborhood is ideal. Some prefer to run indoors on a treadmill and some love to run in nature – on trails. Spring - when it's not too hot and not too cold - is a great time to try outdoor forms of running, such as train running.

Trail Running Is...

Trail running is exactly what it sounds like, running on trails. Most often the trails are hiking trails. They can also be shared with mountain bikers and animals. There are many benefits to running on trails. The biggest benefit of course may be the scenery. All across the country there are beautiful trails. Some wind through the woods, over hills and next to rivers. Others give you a beautiful view of the ocean. Whether you enjoy fields, mountains, water scenes or the woods there are trails for you to enjoy.

(Photo credit: GORE-TEX® Products)

Another common benefit of trail running is that it is peaceful. Many trails are in isolated areas and you may not pass another runner while you’re out. This can be a downside too because it presents a potential danger. It’s recommended that you run with personal protection spray and a cell phone. Always make sure someone knows where you are going and when you’ll be back.

Trails are often much softer than running on cement, asphalt, and a treadmill base. Dirt and small gravel is easy to run on. However, if the trail is rocky then you will have to pay careful attention to your footing. You don’t want to sprain an ankle or fall while you’re running.

Trail Running is Right for You If…

Trail running is ideal for people who enjoy long runs. If you like to get out for a few hours to experience nature then running on your local trails may be an ideal escape. If you enjoy variety on your runs, trail running provides that as well. During inclement weather the trails can become dicey. If you enjoy an adventure and a challenge then trail running may be your cup of tea. During the winter months you may want to strap traction devices to your trail running shoes.

Speaking of trail running shoes, if you’re running on rough trails then you may want to swap your traditional running shoes with shoes that offer more stability and traction. If you’re a barefoot or minimalist runner there are also a few good minimal trail running shoes on the market.

If you enjoy running, consider adding one trail run to your weekly routine. It’s a fun way to spend a few hours. You’ll experience nature and get in shape at the same time - what could be better than that?

Does Running Burn Fat?

Today we have a special guest article from running coach and fitness expert, Yuri Elkaim:

Have you ever wondered whether running is useful for burning fat?  How about whether low intensity, long duration (ie. exercising in your fat burning zone) running (or cardio) is better than higher intensity interval running (ie. your cardio zone)?

Well, we’re about to answer those questions.

Running To Burn Fat

Depending on the duration and intensity of your run, your body will rely on carbohydrates (stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver) and fat for its fuel.

Your body chooses different fuels during different situations. Because fats yield more calories and are slower burning as they are metabolized, they tend to be used over longer durations when compared to carbohydrates.

However, your body’s first priority is to conserve its blood glucose and glycogen stores. As you become fitter your body will become more efficient at using fats for fuel while sparing your vital carbohydrate reserves.


Someone who is totally unfit will obviously fatigue sooner, one of the reasons being that their carbohydrate stores are more quickly dissolved and utilized. Fitter individuals can run for much longer because they have developed the ability to use the slow burning fats as fuel, and therefore conserve their energy better.

As the intensity of exercise increases, there is more reliance on carbohydrates for fuel. Typically, intensities greater than 70% of VO2 max (or maximum heart rate for our purposes) will use carbohydrates as the dominant fuel source.

However, this doesn’t mean that working at high intensities doesn’t burn fat.

This is where most people get confused. Many people believe that, for instance, since running at a lower intensity implies more reliance on fat as fuel, they feel the need to run at this low-intensity to burn fat. Nothing could be further from the truth!

A study in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrated that, compared with a control group 8 months of either low amount/moderate intensity, low amount/high intensity or high amount/high intensity exercise all led to positive changes in overall lipoprotein (one type of blood fat) profile in overweight subjects. The latter group (high amount/high intensity) also gained the best training, fat loss, and blood lipid effect!

The other part of the fat burning question is that the longer you run (or exercise), the greater the reliance on fat as a fuel. Once again, this feeds the myth that running (or doing cardio) for long periods of time is necessary to burn fat. I call this the “marathoner mentality”.

The first thing that is critical to understand is this:

A calorie is a calorie and 1 pound of fat is equivalent to 3500 calories.

Since burning fat ultimately boils down to creating a negative energy balance (ie. more calories expended than consumed) the goal is choose a method of running training that will elicit the maximum number of calories expended – not just during the activity but afterwards as well!

Working at higher intensities promotes a greater total calorie loss (even after you’re finished exercising) and that’s what really matters if you’re looking to lose weight and burn fat.

As we’ve already described, fat is the major contributor to muscle energy during low-intensity exercise. Therefore, most people intuitively believe that low intensity training must therefore induce an increased muscle fat burning effect (known as lipolytic activity).

The enzyme, HSL (hormone sensitive lipase), is required to catalyze the hydrolysis (breakdown) of stored triglycerides (fats) in skeletal muscle as it does in adipose (fat) tissue. Furthermore, several studies have indicated that HSL is probably the main lipase responsible for triglyceride hydrolysis during exercise.


However, a remarkable study investigating the effects of exercise of extreme duration at low-intensity on body fat profile had subjects complete a 32-day crossing of the Greenland ice cap on cross-country skis. After this incredible crossing, the researchers discovered that HSL activity was NOT influenced by the prolonged low-intensity physical activity in either arm or leg muscle. This is consistent with results from similar investigations.

So, if you have time to run for 2 to 3 hours at a low intensity then be my guest. You will achieve some degree of fat loss but studies have shown that you will need to perform a tremendous amount of exercise to gain the benefits you desire.

Furthermore, several studies have demonstrated that your aerobic endurance will either decline or remain unchanged by exercising at low intensities for long periods of time!

So why not save time, dramatically improve your aerobic fitness, and burn more fat by upping the intensity of your running workouts?  The choice is yours!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Yuri Elkaim is one of the world’s leading fitness and sports conditioning experts. You can take his Treadmill Trainer interval training running programs for a free test spin by visiting http://www.cartville.com/app/?Clk=5125331 and learn more about the best running workouts to get you fitter and running faster than ever before!

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A Guide To The Mental Benefits Of Running

Exercise, in general, can have many emotional benefits, but running has one of the most powerful impacts on your mental state. If you are a runner, you know the feeling – before your run you may have felt tired or stressed about certain life events, then after your run you feel fantastic!  It's what they call the "runner's high."

Our minds are very powerful. Our minds control our thoughts and actions, which can often influence our physical health. Of course running is a great exercise for losing weight and building your cardiovascular health, but it also has benefits to the inner essence of our being. Here's how:

1) Decreases Stress
Stress is a mental state of mind. No matter how you may hate to admit it or believe it, you do cause your own stress. When you allow the situations in life to affect you internally, you have given power to that particular situation by feeling stress.

Running allows you to focus more on your breathing and the scenery around you. The deep breathing soothes the feelings of fear and/or anxiety that are associated with stress. Running is like a release button to the stress that accumulates in your body.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2) Increases Self-Esteem

When you are running on a regular basis, your self-esteem slowly starts to increase. You start to feel good about yourself, whether it is the weight loss, weight maintenance, or the health benefits that you receive.

As you have the energy and endurance to run, it gives you a sense of needing to take care of your body, so you are less likely to eat foods that are not good for you, or partake in any unhealthy behavior. You see the benefits that running gives you, and you have a sense of pride and respect for your body.

3) Increases Feeling of Freedom

Running is a great way to feel free – free from all the challenges and obstacles that life sometimes delivers. When you are running, there is a sense of freedom. You can go where you want at the speed you want, and no one and no thoughts can hinder this freedom.

You automatically feel a sense of release from the demanding boss, nagging children, or pushy creditors. Even if for only a moment, you are free and in your own place of silence and calmness that is soothing to both your body and mind. Sometimes it takes physical activity to really quiet our minds – something that is not easy to achieve in modern society.

4) Decreases Depression
When you are running, your brain automatically releases beta endorphins. Beta endorphins are neurotransmitters in the brain that are affected during depression. In depression, the neurotransmitters are not firing properly, and a feeling of overall wellness is decreased.

This is the reason why many feel a “runners’ high” after a run. It is a complete feeling of peacefulness and happiness, as if all the problems of the day have actually disappeared.

Running not only is great exercise, it also has a lot of mental benefits too! As the weather gets warmer, get out and run if you can. If not, try a good treadmill training program that keeps your indoor runs fun and interesting along the way. Yuri Elkaim's Treadmill Trainer is a good one to try.