My run spot.

Long runs can be challenging for a number of reasons - time, distance, boredom and fitness are all important factors to consider. Hydration and nutrition durant your run is one that should not be forgotten. 

General rule of thumb, if you’re heading out for a run that will last longer than 90 minutes, water and food (many like to use gels) are super helpful. For starters, hydration pre-run is incredibly important - according to a study by Armstrong and Costill in 1985, only 2% decrease in body weight that is attributed to water loss can cause a runner to slow down by almost 7%! So by being well hydrated pre-run, you are ahead of the game on this one. In a marathon, it is estimated that a runner can lose up to 10% of their body weight..! 

Hydration during exercise, though, will help keep some of the negative side effects of dehydration (i.e. increase in body temp, elevated heart rate, decrease in performance) at bay. 

In terms of nutrition, whatever you ingest will help keep your glycogen levels from crashing too low  - and in turn, will keep you going for longer. The amount, however, is very much up to the runner. I eat every 30 minutes after I’ve passed the 40 minute mark in my long runs. Some go as far as suggesting that athletes should be ingesting carbohydrates every 10 minutes! My pick: either a lara bar (cashew cookie is my fave) or sharkies. 

What about electrolytes? Sweat is composed of water and electrolytes, right!? Yes, electrolytes are lost during sweat. But they are also (mostly) lost during urination - who’s rate decreases rapidly during exercise in order to control homeostatic levels of electrolytes. This is a topic that I’ll have to go into detail to explain, but the short of the long is that sodium lost through sweat do come back to normal levels about 48-72 hours post long run. This is with or sans replenishment via “electrolyte” beverages (ie. Gatorade). 

Finally, post run. Of course, post run is very important for recovery. Typically, I will have a meal comprised of eggs and sweet potato or oatmeal following a long run. That way, I have a good mix of protein and carbohydrates to help with muscle repair and glycogen replenishment. One study in particular has shown that post exercise, recovery-type drinks containing both carbohydrates and protein are much more efficient at replenishing muscle glycogen than beverages such as Gatorade and Powerade. So if you are stuck, go for something with a combination of nutrients.

Ok! Rest time for this girl. Tomorrow morning, I’m heading out with the “dream team” at Broadway Run Club for a 21k run. When training for a sub 3:30 marathon (my “official” goal for Boston), long runs should be anywhere between 5:30 and 6:30 min/km. I don’t plan to keep up for most of it as they run a 4:30 min/km for their long runs, but hey - one can always dream! 

Holy Moley. Last weekend, I went away on a quick getaway and of course, made sure to bring all my running gear with me. It was only when I was gearing up to head out for a beautiful afternoon run that I realized I had forgotten my trusty sports bra. All I had was my bathing suit top. Yikes. 

Every single girl that I know that runs has a favourite bra. Mine is my Pink Champion 360 Max Support Sport Bra (see below). I don’t think I could live without it. I have been wearing the same style of running bra since 2002 and I don’t plan on changing any time soon. 

Why I love it: Nothing moves. Ever. Period. It is also comfortable, is a super cute colour (it also comes in black and white), and it lasts. I have owned close to a dozen of these in the past decade and some have lasted me well over 5 years. For someone that wears this at least 3 times per week - thats pretty awesome. It’s also totally affordable - $50 a piece. 

What I love it for: Running, working out, anything high impact. I don’t love it for yoga - it is a bit constricting for that. 

Though I have experienced some chafing with this one on long runs (typically anything over 90 minutes), it is by far my favourite choice. 

Runners up: lululemon’s Flow Y Bra for Yoga and cycling. I own at least 2 of these and usually wear it for more casual activities. Another popular in fellow female runners is the Nike Pro Victory Compression Bra - great for support and comfort. 

What’s your fave? 

It is so common these days to hear about how exercise can improve your mood because of the release of endorphins. But, does anyone really stop to wonder - what the heck’s an endorphine? And how the heck does it work?! Read on, my friend.

Definition: any of a group of hormones secreted within the brain and nervous system and having a number of physiological functions. They are peptides which activate the body’s opiate receptors, causing an analgesic effect. - Oxford Dictionary

In real people language, an endorphin is a chemical that is released into your bloodstream (in various conditions) that creates a feeling of happiness in your brain. Endorphins are released into the bloodstream during long/continuous and moderate to vigorous physical activity (when you are out of breath). In order to ensure that you enjoy the benefits of endorphins, research says you should exercise at 70% Vo2Max for at least 15 minutes. 

A rush of endorphins is commonly referred to as the Runner’s High in the running community. This phenomenon is well known in runners and is usually explained as a feeling of euphoria following a long/intense run. Because of endorphin’s euphoric properties, they tend to alleviate pain and the athlete’s level of perceived exertion - which can sometimes lead to them pushing past their previous running times and limits. i.e. A runner exercising at 90% Vo2Max sans endorphins will perceive to hurt/suffer more than one with a release of endorphins.

For a rush of endorphins, try this:

5 minute warm up

3 minutes running at high intensity - should be out of breath approx. 50 seconds in

3 minutes rest - easy jog

repeat 5 times

10 minute cool down

As I sit here with a glass of wine, I’m having a hard time keeping my eyes open. I think I’d forgotten how much marathon training really does take out of you. 

As my first week back in Vancouver, I ended up running 4 times this week - 10 miles on Monday (my long run from week 1 was postponed one day due to the holiday), speed work on Thursday night (6 X 800m), an easy 5 miles Friday (easy for Troy..) and 13 miles this morning. Total mileage: 47k. 

I often get the question - so where do you get your running plans? Easy. I make them. Here are the main guidelines I use:

- Knowing your own body and its limits is crucial. I know that if I run more than 4 days per week, I don’t recover well and I put myself at risk for injury. When making your running plans, ensure that you have enough rest days to recover - this is the only way to progress in your training.

- Incorporate a mix of speed, hills, LSD (long, slow, distance) and tempo/race pace as well as recovery runs. Typically, no more than two per week of the higher intensity runs (speed/hills/race pace). 

- Your week’s total volume should increase by no more than 10-15% per week. Anything more than this and you will be putting yourself at risk for injury. Nobody likes to be injured… 

- Every 3rd or 4th week should be a recovery week ie. diminish your total volume by 15%. 

With only 98 days to go, my plan is already in action. This week, I will be joining a group on Granville Island on Tuesday evening for a 8-10k Tempo, Wednesday night we have a 6k recovery with lululemon Run Club, Thursday is my night for Speedwork, perhaps some hills on Friday evening and a 16k recovery snowshoe run in Whister on Sunday. Total mileage: 44k. 

Happy Running!

Ice baths. Some of us have done them. Some of us are still skeptical of whether or not the 10-15 minutes of freezing it worth it.

The verdict: They work. Here’s why.

Cryotherapy (application of cold) is a widely known practice amongst runners – particularly following intense exercise. Most muscle damage after intense/long bouts of activity are caused because of compromised circulation – which means there is less oxygen getting to the muscles. Immersion into cold/icy water will cause a vasoconstriction of the arterioles and venules (small arteries and vessels) in the area. By doing so, it slows down the metabolic rate of the muscles and helps prevent any further damage caused by this and in turn decreases recovery time. The cold also helps reduce further swelling and decreases the amount of waste products (which act as irritants to your muscles) created post exercise.

To recap, Ice baths are good because they help decrease recovery time and decrease waste product created by metabolism, which in turn decreases “soreness” the next few days.

Tips to make your ice bath more comfortable:

• Drink warm tea
• Wear warm clothing – I usually wear a hoodie and a long sleeve shirt before getting in.
• No need to stay in any longer than 12-15 minutes.

Remember: The first 3 minutes are the worst. If you can get through these, you are golden! Enjoy!

This weekend, I attended the annual Can-fit-pro conference here in Vancouver. This is a 2-day Personal Training and Group Fitness Conference designed to help those working in the health and fitness industry to stay on top of their game by exploring all that is new and trendy in the field. I always learn lots of things when I attend this Conference (this was my 5th!) - here are the top 4 things I learned by attending this year:

1. The milk we drink today is not the same as the milk we drank 300 years ago - long story short, one of the amino acid chains found in milk has been mutated through the years and one of its peptides is now unstable. This peptide detaches from the amino acid chain and is a very powerful opiate that has some undesirable effects on animals and humans. For more info on this - check out “The Devil in the Milk” by  Dr. Thomas Cowan. (Better Butt, Better Back w/ Mark Stone from the CHEK Institute)

2. I discovered the Grid Foam Roller - a foam roller made by Trigger Point Performance Therapy designed to act as a deep tissue massaging roller. With a tough plastic inside covered by a dense foam layer, this has become my new favourite toy. (Trigger Point Performance Therapy w/ Kyle Guay from Twist Conditioning)

3. As a personal trainer, your sanity is important too. If you are dreading working with a client, let them go. Do not be afraid to fire a client. (How to become a Great Trainer w/ Tommy Europe)

4. Tight trigger points will refer pain to a different part of the body due to nerves being trapped inside the muscle knot. Pain in your outer foot may be due to a trigger point in your shin. Many “injuries” are misdiagnosed because of referred pain! (Trigger Point Therapy w/ Kyle Guay & Scientific Shoulder Training w/ Mark Stone)

Overall, I would say the Conference was a 7 out of 10 - after going for so many years in a row, you notice that the workshops are similar year after year. With Vancouver’s Conference being smaller (Toronto’s Conference is at least 5 times bigger), choices are not as varied and I have now attended the same workshop a few years in a row (CHEK is my fave). I have to say though that for new comers, it is time very well spent. For info on Can-Fit-Pro and their certifications and conferences, go to www.canfitpro.com .

This morning, I ventured out to Precision Athletics in Vancouver for a workout with personal trainer Dave Sims. Needless to say, he did no go easy on us. 

In the name of cross training, here’s the workout he put together for us:

“Fight Gone Bad”  Tabata Style - Score equals the addition of # of reps in 20 seconds, counting only the set (of 8 sets back to back with 10 sec rest) in which you perform the least amount of reps for each exercise:

1. Box Jumps

2. Sumo Dead Lift High Pull

3. Wall Balls

4. Row (counting # calories)

5. Push Press

My score: 30. I don’t plan on being able to walk tomorrow. Thanks Dave!