Bang your head here...

Your failure to start is your failure to finish. 

I could end this blog here because it’s literally that simple. However, what does failure to start actually mean?

Getting older has some valuable benefits. One of the key benefits is the beauty of hindsight and experience. Life is such an incredible teacher if you are awake enough to really hear her teachings.

We often talk about great teachers, great motivators and their innovative ideas, but essentially, there is nothing new. Most things are absorbed and regurgitated with an individual spin. What is the difference between these agitators for change and those who feel stuck?

The change agents simply started. Life kept dishing up the lessons, and they kept listening whilst staying out of judgment, remaining awake in that process, and life did the rest.

If you feel like you are banging your head against the wall, you are not listening. 

Many people think they are on their way to their goals because they are putting in a ton of effort.

You’ve heard all the memes: don’t quit, be the lion, chase your dreams, etc.

After you’ve heard all the pumped-up rhetoric and you spin your wheels, “efforting to get there”, it gets tiresome, loses its juice, feels empty, and apathy sets in. An empty shell is now chasing a shadow on the wall. The feeling of banging your head against the wall is the analogy most would draw.

So the thing is, you don’t need to jump on a plane and fly to the States to spend 6 days with Tony Robbins, pumping yourself up. Not that there is anything wrong with that if it gets you moving, but eventually, the motivation has to start burning inside you again, as it once did, not outside of you. No one else can take responsibility for your fire. You lit it; you have to keep it burning.

You need to follow the threads back and find out where the fire ignited in the first place. What was the feeling that took place in your body, gut and heart that set fire to this goal? 

Because in the feeling of banging your head against the wall, if you look, if you really look, you’ll find out that you’ve lost contact with that initial feeling and the fire has gone out.

If you really want something to manifest, you have to get good at wanting it. You can’t want something with thought; it’s not strong enough. Why? Because thinking is an illusion. It takes you to a place where you imagine yourself successful; you daydream about it. It’s the ego wanting to add more to itself. It’s not strong enough motivation, and life knows it.

You have to stay in flow with the goal. Be still, visualize it, feel it, taste it, and then start whilst holding those things in place, and when things are toughest, connect to those places even more.

Whenever you get kicked in the guts or slip backwards, ask yourself, “What is the lesson?”

Never give up? Sorry, unless you stay in touch with your heart and the fire in your belly, you will have to stop; you’ll have no choice. Because you can’t keep a fire burning by pouring water on it. Once it’s gone out, you are wasting your time sitting in front of it, thinking it will keep you warm.

What’s the point of all this? 📌

“Stop banging your noggin against the wall. It’s not about the goal; it never was!”.

When you look into the initial feelings of the goal, you will see and feel it clearly.

It’s all about “YOU”! Your fire, desire, heart, and soul.

If you read this and think, “Oh, this is more of that hippy-type rhetoric”, that’s fine. Go back to sleep, but know you are returning to hitting your noggin against that wall.

When we were kids, we all had dreams, and we gave them up to settle for reality. Reality is bland and life is tough, three squares, a BBQ, a beer and a 9 – 5 job is what we do, right?

Bulls..t! It’s what we settle for because we lose touch with our inner fires and talents. Life is beautiful if you are happy where you are; by all means, enjoy it to the fullest if you are not feeling a pull.

If, however, you are sitting on top of a powder keg and deep inside, it’s calling you out, or it has called you out, and it now feels flat because you feel you have failed, it’s because you never really started.

How do I start towards this goal? ✔

Fill your space with your own essence. Not your thoughts, your essence. 

Let that be the driver behind all you do, even if it seems risky. Go out on a limb and do what your essence tells you to do; trust your gut. 

When it goes pear-shaped, pick yourself up, connect back to the essence, fan the flames of your own desire, and pick up where you left off with the lessons you have learned.

If the steps towards your goals have been full of thought, judgment, and effort, you have failed to indeed start your journey. The fire is smouldering; no wonder you are feeling cold.

You cannot superimpose yourself onto a goal. You cannot project yourself outwards to a goal; you have to attain the goal as part of your own experience. 

This is because you are the one who will go through the goal if you do attain it. 

Notice that sentence; it’s going through you, not the other way around. There is no goal without you. In fact, there are no goals at all without you. You are the common dominator in everything.

It’s all coming from within you; everything does. So why does life have you banging your head against the wall? 

Because it’s hoping one of those whacks will wake you up and make you realize that there is only one. 

There can only ever be one – You!

❤❤❤

Have a great Comrades 😎

COMRADES - by coach Gerrie Coetzee 

For many, the traditional marathon is no longer considered the ultimate endurance running event! Comrade running has emerged as a popular way for runners to challenge their bodies and minds.

Many people choose to do Comrades as a personal goal and challenge, while others are highly competitive.

Comrades running requires many hours and significant effort to train for such a long distance. Comrades are held on a challenging route, which means some training sessions must have been done specifically for Comrades conditions.

Before starting the Comrades, the following questions should be considered when planning your race.

My Plan

• What is my goal finishing time?
• What is my average pace per km?
• What is my longest training run 6 weeks before Comrades 2019?
• What are my best Marathon Time 12 weeks before Comrades 2019?
• Did I experiment with my Comrades Race strategy and nutrition in my Long run leading up to Comrades 2019?

DO

🎀 It is okay to be nervous in the weeks leading up to Comrades and Question yourself about your Comrades preparation.

🎀 Maintain your regular diet in the week leading up to the race. If carbo-loading (you have done this before another ultra-marathon), Although marathon runners are used to eating a lot of calories during peak training seasons, Do not cut back or load up, despite the inclination to do so. One of the keys to effective tapering is eating the same amount of calories, but not working out as much so you can store energy up, basically, don’t be extreme in one way or the other. Don’t eat too many calories or too little. What you eat over or under your average might cut back on physical gains you’ve made during training. This will prevent that heavy full feeling and unnecessary toilet stops.

🎀Stay as close as possible to your normal training week, the week leading up to the Comrades. Mileage is less per session.

🎀 The night before the race: Pack out all your gear, pin your number to your vest and most importantly, tie your timing chip to your running shoe.

🎀 Plan to go to bed early two nights before the race.

🎀 Eat the pre-race breakfast that you have tested in training, and take a bottle of water or energy drink with you to the start line.

🎀 Take into consideration that there will be heavy traffic heading towards the start, so give yourself enough time to get there.

🎀 Check the weather forecast and plan for any predicted adverse conditions such as rain, strong winds, and heat.

🎀 Rehearse your refuelling and re-hydrating strategy (which you have hopefully practised in training!) in your mind. Include problem-solving what to do if things go wrong or there are unexpected conditions, e.g. a heat wind. You don’t want to be figuring out what to do on the run!

🎀 Familiarize yourself with where the parking areas are and the route you would need to walk to the start line.

🎀 Stick to your own Race Pace.

🎀 Conserve your energy, trying to make up time lost at the start. You climb three of the Big Five Hills before halfway.

🎀Run at a moderate pace from the start of the race, particularly on the uphill sections. If your breathing is heavy on any of the climbs, you have to slow down.

🎀There should only be one mantra you carry with you to the finish line: I’ve done the training, and my body can run 87 kilometres.

🎀Break the race into sections, do not think about the total 87km’s, It works for me to do countdowns “I am in the 70’s or 60’s or 50’s, remind yourself of training sessions done.

🎀 Make sure you know precisely where you are on the route and what is still ahead.

🎀 If you meet family or friends after the race, plan an easy-to-find meeting point. You will not want to walk around looking for people after the race.

🎀 If you going to do the run-walk strategy, walk on the Big Five Climbs or Run to the water point. Walk through the water point and run to the next water point.

DON'T

🎀 Reduce mileage too soon!

🎀  Try anything new!

🎀 Try to squeeze in extra training. It is time to take it easy! It is always good to have a complete rest or mobility session two days out and to do a light run with strides the day before to prevent feeling sluggish.

🎀 Start eating healthier the week before Comrades. Stay in your routine.

🎀 Try any new energy bars, gels or drinks you have not tested in training. No matter how good the claims are on the label sound!

🎀 Leave buying your race nutrition to the last minute.

🎀 Run in brand-new shoes.

🎀 Overindulge at the pasta party. If you are not used to pasta, stay away.

🎀 Walk around the race expo for hours.

🎀 Listen too much to other runners. Stick to your own plan.

🎀 Forget your timing chip!

🎀 Drink abnormally large amounts of water the day before. This will lower your electrolyte balance and have you running to the bathroom all night.

🎀 Don’t drink too much water; this could cause the level of salt (i.e. sodium) in your blood to drop too low, which can be fatal. Feeling hot? Regularly sponging your head, neck and legs with cold water will do the trick.

Have a great Comrades

Mind versus the body

The mind is like water, necessary for survival and productivity. But can just as easily drown out that likelihood of success.

I can confidently tell you you’ve never seen your body’s limitations; what you’ve seen is the limitations of your mind.

When you’re tired or uncomfortable, weak or unsure, these things start as fear being planted in your brain and attempting to grow roots. Looking to acquire the real estate that exists between your ears. It is a powerful source. It can manipulate you, your reality, anyone and everyone around you, but it only exists with your permission, and we’re not always cognizant that we’ve opened the gate and let it in. That’s the crazy part. Oh, but we do.

Subconsciously or not, it’s the reason you haven’t gone as far as you can go, pushed as hard as you possibly can because, at some point, fear stood between you and what you want. At some point, you started asking yourself if you have gone too far.

Look it doesn’t matter if its athletics, or rugby or business or anything, when things become uncomfortable or it hurts fear always shows its face. It’s not because you're dragging your leg on the floor or your knee gave out, it’s not because you can't go on, it's because those thoughts trickle into your mind about being unable to finish. What if I can't handle this? I don’t usually go this far. Am I pushing harder than I usually do? Is this right? Is this dangerous? Is it over the top?

These thoughts are the seed of destruction. A virus.

There’s a saying in Naval Special Operations that when your mind tells you you're done when you feel maxed out, you are only at 40% capacity. You haven’t even scratched the surface. Value isn’t obtained until, in one way or another, you can realize this and push the panic and the anxiety back underground.

You’re not stopping because you can't go on; you're stopping because of the “what ifs” and the worst-case scenarios. You're stopping because you're preconditioned to stay within boundaries. That seed has grown into concerns about the world conspiring against you, but the body does not control the mind; the mind dictates what the body does.

The thing about life is that we all have narratives; we all have stories that we believe in, and that's why it’s crucial. Everything that happens to or around you will be moulded into your narrative. If you see something as crazy far-fetched or impossible, life will be nothing more than evidence of that belief; the pain will be a wall 10 feet high.

The old saying is: seek, and you shall find. What you look for is what you get. Expect greatness, and the body will listen. Your world will conform. That’s why believing is being. The body it executes. Loyal to every belief. You’ll always be what you decide to be.

Runner's Creed

Let me tell you something you already know.

The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows

It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it.

Nothing is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you are hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward...

This is my run. There are many others like it, but this one is mine!

My run is my haven. It is my life, and I must master it as I must master my life.

Without me, my run is nothing! Without my run, I am nothing!

I must run its roads true; I must run faster than the stress of the world that is working to drag me down. 

I must outrun stress before it overruns me. 

I will. I swear this creed.

My run and I are defenders of my sanity. 

We are the masters of my body.

We are the saviours of my life.

So be it. 

Until victory is mine, and nothing remains but peace.

Running - Are YOU in for 💯?

Marathon running is a sport of goodwill. It's the only sport in the world where if a competitor falls, the others around will pick him or her up. 

It's the only sport in the world open to absolutely everyone, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity or any other division you can think of. 

It's the only occasion when thousands of people assemble, often in major cities like Pretoria, Johannesburg or Cape Town, for a reason that is totally peaceful, healthy and well-meaning. 

It's the only sport in the world where no one ever bosses anybody. 

BUT...

Running isn't a sport for pretty boys with visions of grandeur. 

It’s about the sweat in your hair and the blisters on your feet. 

It’s the frozen spit on your chin and nausea in your gut. 

It’s about throbbing calves and cramps at midnight that are strong enough to wake the dead.

It’s about getting out the door and running even when the rest of the world is only dreaming about having the passion that you need to live each and every day. 

It’s about being on a lonely road and running like a champion even when there’s not a soul in sight to cheer you on. 

Running is about having the desire to train and persevere until every fibre in your legs, mind, and heart is turned to steel. 

And when you’ve finally forged hard enough, you will have become the best runner that you can be. 

And that’s all you can ask for.

That’s what running does to lives. 

It's not just exercise. 

It's not just an achievement. 

It's a daily discipline that has nothing to do with speed, weight, social status, sexual orientation, political affiliation, where you live, what car you drive, or whether anyone anywhere loves you. 

It's about the slow and painful process of being the best you can be. 

That's why the first step out the door is always so hard. 

That's when we choose between settling for average and being a superhero version of ourselves.

Rise and shine.

5am, and your hand can’t make it to the alarm clock before the voices in your head tell you that it’s too early, too dark, and too cold to get out of bed.

Aching muscles still rebel, pretending not to hear your brain commanding them to move.

The voice you’ve chosen to listen to is one of defiance.

A legion of voices are shouting their unanimous permission for you to hit the snooze button and go back to dreamland, but you didn’t ask their opinion.

For what is each day but a series of conflicts between the right way and the easy way.

A voice that says there was a reason you set that alarm in the first place. So sit up, put your feet on the floor, and don’t look back because we’ve got work to do.

Welcome to The Grind!

10,000 streams fan out like a river delta before you, each one promising the path of least resistance.

Because the easy way out will always be there, ready to wash you away; all you have to do is pick up your feet.

The thing is, you’re headed upstream.

And when you make that choice, when you decide to turn your back on what’s comfortable and what’s safe and what some would call “common sense”, well, that’s day 1.

From there, it only gets tougher.

So just make sure this is something you want.

But you aren’t going to, are you?

Your fears, your doubts, and insecurities all lined up like a firing squad ready to shoot you out of the sky,

With each step comes the decision to take another.

You’re on your way now.

But this is no time to dwell on how far you’ve come.

You’re in a fight against an opponent you can’t see, Oh, but you can feel him on your heels, can’t you?

Feel him breathing down your neck...

You know what that is?

That’s you…

But don’t lose heart.

While they aren’t easily defeated, they are far from invincible.

Remember, this is The Grind

The Battle Royale between you and your mind, your body and the devil on your shoulder who’s telling you that this is just a game, a waste of time, and your opponents are stronger than you.

Drown out the voice of uncertainty with the sound of your own heartbeat, burn away your self-doubt with the fire beneath you.

Remember what you’re fighting for, and never forget that momentum is a cruel mistress. She can turn on a dime with the smallest mistake. That one tiny thing you forgot to prepare for, she is ever searching for that weak place in your armour.

So, as long as the devil is hiding the details, the question remains, ” Is that all you got?” “Are you sure?”

And when the answer is “yes”. That you’ve done all you can to prepare yourself for battle, THEN it’s time to go forth and boldly face your enemy, the enemy within. Only now you must take that fight into the open, into hostile territory. You’re a lion in a field of lions.

So believe that voice that says

“you CAN run a little faster” and that

“you CAN throw a little harder” and that

“you CAN dive a little deeper” and that, for you, the laws of physics are merely a suggestion.

All hunting the same elusive prey with a desperate starvation that says VICTORY is the only thing that can keep you alive.

So rise and shine.

Sweat, on the other hand, is for those who know it’s a choice.

Luck is the last dying wish of those who want to believe that winning can happen by accident.

So, decide now because destiny waits for no man.

And when your time comes and a thousand different voices are trying to tell you that you’re not ready for it, listen instead to that lone voice of descent, It’s all up to you now! that one voice that says:

“you are ready”

“you are prepared”. 

How to run your first 50k and 100k or more without killing yourself

Long-distance marathons are a different breed of animal.

Instead of speed, endurance is king. Even the way you eat and drink can mean the difference between conquering a distance and falling short of your goal, so no shortcuts, please!

Making a decision to run a 50km, 100km or a more punishing distance is well and good, but don’t let your enthusiasm override your instinct for self-preservation.

How should you approach an ultra?

With respect to your body and mind and a promise to do what it takes to prepare so you don’t jeopardise your mind or body—no matter how young and healthy you may be.

It’s all about your attitude

Of course, your mind plays a pivotal role in your approach to running a daunting race—just as it plays a pivotal role in sex! Acknowledging that long-distance runs are nothing like the 10km or 21km you’ve historically chosen over time begins your mental journey.

Some ultra-runners look upon their long-distance challenges as they do a formidable opponent, with respect and reverence. After all, weather, terrain, time and other circumstances conspire against even the most skilled athlete.

What can happen to you if you don’t approach an ultra with the respect it deserves?

Ask top ultra-runner Max King, who confesses: He went into his first long-distance run in a cocky state of mind, ill-prepared in terms of nutritional, pacing and training protocols that could have given him the edge he needed to finish his race. Don’t follow in his footsteps—unless you seek sympathy rather than a finisher’s medal!

Feed your body and your mind

Adjust the training rituals you usually follow when preparing for a regular marathon. Ultras are all about endurance. You need a long-term training plan that should start earlier than the one you traditionally employ—one that requires you to add back-to-back long runs as you approach the big day, as well as revising your cross-training and conditioning habits to suit conditions you’ll encounter as the kilometres conspire to deplete your energy.

Further, don’t assume that because you follow all of the rules, you will come out unscathed at the finish line after your first 50km or 100km. If that happens, we want to hear from you because you’ve achieved the impossible, and we may want to build a statue or shrine in your name!

It’s okay to make commitments and promises to yourself. But if you’re the type who beats yourself up when you don’t do things perfectly, get your head on straight before investing the time and commitment required to get you to your goal.

7 Strategies for getting to the finish line

Having set your mind to finish the race without getting injured, your new reality requires you to undertake the following preparation:

1. Prioritise pace over speed.

Having acknowledged the fact that ultras are endurance experiences, recognize the importance of running slow at times during your training odyssey if you don’t want to kill yourself. Yes, you may encounter race finish cut-off times, but if you pace yourself properly from start to finish as central to your overall training plan, your chances of success are excellent.

2. Go the distance.

Literally. If your training schedule doesn’t include extended runs of at least 37km (if possible, 50K), your body could experience shell shock early in your race. Further, don’t run nude. If you’re not packing survival supplies (e.g., food, water, socks, lubricants, and first aid supplies), you may not have what it takes to keep up with competitors.

You'll want to estimate how long it takes to complete your long-distance run. 

Rule of thumb? Double or triple your standard marathon completion time and add two hours for good measure.

3. Make hydration your priority.

If you've never experienced extreme physical reactions to pushing your body to the max, you're lucky. Cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea and fainting have sidelined well-prepared athletes during extra-distance runs, perhaps because they failed to hydrate and/or glucose- and electrolyte-load.

Replenishing your system's fluids isn’t an option, warns Aria Running blog writer Mihai Voinea. Despite adequate preparation, he learned the hard way about the amount of damage an ultra can do to the system.

4. Change up your pace.

Having committed to increasing your mileage to build stamina, carrying appropriate supplies and achieving the right mindset, get into the habit of mixing periods of running with periods of walking when training for your long-distance run.

For reasons nobody can explain, some runners have been led to believe that walking is contraindicated—this is, after all, a race. In truth, victory over long distances can be achieved only by interspersing walking with running.

5. Know where you’re going.

Of course, you know where you’re going. But have you consulted a terrain map so you know exactly what you'll encounter on the ground during your race? You may be required to climb, descend, traverse trails, and deal with water, sand and/or other terrains that have the potential to be less than hospitable to those who expect flat terrain.

In fact, adding training time on diverse surfaces can be invaluable. It could be the factor that gets you to that finish line against all odds.

6. Shop until you drop.

Okay, that’s not necessary—but you do have to acquire a proper mix of supplies designed to fortify you for the long haul. The right fanny pack can save your life if it’s unobtrusive and light yet holds a wealth of liquids, foods, first aid supplies and weather-related accessories that sustain you from start to finish. A lightweight hat or cap, fold-down poncho, and GPS device may be nothing short of invaluable.

7. Prepare in advance for The Wall.

It will stop you in your tracks or slow you down so dramatically you could feel like you’re in a trance—but you’re not. You’re likely at the quintessential 30- or 40-mile point that befalls all long-distance marathoners (yes, even the big stars).

Understand it.

Feel it.

Deal with it.

Walk slowly.

Attend to your energy and hydration needs. 

Keep going, even if you must declare aloud, “I prepared for this, and I will keep going.” Then focus your mind on recovering properly since you’ve already done the hard work!

Increase your stamina and endurance

BE CONSISTENT

To increase your aerobic capacity and be able to run farther than you can now, you need to train consistently. Consistent training will build your aerobic base, increase your aerobic capacity (which is how much oxygen your muscles can use) and strengthen your muscles.

When you begin to add extra runs to your week, they should be easy and slow – speed follows endurance! You should aim for 3 to 4 weekly sessions for 30 minutes or more. Aim to make one of these sessions your long run where you plan to go farther than your other runs that week.

Did you know? Consistency is crucial in building your running stamina.

RUN LONG

To run farther, you’re going to have to actually run farther!

Either increase your long run by 5 – 10 minutes or add 0.8 – 1.6 km (0.5 – 1 mile) each time – it might not sound like much, but it begins to add up. 

When you get into a bigger training volume for a half marathon or marathon, your long run should be roughly 30 – 50% of your total distance for the week. Do your long run at a slow and sustainable pace; many people try to run their long run too fast and struggle to finish strong. Go slow and just focus on covering the distance. Remember, speed follows endurance.

Tip: Go slow and just focus on covering the distance.

TEMPO RUNS

These runs typically run over a shorter distance but at a higher pace than at which you usually train. Training like this trains your body to clear lactic acid from the bloodstream quicker, which means you can run longer before fatigue and lactic acid build-up and slow you down. It will also make your easy running pace or planned race pace feel easier – these runs are the key to improving your running speed.

Tempo runs should be a ‘comfortably hard’ pace that lasts 20 – 40 minutes and up to 60 minutes for more advanced runners. They should not be an all-out effort that has you gasping for breath but a challenging pace you feel you can maintain throughout the run.

EAT FOR ENDURANCE

That means carbs! As a runner, you should focus on carbs making 55% – 65% of your calorie intake from carbs. You don’t need to eat a mountain of pasta at every meal, but be mindful of your carb intake to ensure it complements your training. Before your long run, it’s key to have a carb-based meal to ensure you have enough energy to cover the distance.

If you find yourself tired, in a low mood or unable to complete your planned runs, increase your carbs. Always go for complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, brown rice, and oatmeal instead of refined carbs and sugary foods that will spike your blood sugar (a spike is always followed by your blood sugar crashing).

RECOVER

The farther you run, the more you’re challenging yourself, and therefore, you need to ensure your body recovers between sessions. 

Good recovery comes from a good diet, stretching and sufficient sleep. Aim to eat a quality meal or snack of carbs and protein within 30 minutes after finishing your run. This is the optimal window of recovery where your body can best absorb the nutrients to refuel and recover. Focusing on this will enable you to recover between sessions and go into each run feeling strong and able to complete it.

WORK ON YOUR RUNNING ECONOMY

Working on your running technique will make you a more efficient runner. If you run efficiently, you can run farther without feeling as tired as you will use less energy.

Good technique comes from running tall (imagine a string holding you up), ensuring your foot lands under your centre of gravity and a cadence of around 170 – 180 steps per minute. If you have weight to lose, then losing extra weight will also help your running economy since you will be lighter.

MIND GAMES

Running farther than ever can be daunting, but you can do it!

Mentally preparing yourself for your longest run of the week will make it easier. Some ways to make a long run seem less daunting are to break it down to 1 mile at a time or to treat it as 2 x a distance you can run easily, or 1x a distance you can do with a little bit more added on – a 10k with a slow 3k added on already sounds less scary than running 13k.

Recovery from training

In the development of training plans, recovery must be a planned activity. The recovery process should not only allow the muscles and connective tissues to repair but actually improve your fitness level.

To achieve this, you need to understand what recovery is, how long it takes and how you can positively affect the process.

WHAT IS RECOVERY?

Simply put, it is the time required to repair damage to the body caused by training or competition.

This includes the restoration of the:

✔️Energy produces enzymes inside muscle fibres;

✔️Carbohydrate stores in muscle cells;

✔️Endocrine and immune systems;

During recovery, muscles should increase the proteins in their overall structure to improve strength, replenish and increase energy stores and increase the quantities of enzymes to improve the lactate threshold.

SPEEDING UP RECOVERY

Muscle cells are most receptive to carbohydrates during the first two hours following a training session.

To accelerate recovery, consume 300-400 calories of carbohydrates shortly after the training session and another 300-400 Calories of carbohydrates within two hours. This intake of carbohydrates, as well as replenishing the fuel stores, also has a positive effect on protein restoration in muscles.

OPTIMAL RECOVERY RATIO

The ratio of ingested carbohydrates to protein is critical in optimizing glycogen restoration in the muscles after a workout. The Pacific Health Laboratories, Inc. recommends four grams of carbohydrates per gram of protein.

A strategy suggested by Jim Bledsoe (1999) following a 45-minute workout is as follows: two-thirds of a gram of carbohydrate per pound body weight and about 15 grams of high-quality protein, repeated again within 2 hours.

KEY POINTS

The key points to remember are:

❤️Plan recovery into your training program.

❤️Listen to your body - if you feel tired, then adjust the training to allow full recovery.

❤️Allow 36 hours of recovery between quality sessions.

❤️To assist the recovery process, consume 300 to 400 calories of carbohydrates shortly after the training session and another 300 to 400 Calories of carbohydrates within two hours.

❤️Use the Orthostatic Heart Rate Test to monitor your recovery.

TRAIN SMART - RUN SMART - RACE HAPPY

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Can Cinnamon Help You Run a Faster Marathon?

Cinnamon, One of the keys to running a faster marathon is storing enough glycogen to get through “The Wall” that many runners encounter at or around the 32km mark.

When the glycogen stored in your liver and muscles runs out, your body is forced to burn fat, which requires more energy and causes you to slow down.

Research has shown that cinnamon helps to reduce blood sugar and increase insulin levels. This results in more glycogen storage in the liver and muscles.

While carbohydrate loading by eating a high carbohydrate diet can help to increase the amount of glycogen stored in the liver and muscles, cinnamon may help to maximize this effect. Studies indicate that ½ to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon a day is enough to have an effect.

There are a couple of commercial energy gels that contain cinnamon. Hammer Nutrition and Carb BOOM! Both make an Apple Cinnamon energy gel that contains ground cinnamon. Is this just flavouring, or are they on to something?

I put cinnamon on my slow-cooked steel-cut oatmeal (my preferred pre-marathon breakfast) and sometimes in my coffee (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it).

How to boost your energy 💥 during a run

You’re motivated, feeling strong and energized, and then suddenly, you ‘hit the wall’ – figuratively speaking, of course.

Preparing in advance by eating the right foods before your run is the best way to avoid this energy slump, but what do you do if it does happen?

We’ve all been there; it’s frustrating and often demotivating, but it is possible to boost your energy and get back on track while running simply by eating and drinking the right food.

☝ Firstly, let's understand why your energy can fail you.

If you run for less than an hour, you’re unlikely to need to eat or drink during this time, as most of your energy will come from glycogen stored in your muscles.

However, you might need to top up your fuel for longer runs, especially those over two hours.

Your body has a limited supply of glycogen available to fuel your muscles, and these reserves typically only last for up to 2 hours. During the first hour of exercise, most of your energy comes from stored glycogen in your muscles.

This all depends on the intensity of the exercise. In a high-intensity exercise, glycogen stores can be depleted after 20 minutes and during low-intensity exercise, they can last for up to 90 minutes. However, in a training run, you are unlikely to need to refuel during a 1-hour run unless the first part has been very high intensity.

After this, your muscles start to get fuel from your blood sugar, which again comes from stored glycogen, but this time from your liver. The glycogen from the liver is also a limited source (unless refuelled), so once it’s been used up, your blood sugar level falls, and so does your energy.

WHEN TO REFUEL DURING A RUN

There are several things you can eat and drink during longer runs to help prevent you from running out of energy and to help boost your performance.

Eat 30 minutes into exercise so that later in the run, the energy is already there to be called upon – be PROACTIVE rather than REACTIVE.

When it comes to drinking, you may drink little and often rather than gulping down a whole bottle all at once.

WHAT TO EAT DURING A LONG RUN

If you’re prone to energy dips during longer spells of running, carry with you and eat small amounts of foods that are full of energy and easy to digest. High-GI carbohydrates are best at this time as they will top up your blood glucose quickly, fuelling the muscles that need them.

ENERGY BARS

Energy bars, as the name suggests, are designed to give a good boost of energy whilst on the go. We’d recommend buying some that are free from junk like refined sugars and artificial sweeteners. Pulsin have some great protein bars, or you could try Squirrel Sisters for something even simpler – these bars contain just a few ingredients, such as dates, cashews, and cacao powder.

You can even make your own from similarly simple ingredients! Try tasty cinnamon and Chia seed energy balls – they’re easy to make and provide lots of energy for your run!

BANANAS 🍌

Bananas are popular among athletes for good reason. They’re quick and easy to eat, and they provide a good amount of carbohydrates without the tough fibre of, say apples. After all, you’re looking for something easy to digest, and soft, squishy bananas do just that!

RAISINS

High in calories and light on the stomach, raisins make a great snack for refuelling during a run. Their size means you can eat a couple here and there during your run rather than eating a whole piece of fruit, which could cause digestive problems if you aren’t used to eating on the go.

PRETZELS 🥨

Pretzels are high in refined carbs (which, in this case, is good because they release energy quickly), as well as some sodium, which helps replace lost electrolytes.

ENERGY GELS

Isotonic energy gels combine water and food and provide fast energy boosts. They provide glucose directly into your bloodstream and are an easily absorbed form of carbohydrates. They’re easy to carry in your pocket and snack on the way. However, they can contain lots of preservatives and artificial flavourings, so we wouldn’t advise you to consume these regularly!

WHAT TO DRINK

WATER 💧

Dehydration usually only occurs on runs lasting more than an hour, so you may find that you don’t have to drink during runs of less than an hour. However, if you do, plain water is a good choice.

If you’re running long distances or running in hot temperatures, it’s very easy to become dehydrated and consequently fatigued. That’s why staying hydrated is so important: it helps replenish the fluid lost from your body through sweating and maintains your endurance.

BALANCED MINERAL DRINK

If you’re running for longer than an hour or taking part in more intense runs such as a marathon, you may also need to replace electrolytes, which are lost when you sweat.

Electrolytes help you retain fluids, maintain hydration, and prevent muscle cramps.

Balance Mineral Drink provides a fantastic alternative to electrolyte-boosting sports drinks, which are often full of chemicals. It contains key electrolytes such as calcium, potassium and magnesium that can be quickly lost during longer runs.

It comes in handy sachets, so it’s easy to add to your water bottle to sip on during your run.

COCONUT WATER 🥥

Coconut water also contains electrolytes, making this another good substitute for sports drinks.

BEETROOT JUICE

Research suggests having some beetroot juice before endurance exercise could help to improve our stamina and oxygen uptake!