How "Running with Purpose" Helps You Stay on Track

Most avid runners have probably been asked the question “why do you run?” and have most likely answered something along the lines of “because it makes me feel good” or “I’m training for a race”. These are both very good reasons to run in general as part of your exercise routine, but having a purpose for each and every run you do is one of the most influencing ways to reap the rewards from the sport. The phrase “running with a purpose” means much more than most people think. It does not just mean to run for the purpose to reach a goal finish time or run for a charitable cause. Running with purpose simply means to work towards a specific outcome at each and every run.

Whether it be an easy run, speed session, or long run workout, everyone should stay focused on their purpose for each. While warming up before every workout, you should ask yourself what the purpose of the run is. If you have one, it should be something that is included in your run log as well. This is a topic that should also be spoken about with your coach so you can get the most out of your planned training sessions. Once you make it a habit to have a purpose for each run, you will find running much more fulfilling and goals more attainable than ever before.

Easy Days

Many refer to easy runs as “junk miles”. This term sounds a bit negative, which is not what your easy runs are about. Although you are not trying to hit specific paces on the easy days, it does not mean they are meaningless or have less value than your other scheduled workouts. Easy runs are an important part of training because they help flush out toxins in the body from the hard sessions and keep your blood circulating, which is incredibly useful for limiting soreness and stiffness. Since easy runs should be performed at a comfortable recovery pace, it should be the least stressful run where you do not have to be constantly checking your watch for your split times. This means you can focus on other factors that require attention and will make you a more efficient runner.

Easy runs are a good time to focus on form including posture and cadence, among other mechanics. This is probably the most useful purpose to have during these recovery runs. You can dedicate each mile to a different focus, alternating between working on taking quick steps while keeping your feet under you, keeping an upright posture while incorporating a forward lean, relaxing the shoulders and keeping the arms close to the body, and driving the toes up and concentrating on foot strike. These are just some examples of purposes you can have for easy runs. Another great purpose for one of your recovery runs is controlling heart rate, which can be done by working on a more relaxed running form and proper breathing.

Speed and Tempo Sessions

Heading out for a speed workout means you are about to enter into an intimidation zone. Speed workouts call for hitting intervals at specific paces, which can get a bit scary for some. The paces that should be prescribed are ones that are actually challenging for you. After all, if your goal is to beat your current PR at a race, it requires you to train to reach faster paces. Your purpose for these sessions is not only to hit your paces as prescribed but to work on your mental game as well. Distance running, such as racing half and full marathons require a strong mind as running on tired legs late in the race can seem physically impossible. During speed workouts, it is helpful to practice envisioning the faster paces as “easy” paces. Work on proper form, relaxed shoulders, and controlled breathing during these paces, and you will find that they will not seem so hard after all come race day.

Tempo runs are a great time to focus on pacing, meaning running as close to your prescribed paces as possible. At the beginning stages of training, you can set the purpose of these tempo runs as trying to stay plus or minus three to five seconds from goal pace for a segment of the workout, versus the entire time, and then work up from there.

Non-Running Purpose Runs

Some runners may think it’s a waste of precious running time to focus on something other than the run itself when you’re out there. Well, it happens to be almost the perfect time to get “out of your mind” and into the environment around you. I find it useful to use some portion of my easy and long runs to plan the day ahead—my work schedule, chores, and get my mind prepped for the rest of the day. Since I am already starting my days productively with a run, I definitely want to keep it going! I also plan out routes that I can enjoy the scenery, whether it be other people being active, or just nature! You can also make it a purpose to think about what you’re grateful for. 

You will find that running with a purpose tends to be easier to do on the hard workout days since there are already specific goals for those runs, to begin with. Practicing finding purpose on every run, though, will truly excite your passion for running. This is important because many runners get burned out during long training cycles and have a hard time staying on track towards reaching their ultimate goals for races and health in general. Even if you are not a marathoner, and are just running for fun and to get in shape, finding a purpose for every workout you do is just as important and will help you stick to your exercise routine as well.

Endurance Train Like a Pro with the Saucony Ride 13

Sponsored by Zappos. All opinions are my own.

With zero races on my schedule and several months to play around with my training program, I decided these hot summer months are a perfect time to improve my endurance. This may sound crazy since it’s the most uncomfortable time of the year to be running outside for hours. Good thing I don’t mind the hot weather, but it does make running feel harder and less enjoyable sometimes! What helps is reminding myself of my purpose every morning before heading outside. Some days that purpose is for my mental or physical health, other days I run for a specific global cause, and other days I run for the views!

I’ve got several runs under my belt in my new Saucony Ride 13 from Zappos and I have to say I was surprised at the amount of cushioning they had, because when I took them out of the box they felt extremely light, similar to my racing shoes that have almost zero cushioning! I chose the Coral/Alloy color, but it was a hard choice since Zappos also has three other sleek color options that I’ll probably get my hands on as well! You can find almost anything you are looking for on Zappos, and as a rewards member, you can get anything you order in a day or two with their free expedited shipping. The other perk is the free return policy, which is for an entire year! So if you order something and don’t like it or it doesn’t fit right, you’ve got a long time to return. 

Consistency is Key

Most of you know I get my runs in no matter what. Over the years, I feel this consistency is what truly built my tolerance for the marathon, and, believe it or not, my improved paces. Although I don’t recommend a high mileage program to everyone, safely increasing what you are doing now is beneficial for building endurance. The most important part of this is making sure you gradually and safely build up mileage. This means making sure you wear the right shoes for YOU. Marathon training requires longer runs than usual, so it’s vital to wear supportive and cushioned shoes so that you can prevent injuries and recover faster. Almost nothing feels worse than having sore feet and ankles for days because you chose to wear the lightest and least supportive shoes on a long run thinking it will make you faster!

Tough Runs Made Easier

The Saucony Ride 13 is an ideal distance-training shoe since it is made with all-around cushioning—even the upper has a light, thin layer of compressive cushion. I felt the shoe had a more ‘fitted’ feel to it and kept my foot in place, even on my 90-minute run this week. A soft and responsive ride is what you want when you are running long and the flexible TRI-FLEXthat creates the outsole of the Ride 13 makes this happen. When I start to get tired in the second half of my runs I notice the pounding of my steps more on my joints. One aspect of this pair that helped soothe this impact is the sensation of the shock being distributed throughout the entire foot rather than just at the heel, where I normally land first.

Runners often get confused as to what ‘responsiveness’ really is and why it plays a role in our performance. It’s basically the way a shoe returns energy to your step. We put our energy into our foot strike onto the ground and a good shoe bounces that energy right back giving you a spring to your step, making running feel easier. This is ideal for summer running, since, as I mentioned at the start, running can feel hard during this time of the year!

The Saucony Ride 13 is a great option for runs of any length, but I’ll be using these for my medium to longer runs. Since they truly have good shock absorption on top of their responsiveness, marathon paced miles will feel smooth, too! If you are looking for a neutral pair for every day runs, the Ride 13 is an excellent choice. The heel offset is 8mm, which is ideal for runners who are either returning from or prone to injuries. Don’t forget to check out the other colors and everything else Zappos has to offer. Their rewards program is waiting for you!

Cheat Meals: They May Not Be So Bad After All

Consuming a diet that is 100% healthy food is not the easiest way to live. Although some people do just fine cutting out all of the “bad” foods from their diets, the majority have a hard time. Daily stress surges, cravings kick in, and the temptation of indulging in a whole pizza pie or bag of cookies becomes impossible to dodge. It is known that one of the best ways to even start a diet is not necessarily to go cold-turkey and cut everything out at once, but rather in a gradual manner over the course of weeks. It has been questioned whether including a cheat meal in a diet is harmful or not, but recent research has stated that it can be helpful in order to stick to your strict eating plan as long as you do it the right way.

Not a Cheat “Day”

It is important to note that cheat meals are only helpful to a diet if they are left as that— meals. Often times dieters use an entire day to indulge at every meal and this can wreak havoc on your weight loss goals. Although a cheat meal can rack up to a few thousand calories, it will not undo any of your dieting from earlier in the week. But an entire day of feasting will double or triple those few thousand calories. Having more than one cheat meal may make it hard to get back into your normal healthy eating habits.

Motivation

A cheat meal serves many purposes. Many times it is a source of motivation for someone on a strict diet. Eating plain chicken and vegetables day in and day out can get boring, but knowing that you have a night of burgers and fries or ice cream waiting for you at the end of the week can motivate you to keep strict. Cutting calories when trying to lose weight can lower overall energy levels, especially within the first few weeks of beginning a diet. One cheat meal will actually provide much needed energy to maintain a balance in the body.

Increased Metabolism

Consistently consuming a diet too low in calories will eventually slow down your metabolism, leading to slower weight loss. A cheat meal provides a boost in overall calorie consumption, which will cause a “shock” to the body’s digestion. This will increase your metabolism and help you burn more calories on a daily basis. It is hard to believe, but yes, a cheat meal will actually help you lose weight! There are diet plans that will fluctuate the number of calories you consume each day for this same reason.

The reason this works is because the seldom ‘jump’ in calorie consumption on one day will help regulate the hormones in charge of hunger and satiety. When on a weight loss diet we should be eating fewer calories than we burn, but over time our bodies end up adjusting to this new calorie amount. That is when we hit a plateau and stop losing weight. Adding in one day of a bit higher calories keeps the body in a burning state, helping with further weight loss. Leptin, the hormone in charge of controlling the sensation of feeling full dramatically decreases over time when on a low-calorie diet. Ghrelin, on the other hand, is the hormone that is responsible for telling you that you are hungry and will increase over time on a low-calorie diet. In order to keep burning calories, one should strive to keep the leptin hormone elevated and ghrelin on the lower end. A cheat meal assists with this regulation and aides in continued weight loss.

Keep the Balance

When choosing your cheat meal, it is best to not have the ‘all or nothing’ mentality. If you are going to splurge, make sure it is on something you actually care to eat. Do not waste calories on something that is not that satisfying to you. For example, when going to a restaurant and planning on having a big bowl of creamy pasta for dinner, stick to just that. Your date or party may order a few appetizers that are far from being on the list of your favorite foods, so do not even grab a bite! You will enjoy your pasta dish much more if you steer clear from giving into calories you did not care for in the first place.

The best way to indulge in what you truly enjoy as a cheat meal, but not go overboard, is to cook at home. If you want pizza, make a homemade one—crust and all. This will ensure you know exactly what ingredients are going into every bite. If what you crave are a burger and fries, make your own at home using cooking spray rather than oil, whole grain burgers buns, and baked fries. You will most likely save about half the calories than eating this same meal at a restaurant or fast food joint. It is best to learn the most you can about healthier substitutions. You will be surprised as to how much you can still satisfy your cravings and not feel guilty when opting for healthier alternatives to those ‘bad’ foods.

Sources

Rita Coelho do Valea, Rik Pieters, and Marcel Zeelenberg, The Benefits of Behaving Badly on Occasion: Successful Regulation by Planned Hedonic Deviations, Journal, May 4, 2020.

The Role of Glutamine in Recovery

Whether you are an elite athlete or a recreational runner training for long distances, you are at risk for developing overtraining syndrome and other ailments. Marathon training requires us to engage in multiple strenuous training sessions several days out of the week. More advanced runners train somewhat intensely every day! Prolonged and intense exercise can increase the risk of muscle tissue damage, inflammation, cardiac dysfunction, decreased immune function, and overuse injuries. PHEW! That’s quite a list of negatives, but don’t be fooled—there is a way to avoid all of these!

When deciding what type of marathon training plan is right for you, it is important to know that all plans can be modified based on your needs. Some athletes require more rest and recovery days than others. There is a reason that these easy days are scattered throughout the training weeks in every plan. It is meant to decrease the risk of developing the negative side effects of too much running.

There are important vitamins and nutrients athletes specifically need in order to stay healthy. Although a good balanced diet, preferably higher in quality calories, may be enough to obtain all of these essential nutrients, sometimes supplementation is necessary. Getting in everything we need for a balanced diet is difficult to do day in and day out, especially if you have a busy schedule to begin with. Many athletes supplement their diets with extra protein, usually in the form of powder. The reason for this is that protein is crucially important for the health of muscles, bones, skin, cartilage, and blood in the body. When deciding which protein powder to use, it is best to choose one that includes the important amino acids, which are the building blocks of the protein we need in order to function.

Glutamine

One extremely essential amino acid that gets depleted with hard training is glutamine. The depletion is said to likely be from the demand for glutamine from different organs exceeding the supply in the body after exercise. The role of this essential amino acid in the body is to assist with protein synthesis to build stronger muscles, support the immune system, and for the enhancement of hydration in the body. After strenuous exercise, the depletion of glutamine can last up to six days, which can greatly affect the recovery process of muscle damage. The low state of this essential amino acid is also what causes athletes to be more susceptible to illness, such as colds and the flu, following hard training. Glutamine may also be depleted with other conditions such as trauma, burns, muscular dystrophy, and any other conditions causing stress in the body.

Muscle Repair

Muscle tissue damage is almost inevitable in athletes. The breakdown of muscle, causing tiny tears, is what builds strength. But this strength is only built during the recovery and healing process. This means that your muscles aren’t actually getting bigger and stronger while you are weight lifting—it all happens when you begin your rest period. Of course, nutrition will also play an important role in these strength gains. It is always a good idea to eat after a workout, especially after a strenuous run. A carbohydrate and protein-rich meal or snack is ideal, since this will help speed up the recovery process. As mentioned above, choosing a protein powder that includes the essential amino acids as part of a recovery shake is a good option to replenish the possibly lost glutamine. Glutamine alone also comes in the form of capsules, so this may be a quicker option for some athletes.

Immune Function

Glutamine is essential to immune function as it assists with lymphocyte proliferation and the production of cytokines. What does this mean? Well, lymphocyte proliferation is basically cell production and cytokines are molecules the immune system needs in order to communicate when there is infection, inflammation, or trauma. Without these processes, immunity is weak and cannot properly fight against bacteria. Studies have shown that the inclusion of glutamine following surgery, medical procedures, and trauma, especially in patients with a compromised immune system, resulted in lower levels of infection and shorter hospital stays. In the case of endurance athletes, studies have concluded that there have been less episodes of illness following strenuous training or races with the intake of a glutamine supplement.

Muscle Hydration

Glutamine assists in the absorption of water and other nutrients to keep our muscle tissues hydrated properly. Prolonged and intense exercise causes extreme stress and dehydration throughout the body. Glutamine supplementation has been shown to improve the hydration process by way of enhancing electrolyte and fluid absorption in the muscles. It may be beneficial to opt for electrolyte drinks that contain this nutrient and other branched-chain amino acids, usually labeled “BCAAs”.

If you are a runner looking to increase your training time and improve your performance, it is extremely important to pay attention to your diet. Many people have the thought that since they are exercising so much they can eat whatever they want and not worry about nutrition. Yes, the body will burn a load of calories with the hard workouts, but it will only impede strength gains and performance improvements if the body is not taking in the nutrients and vitamins it needs to repair and build. With all of the calories burned, essential nutrition gets depleted as well. This will only lead to fatigue, illness, and/or injury. The best way to get as many of these important nutrients from your diet is to make sure you are getting in enough quality carbs, protein, and fats from nutrient-rich foods such as veggies, fruits, and whole grains.

Sources

Vinicius Fernandes Cruzat, Maurício Krause and Philip Newsholme, Amino Acid Supplementation and Impact on Immune Function in the Context of Exercise, Journal, Oct 28, 2019

Rohde T, MacLean DA, Pedersen BK., Effect of Glutamine Supplementation on Changes in the Immune System Induced by Repeated Exercise., Journal, Oct 28, 2019

Boelens PG, Nijveldt RJ, Houdijk AP, Meijer S, van Leeuwen PA., Glutamine Alimentation in Catabolic State, Journal, Oct 28, 2019