Tackling PRs and Stress During the Holidays

No matter what difficulty this year has brought, the wintertime can still be enjoyable and end on a productive note. The change in lifestyle we’ve all had to deal with during 2020 has sure brought about an immense amount of stress for everyone. The change to a work-from-home situation seemed like a less stressful option, but in reality most of us loss a sense of structure to our days. It also has not been easy dealing with having to be socially distant from our families and friends, but hopefully knowing we are doing this for the good of their health makes it a bit of an easier choice.

Will We Ever Race Again?

That has been the question of the year for runners! It went from having our big spring races canceled to basically being without in-person races the entire year. It looks like the beginning of 2021 won’t be any different, so the near future planning of running goals is making most of us unmotivated to get in our training runs every day. During this season of the year, it will be most important to work on mental strength more than anything. It will take effort, but trying to put aside all of the stressors that we cannot control, is the key to getting back into the rhythm of taking care of our bodies. After all, exercise plays a pretty big role in stress management and immunity—a big focus with the current viral pandemic.

Since I’ve had a very long base building phase this year, I had a vision of using it to improve my endurance and work on weaknesses. Six months passed and I realized the anxiety of the life changes made me less focused on these goals. One of the most unwanted side effects of stress is lack of energy, and it was what was affecting me the most. Thankfully I turned to MitoQ and I’ve not only had optimal energy all day, but after taking a good amount of time off recently, my fitness has returned much quicker than ever before! I’m sleeping better and feel I can focus much more on my work without a problem.

MitoQ is a powerful antioxidant that works to limit the damage in our cells’ mitochondria—the powerhouse of the cells, and keeps them fired up for any activity. By doing this, it helps improve our stress levels, energy, sleep quality, digestion, immunity and reduce recovery times after hard workouts, since these are all jobs of the mitochondria. All it takes is two capsules in the morning before eating and you’ve got a productive day ahead of you!

Tips for Getting and Staying Healthy

Below are just a few of my go-to tactics when trying to remain focused and motivated to tackle my running and work goals. 

• Move every day for at least 20 minutes.

• Eat the rainbow! Keep a diet that has foods from every food group as many days as you can. But don’t deprive yourself—eating what we like every once in a while can be a stress-reliever!

• Incorporate supplements in your diet where you need them, and make sure they are supplements that have been clinically studied, such as MitoQ.

• Prioritize sleep and stress management: set aside time every day for yourself—to read, soak in the tub, or do some yoga.

• Don’t let what’s going on around you make you anxious—control what you can control and let the rest be!

Are you interested in beating stress, improving your fitness performance, and keeping your body healthy from the inside out? Click here to learn more about MitoQ’s benefits and how easy it is to feel your best all day with this powerful antioxidant!

Sponsored by MitoQ. All opinions are my own.

Stop Shoulding Yourself

Do you ever feel like you give yourself too much criteria to meet? Or maybe you go to bed every Sunday night with a big list in mind of everything you SHOULD accomplish the coming week. I call this “shoulding” and I want to take a few minutes to share how partnering up with Halo Top has helped me stop this habit and created a happier day-to-day lifestyle. If you don’t know yet, Halo Top is a creamy, delicious ice cream that’s low and calories, high in protein, and truly makes you feel good about yourself no matter how much have in one sitting. Just knowing I can have an entire pint of ice cream without any judgment from myself got me in the mood to live the rest of my life this way.

Reframing Those “Shoulds”

I started the year off telling myself I SHOULD get X-amount of strength sessions done per week and eat a specific diet if I want to run faster and get fitter. The “should” that’s given me the most pressure these last 5 months was the one I set for myself in terms of my business—expand into more avenues of my line of work as quickly as possible. This created the most anxiety of every goal because of the mere fact that things take time. I was only going to let myself down if I didn’t meet my extensive to-do list every day to get to where I want to be.

I’ve decided to reframe the mindset of all of these “shoulds” and live my days how I WANT. Having a mindset that I “can” or “want” instead of I “should” has taken a load of pressure off, which means I can live content every day whether I got a ton of work done or none at all! I’m tackling all 3 aspects of my life where I tend to put pressure on myself—my workout program, my diet, and my job, and making sure I take the pressure off and do as much as I can and WANT!

Self Care is the Best Care

The first step to stop the “shoulding” is not putting so much on my calendar to begin with! I’m going to make sure the most important tasks get done, or at least the ones with the deadlines, and be more realistic about the rest. One of these priorities will be to take breaks whenever I want, and not feel guilty about it. This is where Halo Top comes in the picture, because I can choose to snack on a pint at any time of the day and be A-OKAY with it!

Exercising is a form of self care for me so I know my runs will get done because it’s actually something I want to do. It’s the extra parts of my training program—the strength training and healthy eating, that don’t always go as planned and I tend to get upset at myself when I go off the track. But not anymore! Reminding myself that I can take a break from some days of training or eat my favorite not-so-good for you foods when I want and should not ever feel like I am sabotaging any of my goals. 

It is all a mindset. We put so much pressure on ourselves to do good every day, eat right, exercise enough, and work the entire 8 hours we set aside. When things don’t go right, and you end up spending 6 of your working hours in one day watching videos on the internet, don’t get down on yourself! There is always another day tomorrow and the next, so everything will get done. Make time for what you want, exercise when and how much you want, and eat that ice cream! Halo Top won’t let you down!

A Runner's Guide to a Healthy Immune System: COVID-19 Edition

The truth about the coronavirus pandemic is one that’s hard to believe. While this disease continues to spread, people all around the world are wondering how the massive changes are going to affect their lives. We are already getting a glimpse of the effects on society—closed restaurants, bars, and venues, canceled events, and limited interaction with friends and family. The effects on the economy don’t seem so big now, but as the pandemic continues to spread, the shut down of everything around the globe, including our very own jobs, is going to have a major impact on our individual incomes and economics as a whole. I mean, have you seen the stock market recently?!

As athletes, we should already treat our immune system as a priority to our health for two reasons: 1) We enter an immunocompromised state every time we train intensely, and 2) Getting sick keeps us from our regular training schedules. Most people don’t realize that it takes more than popping a vitamin C supplement every day to keep our immune systems healthy. Our sleep patterns, diet, training regimen, stress levels, and hygiene all play a big role in immune health. During a crisis such as what the world is going through now with COVID-19, we have to pay even more attention to each factor.

Diet

We all know how important a healthy diet is in general but it’s actually specifically linked to our immune function. Our immune system relies on white blood cells to create the antibodies that fight off bacteria and viruses and, believe it or not, certain foods can impair this white blood cell function. Studies have shown that a high fat diet can weaken the immune system. You may have read that a full-on plant-based diet is the way to go, but this is mainly due to the fact that plant-based diets generally have less dietary fat and more fiber—two factors that help improve immunity. You can still eat a high fiber, low fat diet and not specifically be plant-based. Loading up on fruits and veggies is also key to protecting immune health, since they are full of vitamins and minerals.

Sleep

The immune system is pretty complex, and so is the link between its health and our sleep patterns. The basic premise is that with sleep deprivation, our T-cell development is diminished. T-cells are the soldiers of the immune system that attack bacteria and viruses, and help keep us from getting sick. On top of limiting T-cell growth, sleep deprivation increases inflammatory cytokines in the immune system, leading to the development of colds and flus from the viruses that could not be fought off by the T-cells. Sleep is also when we experience our highest fever during illness. We tend to think fevers are a bad part of being sick, but it’s actually our bodies way of fighting off infection. If we don’t get good quality sleep, we can end up with a longer dose of the flu or seasonal cold. Aim for 7-9 hours each night for a stronger immune system.

Supplements

It is not absolutely necessary to take vitamins and other supplements every day in order to be healthy. If you regularly eat a wholesome diet—the right amount from each food group, then you most likely get all of the nutrients your body needs. The problem is the majority of people do not eat a wholesome diet, so taking a daily dose of the right vitamins is essential to good health and organ function. For immune function in particular, a good starting point is adding in vitamin C, zinc, and magnesium. One nutrient that is often overlooked by athletes is glutamine. This vital amino acid works directly with immune cells to fight off infection. Our body naturally produces it already, except that during times of stress, less glutamine is produced. This happens during both physical and emotional stress—intense training, sickness, cancer treatment, or even simply just being mentally stressed on a daily basis from work and family obligations. It can be helpful to add in a glutamine supplement after hard training sessions, especially during cold and flu season.

Training During the Outbreak

How many of us have had to change our training plans because either our local running routes have closed or our cities have gone on lockdown at this time? If the case is that you cannot run outside, then there are other options to get in your endurance training. Of course if you have an at-home treadmill, you are saved—you can keep your same training plan as if there was no crazy outbreak. Most of us, though, don’t have this luxury so we need to find another way. If you live in an apartment building, run laps through the parking garage. It’s not only a way to keep up your training program, but you get the added bonus of working on a hilly route!

If you are heading outdoors for your run, do your part and practice social distancing (6 feet apart from anyone!) and good hygiene. Here are some tips to follow to help keep you at low risk of catching and/or spreading any viruses:

✖️RUN SOLO - stay away from group runs, even if you think you are all healthy. Remember you can be carrying the virus around without knowing (zero symptoms!).
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✖️Don’t drink from water fountains - they are rarely cleaned and you can’t count on absolutely no one having put their mouth on the spout, and some people even spit in the fountains too! Just deal with carrying your own bottle for now.
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✖️Keep social distance - 6 feet away from every person! If you have to pass someone, try to hold your breath for a few seconds and look the other way.
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✖️Wash your hands immediately when you get home and get out of your run clothes—you don’t know what has dropped onto you while running.
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✖️Stay hydrated ALL DAY & keep a healthy diet—As stated above, this helps keep a strong immune system!

At-Home Workouts

If you can’t run outside, lack a parking garage, and don’t have enough space to jog around your home, it’s okay ! Don’t worry about losing fitness or getting out of running shape! There are plenty of exercises you can incorporate every day that will keep you in good form. You can make it a goal to maintain your endurance and strength as much as possible by combining a mix of moves. Thankfully you can still place orders online for workout equipment. My go-to tools are resistance bands and medicine balls. Click here to shop these and so many other options! To get the best out of your workouts, make sure to incorporate short rest breaks and keep your heart rate up as if you were running. Explosive moves such as plyometrics are extremely useful for runners and torch more calories than static moves. Try to keep your body moving for the same amount of time you usually run every day.

We are all hoping this virus will get under control within a matter or weeks, so it won’t be long before you can get out for a run again! The positive side of switching up your program for the time being is that you can give your body a break from the constant pounding of running and work different muscle groups. You’ll be surprised how much it will help with your form, strength, and pacing once you’re back out on the road! Endurance may lack bit when getting back into it, but it’s a part of fitness that quickly returns after just a few weeks off. The key is to keep your body moving!

Sources

1. Berenbaum, F.; van den Berg,W.B. Inflammation in osteoarthritis: Changing views. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2015, 23, 1823–1824. 

2. Rinninella E, Cintoni M, Raoul P, et al. Food Components and Dietary Habits: Keys for a Healthy Gut Microbiota Composition. Nutrients. Published online October 7, 2019

Sick While Tapering? Here’s Why & Ways To Prevent It

Training for a marathon requires several months of hard running, at least decent nutrition, and adequate sleep. The last two to three weeks are extremely important to the training cycle, as it is when the body prepares for race day by enhancing recovery while maintaining the fitness gained throughout the prior months. The goal of this taper period is to get the body to a more relaxed state and fueled for race day. To reach this goal, there should be a gradual drop in mileage and heavy weight lifting, and a focus on proper nutrition. Many runners use this time to lounge on the couch and go overboard on the carb-loading, but it should be more structured than that! A drastic change in routine during the taper is not such a good idea because the body has been used to tackling loads of miles and exercise and a diet to sustain that activity level. It may shock the body and possibly cause illness. The common occurrence of illness during the taper period may be due to other reasons as well.

Overtraining Syndrome

Studies have been done to assess the response of the body’s immune system to physical activity. There is not much evidence to conclude that properly trained and recreational athletes are more susceptible to illness than non-athletes. However, there seems to be an effect on immune function with prolonged intense physical activity. The strongest correlation is the susceptibility to illness and the over-trained athlete. Overtraining syndrome is when there is insufficient rest with a high volume of physical stress, and many times this is combined with other stressors such as emotional, nutritional, and environmental stress. If this pattern continues, after a certain time chronic fatigue will set in along with poor recovery.

Low Plasma Glutamine

Over-trained athletes often present with low levels of glutamine in the body. Glutamine is an amino acid that is responsible for the healthy functioning of lymphocytes, which are the white blood cells that keep our immune systems working properly. With low levels of glutamine, athletes who are undergoing intense physical stress, as in overtraining syndrome, are more susceptible to infections. Although the main focus to prevent a drop in lymphocyte function is to avoid developing overtraining syndrome, glutamine supplementation is an option to keep levels where they need to be.

Post-Exercise Immunosuppression

There is a drop in some aspects of immune system functioning following exercise, especially intense exercise, such as a long cycle or run. This window of opportunity for infections can last between 3 to 72 hours. Some studies have shown that over-trained athletes who have a combination of stressors may extend this window even longer than a three-day period. This may be a reason why illness arises during the taper period. Our hardest training is performed right before the taper begins and with a window of opportunity extending to three or more days, we are more susceptible to falling ill. This is where proper nutrition is key. It is beneficial to have a wholesome diet full of the essential vitamins and minerals the body needs to lower our risk of developing infections.

Tissue Damage

Intense exercise causes tissue trauma that triggers higher levels of cytokines in the blood due to chronic inflammation. Elevated cytokines will causes a suppression of certain lymphocytes that are responsible for immunity. This occurs mostly in over-trained athletes who do not recover properly. A protective response of the body is automatic behaviors that will lead the athlete to decrease training intensity. This is due to the communication of cytokines with the brain to induce mood changes and fatigue.

Taper Illness Recovery & Prevention

The first plan of action to prevent taper sickness is to avoid falling into overtraining syndrome. Throughout the several months of training it is vital to incorporate enough rest time. Not every body is the same. Some tolerate less recovery than others. It is important to keep in mind that without proper recovery, our bodies cannot perform at their best. As mentioned above, good nutrition should also be a top priority every day during training. A diet full of essential nutrients and vitamins is key to keep our bodies working properly, as well as maintaining a low risk of acquiring infections.

If you are reading this while you are already sick and in the midst of your race taper, then the best action to take is to get plenty of rest during this time and drink a good amount of fluids. Nutrition is extremely important during illness, as our bodies require more energy to assist in the healing process. Appetite may be low or nonexistent during sickness, but it is vital to make sure to eat enough calories and make sure it is all from high-quality foods! The taper will require continued training runs at a lower intensity and volume, but if your illness consists of fever, body aches, and chest symptoms, it is best to take a few days off from physical activity. If symptoms are from the neck and above, such as a runny or stuffy nose and headache, it is usually safe to head out for easy runs. Remember, the taper period is not meant to improve performance and taking a few days off will not lower your fitness levels. Forcing running during this time while you are sick may only prolong your illness and negatively affect your race day outcomes.

Sources

Elena Papacosta and Michael Gleeson, Effects of Intensified Training and Taper on Immune Function, Journal, Jan 31, 2020.

Balanced Hormones for Better Performance

The body undergoes several different changes during exercise. As much as non-runners may constantly tell their running friends how bad the sport is for the knees or heart, the fact is quite the opposite. Running produces an extraordinary amount of benefits to the body. From better heart health, to improved lung function and joint mobility, runners have an advantage towards a longer and more satisfying life. Many of the benefits and changes that occur during training are straight forward, while others are harder to understand. The effect on the endocrine system is one of the more confusing topics for runners. The endocrine system is responsible for the secretion and regulation of the body’s hormones, which play a significant role in performance improvement.

It is useful for athletes to understand the function of different hormones in order to train properly and safely for endurance events. In many cases, too much information on the benefits of certain hormones has caused some athletes to go to extremes trying to increase the amount in their bodies. From sleeping in high elevation to using performance-enhancing drugs—there are definitely many ways to ‘artificially’ raise hormone levels in the body, but with negative consequences, and possibly no beneficial outcomes. The key to getting the most benefit from the endocrine system for running performance is to keep hormonal balance. When it comes to training, the most important hormones to pay attention to are growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor, cortisol, and testosterone.

Growth Hormone

The pituitary gland in our brains naturally secretes growth hormone in bursts, usually following stress, exercise, or trauma. Although the levels of this hormone vary throughout the day, it is usually increased during the night. Since growth hormone is responsible for the development of bones and cartilage, it makes sense that more of it is produced during childhood and adolescent years as opposed to adult years. The role of growth hormone for runners, or any athlete for that matter, is to facilitate adaptation to exercise, which naturally occurs during rest and recovery periods. It stimulates protein production and helps the body utilize fat for energy, therefore helping runners last longer during endurance events. This is a commonly used performance-enhancing drug in the bodybuilding world as well, since it helps promote gains in size and strength.

Insulin-like Growth Factor

Insulin is produced by the pancreas and is responsible for storing glycogen and glucose in the body. During exercise insulin is suppressed to ensure that glycogen is used as fuel instead of for storage. Insulin-like growth factor has the same structure as insulin, except it is produced in the liver. This hormone works alongside growth hormone to help repair muscle damage caused by exercise. These factors make artificial supplementation attractive to athletes. Although this hormone is considered a banned substance, many are still using it despite the significantly negative side effects. Since insulin-like growth factor contributes to muscle growth and repair, it has been linked to cell growth as well, allowing tumors to survive and possibly grow, increasing the risk of death from cancer. Making sure to supply the body with adequate food, especially from animal proteins, is helpful in naturally maintaining a proper balance of this hormone.

Cortisol

You have probably heard of this hormone when reading or learning about stress and the “fight or flight” response. Cortisol is a hormone produced in the adrenal glands of the body. The natural response during any stressful situation is for these glands to secrete cortisol temporarily to keep our mental state more alert and our bodies ready for action. Hard training puts the body under a type of stress that creates a similar response. The problem with cortisol is the negative effects from its prolonged elevated levels, which is common during overtraining. Too much cortisol breaks down muscle tissue and stores more fat in cells. This eventually leads to a decrease in performance. One way to combat this imbalance is to include proper rest into training plans and avoid overtraining syndrome, which includes symptoms of exhaustion, poor performance, and irritability.

Testosterone

When it comes to running, testosterone is responsible for supporting the growth of muscles and aiding in recovery. Intense workouts, such as interval training or speed work can increase testosterone in the body leading to muscle mass gains and shorter recovery periods over time. Overtraining and prolonged running can decrease levels. Testosterone is another commonly used performance-enhancing drug by endurance athletes for the shorter recovery benefit and bodybuilders for the massive muscle gain benefit. Negative side effects of high testosterone levels are numerous and include behavioral changes, increased risk of heart attack, impotence, and acne. Balancing testosterone levels to benefit your running naturally is as easy as mixing up your running plan and adding in high intensity sessions.

These four hormones are just a few of the many that are involved in running performance. As with any stressful situation, including trauma, injury, and personal tribulations, running increases and/or decreases the levels of hormones in the body. This response is a natural one. Understanding the effects of hormonal imbalance is important in order to learn ways to manage. Artificially increasing hormone levels for the sake of performance improvement does give athletes an advantage, which is why these practices are banned from sports. It is always best to naturally balance out hormone levels, instead of exaggerating the levels of some, in order to avoid harmful side effects.

Sources

R. R. Kraemer, R. J. Durand, E. O. Acevedo, L. G. Johnson, G. R. Kraemer, E. P. Hebert, V. D. Castracane, Rigorous Running Increases Growth Hormone and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Without Altering Ghrelin, Journal, Dec 23, 2019.

K. Karkouliasa, I. Habeosa, N. Charokoposa, M. Tsiamitaa, A. Mazarakisb, A. Poulib, K. Spiropoulos, Hormonal responses to Marathon Running in Non-Elite Athletes, Journal, Dec 23, 2019.

C G Semple, J A Thomson, and G H Beastall, Endocrine Responses to Marathon Running, Journal, Dec 23, 2019.

Faster on Race Day Than During Training? Here's Why

If you are a long time regular distance runner, meaning you have had quite a few training blocks, you are probably familiar with that not-so-good feeling of never really hitting your goal pace during training runs. It is on all of the training plans: “Run at goal pace for X miles”. Some long runs call for “run the last 10 miles at goal pace”. To be honest, most runners have a hard time running even half of their long runs anywhere near their goal pace, but then manage to do it on race day THE ENTIRE TIME. The distressing feat trying to accomplish those fast paces in training runs can really mess with a runner’s mind. You may end up feeling like you have to change your goal, if not it is going to be unachievable.

Many factors go into the faster race paces. The body is tapered and rested, fueling has been on point for several days leading up to the race, there are other runners around to compete against, and adrenaline is rushing. It sounds like it makes sense, but how do all of those factors really translate into faster paces? Some of it is physiological and others are mostly mental reactions to racing.

Taper

The point of the taper period, which is usually between one and three weeks long, is to give the body the rest it needs to feel fresh for race day. The months and months of training build up physical and mental stress and loads of fatigue on the legs. Throughout those months, we perform long runs and speed sessions on tired and sore legs, which is probably one reason why hitting paces during training is tough. When you gradually decrease mileage and intensity throughout the taper period, the legs are rested and feel light and strong come race morning. It is true that training hard on tired legs is a good method to build endurance and strength, but it also helps us enjoy how our legs feel at the start line of races—fresh and rested!

Proper Fueling

We are supposed to be properly fueling throughout our entire training program, but it is never really perfect. Our nutrition is one aspect we should definitely be focusing on during race week. Eating enough carbs every day, hydrating well, and timing our meals around our workouts are a few things we get right leading up to the race. The carb loading and proper pre-race fueling truly help us run stronger compared to the training runs where we may not eat enough or maybe eat too much of the wrong things. Mid-race hydration is also another advantage to our faster paces as aid stations are evenly spaced out. During long training runs, most runners plan their hydration around water fountains that they may or may not pass, or skip fueling altogether.

Adrenaline

The body naturally releases this helpful hormone during times of excitement, stress, or fear. Adrenaline is the reason we feel extra energetic when we were just feeling tired. It also heightens our senses, which helps us concentrate on how we feel during the entire race. This spike in energy during racing may also be the reason why we are better able to tolerate pain than when we are training. When our legs feel extremely tight or we are getting that old twinge in the hamstring during a training run, we will most likely stop running or slow our pace to protect our bodies. Many runners will be able to run through these aches and pains and maintain their top speeds during racing. It is not encouraged, though, to run through any new or sharp pains, especially if they are negatively impacting your form.

These reasons combined with the fact that there are several other runners around us working towards similar goals are what push us to our limits. Studies have been conducted on the effects of training and racing in a group, and have shown that performance is positively impacted by this single factor. It makes sense to train in a group to reap these benefits every time we run, but even if you are a solo runner, this addition on race day is a bonus.

Besides having an extra jolt of energy on race day, competition, good nutrition, and rested legs, the months of cumulated training is the top reason we can do what we do on race day. Some runners focus on hitting specific workouts to decide if they can perform at their goal pace on race day, but the reality is that it is not because of those specific workouts. It is all of our training runs—the good and the bad ones together that make us strong and ready for a PR. And all runners will have a time where they just have an “off day” on race morning. And that is okay in the world of running. There is always another race.

Sources

Laura D. Wandner, M.S., Cindy D. Scipio, Ph.D., Adam T. Hirsh, Ph.D., Calia A. Torres, B.S., and Michael E. Robinson, Ph.D., The Perception Of Pain In Others: How Gender, Race, And Age Influence Pain Expectations, Journal, Oct 14, 2019.