The International Association of Women Runners provides women runners the opportunity to participate in a unique worldwide organization linking women runners to an international women’s running community.
The International Association of Women Runners provides a valuable resource of information on training, nutrition, injury prevention and issues particular to women runners. Our articles and practical tips will help you achieve your objectives for running, racing and a healthy lifestyle – regardless of your age, experience and ability.
Did you know that in 2013, the majority of runners are women? There are women’s running magazines, women’s races and women’s running groups. Don’t you think that an International Association of Woman Runners is long overdue?
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Like stretching, cooling down after a run has long been accepted as a best practice. Isn’t it a good idea to gradually reduce your heart rate with 5-10 minutes of light jogging? Doesn’t a cooldown help reduce post-exercise muscle soreness? Doesn’t a gradual shift from running to non-exercise help speed recovery? Isn’t it bad for your heart to just stop running with no gradual transition to non-exercise?
The much touted physical benefits of a cooldown may also prove to be just another myth to be exposed. Neither holding up under the harsh light of scientific scrutiny.
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(A companion piece for last week’s article)
Conventional wisdom among runners is that dehydration is to be avoided at all costs. After all, doesn’t dehydration cause overheating? Doesn’t dehydration often result in heat distress? Doesn’t dehydration severely impair performance? Aren’t runners who collapse near or at the end of a race severely dehydrated and should be treated with rapid hydration?
Most of the running community will answer these questions with a resounding “yes”. This all seems very logical and commonsense……….but it is not true!
Over the past several years, the “dehydration is evil” theory has been disproved by Dr. Tim Noakes, one of the most eminent exercise physiologists. (Incidentally, Dr. Noakes is probably the only researcher in his field to have his own Wikipedia entry).
Dr. Noakes tested South African marathon and Ironman finishers in a series of studies over the course of several years. He determined that:
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The Athlete’s Kitchen
Copyright: Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD April 2013
We’ve all heard the stories about marathoners and soldiers who have died due to consuming too much water. Clearly, overhydration can be as dangerous to your health as underhydration. So what does a sweaty endurance runner need to know about staying adequately hydrated without stomach sloshing? Dr. Timothy Noakes’ book Waterlogged: The Serious Problem of Overhydration in Endurance Sports is an interesting yet controversial resource that addresses that question.
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by Dr. George Sheehan
(reprinted with permission)
(Ed note: Dr. George Sheehan was running’s first and foremost philosopher. Until he started writing in the 1970’s, running’s writers focused on either elite runners or running as effective means to get in shape. Sheehan wrote about running as a way of life, the road to self-improvement. Reading Sheehan’s seminal book “Running & Being” cemented Bennett’s lifelong commitment to running.
Although Dr. Sheehan was a traditional and religious man (he had 12 children, all with the same wife), his views on women runners were extremely progressive. His 1976 essay “You Let a Girl Beat You?” contains many nuggets of wisdom, most of which are still applicable today).
As soon as the race results appear in the paper, I hear the same old comments in the hospital where I work: “I see you let a girl beat you.” The statement is wrong on all counts; wrong in what it says; wrong in what it implies.
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Instead of our regularly scheduled newsletter, we wanted to express how shocked and horrified we are by Monday’s senseless act of terrorism in Boston.
Running and racing are joyous events and should be celebrated. We’re feeling really sad.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives, to the injured and their families, to everyone who was present and the residents of Boston.
We’re donating 100% of today’s sales of the “Injury-Free Running for Women Over 40” ebook to help the families of those who lost their lives or were seriously injured. To purchase and contribute, click on Injury-Free.
Q (from the email bag): I have a question about shoes. I bought my current pair in early January. I’ve worn them for all my marathon training, putting on about 450 miles. On my last long run, my legs felt achy; they did not feel right.
My marathon is in 4 weeks. Should I get a new pair to race in? Should I consider going with a racing flat? I have run marathons in flats before and am wondering if it would be worth it in this race. There is a weight difference for sure.
Thanks
Ann
A: Good questions. Surprisingly, there is no consensus as how many miles you can safely run in a pair of shoes.
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We’ve all experienced this familiar situation. Due to family, work, travel or other commitments, the day flies by. There’s no time to fit in your workout. A few consecutive days like this, we worry that we’ll lose our hard-earned fitness, start gaining weight and carve a serious hole in our training plans.
Fortunately, new research from the UK concludes that a single 2 minute high intensity interval yields the same health benefits as a traditional interval workout! (Thanks to Craig Ballantyne of www.ttfatloss.com for bringing the research to our attention).
In the study, Laura Whyte at the University of Glasgow and her colleagues split their subjects into two groups:
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The Athlete’s Kitchen
Copyright: Nancy Clark, MS RD CSSD March 2013
Despite their apparent leanness, too many runners are discontent with their body fat. All too often, I hear seemingly lean marathoners express extreme frustration with their inability to lose undesired bumps and bulges:
Am I the only runner who has ever gained weight when training for a marathon???
Why does my husband lose weight when he starts running and I don’t?
For all the exercise I do, I should be pencil-thin. Why can’t I simply lose a few pounds?
Clearly, weight loss is not simple and often includes debunking a few myths. Perhaps this article will offer some insights that will lead to success with your weight loss efforts.
Myth: You must exercise in order to lose body fat.
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In a recent NY Times article Barefoot Running Can Cause Injuries Too, author Gretchen Reynolds reported on a research study – where more than half of the subjects who gradually switched from traditional to minimalist shoes developed or showed signs of developing foot injuries!
Dr. Sarah Ridge, professor of exercise science at Brigham Young University, had half of her subjects gradually start running in Vibram Five Fingers barefoot style shoes, adding just one mile a week for the first 3 weeks.
At the end of 10 weeks, more than half the runners in the minimalist group developed foot injuries or showed signs of developing a foot injury (as viewed on an MRI). Almost all of the runners in the minimalist group were running fewer miles at the end of the study period than they were at the beginning.
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The preparation period for an event or performance several months in duration (e.g. a race or theatrical show) can be divided into three segments: Honeymoon, Serious Business and Light at the End of the Tunnel.
Runners training now for a late spring race are into the Serious Business. The initial excitement has long worn off. You’re into some tough physical and mental slogging. It is at this point where motivation frequently wanes.
Here are seven tips to rally the mental troops, kick your drive up a notch and stay on track:
- Make it sociable. If you tend to run alone, find a running buddy or group to run with. It’s much easier to stick with your plan if you know someone is counting on you to show up. In addition, you’ll find that group camaraderie is contagious and can help renew your enthusiasm for training.
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