Innehållsförteckning för May 2018 från Runner's World

Go in the morning. With a good night’s sleep, an early run is one of the easiest ways to make sure you’re feeling mentally fresh, says Fifer. Swish a sports drink. A 2017 study found rinsing your mouth with a caffeine-containing drink before a workout resulted in a higher resistance to mental fatigue. Skip social media. You don’t have to nix it altogether, but avoid scrolling right before you run, which can leave you irritated, suggests author Amy Saltzman, M.D. Center yourself. Instead of jumping straight from work to a run, use your commute to decompress and shift gears with mindful meditation, Saltzman suggests. Or just breathe. If your commute doubles as a workout, Fifer says taking deep breaths can recharge your mental batteries. Add them to your warm–up before…

THE LATEST THREE-STRIPE offering will help you unleash the fire on your next run. SolarBoost is like the UltraBoost you know and love, but it’s a better choice for runners who yearn for a little more support without added weight. It features the same Adidas Boost cushioned midsole for a cloudlike, energetic feel, but the midfoot cage was replaced with a new Tailored Fiber Placement (TFP) technology. TFP provides a precise fit using lightweight, supportive materials and locks down the foot to prevent side-to-side movement that wastes precious energy. The cushioned tongue softens the touch of laces and adds to the plush comfort you’ll feel at step-in and over the long haul. Slip them on, and you’re free to focus on the more important things. You know, that fourth hill…

1. Simply Avocado, Sea Salt Basically ready-to-go avocado toast. The texture is perfectly smooth, and you’ll taste just a hint of salt. Avocado is a good source of healthy fat, fiber, and vitamin C. Top with an egg for an easy, delicious postrun breakfast. 2. Organic NuttZo Paleo Chocolate Power Fuel When you want Nutella but need something healthier, pair this nut-and-seed spread with a banana for a perfect prerun snack. Just don’t have more than a serving before you head out: Its high fat content can cause stomach troubles. 3. SunButter Even if you’re not allergic to peanuts or nuts, this sunflower-based spread is a delicious, rich-tasting substitute to mix things up. It has nine grams of protein per serving, comes in crunchy and creamy, and is available in…

MICHELE King Gonzalez, better known as @nycrunningmama, is not on Instagram to curate a user experience. She means no offense to the running ’grammers who spend their mornings adjusting tripods, chasing natural light, and choosing the just-right combo of apparel. Gonzalez, a vice president at a New York City–based financial firm and mother of two young boys, simply doesn’t have the time. “I have a very small window to get my run in,” she says. “If I want to post something to Insta gram, I take a quick picture, and then I’m running into the house to shower.” The 36-year-old suspects that this unfiltered approach to social media is part of what attracts her more than 77,000 followers to her frequent updates. “People find that it’s real,” Gonzalez says, explaining…

IT WAS MIDAFTERNOON ON A THURSDAY IN 2010 AND SAM ANDERSON WAS WAKING UP TO A FAMILIAR SENSATION: A PUNISHING HANGOVER. He’d been bartending at the Goldbar in Manhattan until 6 a.m. the night previous, a shift that included throwing back some 10 shots of tequila and mezcal, smoking nearly a pack of cigarettes, and capping it all with a few beers to wind down. He’d fallen asleep drunk as the sun rose. At least on this day, the warm summer sun was still high in the sky; with Anderson’s schedule, it wasn’t uncommon for him to get out of bed after dark. The chain of on-the-job hangovers was beginning to feel Groundhog Day-esque, fading into one, long, deepening hangover. That particular afternoon, though, something struck Anderson: a desperate desire…

SOFT AND EASY Thirty minutes before your designated wake-up, the Philips Wake-Up Light will slowly beam sunrise colors to gradually take you out of deep sleep. $170 LOUD AND PROUD Require an earthquake to wake up early? Done. The Sonic Bomb alarm has a glass-shattering beep, flashing red lights, and a hockey puck–sized bed shaker to put underneath your mattress. $70 BY NECESSITY To turn off the Witwatia pressure sensitive alarm clock, you must walk over and stand on its plush memory foam pad for three seconds. $60 WITH A COFFEE AROMA The Instagram-worthy Barisieur coffee and tea maker + alarm clock raised over $750,000 on Indiegogo in 2017, and should ship soon. $395…

AS RUNNERS, WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT strengths and weaknesses, and it might take a new experience to push us out of our comfort zones and help us discover hidden talents. For me, it wasn’t until I entered (and won!) the USATF Mountain Running Championships in 2012 that I realized climbing uphill could be fun and that I was actually pretty good at it. What’s more, I realized that switching up the surfaces on which I run and the distances I go forces my body to adapt in new ways that make me stronger, faster, and more resistant to injury. That variety can breathe fresh air into a stale routine. Here’s how I make it seamless. “Switching up the surfaces on which I run forces my body to adapt in ways…

Sadly, there is no simple test that can definitely say your brain is too tired for a long workout because, well, every brain is different. But Fifer says to keep an eye out for a drop in motivation—especially if it doesn’t disappear once you start sweating. “If you can’t get into a workout, that indicates that you may need to abort and try something different,” she explains. Listen to your perceived effort level that day, and be okay with mixing up your training schedule and speed if you need to.…

EXERCISE HAS ENDLESS BENEFITS FOR THE BODY, BUT IT CAN also be a major gut stressor: Anyone who’s had to cut a training session short or sprint to the porta-potty midrun knows that running can cause gastrointestinal distress, especially for people with sensitive stomachs or chronic conditions like irritable bowel syndrome. Experts say that sloshing in the stomach (looking at you, midrun fuel), decreased blood to the GI tract, and a weakened barrier between the intestines and the bloodstream (also known as “leaky gut”) can all be to blame. What you put on your plate can do a lot to improve your gut microbiome. Research suggests that regularly consuming probiotics—the good bacteria that occur naturally in fermented foods—may strengthen the gut’s lining and lower inflammation throughout the body, resulting in…

You need to drink a sports drink on long runs. FICTION. If chugging a sports drink midrun turns your stomach, know that you don’t actually have to swallow it to reap the benefits. According to research, swishing a carb-rich drink for 10 seconds and then spitting it out tricks your brain into thinking more carbs are on the way. The result? Your brain tells your muscles to keep moving. Pasta is the best source of carbs. FICTION. Spaghetti is only one way to up your carb intake before a long run or race. Any high-carb, low-fiber option—rice, oatmeal, bagels, skinned potatoes—will also do the job. Adjust your portion sizes the night before you run: Increase the percentage of your meal to between 85 and 95 percent carbs, balancing that with…

Mile Markers: The 26.2 Most Important Reasons Why Women Run by Kristin Armstrong “It’s the book for reminding yourself why you enjoy going for a long run, and to not beat yourself up about being off pace.”—Nancy Morrissey Running Within: A Guide to Mastering the Body-Mind-Spirit Connection for Ultimate Training and Racing by Jerry Lynch, Warren Scott “As I get closer to race day and the workouts get tougher, I use some of the mantras in this book—‘I am a gazelle,’ ‘I am a wedge slicing through the wind’—to help power me through the tough workouts.”—Gwendolen Twist First Ladies of Running: 22 Inspiring Profiles of the Rebels, Rule Breakers, and Visionaries Who Changed the Sport Forever by Amby Burfoot “Reading about these women and the trials and tribulations they went…

A FEW YEARS AGO, MY ROOMMATE asked me to go with him to the doctor. He needed to get an HIV test, his first ever, and because he knew I was gay and dedicated to bi-annual testing, he wasn’t ashamed to ask for a bit of hand-holding. I agreed without a second thought. It had been terrifying the first time I’d gone, and I even offered to get tested as well. You know, for moral support. I had no idea that was the day my life would change. My test came back positive; my roommate’s was negative. Suddenly, the tables were turned. My duties as the supportive friend vanished, and it was me who was looking for help. The diagnosis quickly ate away at me. I had a mini support…

“IF YOU CATCH THE SUNRISE, IT’S MAGIC.”LISETTE OROPESA, RUNNER’S WORLD READER, BATON ROUGE, LA “I ALWAYS LOVE BEING ABLE TO DO THAT FIRST WORKOUT WITHOUT A SHIRT.”DATHAN RITZENHEIN, PROFESSIONAL LONG-DISTANCE RUNNER, GRAND RAPIDS, MI“ “It feels like the first cup of coffee in the morning—bliss.”LAUREN SESERKO, RUNNER’S WORLD READER, BALTIMORE, MD “I feel like the sun is literally feeding me during my run—feeding my legs and my soul!”ALEXI PAPPAS, PROFESSIONAL LONG-DISTANCE RUNNER, MAMMOTH LAKES, CA “Here, when it’s spring or early summer, you can go running at 10 o’clock at night and it’s light out.”LISA KELLER, TRIATHLON COACH, ANCHOR AGE, AK “You can smell spring. Flowers are blooming. You can hear the birds chirping more. Everyone is wearing shorts, ditching their shirts, super excited.”JOHN HONERKAMP, RUNNING COACH, BROOKLYN, NY “IT…

Daniela Soto-Innes James Beard Award–winning chef for New York City restaurants Cosme and ATLA Anderson helped coach Soto-Innes, 27, to run a half marathon in April. “Running has been the extra energy, happiness, and inspiration I need,” she says. Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergso Owner of Evil Twin Brewing in Brooklyn The 42-year-old brewer runs because “it makes you feel alive. It just feels good, it makes my day better.” He also believes it makes him better at his job. Don No Craft beer distributor in Carrollton, Texas Thanks to running, No has lost 45 pounds. “Running has completely changed me,” the 47-year-old says. “My mental awareness feels sharper than ever, and I am more actively engaged with people. I feel as though I went from ‘mono’ to ‘hi-def.’” Your Next Beer The…

1 WALK AROUND It may sound simple, but it’s important. Shake the cobwebs off and really let your nerves and muscles switch on, says Olzinski. 2 PRIME THE CALVES While Olzinski sips coffee, he’ll bounce on his toes and do calf raises to wake up stiff ankles and the Achilles. 3 LUNGE Roche says a lunge matrix is one of the best things you can do before heading out the door. It activates your glutes, quads, and hamstrings, provides a dynamic stretch, and if you do it consistently, it will build strength. Stand upright, and lunge forward 10 times, alternating legs. Repeat, this time performing a trunk twist. Go again, and lean side- to-side, arms in goal-post position. Finally, do 10 backward lunges, alternating legs. (Note: Return to a standing…

GIVE YOURSELF TIME Some runners can wake up and head straight out the door. That’s not most of us. Creating an energizing prerun routine that you don’t have to rocket through could make the difference in successfully building a habit. When Brogan Graham was leading the November Project’s Boston tribe, as a rule he would be drinking coffee in his kitchen 90 minutes before the start of the workout. LAY OUT YOUR CLOTHES It’s the oldest trick in the book—and it works. Small decisions, like choosing what to wear, can lead to decision fatigue. (Just ask Mark Zuckerberg, Barack Obama, or any number of top performers who wear the same thing daily.) Laying out clothes saves you that mental taxation. Plus, it allows you to get warm asap. Your body…

REWARD YOURSELF Treating yourself to something you enjoy after the run—like the day’s first scroll through Instagram, your favorite podcast, or a delicious breakfast—will actually develop neurological pathways that associate the early morning run with said reward. Soon, those same Pavlovian pathways activate whether you give yourself the reward or not. It’s like your brain learning to subconsciously motivate itself. LET YOURSELF GO SLOW For those used to running in the afternoon or evening, the body’s early sluggishness might be disheartening at first. “My one piece of advice,” says coach John Honerkamp, “is focus on effort, not pace. The body is slow-moving in the morning, and it needs to get used to it.” The surest way to abandon your new morning routine is trying to PR every day. “It doesn’t…

My first real runs were with my high school track team. I realized quickly that I wasn’t that interested in winning meets, but I did really enjoy taking off for long distances. I started to just set off for miles at a time by myself. No music. No running partners. I got to be alone with my own thoughts. I don’t know many kids who really thought of running in that way at that age. I started running again after college, when I moved to Los Angeles. The weather was too incredible not to be outside as much as possible. I was living in Hollywood and I could step out the door into the sunshine. There were so many great places to explore; I started to push myself to go…

HILLS MAY LOOM LARGE AND daunting in your path. But take on the challenge to climb them, and you’ll find a more powerful and efficient stride, which can net faster times, on the other side. “Physically, training on hills builds muscle strength, and hill sprints or repeats can improve running economy, which translates into less energy expended over the course of a longer distance race,” says Lisa Reichmann, certified running coach in Montgomery County, Maryland. Coaches like Reichmann have long touted the benefits of hill training, and now, science can back the belief, thanks to recent research by Derek Ferley, Ph.D., director of sports science research and sports performance training at the Avera Sports Institute in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Ferley, a runner himself, always incorporated hills into his own…

RUNNING DEFINES ME—AS AN EDITOR AT RUNNER’S WORLD, IT’S LITERALLY MY livelihood. So when my first kiddo was born last summer, I didn’t want the “mom” title to overshadow my passion and commitment to running or my competitive nature. I didn’t want to be a mother runner. I wanted to be a runner who’s also a mom. As I get back into shape and eye an ambitious postbaby goal this fall (break 5:37 in the mile!), I turn to my trusted running gear that supports me as a competitive runner first and a mama second. 1. MY MOM IS FAST AF INFANT BODYSUIT $25 It’s never too early for your kids to brag on their parents, right? This is our favorite outfit for when I pop the little dude in…

FRANKIE RUIZ WAS FRUSTRATED. EACH MORNing, as he ran through his hometown streets of Miami, he dodged crumbling sidewalks, burned-out street lights, and drivers ignoring crosswalks. Instead of turning to social media to vent, the 39-year-old Chief Running Officer for Lifetime Fitness started making calls to city departments. “I wanted to improve streets for the thousands of Miamians who participate in one of my running clubs [of which Ruiz has nine], but also for the city as a whole,” he says. This is the heart of Ruiz’s bigger vision: empowering runners to own their city streets. Not just to experience the streets as they run, but to take action in improving them—to call public works to report problems, pick up trash if they see it, help maintain trails. It’s something…

THE FIRST TIME Lisa Jackson finished last in a 26.2 was the 2012 South Downs Marathon in Great Britain. She knew she was last when a man on a bicycle was taking down distance markers as she passed them. “He kept reassuring me I could take as long as I wanted,” Jackson says. She joked that she had her own personal escort to the finish line. The 50-year-old London native didn’t set out to close down South Downs—her 31st marathon—it just happened. “Not finishing and coming in last had been my two greatest fears,” she says. “But when I realized that the latter virtually guarantees you a standing ovation, and that you get the same medal as the person who came first, I was never afraid of it again.” So…