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Know Your Sweat Rate
One of the most important components of racing and training is staying properly hydrated. In fact, being just 2% dehydrated can lead to impaired performance. Understanding the amount that you sweat and the volume of fluids need to be consumed during training and racing can lead to drastic improvements in running performance. Knowing your sweat rate is the first step towards improved performance on race day.
What is Sweat Rate?
Sweat rate refers to the amount of sweat that is lost during an hour of vigorous exercise. It is dependent on the level of fitness, weather conditions, and exercise effort. As athletes become more fit, their bodies work more efficiently, meaning that they produce more sweat.
Why is Sweat Rate Important?
Knowing your sweat rate is important for two reasons: one, to know how much water or sports drink to consume after exercise, and two, to know how much water or sports drink to consume during long races. By taking in the proper amount of fluids the effects of dehydration, such as impaired performance and muscle cramps, can be mitigated. In addition, optimal hydration primes muscles for improved post-race or post-workout recovery.
Calculating Sweat Rate
To determine sweat rate you should first weigh yourself immediately before a run wearing as few articles of clothing as possible. Next, weigh yourself immediately following your run, being sure to remove any sweat-soaked clothing. Subtract your post-run weight from your pre-run weight. Now, multiply that number by 16 in order to convert lbs to ounces. Next, correct for any gels or drinks that were consumed during the run. For instance, if you drank 8 ounces of water, add that value to the difference between your pre- and post-run value. Next, divide the total number of ounces lost by the number of minutes that you ran. Finally, multiply that value by 60 in order to know your sweat rate in units of ounces per hour.
How to Use Sweat Rate
Now that you know your sweat rate, you can use this information to fuel your long runs and races. For instance, if you find that you sweat 30 ounces per hour, you should aim to take in 20 – 25 ounces per hour during your next half or full marathon in order to maintain optimal hydration. Be sure to calculate sweat rate throughout your training, and also try to mimic race day weather conditions as closely as possible.
Benefits of Strength Training for Runners
For many people, running and strength training are two activities that seem to be at odds with one another. On the one hand, running is a solitary activity where the participants draw little attention to themselves and their short shorts. On the other hand, weight lifting can be an intimidating endeavor for the uninitiated, one where a runner’s physique is often considered a disadvantage. There are many reasons runners should get themselves into the weight room, which are discussed below.
Fewer Injuries
Many injuries occur because of muscular weaknesses and imbalances. For instance, runner’s knee is common among athletes who have an imbalance between their hamstring and quadriceps muscles. A contributing factor to shin splints appears to be calf weakness. In addition, many common running injuries can be attributed to weak hips. Fixing these problem areas in the weight room has been shown to prevent common overuse injuries from occurring.
Increased Metabolism
The body burns more energy maintaining muscle than it does trying to hold onto fat. Therefore, incorporating strength work into your weekly routine will not only prevent injury and make you a stronger runner, but will increase your chances to lose stubborn body fat, as well.
Muscle Memory
When lifting weights, a runner’s muscles experience a level of fatigue that can only be replicated by a hard or long run. Muscles can be conditioned to this feeling and a runner can learn how to push past physical exhaustion by lifting for endurance with low weights and high repetition.
Increased Power
Weight lifting helps athletes develop explosive strength, especially for runners who do not have highly developed fast twitch muscle fibers. Strength training will also help runners fatigue these muscles less easily, leading to an improved kick at the end of a race.
Better Form
Inefficiencies in form ultimately cost a runner time, especially in long distances. Working in the weight room helps improve form by strengthening hips and core for better posture, improving knee drive, and strengthening upper body for a more powerful arm swing. Each of these factors ultimately leads to better running economy for faster finishes.
Reduced Inflammation
Despite the muscle soreness that you may experience following a heavy lifting session, strength training can actually reduce the oxidative stress and inflammation that runners experience on a daily basis. By working muscles in a different way (e.g., avoiding the repetitive movements of distance running), antioxidant benefits are achieved.
Running After an Injury
Photo by Heather Gardner.
Returning from injury is a frustrating period of time for a runner, one where the risk of re-injury is extremely high. Often, athletes come back too fast, causing either a new injury or worsening symptoms of the old injury. A safe return to running is discussed.
10% Rule
Athletes often return too quickly to activity once they have been cleared to exercise, which often leads to setbacks and more frustration. A safe way to increase mileage is to follow the 10% rule, which states not to increase your weekly mileage by more than 10%. Although tedious, this method is a safe and effective way to ensure you do not succumb to another injury.
Body Awareness
Listening to one’s body is an important aspect of returning from injury safely. Although it can be difficult to accept, runners are often slower and more easily fatigued in the first couple of weeks post-injury. Use the body’s signals of soreness and fatigue as signs that you should be conservative when you return to running, and avoid the urge to jump right back into intense training.
Cross Training
For runners who are coming back from injury and are struggling with sticking to a decreased training load, cross training can be the solution. Supplementing running with cross training helps a runner stay fit while reducing the amount of impact to the body. A general rule of thumb is that ten minutes of cross training is equivalent to one mile of running.
Strength Training
Coming back from injury is a great time to develop good habits, such as strength training, core, and physical therapy sessions. Using the time that is not currently being devoted to additional running to create strength and core routines specifically designed for your needs is recommended. For instance, if you developed a hamstring injury, focus on a lifting routine that strengthens hips, quadriceps, and hamstrings by implementing squats, lunges, and Russian deadlifts. By the time you are back to your normal training load, you will have decreased your chance of a reoccurrence and developed good habits in the process.
Performance Wear
Another consideration when coming back from an injury is to invest in performance wear, such as compression socks that help circulation and promote recovery. If suffering from a lower leg injury, such as shin splints or a calf strain, compression socks will improve blood flow and the transport of oxygenated blood to the affected areas, thus improving recovery.
Strength Training Exercises for Runners
Runners are often encouraged to start a lifting or core routine, yet many endurance athletes have little to no experience in the weight room and may not know where to begin. The following are exercises that are most beneficial for runners, as well as explanations on proper execution.
Squats
Squats are a great exercise for runners because they work hip, glute, hamstring, core, and quadricep muscles to support proper running form and prevent injuries in the knees and hips. For a proper squat, feet should be hip’s width apart and knees should always be above ankles. If squats are difficult because of Achilles tendon inflexibility, heel elevation can improve range of motion.
Romanian DeadLifts
Romanian deadlifts (RDLs) are excellent for strengthening glutes, hips, and hamstrings. For this exercise, feet should be planted firmly on the ground at hip’s width apart. Any type of weight can be used, such as a barbell, two dumbbells, or a kettlebell, which should be held loosely in front of the body. With knees slightly bent, engage your glutes and slowly bend at the waist towards the floor, pushing lower back and glutes away from the body. Slowly return to starting position, using only hamstrings and glutes to power the movement.
Walking Lunges
Walking lunges are an exercise that helps runners gain functional strength while also strengthening small stability muscles that may be contributing to injury. With hands on hips, start by first driving your right knee towards the ceiling, and then landing firmly on your foot while lowering the knee of your left leg almost entirely to the floor. Once you are stable, continue moving forward by now bringing your left knee towards the ceiling and repeating the movement.
Bench Press
Many runners neglect their upper bodies when weight lifting because they mistakenly believe that legs and core are most important. However, chest, shoulder, and arm strength are necessary in order to maintain the body upright at the end of a race and also ensure the arms remain pumping long after the legs have grown tired. One great exercise to target all three areas (plus back and core) is bench press. Lie flat on your back on a bench with a dumbbell in either hand. For this exercise, using dumbbells instead of a bar is recommended for improved stability. Bring the dumbbells down towards armpits, and then push them away from the body until arms are fully extended.