The Root Cause of Injuries

February 09, 2023

Good morning!

This week: why runners need to lift weights, can beetroot supplements improve your performance? and the root cause of injuries.

Happy running, 😁

STRENGTH TRAINING

Why Runners Need to Lift Weights

Many runners believe that they are strengthening their legs and therefore don't need to do actual strength training because they run. 

Running definitely improves your cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance, but it is not a great activity to build muscular strength. 

There are many marathon runners and ultra runners who have weak calves, weak glutes, and weak quads, despite running regularly. This is true even if they are doing speed work and hill repeats. 

So why are these runners sometimes not strong? 

Running involves high repetitions with a lower load (just your body weight). For example, if you run 170 steps per minute and go for a 30-minute run, you've just taken over 5000 steps.

To build strength, repetitions need to be LOW and weight needs to be HIGH. A good example is doing 3 sets of 6-8 split squats with a weight that makes your last rep challenging.

Challenging means you wouldn’t be able to do more than 10-12 reps with that weight. If you can, you need to go heavier. 

So please don't skip your strength because you run. Your muscles will have good endurance but lack the strength they need to maximize your running mileage and speed!

NUTRITION

Can Beetroot Supplements Improve Your Performance?

The relationship between consuming beets and improved endurance performance has been a topic of numerous studies over the past decade, with most having modestly positive results.

Researchers need to look for new angles when there are so many papers already out there. Here’s one: Beets might improve your sprint at the end of an endurance race.

This study aimed to determine if nitrate supplementation before and during submaximal endurance exercise can enhance performance during a short-duration, maximal-intensity end-sprint.

Nine men who were recreationally active took part in a double-blind, randomized control trial. For seven days, they either consumed beetroot powder or a placebo, and then took part in a 2-hour cycling test in a lab, followed by a 60-second all-out sprint at the end. The results showed that those who consumed beetroot powder could produce more power during the final 30 seconds of the sprint effort. However, there were no other differences in muscle oxygenation.

These findings suggest that short-term NO3− supplementation (beetroot powder) has the potential to enhance end-sprint performance in endurance events when ingested before and during exercise.

As always, you need to take these findings with a grain of salt. There are no magic pills. But if you can add a beetroot supplement to your diet, go for it. You have nothing to lose and maybe gain some speed at the end of your runs.

PERFORMANCE

How to Discover the Root Cause of Your Running Injury

When runners develop an overuse injury, they often jump to quick fixes like changing shoes, stretching, icing, massage and foam rolling. 

But the focus should be on discovering why the injury happened in the first place.

Here are the top things you should look back at if you’re dealing with an injury: 

  • Have you significantly increased your weekly mileage? 

  • Have you added in speed/hills in the past few weeks? 

  • Is your long run going up by more than 2km or 15 minutes? 

  • Have you been giving yourself recovery weeks every 4th week? 

  • Are you recovering properly from your training? (Think sleep and nutrition).

  • Have you made any changes in footwear? 

  • Is the terrain you're running on different from what you’re used to? 

  • Are you running 80% of your weekly mileage at a truly easy pace? 

When you go through these questions, don’t just think of the past few days. Think of the past 1-2 months. Often a training error from 6 weeks ago (or longer) can be the culprit behind a new running injury. 

Once you have your “why”, make sure you don’t repeat the same mistake! Change one thing at a time. And if you are not sure how to proceed, you can approach a health professional.

PODCAST

Top 10 Must-Read Books for Every Runner

As runners, we all know the importance of putting in the miles and pushing ourselves to be our best. But what many of us may overlook is the value of knowledge and understanding when it comes to taking our running to the next level. 

In this episode, we're exploring the top 10 books that every runner should read. These books cover a wide range of topics, from the science of running and biomechanics to the mental and emotional aspects of the sport. 

These books offer practical advice, inspiring stories, and a wealth of information that can help you to improve your performance, prevent injury and reach your running goals. So these books are a must-read whether you're looking to break a personal record, run your first marathon, or become a more confident and competent runner.

So get ready to add some great new titles to your reading list, and let's dive into the world of literature and discover the top 10 books that every runner should read."

Listen today!!!

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