Just in case you didn’t read every one of the newsletters we sent in August, we are once again bringing you the most-clicked stories from the last four weeks. It’s our way of making sure that you don’t miss any of the content that your fellow runners/readers loved the most. Friends don’t let friends miss important running advice. Cheers!
“You just sort of go numb, tunnel vision, your brain turns to liquid, falls out your ears.” That may sound like the first time you ran up Heartbreak Hill or when you asked your middle school crush to a dance. Actually, they are the words of Jacob Dawson, Britain’s star rower with two Olympic medals to his name, including the gold in the men’s eight in Paris last Saturday. Olympic rowers can make it look easy as they glide across the surface at Vaires-sur-Marne this year, but it can be a grueling head-to-toe workout that happens to be an excellent form of cross training for runners. To apply this to your own training on dry land, check out: “Inspired by Olympic Rowing? Here Are 4 Benefits of Rowing Machines That Go Beyond a Strong Upper Body.” At first glance, it may look like rowing primarily relies on your arms for propulsion, but in reality, the legs and back are doing most of the heavy lifting. That’s good news for runners who are looking to gain additional leg strength and endurance without experiencing high impact forces. While rowing avoids the repetitive pounding of running, that doesn’t mean it comes with no injury risk. Lots of runners aren’t used to the increased workload put on their back muscles, so it’s a good idea to build yourself up with these: “3 exercises to beat back pain” first. The list includes bird dog, plank with leg lift, and superman, and in addition to strengthening your back, they can help to improve balance and stability so you won’t compromise on running form. If you need one more method to address your pack pain woes, then discover: “The dead hang delight: how this quick, surprisingly simple exercise can change your life.” Dead hangs allow gravity to decompress your spine in a simple and rewarding way. BTW, the British rower is a University of Washington alum who bested four other Huskies in the American boat that took the bronze. The U.S. men’s four fared better, taking gold for the first time since 1960.
#BoysInTheBoat
Depending on your point of view, you may see the latest trends in distance training as an exciting development, or just a passing fad. Things like the Norwegian Method, fasted training, and HIIT have gotten a lot of attention in the last few years, but we probably won’t know for certain how effective they are until they’ve got decades of history to back it up. Until then, you may want to check out the ideas in this new post from Training Peaks: “From Fads to Fundamentals: The Enduring Value of Proven Training Methods.” The phenomenon known as the “Lindy Effect” posits that the longer an idea or technology has been around, the longer it is likely to continue. You can see the Lindy Effect in action when you look at strategies employed by two legendary figures of the sport: Mihály Iglói and Arthur Lydiard. Iglói pioneered the use of interval training for marathoners, and his emphasis on adaptability helped runners reach their peaks while avoiding overtraining. If you want to put his teachings to work, these “Adaptive Running Principles” are a must-read. Arthur Lydiard was an early proponent of periodization and base training. He saw that building an aerobic base early on, followed by tapering off volume to build speed near competition could improve performance and minimize injury risk. That’s why periodization training is still so popular today, and to do it yourself, you can employ these: “4 Rules of Periodization to Help You Reach Your Peak.”
#KnowPeaking
If you’re trying to turn your life around, doing a 180 is a good thing. If you are trying to dial in the ideal running cadence, 180 is also a good metric. For years, running coaches and elite athletes have believed that 180 steps per minute is nirvana for distance runners. Even if you’re not trying to compete for a podium, keeping your cadence at 180 can be useful for things like injury prevention. When your feet are moving lightly and quickly, you are avoiding heavy, pounding footfalls. Most amateur runners have a cadence that is too slow, not too fast, according to this new piece: “Can increasing your cadence help you crush your goals?” Watches and other gadgets can help measure your cadence, but a simple way to gauge it is to count your steps for 30 seconds and then double that number. Most runners will benefit from boosting their cadence to 180, but height, leg length and running strength can impact this goal. A good rule of thumb is to increase your cadence by no more than 5-10% over a few weeks, concentrating on taking shorter and quicker strides. Trying to progress more rapidly can backfire on you in the form of injury or poor performance. For more cadence tips, check out this helpful article: “Improve your Running Cadence and Avoid Injuries with 8 Exercises.”
#DoingA180
Not to be overdramatic, but ignoring your flexibility could be a matter of life and death. It turns out there’s a fairly strong correlation between mobility and mortality risk, according to: “Want to Boost Longevity? You Might Want to Focus on Joint Mobility, According to a New Study.” The researchers used a test called the “Flexindex” to measure participants across a range of 20 movements. Sure enough, the better you bend, the longer it’ll take to meet your end. Of course, this study only established a correlation, not causation, so we can’t guarantee that picking up a stretching routine will suddenly increase your lifespan. Many health experts agree, however, that flexibility is an often overlooked dimension of fitness that pays dividends. After all, it makes sense that those who stay mobile as they age would live longer. Maintaining the ability to do things like walking, running and gardening can give you a purpose and a healthier mindset, which is vital for improving your healthspan. One of the most common areas to lose mobility in is your back, which is why: “A yoga teacher says these are the four moves you should do every day if you want to keep your back flexible as you age.” These moves will bend, rotate, and stretch your spine to prevent stiffness and reduce your risk for chronic back pain.
#BendAndStretchYourLifespan
Recently, trips to the grocery store have caused us more pain than a HIIT workout. Prices have soared in the past couple years, especially among meats and other popular sources of protein, and that’s bad news for anyone trying to build muscle. Well, we’re here to tell you that with the right approach, you can get all the protein you need, boosting muscles and saving money at the same time. All you’ve got to do is grab: “The 7 Protein-Rich Foods Where the Price is (Still) Right.” Top on the list is round steak, which is a lean and affordable cut that packs just as much protein and iron as any other type of beef. It’s certainly less tender than a filet mignon, but adding moisture with a marinade for an hour or more can make a big difference. Also on the list are plant-based options like edamame, which contain 13 grams of protein per cup. Additionally, edamame is a good source of folate, iron, potassium, and vitamin K. Then, there are eggs, and even though they’ve risen in price significantly in recent years, they’re still cheaper than most sources of animal protein: “Food inflation sticks around as egg prices shoot back up again.” We sure hope they drop soon, but we’re willing to shell out a little extra dough for now, given that they’re high in amino acids, choline, vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium and riboflavin.
#Eggcellent
Michael Jordan was not a very good baseball player. Eliud Kipchoge is probably not a good gymnast. Fortunately, they each identified their true super power and ran with it. We came across a quote attributed to Albert Einstein this week that riffed on that idea: “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Setting aside the fact that the 1921 Nobel Prize winner didn’t actually utter those words, we still loved how this video showed exactly why it’s important to find your groove in life and sports. (Editor’s note: We are suckers for kids who are confident enough to show up their coaches and buck some norms.)
