August 3, 2023

Could an Artificial Intelligence coach unlock your full potential?

We’ve seen a number of articles similar to this one already in 2023 — the year Artificial Intelligence escaped its previous bounds and exploded onto the world. We’ll be seeing many more.

The big question: Should we let AI coach us? No doubt, there are situations where AI can produce certain results super fast and sometimes even super well. Is personal coaching one of them?

To decide for himself, runner-writer Andy Cochrane let his Garmin Watch dictate everything he did for a month with regard to his training and recovery. His particular Garmin has many algorithm-derived training tools. A spokesperson for the software company that delivered these suggestions said: “ We applied accepted training philosophies, and tested for years.”

Cochrane really liked how the software could pick up and analyze data from other devices, like his bicycle. He never had to actually input information into a training log. It all migrated there, to his log, on its own.

All of this hums along in the background and only gets more accurate as you use the watch more often, wrote Cochrane. “Overall, I found the AI behind the watch to be mostly accurate, suggesting base efforts in line with my expectations, threshold workouts consistent with past workouts, and anaerobic sprint workouts to be hard, as they should be,” he noted.

He didn’t, however, stick with the program after his 30 days of testing. Why not? Probably because he preferred “training by feel, an approach that offers more flexibility.” I suspect many of us would react this way.

On the other hand, it’s also alluring to think you could assign your training decisions to a smart system that might produce superior results. At the least, it might prove a fun experiment. More at Trail Runner.

Roadmap to success: 5 proven ways to reach your training goals

Strava data by itself is mostly a mountainous heap of training rubble. But when someone manages to turn that rubble inside out, important details can emerge. That’s what happened with this Strava analysis.

The question: Who reaches their training goals in a year, and how do they do it? A look back at Strava data from past years can help you hone in on your goals. Here are some suggestions.

Set round-number or other meaningful goals. Strava users like 1000K/year and 1000 miles/per year. Or, if you’re up for more than that, how about 2023K or 2023 miles? Or the same approach for next year? Palpable goals help you maintain your motivation through the months.

Also, aim high in August, September, and October. Those are the months when Strava users overcome the winter doldrums. Don’t expect to sprint through November and December — not very likely to happen.

Don’t let one or two missed training days sidetrack you. Get back into your running rhythm as soon as possible. You don’t want to let bad habits put down roots, and get stronger. Build your miles by introducing more training days (modest ones), not by aiming for longer runs. Athletes who met their goals had 15% more activity days than those who didn’t.

Find one or several great training partners. It never fails. Strava athletes who ran with others were 17 percent more likely to hit their training goals. More Strava goal-attaining strategies at Outside Online.

A new (somewhat risky) way to improve your marathon time

About 30 years ago, when I heard that some top American marathoners were taking glycerol to hyper hydrate for hot-weather races, I asked a Gatorade rep why their product didn’t include glycerol.

The rep answered, and this is a paraphrase, “Because if someone takes too much, it could suck their eyeballs into their skull.” That’s not the kind of quote that you forget quickly.

But it appears the procedure lives on. In fact, it might be gaining some currency. A new systematic review concludes: “Pre-exercise hyperhydration may improve exercise capacity during constant work rate exercise due to a reduced heart rate and core temperature, stemming from an acute increase in plasma volume.”

We’re all facing a lot of hot weather out there these days, and would welcome a way to feel and perform better in the heat. Hyperhydration means “drinking a lot before you run.” This systematic review revealed that studies have shown improvements in time trials, work completed, and exercise capacity, while lowering heart rate and core temperature. (And no reports of disappearing eyeballs.)

If you’re waiting for the bad news, here it comes: In about three-quarters of hyperhydration studies, the subjects have reported gastrointestinal problems of varied intensity. Your body will retain more consumed fluids if they include some sodium and/or glycerol, but both of these can contribute to the GI issues.

So you’d better test this out at home before using it in any important races. More at Sports Medicine with free full text.

Stride smart: How shorter steps can reduce your stress-fracture risk

If you think runners are concerned about ground reaction forces and potential injuries, you should consider the U.S. Army’s view. Stress fractures account for about 1.6 million injuries/yr in the Army. They’re the leading cause of lost days during basic combat training, where stress fracture incidence is 18 times higher than that of veteran soldiers not in basic training.

To reduce this combat-training problem, the Army has been investigating the possible benefits of a shorter stride. In this study, Army researchers selected 21 women recruits who were small height, medium, or tall. All were experienced treadmill runners, so they were monitored and measured on a treadmill while running with their normal stride, and also with a stride 10 percent shorter than normal.

The researchers performed many analyses of how the women’s biomechanics differed at the two stride lengths. Conclusion: “Reducing the stride length decreased the joint moments, joint reaction forces, tibial strain, and tibial stress-fracture risk.”

Also, and the study team didn’t expect this: Height played no role in differentiating stress fracture risk. All the women — short, medium, and tall — benefited equally from shorter strides. More at BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders with free full text.

A similar study, among female collegiate runners, yielded a similar good result for increased stride rate, which is just another way of saying decreased stride length. This report is different from many others in that the research team measured stride rate over 1000 meters on a track. Most such papers collect only a few footfalls on a short plate in the lab.

Result: When the runners increased their stride rate, they decreased both their peak ground reaction force and their total cumulative force over the 1000 meters. More at Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

Knee pain? This simple exercise will set you free

I’m accustomed to reviewing studies that conclude there’s only “low quality evidence” for this or that. So it was different and impressive to find an important exercise routine that has produced “high quality evidence to support” its practice.

And the problem being investigated is an important one that troubles many endurance athletes as well as the general population: knee arthritis. What can be done? Well, there are various options, including over-the-counter and prescription meds, and even surgery.

But before you go down any of those paths, consider simple exercises that can increase the strength of your hip abductors. “Ab” means “away from” (I had many years of Latin in jr. high and high school), so an abductor exercise is one in which you move your legs, against some resistance, away from the midline of your body. You can use gravity, rubbery bands, or machines to apply the resistance.

Doing hip abduction strength training rests on a foundation of “high-quality evidence as a rehabilitative treatment for subjects with knee osteoarthritis.” More in this systematic review and meta analysis at BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders with free full text.

Handle with care: 6 reasons to be careful with “massage guns”

It appears that “massage guns” are the must-have new runner tool of the moment, and the high-speed thumpers have many good uses. But that doesn’t mean you should try them on every painful or restricted body part.

Here’s a helpful article explaining 6 situations where you probably shouldn’t reach for your massage gun. It also has additional good advice on proper usage of a massage gun. As is often the case, a little might be very good, but more isn’t necessarily better. More at Marathon Handbook.

How you can boost your iron absorption, and beat anemia

Getting enough iron in the diet (or with supplement help) is essential for all endurance athletes. And it can be especially problematic for females, due to their loss through menstruation.

This review notes that hepcidin levels rise in the 3 to 6 hours post-exercise, and hepcidin tends to decrease iron absorption by the body. So if you’re consuming iron-rich foods during that 3 to 6 hour period, you might not be getting as much iron as you’d like. This probably explains “the high rates of iron deficiency seen in athletes.”

According to new research, it’s better to consume iron in the 30 minutes before exercise, or the 30 minutes after. This “allows for strategic iron intake to optimize absorption around exercise.” More at Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care.

Holy bunions! Are barefoot running shoes making a comeback?

In a long detailed article, we learn that “ancestral living” fans and, yes, some runners have spurred a rebirth in sales at barefoot running companies. I rarely see anyone running barefoot these days, and the infamous Vibram Five Fingers shoes are long gone. But other minimalist and zero-drop running shoes appear to be finding a niche.

They may also be at the forefront in using sustainable materials. One company, Vivobarefoot, is making shoes from “algae-based foam,” recycled and vegan materials, and leather sourced from small-scale, independent farmers.

Also, if you only knew that Emily Sisson is the current fastest American female marathoner of all time (2:18:29), you’re missing out on some details about her father, Mark, a former top triathlete. Five years ago, he sold his “Primal Kitchen” business for a reported $200 million. Recently he launched a minimalist shoe company, Peluva, with a son. Peluva shoes emphasize four key approaches the father-and-son team believe crucial to healthy walking: zero drop from heel to toe, increased flexibility, a wide toe box, and thinner soles. More at Fast Company.

SHORT STUFF you don’t want to miss

>>> Atrial fibrillation update: Women endurance athletes, like the guys, face increased hazard. With free full text

>>> Have another cuppa: Increased midlife caffeine from coffee and tea decreases frailty among senior age groups

>>> Burn more calories (effortlessly): Just add more NEAT to your day — non activity thermogenesis.

GREAT QUOTES make great training partners

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.”

 — Abraham Lincoln

That’s it for now. Thanks for reading. See you again next week. Amby

July 27, 2023

July 27, 2023 xx

How to run faster and farther with “Progression Runs”

Greg McMillan has a rock-solid reputation in the coaching-training world because his approach and key workouts pass the common-sense test. There’s no mumbo-jumbo, no free lunches. You have to put in the effort. And when you do, you get the reward.

Here, he talks about progression runs--a staple in the running world. But McMillan’s are very specific, which allows you to really dig into them. You know what you’re supposed to do, and when, so you’re never left guessing about anything. Or wondering if you got it right. 

He describes 3 progression runs with three different names--Thirds, DUSAs, and Super Fast Finishes. Each emphasizes a different pace. You might want to give one or all three a try, and see how you like them. Just remember: You don’t do these on every run. You mix them into your training diet when appropriate. More at McMillan Running.

A final thought: Am I the only runner who also does “regression runs?” Sometimes, on easy days, I run a simple out-and-back course with the goal of going slow the first half, and slower the second half. You want recovery? You got it. On these regression runs, I always finish feeling super-refreshed.

Sure, you race in them. But should you TRAIN in super shoes?

I heard so many runners wonder: “Should I train in super shoes or not?” that I decided to ask a handful of experts. Their answers were so good and intriguing, that I queried the NY Times about an article. The Times said “Go for it.”

Here’s the resulting piece. It’s substantially cut from what I would have liked to include, due to NYT length limitations, but still makes some important points.

There seem to be two basic camps among the experts. Many believe in the specificity of training approach. If you want to race well, you have to train under the same conditions. This means you should wear your super shoes on long runs, and also on runs like intervals or tempo efforts where you are simulating race paces.

Others worry that super shoes change a runner’s biomechanics enough that they could be injury-producing if worn too often. There’s also an argument that you should wear less-efficient shoes in training in order to increase fitness results more by working harder. This is what we used to do when we wore heavy trainers most of the time, and then switched to lightweight flats on race day. 

The debate is likely to continue for a long time. Most runners I know believe that their super shoes help them run longer and faster, and also recover faster, because they reduce leg fatigue. More at NY Times.

No problem--”Better to be a weekend warrior” than no warrior at all

We used to use the term “weekend warrior” rather dismissively, as in, “Don’t be a jerk. You’ll only get injured.” That attitude is changing now. In retrospect, we were the jerks for ever dissuading anyone from doing exercise at any time.

Turns out, it’s all good. Yes, you always have to be a bit careful and use your noggin to avoid injuries. But the goal is always to move more, and sit less. Mowing the lawn is good, vacuuming the house good, walking the dog good … and playing a spirited game of weekend soccer very good. Even better perhaps, running a modest, well-paced half marathon.

The latest and biggest-best research on weekend warriors comes from an analysis of almost 90,000 adults in the U.K. Biobank pool. Those who achieved 150 minutes per week of moderate-vigorous exercise--whether in 1-2 weekend bursts or more regular activity throughout the week--achieved about the same heart-related benefits.

These included 20 to 40% lower risks of atrial fibrillation, heart attack, heart failure, and stroke when compared to inactive subjects. Conclusion: “Physical activity concentrated within 1 to 2 days was associated with similarly lower risk of cardiovascular outcomes to more evenly distributed activity.” More at J of the American Medical Association.

Fuel your finish: New research supports caffeine for a late race surge

We’ve all pretty much accepted that caffeine, for whatever reason, improves endurance performance. Thus, many marathoners consume caffeine in the hour before their race begins. But here’s a good secondary question: Should you also take caffeine later in the race? 

After all, not everyone finishes a marathon in 2 hours. Many take 4 hours or longer. Do they need a second dose?

You could, for example, take another modest hit of caffeine at the halfway point, and maybe even again before you approach the wall at 20 miles? Is this a good strategy? The available evidence points to a Yes.

Here veteran endurance nutritionist Asker Jeukendrup describes a study that investigated these questions. His conclusion: “It is ok to take caffeine late in exercise.” But don’t wait too long. 

It will take the caffeine 40 to 60 minutes to begin having an effect. So if you want it to give you more alertness and strength in the last hour of a marathon, you have to take it 2 hours before your expected finish time. More at My Sport Science.

Age proof your running, and stay strong past 50

All runners over 50 know that they’re not running the same as when they were 25. Things change, and we get slower. It’s hard to say which comes first--the changed movement patterns or the slower finish times--but the two are no doubt connected.

This new paper looked at biomechanical differences between over-50 runners and their younger peers. The lead author is Matt Klein, the physical therapist who’s doing so much good work with his colleagues at the Doctors of Running website and podcast,

Yes, there were differences. Principally: “Joint powers and moments were consistently decreased at the ankle with no significant differences at the knee or hip.”

Klein didn’t say what exercises might restore ankle strength. But it would seem that a modest amount of calf raises, plyometrics, and resistance band work (loop the elastic band over your foot and an immovable object, and perform flexes against the resistance) might be helpful. More at Sports Biomechanics.

This is the best interval workout for mid-distance runners

Here’s an actual report of two training systems pitted against each other. These sorts of experimental training trials don’t happen often, so the results are always interesting and informative.

Chinese researchers split a group of high school middle distance runners into two groups who undertook different training programs. Before beginning the programs, each runner performed an 800 meter time trial. Then, for the next 10 weeks, one group did high-intensity intervals at about 90 to 95% of heart rate reserve. The other did similar intervals at a more modest intensity, about 60 to 70% of HRR. 

The calculation for HRR is Max HR minus Resting HR. To calculate percent of HRR, use the following formula. Let’s say you’re aiming for 90% of HRR. 90%HRR = (maxHR x 0.9) - RHR.

After the 10 weeks of different training, the runners were evaluated in a followup 800m trial. The researchers also checked for changes in certain muscle damage indicators and antioxidant capacity.

Result: The runners who did high intensity training improved more, by 8 seconds (from 2:24 to 2:16). Runners in the less strenuous program improved 3 seconds (from 2:27 to 2:24). This probably doesn’t rank as a big surprise.

However, the change in muscle damage indicators was lower in the high-intensity group, who also produced greater increases in one (presumably beneficial) antioxidant measure. You might have expected the opposite--that the harder trainers would have more muscle damage and lowered antioxidants.

Why didn’t they? The researchers speculate that the body has “an efficient defense system” to protect itself. In fact, harder exercise leads to more antioxidant protection (up to a point).

Conclusion: “The results collectively suggested that the HIIT at ≥90% HRR was more effective in reducing serum muscle damage indicators and improving the 800-m records of middle-distance runners.” More at J of Exercise Rehabilitation with free full text.

Run high: The science of marijuana and running

There seems to be a substantial level of interest in running with a marijuana “high.” Maybe it’s because so much has been said and written through the years about the “runner’s high.” The two link together easily.

Research is sparse, but here’s a study that contrasted how runners felt and performed while running straight and running on marijuana (cannabis). A possible down side: The runners, who covered an average of 3.88 miles on their runs, were 31 seconds/mile slower on cannabis. However, this wasn’t a time-trial, didn’t amount to a statistical difference, and, besides, faster isn’t always better.

Up side: On their “high” runs, subjects reported feeling better and calmer, enjoying the run more, and experiencing more runners-high-like sensations. They also had less pain afterwards. Conclusion: “Results suggest that acute cannabis use may be associated with a more positive exercise experience among regular cannabis users.” More at Cannabis & Cannabinoid Research.

7 key nutrition strategies to increase your endurance

Here’s an excellent and specific review of best endurance nutrition practices. It’s intended for cyclists, but the same results should apply to all endurance athletes. It’s too long for me to fully summarize it here, but you can read the full text at the below link.  

A couple of points that jumped out for me. The authors believe that Vitamin D supplements are warranted during periods of intense training, despite a lack of strong, consistent evidence. Vitamin C and E supplements often seem helpful in theory, but fail in research results. But maybe that’s because the studies all use supplements rather than real foods. 

Iron pills are best taken in the morning, on alternating days, and 2 hours apart from meals and other medications. “Periodized nutrition,” ie, fasting before some workouts, is probably no better than consistent high-carb workouts according to a 2021 meta-analysis. 

Plan a hydration strategy during training and racing to keep body weight loss at 2% or under. A pre-planned program of regular fluid consumption will likely work better than ad-lib drinking when you begin to feel thirsty.

Post-exercise consumption of carbs and protein together “replenishes muscle glycogen and activates muscle protein synthesis.” If you’re making whey protein shakes, you probably need 20 to 35 grams to trigger muscle protein synthesis.

A keto diet may be effective at one time only--early season when you are training slow to build an endurance foundation. Also, it requires extra sodium and potassium intake. More at Current Sports Medicine Reports with free full text.

SHORT STUFF you don’t want to miss

>>> Keep the kids healthy: Child and teen runners need good guidance to avoid bone stress injuries

>>> The debate goes on: What’s better--another day of running, or a day of cross-training?

>>> Shorten your stride to resolve chronic exertional compartment syndrome

GREAT QUOTES make great training partners

“I’ll be happy if running and I can grow old together.”

--Hariuki Murakami

That’s it for now. Thanks for reading. See you again next week. Amby