Gearing Up for the Run… Complete Guide

March 25, 2011 admin | « Back to Blog

If you are interested in participating in the Vancouver Sun Run—or simply taking your recreational running to a higher level—we at Total Therapy spent the past month teaching the basics. Here is the complete guide for your edification.

Part 1: Built for Running?

Running for most of us is instinctive – our brain tells our body that we want to move faster, and the rest happens automatically. For this reason, it may be strange to hear that there is more to running than just moving your feet faster. In this first part, we talked about the basics of running and answer the question: Are we Built for Running?

Part 2: Training Principles

In training terms, the old maxim slow and steady wins the race holds true. But the question is – what constitutes slow and steady? Training operates around the principle of progressive overload. Part 2 covers the basic premises of training, and discuss a running program geared towards those looking to do their first longer run.

Part 3: Running longer and Faster

Running a 10 km race requires a unique mix of metabolic systems, or how your body generates energy to move. It’s critical to think about metabolism if you’re looking to run faster – running faster requires your body to create more energy, more efficiently.

Part 4: Injury Prevention

In the previous parts, we’ve focused on the basics of running, and suggested a couple approaches to preparing for a race. In part 4, we’re going to hone in on a very important aspect of training: injury prevention.

Part 5: Injury Treatment

In our previous article, we talked about how to prevent injuries. Sometimes, though, injuries happen – despite our best intentions. Each injury (just like the individual) is unique, so the approach you take to treat an injury will vary. Here, we’ll aim to provide you with a few general guidelines to help you deal with a running injury.

Part 6: Nutrition for the Run

The past few articles, we’ve been focusing on the mechanics of running – the “moving” side of the equation. This article, we’ll explore the other side of the equation – fuelling your body for movement. For any ‘sustained’ activity, you need the right fuel. Not only that, but you need nutrients to rebuild muscles post-workout. For running, your fuel-of-choice should include carbohydrates, essential nutrients and electrolytes.

Part 7: Carb Loading

Carbohydrate loading refers to the practice of consuming large quantities of carbohydrates – the nutrients found in grains, starchy vegetables, and fruit – prior to an athletic event. Carbohydrate loading has been a popular past-time for professional athletes and weekend warriors alike. But…does it actually improve your race day performance?

Part 8: Hydration for Runners

The importance of staying hydrated has been the subject of numerous studies and many sports-related conversations. We’re all familiar with the conventional thought that you should drink 8 – 10 glasses of water a day. But current research suggests that this popular rule-of-thumb doesn’t give you an accurate picture of your hydration needs. This is particularly important for runners – improper hydration can decrease your performance, and in extreme situations, result in hospitalization. So what constitutes “good” hydration? In order to answer that question, we need to understand how our bodies respond to exercise.