Drinking Rules?

Yes, there are rules as to how much and how often you should drink when you are running. It is estimated that you lose half a liter of water for every hour that you run. So you should replenish this. According to Tim Noakes in the book The Lore of Running, you should drink around 500 ml an hour but make sure you do not drink plain water because according to the book Running for Fitness, there are already reported cases of death due to hyponatremia, which means low sodium level in the blood with excessive hydration of plain water. It is therefore recommended that you take those drinks with electrolytes and some form of simple carbohydrates.

If you are joining a race, it is advised that you hydrate yourself prior to the run. Try to stop drinking within 2 hours prior to the run to avoid the urge to urinate during the run. You can drink again just before the start of the run. For those preparing for marathons, it is suggested that you do carbohydrate-loading three days prior to the run. That means eating complex carbohydrates like pasta, rice and bread.

After running, hydrate yourself again and consume carbohydrates within half an hour immediately after. Make sure you urinate within six hours after the run. If you do not urinate after 12 hours, this could mean acute renal failure due to dehydration.

Other Running Apparels and Paraphernalia

What are the recommended running apparels?

Well, if you intend to buy clothes for running, do not buy cottons because according to the book Running for Fitness, when it gets wet, it gets heavy, irritates skin, does not insulate and dries slowly. You can buy the ones made of synthetic materials that are light and easily dries up.

As for gadgets, just go slow on the pocket because there are lots of it out there.

There are those watches with special functions like stopwatch. Just make sure it has a large display for easy visibility, it is water resistant and with easy-to-press button for lap functions. There are the other gadgets like heart rate monitor, pedometer, speed and distance monitors but these are not really all necessary for running though some people cannot do without these.

What I consider necessary for me are a shoe pocket where I put my car keys and a bottle of mineral water for hydration. With my MP4 player or i-pod, I'm good to go. Of course, when the sun is up, I use sunblock or a cap. Those are the basics. The rest, I just consider as mere decorations.

There Are Different Types of Running Shoes?!

I was just talking to another friend of mine who confessed that she really wanted to run, however, she always ends up with a hurting knee after a run that is why she switched to swimming instead.

I told her that it might be because of her shoes which she immediately refutes, declaring that she has a good pair of running shoes. I then explained that some people need to have a special kind of running shoe if they tend to overpronate or oversupinate. This brought a furrow to her forehead. I then realized that not all people who run actually know this. So here goes the different major categories of running shoes to choose from depending on what kind of a runner are you:

The Motion Control is said to be the most aggressive at preventing overpronation. The Stability helps to limit overpronation but not as much as the Motion Control. The Neutral is for the runners who also run neutrally. Lucky people! The Supinators are for the minority who oversupinate. You will not see the difference at first glance but the difference lies within. Those tiny details are built into the shoe which may be invisible to the eye but "visible" to the feet.

Yesterday, when my husband and I went into two Adidas stores to register for the Adidas King of the Road race, I asked whether they can analyze if I am a pronator or supinator. They pointed me to the Trinoma branch which they claim, does that analysis. Though I feel I am a neutral runner, I want to double check just the same because I am currently using NikeFree 5.0iD which has a really great cushion but I think is a Neutral shoes. I run as though I am running barefoot.

Though a good pair can cost quite a bit, the life expectancy of most mid-sole running shoes is somewhere between 480-960 kms. So it is also wise to log your distance to give you an idea when to change your shoes. Some people look at the bottom of the running shoes to see the extent of wear to the outer sole which is actually a common mistake. What is recommended in the book is to check the mid-sole, the spongy layer between the outer sole and your feet because this is the one that hardens and eventually reduces shock absorbency. So try to compress this with your thumb and if this is no longer compressible, you should replace your shoe. A new shoe is less expensive than physiotherapy. Other tips for care of your running shoe is not to put it in washing machine nor to use hot water to clean it.

Now you see, investing in the right pair of running shoes is just as important as having a good running program because this can actually make or break your knees... I mean your running performance. And I thought all along it was just a matter of choosing the right color that goes with my outfit or getting the one that is most comfortable on the foot. This only goes to show that indeed little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Overpronator or Oversupinator?

When I was still not into running, my friend Ciela mentioned something about having her feet analyzed in a sports store to know whether she overpronates or oversupinate. I never heard about such a thing as pronation and supination in running. I thought it was just a marketing strategy for shoe stores. However, after reading something about it in Running for Fitness, I saw how important it can be for you to know if you overpronate or oversupinate because it will help in the choice of your running shoes. Here's how...

How do you run? It involves two basic movement of the feet. The pronation and supination. Pronation is when the heel hits the ground and the foot naturally rools in from the outside. This helps to absorb the impact of running. On the other hand, supination happens just before the take-off phase of running when the foot rolls back towards the outside. Some people tend to overpronate, that is, their feet roll in too much which makes the knee bend in across the center of the body towards the other leg. In the same way, some people tend to oversupinate, however there are more overpronators in the population than oversupinators. Overpronation and oversupination can cause injuries like stress in the ankle and Achilles tendon, knee pain, hip strains, torn hamstrings, pain in the lower back and overuse injuries.

So how do you check for overpronation? Again, let me lift it right from the page of the book:

1) Stand in front of a full-length mirror, barefoot, on one leg, with your hands behind your back, and your toes facing forwards;

2) Keeping your pelvis level and your back straght, slowly bend the leg on which you are standing;

3) Your knee should go straight forwards, over your second toe. If it bends in towards the other leg, past the big toe, then you probably over-pronate when you run.

N.B. There is also a hi-tech way of doing this. I just recently visited an Adidas store in Trinoma and I asked if they can diagnose if I overpronate. They made me run over a huge tablet which was connected to a computer and that registered my foot imprint as it landed on the tablet. I am glad to know that I am one of the fortunate ones who run in a neutral way.

Now, how does this relate to your footwear? Would you believe that there are now different categories of running shoes depending on whether you are an overpronator or oversupinator?

Check out my next blog entry on There are Different Types of Running Shoes?!

Injury? Heaven Forbid!

I was surprised to read that most beginners get injured during the first 6 months of running. And guess what the two most common culprits for these minor injuries?

First is trying to do too much and second is wearing the wrong kind of shoes.

I can just totally relate to the first reason. When you finally decide to take up running, you get so fired up and want to do it everyday, hoping that you can make up for the lost time. Sometimes, you also want to increase your mileage immediately to have that sense of accomplishment. I have to caution you.... do not get tempted to fall into these temptations. Because if you do, you may suffer an injury that will make you unfit to run for months! That will definitely suck!

Here's how to avoid injury when you begin and I lift it right up the page of "Running for Fitness":

1) If you are new to running, walk for the first month;

2) Build up slowly; never increase your mileage by more than two miles or 10 percent, whichever is greater;

3) Get proper running shoes from a specialist running shop;

4) Run on grass or trails rather than roads and pavements if possible;

5) Get advice from experienced runners;

6) Ignore the feeling in your first three months that you could be doing more;

7) See a physiotherapist to get advice on how you might improve your running style

Another practical approach to knowing if you're running too fast is the TALK TEST. I was amazed that there is such a thing as a talk test... How does this work? Well, if you cannot talk in complete sentences during your training runs, you are running too fast.

I have trouble doing this test because I do not want to talk to anybody when I run. I get autistic and I am in a world of my own... there is such great freedom in having your own space, your own time and your own world during that 30-60 minutes work out.

Anyway, why all these advice to be very patient and to pace yourself properly? It's because your body needs to adapt to the regular impact of the ground against your feet. It will not take overnight for your ligaments to strengthen and your muscles to develop.

Below is a sample training program for a complete beginner which you may want to adapt if you are totally new to running. What I used was the training program from Podrunner. My husband chose the podrunner interval because it gives you a program of walking and running intervals just like the one shown below but the 10 week to 5-km program from podrunner seems shorter compared to that of the table. What I do is to closely "listen" to my body and assess how it responds to the training program so I know that I am not pushing myself too much. Just thinking of the months of rest due to injury keeps me very patient and gives me the temperance I need in order to avoid such an unfortunate incident.

Getting Started

I thought that the only thing that I would need to get into running is simply to make that decision that I am going to start running. It came as a surprise to read that there are basic things that you need to do before you start running.

If you are generally healthy, meaning no chest pains, difficulty of breathing on exertion, no other medical conditions, no previous injuries and you are not middle-aged nor older, then you could go ahead and move on and get started. Otherwise, you should see a doctor first and get medical clearance. I agree with this because recently I have heard of many incidents when someone just collapsed and died after getting into a sudden rigorous activity. What's more surprising, even young people (as young as late 20's) have heart attacks. It's not a fable. I am a doctor. These are facts and current observations. So just to be on the safe side, when in doubt, ask your doctor.

Now that you've had your medical clearance, you should have the basic running gear... meaning a good pair of running shoes. Running can be the cheapest sports that you can get involved in. Perhaps the most expensive thing that you need to buy in order to get into running is your running shoes. And for females, it is also important to wear sports bra especially if you're a size C or D. You do not want to look so trim and fit on your belly and have dangling you-know-whats up there. The rest of the running gears are just accessories that will help you run but may not necessarily be that essential for you. As for me, the MP4 player is a must because my running program is from podrunner. My husband downloaded the podrunner interval for 5-km in 10 weeks and this has really helped me to be consistent with the sports. You can get a very cheap MP4 player nowadays. An i-pod is not a must. However, some people wanted to track their running activity through other gadgets like pedometer and the like. As for me, the public oval track with its meter-markings suffices to monitor my distance. I only pay P5.00 to use the facility and I'm good to go. No need to make this new hobby a burden to the family budget. 'Less is more'. That's a favorite saying of my husband. Just keep it simple. The "lower the maintenance", the better.

Jogger, Racer or Runner?

Do you know the difference between a jogger, a racer and a runner? I do.

I know it not because I am a professional runner, which I am not and you know that. I know it because I read it in the book, "Running for Fitness".

The joggers are those who take up the sport because they want to lose weight. They are the ever health conscious advocates of running as a form of exercise. The racers are the evolved joggers who got into a race and suddenly realized there's a world of competition out there. They become conscious of their time and they log down their records diligently. The runners are those who love the sport for all its health benefits and join the race not to outdo anybody but themselves. They run for peace of mind. Who are you?

Would you believe that in just a month of religiously following a 5-km running program (check on the link to podrunner to know about the 5-km program), I have evolved from being a walker... not a jogger, not a racer... mind you, a walker (!)..... into a runner.

I particularly love this paragraph written by George Sheehan in his book Running to Win which makes clear distinction of the above terms: "Jogging, they say is competing against yourself. Racing is competing against others. Running is discovering that competing is only competing. It is essential and not essential. It is important and unimportant. Running is finally seeing everything in perspective. Running is discovering the wholeness, the unity that everyone seeks. Running is the fusion of body, mind, and soul in that beautiful relaxation that joggers and racers find so difficult to achieve."

And guess what? According to Owen Barder, author of Running for Fitness, you only understand the real definition of a runner when you actually experience it first-hand.

I am a runner.

I say this with utmost humility because I know that it is pure grace that I should experience what these two authors defined running to be.