Knowledge is power -in running as in any other pursuit. The more you know about training, nutrition and health, the better you'll be at getting the most from your running, whether that means fitness, weight loss, great race performances or just plain fun. So we've compiled lots of useful information to help you reach your goals.
Some of these facts and tips apply to all runners, but many address the specific needs of women. You may find things you already know, but we're sure you'll discover many new ideas that can help you become the runner you want to be.
1. Running is a state of mind. The only thing that determines your success, or lack of success, is the way you think about your running. If it works for you-if it relieves stress, burns calories, gives you time to yourself, enhances your self-esteem-then it doesn't matter what any other person or any stopwatch says about your running.
2. For female runners, controlled anaerobic training-intervals, hill repeats, fartlek training-may lead to gains in strength and speed similar to those produced by steroids but without the noxious side effects. Why? High-intensity anaerobic running is one of the most potent stimulators of natural human growth hormones-those that contribute to stronger muscles and, ultimately, enhanced performance.
3. In the United States, heart disease kills 10 times more women than breast cancer does each year. One of the best weapons for fighting heart disease is exercise. Exercise lowers your blood pressure and resting heart rate, raises your "good" HDL cholesterol levels and helps you maintain a healthy weight.
4. Running with headphones outdoors is a safety hazard in more ways than one. You won't be able to hear cars, cyclists or someone approaching who intends to do you harm. Attackers will always pick a victim who looks vulnerable. When you have headphones on, that means you.
5. Fast running burns more calories than slow running, but slow running burns more calories than just about any other activity. In short, nothing will help you lose weight and keep it off the way running does. Besides, it's inexpensive, it's accessible, and, if necessary, it can be done while pushing a stroller.
6. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. One important study of running injuries shows that women are much more likely than men to suffer ankle sprains, shinsplints, stress fractures and hip problems. (Yet women are much less susceptible to Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis and quadriceps injuries.) To help you avoid injuries, make cross-training-such as pool running, bicycling and weight lifting-part of your program.
7. Statistically, women run approximately 10 percent slower than men at all distances (based on the average difference between men's and women's world records). And although a University of California analysis showed that elite women have been improving twice as fast as elite men over the past three decades (14 meters a minute per decade versus 7 for men), women are not going to "catch up" with men. The improvement can be traced to, among other things, dramatic increases in the number of women competing, opportunities to compete and better coaching. Of course, certain individual women can far outpace most men. Ingrid Kristiansen's marathon world record of 2:21:06 is faster than what 99.9 percent of the world's men are capable of achieving.
8. You don't have to be the competitive type to enter a race every now and then. You'll find that lots of other racers aren't overly competitive, either. They're out there because it's fun and social, and it motivates them to keep on running.
9. Medical wisdom upholds that moderate exercise during a normal pregnancy is completely safe for the baby. The most important precaution: Avoid getting overheated (a core body temperature above 101 degrees could increase the risk of birth defects). To make sure you're staying cool enough, early in your pregnancy take your temperature rectally immediately after a run. As long as your temperature is below 101 degrees, you can maintain that same level of effort throughout your pregnancy. If you increase your intensity or duration, check your temperature again. Also, skip the postrun hot tub.
10. Women generally have narrower feet than men, so when you're buying running shoes, your best bet will probably be a pair designed especially for women. But everybody's different; if your feet are wide, you may actually feel more comfortable in shoes designed for men. Bottom line: buy the shoe that fits your feet
12. A Harvard University study found that running women produce a less potent form of estrogen than their sedentary counterparts. As a result, women runners cut by half their risks of developing breast and uterine cancer and by two-thirds their risk of contracting the form of diabetes that most commonly plagues women.
13. Having another woman or a group of women to run with on a regular basis will help keep you motivated and ensure your safety. Plus, it's a lot more fun than running alone. Women runners become more than training partners; they're confidantes, couns*l*rs and doctors, too.
14. Like women, men are a good source of many things running, from camaraderie to information to safety to inspiration. Running is the perfect melting-pot sport for the sexes. Of course, if you beat your men friends in a race, they may not want to train with you anymore.
15. Women who run for weight control may lose perspective on what is an appropriate body size. A recent survey of thousands of U.S. women found that while 44 percent of the respondents actually were overweight, fully 73 percent thought they were.
16. Unfortunately, men and women will never be equals in the urination department. Men "whiz" through public rest rooms while women stand in long, slow lines. And when it comes to running, men enjoy the ultimate convenience. But a woman runner doesn't have to be a prisoner of her anatomy. Simply find a private place behind a tree or dense shrubbery, squat and pull the lining of your shorts over to one side. Just beware of using unfamiliar leaves for toilet paper.
17. Speedwork allows you to explore the boundaries of your ability and can add an exciting element to your regular running. Though you may have taken up running just for fitness, after a while it can be fun to see just how fast you can go. Start with short "pickups" (bursts of speed) sprinkled throughout a regular run and move up to formal, once-a-week interval sessions on a track (for example, running four to six fast 400s with 200-meter recovery jogs in between). You'll be delighted with the results.
18. The two minerals women runners need to pay the most attention to are calcium and iron. (Iron is especially important for menstruating women.) Your U.S. RDA for calcium is 1,200 milligrams; good sources are dairy products, dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, canned sardines and salmon. Your U.S. RDA for iron is 15 milligrams; foods high in iron include liver, fortified dry cereals, Cream of Wheat, beef and spinach. Note: Women runners who train intensively, have been pregnant in the past two years or consume fewer than 2,500 calories a day should get more than routine blood tests for iron status, since these test only for anemia, the final stage of iron deficiency. Instead, request more revealing tests, including those for serum ferritin, transferrin saturation and total iron-building capacity.
19. Running with a dog provides the best of both worlds-you get to run alone but with a friend. A dog is both a faithful companion who will go anywhere anytime and a loyal guardian who'll discourage anyone from harming you. The optimal running dog is medium-sized with a bloodline bred for endurance. An easy rule of thumb: Hunting breeds make the best runners.
20. There's no need to pass up a run or a race just because you're having your period. If you're suffering from cramps, running will often alleviate the pain, due to the release during exercise of pain-relieving chemicals called endorphins. Speedwork or a hill session can be especially effective, according to researcher Jody Weitzman of Women's Health and Support Services in Maryland. To guard against leakage, try using two tampons (side by side) for extra protection.
21. Running helps produce healthy skin. According to dermatologists, running stimulates circulation, transports nutrients and flushes out waste products. All of this leads to a reduction in subcutaneous fat, making skin clearer and facial features more distinct.
22. It may not be much consolation, but men are sometimes verbally harassed and occasionally threatened on the run, just as women are. Run smart, but don't let insignificant taunting limit your freedom. Runners are in it together.
23. If you run so much that your periods become light or nonexistent, you may be endangering your bones. Amenorrhea (lack of a monthly period) means that little or no estrogen is circulating in your body. Estrogen is essential for the replacement of bone minerals. Amenorrheic women can stop but not reverse the damage by taking estrogen and getting plenty of calcium. Any woman with infrequent periods or no periods should consult her gynecologist, preferably one sensitive to the needs of runners.
24. Older female runners can be very positive role models for girls just learning about the sport. Any show of support can be helpful. This might be something as simple as attending a local high school cross-country meet and cheering for the girl down the street.
25. If you were a regular runner before you became pregnant, you might have a bigger baby-good news, since larger infants tend to be stronger and weather physical adversity better. Researchers at Columbia University found that women who burned up to 1,000 calories a week through exercise gave birth to infants weighing 5 percent more than offspring of inactive moms. Those who burned 2,000 calories per week delivered babies weighing 10 percent more.
26. Women who run alone should take precautions: Leave a note at home stating when you left, where you'll be running and when you expect to return. Carry a personal alarm or self-defense spray. Stick to well-populated areas, and don't always run the same predictable route. Avoid running at night. Don't wear jewelry or headphones. Pay attention to your surroundings. Carry ID, but include only your name and an emergency phone number.
27. If you ran early in your pregnancy, you might want to try switching to a lower-impact exercise during the latter stages and after delivery. Due to the release of the hormone relaxin during pregnancy, some ligaments and tendons might soften, making you more vulnerable to injury. Walking, swimming, stationary bicycling and pool running (you'll be even more buoyant than usual) are good choices.
28. No matter what your size, it's a good idea to wear a sports bra when you run. By controlling breast motion, a sports bra will make you feel more comfortable. Look for one that stretches horizontally but not vertically. And, most importantly, try it on before you buy. A sports bra should fit snugly, yet not feel too constrictive. Run or jump in place to see if it gives you the support you need.
29. Taking antioxidant supplements may substantially reduce muscle damage and inflammation. A research study that measured levels of malondialdehyde-a barometer of muscle-tissue oxidation-in 25 women before and after 30 minutes on the treadmill found that postexercise levels increased by 32 percent in women who did not take antioxidants, but decreased by 28 percent in those who had taken 400 international units (IU) of vitamin E daily for three months.
30. Trying to lose fat by eating less and less and running more and more doesn't work. The more you exercise and the less you eat, the more likely your body is to "hibernate." That is, you'll conserve calories and thwart your efforts to lose fat. The better bet is to exercise reasonably and to increase your food intake early in the day to fuel your training. Eat breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack. Then eat lightly for dinner and afterward.
31. Morning is the best time for women to run, for lots of reasons. One, it's the safest time; statistics show that women are more likely to be attacked late in the day. Two, studies have shown that morning exercisers are more likely to stick with it, because what you do first thing in the day gets done. Not so with "maybe later on." Three, it saves you a round of dressing, undressing and showering at lunchtime or later. Four, it gives you a feeling of accomplishment, which is a great mental and physical start for the day.
32. Running doesn't make your breasts sag or make your uterus collapse. Believe it or not, these old myths resurface from time to time. In fact, running tightens and firms all the muscles it uses, so it will help prevent sagging rather than cause it. There are no recorded cases of running resulting in a fallen uterus (or any other organ, for that matter). Where this idea got started is a mystery.
33. Exploring your competitive side can offer benefits beyond running. Racing can help you tap into a goal-setting, assertive and self-disciplined side. Channeled correctly, these attributes can boost your success in other parts of your life-such as in the workplace.
34. "That time of the month" (or even the few days preceding it) is not the time when women run their worst. The hardest time for women to run fast is about a week before menstruation begins (a week after ovulation). That's when women's levels of the key hormone progesterone peak, inducing a much-higher-than-normal breathing rate during exercise. The excess ventilation tends to make running feel more difficult than usual.
35. One of the smartest things a woman runner can do is to include strength training in her weekly regimen. Lifting weights can help prevent injuries by correcting the muscle imbalances caused by running. It has also been proven to enhance bone health and elevate moods.
36. Just because you're married and have young children and a job doesn't mean you don't have time to run. Running is time-efficient and the best stress-reducer on the market. You need this time. Taking it for yourself (by, say, letting your husband babysit while you run) will benefit the whole family.
37. Phooey! If your nursing baby gags and spits your breast milk back at you, it may be because babies dislike the taste of postexercise breast milk, which is high in lactic acid and imparts a sour flavor. A study at Indiana University found that nursing moms who logged 35 minutes on the treadmill faced off with grimacing, reluctant infants if they nursed soon afterward. Researchers recommend that you either collect milk for later feeding or breast-feed before running.
38. A run is a wonderful first date. It's relaxed and casual, yet you get a chance to show off your body, your stamina and your style. It can mean as much or as little as you and your date wish it to mean. Conversation is rarely a problem, thanks to all those mood-lifting endorphins. If things go well, you can move on to a postrun meal. If they don't, you can always say you have to go home to wash your hair.
39. Women sweat less than men. However, contrary to popular belief, women dissipate heat as well as men. The reason: women are smaller and have a higher body-surface-to-volume ratio, which means that although their evaporative cooling is less efficient, they need less of it to achieve the same result. Nonetheless, make sure to drink plenty of water (until your urine runs clear) to offset the effects of sweating and prevent dehydration.
40. While no one has ever proven the old theory that women are better marathoners than men (because they have more body fat to burn), you never hear anyone argue the opposite. Men tend to use their strength to push ahead in short races, but this can backfire in the marathon. Women seem perfectly content to find a comfort zone and stay there. This makes them ideally suited for the marathon-the ultimate keep-your-cool and keep-your-pace distance. So set your sights on a marathon.
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