WHEN to drink and what to drink? These concerns preoccupy the thoughts of many a distance runner and it can be baffling to decipher the mixed messages of sports drink manufacturers (who insist we should consume more fluids) and sports scientists (who often encourage us to drink less).
Confused? Don’t worry, we spell out the rules of fluid intake as determined by the leading experts:
MILD HYDRATION CAN BOOST PERFORMANCE
A report by New Zealand sport scientists suggested that a 3% drop in body weight through fluid loss doesn’t slow down athletes, while a 2012 paper in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine found that elite runners in the heat of the Dubai Marathon recorded fluid losses of almost 10%, yet still their finishing times were unaffected.
How is this the case? John Brewer, professor of applied sport science at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, says that “tactical dehydration” is a growing phenomenon among endurance runners, triathletes and cyclists, at club and elite level.
“Each litre of fluid lost equates to approximately 1kg of body weight,” Brewer explains. “Carrying around less weight has a positive impact on endurance performance, so people train their bodies to cope with dehydration.”
HOW MUCH FLUID DO YOU NEED?
Esta historia es de la edición January 25, 2018 de Athletics Weekly.
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Esta historia es de la edición January 25, 2018 de Athletics Weekly.
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Carbon Footprint
You'd have had to have been running on a different planet to miss all the recent debate about carbon-plated shoes. The talk of bans and performance enhancement has been so widespread that even non-runners are asking their running friends about the potentially magical footwear.
Trail time
WHEN looking for a trail or off-road running shoe, it’s often all about the grip. However, given that no two paths are the same, careful consideration is required. What’s the terrain like where you’ll wear the shoes the most? If you’ll be negotiating soft, wet and muddy conditions then look for deeper lugs. For tackling gravel tracks and forest trails then more evenly spaced lugs will work better. When it comes to cushioning, consider how hard the ground will be; if it’s soft then you’ll be fine in low-profile shoes, but on those firmer tracks reasonable cushioning will be called for.
Stay neutral
EVOLVING every year, if not month, neutral cushioned shoes are seeing developments in cushioning materials and dynamics at a pace which is nothing short of astonishing. The latest models feature new polymers in the midsoles to give them a cushioned feel while at the same time keeping their weight to a minimum. Give them a spin and choose the most comfortable for mile after mile of shock absorbing running.
Support network
WHEN it comes to ‘over-pronation’, a common question is ‘how much is over?’. With no hard and fast rules, it’s best to choose a shoe that instinctively feels right. Gait analysis can often assist in helping you make this choice and your specialist running store is always a good place to start if in doubt. To help you make that choice, here’s a selection of some of the best ‘support’ shoes around.
Need for speed
THE racing shoe segment of the market is becoming somewhat split. This is partially due to the rise of carbon-plated footwear but also the fact that many shoes are becoming much lighter. Here we take a look at some of the leading contenders to toe the line in.
Gadget show
WITH technological products to enhance every area of life, running is now no different. From headphones to treadmills, the devices to aid performance and recovery are endless. Here we take a look at some of the latest gadgets and gizmos to enhance your training.
What's in a shoe?
We bust some of the jargon around footwear
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