Woodside Ramble 50K – Trail Jealousy
Luke Garten

I had the pleasure of running the Woodside Ramble 50k on a beautiful spring day last weekend. It was yet another great race put on by Inside Trail Racing. This is the second time I have been able to come to these great trails to race. The first time was in January of 2012 where I ran the Crystal Springs trail run. These are my favorite set of trails to run on. The scenery is amazing and the trails are usually very well maintained and smooth (well except for the dozen or more of downed trees covering the trail this time which made it feel like we were running an ultra distance hurtle race at times). It does have a good amount of climbing (my Garmin showed 5,050ft of gain) but it is all runnable and does not require any power hiking. It is also very smooth and easy to keep your momentum going for most of the time since it is not too technical of a course. There was one big difference that Inside Trail Racing did for their Woodside Ramble race compared to the Crystal Springs trail race. It was an added climb at the end of the race. I was expecting a smooth broken paved/gravel road downhill finish and was not ready to see another small climb that definitely put a hurting on my spirits at the end of a 5 mile downhill grind. The Woodside Ramble trail is not the type of course with epic overlooking views (although there are two great views to be seen along the course). It is my favorite type of course that makes you feel very alone and peaceful in the dense redwood forest. Even in a large race turnout I was only surrounded with people at the start. It wasn’t until my return trip back to the finish where I would see a lot of the other runners. The dense forest keeps you in a very quiet surrounding where you can only see people up to about a 100 ft away at times.

The start location of the race is at the Werder Shelter area is a perfect place to have your family come to cheer you on. There is a lot of activities to keep them entertained while they wait. There is a great playground for kids to play on and a giant open grass field to bring a football or Frisbee to help pass the time. This is probably one of the best family friendly race locations compared to other races out there.

The reason I am jealous is because Inside Trail Racing team mate Scott Dunlap lives right next to this course. Scott is well known for his popular running blog of outstanding race reports filled with pictures taken while racing. http://www.atrailrunnersblog.com/2012/12/the-woodside-50k-winter-wonderland.html I so wish I had everyday access to trails this amazing. I do have the trails in Auburn that are a 20 minute drive but nothing from my door. I also noticed while driving into the race start area that there are lots of road cyclist (also a hobby of mine) riding on the roads around the town there. I probably saw more cyclists than I saw cars. Even when passing the mile 6/25 aid station there where lots of cyclists passing by both times I crossed the forest shaded road and never saw a car. This is truly a magnificent place and should be on everyone’s top races to do. If I was as talented of a runner as multi-tasker Scott Dunlap I would have taken pictures of this course while racing but I can only do one thing at a time while running trails. It is my favorite race course that I have yet to do and I will be back to do this race again for sure. See you there!

One of the first recommendations to defeat sloshing is effective hydration and balancing electrolytes. Once the body begins to sweat, electrolytes are lost and blood plasma thickens making the heart and muscles work harder to pump the blood  delivering oxygen and removing metabolic waste. For proper gastric emptying and fluid assimilation, sodium levels have to be adequate to create optimal osmolality (the amount of solutes in a solution), allowing for fluid to move from the stomach into the intestines. Hydration is impeded if the concentration of sugar and sodium is too high or low. Drinking a solution that is lower in osmolality than the blood itself will facilitate absorption, reducing sloshing and digestive upset. The sloshing you hear is the liquid in your stomach that hasn’t emptied into the intestines for blood use. Avoid fluids that contain too much carbohydrate as it will push the osmolatlity outside of the range for rapid assimilation. Increasing sodium citrate (400mg for 20oz bottle) while decreasing unnecessary carbohydrates in your hydration solution can help. Do not use salt tablets or sports drinks–though convenient, they will overload the body and disrupt metabolism. I am an advocate of drinking plain water for the first 45 minutes to an hour and then introduce an electrolyte solution to your hydration system. Electrolyte tablets and mixes, such as Nuun and Tailwind (see Product Review: Tailwind Nutrition) are great products that I think should replace other sports drinks.

Many people complain of having a gluten intolerance, and for some, the sensitivity is serious and real; for others it is another trend that they assume must apply to their digestive issues. Gluten is a protein composite found in many grains and gives elasticity to dough. When someone cannot metabolize gluten, they suffer from many of the same GI troubles than runners experience: bloating, diarrhea, stomach sloshing, and muscular and joint pain. The food selection at aid stations and that are most convenient to bring on a run typically contain a good amount of gluten. If you have an undiagnosed intolerance, consuming these foods will decrease top end power and make you feel sick and dehydrated. The body simply cannot process what you are ingesting. If you suspect a sensitivity, see a doctor, but for most of us the effects are small and can be tested by eliminating any gluten from your diet and any vitamins/medications you take for at least 3 weeks. Look for gluten-free alternatives that you can take with you on a run and eat potatoes and rice instead of pasta and bread.

Nutrition is largely responsible for performance, yet another significant determinant of performance outside of macro-nutrient and calorie content is the timing of ingestion. To avoid bloating and guarantee digestion, eat 2-3 hours before training or competition. If you suffer from hypoglycemia or have a speedy metabolism necessitating a more frequent eating pattern, have a small “booster” 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to the event. This snack should be high on the glycemic index, have very little fat and, if possible, no protein. Around 15 grams of simple carbohydrate should give you just the sugar boost you need to prevent feeling hungry but not too much so that you expend energy breaking it down, feeling full and crampy. If you allow time for digestion, your body will be able to empty the contents of your stomach and be prepared for natural sweating and fuel replacement during the run. Eating too close to activity will also induce side aches which are a result of diaphragmatic compression.

To avoid any desperate detours to the bathroom, it is best to eat starchy, non-fibrous, non-fatty foods the closer you get to run time. Eating meals that have a high fiber and acid content, or eating overly processed and oily products may irritate the bowel and lead to diarrhea. Add jostling of the intestines to those problem foods and you may be surprised by the discomfort in your stomach and hoping a port-a-potty is nearby. It is best to have the calorie heavy meal at least 3 hours before your event. This meal should provide around 400-700 calories, contain 60% complex carbohydrate, 20% healthy fat, and 20% complete protein. Potatoes, bagels, bananas, rice-pudding and power-smoothies (for non-lactose intolerant individuals) are great pre-workout meals that can be consumed 1-2 hours beforehand that will not cause GI distress. Refrain from eating these foods if you have a long run or race the same day: apples, broccoli, oranges, bacon, beans

Another timing problem associated with bloating and insufficient gastric emptying is failing to hydrate before you feel thirsty. When hydration is delayed it can cause sloshing and a serious drop in performance. Not only has your power decreased, but it will take even longer to replace fluids as the sloshing indicates the water is not being assimilated. Thus, it is imperative that you begin sipping water early in your run and continue to take in a couple sips every 15-20 minutes. Most likely, you will end up gulping taking in too much fluid and air which will contribute to the sloshing as well. It may also be that you have too much air in your stomach or haven’t had a bowel movement that day.

Everyone responds differently to nutrition plans and suggested foods. Our genetics and environment play a big role in how we will react to the chemicals (both natural and artificial) in what we eat. With our differing physiology, most of what you read and hear are recommendations and general guidelines. You can have a genetic and physical workup completed to bypass some of the trial and error it takes to figure it out, however, it can be expensive and medicine is still working to explicate the mysteries of the body. Be a skeptic and don’t allow yourself to be swayed by the masses. The paleodiet works for some, and the science behind it seems justified, but evolution isn’t secured in a set timeline; our digestive systems may have adapted to new world foods better than we think. Food chemical effects on cell life is another article I will publish in the next few weeks.

–Tanya Davis
Writer/researcher and trail runner
Tanya@insidetrail.com

In science, inaccurate information is often promulgated as seemingly legitimate and valid–albeit inadequately-tested–ideas have the possibility of improving our lives, only for it to be completely debunked as evidence collects. To stretch or not to stretch is now a decades old debate that remains to befuddle people; continuing to adhere to ideas without enough knowledge of new studies that have elucidated the misconception. For years it was touted that stretching before exercise can assist in reducing the risk for injury by increasing muscle length, enhancing range of motion and making them more elastic. Studies supporting this idea were based on data collected from the British military who observed a reduction in injuries from 6%-1% with a regular stretching routing before training. With advancements in exercise physiology, recent studies involving athletes from a wide range of sports including football, wrestling, gymnastics and running suggest that there is no performance enhancement stimulated by stretching alone. In some cases, when the muscle is tight pulling on it too much can tear the tissue which becomes aggravated once the activity commences and endures.

In a study delivered to the 2011 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Daniel Pereles, M.D. presented his results that included 2,729 recreational and elite runners all of whom ran at least 10 miles per week. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: a stretch group and non-stretch group. Runners in the stretch group were instructed to carry out a 3-5 minute leg stretch routine prior to their run. Surprisingly, what he found was that the isolated act of stretching didn’t influence the rate of injury; Pereles defined injury as any complication that prevented running for at least a week. Factors that contributed to running impairment was a history of chronic injury, continuous high mileage training, being a heavier runner, and changing pre-run stretching routines (switching from consistently non-stretching to stretching). Participants who stretched before the study and were assigned to the non-stretch group had a 23% increase in injuries; runners who were assigned to the stretch group with a history of not stretching experienced a 22% rise, equating to about a 40% increased risk for injury for the groups combined. Pereles concludes that one should follow their own regimen in the interest of safety and what has worked for them, he says, “If it feels good for you to stretch before you run, then continue if you have the time, but if it doesn’t feel good, and you like to run and then stretch, or not stretch at all, then that’s fine too.”

The body and brain are very efficient and adapt to repetition with ease. Our tissues and circuitry respond to pattern and routine; adjusting fibers to accommodate expected stress load. With frequent exercise, the body uses less calories to complete the sport in comparison to how much fuel was needed at the beginning of a new training plan–it becomes more efficient in how it uses calories. It takes about 3 weeks to adapt to a new activity and fashion new habits. If you have come from cycling, a sport that requires muscles to be supple, and dive into running, a sport that has eccentric contraction in the muscles, your risk for injury is increased. New actions demand a period of adaptation and pushing beyond what they are currently capable of will always place you in a precarious position, that is why gradually increasing mileage, intensity, and stretching is best.

If we consider the British military recruits who experienced a drop in injury occurrence and that most professional athletes regularly stretch as a pre-workout warm-up, it appears that there must be some benefit to stretching; however, their routines actually involve other dynamic trends such as calisthenics and light cardiovascular activities not just cold extensions. Stretching is best performed after the muscles are already warm. One of the best pre-run training techniques is to simply walk for a few minutes. It has a better effect on circulation than does stretching, and if you are interested in incorporating stretching into your training, the muscles will be warm enough to do so safely. It should be noted that there is an advantage to extending range of motion. If you encounter an obstacle while running and leap or trip over it–or land in an awkward position–being flexible can prevent an injury by having the ability to make a wide stride without pulling the muscle.

A person can suffer an injury from stretching because they don’t actually know how to stretch properly. Perhaps they have observed other runners demonstrations or have looked up on the Internet what stretches are valuable for their sport and plunge right in. Over-stretching is a sure fire way to create small tears and tissue damage. Always approach the first stretches slowly and gingerly; it helps to grip the muscles with your hands and give them a quick massage to facilitate blood flow. If you ever feel pain or noticeable discomfort, you have stretched too far. The sensation should be somewhat pleasurable and work with your current flexibility.

In all, moderate stretching before a run does not affect the risk of injury. Switching to a new stretching routine and over-stretching cold muscles will put you at a greater risk for complication. Stick with what works for you and don’t let another person’s preferred regimen influence your own if you are satisfied. Furthermore, stretching does not enhance performance–runners are equally as fast regardless of stretching endeavors.

–Tanya Davis
Writer and trail runner
Tanya@insidetrail.com

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with founders of Tailwind Nutrition, Jeff and Jenny Vierling. The company is a grassroots venture that is morally invested in their product and committed to serving the athletic community an optimal nutrition solution. I was excited to plow right to the core of why Tailwind is a superior alternative to other sports nutrition systems.

The idea of Tailwind was conceived by Jeff, a software engineer/techy and endurance athlete himself, who had been suffering GI disturbances during the long hours on his bike. He’d competed in the Leadville 100 and found the fuel management cumbersome, inefficient, and difficult to physiologically process. Frustrated by what was available, he sought a better system that would be easier on his stomach by researching existing data and playing around in his own kitchen. Jeff reduced the concept to three essential elements: digestion, regimen complexity, and taste.

Digestion:

Tailwind combines carbohydrate from dextrose (glucose) and sucrose with 303mg of sodium from citrate and sea salt, plus potassium (88mg), calcium (26mg) and magnesium (14mg) for an all-in-one calorie and hydration solution. Unlike other fuel/hydration drinks, Tailwind has an increased sodium profile and milder taste; optimizing gastric emptying and fluid absorption while making ingestion more palatable as the workout endures.

Tailwind works with the body’s own fluid intake and assists in thermoregulation. As body temperature rises during exercise, blood moves to the skin for evaporative cooling (sweating). This system is effective as long as there is continual restoration of body water necessary for blood plasma volume and circulation. Science has proven that for adequate assimilation of fluid, the body needs a combination of specific sugars, specific sodium, and water; if this balance is off, the result is cramping, GI distress, and fatigue. The amount of sodium in Tailwind balances the total electrolyte profile to stimulate aerobic metabolism and increase endurance. When a drink contains too many calories and sugars, the product reaches too far outside the optimal osmolality (electrolyte-water balance) range which decreases the hydration potential, which then creates the bloating and sloshing in the stomach.

Simplicity:

What attracts me, as a consumer, to Tailwind is that it is real food. It is made from all natural and organic ingredients with pronounceable and recognizable names. You don’t have to question whether the ingredients are doing more harm than good. A calorie isn’t just a calorie; it should replenish your cells and fuel your body. Artificial ingredients may have a suitable caloric weight, but they end up damaging your cells and negatively influencing performance and behavior.

Instead of being burdened by carrying sticky foods separate from your water bottles/packs, Tailwind combines fuel and hydration to make transportation and consumption a much easier task. You don’t have to worry about what foods to choose at aid stations, if you have enough pockets, or stopping to open anything. It has adequate calories available for quick absorption right from the start line. Put simply: it saves time and energy. There is no need for other foods unless you’d like to mix things up or are craving the act of chewing for satisfaction.

Taste:

Most other sports drinks are packed with sugar that start out tasting great but quickly become saccharine and unpalatable as the hours tick away. Our sensors for salt and sugars become heightened as we sweat, and it is easier to consume when the flavor is mild and as close to water as we can get it without compromising caloric intake and assimilation. Tailwind comes in three organic flavors (Organic Lemon, Berry, or Mandarin Orange) that are refreshing and almost savory. The mix dissolves quickly and rinses clean with ease.

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Overall, this product blows every other brand out of the water (pun intended). The carbohydrate-electrolyte profile is balanced and sufficient for even the heaviest sweaters. It delays fatigue, boosts endurance, maximizes cardio-respiratory efficiency, and reduces cramping and GI distress. It is extremely convenient and palatable; it doesn’t cake to bottles or packs; it is all natural and won’t gunk up your system with preservatives and other additives. Other brands tell us what we need to be drinking–Tailwind delivers it to our bodies without false claims. This is a fantastic product that is beneficial for all athletes, and it’s also gluten free!

www.tailwindnutrition.com

Tailwind is available in bulk packages – 50 or 25 serving sizes

Single use pouches are sold in 3- or 12-packs in your choice of flavors and makes 2 large (24 oz) water bottles or 4 small (12 oz) bottles.

Take the Tailwind challenge: Jeff and Jenny stand by their product so much that they’ve vowed to pay your race fee if you aren’t satisfied! The Challenge pack is 4 large bags (50 servings each) in your choice of flavors.

–Tanya Davis
Writer and trail runner
Tanya@insidetrail.com

The late morning air was thick and moist, an atypical humidity for Marin County that I never appreciate. I was riddled with lethargy and general grumpiness that I attempted to correct with a strong cup of coffee and a few vertical bounces, much like a football player hyping himself for a big game. My game was big. I had committed to running with a friend at a certain time for a certain number of miles, and I am the worst at fulfilling running obligations. Sure, I like running with friends, but the truth is, I’m terrible at it. I am rarely on time; I feign afflictions or ailments in case I am not performing as they expected; I become resentful when I want to run ahead, but feel the pressure to be courteous and wait; I go too hard on days dedicated to going easy, too light on days intended for pushing it; I become self-righteous and territorial about certain trails. Overall, I feel like I am compromising one of us in some way. But, I really do like running with others…as long as I can control every component to make it my run, not our run. I am fully aware of how selfish and deplorable this makes me, but it simply is my obstinateness and Type-A approach to running, not true misanthropy.

Irrespective of my challenges to make for a pleasant running partner, I usually agree to run with a friend at least once a week. In no effort to conceal his identity, I’m going to call this friend Tim Stahler.

Tim is a great runner with a history of commanding one of the top three spots in any race he enters, but he has poor luck in maintaining health and preventing injuries (clumsy injuries, such as tripping over a penny while walking to his car). I am a mediocre athlete with a potential to be swift, though I usually skip the recovery portion of training, and am therefore imprisoned by averageness. Together, we are like Teddy Ruxpin bears that routinely say the wrong thing–our equipment looks fine on the outside, but once in use, you realize there was a factory error that wasn’t expected. Tim complains too much, I lament about being tired and crabby–our jaunty canter becomes a shuffle and we laugh about being a curious set of determined invalids. It only takes about 15 minutes before this frivolity evolves into something more vexatious. The competitive runner in me emerges and I want to run away from him. I roll my eyes in indignation and snap at him when he fails to recognize a trail I’ve taken him on multiple times before. To be fair, he, too, probably wants to run away from me (and he’s more capable of it), but I am the one feeling the prickly need to govern and regulate: our run is for me, not him.

Having grown up in Mill Valley, CA in a family of hikers, trail runners and mountain bikers, I learned the trails (both marked and unmarked) of Mt. Tamalpais at an early age, and over many years of exploring, I developed an intimate relationship with the mountain. I feel protective and entitled, not that I own the mountain, more like I belong to Mt. Tam and there aren’t many people that can fully honor her beauty and buzz as I can. To me, the mountain is alive and breathing, and I am privileged to be a part of that breath. When I run with others on her trails, I designate myself as the guide, the keeper, the mystic who cannot fully let you in on the secret she keeps. This self-important feeling creates an inequality between the guest and myself and I immediately regret exposing them to something so private.

Tim’s tendency to assert himself as a local and illustrate his knowledge of the trails inspires some contention. I enjoy when his sense of direction is weaker than mine, and I’m downright elated when I get to tell him he’s wrong. I spend at least a half hour gloating and ridiculing him for not listening to me in the first place.

Neither of us is disciplined about eating and we both bonk around the same time, increasing my cantankerousness and his reticence. Rarely, do we ever go the same pace–he has long legs and a quick gait, I usually have a stroller and a big butt to hoist up the hill. If he takes off ahead, the longer he stays up there without turning around to check on me, the more incensed and punitive I become. When we finally reconvene, I’m reduced to a pouty adolescent who is going to sulk until her friend makes her feel pretty again. This, I am aware, makes me appear to be a terrible person. But, rather, I see it as Tim is the terrible person for taking off ahead. I’m a spin doctor.

Psychology is flexible and perception is what matters. Depending on the consequence, each of us has the ability to be viewed as unfair and fractious. When someone is feeling uncomfortable, compromised, or unimportant, the most primitive areas of the brain are stimulated and respond with a hormonal profile that manipulates rational thought. Add to this, the state of being dehydrated, hypoglycemic, and tired, and you have a nice little tantrum waiting to happen. So, yes, running with Tim often turns into a battle of puerile adults bickering about who is right, when the significance of “right” is only dependent on the thinker, not on truth.

Yet, there I was again, an hour late, overly hot, jittery with too much caffeine, and ready to let Tim know he was going to be accompanying me on one of my moody runs. You’d think that I would just run alone and forgo tormenting my friends with my attitude, but it isn’t all about my needing to control the run. It is about the friendship and camaraderie involved. Some days I’m lonely and melancholic. Running by myself during that state is isolating, being alone with my own thoughts is dismal, and I’m less likely to get outside. If I know a friend is counting on me to be there (30-60 min. late), I have to show up. The comfort of their presence keeps me aligned with my own training and shifts my mood from brooding to blithe. I become more cognizant of the consequences of my actions by reflecting on what I actually gain from running with someone. My wrongful demand that a friendly run be dictated by myself changes to include Tim, to share this time and secede from my selfish thinking. Sometimes it takes an active thought to influence my surrender, but much of our behavior takes practice if we really want to re-wire that circuitry.

I’ve observed many friends and couples arguing on the trails when they have the conundrum of rivaling requisites. They blame and scoff, and, much of the time, run in silence. But, I think, once their emotional brain has relaxed, they are happy to have each other’s company. I’d rather get out for a run with a friend and have it not be perfect than to sit inside and kick myself for not getting out at all.

BFFs, Tanya and Tim, bicker and fight during runs like sparring siblings, but always end with a hug.

~Tanya Davis
Writer and trail runner
Tanya@insidetrail.com

Well, I don’t “like” to restrict calories, I do it because I’m neurotic and obsessive and a perfectionist, and I want to be an ideal weight in fanciful hope of delivering a speedy, flawless performance. Too many calories would mean I’d put on weight which would hamper my running ability, right? Actually, it just makes me hungry and think about food constantly. It makes me limp and lethargic; I bonk while training and make slow fitness gains with frequent set-backs. I am diligent about packing fuel for training runs (I’m even better at dictating what others should bring), yet I most always fail to consume adequate sugars in a timely manner. I’ve become sedulous, albeit insincere, in telling myself, “I’ll eat this time”. The intention is there because I’m always disciplined in the future. The present me, however, questions whether the feeling of hunger is authentic. I err on the side of lameness, and end up slowing down until I have to stop and devour more candy-bar (let’s face it, most sports-bars are just candy with a vitamin label) than is necessary which only prepares me to further restrict calories for the rest of the day. What this vicious cycle presents is characteristic of disordered eating. It is disordered eating. It is an obsession with an idea that, ultimately, is contradictory to the desired outcome.

Many women, and quite a few elite male athletes, chronically engage in this abstemious behavior believing it will assist them in making them faster, leaner, and (insidiously) more physically attractive. It is a basic law of motion that heavy things take more energy to move and require more friction to reduce their momentum. Charging uphill is an easier task when you have less weight to carry and also decreases muscle damage on the trot down the other side. Women who are less than 1.9 lbs/inch in height and men who are less than 2.1 lbs/inch tend to be better climbers–bouncing up the hill rather than feeling as though they’re in a massive squat workout with a small child on their shoulders.

What do we do about this terrible business of finding our optimal weight for performance without disturbing the body’s physiological balance and general health? Logically, I understand that being 5’6 and 120 lbs. is an acceptable weight for a female, but that acceptance only facilitates further extremism. I have intense trepidation of adding just one more pound–no–adding one more ounce, one more molecule of fat. When I lose weight or if I know I’ve kept my calories to a minimum, I feel svelte and decorous; proud, like a recovering addict having just refused her vice for the first time. It’s auto-catalytic: the more I lose, the more I feel an incentive to ascetically regulate. Professional cyclists and marathon runners frequently undergo weigh-ins and body composition evaluation by physicians who have been hired to keep them competitive and light. They have a science to which they can adhere; numbers and data and feedback to assist their progress, unlike myself who has only a scale, nutrition labels, and pessimistic thoughts to determine my presumed daily caloric intake.

Trying to decrease weight when you’re already close to optimal size is imprudent and will precipitate incidence of illness and injury. If you are eating less and exercising more, you will lose muscle as the weight comes off. Regardless of athleticism, if you aren’t maintaining adequate caloric intake and you’re in a deeper deficit due to increased running stress, the pursuit of being lighter is ineffective because you have less muscle to create power. If you are intent on losing pounds or really would benefit from lowering body fat, it is best to consume sufficient protein before embarking on a diet and increase that amount as you shed the weight to help maintain muscle mass. The obsession with weight should, instead, be overthrown by a scrutiny of body composition. Sometimes with exercise our weight increases because of muscle building and increased blood volume. The amount of lean muscle tissue in relation to percentage of body fat should be examined because one might be surprised at how their fitness has changed even though they have seemingly made no changes on the scale. This, I know.

Again, polite logic and wise principles don’t, in any way, alter my conscious stupidity. As a woman and athlete, I have a propensity to compare my physique to other women runners and prefer to ignore the reality of my performance in favor of a visual expectation. Similar to a person who has recently lost their eyesight and has experienced the phenomenon of still “seeing” until they’ve been confronted by a pole they’ve just walked into, the reality of my feckless obsession with being small only sets in once I’m violated by DNFs or pneumonia.

While men accumulate fat on the outside of their muscles making it very conspicuous when they have put on soft pounds, women, amass fat deposits within the muscle itself until they have filled up and fat is then stored on the hips, thighs and breasts. To thwart the inclination for storing fat, people restrict calories and, sometimes, whole food groups in an effort to reduce their size.

When a woman under-eats, she suppresses her estrogen levels which will affect her menstrual cycle and energy levels. Her reproductive system is halted because of the amount of stress her body is experiencing. Interruption in estrogen production evolved as a protective mechanism during famine; if food isn’t abundant, you aren’t prepared to carry a baby. Your hypothalamus, the area of your brain that monitors total body fat and anxiety, shuts off estrogen when it perceives stress levels to be too high. If your estrogen dips too low, you are at risk of osteoporosis and injury. Contrary to popular belief, limiting calories, not body-fat, that is responsible for lowered estrogen concentration. Recent studies are demonstrating that women can have body-fat percentages equal to athletic men and as long as they are consuming adequate calories, they will continue to menstruate and not suffer the symptoms of menopause (which is essentially what women experience with suppressed estrogen).

Moreover, acute or prolonged calorie restriction can lead to malnutrition where the pernicious affects are evident and take time to reverse. Symptoms include fatigue, weaker muscle contraction, anemia, frequent injuries, brittle bones, sleep disturbances, fertility complications as discussed, and increased recovery from training. These repercussions usually become apparent too late to simply start eating more to feel fresh. It will require cutting back on training intensity and distance and breaking through the psychological resistance to eating more for a few weeks for the body to rebound and feel stable again.

In sports where power-to-weight ratio influences the result, both men and women feel a pressure to control their size. If the result is significant enough, or is involved in identity creation/retention, the pressure can turn into disordered eating which, consequently, can turn into an eating disorder. The difference between disordered eating and an eating disorder is that the former is sub-clinical, though portentous. Unlike anorexia (refusal to eat) and bulimia (binging and purging), disordered eating is not usually a manifestation of a psychological disorder, such as depression or anxiety. It is characterized by food rituals (weighing/disassembling food and eating in a specific order), calorie counting, and excessive exercising to make up for eating a jellybean. Not every runner experiences this perverse inclination, though, many athletes are governed by such monomania, which is also a facet of their success. Competition begets tenacity which can turn into extremism and self-imposed dogma–the idea that nothing is ever enough. Not enough miles, not enough intensity, not enough races. This excess can creep up and dominate one’s life. Thirty-one percent of women without a history of an eating disorder admit having purged to control weight, and nearly seventy-five percent of women report that their concerns about shape and weight interfere with their happiness. In a study of collegiate male athletes, twenty percent noted behavior thought to be symptomatic of disordered eating (1).

Our obsessive behavior and frenzied devotion to self-interest and being acknowledged in an environment that venerates competition has become a psychological myopia. In a culture preoccupied with excess and abundance, it is exhilarating to be in control and lauded for your ability to resist. I’m consumed by guilt and shame if I temporarily resign from my diet of fiber and sugar-free protein bars. Eating, it appears, has become something I have to earn. I have difficulty in allowing myself to be nourished unless I have exercised that day. An ulcer from eating too much stevia extract would be tolerable, but not being outside of my ideal race weight. It is vain and irrational to cling to such an absurd belief, but emotion is what drives so much of our dearest held thoughts and convictions. Emotional response protects humans from harm because of its immediacy, it doesn’t leave room for critical thinking which would amend my erroneous conclusion that not eating will tip the scales if I’m sedentary for a day. The body needs fuel to recover and function, it will die without it, yet fear (our most primitive emotion) apprehends my ability to relax. Maybe the trick, the quick fix, to such a problem is having a professional tell you to eat more. If left to a self-assessment, many will be trapped in the caliginous “never enough” sepulcher, and the truth is, they’d really like to feel good about eating a cheeseburger or having an ice-cream once in a while. Most likely, they’d experience a remarkable boost in athletic ability and energy.

Eating a diet rich in real foods, whole foods unrefined foods, keeps the body in balance. It isn’t just your tissues and cardiovascular system that you are nourishing, you are servicing your brain and endocrine system as well. Issues around eating and obsessive calorie counting inhibits normal hormonal flux and interrupts serotonin (the neurotransmitter involved in regulating mood and appetite) release and re-uptake. It is imperative for physical and personal restoration to consume sufficient calories. Trail runners and endurance athletes will be happier and stronger if they feed themselves appropriately. Intense workouts demand refueling if you want any fitness progression. A frail athlete cannot possibly have as much energy as their heavier and more muscular counterpart. Women with a little more fat and muscle have more endurance and power for hills and maintaining speed over a long distance.

Exposing something that has such a stigma and speaking openly despite the discomfort would help alleviate the problem’s prevalence in the running community. Understanding that a few extra pounds will ensure health and strength which can equate to faster times and longevity in the sport will, hopefully, eradicate the obsession with calorie restriction and weight. Proliferating scientific conclusions and research regarding performance and sufficient nutrition will make eating an easier feat and shift the focus to the enjoyment of running…the enjoyment of living without worry. It is very cumbersome to have a constant anxiety, you can’t live in the present if you’re always suspended by concern. Replenishing your body with food should feel deserved and earned, not because of what you did that day, but because if your body is asking for food, it needs it.

I remind myself that indulging in “normal people” food a few times a week will make me a better runner–and less of a pain in the ass to take out to dinner. Instead of sitting rigidly and picking away at pieces of fat, or pretending I’m not hungry enough to eat the entire meal, I breathe and engage in a small inner dialogue: “It’s okay, you are getting stronger and will be happier.” Permit yourself to eat by reminding yourself of why you’re running and racing in the first place: joy.

1. Petrie, Trent A.. Prevalence of Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating Behaviors Among Male Collegiate Athletes. [Washington, D.C.]. UNT Digital Library. http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc31092/. Accessed March 2, 2013.

~Tanya Davis
Writer and trail runner
Tanya@insidetrail.com

Carbohydrate Loading:
Three days prior to the event you should be consuming 10 grams of carbohydrate (CHO) per kilogram of body weight. This ensures that your muscles will be fully stocked with enough easily accessible glycogen so you don’t go into the race with a deficit leaving you limp and hungry. Liquid meal supplements can be used pre-exercise for those who have difficulty digesting solid foods and they are ideal to use close to competition to prevent nausea and vomiting. A high-CHO, low-fat snack is easily digested and normalizes blood sugar. Avoid fatty meals or snacks because they may stay in your stomach for long periods of time. The meal should be moderate in protein–just enough to satisfy hunger. You should aim to eat your pre-race meal 3 hours ahead of the start time so that your body has enough time to fully digest and balance its systems. If you have only 1-2 hours ahead of time to eat, the number of grams of CHO you should ingest corresponds with the hours you have left ( 1 hour before the event = 1g/kg, 2hrs prior = 2g/kg).

During Competition:
The recommended CHO intake during exercise is 30-60 grams for every hour as food and/or liquid. For sessions up to 60 minutes, plain water is sufficient and your body won’t be in any caloric deficit to necessitate eating. For sessions up to 90 minutes, an electrolyte beverage is adequate as your body will likely be sweating and demand mineral uptake without the need for excess calories. For sessions 90-180 minutes, it is best to follow the above mentioned recommended CHO intake along with 4 oz of water every 15 minutes (one mouthful is equivalent to 1 oz). It might be helpful to grab 2 cups of liquid at each aid station when racing.

Mother Earth, Venus, Triple Goddess, protector, siren: women are temptresses and nurturers. It is not a duplicity but a congruency that is imperative to our spirits and our ability to provide, strengthen, and guide. Women should have the dignity to uphold this duality and claim their status as the fierce Empress–she does not submit to a patriarchal society, but rather is an architect of it. For years men have dominated cultures and communities because of their virile, testosterone steeped minds, resourcefulness and physical size while women have had a long history of being dismissed, oppressed, and devalued even though she has been the deputy and, often times, the chief. Her strength is less conspicuous though just as robust. In the realm of sports, this perennial theme weaves through each field, court, road, and track; only since about the mid-twentieth century have women begun their ascendancy as powerful players deserving to compete at the elite level, and in some cases, against men.

Most sports now have a division for women and it is critical to respect the physical heterogeneity between the sexes which does create an inequality in many activities. Women have wider hips, shorter torsos relative to leg length, a lower center of gravity, smaller muscles, and generally weigh less despite having a higher percentage of body fat. Many studies have concluded that men have higher aerobic capacities (measured in maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max)) than those of women. The outcome of these differences is that women generate less absolute force and produce about a 10 percent variance in the results of professional competitions. So, to be sure, there is some fairness in establishing separate races or start times or isolating rank based on gender. However, the lines become blurry as the distance increases making ultra-running a perfect sport for women and men to come together in a battle of consummate endurance (muscular, cardiovascular, psychological).

Photo credit: Meghan M. Hicks

Women are capable of training at the same volume levels as men, and it may be safe to say that they are even more capable when it comes to pain tolerance. At the 2010 Hardrock 100-Mile Endurance Run held in Silverton, Colorado, Diana Finkel led the entire race for most of the first 90 miles before succumbing to debilitating leg cramps and metabolic difficulties allowing Jared Campbell to finally pass her for the win. The Hardrock 100 is considered the most arduous and physically exhausting 100-miler footrace in North America with 33,000 feet of climbing at high altitude. The second female finisher was Darcy Africa who placed fourth overall. Though ultra-marathon races are typically heavy in male participation, we are seeing more and more women joining the ranks and dominating the field. Local ultra-runners, Devon Yanko and ITR team member, Caren Spore, are two women who give the guys a run for their money and make them quiver in their La Sportivas. These gals consistently place in the top 10 and have just as much brutishness as they do femininity. Finkel, Africa, Yanko, and Spore are just a few examples not only of how women rival men and should be taken as serious competitors, but also that their bodies may be better suited for endurance sports that rely heavily on pain threshold and strength-to-weight ratio.

The most discernible feature of a woman is her size. Her average total body strength is about two-thirds of a man’s, which secures us with a false belief that she cannot outrun him. Women are smaller, however they are relatively stronger in their legs and have the biochemical benefit of being potential child-bearers. In cycling, it is advantageous to be small as you have less weight to take up the hills; the same is true for runners ascending the mountains over long stretches. Having the benefit of stronger (pound for pound) legs and weighing less than a man, a woman can clip past him on the uphills and decrease the amount of damage to her muscles on the downhills because she doesn’t have as much weight to catch as gravity pulls her down. This is one reason why continuing strength training throughout the year for women mountain and trail-runners is so great-you’ll make up much lost time once you hit the incline.

Caren Spore

Both Darcy Africa and Caren Spore are mothers and have seen better and better times since having their children. It is notable that women experience a small, yet significant, increase in VO2max during and after pregnancy because of their increased red blood cells which can contribute to better athletic performances if they’ve maintained overall muscular strength. Could a man cope with contractions the way a woman can? Probably not. This sets up an interesting, indefatigable argument that woman are more capable at enduring than men and, physiologically, there is some truth to this. To withstand the pain and stress of labor, the female body has specific biological responses that ensure her ability to transcend (not always) the physical suffering and deliver the baby safely. She experiences pain differently from the way a man does, and scientists are just now unearthing the processes and dissimilar interactions with opioid receptors.

Beyond the physical elements attributing to the ultra-running success of women we find a favorable psychology that promotes her endurance as well. Sports psychotherapist Bruce Gottlieb claims that a considerable part of a woman’s psychology is diligence and persistence. “Men tend to think ‘harder, faster, stronger’,” while, “women tend to think with more determination and tenacity. Especially the kind of woman who tackles ultra endurance events.” He goes on to reference women’s history of  persecution and socializing differently. “Women were really stifled not too long ago,” he says, “and therefore have a tendency to be more complex, in a good way.” Women are more likely to associate poor performance with lack of ability instead of lack of effort. This can create a stubbornness and a tireless will to achieve what others believe she can’t.

Tracy Garneau, winner of the 2010 Western States 100 and UltraRunning Female North American runner of the year.

It is time for our society and culture to adjust its perception of what women athletes represent. It is time for men to take a step to the side (or down) and share the podium. Women are exceptional athletes; they are competitive and tenacious, they have unforeseen power that is bleeding out onto the trails of 100-milers, and their unparalleled determination is a flicker of how they are, possibly, the stronger sex.

As a woman and mother myself, I find that any sport that makes you feel strong and confident is worth the effort. Trail running and ultra-running definitely require hours of training and finding time in a busy day that is constantly devoted to someone else (ie. your children, your boss, the laundry machine, other drivers) can be an incredible challenge. Schedule it. Wake up early, invest in a BOB off-road stroller, make a deal with another mom and swap kid duties. As long as you are making fitness gains and feel good about yourself, you are treating yourself kindly. It might not always be fair to strap my daughter in for a 2.5 hour run, but it makes me a happier person, and in turn, makes me a better mom.

–Tanya Davis
Writer and trail runner
Tanya@insidetrail.com

As our waist sizes increase and our rear-ends flatten under the weight of a sedentary body, you’d think that the existence of endurance/ultra sports would be threatened.  Apparently, sitting like a lump on a log is only a fraction of the story and demands further scrutiny.  It is true that most Americans do not participate in endurance sports, however, it is also valid that most endurance athletes spend the bulk of their time on their posterior.  Long-distance running and especially ultra-running puts an immense strain on all of the body’s systems.  It places a significant stress on the muscles, cardiovascular system, and more importantly (and often discounted), adrenal system.  The adrenal system is comprised of endocrine glands that are primarily responsible for releasing hormones in response to stress and affects blood plasma.  If this system is over-stimulated you will suffer from an accumulation of cortisol (stress hormone) and feel lethargic, have reduced immune function, delayed recovery/healing, insomnia, depression…the list goes on.  To avoid the potential harm from something that gives us so much pleasure and so many health benefits, it is of supreme consequence that you allow yourself to be lazy.  Yes, lazy.  If you run 40-80-mile weeks, you should feel comfortable in reclining and respect the recovery process.  This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ever get up, in fact standing for 2-minutes for every 20-minutes of sitting can aid in keeping your metabolism raring.  Athletic laziness means ignoring the insidious statements our society expounds: always be busy, don’t be idle, lead cumbersome lives filled with anxiety just so you have a sense of accomplishment and feel productive.  These ideas should be refashioned into something far more balanced and relative.  For runners and non-athletic people alike, we should get outside and move, eat a balanced diet, eradicate stress by engaging in positive personal relationships and activities which deliver the most delight, and then follow it all up by a nice night of uninterrupted sleep.  Easier said than done as most of us have jobs that get in the way, but weeding out the pressure of “doing” can make you feel more at ease.

This brings up a broader issue of stress and exercise.  Runners who cover more than 40 or 50 miles a week are known to have suppressed reproductive systems: men have lower testosterone in their circulation and less functional sperm, half of women have menstrual irregularities.  This information indicates that excessive amounts of exercise aren’t necessarily extremely good for you.  We know that frequent exercising improves your health a lot, but at some point, too much exercise will begin to damage various physiological systems.  How much is too much?  Is it a definitive 40+ miles per week?  Is it the same for every person?  Everything in physiology follows the rule that excess can be as harmful as too little.  An example of this optimal stress balance law is clear when you consider that moderate amounts of exercise increase bone mass, while thirty-year old athletes who run 40-50 miles per week can wind up with decalcified bones, decreased bone mass, stress fractures and scoliosis–thirty-year-old athletes with a skeleton that rivals that of a seventy-year-old.  This should be sobering for ultra-runners and they should schedule as much stress-reducing activities into their lives as possible.  Because of the inherently stressful nature of the sport, it is auspicious that in the trail running community there are so many involved and supportive members.  The community becomes a family and this social support is a tremendous alleviation for stress, in fact social networking and being around others with whom you have something in common is one of the best remedies for anxiety.  You spend hours out on a trail, mostly by yourself, with some very stressful conditions and an allostatic load that is rapidly accumulating as your body pounds the earth repeatedly by choice.  The choice to run so far is part of what enables you to do it.  It is the success of finishing a race, the spiritually transcendent feeling it gives you, and the camaraderie involved that are hefty elements in the enjoyment of ultras.  If you didn’t want to do it, your stress would be even higher.

What is interesting here is that though, on average, we are more sedentary than ever before, people are running farther than ever before.  Ultra-running has risen steadily in popularity over the last 30 years, and the extraordinary tales from the trails are motivating people to venture into marathons and 50ks when they’d only ever before run for a half hour.  Why are we so thrilled with something that is so stressful, let alone painful?  There seems to be a certain personality diagnosis or syndrome that can be applied to the ultra-runner.  The shared characteristics are neither good nor bad, just conducive to the runner’s performance.  It takes an assembly of very different people to construct a connected/practical/functioning world, and some of us have the genes that predispose us to greatness, be it sports, writing, engineering, mathematics, or art.  However, simply being predisposed does not mandate success.  A genetic phenotype is not solely biological, it is influenced by environment and psychology.  Red-heads have a higher pain threshold than people with other hair color, but that doesn’t mean they won’t ask for an epidural during labor–it simply suggests that most of them won’t.  Ultra-runners are unique people to say the least.  They are usually successful, intelligent, tenacious and independent.  It comes as no surprise that they also possess a higher pain threshold than most other people, and though there is such a companionable bond between runners, they tend to be more sovereign and self-interested.  It is possible then that ultra-running lures people with a predisposition to these traits, and in turn, contributes to success in the sport.  Decreased sensitivity or awareness of pain has been associated with diminished emotional reactivity which conjures up ideas of your average sociopath…well, running this far requires a bit of psychasthenia.  I am not making claims that all ultra-marathoners have some impaired moral compass or are in need of therapy (for most, running is therapy and it greatly enhances their lives), I am evaluating the qualities that are necessary for an individual to have the desire to and enjoy such a stressful endeavor.

Perhaps there IS an ultra-running psychosis…

Whether these features are written in their DNA or are a psychological construct based on experience is inconsequential.  One hundred mile races, Ironman events, Fastest-Known-Time trail trots, and any ultra-endurance sport is an exhibition of human flexibility  adaptability, unyielding spirit, strength, and something far more extraordinary: the mission to shatter norms and resist limitations–exclusively human features that allow for a journey that is always evolving, never complete, and eternally harnesses more and more personal returns as well as cementing a tribe…the ultra-running tribe.

–Tanya Davis
Writer and trail runner
Tanya@insidetrail.com

Americans are obsessed with status, acknowledgment/approval, comfort and excess. Acknowledgment isn’t limited to Americans, that is a very human motivation and a colossal incentive for progress. Status and excess are also desired by other peoples, though it is typical of American culture and something that we are defined by. It then isn’t a surprise that Americans are becoming more and more interested in running farther and farther. Ultra-running satisfies all of these obsessions. If you can cover 31 miles in one day, you certainly deserve praise and you will be revered as super-human, elevating your status. The distance itself is excessive, and the long naps you allow yourself round out the comfort aspect. So, now that we snobby Americans have established a regard for these long distances, shouldn’t we focus on how to train for them?

Running a race isn’t always a simple jaunt on a fixed course–it requires specific training. Many of us are trail runners, we are familiar with the up-and-downs and searing quad burn as you blaze up a hill or tear down it (it still hurts either way). Maybe you’re an experienced trail marathoner and you have had success with quick times and top placings so you decide to take your chances at dominating a big road marathon. It’s the same distance so all of your trail running training should translate nicely and be adequate, correct? No, not quite. Though you have the endurance to finish, the energy allocation is quite different and pacing is key. Road training and trail training are specific. To be an excellent sprinter, you have to train specifically for sprinting. To be an excellent mountain runner, you have to run those hills repeatedly. Training for a road marathon or ultra is the same concept; you must simulate the course during your workouts to obtain optimum performance.

Trail marathons and ultras are characterized by the extreme elevation gains and technical elements (ie. rocks, roots, ruts). The undulating courses oblige your inconsistent, ever changing pace and the recruitment of more muscle fibers to power you up the many hills. It is important that you don’t take off like a bat out of hell because once you’re 20 miles in, the mere thought of another hill will lead to intestinal discomfort and possible vomiting. In training and racing a trail event, you have to run at a moderate, efficient pace and conserve energy where you can. Hike up the hills using your hands to push on your quads to alleviate some of the work from your thighs. Hill training in general is usually thought of as a trail training element and ignored by road runners. Weight training is a fantastic cross-training activity for trail runners as it helps build the muscle necessary for getting over the mountains and fine tuning neuro-muscular ability to navigate the boulders and stairs you may face. Use a weight that allows a 12 repetition maximum but only do 10 reps. Do exercises that use more than one muscle: squats, push-ups, lunges. Treat hill and stair workouts in the same way you would a weight lifting session and be sure to take in sufficient protein afterward.

Trail ultras take much more time and you cannot burn all of your matches too soon. It’s about building strength and conserving energy. You don’t have to run 80-mile weeks to be a good trail ultra-runner. As long as you keep one long run (~20-28 miles depending on your distance) every other week and adhere to the 2 week build phase followed by the 1 week recovery phase, the workouts in between can be 1-2 hours in length and include hill and speed work.Road marathons/ultras require more speed training and doing consistent runs based on miles rather than time. As I’ve mentioned, hill training is typically for the trails, but road runners can boost their speed if they do a short hill workout once a week or every other week. Heavy weight training should be kept to a minimum for road runners. It is better to do core workouts and use your body as the weight for resistance training. If you are using free weights or a machine, aim for a weight that allows you a 25 rep maximum but only complete 20 repetitions. If you are new to lifting, start with 2 sets and move up to 4 sets by adding another set every 3 or so weeks.

You have to train on the road if you want to do well. Find a course that has the same profile as the race you are going to run and play around with different paces. You should be definite in the miles you are running that day and build on them with shorter-mile days separating them. Sometimes it is beneficial to have a back to back heavy mile block. Find a mid-week day and run 18 miles followed by another day of running 23 miles. Take two days of recovery after such blocks: easy running or a short, concentrated workout of sprints and other speed work. It is important to capitalize on tempo days and work on increasing your lactate threshold. Being able to work at a high intensity for a long time is the backbone of a successful road marathoner.Your body will adapt to whatever kind of stress you are placing on it. It will become most efficient for that specific activity. So, stimulate the change by training specifically for what you want to accomplish. If we train appropriately we can feel justified in being a snobby American consumed by excess…as long as it is excessive distance that creates feelings of appreciation for everything else we already have.

–Tanya Davis
Writer and trail runner
Tanya@insidetrail.com