Women in Motion
February 2001
Newsletter

enhancing running performance

Vol 2. Issue 6
February 2001

WOMEN IN MOTION NEWSLETTER - February 2001
Vol. 2, No. 6

This Month Contains:

~Advance Article
Eating to Run

~From Around the 'Net
1. Protein Shakes
2. Abdominal Fat
3. UnderWire - The X-chrom.com Newsletter
4. Women's General Well-being and Health
5.Vitamin E

~Words of Inspiration
~The Running Woman Board
-The Runner's Club

Advance Article:

Eating to Run

What you eat before, during, and after a race certainly affects how you will do during the race. What to eat and when to eat it may seem confusing. However, the reality of what to eat is much simpler, and much more sensible, than many people think.

Optimum utilization of the energy systems for training assumes that you ( the runner) are getting an adequate fuel supply. Getting that adequate nutrition during hard training can be a real challenge for athletes. Many runners have a tendency to underfuel themselves especially those worrying about weight control. Underfueling can lead to sluggishness, fatigue, poor performance, injury and even permanent alteration (lowering) of basal metabolism. If you are having problems getting adequate nutrition, it may be helpful to visit a sports dietician or nutritionist to get a dietary plan that works for you.

Before the Race

The weeks before a race, you should be focusing on eating enough food to meet your calorie requirements. Your diet should be high in carbohydrate (about 50-60% of your total calories) to fuel your body properly (refer to previous articles for discussions on fueling your body for exercise).

Fluid Intake

Adequate fluid intake is very important. Be sure to stay hydrated during training. A good way to tell if you are adequately hydrated is to check your urine. If you frequently urinate large volumes that are light in colour, your probably drinking enough. If you do not urinate frequently or if your urine is dark coloured, you may need to increase your fluid intake.

During your training, be sure to try out what you will eat and drink on the day of the race. Eat what you are planning to eat at the same time you plan to eat it on the day you are doing a distance run if you are training for a distance race (10K, half or full marathon, for example).

The Day Before the Race

Rest the day before an event, and focus on eating about 70% of your calories from carbohydrate.

Double your water intake.

Be sure you have everything you will need to eat and drink thought through and ready to go if the race is in the morning.

During the Race

Be sure you eat only what you are used to the day of a race. This is no time to test out new foods. Always follows what works best for you. In general, avoid big meals 2-3 hours before an event. Small meals that are lower in fibre, fat and protein may be better tolerated. Within an hour of the race, snack on only those things that you know you can tolerate. Some people experience low blood sugar during a race if they eat very sugary things within one hour of racing. Others feel nauseated if they eat anything an hour or two before running.

Be sure to drink fluids frequently.

Drink 2-3 cups of water 2 hours before the race; 1 1\2 to 2 cups 15 minutes before; and 1 cup every 15 minutes during the race.

If your race will last over 60-90 minutes, drink fluids that contain carbohydrate and sodium. The carbohydrate will help provide energy during the race; the sodium may:

1) help drive you to drink more,

2) taste better, and

3) promote fluid retention.

After Exercise

Replenishing your fluid stores is very important. Check your urine for a day or two after the event to help you determine if you are hydrated.

What you eat after exercise is important, especially if you will begin training again soon. Your body replenishes its glycogen (carbohydrate) stores fastest if you eat food within two hours of exercise.

Replenishing the electrolytes lost during exercise is important, but can usually be accomplished with a balanced diet. A sports drink will help to do this almost immediately.

You can make a difference in your performance by paying attention to what you eat!

Women in Motion February 2001

From Around the 'Net

enhancing running performance

1. Protein Shakes

Many athletes use protein shakes as part of their nutritional program for increasing muscle bulk. The recommended protein allowance for athletes building muscle mass is one gram of protein for each pound of body weight. A diet of fish, lean meat, or skim milk will meet the requirement for a day's protein consumption. Excessive protein does not take the place of hard training and good genetics. A protein shake as a meal replacement on very busy days can be a good substitute, but it will not take the place of whole foods or provide the required carbohydrates necessary to prevent fatigue. 3 to 5 grams of carbohydrates are necessary per pound of body weight for athletes or body builders each day. Carbohydrates are necessary to fuel the muscles. Protein's main job is to build, protect, and maintain the muscles.

2. Abdominal Fat

Most people as they become older become less active. The body begins to make changes, such as a loss of muscle mass and the decrease of bone density. One of the results of these changes is the increase of abdominal fat. Abdominal fat can be a sign of heart disease risk. If measures are not taken to change the cycle of aging and increased body fat composition, eventually the person ends up with more than just an increasing waistline. Cardiovascular disease and other illnesses may occur.

To increase bone density and muscle strength, and to reduce overall body fatness, strength training is the lifestyle choice to make. Researchers have found that weight training added to an aerobic training program returns positive results. Overall body fat decreases when weight training is added two or three times a week.

Strength training helps in the body's fight against gravity. As muscle strength declines in the abdominal area, gravity begins to move the internal organs out of place. Strength training will help to keep the muscles of the body trunk strong and stable, reducing the effects of gravity. The thickening effect on the waistline is reduced due to the organs remaining in place.

3. UnderWire - The X-chrom.com Newsletter (November 2000 Issue)
Women in Motion Edited Version:
This is one of several websites found that offers good information on running bras. Certainly worth a look.

BATTLE BREAST CANCER
In addition to our Give Back Pledge (1% of sales), we are donating $1 for
every bra you buy through November to THE BREAST CANCER FUND to help with
research and prevention. With every order, we are sending a self-exam card
and some tips on breast cancer detection. Help us support this great cause!
Visit www.X-chrom.com today or click here:
http://www.x-chrom.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.100.exe/xhome6.htm?E+scstore

NEW X-CHROM FILE
Our latest profile is of Sarah Joehl, one extraordinary soccer coach I met
at a recent event with a grassroots organization called "A Sporting Chance
Foundation (ASCF)". I had such a great time with these folks that I just
had to share Sarah's outlook with you and promised our next couple of Give
Back Pledges to ASCF. Click here to read Sarah's words of wisdom:
http://www.x-chrom.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.100.exe/xfiles.htm?E+scstore

or go to www.X-chrom.com and click on X-chrom Files.

FOREVER NEW FABRIC CARE
We've added a new section to our online store called "Odds & Ends" and
included a product called Forever New Fabric Care for starters. From our
testing, we know if you hand-wash and line dry those sports bras, they will
last about twice as long. Forever New is our favorite product for washing
technical fabrics - the company is against animal testing and only
manufacturers environmentally-safe products that really help make your
garments last longer. We are offering (3) sizes in the store and FREE
SAMPLES WITH EVERY ORDER! Go to our online store from www.X-chrom.com and
visit our "Odds & Ends" section or click here:
http://www.x-chrom.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.100.exe/store.htm?E+scstore

SI FOR WOMEN
Sports Illustrated for Woman loves X-chrom.com and thought you might like a
chance to peruse their Sept/Oct issue for free. So, they've sent us a bunch
of copies and we're giving them away with every US order. Here's your
chance to replace that dead sports bra and avoid standing in the magazine
aisle skimming as fast as you can!

CLOSING
How do you know if your sports bra is dead? Look for these signs: pilling
of fabric, less "Restriction Against Vertical Movement" (RVM), stretched out
shoulder straps, shoulder straps digging in or a much looser fit in general.

Along with a copy of SI for Women, a free sample of Forever New fabric care
and a breast cancer awareness card, we're sending US orders an X-ceptional
Offer - an order form for Free Shipping and 25% off your next order. And,
the best thing about it? You can use the Offer whenever you want - there's
no time limit! See the "Buy Now..Save Later" link on our home page for
details.

Until next time, break a nail!

Lisa Sorrentino
Head Boob
X-chrom.com
7181 W. Grand Avenue
Chicago IL 60707 USA
http://www.X-chrom.com
P:(773) 385-9557
F:(773) 385-9558
E: active@X-chrom.com

4. Women's Health:

Women can improve their general well-being and health with even moderate levels of exercise. An Australian study of almost 15,000 women concluded that those who exercise at least once a week for twenty minutes had more health benefits than women who did not. The more the women reported they worked out, the more benefits they saw, especially in areas such as stiff joints, back pain, constipation, and mental health.

5. Vitamin E

If you go to the gym a few times a week to pump iron, consider taking a vitamin E supplement. Researchers have found that supplemental vitamin E may protect your muscles from damage during resistance training. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, reducing the free radicals formed during exercise. In turn, your muscle membranes don't get damaged. That adds up to a faster recovery and less soreness. Look for a supplement with no more than 400 IU of vitamin E.

Words of Inspiration

"Starting lines are among the most important stations in life. If you
don't go to the starting line, you will never view the whole course with
all its possibilities."

- from Amby Burfoot, The Runner's Guide to the
Meaning of Life, page 13.

The Running Woman Message Board in Diet and Fitness

The Running Woman Message board continues to be active although it has shown a reduction in the number of posts since September. Since January, it has picked up, hopefully because of the interest in using running as part of a renewed lifestyle. Let's hope they connect with the benefits of running. We continue to offer advise to all posts. Thanks to all of you who have provided assistance to members old and new. Good Luck and Continued Running to all.
Gord

The Runner's Club

The RUNNER'S CLUB is still quiet, but with the number of members just over 590. If you are a member, please take the time to ensure that your email address is the one you want to use. Members with incorrect email address will be deleted from the membership as we are unable to contact them with club information. The last email sent did return 180 undeliverable messages back to my mailbox.
A continual reminder that two features of the CLUB are the ability of members to communicate with each other privately in the CLUB and the ability to arrange to chat with each other in the 24 hour chat facility.

Members have been asked to post on the calendar, their upcoming race events for the year.

Good Luck and Great Runs
Gord

About This Newsletter

A reminder that experts - we are not. Information presented here is a collection of research with a taste of experience and opinion added for flavour. We don't get upset if someone disagrees with anything that has been said or written. In our experience with running groups here at home, it is difficult to get agreement on most anything. If it works for you, then it works.
Neither Women in Motion nor the author of this newsletter provides professional medical advice. The information in this newsletter is intended to help you better understand running issues. It is not intended to replace the advice of a physician. If you read something in the newsletter that contradicts what your physician tells you in any way, always follow your physician's advice.

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Gordon Samson, Editor
Women in Motion

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Women in Motion - February 2001