Minute 1: Here are the best fitness tests of the week

One of the best parts about running a race is that it provides immediate feedback. You learn if you’ve gotten faster and you learn if your training is working. While racing is a good way to see how your running is developing, there are other elements of fitness that deserve your attention. If you want an assessment beyond the time on your watch, you should “Test Your Core Strength With This 10-Minute Hard Ab Workout.” This list of exercises go well beyond crunches and planks, starting with leg raises to engage your quads and hamstrings in conjunction with your abs. That’s especially useful for runners, since your core and lower body muscles need to work together to maintain proper form. Speaking of tests, we also found “Six Tests Every Runner Should Take” to get a better gauge on their overall wellness. A good way to check if your legs are healthy and strong is the single-leg hop test. Start by hopping up and down on one leg 12 times, then forward and backwards 6-12 times, and finally left and right 6-12 times. If your pain rises above a 3 out of 10 at any point, it could be a sign you need to rest. Runners should also try the “shoe test,” which can be done after 300 miles of running in a single pair of shoes. Once you’ve hit that benchmark, examine the wear and tear on the soles, both inside and out, to determine if you’re experiencing over or underpronation. If you discover any issues, you can use these “Top 8 Overpronation Exercises” to take a step in the right direction.

#TestPrep

Minute 2: Research has identified another major factor in endurance performance

When it comes to the big three of endurance running (in regard to biomarkers, not competitors), researchers typically point to VO2 max, running economy, and lactate threshold as the metrics to watch. Most of an endurance athlete’s performance can be boiled down to those factors, or so we thought. There’s a new frontier of research that’s uncovered a fourth number that could play a key role, and you can read about it here: “How to Access the Elusive “Fourth Dimension” of Endurance.” The fourth category is “fatigue resistance,” and it’s a measure of how well the other three metrics hold up as you exert yourself. For instance, your VO2 max could be 70 ml/kg/min at the start of a race, but will drop as fatigue sets in. The amount by which it falls is determined by your fatigue resistance. How do you improve it? Well, the answer isn’t totally clear yet, but researchers have a few ideas. First, some studies have indicated that inadequate fueling and mid-race surging can both have a negative impact on your fatigue resistance. They’ve also found that, all other factors being equal, athletes with higher training volume seem to have greater fatigue resistance. That’s about all researchers can say for now, but experts have: “10 Theories About Improving Fatigue Resistance.” One easy adjustment to make is tacking on the occasional high-rep strength training exercise at the end of a run. The key is to work that movement to the point of failure.

#BattleFatigues

Minute 3: Fuel on the go like a GOAT

For elite endurance athletes like Courtney Dauwalter, racing can feel like “an eating contest on the move.” When you’re running ultramarathon distances, fueling your body becomes one of the most significant factors in your performance. That’s why ultrarunners spend a lot of time planning – and even training – to execute a perfect race-fueling strategy. For details, check out: “The Keys to Courtney Dauwalter’s Continued Dominance.” During a 10+ hour long event, Courtney aims to take in about 200 calories per hour, and she achieves that by drinking a bottle of Tailwind, which is a supplement that contains sugars, electrolytes, and other important nutrients. If you don’t want to go out of your way to get an endurance supplement, there are plenty of alternatives you can find in a grocery store to help you along, including these: “10 Surprising Mid-Run Snacks (And Drinks) To Fuel Your Marathon.” Typically, we’d refrain from recommending sugary snacks, but Courtney herself said that she’s used jelly beans for a quick energy boost. They’ve got sugars and no fiber, meaning they’re absorbed rapidly. However, they don’t contain electrolytes, which is why you might want to have coconut water, pickle juice, or a sports drink on hand as well. Eating on the go won’t come naturally to some athletes, and it may take time for your stomach to get adjusted. To learn more about eating smart mid-race, you can follow this advice from Training Peaks: “How to Train Your Gut for High Carbohydrate Intake.”

#EatAndRun

Minute 4: Should we limit lectins in our diet?

Up here in New England, Tom Brady’s aversion to nightshades is almost as infamous as his Netflix roast. According to research, it seems as if TB12 was onto something – those tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes and peppers all contain lectins which “attach to the cells lining your intestines and can stay there for a fairly long period... and have the potential to cause an autoimmune response,” according to this story: “What Is the Lectin-Free Diet?” Earlier this week, author and outdoorsman John Briley backed up this research with a thoughtful piece: “The ‘Green List Diet’ That’s Eased My Inflammation.” By avoiding lectins and the inflammation associated with them, Briley was able to lose weight and improve his overall fitness. He also relied on a company called LifeSpan Medical to test his blood and confirm his results. Their recommendations were customized to his biological composition and identified a particular sensitivity to lectins.
#DrawTheNightshades

Minute 5: Quick Intervals

• The (finally) warm spring weather in New England has prompted our HQ team to hike the trails around Boston, Vermont and New Hampshire. We think of these outings as more fun than training, but that’s underselling the value of hill workouts – even slow-paced hill workouts –  for runners. For more details, check out: “Three unmissable benefits of incline walking.” We like the fact that hill walks/hikes can build strength in our ankle-stabilizing peroneal muscles.

• Speaking of hiking, there’s nothing that will ruin your trip quite like a bad bug bite, and that’s why we always remember to pack bug spray. What kind works best, though? Well, it’s a complicated question, and to make matters worse, there’s some evidence to suggest mosquitos and other bugs develop resistance to common repellants over time. To learn all about it, check out: “What mosquito repellents work best?.”

• What does it take to run a sub 2:00 half marathon? It’s a good question, and many of the answers can be found in: “Here’s What Data Says About How to Run a Sub 2:00 Half Marathon.” The TL;DR is that most successful half-marathoners appear to cap out their long runs at 10-12 miles, trained with about 70% of the volume of a full marathon runner, and competed more than one time a year.

Minute 6: Daily Inspiration

With a name like Six Minute Mile, you know we’re always hyped to watch pros battle it out in that iconic distance. It’s not every day that happens, given that the 1500M is the race of choice for Olympic and World Championships “milers.” Luckily, we still have the Bowerman Mile at the Prefontaine Classic, and this year exceeded expectations. In the 2023 race, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Yared Nuguse delivered the 3rd and 4th fastest mile times ever recorded, taking home the gold and silver medals. That made them heavy favorites, but UK runner Josh Kerr gave them a run for their money with an early surge in the race. Check out the link below to see how it all played out in a dramatic finish.