An aspect of training that often goes under the radar but is crucial for every runner: the importance of recovery. Many people don’t realize that the actual physiological benefits of exercise happen in the hours and days after our exercise sessions, when our bodies repair from our efforts and adapt to the training stimulus. Our ability to recover optimally is dependent on a number of different factors.

The four R’s to focus on during the recovery window are rehydrate, refuel, repair and rest.

Rehydrate

Exercise can lead to dehydration through fluid and electrolyte loss. Even a small loss of water in your body can result in a significant performance decrease. This is variable depending on a number of factors such as temperature, humidity, individual sweat rates and exercise intensity. Replacing these lost fluids and electrolytes quickly after exercise is very important in avoiding prolonged dehydration and hindering your recovery. Estimate sweat loss by weighing yourself before and after an exercise session and aim to consume 1.5L of fluids for every 1kg of weight lost during an exercise session.

Refuel

Carbohydrate (stored in muscle as glycogen) is the principle energy source used in higher intensity exercises such as running. Depletion of muscle glycogen can lead to fatigue and may impair performance. Ensuring that you replenish your glycogen post training will help aid in your recovery and ensure that your body is ready for your next session. To maximize recovery of glycogen stores and the capacity to perform in subsequent endurance exercise, athletes should consider ingesting at least 1.2 g carbohydrate per kilogram body mass per hour for the first few hours of recovery (Bonilla et al 2020). Simple carbohydrates, such as those found in sugars, fruits, fruit juices and honey are quickly digested and absorbed, making them an ideal option to replenish muscle carbohydrate stores immediately after exercise.

Repair

Each time you exercise, your muscle is damaged to some extent depending on the intensity and duration of that exercise session. This is a vital part of adapting to your training session as it allows the muscle to remodel into a leaner, faster, stronger and/or fitter muscle fiber. Protein is the primary macronutrient involved in supporting muscle growth and maintenance post exercise. Studies have shown that ingesting 20–40 grams of protein seems to maximize the body’s ability to recover after exercise (Aragon & Schoenfeld 2013).

Rest

There is no doubt that sleep is an absolutely vital physiological function and one of the most important factors in post-exercise recovery. It has been emphasized that naps, sleep extension and sleep-hygiene practices seem to be advantageous to performance by optimizing recovery (Vitale et al 2019). Well earned rest is when your body adapts to your training efforts.

Please check out the rest of the UBC Sports Medicine Nutrition series here (link)

References

1. Bonilla, D. A., Pérez-Idárraga, A., Odriozola-Martínez, A., & Kreider, R. B. (2020). The 4R’s Framework of Nutritional Strategies for Post-Exercise Recovery: A Review with Emphasis on New Generation of Carbohydrates. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(1), 103. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18010103
2. Gonzalez, J. T., & Wallis, G. A. (2021). Carb-conscious: the role of carbohydrate intake in recovery from exercise. Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care, 24(4), 364–371. https://doi.org/10.1097/MCO.0000000000000761
3. Aragon, A. A., & Schoenfeld, B. J. (2013). Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window?. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-10-5
4. Vitale, K. C., Owens, R., Hopkins, S. R., & Malhotra, A. (2019). Sleep hygiene for optimizing recovery in athletes: review and recommendations. International journal of sports medicine, 40(08), 535-543.

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Congratulations, you finished your run! Whether it was your first run or your tenth run, we are proud of you. If you are interested in learning more about running, make sure to check out Kintec – they have great footwear, resources, and training clinics to get you ready for next year!

Photograph: © Vancouver Sun Run / Lyle Stafford

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For runners, both amateur and elite, understanding the intricacies of their body’s composition goes far beyond only using total weight on a weighing scale. Accurate body composition measures such as those facilitated by a Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) scan, offer a detailed overview of a runner’s physiological makeup. Understanding key metrics about your body composition such as total lean mass, total fat mass, body fat % and muscle distribution can give you great feedback about your current habits and inform future decisions about goals, training and nutrition. An accurate measure of your total lean mass, for example, will allow you to calculate your resting metabolic rate which you can use to calculate your daily calorie needs for your given activity level. Specific macronutrient recommendations can also follow an initial body composition assessment.

Balancing Body Fat

The typical pursuit for many people is having less body fat, but this isn’t always the best scenario for people that are quite active in the endurance world. It is important to find the right balance between lean enough for your chosen activity and not carrying too little or too much body fat. Essential body fat is crucial for numerous physiological functions, including hormonal balance. In females, adequate body fat levels are essential for the production of estrogen, which regulates menstrual function and supports bone density. Conversely, males require a certain amount of body fat for testosterone production, which similarly influences bone health and muscle mass. Athletes falling below critical thresholds for body fat and body weight risk developing conditions related to hormonal imbalances, low energy availability and decreased bone density. A decreased bone density can result in an increased risk of osteoporosis and stress fractures. 

Bone Density

Another crucial aspect of health for endurance athletes is bone density, a measure of the strength and density of our bones. This can only be measured using a DEXA scan. Endurance activities such as running impose repetitive stress on bones, necessitating robust bone density to withstand the strain and minimize the risk of stress fractures and other overuse injuries. Optimal bone density not only protects against injury but also facilitates efficient energy transfer during weight-bearing activities, enhancing running economy and performance. Running economy refers to the amount of oxygen consumed at any given pace. Better running economy means less oxygen is used, and the athlete is more efficient.  Prioritizing strategies to support bone health, including adequate calcium and vitamin D intake, regular strength training, and appropriate nutrition, is important for endurance athletes seeking to maximize their performance potential and sustain their athletic pursuits over the long term.

Learning More

For more information on assessing your body composition and bone density via a DEXA scan, please see more information here.

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Little changes make a big difference. No matter what your goals are – to run faster, be stronger, move better, ect.- keep trying your best, and have fun with it. Over time you will succeed!

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Water is the most abundant molecule in the human body, accounting for ~60-70% of most athletes’ body mass. It is the nutrient that is lost and consumed in the largest amount each day and virtually every function or process that takes place in our body requires water. If you are not adequately hydrated, your body cannot perform at its highest level. Endurance exercise in particular places a high demand on the body’s hydration levels, as sweat rates are increased for prolonged periods of time.

A simple way to determine how hydrated you are on a day to day basis is by monitoring your urine. Colour, volume and smell are all good indicators of hydration status; dark colour, small amounts and strong smells can all signal dehydration. Weighing yourself before and after an exercise session is another great way of assessing how much fluid you typically lose from sweat during exercise.

Dehydration

Dehydration increases your chances of underperforming through various cardio strains and thermal strains of heat illness. In fact, as little as a 2% loss of water in your body can result in a significant performance decrease. Typical sweat losses during endurance training or competition are in the range of 1-2 L/h but can reach 3-4 L/h in some well-trained populations (Baker et al., 2016). The rate at which you sweat depends on many factors including exercise intensity, duration of activity, environmental conditions, cooling ability and individual characteristics such as body weight, heat acclimatization and more. Early signs of dehydration can include thirst, flushed skin and increased perception of effort or feeling dizzy or disoriented.

The effects of dehydration include:

• Reduced blood volume
• Reduced sweat production (thermoregulation)
• Reduced cognitive function and concentration
• Increase in overall body temperature
• Increased time to fatigue
• Increased rate of muscle glycogen use

It’s important to make up for these sweat losses during training through consistent and adequate hydration.

Electrolytes

Electrolyte status is another key factor in determining hydration status. Electrolytes are essential minerals (including sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium) that the body needs to stay hydrated. They also support important processes within the body including muscle contraction, blood pressure and nerve signaling. Electrolytes can be consumed before, during and after exercise and are available in supplement form or through real foods and fluids such as coconut water, milk and various fruits.
* Stay active and energized with Herbaland’s Electrolytes Gummies, and discover more about their benefits! *

Hydration Guidelines

• Be proactive. Always aim to start exercise in a hydrated state.
• Use urine colour as a simple method of monitoring hydration status day to day.
• Aim to consume 500ml or 6-8 ml per kg body weight in the 2 hours before your exercise begins. 
• Aim to replace 1.5 litres of fluid for every 1kg of weight lost during exercise.
• Add electrolytes to your rehydration drinks in warm weather or for intense sessions.
• Hydrate using a variety of fluids.
• Factor in your environment. Weather conditions (humidity, hot, cold) can influence your needs.

1. Baker, L.B., K.A. Barnes, M.L. Anderson, D.H. Passe, and J.R. Stofan (2016). Normative data for regional sweat sodium concentration and whole-body sweating rate in athletes. J. Sports Sci. 34:358-368.

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Stay hydrated and have fun!

Photograph: © Unsplash / Nigel Msipa

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We all know the best part of training is reaching that final goal or milestone. We are here to tell you that those moments post-run or workout can be made even better with a delicious Granville Island Brewing beer. We might not know a lot of about running, but we certainly are experts at post-run get-togethers.  Regardless of if you run once a week, or 6 times a week, we believe post-run treats are always a good idea (in moderation of course).

Here are our favourite post-run beers for those looking to un-wind after a tough workout.

Granville Island Lager

What else needs to be said. Our clean, crisp, Bavarian style lager which has been our namesake since 1984. A great post-run treat for those looking for a premium lager with a classic taste. 

English Bay Ale 

A timeless pub-style ale. This brew is perfect for those looking for something on the darker side, but still easy drinking. Full of caramel, toffee and biscuit notes, this is always a good choice. 

Kitsilano Juicy IPA

This brew is the newest addition to our core lineup, but a great “post-hop” beer. Our Juicy IPA is full of tropical pineapple notes and has a delicious amount of citrus. This is for those runners looking for something hoppy and bright after an exhausting workout. 

False Creek Raspberry Ale 

The ultimate post run-beer. Our Raspberry Ale is back again after a short hiatus and just in time to fuel those post-run gatherings. Bright notes of raspberry flavour with a smooth malty finish make this a favourite for even the non-beer drinkers. 

Cheers to 40 Years of the Vancouver Sun Run!

We are all for doing more of what you love. Whether that be the actual running or satisfaction of reaching your 10k goal, we always believe in celebrating all life’s moments. However you choose to enjoy your post-run time is up to you. But with a lineup of beers like we have, we couldn’t imagine a better incentive to beat that personal best. 

Granville Island Brewing 1441 Cartwright Street, Vancouver, BC

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Race Day Nutrition – Pre/During/Post

Whether you are running your first Sun Run or you are an accomplished long distance runner, a structured nutrition plan will always play a key role in ensuring that you hit your PB. A good nutrition plan can make the difference between having a successful event or having one to forget. Meals and snacks consumed prior to your event should prepare you for that specific activity, leaving you not too hungry nor too full with discomfort. Furthermore, the foods you consume at this time should be ones you are familiar with. General foods or fluids to avoid on race day are spicy foods, carbonated beverages or foods that are particularly slow to digest such as foods high in fat, fiber or protein.

Pre – Race

3-4 hrs Before: You should consume a familiar meal sufficient in fluid to maintain hydration, low in fat and fiber to facilitate minimizing gastrointestinal distress, high in carbohydrate to maintain blood glucose and maximize glycogen stores and moderate in easily digestible proteins. 

*For events lasting longer than 60 minutes – aim for 1–4 g/kg consumed 1–4 h before exercise ie 75 kg athlete –  75-300g carbohydrates consumed.

Here are some examples:

Chicken sandwich

Oatmeal & fruit

Chicken & Rice

Pasta Dish (low fat sauce)

Pancakes

1 hr before – Top up glycogen stores again with a smaller carbohydrate bar, fruit, fruit juice or a sports drink as needed.

During

For events lasting less than 60 minutes – water is all you need. Consume fluids at regular intervals as needed. Don’t overdrink, don’t underdrink.

For events lasting longer than 60 minutes – Aim to consume 30-60g of carbohydrate per hour.

Use a combination of sports drinks, gels, chews, and bars, depending on your personal preference. You may also consider some electrolytes to help combat dehydration if the conditions warrant it.

Post Race

Refuel – It is vital to replace carbohydrate to replenish glycogen stores in the body after a race. The amount of carbohydrate consumed will depend on the intensity and duration of the race.Aim for 1.2 grams of carbohydrate per kg of body weight per hour during the first ~3-6 hours post exercise.

Rebuild – Choose a serving of 20-30g of protein in your post training meal to support recovery. 

Rehydrate – Aim to replace 1.5 litres of fluid for every 1kg lost.

Rest- The body repairs and regenerates while you sleep. Enjoy some well earned rest!

For more details on Recovery check out our recovery blog post – coming soon

Tip: Don’t do anything new on the day of a race that you haven’t already tested in training. It’s very important to test your nutrition strategies in training ahead of any event, even as far as the specific products and flavours that you intend on using during your event. 

Carbohydrate Loading

Carbohydrate loading is an advanced concept that is mostly applicable to longer duration events, those that last longer than 90 minutes. A carbohydrate loading protocol aims to maximize glycogen stores within the body in the days leading up to an event to provide a readily available energy source to muscles during physical activity. It has been shown that 8-10g of carbohydrate per kg of bodyweight in the 24 hours prior to competition can help maximize glycogen stores and this should be done in combination with a reduction in physical activity or training. For example, a 70kg athlete may need up to 560-700g of carbohydrate. Lower fat, fiber and protein intakes may be necessary to facilitate this increase in carbohydrate intake.

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Good nutrition starts before Race Day. If you need help with healthy and satisfying meals, go to our friends at Fresh Prep who are ready to help you conquer your goals.

Photograph: © Unsplash: Nadine Primeau / Olga Kudriavtseva / Rodrigo Dos Reis / Krista Stucchio

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It’s completely understandable to be confused these days when there are so many different brands and different types of supplements making all sorts of claims about their products. Typically, anything that sounds too good to be true usually is. Here are the UBC Sport and Exercise Medicine Clinic recommendations for people who are considering adding some supplements to support their training efforts.

It’s important to follow a “food first” policy when it comes to supplementation. Always prioritize getting nutrients from a varied and balanced diet first and use supplements to fill specific measurable gaps or to meet specific demands of your training. Our general lifestyle, exercise and nutrition habits, along with our genetic makeup all play a role in determining our specific needs at a macro- and micronutrient level. Additional testing from things such as blood work can be very useful in determining our own specific status and needs in relation to supplementation.

We recommend consulting with a healthcare provider or a performance nutritionist who can provide personalized advice based on your individual health status, dietary habits, and training goals before adding supplements or making significant dietary changes.

General Health

Training/Performance Supplements

This is not an exhaustive list by any means, there are a large number of other supplements that may be useful for people in various situations. Beta alanine, dietary nitrates and sodium bicarbonate are also considered useful for certain endurance activities, but they are considered more suited for more advanced athletes.

Remember, the goal of supplementation is to support your running journey, not to replace the fundamentals of good nutrition and training. A bad diet, supplemented, is still a bad diet!

References/Further Reading:

1.Maughan RJ, Burke LM, Dvorak J, et alIOC consensus statement: dietary supplements and the high-performance athleteBritish Journal of Sports Medicine 2018;52:439-455.

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Make sure to check out Herbaland Naturals for delicious & nutritious
gummies for the whole family.

Photograph: © Vancouver Sun Run / Ian Smith

Photograph: © Vancouver Sun Run / Christine M

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We sat down with Dr. Morrish from the UBC Sport and Exercise Medicine Clinic to ask how to best prepare for the Vancouver Sun Run. Below are a few tips from an industry expert to help you have your best run possible.

Weeks Before the Run

Consider where you’re at. You may be an avid runner who knows your splits and has a good idea of how this distance will feel at your pace. Or you may not be as running-focused and feel some uncertainty about how the run will go. If this sounds like you, consider a trial run of a similar distance. Start at an easy leisurely pace, or try a walk-run approach alternating between running for one minute and then walking for one minute until you reach your distance goal. 

Reducing injury risk starts with training and racing within the limits of your body, but first you need to know those limits. Knowing what to expect from your body, and from the demands of the race itself, before you start the race is more than half the battle. In the coming weeks, get out and see what you can do!

The Day Before the Run

No matter how mentally prepared you feel for this experience, make the extra effort to protect time to prepare for the big day. Here are some items to consider making time for the day before the Sun Run:

1. Sleep: Research has shown time and again that good sleep before athletic events reduces injury risk and improves performance. The old adage of “eight hours per night” doesn’t apply to everyone so do what works best for you.
2. Hydration: There’s no need to over-hydrate leading up to the race, but it is important to stay well hydrated the day before you run, that includes avoiding dehydrating yourself the day (or night) before the race. 
3. Nutrition: Do your best to eat well over the course of the day before the race. Avoid foods that may disrupt your regular digestive function such as large amounts of red meat, heavy or greasy meals for dinner, and any meal with very high salt content. 
4. Loosen the legs: Get some exercise the day before by going for a light jog and doing some dynamic stretching. Don’t overdo it by working out too hard the day before, but make sure to get your blood flowing to limber-up prior to the big day.

 

The Morning Before the Run

Give yourself added time to get through your morning routine and arrive at the starting line with time to spare. The Sun Run is a very well-attended event which may make access to the area slower than usual. You may want to find ten minutes to warm up before you get to the actual venue because you may not be able to do so once you’ve joined the crowd. 

After the Run

You did it! Time to rehydrate and replenish. Electrolyte beverages and simple carbs are your friends here. Don’t forget to bring warm dry clothes to change into after the race and find some time to stretch once the finish line excitement settles down.

 

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Have fun, and don’t forget to stop by the post-race party in BC Place once you cross the finish line!

 

 

Photograph: © Vancouver Sun Run / Rob Schaer

 

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