[background music] Heather Fell: The beauty of running
is that we can head out pretty much anytime. We just need a pair of trainers. However, there are
a few things that we here at GTN have learned that are best to be avoided before running.
Yes, eating too much too close to your run, it's an obvious one but it still needs repeating.
I know I'm guilty of often pushing the limits and sometimes getting it wrong.
It might be due to bad planning or sometimes just purely feeling like you need to top up
the fuel tank before you go out for your run, but basically, as soon as you start running,
whatever's in your stomach is going to stay there because your body is going to redirect
the blood away from your stomach and your digestive system to those muscles that help
you with your running. This is great for our legs obviously and it's a really clever system that
our body does but it can wreak havoc with our stomachs and sometimes end rather unpleasantly.
It's worth making sure you have enough time around 60 minutes just, but obviously,
if you're having a big meal you'll want to allow longer before you go running and if it's
just a snack you can maybe get away with having that a little bit closer before you go running.
Following on from that, we have drinking too much too close to a run which can be confusing
because you're always told to make sure you're well-hydrated prior to any exercise, but have you
had that horrible sloshing sensation or maybe you've even heard it in your stomach?
Drinking a huge amount of water just before you go out for a run
isn't actually going to help. It's too late to hydrate at that point and
it's probably just going to make you need to stop and have a wee. Instead,
you want to plan ahead and try and just sit frequently throughout the day and maybe even
add some electrolytes into your drink so you can replenish anything you might lose on that run.
Another common mistake is static stretching before running. Ignore what you see on TV
or in the movies. Stretching cold muscles is not a good idea before you go for a run.
In fact, some studies have actually found that static stretching can lead to a slower start and
even a greater perceived effort, but more seriously, it can lead to a potential injury.
As you're trying to lengthen a cold muscle, it could even become strained. If you do want
to do some warm-up before starting out in your run, make sure it's dynamic whether that's just
something as simple as walking or doing some leg swings or pulling your knees up to your chest,
anything that's just going to get your body moving in a nice gentle fashion.
We've covered when to eat but what about what you eat and drink before you go for a run? Well,
we're not here to tell you what you aren't and are allowed to eat or drink but from experience,
we've got a list of things that are most certainly best avoided.
You've got curries, spicy food, alcohol, fizzy drinks, a huge amount of meat,
too much protein or high fiber food, having a lot of dairy products or even too much caffeine.
The reasons for most of those are fairly obvious but protein or meat, if you have a huge amount
of it, it takes your body quite a long time to break it down and digest it and it can sit
just really heavy in your stomach for quite a long time. The same with fiber,
it takes longer to digest and we're not for a moment saying you should avoid
these foods but maybe just to eat a little less of them before you're going for a run.
You've also got caffeine which we know is a performance booster to a certain extent.
If you have too much of it or too close to your run, then it can have slightly more detrimental
effects if you know what I mean. If you are about to go for a run and you want some food, it's
best to keep it more based on carbohydrates and something fairly simple that your body can digest.
Finally, don't forget to go to the loo before you go out for a run. I expect it has been a
very long time since anyone has told you that but apparently, oddly enough some people do
forget to do this, and just depend on what time of day you run. If you're a morning runner, then
you might want to avoid having coffee before you run because, as we know, it can having a bit of
effect of getting things moving. If, however, you need that coffee just make sure you take it
enough time prior so you can visit the bathroom before you head out of the door.
On a more serious note though, if needing the loo is a common problem for you when
you're out running, you might want to address your habits beforehand. Avoid drinking for 30
minutes before you run, and think about what food types you're eating before you go, and maybe if
you can try to fit your bathroom visits around when you're going to go running.
Avoid all of the above and you will have a great run. Okay, we can't quite guarantee it
but if you do follow those steps then you'll have far more chance of enjoying that running
experience. Hopefully you've also enjoyed watching this video. Give us a like if you have.
Remember you can find us on social media and follow us there as well as
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