Legal things you can take and do to run faster…

If watching the Olympics was an Olympic sport I’d have a gold medal. I am obsessed. I’m also super into reading about all the behind the scenes stuff on the athletes. One of the hot topics is illegal drug use (doping). More than 100 Russian athletes were banned from the games for using banned drugs.

Drugs are not cool.

But I have a few ideas that can help you run faster…

Here are some things you can eat/drink and try to run faster without someone sticking a needle in your butt (although if someone stuck a needle in my butt at the beginning of a run I’d probably run away pretty fast!).

As with any other fitness tips – do what works for YOU. It won’t help you run faster if you fill your water-bottle with a coffee/beet juice smoothie that makes you sick. Do you. See you out there!

Legal things you can take or do to run faster…

1. Caffeine. There have been several studies that have shown caffeine helps prevent muscle fatigue. This is part of the reason why some running fuel has extra caffeine in it.

“…recommended taking caffeine pills before running as the number one legal performance enhancing product runners can take before a race.” – from an article on Runner’s Connect on caffeine

My favorite running fuel – CLIF Mocha gel has caffeine. I love this flavor because I love chocolate but it’s not everyone’s thing. Luckily many flavors have caffeine so try a few to find what you like (and what works with your tummy while running).

2. Beet Root Juice.

I heard about this along time ago, but haven’t really put it into practice because I don’t like eating beets.  I like beets in juices though!

So I did make a Runner’s Recovery Drink that incorporated beets but not specifically beet root.

“The first study on beets suggested that 500 mL of beet juice each day may lead to a 15% increase in the time taken to reach exhaustion^.”   via Training Peaks

3. Fix your form.

Fixing your running form so that you’re not wasting energy in how you pump your arms or hit the ground with your feet can help you get faster. You want to be as efficient as possible and move in a way that is going to help you stay strong and fast.

Proper Running Form Tips from Runner’s World

 

4. Dope jams. And by that I mean good music.

Stick some headphones in your ears – with fast music.

“Our studies have shown that music can help running performance on many different levels. It reduces the perception of exertion, making running feel less strenuous,” Dr. Costas Karageorghis via Women’s Running

Check out my Summer Running Playlist if you need some new music.

 

5. Watermelon!!!!

My favorite food can help you recover faster so you can get back out there and run strong again tomorrow.

“A recent study from the Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena in Spain tested the effects of watermelon juice on post-exercise muscle soreness. Volunteers were given one of three juices—natural watermelon juice, watermelon juice enriched with L-citrulline (an amino acid naturally found in watermelon), or a placebo drink—an hour before exercise. Both the natural and enriched watermelon juices were found to help reduce the recovery heart rate and the level of muscle soreness.” via Men’s Fitness

 

6. Sleep.

Get drunk on sleep. It’s good for you! Rest and recovery is vital to run fast and run long. Make sure you are giving your body time to rebuild and avoid injury. This is in the ‘smarter not harder’ category of running tips.

Sleep isn’t just important for runners – everyone needs enough sleep. I listened to a Ted Radio Hour podcast about sleep the other day. Make it a priority!

 

TIP: Things like pre-workout drinks with  amino acids, supplements like O2 Gold, Rehydrate mixes and other post-workout protein drinks can help you run stronger and recovery faster too. But every body is different so it’s important to try it while you’re training.

The #1 rule of running is don’t try anything new on race day.

If you are a competitive athlete make sure anything you put in your body is approved to use. Rules vary from sport to sport and level to level.

Question: What do you do to help yourself run faster and/or recover better?

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