Runner's World - Inside November 2012

special nutrition issue

Australian & New zealand edition

109 Best Foods For RUNNERS >> Lose Weight >> Boost Energy >>Run Stronger

Pancakes!

The Perfect Fuel

(12 Fully Loaded Recipes Inside)

Special Report The Truth About Running And Heart Health, p.58

Train For An Hour, Burn Fat For 3 Days

november 2012

BEGINNERS

It's More Fun With A Friend

12-Page Shoe Guide

Expert Advice, Lab Tests And Reviews For Every New Shoe

Your Ultimate Strength-Training Workout, p.40

7

TASTY POWER SNACKS & WHEN TO EAT THEM $8.50 04 $9.70

incl. GST ISSN 1440-5229 incl. GST NZ

PP 349181 / 00853 ISSN 1440-5229

04 9 771440 522018

runnersworldmag.com.au

66 STACKED!

Do you flip for one, three, or maybe five? Here’s your complete guide to the perfect fuel: pancakes.

48 SUPERMARKET RUN Slim down and speed up by filling up your trolley with the very best foods for runners.

By Matthew Kadey 58 HEART OF THE MATTER Was the death of London Marathon runner Claire Squires due to running?

RW investigates.

62 POWER HOUR Slot those fat-burning workouts into your busy day to torch kilos, sidestep injury and boost performance.

73 SPRING SHOE GUIDE Find the best pair for you among 22 new models.

By Jeff Dengate and Martyn Shorten, Ph.D.

By Ted Spiker

A GOOD REWARD: The perfect blend of carbs and protein.

runnersworldonline.com.au

3

inside REGULARS

8 RAVE RUN 10 EDITOR’S LETTER 12 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

30 73

15 HUMAN RACE A Hollywood composer races to soothe his grief.

PLUS: The Intersection (16) Ask Miles (18) B ack Story: Karlie Morton (18) What It Takes To… (20) 98 I ’M A RUNNER Author, model, personal trainer Grace McClure.

WARM UPS

22 O N THE RUN Gut Problems?

How to halt midstride GI trouble.

27 TRAINING Smart strategies to tackle back-to-back marathons.

PLUS: The new rules on tapering.

37 MIND & BODY Wise investments can pay dividends on the road.

40 THE BODY SHOP Strength exercises to help you run faster.

42 FUEL Reap the benefits of the ideal pre-, mid-, or post-run snack.

PLUS: The latest research on your favourite foods and drinks (44).

COLUMNS

44

46 R OAD SCHOLAR One runner proves that you’re never too old to have your competitive fires fully stoked.

By Paul Tonkinson

37

90 RACES & PLACES With Jesus on one side, a Smurf on the other and boozy drinks stations along the way, this was a party-hard race.

By Justin Bowyer

ON OUR COVER SPECIAL NUTRITION ISSUE

AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND EDITION

P.48

P.66 P.58 P.62

109 BEST FOODS FOR RUNNERS >> Lose Weight >> Boost Energy >>Run Stronger

Pancakes!

The Perfect Fuel

(12 Fully Loaded Recipes Inside)

SPECIAL REPORT The Truth About Running And Heart Health, p.58

Train For An Hour, Burn Fat For 3 Days

NOVEMBER 2012

BEGINNERS

It's More Fun With A Friend

12-PAGE SHOE GUIDE

Expert Advice, Lab Tests And Reviews For Every New Shoe

Your Ultimate Strength-Training Workout, p.40

7

TASTY POWER SNACKS & WHEN TO EAT THEM

P.27 P.73 P.40 P.42

$8.50 04 $9.70

incl. GST ISSN 1440-5229 incl. GST NZ

PP 349181 / 00853 ISSN 1440-5229

04 9 771440 522018

runnersworldmag.com.au 9 771440 522018 NovCover.indd 1

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november 2012 Volume 15 Number 5 Runner: GRACE MCCLURE, 33 Apparel: LULULEMON; Shoes: ADIDAS Photographed exclusively for RW by Peter Bongiorno (peterbongiorno.com)

rave run Photography by Kelvin Trautman Runners Participants in the Gore-Tex® Transalpine-Run

The Location The Chiemgau Alps, Bavaria, Germany

➔ THE EXPERIENCE The fresh mountain air and lush alpine meadows in Germany’s Chiemgau Alps offers a spectacular backdrop for runners in the Gore-Tex® TransalpineRun. Situated in the southern state of Bavaria – known for its picture-perfect countryside and warm hospitality – it’s no surprise that this mountain range is a runner’s dream destination. The area (pictured) hosts the first stage of the 320-kilometre race. “Stage 1 presents the first of the major but runnable climbs of the event, with an ascent of almost 1000m to the Straubinger Hütte at 1558m,” says race director Wolfgang Pohl.

– transalpine-run.com

training

ANOTHER GO: Make your recovery and taper a priority and you’ll be ready to race again.

Take Two?

You can follow a marathon with another 42.2, and soon, with careful planning BY LISA MARSHALL

courtsey of SAUCONY

W

ith the finish line barely behind them, many marathoners spend their recovery days doing something counterintuitive: plotting a next attempt, sometimes within a month.

While some runners want to maintain their hard-won fitness or combat postrace blues, others plan a second event when they fall short of their goals the first time around. “I see it all the time,” says David Allison, owner and coach of Marathon Coaching Consultants. “Either they loved the experience and want to do another one right away, or they didn’t do as well

as they’d hoped and they want to redeem themselves.” Conventional wisdom has long held that runners should attempt no more than two marathons a year, six months apart.

Yet according to a Runner's World poll, 67 per cent of runners complete multiple 42.2s each year. So are they nuts? Not necessarily. “If you plan and listen to your body, it can work well,” says exercise physiologist and Olympic marathoner Pete Pfitzinger. Use the following guidelines to determine if you can safely run two 42.2s within 12 weeks – or less.

EVALUATE YOUR FIRST RACE If you pushed it to the edge, endured withering humidity, or cramped and hit the wall on your first 42.2, your body is likely too taxed to resume training.

If, however, that first race was on a relatively easy course in mild weather and you finished with a little left in the tank, you should recover more quickly and feel strong enough to get back on the training wagon soon.

Generally speaking, the harder you ran in your first marathon, the more time you should allow before running your second event.

RUN better

warm ups

Consider a second marathon only if you trained properly for the first event. You should have been running four to five days a week, logged a minimum of 64 to 80 kilometres a week, and completed at least one 32-plus-kilometre run at the peak of your training, says Pfitzinger.

STRATEGISE YOUR TIMING If you want to run a second marathon simply for fun – not a PB – schedule it about four weeks after your initial 42.2. This gives you time to recover without losing your endurance, says Jenny Hadfield, coauthor of Marathoning for Mortals. Ditto if a sour stomach or painful blister sabotaged your first effort: consider your initial attempt a training run, then rest up and toe the line again a month later. If you want to train harder to run as fast as you can in your second marathon, however, give yourself eight to 12 weeks between races (six if you’re in great shape).

RESIST SHORTCUTS Running back-to-back marathons abbreviates the typical schedule – once you’ve recovered from the first race, it’s nearly time to start tapering for the second. “The priority has to be recovery,” says Pfitzinger. If you have four weeks between events, recover for two and taper for one. If you have six weeks between starts, recover for two and taper for two.

Runners with eight to 12 weeks between events should block out three weeks each for the recovery and taper.

MAINTAIN INTENSITY Runners aiming for a time goal in their second attempt should prioritise intensity over distance during the weeks (or days) of training between the recovery and taper. “Your body will forget how to run fast before it forgets how to run long,” says Allison. In addition to your weekly long and easy runs, do an interval session (like 400-metre, 800-metre, or 1500-metre repeats) to remind your brain what a quick turnover feels like, and an “up-tempo” workout (eight to 11 kilometres with 20 minutes spent at 10K to half-marathon pace) to keep your lactate threshold high. Start your mileage at about 75 per cent of the peak volume you reached during your first marathon buildup, and work up to no more than 90 per cent before beginning your taper, says Allison. If possible, log at least one 25- to 32-kilometre run. If you feel tight or fatigued, back off.

Advice from the world's best runners

MANAGE EXPECTATIONS The less time between races, the lower your expectations should be. If you’re gunning for a PB, you need a plan. “You don’t have much room to get it wrong pace-wise on race day,” says Pfitzinger. If possible, run a test 10K three weeks out and use your time to determine if you’re on track for your goal. One week out, assess how you feel – do you have any niggling injuries or lingering fatigue? Are you feeling energised through the taper?

If all is well, devise your race-day plan and stick to it. Once it’s over, no matter the results, take a break. You deserve it.

Repeat Halfs

Ú Schedule your second race three to four weeks after the first event. Ú Recover and taper for one week each. Ú During your training week(s) do one long

JAKE STEIN, 18, of Sydney in New South Wales, won silver in the decathlon at the 2012 World Junior Championships in Barcelona.

1 SPEED UP “I do five to six 25-30m sprints out of the blocks with 1-2 minutes recovery. This helps with quick starts, explosiveness and acceleration.”

2 RECOVER WELL

Tips for racing consecutive 21.1-kilometres Ú Double up only if at the peak of training for your first race you ran at least four days a week, logged 40 kilometres a week, and completed at least one 16- to 19-kilometre run.

Follow the Leader

run, one to two recovery runs, and one day of short intervals (400- to 1600-metre repeats). Ú If you have three to four weeks between halfs, complete one 16to 19-kilometre run.

“I use hot and cold plunge pools – 2 minutes in cold, 1 minute in hot, three of each. If I’ve had a tough session I do four of each.”

3 MENTAL PREP “I stick quotes on my wall at home. When I travel to events I take them with me to inspire me to always keep pushing.”

courtsey of ALIYAH JOHNSON

ASSESS YOUR FITNESS

TAKE HEART: Runners live on average 5.9 years longer than couch potatoes.

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november 2012

Heart Matter The

of the

The tragic death of Claire Squires within sight of the finish line at this year’s London Marathon sparked a massive outpouring of generosity among visitors to her Justgiving.com page. It also sparked a frenzy of press interest and speculation: is this incident proof that running is bad for you? Of course not, and here’s why… By RUTH EMMETT

S

udden deaths among athletes make headlines and grab attention precisely because they’re so rare: when the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) reviewed the research, they found the highest estimate of rates of sudden death in young athletes to be two in 100,000. This January, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study that puts the rate of death among 10 million US runners at just 0.54 per 100,000.

The medical director of the Virgin London Marathon (VLM), Professor Sanjay Sharma, says that the overall death rate for the VLM is one in 80,000. There have been just 11 deaths in 32 years of the race – and remember that as Britain’s biggest marathon, London attracts tens of thousands of novice runners of all ages and fitness levels. (It’s difficult to find research that allows for an exact like-for-like comparison, but in 2006, researchers at University College London reported estimated rates of sudden cardiac death among the general population to be one in 1000.)

Deaths among runners, then, are very rare, but they do occur – and heart problems are by far the most common cause. In athletes under 35, around 90 per cent of sudden deaths are due to underlying genetic heart conditions. Under the stress of training and the adrenaline of racing, these can trigger a cardiac arrest, a sudden crisis in which the heart can’t pump oxygenated blood out to the rest of the body. The remaining 10 per cent? This is accounted for by conditions including asthma, heat stroke and hyponatraemia (dangerously low levels of sodium).

In over 35s, sudden death is also largely a matter of the heart. But rather than underlying genetic problems, cardiac arrests in older athletes are much more likely to be caused by ischaemic (or degenerative) heart disease. It’s a problem usually caused when arteries are narrowed by plaque, thanks to a range of lifestyle risk factors including poor diet, high blood pressure, obesity and smoking. It also ups your risk of a heart attack, where the heart itself is starved of blood by a clot or other obstruction.

Your risk increases with age, and not just for runners: according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, ischaemic heart disease kills more Australians than any other single disease (in New Zealand cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death, according to The Heart Foundation). “The vast majority of the deaths at VLM have been men with signs of this type of degenerative coronary artery disease,” says Sharma.

So there’s a pretty stark divide: under 35, and sudden cardiac death is likely to be down to genes; over 35 and it’s almost exclusively degenerative disease influenced by age or lifestyle choices. While the risks of either event are very low, sudden cardiac death (SCD) among marathon runners is more common in men than women, in older athletes than the under 35s, and in people with risk factors for degenerative heart disease such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or obesity.

This is why, on 22 April, 2012, as Sharma sprinted down Birdcage Walk being cheered on by spectators who mistook him for a racer, he was half expecting to see a 70-year-old man.

“To find Claire Squires, an extremely young, athletic female, lying

SPRING shoe guide 2012 l l l l l l l l l l l l

A fabric band helps lock the foot to the shoe.

Adidas Tempo 5

Open mesh and few overlays allow the foot to move and breathe.

A lower, more open heel collar offers a better fit at the ankle.

Mizuno Wave Precision 13

T

HE PRECISION 13 FEELS DOWNRIGHT ZIPPY, thanks to the highest heel-to-toe drop in this guide – 14.4mm; the average running shoe is 12mm – combined with a soft heel and a firmer-than-average forefoot. But some testers accustomed to more minimal footwear or racing flats found it to sit too high, especially at the heel. Although the chassis underfoot is the same as the Precision 12, Mizuno tinkered with the upper slightly, heel Cushioning lowering the collar to allow a better opening Firm Soft Forefoot Cushioning for the foot. A fabric band runs under the Firm Soft open mesh upper at the midfoot, connecting flexibility the laces to the midsole to securely lock the Stiff Flexible foot in place.

HEIGHT: 35.3mm (heel); 20.9mm (forefoot) WEIGHT: 275g (M); 216g (W) AUS mizuno.com.au; NZ N/A

TESTER’S TAKE ➔ Marie Wickham on the Mizuno Wave Precision 13 Age 57 years old Height 155cm Weight 45kg Arch High Kilometres per Week 105 Years Running 30 Occupation Banker

➔ The Tempo 5 is a lightweight and responsive shoe. It excels in hard workouts or races, but can feel stiff at a jog. RW Shoe Lab tests show that this update is 70 grams lighter and sits 3mm closer to the ground.

BOTTOM LINE Mild support that works for most runners during races.

A$200; NZ N/A

BOTTOM LINE A versatile shoe, capable of handling faster workouts and races.

A$160; NZ$200

“The Precision 13 is very comfortable and light. I like the cushioning. It gives a comfortable ride without being too soft. I wear them for training and racing. I was able to run a marathon in them immediately.”

heel Cushioning Firm

Soft

Forefoot Cushioning Firm

Soft

flexibility Stiff Flexible

HEIGHT: 30.6mm (heel); 20.3mm (forefoot) WEIGHT: 239g (M); 199g (W) AUS adidas.com.au; NZ adidas.co.nz

TRAINER TRIVIA

40,000

Years since humans started wearing footwear

800

The average number of kilometres in the lifespan of a running shoe

Rubber provides extra grip.

New Balance 1260 V2 A$220; NZ$270 ➔ While not pillowy soft, the updated 1260 still offers enough cushioning to work for runners who require some stability. The V2 comes in 29 grams lighter than the first version, even with such motion-controlling devices as a crash pad in the heel, a shank in the midfoot, and a medial post that runs through the arch.

BOTTOM LINE A sturdy shoe that still feels fast and light. heel Cushioning Firm

Soft

Forefoot Cushioning Firm

Crash pad offers extra protection for heel-strikers.

Three stripes in the adidas logo function to lock down the foot.

Soft

flexibility Stiff Flexible

HEIGHT: 37.0mm (heel); 23.8mm (forefoot) WEIGHT: 321g (M); 258g (W) AUS newbalance.com.au; NZ newbalance.co.nz

Adidas Supernova Sequence 5 A$170; NZ$220

A

DIDAS ROLLED OUT a satisfying update of the Sequence. Previous versions felt heavy to wear-testers – the Sequence 4 topped the scales at 366 grams.

RW Shoe Lab tests show the 5 is lighter by 35 grams, more heel Cushioning Soft flexible, and offers better cushioning. To save Firm Forefoot Cushioning weight, adidas removed the external heel Firm Soft counter – a plastic piece that holds the foot flexibility in place at heel-strike – and slimmed down Stiff Flexible the stability post that runs along the inside of the arch.

HEIGHT: 33.8mm (heel); 22.9mm (forefoot) BOTTOM LINE A high-mileage shoe for moderate overpronators.

WEIGHT: 332g (M); 284g (W) AUS adidas.com.au; NZ adidas.co.nz

TESTER’S TAKE ➔ Marie Quinn on the Supernova Sequence 5 Age 55 years old Height 160cm Weight 50kg Arch Flat Kilometres per Week 48 Years Running 35 Occupation Lawyer

“I was pleasantly surprised by the Sequence. It has the right amount and firmness of cushioning for longer runs, while still being fairly light. In shoes with less cushioning, I feel the road too much and my knees get achy.”

Mizuno Wave Enigma 2 A$240; NZ$279.95 ➔ The second effort of the Enigma is about 20 grams lighter than the first version (which weighed 344 grams for a men’s size 9) and is considerably more flexible. Testers noted the shoe still feels stiff, likely due to a plastic midsole plate that extends the length of the shoe. This does, however, aid in a smooth heel-totoe transition.

BOTTOM LINE A daily shoe for intermediate runners with flat arches. heel Cushioning Firm

Soft

Forefoot Cushioning Firm

Soft

flexibility Stiff Flexible

HEIGHT: 36.7mm (heel); 24.0mm (forefoot) WEIGHT: 323g (M); 253g (W) AUS & NZ mizuno.com.au runnersworldmag.com.au

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Races+Places

und m aro the wor fro ®

ld

race s

ON TOUR

rld

race s

Buzz from the pack, elite news and our race calendar

un m aro d the wo fro

Vine and Dandy With Jesus on one side, a Smurf on the other and boozy drinks stations along the way, this was a party-hard race BY JUSTIN BOWYER

E

“

xcuse me, could you take a photograph of my bottom?” someone asked me. This was not the oddest moment of the day that was about to unfold, but then again I was standing at the start line of the Marathon du Médoc along with 8000

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november 2012

other runners, dressed in a cape and a superhero mask.

Now in its 28th year, the race is a veritable French institution with a growing worldwide reputation that has seen some 28 different nationalities line up to take part. It’s an event that is part Carnival,

part sophisticated pub crawl; and as the website proclaimed, “Spoilsports, thugs and record-seekers are not invited.”

Allow me to elaborate. Firstly, fancy dress is compulsory. The theme was comic book heroes – the interpretation of which resulted in all sorts of characters, from innumerable Smurfs to the plastic-bottomed ‘naughty nurse’ drag act who requested my photographic intervention. Secondly, the route of the marathon passes by – and in some cases meanders through – some of the most famous vineyards in France, including Château Lafite-Rothschild, offering the opportunity to partake in two dozen wine tastings along the way.

by AMCM/De Tienda

GRAPE EXPECTATIONS: Runners hope for fast times as they power through the vineyards.

Runners were worked into a frenzy at the start line by an unusual combination of live music, performance art and caricaturists. Then the serious business got under way.

As I began my run through the streets of Pauillac, I was reminded of a comic sketch I’d seen, which perfectly illustrated how if you stay just on the right side of drunkenness, anything is possible; but cross the thin red (wine) line and disaster awaits. With this in mind, I was determined to run the first half before indulging in any wine-fuelled pitstops.

My resolution lasted five kilometres.

Leaving the town behind, the first of the seemingly endless vineyards rolled into view along with the slightly disturbing sight of variously be-costumed characters liberally emptying their bladders on the grapes. The image was enough to make me steer clear of the first two wine stations, but by the third I was tempted enough to pause briefly and partake in a glass. And I mean glass: these samples were no plastic thimblefuls, but proper glasses served from immaculately presented stands within the grand grounds of the châteaux.

The figure-of-eight course itself – 25 per cent of which is dirt trail – was not exactly flat as a crêpe. Although the first 19 kilometres were little more than gently undulating, from the halfway point things

(or possibly my wine-induced perception of things) changed. A kilometre-long hill climbed painfully away from Pauillac, and what followed proved to be a draining series of long ups followed by sharp downs that were too short to count as recovery. But the crowd support was easily the greatest I have ever experienced

– children high-fived, picnicking families cheered and several people called me a champion (or possibly a mushroom; my French is poor). Further distractions – the bottomless wine supply aside – were ample: water and food stops appeared so frequently that it felt more like a 42-kilometre-long trestle table of nourishment with everything from fruit and biscuits to delicious hams and even fresh oysters on offer. Bands lined the route and while they varied in quality they were unwavering in their enthusiasm; never before have I seen runners go so crazy for a badly played kazoo.

With less than three kilometres left to run, the temperature was heading determinedly towards the high 20s. I thanked my stars that I had opted for the simple, if rather boring, cape and mask option rather than some of the dazzlingly elaborate costumes that many wilting runners were sporting. These final kilometres were also marked by three of my favourite memories of the race: a face-

FRENCH TOAST: Vin rouge, anyone?

COMEDY CLUB: A mixed bag of characters ran the scenic course. runnersworldmag.com.au

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