Your performance is multi-factorial

Often as runners and endurance athletes, we measure our performance or assess our goals by how fast we are able to complete a race. But that might not be true for all. Others may base it on solely if they are able to complete a race they signed up for, or if they were able to run a certain number of times per week. Regardless When it comes to running and performance, often there is not a silver bullet solution for improvement. It is multifactorial and is impacted by more things than just your body weight and the number of hours you train. Behind every amazing run is typically proper nourishment, a good night’s sleep, stress management and strategy.  

QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF NUTRITION 

Individuals that are active expend energy 2-3 x more than those that are sedentary, which means they need to consume more calories in a day. Of course this depends on just how active you are, which is why it is important to individualize your nutrition plan (a dietitian can help you with this). However, in short, try to eat every 3-4 hours and possibly re-evaluate your snack choices, making sure you are getting enough between meals to maintain your lean body mass. Not only is quantity important, but the quality of the food you are eating is also important. Let’s break this down by macronutrients. 

Carbohydrates -- 

Since carbohydrates are the body’s preferred source of energy, it’s important to have adequate sources throughout the day. While running, you need about 30 to 60 g of carbohydrates per hour for intense runs over 60 minutes or moderate runs over 90 minutes. Runners should incorporate a carbohydrate source or two at each meal and snack, not going longer than 4 hours between meals. It’s recommended that carbohydrates should make up 50-65% of the athlete’s diet. Carbohydrates not only provide glucose for energy, but they also help with hydration, which has a direct impact on performance. For every ounce of carb stored in the muscle, the body stores 3 ounces of water. While cutting out carbohydrates has been popularized in many weight-loss diets, carbs don’t necessarily cause weight gain, eating calories that surpass your needs does. It just so happens that carbs are easy to over-consume since most combination foods and meals contain carbs. In addition, many carbohydrate-containing foods are processed, low in nutrients, and high in calories. Not all carbohydrates are created equal, which is why it’s important to eat the highest quality carbohydrates. The most energy-sustaining carbohydrates are those that are fiber-rich and are less processed. However, there are times when you need quick-processing carbohydrates to provide energy before or after a run. You can read more on the importance of when to choose between simple and complex carbohydrates here.

Fats -- 

While processed fats and fried foods can be inflammatory and therefore impede your physical performance, healthy fats such as those found in lean meats, fish, coconut oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds aid in recovery and provide a backup energy source for long-distance runs. 

Protein -- 

Carbs and fats provide fuel for runners, but protein is what helps you build strong muscles that allow for higher running speeds and it’s important for muscle recovery. When you run, your body breaks down your muscles, and protein helps build it back up. Female runners should consume about 3 ounces of protein per meal and male runners about 4-5 ounces per meal. Good sources of protein include eggs, dairy, meat, fish, and quality protein powder. You can read more on meeting protein needs here. 

TIMING OF EATING

What you eat before a run can either power you up or slow you down. While you want to include healthy fats and complex carbohydrates to increase energy stores, you don’t want to eat them right before a workout. Foods that are high in fiber and fat take longer to digest and can upset your stomach. It is better to wait about 3 hours after having a larger, balanced meal before training and then eating a small, low-fiber, high-carb snack 30-60 minutes before your run. Pre-run snacks should include about 50 grams of carbohydrates. Some good examples include 2 slices of toast with jam or honey, a banana, or a handful of dried fruit. In addition, protein and carbohydrates should be consumed within 20 minutes to an hour post-run to aid in recovery and keep you from feeling burnt out. 

SLEEP

There is an overwhelming amount of evidence that shows consistent, plentiful sleep has a positive effect on coordination, motor skills, reaction time, form, and speed. Getting adequate sleep can even potentially shave seconds or even minutes off your overall race time.

Quality sleep can also aid in recovery by the secretion of human growth hormone occurring about 20 minutes after falling into a slumber. This means a quick cat nap can also contribute to accelerated muscle recovery. I don’t know about you, but that’s great news for me! Whereas, chronic lack of sleep can sabotage your running performance in more than 1 way. Sleep-deprived runners have been shown to get exhausted 11% sooner than well-rested runners. In addition, lack of sleep can impair the body’s ability to sweat which makes cooling down more difficult. If you are not getting enough sleep, you may be missing out on an essential part of the recovery process and may be at a higher risk of injury and a weakened immune system. Sleep deprivation can also increase your appetite and interfere with the body’s normal metabolism by decreasing your ability to efficiently utilize carbohydrates. Not to mention, lack of sleep can seriously affect your motivation to run. 

So how many hours of sleep do you need for optimal running performance? The average adult needs about 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night, with closer to 9 hours on the weekend. Anything less than 7 hours can undermine your performance. Everyone is different and will feel rested at varying hours of sleep, but it’s important to note that increased training requires increased sleep to properly recover. So a marathon runner will require more sleep per night and some additional naps than a recreational runner. 

TIMING OF RUN

The circadian rhythm is your 24-hour internal process that regulates your sleep–wake cycle. It is controlled by an internal clock that sets and resets itself based on your external environment (light, stress, routine). Your brain receives signals based on your environment and activates certain hormones, alters body temperature, and regulates metabolism to either keep you alert or get you ready to sleep. These factors can affect your running performance, depending on what time of day you run, and when you feel your best.

Naturally, testosterone and cortisol are highest in the early morning and taper off throughout the day in order to let the body calm down for sleep. This means that if you are a morning person, you will naturally feel more energy during a morning run. However, if you are just not a morning person, then it might not be a prime time for your run and you might be better off running in the later afternoon or evening when your body temperature is at its warmest. Some athletes have seen increases in their run times in the evening because of the increase in body temperature. On the other hand, getting a run done in the morning in order to create a routine and make sure other obligations don’t interfere with getting it accomplished may be what is most important to you. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference, but keep in mind that energy levels may be highest in the morning and the body may be most primed for performance in the evening when all the muscles are at their warmest. 

STRESS

Stress can be a friend or foe to your running speed and performance. Stress, anxiety, and fear tell your body to release adrenaline and cortisol, which pumps extra blood and sugar into your muscles (hey speed machine!) and shuts down the digestive and immune systems. This has its benefits if the hormones are released at the right time, such as right before a run. However, if life stress is triggering the release of these hormones on a regular basis, when you are not running, it can interfere with digestion, immunity, and sleep. Furthermore, it can make you prone to burnout and injury. You can read more on how stress and increased cortisol impact your athletic performance here. 

MINDSET

You may have heard that running is 90% mental and I’m here to tell you that saying is 90% true. Yes, read that again. The brain is the captain of deciding what your endurance limit is rather than the body. Your brain wants to protect you, so it wants to make sure you do things safely and will tell you to stop before your body has actually reached its limit. Of course, you don’t want to disrespect your body’s limitations, but sometimes the brain plays it too safe and can impede your ability to test your limits. Mental fatigue, especially, can lead to the perception of physical fatigue. It will send signals to the body to cease activity, even if there are no signs of physical exhaustion. For example, if you had a mentally draining day on the computer, your body is more likely to give up much sooner during physical exercise. 

Even though the brain is the boss, it’s a trainable boss. You can coax the brain out of giving up early and your body will subsequently follow suit. In a sense, it’s possible to fool the mind into allowing the body to work harder. The same way you train your body, you can train your mind, by incrementally increasing your brain’s tolerance to discomfort. Listening to pump-up music or a motivational speech before a run can even give your brain the extra nudge it needs to keep going.

In a study where participants were given a carbohydrate drink for energy and placebo during physical activity, those given the placebo showed the same brain stimulation when swigging the drink as those given the real deal and pushed their body further. This brings home the point that if you believe it, you can do it, and that is really what matters most. If you want to improve your running speed and performance, the first step is to know you are capable of doing it. 

While specific factors improve your running speed and performance, decomposing the running recommendations down to their individual components undermines the synergistic effects of the combination of the lifestyle factors. You will see the most significant results when you take a holistic approach to running performance and pay attention to all contributing factors.