Run, Karla, Run!

Beans and lentils are packed with protein, but low in fat.

You’ve got questions. I’ll find the answers. “Ask the Running Nerd” is back.

Question:

What is the protein requirement for runners post running? I run marathons in about 3 hours and am looking into my nutrition a bit now to try and improve a little.

—Sean, Ireland

Answer:

Thanks for a great question, Sean. My running could certainly benefit from better nutrition, and as we head into fall marathon season it’s more important than ever.

Protein is crucial to muscle recovery after a workout. It repairs muscle damage, diminishes the effects of cortisol—the so-called “stress” hormone that breaks down muscle—and, when taken with carbohydrates, speeds your body’s ability to replenish its glycogen stores, your all-important energy source for those long runs during marathon season. If you’ve ever “hit the wall” or “bonked” in a marathon, you know what it feels like to deplete your glycogen reserves.

To gain the full benefits of protein’s power, most sports dieticians and nutritionists recommend getting 10-20 grams of protein within 30 minutes of finishing a run, and some say even sooner—that’s when your muscles are the most receptive to a helping hand. Read the rest of this entry →

You’ve got questions. I’ll find the answers. “Ask the Running Nerd” is back.

Question:

My husband and I are scheduled to run our first half-marathon in July.  I have been running on my own without any training plan for a few months now and today I went for a 10-mile run.  We’re 10 weeks away from the race and I’m not sure what my training should look like for the next several weeks.  I don’t want to lose the endurance I’ve worked for thus far, but I also don’t want to injure myself before the race. Any ideas?

—Kerry Read the rest of this entry →

It’s been a long winter, and here in New York, it looks to be a very wet spring. Which means ever more runs on “the dreadmill” before I’m back to road running full time.

It’s known as “the dreadmill” for a reason. Running on a treadmill can be nauseating at best and downright aggravating at worst. But sometimes I actually—gasp—enjoy the treadmill. Dare I say it? I have come to love it. Read the rest of this entry →

Photo by Phil Hospod

You’ve got questions. I’ll find the answers. Welcome to “Ask the Running Nerd.”

Question:

I’ve been running off and on for about 10 years, and I recently became more serious about my running – I joined a team, set some goals and am becoming more consistent with my workouts. As a result, I’ve been increasing my mileage, and I’ve met some really great like-minded runners. Unfortunately, I’ve also encountered 5 women in the last 2 months who have suffered some type of foot fracture. These women range in age from 23 to 38; some have been running competitively since high school and others are relatively new to the sport. I’m hoping to avoid this seemingly common injury myself. What causes these types of injuries in women and how can I avoid them?

–Cindy, New York City Read the rest of this entry →

The eight-year-old in me is bouncing off the walls. When I read not once, not twice, but three times in Runner’s World that multiple studies have concluded chocolate milk is the perfect recovery drink, I wanted to break out in song, kiss the stranger next to me on the subway and click my heels in the air. And it’s not just Runner’s World covering the evidence stacked in chocolate milk’s favor; Fitness magazine, CBS News and AskMen.com among others have reported chocolate milk’s benefits.  Read the rest of this entry →

Hanukkah is here and Christmas is just around the corner. With eight nights of lights and stockings to fill, I’m sure we all have lots of gifts to buy. Thankfully, runners are pretty easy people to shop for. Our sport offers all sorts of gizmos and gadgets for every type of budget. And if you’re not sure if the runner on your list already has a GPS device/heart rate monitor/hydration belt/running gloves, here are 10 more general gift ideas any runner would love.

• The Stick. Lots of runners have tight muscles. I try to balance yoga with training, but even then my calves sometimes feel like they might snap. I’ve seen these things at marathon expos and I’ve always been intrigued. The Stick compresses and stretches muscles to ease pain. Models vary by length and firmness—the website even has a cool calculator that tells you which one is best for your body type. The Marathon Stick is ideal for distance runners. $32. Read the rest of this entry →

Photo © Warren Millar/PhotoXpress.com

You’ve got questions. I’ll find the answers. Welcome to “Ask the Running Nerd,” a new segment on “Run, Karla, Run!”

My family and friends are always calling and e-mailing me with questions about anything and everything, including running. They know I’m a reading and research nerd, and if I don’t know the answer myself, I will find it for them.

Like the good nerd that I am, I’ll do the same for you. Every week I’ll find answers to your burning running questions, whether they’re about training, racing, eating, etiquette, products, just about anything!

Want to know how long it takes to recover from a marathon? Or how to ease IT band pain? Or what the best recovery drink is? These are just some of the queries friends have posed to me.

So do you have a question? Shoot it my way! Let my fingers to the walking, er running, for you. Contact me here: Contact Karla Bruning or post below.

Natalie stops to chat with her cheerleaders. Photo by Christy Hourihan.

I was running. Striding up Second Avenue in my new sneakers hurrying to catch my friend who was also running. But she was racing the ING New York City Marathon, and I was merely a spectator hoping to spot her at Mile 17.

If you’ve ever run a marathon, you know how critical spectators can be. I’ve been lucky enough to run three with friends and family peppered throughout the course, lighthouses on a stormy day blinking me in. Last year in the New York City Marathon, the devil on my shoulder was whispering insidious thoughts about quitting the race as I climbed the steep incline of the Queensboro Bridge around Mile 16. But knowing I had friends at Mile 17, Mile 18, Mile 20 and on kept me going. For one thing, I have just enough vanity to not want to look bad lollygagging up to them when I should be running. But I also know that seeing them is usually all the encouragement I need.

This year, I was excited for my first marathon as a spectator. My friend Natalie, one of my diehard cheerleaders, was running her first marathon. She was nervous and I was happy to be the one rooting her on for a change. Read the rest of this entry →