more easy tempo and the important of iron

#MTM #chopwoodcarrywater #lastyearmentality  #WILDDOGS ⬈🝚x🝚 #rememberthegoal

Reminder...

For those on campus, go to MY HOUSING for info on move-in dates and times for your dorm.

Incoming first-year: move-in August 9-10
Returning Students: move-in August 11 or 12

Both the team and GTAA will have functions during the following week before school starts.  Before you make any other plans for this week, make sure you clear with coaches first. If you know of any conflicts, make sure you notify coaches as soon as possible.

Regarding training, this week keep one 72.5-75% Aerobic Threshold run or Easy Tempo run on Tuesday.  Make sure you read through the tabs with the annual volume spreadsheet and understand this effort.  Be conservative in determining your paces.  Make sure Thursday contains either some short hill sprints or some fast striding.

Last week we talked about the importance of sodium.  This week, let's focus on iron...

Almost 40 per cent of US girls and young women have low iron levels

Below is a link to a really good article, for those of you who want to read up on this very important topic...

http://www.runningwritings.com/2017/04/low-ferritin-and-iron-deficiency-anemia.html

For those who don't want to read, because it's summer and all, here are some important bullet points:

*one study showed by the end of a cross country season (i.e. the point in the season where you want to be your best), iron deficiency had increased to 17% of boys and 45% of girls.  And in those who were not classified as iron deficient, the majority had a decrease in their serum ferritin levels.

*the above numbers were found in using the conservative standards for iron deficient serum ferritin levels used in the general population of less than 12 ng/mL.  A case can be made that for endurance athletes, serum ferritin levels less than 40 ng/mL should be considered iron deficient.

*ferrous sulfate, taken with vitamin C, is the weapon of choice to raise serum ferritin levels; while tea, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and antacids should be avoided as they inhibit the absorption of iron. One study showed that simply putting a slice of cheese on a hamburger reduced the amount of iron absorbed by 50-60%!

*because of the above, the iron in a multivitamin is almost useless.

Additionally, an article released last year in Outside magazine (link below), demonstrates not only the importance of iron supplementation, but that supplementing every other day was just as effective as supplementing every day.  Either way, though, you have to be intentional about taking iron and not forgetting!

https://www.outsideonline.com/2415334/iron-increase-methods-athletes

Suffice to say, your serum ferritin levels are very important to your aerobic performance.  If you are not managing your iron intake and absorption, you are putting your performance in jeopardy.

easy tempo time

With the annual volume spreadsheets sent out, make sure you have spent some time reading through all the information.  As mentioned in the email we sent out, reading and understanding this information, then executing it, is paramount to our success as a team.  If you have questions, ask!

We're working on our competition schedule for the fall season, but for now an update on move-in dates. For those on campus, go to MY HOUSING for info on move-in dates and times for your dorm.

Incoming first-year: move-in August 9-10
Returning Students: move-in August 11 or 12

Both the team and GTAA will have functions during the following week before school starts.  Before you make any other plans for this week, make sure you clear with coaches first. If you know of any conflicts, make sure you notify coaches as soon as possible.

Regarding training, this week you can add a 72.5-75% Aerobic Threshold run or Easy Tempo run on Tuesday.  Make sure you read through the tabs with the annual volume spreadsheet and understand this effort.  Be conservative in determining your paces.

Also, with summer officially here, the daily temperatures are on the rise.  A chart was included in last week's blog to help you determine paces.  Make sure you are always paying attention to proper effort.  This means not looking at the pace chart and being beholden to hitting a certain pace per mile.  With high heat and humidity, your daily pace will be slower for a given effort.  THAT IS NOT ONLY OK, BUT IMPORTANT THAT YOU LET IT BE SLOWER.  Training in a hot climate can slow your pace down by as much as thirty seconds per mile.  In fact, there is even new information out that demonstrates how running in direct sunlight will slow you down even further. It is important that you account for the weather conditions.  Trying to hit a certain pace without doing so will take a toll on you through the summer, and will leave you fatigued during the fall season.  SLOW DOWN if the weather conditions call for it!

Maintaining proper sodium levels is essential and a lot of sodium is lost while running.  With the summer heat and humidity, sodium loss is even more extreme.  The basic advice would be to make sure your are salting your food to taste when you eat.  Drinking a sports drink, even adding a little salt to it, BEFORE and after runs is beneficial.

#MTM #chopwoodcarrywater #lastyearmentality  #WILDDOGS ⬈🝚x🝚 #rememberthegoal