Running is the sport where the gap between what you feel and what is happening in your body is the largest. This category breaks the sport down into four components you can control — intensity, shoes, apparel and monitoring — and in each one it separates what the research shows from what gear marketing promises.
Where to start
- Running heart rate zones — the central guide here. Dividing intensity into five zones, why most training should be in Zone 2, and how to build a training week that improves over time instead of breaking down.
- Running shoes — what cushioning, drop and carbon plates really do to the biomechanics of landing, and the price of over-relying on external support.
- Running underwear — the base layer: comparing fabrics (polyester, nylon, merino, cotton), preventing chafing, and recommended models.
- Running with the Apple Watch and advanced navigation — real-world heart rate monitoring, GPX files and trail navigation: where the technology is accurate and where it misleads.
Nutrition that bears directly on running
Training load changes nutritional needs, mainly in three places:
- Electrolytes. Sodium is the mineral lost in the largest amount in sweat, along with potassium and magnesium. On long runs in the Israeli summer this is a matter of performance and safety, not just comfort.
- Iron. Endurance runners — and especially women — are at increased risk of iron deficiency, both because of losses through the gut and sweat and because of mechanical hemolysis in the foot. Details on supplementation itself are on the iron supplement page.
- Supplements with evidence. Of the dozens of products marketed to runners, only two enjoy a consistent body of evidence: caffeine for performance and perceived exertion, and creatine for sprints and recovery. The rest are discussed on the dietary supplements page.
Before a long workout, readily available carbohydrate such as a banana or dates is better than processed energy bars; afterward, a combination of protein and carbohydrate — for example Greek yogurt with oatmeal — supports recovery better than protein powders alone.