s1/e26 "Leveling Up" with Coach Sara Manderscheid (@sayrahrunshappy)

Fueling

Proper nutrition is essential for enhancing running performance and ensuring effective recovery. Sara Manderscheid emphasizes the importance of fueling before, during, and after runs, especially for morning runners who might be tempted to skip breakfast. She advises consuming carbohydrates like oatmeal or bananas to prevent hitting a wall during intense workouts 1. Elisabeth Scott shares her experience of running fasted and the negative impact it had on her performance and recovery, highlighting the necessity of proper fueling for overall well-being 1.

Your performance is not great. You will hit a wall and your recovery time is more than doubled tripled.

--- Elisabeth Scott

Sara also recounts her own journey of transitioning from fasted running to a more nutrition-focused approach, which significantly improved her training and energy levels 2.

   

Recovery

The transition from fitness class culture to running requires a shift in mindset, particularly regarding rest and recovery. Sara Manderscheid discusses the importance of taking rest days seriously, which she learned after experiencing burnout from overtraining 3. She advises runners to embrace rest days as a crucial part of training, allowing the body to recover and become stronger. Elisabeth Scott echoes this sentiment, noting that many runners struggle with the idea that rest can enhance performance 3.

You actually get stronger, fitter and faster in the periods between your runs, not on the runs themselves.

--- Elisabeth Scott

Sara shares her experience of adjusting her training plan to include more rest, which ultimately led to better performance and fewer injuries 3.