Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Want to run faster? "BEET" it!

 Today, the first Wednesday in June, is NATIONAL RUNNING DAY!  Not a fast runner or jogger? No worries!  Just get up and get our there! Remember the quote to the left!

If you are already a serious runner and want to increase your speed? A new study published in the April 2012 issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, shows that eating cooked beets "acutely improves running performance." Apparently the key is the nitrate.

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (A.N.D.), "researchers tested 11 moderately fit runners as they ran a pair of 5-kilometer races on a treadmill. Before one race, they gave volunteers a placebo; before the other, they gave them a 200-gram (7-ounce) serving of baked beets (which contains approximately 500 milligrams of nitrates).
The results? After eating beets, the runners went an average of 3 percent faster and shaved 41 seconds off their times. And their biggest speed gains came over the final 1.1 miles of the race. According to the study, 200 grams baked beetroot, or an equivalent nitrate dose from other vegetables, should be consumed 60 minutes before exercise."


Want to run faster? "Beet" it!! - Here is a link to the A.N.D. article and important information on general sports nutrition and running.

Baked beets recipes - some ideas to help you beet it!


Fuel Excellence!

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