Her Sports + Fitness Magazine

The Elusive Runner's High

Running is my therapy. I run to de-stress after a hectic day, calm down after a difficult conversation or find a solution to a complex problem. Those closest to me know the best way to deal with me when I'm irritated, grumpy or upset is to suggest—nicely—that I go for a run.

Often, but not always, I feel like I'm able to drop my concerns on the pavement as I run. Mile one, I replay whatever is bothering me, speeding up or slowing down depending on my mood; mile two, I puzzle over possible solutions and outcomes; mile three, I'm writing the emails or planning the conversations I'll have to solve the problem; mile four (five or six, depending on how worked up I am), I'm singing along to my iPod. By the time I get home, I feel happy and incredibly energized.

I've always wondered: Is this the so-called "runner's high?" Or would I be able to reach the same state if I sat on my couch for an hour or more and thought things over carefully?

Until recently, researchers have never been able to prove that the runner's high—long fabled to be caused by the release of endorphins, your body's natural stimulants—exists. Gina Kolata's article in the New York Times  today unveils the research conducted by German neuroscientists that finally provides evidence to back up the lore. (Read the study abstract from the  Cerebral Cortex journal here.)

Led by Henning Boecker, the scientists scanned the brains of 10 long-distance runners before and after a two-hour run. Using PET scans, they were able to measure the amount of endorphins in the runners' brains and where the endorphins were located. Not only did each runner's level of endorphins increase during the run, the endorphins clustered around the part of the brain associated with mood and feel-good emotions—providing that blissful runner's high.

The next step for researchers: figuring out why this doesn't happen for all runners after every run. How long or hard do you have to run to get a happy high?

Solve that riddle, and my therapy will be complete.

—Kristin Harrison

Drink while you Swim

Long-distance runners and cyclists are accustomed to consuming sports drinks during exercise to keep their energy levels high. But many swimmers avoid drinking during workouts because they don't want to stop swimming and ruin their rhythm. They may, however, be ruining their performance.

A study posted at the site Swimming Research News suggests that swimmers performing workouts of one hour or more should follow the same hydration rules as runners for optimal performance: drink 8- to 10-ounces of sports drink before you swim, and, after one hour, take 5-6 swallows of a sports drink every 15 minutes. Look for a sports drink that is 5- to 9-percent carbs to give your body energy but prevent stomach problems. Gatorade Endurance Formula meets this requirement, as does Accelerade.

—Amanda Smith

Eat More, Weigh Less

Everyone has excuses to skip breakfast. "I don't have time," or "I'm just not hungry in the mornings." But this study proves that eating breakfast not only gives you more energy, but also can help you lose weight.

The study was conducted on kids in middle and high school who ate breakfast regularly, occasionally or never. It concluded that those who ate breakfast regularly had lower BMIs than those who ate it intermittently or never. Why? By eating first thing in the morning, your metabolism revs up immediately and starts burning calories.

But what should you eat? This Men's Health article  gives some smart tips on healthy breakfast choices. Ideal foods are those high in fiber like oatmeal (not instant), Kashi Go Lean! Crunch and any other whole grains. It's also a good idea to include a small amount of protein—1 teaspoon of peanut butter, a half cup of cottage cheese or egg whites—in order to feel fuller longer. —Emmalee Schmidt

Oakley for Women

I'm currently in Miami for the unveiling of Oakley's first pair of high performance sports glasses designed for women. Unlike previous women's sunglasses that were downsized from a men's design and released in a line of "feminine" colors, the new Endure was crafted around the size and shape of the female head and features smaller nose pieces and shorter temple lengths. The final product offers a snug fit that doesn't bounce or shift during high-intensity exercise. Oakley athlete Lolo Jones is endorsing Endure, and I chatted with her on the beach this afternoon. The track and field speedster just won gold in the 60 meter hurdles at the World Indoor Championship in Valencia, Spain. (It took her less than 8 seconds to leap over five hurdles that stood 33 inches high.) Although happy to have a little downtime in the sun, Jones is eager to leave Miami and get back on the track to prepare for her next big event: the U.S. Olympic trials this June.

Already the owner of a silver Olympic medal and numerous international titles, including a gold at this year's X-Games, snowboarding superstar Gretchen Bleiler has also made an appearance here to give the press a preview of her new Oakley snow apparel collection, which will arrive in ski shops this fall. With numerous technical features, including water resistant fabrics and pockets for iPods and goggles, the line is designed for high performance, but it's also appealingly hipster, with a subtle lion logo and details like diagonal zippers and leather tab snaps. As Bleiler proclaimed, "It's super cute."

—Kristin Harrison

The Battle of the Sexes

Last night, clicking through channels, I stumbled upon the final scenes of "The Biggest Loser," NBC's popular reality TV show that features contestants who compete to lose the most weight through healthy diets and hours of daily exercise. The scene that caught my attention—and surprise—showed trainer Jillian Michaels angrily berating the host for asking one of the female contestants if she'd given up on winning the game."She knows it's impossible for her to win," snapped an exasperated Michaels. Her reason why? A woman couldn't best the men in the weight loss and fitness game. (There's never been a female winner on this show, which is now in its fifth season.)

Having met many exceptional female athletes and women who've changed their lives dramatically through healthy eating and exercise, I had to wonder: Is Michaels right?

I've spent some time consulting academic journals to find some answers. Turns out, men hold a slight, but not significant, advantage in the weight loss category. According to this study in the journal Obesity, men and women lost weight at similar rates, with a modest 0.6 kg more weight lost by the men. Other studies reflect the same conclusion, showing weight loss differences between the sexes within a few pounds in the men's favor. Mostly, studies note the differences between genders in two important factors: where men and women store fat; and how they go about losing weight. Generally, men exercise; women diet. Studies show that by shifting their approach from fads to a healthy, well-balanced diet and an exercise plan that includes strength training to build muscle—which burns more energy than fat—women can hold their own against men.

And perhaps that's why on last night's episode of "The Biggest Loser," the one who ultimately lost the most weight for the week was a woman.

My running shoes aren't meant for this!

I planned to go for an hour run along my favorite trail on Friday, but bad weather ruined my plans. So, I opted for the much less enjoyable plan B: a run on the treadmill at my gym. When I got there, I couldn't help but notice a stream of women excitedly hurrying down the hall to the back studio. Now I'm definitely not an aerobics class person, but I do love to dance. When I heard salsa music blasting from the room, I couldn't resist—I wandered into my first Zumba class.
    Created by a Colombian aerobics instructor, "Beto" Perez, and brought to the U.S. in 1999, Zumba has gone mainstream, even making its way to my YMCA. Set to Latin music, the fitness-meets-dance class features a wild mix of salsa and merengue steps, hip hop moves, aerobics exercises, track drills—think high knees and lunges—and a lot of Shakira-style hip shaking. Each song is choreographed and taught in a follow-the-leader style, but no one seemed to care when I jumped left instead of right or sashayed forward instead of back. (Nor did anyone make fun of my running shorts and technical T, which were very out of place among all the fitted pants and sports bras.)
    In the back of the crowded room, I felt like a kid in grade school, jumping around and flailing my arms to the music, with a big silly grin on my face. Within 10 minutes of the hour-long, high-intensity class, my heart rate was up, my quads were screaming and I was out of breath. It was the most fun I've had at the gym in a long time.

—Kristin Harrison

The Solace of Exercise

The best cure for a stressful day at school or work?  Exercise. 

My finest runs always follow my most stressful days. I leave it all out there, so to speak. I forget about juggling three part-time jobs and college, the 12-page term paper I needed to finish, and the looming LSAT—even if only for the hour I'm out running. 

On the open road, I feel complete freedom.

Dr. Charles Van Der Horst, M.D., shares my sentiments.  However, Dr. Horst is not escaping from term papers and entrance exams when he runs and swims.  The heartache he faces trivializes my concerns to the point of near obscurity.

Dr. Charles Van Der Horst is an infectious diseases specialist, who travels all over the world researching and treating patients with H.I.V.  In a recent New York Times article , he describes exercise as his method of personal restoration after facing hundreds of patients with the often fatal disease.  He speaks candidly about how frustrating his field of work is, and delights in swimming and running while traveling.  He even tells of performing calisthenics in the aisle of an airplane midflight.

As a young idealist, I am inspired by Dr. Horst. Not only does he promote the social good on a global level, his work is extremely difficult to endure. Instead of throwing in the towel, Dr. Horst calls on the secret of many active professionals: he runs, he swims, he exercises on a plane.

Thanks to Dr. Horst, and so many others like him, for finding strength in exercise to help make a difference in this world.

—Amanda Smith

Run for Life!

The latest research confirms it, ladies: Running should be a life-long commitment, not a summer fling. Recent research done at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence  Berkeley National Laboratory warns people about taking breaks from their exercise regimens. The study shows that exercisers face an uphill battle just to return to the weight they were at before they took an extended exercise vacation, especially if they ran low mileage to begin with. (Read the lab's report here: "Irregular Exercise Patterns May Add Pounds.")
    The study compared 5,970 women who decreased their running distance over a more than seven-year period with 1,953 women who increased their running distance. An interesting finding: Those who went from running five miles to zero a week gained four times as much weight as those who decreased their distance—from 25 miles to 20, for example—but kept running. The other revealing conclusion: Women who returned to running after an exercise layoff didn’t lose weight until their mileage exceeded 10 miles per week.   
    The researchers best advice?  Stick to your running regimen, even in the face of adversity. But if that's not possible, reduce the number of miles you're running—don't quit cold turkey.

—Amanda Smith

Nike Women's Marathon: Register Today, Hope for an Entry

The Nike Women's Marathon and Half Marathon in San Francisco is one of my favorite races. A benefit for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the event features a beautiful, albeit hilly, course through the city and along the Pacific Ocean. Even better: A Tiffany's necklace is the finisher's medal, distributed by men in tuxedos (really). When I ran the half marathon in 2006, the October weather was perfect, cool but sunny with stunning views appearing through the occasional fog.         
    Now in its fifth year, the race has become so popular—it filled in three days last year—the organizers are trying something different for registration in 2008. To try to get a spot in this "Run Like a Girl" event on October 19, you  must enter a random drawing at NikeMarathon.com today (starting at 9 a.m. Pacific Standard Time) through March 18. You'll get an email on April 1 letting you know whether or not you've "won" one of the 20,000 available spots.The only way to get in without going through the random drawing, unless you've run this race every year since its inception and are a "legacy runner," is to join a Team in Training program.
    While I commend Nike for trying to be "fair," I'm not sure how I feel about this new approach. What do you think? Is first-come-first-serve race registration really a bad idea?

—Kristin Harrison

To Stretch or Not To Stretch?

Ever since I can remember I was told by my coaches and dance teachers to stretch. They emphasized how stretching will help ease the soreness in my muscles after two-hour track practices—so I stretched. The notion of stretching before and after exercising to prevent muscle pain has always been accepted. However, this New York Times article suggests that we might want to rethink this idea.

The article states that “the study reviewed 10 randomized studies, which overall looked at the impact of stretching before and after exercise, in repeated sessions and in intervals ranging from 40 seconds to 10 minutes. The authors concluded that stretching had little or no effect on post-exercise soreness.”

Even if stretching doesn’t ease post-workout pain, I don’t plan on giving up it up entirely. Sometimes a good stretch is just what I need after a workout—it helps me recover quickly and increases flexibility. –Emmalee Schmidt