M.O.R.E.: Did You Eat Your Iron Today?

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Did You Eat Your Iron Today?

The bottoms of my feet have been sore since we ran our higher mileage yesterday and it got me thinking about a study I once read regarding the loss of iron through the bottom of our feet. One of our running friends has been feeling a little sluggish and I wonder if iron could be the culprit. As runners, we tend to be more at-risk for low iron, just enough to make us feel less than our best, but not necessarily anemic. It turns out not only do we need more iron by virtue of our physical activity, but the activity itself destroys the very nutrient we need by the condition called footstrike hemolysis. Footstrike hemolysis is defined as:

Repeated foot strike associated with running causes red blood cells to break down. Red cells circulating in capillaries through the bottom of the feet are crushed by the foot strike. The faster red blood cells break down from foot-strike hemolysis, the more difficult it is for athletes to maintain a normal concentration of red blood cells (their bodies can't make the red blood cells fast enough), which may result in anemia.

There's a link to an article stressing the importance of iron, especially for women runners. It's a bit scientific, but if you can get through it, there is some good info in there. So remember what your mom always told you, "Eat your spinach".

http://www.healthline.com/hlbook/nut-the-oxygen-nutrient-performance-relationship

3 comments:

Picture Lady said...: I liked the "M.O.R.E Founders" photo that was added to the sight! Not sure which of you posted it, but it's a really nice touch!

"... A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world. ~Lois Wyse; April 19, 2009 at 7:55 PM
marathon mom said...: The day that picture was taken was a very special day. It sealed our fate as friends and runners, but more importantly it made us realize that we can get through some of the toughest moments of our lives with just a little help from our friends.; April 19, 2009 at 9:09 PM
Patty said...: I agree about the picture, that was a very special day. I had been thinking for the longest time that I should train and run a half marathon, I knew I could do it. I felt so lucky to find other people who felt the same way, and the benefit of making two new friends was even better than finishing the race. I look forward to the races we will run!; April 19, 2009 at 11:03 PM

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Favorite Trails

South Fork 3.1: Start from dirt parking lot on Magic Mtn Pkway and run to the loop at Wiley Bridge and return the same way.

Tesoro 3.25: Start in Albertson parking lot and take sidewalk/trail until it ends and then enter the water tower road to the top two towers where the ends. Return the same way.

Chesebrough 3.25/4.60: From Chesebrough Park, N. to Copperhill, So. on Bike Trail, turn around at Decoro, back up trail to power lines to bridge at park. Turn around at Heritage will give you 4.6 miles.

Chesebrough 3.5: Chesebrough Park down to McBean, south to Northpark Dr., the paseo trailhead. Take the paseo to Helmers and back. Very hilly.

Bridgeport 4.0: Fairly flat, run toward Lowes and under Bouquet bridge to RiverPark community until you reach the closed gates and return. For a hilly run, go north into Helmers and run up the paseo switchbacks into Northpark where the paseo ends and return the same way.

Chesebrough 4.0: N. to Copperhill to west side of river trail, run S. on Bike Trail past Decoro bridge, across Decoro to the east side of river trail, up back to power lines trail, back to park.

Chesebrough 4.0: From park down power line trail to Heritage Park and back same way.

Bridgeport 4.0: From School, cross McBean via bridge or street and head into industrial center on Ave. Scott Bridge and enter bike trail going south toward the train bridge. Turn around at train bridge and return same way or cross the bridge and head toward Peet's after crossing train bridge and back onto the Lowes Trail.

Heritage 4.0: From park, run up bike trail to Decoro, over McBean Bridge into Helmers, and into Bridgeport through lake trail back to park. Can be done in reverse. Moderately hilly.

Chesebrough 4.25: Chesebrough north to Copperhill, left to Albertson side of bike trail. Run south on trail to Decoro and cross over bridge and head north all the way to Copperhill on east side of river trail and back to the park the same way as started.

Cheese/Decoro/Helmers 4.25: From the park, down dirt trail to bike path, south to Decoro. Leave bike path at Decoro and cross paseo bridge at McBean. Stay on paseo up hill towards Helmers. Run up water tower trail once then continue on to switchbacks and paseos back to park.

Heritage/Bridgeport 3.3: Heritage Park south to McBean Bridge @ Panera. Cross and head toward Lowes bike trail and head east toward Bridgeport Park. Halfway mark is at park bathroom, head back by entering trail along the lake and back onto the bridge.

Lowes 4.25: Lowe's parking lot to McBean, cross the bridge and to South Fork. At Valencia Bridge, enter trail behind Hart Baseball diamonds. Continue on trail to Bouquet and across the bridge on the east side and back under the bridge again towards Lowes.

Peet's & Decoro 5.2: Peet's Coffee to train bridge path; to Decoro and across bridge; back down McBean side of bike trail back to Peete's.

Peet's & Wiley 6.0: Start at Peet's Coffee and head east toward South Fork trail and past the Wiley Bridge. Keep running another 200 yards to where the trail forks left and right. Turn back same way.

Peet's & Copperhill 6.0: From Peet's to bike trail heading north to Copperhill and back.

Albertson 7.0: From the Albertson parking lot on Copperhill, enter the westside bike trail and head south until the train bridge. Return the same way.

Peet's 8.5: Run to Copperhill on east side of river trail and return via train bridge on other side.

Lowes 10: Start in the Lowes parking lot. Enter the bike trail heading west. At McBean, cross the bridge and head east toward SouthFork trail. Continue on trail until you come to the Wiley bridge and head back the same way.

McBean 14: This route can be done from anywhere along the trail route. Starting from McDonald's across the post office, run to the end of the South Fork trail and return the same way, cross the McBean bridge and run on the Lowes trail until you hit Bridgeport Elementary and then cross Newhall Ranch via the bridge or street and run back towards McBean. Continue north on McBean until you hit Copperhill. At Copperhill, cross McBean and enter San Francisquito bike trail and run south on the trail until you are back at McDonalds.