The Role of CREATINE for Runners

Wake up and smile, runners! 😬 It's Monday, the beginning of a new week overflowing with possibilities and chances for greatness!

In today’s edition:

1. The Role of Creatine for Runners

2. Sub 1.17h challenge update

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The Role of Creatine for Runners

Today, I'm delving into the world of creatine. Ever wondered if it's right for you? Stick around as I break down the facts in this comprehensive guide.

Before I dive in, let me make one thing clear: I'm not advocating for or against creatine supplementation. I'm not claiming to be an expert, nor am I a medical professional.

As with any supplement, it's crucial to consult with your doctor before incorporating it into your routine.

My aim is to equip you with knowledge so you can make informed choices about your running journey.

So, what exactly is creatine?

Simply put, it's a compound composed of the amino acids arginine and glycine.

It plays a crucial role in energy production, particularly in skeletal muscle, where it accounts for about 90% of total creatine levels.

Despite its widespread use, creatine isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. Factors like gender, age, and diet can influence individual creatine levels.

How creatine functions in the body

Think of creatine as your body's energy currency, with phosphocreatine acting as a reserve for ATP — the fuel that powers your muscles.

Supplementing with creatine can bolster these stores, enhancing energy production during high-intensity activities.

But who stands to benefit the most from creatine supplementation?

Primarily, those engaged in resistance training aiming to increase muscle mass, as well as athletes in sports requiring short bursts of intense effort, such as sprinting or throwing.

However, it's worth noting that creatine isn't a magic bullet for endurance athletes like runners — it's unlikely to provide significant performance benefits in this context.

Is creatine good for runners?

According to this research, the following are the potential benefits and positive effects of creatine for athletes of different sports:

• Boosting high-intensity exercise performance, particularly in HIIT workouts;

• Increasing muscle strength and power;

• Increasing muscle mass;

• Decreasing muscle soreness after workouts;

• Speeding up muscle damage recovery;

• Reducing muscle cramping;

• Reducing fatigue;

• Faster muscle recovery after exercise;

• Faster recovery from injury;

• Increasing training tolerance.

There is also some evidence that creatine supplements can increase aerobic capacity needed during endurance performance by shuttling more ATP from the mitochondria to the muscles to ensure continued energy supply and a resultant reduction in fatigue.

Anyway most distance runners and endurance athletes likely don’t need to take a creatine supplement regularly for running performance, as creatine is more tailored to rapid, max-effort workouts.

However, if you’re a sprinter, looking to put on mass as a bodybuilder, or striving for big strength gains in the gym, a creatine supplement has the potential to be beneficial.

Creatine may also be beneficial as a pre-workout supplement before interval workouts or hill-sprints.

If you eat a lot of red meat or fish, you may be getting enough creatine in your diet; however, vegan and vegetarian runners may have more to gain by taking a creatine supplement.

Safety should be your top priority

If you've decided to explore creatine supplementation, safety should be your top priority.

Opt for creatine monohydrate, the most extensively researched form.

Timing-wise, consider incorporating it during strength-building phases or the off-season, when focusing on building muscle.

As for dosing, seek guidance from a sports nutritionist or conduct thorough research to ensure you're following appropriate recommendations.

Of course, it wouldn't be responsible of me to ignore the potential risks associated with creatine use.

While research hasn't shown direct links to liver or kidney damage in healthy individuals, those with pre-existing conditions should exercise caution.

Additionally, vigilance regarding hydration is paramount, as creatine can disrupt electrolyte balance and increase the risk of muscle strains or tears.

Best Creatine On Amazon

_{Disclaimer: the following are affiliate links.}

If you wanna try the creatine I found on Amazon these creatine with a lot of positive reviews. If you want to start taking creatine I will definitely start by buying creatine from one of these 3 brands:

Optimum Nutrition Creatine

• 5g Pure creatine monohydrate per serving

• Maximum potency supports muscle size, strength, and power Supreme absorbency micronized to get the most out of each dose Optimum Nutrition is the World's #1 Sports Nutrition Brand. Banned substance tested - Highest quality control measures so you feel comfortable

• Product does not come with scoop - Use a teaspoon for measurement of product

• Supreme absorbency micronized to get the most out of each dose

• Optimum Nutrition is the World's #1 Sports Nutrition Brand. Banned substance tested - Highest quality control measures so you feel comfortable and safe consuming the product

Naked Creatine

• Only one ingredient: 100% pure micronized creatine monohydrate. Certified vegan, non-gmo, soy free and gluten free.

• Highest quality: naked creatine is the highest grade creatine monohydrate supplement available.

• Fast dissolving: unlike other brands, naked creatine dissolves quickly in water or your juice of choice.

• Rapid absorption: pure creatine monohydrate allows for fast absorption which enhances gains, strength, and increases training capacity.

• No additives: made from pure monohydrate creatine with no artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors.

Thorne Creatine 

• Muscle Mass: Creatine is an amino acid that promotes lean body mass and supports increases in muscle endurance, muscle capacity, and power output*

• Cellular Energy Production: Creatine helps the cells of the body more efficiently create energy, thus benefiting exercise capacity*

• Brain Function: Although creatine is known for its muscle-enhancing benefits, it has also been shown to support cognitive function*

• NSF Certified For Sport: Supports high-performance nutrition programs and is NSF Certified for Sport

• Trusted: Thorne is chosen by champions and trusted by 100+ pro teams. Thorne is the only supplement manufacturer to collaborate with Mayo Clinic on wellness research and content. Thorne is also a proud partner of 11 U.S. Olympic Teams

Conclusion

In conclusion, creatine is a well-established tool for enhancing strength and power, particularly in certain athletic pursuits.

However, its suitability varies from person to person, and it's not a substitute for proper training and nutrition.

Remember, always choose reputable, certified products to ensure safety and efficacy.

Have you tried creatine? Let me know simply replying to this email!

Until next Monday, happy running!

Trivia Question: How many lanes are there on an Olympic track?

Find the answer at the end of this email.

Sub 1.17h challenge update

Last week's training block was ~83km:

• Monday: Gym

• Tuesday: 14x400m (45secs) + Gym

• Wednesday: 50min Easy

• Thursday: 50min Easy

• Friday: 70min Easy

• Saturday: Gym + 9km Tapis Roulant

• Sunday: 25km Long Run

• Total training time: 08:40:10

This week I bought my first pair of ON shoes. As you can see from this activity on Strava I bought the ON Cloudsurfer to use as a daily trainer.

For the moment I really like them, they are very comfortable and above all very light compared to classic daily trainers.

Other thing to mention: during yesterday's long run I started testing the gels for my next half marathon (May 1st). If you have questions about fueling/gels leave me a comment below this activity on Strava – I’ll reply to everyone in a few days!

Matteo

Just for Laughs 😂

Trivia Answer: An Olympic track typically has 9 lanes. This allows for multiple athletes to compete simultaneously, reducing the chances of collisions and providing a fair competition environment. Having more lanes also allows for smoother and faster races, as athletes can spread out and have more space to run in their respective lanes.

Latest Editions

• Taper Strategy for Best Marathon Results (Link)

• The Surprising Benefits Of Morning Run (Link)

• 5 Tips for Running Faster And Pain Free (Link)

• To Fuel Long Runs Effectively (Link)

• How To Start Running When You're Overweight (Link)

And at this link you can find all issues I written in the past!

Thanks for reading to the end. If you enjoy the Running Week I would appreciate it if you take the time to help me spread the word by forwarding it to a friend or colleague! Or share the following link on your socials: https://therunningweek.com/

From your running friend that's it for today! I hope you enjoyed it!

I’m incredibly grateful for this little newsletter and community of The Running Week. Thank you.

PS. Let's connect on Strava, here’s my profile

PPS. Happy Easter to everyone! 🐣

Matteo, your best-running friend.