Is This Invisible Thing Slowing Down Your Race Times? (Air Pollution)

[00:00:00] You might be able to outrun the hills and the clock, but can you outrun the air itself? That is the question. In this episode you’re going to learn the crazy ways air pollution can steal your speed and how to fight back, where to find real time data so that you can dodge the smoggiest spots on your route.

[00:00:17] Hang tight because in the middle of the episode we’re going to give you a solution that’s so easy. And it’s actually going to get better by taking care of your lungs. Now set you up for better running long term and much more. I’m Darren D. Lake running a nutrition coach, sub 3 hour marathoner and 10 hour Ironman finisher since 1996.

[00:00:33] I’ve been helping other self coached runners researching and experimenting on how to better myself 1 percent each day because the 1 percent better runner. That’s who we are, doesn’t do three week quick hacks. Instead, we give you lifelong tools to run better for the next three decades. That’s 30 years.

[00:00:48] Let’s get into it. All right. So you remember the first time you laced up your shoes and thought, okay, I’m about to do this. I’m a runner. Let’s get into it. Back then. The challenge was about building distance or learning to suffer. through fast intervals, there’s actually a better problem hovering around every corner, air pollution, it’s dangling in the air.

[00:01:06] So let’s break down what’s actually going in your lungs when the air isn’t exactly fresh. What is actually happening with air pollution and running air pollution isn’t just hazy skies in the distance. We’re talking microscopic particles. PM 2. 5, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, the whole buffet of stuff no one wants in their lungs.

[00:01:24] According to an article in the Air Quality News, marathoners actually run slower times in areas with high pollution. So yeah, every breath you take, cue the police, could be chipping away at your performance. I’m not a lab scientist, but here’s some quick data to inform you and not fearmonger. When you breathe the bad air, your oxygen flow gets compromised, which can lead to faster fatigue and reduced endurance.

[00:01:45] It’s not rocket science and there’s longterm exposure. Even if you’re just doing short, easy type runs day in and day out, exposure can lead to inflammation and immune issues over time. It might feel like a slow drip at first, harmless on the surface, but it adds up like consistently bad habits over months and years.

[00:02:01] That invisible fog can seriously wear down your health and performance. All right, now that we know the problem, how do we actually deal with it and keep our runs on track? One simple and easy way to fix the problem. There are a bunch of options to make sure you’re not running in bad air, but I think I found the solution.

[00:02:18] It’s called air track. It’s one word from air aware labs. It’s a Strava plugin right now, but very soon it will be an app. It dives deeper than the usual citywide air quality data. You get real time data with a breakdown of the actual particles in the air for the exact block or trail you’re running right after you run.

[00:02:34] They did not pay me for this. I wanted to do this because it’s a really cool app and more people need to actually use this. So forget your town air quality, moderate alerts. Now you’ll know if that downtown city loop you love is actually a hotspot for bad air, which allows you to train smarter. I don’t think you should get obsessed though, because it’s not about stressing over every molecule in the air.

[00:02:54] It’s kind of impossible. It’s about having the info to make smart calls. If you go to route is really smoggy after 8am, maybe you bump your run earlier or later, or if the air quality tanks midday, you head indoors on the treadmill or choose a tree line path. It’s a small tweak that can make a big difference in how you feel at the finish.

[00:03:12] And they give you a personalized data. So post run the Strava plugin, and hopefully soon the app will show you how air quality might’ve impacted your pace of recovery. Maybe you notice you’ve been more sluggish on days with higher ozone levels or PM 2. 5, knowing that helps you spot patterns and tweak your schedule.

[00:03:27] So you’re not just blindly pushing through a bad air day. And hopefully there’ll be sorting out real time updates very soon. Cause air track is also working on that new app on your smartphone. With up to minute alerts, you’ll get quick heads up. If any pollution spikes before you leave the house, so you can dodge a rough patch altogether.

[00:03:45] I’m sure that’s just the start is there’s a bunch of other super valuable things that the app could do and probably will do. So if you dodge bad air, why does it really matter in the long run? Let’s talk long term impact future Darren here. And I won’t do that thing. You know, the thing where people go, Hey, you should subscribe, rate, share, give a thumbs up right now, while I’d love for you to do that anyways, please go ahead and do it.

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[00:04:43] Let’s get back into it. Why it’s so important for runners. It’s super important for runners to know the air quality for three reasons. One performance edge to recovery boost and three longevity. Let’s start with the first. So performance edge, that air quality news article isn’t messing around. Pollution can legit slow you down.

[00:04:58] If shaving a few minutes off your time matters, skipping high pollution bubbles. Could be a bit of a cheat code to recovery boost. We haven’t talked about that. So boosting your recovery is huge because if you can recover faster, you can go back to a harder workout, longer workout and get faster. If you’re breathing in cleaner air, your lungs deal with less irritation, which means again, you bounce back to those workouts much faster, meaning you’ll get faster.

[00:05:20] Three longevity running. Isn’t just a hobby for a lot of us. It’s a lifestyle. 1 percent better runner. It’s the whole thing. Keeping your lungs healthy isn’t just about the next race. It’s about sticking with this for the long haul and staying as strong at 60 years old as you were at 30 years old. The finish line, final thoughts.

[00:05:37] So before you head out tomorrow, remember that the real challenge might not be the distance. It might be the air you are about to breathe. Airtrack is all about giving you real time hyperlocal air quality metrics. So you can get ahead of pollution. If you want more on air tracks, see the link in the show notes.

[00:05:50] If you’re listening, or if you’re watching, check the video description below. Thanks for rocking time, time, time. I’m obsessed with it as it’s the one thing we can’t make more of. But ironically, we as humans, we made the whole concept of time. Thanks for giving us your time. By listening, watching, or reading this, we love helping runners get 1 percent better each day, one step at a time, and can only reach more runners by people like you sharing this out to runners like you.

[00:06:15] As I might have mentioned earlier in the episode, if you haven’t already, you can get a free step by step. 30 day base training and habits guide to getting 1 percent better in running and life each day by signing up for our email newsletter. Unlike other running videos and podcasts, we are not about the quick hack and fluffy motivational quotes.

[00:06:32] Instead, the 1 percent better runner focuses on how small daily habits ripple into broader life success, helping runners perform better. On and off the road or the trail, the track, wherever you want to be doing your workouts all in five minutes per week. This episode and all this content is produced in Sydney, Australia, and I’d like to acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, who are the traditional indigenous custodians of this land.

[00:06:56] Much, much, much respects. If you want to contact us about anything, email talk at delay creates. com. We’re also on the socials, mainly Instagram and Strava right now. Just search one better run or delay runs small steps. Now lifelong impact later. Peace.