CurraNZ ultra athlete and journalist Laurel Walker sat down with her 65-year-old mom Kathy, to find out how CurraNZ has been making a difference to her ultra running - and the results were surprising.
Kathy is an ultrarunner and life-long lover of the mountains. While she has always been always active, she didn’t start running regularly until she was in her 40s, when she took it up with two of her daughters. Together they have run numerous races from 5k to marathon, road and trail.
Kathy runs every day and takes part in a variety of races annually, including her favorites “Rock The Ridge 50 Miler” in New York State, and the Midstate Massive Ultra 100 Miler in Massachusetts.
We sat down with Kathy to learn some insights into her life and running routine.
Whether you are just getting into running or have been at it for years, we are confident that her story will inspire, including her reflections on incorporating CurraNZ.
Q: What is your least favorite thing about running and how do you handle it?
A: Learning to run uphill. I’ve always just walked the uphills, but I am trying new ways to get more efficient, and running hill repeats during training to get better at it. Running uphill is hard! But I am doing it because I know it will help me in the long run.
Q: When did you start taking CurraNZ and did you notice any benefits?
A: Yes, it was April 13th! I ran the Millbrook Marathon the next day and had a great day. I noticed overnight results and an increased cadence and pep in my step.
Q: What do you do to ensure longevity in your running?
He knows I need a variety of foods to choose from when I come into an aid station, and also not to be offended if I do not end up wanting the thing I requested. One time he made me bean burritos because we thought that would be good and I got there and I felt like I was pregnant again—they were disgusting to me!
We learned that day that you don’t try anything new on race day. We also learned that taste buds get all weird during racing and the crew can’t take that personally.
A: Yes, I use the Untapped maple syrup brand caffeinated gels. An example of my strategy, for a 28-mile run, I’ll take one gel at a third of the way through and then the other two-thirds of the way through. For a 100-mile race I’ll start caffeine when it gets dark and then take it all the way to the end.
A second study, showed a 50% reduction in upper and lower GI distress symptoms, as well as a 33% reduction in other GI related symptoms like nausea, stitch and dizziness.2
Q: Have you ever struggled with GI distress? If so, how do you handle it and does CurraNZ seem to help?
A Yes, I used to have to stop all the time to use the bathroom when running. I don’t have to do that much anymore. CurraNZ definitely helps with stomach distress and helps me feel a lot better when racing and running.
CurraNZ Science Fact
A 7-day trial of 600mg/day of CurraNZ reduced gut permeability and damage to intestinal cell wall lining, commonly referred to as Leaky gut.1
Leaky gut is the common term that you might have heard for damaged intestinal cell wall linings, causing permeability. Our intestinal wall linings are designed to absorb water and nutrients from our food, but when they become damaged, they can let toxins into our bloodstream and make us feel sick. As you can imagine, if you are already having a difficult time eating while running, these symptoms only make it worse.
Kathy closed out the interview saying “I love CurraNZ because it is just berries, nothing else and that is the beauty of it!”
References
1.Lee, B. J. , Flood, T. R. , Hiles, A. M, Walker, E.F., Wheeler, L. EV, Ashdown, K. M, Willems, M. ET, Costello, R., Greisler, L.D, Romano, P.A., Hill, G.W., Kuennen, M.R., Anthocyanin-rich blackcurrant extract preserves gastrointestinal barrier permeability and reduces enterocyte damage but has no effect on microbial translocation and inflammation after exertional heat stress (2022). Accepted version International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 1-29.
2.Willems, M.ET., Hiles, A.M., Flood, T. R., Wheeler, L. EV. Ashdown, K. M., Kuennen, M. R., Lee, B. J. , Anthocyanin-rich New Zealand blackcurrant extract reduces running-induced gastro-intestinal symptoms in the heat. (2022). Released at ISSN, June 17, 2022.
