With nearly 30 years of competitive running under my belt, I am looking for almost* anything to help and improvement performance. I’ve fine-tuned my training, I work with a strength coach to optimize my strength gains, I eat to support my training and mileage (but also partake in sweet treats as well), I do my best to keep stress low, and I try to get as much sleep as I can every night. I’ve done a lot of things right, so I am now looking for those little things to get every last little bit of potential out of myself. (*The line is drawn at anything illegal, if you were wondering.)
So recently I started experimenting with my supplements line-up. I’ve know since post-college I was anemic without an iron supplement, so I do have to supplement with iron if I don’t want to feel sluggish on every run. I have been using the Hema-Plex iron supplement for several years now and love it. From there, I have always take a multivitamin and fish oil for general health but also to aid with my running. It was about 18 months ago I started to hear buzz about creatine. I started hearing athletes and sports dietitians rave about its benefits. I was intrigued when I heard another master’s runner rave about creatine on a podcast and share she was running faster than she ever had. It was convincing enough for me to at least give it a try. I figured there was nothing for me to lose as I was in a rebuilding phase anyway.
If you aren’t familiar, creatine can offer a lot of benefits to competitive athletes–not just the body builders. Creatine is a naturally-occurring compound that your body already makes. The human body only makes about 1 gram of creatine a day but can store higher amounts, which is why most recommendations are to take 5 grams of creatine monohydrate each day. Creatine is the most-studied supplement, and it is safe for most people to take. (But always consult with a registered dietitian or your doctor first.)
It was about 18 months ago when I started taking Previnex’s Muscle Health PLUS, and even after a very short period of time, I started to see the gains. I was getting faster, recovering well, staying injury-free, and overall feeling really strong. It was helping so much I wrote about the creatine three months after using it in a blog post called: 5 Supplements I Take to Support my Running. Then again a few months later, I wrote another post raving about its benefits: 7 Things I Have Done to Get Faster at 41 Years Old.
Since that time, I have continued to take the Previnex Muscle Health PLUS on a daily basis, and I have continued to get faster over these last 18 months. Last year at the age of 41, I ran 5 lifetime PRs in the mile, 5K, 10 mile, half marathon, and marathon. This year at 42 years old, I have since broken my 5K and half marathon PRs again! Not only have I gained speed, but I also feel like I can recover very quickly, and I have continued to build muscle and strength in my weight training sessions with my coach.
Like I indicated above, I am doing a lot of other things right: good nutrition, dialed in the training, plenty of sleep, good strength training, and keeping stress low. I will never say one supplement is going to be the magic pill for improved performance, but I am a big believer that creatine is a part of why I am running the fastest at age 42.
I specially love the Previnex Muscle Health PLUS supplement for a variety of reasons. I love that this supplement contains more than just creatine monohydrate. It also has BCAAs, myHMB, and AstriGin, which all help with muscle strength, recovery, muscle definition, and ultimately improved muscle health in athletes. The biggest things I have noticed is that I can recover quickly from hard sessions. I generally have a hard session or long run every three days and 95% of the time, I feel ready to go. Occasionally there’s an outlier if I ended up getting sick or didn’t support recovery with good nutrition or proper sleep, but otherwise I am shocked I can recover as quickly as I did in my early 30s. I also feel like I can really push on those last two to three reps of a workout. My coach often has me complete the last couple reps faster than the previous reps, and I often am able to do this without fail.
If you can’t tell, I’m a huge proponent of creatine and specifically Previnex’s Muscle Health PLUS. I am not easily swayed with big trends, but this is one I am on board for.
If you are interested in trying Previnex’s Muscle Health PLUS for yourself, you can use my code: THERUNNERSPLATE for 15% off.
A few frequently asked question I get about creatine monohydrate:
When do you take creatine?
Ideally, creatine is taken around a workout, but the more important piece is that it is taken consistently, on a daily basis. I try to take it right after my run, but honestly I just take it whenever I remember.
Did you feel bloated or retain water when you started taking creatine?
No! I did not feel bloated, gain weight, or retain water when I first started taking this nor have I experienced it since starting. I have had a lot of people ask me this and there must be some varieties of creatine that cause people to retain water? I’m not sure, but I have been very happy with this brand.
What do you mix the Muscle Health PLUS powder with?
I add a scoop of the powder to water and then mix with a frother. You definitely want to use a frother to dissolve the powder in water, and then I add a lot of ice to make the drink really cold. I will say the black cherry taste isn’t the best-tasting, but I have learned to tolerate it. If I’m wanting to conceal the flavor a bit, I will mix it with a splash of lemonade or a flavored sparkling water. (Spindrift are my favorite.)
How long does it take to see the benefits of creatine?
If I remember correctly, I feel like I started seeing improvement in my times after about a month of regular use.
Do you take it on days you don’t run?
Yep! It is recommended to continue to take it even on days you don’t run/exercise. You want to maintain the increased levels of creatine in your body, so the recommendation is to take it every day.
Do you stop taking creatine before a big race?
No. I’ve never heard any reason to back off on taking the supplement before a big race. I think I’ve been asked this question because some people do feel bloated when they take creatine, so in order to “cut weight,” they’ll back off on using it before race day. I would just worry I would lose out on the benefits of it if I did this!
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask in the comments!
