Raising Bodyfat %, is it a problem?

Hiya, long time no see. Anyway, just a quick Q for the bio-boffs of the forum...

Im a 21 year old male, who has been training for about 2 years. LAst year when I was about to toe the line for the marathon, I was 9.5 to 10% bodyfat as read by some Tanita scales. Come this year, at the mo 12 weeks from Berlin, I am 13% bodyfat! I havent checked it for months, as I my 10k times have been coming down in leaps & bounds i presumed it wasnt a problem. I now run a sub 37 10k as opposed to a sub 40. Is this increase in bodyfat likely to be detrimental to my Marathon performance? I dont think I look any different!
Age dont 'alf sneak up on you! It must be my pending birthday... :(
KK

those scales are notoriously inaccurate

technically having more bodyfat reduces VO2max just because you weigh more, but who cares?

you are stronger and faster aren't you i wouldn't worry

i've got some of those scales - if i drink a pint of water and wait 15 minutes my body fat reading drops by 1%!

Andy

Did you not know there is alot of fat in water!

lol RRR i think it works on electrical conductivity... if your insides are all wet the current flows better

presemably a pint of water and a big pinch of salt would knock the reading a bit lower

or if you really wanted a god readout you could swallow a roll of copper wire, but that might have unpleasant consequences

To get an acurate reading on the scales you are suposed to have observed the following:

No exersize in last 24hrs
No Alcohol in last 12
No caffine in last 12
Be well hydrated

Best do it same time each week - after your rest day

Hi KK, where have you been?

I don't remember reading any articles specifically mentioning bodyfat affecting running pace. It's mostly weight related. If you've put on some weight then your times will be slower. If your weight has remained static then you shouldn't notice much of a difference, assuming that your still training as hard as you always have.

Good luck in Berlin. What sort of time are you aiming for?

Re tanita scales
I have a pair and in the instructions it states to get the best reading weigh yourself late afternoon/early evening at least 2 hours after your last meal and before your evening meal.
I need to lower BF but its hard weight goes down but BF doesn't must be doing somefing wrong.

Pam add a weekly weights session into your schedule - that should help an traing whole boddy

Thanks will, i'll try that

Hiya Drew chap, Ive been avoiding posting on the Training thread, because my training has been very boring due to the large amount of physio involved in FINALLY resolving this knee problem.
As you guessed, my weight is about the same, but my BF% is higher. According to the texts this is a -ve adaption but I guess my gains in leg strength & flexibility outweigh the loss. Plus, It appears that most of the muscle mass I ve lost is off of my shoulders and biceps, which were probably overbuilt anyway. I used to do a bodybuilding routine, but now I do a strength routine, Im stronger (imprtant) but less 'massy'.
Target marathon time is sub 2:50, based on some of my better races. Happy with sub 3, but the ol' RW calculators say that I would be wasting my potential if I do more than 2:50 so... give it a shot.
Hows you training going Drew mate? Still on the Horwillian 'schedule of death?'. Gave up on that meself as injured athletes + Frank Horwill dont mix! Plus my training age is a little too young for these professional schedules!

Hopefully speak to you soon, you can always drop me a mail if your interested chap,
KK