Runner's Web Digest - February 6, 2004

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New This Week:

Our latest column from Carmichael Training Systems is
available: Quick Tips for Winter Running
By Derick Williamson, CTS Coach.

Check it out at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/cts_columns.html

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Digest Article Index:

1. Vitamin E may reduce muscle soreness
2. Elitism in Youth Sports Yields Physical Fatness
3. How Do I Know If I'm Dehydrated?
4. Guzzling Beer Helps Rats Stay Cancer-Free
5. Frigid Weather and Sports Can Mix
6. Sports drinks canned
7. Colorado Takes Strides to Polish Thin and Fit Image
8. Expensive Trainers May Not Be Worth It
9. Bicyclist inspires riders in epilepsy fund-raiser
Mike Nishimoto didn't let a near-fatal mishap stop his involvement in
physical events.
10. New antioxidants 100 times more effective than vitamin E
11. Marathons Start Early
12. Testosterone Drop in Men Can Cause Depression, Study Finds:
13. Getting back in the game
It happens to almost everyone, but professional athletes are much more
willing to push through the pain.
14. The Great Indoors
3 recommended workouts for indoor training this winter.
15. From Runner's World
16. When Not To Train
17. How far will low-carb go? Pizza may be next
18. Mayor says road must be made safer
After a fatal accident, Pam Iorio says enforcing speed limits is not
enough.
"I think you have to look at roadway design."
19. Setting up your tri season, part 5: Fun racing post-season
20. Stride Right
The best stride drills to follow your daily workout.
21. Intense Exercise Does Not Damage The Heart
22. Building Strength and Speed in the Winter Months
23. Don't be a world champion in January
24. Using vitamin and mineral supplements wisely
25. CDC Says Carbs to Blame for Rising Calorie Intake

We have NO personal postings this week.
Personal Postings, when available, are located after the Upcoming
Section
towards the bottom of the newsletter.


This week's poll is: "What is the toughest feat to accomplish in
track and
field?"

Cast your vote at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running.html
Post your views in our Forum at:
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The previous poll was: "Which category of athlete are you?"

The results at publication time were:
Answers Votes Percent
1. Elite 11 11%
2. Fitness 29 29%
3. Recreational 13 13%
4. Recreational - competitive 46 46%
5. Other ? 1 1%
Total Votes: 100

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Five Star Site of the Week: Alicia Parr, Triathlete
"Hello and welcome to my website. The purpose of this website is to
document
my 2004 athletic season. Every season has its ups and downs. The 2004
season
should be interesting.
Four half iron distance races, 2 international distance races, a
couple of
sprints, and my first attempt at a marathon distance run. And lots of
other
races thrown into the mix as speedwork. Check out my schedule. Looks
daunting, but not dramatically different than my '03 schedule. New
website
features this year are the e-Blah! bbs system that I will be using to
post
race results, race reports, and any articles I may write or provide
quotes.
The other nifty feature; I'll be using is the emAlbum photo browser
script.
All things considered, the website should be much better."
Check out Alicia's site at:
http://www.aliciaparr.com/

Send us your suggestions for our Five Star site. Please check our list
of previous Five Star Sites available from the Five Star Window under
the link "Previous Five Star Sites" as we do not wish to repeat a site
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Our Photo Slideshow is updated on a random basis. Check it out from
our
FrontPage.

Book of the Week: Running Within: A Guide to Mastering the Body-Mind-
Spirit
Connection for Ultimate Training and Racing.
by Jerry Lynch, Warren A. Scott
Effective running requires fitness and harmony of the body, mind, and
spirit. Running Within is your guide to developing each of those
areas so
that you can perform better, have more fun, and experience a deeper
connection with running.
For more information and to buy the book:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-
/0880118326/ref=ase_runnersweb/102-0182896-9006569?v=glance&s=books
[Long URL]

Be sure to check out our Flash Page where we list all recent additions
to the Runner's Web. This page is updated before Monday morning each
week.


This Weeks News:

Articles:

1. Vitamin E may reduce muscle soreness:
If a weekend workout has you hobbling around the office Monday, you
might
want to reach for the bottle -- one of vitamin E that is.
Vitamin E may help ease muscle soreness from a rigorous workout,
according
to a 2002 study.
The vitamin acts as an antioxidant to protect cells from free radicals
generated during a workout. The chemical buildup may cause soreness
in the
muscles.
There are two basic types of muscle soreness -- one is acute and
usually
happens during or immediately after exercise. The other is delayed and
occurs about 12 hours after a workout.
Acute soreness may be an expression of simple fatigue, probably the
result
of a buildup of chemical byproducts from exercise. Usually rest will
help
alleviate the initial discomfort.
But for those folks who wait until the weekend to work out
rigorously, they
may experience what's called delayed soreness. It's a normal response
to
overexertion and part of a process that leads to greater strength
once the
muscles recover.
In the study cited previously, vitamin E was shown to help reduce
symptoms
of muscle soreness, inflammation and muscle weakness. Participants
used
doses of 1,000 IU daily, but lower doses of about 200 to 400 IU may
give
exercisers the same benefits.
More...from CNN at:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/01/30/hln.fit.vitamin.e/index.html


2. Elitism in Youth Sports Yields Physical Fatness:
We're fat. In fact, as a country, we've never been fatter. Today, as
we
prepare for the ultimate couch potato experience - the Super Bowl -
it is
sobering to note that almost 65 percent of adults in the United
States are
either overweight or obese. That is sad news. But what is even sadder
is our
children are on pace to be significantly fatter than we are by the
time they
reach adulthood.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the
percentage
of children ages 6 to 11 who are overweight has increased nearly 300
percent
the past 25 years. The numbers are nearly identical for teenagers.
As a result, children today have a shorter life expectancy than their
parents for the first time in 100 years, said William J. Klish,
professor of
pediatrics at the Baylor College of Medicine.
"We are in the middle of an epidemic that may have profound health
effects
for our children," Klish said. "If society doesn't act now to
implement
preventative measures, the increase of obesity will not stop."
The health implications are scary. For example, Type 2 diabetes was
once
considered an adult disease. Now, the incidence of the disease has
increased
dramatically in children and adolescents because more children are
overweight. Klish notes that the percentage of children and
adolescents
found to have Type 2 diabetes at Texas Children's Hospital has
increased to
27 percent in 2002 from less than 1 percent 20 years ago.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/01/sports/othersports/01FAT.html


3. How Do I Know If I'm Dehydrated?
You may take water for granted, but your body doesn't. Every cell,
tissue
and organ needs water to function properly. You also need water to
keep your
internal temperature stable and eliminate waste products produced by
your
body.
Indeed, water is as important as oxygen for sustaining life. You could
survive up to six weeks without food, but not more than a few days,
maybe a
week tops, without water. Even when you are inactive, your body loses
more
than a quart of water every day - through urine, perspiration, and
sweat.
And most days you lose 2.5 quarts. You also lose water when you
exhale - up
to one or two glasses a day in the form of vapor. With all that water
going
out, you need to replace what's lost. For most people, that's done
without a
second thought: You get thirsty; you drink. Simple.
"Normally, your body does an amazing job of maintaining proper fluid
balance," says Robert H. Shmerling, M.D., associate professor of
medicine at
Harvard Medical School.
With help from your kidneys, your body holds onto water when your
system is
a bit low and gets rid of it when there's excess. But what happens if
the
balance shifts to the point where your body becomes depleted of
water? In
other words, there's more going out than coming in. That's when
you're at
risk of dehydration, a potentially life-threatening condition if not
treated
promptly.
More...from InteliHealth at:
http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/7165/29730.html


4. Guzzling Beer Helps Rats Stay Cancer-Free:
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Drinking beer or eating certain
components found
in the beverage seems to protect against colon cancer in rats, new
research
shows. Whether this holds true in humans, however, remains to be
determined.
In the new study, Dr. Hajime Nozawa, from Kirin Brewery Co. in
Yokohama,
Japan, and colleagues assessed the ability of beer or its components
to
prevent a type of chemically induced colon cancer in rats. The
results are
reported in the International Journal of Cancer.
Consumption of beer or malt extract for two weeks reduced the amount
of DNA
damage that occurred. Moreover, beer intake for the full five-week
study
period reduced the formation of early lesions that can become colon
cancer.
The ability of beer to inhibit these lesions depended on the type of
malt
with dark-roasted malts being more effective than pilsner malts. In
addition, only freeze-dried beer, not ethanol, had a protective
effect.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?
type=healthNews&storyID=4253393


5. Frigid Weather and Sports Can Mix:
(HealthDayNews) -- Even when the cold winds howl, the freezing rain
pours
down and the snow flies fast and furious, many winter enthusiasts
can't wait
to take to the fields, rinks or slopes.
In fact, winter sports activities are great for body and soul, but
cold
weather can require a little more preparation and attention to detail
for
safe participation.
According to experts at the Curry Health Center at the University of
Montana, where cold weather is a familiar phenomenon, the outdoor
temperature is only one variable winter athletes need to consider.
Others
include the intensity and duration of participation in the sports
activity,
velocity of the wind and an individual's level of conditioning.
The doctors at Curry Health caution that athletes need to take into
account
the combination of temperature and wind, called the wind-chill
factor, when
readying for sports participation. Depending on the speed of the
wind, even
a temperature as high as 30 degrees can be dangerous because during
exercise
heat is lost and the body temperature can drop to dangerous levels.
Frostbite caused by the effects of below-freezing temperatures on
tissues of
the body is another common threat. Its hallmark symptoms are burning,
numbness and white or blue tissue. The areas most sensitive are
fingers,
ears and toes. Protecting these with mittens, hats, wool socks or
other
protective gear can lengthen periods of safe athletic participation.
Beware of wet athletic gear and clothing when the mercury hovers near
or
below the freezing point. Wet garments, especially those that are not
wool,
give little protection from the elements.
Several symptoms are tip-offs that participation in outdoor winter
sports
should be discontinued immediately, including:
- Uncontrollable or excessive shivering
- Loss of sensation, control or ability to move fingers or toes
- Lethargy or extreme tiredness
- Slowed breathing and heartbeat
- Mental confusion
The staff of Curry Health point out these symptoms are serious and
can be
life-threatening. Immediate appropriate intervention is critical, but
an
ounce of prevention is also of value.


6. Sports drinks canned:
CHILDREN are guzzling caffeinated energy drinks before school sports
carnivals and games in a bid to gain a competitive edge.
Students are drinking up to five cans of sports drinks - which
contain up to
80mg of caffeine each - because they think it will make them play
better and
run faster.
Anecdotal evidence is supported by research from Sydney University
senior
lecturer in nutrition Jennifer O'Dea, who found schoolchildren aged
eight
and above were using the drinks before sporting events.
Dr O'Dea said her study revealed schoolchildren consumed energy
drinks as
stimulants before basketball and soccer matches to enhance sports
performance.
"They weren't concerned about testing because they are amateur
athletes,"
she said.
Boys aged 11-17 taking part in Dr O'Dea's research described the
perceived
benefits of the drinks.
"I drink it before soccer and I don't lose energy as fast," one boy
said.
More...from the Sunday Times at:
http://www.sundaytimes.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,8547686%
255E2762,00.html


7. Colorado Takes Strides to Polish Thin and Fit Image:
DENVER, Jan. 27 - Everyone here has buns of steel and rock-hard abs
laced
across the zero-fat body of a vegan marathon runner. Everyone hikes
and
bikes and has climbed Pikes Peak.
That is not really true, of course. But as a stereotype, it resonates
and
lingers - like the absurd idea that New Yorkers are rude or
Californians are
flaky - because it has always been easy to find an example that makes
it
seem true.
For years, Colorado has worn the crown as the least obese state in the
nation, according to federal studies, and Denver has been the jewel
in that
crown, invariably ranked among the leanest metropolitan areas by the
Centers
of Disease Control and Prevention. There was a powerful demographic
engine
at work: People were more fit partly because fitter people moved
here, drawn
by the active lifestyle and abundant sunshine that encouraged more
time
outdoors.
Healthy living became part of the culture, and things cruised along
for
years on a self-sustaining autopilot of svelte.
But here's the skinny: Colorado's obesity rate surged to nearly 17
percent
of the adult population in 2002 and has more than doubled over the
last
decade. Though still the thinnest state, its lead is slipping,
according to
the most recent federal figures. Only 10 states did worse in 2002 in
holding
down or reducing the number of severely overweight residents.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/01/national/01THIN.html
[Free Subscription Required]


8. Expensive Trainers May Not Be Worth It:
A personal trainer will keep an eye on your lunges and squats for
$15, or 10
times as much. But experts warn the higher payments don't necessarily
get
you a better workout.
No matter what the price, personal trainers have the same purpose.
They help
clients work toward goals, such as weight loss or achievement in
sports.
Trainers judge where clients need help, tailor exercise programs to
meet
those needs, and make sure the clients do the workouts with correct
form.
Trainers also offer encouragement -- for instance, driving a dedicated
athlete to push for one last lift or telephoning an undedicated
newbie with
a reminder to show up.
Even at the lowest price, clients should expect a trainer to be
certified by
a recognized accrediting organization. Certification, which requires a
trainer to pass an examination, is insurance against bad training
advice
that can lead to injury. Among the best regarded certifications are
those
from the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Council on
Exercise and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/ats-
ap_health11feb01,1,7541601.story?coll=sns-ap-tophealth
[Free Subscription Required]


9. Bicyclist inspires riders in epilepsy fund-raiser:
Mike Nishimoto didn't let a near-fatal mishap stop his involvement in
physical events.
More than a year ago, doctors told Mike Nishimoto he was paralyzed
and would
never walk again.
Yesterday, Nishimoto rode his bicycle 21 miles to support the Epilepsy
Foundation of Hawaii.
"It's just incredible," said Raul Boca, who helped train Nishimoto. "I
couldn't believe it. It's like a miracle."
In January 2003, while preparing for the New Zealand Ironman
triathlon,
Nishimoto set out on an easy late afternoon bicycle ride from Kahala
to
Hawaii Kai. While heading up Kealaolu Avenue, a bus struck him from
behind,
dragging him underneath it.
He sustained nerve damage to his legs, spinal injuries, a lacerated
liver, a
punctured lung and broken ribs. Many rods and screws now hold parts
of his
body together. Doctors told him he would never walk again.
Since October, he has been able to walk with a cane after being
wheelchair-bound for several months.
Yesterday, Nishimoto, 43, completed 21 miles of the 25-mile bike ride
for
the second annual Sharon's Ride/Walk for Epilepsy. The event is in
memory of
Sharon Rosenfield, a nurse and teacher who was killed during a cross-
country
bicycle ride in 1993.
More...from the Star Bulletin at:
http://starbulletin.com/2004/02/02/news/story3.html


10. New antioxidants 100 times more effective than vitamin E :
An international team of chemists has developed a new family of
antioxidants
that are up to 100 times more effective than Vitamin E. Antioxidants
are
molecules that can counteract the damaging effects of oxygen in
tissues and
other materials. So far, the new antioxidants have been tested "in
vitro" -
in the test tube. But studies with biological molecules, such as
cholesterol, suggest that the new compounds have properties that
could make
them suitable for dietary supplements. Shortly, Vanderbilt researchers
expect to begin the lengthy process of determining how effective the
new the
compounds are in living animals and whether they have any harmful side
effects.


11. Marathons Start Early:
(This column was written for Runner's World. After submitting it, I
learned
that the March column would my last in that magazine. The final 70
columns,
going back to 1998, are archived at
http://joehenderson.com/runnersworld )
A new marathon season is underway. The training season, that is --
not for a
winter or spring race but for summer or fall. For runners beginning
to train
now, the "victory lap" of marathon day is still a season or two of
the year
away.
Maybe you can wake up one fine spring morning and decide to run a 5K
or 10K
race that day, trusting your normal mileage to carry you through. Try
this
in a marathon, though, and the distance will quickly reveal your
inadequacies.
I ran a mile race in my first month as a runner. But I needed nine
more
years, and hundreds of shorter races, before getting up the nerve --
and
finding the time -- to run a marathon. Even after deciding to do it,
the
training began in the fall, extended through the winter and didn't
end until
early spring.
The long gestation period is a big part of the marathon's mystique.
Anyone
can get excited about the race, but not everyone can endure the
training.
Between dream and reality stands that preparation. It separates the
dreamers
who'd like to run a marathon someday-that-never-comes from the
realists who
train to go the distance and finally do it.
I've trained for marathons dozens of times (and not trained a few,
with
results that weren't pretty). From these experiences came a book
simply
titled Marathon Training -- and from this one has come a mostly new
second
edition.
More...from Joe Henderson at:
http://www.joehenderson.com/archive/416.html


12. Testosterone Drop in Men Can Cause Depression, Study Finds:
CHICAGO (Reuters) - A steep decline in levels of the hormone
testosterone
can trigger depression in some older men, researchers said on Monday.
While most men's testosterone levels decline gradually after age 40, a
severe drop called hypogonadism afflicts roughly 30 percent of men
over age
55.
The condition can cause decreased muscle mass and strength, less bone
mineral density, diminished appetite, decreased libido, fatigue and
irritability.
"Hypogonadal men showed an increased incidence of depressive illness"
in the
study of 278 men older than 44, wrote study author Molly Shores of
Veterans
Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle.
Shores said 22 percent of the men with hypogonadism were diagnosed
with
depression over a two-year period, against 7 percent of those without
the
condition.
Testosterone levels normally peak in early adulthood, and then
decrease by
approximately 1 percent per year after age 40.
The study appeared in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.
From Reuters.com


13. Getting back in the game:
It happens to almost everyone, but professional athletes are much more
willing to push through the pain.
By Martin Miller, Times Staff Writer
Getting to a Super Bowl is often as much a triumph over injury as it
is over
an opponent.
By the time the big game rolls around, players have endured a
season's worth
of being bashed, slammed and trampled. Most are nursing at least one
nagging
injury - a jammed finger, pulled muscle or an ankle sprain, to name
just a
few.
"By the Super Bowl, it seems like all the guys are dealing with
chronic
injuries," said Lindsy McLean, who retired last summer after 24 years
as the
head trainer of the San Francisco 49ers. "They're basically playing on
desire and adrenaline by that point."
In many cases, the injuries aren't much different from those suffered
by
weekend warriors playing basketball, racquet sports or bicycling.
About 7
million sports injuries are treated annually in the United States,
according
to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
Muscle
strains and ankle sprains account for the bulk of them - almost a
third, at
31% - and they are especially prevalent among those 30 and older.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/fitness/la-he-
inthegame2feb02,1,4004921.story?coll=la-health-fitness-news
[Long URL]


14. The Great Indoors:
3 recommended workouts for indoor training this winter.
Courtesy of Runner's World
If Old Man Winter is tripping up your running program, it might be
time to
come in from the cold. The good news is that by spending as little as
20
minutes in the gym, you can get a great total-body workout.
When you were a kid, your mom probably told you not to run indoors.
Still a
valid rule for scissors-wielding 2-year-olds, but not for the rest of
us--especially not this time of year. It's cold. It's wet. It's dark
before
dinner.
A good time, in other words, to log a few miles in a temperature-
controlled,
bright-as-sunlight gym. The gym also offers something you won't find
on any
bucolic outdoor running route: access to both cardio and strength-
training
equipment. So in one visit, you can get an excellent "twofer" workout
that
will benefit your whole body, not just your legs. Best of all, you
can get
this twofer done in as little as 20 minutes (hey, we're all busy
during the
holidays). If you've got more time, even better.
Here we present three routines designed to take 20, 40, or 60 minutes,
depending on how much time you have. These sessions are simple and
effective, and each comes with a running option (Plan A) and a non-
running
alternative (Plan B), in case you're in the mood for a little variety.
Either way, you get an excellent total-body workout.
More...from New Balance at:
http://www.newbalance.com/productbrowser/performance/traininginfo.html
?sport=Running&gender=&product_type=&feature=&page=thegreatindoors
[Multi-line URL]


15. from Runner's World:
Run with a Rhythm: "Once your body is in motion, it wants to stay in
motion.
So, after your warm-up, settle into a smooth, easy rhythm you know
you can
continue for the length of your run. Don't let your stride become too
long,
or your pace too demanding. If your initial running rhythm is too
fast,
you'll tire quickly and never find the zone."
-Jeff Galloway

Without flexibility, you are an injury waiting to happen because tight
muscles cannot go through their full range of motion. Stretching is
not the
same as warming up. The best time to stretch is after a run, when your
muscles are warm and elongated

EGGS ARE GOOD! You need 1,000 to 2,000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids to
fight
heart disease, depression, and pain. You can get it from "designer"
eggs.
The hens that produce these gems are fed a natural, grain-based diet
enriched with fish oil or algae. Another plus: They have up to seven
times
more vitamin E than regular eggs but no more calories and fat!

"Your muscles run on a type of stored energy called glycogen, which
is made
from the carbohydrate that you consume in your diet. As you exercise,
your
body drains stored carbohydrate from your muscles. Unless you
replenish
those stores, your body will run out of this fuel after about 90
minutes. As
your muscles begin to pull sugar out of your bloodstream as a backup,
your
blood sugar plummets, setting off a chain of reactions in your brain
that
make you feel dead tired.
-From Eat Smart Play Hard by Liz Applegate

"The long run was Lydiard's most lasting gift to training. Few
runners still
do his 100-mile weeks, but almost everyone-from a miler to a
marathoner-runs
longer than his norm at least once a week. The long run builds
endurance,
and it provides a great opportunity to spend time with friends."
-Amby Burfoot, RW Executive Editor



16. When Not To Train:
Training, simply, is adding specific stress to the body. Your body
then
adapts to the stress load, and gets stronger, faster, or more
powerful.
There are times when completing your work out is detrimental to your
training and perhaps your health. Knowing when these times are will
reduce
your risk of injury, and ultimately make your training more efficient
and
productive.
When you are sick: You may not need to stop your training with a
minor
cold, but if you have a more severe illness your body needs to devote
its
energy to healing itself, just like an injury. Generally, if your
symptoms
are above the neck (nasal congestion), you may be able to train. If
your
symptoms are below the neck, such as gastrointestinal problems, upper
respiratory issues, fever, body aches, and sore throat you should
wait until
you are better.
When you are injured: In my experience, the body usually gives you an
indicator when an injury is impending - such as a small amount of
pain when
training. If you listen to your body, and give it a few days to
heal, the
injury may quickly resolve itself. When you try to train through
minor
sprains and strains you will greatly increase your risk of a more
serious
injury that could keep you from training for some time. If you are
experiencing pain when you are not exercising, you definitely need to
let
your injury heal before placing further stress on the body.
More...from the Sport Factory at:
http://www.thesportfactory.com/When_Not_To_Train.shtml


17. How far will low-carb go? Pizza may be next:
Pizza might be hailed as the food of the gods, one of America's best-
loved
meals, a hearty delectable dish that fills the stomach and seems to
soothe
the soul.
But to low-carb dieters, it's just a gut-busting disk of dough.
And that has caused pizza makers around the nation to wonder if the
low-carb
craze will force changes in one of America's best-loved foods.
They're saying, "Hey, we've got a problem here. Pizza's built on
bread. It's
the No. 1 enemy of the Atkinites," said Tom Boyles, senior editor of
PMQ
Magazine, a publication that follows the pizza industry.
Boyles has a word for those who want to avoid
carbohydrates: "carbavoids."
Although industry sales haven't taken a hit yet, some pizza operators
are
considering offering customers low-carb pizzas.
More...from CNN at:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/diet.fitness/02/03/lowcarb.pizza.ap/ind
ex.html


18. Mayor says road must be made safer:
After a fatal accident, Pam Iorio says enforcing speed limits is not
enough.
"I think you have to look at roadway design."
Today, a driver can cruise along Bayshore Boulevard for 9 miles
without
tapping the brakes.
But that could change.
Mayor Pam Iorio created a task force Wednesday to improve safety on
Tampa's
grand boulevard, and she talked tough about making cars slow down.
"If it takes people a little bit longer to get from downtown to Gandy
Boulevard, it's worth it," she said.
Iorio said the city needs to physically change Bayshore Boulevard.
And that
could mean building walkways where people cross. Or adding traffic
lights,
or changing the landscaping.
"It just needs to be done," Iorio said.
The mayor will leave the recommendations to her task force, which will
include traffic engineers, police and neighborhood groups.
She created it the day after 39-year-old Melissa McKenzie died on
Bayshore,
struck by a motorcycle during her morning run.
More...from the ST. Petersburg Times at:
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/02/05/Hillsborough/Mayor_says_road_must_.s
html


19. Setting up your tri season, part 5: Fun racing post-season:
am struck by how often, when talking to the top pro coaches and
athletes,
the danger of doing too much is the emphasis.
Sure, there is truth to the idea that more is better, but top pros
admit to
a feeling, once they've reached a certain level of success, of
invincibility.
Paul Huddle, former top pro and current top coach, asked Thomas
Hellriegel,
immediately after he won the Hawaiian Ironman, what he was going to
do now.
"I'm going to ride higher mileage next year," he said. This is so
emblematic
of top athletes today. It is to their credit that they have such a
well-developed sense of hard work, but it is also a potential danger.
When you've been racing a long time, you recognize that the whole
process is
a continuum. There is no one race that means that much more than
another --
or at least it shouldn't.
It's a lifestyle and, as we've all heard, it's the journey that
counts. But
it bears remembering, and I don't think it can be repeated too often.
Many top Ironman athletes, perhaps most of them, compete in a very
hard race
the very week following Hawaii -- the Xterra in Maui. They don't get
start
money, and most of them are so beat from the Ironman that they place
poorly.
More...from Active.com at:
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?
story_id=10421&sidebar=26&category=triathlon


20. Stride Right:
The best stride drills to follow your daily workout.
From New Balance - Courtesy of Runner's World
Most world-class runners do some sort of stride drills after their
daily
workouts.
Over years of running, inefficiencies can creep into your stride.
Often, an
injury changes the way you run. Or maybe one leg has become stronger
than
the other for some reason, or you've started swinging your arms
across your
chest too much.
Stride drills can help. Most world-class runners do some sort of
stride
drills after their daily workouts. They know these simple exercises
optimize
their stride by searing proper mechanics into muscle memory. Niggling
flaws
work themselves out, posture improves, forward movement is
accentuated.
Following are four excellent stride drills to incorporate into your
running
program (a level grass field is the best place for them). Aim for two
to
four of each drill per session and cover at least 50 meters when you
do each
one.
High knees
Just like it sounds. Drive your knees skyward with each stride, like
a drill
major in a marching band. Don't worry about forward speed. Simply
lift those
knees high. This drill strengthens your hip flexor muscles and
improves your
push-off power.
Butt kicks
Almost the opposite of high knees in that you're doing an exaggerated
back
kick. Literally, you should be "kicking your butt" with the heel with
each
stride. This drill stretches and strengthens your quadriceps muscles.
Skipping
Yep, just like you used to do in grade school. Use a slightly
exaggerated
arm motion to propel yourself upward and forward. Skipping improves
your
coordination and push-off power.
Bounding
As if you were jumping from one rock to another, exaggerate your
normal
running stride's height and length. Run in slow motion, alternately
letting
each foot do all the work of absorbing impact, then pushing off. This
drill
improves coordination and strengthens glutes and calves.


21. Intense Exercise Does Not Damage The Heart:
Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
A study from Freiburg University in Germany shows that hard exercise
does
not damage the heart. To improve for athletic competition, all
athletes must
suffer skeletal muscle damage. Without this damage their muscles will
not
grow and they will not become stronger. So on one day, they exercise
very
intensely by lifting very heavy weights, running very fast, or
competing on
the basketball court very intensely. They know that they have damaged
their
muscles with hard exercise because their muscles feel sore on the
next day.
As the muscles heal, they produce growth hormones that help the
muscles to
grow larger and stronger. Athletes can tell when their muscles have
healed
because the soreness goes away and the athlete then takes another hard
workout to damage his muscle again.
World-class competitive bicycle racers ride at close to their maximum
heart
rate. for 5 to 7 hours a day. Many researchers have been concerned
that this
very hard riding would damage their heart muscle as well as their
skeletal
muscles. They know that when muscles are damaged, they release
enzymes into
the blood stream. This study shows that the heart muscle is not
damaged the
way that skeletal muscles are. Post exercise electrocardiograms and
echocardiograms were normal as were blood levels of heart-specific
enzymes,
creatine kinase and creatine kinase MB, and myoglobin. However, older
bicycle racers did have a rise in another enzyme, brain natriuretic
peptide,
that is associated with heart function. The authors felt that this
shows
that older athletes cannot adequately empty their heart's ventricles
during
the diastolic relaxation phase and the increased pressure stretches
the
heart muscles to raise blood levels of this hormone.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise October, 2003
From: www.DrMirkin.com


22. Building Strength and Speed in the Winter Months:
While it is still winter, you've likely started thinking about spring
races,
particularly if you've got a marathon in the works. February is time
to get
in easy base miles, but you can do a few things to keep your speed
and get
ready for more intense speed workouts to come. The easiest and most
often
recommended drill is to add strides to the end of a couple runs a
week. Find
a stretch of road, trail or field that is relatively smooth and has
good
footing, and run 4-10 X 100 yards (build the number of repeats as you
gain
strength). Run these at a fast but still relaxed pace. Concentrate on
moving
your feet quickly and running with good form: upright with a slight
forward
lean, lifting your knees as your legs swing through each stride. Be
careful
not to overstride: your foot should hit the ground below your center
of
gravity, not in front of it. Another drill you can do now to build
strength
and form is "high knees," described in the second half of our "Spring
Training" article at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/issues/02may/spring.htm#part2.


23. Don't be a world champion in January:
How to periodize training to build fitness
by Lance Watson with John Phillips
This is the time of year to be certain that you understand your goals
for
the upcoming season and ask yourself whether your training is on
track to
reach those goals? Are you building yourself a solid aerobic
foundation for
success throughout your season? Before you jump into your race-
specific,
high-intensity sessions, you should focus your training on improving
your
aerobic foundation.
Periodization
Consider the periodization of your training year like building a
great race
car. Everyone wants the powerful engine, right? But the powerful
engine is
worthless if the car has lousy tires, poor suspension and unreliable
brakes.
Drive that and you're bound to crash.
Similarly, building your aerobic foundation is like investing in the
tires,
suspension and brakes: it's not as exciting as the high horsepower
engine,
but it's just as important. The foundation miles will prepare your
body for
the intervals and speed work that you will do later. Your body will
be more
resistant to injury and better able to handle the "bumps and curves"
that
life gives you throughout your season. The better your foundation, the
quicker your fitness will return after time off.
More...from InsideTri at:
http://www.insidetri.com/train/cts/articles/2025.0.html


24. Using vitamin and mineral supplements wisely:
Vitamins and minerals are substances your body needs in small amounts
for
normal growth, function and health. Together, vitamins and minerals
are
called micronutrients. Your body can't make most micronutrients, so
you must
get them from the foods you eat or, in some cases, from supplements.
Focus on vitamins
You need vitamins for normal body functions, mental alertness and
resistance
to infection. They enable your body to process proteins,
carbohydrates and
fats. Certain vitamins also help you produce blood cells, hormones,
genetic
material and chemicals in your nervous system. Unlike carbohydrates,
proteins and fats, vitamins and minerals don't provide fuel
(calories).
However, they help your body release and use calories from food.
There are 14 vitamins, which fall into two categories:
Fat-soluble: Vitamins A, D, E and K. They're stored in your body's
fat. Some
fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A and D, can accumulate in
your body
and reach toxic levels.
Water-soluble: Vitamin C, choline, biotin and the seven B vitamins:
thiamin
(B-1), riboflavin (B-2), niacin (B-3), pantothenic acid (B-5),
pyridoxine
(B-6), folic acid/folate (B-9) and cobalamin (B-12). They're stored
to a
lesser extent than fat-soluble vitamins.
More...from MayoClinic.com at:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?objectid=3549DCAA-3380-4B0B-
86EB23C76CA5FAE3


25. CDC Says Carbs to Blame for Rising Calorie Intake:
ATLANTA (Reuters) - Americans, especially women, are consuming far
more
calories than they did three decades ago, and the increasingly dreaded
carbohydrate food group is to blame, according to a federal study
released
on Thursday.
The finding, revealed in a report by the Centers for Disease Control
and
Prevention, comes amid repeated government warnings of a growing
obesity
epidemic in the nation as well as an explosion in the popularity of
low-carbohydrate diets.
Obesity, which increases the likelihood of heart disease, diabetes,
some
types of cancer and arthritis, has become twice as common in the
nation
since 1980. About 39 million Americans were obese in 2000, according
to the
U.S. government.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?
type=healthNews&storyID=4294772


This Weeks Events:
*Please verify event dates with the event websites*
Ongoing:

March 5-7, 2004:
World Indoor Championships - Budapest Hungary
http://www.2004budapest.com/en/index.html
IAAF Site
http://www.2004budapest.com/en/index.html


February 6-8, 2004:
Asian Indoor Championships - Tehran, Iran
http://www.aafiran.com/

February 6-15, 2004:
Telekom Malaysia Le Tour de Langkawi
http://www.tdl.com.my/

February 7, 2004:
Tybee Marathon - Tybee Island, GA
http://www.runtybee.com/

U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon - Birmingham, AL
http://www.birminghamtrials.com/
USATF Site
http://www.usatf.org/events/2004/OlympicTrials.asp
Running Times
http://www.runningtimes.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=306
Runner's World
http://www.runnersworld.com/events/roadtoathens/mtrials/home.html

Winterlude Triathlon - Ottawa, ON
http://www.zone3sports.com/Winterlude%20triathlon%20information.htm

Television - NBC
Verizon Millrose Games 12:00 PM

February 7-8, 2004:
USATF Site
http://www.usatf.org/events/2004/USAXCChampionships/
USA Cross Country Championships/World Cross Country Team Trials -
Indianapolis, IN
http://www.indianainvaders.com/meets/2004/04_world_xc_trials1.asp

February 8, 2004:
Bay Islands Triathlon - Roatan,Honduras
http://www.bayislandstriathlon.com/

David Stampede - Davis, CA
http://www.changeofpace.com/

Flanders Indoors Gent - Belgium
http://www.sport.be/flandersindoor/2004/nl/

Hong Kong Marathon - Hong Kong
http://hk.hkmarathon.yahoo.com/

Check the Runner's Web on Sunday and Monday for race reports on these
events.

This Weeks Personal Postings/Releases:

We have NO personal postings this week.

Television and Online Coverage:
[Check local listings as event times are subject to change]

Check out our new Runner's Web Television Links page at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/rw_television.html


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Have a good week of training and/or racing.



Ken Parker
Runner's Web
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http://www.runnersweb.com/running.html