Runner's Web Digest - February 13, 2004

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The Runner's Web Digest is a weekly e-zine dealing with the sports of
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Our latest column from Carmichael Training Systems is available:
Effect of Weight on Energy Cost of Bicycling Written by: Edmund R. Burke,
Ph.D.
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Digest Article Index:

1. Effects of caffeine remain unclear
2. The do-nothing workout
To achieve maximum strength and fitness, take a day off
3. How To Run and Enjoy the Marathon
4. Strength Training for Triathletes
5. Winter Training Tips for Marathon Runners
6. They Come to Praise the Carb, Not Bury It:
7. The Minnehaha Express
Rail running in Minnesota reveals some basic truths.
8. Heavy training and missing periods
9. Overweight China dogs join fitness programmes
10. Track and Field History
11. Get fit while you get your 'groove' on
12. Cold Hands May Be Raynaud's Phenomenon
13. The resolution shuffle
Peter thinks about getting back into shape after some very festive holidays
14. You're not quite as cold as you feel
15. Out of the Blue, a Lightning Bolt to the Heart
16. Not much exercise in running for office
17. The Importance of Physiological Testing
18. Think Big to Lose Weight
19. Emil Zatopek - The Hero of Helsinki
20. Runners get climate break at Groundhog
21. Bike Bazaar
22. Basketball Worst Sport for Asthma Deaths
23. Chocolate Makes Heart Grow Stronger
24. The loneliness of the long distance bloater
25. From Runner's World

This week's poll is: "What was the greatest running achievement(s) of all
time?"

Cast your vote at:
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Post your views in our Forum at:
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The previous poll was: "What is the toughest feat to accomplish in track and
field?"

The results at publication time were:
Answers Votes Percent
1. Sub-10 seconds for 100m 10 8%
2. Sub-4 minutes for the mile 9 7%
3. Sub-13 minutes for 5km 29 23%
4. Sub-2 hours, 10 minutes in the marathon 35 28%
5. Pole vault 6m+ 14 11%
6. Shot put 20m+ 2 2%
7. Score 8500+ points in the decathlon 16 13%
8. Run the steeplechase sub 8:30 2 2%
9. Throw the javelin 80m+ 3 2%
10. Triple jump 17m+ 5 4%
Total Votes: 125

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Five Star Site of the Week: Michelle Collins.
"Long one of the top U.S. 400m runners, indoors in 2003 Collins dropped down
to the 200m indoors, with great results. Collins won the U.S. indoor title,
then twice set the American record in winning at the World Indoor
Championships in Birmingham, England. She suffered hamstring problems
indoors and is nursing her injury. A healthy Collins will be a medal threat
on the World Olympic Levels. Collins won gold at the 2001 Goodwill Games in
the 4x400m relay in a year she spent recovering from a stress fracture in
her hip, suffered late in 2000. The runner-up at the 2001 USA Outdoor
Championships, she finished the year ranked #1 by Track & Field News, the
first time she achieved that feat...though ranked #2 in the U.S., in 2002,
she was #5 in the world. With only six weeks before the 2000 Olympic Games,
Collins developed a stress fracture in her right hip. She continued to train
and competed in Sydney in the 400 but could not run the 4x400 relay. Prior
to the injury, Collins set personal bests in every event from 100 through
400 meters in 2000...known early in her career for her success in the 200,
Collins burst on to the 400 scene in 1993 by placing 3rd at the USA Outdoor
Championships and first at the World University Games... graduated from
Houston with a degree in Radio & Television, lists horseback riding as her
favorite hobby."
Check out her site at:
http://michellecollinsusa.com/


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Our Photo Slideshow is updated on a random basis. Check it out from our
FrontPage.

Book of the Week: Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes
by Monique Ryan
Monique Ryan distills nearly two decades of experience counseling athletes
on their nutritional needs into this comprehensive yet accessible book. She
discusses both general principles - useful for endurance athletes in any
sport - as well as specific guidelines for those involved in triathlons,
cycling, mountain biking, swimming, distance running, and more. The book's
three sections cover the basics of building a healthy diet, training
nutrition, and sports-specific nutrition. Including photos, charts, tables,
appendixes with sample menus, shopping lists, vegetarian information, and
much more, this book provides a detailed up-to-date guide to the nutritional
needs of endurance athletes.
For more...
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1931382158/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. Effects of caffeine remain unclear:
Caffeine is nearly as abundant as oxygen. Check the label on just about
anything you consume and there is some level of caffeine.
You obviously will find it in caffeinated coffees, teas and most soft
drinks, also in chocolate products and in many over-the-counter cough/cold
and pain-relieving medications, herbal/nutritional supplements,
sports/energy drinks and gels.
Many people even consider caffeine a drug because of its addictive
properties.
Funny enough, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) did a major reversal and
decided in September to remove caffeine from the list of banned/restricted
substances for international sports.
Runners have been relying on caffeine for years to gain an extra edge on the
competition. But study after study on the athletic benefits of caffeine have
been anything but conclusive.
Can caffeine help you race better? Pete Pfitzinger, an exercise physiologist
and two-time Olympic distance runner, takes on that question in the current
issue of Running Times, saying "several hundred studies have been conducted
on the effects of caffeine on sports performance, and the answer is:
probably. Studies with runners and cyclists have shown that caffeine can
improve performance."
More...from the Washington Times at:
http://washingtontimes.com/sports/20040118-124541-8464r.htm


2. The do-nothing workout:
To achieve maximum strength and fitness, take a day off
Some athletes would rather run on tacks or pedal through freezing rain than
miss a day of training - but they'd probably do themselves a favor if they
exercised less.
Hard-core athletes can have trouble accepting the fact that giving their
bodies time to recover after a hard workout will actually enhance their
performance, coaches and trainers say.
"These people think they will lose fitness if they don't work out hard every
day," says Paul Huddle, who coaches triathletes. "They see missing a day as
a setback." Other athletes don't feel virtuous unless their workouts produce
exhaustion.
However, Huddle adds, "If you go hard every day, you'll never do your best."
He and other experts recommend a day or two off each week for those who
exercise regularly.
The reason lies in muscle science. When you work out, you cause tiny tears
in the muscle. As muscles mend, they become stronger than before.
If you tear those muscles again before they've fully recovered, you won't
achieve your maximum potential, says Scott Trappe, director of the Human
Performance Lab at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind.
Anyone who exercises daily, even if it's only 30 minutes on the treadmill,
will do better with a day off, Trappe says. "Not getting enough recovery
time is like not getting enough sleep," he adds. "You need a break from
exercise so your body can do its housekeeping." Good performance, Trappe
says, boils down to equal parts training, nutrition and rest.
More...from the New York Daily News at:
http://www.nydailynews.com/city_life/story/162815p-142753c.html


3. How To Run and Enjoy the Marathon:
(A Practical Guide To The 26.2-Mile Journey) By James Raia
Web site: http://www.byjamesraia.com E-mail: James@...
Runner's Web Editor's Note:
We will be running one chapter of this book each week in the Digest for the
next 15 weeks.

INTRODUCTION
How to Run & Enjoy The Marathon, a series of 15 self-help and
service-oriented articles about running marathons - the proper shoes to
running etiquette - is written by James Raia, a journalist and veteran
marathon and ultramarathon runner in Sacramento, Calif.
A contributor to many newspapers, news services, magazines and internet
sites, Raia began to run long distances in 1983, the same year in which he
completed his first marathon, the California International Marathon, in 4
hours, 12 minutes and 30 seconds.
How To Run & Enjoy The Marathon is based on the author's more than 20 years
of writing about the sport -- its nuances, its elite athletes and the
running masses.
Since he began training for his first marathon, running has become an
integral component of the author's lifestyle. Raia has completed nearly than
70 marathons and ultramarathons, including several 50 milers and double
marathons. His fastest marathon, 3:07:42, was run in 1990. A two-time
finisher of the Boston Marathon, Raia for the past several years has
completed many of his marathons in the 3:45 range.
Raia, 48, has traveled to more than a dozen countries on assignment for
myriad publications, Runner's World to Modern Maturity, The New York Times
to USA Today. He also writes syndicated cycling and running columns,
publishes two electronic newsletters, Endurance Sports News and Tour de
France Times, and is the author of The Tour Within The Tour de France, a
travel/sports e-book about the prestigious cycling event. He lives in
Sacramento, Calif., with Gretchen Gaither, a teacher and sculptor.
For additional information on his two free newsletter or his other e-book,
visit the author's web site, http://www.byjamesraia.com or contact him via
e-mail at RaiaRuns@....
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Marathon No. 1: It's not all about pain
2. What Marathon? Plentiful choices abound
3. The Basics: Common sense for the masses
4. Marathoning For Dollars: Running is fitness on the cheap
5. Want To Finish: Join the club
6. Fleet Feet: If the shoe fits, wear it
7. Need Motivation? Take a break
8. Now Hear This: Just Say No To Headphones
9. Night Moves: Exercisers Need A Visible Presence
10. Women Marathoners: Running Safe Means Running Smart
11. Running vs. Walking: Marathoners Can Do Both
12. Runner's Creed: Share Thy Space
13. Marathon Time Limits: The race directors' dilemma
14. Marathon No. 1 (Revisited): Don't Forget The Little Things
15. Reference Guide: Where to Find Out More About The Marathon

1. Marathon No. 1: It's Not All About Pain
Completing a marathon seems like a daunting task. Many who've accepted the
challenge have been abruptly deposited on the side of road questioning their
sanity and pondering a new sport.
But the accomplishment of putting one foot in front of the other for the
marathon distance can be exhilarating, satisfying and enjoyable - especially
for first-time marathoners.
"You learn a lot about yourself, and it's good to share the experience with
a friend," says Rich Hanna, an Olympic Trials marathon qualifier, publisher
of five running-related books and co-coach of Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of
America's Team in Training program in Sacramento, Calif. "When you finish
your first marathon, it's something you'll never forget. If you've trained
properly, you won't finish suffering, you'll finish with a feeling of
accomplishment."
Completing a marathon means covering the distance of 42.2 kilometers or 26.2
miles. The marathon distance dates to the legend of Athenian messenger
Pheidippides, who in 490 B.C. ran 24 miles to spread the good news of a
military victory. He collapsed and died upon his arrival. A 24-mile run was
included in the inaugural 1896 Olympics in Greece.
The 26.2-mile distance debuted in 1912 when the Olympic event was routed to
finish in front of the thrones of the king and queen of Sweden. Since then,
marathon popularity has fluctuated. But in the mid-1970s, the marathon
rivalry between Americans Bill Rodgers and Frank Shorter gave the running
distance a huge boost.
Rodgers won the Boston and New York City marathons four times each; Shorter
won the Olympic marathon twice. With their diverse personalities, and their
competitive, enticing battles, the sport was catapulted into the mainstream.
A decade later, the women's marathon made its debut in the 1984 Summer
Olympics in Los Angeles.
Joan Benoit (now Samuelson), a native of Maine, waved a small American flag
as she circled the final 400 meters en route to her victory on the track of
the Los Angeles Coliseum. The popularity of women's marathon running soared
following Benoit's win.
Women around the country formed training groups and joined running clubs
previously frequented by men only. Another surge of women marathoners
followed in 1994 when Oprah Winfrey completed the Marine Corps Marathon in
Washington, D.C.
Yet, while Rodgers, Shorter, Benoit and Winfrey may have provided
inspiration, once runners began to increasingly pursue the sport, its
benefits become more well-known -- cardiovascular fitness, stress relief,
weight control and camaraderie.
There are now approximately 400 certified (accurately measured) marathons
held annually in North America. And in 2000, more than 450,000 runners
completed marathons in the U.S., a huge increase from 260,000 runners who
completed the distance in 1990.
"It's like a snowball rolling downhill," explains Ryan Lamppa, a researcher
for the USA Track & Field Road Running Information Center in Santa Barbara,
Calif., in the book "Marathon" written by former Olympian Jeff Galloway.
"The marathon, the sport's Mt. Everest, has a special connotation in
people's minds," continues Lamppa. "It's a challenge, a sense of
accomplishment that is different than running a 10km or a half-marathon.
Call it the marathon mystique."
There are marathons for the masses, like the famed Boston, New York City and
Los Angeles events. They entice the world's fastest runners with huge prize
money as well as thousands of recreational runners. The Boston Marathon, for
example, had more than 30,000 finishers - then largest marathon ever held in
the U.S. - in its 100th edition celebration in 1996.
But there are also small-field events like the Gold Country Marathon in
Nevada City, Calif. Held for more than 20 years, the rugged course meanders
through breathtaking vistas in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. But it
rarely has attracted more than 50 entrants, all of whom run for the
enjoyment of the sport.
Regardless of the marathon a runner chooses, he or she must prepare.
And that's the purpose of this e-book. With the proper preparation, running
a marathon will be a challenge, but it can be an accomplishment based on
celebration, not agony.
To buy the e-book:
http://www.byjamesraia.com/?page=ebooks



4. Strength Training for Triathletes:
While Triathlon is an event which requires an athlete to devote most of
their training to improve endurance, there are arguments to consider when
prescribing a strength program to enhance the athlete's overall performance.
There are distinct differences in muscular adaptation when performing
endurance (aerobic) versus strength (anaerobic) training.
More...from ATP4Athletes.com at:
http://www.atp4athletes.com/articles/jan-26-04.html


5. Winter Training Tips for Marathon Runners:
"Want to experience a different life? Run a marathon."
One of the greatest moments in sport's and marathon history took place in
the 1952 Olympics, when Czech Emil Zatopek won gold in the marathon. It was
the very first marathon of his life. Zatopek was a middle distance runner
who, after winning a gold medal in both the 5,000 and 10,000-meter events
decided to enter the marathon, a race he had never run. During the very
first mile, Zatopek was running next to then world record holder Jim Peters
where he turned to Peters and asked if they were running fast enough.
Zatopek then pulled away and won the marathon in then new Olympic record
time of 2:23:03. Stated Zatopek Later, "If you want to run, run a mile. If
you want to experience a different life, run a marathon."
Make a commitment to your life.
Ask any one who as completed a marathon and they will almost always tell you
that their marathon experience and the preparation for the event, better
prepared them for the rest of their life. No doubt about it, running a
marathon is a life changing experience. You learn about how your body really
works, you learn to listen to your body, and you learn to expand your
capacity and learn that you can do things that you never before thought you
could. Running a marathon is a very empowering and enlightening experience.
The first step to this journey, make a commitment and if you why not start
now with a commitment to train and complete the 3rd Annual Lakeshore
Marathon on May 31st. To formally register and learn more about the
Lakeshore Marathon go to LakeshoreMarathon.com.
More...from ChicagoSportsReview.com at:
http://www.chicagosportsreview.com/news/newsview.asp?c=94196


6. They Come to Praise the Carb, Not Bury It:
If food scientists can create a seedless watermelon, surely there must be a
way to take the carbohydrates out of potatoes.
Frank W. Muir, president and chief executive of the Idaho Potato Commission,
admits that the thought has crossed his mind. Like producers and trade
groups that promote oranges, wheat, pasta, bread and rice, Mr. Muir's
organization markets a product that has fallen from favor as low-carb diets
have swept much of the country into a steak-and-egg-eating fervor. And sales
are eroding as a result.
In years past, food companies whose products fell afoul of the latest trend
in diets could usually respond by reformulating a bit to cut down or remove
an ingredient - fat, say, or sugar - and market a "lite" version. But no
such solution is likely for foods like potatoes, orange juice and pasta,
because carbohydrates are intrinsic to the food. There is no way to take the
starch out of the potato, at least not yet. Mr. Muir has not even asked his
researchers to try.
More...from the New York Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/04/business/04food.html

7. The Minnehaha Express:
Rail running in Minnesota reveals some basic truths.
Finding the time and place to run on business trips is hard. It is at its
worst in the winter. You have to drag all your clothes with you. The sun
comes up late and goes down early. The roads are narrowed by snow. Up where
the Mississippi river starts, it's cold.
What's a dedicated runner to do when work banishes you to Minnesota? My
first choice was to run on the treadmill, but the 'out-of-order' sign turned
my warmer ambitions aside. Not to be discouraged, I returned to my room and
suited up for another outdoor adventure.
Even when I knew that the advice would be useless, hope sprung eternal, when
I asked the front desk clerk for a good 6-8 mile loop. He was clueless. I'm
not surprised. They usually are.
Reactions typically range from disbelief to amazement when I show up in my
gear before sunrise looking for 'a good hour run'. I still ask. Some
glorious day I'll be surprised when I find that one desk clerk or night
manager in North America who is also actively training for the local
marathon. It was not to be this day. As usual, I would have to blaze my own
trail.
More...from Cool Running at:
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/6/6_1/the-minnehaha-express.shtml


8. Heavy training and missing periods:
Q I've been training intensively for a marathon for the past four months. I
have not had my period for three months. Is this a cause for concern? Is
there a solution to my problem that does not involve cutting down on my
training?
A Please see a gynaecologist to rule out medical conditions for amenorrhoea.
This occurs when a woman misses three or more periods in a row.
Women can suffer from irregular periods or no periods when doing
high-intensity endurance training.
There is no cause for concern if medical conditions have been ruled out
.Usually, such a condition will improve when training is reduced. Sometimes
the problem could be because of your diet or lack of rest/recovery.
From the Straits Times.


9. Overweight China dogs join fitness programmes:
BEIJING (Reuters) - It gives a whole new meaning to capitalist running dogs.
An increasing number of pet pooches in the southern Chinese boomtown of
Shenzhen are in training to reduce weight, the China Daily said on Friday.
Dog ownership, banned under the rule of the late Mao Zedong as a bourgeois
pastime, was legalised only a few years ago as higher living standards
allowed many people to afford pets.
And Shenzhen, among the first of China's special economic zones, has grown
from a small village bordering Hong Kong to a metropolis boasting one of
China's two stock exchanges.
"The dogs are fed diet food, encouraged to exercise more and washed with
fat-reducing shampoo," the China Daily said, quoting the southern Guangzhou
Daily.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/locales/newsArticle.jsp?type=entertainmentNews&locale=en_\
IN&storyID=4297612


10. Track and Field History:
Previously, the 100-meter race used to be timed by three timing officials
with manual stopwatches for each lane. However, this timing method had
limited precision, when the officials came up with three different times,
the median time was taken as the official record.
When athletes are stretched to their physical limits, when records are
remade, Seiko is always there behind the scenes, extending our record of
innovations in sports timing.
1964 At the Tokyo Olympic Games, we introduced a fully-fledged electronic
automated timing system that linked a start pistol with quartz timer and a
photo-finish apparatus to record finish times. It then became possible to
measure down to 1/100th of a second.
1984 Seiko developed its first equipment to detect false starts, a system
that could sense the pressure exerted by an athlete on the footplate of the
starting block. It was our first in a series of devices for ever-improving
detection of false starts.
More...from Seiko at:
http://www.seiko.co.jp/track_and_field_history.html


11. Get fit while you get your 'groove' on:
According to the American Council on Exercise, a top-notch exercise program
should have three components: strength, flexibility and aerobic training.
But if you wouldn't be caught on a treadmill and you like to boogie, ACE has
good news for you.
ACE experts say that dance can be an effective way to get the heart pumping
and to burn calories -- and these days, no matter what kind of music you're
into, there's a dance workout for you.
If hip-hop is what gets you off of the couch, check out Donna Richardson's
"Old School Dance Party" workout, featuring the Sugar Hill Gang.
If you want to add a little spice to your low-impact workout, Crunch
Fitness' "Cardio Salsa" will add a bit of Latin "flava" with moves like the
meringue, mambo and the cha-cha.
More...from CNN at:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/02/06/hln.fit.dance.workout/index.html


12. Cold Hands May Be Raynaud's Phenomenon:
Dr. Gabe Mirkin's E-Zine
If your fingers turn white and start to hurt when you're out in the cold,
you may have a condition called Raynaud's phenomenon. On exposing your
fingers to cold, the blood vessels close, skin turns white and their
temperature drops. When the temperature drops to 59 degrees, your body
tries to save your skin by opening the blood vessels and the skin turns red
and starts to itch and burn. If you warm your hands at this point, your
skin will not be damaged, but if you do not get out of the cold, the blood
vessels in your hands can close and the temperature in your
hands can drop to freezing, resulting in frostbite.
People who have Raynaud's phenomenon have blood vessels in their hands that
do not open when the skin temperature reaches 59 degrees. Several diseases,
smoking or using vibrating equipment can cause Raynaud's phenomenon.
If your fingers feel cold when you are outside, swing your arms very rapidly
about your shoulder with your elbow straight. This will drive blood, like a
centrifuge, into your fingers and warm them. Nitroglycerin ointment is used
to treat angina, heart pain from closed arteries leading to the heart. When
applied to the forearms, it opens blood vessels leading to the hands. If you
suffer from Raynaud's phenomenon, wear gloves under mittens and ask your
doctor about trying nitroglycerin ointment.


13. The resolution shuffle:
Peter thinks about getting back into shape after some very festive holidays
My body's revolting. At least that's what the mirror's telling me. Seems it
was more than a turkey what got stuffed at my house over the holidays.
Found myself gravitating towards those less-confining sweat pants a little
more than I used to. I've been avoiding - just a bit - those new,
one-size-smaller jeans I bought just before embarking on my Greek odyssey.
A little less training and a lot more of the good stuff left me in a tight
squeeze. And it got me thinking - as the old year passed on and the new one
was born - that maybe there is something to resolving to make some New Year
changes.
Resolved to cut down on the soda pop - especially after the latest round of
obesity studies. Never realized that each can of pop contains about 10
teaspoons of sugar.
More...from the CBC at:
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/columns/running/


14. You're not quite as cold as you feel:
Scientists seek more accurate means to describe temperatures
NEW YORK For tens of thousands of years, nobody knew how cold it was. They
knew about ice and snow and the danger of freezing to death, but no one had
thermometers. Instead, they used metaphors, often vulgar, to describe what
the cold could do.
In the 16th century, the thermometer was invented. But it wasn't until the
18th century that Fahrenheit and Celsius came up with their numerical
scales, making polite conversation about the weather possible for the first
time.
General satisfaction reigned, if not with the weather itself, at least with
how to talk about it, until the 20th century, when the wind chill factor was
invented, complicating things. The start of the 21st century has brought
even more complicated attempts to describe how hot or cold it is, by
academic researchers, government agencies and private companies.
More...from the International Herald Tribune at:
http://www.iht.com/articles/128776.html


15. Out of the Blue, a Lightning Bolt to the Heart:
In Oct. 12, 2002, Brian Nelson and his wife, Susan, pulled into the lot of a
park on an unusually sunny day in Seattle. Mr. Nelson unbuckled his seat
belt and opened the car door, when all of a sudden he felt faint.
"Wow!" he managed to say, just before slumping forward. His head fell onto
his chest and he began to groan. His wife tried shaking him, but he did not
respond.
After about 30 seconds, he fell back in the seat, his eyes rolled up, mouth
wide, face almost completely white.
"It was like everything had stopped," Mrs. Nelson recalled in a telephone
interview. She put her ear to his chest but heard nothing. Panicking, she
started beating his chest. It was the only thing she could think of. She
thought he was dead.
But after about 30 seconds, Mr. Nelson awoke, flailing his arms wildly. His
face and hands turned beet red and the veins swelled in his forehead. After
a couple of minutes, his convulsions subsided and a more normal color
returned. "We have to get out of here right now," his wife screamed. But
feeling nauseated, he got out of the car and stumbled to a restroom, where
he vomited. Then he lay on a bench waiting for an ambulance
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/10/health/10HEAR.html


16. Not much exercise in running for office:
It was the moment of truth for Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kerry. On the
campaign trail in New Hampshire, he had just finished playing hockey with
some former Boston Bruins.
"I'm in the worst shape I've ever been in my life," he confessed to
reporters later. Kerry, an avid windsurfer and college hockey player,
managed to score two goals, but said that he hadn't had any serious exercise

since competing in a charity bike race back in August.
Such is life on the campaign trail, where candidates are tested on more than
their knowledge of foreign affairs and the economy. There are few things
(including competing in the Tour de France, medical school residency or
being the parent of newborn triplets) that rival the grueling ordeal of the
campaign trail. It's an around-the-clock endurance test lasting months:
sleep deprivation and strange hotel beds, countless plane rides, junk food
eaten on the run, a lack of regular exercise and copious amounts of stress.
The effects are beginning to show on the candidates for the Democratic
presidential nomination, as they succumb to bronchitis, laryngitis, the flu
and weight gain. How they manage to appear - for the most part - healthy and
energetic despite a punishing schedule is something of a testament to an
adrenaline rush fueled by thousands of screaming supporters.
It helps if you're able to sneak in some workouts, stick to a fairly healthy
diet and take the occasional turbo nap, as some of the candidates have done.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-candidates9feb09,1,4332568.story?co\
ll=la-headlines-health


17. The Importance of Physiological Testing:
To improve your fitness, testing is important, but it's only the first step.
We all want to improve on the bike. We want to climb hills faster, posses
more explosive power, and have cunning tactical sense. We want our training
programs to show results and get some type of confirmation that all our hard
work has paid off. Physiological testing establishes the benchmark to
improve these aspects of your cycling, but it's important to remember that
it is only the beginning.
When you think about it, testing is just now becoming popular and readily
available to all levels of riders. It used to be reserved for only the
elite, but now, testing labs and coaches alike are performing some type of
test on their athletes. So why is it so important?
More...from SpokePost.com at:
http://spokepost.com/news/?articleID=161


18. Think Big to Lose Weight:
by Liz Applegate, Ph.D.
New research shows that the best way to drop pounds is to "eat big." Here's
how
If you frequent fast-food restaurants, you're probably familiar with the
question, "Would you like to biggie-size your meal?" While doubling the size
of your fries and soda is certainly not the best way to stay slim, there is
some weight-loss wisdom in eating enough food to feel full and satisfied all
day long.
In fact, recent research shows that the key to losing weight is eating
substantial amounts of what are known as "big" foods, which are foods that
contain relatively few calories for their bulk. When we eat these foods, we
can stay satiated longer, which ultimately leads to weight loss. So here's
the skinny on how to eat big this holiday season, and lose a few pounds in
the process.
Eat Big
For decades, nutrition researcher Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., from Penn State
University has studied the mechanisms behind feeling hungry and feeling
full. Her landmark research has revealed that the stomach (via feedback
mechanisms in the brain) monitors the volume of food that we eat rather than
the number of calories. Therefore, your stomach will tell you that you're
full after you eat 4 hefty cups of air-popped popcorn at only 150 calories
(that's the "eating big" principle), but not after you down a measly 1-ounce
serving of cheese puffs (also at 150 calories).
More...from Runner's World at:
http://www.runnersworld.com/home/0,1300,1-0-0-1037,FF.html


19. Emil Zatopek - The Hero of Helsinki:
Emil Zátopek began his illustrious Olympic career by running the 10,000m at
the 1948 London Games. He took the lead during the tenth of 25 laps.
Eventually he lapped all but two runners and won by more than 300m. Only
three days later, Zátopek ran in the final of the 5,000m. At the start of
the final lap, he trailed Gaston Reiff of Belgium by 50m. Zátopek thrilled
the crowd with a sprint that pulled him closed and closer. Reiff noticed
Zátopek just in time and won by 1˝ metres. Zátopek's feats in 1948 were
impressive, but they were only a prelude to what he accomplished at the 1952
Helsinki Olympics. He began by winning the 10,000m by 100m. In the 5,000m,
he was in only fourth place with half a lap to go, but he sprinted into the
lead in the final turn and won by five metres. Later that afternoon,
Zátopek's wife, Dana, won a gold medal in the javelin throw. Zátopek
himself was not finished. He entered the marathon even though he had never
run one before. Nonetheless, he easily wore down all of the other runners
and won by 2˝ minutes as the appreciative Finnish spectators chanted his
name. Emil Zátopek is the only runner to win the 5,000m, the 10,000m and the
marathon at the same Olympics. He entered the Olympic marathon again in
1956, but developed a hernia only six weeks before the Games. He ran anyway
and placed sixth.


20. Runners get climate break at Groundhog:
When Jennifer Prim crossed the 10-kilometer finish line at Sunday morning's
22nd annual Groundhog Run, she didn't seem as exhausted as runners normally
do after a race.
Prim, who won the 10K women's race with a time of 37 minutes, 51 seconds,
didn't have to worry about slipping on icy pavement, either, since the
Groundhog Run was held indoors at the Hunt Midwest SubTropolis.
"It's tough to run out there on the streets with the cold weather and all,"
Prim said. "It's nice to be able to come inside to a climate-controlled
environment and still have a racelike feel to the atmosphere.
"Don't get me wrong, it was still hot in there. It's just that at every turn
we passed, there seemed to be a pocket of refreshing cold air."
More...from the Kansas City Star at:
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/7908638.htm
[Free Registration Required]


21. Bike Bazaar:
Welcome to a new chapter of "Bike Bazaar," your one-stop source for
everything you ever wanted to know about your favourite sport. Every Friday
we rummage through the Eurosport mailbag for your most intriguing,
mind-stumping question of the week. Today we get a little scatological.
Consider yourself warned...
"How do riders take care of, ahem, biological business in the middle of a
six-hour Tour stage? I've always been curious about this but never had
anyone to ask." -- Jimmy Pinsly
"Elimination," to put it cryptically, is one of the biggest mysteries of the
pro peloton. Despite up to five liquid litres ingested on any given Tour de
France stage, there doesn't appear to be much biological business going
on -- particularly judging from television coverage, which, for
discretionary reasons, remains... discreet.
Come the next Tour de France, however, watch for the helicopter shots; the
wide-angle full-peloton views that can't help but show it all. At the edge
of your TV screen and at the back of the pack, you might spot a rider --
sometimes solo, sometimes braced by a hand-on-the-back from a teammate --
coasting close to the roadside, his torso turned slightly askew.
Is he doing what you think he's doing? "Yes," says Danny Nelissen,
Eurosport's Dutch cycling commentator and a former eight-year veteran of the
pro peloton.
"It takes a lot of practice to pee at 70kph," adds Nelissen. "I couldn't do
it. I had to stop."
Contrary to general societal etiquette (where bathroom breaks are conducted
in privacy), in cycling, if you've got to go, you want everyone to know.
"There's a universal signal," says Nelissen. "You ride to the front of the
bunch, veer to the roadside and unclip a pedal. Everyone will know what's
up."
More...from EuroSport.com at:
http://www.eurosport.com/home/pages/V3/L0/S18/E6491/sport_Lng0_Spo18_Evt6491_Sto\
544057.shtml


22. Basketball Worst Sport for Asthma Deaths:
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In the US, basketball is associated with more
asthma deaths than any other sport, new research suggests. In the study,
more than 20 percent of such deaths occurred during or immediately following
a basketball game or practice session.
The report also shows that most asthma deaths occur with organized sports
rather than with recreational sports.
Still, the researchers emphasize that the benefits of physical activity for
patients with asthma are well established and far outweigh the very small
risk of death.
The results stem from a study of 61 asthma deaths that occurred in close
association with a sporting event. Dr. Jack M. Becker, from Drexel
University in Philadelphia, and colleagues identified these cases by
searching a nationwide clipping service for sports-related asthma deaths
that occurred between 1993 and 2000.
Basketball accounted for the most fatalities -- 13 (21 percent), followed by
track and gym class with 7 and 6 deaths, respectively. Most deaths occurred
in the fall, followed by the summer, spring, and winter. The new findings
are reported in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
More...from Reuters UK at:
http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=4329126&secti\
on=news


23. Chocolate Makes Heart Grow Stronger:
Chocolates - perhaps the world's favourite confectionery - may keep the
heart running longer and stronger.
Chocolate contains chemicals like those in red wine and green tea that can
help improve circulation, cut blood pressure and might produce other health
benefits, researchers told the National Academy of Sciences in Washington.
Dr Norman Hollenberg of Harvard Medical School said he found cocoa was
effective in lowering the blood pressure in his study of the isolated Kuna
Indians who live on islands off the coast of Panama.
Despite a high salt diet, the Kuna have normal blood pressure, he explained,
and they consume large quantities of locally grown cocoa. When Kuna moved to
a city and switched to commercial cocoas with fewer of the chemicals their
blood pressure tended to rise, he noted.
Hollenberg said early research indicated that cocoa could help increase
blood flow in the brain and the extremities, which could prove beneficial to

the elderly and diabetics.
Potential health benefits from chocolate have also been reported in medical
journals, although other scientists note that chocolate tends to contain
fats and sugar
From Scotsman.com


24. The loneliness of the long distance bloater:
year ago BBC News Online's Rob Liddle was a self-confessed couch potato.
Twelve months later nothing much has changed - except now he is in training
to run the London marathon. Here Rob shares the joy and pain of being a
would-be marathon man.
It's a marathon, not a sprint, they say. Which is good, as my 16-stone frame
would stand absolutely no chance of breaking into a sprint.
Yet I'm hoping that by some good fortune I'll have the wherewithal to cover
26 miles and 385 yards on foot on 18 April before everyone goes home.
There are nine weeks to go until the London Marathon. By now I should be
training four or five days a week, be cutting down on the booze and avoiding
the takeaways.
But I'm still three stone above my target weight, and running a moderate
distance on a hard surface leaves me feeling like someone has taken a
pneumatic drill to my knees.
More...from the BBC at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3476537.stm


25. From Runner's World:
The key to a solid running relationship is not so much whether a couple runs
together or not, as much as whether both are content with their arrangement.
There should be no problem with one partner running in the morning and one
in the evening, if both are happy with it. In any relationship, there needs
to be a healthy mix of dependence and independence. Oneness and separateness
are both important.

Piriformis Syndrome: Massage tight areas deep in the hip and backside. Lie
down on the floor, and place a tennis ball under the affected buttock. Rest
your weight on the ball for 10 seconds, move over an inch, and repeat until
you've massaged the entire problem area. It hurts a little at first, but
eventually loosens the muscle and speeds healing.

Dark chocolate, the richer in cocoa the better, is not only a to-die-for
treat, it's actually good for you. And just 1 oz of a very special chocolate
packs more than twice the healthy antioxidant punch of red wine or other
dark chocolates.
Enjoy this Valentine Treat. Our yummy cocoa drink is rich in antioxidants.
It takes a few minutes to prepare, but the reward is worth its weight in,
well, chocolate. Fill a mug with 1 cup of skim milk, and microwave on medium
for about 1 minute. Carefully remove, and add two Dove Dark Promises. Stir
gently until the chocolate melts. Enjoy!


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

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

Coming Up
For more complete race listings check out our Upcoming Races
February 14, 2004:
Buller Marathon - Westport, NZ
http://www.bullermarathon.org.nz/

Martha's Vineyard 20 Miler - MA
http://www.mv20miler.com/20miler/details.php

Texas Half-Marathon - Dallas, TX
http://www.texashalf.com/

Tyson Foods Invitational - Fayetteville, AR
http://www.tysonfoodsinvitational.com/

Valentine Marathon - Olympia, WA
http://www.ontherun.com/valentinemarathon/

February 15, 2004:
Desert Classic Marathon - Phoenix, AZ
http://www.arizonaroadracers.com/dclassicmar.htm

Motorola Marathon - Austin, TX
http://www.motorolamarathon.com/

Standard Chartered Mumbai Int'l Marathon - India
http://www.mumbaimarathon.com/

Tallahassee Marathon - FLA
http://www.gulfwinds.org/marathon/

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


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

This Weeks Personal Postings/Releases:

We have TWO personal postings this week.

"Good shoes are hard to find these days. You go to the store looking for one
specific pair but you just don't find them so
you end up buying three or four pair to suit all your running needs"
From: mailto:scarcat23@...

"I have for rent a 2-bedroom apartment in central Athens which is literally
2 minutes from Panathinaikon Stadium where the Olympic Marathon will finish.
While I am also listing it elsewhere, I thought it most suitable for
athletes, runners or their families and friends. Unlike most official
Olympic accommodations, this location is also great for sightseeing,
shopping, dining, etc. throughout Athens. It's not out in the suburbs or on
a cruise ship moored outside of the city! JPEG fotos available."
From: dtai@...

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


Send this to a Friend:
Forward the Runner's Web Digest to a friend and suggest that they subscribe
at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RunnersWeb/join


Your Feedback and Comments:
Comments, contributions and feedback are always welcome via this list at:
mailto:runnersweb@yahoogroups.com and in our Runner's Web Forum, available
off our FrontPage. If you post to the mailing list and get your email
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mailto:webmaster@... to notify us of the problem. To update your
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changes.

Have a good week of training and/or racing.



Ken Parker
Runner's Web
runnersweb@... <mailto:webmster@...>
http://www.runnersweb.com/running.html