Runner's Web Digest - February 27, 2004

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Digest Article Index:

1. Tips could boost longevity
Genes and lifestyle play a role. While experts can't guarantee those making
changes will live to 100, a study suggests
most can live past 65
2. Kenya Diary: Iten Training Camp Part I
3. Diverse training and distances fuel triathlon popularity
4. Diary of a fencer
For Canada's fencers, life on the road means little cash and insane schedules
But it also can be hilarious and
heart-breaking
5. Race Directors In-line with On-line Promotions:
6. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's E-Zine - February 22, 2004
7. This Valentine’s Day, Take Fitness to Heart!
You only have one heart …. Don’t break it!
8. Vegetarians vs. Atkins: Diet Wars Are Almost Religious
9. Back in stride -- with baby in tow:
This is what strikes fear in the hearts of mothers-to-be: that your post-birth
body will never return to the shape it
was before.
10. Pitfalls of Winter Running
11. Running, Alcohol and Drugs:
12. Spaghetti, rigatoni and linguine win a battle in the diet wars
13. Triathlon Transition Tips
Tips for getting in and out of the triathlon transition zones quickly
14. How To Run and Enjoy the Marathon - Chapter III
(A Practical Guide To The 26.2-Mile Journey) By James Raia
15. From Runner's World
16. That Candy Bar Tastes Sweeter When You're Hungry
17. Climb On!
There are hundreds of tricks and techniques that'll improve your ascending. But
there's just one secret. Here it is.
18. Yes, you'll have those bananas
19. Spinning your way to fitness
Group cycling classes gaining ground in U.S. gyms
20. Fruit reduces heart disease risk
21. The 10 Biggest Mistakes Endurance Athletes Make
22. Cycling: The three legs of the training stool
23. Amino Acid Supplements Not For Everybody
Product Claims Unsupported, Experts Warn
24. Tips for Racing Ironman
25. News Scan


This week's poll is: "How should the Olympic team be selected?"

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The previous poll was: "When did you set your last PR (Personal Record)?"

The results at publication time were:
Answers Votes Percent
1. 2003 - 2004 34 38%
2. 2 years ago 6 7%
3. 3 years ago 4 4%
4. 4 years ago 1 1%
5. 5 years ago 4 4%
6. 10 years ago 10 11%
7. 20+ years ago! 30 34%

Total Votes: 89
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Five Star Site of the Week: Ladies Cycling Net - "All About the World of Women
Cycling".
Welcome at Ladies Cycling net
"A site that will be dedicated to the world of ladies cycling.
What the hell is this ? :
This site is here to inform the world that there is more to it then only the
men's world of cycling. Not only are we
here to inform you, we are also here to support the women. And you can do so to.
Look how easy :
Go visit the races in your region. Check for them in our Calendar section or
your local newspaper.
Visit this site every day for updates.
Link to us
Make a donation that we will split with the ladies peloton.
Advertise on this site if you are a company.
Become a member :
As a member you can participate. You can post messages, news, mail, links,
events, photo's, you can chat, have a
journal, forums, classifieds and all the things you expect from a portal. Just
create an account for FREE, we only ask a
name and e-mail address, and you can do almost everything. Or just come back to
read and find out even more the next
time. Even better, make it your homepage."
Check out the site at:
http://www.ladiescycling.net/

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Book of the Week: Triathlon Training * Now Available*
No matter what distances you’re training for, Triathlon Training offers expert
guidance for improving your racing from
start to finish. Triathlon Training contains six race-specific programs—two for
sprint distances, two for Olympic
distances, one for the half Ironman, and one for the Ironman. The sprint and
Olympic programs include target race times
to help you choose the best program for yourself, based on your ability level.
It also details a 12-week, step-by-step,
base-building program that you can use to work up to racing distances.
For more information:
http://www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?associate=880&isbn=0736054\
448


Be sure to check out our Flash Page where we list all recent additions to
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This Weeks News:

Articles:

1. Tips could boost longevity
Genes and lifestyle play a role. While experts can't guarantee those making
changes will live to 100, a study suggests
most can live past 65.
Waldo McBurney ran the 100-meter dash at the World Masters Athletics
Championships in Puerto Rico in July: He came in
last.
Of course, at his age McBurney was lucky to compete at all: He was 100 at the
time.
McBurney, now 101, thinks he's too slow to run in the next World Masters race.
But who knows? He never let his age stop
him.
"I took up distance running when I was 65," he says.
McBurney is part of a study trying to unravel the secrets of extreme old age.
Findings from the New England Centenarian
Study in Boston suggest that longevity does run in families - the sibling of a
centenarian is four times more likely to
live past 90 than is the general population.
But good genes are just part of the story.
Research from this study and others suggest that lifestyle habits play a huge
role in keeping the body and mind in top
shape well into the eighth and ninth decade of life, says Thomas Perls, an aging
expert at Boston University School of
Medicine and study director.
More...from the Tucson Citizen at:
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/index.php?page=national&story_id=022704a20_longevit\
y


2. Kenya Diary: Iten Training Camp Part I:
(T&FN correspondent Kirk Reynolds is visiting Kenya this winter and will be
submitting observations from time to time.
The second major stop on Reynolds' trip was Iten, a hotbed for distance runners.
We are presenting Reynolds’ Iten
observations in three installments.)
A detour to Western Kenya (Iten observations 1)
I’m in Kenya on a spring term sabbatical from my job at a small U.S. college,
and I have traveled to Kenya for two
reasons.
First, I wanted to watch the Kenya National Cross Country Championships. I saw
the team picked, and I’m hoping to travel
to their national camp and then watch the team race in the 2004 World Cross
Country Championships in Brussels in March.
My second purpose for traveling here is to examine physical activity levels in
Kenyan youth. I packed 28 pedometers with
me to Kenya to put on school children to see how far they walk in a day, and I
have traveled to Iten, a small town in
Western Kenya, to do so, since this area is the source of the vast majority of
Kenya’s elite runners. It is 30-plus
kilometers uphill from Eldoret.
There are many anecdotal stories about Kenyan kids traveling miles (or
kilometers, rather) to and from school, but I
haven’t yet found any published studies examining overall walking rates for
school children in Kenya. I aim to put
pedometers on children for a day to see how far in distance they travel, and how
many steps they take in a 24-hour
period. I’ll compare it to U.S. children when I return home.
More...from Track and Field News at:
http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/tfn/displayArticle.jsp?id=167


3. Diverse training and distances fuel triathlon popularity:
Triathletes began arriving early at the spinning room in Gold's Gym, adjusting
stationary bikes, bantering and pedaling
away before class even started.
Coach John Blaum proposed 45 to 50 minutes of cycling, then heading out into the
January evening for a 20 to 25 minute
run through suburban Albany.
The room soon filled with two dozen riders, most members of the Capital District
Triathlon Club looking to get in two
workouts. From the dead of an upstate winter, it's a long training ramp up to
the region's spring and summertime events.
But in the booming sport, competitors mark their calendars early.
In 1982, ABC's Wide World of Sports broadcast footage of Julie Moss stumbling
and crawling to a second-place finish in
the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii. That, according to USA Triathlon, "triggered an
explosion of interest."
The national governing body claimed 47,373 athletes, coaches, officials and
other members last year, with 40 percent
annual growth since 2000. It points to California for the sport's American
roots, to San Diego Track Club events in 1974
meant as lighthearted breaks in the usual training grind.
Three decades later, at some races like San Francisco's Escape from Alcatraz,
registration can fill within 15 to 30
minutes of opening online.
More...from the Gainesville Sun at:
http://www.gainesvillesun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040220/APN/402200806


4. Diary of a fencer:
For Canada's fencers, life on the road means little cash and insane schedules
But it also can be hilarious and
heart-breaking.
Sherraine MacKay may provide the staunchest evidence yet that the pen is indeed
mightier than the sword.
The 28-year-old from tiny Brooks, Alta., is considered one of Canada's finest
fencers ever, having recently been ranked
as high as No.2 in the world in the epee and is considered a medal contender for
the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics.
But MacKay also hits her target in providing a humorous and no-holds-barred look
at the delights and deprivation of life
on the road for an amateur athlete.
Yesterday in Germany, she helped Canada clinch the first-ever Olympic berth for
the team epee event. Today, she shares
with Toronto Star readers some of her (mis)adventures on the Road to Athens.
She now lives in Paris, where she moved with husband Geordie so she can train
against top-notch competition.
More...from the Toronto Star at:
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_T\
ype1&c=Article&cid=1077318610826&call_pa
geid=968867503640&col=970081593064
[Multi-line URL]


5. Race Directors In-line with On-line Promotions:
The tried and true methods of event promotion is giving way to a new breed.
Boston, MA -- According to Ras na hEirean race director Paul Collyer gone are
the days of handing out race applications
at local events. “I haven’t handed out race applications at a race in five
years,” he says. “I don’t know how many hours
I used to spend licking envelopes,” he adds.
Collyer is part of a growing group of race directors that are effectively using
the Internet to promote their events.
His March 14th Ras na hEireann St. Patrick’s day race is 90-percent full and
only 150 applications have been delivered
via the USPS. With 1100 already signed up, this puts him about 400-percent ahead
of last year’s pace. He is also finding
that online registration is the most popular method of entering his event by a 6
to 1 ratio.
“That’s the way [online] it’s going,” he proclaims. “No one reads the newspaper
anymore. They go directly to the
Internet.” Chet Rogers, director of the Applefest Half-Marathon in Hollis, NH,
agrees. He says that promoting his event
through the Internet “was the best money we ever spent.” Last year was the first
year Applefest used this type of
marketing and the results were as he puts it “tremendous.”
More...from Cool Running at:
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/6/6_1/race-directors-inline-wit.shtml


6. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's E-Zine - February 22, 2004:
When you exercise for more than three hours, you should take in salt as well as
fluids. A study from Switzerland
followed female competitive distance runners who took in drinks with different
concentration of salt during a four hour
run. Ninety-two percent of those who took in plain water with no additional
salt developed low blood levels of salt,
which can be dangerous (British Journal of Sports Medicine, Volume 37, Issue 4,
2003).
Taking in fluid without also taking in adequate amounts of salt dilutes the
bloodstream, so that the concentration of
salt in the blood is lower than that in brain cells. This causes fluid to move
from the low-salt blood into the
higher-salt brain causing the brain to swell which can cause seizures and death.
Taking in extra salt during prolonged
exercise increases thirst so you drink more fluids, and prevents blood salt
levels from dropping so low that you become
tired, develop muscle cramps, and can even die. Furthermore, without salt you
do not recover as quickly and are more
likely to be injured or tired all the time. If you're concerned about the
reports of deaths from over-hydration, read
http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/1235.html


7. This Valentine’s Day, Take Fitness to Heart!
You only have one heart …. Don’t break it!
Kathrine Switzer is the author of Running and Walking for Women Over 40 (St.
Martin’s Press), an Emmy-award winning TV
commentator and a former winner of the New York City Marathon. This is the first
in a series of her proven tips to
encourage women to Take Fitness to Heart.
February is Heart Month….and that means more than Valentines. Did you know that
Heart Disease is your Number One Killer?
Most women think it is breast cancer, but Heart Disease kills more women than
all the cancers combined, plus diabetes
and HIV!
But here is the good news: up to one third of deaths due to heart disease are
preventable through diet and exercise.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, studies show that
regular running and walking can
substantially reduce your risk.
As little as 30 minutes, three times a week achieve significant health benefits,
and more is better.
More...from Cool Running at:
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/this-valentines-day-take-.shtml


8. Vegetarians vs. Atkins: Diet Wars Are Almost Religious:
She charges that his group is like the Taliban. He claims that her group's
dangerous message has "spread like a virus
across North America, Europe and elsewhere."
The issue inspiring such invectives? Not religion, but diets.
The latest spat is between Veronica Atkins, widow of Robert Atkins, the doctor
who promoted a low-carbohydrate diet,
heavy on the meats, and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a
group that advocates vegetarianism.
After Dr. Atkins died last April, the vegetarian group obtained his medical
records and gave them to The Wall Street
Journal, which reported this month that he weighed 258 pounds and had signs of
congestive heart failure. (Mrs. Atkins
has said her husband's high weight was the result of fluid buildup from the
accidental fall that killed him.)
The vegetarians had already formed their conclusions. "Many health authorities
have been shocked and greatly troubled by
the spread of the Atkins phenomenon," the group proclaimed on its Web site.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/22/weekinreview/22kola.html


9. Back in stride -- with baby in tow:
This is what strikes fear in the hearts of mothers-to-be: that your post-birth
body will never return to the shape it
was before.
My baby is a year old now, and I don't look like a deflated beach ball. In the
year since my son's birth, I have walked,
done yoga, even swum occasionally. But exercise requires child care, something
that is not always available. And as a
working mother, I don't want to be away from my son during the time I have off.
As a result, I, a former fitness junkie,
just don't break a sweat much anymore.
The problem seemed without solution until I heard of a program called Stroller
Strides, a nationwide service. It sounded
more like a social event than a workout, but I decided to check it out. Turned
out it was more like boot camp for mamas.
Nine mamas and their babies (ranging in age from 5 months to 3 ½ years) met near
the Rose Bowl in Pasadena at 9:15 on a
recent Thursday morning. It was a beautiful day with a perfect winter blue sky.
The instructor, Susan Lile, recommended
that I bring a jogging stroller, water and sun protection for me and my son,
Theo.
Lile was tall and peppy like a former high school cheerleader, with a long
ponytail. She looked trim and fit, the way
some of us feared we never would again. Although she has three children (a
13-year-old and two 6-year-olds, for today
she was our single-minded drill sergeant. We signed in and she handed out bells
for the babies and rubber exercise tubes
for us.
Lile gathered mothers and children — now strapped into their strollers — in a
semi-circle around her for five minutes of
warmup stretches. Would 10 babies let their mothers work out for an hour, I
wondered? One toddler stretched. Another boy
looked at a book. The babies just watched the wacky dance before their eyes.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/fitness/la-he-bound23feb23,1,7500082.colu\
mn?coll=la-utility-health-fitness
[Long URL]


10. Pitfalls of Winter Running:
SATURDAY, Feb. 21 (HealthDayNews) -- Once you get hooked on exercise, giving it
up for even a day or two can be
difficult.
However, for people whose workouts include running outdoors, winter can pose
some special challenges.
The biggest potential problem is frostbite. To avoid this, dress in layers. Two
to four layers on the top and one to two
layers for your legs are generally sufficient, according to the Road Runners
Club of America. Clothing, especially the
layers closest to your skin, should be made of material that wicks moisture away
from the body. Wool, silk,
polypropylene and polyester are all good choices. Since most of the body's heat
is lost through the head and hands,
don't forget to cover them properly.
It's OK, however, to feel slightly cold when you start to run because you'll
warm up quickly during your workout.
Clothing with vents or zippers can also help keep you from getting overheated as
you warm up.
Another big problem for winter runners is ice. Obviously if you can avoid
running on slippery surfaces, you should.
However, since that's not always possible, be careful you don't alter your
foot-strike pattern too dramatically, advises
the American Academy of Podiatric Medicine. Many runners increase their traction
on ice and snow by landing on their
whole foot, rather than the natural heel to toe motion. This puts runners at
risk for muscle strain and overuse
injuries.
The podiatric association also says it takes muscles longer to warm up in cold
weather, making stretching even more
important.
More information:
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers advice on safe running.
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/fact/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=97&topcategory=Sports


11. Running, Alcohol and Drugs:
Many years ago I read a pamphlet by Dr. George Sheehan. Now please don't
misunderstand. Dr. Sheehan has always been one
of my heroes. But in this particular article, which was written for one of the
major beer companies, he extols the
virtues of beer as a replacement fluid.
Do these three words belong in the same sentence?
I don't think so!
Drugs I will leave to another day and feature. Let's just say that drugs are
bad. So don't do them. They only make you
think you are doing good.
Alcohol. I doubt that there are many athletes out there who would say hard booze
(whiskey, gin, vodka, etc.) is good for
the body.
It drains your body of needed nutrients and generally debilitates your entire
system.
Now I guess we're narrowing down the list. Wine and beer.
Wine is truly a "natural" drink. At least some of the better quality wines may
be. And I'm also sure that, in
moderation, it can be very beneficial.
Please note the word - "moderation". I personally no longer drink wine, except,
perhaps, with a fine meal at a
restaurant. However, like any other alcoholic drink it can be abused and should
never be consumed by minors.
That seems to leave beer as the only item on the list.
More...from RunningAbout.com at:
http://running.about.com/cs/drugsanddoping/a/runningnalcohol.htm


12. Spaghetti, rigatoni and linguine win a battle in the diet wars:
A conference promoting the health benefits of eating pasta has agreed that
traditional Mediterranean eating patterns -
which promote the consumption of carbohydrate-rich foods - are better than
current Western dietary patterns, which are
heavy on protein and saturated fats.
Scientists and nutritionists brought together by the Oldways Preservation and
Exchange Trust, a Boston nutrition
research and advocacy group, went a step further and identified foods that have
a low glycemic index - a way of
classifying food by how it is metabolized and how quickly it raises blood sugar
- as possibly having "key roles" in
preventing such chronic illnesses as obesity, diabetes, coronary heart disease
and certain cancers.
More...from IHT at:
http://www.iht.com/articles/130455.html


13. Triathlon Transition Tips:
Tips for getting in and out of the triathlon transition zones quickly.
Most triathletes spend the bulk of their training time focused on the three
events: swimming, cycling, and running. But
the transition between each event also requires training. Each triathlon has two
transitions: a swim-to-bike and a
bike-to-run. Although they seem simple a poor transition can add precious time
and waste energy during a race.
A good transition can improve your position and spirits while a bad one can
leave you struggling to make up lost time.
Here are some tips to help you prefect your transitions.
Simplify
Keep your transitions clean and simple. By this, I mean don’t try to do too many
things during a transition. Keep the
number of tasks to the bare minimum. In a transition, the more you have to do,
the more time it takes and the more that
can go wrong. During the swim-to-bike transition, the fastest athletes may only
put on a helmet and grab their bike to
run out. Wear a one-piece racing suit to avoid clothing changes if possible.
Some racers leave their shoes attached to
the pedals and they put them on while riding. A trick they use is to rubber band
the heel loops of the cycling shoes to
the bike so that they are right side up. Sunglasses can be looped over the
handlebars and put on down the road. Food and
drink are already attached to the bike so you can fuel on the road as well.
More...from SportsmedicineAbout.com at:
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/strengthening/a/021004.htm


14. How To Run and Enjoy the Marathon - Chapter III
(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

This Issue - Chapter 3. The Basics: Common sense for the masses.
3. The Basics: Common training sense for the masses
While cycling, weightlifting, swimming and walking can provide complementary
cross-training benefits, the appropriate
way to train to run a marathon is to steadily increase one's cardiovascular
fitness.
It should be done via gradual increased weeks of running mileage divided among
steady daily miles, shorter-distance
increased speed sprints and periodic long runs increasing to as far as the
marathon distance.
The number of theories on how to train properly for a marathon is perhaps only
surpassed by the number of people running
marathons.
But in general, a new runner can train to comfortably finish a marathon with a
six-month program that incorporates a
steady increase of weekly mileage, long slow runs, speed workouts and strength
training on hills.
For beginners, walking can also be incorporated on long runs.
One of the most popular training programs is touted by Jeff Galloway, the former
Olympian and finisher of more than 110
marathons.
In his book "Marathon" Galloway suggests a new runner can complete a marathon
with the following six-month program:
* Walk for 30-60 minutes three days a week.
* Run for 30 minutes (with walk breaks) twice a week.
* Take one day off to rest.
* Take one long run (with walk breaks) once a week, gradually increasing the
long run from three to 26 miles, three
weeks prior to the marathon.


15. From Runner's World:
No train, no gain. "The concept of "muscle memory" is highly overrated. Just
because you raced well once upon a time
doesn't mean you'll continue to do so if you slack off on your training. The
dark side of exercise is that we lose
fitness two to three times faster than we achieve it. A consistent training
schedule is key to running and racing
faster."
-Ed Eyestone

Wasabi roasted green peas: A one-third-cup serving of these green orbs has 19
grams of muscle-fueling carbohydrate, 6
grams of unsaturated fat and 2 grams of fiber to ward off hunger. Green peas are
also one of the best sources of
magnesium, zinc and potassium-micronutrients that help maintain strong bones.

"Don't let your morning run become a wait-and-see proposition. By the time you
go to bed, you already should have made the decision to run the next day,
especially if it's an early-morning run. If it helps, line up a training partner
and agree to call each other before heading out."
-Erin Douglas, RW associate art director

"Running, of course, teaches us to move on. There is always another day, another
workout, another mile, another race. But more important, it teaches us to listen
to ourselves and believe in ourselves.
-From The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life, by Amby Burfoot


16. That Candy Bar Tastes Sweeter When You're Hungry:
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Skipping a meal or two makes you more sensitive to
the taste of your next sweet or salty
snack, new research shows.
After a group of people went for about 15 hours without eating, they became
better able to taste the miniscule amounts
of sweet or salty flavors added to solutions, compared to when they tasted the
same solutions on a full stomach.
In contrast, hunger had no influence on participants' abilities to detect bitter
tastes, the report indicates.
"We have discovered that hunger increases sensitivity of taste to sweet and
salty substances but it does not affect
taste sensitivity to bitter substances," study author Dr. Yuriy Zverev told
Reuters Health.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=4418890


17. Climb On!
There are hundreds of tricks and techniques that'll improve your ascending. But
there's just one secret. Here it is.
Cyclists obsess over climbing techniques and strategies: Can we burn off our
friends if we grind away most of the climb
like Giro d'Italia winner Gilberto Simoni, or should we try Tyler Hamilton's
late-on-the-mountain knockout punches? Do
we ascend better forward or back on the saddle? Are we scooping the pedals at
the bottom of the stroke for maximum
uphill power? Such technical polish helps, but climbing prowess really comes
down to a single simple equation: how much
power you produce compared to how much you (combined with your bike) weigh.
Lance Armstrong inadvertently demonstrated
the primacy of the power-to-weight ratio when cancer stripped 15 pounds from his
body, leaving him with the same engine
on a much lighter chassis. Today, at 5-foot-11 and roughly 155 pounds, riding a
15-pound Trek, his average output of
more than 300 watts on the world's toughest ascents--with spikes over 600
watts--makes him a climbing monster. n Here's
everything you need to know to carve weight from your body and your bike, crank
up the power and unleash your own beast.
More...from BicyclingMagazine.com at:
http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,5073,6351,00.html?category_id=363


18. Yes, you'll have those bananas:
You don't hear much about potassium in the world of nutrition, but it played a
sizable role in a recent report from the
National Academy of Sciences, which, among other things, overturned the commonly
held advice to drink eight glasses of
water per day for good health. The report also urged Americans to eat a healthy
amount of salt. For most, that will mean
reducing what is currently consumed. (More about that below.)
The NAS report said that potassium intake hovers around 3 grams per day - about
half the adequate daily intake the NAS
set at 4.7 grams.
Skimping on potassium-rich foods is a bad idea since research suggests that this
level of potassium helps lower blood
pressure and can blunt the effects of the high-salt diets. Plus, there's strong
evidence that potassium helps protect
bones and appears to reduce the risk of kidney stones.
More...from Newsday at:
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-fddisco3682503feb24,0,4003382.story?coll=n\
y-health-headlines


19. Spinning your way to fitness:
Group cycling classes gaining ground in U.S. gyms.
At first glance, it looks merely like a fitness class of stationary cyclists. On
closer look, maybe an extreme cycling
class.
Group fitness instructor Carl Hall taunts the intense, sweaty riders in the
dimly lit room amid blaring music:
"I've seen you work harder than that. Push it! Burn those calories," Hall goads,
crouching over a dripping-wet cyclist.
"Think G-string! Summer! G-string! Summer!"
In some gyms it's simply called "group cycling," in others it's "Spinning."
These high-intensity workouts to music simulate a challenging bike ride,
complete with hills, valleys and varying
speeds, all dictated by the group instructor.
Ultra-endurance cyclist Johnny Goldberg launched a trend in 1986 when he devised
this training method while preparing
for the 3,000-mile Race Across America. His original version, Spinning, is a
registered trademark.
Now there are a multitude of knockoffs, like the one at this Crunch gym.
One survey estimates nearly 2 million people are in group cycling classes. They
appeal to both hard-core fitness buffs
and those who lack the coordination for cardio classes with complex
choreography.
More...from CNN at:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/diet.fitness/02/25/spinning.class.ap/index.html


20. Fruit reduces heart disease risk:
Eating three apples a day can significantly cut the risk of death from coronary
heart disease, say scientists.
The fibre in apples and other fruits helps prevent heart disease by lowering
cholesterol levels.
The findings are part of a US study published in the Archives of Internal
Medicine.
It reinforces other research which has shown the health benefits of a diet rich
in fibre.
Scientists, who carried out the research, said people who eat 10 grams of fibre
daily, reduce their risk of heart attack
by 14% and their risk of dying from coronary heart disease by 27%.
More...from the BBC at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3492578.stm


21. The 10 Biggest Mistakes Endurance Athletes Make:
This was one of the first articles I ever wrote, and it was probably the
easiest.
Why? Because at some point in my cycling career I made EVERY ONE of these
mistakes! Some of these seem so basic, but
you'd be surprised how many athletes keep making the same ones over and over and
then wonder why their performance
falters. Take a good, thorough read through each of these common mistakes and
see how many you commit. Identifying and
correcting them will yield tremendous benefits in your overall performance.
1. Excess Hydrating
On the average, an athlete loses one liter (about 33 oz.) of fluid per hour of
exercise. This rate differs widely due to
many variables, including body weight, body mass index, temperature conditions,
duration and intensity of exercise, and
acclimatization level. Experts suggest that consuming 16 ounces of fluids every
hour during exercise will normally
forestall dehydration in events lasting three to four hours.
But what about ultra-endurance events lasting much longer than that? Now, in
addition to potential dehydration, another
problem, over-hydration, arises. One researcher studied the effects of endurance
athletes and noted that typically the
front-runners tend to dehydrate, while over-hydration occurs most often among
middle to back-of-the-pack athletes. Both
conditions lead to hyponatremia (low blood sodium), but they have different
outcomes. Excess water consumption causes
what is known as "dilutional hyponatremia," or an overly diluted level of sodium
and electrolytes in the blood. This is
as bad as under-hydrating in regards to cramping but has the added disadvantages
of stomach discomfort, bloating, and
extra urine output. In some unfortunate circumstances, excess hydration can lead
to severe physiological consequences,
including death.
More...from Transition Times at:
http://www.transitiontimes.com/viewstory.cfm?ID=4232



22. Cycling - The three legs of the training stool:
Over the years of racing and coaching, I have concluded that the best athletes
have mastered three essential areas in
their life and in their training, allowing them to see the opportunities for
achieving success.
These three areas are just like legs on a stool at your kitchen bar -- they have
three legs and are stable only because
all the legs of the stool are of equal length and angle.
Do the work
The first leg of the athletes' stool that you must master in order to be
successful is the purely physical training. You
must do the work. You have to get out there on a day-to-day basis and put in the
miles.
More...from Active.com at:
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=10463&sidebar=21&category=cycling


23. Amino Acid Supplements Not For Everybody:
Product Claims Unsupported, Experts Warn.
Amino acid supplements are a multibillion-dollar industry in Japan and around
the world, marketed with promises to
increase energy and improve performance.
Olympic triathlete Hunter Kemper takes a supplement called "Amino Vital" every
day and is convinced it works.
"My goal is to win a gold medal in the Olympics in 2004," Kemper said. "I'm able
to train harder, train longer and just
train smarter and better. For me it's all about the training. The recovery
aspect."
Amino acid supplements come in different forms: liquids, powders and capsules.
Taking the supplements may help elite athletes like Kemper recover faster after
a hard workout, but they are not for
everybody.
"For the average person -- the 99 percent of us that are out there living normal
lives -- these supplements are not
required," Dr. Robert Gotlin said. "Our bodies produce enough. Our intake of
calories is enough to perform all our
activities of daily living."
More...from WNBC at:
http://www.wnbc.com/health/2873856/detail.html


24. Tips for Racing Ironman:
By Coach Mark
With Ironman New Zealand just around the corner for me and about 1300 other
athletes, I thought I would put finger to
keyboard (hunt and peck style) and wade in with a few tips and a bit of advice.
It's a lot to absorb so I suggest you do
it in two sittings.
I must stress that these tips, and this advice is based on experience, what I've
seen, and what I've heard people say
and recommend. I do not take the credit for thinking/dreaming up all that
follows and have no scientific back up for it.
If you see something that may help you, try it out (preferably before race day).
If you don't agree with what you see
and have a better way of doing things I'd love to hear from you as Triathlon is
an evolving organism and I'm interested
in learning new ideas.
Here we go...
Get a Suntan: This one can't be taken care of the day before. If you have a bit
of a tan it takes the pressure off you
having to have sunscreen applied perfectly if it's a hot day. Personally, I
can't remember ever applying sunscreen prior
to racing Ironman. Really only applies to those who have the ability to tan.
Otherwise apply sunscreen the night before
so it soaks in, and during the event (transitions or from aid stations).
Mark Your Shoelaces: Once you start the run you don't want to have to stop to
adjust anything especially not laces.
There is a good chance you'll cramp. So mark your laces with felt tip so you
know exactly where your toggle or fastening
device must sit. Also, loose shoes often lead to blisters.
Wear Really Good Race Socks: Helps prevent blisters. Texture is important. Find
a good pair of socks, and then buy 3
more pairs. Keep them only for racing and put them on at the start of the run.
The Asics 'Ped' sock range is great.
Put Carbo Sachets in a bottle: Rather than tearing off the tops of 18 sqeezies,
gels, gu's or whatever you use during
the ride (which believe me wears a bit thin once you've worn more than you've
ingested), pour them all into a
see-through drink bottle, mark off certain points (i.e. every 3 or every hours
worth). Throw in a few extra for good
measure or dilute with water. Just really make sure you have your markings
correct so you do in fact take in the correct
number of calories/carbos per hour.
Check All Gear: During the 180km ride in Ironman, assume that if something can
move or come loose squeak, or rattle, it
will. It may not slow you down but it will grate on you and annoy the hell out
of you and stuff up your concentration.
So check all moving parts and get a shop to service your bike thoroughly.
More...from Endurance.com at:
http://www.endurancecoach.com/Tips_for_Racing_Ironman.htm


25. News Scan:
Eat your veggies
Listen to your mom; veggies will enhance your workout. Most veggies contain
pantothenic acid, an essential nutrient that
helps you stay fit and alert. This essential part of your diet contributes to
the production of amino acids, helps
metabolize fat and assists in the manufacture of neurotransmitters, the
chemicals that carry messages in the brain.

Be a road scholar. All Miavita Fitness Tips
It's easy to find out where you can work out on a business trip, if you know
where to look online. Before you leave, go
to a travel or city guide Web site for your destination and research the parks,
community centers, tracks and fitness
centers where you can get a little exercise. Nothing boosts your energy,
creativity and effectiveness on the road like a
workout. Bonus: Explore the local jogging paths, and you'll get a taste of city
life you'll never find in a hotel or
pitch meeting.

Don't be a night owl. All Miavita Fitness Tips
Exercising just before bedtime may be asking for trouble. Aerobic exercise --
and exercise in general -- helps you fall
asleep more quickly and sleep longer, but generally not if you if you work out
just before turning in. Don't be tempted
by your gym's late hours if you have to get up early the next morning; most of
us need a few hours to relax and
decompress after a workout before going to sleep, so you might pay a price the
next day.

Alcohol Slows Glycogen Replacement: If you like a few beers after a long workout
or race, maybe you should pack in some
heavy carbs first. New research shows that drinking alcohol can impair glycogen
replacement

Stretch it, baby! All Miavita Fitness Tips
Nothing stops a workout quicker than a pulled muscle; follow a simple routine to
stay flexible. Stretching will improve
your range of motion, enhance performance, and help reduce the severity and
frequency of injury. Be sure to give your
muscles a quick warmup before you start to stretch.



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

Ongoing:

February 21 - March 7, 2004:
Arizona Games - Phoenix, AZ
http://www.seniorgames.org/main.htm

February 24-27, 2004:
Sahara Marathon Expedition - Sahara Desert
http://saharamarathon.com/

February 26-29, 2004:
Australian Championships & Olympic Trials - Sydney, AUS
http://www.athletics.org.au/aseries/meets.cfm

February 27-29, 2004:
USA Indoor Track & Field Championships - Boston, MA
http://www.usatf.org/events/2004/USAIndoorTFChampionships/

Coming Up
For more complete race listings check out our Upcoming Races

February 28, 2004:
Blue Angel Marathon - NAS Pensacola, FL
http://www.naspensacola.navy.mil/mwr/current/bam2000/bam_2004.htm

Cowtown Marathon Fort Worth, TX
http://cowtown_marathon.tripod.com/

Husky Howl 5K - Stittsville, ON
http://www.occdsb.on.ca/~shh/special/huskyhowl/index.htm

Television: ESPN2
The U.S. Indoor Championships from Boston, MA
6:30-7:30pm (Eastern)

February 29, 2004:
Hudson Mohawk Marathon - Albany, NY
http://www.hmrrc.com/

Mardi Gras Marathon - New Orleans, LA
http://www.mardigrasmarathon.com/

Maratón Popular del Puerto - Argentina
http://www.yocorroyvos.com.ar/

Seville Marathon - Spain
http://marasevi.interbook.net/

World's Best 10K - San Juan, Puerto Rico
http://www.worldbest10k.com/new/

YMCA Half Marathon and 5K - Peterborough, ON
http://web.peterboroughymca.org/marathon/

Television: ESPN2
The U.S. Indoor Championships from Boston, MA
6:00-7:00pm (Eastern)

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 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.



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Runner's Web
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