Runner's Web Digest - June 25, 2004

The Original Runner's and Triathlete's Web was founded in January of 1997 as a
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The TRACK PROFILE Reader 2004, an in-depth review of the 2003 season by Bob
Ramsak, is now available. Selected from hundreds of
reports filed by the Track Profile News Service last year, The TRACK PROFILE
READER provides a unique look back at the
personalities, stories and events that defined track and field in 2003. With in
depth profiles of the sport's biggest stars and
comprehensive on-site reports from major competitions, this annual review takes
the reader beyond the results, providing a perfect
companion for casual and
diehard fans alike. Check out the book at:
http://www.booksurge.com/author.php3?accountID=GPUB00341&affiliateID=A000497

The Stretching Handbook:
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/cgi-bin/at.pl?a=286905

Buy all your sporting goods at Fogdog Sports, your anytime, anywhere sports
store.
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The Tour Within the Tour de France by James Raia:
The Tour de France is the world's greatest cycling event. As the bicyclists
climb into the mountains and quickly pass through the
rolling countryside, many other postcards of life occur away from the
competition - the ambience, the restaurants, the uniqueness of
the villages and the people who live and work among fields of sunflowers, near
ancient castles and among fields of expansive
vineyards. The Tour Within The Tour de France includes 24 essays about the
author's first six years of attending the race. This
ebook cost $7.95. Order now with your check or credit card at:
http://hop.clickbank.net/?rhianyth/eltomaja

How To Run And Enjoy The Marathon By James Raia:
Price: $7.95
As a practical guide to the 26.2-mile journey, How To Run And Enjoy The Marathon
is 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
middle-of-the-pack marathon and ultramarathon runner in Sacramento, Calif.
Buy the book at:
http://hop.clickbank.net/?rhianyth/eltomaja

James Raia's Endurance Sports News will be on hiatus until Aug. 1, 2004. He'll
be back then with the 100th issue special edition.
In the meantime, if you're not a subscriber to Tour de France Times, please
consider signing up for its daily publication from
Belgium and France during the Tour de France, July 3-25.
Tour de France Times, which is also free, will cover the three-week event, Lance
Armstrong's attempt at a record sixth consecutive
victory, and all the pertinent sights and sounds as the race progresses from
Liege, Belgium, to Paris, France.
Please visit James's web site: www.byjamesraia.com to subscribe.

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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 Digest Article Index:

1. The Secret to Caloric Intake and Sustained Energy During Long Workouts and
Races
2. The long road to marathon recovery
3. As the temperature increases, so does your chance of facing a heat-related
illness
4. What's behind the curb-your-carbs craze?
5. The Brains behind the Bella
6. 10 ways that good habits can beat those last few pounds
7. Calcium connection
Foods rich in the nutrient might help people shed pounds, but more research is
needed.
8. Running Far
Joe Henderson's Running Commentary.
9. Pick the Right Multivitamin
Multivitamins used to be pretty basic. Today, the varieties are endless.
10. Baker nudges carbophobic back to bread
Vendor gleans 'Da Vinci Diet' from antiquity.
11. From Runner's World
12. Mysteries of cycling...revealed!
13. Sweating the Details on Hydration
14. Sports Medicine Center Weighs In On Body Fat
15. Calcium connection
Foods rich in the nutrient might help people shed pounds, but more research is
needed.
16. Preserving a Delicate Balance of Potassium
17. Bulked-Up Boy Teaches Docs About Muscle Protein
18. It Hurt Achilles, and Now It's Hurting Me
19. Feed a Cold!
20. Not Now Honey, I Have To Train . . . NOT!
21. The Skinny on Phytochemicals
22. Misunderstanding of IM Specific Fitness and its Development, Part II of IM
Primer
23. Every breath she takes: asthma hasn't slowed Joanna Zeiger
24. Treadmill with care – UU researchers warn
25. News Scan

Runner's Web Weekly Poll:
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Olympic Games?"

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The results at publication time were:
Answers Votes Percent
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2. No 22 31%
3. No opinion, don't care 10 14%
Total Votes: 70

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Five Star Site of the Week: RhondaGuzda.com.
Rhonda Guzda is a former triathlete, now cyclist from St.Catharines, Ontario,
Canada. She is coached by Denise Kelly.
Check out her site at:
http://www.rhondaguzda.com/

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Our Photo Slideshow is updated on a random basis. Check it out from our
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Book of the Week: The Performance Zone: Your Nutrition Action Plan for Greater
Endurance & Sports Performance
by John, Ph.D Ivy, Robert, Ph.D. Portman, Dave Scott
Every athlete, coach, and parent of a young athlete knows that nutrition can
enhance sports performance. But few know exactly how to
make this happen. "The Performance Zone" solves this problem. This book
synthesizes the most sound and up-to-date science to provide
a nutrition action plan that enables athletes to raise their athletic
performance. The authors provide simple, proven guidelines for
fueling muscles during and after sports activity. Using these guidelines,
athletes can increase their endurance and strength, reduce
injuries and muscle soreness, bounce back faster after training and competition,
and even be less susceptible to infections. Since
each sport has slightly different nutritional needs, this book includes
sports-specific nutrition tips from elite athletes, leading
coaches, nutritionists, and exercise physiologists in the major individual and
team sports.
Buy the book at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1591201489/runnersweb/102-0182896-9006569\
?v=glance&s=books

More books from Amazon at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/amazon.html
and Human Kinetics at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/human_kinetics.html

This Weeks News:

Articles:

1. The Secret to Caloric Intake and Sustained Energy During Long Workouts and
Races:
For many triathletes, now is the most crucial training period of the year as
they prepare to culminate their seasons with an ironman
distance event. While big mileage and key workouts are the primary focus, the
importance of proper nutrition is right up there.
Workouts are crucial for success in endurance sports - elite cyclists and
triathletes know that long workouts (often 7 hours+) are
the cornerstone of their training program. The same is true at whatever level
you compete. A primary performance factor for
sustained endurance workouts is maintaining adequate caloric intake and energy
levels. It is easy to deplete sugar levels and
experience the dreaded symptoms of bonking - fatigue, dizziness, apathy, and a
dramatic reduction in performance.
Cytomax Pre-Formance is a nutritionally balanced meal formula designed for
consumption before and during sustained endurance
workouts - the perfect fuel to consume to prevent bonking and digestive
difficulties that come from consuming too much sugar during
exercise.
You need 400 calories per hour
Scientific studies and reports from elite athletes indicate that 400 calories
per hour is the magic number during extended exercise
to prevent bonking and maintain high energy levels. Your ability to digest and
utilize this amount of calories is severely
compromised while you are exercising. Most of your blood is in your extremities
and your digestive system is not functioning well
due to exercise stress.
More...from TriFuel at:
http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon/nutrition/000515.php


2. The long road to marathon recovery:
Most marathoners agree that the last 6.2 miles of the race are just as difficult
as the first 20. It's during that last, seemingly
endless stretch that calves tighten, quads burn, and joints you didn't know
existed start to ache. But all that becomes a blur as
sheer force of will drives you toward the finish line.
Unfortunately, crossing the finish line doesn't make the pain go away. Just as
marathon training takes a long time, so does marathon
recovery. But you can start the recovery process immediately after crossing the
finish line.
The first few hours
The experts offer the following tips to start your road to recovery:
Keep moving
The temptation to collapse and lie down when you cross the finish line might be
overwhelming, but don't. Instead, walk around slowly
while you start to re-hydrate.
Drink
"Your cells need fluid [after the race]," says Jack Scaff, MD, a fellow of the
American College of Sports Medicine and director of
the Honolulu Marathon Clinic, no matter how much you drank during the race. But
water alone won't do the trick, says Dr. Scaff.
After a marathon, you will have a low concentration of sodium in your blood and
the fluid around the cells in your body, making it
difficult for your cells to take in more fluids. Drinking sports drinks or
eating salty foods, like pretzels, will help your cells
absorb the fluids they need.
More...from UW Health at:
http://www.uwhealth.org/servlet/Satellite?cid=1058560105908&pagename=UWH%2FHI%2F\
HealthInformationDetail&articleID=1060879679282
[Multi-line URL]


3. As the temperature increases, so does your chance of facing a heat-related
illness:
Having been an assistant director at the Nelson Center, a lifeguard and a pool
operator, Chris Shanahan has seen people get sick
from heat.
Stricken victims' overall appearance testified that they felt unwell. They had
confused countenances or lethargic demeanors.
But one August day, Shanahan experienced heat-related illness firsthand while
participating in a mountain bike race in southern
Missouri.
"Right away, I had the cramps in my legs," said Shanahan, 29, who at the time
was in his mid-20s.
"It was hot out there, no doubt about it ... I was barely sweating, and I was
drinking a lot of fluids ... my body was not
functioning properly."
After Shanahan cooled down by drinking water, splashing water on his body and
seeking shade and a fan, he was fine, he said.
"It didn't require going to the hospital seeking advanced medical help,"
Shanahan said. "It was just me knowing that I needed to
cool down for awhile."
With warmer weather comes increased risk of heat-related illnesses -- heat
cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke -- which can
occur when the body doesn't cool properly or enough.
Although a mild form of heat-related illness, heat cramps are painful muscle
spasms that usually occur in the legs and abdomen,
according to the American Red Cross.
Heat exhaustion is a moderate illness in which the patient's skin is cool,
moist, pale, flushed or ashen; headache, nausea and
dizziness plus weakness and exhaustion also occur.
Treatment for both heat cramps and heat exhaustion includes moving a person to a
cooler place and providing cool water to drink.
More...from Active.com at:
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=10789&sidebar=575&category=keep_fit


4. What's behind the curb-your-carbs craze?
The latest diet dictionary spells evil "C-A-R-B."
That's the mini-moniker for carbohydrates, compounds found in a group of foods
on the least-wanted list in many current weight-loss
diet programs.
The latest diet trend of reducing carb consumption gives proteins a place of
prominence, has burgers going bunless and eggs
rebounding from their cholesterol-tainted reputation.
Coca-Cola recently launched C2, a low-carb version of its flagship beverage.
Salad dressings tout carbohydrate reduction and beer
billboards boast low-carb content.
Even wine-makers are in on the trend. Instead of requesting a glass of vintage
chardonnay, imbibers can order a goblet of
Brown-Forman's One.6 -- the wine's name which also proclaims its carbohydrate
content.
The science behind the weight loss method is to cut back on carbohydrates that
give the body glucose for fuel, and instead, force it
to burn fat for energy.
More...from CNN at:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/diet.fitness/06/16/carbohydrate.overview/index.ht\
ml


5. The Brains behind the Bella:
The introduction of Nike Shox represented the culmination of nearly twenty years
of research into mechanical cushioning systems. And
now Nike brings that innovative technology into bold new territory.
The new Nike Shox Bella is Nike's first Shox running shoe engineered exclusively
for women. To get the skinny on this exciting
development, we sat down with the Women's Advanced Innovation Designer Susan
Sokolowski, who was instrumental in creating the Bella.
And talk about impressive credentials: Susan holds a B.F.A. in from the Fashion
Institute of Technology, a Master's degree in Human
Factors and Design from Cornell University, and a Doctorate in Kinesiology and
Design from The University of Minnesota.
Join us as Susan explains the differences between men and women runners, runs
through the performance benefits of this design, and
explains the idea behind having five Nike Shox columns.
More...from Nike at:
http://www.nike.com/nikerunning/usa/v3/index.jhtml?loc1=tools_training&loc2=runn\
ers_library&loc3=79&promoid=em


6. 10 ways that good habits can beat those last few pounds:
It’s been a little over 16 weeks since the start of the new year, and for many
of us that means we’ve had over three months to
stick to our New Year’s Resolution to lose weight.
By now, results should be apparent - either you’re making progress, or things
aren’t going the way you’d hoped. Regardless, you
could probably improve upon your weight-loss resolution and shed those
hard-to-lose pounds without having to resort to crash diet
plans and fitness boot camps.
While such tactics have their place and are a great way to kick-start a
lifestyle change at the beginning of the year, it’s the
smaller things on a daily basis that might make the difference between the
weight you’d like to be and the weight you are.
The following is a list of 10 simple ways to modify your everyday lifestyle to
ensure healthy weight loss and long term results.
The idea of this list isn’t to guilt readers into practicing each suggestion,
but rather to illuminate examples of common habits we
all share; habits that are easily broken and that just might be preventing us
from shedding those last few pounds.
More...from Degree ironman at:
http://www.degreeironman.com/bodymind/body.asp?a=5


7. Calcium connection:
Foods rich in the nutrient might help people shed pounds, but more research is
needed.
With recent trends toward low-fat, then low-carb diets, Americans have come to
view dairy products as high-fat, calorie-rich foods
that have no place in a dieter's kitchen. After all, whole milk, cheese, yogurt
and similar products are naturally packed with fat,
and even some nonfat dairy products, like milk, are high in carbohydrates.
It's best to leave such products for children who need calcium to build bones,
many shoppers and dieters believe.
Now a new diet book, a television advertising campaign endorsed by dietitians
and a growing body of research suggests the opposite:
Calcium products, specifically those found in dairy foods, could help people
lose weight.
The claim may not be as farfetched as it seems: Calcium is a critical nutrient
in cell functions throughout the body. Diets low in
the mineral appear to set off a chain reaction that prompts the body to
metabolize fat less efficiently.
The sooner the public knows about calcium's effect on weight, the better, says
one national expert in calcium metabolism.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-calcium21jun21,1,1475343.story?coll\
=la-home-health


8. Running Far:
Joe Henderson's Running Commentary.
(This is the introduction to Part Three of my upcoming book, Running Long. The
previous two appeared in RC 522 and 523.)
Injuries can be good for you. The bigger they are, the better they can be -- if
the pain eventually lets up and lets you run again.
I'd go so far as to say that you don't truly become a runner until you've
endured an injury. You don't fully appreciate running
until you've almost lost it.
My first big injury was good for me. After suffering with it for a year, I
turned to longer and slower running -- which led to long
and fast racing that lasted from the mid-1960s to the early '70s.
Then I overdid the racing -- going too far, too fast, too often. My left foot
signaled its reluctance to go on like this when a lump
of calcium formed on the top of the heel bone. The more I ran and raced with it,
the bigger it grew and the more it hurt.
Finally I stopped racing and saw a doctor. He gave the conventional
pronouncement of that era: If it hurts to run, rest. If that
doesn't work, stop running and find yourself another activity.
I found another doctor. This one, a podiatrist, said that rest never would have
cured my problem. He showed me an x-ray of the bony
growth cutting into the Achilles tendon, then told me the only cure would be
surgery.
I went under his knife, hoping to be cured but fearing that running could be
over me. It wasn't.
My left foot regained almost full strength and flexibility, and quickly. But
this scare had changed permanently my views of running
and approaches to it. Mostly I would never again take it for granted.
More...from Joe Henderson at:
http://www.joehenderson.com/archive/449.html


9. Pick the Right Multivitamin:
Multivitamins used to be pretty basic. Today, the varieties are endless.
Should you take one that's "for women only," or the one that says "stress
formula"? Should you buy a synthetic, natural, or
whole-food formula? How much of each vitamin and mineral do you really need each
day?
For answers to these and other important questions, we asked two female experts
in nutrition what they look for when they buy
multivitamins. Here's what they said.
Look for a "USP" symbol. This means the multivitamin meets U.S. Pharmacopeia
standards for quality, purity, and potency, says
Heather Holmstrom, M.D., a runner and family physician at the Santa Monica-UCLA
Medical Center. In other words, it ensures that
what's listed on the label is actually in the pill.
Look for a balanced supplement. So-called "natural" multivitamins often consist
of synthetic vitamins mixed with natural
ingredients. Many of these formulas contain extremely high (more than 1,000
percent) amounts of inexpensive vitamins, and far lower
doses of key, more expensive nutrients, making the formula unbalanced and more
difficult for your body to absorb and use, says
Andrea Crivelli-Kovach, Ph.D., assistant professor and director of community
health programs at Arcadia University in Glenside, Pa.
She recommends a balanced formula--where the percentages of the Daily Value for
each nutrient are roughly equal.
Try this test. Some binding agents used in daily multis may prevent you from
adequately absorbing the pill. To test the
absorbability of your multi, drop it in a glass of water or vinegar. A good
"whole-food" multi should completely dissolve in less
than 20 minutes. Those with too-strong binding agents can take more than 2
hours, says Crivelli-Kovach.
More...from Reebok Runner at:
http://www.reebokrunner.com/features/multi.html


10. Baker nudges carbophobic back to bread:
Vendor gleans 'Da Vinci Diet' from antiquity.
A baker who lost nearly half his customers to the low-carb craze has tapped Dan
Brown's best-selling novel for an Atkins alternative
called the "Da Vinci Diet" that he hopes will bring people back to bread.
A little math theory kneaded with biblical lore from "The Da Vinci Code" has
transformed Stephen Lanzalotta into a dietary sage,
answering the "carbohydrate question" with a series of lectures promoting a diet
he has followed for decades to maintain a muscular
160 pounds into middle age.
Admittedly, he is neither a nutritionist nor a scholar -- his background is in
biology and biochemistry. But Lanzalotta argues that
people have been eating bread for too long for it suddenly to be the reason
everyone is fat.
"Human civilization and grain have ties that go way back. No municipal society
evolved without grain, no matter what it was," said
Lanzalotta, who kneads his dough by hand like ancient breadmakers. "Not that I
believe bread is one of the most sacred foods, but it
is one of the most important things we can eat."
More...from CNN at:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/diet.fitness/06/14/davinci.diet.ap/index.html


11. From Runner's World:
*Go light and loose. Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. The former will
reflect the sun's rays better; the latter will
enable you to take advantage of any breeze, including the one you make by
running. The new sports-specific synthetics are better
than cotton, too. They stay drier and wick moisture better than natural fibers
do. -Jeff Galloway

*Flexible hip flexors keep your hips back, allowing for a taller, smoother
running posture. To prevent hip tightness, try this hip
flexor stretch:
Kneel with your left knee on a soft surface. Place your right foot forward on
the floor, with your knee bent. Tilt your hips
backward by tightening your abdominals. Lower your trunk and hips toward the
floor until you feel a good stretch on the front of
your hip. Hold this stretch for 60 seconds. Repeat twice, and switch sides. Do
this stretch after every run.

*SUPERFOOD MANGO (1 cup) . . . tops apricots and cantaloupe in beta-carotene!
Packs more soluble fiber than a whole cup of raisin
bran, delivers more vitamin C than a grapefruit half with a significant boost of
B vitamins and only 107 calories -- no fat

*Running Memorabilia: "Take pride in your running accomplishments! Organize any
newspaper results, finisher's certificates and
finish-line photos into a scrapbook. Leave plenty of space in the back to add to
it. Then take your scrapbook out often for
inspiration and fond trips down memory lane." -Joanna Sayago, RW editorial
intern.


12. Mysteries of cycling...revealed!
Cycling seems like a pretty simple sport. In fact, the simplicity of the machine
is one of its charms. Who can look at a cruiser
with white sidewalls and not get a little nostalgic for a spin around the block?
It must be human nature to start tweaking; adding gears and suspension until the
sport seems complicated. This month's column will
deal with some of what one friend calls the "wuffos," as in, "wuffo you ride
that tiny saddle?"
A sore subject: Saddles
Let's talk saddles. I don’t think there is a cyclist out there who hasn't
considered his or her bike seat. Watch serious riders and
racers and you'll see very small, hard saddles that are lightweight and stiff.
Does this make sense? Your butt hurts when you ride a
bike for very long, so get a smaller harder saddle? Hardly.
That is, in fact, what most people who stick with riding do. Small hard saddles
combined with a good pair of riding shorts are
actually more comfortable in the long run for most cyclists than those big cushy
tractor seats. Giant saddles don’t allow the
natural pressure points – your sit bones -- to get used to riding. They simply
squish up into your soft tissue, leading to numbness
and discomfort.
More...from the Star Tribune at:
http://www.startribune.com/stories/503/4841735.html


13. Sweating the Details on Hydration:
As you strive to ensure that your kids -- and you -- get enough exercise, don't
forget to add water. A study presented to the
American College of Sports Medicine shows that many children in summer sports
camps are dehydrated, despite the availability of
water and sports drinks and encouragement to drink them. The study did not
examine adult hydration habits, but experts' advice on
drinking enough fluids before and during exercise applies equally to kids and
adults.
The study of 34 boys and 24 girls aged 10 to 14 enrolled in four-day soccer
camps found that most of the children were dehydrated by
the second day of camp and that 59 percent of boys and 70 percent of girls were
significantly dehydrated by the last day of camp.
Study author Douglas Casa, director of athletic training education at the
University of Connecticut and a member of Gatorade's board
of advisors, said there is no easy way to say exactly how much each child should
drink to be adequately hydrated.
More...from the Washington Post at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59117-2004Jun21.html


14. Sports Medicine Center Weighs In On Body Fat:
Thanks to a landmark study involving the UW Health Sports Medicine Center,
physicians and coaches can evaluate the effectiveness of
methods widely used to measure body composition and predict the minimum weight
an athlete should maintain.
Using a four-component model that included independent assessment of bone, body
fat, muscle and total body water, 53 Division-I
collegiate athletes were measured, yielding a precise reading that allowed for
the accurate prediction of a minimum weight.
The study was conducted in response to a call by the National Federation of
State High School Associations (NFSHA) mandating that
all states develop a minimum-weight certification program modeled after the one
established by the Wisconsin Interscholastic
Athletic Association (WIAA) in 1993. The findings appear in a recent edition of
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the journal
of the American College of Sports Medicine.
More than just a topic for exercise scientists, the issue of minimum weight
prediction closely affects high school and college
athletes, particularly wrestlers. In recent years, several athletes have died -
including three wrestlers in a span of 33 days in
2003 - after using unsafe weight loss practices in order to compete in a lower
weight class.
More...from UW Health at:
http://www.uwhealth.org/servlet/Satellite?cid=1051054541069&pagename=UWH%2FNews%\
2FNewsDetail&newsId=1087860252434
[Long URL]


15. Calcium connection:
Foods rich in the nutrient might help people shed pounds, but more research is
needed.
With recent trends toward low-fat, then low-carb diets, Americans have come to
view dairy products as high-fat, calorie-rich foods
that have no place in a dieter's kitchen. After all, whole milk, cheese, yogurt
and similar products are naturally packed with fat,
and even some nonfat dairy products, like milk, are high in carbohydrates.
It's best to leave such products for children who need calcium to build bones,
many shoppers and dieters believe.
Now a new diet book, a television advertising campaign endorsed by dietitians
and a growing body of research suggests the opposite:
Calcium products, specifically those found in dairy foods, could help people
lose weight.
The claim may not be as farfetched as it seems: Calcium is a critical nutrient
in cell functions throughout the body. Diets low in
the mineral appear to set off a chain reaction that prompts the body to
metabolize fat less efficiently.
The sooner the public knows about calcium's effect on weight, the better, says
one national expert in calcium metabolism.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-calcium21jun21,1,1475343.story?coll\
=la-headlines-health


16. Preserving a Delicate Balance of Potassium:
Evolution is an excellent teacher when it comes to figuring out what and how
much people should eat.
For example, primates (including those with two legs and big brains) evolved on
foods rich in potassium and very low in sodium.
Early humans evolved to conserve sodium, which was hard to obtain, and to
excrete excess potassium, abundant in many fruits and
vegetables.
But Western-style diets these days are the reverse of what those early humans
consumed, rich in processed foods, loaded with sodium
and relatively poor in potassium. Consequently, according to a report released
this year by the National Academy of Sciences
Institute of Medicine, many people now consume diets deficient in potassium and
high in acid-generating foods like meats and other
animal proteins that further deplete the body's supply of this vital mineral.
According to national diet surveys, the average man in this country consumes
only about two-thirds the recommended amount of
potassium each day, and the average women consumes even less - half of the 4,700
milligrams a day considered to be an adult's
adequate daily intake.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/22/health/22brod.html


17. Bulked-Up Boy Teaches Docs About Muscle Protein:
Doctors are studying a 5-year-old German boy whose upper arms and legs are
almost twice the size of his peers to learn what happens
when the body does not produce a protein that limits muscular development.
The boy, whose mother is a professional athlete in Germany, is far stronger than
other boys his age and lacks the protein, known as
myostatin, doctors reported in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine.
He appears healthy now, but researchers are concerned the child may eventually
develop abnormalities in the heart, which is a
muscle.
The discovery could help doctors find a chemical to increase muscle mass as a
treatment for several medical problems, such as
muscular dystrophy, or the muscle deterioration seen in the elderly and among
people in the advanced stages of cancer.
Products that claim to regulate myostatin, most of them untested, are already
being used by athletes and bodybuilders looking for an
easier way to bulk up, Elizabeth McNally, of the University of Chicago, said in
a Journal commentary.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=GDVQVUXTZRETYCRBAE0CFFA?type\
=healthNews&storyID=5497750
[Long URL]


18. It Hurt Achilles, and Now It's Hurting Me:
THERE was nothing heroic about what happened to my Achilles tendon.
Despite the size and the impressive armature of the knee-high bootlike brace
I've been wearing on my left foot for weeks now, I was
not injured in the course of duty, unless duty includes aging and walking around
in the wrong shoes.
I did not have a basketball injury. I did not train too hard for the marathon. I
did not try to play through the pain.
But here I am, with Achilles tendonitis, or perhaps tendonosis, and a brace that
was apparently issued by the Ministry of Silly
Footwear.
I have a sore tendon with a tender lump in the middle of it. If the boot doesn't
work, I might have to have surgery. I'm sorry I
ever heard of Achilles.
I preferred Menelaus anyway. He wasn't such a prima donna. Achilles spent a good
part of the Trojan War sulking in his tent after
Agamemnon took a woman away from him. He wasn't lovesick. The woman was a prize
of war and it was his pride, not his heart, that was
hurt. He pouted while the other Achaeans died, including his friend Patroclus.
When he finally did emerge to slay Hector, he dragged
the poor Trojan's body behind a chariot for nine days.
Obviously people who complain about the lack of heroes in the modern day have
not read their epic poetry. Achilles' legacy, apart
from serving as a role model for today's (male) professional athletes (sulk,
refuse to play, treat women as prizes), is tendonitis.
The tendon named after him is the biggest tendon in the body and functions as a
shock absorber for the foot during walking and
running. And, like Achilles, this great anatomical cable is sensitive to insult.
It can become inflamed, and worse, if not treated
with the proper respect, can leave the weekend Achaeans lamed and idle.
More...from NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/21/health/menshealth/21GORM.html


19. Feed a Cold!
You can run and you can hide, but a cold sweeping through your office has a way
of catching up to you. Remember the old advice to
feed a cold? Believe it - when you're sick, these foods can help you kick it.
Drink Water
How much? Gulp down at least 6 to 8 glasses of water over the course of the day.
In warm climates, aim for even more.
Why? Water helps your digestion, circulation, excretion and absorption.
Virtually every body process depends on it. Water carries
waste products out of your body and keeps your mucous membranes hydrated - a
must when you're sick. Continuously replacing the water
lost through sweat and elimination will help speed your recovery.
Miavita tip! For an even more potent healing drink, steep equal parts hot and
spicy (horseradish, cayenne or hot pepper) and a
sweetener such as honey or maple syrup in boiling hot water for five minutes.
With help from the hot water, the sweet soothes your
throat while the spice stimulates, decongests and expectorates mucus.
Beware! Extra spicy food, especially if it's not cut with sweets, can irritate a
very sore throat.
Eat Foods Rich in Vitamin C .
More...from Yahoo at:
http://health.yahoo.com/search/miavita?lb=s&p=id%3A38101


20. Not Now Honey, I Have To Train . . . NOT!
Being a parent has to be one of the finer things in life, right? Right! Well
that’s if you’re into kids!!!
I know I’m a funny bugger, but kids are funny too. They come up with the
strangest things, and you just have to laugh. They can also
make you second guess, or change your thinking altogether.
What about when your kids say, “Daddy, I want to go to the park!” just as
you’ve suited up in a ridiculous fluro bike outfit. Are
you gonna go riding, or take the little ankle-biter to the park? Yep, I thought
so . . . off to the park you go, sucker! Me too! I’m
so glad I had kids after my life as a pro triathlete.
Now I’m not saying that you can’t do both, but you need to have a degree in Time
Management to make it easier.
Case in point. Mark Allen, Dave Scott, Scott Tinley and Scott Molina . . . I may
have well said The Big Four, but these guys are all
on the honors list, or should I say their wives!! (I know they are cursing me
right now!) It’s a supporting thing, a role in the
family that has its perks – ‘I work my tail off, you mind the kids,’ - well for
the most part anyway.
More...from IronmanLive.com at:
http://vnews.ironmanlive.com/vnews/topstories/1088012714


21. The Skinny on Phytochemicals
By Her Sports for IronmanLive.com on Mon, Jun 21st 2004 (4:22 PM).
Why you need them and the tastiest ways to get them!
For as long as most of us can remember, we’ve been told to eat our vegetables.
And while we all know fruits and veggies contain high
doses of vitamins and minerals, they’re also rich in super-nutritious
phytochemicals, which bolster the immune system and
dramatically reduce the risk of life-threatening disease.
You may have heard of lycopene, isoflavones and flavinoids, all of which are
phytochemicals. Photochemical is a general term used to
describe more than 1,000 naturally occurring compounds in plants. Plants produce
these compounds to protect themselves from fungi,
bacteria and disease, and when we eat them, we, too, receive a protective
benefit.
Phytochemicals are usually present in plant pigments, so fruits and vegetables
with bright colors (yellow, orange, red, blue, purple
and green) contain the most. To protect your health and prevent disease, choose
five to nine servings of colorful fruits and
vegetables every day. Here’s a look at some of the best:
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels
sprouts contain indoles, sulfaforaphane and thiols, which
may help prevent colon cancer. Peppers, brown rice, licorice, whole wheat,
carrots and green tea may also have cancer-fighting
properties.
More...from IronmanLive.com at:
http://vnews.ironmanlive.com/vnews/topstories/1087852901


22. Misunderstanding of IM Specific Fitness and its Development, Part II of IM
Primer:
Source: Rich Strauss
The fitness systems or components required for success at the IM distance are:
1. Optimal body composition. Why train harder or longer when you can gain
instant fitness with improved body comp?
2. Improved economy (swim technique, pedaling efficiency and bike fit, running
economy). Again, free speed.
3. Endurance, the ability to "go" for a long time. The base for all other
fitness systems.
4. Force, the ability to produce forceful muscle contractions.
5. Muscular Endurance, the ability to sustain these contractions for a long
time. ME = E + F
More...from TriFuel at:
http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon/triathlon_training/000517.php


23. Every breath she takes: asthma hasn't slowed Joanna Zeiger:
Joanna Zeiger needed more than just strength, stamina and determination to win a
berth on the U.S. Triathlon Team that would compete
in Sydney. She also needed several puffs from her inhaler.
For the past seven years, Zeiger, a 30 year old from Maryland who's pursuing her
doctorate degree at Johns Hopkins University, has
battled asthma. But she hasn't let that stop her. She's a world-class triathlete
who's racked up impressive finishes wherever she's
gone, including Hawaii where she's finished in the top 10 in the Ironman World
Championships.
Yet for all of her accomplishments, Zeiger never thought she'd go to the
Olympics. She qualified for the 1992 Olympic trials in
swimming but knew she wasn't at the level she needed to be. She found her niche,
though, in triathlons.
The best part about triathlons, Zeiger says, is the chance to experience new
things: new places, new people, new challenges.
HealthGate's Karen Asp talked with Zeiger to learn how she's managed to compete
at such an elite level with asthma.
More...from HealthGate at:
http://www.uwhealth.org/servlet/Satellite?cid=1058560105908&pagename=UWH%2FHI%2F\
HealthInformationDetail&articleID=1060879679766
[Multi-line URL]


24. Treadmill with care – UU researchers warn:
Unaccustomed strenuous aerobic exercise can be bad for you, according to UU
research.
The news that couch potatoes have been longing to hear comes from a research
project conducted by Dr Gareth Davison and Dr Ciara
Hughes of the School of Applied Medical Sciences and Sports Studies at the
University of Ulster's Jordanstown campus.
The scientists have found that unaccustomed exhaustive aerobic exercise - which
involves taking the heart rate to approximately 85%
of its maximum for more than 10 minutes - releases dangerous free radicals that
can adversely affect normal biological function in
unfit individuals.
The only people who should push their bodies to this level of exercise on a
regular basis are trained athletes, as these individuals
seem to be protected from any adverse effects, according to Dr Davison. Unfit or
individuals who exercise sporadically can cause
serious chemical damage to their bodies.
More...from EurekAlert at:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-05/uou-twc052004.php


25. News Scan:
*Dr. Gabe Mirkin's E-Zine
I read an article that said bicycling weakens bones. Can this be true?
One widely reported study showed that bicycle riders have bones that are less
dense than people who don't exercise at all. A
science writer for a major newspaper made the ridiculous recommendation that
bicycle riders should therefore lift weights to
strengthen their bones, or change sports. Bone density tests do not necessarily
measure bone strength. Birds have unbelievably thin
bones that are extremely strong, and are far more resistant to fractures than
many mammals that have much denser bones.
There is no evidence that bicycle riders or racers are at increased risk for
bone fractures. Racers crash all the time. Lance
Armstrong spends as much time on a bike as anyone, and he has had several high
impact crashes. If he had weak bones, he would be in
a wheelchair, and not be the greatest bicycle racer in the world.

*Local corticosteroid injection in iliotibial band friction syndrome. [From
SportsInjuryClinic.com]
A study in Cape Town, South Africa aimed to establish whether a local injection
is effective in decreasing pain during running in
runners with recent onset (less than two weeks) iliotibial band friction
syndrome (ITBFS).
The pain of eighteen runners was assessed whilst running on a treadmill. Some
were then given an injection of methylprednisolone
acetate (40 mg) and a short acting anaesthetic and the rest were given a placebo
consisting of short acting anaesthetic only.
The same test was repeated after 7 and 14 days. The study concluded that local
corticosteroid infiltration effectively decreases
pain during running in the first two weeks of treatment in patients with recent
onset ITBFS

*Patellofemoral pain syndrome - to what extent is quadriceps atrophy present?
[From SportsInjuryClinic.com]
Quadriceps atrophy is a commonly cited accompaniment to patellofemoral pain
syndrome (PFPS), yet there is little evidence for its
existence. The objective of a study in Manchester was to investigate atrophy and
weakness of the quadriceps femoris muscle group in
patients with PFPS using measures of cross-sectional area and peak extension
torque.
Fifty seven patients and 10 healthy people had their quadriceps femoris muscle
scanned with ultrasound and analyzed The study
concluded the % differences of quadriceps atrophy between limbs was not
significant between groups, however there were significant
differences between the strength (lower limb torque) indicating that muscle
strength may not have been related to muscle size.

*Effect of 20 days bed rest on the properties of tendon structures. [From
SportsInjuryClinic.com]
The purpose of a study in Japan was to examine the effect of 20 days bed rest on
knee extensor tendons and plantar flexor tendons.
Eight healthy men carried out a 6° head-down bed rest for 20 days. Before and
after bed rest, elongation of the tendon and
aponeurosis of vastus lateralis and medial gastrocnemius muscles during
isometric knee extension and plantar flexion, respectively,
were determined using real-time ultrasonic apparatus.
The relationship between estimated muscle force and tendon elongation was fitted
to a linear regression, the slope of which was
defined as stiffness. The study concluded that bed rest decreased the stiffness
of human tendon structures and increased their
hysteresis, and that these changes were found in knee extensors, but not the
plantar flexors.

*What to Drink - and when?
Drinking the right electrolyte beverage, about 30 minutes before exercise, can
improve aerobic performance, according to several
reports from research.*
Consumption of 18-20 oz. of a carbohydrate/protein sports drink with a 4 to 1
ratio of carbohydrate to protein will….
· Reduce dehydration and electrolyte loss
· Initiate the absorption of carbs and protein (amino acids) and reduce the use
of the body’s stores—extending your capacity
· Provide fluid to support your body’s ability to lose heat from exercise.
· Limit muscle damage
· Limit suppression of the immune system
· Speed up recovery afterward
From The Performance Zone by Ivy and Portman. Order today at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1591201489/runnersweb/102-0182896-9006569\
?v=glance&s=books

*Numbers available for the sold-out Twin Cities Marathon
We have a limited number of entries for the October 3rd Twin Cities Marathon.
Contact us today (at
mailto:victoria.seahorn@...) with your fax number so we can send
you an application. Numbers are first come first
served and all applications must be returned by July 5, 2005.

*Are you getting enough vitamin E? According to a report by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture, the answer may be no. The report,
issued last fall, found that Americans are coming up short when it comes to
vitamin E. The antioxidant is credited with boosting
immunity, guarding against cancer and heart disease, and diminishing the effects
of aging, including reducing hot flashes during
menopause and slowing the effects of Alzheimer’s and arthritis, according to a
report from Tufts University. The problem, says the
USDA, is that most Americans are uninformed about how to get vitamin E from food
sources.
The easy answer? Eat a handful of almonds a day, which provides about half the
recommended intake of the form of vitamin E best
absorbed by the body (alpha-tocopherol). Other smart choices include whole grain
breads and leafy green vegetables like spinach and
broccoli.

*Should You Exercise in Air Pollution? - Dr. Gabe Mirkin's E-Zine
It's healthful to exercise and harmful to breathe polluted air. Many people
wonder if they will do more harm than good by
exercising on days when the air is heavily polluted. The worst time for
pollution is when clouds cover the sky and automobiles fill
the roads. Automobile exhaust fumes are the principal source of air pollution in
most cities, and overlying clouds increase
pollution. Usually the sun's rays heat the ground to warm air closest to the
ground. Hot air rises, taking large amounts of
pollutants skyward. On air inversion days, the clouds prevent the
sun's rays from getting through to the ground, so the air near the ground is not
heated, remains colder and doesn't rise, causing
the air with its pollutants to remain close to the ground.
Air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, ozone, carbon dioxide, and sulfur
dioxide can damage your lungs. When you exercise, you
breathe more deeply and more frequently so that you breathe in more pollutants.
However, you don't retain more pollution. Bicycle
riders in rush hour downtown Washington traffic breathe in more carbon monoxide
than car riders do, but have lower blood levels of
carbon monoxide. So keep exercising, but if possible, try to avoid heavily
trafficked streets, and exercise before the heavy
morning traffic peak or at least two hours after the evening rush hour ends.



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

June 26, 2004:
Lafarge Abbotsford International Track Classic - Richmond, BC
http://international.valleyroyals.org/index.htm

June 26-27, 2004:
Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run - Squaw Valley, CA
http://www.ws100.com/

June 27, 2004:
Ironman Coeur d'Alene Triathlon - ID
http://www.ironmancda.com/
IronmanLive
http://vnews.ironmanlive.com/vnews/idaho

Fairfield Half Marathon/5K - Fairfield, CT
http://www.fairfieldhalf.org/ffldhalf/index.html

Ironman France - Gerardmer, France
http://www.ironmanfrance.com/
IronmanLive
http://liveupdate.ironmanlive.com/oldfiles/main.php?rid=226&node=updates&rand=10\
88126383&o=0

New York City Triathlon - NY
http://www.nyctri.com/

July 1, 2004:
Canada Day Races - Kanata, ON
http://www.ncra-ottawa.com/hm/news.php?id=173&parent=&showList=1

HBC's Run for Canada - Ottawa, ON
http://www.hbcrunforcanada.ca/

Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome International - Burnaby, BC
http://www.harryjerome.com/

July 2, 2004:
Golden Gala - Rome, Italy
http://www.goldengala.it/

Main Street Mile - Boise, ID
http://www.americasdowntownmile.com/

July 3-24, 2004:
Tour de France
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/rw_tdf2004.html

July 4, 2004:
Canadian Long-Course Triathlon Championships - Stony Plain, AB
http://www.gwntriathlon.com/

Coronado Independence Day 15K - San Diego, CA
http://www.kathyloperevents.com/

Gold Coast Marathon - Australia
http://www.goldcoastmarathon.com.au/

Peachtree Road Race - Atlanta, GA
http://www.atlantatrackclub.org/

Quelle Challenge Roth Ironman - Roth, Germany
http://www.challenge-roth.com/de/index.php

For more complete race listings check out our Upcoming Races Check the Runner's
Web on Sunday and Monday for race
reports on these events at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running.html

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 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
webmaster@... <mailto:webmaster@...>
http://www.runnersweb.com/running.html