Runner's Web Digest - July 30, 2004

The Original Runner's and Triathlete's Web was founded in January of 1997 as a
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A free pair of our technical socks ($9.99 value) with the purchase of
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Get Fit Running: If you are 150 pounds, sleeping burns 61 calories an
hour, race walking burns 442 calories and running 5mph burns
544 calories an hour! To reach your personal, health, fitness, and
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If you have an accident while running or cycling, do you want your family to be
contacted? Do you want to receive immediate and
proper medical treatment? If so, make this cool item part of your gear -- for
safety and peace of mind. Road ID has created 4
awesome ways for athletes to wear ID: the SHOE, the WRIST, the ANKLE, and the
NECK.
Get your RoadID at:
http://www.roadid.com/?referrer=50

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

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Lloyd's of London Platinum credit card
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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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New This Week:

We have added an Adventure Racing calendar in partnership with ASM.
It is available at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/asm_calendar.html

Our latest column from Carmichael Training Systems
Training: Leaping And Bounding For Speed written by Renee Eastman, Senior Coach;
Manager, Coach Residency Program; Manager, CTS
Performance Lab is available at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/runing/cts_columns.html.


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. Armstrong's Coach Stresses Preparation
2. Gene doping will produce super breed of athletes, claims scientist
New hi-tech methods could be in use at this year's Olympics.
3. How to prevent stiff muscles
4. Vitamin E No Benefit to Heart, Researchers Say
5. Study: Long painkiller use may harm kidneys
One in 10 women show 30 percent decline in kidney function.
6. Stretching Exercises From Running Times
7. From Runner's World
8. Identify Yourself
Joe Henderson's Running Commentary.
9. Women's Running - Ask Candace!
10. e-GEL BY CRANK SPORTS - Electrolytes and Gel in One
11. Sweat the details to avoid dehydration in summer exercise
12. Osteoarthritis Cream Has Short-Term Effect-Report
13. A sound method for healing the heel
Sonic shockwaves are being used to break up diseased tissue and get people with
chronic plantar fasciitis on their feet again
14. Foot Injuries Rise Among Top Athletes
15. Texas Triathlon Camp, Part IV - Joe Friel - Periodization
16. Beating the Heat: Preventing Heat Exhaustion
17. Energy bars and gels: could they give you an extra edge?
18. Running: the difference between 'style' and proper technique
19. Stanford Swimmers' Patches Tested:
20. News Scan


Runner's Web Weekly Poll:
This week's poll is: "Rate Lance Armstrong's six, consecutive wins at the Tour
de France."

Cast your vote at: http://www.runnersweb.com/running.html
Post your views in our Forum at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/runnersweb_forum.html
[Free Registration Required]

The previous poll was: "Which are your favourite places to run?"
The results at publication time were:
Answers Votes Percent
1. Cross-country 21 17%
2. Indoor track 7 6%
3. Outdoor track 11 9%
4. Road 40 32%
5. Trail 45 36%
6. Treadmill 1 1%
Total Votes: 125

You can access the poll from our FrontPage as well as voting on and/or checking
the results of previous polls.

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Five Star Site of the Week: NYC2012 Redesigned Website.
NYC2012, a 501(c)(3) organization, has pledged to bring the Olympic Games to New
York City without relying on public funds. New
York's bid is being entirely financed by private contributions from
corporations, unions, individuals and foundations. This report
combines contributions to both the U.S. Candidate City phase (which ended in
November 2002) and the international bid phase, which
will end with the IOC selection in July 2005.
Visit the site at:
http://www.nyc2012.com/

Send us your suggestions for our Five Star site. Please check our list of
previous Five Star Sites available from the Five Star
Window under the link "Previous Five Star Sites" as we do not wish to repeat a
site unless it has undergone a major redesign.


If you feel you have something to say that is worthy of a Guest Column on the
Runner's Web, email us at
mailto:webmaster@... or leave your comments in one of our Forums at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/forum.html or from our FrontPage.

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

Book of the Week: Genetically Modified Athletes: The Ethical Implications of
Genetic Technologies in Sport (Ethics and Sport).
Contentiously, Dr Miah's book, Genetically Modified Athletes, argues that gene
doping could be a good thing for the future of sport.
"This is something that could be very positive for sport," said Dr Miah, one of
the country's leading bioethicists, with positions
at Glasgow and Paisley universities. "The idea of a naturally perfect athlete is
romantic nonsense. An athlete achieves what he or
she achieves through all sorts of means - technology, sponsorship, support and
so on. Utilising genetic modification is merely a
continuation of the way sport works; it allows us to create more extraordinary
performances."
Buy the book at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0415298806/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. Armstrong's Coach Stresses Preparation
To be a great champion you have to be versatile. Superior strength in just one
area of your sport limits your potential. It's not
enough to only excel in perfect conditions; you have to be able to attack in any
situation, at any moment.
In winning the 2004 Tour de France, Armstrong becomes the only man ever to win
the race six times. He has dominated the race since
1999, but this year may have been the most enjoyable of them all. Years ago, on
the morning of the first mountain stage in the 1999
Tour de France, Lance was in the yellow jersey and terrified he would lose it.
Six Tours later, experience and maturity provided
confidence in his abilities, his teammates, and his capacity to handle any
situation that arose.
Arriving at the Tour in great physical condition also gave Armstrong more
tactical freedom throughout the race. He was powerful on
flat roads, could sustain a high pace on climbs, could accelerate to attack on
any terrain, and he could even sprint. What's more,
he had the strongest team in the race, able to support his efforts at all times.
Without any weaknesses, Lance and the U.S. Postal
Service squad seized the opportunity to attack or put pressure on rivals
throughout the race:
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/sports/other/wire/sns-ap-cyc-tour-armstrong-coach,1,49386\
99.story?coll=sns-ap-othersports-headlines
[Long URL]


2. Gene doping will produce super breed of athletes, claims scientist:
New hi-tech methods could be in use at this year's Olympics.
A new generation of "genetically modified" athletes, whose performance has been
improved by the injection of undetectable foreign
DNA, could be competing at next month's Olympics, according to a controversial
new book published this week.
Dr Andy Miah, a leading British scientist, argues that "gene doping" is no
longer a theory but has now become a practical reality,
paving the way for a new wave of Olympic cheats. He claimed that athletes had
already made contact with scientists at the forefront
of GM research and even predicted that the eight-second 100 metres could be
achievable within a few years.
"The issue of gene doping has been debated for the last two years or so. The
question has always been: 'is it now, or is it in the
future?'", said Dr Miah. "We know that scientists have been approached by
unnamed athletes. Without a doubt, it is possible that
there could be a genetically modified athlete at the Olympic Games this year."
Dr Miah's allegations will cast yet another unwelcome shadow over preparations
for the 28th modern Olympics, which begin on 14
August. Organisers, athletes and fans were shocked yesterday by claims that
Marion Jones took drugs to enhance her performance at
the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, at which she won three gold medals. Ms Jones is one
of 27 international athletes being investigated for
using the previously undetectable steroid THG.
Gene doping - also an undetectable process at present - was considered by most
experts to be a hypothetical threat. Many believed it
would not register on the Olympic radar until the 2008 games in Beijing. As a
result, Dr Miah's claims will cause the International
Olympic Committee serious concern.
The gene doping process - placed on the list of banned substances and methods by
the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) last
year - involves the transfer of extra genes into the body to build up key areas
such as muscle, tissue or red blood cells. This is
usually done by injecting, or sometimes inhaling, the necessary DNA, usually
"encapsulated" in a virus.
Contentiously, Dr Miah's book, Genetically Modified Athletes, argues that gene
doping could be a good thing for the future of sport.
"This is something that could be very positive for sport," said Dr Miah, one of
the country's leading bioethicists, with positions
at Glasgow and Paisley universities. "The idea of a naturally perfect athlete is
romantic nonsense. An athlete achieves what he or
she achieves through all sorts of means - technology, sponsorship, support and
so on. Utilising genetic modification is merely a
continuation of the way sport works; it allows us to create more extraordinary
performances."
More...from the Independent at:
http://sport.independent.co.uk/olympics/story.jsp?story=544472
Buy the book at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0415298806/runnersweb/102-0182896-9006569\
?v=glance&s=books


3. How to prevent stiff muscles:
Why do you suffer from stiff muscles after a triathlon race and how can you
prevent it (or try and prevent it)?
Haven’t we all experienced that terrible uncomfortable feeling of stiff muscles
that are so sore that you can hardly walk properly?
Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is that feeling of muscle discomfort
that sets in 24 to 48 hours after unaccustomed or
particular severe exercise. The likely cause of the muscle soreness is damage to
the muscle cell, particular of the connective
(supportive) tissue and the contractile proteins.
Muscle cell damage is associated with the leakage of a moderate amount of cell
enzymes into the bloodstream with the peak enzyme
leakage occurring at the time of peak muscle soreness, that is 24 to 48 hours
after exercise (Noakes 1987).
DOMS is mainly caused by the excessive eccentric contractions of the muscle
cells. Downhill running is an example of eccentric
exercise, where the quadriceps muscle (thigh muscle) contracts eccentrically.
The opposite of eccentric contraction is concentric
contraction.
Running uphill is an example of concentric contraction of the quadriceps muscle.
Concentric contraction will not cause DOMS, but
will make you tired. Eccentric contraction causes DOMS because your muscles are
stretched out while contracting. DOMS are likely to
occur after a hilly run and the longer the run the more the more damage the
damage, especially if there are very steep downhills in
the run.
More...from World of Endurance at:
http://worldofendurance.com/triathlon/training_column.asp?a_id=38661&st_name=Ach\
ievingPersonalBest



4. Vitamin E No Benefit to Heart, Researchers Say:
Taking Vitamin E supplements does not ward off heart disease and may even
mislead people into thinking they do not need to take
drugs of proven value or adopt a healthier lifestyle, a study said on Monday.
Summarizing the findings of seven studies conducted since 1990, the report
published in The Archives of Internal Medicine concluded
that people who took Vitamin E supplements did not protect themselves against
cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin E in the diet is a so-called antioxidant and is thought to help prevent
cholesterol from clogging arteries, said lead author
Rachel Eidelman of the Agatston Research Institute in Miami Beach, Florida. But
taking Vitamin E in supplement form did not appear
to provide the same benefit, she said.
The report warned that some people may take Vitamin E pills in lieu of adopting
healthier habits. They may also skip taking drugs of
proven benefit in combating heart disease such as aspirin, statins and
beta-blockers.
From Reuters.com


5. Study: Long painkiller use may harm kidneys:
One in 10 women show 30 percent decline in kidney function.
Long-term, habitual use of the painkiller acetaminophen may cause a decline in
kidney function in some people, a study of
middle-aged women said on Monday.
Overall, one in 10 of the 1,700 women studied over 11 years experienced a 30
percent decline in their kidney's filtration function.
Acetaminophen, which is sold under the brand name Tylenol by a subsidiary of
Johnson & Johnson and also marketed generically, was
alone among commonly used painkillers to show an association with kidney
impairment.
"Our findings should not prompt people to discontinue using acetaminophen," said
study author Gary Curhan of Brigham and Women's
Hospital in Boston.
"Instead, this study suggests a need for the medical community to consider
alternative pain therapies that may help patients avoid
long-term dependence on these drugs until we clearly understand the potential
side effects.
More...from CNN at:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/07/26/painkiller.reut/index.html


6. Stretching Exercises From Running Times:
Below are 8 active isolated stretches from the father/son team of Jim and Phil
Wharton. The underlying theory behind A.I. is that if
a muscle is stretched too far, too fast, or for too long, it elicits a
protective action known as the myotatic reflex, causing it to
automatically and ballistically recoil in an attempt to prevent the muscle from
tearing. This occurs about three seconds into a
stretch.
Therefore, A.I. practitioners hold a stretch for only a second or two, before
the myotatic reflex kicks in, then relax and repeat 10
times. Using this technique, the muscles exhibit a greater range of motion over
the course of each set of stretching repeats.
The other key to A.I. is to contract the opposing muscles to allow the target
muscle to relax. For example, when stretching the
hamstrings, the quadriceps muscles on the front of the leg are contracted,
relaxing the hamstrings and making them more susceptible
to stretching. A runner would lie on his back, lift his leg by using the muscles
on the front of the leg, then stretch the hamstring
by lightly pulling the leg back to the point of tightness for two seconds, then
releasing.
This brings up the "assisted" aspect of A.I. The muscle is coaxed through its
last few degrees of motion either by a partner, or
more commonly, by the use of an eight-foot length of rope that is wrapped around
the foot or leg in various ways depending on the
direction of the stretch.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/issues/04sep/stretches.htm


7. From Runner's World:
* Coach's Corner
Increase Training Safely: "To gradually increase distance and intensity,
increase the length of your long run by a mile or two a
week and enter some road races to practice race speed." -Benji Durden
* Injury Prevention
Some options for calming stomach discomfort on the run: Take a breather and walk
for a while. Sit on a bench or on the ground for a
minute. A little bit of food can also help when nausea strikes.

*Performance Nutrition
Drink Your Java: Research out of Switzerland suggests that coffee contains a
significant amount of health-promoting antioxidants.
The study pitted coffee against green tea, which many researchers have touted
for its antioxidant content. Turns out that coffee has
four times the amount of health-boosting antioxidants as green tea.

* Dog Days Of Summer
Beating the heat during summer running goes beyond drinking enough water.
Protein-rich foods in small quantities, such as dishes
made with eggs, help combat the loss of appetite that results from a slightly
increased body temperature in hot weather. Runner's
World Nutrition Editor Liz Applegate recommends eating as many appetizing cold
foods as possible. Applegate cautions to keep fluid
intake at 4 ounces of water or sports drink for every 15 to 20 minutes you are
outside

*Editor's Advice
"Stay on Course: It's corny, but it's true: Knowledge is power. Before a race,
get to know the course if you don't already. Run
part of it as a warm-up, drive it in your car, or ask a few race veterans to
describe it for you in detail. Knowing what's in store
can help calm your nerves." -Warren Greene, RW Gear Editor



8. Identify Yourself:
Joe Henderson's Running Commentary.
(rerun from July 1999 RC)
Her name was Victoria Place, but no one knew it at the accident scene or later
at the hospital. She was running near her Des Moines,
Iowa, home when a car struck her as she crossed a street.
The woman flipped into the air, landed on her head and was hurt too badly to
identify herself. She'd been running alone, and none of
the runners who arrived after the accident knew her. She carried no
identification.
Steve Bobenhouse, who owns the Fitness Sports store in Des Moines, said later,
"The second tragedy of the situation was that
relatives could not be notified for five hours. A picture of her from the scene
of the accident had to be broadcast over the TV
before she could be identified."
Meanwhile doctors had treated her without knowing who she was and what her
medical history or possible reactions to medication might
have been. The story ended well, with Victoria surviving her injuries and
leading runners in her community to rethink the common
practice of training in complete anonymity.
"How about an article on how many people run without carrying identification
with them?" said Bobenhouse, whose store serves more
runners than any other in his state. "I know that I did it for 20 years."
I plead guilty too. My running extends back even longer than Steve's, and the
only times I'd ever identified myself was with by
wearing a race number. I was lucky never to have needed more than that.
Not wanting to dwell on an incapacitating injury or illness occurring during a
run, I did nothing to prepare for this possibility --
remote as it might be. I nearly always ran only with my dog, unknown to anyone
who might pass.
The dog carried an identifying tag, but I wore none. (He once disappeared
without wearing his license tag, and served a short but
miserable sentence in the pound as a "John Dog" before we tracked him down.)
Imagine having an official trying to learn your name,
address and phone number by calling Animal Control.
More...from Joe Henderson at:
http://www.joehenderson.com/archive/454.html
If you have an accident while running or cycling, do you want your family to be
contacted? Do you want to receive immediate and
proper medical treatment? If so, make this cool item part of your gear -- for
safety and peace of mind. Road ID has created 4
awesome ways for athletes to wear ID: the SHOE, the WRIST, the ANKLE, and the
NECK.
Get your RoadID at:
http://www.roadid.com/?referrer=50



9. Women's Running - Ask Candace!
This page of the Running Times Women's Section gives you the chance to ask
questions that are particularly relevant to running
women. Yes, many of the questions you will see on this page in the coming months
may also apply to men, and yes, women regularly do
the same workouts as men and run in races with men, but there are differences in
physiology between men and women, and sometimes
women just have different concerns than men. So our goal here is to give women a
chance to ask questions that are on their minds,
and to give men with a running woman in their lives the chance to ask questions
on their behalf.
Who Is Candace, and Why Should I Listen to Her?
Candace is the Running Times Editorial Director, and has nearly 20 years of
running experience. She has run hundreds of road races,
numerous marathons, and pounded out countless miles on the roads and trails of
her Maine home. She is an experienced motivational
speaker, running camp counselor, and loves to say that she is "Running Times'
representative of the middle.. middle-aged, middle of
the pack and mid-course (that's the part of a missile's flight between burnout
and reentry, during which corrective maneuvers are
made)." She is very excited to be taking on the task of answering your
running-related questions.
How Does It Work?
Each week Running Times Editorial Director Candace Karu will select one or two
of your questions to answer, and the responses will
be posted right here. (We regret that due to time constraints Candace will not
be able to answer every question we receive.) We will
do our best to select a range of questions on a broad spectrum of topics. We
will then keep all the questions available on the site,
so that other women can use this as a great resource on running!
How Do I Send in a Question?
Click here:
http://www.runningtimes.com/askcandace/askcandace.htm#question
This Week's Question:
I’ve just had a baby and will soon begin running with my son in a baby jogger.
Has there been any indication that training with a
baby jogger either improves fitness (because you are having to push the weight
of child and stroller), or causes an increase in
likelihood of injury?
The Answer from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/askcandace/askcandace.htm


10. e-GEL BY CRANK SPORTS - Electrolytes and Gel in One:
I remember when energy gels first hit the market in the mid '90s. The company
that got the big head start was "Gu" and for awhile
people would just ask for Gu and we assumed they were talking about gels.
Very few companies get so lucky to have their brand name become the product
name. Today, for instance, people still refer to inline
skates as Rollerblades, facial tissue as Kleenex and soft drinks as coke.
Unfortunately for Gu, a wave of competitors soon flooded the market and choosing
an energy gel became more confusing than sorting
through the vitamins and supplements shelf at your local health food store.
What's the difference? What do I actually need? Which tastes better? Will it
upset my stomach? The questions are endless.
But one area all gels were missing the boat was on electrolyte supplementation.
As more and more research showed that electrolytes
were a key factor for endurance performance, Mike Mathewson recognized the need
and created e-Gel in January 2002 under his company,
Crank Sports.
Before e-Gel, many endurance athletes were carrying electrolyte tablets in old
film containers and supplementing at different stages
of their training or racing. With e-Gel all the hassle of carrying extra tablets
or products goes away.
More...from Active Sports at:
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=11112&sidebar=633&category=gearguide


11. Sweat the details to avoid dehydration in summer exercise:
It's mid-July and summer's heat and humidity have finally arrived at your
doorstep, like an unwelcome relative you reluctantly want
to see and now can't get rid of.
Heat and humidity can turn moderate summer workouts into miserable ones.
Overheated muscles, profuse sweating, warm temperatures and
high humidity can combine to cause serious physiological problems.
The August 2004 issue of Runner's World Magazine features a timely hot-weather
article by Scott Douglas headed "Don't Sweat It,"
which offers several tips on how to handle the summer heat.
"It's the humidity that's the culprit," said Tina Schmidt- McNulty, clinical
exercise specialist at Purdue University Calumet's
Fitness Center. "Dehydration is the problem. The longer you exercise in the heat
and humidity, the more water and electrolytes you
lose. After an hour or so of fluid and electrolyte losses, dehydration will
significantly impair your motor performance."
More...from Active.com at:
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=11109&sidebar=575&category=keep_fit


12. Osteoarthritis Cream Has Short-Term Effect-Report:
Painkiller creams and gels can relieve the suffering of osteoarthritis, but
their effect only lasts about two weeks, researchers
said on Friday.
In an analysis of 13 trials of painkillers known as non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), scientists at the University of
Nottingham in England found that topical solutions were no better than a placebo
after 14 days.
Aspirin and ibuprofen are common examples of NSAIDS.
"No evidence supports the long-term use of topical NSAIDs in osteoarthritis,"
Weiya Zhang, an epidemiologist and expert on muscle
diseases, said in a report published online by the British Medical Journal.
Guidelines in the United States and Europe recommend topical NSAIDs as an
effective treatment for the degenerative joint disease,
but Zhang and his colleagues said the recommendations needed to be revised.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and a major cause of
disability in elderly people.
Worldwide nearly 10 percent of men and 18 percent of women over 60 years old
have symptoms of the illness that can affect the knees,
hips, fingers and lower spine region, according to the World Health
Organization.
Oral NSAIDs were more effective than the topical creams or gels in head-to-head
studies, but they can cause ulcers and dangerous
stomach bleeding.
From Reuters.com.



13. A sound method for healing the heel:
Sonic shockwaves are being used to break up diseased tissue and get people with
chronic plantar fasciitis on their feet again.
Jamie Zimmerman suffered with excruciating foot pain for almost 10 years before
he discovered a treatment for plantar fasciitis that
uses ''tiny sonic explosions'' to break up diseased tissue in the heel and
stimulate the growth of healthy cells.
The 36-year-old volunteer firefighter was diagnosed with the condition -- an
inflammation of the plantar fascia ligament at the
bottom of the heel that can lead to chronic heel pain -- in his mid-20s.
"I went to podiatrist after podiatrist and wore orthotics but it didn't take the
pain away. The pain was so bad in the morning, I
couldn't even stand up. I'd just fall right to the floor," said Mr. Zimmerman.
Sheldon Nadal, a Toronto podiatrist who treated Mr. Zimmerman with
extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) in March, 2002, said his
patient noticed an 80-per-cent improvement in the first two months.
After a second treatment on his left foot, the pain disappeared completely.
"It changed my life. I started to play golf and baseball again," said the
185-pound Mr. Zimmerman, who lost 70 pounds after two of
the non-invasive treatments.
More...from the Globe and Mail at:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040730.wxhfoot30/BNStory/sp\
ecialScienceandHealth/


14. Foot Injuries Rise Among Top Athletes:
FRIDAY, July 30 (HealthDayNews) -- More elite athletes are suffering serious
foot injuries, claims a study presented July 30 at the
annual summer meeting of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society in
Seattle.
These include potentially career-ending Lisfranc (midfoot) injuries, which are
often misdiagnosed as sprains. Lisfranc injury refers
to the rupture of a key ligament connecting the midfoot to the forefoot. In many
cases, aggressive surgical repair is needed for
athletes to return to their sports, the study found.
"Injuries of the foot are increasing among elite athletes while all other
injuries are decreasing," senior author Dr. Robert
Anderson said in a prepared statement.
"Lisfranc injuries in particular are a concern because they are often
misdiagnosed as sprains. Physicians need to be aware that any
midfoot injury is potentially serious and aggressive treatment may be needed,"
Anderson said.
He said three factors are responsible for the increase in foot injuries among
elite athletes. These athletes are physically
stronger, bigger, and faster than previous generations of athletes. That means
their feet have to cope with increased forces.
Elite athletes also now wear lighter weight shoes to help them run faster, and
changes in playing surfaces are another factor.
More information
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has more about Lisfranc (midfoot)
injuries (orthoinfo.aaos.org ).
-- Robert Preidt
Copyright © 2004 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.
From HealthCentral at:
http://www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=520325


15. Texas Triathlon Camp, Part IV - Joe Friel - Periodization:
by Terry Beopple
*Note, all material taken directly from notes taken, no material is reproduced.
If you get periodization right and understand it and its purpose, everything
else about a training plan will fall right into place.
There are three basic skills the triathletes seek to train and develop:
1. Endurance – the most important
Type of Workout – Long, slow distances
Benefiting Systems – Heart, Lungs, Blood
Intensity Level – HR zone 1, RPE 2-3
Examples – a long, slow easy bike ride, or run, or swim
2. Force (Strength)
Type of Workout – Resistance (gravity, drag)
Benefiting Systems – Muscle
Intensity Level – HR zone 4, RPE 5-6
Examples – weight training, hills, paddles, drag device
3. Speed Skills – how fast you are moving your body parts
Type of Workout – Short repeats emphasizing form
Benefiting Systems – Nervous system
Intensity Level – pace and power are important, not HR or RPE
Examples – Stride outs (run), Isolated Leg Training (bike), Swim Drills.
More...from Beginner Triathlete at:
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/Misc/TerryBeopple/texas_triathlon_camp_partIV.\
htm


16. Beating the Heat: Preventing Heat Exhaustion:
Blue skies and brilliant sunshine lure exercisers outdoors like a Porsche
attracts speeding tickets. Just throw on shorts and a
T-shirt and go. But if you don't pay attention to your body's reaction to the
heat and humidity, a heat-related injury can quickly
put an end to your fun, and lead to more serious problems. Fortunately,
heat-related illnesses are easy to prevent, and if caught
early, simple to treat.
Dr. Robert Karch, director of the National Center for Health and Fitness at
American University in Washington D.C., likens the
body's cooling system to that of a car. As your car engine produces heat,
coolant carries the heat to the radiator, where it
dissipates into the surrounding environment. Without the coolant, the radiator
can't do its job, the engine overheats and breaks
down.
Your body works the same way as a car engine. When you exercise, your muscles
(the engine) produce heat. Skin is your radiator, and
water--in the form of sweat--is your coolant. Sweat carries the heat from your
body's core to your skin, where it dissipates. If the
system breaks down, you will overheat and eventually, break down.
More...from UW Health at:
http://www.uwhealth.org/servlet/Satellite?cid=1058560105908&pagename=UWH%2FHI%2F\
HealthInformationDetail&articleID=1060879682812
[Multi-line URL]


17. Energy bars and gels: could they give you an extra edge?
They pass them out at races, your training partner swears by them, and the
shelves in the sports store are stocked with them: energy
bars and energy gels in every flavor from vanilla bean and peanut butter to
tropical fruit and carrot cake. Among all the products
promising to deliver that extra boost to your workout, how do you know which one
to choose? Or when to opt for a bagel or a piece of
fruit instead? At $1.00 or more a pop, you don't want to waste your money on
something that tastes like fruit-flavored cardboard, or
will sit in your stomach like a three-day old donut. Here's a run down on the
basics that may help you decide which food is best for
you.
The case for carbs
The key to a good workout is to stay fueled and hydrated. Your specific needs
and strategy will depend on how long you exercise.
Eating about three hours before a workout is recommended for all athletes. "For
workouts that last 60 minutes or less, water—four to
12 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes—is all you need," explains Liz Applegate,
Ph.D., R.D., nutrition columnist for Runner's World
magazine, but if you plan to be sweating it out for 60 minutes or longer, you'll
need to replace energy as well.
Here's why: As you exercise, your muscles draw on carbohydrates in the blood
(called glucose or blood sugar), and stored
carbohydrates (called glycogen) to provide energy. After about an hour or so,
the blood sugar is low and the storage level is
depleted. This is when some athletes experience the "bonk"—an overwhelming
feeling of light-headedness, weakness, and extreme
exhaustion that can leave you breathless and struggling to continue. Applegate
recommends consuming carbohydrates—about 15 to 25
grams per half hour—to provide muscles with a steady supply of energy and stave
off the bonk. This is where the sports foods come
in.
More...from UW Health at:
http://www.uwhealth.org/servlet/Satellite?cid=1058560105908&pagename=UWH%2FHI%2F\
HealthInformationDetail&articleID=1060879677495
[Multi-line URL]


18. Running: the difference between 'style' and proper technique:
Some runners have a smooth style, others are awkward. Some hit the ground hard,
others have a very soft landing. Some runners are
economical, others waste energy. Some lift their knees high, others shuffle.
Some runners lean forward, others run upright.
You can find runners with all these different characteristics in the same race,
but which is the best "form" is usually decided by
who wins. We tend to copy winners, and as a result ignore what could be a more
effective technique for each individual.
It is simple to say everyone has their own pace and runs their own style. To
some extent, this is true. Your body can decide what
"feels best." However, this may not always be the best technique for speed. The
reason is that you are not born with correct running
technique, it must be learned.
The basics
Runners are often discussed in terms of their style. Style is an individual
characteristic, and should not be used as a measure of
how well you run.
More...from Active.com at:
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=11111&sidebar=13&category=running


19. Stanford Swimmers' Patches Tested:
"Energy enhancing" patches used by swimmers at the Olympic trials earlier this
month will be sent to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for
testing amid concerns the patches contain testosterone.
The president of the company that makes the LifeWave Energy Enhancer called the
accusation ridiculous and said the patch contains
only amino acids and water-based solutions.
"I can understand why coaches or athletes would have questions, because this
technology is very new, very different," David Schmidt
told the San Francisco Chronicle. "I think it's a very good thing for sports.
It's a way for athletes to improve their performance
and not endanger their health."
More...from kron4 News at:
http://www.kron4.com/Global/story.asp?S=2112175


20. News Scan:
* Women and injuries
Female athletes, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, are eight
times more likely than men to suffer sports injuries
such as stress fractures and knee and ankle injuries. Dr. Gloria Cohen, a
Connecticut specialist in sports medicine, as well as a
competitive runner and biker, has tips for women, including:
Know where you are vulnerable. The most common overuse injuries in women are the
knees and hips. Sports-related stress fractures are
most frequent in the shins, knees and pelvis.
When starting any routine, be mindful of doing too much too soon.
Weight train. Studies suggest that female athletes who lift weights as part of
their training regimen have lower injury rates than
those who don't pump iron.
If you rely on lattes for your dairy, order decaf. Caffeine can deplete the body
of calcium.
Wear the best possible sneakers you can afford.
Source: The Stamford (Conn.) Advocate

* Health Tip: Feeling Sluggish?
A poor diet may be to blame
(HealthDayNews) -- If you often feel tired and unable to concentrate, it may be
due to your diet.
If you're always gobbling down foods such as muffins, pizza, french fries and
donuts, you may not be getting the vitamins and
minerals needed to fuel your brain, says the University of Toronto Health
Services.
Foods that help keep you alert include fruits and vegetables, fish, and grains
such as breads, cereal, pasta, rice and barley

*Back problems? Try this knees-to-chest stretch
Back problems? Try this knees-to-chest stretch
If you have a sensitive back, the best way for you to stretch is by doing
flexibility moves on the floor. With these two moves, your
back is completely supported while you concentrate on stretching your legs and
hip muscles. This is also a comfortable way for you
to release tight lower back and groin muscles. Do these moves any time you feel
stiff.
1 Lie on your back with your legs straight out in front of you. You can place a
small, folded towel under your head for comfort.
Bend your right knee in toward your chest, holding the middle of your shin bone
with both hands. (If you feel pressure on your knee,
hold the area behind your knee on the thigh.) Keep your left leg straight with
your knee and toes pointed up to the ceiling. Hold
this position for 20 seconds, and relax your back, legs and hips while you
breathe evenly. Repeat on the other side.
2 Bend both knees in to your chest, holding the middle of your shins with both
hands. (If you are less limber, hold the area behind
your knees on the back of the thighs.) Squeeze your knees in toward your chest
while your head and shoulders remain on the floor.
Hold for 20 seconds, breathing evenly.
— Karen Voight, LA Times



Ongoing Events:
None

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

July 31, 2004:
River to Sea Relay - Jersey City, N.J.
http://www.oymp.net/r2c/welcometor2c.htm

Kilauea Volcano Wilderness Runs - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, HI
http://www.volcanoartcenter.org/cgi-bin/vac?!6dbqtfraujfOI9b6nMapK43stiEBnjaOnjn\
b0Cv5FrbafbfTN4mFmad6eCezvrbnTonFn6acm5nrrr71vo3nrSn
Anee8m90r0dv98mbbafERNGrOn0CurOjYle20
[Multi-line URL]

White River 50 Mile Trail Run - Crystal Mountain, WA
http://www.seattlerunningcompany.com/WR50

July 31 - August 1, 2004:
Caledon Continental Cup Triathlon - Caledon, ON
http://www.c3online.ca

August 1, 2004:
Chicago Distance Classic - Chicago, IL
http://www.chicagodistanceclassic.com

Deep River Triathlon - ON
http://town.deepriver.on.ca/Triathlon_new/index.htm

K-Town triathlon - Kingston, ON
http://www.ktowntri.com

London Triathlon - London, England
http://www.thelondontriathlon.com

Nike Run Hit Wonder 5K/10K - Portland, OR
http://www.nike.com/nikerunning/runhitwonder/main.jhtml?ref=nike_running_usa

San Francisco Chronicle Marathon - CA
http://www.chroniclemarathon.com

Tiszaujvaros ITU World Cup - Hungary
http://www.triathlon.org/world-cup/wcup2004/tiszaujvaros-2004/index.htm

Whirlpool Steelhead Triathlon - Benton Harbor, MI
http://www.steelheadtriathlon.com

Television - CBC
AUG. 1, 2004 2 - 3 AM EDT (Set your VCR)
IAAF World Junior Championships - Coverage from Grosseto, Italy


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 FrontPage and 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
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