Runner's Web Digest - September 10, 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
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The Runner's Web Digest is a weekly e-zine dealing with the sports of running
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New This Week:

To comment on any stories in the Digest visit our Forum at:
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Our latest column from Carmichael Training Systems
Cycling Tactics for Draft-Legal Triathlons by Chris Carmichael, CTS Founder, 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. Ending Training May Protect Athletes' Hearts
Taking a Break From Intensive Training May Prevent Sudden Cardiac Death.
2. Lactic Acid: Understanding the "Burn" During Exercise
3. Not Here to Compete? Stay Home
4. Learning from your losses
5. Making Better Muscles
6. Atkins dieters so bored they lose weight
7. Behind the organic label
As the industry grows, skeptics are challenging the health claims.
8. “Thinking” shoes adjust for comfort
9. From Runner's World
10. Side Stitches - Causes, Prevention and Treatment
11. Running Commentary - Meb's Medal
12. Organized practice good for marathon
13. Older Runners Improve Performance Faster
Study Finds Runners Over Age 50 Improve Their Performance More Quickly Than
Younger Runners.
14. 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)?
15. The role of protein in exercise recovery
16. Peanut butter can be a healthy part of your diet
17. Sunscreen: the accessory of a performing triathlete
18. Running Workout Descriptions
19. Ten reasons to keep a training diary
20. A Little Phys Ed Goes a Long Way
21. Tired all the time?
Tiredness seems to be a modern plague. Should we all be getting more sleep? Or
are the causes more complex than that?
22. From Running Times
23. Gatorade Sports Science Institute Statement on New Sports Drink Research
Regarding Protein During Exercise
24. Running down adversity
At just 25 years old, Erica Bowen woke up crippled in a hospital bed.
25. News Scan


Runner's Web Weekly Poll:
This week's poll is: "Which of the following services do you use on a regular
basis:
1.Chiropractor
2. Massage
3. Physio
4. Podiatrist
5. Sports doctor"

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

The previous poll was: "Do you think it was wise for Paula Radcliffe to have
started the Olympic 10K after not being able to finish
the marathon?"
The answers at publication time were:
Answers Votes Percent
1. No 62 68%
2. Yes 24 26%
3. No opinion 5 5%
Total Votes: 91

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: TerezaMacel.com.
Tereza Macel is a Czech born triathlete. She came to Canada at the age of nine
and got a bit of a late start in the pool at the age
of 12. Tereza missed every one of her pace times for the first two years! Not
being one to give up she pushed on. This determination
allowed Tereza to continue her swim career at the University of Waterloo where
she obtained a Bachelor degree in Honours Biology.
During this time Tereza represented her institution at CIAU Championships and
graduated as an Academic All Canadian.
It was at school where Tereza’s friend, and now national level cyclist, Amy
Jarvis introduced her to the sport of triathlon. While
finding great enjoyment early on Tereza spent the next 2.5 years plagued with
bad luck in the form of multiple stress fractures, a
chronic bout of hip bursitis, and a car accident, which put her on the side
lines. Questioning whether to continue on, Tereza gave
it another shot. Starting from square one Tereza’s run workouts consisted of
alternating walking with one minute intervals of
jogging. With the support of a couple of very good friends at Runner’s Choice
Waterloo (Jeff Todd) and Saucony (JV and Patty
Simpson), medical help from Doug "the Organ Grinder" Chase, Tracey Keough and
Gary Lapinski, Tereza was able to finally show she had
it in her for the year 2000, recording several wins, two top ten World Cup
finishes, all in a year which saw her crowned as the new
Canadian National Champion.
Visit her site at:
http://www.terezamacel.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
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If you feel you have something to say that is worthy of a Guest Column on the
Runner's Web, email us at
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Our Photo Slideshow is updated on a random basis. Check it out from our
FrontPage.

Book of the Week: Daniels' Running Formula-2nd Edition.
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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. Ending Training May Protect Athletes' Hearts:
Taking a Break From Intensive Training May Prevent Sudden Cardiac Death.
Taking a break from intensive training may help doctors determine which athletes
who suffer from irregular heartbeats may be at risk
for potentially dangerous irregularities and sudden cardiac death, according to
a new study.
Competitive athletes with a serious structural heart condition known as
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, in which the left main chamber
of the heart is enlarged, are more than twice as likely to suffer sudden death
as non-athletes. These episodes of sudden death are
sometimes the result of irregular heartbeats. As a result, athletes with this
condition are often advised to stop intensive
training.
But sometimes an irregular heartbeat can be caused by a harmless condition known
as "athletes heart," in which the heart becomes
enlarged in response to intense, chronic physical training. These irregular
rhythms are often harmless, but when they occur very
often or repetitively, they can be more serious.
In this study, a team of Italian and American researchers found that a brief
period of deconditioning may actually help doctors tell
the difference between which athletes have this condition and those at risk for
sudden cardiac death due to other causes
More...from WebMD at:
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/93/102347.htm


2. Lactic Acid: Understanding the "Burn" During Exercise:
Everyone has experienced the burning sensation that accompanies intense
exercise, such as a fast lap around the track or the last
few repetitions of a high-repetition set of leg presses. The cause of this type
of discomfort is different from the muscle soreness
and tenderness that occurs a couple of days after a hard exercise session. The
"burn"; as it is commonly known, is from a build-up
of a substance called lactic acid, which is a by-product of the breakdown of
carbohydrate sources for energy to perform exercise, a
process known as glycolysis.
Glycolysis is the breakdown of glucose from the blood or of glycogen, a stored
form of glucose, from the muscle and liver. The
purpose of glycolysis is to supply energy for the body's cells to operate. The
process of glycolysis involves several enzymes that
control a series of chemical reactions. Along the way there are various
by-products that are either used as energy, used in other
chemical reactions, or are excreted as waste.
The process of glycolysis may advance at different rates, labeled fast
glycolysis and slow glycolysis. The end-product of fast
glycolysis is a substance called pyruvic acid, which is converted to lactic acid
when pyruvic acid starts to accumulate. This pace
of glycolysis provides energy for the cells at a faster rate compared with slow
glycolysis, in which pyruvic acid is transported to
another part of the cell for energy production through the oxidative, or aerobic
system. The outcome of the end products is
controlled by the energy demands within the cell. If energy needs to be supplied
very quickly, such as during sprinting or heavy
resistance training, fast glycolysis is primarily used. If the energy demand is
not as high and there is enough oxygen is present in
the cells, slow glycolysis is primarily used.
More...from the NCSA at:
http://www.nsca-lift.org/Perform/article.asp?ArticleID=131


3. Not Here to Compete? Stay Home
Run a marathon these days and you're likely to be badgered with two equally
inane questions: How far is that marathon? And what
charity does it benefit?
While marathons are by definition 26.2 miles, the charity question is harder to
answer, because charitable sponsors have been
hitching themselves to long runs faster than model Anna Nicole Smith did to oil
baron J. Howard Marshall II.
It wasn't always this way. Skipping past Pheidippides and the Battle of Marathon
and focusing on this side of the Atlantic, the
Boston Marathon started in 1897 as a footrace for running enthusiasts, the
fastest of whom was the winner. Through the running boom
of the 1970s and until the late '80s, most marathons were low-key affairs in
which a few skinny folk ran the measured course and
afterward munched oranges during the presentation of a few ribbons and medals.
No more. Today, serious runners have plenty of company from those who are new to
the game. Too often, completing a marathon seems
but the latest item on the post-modern high achiever's to-do list, somewhere
after reading Proust and before learning to play golf.
And charity novices tend to run 26.2 miles not for the sport, but as a
demonstration of support for a cause. If it really is about
charity, write a check or sell some candy bars. Leave the marathon alone.
For the bona fides, running defines a way of life and the marathon is the
manifestation of who we are: quiet, determined,
goal-oriented people who, under different circumstances, might well be favorably
disposed toward a particular charitable cause. But
not when our passion is confused with -- and compromised by -- someone else's
cause du jour.
More...from the Washington Post at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A51008-2001J\
un11&notFound=true


4. Learning from Your Losses:
by Lucy Smith
I have just returned from eight hot days in Athens where I witnessed first hand
the "greatest sports show on earth." It was a
spectacle to watch, from the magnificent venues, to the dramatic unfolding of
the men's and women's triathlons, to the strange
interloper who held up the front runner of the men's marathon, to the intensity
of the mountain bike and the sheer thrill of
watching a pole vaulter clear the bar on her final attempt.
Even though I wasn't competing, it was hard not be caught up in the personal
stories, the victories and the defeats of the
competitors. Watching the Olympics is like looking into a fish bowl on the
nature of sport. Most poignant, was the sense of
disappointment when it was all over, and the palpable feeling of loss among
those whose dreams were not fulfilled this time around.
As I left Athens after the closing ceremonies this ever-present duality between
the victors and the defeated in competition played
through my mind: If sport is about the journey and the path, how will the
athletes who didn't succeed process their individual
losses?
More...from Inside Triathlon at:
http://www.insidetri.com/train/cts/articles/2379.0.html



5. Making Better Muscles:
Long-distance runners tend to be lean. They are at lower risk for diabetes than
sedentary people. And their leg muscles can work for
long periods without tiring.
Now a team of scientists at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, Calif., has shed
light on why these three attributes of endurance
training occur together. The research also suggests it may be possible both to
increase athletic performance and to lose weight by
activating a single protein in muscle.
Skeletal muscle comes in two forms. Type I contracts slowly, is full of the
cellular power plants known as mitochondria, and it can
be active for long periods without becoming exhausted. Marathoners have lots of
it.
In contrast, Type II contracts quickly, does not require oxygen to make its fuel
and tires rapidly. It is what makes up weight
lifters' bulging biceps.
The balance between the two types changes with training; the switch is
controlled in part by the activity of a receptor on muscle
cells called PPAR-Delta.
More...from the Washington Post at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64596-2004Sep5.html


6. Atkins dieters so bored they lose weight:
Now wonder people lose weight, scientists say. People are bored with the
restrictions of the Atkins diet, so eat less.
People lose weight on the Atkins diet because they're bored with what they're
allowed to eat, so eat less, scientists suggest.
In their review of the scientific data on the low-carbohydrate diet that
millions have followed, the scientists said there wasn't
essential proof to show it was effective for more than a year or safe in the
long term.
"There is no clear evidence that Atkins-style diets are better than any others
for helping people to stay slim and despite the
popularity and apparent success of the Atkins diet, evidence in support of its
use lags behind," the report says in the latest issue
of the Lancet journal.
"Although the diet appears as claimed to promote weight loss without hunger, at
least in the short term, the long-term effects on
health and disease prevention are unknown."
The Atkins diet, named after U.S. doctor Robert Atkins who devised it, is the
most popular in a long string of high-protein,
low-carbohydrate diets that first appeared nearly a century and a half ago.
More...from ABC Australia at:
http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/health/HealthRepublish_1191590.htm


7. Behind the organic label:
As the industry grows, skeptics are challenging the health claims.
These are good times for those who grow and sell organic foods. But there may be
trouble in paradise.
Prompted by a quest for safer, healthier diets and a cleaner environment, more
American consumers are buying the bountiful harvests
of organic farmers. Last year, U.S. spending on organic foods reached close to
$10.4 billion, making this the fastest-growing
segment of the American food industry. Amid scares over mad cow disease, mercury
in fish and produce tainted with harmful bacteria,
new customers are joining existing ones in embracing organic foods as a
sanctuary from harm and a surer route to long life and good
health.
But as organic products — and their claims to superiority — have grown more
common, scientists, policy analysts and some consumers
have begun to ask for proof. Where's the evidence, they ask, for the widespread
belief that organic foods are safer and more
nutritious than those raised by conventional farming methods?
The short answer, food safety and nutrition scientists say, is that such proof
does not exist. Indeed, by one well-established
measure of healthfulness — contamination with fecal matter and potentially
harmful bacteria — some organic foods may pose greater
risks to consumers.
As food fights go, this one might not be as raucous as the cacophony over
low-carb diets or reshaping the food pyramid — yet. But
since 1989, when organic-food activists raised a nationwide scare over the
pesticide alar in apples, many scientists have seethed
quietly at what they perceive as a campaign of scare tactics, innuendo and
shoddy science perpetrated by organic food producers and
their allies.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-organic6sep06,1,1688069.story?coll=\
la-headlines-health


8. “Thinking” shoes adjust for comfort:
AND you thought adaptive suspension was just for cars. That’s what we said last
season in assessing hi-tech running gear trends
(“Super-charged shoes”, August 2003 issue of Popular Mechanics).
Sure enough, adaptive suspension is what’s about to get runners talking. As in
powered, motorised, computerised, thinking shoes.
EVA midsoles, gel capsules and a slew of cushioning devices are suddenly so last
season. What microprocessor technology does to
instantly adapt ride height, comfort, steering and handling characteristics in
high-performance cars is available in scaled-down
form in the Adidas 1.
After three years of behind-closed-doors development, an actively adaptive shoe
is heading for the mass market. Although Adidas can’
t claim the honour of being the first to go public with a powered concept –
VectraSense’s Raven dates back a couple of years – its
impact could be more far-reaching.
Conventional shoes are limited by being unable to respond much, dynamically, to
the user’s movements. Not only that: versatility isn
’t a strong point, either. What’s good for running may not suit jumping. There
have been some
innovative attempts, though, at technology for improved comfort, support and
energy management.
More...from World of Endurance at:
http://worldofendurance.com/runnersguide/training_column.asp?a_id=1110077&st_nam\
e=AchievingPersonalBest


9. From Runner's World:
* Coach's Corner - "During your long runs, keep your pace 2 minutes per mile
slower than your 5-K race pace. If you've never raced
a 5-K, go slowly enough so that you won't huff and puff during the last 2 to 3
miles of the long run." -Jeff Galloway

* Injury Prevention - Avoid surfaces such as heavily cambered roads and slanted
beaches. Track running also stresses your body
unevenly when you round corners, so reverse directions frequently, especially if
you're doing speedwork. It also helps to run in the
outside lane, where you won't be turning as sharply

* Performance Nutrition - Protein Power: Taking in protein immediately after
strength training may help you increase your muscle
mass. Snacks like low-fat yogurt, eggs and protein bars are good choices


10. Side Stitches:
Causes, Prevention and Treatment
A side stitch, also known as exercise related transient abdominal pain (ETAP),
is one of the most annoying and painful conditions
suffered by participants of sport and exercise. Although not considered a true
sports injury, it has been estimated that 70% of
regular runners suffered from a side stitch in the last 12 months.
A side stitch causes an intense, stabbing pain under the lower edge of the
ribcage and although it can occur on both sides of the
abdomen, research has found that it occurs more frequently on the right side.
The pain is usually brought on by vigorous exercise and activity. Side stitches
occur more frequently in sports that require a lot
of up and down movement, like running, jumping and horse riding. They also occur
more frequently in novice or amateur athletes.
What Causes a Side Stitch?
The pain is caused by a spasm of the diaphragm muscle. The diaphragm is a dome
shaped muscle that separates the thoracic (lung)
cavity from the abdominal cavity and moves up and down when you inhale and
exhale. To understand why the diaphragm muscle spasms, we
need to understand what is happening during exercise: Let's use the sport of
running as an example.
It is interesting to note that more than 70% of humans exhale when their left
foot strikes the ground, while less than 30% exhale
when their right foot hits the ground.
More...from the Stretching Handbook at:
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/side-stitch.htm


11. Running Commentary - Meb's Medal:
That publicity-crazed idiot who invaded the men's Olympic Marathon hurt all
three medalists, not just the one he tried to tackle.
The saddest part of this bizarre incident is that we'll never know what their
order of finish might have been.
The guessing game involves the gold medalist and the one who might have been. If
Vanderlei de Lima's rhythm and concentration had
gone uninterrupted, could Stefano Baldini have caught him?
The man in the middle wouldn't have won but would have medaled regardless. He
doesn't figure in most of the media frenzy about this
race, which spilled over from sport reports to the front pages and the news
shows.
He's Mebrahtom Keflezighi, a name as hard to say as it is to spell. For
convenience the reporters call him "Meb."
I don't know him and have never heard him speak on television, but he strikes me
as a quiet man. From Marathon to Athens he ran
quietly with the leaders or first group of chasers, never leading himself.
More... from Joe Henderson at:
http://www.joehenderson.com/archive/461.html


12. Organized practice good for marathon:
The Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank Marathon is just six weeks away. Runners
should be building up their mileage and scheduling
some longer runs before tackling 26.2 miles.
Runners often ask me if a 20-mile training run is long enough to prepare for the
marathon. I don't see a need to run farther. I
suggest fewer long runs and instead try two runs on the same day equal to one
run of 15 miles or more. I suggest this for two
reasons: 1) It enables runners to train at a higher weekly mileage without
breaking down. 2) I believe there is a diminishing return
to what your body gains from distances more than 15 miles.
Other experts consider the long run the cornerstone of any marathon training
program. All the Michigan and Ontario running specialty
shops will conduct 20-mile training runs during the next month. Long runs are
important because they improve the ability of the
muscles to store and process carbohydrates, and they mentally prepare you for
exercising for a long period. According to former
Olympic marathoner and exercise physiologist Pete Pfitzinger, long runs increase
the number of capillaries, myoglobin and
mitochondria in your muscle fibers.
"By improving your muscle fiber you will become more efficient at burning
energy," he said. "Longer runs will teach your muscles to
store more glycogen. Glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrates. Your muscle
can conserve glycogen by burning more fat. By doing
so, your glycogen stores last longer. In the marathon, the means that the wall
moves closer to the finish line."
First-timers need several long runs to help build confidence. Using the
organized 20-milers can help relieve some of the prerace
nervousness and provide an opportunity to share training stories with other
runners. All first-timers at the Freep marathon wear
green numbers to boost encouragement during the race. Simulate your marathon by
using the shoes and clothing you plan to race with.
Find the hot spots that need a rub with petroleum jelly. Try sports drinks and
energy gels to see if they work for you. Try crimping
the top of the water cup to pour it more easily into your mouth, or walk through
some stops to make sure you are adequately
hydrated.
More...from the Detroit Free Press at:
http://www.freep.com/sports/othersports/kurtis8e_20040908.htm


13. Older Runners Improve Performance Faster:
Study Finds Runners Over Age 50 Improve Their Performance More Quickly Than
Younger Runners.
Runners over age 50 improve their performance more quickly than younger runners,
a Yale study found, reinforcing past research on
older athletes and the benefits they get from exercise.
"You can maintain a very high performance standard into the sixth or seventh
decade of life," said lead researcher Dr. Peter Jokl.
The 16-year study of 415,000 top runners in the New York City Marathon found
that the average times of older age groups improved
more than the average times for younger age groups.
Women aged 50 to 59 showed the greatest improvement, running the marathon as a
group more than 2 minutes faster each year from 1983
to 1999. Male runners aged 50 to 59 improved about 8 seconds each year.
The study reinforces the notion that many older people grow weaker not simply
because of age, but because they do not use their
muscles as much as they did in their youth, said Jokl, a professor of
orthopedics at the Yale School of Medicine.
Researchers expect older runners will continue to improve over time, as they try
new training techniques and as American culture
increasingly encourages older people, especially women, to exercise.
More...from ABC News at:
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Living/ap20040908_1380.html


14. 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. Cycling consist more of concentric contraction
(quadriceps), with some muscles contraction eccentrically
(gluteus muscle group), thus it will not cause as much DOMS as running downhill.
Your legs will be more tired than damage after a
hard cycle session. Your upper back muscles should become stiff (if you have not
swim for a while) if you stretch properly in the
swimming pool while you are swimming or when you swim with paddles.
More...from World of Endurance at:
http://worldofendurance.com/article.asp?a_id=38662


15. The role of protein in exercise recovery:
Proper nutrition is essential to help athletes recover from workouts and
competitions.
It is widely accepted that carbohydrates (CHO) are a critical fuel source during
exercise and also play a major role in promoting
recovery after exercise. However, the importance of protein is less understood.
There is no doubt that protein ingestion helps athletes recover from exercise,
but questions remain regarding the optimal amount,
type and timing of protein needed in order to optimize training-induced
adaptations in skeletal muscle.
How much protein do athletes need?
The current dietary reference intake (DRI) for protein for persons over 18 years
of age, irrespective of physical activity status,
is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day (i.e., 80 g of protein for a
100-kg (220-lb) person).
However, many sports nutrition experts have concluded that protein requirements
are higher for athletes (American College of Sports
Medicine, American Dietetic Association, and Dietitians of Canada (2000). Joint
Position Statement: Nutrition and athletic
performance. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 32:2130-2145).
The additional protein may be needed in order to promote muscle adaptation
during recovery from exercise in several ways:
More...from Active.com at:
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=11204&sidebar=573&category=eat_right


16. Peanut butter can be a healthy part of your diet:
If you love peanut butter, you're not alone. Peanut butter is a good source of
protein, unsaturated fats, folate, vitamin E,
selenium, copper, zinc, and many more vitamins and minerals. More than 80
percent of the fat in peanuts is derived from
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, both of which have been shown to lower
blood cholesterol levels. In a study at Purdue
University, people who ate 500 calories of peanuts a day (slightly more than
half a cup) for eight weeks had a significant drop in
their triglyceride levels (a risk factor for heart disease) while their intake
of heart-healthy nutrients (folate, magnesium, and
fiber, for example) increased. Peanut butter, even our favorite commercial
brands, is made up of 90 percent peanuts or more, and the
fat and calorie content are pretty much the same whether you grind you own, or
buy natural or commercially branded peanut butter.
A very small amount of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil is added to regular
peanut butter to keep the oil from separating out,
to increase the shelf life, and to create a creamier peanut butter. To lower
intake of these fats, you can purchase natural peanut
butter and then simply pour the oil off the top prior to using. If you feel that
the peanut butter gets too dry this way, try
stirring in some macadamian or soybean oil instead.
Peanuts actually have less total fat than most other nuts, and peanut butter has
about the same as many other lunch foods. Below is
a comparison of how peanuts and peanut butter compare to other popular foods:
Peanuts - 1 ounce - has 2 grams saturated fat; 14 grams total fat
Peanut Butter - 2 tablespoons - 2.5 grams saturated fat; 14 grams total fat
Potato Chips - 1 ounce - 3 grams saturated fat; 10 grams total fat
Egg Salad - 3 ounces - 4 grams saturated fat; 19 grams total fat
American Cheese - 1 slice (1 ounce) - 5.9 grams saturated fat; 9 grams total fat
Hamburger patty - 3.5 ounces - 7 grams saturated fat; 17 grams total fat
The multitude of health benefits that can be gained from eating 2 Tablespoons of
peanut butter or 1 ounce of nuts daily may make it
worth modifying saturated fat intake somewhere else in the daily diet to allow
for the additional 2.5 grams contained in a serving
of peanut butter. Just keep in mind that the portion size is 2 Tablespoons, not
the entire jar.
For more information on peanut butter, visit The American Peanut Council web
site at http://www.peanutsusa.com.
Provided by Cooper Wellness Program nutrition director Kathy Duran-Thal, R.D.
For information on attending a four-, six-, or 13-day
program at The Cooper Aerobics Center, call 800-444-5192 or visit
www.cooperaerobics.com/wellness


17. Sunscreen: the accessory of a performing triathlete:
Establishing a winning triathlon training program requires knowledge of health,
fitness and research on the proper equipment and
accessories that will maximize training time and improve performance. An
important athletic accessory that is often overlooked or
disregarded as part of a complete workout regimen is sunscreen. Thanks to the
constant bombardment of warnings from the media,
governmental health agencies and physicians, we all know that UV exposure can
cause damage to our skin even when it is cloudy and
overcast. Yet many triathletes may not give sunscreen a second thought while
training, despite the long hours they may spend
outdoors. This may be evident in the condition of their skin through signs of
premature aging or sunburn. This repeated sun damage
can lead to wrinkles, skin discoloration and worst of all skin cancer. Even if
you don't get skin cancer, spouses and sponsors alike
do not relish the idea of their favorite triathlete turning into one of the
"California Raisons"!
In addition to helping to prevent skin cancer there is a very real performance
benefit to endurance athletes if they learn to use
sunscreen properly. Think of it this way: to perform at your peak you require
highly specialized equipment engineered specifically
for triathlon and likewise, your skin requires a specialized sunscreen
formulated for use during activity. Although all sunscreens
use similar active ingredients, a sport performance sunscreen is actually quite
different than conventional formulations and there
is a definite advantage to taking the time to apply a specially formulated
product. A true sport sunscreen will withstand
perspiration during exercise and yet still allow the skin to breathe normally to
regulate body temperature. In addition, proper UV
protection helps to prevent against sunburn and dehydration, two key factors in
achieving peak performance. If the skin becomes
damaged, the body will divert resources to the skin for repair and preservation.
Since the skin is such an essential organ, this
will be at the expense of virtually all other non-core functions and athletic
performance will suffer. After spending hours
preparing for a race, the benefit of even a small percentage gain in overall
core fitness and well-being cannot be understated.
More...from Transition Times at:
http://www.transitiontimes.com/viewstorylocal.cfm?ID=5676&ett2local=Colorado
For more on sunscreens visit:
http://www.kinesys.com/


18. Running Workout Descriptions:
By Rich Strauss
I like to think of running workouts as divided into three categories that
improve:
Economy and Form
Endurance
Speed Endurance
There are at least two main components to running fast. The first, obviously, is
fitness. The second is running form. I then like to
break down "fitness" into two parts:
Endurance: which is the ability to run "for a long time," with all of the
physiological benefits that come with this ability.
Speed Endurance: which I consider the ability run "hard" for either a short time
or a long time. To run at a high intensity level
and sustain that level for longer and longer periods of time.
Now, ask someone to run "slow" and then ask them to run "fast." You will notice
a significant difference in their running form when
they switch from 1st and 2nd gear to 5th. And this brings us to our first
category of running workouts, those that improve Economy
and Form.
More...from Crucible Fitness at:
http://www.cruciblefitness.com/etips/running_workouts.htm


19. Ten reasons to keep a training diary:
A training diary is a chronicle, journal, memento, memoir and log. It is a
personal record of events, experiences and observations.
It can be a coach and a crystal ball. It can provide a wake-up call and a slap
on the wrist.
A training diary is one of the best tools you can use if your goals are to
improve. Performance trends and patterns that cannot be
seen by observing one day at a time become clear in a diary.
Your resting heart rate for one day does not tell you much, but observing the
pattern of rise and fall against the background of a
training schedule can red-flag fatiguing workouts and identify the number of
days required for proper recovery.
Here are 10 reasons to keep a training diary:
1. Identify what it takes to be really fast
Following a peak performance, you will have a solid record of every detail it
took to get there. What was your body weight when you
were really fast? This is a super-useful piece of data. The lightest weight you
can achieve is never the weight at which you are the
fastest. How long was your taper? What were your final key workouts?
More...from Active.com at:
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=11203&sidebar=26&category=triathlon





20. A Little Phys Ed Goes a Long Way:
When I was a kid, my parents had trouble getting me to come inside and sit down.
Today, to hear health experts tell it, parents have
trouble getting kids to move. And that inactivity may be reflected in growing
rates of childhood obesity.
A new report puts part of the blame on schools -- especially kindergarten and
first grade programs -- for failing to provide
adequate physical education time. The report from the nonprofit National
Institute for Health Care Management Research and
Educational Foundation concludes that slight increases in the amount of PE kids
get in school can reduce the percentage of children
classified as overweight and "at-risk overweight."
The data in "Obesity in Young Children: Impact and Intervention" come from an
ongoing U.S. Department of Education study of 11,192
children in 1,000 schools nationwide; the children entered kindergarten in the
1998-1999 school year. The foundation, which receives
funding from Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
and other groups, hired the Rand Corp. to mine the
study's data; results also appear in the September issue of the American Journal
of Public Health.
More...from the Washington Post at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1324-2004Sep6.html


21. Tired all the time?
Tiredness seems to be a modern plague. Should we all be getting more sleep? Or
are the causes more complex than that?
Pooped, shattered, knackered, buggered. Being fatigued is an everyday experience
that for most of us is the trigger to put on your
PJs and get a good night's sleep. But what about when you just can't seem to get
going in the morning? When you run out of puff half
way through the day? When you're zonked all the time?
Tiredness seems to be on the rise. No official data exists on the rate of people
reporting to their doctors with persistent and
unexplained lethargy. But Sydney GP Alf Liebhold says: 'It is a very common
presentation. Very common.'
Invigoration products are also on the increase. Sales of 'energy' drinks -
caffeine and sugar-loaded soft drinks - have grown by 23
per cent over the last year. Vitamin manufacturer Blackmores sells $22 million
worth of energising supplements annually. And
guarana, a herbal stimulant, exploded onto the Australian market around four
years ago and can now be found in everything from
chocolate bars to tea bags. Clearly Australians feel as though they need an
extra boost to get them through the day.
So what is it that is making us so tired? Liebhold's theory is that the rat race
is sapping our vim. 'I think that much more is
expected from some people than used to be,' he says. 'There's an epidemic of
people who are financially on a treadmill. I see people
who haven't had a holiday in three years. I see people who don't want to take
time off when they've got the 'flu. They're afraid of
losing their jobs.'
More...from ABC Australia at:
http://www.abc.net.au/health/regions/features/tired/


22. From Running Times:
* The Importance of Pace
One of the lessons screamed from Athens was the importance of running an
appropriate pace. While the commentators were lamenting how
far back Deena Kastor was running, she was biding her time, ready to move when
it mattered. Going out too fast is undoubtedly the
most common mistake distance runners make. Even experienced runners seem to feel
that they need to run hard, then hang on, in order
to race well, when an even pace or negative split will not only produce a faster
time, but feel exponentially better to run.
How do you develop a sense of appropriate pace? Here's one suggestion: calculate
the AVERAGE minute/mile pace of your last 10K and,
on the track where you can have feedback every quarter, run 4 x 1 mile at that
pace, with 90-second rests between each. If you can,
run a few seconds faster on the last one. After a few times of doing this
workout, you will learn how that pace feels when you are
fresh, and can run it when you start your next race -- and will still be running
it when you are passing hordes of people during the
second half.

* Medical Corner - Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Q: I have been battling iliotibial band (IT) syndrome for several years and
would like to get some advice on how to avoid it in the
future. Four years ago I injured my left IT band and was out for three months. I
had begun doing speedwork five months earlier and
increased the intensity of my workouts just prior to the injury. Upon
recovering, I did not attempt speedwork until the following
spring, when I injured both IT bands during Week five of the Running Times
Intermediate 10K Training program. I was out (no running
at all) this time for six months. After recovering and running for three months
with no IT pain, I have begun doing one speed
workout per week for the past four weeks and would like to attempt the Running
Times program again.
A: The IT band originates along the side of the pelvis and runs along the
outside of the leg, attaching on the tibia, just below the
knee. Irritation of the band is a common problem for runners, typically causing
pain along the outside of the knee and sometimes on
the outside of the hip. Rubbing of the IT band over the bony prominences and
bursae at the knee and the hip causes the pain. The
longer your stride length, such as with faster running, the greater the amount
of rubbing.
Many runners with IT band inflammation have weak hip muscles. In addition to
working on hamstring and quadriceps strength, you need
to work on the strength of the hip abductors (muscles that move the leg out to
the side), adductors (move the leg inward), and
gluteal muscles. Do not increase the distance or intensity of your workouts
while adding these exercises to your workout. When you
have been working on strength for three – four weeks, then begin increasing
workouts. Continue to work on flexibility.
Beware of your running surface. Left IT band pain is much more common than right
sided pain, due to the crown in the road. Most
smart runners train on the left side of the road (facing traffic). This puts
greater stress on the outside of the left knee,
increasing the likelihood of a problem.
Apply ice to the IT band following all workouts for at least a month or so.
Be patient; surgery is rarely needed for this problem. If there is a
biomechanical problem, orthotics may be helpful.
If the problem persists, see a sports medicine specialist for further
evaluation. --Cathy Fieseler, MD
For a further discussion of this injury, visit
http://www.runningtimes.com/issues/04may/itbsyndrome.htm.
For some stretching and strengthening exercises for IT Band, visit
http://www.runningtimes.com/04may/itb.htm.

* Q: I just had prostate cancer surgery. Have you ever done any articles about
running after this type of surgery? I am looking for
some advice.
A: It is difficult for anyone other than the surgeon to recommend a regimen for
returning to exercise. The type of surgery, the
amount of bleeding, and any complications make the recommendations different for
each person. Post-operative bleeding is always a
concern and the impact of running may cause problems if the activity is started
too early. Although pool running would usually be a
great alternative, bleeding and possibly incontinence (leakage of urine) may be
problems during the first few post-operative weeks.
Chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment affect the immune system; light exercise
is okay, but as intensity increases, the immune
system is stressed.
Talk to your surgeon about trying an activity such as the elliptical trainer;
the lack of impact during this activity should allow
an earlier return to activity and permit you to start getting in shape to return
to running. Good luck. --Dr. Cathy Fieseler


23. Gatorade Sports Science Institute Statement on New Sports Drink Research
Regarding Protein During Exercise:
August 2004 -Jeff Zachwieja, Ph.D., FACSM, Gatorade Sports Science Institute
You may be familiar or have heard of new research published in the July issue of
Medicine Science Sports and Exercise suggesting
that a sports drink containing protein might provide an additional performance
benefit compared to a sports drink without protein
(M. J. Saunders et al. Effects of carbohydrate protein beverage on cycling
endurance and muscle damage. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc.
36(7):1233-1238, 2004).
This study is sure to draw the attention of coaches, athletes and media, so we
want to provide you with our point of view on this
topic:
Background on Published Study and Research
While the new published study referenced above may lead some to conclude that
protein should be included in sports drinks, we have
several concerns about this specific study. While the researchers used
Gatorade-brand powder to formulate the carbohydrate only
sports drink, it was mixed to a 7.3% concentration. The package mixing
instructions recommended and research indicate that Gatorade
should be consumed as a 6% carbohydrate solution. Also, while the two sports
drinks contained the same amount of carbohydrates, they
were not calorie matched, making it impossible to tell if the effects of the
carbohydrate-protein sports drink resulted from
additional calories or from the protein itself. Finally, this study was not
placebo controlled, making it impossible to fully
understand the importance of the performance benefit.
We believe that research on the benefits of protein for performance to this
point has been inconclusive. In fact, the same research
group just presented a follow-up study at the 2004 American College of Sports
Medicine (ACSM) meeting that showed contrasting
results — no additional performance benefit of a carbohydrate-protein mixture.
(B.C. Romano et al. Effect of 4:1 ratio of
carbohydrate/protein beverage on endurance performance, muscle damage and
recovery. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 36(5):S126, 2004).
More...from GSSIWeb at:
http://www.gssiweb.com/reflib/refs/665/letter_jeffz.cfm


24. Running down adversity:
At just 25 years old, Erica Bowen woke up crippled in a hospital bed.
A serious skiing accident in Garmisch, Germany, left her with a broken back and
nearly every bone in her legs shattered, including
her ankles.
The two-and-a-half story fall onto what Bowen recalls only as "a firm surface"
left doctors warning her that her injuries were so
bad, both of her legs might need to be amputated.
Coming out of unconsciousness, her first question was to her friend, Wendy. "Do
I have any feet?" she remembered asking.
"I spent all but a month of ski season in traction," says the former
rock-climbing instructor. Spring was spent in a wheelchair and
it wasn't until summer that she was able to start moving around with the aid of
crutches.
Though doctors were encouraged by her progress, they gave her little chance of
ever being able to walk under her own power again.
But a diagnosis of self-pity and a prescription for sitting around the house
didn't satisfy the indefatigable athlete.
More...from the Nevada Appeal at:
http://www.nevadaappeal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040905/NEWS/109050005/-\
1/rss02



25. News Scan:
* Relying on Tylenol PM could cause problems
Q: I've had trouble sleeping ever since I retired, so I've taken one or two
Tylenol PM pills nightly for years to get to sleep. Are
there any problems with long-term use?
A: This product carries a warning to check with a doctor if sleeping problems
persist for more than two weeks. Excessive use of
acetaminophen (the pain reliever in Tylenol) has been linked to reduced kidney
function. Diphenhydramine (the antihistamine in
Tylenol PM) may cause confusion in older people and is not recommended as a
sleeping pill for them

* Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine
Cross-Training for Fitness
Fitness refers to your heart, and the harder you exercise, the more fit you
become. But every time you exercise vigorously your
muscles are injured, and the harder you exercise, the longer it takes for your
muscles to heal. Muscle biopsies done the day after
a person exercises vigorously show bleeding into the muscles and disruption of
the Z-bands that hold muscle filaments together. You
are not supposed to exercise vigorously again until the muscle soreness
disappears.
Most competitive athletes set up training programs so they exercise vigorously
enough on one day to make their muscles feel sore for
the next day or two and then after the soreness disappears, they exercise
vigorously again. You can use the same principle in your
exercise program to achieve a higher level of fitness. You can exercise
vigorously on one day and easy on the next few days or until
he soreness disappears, or you can train in two sports. This is called
cross-training, and it can make you very fit and help to
prevent injuries.
Each sport stresses specific muscle groups. Cycling stresses the upper legs,
while rowing stresses your back and upper body. If
you cycle and row on the same day, you stress your upper legs and upper body on
the same day. To reduce your chances of injuring
yourself, you should take the next day off, or at least exercise at a very low
intensity. If you cycle on Monday and row on Tuesday,
you allow your muscles 48 hours to recover from each sport. Pick two sports that
use different muscle groups and do them on
alternate days. You can then exercise more intensely in each sport and achieve a
higher level of fitness.

* Training during Pregnancy:... By Karen Smyers
What tips do you have for moms who want to work out while they are pregnant?
I encourage all women that don't suffer from complications to try to get
exercise throughout their pregnancy. Even just a brisk walk
in the fresh air can do wonders for revitalizing you both physically and
mentally. It will also help your digestive system which can
start to act cranky as the pregnancy progresses and will promote good
circulation and an easier delivery. However, you must listen
to your body: if you feel an ache or pain, it is probably telling you something
worth hearing.
Don't view pregnancy as the time to "train" think of it as a time to get enough
exercise to feel invigorated and healthy. As the
pregnancy progresses you may have to modify your activity level to accommodate
your new size and energy level. For example, at a
certain point in my pregnancy I needed to ease from running to jog/walking then
later on I switched to using the elliptical trainer
at the gym which was a welcome relief from trying to hoist an extra 25 pounds in
the air each step. I enjoy biking up to the point
where I feel like my tummy gets in the way of my knees. To my chagrin, this
happened a lot earlier with my second pregnancy than my
first. They just don't make stomach elasticity the way they used to! Swimming is
an exercise that is perfect for pregnancy because
the water supports your weight. You can actually almost forget that you are
carrying a bowling ball around--until you try a flip
turn!
Pay special attention to these three things throughout the pregnancy:
1) Hydration--stay adequately hydrated at all times.
2) Body Temperature: Be careful not to get overheated by exercising for extended
periods in the heat. Switch from Bikram yoga (which
is done in a very hot room) to prenatal yoga for example. If you want to run on
a very hot day, intersperse some walking which will
allow your body temperature to drop and bring cold fluids along.
3) Heartrate: The safe recommendation is to keep your heartrate in a range that
allows you to be comfortable enough to hold a
conversation while you are exercising.
Also, once past the first trimester, avoid exercises that have you laying flat
on your back as the position can cause a lack of
blood flow to the fetus.

* Exercise: For Muscles, It's All Downhill
Exercise helps diabetics improve their ability to metabolize sugar. But for
those patients who don't feel up to the Stairmaster, a
new study offers some comfort: the exercise involved in walking downhill, the
researchers found, leads to even bigger improvements
than hiking up.
The study was presented last week at a conference of the European Society of
Cardiology and was led by Dr. H. Drexel, a cardiologist
at the Academic Hospital in Feldkirch, Austria.
The study tried to find out if there was a difference in the effects of the two
main forms of muscle use, concentric and eccentric,
on glucose tolerance.
In concentric exercise, muscle cells shorten to exert force on an object, as in
lifting a weight. In eccentric exercise, muscle
cells are lengthened as they resist a force - for example, opposing gravity by
lowering a weight more slowly than it would fall.
The study involved 45 healthy but sedentary adults. Half of them were assigned
to climb a route that included a rise in elevation of
600 meters (about 2,000 feet) three to five times a week, taking a cable car
back down. The others took the cable car up and walked
down the same hill. After two months, the groups switched, performing the
opposite of their original trek for another two months.
Dr. Drexel said that both forms of exercise improved glucose tolerance, but that
the downhill hike had a bigger effect - a 25
percent change in tolerance compared with 9 percent after the stint of uphill
climbing.
He did not speculate on the reason for the difference. But other research has
raised the possibility that eccentric exercise may
increase blood flow more than concentric exercise does.
From the NY Times






Ongoing Events:

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

September 11, 2004:
Alpine Marathon - Slovenia
http://www.boltez.si/maraton

Alta Peruvian Lodge Downhill Dash 8K - Alta, UT
http://www.altaperuvian.com/dash.htm

Mitsubishi Dublin City Triathlon - Ireland
http://www.dublincitytriathlon.com

World Cup 100K, Winschoten - The Netherlands
http://www.americanultra.org

September 12, 2004:
CVS/pharmacy Downtown 5K - Providence, RI
USA Men's Championships/USA Running Circuit
http://www.cvsdowntown5k.com

Gloucester Half-Marathon & 5K - Ottawa, ON
http://www.ncra-ottawa.com/hm

ISTAF Berlin - Germany
http://www.istaf.de

Montreal Marathon - Montreal, PQ
http://www.marathondemontreal.com

Sydney Marathon Festival - Australia
http://www.sydneymarathon.org

Wisconsin Ironman - Madison, WI
http://www.ironmanwisconsin.com

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

For Triathlon Coverage check out The Sports Network at:
http://www2.sportsnet.ca/tvschedule/tvsked_sport.php?region=ONTARIO&schedule_id=\
25

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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