Runner's and Triathlete's Web Digest - December 31, 2004

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Due to Hurricane Ivan making a mess of Grand Cayman my usual holiday scuba
diving trip had to be cancelled. As a result, the
Runner's Web will be "business as usual" through the holiday period.

The Original Runner's and Triathlete's Web was founded in January of 1997 as a
not-for-profit resource site. RunnersWeb.com Inc. is
now a small business venture which sponsors the OAC Racing Team, a women's road
racing and triathlon club, and the OAC Gatineau
Triathlon and OAC Corporate Relay. The site is not in any way associated with
the two UK "Runner's Web" copycat sites or the
Runner's Web Book Store in the USA.


Support our advertisers:

1. Road Runner Sports, the world's largest running store at:
http://www.roadrunnersports.com/cgi-bin/rrs/rrs/rrHome.jsp?sc=CBM-00105&prfc=1

2. Toronto Waterfront Marathon. September 25, 2005:
http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/

3. Sof Sole Offer:
A free pair of our technical socks ($9.99 value) with the purchase of any Sof
Sole insole.
http://www.sofsole.com/pages/promo/rwebsockoffer.html

Our list of affiliate programs have been moved to the bottom of the email.

The Runner's and Triathlete's Web Digest is a weekly e-zine dealing with the
sports of running and triathlon and general fitness and
health issues.
The opinions expressed in the articles referenced by the Digest are the opinions
of the writers and not the Runner's Web. To
comment on any stories in the Digest visit our Forum at:
http://excoboard.com/exco/index.php?boardid=4655

This newsletter has been composed using Outlook set to "Plain Text" format. The
Digest is sent via an email list at
http://groups.yahoo.com.
If you experience any delays in receiving your copy of the Digest, please advise
us at:
mailto:webmaster@...

Webmasters:
Get our Syndicated headlines for you site.
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/rw_getRSS.html


Visit the Runner's Web at http://www.runnersweb.com/running.html The site is
updated multiple times daily. Check out our daily news,
features, polls, trivia, bulletin boards and more. General questions should be
posted to one of our forums available from our
FrontPage.

For new subscribers:
If you have any questions regarding the options available for receiving this
digest, please do NOT email the list, rather email me
directly at mailto:Webmaster@...


You can receive the digest in three ways:
1. Immediately, via email,
2. Daily, in an email summary, and
3. By accessing the YahooGroups.com web site on demand.

The mail list has been set to not allow attachments out of concerns for viruses.
Also, all messages must be approved by the monitor
(me) prior to being released to the group.

NOTE
**[ Some e-mail clients may split the URL address into two lines. If you have
trouble connecting to a link, be sure that you
paste the entire address into your browser, so that it ends in ".html" or
another appropriate suffix ].

References/URLs:
Most references in the digest which do not have a specific URL listed here are
available from the Runner's Web FrontPage (or
Archives) at: http://www.runnersweb.com/running.html
Also, if have email software that does not read HTML, all links contained in the
Digest are available from the Runner's Web. All
URLs listed here have been verified as of the Digest publication date. It is
possible that the site may have archived or deleted the
page after publication. If you are unable to reach a URL listed here, ensure
that you are using the entire URL (see above). If you
still cannot reach the site, please email me at:
mailto:webmaster@... and I will try to track it down.

Note: Some sites require free registration. If you wish to sign up for free
access to sources for our articles without using your
main email address we suggest the use of a mail alias program such as
www.emailias.com.


New This Week:

We had some delivery problems with Yahoo last week and there still seems to be
issues.

We have added Lance Watson to our list of contributors. His first column - The
Power Of Goal Setting - is available below.
Check out Lance's website at: http://www.WatsonLifeSport.com.

Our January 2005 Running Trivia and Pegasus Quiz will be available January 1st.

The Runner's and Triathlete's Web Digest is now available through an RSS feed
for myYahoo at:
http://e.my.yahoo.com/config/cstore?.opt=content&.url=http%3a//rss.groups.yahoo.\
com/group/RunnersWeb/rss

Microsoft® Alerts on RunnersWeb.com Inc.
RunnersWeb.com Inc. now offers Microsoft® Alerts! This service lets you receive
important messages through your MSN® Messenger or
Windows® Messenger, your e-mail, or your mobile device. You can choose how and
when you receive these messages by specifying your
preferences during the easy setup process.
Sign up at:
http://www.messagecast.net/alerts/login.do?PINID=2598&returnURL=http://www.runne\
rsweb.com

We are currently at 892 members as of publication time. Forward the Runner's Web
Digest to a friend and suggest that they subscribe
at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RunnersWeb/join. Help us crack the 900 mark.

Athletes - Interested in getting sponsored?
Amateur endurance athletes can win a GNC sponsorship (just like the Pro's) to
help them achieve their endurance goal. Check out the
site and enter to win:
http://www.gncproperformance.com/sponsorship/Default.aspx?lang=en

Race Directors:
Advertise your event on the Runner's Web. Over one million pageviews in August!
For more information:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/rw_advertising.html
For text ads check out our AdBrite partnership at:
http://www.adbrite.com/mb/commerce/purchase_form.php?opid=15182&afsid=1

To comment on any stories in the Digest visit our Forum at:
http://excoboard.com/exco/index.php?boardid=4655

Check out our Sports Nutrition column written by Sheila Kealey.
Sheila is one of Ottawa's top multisport athletes and a member of the OAC Racing
Team and X-C Ottawa. She has a Masters in Public
Health and works in the field of nutritional epidemiology as a Research
Associate with the University of California, San Diego. Her
column index is available at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/SK_index.html

Carmichael Training Systems
Carmichael Training Systems was founded in 1999 by Chris Carmichael. From the
beginning, the mission of the company has been to
improve the lives of individuals we work with through the application of proper
and effective fitness and competitive training
techniques. Whether your focus is recreational, advanced, or you are a
professional racer, the coaching methodology employed by CTS
will make you a better athlete. Check the latest column from CTS ( Cycling:
Taking Off-Season Out of the Dictionary) at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/cts_columns.html.

Running Research News
Running Research News is a monthly newsletter which keeps sports-active people
up-to-date on the latest information about training,
sports nutrition, and sports medicine. RRN publishes practical, timely new
material which improves workouts, prevents injuries, and
heightens overall fitness. Check our latest column from Running Research News
(Science of Sport: Back Myths )
at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/RRN_index.html

Peak Performance Online
Peak Performance is a subscription-only newsletter for athletes, featuring the
latest research from the sports science world. We
cover the whole range of sports, from running and rowing to cycling and
swimming, and each issue is packed full of exclusive
information for anyone who's serious about sport. It's published 16 times a
year, including four special reports, by Electric Word
plc. Peak Performance is not available in the shops - only our subscribers are
able to access the valuable information we publish
Check out our latest article from Peak Performance Online (Running: V02Max
Training Programmes) at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/PPO_index.html

Peak Running Performance
Peak Running Performance Is The Number 1 Technical Running Newsletter In
America! Their column will resume next week. Check out
their past articles at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/PRP_index.html.


This Weeks Personal Postings/Releases:
We have NO personal postings this week.


This Week's Digest Article Index:

1. Triathlon: The Power Of Goal Setting by Lance Watson
2. Multisport: Sports psychology - Mental toughness
3. Cycling: Taking Off-Season Out of the Dictionary
4. The Truth About the Holiday 7 Weight Gain
5. Winter Wanderland - Joe Henderson's Running Commentary
6. Bone Glue Could Heal Breaks
Gel fuses biological and synthetic substances to speed repair.
7. Low-carb on downslide
Cutting carbohydrates has been the hottest diet craze of the decade, but there
are signs the trend is cooling.
8. Chocolate - A Boon for the Libido and the Heart
9. Just How Old Can He Go
10. Slow Food, Fast Food
It's All About the Glycemic Index: A New Look at Nutrition.
11. From Runner's World
12. To the next level
Knowing their lactate threshold gives serious athletes a leg up, helping them
plan training routines that maximize their progress.
13. Moderate Exercise Fights Deadly Mix of Risks
Physical activity offsets metabolic syndrome, which increases risk of heart
disease, diabetes and stroke.
14. Enduring Questions - Is Cold-Weather Running Bad For You?
In bitter temperatures and searing winds, certain body parts need a bit more
protection than others.
15. Exercise 'cuts older heart risks'
Even moderate exercise by older people cuts the risk of developing a syndrome
which increases heart disease and diabetes risk, US
researchers say.
16. Time for preventive maintenance
17. Pregnancy: Walking, swimming, stretching are great for fitness in any
trimester
18. Functional Strength Training for Triathletes
19. Evening Shift Ups Risk of Gastrointestinal Ills
20. Coffee, Tea and Me
Caffeine and Running Performance.
21. Anemia and Blood Boosting
22. Science of Sport: Back Myths
23 Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine
24. Effective stretching exercises you can do at home
25. News Scan:
A collection of news items.


Runner's Web Weekly Poll:
This week's poll is: "What sport will be your prime focus for 2005?"

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: "What should the penalty be for doping in sport?"
The results at publication time were:
Answers Votes Percent
1. Next Olympics ban for athlete 1 1%
2. Next Olympics ban for federation/country 1 1%
3. Fine for athlete 2 3%
4. Fine for federation/country 0 0%
5. Lifetime ban for athlete 45 61%
6. Lifetime ban for federation/country 10 14%
7. Fine and next Olympics ban for athlete 9 12%
8. Fine and next Olympics ban for federation/country 6 8%
Total Votes: 74

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

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


Five Star Site of the Week: Kelly Cook, Pro Triathlete.
Kelly Cook learned to swim when she was just over a year old in Greensboro,
N.C., and hasn’t spent much time away from the pool
since. By age five, she was leading Atlanta’s Brookwood Hills Swim Team to club
victories with her trademark speed in the
freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. She won state age-group titles as a
junior, swam in high school for Pace Academy, and competed
as a collegiate swimmer at the University of Arkansas.
At age eight, Kelly found her second love: running. After years of cheering on
her parents, who are avid distance runners, Kelly
ran the Peachtree Road Race in 1982. By age 14, she had broken Georgia’s high
school record for the mile run with a time of 4:57.7
in the spring of 1988. There was only one problem: Kelly was still in the
eighth grade. Since she was ineligible for high school
competition, her record didn’t count.
Later she made up for lost time, earning seven Georgia high school state
championships in track and cross country. At the
University of Arkansas she made the All-Southeastern Conference track team in
the 10,000-meter run (6.2 miles). She also managed to
graduate with the highest grade point average of any student athlete (3.96).
Check out Kelly's site at:
http://www.kelly-cook.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: Runner's World Guide to Cross-Training
By Fitzgerald, Matt
How to cross-train to improve running times and prevent overuse injuries-whether
you are participating in your first 10-K or
competing to win a marathon or triathlon
If you want to enjoy a long, successful life of running, it's essential to
incorporate non-running activities into your training
program.
Strength exercises will keep your muscles in balance. Flexibility exercises will
keep them supple. And alternative endurance
activities will help heal existing injuries while preventing future ones.
In "Runner's World Guide to Cross-Training, Matt Fitzgerald-seasoned runner,
triathlete, sports and fitness journalist, and online
coach to runners and triathletes-tells you everything you need to know about the
very best cross-training exercises for runners,
from the equipment you'll have to buy to the techniques you'll have to master.
In addition to strength training and flexibility
exercises, he recommends the six best non-impact cardiovascular activities for
runners: pool running, elliptical training,
bicycling, inline skating, swimming, and cross-country skiing. The book shows
how to integrate running and cross-training, and
features five complete sample programs that will train you to compete in a basic
10-K, advanced 10-K/half marathon, basic marathon,
advanced marathon, and triathlon.
Until now, there hasn't been a credible cross-training book designed especially
for runners. With the imprimatur of Runner's World
magazine-recognized everywhere as the most authoritative source of information
on the sport-this excellent guide will be welcomed by
runners at every level as the book to consult for advice on this vital topic.
Buy the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1579547834/ref=ase_runnersweb/002-\
3784702-2544031?v=glance&s=books
[Long URL]


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. Triathlon: The Power Of Goal Setting by Lance Watson:
Every person on the start line of a triathlon, whether it is a local sprint
event or a world cup, has a goal that they are looking
to achieve. For some it may be to finish the race and have fun. Others may want
to finish feeling strong or in a certain time, and
still others will be looking for a top placing.
However, before you can chase your goals, you must know exactly what they are
and where you are in relation to them. You must also
have the courage to make your own rules and not allow yourself to be governed by
perceived or imposed limitations. Achieving a goal,
whether it be winning your age group or finishing a sprint triathlon, makes us
successful.
Goal setting
The more specific your goals the better. Broad, general goals are not reliable
in directing training. Often, long-term, far-off
goals or dream goals do not focus enough energy on the present. My coaching
experience indicates that an athlete should use
dream-term goals to motivate and stretch personal limits, but mid-term and
micro-goals to reach the desired end.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20041231_LW_GoalSetting.html


2. Multisport: Sports psychology - Mental toughness:
Sports psychology: Mental toughness: do you have what it takes to maintain
focus, motivation and self-belief when the going gets
hard?
There are certain moments during competition that appear to carry great
psychological significance, when the momentum starts to
shift in one direction or another. These situations require athletes to remain
completely focused and calm in the face of difficult
circumstances. Tennis players talk of the ‘big’ points during a tight match,
such as a fleeting chance to break serve; for an
athlete, it could be the final triple-jump in the competition after seriously
under-performing; for a footballer, it could be how
you react to a perceived bad refereeing decision or to going behind in a match
your team are expected to win. Think about times when
things have not gone quite to plan and how you reacted. The journey towards peak
performance is rarely a perfectly smooth road and
we learn from our mistakes – or should do. Do setbacks shake your self-belief
and lower your motivation or act as a catalyst for
even greater effort?
Even great athletes and teams suffer setbacks. Olympic athlete Steve Backley is
a prime example. In his book The Winning Mind,
Backley cites his psychological strengths and, at times, his weaknesses as major
determinants of whether he performed near to or
below his own strict targets in competition (1). He talks of the transition from
young up-and-coming javelin thrower to major
international competitor when, after experiencing success so often as a junior,
he found himself under-prepared for the mental
hurdles and barriers created by higher-level competition. Backley says
psychological strategies were the key to helping him to deal
with this competitive stress.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20041230_PPO_Winning.html


3. Cycling: Taking Off-Season Out of the Dictionary:
The Offseason is a myth, like the jackalope, the unicorn, and the perfect
training program. For competitive cyclists, amateur and
professional, a prolonged break from exercise tends to be more harm than good.
<P>“The point is, there is no real offseason for me. I don’t think I’ve missed
three consecutive days off the bike since the Tour de
France,” said Lance Armstrong in a December 2001 interview. He was telling the
truth, he hadn’t missed many riding days, but he also
hadn’t completed much structured training either. A period of unstructured
training, built around some very general goals, like
total riding hours per week, allows an athlete to retain a large percentage of
his fitness while eliminating the stress associated
with regimented training.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/rw_CTS_20041231_Carmichael.html


4. The Truth About the Holiday 7 Weight Gain:
The “Holiday 7,” the title given for the average amount of weight gain
experienced during the winter holidays, keeps popping up in
articles.
Is this statement true? Do people gain 7 pounds during the holiday season? Well,
this isn’t true for everyone, but the “Holiday 7”
is very close to reality for many adults.
The Holiday 7
Most people gain less than one pound during the 6-week period between
Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, report researchers. And this
is much less than the suggested 7 pounds that’s being tossed around in fitness
magazines. However, the research does show that
overweight individuals typically gain 5 pounds during the holidays, (Holiday
weight gain: fact or fiction?” 2000, Roberts).
This study should be a real concern for those who are overweight. While it’s not
quite as bad as the “Holiday 7,” gaining 5 pounds
every year during the holidays means 50 additional pounds over the next ten
years unless a fitness improvement action plan is
implemented.
More...from Deep Fitness at:
http://www.deepfitness.com/04/campbell_holiday7/


5. Winter Wanderland - Joe Henderson's Running Commentary:
As winters go, those in my home state of Oregon are benign. That is, if you
don't mind running wet.
Rain falls almost daily here at this time of year, December being our wettest
month. But temperatures dip below freezing only about
a half-dozen mornings each winter, and snow appears an average of once a year.
By habit of long standing I'm a morning runner. Winters and summers, weekdays
and weekends, I leave home before seven o'clock. On
days without runs I'm still out at the same time and for the same length of
time, walking.
The early mornings of winter are nothing like those of summer, or spring and
fall for that matter. The sun is well into its climb
before my July runs. In December I'm finished before the day is fully light.
At no other hour is the gentle shifting of the seasons more visible to me, and I
wouldn't want to miss this daily light show. It's
ever-changing.
More...from Joe Henderson at:
http://joehenderson.com/archive/


6. Bone Glue Could Heal Breaks:
Gel fuses biological and synthetic substances to speed repair.
A gel material that fuses biological and synthetic substances has been found to
speed bone and cartilage repair and could help heal
broken bones.
Dror Seliktar of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa and
colleagues say that laboratory studies have shown that the
gel promotes healing by gluing bone pieces together and stimulating tissue
development.
Called "Gelrin," the compound is made of two relative cheap components. "Gelrin
is a brand new material engineered molecule by
molecule, not just mixed together," says Seliktar. While the two components are
readily available, "it's the way we engineer them
that represents a breakthrough."
More...from Better Humans at:
http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2004-12-24-4


7. Low-carb on downslide:
Cutting carbohydrates has been the hottest diet craze of the decade, but there
are signs the trend is cooling.
The percentage of people who are following low-carb diets has dropped
dramatically since January, according to new data from two
market research firms.
Among the possible reasons: Overall dieting usually is down at this time of
year, and interest in the Atkins' meat-lovers plan
simply might be waning.
The latest data:
• Low-carb dieting peaked the last week of January, when 9.1% of people said
they were on the program. By Nov. 17, only 3.6% were
following the plan, according to the NPD Group, one of the country's leading
market research firms. NPD interviews 1,000 people
twice a month about dieting.
More...from USA Today at:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2004-12-15-low-carb_x.htm


8. Chocolate - A Boon for the Libido and the Heart:
Chocolate. It's on everyone's wish list. And for good reason.
There's something about chocolate, something beyond tactile taste that is
indefinable, ineffable and inexpressible.
And as the medical reviews keep coming in, there's evidence that chocolate may
meet a variety of needs, from the libido to the
heart.
The most recent finding has an Italian researcher saying he has found an
association between eating chocolate and sexual
fulfillment. Women who love chocolate, he says, seem to have better love lives.
And that comes on top of earlier research that
chocolate -- at least dark chocolate -- may be good for your heart.
Chocolate seems to straddle the line between a food and a beneficial medicine.
Even the conventional wisdom that chocolate is
related to acne has been challenged. Its chemical properties are complicated.
Chocolate contains more than 300 substances, including
caffeine in small quantities, and theobromine, a weaker stimulant. Some contend
that these two chemicals form the basis of the
much-touted chocolate high, postulating that they increase activity of key
neurotransmitters. The stimulant phenylethylamine, which
is related chemically to amphetamines, is also in chocolate.
More...from Yahoo at:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=97&e=2&u=/hsn/20041226/hl_hsn/ch\
ocolateaboonforthelibidoandtheheart
[Long URL]


9. Just How Old Can He Go?
Ray Kurzweil began his dinner with a pill. "A starch blocker," he explained,
"one of my 250 supplements a day."
The risk of encountering starchy food seemed slight indeed at the vegetarian
restaurant in Manhattan he had selected, where the fare
was heavy with kale, seaweed, tofu, steamed broccoli and bean sprouts. But Mr.
Kurzweil, a renowned inventor and computer scientist,
has strong views on dietary matters.
His regimen for longevity is not everyone's cup of tea (preferably green tea,
Mr. Kurzweil advises, which contains extra
antioxidants to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer). And most people
would scoff at his notion that emerging trends in
medicine, biotechnology and nanotechnology open a realistic path to immortality
- the central claim of a new book by Mr. Kurzweil
and Dr. Terry Grossman, a physician and founder of a longevity clinic in Denver.
"I am serious about it," said Mr. Kurzweil, a wiry man with few lines on his
face for a 56-year-old. "I think death is a tragedy. I
think aging is a tragedy. And going beyond our limitations is what our species
is all about."
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/27/technology/27kurzweil.html?oref=login
[Free Registration Required]


10. Slow Food, Fast Food:
It's All About the Glycemic Index: A New Look at Nutrition.
By Eric Harr -The Los Angeles Times Syndicate
I learned the term "slow food" in Vernazza -- a small Italian village in the
Cinque Terra. The waiter asked if I preferred his "slow
food" to our American "fast food." I most certainly did. While in Italy, my
energy felt steadier, I enjoyed eating more because I
was indulging in lots of delicious foods -- including ice cream -- and
amazingly, I was losing some bodyfat.
The Italians eat more fat than we do, they enjoy their food more and they’re
less fat than we are. Here in America, we’ve never
eaten less fat, eating has become a stressful, ambivalent act, and we’ve never
been fatter. Crikey! We’re getting a raw deal!
In terms of macronutrient composition (fats, carbohydrates and proteins), the
‘Mediterranean Diet’ is more balanced than the
American diet. That's because it includes more quality fats such as cheeses,
olive oil and fresh fish. These foods elicit slower
blood sugar responses and steadier insulin levels, which translate into less
stored bodyfat and healthier hearts.
To understand why, we need look no further than a food rating system called the
Glycemic Index (GI) of Foods. The GI was introduced
in the early 1980s to tabulate the effects of foods on blood sugar. This is
important to you because your blood sugar levels
directly influence your energy levels and, to a lesser extent, the size of your
belly.
The GI ranks foods on measured blood sugar levels compared to that of pure
glucose, which is rated 100. Foods are grouped into those
with a high GI (scores from 70-100, such as bread, breakfast cereal, and soft
drinks), a moderate GI (scores from 40-70, such as
pasta and dairy foods) or a low GI (scoring 10-40 such as nuts, meats and cold
climate fruits such as apples).
When you drink a soda, for example (a GI of roughly 88), it sends your blood
sugar skyward, which gives you an initial burst of
energy. To remove that excess blood sugar, your pancreas releases insulin.
Almost invariably, your body releases too much insulin
and removes too much blood sugar. That’s why you get that "energy crash" roughly
20 minutes after eating a high-carbohydrate or
high-sugar snack. More bad news: when there are large amounts of insulin in your
body, some studies show that it is less efficient
at metabolizing bodyfat. So, when you have something high in sugar or
carbohydrates, such as a fruit smoothie or bagel, before your
workout, you may burn less bodyfat.
More...from Eric Harr at:
http://www.ericharr.com/column16.htm


11. From Runner's World:
* Coach's Corner
"Have a vision of the future. Set specific training and racing goals, then use
those goals to focus your running life. You have to
know where you're going in order to get there." -Jeff Galloway

* Injury Prevention
Don't rush your run: Trying to squeeze a 4-miler into world-record time can lead
to stress, fatigue, and injury. "Your daily
training runs should be relaxing, they should include a proper warmup--whether
that's brisk walking or easy jogging--and they should
come after a brief period of anticipation," says sports psychologist Michael
Sachs, Ph.D., of Temple University in Philadelphia.
"That is, give yourself a chance to look forward to it."

* Performance Nutrition
Cranberry sauce. This tart side dish may be one of the best disease-fighting
weapons on your holiday plate. Its rich color comes
from anthocyanin, an antioxidant bioflavonoid that may help protect you from
cancer. Cranberries also contain a healthy dose of
water-soluble fiber, the type that lowers cholesterol and wards off heart
disease. And a serving of cranberries provides around 20
percent of the RDA for vitamin C.

* Training
Reduce inflammation and bruising with tobacco
Training expert Ed Eyestone recommends applying leafy tobacco, cooked into a
poultice, to a sprained ankle, pulled muscle, or
bruised toe, to reduce inflammation and bruising. Zap a few leaves in the
microwave for a minute, drain the water, pile the leaves
into a washrag, and apply them directly to the sprain or bruise overnight.

* Editor's Advice
"Instead of resolving to get faster, lose weight, stretch more, or run a
marathon, try to achieve the best possible balance in your
running. By taking a balanced approach, you can increase your chances of staying
healthy and happy--in running and in all other
aspects of your busy life. Don't let running rule your life. Allow running to
enhance it." -Adam Bean, RW features editor

* Words That Inspire
"Racing taught me to figure out how to win, but also how to lose in such a way
that I was still a winner. Every run has been a gift.
I continually give thanks for both the humbling and the triumphant moments, for
they have all, in their way, uplifted my spirit."
-Lorraine Moller, four-time Olympic marathoner who won a bronze medal for New
Zealand in the 1992 Olympics


12. To the next level:
Knowing their lactate threshold gives serious athletes a leg up, helping them
plan training routines that maximize their progress.
When cyclist Nate Loyal was competing as an amateur road racer two years ago, he
found he couldn't gain speed no matter how hard he
trained. "I started the season doing well," the Santa Monica resident said, "but
as the season went on, I got worse. I couldn't do
breakaways or chase anyone down. I had no punch."
Loyal's breakthrough came when he learned one simple number: his lactate
threshold.
Once Loyal, 27, started training with that number in mind, he not only picked up
his pace, he graduated from amateur road racer to
the next level in racing: top amateur, or a Category 2 cyclist, the highest
level in domestic racing. "It's the greatest training
tool I've ever had," he said.
Although most serious exercisers know their numbers — resting, target and
maximum heart rate, performance speeds, weight and body
fat ratio — many don't know their lactate threshold, or LT.
First used on top athletes in Austria, the practice of lactate testing became
known among top endurance trainers in the United
States in the late 1960s, said Robert Vaughn, an exercise physiologist with
Baylor Tom Landry Fitness Center in Dallas. Today, most
elite endurance athletes and coaches use lactate profiling as part of their
training.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/fitness/la-he-lactate27dec27,1,5601874.st\
ory?coll=la-health-fitness-news


13. Moderate Exercise Fights Deadly Mix of Risks:
Physical activity offsets metabolic syndrome, which increases risk of heart
disease, diabetes and stroke.
Simply by following a moderate program of physical exercise, older people can
significantly offset a deadly mix of risk factors for
heart disease and diabetes called metabolic syndrome.
So suggests a study from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland that
assessed the benefits of a fixed program of exercise
training in a group of 104 men and women aged 55 to 75. Half were assigned to a
control group that got a booklet encouraging
increased physical activity such as walking while the other half participated in
supervised exercises for 60 minutes three times per
week. These were designed to work all major muscle groups, the heart and
circulation, and included such things as running on a
treadmill and weightlifting.
Measuring changes in body fat and muscle and fitness levels, the researchers
found substantial improvements in the supervised group
that had exercised for six months. Aerobic fitness increased by 16%, strength
fitness increased by 17% and fat in the abdominal
region decreased by 20%. There was either no or significantly less improvement
in the control group.
At the beginning of the study, 43 percent of participants had metabolic
syndrome. By the end, the supervised exercise group had no
new cases and the condition had resolved in nine, a reduction of 41%.
More...from Better Humans at:
http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2004-12-29-3


14. Enduring Questions - Is Cold-Weather Running Bad For You?
In bitter temperatures and searing winds, certain body parts need a bit more
protection than others.
Melvin Hershkowitz has one of those names you never forget, and he wrote one of
the all-time great running essays about a fearsome
runner malady. The name Hershkowitz came back to me when I began looking into
the alleged perils of cold-weather running. His essay
appeared as a Letter to the Editor in the January 20, 1977, issue of the New
England Journal of Medicine, which has a long history
of publishing creative letters from M.D.s who are frustrated writers. Dr.
Hershkowitz began in the classic recitative of medical
case studies: "A 53-year-old physician, nonsmoker, light drinker (one highball
before dinner), 1.78 meters tall, weighing 70 kg,
with no illnesses, performing strenuous physical exercise for many years, began
a customary 30-minute jog in a local park at 7 p.m.
on December 3, 1976."
The temperature that evening was about 20 degrees Fahrenheit, with a wicked
wind. Result: "At 7:25, the jogger noted an unpleasant
painful burning sensation at the penile tip." In the next few minutes, the
runner's pain increased dramatically. He made it back to
his apartment and removed his pants to check the damage. "Physical examination
revealed the glans was frigid, red, tender upon
manipulation, and anesthetic to light touch."
The runner took immediate rewarming action "with one cupped palm." It worked.
The "response was rapid and complete." But his
troubles were just beginning: His wife walked into the room, spotted him naked
from the waist down, and noted the rewarming
procedure. She also saw that he was ogling the pages of a well-known magazine.
"Spouse's observation of therapy produced numerous,
varied, and severe side effects," Dr. Hershkowitz wrote. In other words, the
runner's face turned redder than even his overchilled
body part. (Important note: The physician runner claimed the magazine was the
New England Journal of Medicine, and he was merely
keeping up with his profession.)
More...from Runner's World at:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,5033,s6-197-0-0-7442,00.html


15. Exercise 'cuts older heart risks';
Even moderate exercise by older people cuts the risk of developing a syndrome
which increases heart disease and diabetes risk, US
researchers say.
The Johns Hopkins University team said cutting body fat can offset metabolic
syndrome in those aged 55 to 75.
The Journal of Preventive Medicine said 100 over-55s were prescribed exercises
ranging from weightlifting to walking.
Lead researcher Kerry Stewart said: "Exercise can be as effective as what is
accomplished today with drugs."
The study provides more evidence of the benefits of exercise to the middle-aged
and elderly.
Up to a quarter of adults in the UK are estimated to have one or more of the
risk factors for developing metabolic syndrome.
In the US study, a group of more than 100 people aged 55 to 75 were monitored
for a period of six months.
More...from the BBC at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4131879.stm


16. Time for preventive maintenance:
Okay, it’s the holiday season; overindulgence is practically a constitutionally
enshrined right. Enjoy the coming days, and don’t
feel guilty about some well-deserved time off. Remember, moderation and balance
-- in both training and Christmas baking -- are
crucial to a happy, successful 2005.
Still, regardless of how you ring in the New Year, most triathletes have set a
number of goals for the coming season and, to that
end, it can be useful to engage in a bit of preventive medicine to avoid injury
as you begin to slide back into a regular training
schedule over the coming weeks and months.
While the cross-training benefits of triathlon training include fewer injuries
and less psychological burnout, a regular body
tune-up can also do a great deal keep your training on track. I often compare
the body to a car when I talk about health and
wellness. Sedentary folks are not unlike, say a Honda Civic, a daily reliable
workhorse that gets tuned up once a year or when
something starts smoking, rattling or otherwise causing problems. However, as
athletes we push our bodies a bit harder and demand
more from them on a regular basis. As such, like a fancy European sports car, we
benefit more from regular maintenance.
More...from Triathlete Magazine at:
http://www.triathletemag.com/story.cfm?story_id=9251&publicationID=92&pageID=170\
5


17. Pregnancy: Walking, swimming, stretching are great for fitness in any
trimester:
A good pair of walking or running shoes and a comfortable swimming suit are a
pregnant woman's best friends during her 40 weeks of
pregnancy.
Walking, swimming and stretching are exercises that transcend all three
trimesters. They're low impact and inexpensive. They're
great for women just starting fitness programs, too.
If you're a die-hard runner, you probably can keep running for several months
after you become pregnant. Many women find they must
slow their jogging as their bellies get bigger.
All programs should incorporate moves that increase flexibility in the thighs
(front, back and inner), calves, gluteus maximus,
upper and lower back, neck, arms and shoulders.
More...from Active.com at:
http://active.com/story.cfm?story_id=11401&sidebar=576&category=healthclub


18. Functional Strength Training for Triathletes:
Historically most people, including triathletes, think of strength training as
bodybuilding. Unfortunately this thinking keeps many
triathletes from participating in a properly designed strength and conditioning
program. For most endurance athletes the benefits of
strength training are outweighed by the fear of gaining too much bulk, loss of
flexibility and diminished "feel" of their sport. In
recent years much has been learned about the specific strength and conditioning
exercises that best suit triathletes.
Current thinking shows that functional strength training leads to better
muscular balance and joint stability, which will lead to
fewer injuries and increased performance. Strength training that is "functional"
mimics the movement patterns that are used in
swimming, cycling and running. By incorporating various exercises utilizing
minimal equipment you will assure yourself of that extra
edge next season. Now is the time of year to get organized with your off-season
training. Use the tips below to get started today
10 Tips of a Functional Strength Training Program for Triathletes:
1. Specific to the sport - Your routine must help develop and maintain sport
specific strength. Don't just do a basic circuit of
weight machines, as there are many new training devices that allow you to make
your training more sport specific. Cable machines,
physioballs, medicine balls, balance disks, etc… all allow for more functional
training.
2. Prevent Injury - Obviously strength training helps build strength, which
helps minimize the chance of injury, improves resistance
to fatigue and improves endurance. The ability to resist fatigue can allow you
to hold a set pace for longer or too increase speed
over a given distance. Muscular imbalances are also improved with a properly
designed functional program.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20041228_ES_Strength.html


19. Evening Shift Ups Risk of Gastrointestinal Ills:
People who work from mid-afternoon into the wee hours of the night are liable to
develop problems such as heartburn, stomach ulcers
and constipation, new research shows.
In the study, evening workers tended to work longer hours and more night hours -
from midnight to 5 am - and follow a more irregular
schedule, study author Dr. Claire C. Caruso told Reuters Health.
"As a consequence, the workers might have reduced opportunity for adequate
sleep, or the combination of these work schedule
characteristics might have led to disturbed sleep," said Caruso. "Good sleep is
associated with less gastrointestinal symptoms and
other symptoms," she added.
Alternatively, an irregular work schedule can disturb the body's internal clock,
which it uses to synchronize eating and digesting
food, she said.
Finally, the evening shift may increase the risk of stomach and intestinal ills
if it isolates workers from friends and family,
causing stress and, as a result, GI problems.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=7209652


20. Coffee, Tea and Me:
Caffeine and Running Performance.
Caffeine is a ubiquitous drug that you almost undoubtedly consume in coffee,
soft drinks, tea or chocolate. Caffeine has a wide
variety of effects on the body, some of which may enhance running performance.
But, like any drug, caffeine also has side effects,
and some of them can be detrimental, particularly in high doses.
Can caffeine help you race better? Several hundred studies have been conducted
on the effects of caffeine on sport performance, and
the answer is: probably. Studies with runners and cyclists have shown that
caffeine can improve performance in the lab during
simulated events lasting from five minutes to several hours. Extrapolating from
run-to-exhaustion studies in the lab, the likely
benefit of taking caffeine is in the range of 1 to 2 percent (20 to 50 seconds
in a 10K, 90 seconds to four minutes in a marathon).
Hardly any studies have investigated the effects of caffeine on race
performance, however, so we do not really know if it can help
improve your next 10K or marathon. One reason that caffeine may not work as well
during races as in lab tests is that caffeine
increases epinephrine (adrenaline) levels, which are also stimulated by the
excitement of competition, so the caffeine may be
redundant during a race.
How does caffeine affect running performance? Despite all the research, no one
is sure. The conventional wisdom is that caffeine
improves endurance performance by increasing the activity of enzymes for fat
metabolism. By using relatively more fat, the runner’s
glycogen stores are used more slowly, so they last longer. This theory is under
question, however, because caffeine also improves
performance in events that last only a few minutes, in which glycogen depletion
is not a factor.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/issues/04mar/pfitz.htm


21. Anemia and Blood Boosting:
* Sports anemia is a false anemia in athletes who are aerobically fit.
* Bursting of red blood cells during exertion almost never causes anemia.
* Iron deficiency anemia is common among female athletes.
* Exertional fatigue is the hallmark of mild anemia.
* Donating blood is altruistic but ergolytic.
* Blood boosting is risky but rampant.
INTRODUCTION
Blood fascinates us: It permeates our body and language. We speak of blood thick
or thin, hot or cold, bad or blue. We tell of blood
brothers, blood money, blood feuds. We say bloodthirsty, bloodsucker,
bloodstained. For two thousand years, physicians prescribed
blood-letting. And today in sports, alas, we have blood boosting. Athletes,
coaches, athletic trainers, and physicians want to know
what hemoglobin level is normal for an athlete, and what level it takes to win.
They ask about sports anemia and footstrike
hemolysis. They wonder whether low ferritin causes fatigue. They want tips to
prevent, diagnose, and treat iron deficiency anemia.
They ask if donating blood impairs performance. And they want the latest on
blood boosting and how to detect it. These topics are
covered here.
RESEARCH REVIEW
Sports Anemia
Athletes, especially endurance athletes, tend to have slightly low hemoglobin
levels as judged by general population norms. Because
a low blood hemoglobin concentration defines anemia, this has been called sports
anemia.
But sports anemia is a misnomer because in most such athletes—especially men—the
low hemoglobin level is a false anemia. The total
volume of red cells in the body is normal, not low. Hemoglobin level is
decreased because aerobic exercise expands the baseline
plasma volume; this reduces the concentration of red cells, which contain the
hemoglobin. In other words, the naturally lower
hemoglobin level of an endurance athlete is a dilutional pseudoanemia.
More...from GSSI at:
http://www.gssiweb.com/reflib/refs/276/sse81.cfm?pid=87&CFID=820175&CFTOKEN=3071\
6101


22. Science of Sport: Back Myths:
As spinal expert Richard Deyo points out, there are three certainties in life:
Death, taxes, and low-back pain. After all, up to 80%
of all adults experience back problems, and back pain is a leading cause of
doctor's-office visits, hospitalization, surgery, and
work disability. In the United States alone, the annual combined cost of
back-pain-related medical care and disability compensation
is estimated at 50 billion dollars, or about 30 billion British pounds (1).
Runners and other athletes are not exempt from such back worries; in fact,
low-back pain is one of the most common maladies which
sports-active people have to face. So - you would think that with all those
troubled backs hanging around out there, both in the
regular and sports worlds, sports-medicine experts should know just about
everything there is to know about healing athletes' backs,
right?
Think again! In fact, many of the most popular beliefs about caring for
athletes' backs have little support from scientific
research. In this article, we discuss several of these myths about back care for
athletes. You will probably recognize the myths. In
fact, it is highly likely that up to this very moment you have been treating the
myths as "gospel" - as valid ways to keep your back
out of trouble.
Ready? Here's myth number one: To protect your back, you should strengthen your
torso muscles, i. e., your abs and low-back muscles.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20041231_RRN_BackMyths.html


23 Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine:
* Dear Dr. Mirkin: I've started to exercise, but so far I haven't lost any
weight. What am I doing wrong?
When people start an exercise program, some lose a lot of weight, while others
lose nothing. An effective exercise program for
weight loss should be 1) continuous, 2) use all of your major muscle groups, 3)
include one intense workout a week for each muscle
group, and 4) be done on land, rather than in the water. Stop-and-start
exercises, such as lifting weights, do not require that
you use your muscles continuously enough to burn a lot of calories. Those that
use just one muscle group, such as doing sit-ups or
pushups, won't help you to lose a lot of weight
because the stressed muscle groups tire quickly so you can't exercise very long.
Exercising at a leisurely pace won't help you lose a lot of weight either. You
burn calories while you exercise and after you finish
exercising. Intense exercise raises body temperature which continues to be
elevated and burn more calories for several hours after
you finish exercising. This also explains why swimming is not the best exercise
for weight loss, because water conducts heat away
from your body so fast that your temperature does not rise. When you exercise on
land, air insulates your body so your temperature
rises.
Pick sports in which you can exercise intensely, but don't exercise very hard in
one sport more often than once a week. Every time
that you exercise, your muscle fibers are torn slightly. You can tell this has
happened to you when you muscles feel sore on the day
after you have exercised. If you exercise intensely on days when your muscles
feel sore, you are at increased risk for injuring
them. Instead, alternate two sports, one that stresses your upper body and one
that stresses your lower body.

* Dear Dr. Mirkin: I've had several asthma attacks since I joined my school's
track team. Should I quit?
People with asthma can usually compete in sports at a very high level when they
know how to do it. All people who cough and wheeze
when they exercise have asthma at other times also. Exercise-induced asthma
means that you start to cough and wheeze 7 to 15 minutes
after you start to exercise or immediately after you finish exercising. It's not
caused by exercise, it's caused by breathing dry
cold air. That's why running
is far more likely to cause an asthma attack than swimming.
People who wheeze with exercise can wheeze when they are exposed to other
triggers such as irritants like smoke, allergens like cat
dander and infections. If you are wheezing before you start to exercise, using
an albuterol inhaler will help you to exercise, but
it will not allow you to compete at your best. For at least a week before
starting an important competition, you may need to take an
antibiotic if infected, or a cortisone-type inhaler, and sometimes even
cortisone-type pills. You can sometimes prevent an asthma
attack during competition by taking two grams of vitamin C one hour before your
event. Another preventative measure is to exercise
intensely for 45 to 60 minutes before you compete to bring on an attack of
exercise-induced asthma. This can prevent further attacks
for up to two hours. Another approach is to wear a face mask that warms the air
when you exercise in cold weather. These are only
research reports, so check with your doctor.


24. Effective stretching exercises you can do at home:
In the holiday hubbub of overeating, spending money you don't have and nursing
champagne headaches as big as a bodybuilder's biceps,
fitness tends to be the first thing to go.
And if you do carve out 15 frantic minutes to exercise, it's all about
stair-stepping till your buns burn, waiting on weights and
crunching till the cows come home.
As for stretching -- say what? Who needs it?
We all do, especially at this time of year. Stretching is a no- cost,
fast-acting stress-reliever that improves blood flow, prevents
muscle stiffness and can re-energize the tensest mall-crawler or fuzziest party
animal.
But lots of people never do it, and that includes the fittest among us.
Flexibility is a primary component of overall fitness, along
with aerobic capacity and strength. But as hard as it is to get some people to
work out, it's even harder to get anybody to stretch.
More...from Active.com at:
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=11409&sidebar=576&category=healthclub


25. News Scan:

* Health Tip: A Short Note on Long Underwear
(HealthDayNews) -- What's the best fabric for long underwear worn in cold
weather?
That was the subject of a study done by the Section for Extreme Work Environment
in Trondheim, Norway, where they know cold!
The researchers tested a 100 percent polypropylene fabric and mixtures of
polyprolylene and wool and wool-cotton polypropylene. They
tested the fabrics when they were dry, and after they had been dampened.
And the winner? According to results published in Ergonomics, the choice of
fiber didn't make much difference. The thickness of the
underwear was the most important factor, regardless of what it was made of.

* Don't Let Shoveling Snow You Under
(HealthDayNews) -- With winter's arrival, the snow shovel may now seem as
inevitable as death and taxes.
However, there's some good to be had in pushing the white stuff around.
Clearing the snow from your driveway and sidewalk can be a good form of
exercise. The U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Physical
Activity and Health says 15 minutes of snow shoveling counts as moderate
physical activity.
But if you pile on too much effort and don't follow safety guidelines, snow
shoveling can burden you with a flurry of injuries, or
even kill you.
Back injuries, pulled muscles and heart attack are among the potential health
threats. The cold air makes it more difficult for you
to breathe, and that can add extra strain on your hardworking body. Don't forget
hypothermia and frostbite are possible if you don't
wear the proper clothing.
Nevertheless, don't let all this melt your enthusiasm. Here's a blizzard of tips
for safe snow shoveling from the National Safety
Council:
~ Stretch before you shovel, just as you would before doing any type of
exercise.
~ Don't try to shovel all of your driveway or sidewalk at one time. Do one area
at a time, and take breaks. If you feel tightness in
your chest, stop ~ immediately.
~ Use a shovel that's the right size for your height.
~ If you have any history of heart trouble, get permission from your doctor
before you do any snow shoveling.
~ Don't shovel right after you eat, and don't smoke while you shovel.
~ Push the snow; don't lift it. It's easier on your back.
~ Dress warmly and be sure to protect extremities such as your nose, ears, hands
and feet.

* Stevia Sweetener "Completely Safe"
Three-hundred times sweeter than table sugar, plant-derived substance with zero
calories gets a boost
Stevioside, the main sweet component in the leaves of the Stevia plant, has been
deemed completely safe by a new report that should
spur wider use of the zero-calorie sweetener that's 300 times sweeter than table
sugar.
Permitted as food additives in Brazil, Korea and Japan, and as a dietary
supplement in the US, Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) and
stevioside and were refused approval by the European Commission in 2000 because
of insufficient evidence for their safety.
In response to the need for more research, Jan Geuns and Johan Buyse from the
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in the Netherlands set
up the European Stevia Research Centre in 2003. Among other things, the center
aims to develop a European quality label for
stevioside that could lead to a lifting of the European ban.
The European Stevia Research Centre held the first international symposium on
stevioside safety in April, 2004. The proceedings were
edited by Geuns and Buyse and have now been published in a report that concludes
that the use of stevioside as a sweetener is
completely safe.
The researchers say that stevioside has many benefits as a sweetener, including
that it's natural and stable. They also say that it
can be used by, among others, diabetics and people suffering from
phenylketonuria, an illness requiring a strict diet with no
artificial sweeteners such as aspartame.
In addition, the researchers say that high concentrations of stevioside (250 mg
three times daily) lower blood pressure in people
with hypertension. They also say that there have been no significant adverse
reactions to the sweetener, that intake does not affect
male potency and that it has potential for treating type-2 diabetes.

* SportsInjuryClinic.com
** ACL Injury - does it run in the family?
A study in Canada of 171 surgical cases and 171 matched controls was conducted
to investigate whether a familial predisposition
toward tearing the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee exists.
Patients who were diagnosed with an anterior cruciate ligament tear were matched
by age (within 5 years), gender, and primary sport
to subjects without an anterior cruciate ligament tear. All 342 subjects
completed a questionnaire detailing their family history of
anterior cruciate ligament tears.
Results showed participants with an anterior cruciate ligament tear were twice
as likely to have a relative (first, second, or third
degree) with an anterior cruciate ligament tear compared to participants without
an anterior cruciate ligament tear.
** Suramin - can it prevent scar tissue formation and improve muscle healing?
Muscle healing often is hindered by scar tissue formation after injury. A study
from the University of Pittsburgh, USA looked at
whether Suramin can prevent scar tissue formation and improve muscle healing
after injury.
Muscle-derived fibroblasts (a potential cell source of muscle fibrosis) were
incubated with suramin and/or transforming growth
factor–ß1; a cell growth curve was obtained. Mouse gastrocnemius muscles were
strain injured. Suramin or sham/control intramuscular
injections were performed after injury at various time points.
Mice were sacrificed at various time points after injury, and skeletal muscle
tissue was evaluated by using histological and
physiological tests.
Results showed suramin decreased the stimulating effect of transforming growth
factor–ß1 on the growth of muscle-derived
fibroblasts. Significantly less fibrous scar formation was observed in
suramin-treated muscles than in sham-injected muscles. The
fast-twitch and tetanus strength of suramin-treated muscles was also
significantly greater relative to that of control muscles.
They concluded suramin blocked the stimulatory effect of transforming growth
factor–ß1 on muscle-derived fibroblasts. Suramin also
reduced fibrous scar formation in muscle and enhanced muscle strength in
strain-injured skeletal muscle.
More information on this drug can be seen here:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202759.html




*End of Articles*

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

December 31, 2004:
Emerald Nuts Midnight Run - New York, NY
http://www.nyrr.org/race/2004/r1231x00.html

Midnight 2 Mile Run - Sacramento, CA
http://www.rungoldmedal.com

New Year's Eve 8 & 12 Hour Runs - North Waterloo, ON
http://www.conquerthecanuck.com/Can%20Page%20Views/new_yrs_eve.pdf

December 31 - January 2, 2004:
Running Times Guide to New Year's Races
http://www.runningtimes.com/special/05nyraces.htm

January 1, 2005:
Redding Marathon - CA
http://reddingmarathon.sweatrc.com

St. Croix International Marathon - VI
http://www.virginislandspace.org/StCroixMarathonEntry.htm

Texas Marathon - Kingwood, TX
http://www.50statesmarathonclub.com/texas2005.html

January 2, 2005:
First Light Marathon - Mobile, AL
http://www.firstlightmarathon.com

January 7, 2005:
Dubai Marathon - United Arab Emirates
http://www.dubaimarathon.org

January 9, 2005:
Disney Marathon - Orlando, FLA
http://dwws.disney.go.com/wideworldofsports/sportingevents/sportingevent/sportin\
geventindex?id=SPORMarathon04SporEvn
[Long URL]

P.F. Chang's Rock "n" Roll Marathon - Scottsdale, AZ
http://www.rnraz.com


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


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

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

Your Feedback and Comments:
Comments, contributions and feedback are always welcome via this list at:
mailto:runnersweb@yahoogroups.com and in our Runner's Web
Forum, available off our FrontPage. If you post to the mailing list and get your
email returned, please contact the Runner's Web at
mailto:webmaster@... to notify us of the problem. To update your
Runner's Web eGroups subscriber's profile,
go to the web site at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RunnersWeb/join, sign in
and update your changes.
Forward the Runner's Web Digest to a friend and suggest that they subscribe at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RunnersWeb/join

Have a good week of training and/or racing.

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


Runner's Web Affiliate Programs:
***********************************
Our newest affiliate is TrainingPeaks.com by Wes Hobson.
Find the training program that fits you at:
http://www.trainingpeaks.com/rw

HDO Sports - Leading Edge Sports Products
http://www.modularmerchant.com/clients/hdo/?aid=12

Puma
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000006585654

Fitsense Speed, Distance & Heart Rate Monitoring System for Runners and Walkers
http://buy.fitsense.com/processing2.asp?ID=28&Ad=101

Peak Performance Online
Free Copy of Peak Performance!
High-quality training newsletter worth £4 ($6) delivered straight to your door
http://www.pponline.co.uk/sendme/free.php?aff=runnersweb&sub=run

HDO Sport for Timex Body Link products
http://www.modularmerchant.com/clients/hdo/?aid=13

ITUtv.com
Live webcasts of triathlons and multi-sport events.
http://www.itutv.com/
Use promo code "RUNNERSWEB" to get a $5.00 discount.

Blockbuster
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000005675551

Fairmont Hotels
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000005674720

Triathlon Meetup
http://triathlon.meetup.com/r/d5n6/d5n6/0/http://triathlon.meetup.com/?a=d5n6/
593 are signed up for local Triathlon Meetups! Happening THIS month, find out
when .

The Finish Line
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000005637857

Patagonia
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000005568199

Motorola
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000005463364

AOL Broadband
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000005348025

Get the GM Card, get 5% Earnings from every credit card purchase, and
start charging toward a new GM car, truck or SUV.
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000005347188

ING DIRECT makes $aving money simple! Open your account online today
and start earning 2.10% variable APY. No Fees and No Minimums!
http://www.qksrv.net/click-1452277-10124087

TriSwim Coach - The Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming
http://hop.clickbank.net/?rhianyth/triswim1

adidas' running apparel at 15% off! All running shorts, pants, and
shirts at reduced prices .
http://service.bfast.com/bfast/click?bfmid=20812557&siteid=39999062&bfpage=15745\
37

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
The Stretching Video in a DVD version. With the DVD version you're
able to use the convenient menu facility to:
* Go directly to a specific stretch;
* View only stretches for a specific muscle group;
* Pause each stretch to get a good look at how it is performed;
* View only the introduction and rules for safe stretching; or
* Play the entire video from start to finish.
Buy the DVD at:
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/cgi-bin/at.pl?a=286905&e=products/video-dvd\
.htm

Buy all your sporting goods at Fogdog Sports, your anytime, anywhere
sports store.
Click here: http://www.fogdog.com/cgi-bin/affiliate?siteid=40054907

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

END...OF DIGEST...