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7. LifeSport by Lance Watson - Professional Coaching
Lance Watson has been coaching triathlon and distance running since 1987. Over
the years, Lance has coached some of the most
successful athletes in the sport of triathlon and duathlon. A Human Kinetics
graduate (sport psychology minor), Lance has had the
opportunity to work with and be mentored by numerous world-class swim, bike, run
and triathlon coaches and liaise with many top
sport professionals (scientists, psychologists, nutritionists, therapists, etc.)
Lance has coached at the 2000 Olympics, 2002 Commonwealth Games and 2003 Pan
American Games. He has been head coach at several
national-team events and coached at various Ironman, ITU World Cup and world
championship events. As well, he was an award recipient
as "Triathlon Canada Elite Coach Of The Year" four consecutive years from
2000-2003. He was the 2004 Olympic Team Head Coach
(Triathlon).
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/LifeSport.html


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THIS WEEK:

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RUNNER'S AND TRIATHLETE'S WEB CONTENT PARTNERS

* Sports Nutrition 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:
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* Carmichael Training Systems
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* Peak Performance Online
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* Peak Running Performance
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Running Publication by Road Runner Sports (Worlds
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* WatsonLifeSport
Lance Watson is "Just The Winningest Coach in Triathlon". He has been coaching
triathlon and distance running since 1987. Over the
years, Lance has coached some of the most successful athletes in the sport of
triathlon and duathlon.
Check out the Lance Watson Online Article Index at:
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Running Research News:
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THIS WEEK'S PERSONAL POSTINGS/RELEASES:
We have NO personal postings this week:


THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

1. Sports Psychology: Lets Work as a Team!
2. Multisport: The Marathon Ironman Combination
3. Nutrition: Staving Off Muscle Soreness--Nutritional Strategies that Work
4. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine
5. Joe Henderson's Running Commentary - Simple Times
6. To Cheat or not to Cheat?.that is the question
7. Coaching - Periodization
8. Supplements not sun best for boosting vitamin D
9. Nutrition: Fluid and Fuel Before the Long Event
10. Sportsmedicine: Bruises and Muscle Contusions
Can Stretching Speed-Up the Recovery Process?
11. Developing Dietary Supplements for the Physically Active Women
12. Pacific Elite Fitness
This Week's Article: Torque Them Cranks Part II
13. From Runner's World
14. Hills! The Effective Way to Increase Conditioning, Strength & Power
15. Marathon Lite: New Programs Help You Prepare for the Big Race in Less Time
16. Science of Sport: Olympic teams place bets on latest science
Aerodynamics, video replay, biofeedback could provide winning edge.
17. The ABCs of planning your race season
18. Coach's Tales with Cliff English: Key bike-trainer sessions for the winter
19. Top Tips for Women Worried About Bone Density
20. Low-Fat Diet Does Not Cut Health Risks, Study Finds
21. Is It Time for a Coach
22. How Fast Can You Go in an Ironman? Or "Doing the Math"
23. Cross-training marathon plan
24. The Caloric Cost of Physical Activity and Exercise
25. Digest Briefs


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Should women's road race records("best times") be allowed to be established in
mixed (men and women) races?"

You can access the poll from our FrontPage (http://www.runnersweb.com) as well
as checking the results of previous polls.
Post your views in our Forum at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/runnersweb_forum.html
[Free Registration Required]

LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULTS:
"Do you support Women's Only races?"
Answers Votes Percent
1. Female - Yes 23 27%
2. Female - No 19 22%
3. Male - Yes 29 34%
4. Male - No 14 16%
Total Votes: 85


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE WEEK: Stephanie McCaan
Nationality Canadian
Hometown Surrey, B.C.
Residence Surrey, B.C.
DOB April 22, 1977
Height 5' 7 3/4"/ 171cm
Weight 135 lbs/ 61 kg
Email mailto:steph_mccann@...
Event Pole Vault
Club Valley Royals
Coach Pat Licari / Les Gramantik
Ranking 17th in the World (www.iaaf.org)
Hobbies Drawing, Painting, Creative Memories,
Stamping.
Favourite Foods Chocolate, Peanut Butter & Sushi
(salmon-favourite!)
Other Interests Hiking, biking, swimming & camping
Other Sports Volleyball, basketball, tennis,climbing,
skiing & surfing
Check out her site at:
http://www.stephmccann.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.

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

BOOK OF THE WEEK: The Woman Triathlete.
Unlike any other triathlon book on the market, each chapter in "The Woman
Triathlete" is told from the perspective of one of the
sport's foremost female coaches
or competitors. Current "Her Sports" magazine and former "Triathlete" magazine
editor-in-chief Christina Gandolfo enlisted this
all-star cast to bring readers the information
they have long been craving to train, compete, and succeed in this sport. In
total, 15 of triathlon's highest profile women have
been assembled to create this highly comprehensive and detailed guide.
Buy the book from Human Kinetics at:
http://www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?associate=880&isbn=0736054\
308


THIS WEEK'S NEWS:

1. Sports Psychology: Lets Work as a Team!
By Michelle Cleere, Sports Psychology Consultant
Here is my belief: in order for Sports Psychology (or anything) to be effective
it needs to be embraced by the athlete but most
importantly by the other people who work with the athlete. It's now become
really imperative (to me) that all support people of
endurance athletes: coaches, assistant coaches, mentors, physical therapists,
personal trainers, etc. have some knowledge of how
important the mental aspect of sports is so they can decide what to do with it
for their athletes; particularly since it is your job
to guide athletes in determining what's right and wrong for them in their
training.
Lets me put it this way: if a coach was misinformed or didn't recognize the
importance of doing aerobic and anaerobic training
during the season an athlete would not be coached to train that way. This does
not mean it's not important. Assistant coaches,
mentors, physical therapists, personal trainers, etc. aren't coaching an athlete
on aerobic and anaerobic training but many if not
all understand the importance it plays in an athletes physical training. They
can support what the coach is coaching. Mental
performance is similar and unless the athlete decides to step outside the
coaching staff and support team to pursue an understanding
of mental performance chances are they will never be exposed to it. In my mind
mental training is as important (if not more) as
aerobic and anaerobic training and should be part of any coaches, assistant
coaches, mentors, physical therapists, personal
trainers, etc. training even if just at a basic entry level. Knowledge leads to
awareness and awareness leads to change.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20060208_SM_Team.html


2. Multisport: The Marathon Ironman Combination:
From: Jason Gootman, MS, CSCS & Will Kirousis, BS, CSCS
USA Triathlon and USA Cycling Certified Coaches
Tri-Hard Sports Conditioning Systems
www.tri-hard.com
Several years ago, we were talking with a group of triathletes who had just
completed an Olympic Distance Triathlon. Each person in
the group was fired up about the race they had just experienced. Their
excitement was heightened because each had recently signed up
for their first Ironman the following year. During this conversation, we were
being pelted with intelligent and excited questions
about the task of preparing for an Ironman. One of the most common questions we
heard was "Should I run a marathon during the spring
to prepare for my Ironman next summer?" We replied the same way every time,
receiving startled and surprised looks, "No, you
shouldn't." Although it seems to make sense on some theoretical levels, in the
real world, running a marathon in your buildup to an
Ironman usually presents more training/racing problems than it would seemingly
prevent. Training for and racing a marathon in your
Ironman buildup could severely cut into Ironman specific training time, could
greatly enhance your risk of developing injuries, and
could limit your ability to race to your potential best performance in your
Ironman.
Running a marathon in your Ironman buildup really cuts into quality training
time available for your Ironman. Running a marathon
healthfully requires 10-21 days of taper time and 14-31 days recovery time. That
could be as much as 52 days, or nearly two months
of time, devoted appropriate pre- and post-race rest, when you really should be
building your overall Ironman abilities in all three
disciplines. So if you schedule a marathon within 3-4 months of your Ironman,
you have two options. You could greatly reduce your
training load, as you should to healthfully taper for and recover from your
marathon. The trouble with this option is you will get
to this point after your marathon and be woefully underprepared at that point
for your ensuing Ironman. You could instead race your
marathon with a very short taper and very short recovery period. The trouble
with this option is that it is a recipe for
disaster: injury, overtraining syndrome, and burnout. In short, the required
reduction in training needed to perform a marathon
safely, dramatically limits your time to specifically build up to your Ironman.
But what if you don't race your marathon; you "just
run it easy?".? The truth is running the 26.2 miles of a marathon cannot truly
be done in a way that is easy. Even if you are to run
it at a modest pace for yourself, you are going to be on your feet for from 2-3
to as much as 4-5 hours. Folks, there is no way for
that to be easy on you, and it requires a good amount of rest to fully recover
from. Running a marathon healthfully really cuts into
your training time available for specifically training for your Ironman.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20060206_THS_Marathon_Ironman.htm\
l


3. Nutrition: Staving Off Muscle Soreness--Nutritional Strategies that Work:
By: Kim Mueller, MS, RD, SDTC Sports Nutritionist
As you fight for survival on your last interval or final mile of long marathon
training run, you may wonder if your body will ever
fully recover from the beating of the workout. While muscular fatigue and
soreness are inevitable after intense workouts and thus
the emphasized importance of recovery days by coaches, cutting edge scientific
research has shown that use of certain nutritional
strategies prior to, during, and after training can minimize muscle damage and
aid quick muscle recovery, ultimately helping to
rejuvenate your muscles for peak performance at your next workout. Here's the
latest scoop.
Priming your Muscles for Peak Performance
Priming your muscles for peak performance entails that a carbohydrate-oriented
meal be consumed prior to higher intensity training
(e.g., intervals, tempo runs, racing) lasting greater than one hour or
aerobic-based training ( e.g., long runs) lasting greater
than
90 minutes. This is especially important when workouts are planned after an
overnight fasting state, which is shown to reduce liver
glycogen (carbohydrate) stores and corresponding blood sugars, thereby
contributing to a mental "bonking" state within the athlete.1
Carbohydrates consumed prior to longer training days helps to restocks our liver
with glycogen, helping to stabilize energy levels
during the initial stages of activity. In endurance training, this pre-workout
meal also helps spare the limited supply of glycogen
stored in our muscles, thereby preventing premature muscle fatigue and cramping
(aka "the wall") often experienced around mile 18-20
of the marathon.2 This is extremely beneficial when looking at post-workout
muscle recovery since premature depletion of muscle
glycogen elevates breakdown of muscle protein and consequent muscle soreness.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20060205_KM_Muscle_Soreness.html


4. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine:
* Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
If you are a regular exerciser and on the day after a harder workout, you never
feel soreness in your muscles, you will not improve
your fitness level as much as you could. Take a tip
from competitive athletes who train by taking a hard workout, feeling sore on
the next day and then take easy workouts until the
soreness goes away in a day or two.
The good soreness that makes you stronger is called DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle
Soreness) and is caused by microscopic tears in your
muscle fibers. It is not caused by lactic acid buildup. When muscles are
damaged, they produce healing prostaglandins that cause
muscles to become bigger and stronger than
before they were exercised vigorously. Researchers have shown that DOMS heals
faster when you do nothing, but if you take off every
time your muscles feel sore, you will never become an athlete and you will not
reach a high level of fitness. When you exert very
slight pressure on your muscles when you have DOMS, you cause muscle fibers to
become more fibrous and they will become stronger so
they can withstand greater stress during your harder workouts. Never try to put
a lot of pressure on your muscles when they feel
sore. That will markedly increase your chances of injuring yourself.
It is relatively easy to tell the difference between DOMS and an impending
injury. DOMS is usually symmetrical, involving muscles
equally on both sides of your body. An injury is more likely to cause pain that
is only on one side. DOMS does not feel worse as
you exercise at light intensity. An injury worsens with continued use of the
injured part. Stop exercising when you have an injury.
When your muscles feel sore from exercising, take the day off or exercise with
very light resistance, such as running or cycling
very slowly, or lifting extremely light weights. Try
stretching gently to help restore flexibility. Deep massage may help you to
heal faster and toughen your muscles.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin at: http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness


5. Joe Henderson's Running Commentary - Simple Times:
My heroes have always been runners older than myself. I can't grow younger but
can age better, and these people show me who I'd like
to grow up to be.
I've found a new hero in Ed Whitlock. The British-born Canadian is the oldest
marathoner ever to break three hours (with 2:54 at age
73).
Remarkable as his times are, they're incidental to my admiration of Whitlock. I
admire Ed not for how fast he races but for how he
trains.
He didn't need to turn himself into a technorunner to become as good as he is.
In an era when the theory and practice of running
grows increasingly and often frustratingly complex, his approach is utterly and
refreshingly simple.
Whitlock program includes no intervals or tempo runs. He doesn't follow a
hard-easy plan, doesn't cross-train, doesn't stretch or
lift, doesn't wear a heart monitor. He trains alone, around and around a
third-of-a-mile cemetery in his Ontario hometown.
His only goal, he says, is "to go out there and put in the time." Which he does
for two or more hours a day at what he calls "a
glorified shuffle" -- a leisurely nine minutes per mile.
He only deviates from this routine on racedays, which come round every week or
two. Races are his speedwork substitute. Here he runs
his miles as much as three minutes faster than everyday pace.
I stopped running Whitlock-like times at half his age. Now my glorified-shuffle
daily runs rarely reach half the length of his.
I don't look up to Ed for his numerical achievements but for the simplicity that
underlies them. He reminds me that my running was
also fastest -- and healthiest -- when it was simplest.
The old runner's lament often is, "If only I'd known then what I know now." I
don't think that way. Running went best for me when it
was simplest, before the sport became so sophisticated, before I knew any of
what we know now.
My year of years was 1968. I had never run better before, though my career was
already 10 years and 400 races along. And I would
never run better again, though I was only 25 when this golden year ended and
hundreds more races would follow.
Training was more varied both before and after the magic spell. It began after
I'd dropped out of a marathon (and decided I wasn't
meant to be a marathoner). The best of times ended less than a year later when I
revoked my marathon "retirement."
In the marathon-free period I was also injury- and illness-free. I ran 20 races
-- as short as one mile and as long as 30-K. Seven
of them resulted in permanent PRs. Seven more races led to my fastest track
times since college, when I'd trained exclusively for
track.
More...from Joe Henderson at:
http://www.joehenderson.com/archive/559.html


6. To Cheat or not to Cheat?...that is the question:
Drafting in the sport of Ironman triathlon competition is like a cancer. It
eats away at the core attraction of the sport, the
ability to measure and test one's personal limits in a challenging 3-sport
individual competition.
The disease of drafting has been treated before with very good results, most
notably in the sport's showcase event in Hawaii--see
the History write-up at the end of this article. Unfortunately, a lack of
vigilance on the part of complicit race directors has
widespread cheating rearing its ugly head and eating away once again at the
health of our sport.
My recent participation in Ironman Canada allows me to cite this year's race as
a case in point. Based on what I saw throughout the
day and what was reported by virtually everyone on the course, I would have to
judge IMC 2002 to be one of the worst races I have
ever witnessed in regards to general cheating.
It was sad to see IMC, in its 20th anniversary event and for me personally a
special race, join a growing list of IM races and
qualifiers that have failed miserably in serving the interests of the sport and
its primary constituency, the athletes. While
athletes themselves have a role to play in fair racing and individuals will deal
differently with the "do I cheat or don't I cheat?"
scenario that was IMC 2002, ultimately it is the race director's responsibility
to put on a fair race.
Looking at the finishing results, one can see that Lori Bowden won yet another
IMC title with the impressive finishing time of
9hr15min. Long a dominant bike rider, Bowden was outpaced on the bike by riders
who are not known to be strong riders and had to
rely on her similarly vaunted run to take the lead very late in the race.
Question:
Was Bowden's bike ride 5hr 18min ride on a tough course a sub-par performance,
or did certain women discover something in training
to catapult them far forward in the competitive bike ranks, or did the near
zero-presence of race marshals and huge packs of
shameless cheaters warp the race results?
Please don't criticize me for posing a question that begs to be answered in view
of the ITU approach to cycling at IMC. Anyone who
witnessed IMC 2002 could see that for many, many athletes the bike portion of
the race destroyed any measure of integrity in regards
to IM being an individual effort.
Answer:
There is no way to know to evaluate relative bike and run performances because
IMC was not a fair race.
More...from TriathlonCoach at:
http://www.triathloncoach.com/articles/cheatornot.html


7. Coaching - Periodization:
Generally, when triathletes first start training, they think training means
simply swimming, riding, and running as hard as they can
until they get in shape. They believe in the saying "no pain?no gain". They
have no idea how to get the right balance of
workouts in each of triathlon's three sports, and generally they will over train
themselves. These athletes soon find that they are
not gaining fitness, but are actually running themselves into the ground, as
they get more tired after each workout. What these new
athletes are missing is an understanding of how training progression works and
how to build a well-structured training program.
They could be using their workouts to their benefit if they used periodization
to construct their training programs.
I believe that many athletes are in a chronic state of overtraining. This often
occurs because many athletes spend a tremendous
amount of time doing group workouts. These workouts generally turn into
mini-races and training intensities are high, often above
lactate threshold levels. This creates acidosis of the muscles, which bars
aerobic development. As you work with your coach, you
may find that he/she prescribes more easy recovery days than you normally have
in your training program. If this is the case, don't
be surprised to find increased energy and a new sense of motivation in training
and races.
There are many crucial components involved in triathlon, and the difficulty lies
in finding the balance between all three sports
that optimizes each client's abilities while keeping them both mentally and
physically healthy. In order to achieve this I focus on
addressing all energy systems as training components in a properly periodized
macrocycle, with carefully planned workouts that
maximize efficiency in swimming, cycling, and running.
The focus of your training should be on addressing all energy systems as
training components in a properly periodized macrocycle in
order to develop the body's ability to absorb, deliver, and transport oxygen.
The duration and intensity of focus on those energy
systems changes according to the stage of training and the timeline of the major
goals the athlete is peaking for.
If you coach yourself you will be putting together a general template for each
macrocycle that is based on your time constraints,
abilities/fitness in each sport, goals, and up-coming competitions. Then you
will then apply the principles of periodization
(progression, specificity, and individuality) to those workouts over the
duration of the macro-cycle to make them specific to your
athlete. Generally I suggest working on a four-week macro-cycle that includes
an easy week every fourth week; based on the
principle of overload and recovery.
More...from Triathlon School at:
http://www.triathlonschool.com/html/aotm.html


8. Supplements not sun best for boosting vitamin D:
Sunbathing intentionally to get more vitamin D is like taking up smoking to lose
weight, a Boston dermatologist warns.
"You can get all the good stuff with a vitamin pill -- you do not have to put
yourself at increased risk of skin cancer and
photoaging," Dr. Barbara A. Gilchrest of Boston University School of Medicine,
co-author of a comprehensive review on vitamin D
requirements and UV radiation, told Reuters Health.
The public is getting a mixed message on sun and health, she adds, because
advocates of increased UV exposure, like the indoor
tanning industry, are advocating sunbathing as a means of getting more vitamin D
for everyone, including young light-skinned people
who face the greatest skin cancer risk -- and are among the least likely to have
vitamin D deficiency.
"This 'controversy' about whether people should get more UV -- that's not coming
from the science community, it's coming from other
places," she added. "The public message has gotten very mixed up."
New research has indeed shown that some groups of people who may get little sun
exposure and don't drink much milk, for example
frail elderly individuals at risk of bone fractures, will benefit from getting
more vitamin D than is currently recommended by the
US Department of Agriculture, she and her colleague Dr. Deon Wolpowitz note in
their report in the Journal of the American Academy
of Dermatology.
There's also evidence that people with very dark skin and those who live in
northern climes may be deficient in the vitamin, which
is essential for bone health.
More...from Reuters at:
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=healthNews&storyID=2006-02-0\
6T162229Z_01_COL658897_RTRUKOC_0_US-VITAMIN-D.xml
[Long URL]


9. Nutrition: Fluid and Fuel Before the Long Event:
From Endurance Sports Nutrition by Suzanne Girard Eberle
After months of deliberation, you finally registered for that killer century
ride or mountain run or you?re ready to tackle your
first triathlon. The check's in the mail. Now what? Better start eating smart.
Here's a prerace nutritional countdown that will get
you to the starting line a step ahead of the competition. Weeks in Advance
The best way to prepare for a long race is to do some backward planning. You
can't get the job done by stuffing in some pasta the
night before or waiting until during the race to experiment with a new food or
sports drink. Make the most of your training diet and
your training sessions. Just as you experiment with and develop new mental and
motor skills in training, you need to experiment with
sports foods, including sports drinks, bars, and gels, to establish the types
and amounts that you will tolerate in competition or
under stressful conditions. Do you really want to lug a fanny pack full of your
favorite sports bars only to find that they're hard
as rocks and inedible because of the cold or that after being on the road for
three hours you can no longer tolerate your favorite
candy?
Check out what you can before you arrive at the starting line or head out for
your long-anticipated adventure. Talk to other
participants and read race applications closely. Look to see what will be
provided at aid stations and what you will be expected or
allowed to provide for yourself. Adventure races, for example, provide no
outside assistance, whereas standard road-running races
and cycling events supply fluids and foods along the way. If you don't currently
use the sports drink that will be provided by
organizers, get used to it by trying it in training. Familiarize yourself with
various options for toting fluid and food, such as
bladder systems and fanny packs. Rehearse drinking out of a bottle or grabbing
cups and swallowing liquid on the move without
choking. Test in training what you plan to do during the race.
Travel, particularly to another time zone or country, can interfere with your
preparations and routines. Plan ahead by gathering
information on restaurants, food stores, and other resources near your lodging
and by talking to athletes and coaches who have
previously been to the area. If you're traveling into the backcountry, be sure
your water filtration device is in working order or
have a supply of iodine and neutralizing tablets on hand. Scan outdoor and
adventure travel magazines and cookbooks or visit your
favorite camping store to research the latest options for lightweight, portable
meals
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20060206_ESN_Long_Event.html


10. Sportsmedicine: Bruises and Muscle Contusions:
Can Stretching Speed-Up the Recovery Process?
Bruises, or muscle contusions, are one of those injuries that just about
everyone has had at one point or another. In fact, bruises
are the second most common sports injury after strains, and although not
considered a serious injury, they can cause mild discomfort
and create quite a nasty looking discoloration on the skin.
What is a Bruise and How do they Occur?
Bruises are the result of your body colliding with a solid object, (or a solid
object colliding with your body). When this occurs,
the soft tissues under your skin (muscle fibers and connective tissue) are
crushed but the skin does not break or rupture.
When these soft tissues are damaged, blood from the ruptured capillaries leaks
out under the skin and pools, causing the area to
swell and form a red or purplish mark that can be sore and tender to touch. The
symptoms associated with bruises are pain, swelling
and restricted movement.
Types of Bruises
Like muscle strains, bruises are usually graded into three categories and these
are referred to as: first; second; or third degree
depending on their severity.
* A first degree bruise is the least severe. It is the result of a minor rupture
of the capillaries and is accompanied by mild pain,
some swelling and stiffness. There is usually very little loss of function as a
result of a first degree bruise.
* A second degree bruise is the result of a moderate rupture of the capillaries
and increased bleeding. There is also increased
swelling and pain associated with a second degree bruise and a moderate loss of
movement at the injury site.
* A third degree bruise is the most severe of the three. A third degree bruise
is the result of a major rupture of the capillaries
and will result in massive swelling, severe pain and instability around the
injury site.
Who Bruises?
Anyone can get a bruise, although people involved in contact sports are most at
risk. But why do some people bruise more easily than
others?
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20060206_TSH_Bruises.html


11. Developing Dietary Supplements for the Physically Active Women:
by Judi Quilici-Timmcke, M.S.
There is a market opportunity in developing dietary supplements for physically
active women who may be avid joggers, swimmers or
skiers, or who take numerous aerobic or spinning classes a week. These women may
or may not compete professionally in sports but,
either way, with the amount of physical work they are performing, they need more
calories and nutrients than the average woman.
There are different needs for the young woman who is active and menstruating
compared to older women. It has been demonstrated that
the two most important nutrients for menstruating women athletes are calcium and
iron, whereas older woman athletes still have
calcium needs, but iron may not be an issue if she is not menstruating. A
product line developed for both of these age groups may
include a high powered multiple vitamin/mineral, pre-workout product, beverages
to supply fluid and electrolytes and a recovery
product.
A woman athlete needs a high-powered multiple vitamin/mineral made especially to
meet her physical needs. Consider that many of
these women participate in strenuous workouts, but may also reduce daily
calories to reduce weight and increase lean muscle mass.
Although male athletes have been shown to consume greater than the Recommended
Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals,
female athletes have been shown to only ingest 60 percent to 65 percent of the
RDA.
By reducing daily caloric intake, female athletes are reducing their intake of
vitamins, minerals and protein from food, which may
cause deficiencies and reduce bone density. A superior vitamin/mineral is
necessary with as many bioavailable forms of minerals as
possible. Calcium forms that have been shown to be bioavailable are
bisglycinocalcium, calcium citrate malate and calcium citrate.
Other important bone-health nutrients for a multi include magnesium, zinc,
boron, manganese, and vitamins D and K.
More...from Insider at:
http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/articles/621feat05.html


12. Pacific Elite Fitness:
This Week's Article: Torque Them Cranks Part II
Simply perfecting the circular, "around-the-clock", push-pull motion of the
pedal stroke will add force to your pedal stroke. But
paying attention to foot angle can also help you reap the benefit of bigger
wattage.
To demonstrate the importance of proper foot angle, get down in squat position
with the butt dropped as low to the ground as
possible. Now jump. Mentally note how high you can jump. Then, switch to a 90
degree squat position, with thighs parallel to the
ground. Jump again. You should go a little higher. Finally, bend the knees to
slightly less than 90 degrees (so you are more
extended) and jump again. This should be your highest jump.
The amount of torque the quadriceps muscle can produce in the knee joint is
theoretically optimal at 90 degrees. But the actual
muscle fibers are able to contract with greater force when are slightly
lengthened, since more force can be produced over a shorter
period of time. This is why you can jump higher (and produce more power) when
the leg is slightly extended.
So how does this apply to cycling? If you are able to bend the knee slightly
less as your leg comes up to the top of the pedal
stroke, you will be in a position to apply more force in the downstroke. Your
foot angle will be the key to making this possible. By
?dropping? the heel at the top of the pedal stroke, you will bend the knee less.
Furthermore, as you begin to push down, slightly
pointing the toe will elicit a contract from the calf muscle, adding even more
force to your pedal stroke.
In conclusion, bring the heel up at the top of the pedal stroke, and point the
toe slightly in the downward phase. The bonus to this
type of foot action is that the pushing and pulling motions in Part I of this
series will be easier to manage. That's all for now!
Triathlon season is quickly approaching, so be sure to check out the great deals
on coaching packages. Nothing can beat having your
entire daily and weekly schedule customized in detail by a triathlete coach. You
simply log-in and check out the week's workouts,
designed based on your schedule and personal limitations then go do 'em!
Until next time, train smart,
Ben Greenfield
NSCA-CPT, CSCS
http://www.pacificfit.net


13. From Runner's World:
* Coach's Corner
Derail Stress: Establish a routine, and stick to it before every run. Try things
as simple as drinking a favorite flavor of sports
drink, putting on your running watch, or listening to a song that psychs you up.
These rituals put you in a comfort zone where you
can cruise on automatic pilot. -Runner's World magazine
* Injury Prevention
Build Stronger Buttocks and Hammies: Find a big gym ball, then lie on your
stomach on an inclined weight bench with your hips at the
edge of the elevated end of the bench and your legs hanging straight down. Place
the ball between your ankles, tighten your glutes,
then slowly lift your legs until they are parallel with the rest of your body.
(Don't lift so far that you begin to arch your back.)
Start and control the movement with your hamstrings and glutes, rather than
"swinging" your legs. Hold the position for a count of
three, and then slowly lower the ball again. Hold it an inch or two above the
ground, and then lift again. Repeat eight to 10 times
for a set. Work up to two or three sets.
* Performance Nutrition
EGGS ARE GOOD! You need 1,000 to 2,000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids to fight heart
disease, depression, and pain. You can get it from
"designer" eggs. The hens that produce these gems are fed a natural, grain-based
diet enriched with fish oil or algae. Another plus:
They have up to seven times more vitamin E than regular eggs but no more
calories and fat!
* Editor's Advice
"Do some downhill running to help increase your stride rate. Gravity promotes
quicker leg turnover, and good form on downhills
requires a slightly shorter
* Training Talk
"You'll benefit from days of complete rest. Typically, that means taking 1 day
off each week or every 10 days. This rest will
allow your legs to more fully recover for upcoming hard efforts. It can also
fend off injuries that might be creeping up." -From
Runner's World Complete Book of Women's Running by Dagny Scott


14. Hills! The Effective Way to Increase Conditioning, Strength & Power:
By Pete Rea, ZAP Fitness/Running Journal/Feb. 2006
The Peachtree Road Race has Cardiac, Boston has Heartbreak, Litchfield Hills
(CT) has Gallows Lane and America's second Oldest Race,
the Manchester Road Race, has Highland St. These are paradoxically the most
anticipated and most dreaded portion of any race: these
are hills.
Hills play an integral part in the daily ritual of most in the running
community. Whether working up the south side of Beacon St. in
Boston or approaching the Confederate Earthworks on Cheatham Hill at Kennesaw
Battlefield outside Atlanta, hills provide us, if even
merely psychologically, with a way to break up our run into more manageable
segments. My best friend Rick Patterson even makes sure
that he traverses "the bridges" every time he hits the streets in his otherwise
flat hometown of Jacksonville, FL. But what do hills
actually do for us as runners? Do hills make us stronger or faster? Can these
undulations of varying grades help us improve
performance or are the residents of southern Georgia and the Outer Banks equally
as likely to succeed?
Iten -- The Capital of the Hill Running World
Iten, Kenya is a small town outside of Eldoret in the country's western Rift
Valley. Home to phenom Lornah Kiplagat and her training
camp, Iten plays host each year to hundreds of the worlds top distance runners
for their mid-winter strength building period. This
year 2 ZAP Fitness athletes will be among the swift of foot. For 6 to 12 weeks
in pre competition training, these athletes emphasize
tempo work as well as biomechanical efficiency in preparation for the World
Cross Country Championships as well as spring marathons
such as Boston and London. To achieve this, the athletes training in Iten spend
much of their time running on a variety of hills.
Some runs climb for as much as 12-14 miles uphill with precious few breaks and
others contain copious amounts of shorter steeper
hills, each type working a different physiological system. This, above all other
elements, above solitude and even altitude (Iten
sits at 8,000 ft.) is why athletes come to this remote spot: for the hills.
Let's take a look at the different types hill sessions
and how they can be implemented even outside of Kenya.
More...from the Running Journal at:
http://www.running.net/features/reafeb06.html


15. Marathon Lite: New Programs Help You Prepare for the Big Race in Less Time:
Training for a marathon traditionally takes a big time commitment, requiring
runners to pound the pavement an hour or more each day
in the months before a race.
But an increasingly popular way to train defies conventional wisdom, promising
marathoners that they can get into shape by running
as little as three days a week.
The less-is-more method won't transform you into an Olympic athlete. But
proponents say it can help even beginners prepare for the
grueling 26.2-mile race with less risk of injury, because the body has more time
to recover between runs. Many experienced runners
actually boast of personal bests after adopting a three-day running program.
Most people have this perception that you have to be out there running for an
hour and a half every day," says Jeff Galloway, a
former Olympian who has devised a three-day program. "But you don't have to give
up your career and family to run a marathon."
Participation in marathons has grown in recent years, rising 14% between 2003
and 2005, according to Web site marathonguide.com.
Much of this growth has been fueled by recreational runners and walkers, who are
simply there to finish the race or raise funds for
a cause rather than to post a fast time. Those who aspire to be "completers,"
rather than "competers," are often drawn to simpler
three-day programs. And as the population ages, even experienced runners are
discovering they can't sustain the heavy workouts of
most marathon training programs.
More...from the Wall Street Journal at:
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB113927492963866717-lMyQjAxMDE2MzA5NjIwNzY0\
Wj.html


16. Science of Sport: Olympic teams place bets on latest science:
Aerodynamics, video replay, biofeedback could provide winning edge.
To sharpen their competitive edge, some of the U.S. Olympic athletes have been
playing brain-controlled video games. Others have
gotten room makeovers. Still others are wearing tighter clothing. And almost all
of them have been caught on video.
Believe it or not, this is serious stuff: Such technological tricks could make
an athlete a fraction of a second faster, or just a
little more alert ? potentially spelling the difference between a medal-winner
and an also-ran. But how do you separate the winning
formulas from the high-tech hoohah?
Bill Sands, head of sport biomechanics and engineering for the U.S. Olympic
Committee, has seen both sides of the high-tech
equation: He says he's sitting on some not-yet-publicized innovations in
training that have yielded "staggering results," but he's
also turned down plenty of "hare-brained ideas" that he feels aren't worth the
athletes' time.
More...from MSNBC at:
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/11202899/


17. The ABCs of planning your race season:
This is an excellent time to consider what you'd like to accomplish athletically
in the upcoming year. As with many things, planning
is the key to accomplishment for your race season.
Recreational athletes
If you're a recreational athlete and your goal is simply to complete your
events, then you only need to train one aspect of fitness:
endurance. This entails planning enough time to slowly build your mileage to
within about 10 to 15 percent of the distance of your
goal race.
Note that many overuse injuries are caused by too much mileage too quickly.
Don't increase your duration more than 10 percent a week
and take at least every fourth week as a rest and recovery week. During a rest
and recovery week, you should cut back your mileage
by at least 25 percent, reduce your overall training volume, and add in an extra
rest or active recovery day. If you're a runner,
take a day of non-impact cross-training in place of a run.
Competitive athletes
Competitive athletes, however, must take a different approach. A competitive
athlete, by my definition, is any athlete who sets a
specific performance goal. This may be as simple as a personal record. You don't
have to win races to be competitive. If you'd like
to set a personal record or race placement goal this season, it will require
more careful planning and organization of your race
events. Start by prioritizing races into A, B and C events.
More...from Active.com at:
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=12754


18. Coach's Tales with Cliff English: Key bike-trainer sessions for the winter:
By Cliff English
www.competitiveedgetraining.com
January 26, 2006 -- If you are planning to get in a few winter miles on your
bike trainer over the coming couple of months, you
should consider spending at least some of your trainer time working on your
cycling efficiency through a number of specific drills
and workouts.
Coach Cliff English
Even if you are able to ride season-round outdoors, you should try to get in one
session a week on the trainer in the off-season.
The gains you will make in improving your pedal stoke and efficiency will pay
dividends in the race season.
It is not too late in the off-season to include a six- to eight-week block of
specific bike drills into your training program. And
some of these drills can even be used throughout the season to keep your cycling
skills finely tuned.
We will just stick to the elemental basics required for good cycling technique:
get a good fit on your bike so you are comfortable
and relaxed with smooth pedaling mechanics. Here are a few sessions you can use
to improve your cycling efficiency this winter.
More...from Triathlete Magazine at:
http://www.triathletemag.com/story.cfm?story_id=11696&publicationID=92&pageID=17\
05


19. Top Tips for Women Worried About Bone Density:
Yes, osteoporosis starts with bone density problems -- but there's a lot you can
do now to maintain bone health
PITTSBURGH, Feb. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Although it is very common, osteoporosis is
one of the most avoidable health concerns among
adults. Years ago many doctors believed that weak bones were just a result of
old age and therefore could not be avoided. We now
know that this is a myth. Good habits can in fact improve your bone health at
any age -- and the sooner you start the better.
But what can women do now, before they face the need for expensive
medications and life-limiting changes to physical activities
down the road?
Even though an estimated 10 million Americans over age 50 are already
suffering from it and another 34 million are likely to get
it, osteoporosis remains a disease condition that most women -- and men -- think
will happen to someone else. Yet, according to the
Surgeon General, by 2020, half of all Americans over 50 will have weak bones
unless we make changes to our diet and lifestyle.
That's not good news for the 75 million American baby boomers now passing into
that age group.
"Most Americans understand perfectly well that osteoporosis is a serious
medical problem," said Susan L. Trimbo, GNC
Corporation's Senior Vice President for Scientific Affairs. "Less well
understood, however, is the wide range of things that can be
done well in advance of the onset of osteoporosis to maintain healthy bone
density."
Trimbo suggests these tips as important elements of any plan to address the
conditions that cause osteoporosis over the long
term:
1. Are your bones healthy now? At age 40 get a quick (5 to 10 minute) bone
density screening -- it's the best way to check your
bone health.
2. Diet is critical. Whatever your age is, get enough calcium and vitamin D
in your diet. Calcium, together with vitamin D,
helps to reduce bone loss.
3. Physical activity is important, too. Be physically active -- participate
in a physical activity at least 30 minutes each
day.
4. What medications are you taking? Talk with your doctor about medicines
you are taking that could weaken bones, like medicine
for thyroid problems or arthritis.
5. You can be too skinny. Maintain a healthy weight. Being underweight
raises the risk of fracture and bone loss.
6. Yes, smoking is bad for this, too. Don't smoke. Smoking can reduce bone
mass and increase your risk for a broken bone.
7. Limit alcohol use. Heavy alcohol use reduces bone mass and increases your
risk for broken bones.
8. Remember, most accidents do happen at home. Reduce hazards in your home
that could increase your risk of falling and
breaking bones.
Maintaining healthy bone density should be a health goal for women of all
ages. During childhood and teenage years, new bone is
added faster than old bone is removed because the activity of bone-building
cells is high. As a result, bones can grow and bone
density steadily increases. Bones continue to grow until women are in their
mid-20s when bone mass peaks. At this point, bone
formation equals bone removal. From then on, women must use proper nutrition
and regular exercise to ensure that bone breakdown
doesn't start to happen faster than bone formation. If it does, then bone
density can decline and bones become weak.
GNC addresses the needs of women for supporting healthy bone density at all
ages with Women's Ultra Mega(R) Bone Density. In
addition to calcium, vitamin D and MBP(R), a clinically studied protein complex
that supports the body's natural ability to build
and maintain bone mass, Women's Ultra Mega(R) Bone Density also contains the
essential bone-supporting nutrients magnesium and
vitamin K. Magnesium is important because it helps build bones and maintain
teeth, and it is important for proper vitamin D
function in the body. Vitamin K may play a role in bone health because it helps
the body transport calcium. Also, vitamin K plays a
role in bone matrix formation. Women's Ultra Mega(R) Bone Density is available
exclusively at GNC stores.
GNC, based in Pittsburgh, PA, is the largest global specialty retailer of
nutritional supplements, which includes vitamin,
mineral and herbal supplements, sports nutrition products, diet and energy
products and specialty supplements.
SOURCE GNC Corporation
Web Site: http://www.gnc.com


20. Low-Fat Diet Does Not Cut Health Risks, Study Finds:
The largest study ever to ask whether a low-fat diet reduces the risk of getting
cancer or heart disease has found that the diet has
no effect.
Journal of the American Medical Association The $415 million federal study
involved nearly 49,000 women ages 50 to 79 who were
followed for eight years. In the end, those assigned to a low-fat diet had the
same rates of breast cancer, colon cancer, heart
attacks and strokes as those who ate whatever they pleased, researchers are
reporting today.
"These studies are revolutionary," said Dr. Jules Hirsch, physician in chief
emeritus at Rockefeller University in New York City,
who has spent a lifetime studying the effects of diets on weight and health.
"They should put a stop to this era of thinking that we
have all the information we need to change the whole national diet and make
everybody healthy."
The study, published in today's issue of The Journal of the American Medical
Association, was not just an ordinary study, said Dr.
Michael Thun, who directs epidemiological research for the American Cancer
Society. It was so large and so expensive, Dr. Thun said,
that it was "the Rolls-Royce of studies." As such, he added, it is likely to be
the final word.
"We usually have only one shot at a very large-scale trial on a particular
issue," he said.
The results, the study investigators agreed, do not justify recommending low-fat
diets to the public to reduce their heart disease
and cancer risk. Given the lack of benefit found in the study, many medical
researchers said that the best dietary advice, for now,
was to follow federal guidelines for healthy eating, with less saturated and
trans fats, more grains, and more fruits and
vegetables.
Not everyone was convinced. Some, like Dr. Dean Ornish, a longtime promoter of
low-fat diets and president of the Preventive
Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, Calif., said that the women did not
reduce their fat to low enough levels or eat enough
fruits and vegetables, and that the study, even at eight years, did not give the
diets enough time.
Others said that diet could still make a difference, at least with heart
disease, if people were to eat the so-called Mediterranean
diet, low in saturated fats like butter and high in oils like olive oil. The
women in the study reduced all kinds of fat.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/08/health/08fat.html?hp&ex=1139461200&en=94a87563\
55f69047&ei=5094&partner=homepage


21. Is It Time for a Coach:
Most runners reach a point in their training and racing where the question
arises. Whether your pace is ten minutes or six minutes,
the question of "how good can I be?" is never far from the last step of your
last race.
Some runners use a coach for a specific race or season. Others spend a few hours
a month with their mentor discussing training and
racing plans. Other runners get their direction from a book, a magazine, or
online. To look further into the coaching option, we
turned to the source and interviewed three of the most prominent coaches working
today.
Alberto Salazar
Alberto Salazar won three consecutive marathons in New York City, set six
American records and one world record during his
illustrious running career. He currently coaches in Portland, Oregon for Nike
and the Nike Oregon Project.
Cheryl Kruse Shwe
An accomplished athlete with 15 marathons under her belt, Cheryl has coached
thousands of runners in the San Francisco area since
1991. In addition to working with numerous USATF athletes and clubs, she has
also been the coach for the Nike Women's Marathon, a
marathon for women. Her company is called Run4Life (www.run4life.com).
Bob Williams
Bob is one of the most renown coaches in Oregon, guiding and inspiring both high
school teams and professionals to reach their
potential for over 35 years. A steeple-chaser at the University of Oregon, Bob
assisted Bill Bowerman with his community joggers
program, and in 2004 he was an assistant coach for the Nike's Oregon Project.
His website is www.pacewear.com.
More...from Nike.com at:
http://www.nike.com/nikerunning/usa/home.jhtml?promoID=usru_ad_111505_vertrodale\
#runners_library


22. How Fast Can You Go in an Ironman? Or ?Doing the Math?:
This is the dirty little secret that nobody wants to write about, much less talk
about.
Ironman is a 2.4 mile swim followed by a 112-mile bike and then a marathon (yes,
Virginia, ALL marathons are 26.2 miles).
Total Time = Practice Swim Speed + T1 Time + Practice Bike Pace + T2 Time + (X *
Open Marathon Pace)
I am not going to talk about transitions here?transition time is something you
can practice in training, but some of it is under the
control of the race director. For example, you may need to travel ? mile or more
from the swim exit to T1, and there is a limit to
how fast that can be done.
Practicing Pacing
We can, without hurting ourselves (but still needing recovery), complete one or
more 2.4 mile swims, and one or more 112-mile rides
in training, and the data from those events will go a long way towards
predicting our race time. We could, but IMHO, should not, run
an open marathon during Ironman training. Why? The recovery cost is too high. To
fully recover from a marathon that was run at your
best marathon pace requires at least 2 weeks of recovery, meaning little to no
running, reduced swimming and biking. Plus, the way
you run in that open marathon, while it is technically the same distance that
happens at the end of an Ironman, is much different
than that Ironman thing. So really, what have you accomplished by racing a
marathon during Ironman training? Well, you found out how
fast you could go running 26.2 miles by itself, you just cost yourself at least
2 weeks of solid training time that probably could
be better spent working on your cycling endurance, and you might have even
picked up a URI (upper-respiratory infection) or
musculoskeletal injury in the process. Like it or not, your immune system takes
quite a hit in the post-marathon weeks, and you
sustain well-documented muscular damage.
More...from TriFuel at:
http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon/endurance-files/how-fast-can-you-go-in-an-ironm\
an-or-doing-the-math-001203.php


23. Cross-training marathon plan:
By Matt Fitzgerald For Active.com
Here's your conundrum: You want to run a personal best marathon, but every time
you build up to the running mileage you believe is
required to achieve this goal, you get injured. Should you just give up and find
another goal to pursue?
Not at all! By taking a cross-training-based approach to training, you can run a
lifetime-best marathon on just three or four runs a
week. Incorporating non-impact cardio workouts and functional strength workouts
into your program will reduce your chances of
getting injured not only by limiting your running mileage, but also by
increasing the stability of your joints (as joint instability
is the primary cause of most running injuries).
Your cross-training workouts will also enhance your running performance, more
than making up for the running miles that are cut from
your program to make room for cross-training.
The following 24-week plan provides an example of how to cross-train your way to
a personal best marathon. It's appropriate for
runners who are currently able to run three or four times a week, up to one hour
per run. In addition to three weekly runs, the
schedule includes an optional fourth run, an alternative cardio workout and two
strength workouts a week.
Such a minimalist approach to training requires that you make each run really
count. Therefore, most of the three weekly scheduled
run workouts are rather challenging, with high-intensity work on Tuesdays and
Thursdays and a long run on Sundays. Here's a key to
the workout types:
More...from Active.com at:
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=12701&sidebar=13


24. The Caloric Cost of Physical Activity and Exercise:
By Fabio Comana, M.A., M.S.
While we all can read nutritional labels and have a thorough understanding of
what calories we consume, questions often arise as to
the amount of calories we burn throughout the day undertaking a variety of
different activities. The information provided herein is
intended to answer those questions.
Firstly, we must understand that the total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) our
body spends on a daily basis is influenced by three
factors:

1. Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), the minimal energy requirement needed to
sustain all the body’s functions in a waking state. This
typically represents 60-75% of TDEE and is affected by:
* Body size (larger individuals with more muscle mass will have greater RMR
* Age (RMR tends to peaks in early adulthood, declining 2-3% per decade
thereafter)
* Gender (females typically have 5-10% lower RMR than males)
* Climate (individuals living in extreme environments can have 5-20% increases
in RMR for survival)
2. Thermic Effect of Food (cost of digestion and absorption) represents 10% of
TDEE with protein foods requiring the most energy to
digest and absorb.
3. Energy Expended during Physical Activity and recovery. This is the most
variable and represents 15-30% of TDEE on average.
Several formulas of differing accuracies exist by which we can calculate our
TDEE. Some are simply gross estimates and demonstrated
to be quite inaccurate.
More...from ACE at:
http://www.acefitness.org/updateable/update_display.aspx?pageID=593


25. Digest Briefs:
* Beth Mansfield - Ask The Nutritionist
February - Rate Your Plate
Rate your plate to see what your nutrition habits are now. Complete this test to
see what you?re doing right and where you need to
make changes.
Give yourself 2 points if the statement describes what you do every day.
Give yourself 1 point if the statement describes what you do sometimes.
Give yourself 0 points if the statement never applies to you.
* I eat a variety of foods from the different food groups at EVERY meal.
* I drink at least 8 cups of fluids (water, juice, milk, soup, etc) throughout
my day and never lose more than 1% of my body weight
in a training session.
* I eat the most colourful vegetables and fruits.
* I eat good sources of fibre such as whole grain products, fruit, vegetables
and legumes.
* I include low-fat sources of calcium and vitamin D such as milk or fortified
soy beverages in most of my meals and snacks.
* I have a protein rich food at least twice a day (i.e. cheese, meat, fish,
poultry, eggs, legumes, soy protein, nuts/seeds).
* eat a plant protein at least once a day (i.e. legumes, nut butters, miso,
tempeh, tofu, soy protein, nuts/seeds).
* I have a vegetable or fruit with each meal and snack.
* I use highly unsaturated liquid oils (e.g. canola oil, soy oil, olive oil,
safflower oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, flax oil, hemp
oil, pumpkin oil, walnut oil).
* I make sure the foods I eat are safe (cold foods cold and hot foods hot).
* Throughout the day I never go more than 3-4 hours without feeding my body.
* I wait until I am hungry to eat.
* At mealtimes I stop eating as soon as I feel full.
* I always rehydrate and refuel within 1 hour of working out.
Total your score and see how your eating habits rate.
Score results:
0 - 12 You need to make some changes?the sooner the better!
13 - 19 Not bad, but you could be making better choices?.
20+ You have pretty good eating habits ? keep up the good work!
The long-term goal is to change your eating habits so that you get a score of
?2? on every question. If you need help with improving
your eating habits:
Check out the Peak Performance Sport Nutrition Services at:
http://www.peakperformance.on.ca/services/nutrition.htm

* ACE Lists Best Butt Exercises
Exclusive ACE Research Announces Most Effective Gluteus Maximus Training
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Feb. 6, 2005 – With Valentine’s Day just around the corner,
millions of Americans are striving for a nice
curvaceous shape to their glutes - but to do that you need muscle. The American
Council on Exercise (ACE), America’s nonprofit
fitness advocate, recently announced exclusive research that determines the most
effective gluteal exercises.
The ACE commissioned study was led by John Porcari, Ph.D. and Blake Ristvedt,
M.A, from University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. Their
research team used electromyographic (EMG) analysis to compare the muscle
recruitment patterns of eight common gluteal exercises.
After gathering EMG data for all participants, researchers compared the recorded
amount of muscle activation for each exercise with
that of a traditional squat.
“The results of this research showed that several of the exercises were as
effective as the traditional squat at targeting the
gluteal muscles,” said Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D. and Chief Exercise Physiologist
for ACE. “This study confirmed the relative value of
alternative exercises such as lunges, step-ups, quadruped hip extensions, and
four-way hip extensions, providing viable options for
individuals who may have difficulty properly performing traditional squats.”
Quadruped Hip Extensions - On your hands and knees, slightly contract your
abdominals to stabilize your torso and spine. Lift one
leg up, keeping the knee bent at 90 degrees. Lift the leg until the bottom of
the foot is pointing toward the ceiling and the leg is
lined up with the body. Repeat on the same side for eight to 12 reps. Change
legs.
Step-Ups - Stand with good posture behind a tall step or box [approximately 15
inches (38 cm) high] while holding a dumbbell in each
hand. Place your left foot on top and transfer your weight to that leg. Push
down with your left foot (especially the heel),
straightening your leg, to come up on top of the box. Use the left leg only;
keep the right leg passive, especially as you initiate
the step-up. Repeat on the same side for eight to 12 reps. Change legs.
Lunges - Hold a dumbbell in each hand, standing tall with good posture. Step
forward with the right foot, keeping the head up and
spine neutral. Drop your left knee toward the floor by bending knees, making
sure to keep the front heel down and the knee directly
over the center of the foot. Push down and forward through your heel to return
to the starting position. Repeat on the other side,
alternating for eight to 12 reps per side.
Four-Way Hip Extensions - Stand upright and grasp the stabilizing bar of the
machine. The resistance pad should be placed at the
knee on the back side of the exercising leg. Move your thigh to the rear until
your hip is fully extended backward. Repeat for 8 to
12 reps and change sides.
Complete study results appear in the January/February 2006 edition of ACE
Fitness Matters magazine or on our Web site at
www.acefitness.org/getfit/GlutesStudy2006.pdf.
About ACE
The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America’s Authority on Fitness, is a
non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the
benefits of physical activity and protecting consumers against unsafe and
ineffective fitness products and instruction. As the
nation’s “workout watchdog,” ACE sponsors university-based exercise science
research and testing that targets fitness products and
trends. ACE sets standards for fitness professionals and is the world’s largest
non-profit fitness certifying organization. For more
information on ACE and its programs, call (800) 825-3636 or log onto the ACE Web
site www.acefitness.org.
http://www.acefitness.org

* Health Tip
H.E.L.P for Strokes
Tedd Mitchell, M.D.
Few things are more devastating than a stroke. It can take a vibrant, apparently
healthy person and cripple him in a matter of
moments. Hispanics and African Americans are at much higher risk for stroke than
are Caucasians, because they have a higher
prevalence of factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Most of what we
read focuses on the lifestyle habits that can help
reduce risk, but it's also crucial to understand the warning signs of a stroke
(see the list below). Should any of these occur, seek
medical help immediately!
If you can remember HELP NOW, you can remember the warning signs of stroke. They
include:
H - Headache: A sudden, severe headache, particularly in someone with no history
of headaches.
E - Eyesight: A sudden change in vision in either eye or both eyes.
L - Language: Sudden difficulty in talking or understanding speech.
P - Paralysis: The sudden onset of a complete inability to use a part of the
body, especially an arm and a leg on the same side.
N - Numbness: The sudden onset of numbness on the face, an arm, and/or a leg,
especially on the same side.
O - Orientation: The sudden onset of disorientation or confusion.
W - Weakness: The sudden onset of weakness in an arm and/or leg, especially on
one side. This needs to be evaluated even if the
person still has some use of the extremity.
Prevention is the key. In the event that symptoms occur in spite of your
preventive measures, every second counts. Call 911 for help
immediately.
Tedd Mitchell, M.D., is the medical director of Cooper Wellness Program. Cooper
Wellness Program offers one- and two-week lifestyle
modification programs that focus on losing weight, managing stress, and
developing proper nutrition and exercise habits for life.





THIS WEEK'S FEATURED EVENTS:
*Please verify event dates with the event websites*

Ongoing:
February 2 - 11, 2006
Runner's World Kenya Running Safari - Nairobi, Kenya
http://www.micato.com/Safari2006.html

February 10 - 26, 2006:
World Lifesaving Championships - Geelong, AUS
http://www.rescue2006.com

February 10, 2006:
Tyson Invitational - Fayetteville, AR
http://www.tysoninvitational.org

February 11, 2006:
Buffalo Half-Marathon Run - Catalina Island, CA
http://www.pacificsportsllc.com

Buller Marathon & Half Marathon - Westport, New Zealand
http://www.bullermarathon.org.nz/

Sedona Marathon - Sedona, AZ
http://www.sedonamarathon.com/index1.htm>

Surfside Beach Marathon - TX
http://www.surfsidemarathon.com

Texas Half - Dallas, TX
http://www.texashalf.com

February 12, 2006:
Los Angeles Chinatown Firecracker 5/10k- CA
http://www.firecracker10k.org/

Mercedes Marathon - Birmingham, AL
http://www.mercedesmarathon.com

Schoorl Marathon - Netherlands
http://www.schoorlmarathon.nl

Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon & Half-Marathon and 10K - Hong Kong, China
http://www.hkmarathon.com

Truffle Shuffle 4-Mile - Eugene, OR
http://www.goodrace.com

Valentine Marathon - Olympia, WA
http://www.ontherun.com/valentinemarathon

March 10 - 12, 2006:
11th IAAF World Indoor Championships - Moscow, Russia
http://www.moscow2006.ru/eng/

March 15 - 26, 2006:
2006 Commonwealth Games - Melbourne, AUS
http://www.melbourne2006.com.au
Fox Sports Australia
http://foxsports.news.com.au/commgames/?from=FS_othersports
The Age
http://www.theage.com.au/sport/commonwealthgames


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/

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
A running and triathlon resource portal
Runner's Web Online Store
http://store.runnersweb.com
RunnersWebCoach
http://www.runnerswebcoach.com


********************************************
RUNNER'S WEB AFFILIATE PROGRAMS:
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National Bike Registry
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Axill
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Buy Paula Radcliffe's book, My Story - So Far, from Amazon UK at:
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Endurance Films
Triathlon Training DVDs
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Instant Stretching Routines
Design unlimited stretching routines today, starting from scratch, in under 60
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ShoeWallet.com has set out on a mission to enable people to easily carry ID and
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SportsShoes in the UK
http://www.sportsshoes.com/index.php?id=149

Visit on AssociatesShop.com Online Bookstore for running and triathlon books:
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LX Sport - Leading Edge Sports Products for Women.
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This application was recently featured on National TV - please see the following
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TrainingPeaks.com by Wes Hobson.
Find the training program that fits you at:
http://www.trainingpeaks.com/rw

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

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 .
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If you have an accident while running or cycling, do you want your family to be
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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:
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The Stretching Handbook:
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/cmd.php?af=245575
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\
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Buy all your sporting goods at Fogdog Sports, your anytime, anywhere sports
store.
Click here: http://www.fogdog.com/cgi-bin/affiliate?siteid=40054907

**END...OF DIGEST...**



--
Ken Parker
KParker@...
www.RunnersWeb.com
A running and triathlon resource portal
Online Store - http://store.runnersweb.com