A FREE WEEKLY E-ZINE OF MULTISPORT RELATED ARTICLES.
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 necessarily
those of the Runner's Web. Visit the Runner's Web at http://www.runnersweb.com
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1. Challenger World.
Using our unique Intelligent Sport(TM) concept, Challenger World has developed
the most advanced, fun and diverse corporate team
building challenges in the world with one aim in mind - to create great teams
for your business
http://www.challengerworld.com/
What is Intelligent Sport:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20060518_Challenger_World.html

2. RunnersWeb5K.com Race for Women
Women's only racing returns to Ottawa June 24th with a 5K race along the
Rockcliffe Parkway from the Aviation Museum.
Join Olympian Emilie Mondor - who has promised to run sub 16:00 and Commonwealth
Games team member Nicole Stevenson - ranked #2 in
the marathon in Canada - and hundreds of women runners of all levels to
celebrate women's running.
More....
http://www.runnersweb5k.com

3. Runner's Web Online Store:
Through a partnership with HDO Sports, the Runner's and Triathlete's Web has
opened an online store. Check it out for your shopping
requirements. The new Garmin 305 is now available with FREE shipping.
http://store.runnersweb.com

4. RunnersWebCoach
Through a partnership with HDO Training, the Runner's And Triathlete's Web now
offers Interactive Training.
http://www.runnerswebcoach.com

5. Road Runner Sports, the world's largest running store at:
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000009525499

6. Toronto Waterfront Marathon. September 24, 2006.
http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/

7. The Toronto Marathon, October 15, 2006
http://www.torontomarathon.com

8. 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:
A reminder to women considering the RunnersWeb5K.com Race for Women on June 24th
- the deadline for regular entry fee, which
includes a souvenir, t-shirt is June 18, 2006.
Sub 18:00 5K women runners should contact me for FREE entry into the race.
Win a FREE entry into the race by entering our women's running trivia contest
at:
http://www.runnersweb5k.com
You can now also win an entry into the RunnersWeb5K.com Race for Women in Ottawa
on June 24th through Road Race Results at:
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One entry will be awarded each Monday up to and including June 19th.

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WIN a Trip for 2 to Scotiabank TORONTO WATERFRONT MARATHON
Results of Runner's World Contest for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon
Congratulations go out to Corinne Makarewich of Harrisonburg, Virginia, the
winner of our "Win a trip for two to the 2006 Scotiabank
Toronto Waterfront Marathon" in Runner's World this Spring.
And THANKS to the more than 2,000 of you who entered the contest. We hope you
will come and join Corinne and her sister Catherine,
and "Team America" on the Toronto Waterfront anyway!
We're not that far away, and you still do NOT need a passport to travel to and
from the USA. Toronto is a terrific city, and Toronto
Waterfront is a great Fall option if you didn't get into New York, and have left
it too late for Chicago! And if you did get in, why
not consider our scenic Waterfront Half as the perfect tune-up?
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20060607_TWM.html

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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:
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 monthly column from
CTS at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/cts_columns.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 article archive from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/PPO_index.html

* Peak Running Performance
Peak Running Is The Nation's Most Advanced Running Newsletter. Rated as the #1
Running Publication by Road Runner Sports (Worlds
Largest Running Store) , Peak Running caters to the serious / dedicated runner.
Delivering world class running advice are some of
running's most recognizable athletes including Dr. Joe Vigil (US Olympic Coach),
Scott Tinley (2 Time Ironman Champ) Steve Scott (3 Time Olympian) and many more.
This bi-monthly newsletter has been around for over
13 years, and in the past two it has been awarded the "Golden Shoe Award" in
recognition of it's outstanding achievements.
http://www.clixGalore.com/Sale.aspx?BID=37234&AfID=103794&AdID=5075&LP=www.peakr\
unningperformance.com
Check out the Peak Running article index at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/PRP_index.html .

* 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:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/LW_index.html

Running Research News:
RRN's free, weekly, training update provides subscribers with the most-current,
practical, scientifically based information about
training, sports nutrition, injury prevention, and injury rehabilitation. The
purpose of this weekly e-zine is to improve
subscribers' training quality and to help them train in an injury-free manner.
Running Research News also publishes a complete, 12-page, electronic newsletter
10 times a year (one-year subscriptions are $35); to
learn more about Running Research News, please see the Online Article Index and
"About Running Research News" sections below or go
to RRNews.com.
Check out the article index at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/RRN_index.html


THIS WEEK'S PERSONAL POSTINGS/RELEASES:
We have NO personal postings this week.


THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

1. Science of Sport: The Complete Electrolyte Story
2. Multisport by Lance Watson: Benefits of Treadmill Running
3. Science of Sport: Oxygen In Water - And In Your Muscles
4. Joe Henderson's Running Commentary - Moore's Masterwork
5. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine
6. Yoga may improve life quality of breast cancer patients: Study
7. From Runner's World
8. Compression tights may give runners a lift
9. Recipes for Success
10. Levi Leipheimer's Tour de France Diet
11. Every Runner's Nightmare
12. Athletics: Hydration / Liquids
13. Wonder pill. Really.
As D's benefits become clearer, we're urged to get more -- much more -- of it.
14. Cadence - Keeping Rotation High for Later Race Efficiency
15. The Athlete's Kitchen: Sports Nutrition News from The American College of
Sports Medicine
16. Factors Affecting Fluid Loss
From Advanced Sports Nutrition by Dan Benardot
17. Why marathon runners should do weight training
18. Nutrition For The Triathlon: Putting it into practice
19. Hyponatremia: Maintaining the Delicate Balance Between Electrolytes and
Fluids
Why salt tablets are insufficient in preventing a salt deficiency: Many athletes
as well as others exposed to heat stress consume
salt supplements to promote fluid replacement. Sodium alone inadequate.
20. Your Inner Coach - How to Handle Negative Thoughts
21. The real value of protein
22. The 12 commandments of training
23. Coffee? Why, yes
24. Fats For Endurance
25. Digest Briefs


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Which of the following events have you done or will you do in 2006?"
Adventure Racing
Bike Road Racing
Duathlon
Ironman Triathlon
Marathon
Mountain Bike Racing
Olympic Distance Triathlon
Running Road Racing (5K - 30K)

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:
"Which event did run/walk in this year's Ottawa Race Weekend?"
Answers Votes Percent
1. 2K 0 0%
2. 5K 2 6%
3. 10K 1 3%
4. Half-marathon 4 11%
5. Marathon 10 29%
6. Have competed in the past but not this year 13 37%
7. Have never competed 5 14%
Total Votes: 35


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE WEEK: Triathlon Radio Network.
Fueling the multisport lifestyle.
Each week new pod casts from guests and experts will be made available for
download so that you can listen to experts talk about the
multisport lifestyle, anywhere, anytime.
Check out the site at:
http://www.triathlonradio.net/ccorner.php


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


BOOK OF THE WEEK: Training Plans for Multisport Athletes, 2nd Edition
Your Essential Guide to Triathlon, Duathlon, Xterra, Ironman, Danskin, and
Endurance Racing
Gale Bernhardt
Training Plans for Multisport Athletes, 2nd Edition: Your Essential Guide to
Triathlon, Duathlon, Xterra, Ironman, Danskin, and
Endurance Racing
Gale Bernhardt's training plans have helped tens of thousands of self-coached
athletes to reach their multisport goals. Every detail
of how to train for a triathlon of any distance, an off-road triathlon, or a
duathlon is packed into this essential book, including
plenty of swim, bike, and run workouts to keep training fresh and breakthrough
workouts to make training more rewarding.
Bernhardt's unparalleled coaching experience is the basis of her proven training
methodology, which she applies to each of the 15
unique training plans, removing the hassle of creating a plan from scratch.
The second edition includes:
Easy tips on modifications that allow triathletes to further personalize the
plans according to their needs.
A new chapter on 13 Weeks to a Sub-13 Hour Ironman
8 training plans requiring only 5-10 hours of training each week.
5 training plans to go farther-3 training plans for finishing an Ironman and 2
plans for finishing a Half-Ironman race.
Training Plans for Multisport Athletes has a challenge to suit everyone, from
beginners to accomplished triathletes, for those who
are short on training time and those who are training for a faster time.
Paperback.
7 3/8" x 9 1/4", 256 pp.
VP-PLAN2
$19.95
Buy the book from VeloPress at:
http://www.velopress.com/triathlon.php?id=231


THIS WEEK'S FEATURES:

1. Science of Sport: The Complete Electrolyte Story:
Reviewed and Updated by ERB member Neal Henderson MS, CSCS: Director of Sports
Science at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine.
Introduction: Electrolytes, the mineral salts that conduct the electrical energy
of the body, perform a cellular balancing act by
allowing nutrients into the cell, while helping to remove waste products.
Certain elements, sodium, chloride, magnesium, calcium and
potassium, play a primary role in cellular respiration -- that of muscle
contraction and nerve impulse transmission. It is at the
cell membrane where these electrolytes conduct electrical currents similar to
nerve impulses. Hydration is the medium which aids
electrolyte transport and is crucial for both the health and performance of the
cell. Your hydration state is mostly dependent upon
water intake or loss thru sweat but is also heavily influenced by electrolyte
status.
Sweat: Endurance performance is compromised more by warmer temperatures than by
cooler temperatures. Here's why: to control an
excessive rise in body temperature, the blood flow to the skin increases in
order to dissipate heat to the environment. This shift
of blood to the skin will result in a lesser proportion of blood, and hence
oxygen, being delivered to the working muscle. In some
individuals the circulatory adjustments may not be adequate and the body
temperature will rise rapidly, leading to hyperthermia
(excessive body heat). Individual sweat rates vary, but those that sweat early,
heavily, and cake with salt tend to be more prone to
muscle cramps during exercise (Burke, 2001). Evaporation of sweat in a hot
environment can purge as much as 3 liters an hour.
Alberto Salazar reportedly lost an average of 3.7 liters per hour of sweat
during the hot and humid 1984 Olympic Marathon in LA
(Armstrong et al. 1986). About 99% of sweat is water, with a number of major
electrolytes found in varying amounts. Since sweat is
derived from the extracellular fluid (fluid outside the cell) the major
electrolytes found are sodium and chloride. The
concentration of salt in sweat is variable, but averages about 2.6 grams per
liter of sweat loss. Potassium, magnesium, calcium,
iron, copper, zinc, amino acids and some of the water-soluble vitamins can also
be found in sweat.
Too much water? Hyponatremia is defined as a decrease in sodium concentration in
the blood, which can have adverse effects on muscle
contraction and performance. One study observed 27% of participants following a
three-day cycling stage race competition were
hyponatremic. Symptoms of hyponatremia include headache, nausea, muscle
cramping, fatigue, and possibly death. Although there may be
many causes of hyponatremia, the most common one for athletes is overhydration.
Athletes tend to superhydrate in the days leading up
to a race without an appropriate increase in electrolytes. In some cases,
superhydrating can produce hyponatremia prior to the race
ever starting. However, drinking only water during a race can also causes
hyponatremic conditions because the body requires
electrolytes to effectively maintain hydration status. Hyponatremia, rare in
events lasting less than 4 hours, has been shown in
recent medical studies of slower marathon runners and ultra-distance triathletes
to be at least as problematic and dangerous...if
not more so...than dehydration.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20060612_ERB_Electrolytes.html


2. Multisport by Lance Watson: Benefits of Treadmill Running:
There is continued debate about whether or not treadmills are as good for run
training as running outside is. There are benefits
that are undeniable. Treadmill advocates cite two key advantages of treadmill
training: with treadmills, they say, it is possible to
perform outstanding 'hill' workouts by setting the treadmill inclination at
challenging levels; treadmill athletes can also set
training paces with great precision, enhancing their ability to carry out very
specific training. They can do ample amounts of work
at a goal race pace, for example, without ever having to worry about whether
they are straying from the desired velocity. Other
great benefits that come from using a treadmill are related to developing
cadence, rhythm, even pacing, and quantifying progress.
The first major benefit associated with treadmill running is the ability to
completely control the 'terrain.' The runner can run any
type of course; hilly, steep, flat or rolling. Spending time at a 7% grade
followed by 1 minute at 5k race pace repeated a few times
will undoubtedly prepare any athlete to get strong at running hills and then
quickly transitioning into a quick light rhythm that
allows him or her to run fast on a flat surface. Whether the athlete wants to
create a hilly course for a long base run or do 1
minute repeats at a 10% grade the treadmill is perfect. Another benefit of using
the treadmill for hill repeats is that the athlete
doesn't need to trash his or her legs on the way down the hill. The coach or
athlete can easily adjust the treadmill back to the 1%
grade (the equivalent of running on a flat surface outdoors) in between repeats.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20060616_LW_Treadmill.html


3. Science of Sport: Oxygen In Water - And In Your Muscles:
From: www.ByJamesRaia.com
A very interesting product marketed to runners and other athletes is something
called "oxygenated water," which is allegedly aqua
with an unusually high concentration of the life-giving gas. The benefits of
this gassy liquid are avowed to be an enhanced capacity
to fight off infections, an amazing ability to clear toxins from the blood, and
- of course - an improved ability to deliver oxygen
to the muscles. There are even "oxygen coolers" on the market, selling for well
over $1500, which can jet oxygen into each cupful of
eau that you guzzle over the course of a day. And yes, there are "oxygen pills",
too, available on-line and in some supplement
stores, which are purported to contain "stabilized" oxygen.
Whew! All of this is enough to make one gasp for air. After all, if one really
wants to move a little more oxygen into his/her
blood, would it not be better to simply inhale deeply, instead of quaffing a
glass of oxygenated H2O? The last time I checked, the
human stomach was poorly equipped with gills, making it extremely unlikely that
any excess oxygen in a drink would hurry into the
blood. In addition, a glass of oxygenated water would quickly lose its
supplemental oxygen, often before the rim of the glass
touched a consumer's lips. That pesky oxygen is a gas, after all, and it has a
quirky way of diffusing very, very quickly from
regions where it is highly concentrated, say in a cup of oxygen-rich water, to
areas in which it is less concentrated, e. g., the
air around us.
For runners, there is another kind of oxygen hype: We are reminded constantly,
in articles in popular running magazines and in books
about training, that we should first build a broad "aerobic base" before we
begin carrying out any speed work. The aerobic base,
defined as a rather-ample amount of mileage conducted at slow to moderate
tempos, is supposed to increase the ability of muscles to
utilize oxygen during running. Proponents of aerobic-basing insist that it
increases the number of capillaries around muscles, ramps
up the concentrations of aerobic enzymes inside muscles, and maximizes
mitochondrial densities (mitochondria are the little
structures inside muscles which serve as the focal points of aerobic
metabolism).
The trouble with this is that just as oxygenated water does a poor job of hiking
the aerobic metabolism of our muscles, moderate- to
low-intensity (aerobic-base) training does a modest job of spiking our muscles'
aerobic characteristics. Over and over again, solid
scientific research has revealed that higher-quality training (yes, dare I say
it - speed training) does a superior job of upgrading
the aerobic propensities of the muscles in our legs, compared with traditional,
building-a-base-type training.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20060612_Raia_Oxygen.html


4. Joe Henderson's Running Commentary - Moore's Masterwork:
Kenny Moore has long been Bill Bowerman's greatest advocate. This dates from the
early 1960s when the late University of Oregon
coach (who didn't like being called "Coach") changed Moore's running life, if
not saved it.
By 1987, Moore was well into his life as a professional writer who often wrote
about runners. Few stories meant more to him than one
that never appeared in Sports Illustrated and didn't carry his byline. He
ghost-wrote it for Bowerman, for a never-published book
that I was editing at the time.
The incident described there, and the resulting lesson, would become part of
Moore's masterwork. The book, Bowerman and the Men of
Oregon, is now available (signed copies available from the author's website,
http://www.kennymoore.us).
[Note: the book is also available through Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1594861900/runnersweb/102-0182896-9006569\
?v=glance&s=books]
My column about the lesson that propelled Moore to two Olympic teams as a
marathoner -- and a fourth-place finish at Munich --
appears here as written in 1987, with time references unaltered. Bill Bowerman
died 12 years later at age 88.
BILL BOWERMAN'S LEGACY
We live in the same town, Eugene, Oregon, but rarely see each other. We met by
chance this time in a doctor's waiting room.
I was there to talk about the athletic uses of the office's therapy pool. Bill
Bowerman was there as a patient to train in the pool.
Several years ago glue fumes from his shoe experiments left the retired
University of Oregon coach, now 76, with nerve damage and
forced him to give up running. The pool training was part of his therapy. When
his name was called, he said, "It's time to walk on
water."
More...from Joe Henderson at:
http://www.joehenderson.com/archive/home.php?article=2060


5. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine:
* Pressure on Pedals Tires You More than Spinning Fast
Experienced bicycle riders know that fatigue comes from how hard you press on
the pedals, not how fast you turn them. Novice racers
may try to ride with maximum force on the pedals, but they quickly exhaust
themselves and often can't even finish the race.
Cycling is a power sport. The number of times you spin your bicycle pedals in a
minute is called your cadence, and your power is the
product of the force that your feet apply to the pedals time your cadence. A
study from Toledo, Spain shows that spinning the pedals
too fast slows you down (Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, May 2006).
Most bicycle riders do best when they chose gears
that allow them to pedal at a cadence of 80 to 90.
You want to pedal as fast as you can with the greatest force you can maintain on
your pedals, but if you spin too fast, your brain
cannot coordinate your muscles so you lose efficiency. Try to choose gears that
allow you to spin as fast as you can and still feel
some pressure on your pedals. If you have to push on your pedals so hard that
your body moves from side to side, you need to reduce
the gear ratio and pedal faster. If you are spinning faster than 100 times a
minute, you are probably losing coordination. Bicycle
computers that show your cadence are available in bike shops and online bicycle
catalogs.
When you are going out on a long ride, try to keep a comfortable fast cadence.
However, if you are going to sprint or race for less
than 30 minutes, you will ride faster by putting more pressure than usual on you
pedals, which will slow your cadence by about 10
percent. You can also use this technique to pick up the pace when you want to
catch up with another rider.
* What can I do to correct awkward running form?
Many people look terribly uncoordinated when they run. Telling them to change
their form will just make them more uncoordinated. If
a coach criticizes a team member for poor running form and doesn't correct the
underlying causes, the person is likely to become
self-conscious about how he or she looks, and run even more slowly. Coordination
usually improves just with repeated practice in the
chosen sport.
Running form can improve markedly if you can correct muscle imbalances and
structural abnormalities with appropriate exercises and
perhaps mechanical devices. A coach can videotape the athletes while they run,
then review the tape in slow motion to analyze the
mechanical defects. For example, leaning forward during running is often caused
by weak back muscles, which can be treated with
exercises to strengthen the back. Pointing the toes out is often caused by weak
lower leg muscles and can be corrected by doing
exercises to strengthen the shin muscles. Leaning back on the heels after foot
plant can be caused by excessive rolling-in motion of
the feet or weak calf muscles.
Treatment often includes special inserts in the shoes and calf strengthening
exercises, such as toe raises while holding a heavy
weight in the hands. Holding the shoulders up towards the ears during running is
usually caused by weak shoulder muscles, which can
be corrected by shrugging the shoulders while holding weights. A low knee-lift
is often caused by weak quadriceps muscles in the
front of the upper leg. The quadriceps can be strengthened by pedaling a
bicycle, skating, or running up hills.
From Dr. Mirkin at:
http://www.drmirkin.com/


6. Yoga may improve life quality of breast cancer patients: Study:
Yoga can improve quality of life of the breast cancer patients who undergo
radiation therapy, scientists reported on Sunday.
Women may feel better when they participate in a yoga program while undergoing
radiation therapy, a research team reported at the
annual meeting of the American Association of Clinical Oncology in Atlanta.
"Because yoga deals with both mind and body ,we hypothesized that cancer
patients would benefit both physically and emotionally, "
said Lorenzo Cohen, an associate professor at the University of Texas and lead
author of the study.
"And we found that to be the case," Cohen told a press conference.
The researchers developed a yoga program for breast cancer patients undergoing
radiation therapy. Sixty-one women were randomly
assigned to attend the biweekly yoga classes during the entire course of
radiation treatment or to be on the control group.
The participants reported their ability to lift groceries, walk a mile and
perform other physical activities. They also were asked
about feelings of fatigue, their sense of well-being and other aspects of their
quality of life at the end of six weeks.
More...from the People's Daily Online at:
http://english.people.com.cn/200606/05/eng20060605_271194.html


7. From Runner's World:
* Coach's Corner
"A good footstrike helps you run more efficiently. A midfoot landing is best for
most people, although rearfoot is okay, and for a
few, even forefoot works. Landing on your forefoot may enhance speed for short
distances, but most will have a hard time finishing a
marathon. You'll also be more susceptible to calf cramps." -Jack Daniels
The calf muscles absorb shock during footstrike and stabilize both the ankle and
knee during the ground-contact phase of running
* Injury Prevention
Knee Raises:
Balance against a stable object or hang from a bar so your feet don't touch the
ground. Slowly raise one knee at a time as high as
you can comfortably. Repeat 10 to 20 times on each side two to three times a
week. This will strengthen your hip flexors, improving
your knee lift.
* Performance Nutrition
Go for the mustache.
You know calcium is key for bones-and probably fights colon cancer, high blood
pressure, and PMS misery as well. You need 1,000 mg a
day if you're 50 or younger. Over 50? You need at least 1,200 mg a day, and some
expert's recommend as much as 1,500.
* Editor's Advice
Try the track. "The track offers a controlled environment and you'll know
exactly how far you're going and exactly how long it
takes to go that far. As such, it's an excellent venue for learning pace." -Adam
Bean, RW international managing editor
Even though at times the 800 feels like a sprint, the distance requires a
healthy amount of stamina
* Training Talk
"As we age, for various reasons, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain
the same volume and intensity in our training. I
managed it through my forties, but not through my fifties. If, as masters, we
run the same number of miles, we find ourselves forced
to run them more slowly."
-From Masters Running by Hal Higdon


8. Compression tights may give runners a lift:
By Amy Norton
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Running tights designed to support the muscles and
boost runners' performance may actually work as
advertised, a small study suggests.
Known as compression tights, the apparel is marketed to distance runners as a
way to make their muscles work more efficiently --
expending less energy to do a given amount of work. In the new study, French
researchers found that the high-tech pants allowed 12
male runners to expend less effort during their runs compared with shorts or
traditional low-tech tights.
This implies that the gear could delay muscle fatigue and permit runners to go
farther or burn less energy to reach their usual
performance level, according to study co-author Dr. Stephane Perrey, of the
University of Montpellier's Motor Efficiency and
Deficiency Laboratory in France.
The findings are published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine.
Compression tights have strategically placed bands of sturdier fabric that are
supposed to support the leg's major muscles and limit
excess muscle motion as a runner strides along. This protection against muscle
"oscillation" may be what allowed runners in the
study to move more efficiently, according to the researchers.
In addition, they note, the extra-supportive tights may facilitate blood
circulation back to the heart.
The study included trained male runners who volunteered to test the performance
effects of three types of sportswear clothes --
compression tights, standard shorts and conventional elastic tights. The
researchers measured the runners' efficiency using portable
monitors that gauged their oxygen needs during the run.
In the initial experiment, in which the men were asked to run a short distance,
both compression and conventional tights helped the
runners to move more efficiently compared with when they wore ordinary shorts.
During more intense, 15-minute runs, the compression tights performed best,
trimming the runners' oxygen use.
Perrey estimated that, for a marathoner who normally clocks in at 3.5 hours,
compression tights could shave about 6 minutes off that
time. But, he told Reuters Health, your average jogger could also get a
performance boost from the apparel -- as long as the size is
right.
SOURCE: International Journal of Sports Medicine, May 2006.
From Reuters Health at:
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2006/06/13/eline/links/20060613elin020.html


9. Recipes for Success:
Though we admire the ease of energy-replenishing snacks like Gu and PowerBars,
man can't live on them alone. So we asked top
athletes, from marathoners to pole-vaulters, to cough up their best
recipes-after all, if the fuel in their tanks isn't effective,
they're out of work. They offered a variety of well-balanced ideas
which-according to Monique Ryan, (author of the 2002 book Sports
Nutrition for Endurance Athletes), who evaluated the recipes-meet athletes'
nutritional requirements: plenty of carbs, a good dose
of protein, and some healthy fat. Not only will these recipes fuel your muscles
for any run, ride, or climb you want to take on,
they only require around 10 minutes of preparation time-a little more than what
it takes to unwrap a PowerBar, we realize, but well
worth the wait.
Best Breakfast
"'Oatmeal makes a hard day's work easier,' my grandpa always told me," says
Michael Barry, a USPS cyclist married to Dede
Demet-Barry, who rides for T-Mobile, "It's true; this power-packed, hearty dish
of oats carries Dede and I up the mountains in
Boulder even on the coldest spring day." The two, who compete on the US Pro
Cycling Tour, add eggs to up the protein content. "You
can also just use egg whites if you're concerned about fat, which is harder to
digest before a race."
More...from Outside Online at:
http://outside.away.com/outside/features/200405/fitness_nutrition.html


10. Levi Leipheimer's Tour de France Diet:
By Tommy Murphy & Robert Kunz
Too often, athletes spend all of their time and effort training and working for
top physical form, but ignore proper nutrition and
rest. Sport has seen enormous changes in nutritional practices. No amount of
money spent on equipment and training will ensure top
performance if you do not have the proper fuel in your tank. Nutrition is as
absolutely essential to your performance as is your
training and workouts themselves. More and more athletes have turned to trainers
and nutritionists to aid in their diet to help
maximize training and performance.
In a study by Saris and colleagues (1989), energy expenditures and intakes were
measured during the three weeks of the Tour de
France. It was found that the cyclists required 3,000 to 7,000 calories daily
with energy expenditures as high as 9,000 calories per
day. Sedentary, normal-weight women typically consume 1,400 to 2,000 calories
per day with their male counterparts consuming 2,500
to 2,800 calories per day. Inadequate energy intake will lead to decreased
physical performance, weight-loss, and fatigue. Just as
training should focus on an athlete achieving the greatest benefit from the time
spent training, nutrition should focus on an
athlete achieving the greatest benefit from the foods they eat. If you are not
training with nutrition in mind, you are not getting
the most out of your training.
Robert Kunz, Senior Vice President of Research and Development of First
Endurance, works closely with many elite endurance athletes
including Levi Leipheimer, Freddy Rodriguez and Ina Tutenberg in developing and
structuring their diets for racing and training.
"Levi confided in me in January 2005 and we started to talk," said Kunz. "He
told me he had a few challenges nutritionally and was
heavier than he wanted to be. We did a three day diet recall and went from
there."
"Levi started to change the way he ate and immediately saw results. He lost 3kg
without actually dieting and he said he felt better
than he's ever felt. The great thing about working with Levi," Kunz said, "is
that he doesn't allow anything to get in the way of
his program. When we give him a specific diet to follow, he makes sure he does
it. It doesn't matter how strict it is. He's
methodical in that respect, which is good because he doesn't struggle to follow
a nutrition program or let anything get him off
track. Because of this, he started to see results pretty fast. Specifically, he
was losing weight and increasing power. Once that
started to happen, he was excited about the possibilities."
More...from First Endurance at:
http://www.firstendurance.com/coaches_leipheimer_diet.html


11. Every Runner's Nightmare:
If there is one thing every runner dreads for its devastating potential to
reduces winners to also rans and silver medals to bronze,
it's cramp. So everybody has their favourite cramp theory and their favoured
remedy but lets consider some facts first.
Cramp is more common in males than in females.
Cramp is associated both with the duration and intensity of exercise - the
further and the faster the more likely cramp is to occur.
Onset of cramp is usually after 30km in a distance race, regardless of running
speed.
Cramp during exercise is almost always in the large muscles that span two joints
- the hamstrings, quadriceps and calf
(gastrocnemius) muscles.
Cramps are often initiated by a change in speed, gradient or running surface. A
classic example is cresting a hill and then
accelerating downhill or running on to grass after hours on the tar.
Some people are simply more cramp-prone than others.
The most widely held belief is that cramp is due to dehydration and the loss of
minerals such as sodium, potassium and magnesium.
These minerals play a critical role in muscle contraction, so any imbalance
would affect muscle function. However, if a runner were
to become sufficiently electrolyte depleted while running, it is unlikely that
only one or two muscles would cramp - surely the
electrolyte loss would affect all muscles equally ? As it is, the muscles most
likely to cramp are the comparatively large calf,
hamstring and thigh muscles.
More...from the Comrades Marathon at:
http://www.comrades.com/home.asp?id=444


12. Athletics: Hydration / Liquids:
By: David Holt
Liquids for Hydration
Mans' most crucial nutrient is water.
Your body is 60 percent water, so stay hydrated: Dehydration decreases running
performance and leads to cramps which can cause
muscle injury.
* Start your exercise sessions well hydrated.
* Make drinking before runs a habit.
* Make drinking during your long runs routine.
* Drink before you feel thirsty during the day and during your runs.
* Continue re-hydration within minutes of finishing your runs.
After your run, find a cool spot and keep moving slowly while taking several
refreshing drinks. Include carbohydrates and a little
protein in the first half an hour post run. Do a few gentle stretches pre or
post shower, then drink some more liquid while taking
in calories to rejuvenate your muscles.
Lubricate and feed your muscles and they'll be kind to you. Dehydration
increases your risk of injury...to your running muscles and
to your cardiac muscle!
Research shows that long distance performance is improved by taking in 200
calories per hour during the event. 32 ounces, or 4 full
cups of Gatorade just happens to be 200 calories.
13 ounces of apple juice also supplies 200 calories, and it's easier to carry a
sufficient supply on long runs. Drink 5 ounces of
water at the fountains on route, plus 3 ounces of juice each time, and you'll
take in your 200 calories per hour. One 24 ounce
bottle with juice (plus a little salt) will cover you for two hours provided you
find 8 sources of water: You don't have to lug
round 64 ounces of sports drink. You can use the same water sources twice on out
and back routes.
Juices contain many antioxidants and vitamins, but sports drinks and goos do
not. Goos also raise your heartrate as your body
struggles to absorb the energy, which is not a good thing when you're already
working at close to 80 percent of your maximum
heartrate at mile 15.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20060614_Holt_Hydration.html


13. Wonder pill. Really.
As D's benefits become clearer, we're urged to get more -- much more -- of it.
EVEN the most brazen snake-oil salesman might blush at trying to sell the public
on a pill to ease aches and pains, strengthen
bones, slow down cancer and prevent diseases as varied as Type 1 diabetes,
multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia.
But these claims aren't the frothy hyperbole of a sideshow huckster. A growing
number of serious scientists are quite willing to
speculate that a single compound may be able to accomplish all of these feats -
and possibly more. They're not talking about a new
miracle drug, but a common nutrient: vitamin D, "the sunshine vitamin."
Once seen as merely a defense against rickets, vitamin D has in recent years
gained recognition as a major force that acts
throughout the body. It improves absorption of calcium, controls the growth of
cells (both healthy and cancerous), strengthens the
immune system and seems to rein in overzealous immune system cells that cause
diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple
sclerosis.
Much of vitamin D's potential is still just that: potential. But at this moment,
to some scientists the potential looks huge. "Even
if two-thirds of these things don't pan out, it's still a blockbuster," says Dr.
Robert Heaney, a professor of medicine at Creighton
University in Omaha, who specializes in osteoporosis.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-vitamind12jun12,1,5420197.story?col\
l=la-headlines-health


14. Cadence - Keeping Rotation High for Later Race Efficiency:
By Pete Rea, ZAP Fitness/Running Journal/June 2006
Like many coaches I love to review old race footage, watch the tactics of the
best in the sport, and observe the many intricacies
associated with victory and defeat. From the 800 meters to the marathon, I enjoy
breaking down both the subtle moves as well as the
overt and studying the outcomes thereof. This past fall I came across a tape of
the 1983 New York City Marathon and the historic
battle between New Zealand legend Rod Dixon and Englishman Geoff Smith. Smith, a
fearless racer, left the lead pack just after eight
miles and broke the race wide open, leading by as much as 94 seconds at one
point. Leading the chase pack was Dixon, the 1972
Olympic Bronze Medalist at 1,500 meters and a man many considered well past his
prime.
Dixon doggedly pursued Smith, eventually catching him with less than 400 meters
to go, and while the pursuit itself was fascinating,
I was more enthralled with the counting of Smith and Dixon's footsteps -- yes
footsteps. As the race progressed one element of
disparity stood out more glaring than any other: the ever decreasing stride
frequency and leg rotation of Smith and the relatively
even (and even increasing) frequency of foot strike of Dixon. By mile 25 it
looked as if Smith was almost loping whereas Dixon was
scooting along like the little engine that could. Little did I know when I first
saw the race as a middle schooler that Dixon was
proving an important point in the science of distance running: from the middle
distances to the marathon, the ability to maintain a
relatively high frequency of foot strike is critical.
More...from the Running Journal at:
http://www.running.net/features/reajune06.html


15. The Athlete's Kitchen: Sports Nutrition News from The American College of
Sports Medicine:
By Nancy Clark MS, RD
Want to fuel smarter, train better and improve your sports nutrition knowledge?
Then keep reading! Here's some of the research
presented by exercise physiologists, nutritionists and other health
professionals at the American College of Sports Medicine's
annual meeting (Denver, May, 2006).
Childhood obesity
The rapid increase in childhood obesity is worrisome because so many obese kids
are developing diabetes and heart
disease--conditions associated with old age. One solution is to add exercise
back into daily life. A safe and socially accepted way
to do this is to organize a Walking School Bus in your neighborhood; a parent or
hired college student chaperones the group of
children.
Exercise can also be added into the school curriculum, but many schools are
reluctant to do so. The assumption is less class time
will contribute to lower test scores. Not the case. When students ate a free
school breakfast, participated in 15 minutes of
teacher-led activity each morning, and had mid-day recess before lunch, their
test scores improved plus the teachers had 58% fewer
discipline referrals.
Weight
* Two contributors to undesired fat gain are sugar-sweetened soft drinks and a
sedentary lifestyle. Contributors to successful fat
loss include weekly weigh-ins, at least 30 minutes per day of (ideally,
supervised) exercise, and daily food records. Standing more
often also helps with weight management. That is, obese people--who tend to sit
2.5 hours more per day than their lean
counterparts--can potentially save 350 calories per day. Get rid of the chairs?!
* Yes, achieving a healthy weight is important. But the desire to get too thin
can lead to health problems. Among 80 varsity high
school athletes at an all-girls school, 74% had at least one component of the
Female Athlete Triad--a syndrome with loss of
menstrual periods, disordered eating and stress fractures. Fifty-five percent
ate inadequate calories, 30% had a history of
amenorrhea, and 19% a history of stress fractures. Is "thin at any price" worth
the cost..?
More...from the Running Network at:
http://www.runningnetwork.com/trainingtips/athleteskitchenACSMJune06.html


16. Factors Affecting Fluid Loss:
From Advanced Sports Nutrition by Dan Benardot
Because sweat has a lower osmolality than does plasma (i.e., sweat is
hypotonic), profuse sweating increases plasma osmolality.
Whether or not this increased plasma osmolality affects body temperature or
cooling capacity in an exercising individual is, as yet,
unclear, but a sufficient change in osmolality and volume does stimulate the
kidneys to excrete sodium and reduce urine output by
producing more concentrated urine.
Several factors affect the rate at which an athlete can produce sweat. Higher
ambient temperatures result in a greater potential for
sweat production. Higher humidity is also responsible for higher sweat
production, but because the vapor pressure gradient and skin
is low, the cooling potential (i.e., the rate of evaporation off the skin) is
lower in humid environments. The same problem also
exists with clothing that traps sweat against the skin (i.e., does not breathe).
This type of clothing results in a reduced cooling
efficiency that forces a greater sweat rate. (Sweat-soaked clothing doesn't mean
an athlete is effectively controlling body
temperature, it just means he or she is losing water.) Some new materials
designed for athletes actually wick sweat away from the
skin to improve evaporative efficiency. Athletes with large body surface areas
may also have an enhanced sweat production capacity
and, therefore, an enhanced evaporative heat loss. But these athletes may also
gain more heat from the environment through radiation
and convection in hot weather. The conditioning or training state of an athlete
makes a difference. Well-conditioned athletes have a
higher sweat volume potential that results in an enhanced cooling potential.
However, this higher sweat rate requires a greater
during-exercise fluid consumption to avoid higher heat-stress risk.
An athlete's state of fluid balance also plays a factor. The better the
hydration state, the greater the sweat potential. As
athletes become progressively dehydrated, the sweat rate is reduced, and body
temperature rises. This is a problem because fluid
consumption during activity is rarely greater than 2 cups (480 milliliters) per
hour, or only 30 to 40 percent of the amount of
fluid lost in sweat, an amount that will inevitably lead to the athlete's
becoming dehydrated. Consider that marathoners competing
in a cool temperature of 50 to 54 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 12 degrees Celsius)
lose between 1 and 5 percent of total body mass.
Marathoners competing in warm weather lose about 8 percent of total body mass,
or between 12 and 15 percent of total body water.
More...from Human Kinetics at:
http://www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?associate=880&isbn=0736059\
415


17. Why marathon runners should do weight training:
Incorporating a weight conditioning program into your marathon training can
provide runners with many benefits. I recommend that you
visit a gym in your area and consult with a weight training instructor to
receive a demonstration of the various exercises that can
benefit your running as well as your overall health.
Benefits of a Weight Training Program:
* Upper Body - A strong upper body enables a runner to maintain form late in a
marathon or long run. Additionally, upper body
strength reduces fatigue and stiffness in the arms, shoulders, and neck areas.
Strong arms and shoulders are helpful in propelling a
runner uphill. Finally, legs move only as fast as the arms swing. Thus, a runner
with a strong upper body will run faster and more
efficiently.
* Abdominals - A strong abdominal region helps protect the back while at the
same time, assists in maintaining proper running form.
* Legs - Running creates a muscular imbalance in the legs. Through running,
one's hamstrings and calf muscles develop at a much
faster rate than the quadriceps and shins. Weight training helps correct this
imbalance. Additionally, strong quads and hips help
protect these areas from a variety of injuries. Strong legs also offer
protection from the possibility of injury when running fast
downhill.
More...from World of Endurance at:
http://worldofendurance.com/runnersguide/training_column.asp?a_id=1583258&st_nam\
e=AchievingPersonalBest


18. Nutrition For The Triathlon: Putting it into practice:
By Fuel Triathlon
Nutrition is often seen as a complicated and confusing subject, but with a
little knowledge this is an area of your training that
can increase your performance and help keep your season injury free.
This article looks at the key stages in your training throughout the year and
how nutrition can support the demands you place on
your body.
Annual Stages
Build
Once a race season is over and the triathlete has wound down and recovered from
intense racing and training they tend to look toward
the build phase. This is where weaknesses found during the last season can be
worked on and the focus is more towards building
strength and power rather than muscular and physical endurance.
During this phase the triathlete may spend more time in the gym strengthening
leg and chest muscles. This means the body will
require more protein to assist recovery and development of muscle tissue. Try
not to neglect your carbohydrate intake, as this will
help you maintain your enthusiasm and focus whilst in the gym and also assist in
your body's ability to absorb protein.
Using weights to increase your muscle size and power also puts extra stress on
your joints. Along with your regular stretching
routine look towards protecting your joints by using such products such as
Glucosamine and adding extra essential fatty acids (such
as fish oils) to your diet. As mentioned before oily fish will add extra protein
as well as essential fatty acids.
This phase is also useful for focusing on technique, whether this is your stroke
in the pool or your cycling position.
More...from TriTalk UK at:
http://www.tritalk.co.uk/training/article.php


19. Hyponatremia: Maintaining the Delicate Balance Between Electrolytes and
Fluids:
Why salt tablets are insufficient in preventing a salt deficiency: Many athletes
as well as others exposed to heat stress consume
salt supplements to promote fluid replacement. Sodium alone inadequate.
The Full Story:
Many athletes as well as others exposed to heat stress consume salt supplements
to promote fluid replacement, prevent hyponatremia
and dehydration, or ward off heat fatigue. While it is true that supplementing
with salt can help reduce sodium depletion from sweat
and help maintain adequate fluid levels in the body, supplementing with sodium
alone is not enough to satisfy your body's
electrolyte requirements and, in fact, may cause additional problems (e.g.,
nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps) that significantly
interfere with performance.
Rather, a normal water and electrolyte balance, including an intake of other
electrolytes such as magnesium, potassium, and
chloride, is essential for maintaining the normal function of the body's systems
during physical activity.
Hyponatremia-What is it?
Many athletes will take salt supplements to prevent hyponatremia, which is a low
concentration of sodium in the blood. In spite of
the abundance of negative press that salt has received, sodium and chloride
(NaCl) are both essential minerals.
Hyponatremia is the predominant electrolyte disturbance.1 In healthy
individuals, the normal range for serum sodium is 137-147
mEq/L. In hyponatremic individuals, serum sodium levels fall below 137 mEq/L.2
Hyponatremia has killed seemingly healthy individuals
every year, yet it can also be less severe but still significantly impede
performance. Common symptoms include weakness, agitation,
confusion, nausea, or vomiting. Hyponatremia may occur when there is an
excessive consumption of water, which dilutes electrolytes
in the body, and/or through sweat-induced or other electrolyte loss.
Hyponatremia strikes most often in marathoners or triathletes during long or
ultra-distance races in the heat; however, it can
happen any time during extended periods of physical activity when an athlete
consumes too much fluid and not enough electrolytes.
During a Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon, hyponatremia occurred in nearly 30 percent
of the triathletes.3
The two primary risk factors for developing hyponatremia are excessive fluid
consumption and longer finishing times.4
Salt Supplements-Should You Take Them with a Grain of Salt?
Sodium (Na) is the predominant cation (positively charged element) found in
extracellular fluid. It is important in maintaining the
proper acid-base balance and in the transmission of nerve impulses.5 Sodium
teams with potassium, the chief cation of intracellular
fluid, to maintain proper body fluid and acid-base balance in the cells and
tissue and maintain blood pressure. Potassium and other
electrolytes-such as magnesium and chloride-perform numerous, multifaceted roles
in the body. They work in concert with sodium to
regulate acid-base, electrolyte, and water balance; conduct nerve impulses;
promote normal muscle contraction (including the
heartbeat); regulate the transfer of nutrients to cells; and maintain the normal
function of the kidneys, heart, and nerve cells. An
imbalance of any electrolyte can have far-reaching, serious effects within the
body.5
Often, salt tablets and sodium-enhanced beverages, which are touted as
electrolyte-replacement beverages, are promoted as an ideal
way to replenish the salt that is lost through sweat. There are, however,
additional electrolytes that, in conjunction with sodium,
are also lost in sweat and this is one of the limitations of salt tablets and
many electrolyte-replacement beverages.
More...from PPOL:News at:
http://ppolnews.com/?id=82100&keys=Hydration-hyponatremia-elete


20. Your Inner Coach - How to Handle Negative Thoughts:
I know what you are thinking, "Why should I read an article about handling
negative thoughts?" You would probably prefer some tips
on the latest "run-till-you-puke" mile repeat track workout or possibly a
"swim-till-you're-dizzy" pool workout, but as Yogi Berra
said, "sport is 90% mental and 50% physical." While his math skills may need
some work, his point was well taken. Often times it is
our mental outlook on training and competing that is our biggest limiting factor
for ultimate performance.
Most sports are comprised of four basic components: technical, tactical,
physiological and psychological. The technical component is
the actual skill necessary to play the sport (e.g. dribbling in basketball,
stroke technique for swimming, etc.) The tactical refers
to strategies used to implement those techniques (e.g. what offense/defense to
run in football). The physiological aspect refers to
the physical demands in a given event. Finally, the psychological component
covers motivation, handling negative thoughts,
visualization, and self-confidence.
This article will focus on some of the key points of the negative "self-talk"
and how to improve your positive mental picture. Let's
start with a key point: Negativity will almost certainly guarantee that you'll
fail to reach your dreams. So with that being said,
let's discover how we can manage the negativity.
More...from TriFuel at:
http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon/sports-psychology/your-inner-coach-how-to-handl\
e-negative-thoughts-001451.php


21. The real value of protein:
By Ilana Katz, M.S., R.D., L.D.
A typical problem for athletes is that they lack the stored energy required for
quality training. A contributor to this problem is
the common misconception that protein is a good primary fuel source for strength
training, muscle building and intense exercise.
It's difficult to find a body builder who doesn't rely on some form of protein
or amino-acid supplement, and attributes their
success to these products. These athletes in particular consume much more
protein than they need.
Because this higher-than-necessary consumption of protein can offset the intake
of other essential energy nutrients (carbohydrates),
it's not surprising that many athletes struggle with low energy during a
workout.
All nutrients (carbs, protein, fat) get converted to energy in the form of
adenosine triphosphate (ATP), but each nutrient has
unique properties that determine how it gets converted to energy.
It's important to clear up the misconception that protein is a ready source of
energy, and uncover the real value of protein:
recovery.
More...from Active.com at:
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=13133


22. The 12 commandments of training:
Old Mutual Virtual Coach Dave Spence
There are as many different training plans as there are coaches. Every
successful training programme has a number of common rules.
The following twelve commandments have been developed using over 20 years of
coaching experience and many conversations with fellow
coaches. Try to incorporate each of these rules into whatever programme you
follow and your results will improve...
1. Begin Slowly
This rule is really like two rules in one. It has two separate, but related
meanings. If you are just beginning a training programme
- start slow and easy. Even if you are in good condition; a new sport or
programme will stress different muscles and stress joints
and connective tissue in different ways. You must let your body strengthen and
adapt before you attack it with intense training.
This rule also applies to your daily training runs. If your workout calls for
speed work or a moderate intensity run, start out at
an easy pace. Your body needs to warm up before you throw any high intensity
work at it. If you do not properly warm up, you run the
risk of injury.
When racing, you would usually want to start the race at a pace that is slightly
slower than your goal pace. Most athletes perform
best when they run "negative splits", which means running the second half of the
race faster than the first. If you begin at a pace
that is too fast, you may not be able to finish strongly.
2. Train Your Mind
Your body will attempt to do whatever your mind asks it to do. With any sport or
fitness programme, there are challenges that you
must prepare yourself mentally for. The most strenuous mental and physical
difficulties will occur at the beginning of a training
program.
You should use positive thinking and imagery. Toughen your mind for the
challenge that is ahead and your body will follow to the
best of its ability. A major difference between those of us that succeed in a
programme and those that fail is the ability to
overcome the mental blocks and negative thoughts that sabotage our success.
Before you can overcome the physical challenges, you
must overcome any mental challenges that present themselves.
More...from World of Endurance at:
http://worldofendurance.com/article.asp?a_id=746231


23. Coffee? Why, yes:
CAFFEINE has long been known to make the heart beat faster, the muscles work
harder and the brain focus better. But a new study
suggests that it also makes us more open to persuasion when confronted with a
point of view that is logical and well-argued.
At the University of Queensland in Australia, researchers ascertained the
positions of 148 people on the subject of voluntary
euthanasia, then asked each participant to read a position paper that ran
counter to his or her beliefs. Before reading the papers,
however, half drank orange juice containing the equivalent jolt of two cups of
coffee, and half drank plain orange juice.
The results: Compared with subjects who had downed the unfortified OJ, the
subjects who drank the juiced-up orange drink understood
and remembered the counter-arguments better and were more in agreement with
those arguments. What's more, their changed views were
unlikely to revert to earlier beliefs later on, when they were asked to read
position papers consistent with their original
viewpoints.
Pearl Martin, the social psychologist who oversaw the experiments, said subjects
hopped up on caffeine paid better attention to
well-made arguments and thus appeared better disposed to their logic.
But the nation's taste for caffeinated drinks should not make us a nation of
dupes. "Our research findings suggest that it increases
peoples' ability to correctly evaluate the merits of a particular argument,"
said Martin, speaking of caffeine's effects.
From the LA Times.


24. Fats For Endurance:
What are fats?
Fats are organic compounds composed of a glycerol backbone with fatty acids
attached to it. There are three primary types of fatty
acids: saturated, monounsaturated (MUFA), and polyunsaturated (PUFA). Saturated
fatty acids are those that only have single bonds
between the carbon atoms and all remaining bonds are filled with hydrogen atoms.
These are common in animal fats. Trans fatty acids
fall under this category, although they are not naturally occurring. Instead,
trans fatty acids are engineered by hydrogenating
unsaturated fatty acids to create a solid, more stable fat product. The second
type of naturally occurring fatty acid, MUFAs, has
one double bonded carbon atom. MUFAs are found in olive oil, canola oil, peanut
oil, as well as other products. Lastly, PUFAs have
more than one double bond. The PUFAs can be further broken down into two major
groups of essential fatty acids, the omega-6 series
and the omega-3 (Kruger and Horrobin, 1997). Omega-6 fatty acids are found in
corn oil, soybean oil, and most other vegetable oils,
as well as pastries. Examples of where omega-3 fatty acids are found are:
walnuts, canola oil, flaxseed oil, salmon, sardines, and
other fish.
Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids are primarily made in the body.
However, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) cannot be
made by the body and therefore must be ingested. Because of this, PUFAs are
called essential fatty acids.
Medium-chain triglycerides (MCT's) are a special category of fatty acids. Normal
fats contain long chain fatty acids (LCT's) whereas
MCT's have shorter carbon chains. This physical difference causes MCT's to be
digested and metabolized more quickly and easily than
LCT's. Found naturally in milk fat, palm oil and coconut oil, MCT's are more
water soluble, able to enter the blood stream faster
and more easily converted to energy. Due to their unique structure MCT's have
been studied as a potential ergogenic aid for
endurance exercise.
More...from First Endurance at:
http://www.firstendurance.com/newsletter_fats_for_endurance.html


25. Digest Briefs:
* Moo Juiced
Fitness pros may soon be filling their water bottles with a creamier sports
drink. A study by researchers at Indiana University
found that CHOCOLATE MILK consumed between successive workouts on the same day
rehydrates as well as any fluid-replacement drink and
outperforms carb-rich formulas. But don't go laughing the Gatorade out of your
nose just yet. The study tested only nine male
cyclists-none of whom were lactose intolerant.

* Avoid Oral Antibiotics for 'Swimmer's Ear'
New guidelines stress use of medicated ear drops instead
Antiseptic or antibiotic ear drops should be front-line treatment for swimmer's
ear, and doctors should use restraint in using oral
antibiotics for the common condition.
So conclude the first-ever U.S. national treatment guidelines, which were
crafted by a panel of experts from multiple disciplines,
including otolaryngology, pediatrics and infectious diseases.
Swimmer's ear is an infection of the outer ear and ear canal. It's often caused
by water becoming trapped in the ear during
swimming, showering or bathing. It can also be caused by cleaning or scratching
the ear and skin conditions such as psoriasis or
acne.
Symptoms can include redness and swelling, itching, mild to moderate ear pain,
or a feeling that the ears are blocked. There may
also be fever, pus drainage, decreased hearing, swollen lymph nodes and
radiating pain.
The expert panel developed the guidelines after they reviewed thousands of
articles and studies dating back to the 1960s. Their
findings and recommendations include:
The condition should first be treated with antiseptic or antibiotic ear drops,
which inhibit bacterial growth. These drops usually
relieve the pain within a day and clear up the condition within a week. Doctors
should show patients how to use the ear drops to
ensure that they're effective.
Oral antibiotics should be used with restraint, unless the patient has other
conditions such as diabetes or some immune diseases.
Studies suggest that oral antibiotics are less effective for swimmer's ear, and
they have more side effects.
Ear candles have not been shown to be an effective treatment for swimmer's ear
and can have harmful side effects, such as burning or
perforating the ear drum.
Avoid swimmer's ear by using ear plugs to keep out moisture or by drying the
ears with a hair dryer. Avoid water that may be
polluted.
Do not put fingers or other objects -- including cotton swabs -- in the ear.
This can damage the ear or push material deeper into
the ear canal.
More information
The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about swimmers ear
(www.nlm.nih.gov ).
From Health Scout at:
http://www.healthscout.com/news/1/532848/main.html

* Workout Types: Hill Training
Resistance Training
The goal of resistance training is to increase running efficiency, build
muscular & tendon strength, acclimate the body to the
rigors of uneven & hilly terrain & to increase mental toughness. When running
hills you should not base your pace on what you would
run on the flats. You should attempt to run the same time for each repeat or
loop but it should not concern yourself with what the
pace actually is in terms of minutes per mile. Initially, you should just run
the hills at a steady rhythm until you can determine a
challenging time, then you can attempt to keep the repetitions at the same
pace. Please be careful to take it easy on the downhill
sections to limit the chance of injury.
Hill Repeats: Hill repeats are repetitions of the same hill. Usually the hill
will be between 200-800 meters long & the pitch will
entirely depend upon the runner's tastes & ability level. It is important to try
& keep a consistent time for each uphill. If you go
out too fast you will be unable to sustain an even pace & probably be forced to
abandon the workout or seriously compromise its
purpose.
Hill Series: Hill series workouts are 1-3 mile loops or out & back courses that
have hills of various lengths & steepness. The
purpose of including these in your training is to learn to find a rhythm at
different efforts. As you reach a hill your effort will
rise as you rise & correspondingly decrease as you descend. It is excellent to
try to lock back into a strong steady pace when you
hit any flat sections of more than 400 meters in length.
From Rogue Running at:
http://www.roguerunning.com/articleinfo.asp?id=645

* Q. Should I skip a recovery drink after a recovery ride? I'm not really
burning any energy on those days.
A. When in doubt, drink. More specifically, go ahead and drink a carbohydrate
recovery drink laced with protein after those recovery
rides. As a general rule, you never want to mess with your caloric intake from
fluids or foods right before, during, and immediately
after your workouts. This is because glycogen, the stored form of glucose, is
depleted to some degree during any activity. Obviously
a six-hour ride is going to deplete more of your energy stores than a 60-minute
recovery ride, but you'll still have burned through
some glycogen on that easier ride. Plus your body's very busy on recovery days
making you stronger, and this physiological process
requires a full tank of fluids and fuel to do its job effectively.
The CTS Recovery Plan
Within the first 15 to 60 minutes following any exercise session, swallow 30 to
60 grams of carbohydrate (or roughly one serving of
a recovery drink, such as PowerBar's Recovery beverage, along with an energy
gel). You'll take advantage of the "glycogen window"
that exists right after exercise, when your elevated insulin levels and more
permeable cell membranes are primed to process
carbohydrates quickly and turn them into glycogen.
The easiest way to take advantage of the glycogen window is with a recovery
drink that packs a 7:1 carbohydrates-to-protein ratio,
as found in PowerBar's Recovery beverage. The protein, just so you know, is
there to aid the absorption of all those carbs into the
body, not build muscle.
Two hours after your workout, eat a carb-rich meal, such as whole-wheat pasta
with vegetable sauce, stir-fry with a healthy serving
of brown rice, or whole-grain pancakes with sliced fruit.
If you want to cut down on your caloric intake because it's a "light" training
day, do it with meals eaten two or more hours before
or after exercise.
Wishing you a full and speedy recovery,
Alicia
From Carmichael Training Systems at:
http://www.trainright.com/


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

June 17, 2006:
Grandma's Marathon - Duluth, MN
http://www.grandmasmarathon.com

Mayor's Marathon - Anchorage, Alaska
http://www.mayorsmarathon.com

Mount Washington Road Race - Gorham, NH
http://www.mountwashingtonroadrace.com

Riverkeeper Triathlon & Duathlon - Ottawa, ON
http://www.somersault.ca/eventottawariverkeeper.htm

Spudman Triathlon - Boise, ID
http://spudman.spondoro.com

Steamboat Classic - Perioria, IL
http://www.steamboatclassic.org/

June 17 - 18, 2006:
Johnny Miles Marathon - Pictou County, NS
http://www.johnnymiles.ca

Muskoka Triathlon/Duathlon - Huntsville, ON
http://www.trisportcanada.com/muskoka.php

June 18, 2006:
Branford Road Race - Branford, CT
http://www.jbsports.com

New Balance Half-Ironman - Victoria, BC
Canadian Long-Distance Championships
http://www.island-multi-sports.com/Half%20Iron/index.htm

Manitoba Marathon - Winnipeg, MAN
http://www.manitobamarathon.mb.ca

June 21 - 25, 2006:
2006 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championship - Indianapolis, IND
http://www.usatf.org/events/2006/USAOutdoorTFChampionships

June 24, 2006:
RunnersWeb5K.com Race for Women - Ottawa, ON
http://www.runnersweb5k.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/

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:
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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
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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


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**END OF RUNNER'S AND TRIATHLETE'S WEB DIGEST...**