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
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health issues. The opinions expressed in the articles referenced by the Digest
are the opinions of the writers and not necessarily
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1. RunnersWeb5K.com Race for Women
The first RunnersWeb5K.com Race for Women was held on June 24th at Ottawa's
Aviation Museum. Canada's #2 ranked marathoner, Nicole
Stevenson, won the race in 16:28.
Thirty-five women ran under 20 minutes. For a race report and photos go to:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20060624_RunnersWeb5K.html.
The 2007 race date will be Saturday, June 23, 2007.
The prize money will be increased from $3,000 to $5,000 for open and masters
runners. The team competition will be expanded to
include Open, Club and University Teams.
More information will be posted at:
http://www.runnersweb5k.com

2. 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

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

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

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

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


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THIS WEEK:

For a limited time, shopadidas.com is offering 15% off running apparel when you
purchase any running footwear.
Hurry, because this promotion ends on August 29, 2006.
Coupon Code: RUN15AF
Start Date: 8/15/06
End Date: 8/29/06
http://service.bfast.com/bfast/click?bfmid=20812557&siteid=39999062&bfpage=17851\
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Your chance to win free shoes for life!
Contest rules:
For US residents with US address only. No purchase necessary.
One winner will be selected in a random drawing on August 31st, 2006 from all
entries received by August 27, 2006. (Pearl Izumi
reserves the right to extend the entry deadline to a later date. The deadline
extension date will be posted in this section of the
contest rules no later than August 15, 2006.)
One Pearl IzumiR prize package will be awarded consisting of: 4 pairs of running
shoe, per year, for the life of the winner. Prizes
will be redeemed through the Pearl Izumi's web-site www.pearlizumi.com. The
winner will be given a custom Pearl Izumi on-line
account with USD credit towards 4 pairs annually of Pearl IzumiR running shoes
that they can select solely through the web-site.
Prize is non-transferable.
Sign up at: http://www.pearlizumiactive.com

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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
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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:
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* 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
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Scott Tinley (2 Time Ironman Champ) Steve Scott (3 Time Olympian) and many more.
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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
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Check out the Lance Watson Online Article Index at:
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Running Research News:
RRN's free, weekly, training update provides subscribers with the most-current,
practical, scientifically based information about
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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
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THIS WEEK'S PERSONAL POSTINGS/RELEASES:
We have NO personal postings this week.


THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

1. Science of Sport: What is the best way to fuel for a 2 hour race
2. Adjust Your Diet Daily For Weight Maintenance
3. Training Hard? Ease off on the Mega-Multivitamin
4. Joe Henderson's Running Commentary - Long Slow Discovery
5. Dealing with Cramps on the Run
6. From Runner's World
7. Injuries
8. Ten Principles of Marathon Training
A marathon training program can survive any challenge -- as long as your
determination remains strong. Here are 10 principles to
carry you through your training.
9. Knee Injury Can Spur Later Arthritis
A new study will look at ways of spotting who's at risk.
10. Exercise hypertension
11. Latest watches, loaded with extras, are also good for what makes you tick
12. Eating Organic
Organic food is getting more attention than ever. But does it really make a
difference for athletes?
13. Training and Performance - Battle Injuries Better
Learn how elite runners like Kara Goucher and Shalane Flanagan work through
injury. How they stay fit, fight frustration, ease back
into running, and even discover unexpected lessons about themselves and the
sport in the process.
14. Everything you ever wanted to know about juicing
15. An iTrainer in her shoes
What do you get when you cross an iPod with Nikes? Footwear that talks (and
sings) to you.
16. Two Studies Find High Weights Shorten Lives
17. Is it All in the Family?
Running Legacies: Nature or Nurture?
18. Marathon Smarts
Because a little knowledge can go a long way, we asked seven Ph.D. marathoners
to give us their best, most scientific race-day tips.
19. Secrets of Endurance: Eating to Go (and Go and Go)
20. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine
21. Sports Nutrition - The Shopping List of Champions
22. Go ahead, give yourself a day off
A break from the exercise grind can minimize injuries and maximize gains.
23. Climbing the food pyramid
24. Negative Reinforcement
Running negative splits is a highly effective training and racing strategy.
25. Digest Briefs


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"What is behind the recent rash of positive drug tests?"

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:
"How should potential Olympic athletes be supported?"
Answers Percent
1. Government 40%
2. Sponsors 27%
3. Self-financed 33%


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE WEEK: LaurenGroves.com
Lauren Groves, Canada's top ranked female triathlete (currently #5 in the world)
has started a blog site at www.laurengroves.com
The site is being provided and supported by the Runner's Web.
Lauren is currently in training for the World triathlon Championships in
Lausanne, Switzerland.


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


BOOK OF THE WEEK:
About the Product
Gain the vegetarian advantage! Vegetarian meal plans have been used successfully
in everything from bodybuilding to endurance
sports. Every day more and more athletes—even those who are not full-time
vegetarians—incorporate a plant-based diet when training
or recovering from competition.
Relying on the recent evidence-based research, Vegetarian Sports Nutrition
details performance and health benefits, including
enhanced muscle recovery and optimal bone health. With tailored meal plans and
training strategies, you will learn to make smart
nutritional decisions and to properly fuel your body throughout your training
regimen.
This comprehensive resource simplifies the process of determining your energy,
protein, vitamin, and mineral needs and monitoring
carbohydrate and fat intake. You’ll learn how to optimize a vegetarian diet for
peak performance across all sports.
Whether you are a dedicated vegetarian looking to add variety to your diet or an
athlete searching for a competitive edge,
Vegetarian Sports Nutrition will help you improve your health and performance!
About the Author
D. Enette Larson-Meyer, PhD, RD, FACSM, is an assistant professor of Human
Nutrition at the University of Wyoming, where she also
serves as director of the nutrition and exercise laboratory. She is a registered
dietitian with training in exercise physiology and
has experience working with vegetarian (and nonvegetarian) athletes. Her
research focuses on how nutrition and metabolism influence
the health and performance of active people.
Dr. Larson-Meyer served as the sports nutritionist for the University of Alabama
at Birmingham athletic department from 1995 to
2000, and she has consulted with numerous athletes throughout her career. She is
a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine
and is past chair of the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group. She has
published numerous scientific and consumer articles,
featured in publications like Vegetarian Journal, and has served as a chapter
contributor to publications including the American
Dietetic Association’s Sports Nutrition: A Guide for the Professional Working
with Active People and the International Olympic
Committee Medical Commission’s Volleyball (Handbook of Sports Medicine and
Science). Dr. Larson-Meyer completed her dietetic
internship at Massachusetts General Hospital in 1988 and received her PhD in
Nutrition Sciences from the University of Alabama in
1998.
A serious recreational athlete for close to 20 years, Larson-Meyer enjoys
running distance events, cycling, and dancing in her spare
time.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Gaining the Vegetarian Advantage
Chapter 2. Getting Adequate Calories From Plant Sources
Chapter 3. Finding the Right Carbohydrate Mix
Chapter 4. Choosing Smart Fat Over No Fat
Chapter 5. Building Muscle Without Meat
Chapter 6. Optimizing Bone Health
Chapter 7. Boosting Iron Intake and Absorption
Chapter 8. Breaking Free of Multivitamin Dependence
Chapter 9. Prioritizing Eating Before, During, and After Events
Chapter 10. Choosing Whether to Supplement
Chapter 11. Reducing Muscle Cramps and Inflammation
Chapter 12. Creating a Customized Meal Plan
Chapter 13. Adapting the Plan to Manage Weight
Chapter 14. Whipping Up Quick Vegetarian Meals and Snacks
Buy the book from Human Kinetics at: (Available November 2006)
http://www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?associate=880&isbn=0736063\
617


THIS WEEK'S FEATURES:

1. Science of Sport: What is the best way to fuel for a 2 hour race:
Shawn Dolan, PhD, RD
The two primary concerns for an event lasting 2 hours include replacing fluid
and electrolytes and consuming carbohydrate. However,
a 2 hour race can be a unique challenge for many athletes. A 2 hour race for one
person might be winning an Olympic distance
triathlon while for another it might be completing a ½ marathon and still
another athlete might be competing in a mountain bike
race. Most athletes who participate in these events attempt to maintain a
relatively high intensity for a relatively long period of
time (considering the intensity). This can lead to fatigue towards the end of
the event. So the burning question is “how can I
prevent that fatigue while still performing my best”?
It is clear that an adequate supply of carbohydrate in the working muscle
(glycogen) and bloodstream (blood glucose) are essential
to an athlete’s ability to sustain an intense effort over time. Therefore,
performance can be limited by the amount of carbohydrate
that is stored in the working muscles. As the temperature increases (as is the
case in many races during the summer), the larger
concern for performance is hydration status and the body’s ability to cool
itself. Exercise capacity can be improved when outside
sources of carbohydrate and fluid are provided; this seems to be especially true
during the last portion of the race when fatigue
tends to set in and body temperature increases. Does this mean you can wait
until the last 30 minutes of the race to refuel or
drink? Probably not! To prevent fatigue, it is more beneficial to drink fluid
that contains carbohydrate and electrolytes early in
the race and continue drinking regularly throughout (every 15-30 minutes),
rather than waiting until the later stages of the race
when it may be too late. Electrolytes like sodium and potassium are important
nutrients to replace during. Those athletes, who are
salty sweaters, should consider a sport drink that is specifically designed for
endurance events that provide a greater amount of
electrolytes. This is particularly important in hot and/or humid climates even
for those athletes who are not salty sweaters!
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20060822_ERB_2Hour_Race.html


2. Adjust Your Diet Daily For Weight Maintenance:
By Matt Russ & Ilana Katz
We are all creatures of routine and our diets are no exception. Time-strapped
athletes tend to gravitate towards the same foods and
supplements that allow them to fuel their bodies quickly and effectively. But a
proper training plan requires changes in training
intensities and durations throughout the day, week, and season. This means
variance correspondingly in energy expenditure daily,
weekly, and seasonally. Nutrition periodization is a hot topic right now. The
essence of this plan is to match your diet to the
specific requirements of the training phase you are in on the macro level. It
is equally important to make small modifications to
your diet on a daily basis to compensate for variances in activity factor and
caloric expenditure / use. The difference in energy
expenditure between a rest or recovery day and a heavy training day can be
enormous, and it may be necessary to cut calories on days
of reduced training. These small modifications to your daily diet add up and
are helpful in maintaining your proper race weight and
energy balance.
Less energy density
On rest days, your caloric expenditure is reduced, perhaps extensively, when
compared to a training day. As little as 100 unused
calories per day can add up big over time -- a weight increase of 10 pounds per
year. Body fat is ballast for an athlete and excess
body fat reduces performance and optimal power-to-weight ratio. To prevent
storing unused energy as body fat, replace dense
carbohydrate foods such as pasta, bagels, bread, and potatoes with lower calorie
carbohydrate snacks such as yogurt, cottage cheese,
fruits, and vegetables.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20060823_TSF_Daily_Diet.html


3. Training Hard? Ease off on the Mega-Multivitamin:
It almost sounds counterintuitive: The harder you train the less you may need to
worry about getting your recommended daily
allowance (RDA) of the vitamins and minerals you need to function as a
finely-tuned physiological machine. If you’re like most
people, you probably assume that you need a supplement-store’s worth of extra
vitamins and minerals when you’re burning through so
many calories in a day. But here’s what’s missing from this assumption: you’re
also eating a heck of a lot more food when you train
hard, and if you’re downing quality fuel from a variety of healthy sources such
as fruits, vegetables, dairy, whole grains, lean
meats, and fish, then you’re already taking in high doses of vital vitamins and
minerals.
While we'd rather see athletes get all their nutrients from food, since a
natural delivery vehicle for that good stuff is always
best, we understand that a basic multivitamin can be an effective insurance
policy against any deficiencies. Just be careful about
the multivitamin you choose. Look for products that provide as close to 100
percent of your RDA and stay away from supplements
promising 500 percent or more of anything. At best those gigantic amounts are
overkill. At worst, they could, with the additional
nutrients flooding your body from food, turn toxic as can happen with an
overdose of Vitamin A.
More...from Carmichael Training Systems at:
http://www.trainright.com/info.asp?action=display&uid=3394


4. Joe Henderson's Running Commentary - Long Slow Discovery:
I have the horrid humid heat of a Midwest August to thank for pointing my
running in the direction that it has taken ever since. The
change made then would turn me around as a runner.
This was August 1966. I spent it in Des Moines, working at my first full-time
job, taking basic job-training for all that would
follow. The work for a newspaper, taking sports scores by phone and processing
them for print, was fine, but the hours were killing
me.
I worked nights. It was worst possible fit for a day person who by nature rises
with the sun, if not before. I fell into chronic
sleep debt that summer.
Leaving work one August night, I groaned at the time-temperature sign reading
"1:00" and "91." Another short and sweaty night (in an
upstairs bedroom without air conditioning) lay ahead, followed by another hard
and fast morning of running.
My schedule the next morning called for track intervals of 2-1/2 laps (about a
kilometer). Never were they less appealing, but I had
to obey the program.
I was just 23 years old then, a year out of college, two years away from my mile
PR. But the job and the heat -- and the unyielding
training schedule -- had left me feeling much older.
The summer's track meets had ended a few earlier, and ended badly. I'd run my
slowest mile in four years, slower by almost a
half-minute than my best time.
After that race I wasn't thinking about having nothing left to prove on the
track. My thought was about having nothing left that I
COULD prove.
My diary at the time was mainly a just-the-facts report of distances and times.
Brief comments made that week were telling for being
so rare, and so prophetic.
My "weekend" on the newspaper job began on Monday. I ran my longest then, which
wasn't very long and certainly not slow.
For reasons unrecorded, I deviated from the sacred schedule the Monday of my
fateful week. The run was almost twice as long as
normal (at 10 miles) and almost a minute per mile slower (at seven-plus).
Afterward I wrote, "Ten miles seems like it'll never end, but it's just the
start of a marathon. Still, I'm going to try the
marathon once -- preferably next year's Boston."
This was my first mention of such a goal. The next day, I tried the scheduled
2-1/2-lap track intervals. I'd planned to run three
but bailed out, overheated and exhausted, after just one.
More...from Joe Henderson at:
http://www.joehenderson.com/archive/home.php?article=2070


5. Dealing with Cramps on the Run:
Q: "I have been having a lot of problems with leg cramps, particularly during
the run, but sometimes during the bike. I tried
different things and some have worked to certain extent. (like take electrolytes
and stop drinking coffee) do you have any
suggestions to make this better?"
A: Coach Cheryl: This is a problem that many triathletes experience and one that
requires more in-depth analysis of your overall
nutritional and training habits. While you indicate you are taking electrolytes
and stopped drinking coffee, there are still other
factors involved that could contribute to this problem as well as alleviate it.
Below are some areas to evaluate for your problem.
Are you well hydrated? You can determine this by the color of your urine. Not
only should you check it before and after exercise,
but during the day as well. You need to replenish fluid loss as well as keep the
body hydrated for optimal performance and repair.
Your urine color should be nearly clear; darker yellows indicate you could be
dehydrated.
What is your sweat ratio? If you lose significant amounts of fluid during
exercise, you may need to revise your sodium and fluid
intake. Normal amounts of fluid loss average 1 to 2.5 liters per hour while a
high sweat ratio is over 3.5 liters. You can measure
this by weighing yourself before and after exercise (without clothing both
times). Every pound of weight loss is equivalent to about
half a liter of water. Further, are you clothes covered in white streaks? After
training and racing, do you have dried salt on your
face and body? If so, your sodium needs could be greater. Which leads us to...
More...from TriFuel at:
http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon/ask-a-tri-coach/dealing-with-cramps-on-the-run-\
001561.php


6. From Runner's World:
* Coach's Corner
Strike a Balance: Alternate between a comfortable, relaxed pace for distance
runs. Try running at least 1 minute per mile faster
once or twice a week. The occasional hard efforts will improve your fitness and
make your runs feel easier. - RW Magazine
* Injury Prevention
Some options for calming stomach discomfort on the run: Take a breather and walk
for a while. Sit on a bench or on the ground for a
minute. A little bit of food can also help when nausea strikes.
* Performance Nutrition
To help you stay cool, eat your vegetables cold. Munch on them raw with a light
dip of plain yogurt mixed with fresh herbs. Or cook
beans, snap peas, bok choy, squash, and other veggies al dente (by steaming or
microwaving), and then chill them. Toss lightly with
vinegar and olive oil, and serve as a side dish, in a sandwich, or as a main
meal with chilled cooked chicken, beef, shrimp, or
tofu.
* Editor's Advice
"Vacations and business trips are excellent occasions for finding new and scenic
running routes. Call ahead to locate the best areas
for running. Keep a bag with running gear in your car in case you want to stop
for a workout whenever you come upon a scenic running
spot."
-Sarah Bender, RW online editor
* Training Talk
"One way to achieve success in running multiple marathons is to not treat them
equally. Select one as the marathon in which you
would like to achieve your peak performance. Then the marathon before or after
that peak race can serve either as a training run,
done at slower pace, or a run in which you race only to experience the sights
and sounds around you."
-From How to Train by Hal Higdon


7. Injuries:
Transitions, July 2006
It’s summer time, and race season is in full swing! Hopefully you are enjoying a
successful start to your multi sport
racing...enjoying health, increased fitness, and fun.
Some of you, however, are injured. Despite our best intensions, injuries are a
way of life for the endurance athlete. While I am not
a health-care professional (ie, physiotherapist, chiropractor, etc.), I do
advise many athletes on how to handle injury. Here, then,
are one coach’s thoughts regarding training with an injury.
First, it is important to distinguish an injury from what an old coach of mine
used to call a ‘niggle’. We wake up with aches and
pains all the time. We feel tight quads on the bike, stiff hamstrings on the
run, sore shoulders in the pool. Things flare up for a
day or two, and then disappear. These are ‘niggles’…aches and pains, but nothing
to be worried about. Injuries, on the other hand,
are more severe. They last longer. They significantly alter our training and
racing. They require rehabilitation and even time
completely off training. If all you have is the occasional niggle, no
worries…carry on with your training and racing as per normal.
If, however, you’ve got an injury…read on.
To train or not to train, that is the question, right? How do you know when you
should train with an injury, and when you should
back off and rest? Making that decision yourself is a tough one. Our emotions
often end up making the decision, rather than our
logic. And the decision is often times the wrong one. Consider the following:
-if the level of pain associated with the injury does not get progressively
worse during a training session, nor get worse following
a training session, and allows you to carry out a training session, it’s okay to
train. It’s not ideal, but okay. (Complete rest is
usually ideal!)
More...from the Endurance Lab at:
http://www.endurancelab.ca/article.asp?ID=36


8. Ten Principles of Marathon Training:
A marathon training program can survive any challenge -- as long as your
determination remains strong. Here are 10 principles to
carry you through your training.
The following principles should help guide you through the inevitable highs and
lows of your marathon training program. Keep this in
mind: A marathon training program can survive many changes as long as your
determination remains strong.
If you need to adjust the training schedule because of travel, time conflicts at
home or work, or weather problems, remember to
follow an easy day/hard day pattern. (Run easy today, hard tomorrow, easy the
next day, hard the day after, etc.) Don't run hard two
days consecutively to compensate for lost training. And be sure to view LSD, as
well as any speedwork, as a hard day - and thus
never do speedwork and a long run on successive days.
Regular runs on hilly terrain are an important component in building strength
and stamina. If hills are available where you live,
make sure to include them in your running routes -especially if your marathon
has hills.
1. Alternate hard days with easy days
If you need to adjust the training schedule because of travel, time conflicts at
home or work, or weather problems, remember to
follow an easy day/hard day pattern. (Run easy today, hard tomorrow, easy the
next day, hard the day after, etc.) Don't run hard two
days consecutively to compensate for lost training. And be sure to view LSD, as
well as any speedwork, as a hard day - and thus
never do speedwork and a long run on successive days.
2. Ain't no mountain high enough
Regular runs on hilly terrain are an important component in building strength
and stamina. If hills are available where you live,
make sure to include them in your running routes - especially if your marathon
has hills.
More...from Runner's World South Africa at:
http://www.runnersworld.co.za/wheres/


9. Knee Injury Can Spur Later Arthritis:
A new study will look at ways of spotting who's at risk.
Researchers are trying to identify the early signs of osteoarthritis in the
knees of young people who've suffered an anterior
cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
Being able to spot the first signs of this degenerative arthritis, which causes
the breakdown of cartilage in the joints, would
allow early medical intervention to slow progression of the disease, say a team
from the University of Michigan Health System.
Nearly 70 percent of ACL injuries in young athletes lead to early onset of knee
osteoarthritis, the researchers noted.
"There's no doubt that the number of ACL injuries have increased, especially
among children. What's concerning is that by the time
those kids are in their late teens or early 20s, they'll be living with
osteoarthritis as a result of that ACL injury," Dr. Edward
Wojtys, medical director of MedSports Sports Medicine Program at UMHS, said in a
prepared statement.
"If our study can identify the earliest changes in the knee joint among these
young athletes, we have the hope to do something to
try to prevent the ongoing progress," of knee osteoarthritis, Wojtys said.
He and his colleagues will use medical imaging (such as MRI) and biochemical
techniques to search for changes in the knee joints of
teenagers who've suffered ACL injuries.
More...from Health Scout at:
http://www.healthscout.com/news/1/534290/main.html


10. Exercise hypertension:
Worryingly, because high blood pressure rarely shows any signs or symptoms until
secondary complications in the arteries, heart,
kidneys, eyes and other areas occur, and because many people do not have their
blood pressure checked regularly, a significant
amount of the population are unaware that they have the condition.
In addition, a group of people who have otherwise normal or only slightly raised
blood pressure levels during non-strenuous everyday
activities may exhibit “exercise hypertension” in which an abnormally high
“spike” in blood pressure occurs during physical
exertion.
Although doctors are unsure why this exaggerated blood pressure response during
exercise occurs in otherwise healthy individuals,
some suggest that it may be an early sign of cardiovascular disease and a risk
factor for persistent high blood pressure.
What is blood pressure?
The body’s blood circulation system is an enclosed environment in which blood
pressure rises and falls constantly in response to the
pumping action of the heart and signals from the brain. When the heart
contracts, blood is forced through the arteries and blood
pressure rises – at it’s height, this is called systolic pressure. When the
heart relaxes, chambers in the heart fill with blood and
blood pressure falls – this is called diastolic pressure.
More...from Patient Health International at:
http://www.patienthealthinternational.com/features/5399.aspx


11. Latest watches, loaded with extras, are also good for what makes you tick:
Strapping one of the new whiz-bang sports watches onto your wrist is a little
like having a personal trainer, a wilderness guide or
a running coach constantly at your side.
These wrist computers have come a long way from the flimsy plastic watches that
lasted only as long as the battery (although they're
still available and in demand by some non-techies). The latest high-tech
timepieces do everything from monitoring your heart rate
and keeping track of calories burned, to analyzing your running stride and
calculating your golf handicap, to navigating you through
forested treks and underwater dives.
Oh, yeah, they also tell time.
Some sports watches go the extra mile and let you download information from
heart-rate monitors, GPS devices and golf swing sensors
to your personal computer for intensive analysis. Although technology can't make
you run faster, climb higher, dive deeper or hit
the ball farther, by wearing the right piece of tech gear, you can track your
progress and keep your sport and workouts varied and
challenging.
Here's a look at some impressive sport watches designed for all sorts of
activities. The watches are available at department and
sporting goods stores, as well as the manufacturer's Web site and other Internet
links. Prices may vary.
Tracking timer
Garmin Forerunner 205 ($270); www.garmin.comForm meets function with this global
positioning satellite (GPS) watch that not only
tells you how fast and far you've gone, but also how to get there and back. The
sleek, high-sensitivity GPS antenna hugs your wrist
and improves tracking through both forests and urban jungles. Upgrade to the
Forerunner 305 (for about another $100) and get a
wireless heart-rate monitor with a comfy chest strap. Both Forerunners offer
customizable screens to give you immediate performance
feedback.
More...from the Union-Tribune at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/health/20060822-9999-lz1c22watch.html


12. Eating Organic:
Organic food is getting more attention than ever. But does it really make a
difference for athletes?
Here's the basics of buying organic, and why it makes sense for athletes to
think about what they're putting in their body.
By Lauren Antonucci
Nowadays, it should come as no surprise that athletes have different nutritional
needs than other folks. We push our bodies to their
limits, and in return for all the hard work we need to treat them like the
optimum machines that they are by feeding them the right
fuel. This is the age of organic foods, but how many of us know exactly what
nutrients foods are lacking or providing for us to
perform at our best? Here's a hint, it isn't just about pesticides anymore.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, and the 2005 newly
revised Dietary Guidelines Food Pyramid, the average
active female (30 minutes of moderate activity each day) needs 1,800 to 2,000
calories per day and is told to consume 2.5 cups of
vegetables, 1.5 cups of fruit and 3 cups of low-fat or non-fat dairy each day
for optimal health. Active men, and female athletes
with higher activity levels, may require 3,000 or more calories, and are
instructed to consume at least 4 cups of vegetables, 2.5
cups of fruit and 3 cups of low-fat or non-fat dairy each day. As if getting all
that produce and dairy is not enough of a
challenge, do you also need to go out of your way to buy organic? Or is whatever
produce you find at your local grocery or deli good
enough?
Nutrient Content
Unfortunately (but not surprisingly) many of America’s conventionally grown
fruits and vegetables now contain much less of six key
nutrients—protein, calcium, vitamin C, riboflavin (vitamin B-2), phosphorus and
iron— than they did 50 years ago. Many reasons for
this exist including the push to grow bigger produce faster than the
competition. This sped-up process leaves less time for plants
to acquire key nutrients from the soil or to create them from sunlight. As if
that weren’t enough, the crowding of more plants into
the same area, vying for the precious soil nutrients and sunlight, also takes
its toll.
More...from New England Runner at:
http://www.newenglandsportsmag.com/article/?Guid=d7fad1a9-4efc-4317-b075-5f4b3fa\
15c99


13. Training and Performance - Battle Injuries Better:
Learn how elite runners like Kara Goucher and Shalane Flanagan work through
injury. How they stay fit, fight frustration, ease back
into running, and even discover unexpected lessons about themselves and the
sport in the process.
Injury Advice From Elite Runners
Logging high mileage puts stress on your body, which helps you become stronger
and faster, but can also lead to fatigue and
sometimes injury. Whether it's a sprained ankle, stress fracture, or a severely
pulled muscle, knowing how to deal with the
frustration and setbacks of injury can help you develop a deeper understanding
of your body and a deeper love for the sport. Kara
Goucher, who won 3 NCAA titles and ranks as the 2nd fastest American woman of
all time in the 10,000m, and Shalane Flanagan,
two-time NCAA and USA XC champion, and 2004 Olympian, have each recently battled
back from injury. They've got some advice to help
you stay sane and fit the next time you're laid up.
Avoid Injury If Possible
The best way to recover from an injury, of course, is not to have one in the
first place. Preventing injury can save you from a long
and often painful rehabilitation. Kara Goucher, whose most recent injury was a
swollen Achilles that kept her from running for 3
months last winter, says, "I have a problem of running until the injury gets so
bad that it literally stops you from running. That
is something I need to get better at – knowing when to back off before it
completely blows up." A trait many competitive runners
share. If you try to train through the injury, your passion and drive can lead
to more serious problems.
More...from Nike at:
http://www.nike.com/nikerunning/usa/home.jhtml?loc1=tools_training&loc2=runners_\
library&loc3=135&promoID=USRU_EM_081406_augustnewsme
n#runners_library
[Multi-line URL]


14. Everything you ever wanted to know about juicing:
Juicing is one of the most beneficial ways to reap the rewards of nutrients that
prevent disease and promote healthy living. Most
Americans don't eat enough of the daily recommended servings of fruits and
vegetables. As a result, many lack the vitamins,
minerals, enzymes and phytonutrients that are so valuable in attaining proper
health. Nutrients are vital in boosting the immune
system, and they help the body fight against developing fatigue, ailments and
disease.
Benefits of juicing
Convenience. We live fast and active lives today. Many people shrug-off eating
healthier because they simply don't have the time
required to prepare a square meal. This is where juicing plays a key role in
helping you to attain a healthy lifestyle. Juicing
requires no cooking or elaborate preparation. The process is actually fast and
easy and the results can be extremely valuable to
your health
Antioxidants. Fresh fruits and vegetables are loaded with them. What are they
exactly? Antioxidants are substances that have been
known to protect cells from damage caused by unstable molecules known as free
radicals. Free radicals are formed when oxygen
interacts with molecules in the body, forming an odd number of electrons.
Antioxidants safely interact with free radicals and
eliminate them before causing damage to molecules. Examples of antioxidants are
lycopene, beta-carotene, vitamins C, E and A.
More...from Active.com at:
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=13486


15. An iTrainer in her shoes:
What do you get when you cross an iPod with Nikes? Footwear that talks (and
sings) to you.
I'm jogging through LAX at full tilt — Burger Kings and Cinnabon stores a blur
as I race past. I haven't had time to put away my
nano, and Bruce Springsteen's "Badlands" is belting in my ear as I vault over a
fallen suitcase.
Suddenly a voice interrupts the music piped into the earbuds: "9 minutes, 2
seconds completed; distance, 0.54 miles; current pace,
16.36 per mile."
This wasn't how I'd planned to test out the new Nike + iPod shoe gadget. But
it'll do.
I slow down to a walk and another, more familiar voice comes on. "This is Lance
Armstrong. Congratulations. That was your longest
workout yet."
Is this a beautiful world or what?
The Nike + iPod Sport Kit — a little disk that fits in a Nike shoe that feeds
distance and speed information to an iPod nano — was
introduced in May with all the bluster and pageantry of a Hollywood premiere,
including a big splashy launch in New York, featuring
sports celebrities such as Lance Armstrong and elite marathoner Paula Radcliffe.
"Nike + iPod will change the way people run," Nike president and chief executive
Mark Parker declared in a news release.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/fitness/la-he-ipodshoes21aug21,1,7603659.\
story?coll=la-health-fitness-news


16. Two Studies Find High Weights Shorten Lives:
Modestly overweight baby boomers will live shorter lives, two studies will
report tomorrow in The New England Journal of Medicine.
That fits with the conventional wisdom of many public health experts who cite
the increased risk of heart disease and cancer. But it
runs counter to a study last year by researchers at the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute
that found slightly overweight people had a somewhat lower risk of death.
One of the two new studies looked at more than 500,000 members of AARP, an
organization for people 50 and older. Over 10 years, more
than 61,000 of them died.
Among women, the risk of death increased for any amount of weight above the
normal range. For men, the risk was not higher for those
merely overweight.
The researchers said the more telling analysis arose when they focused on
186,000 healthy men and women who had never smoked. Among
men and women, being overweight raised the risk of death 20 percent to 40
percent compared with normal-weight people, the
researchers said.
Obese people had a risk two to three times that of normal-weight people.
“We found that people who are overweight had a modestly increased risk of
premature death,” said Dr. Michael F. Leitzmann, an
investigator at the National Cancer Institute and the senior author of the
article.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/23/health/23fat.html?_r=1&ref=health&oref=slogin


17. Is it All in the Family?
Running Legacies: Nature or Nurture?
My blue eyes are a biological gift from my dad. My sister inherited her red hair
from our grandmother. As a kid she was teased and
called Carrot Top. For that she nurtured a stubborn and feisty nature. One of my
brothers has my mom’s Irish temper. Certain parts
of us are genetically determined, while others are a propensity, or learned
behavior. While no elites with super running genes are
sprinting around my family tree, my passion for running was nurtured by my older
brothers who ran cross country in high school.
Would my racing times be faster if my dad was John A. Kelley? Biological genes
would have made me predisposed to be a better runner,
but what about the desire and passion for running? Can you succeed with just the
biological genes, or do you need both nature and
nurture? And do the parents of our legendary elite runners even want their
children to pursue the sport with the vigor and tenacity
they did? To find out, I interviewed the children and grandchildren of some of
the world’s best runners.
Grandkids
Ben Diestel, a junior at Northern Highlands High School in Allendale, NJ, has a
personal best of 16:04 for the cross country 5K.
When he wins a race he celebrates by going out for sushi with his grandmother,
world-record holder Toshiko D’Elia, the first female
over 50 to run a sub-three-hour marathon.
"She gives me tips on nutrition, stretching, breathing, and selecting racing
flats," says Ben. "She knows what she’s talking about."
According to Ben’s mother, Erica Diestel, a former track champion, "Ben runs
just like my mother. He has the same fluid form and
makes it look so easy and effortless." Some day, Diestel hopes to run marathons
like his grandmother. Ben seems to have it both
ways. He inherited his grandmother’s form and running genes, and his talent is
being nurtured by both his mother and grandmother.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/rt/articles/?id=7380


18. Marathon Smarts:
Because a little knowledge can go a long way, we asked seven Ph.D. marathoners
to give us their best, most scientific race-day tips.
Don't race without them.
You've trained, tapered, and overcome your share of bumps in the road. But
there's still a lot you need to do right on marathon day.
The experts who share their hard-won wisdom below have run hundreds of marathons
between them. They know more about the ins and outs
of race day than anyone around. Except you, if you read on.
1) Don't do anything new. Race day is not the time for new shoes, new food or
drinks, new clothing, or anything else you haven't
done on several training runs. Stick with a routine that works for you. "I
learned the hard way that when you try something new on
race day, you often end up regretting it," says Russ Pate, who has a Ph.D. in
exercise physiology and qualified for three U.S.
Marathon Trials in '72, '76, and '80. "I eventually developed a routine that I
followed ritualistically before all my races."
2) Eat first thing. Too many marathoners skip breakfast on race day, opting for
just a cup of coffee and/or some sports drink. You
need more than that. "From the time you go to bed until the start of the race is
usually eight to 10 hours," says Ken Sparks, who
has a Ph.D. in exercise physiology and ran a personal best 2:28 at age 46. "In
that time, your liver glycogen--which is stored
carbohydrate--gets depleted. If you don't have a simple, high-carb breakfast,
you're going to be in trouble at 20 miles." Bananas,
bagels, or energy bars are good picks.
3) Don't overdress. Marathons often start in the cool of early morning, and it's
easy to overestimate the amount of clothing you'll
need. As a rule of thumb, it will probably feel 10 or more degrees warmer once
you get going, and temps will rise as the day goes
on. If you wear too much clothing, you're carrying extra weight, and will sweat
more than you want, possibly increasing your body
temperature and risk of dehydration. "If you overdress, you create a
microclimate around the skin that induces sweating," says Mel
Williams, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist, author of The Ergogenics Edge, and
veteran marathoner who expects to run his
30th-straight Marine Corps Marathon on October 30. "The best clothing allows for
some heat loss, but not so much that you become
uncomfortably cold."
More...from Runner's World at:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244-255-9043-0,00.html?cm_mmc=\
RSS-_-rwrsshome-_-NA-_-NA


19. Secrets of Endurance: Eating to Go (and Go and Go):
MOST people worry about consuming too many calories. Endurance athletes who race
for hours worry they haven’t devoured enough. They
know what many beginners who enter marathons, century rides and triathlons
don’t: that without adequate carbohydrates and
electrolytes during exercise, their legs will go on strike, their senses will
take leave and a full-blown bodily insurrection will
take hold.
Dozens of energy gels, bars and sports drinks now on the market have made it
easier to get calories on the move. But even when it
seems every last detail has been planned, variables like heat, humidity and
jitters can wreak havoc.
Chris Legh, a lanky Australian triathlete, is a famous victim of bonking, the
term athletes use to describe the equivalent of
running out of gas in the fast lane of the Long Island Expressway. His meltdown
at the 1997 Ironman championships was so vivid a
cautionary tale that a Gatorade commercial immortalized it.
A stone’s throw from the finish line, Mr. Legh’s limbs went as limp as a rag
doll’s because he was woefully dehydrated and underfed.
One moment he was striding. The next, he had collapsed.
“You can do all the training in the world, but if you go out too fast, or if you
make a mistake with your nutrition, then your day
is done,” Mr. Legh said.
“The bonk is not a lot of fun,” he added. “Sometimes it catches you before you
know it.”
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/24/fashion/thursdaystyles/24Fitness.html?_r=2&ore\
f=slogin


20. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine:
* Training to Do the Most Push-Ups
If you want to be able to do 100 pushups in a row, do not try to do as many
pushups as possible every day. You'll probably injure
yourself and end up unable to do any pushups at all. Training for competition
requires an understanding of the stress-and-recover
rule and the interval-sets rule.
The best way to improve any athletic skill is to stress your body on one day and
then allow enough time for your body to recover
before you stress it again. On one day, take a hard
workout. On the next morning, your muscles feel sore. Take easy workouts until
the soreness disappears and then take a hard workout
again.
For your hard workouts, you can do far more work by exercising in sets, rather
than continuously. If you can do six continuous
pushups, you can probably do ten sets of two with
twenty-second rests between each set. Do repeat sets of two until your muscles
feel sore. Try to take workouts that are hard enough
to make your muscles feel sore for no more than 48 hours. An ideal training
program would consist of sets of three until you feel
sore on the first day, take off the second day, do sets of five on the third day
until you feel soreness, and rest on the fourth
day. Repeat these four-day cycles, and you'll soon be ready to compete.
* Dear Dr. Mirkin: You recommend replacing salt after exercise; won't this
cause osteoporosis?
A: Athletes must eat large amounts of foods to take in enough calories to fuel
their muscles during exercise. A high salt intake in
athletes does not cause osteoporosis because they eat so much food that contains
calcium and potassium that the amount of salt they
take does not cause blood calcium levels to drop, so calcium does not leech out
of bones.
As a general rule, taking extra salt causes the body to retain extra fluid,
which expands blood volume and increases blood flow to
the kidneys to increase loss of calcium in the urine. This lowers blood calcium
levels, so calcium has to be taken from bones for
replacement. Sodium salt also causes the kidney tubules to lose more calcium.
However, potassium blocks the exchange of sodium for
calcium in the kidneys and prevents calcium loss. Eating calcium also prevents
blood calcium levels from dropping so there is no
need for the bones to release extra calcium into the bloodstream (Journal of the
American College of Nutrition, June 2006). All
fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and other seeds are loaded with
potassium. Most varied diets contain adequate calcium, but
if you decide to take a calcium supplement, be sure you are also getting plenty
of vitamin D. Because calcium blocks the
conversion of inactive vitamin D to active vitamin D, extra calcium increases
your needs for vitamin D.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin at:
http://www.drmirkin.com


21. Sports Nutrition - The Shopping List of Champions:
By Alicia Kendig, RD CTS Sports Dietician
Eating right to train right takes a kitchen stocked with an arsenal of
high-powered, quality foods that will keep you healthy and in
the game. To help you build a cupboard of champs, we at CTS put together a
grocery list of everything you need to eat right for an
entire week if you burn through 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day.
Items on the list include whole foods like fruits and vegetables, but also
ingredients to make outstanding salads, delicious pastas,
and hearty breakfasts. You can buy everything on the list or cherry pick your
favorite items each week. Just follow our daily
serving suggestions for each food group and you’ll be well on your way to
filling up on all the fiber, antioxidants, carbs,
proteins, and fats you need.
Looking for a recipe or two to help you turn this list into a meal? Check out
Chris Carmichael’s Food for Fitness and Fitness
Cookbook.
More...from Carmichael Training Systems at:
http://www.trainright.com/info.asp?action=display&uid=3428


22. Go ahead, give yourself a day off:
A break from the exercise grind can minimize injuries and maximize gains.
For those who fear the wrath of their personal trainer, here's a gentle message:
Exercisers who favor moderate to high intensities
should take one day of rest a week to allow the body to rejuvenate and
consolidate the gains of exercise.
Exercise causes micro-trauma to muscles, which get stronger when they repair
themselves during rest. The same applies to your
general physiology, which must "ramp up to meet the demands of exercise," says
Conrad Earnest, chief exercise physiologist at the
Cooper Institute in Dallas. He and others recommend one full day off a week.
Without proper recovery time, areas of wear and tear become weak links and are
more prone to injury and, importantly, less likely to
show strength gains. While you might burn a few extra calories by not taking a
day off, your body will be less efficient in
capitalizing on the work you do.
In most cases, you'll only become cognizant of this accumulated stress if you
exercise at a relatively high level. For example,
maybe one day you can't beat a regular foe to the hoop like you did a couple
weeks ago. Or you bonk on a big hill climb that you
recently handled with vigor.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/fitness/la-he-briley21aug21,1,7498970.sto\
ry?coll=la-health-fitness-news


23. Climbing the food pyramid:
The new food pyramid has been unveiled for more than a year now. When I first
saw it, my reaction was: "a missed opportunity." Since
then, I've been waiting for the pyramid's hidden messages to become clearer to
me, but I have had no such luck. Certainly, the
government could have created a better tool to teach us how to make dietary
improvements and promote healthful eating?
I've heard the pyramid was designed to be simple. But it's so simple, it
actually seems meaningless! One reason for this simplicity
(a.k.a. vagueness) relates to behind-the-scenes politics.
The pyramid was shaped not only by a team of scientists, nutrition experts and
health professionals, but also by lobbyists from the
sugar, soft drink, red meat, dairy and other food industries who fought to
protect their turf. They know a small shift in dietary
recommendations can mean billions of dollars of lost money. Hence, no hierarchy
of food images appears in the new pyramid. That is,
an image with one food placed above another could get interpreted as that food
being preferable and superior to another food.
Hidden messages
To find out more about the pyramid's hidden messages, I logged onto
www.MyPyramid.gov. This website, in contrast to the icon, offers
an impressive amount of helpful information. Surfing to this treasure chest of
information is a worthwhile use of time. Here is some
of what I learned:
More...from Active.com at:
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=13447


24. Negative Reinforcement:
Running negative splits is a highly effective training and racing strategy.
One of the great misnomers of our sport is the term "negative split," which
means running the second half of a race or training run
faster than the first half.
But running a negative split is hardly a negative. Just the opposite. It's one
of the most positive experiences a runner can
have--and you can have it often. You can run negative splits in your everyday
runs, in races, and in speed training designed
specifically to teach you how to finish faster. Here's how it works.
Normal runs: Almost all daily runs can be positive "negatives." This can easily
happen if you ease into the run, then bump up the
pace as you warm up so you're running faster at the end of it than when you
started.
I don't measure my daily runs or check mile splits anymore, but I always make
sure I finish faster than I start.
The proof is on my watch. I often run out-and-back courses, going in one
direction for 30 minutes. (I make note of the time I hit
the turnaround.) The return trip usually takes only 28 minutes--with no apparent
increase in effort. I figure any run that ends
faster than it started is a good one.
More...from Runner's World at:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244--5532-0,00.html


25. Digest Briefs:
* Leg power from head to toe
This extremely beneficial stretch helps lengthen the powerful muscles in the
back of your legs. However, to get an effective
stretch, it's critical that you keep your spine in perfect alignment. (If you're
not flexible, use a strap or belt. See first
photo.) Begin by sitting upright on a flat surface with your legs extended in
front of you.
— Karen Voight
1 If it is difficult for you to straighten your legs and maintain a lift to the
spine, place a belt around the balls of your feet
and grasp the ends of the belt in each hand with arms straight. Sit up tall as
you pull your shoulders back and slide your shoulder
blades down away from your ears. Keep your legs active by lifting your kneecaps.
Hold for five to six even breaths.
2 If you can reach your toes, raise your arms overhead. On an inhale, feel a
lift in your back, exhale and bend forward from your
hips. Reach your arms forward and hold the edges of your feet. Continue to feel
the stretch by tilting your tailbone back and
reaching forward through the crown of your head. Keep your legs active by
lifting your kneecaps. Hold for five to six breaths.
From the LA Times
* Over icing
To prevent additional swelling to an injury make sure you don't ice longer than
l 5 - 20 minutes at a time. Over icing can cause a
survival response in cells causing extra inflammation to save them.
From Runner's World
* Question: When do I need to switch from a regular sports drink to an
“endurance” sports drink?
— Brent Jay, Oceanside, California
Answer: Ah, Brent, you sound like someone who just faced the daunting wall of
hydration choices for sale at your local 7-Eleven.
Between the low-cal waters and regular sports drinks, sports beverage
manufacturers have now tossed in a whole new category of
hydration: endurance drinks which are usually marked by an increase in sodium
content.
In a nutshell, the answer to your question is simple. If you exercise
continuously for longer than three hours, then you should be
chugging down a drink formulated for endurance throughout your workout. To
understand why, let’s take a step back and explain what,
exactly, sports drinks are formulated to do.
Fill ‘Er Up!
At their core, sports drinks are designed to help you stay hydrated. That’s why
they come in a wide variety of flavors. If your
taste buds like it, you’ll keep drinking it. Their next priority is supplying
energy that your body can easily digest for fuel. This
comes in the form of carbohydrates, a.k.a. sugars such as glucose, maltodextrin,
and sometimes fructose.* You won’t find much
variation in the carbohydrate content between the various sports drinks with
good reason. The body can only absorb so many grams of
carbs per hour no matter what you’re doing. Carbs only sink into your
bloodstream at roughly 60 grams (90 grams max) per hour.
Sodium is what truly separates just any ol’ sports drink from an endurance
drink. This electrolyte plays a vital role in
carbohydrate absorption and restocking the body’s fuel stores of glycogen.
Without it, your body can’t push on. But you sweat enough
sodium out of your body that within a couple of hours you qualify as a salt
lick. You have to replace it and that’s what sports
drinks do admirably.
The 3 Hour Threshold
In events that last longer than three hours—marathons, century rides,
road-cycling races, ultra marathons, and Ironman
triathlons—athletes are susceptible to hyponatremia, a condition where sodium
stores haven't been adequately replenished. In effect
your body is over-hydrated and can’t deal with the excess fluid. Without that
sodium, you can’t process carbohydrates for fuel
quickly, your body can’t manage the excess of water, and your day quickly goes
downhill from there.
Now there’s no hard and fast rule regarding the three-hour threshold. Excessive
heat and humidity can shrink this line down by a
full hour, but in general, if you’re heading out for a long workout or
competition, make sure your water bottles are full of a
product such as PowerBar’s aptly named Endurance Sport Drink that’s formulated
to help you last.
From Carmichael Training Systems at:
http://www.trainright.com/



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

August 25, 2006:
Memorial Van Damme - Brussels, BE
http://www.sport.be/memorialvandamme/

August 26, 2006:
30th Crim Festival of Races - Flint, MI
http://www.crim.org

Golden Gate Headlands 50K - Sausalito, CA
USA Trail Championship
http://www.headlands50k.org

Jet to Jetty 10K - Playa Del Rey, CA
http://www.w2promotions.com/public/start.php

Television - CBC 14:00 - 15:30
Track & Field: Brussels Golden League

August 27, 2006:
Accenture Chicago Triathlon - IL
http://www.chicagotriathlon.com

NYC Half-Marathon - New York, NY
http://www.nyrr.org/nychalf/home.php

Quebec City Marathon - Quebec, QC
http://www.marathonquebec.com/

Standard Chartered Ironman Korea - Seogwipo City, KR
http://www.ironmankorea.net

Subaru Ironman Canada - Penticton, BC
http://www.ironman.ca
Ironman Live
http://www.ironmanlive.com


2007 RACE PREVIEW
June 23, 2007:
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

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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
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RunnersWebCoach
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RUNNER'S WEB AFFILIATE PROGRAMS:
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All revenue from advertisers and affiliate programs goes into the support of
running and triathlon through sponsorship of events,
teams, clinics and fund raising programs for Canada's Olympic athletes.

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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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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
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If you have an accident while running or cycling, do you want your family to be
contacted? Do you want to receive immediate and
proper medical treatment?
If so, make this cool item part of your gear -- for safety and peace of mind.
Road ID has created 4 awesome ways for athletes to
wear ID: the SHOE, the WRIST, the ANKLE, and the NECK. Get your RoadID at:
http://www.roadid.com/?referrer=50

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

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