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
The site is updated multiple times daily. Check out
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questions should be posted to one of our forums available
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SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS:
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athletes and clinics related to multisport and
Canadian Olympians.

1. Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women:
The RunnersWeb5K.com Race for Women has been renamed in memory of Canadian
Olympian Emilie Mondor who died in a car crash September 9th on her way to her
high-school reunion. Emilie had just completed a 2 hour plus run along the
Ottawa River during which she talked with her coach about the upcoming
Philadelphia Half-Marathon (September 17th) and the New York City Marathon in
November.
For a story on Emilie read Emilie Mondor: Life Cut Too Short at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20060913_LB_Mondor.html
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.emiliesrun.com

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

4. Toronto Waterfront Marathon. September 30, 2007.
http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/

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

6. Carmichael Training Systems
http://www.trainright.com/promos.asp?code=DSBYBFCSP


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THIS WEEK:
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worthy of a Guest Column on the Runner's Web, email
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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.
Carmichael Training Systems at:
http://www.trainright.com/promos.asp?code=DSBYBFCSP

* 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 ONE personal posting this week.
ONE:
I wanted to invite you to our event this Sunday, the Saint John Santa Monica
5000 5k/10k race it is the biggest event that we have ever put together and it
definitely has pushed my self and Generic Events to a new Level. As a team we
have planned the best event yet. This Sunday at 8 am the gun will go off for the
inaugural 5k and 10k race Starting at Ocean Park and Bernard Way. (By the way,
the gun will be shot by Isaiah Washington who stars on ABC's hit TV show Grey's
Anatomy). So far we have about 40 Elite athletes racing for a
prize purse of $5000!!!! We are also having great age group prizes and our very
first ever stroller division. After the event Marrielle Monte has planned the
best post event party ever, including 4 bands, pancake breakfast, magician, face
painter and the best balloon guy in the world!!! There will be something for
everyone. If you want to participate you can still sign up, pick up goodie bag
and bib number on October 21, 2006 at the New Balance Santa Monica store located
at 2828 Wilshire Boulevard (at Yale), Santa Monica, CA 90403 from 10am - 4pm or
you can sign up on race morning at the race site starting at 6:30-7:45
If you want to come out an volunteer please email me at luis@...
or for more information go to www.santamonica5000.com
Even if you can't participate or volunteer come on out and enjoy the
festivities!!!
Thanks again for all of your support,
Luis Canales
310.621.8074



THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

1. Science of Sport: Making Sense Of The Index – The Full ‘Carbs’ Rundown
2. Sportsmedicine: Cross Training for Injury Preventions
3. Science of Sport: What Factor Is Most Important For Marathon Success
4. Excerpt: 'The Female Brain'
Learn What Women Really Think.
5. Planning for the Off Season
6. Allergic to Running
Exercise Induced Anaphylaxis.
7. Joe Henderson's Running Commentary - Terrible Tourist
8. Science of Sport: Creatine - is it really safe for long-term use?
9. Racing to Recovery
10. Extreme Exercise Can Slow the Heart
11. A Battle Over ‘Juice of Youth’
12. Crisis? What Crisis?
For most men at midlife, the red sports car and emotional tumult are but a myth.
They get older, yes, but with aplomb.
13. The new opiate of the middle-class masses
How a once-solitary pursuit became a must-have trophy for the modern
status-seeker
14. The greater your weight, the lower your IQ, say scientists
15. Endurance Sports Nutrition: What to Eat and When
16. This Week in Running
17. After the Marathon: A Guide to quick Recovery
18. Lab rabbits
19. 20 Proven health benefits of exercise
20. Eat Like A Champion
21. Heed the Signs of Over- and Under-Training
22. From Running Times Magazine
23. How's Your Balance
24. Running the mental marathon
25. Digest Briefs


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"What is your level of interest in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii on
October 21, 2007?"

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:
"Are you a member of a running or triathlon club?"
Answers Percent
1. Yes 80%
2. No 20%


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE WEEK: X-Tri Australia.
"Welcome to the X-Tri portal to events owned and run by X-Tri Australia.
X-Tri Australia is an Australian based events company, operating in and around
Oceania and the Asian basin area of the Pacific.
Each of the X-Tri directors has a strong events organization and marketing
background, and their mission statement for X-Tri Australia is to build a sports
oriented company, dedicated to lifestyle sports development - through creation
of new standards of organisation, administration, competition, format and
equipment.
X-Tri Australia conducts a number of multisport events. Our events, and direct
links to their respective websites appear to the right of this welcome note.
Our specialty is long distance triathlon events, but we also organise the Bluff
to Beach Ocean Swim and in 2006, the Medibank Australia Day Fun Run in Canberra.
In November of this year we'll organise the 2006 Long .Distance Triathlon World
Championships in Canberra Australia. And even now we are planning more events
for our multisport customers, both in and around Australia, with new and
exciting formats.
We are constantly striving for better, safer races, with the right mix of
challenge, mystic and excitement to give competitors to a day of great memories
through unique experiences...
Our events will vary in format, degree of difficulty and we will be constantly
innovative as we utlise different formats; experiment with ever better ways to
run events for competitors, by competitors...
Check out the tabs above to find out more about who we are, what we are about,
and who we work with to make events ever better...
The X-Tri Team"
Check out the site at:
http://www.x-tri.com.au/



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


BOOK OF THE WEEK: Triathlon 101
About the Product
In Triathlon 101, John Mora offers a book full of valuable lessons and insights
to help you prepare for and compete in your first triathlon or improve your
results the next time out. No other triathlon resource focuses on the unique
needs of newcomers to the sport. Inside you will learn how to:
• design your own triathlon training calendar and logbook,
• choose the proper equipment to fit you and your budget,
• eat during training and "load up" for racing,
• prevent overtraining and recover quickly from common injuries,
• swim and navigate safely in open water,
• smoothly transition from one sport to the next, and
• taper your training to peak on race day.
Sample training programs, photos featuring the best and most current equipment
and correct technique, and expert advice from top pros and coaches-Terry
Laughlin, Lauren Jensen, and Troy Jacobson-are provided to help you get off to a
great start. Success stories from triathletes who started just like you will
increase your motivation and confidence.
Spare yourself the trial-and-error experiences that discourage many from the
sport. Be a smart triathlete from the start. Take the best course available for
developing multisport athletes-Triathlon 101.
About the Author
John M. Mora is a prolific sports, health and fitness, and medical writer. He is
a former contributing editor to Triathlete and is the running columnist and
triathlon feature writer for Windy City Sports. He has written over 300 articles
for national magazines, such as American Health, Women’s Sports & Fitness, and
Runner’s World. He also coauthored Paula Newby-Fraser’s Peak Fitness for
Women (Human Kinetics, 1995) with eight-time Gatorade Hawaii Ironman Triathlon
world champion Paula Newby-Fraser.
Born in Chicago, Mora has competed around the country in 10 marathons, 70
running and cycling events, and 60 triathlons of various distances, from sprint
to Ironman. He currently owns Creative CopyWriting, a business that specializes
in writing brochures and direct mail copy for companies in the health and
fitness industry. Mora lives and trains in Plainfield, Illinois, a southwest
suburb of Chicago.
Buy the book from Human Kinetics - 30% OFF UNTIL OCTOBER 31ST - at:
http://www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?associate=880&isbn=0880118\
113


For more books on running and triathlon visit:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/human_kinetics.html and
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/amazon.html


THIS WEEK'S FEATURES:

1. Science of Sport: Making Sense Of The Index – The Full ‘Carbs’ Rundown:
This article originally appeared in the sports science newsletter, Peak
Performance
Good carbohydrates have become the undoubted mainstay of any top athletes diet.
As a result, the GI (glycaemic index) which tells them how good the carbs in
different foods are has become somewhat of a bible.
To determine the GI rating of a given carbohydrate, measured portions are fed to
healthy people after an overnight fast, with blood samples collected at 15-30
minute intervals over the next two hours. These blood samples are used to
construct a blood sugar response curve which determines the GI rating in
relation to pure glucose. Pure glucose (one of the very quickest releasing
carbohydrates) is assigned a value of 100 and all other foods are ranked by
comparison.
While GI is a very useful concept, it can’t be taken as the sole predictor of
the effects of eating a particular type of carbohydrate. That is because blood
glucose response is also determined by the amount of food eaten. A more reliable
rating system is the ‘glycaemic load’ (GL), which takes account of both the
quality (GI value) of a given carbohydrate and the amount consumed, so more
accurately predicting its effects on blood sugar.
The glycaemic load, in units, of a portion of carbohydrate is expressed as: GI
rating x grams of carbohydrate in portion size/100. Note that each unit of GL
produces the same effect on blood sugar as eating 1g of pure glucose.
The glycaemic load rating makes sense of some of the surprising GI rankings. For
example, a banana may have a GI rating of 58 compared with just 49 for
chocolate, but comparing GL values paints the true picture. A typical 120g
banana contains around 24g of carbohydrate, which has a GI value of 58. The GL
is therefore 58 x 24/100, ie approximately 14 units. But 120g of chocolate
provides 75g of carbohydrate, which has a GI value of 49, and so has a GL value
of 75 x 49/100 = 32 units. In other words, gram for gram, chocolate has more
than twice the impact on your blood sugar of bananas, despite its lower GI
ranking.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20061017_PPO_Glycemic_Index.html


2. Sportsmedicine: Cross Training for Injury Preventions:
In keeping with the theme of last months issue on circuit training, I wanted to
talk about another great form of athletic preparation and injury prevention
called cross training.
Cross training, although it has been used for years, is relatively new as a
training concept. Athletes have been forced to use exercises outside their sport
for conditioning for many reasons, including: weather; seasonal change; facility
and equipment availability; and injuries. These athletes were cross training
whether they knew it or not. The benefits of cross training are beginning to get
more press and one of those is injury prevention.
What is Cross Training?
Cross training is the use of various activities to achieve overall conditioning.
Cross training uses activities outside the normal drills and exercises commonly
associated with a sport. The exercises provide a break from the normal impact of
training in a particular sport, thereby giving the muscles, tendons, bones,
joints and ligaments a brief break. These exercises target the muscles from a
different angle or resistance and work to balance an athlete. Cross training is
an effective way of “resting” the body from the normal sport-specific
activities while maintaining conditioning.
Any exercise or activity can be used for cross training if it is not a skill
associated with that particular sport. Weight training is a commonly used cross
training tool. Swimming, cycling, running, and even skiing are activities used
for cross training. Plyometrics are becoming popular again as cross training
tools.
Critics of Cross Training
Cross training does help achieve balance in the muscles due to working them from
various angles and in different positions. Cross training does not, however,
develop skills specific to the sport or sport-specific conditioning. A football
player who jogs three to five miles all summer and lifts weights will still not
be in “football shape” when the preseason starts. Cross training cannot be
used as the sole conditioning tool. Sport specific conditioning and skill
training is still required.
High impact sports such as basketball, gymnastics, football or running cause a
lot of jarring on the skeletal system. Cross training can help limit the jarring
but some sport-specific impact is necessary to condition athletes for their
activity. A runner who runs in water as their only conditioning routine may
develop shin splints and other injuries when they are required to run on hard
surfaces for races or training. Their body is not conditioned to the forces it
is subjected to and will react accordingly.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20061017_TSH_Cross_Training.html


3. Science of Sport: What Factor Is Most Important For Marathon Success:
Cohort Studies Don't Shed Much Light on the Matter
By Owen Anderson, Ph. D. (Copyright © 2004-2006)
Since the 1970s, exercise scientists have been keenly interested in discovering
the elements of training and fitness which are most important for marathon
success. The earliest studies focused on ingredients such as maximal aerobic
capacity, weekly training mileage, number of miles per workout, training
intensity (speed), running economy, age, height, and weight, attempting to link
these variables with marathon finishing time.
One of the first such investigations was carried out by R. D. Hagan and his
colleagues at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Dallas (1). Hagan and
company studied 35 female runners, age 19 to 54 years, who trained for and
competed in the Dallas White Rock Marathon in 1980. Hagan's harriers were varied
in experience and ability; 19 were novice marathoners, and the other 16 had
completed three or more marathons prior to White Rock. Marathon Performance Time
(in minutes) = 449.88 - (7.61) X (average number of kilometers run per day) -
(.63) X (average training pace in meters per minute)
Please take note of what Hagan's equation suggests. First, your finishing time
for the marathon should be 449.88 minutes, or about seven hours and 30 minutes,
if you carry out no training whatsoever. This is probably not far off the mark
for individuals of average physical capacity: I once attempted to run the London
Marathon on a base of zero miles per week and soared past the half-way point in
about 3:30, before taking the Tube to the post-race party. Had the underground
stop not been positioned conveniently at mid-race, an omission which would have
forced me to roam onto the Isle of Dogs in East London to continue the 26.2-mile
event, I probably would have slowed my searing pace somewhat over the second
half of the competition, perhaps producing a 7:30 finish.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20061018_RRN_Marathon_Success.htm\
l


4. Excerpt: 'The Female Brain':
Learn What Women Really Think.
Did you know that every brain begins as a female brain? Scientists have proved
that until eight weeks after conception, all brains are female.
In her book, "The Female Brain," Dr. Louann Brizendine explains how the female
brain works, what women are thinking, and the difference in the way they process
thoughts compared with the way men do.
For instance, a woman uses about 20,000 words a day while a man uses about
7,000.
The Birth of the Female Brain
Leila was a busy little bee, flitting around the playground, connecting with the
other children whether or not she knew them. On the verge of speaking in two-
and three-word phrases, she mostly used her contagious smile and emphatic nods
of her head to communicate, and communicate she did. So did the other little
girls. "Dolly," said one. "Shopping," said another. There was a pint-size
community forming, abuzz with chatter, games, and imaginary families.
Leila was always happy to see her cousin Joseph when he joined her on the
playground, but her joy never lasted long. Joseph grabbed the blocks she and her
friends were using to make a house. He wanted to build a rocket, and build it by
himself. His pals would wreck anything that Leila and her friends had created.
The boys pushed the girls around, refused to take turns, and would ignore a
girl's request to stop or give the toy back. By the end of the morning, Leila
had retreated to the other end of the play area with the girls. They wanted to
play house quietly together.
More...from ABC News at:
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Books/story?id=2274147&page=1


5. Planning for the Off Season:
- by Maura McCrann for the October 2006 PTS Newsletter
Yet another triathlon season has come to a close and you may be left wondering,
now what? Many athletes fall into two risky categories: those that ignore the
off season and are already deep into marathon training, and those that over
embrace the “off” in off season and are sitting on the couch with a pint of
Ben & Jerry’s preparing to hibernate for the winter months.
Jumping right into another intense activity, without proper time for your body
(and mind) to fully recover from the intensity of tri season is setting many
athletes up for injury and/or burn out. For many athletes, the idea of taking a
few weeks off from intense training and even more time training fewer hours at
less intensity is anxiety provoking.
“What if I lose all the fitness gains I’ve made this year? If I slow down,
I’m going to lose my motivation, become a couch potato, and gain 20 pounds.
What will I do with my free time if I am not training??” Although some of
these concerns may feel valid, in truth, taking time for your body to recover
and spending several months training at lower intensity will actually serve to
make you a better athlete as long as you don’t take this to the opposite
extreme.
The polar opposite of athletes who want to train hard all year, are those
athletes who train hard for a few months during tri season and then stop
training all together during the off season. This method also has many
disadvantages. The largest one is that a healthy lifestyle and healthy body
require regular physical activity, and walks to the freezer for ice cream and
using your fingers to control a TV remote don’t count! In addition, these
athletes truly do lose most of the fitness gains they may have made during tri
season, leaving them starting from scratch each spring. For these athletes,
there can be frustration when they do not see improvements in their races from
year to year. They also run the risk of gaining some winter weight and must
spend several weeks (or months) each spring trying to lose this weight, a
dangerous game to play with your health.
Since neither of these extremes is ideal, you may be wondering what the solution
is. The most successful athletes have learned that the key is finding balance.
For most athletes, this balance is achieved through having an off season
training plan. Planning time to rest and recover, and even putting in days
where your “training” may mean riding bikes in the park with your kids,
going for a walk with your spouse, or a ski vacation with friends will help
ensure that you don’t overdue the training. Similarly, having a structured
plan will help ensure that a “few days off” does not turn into weeks or
month of inactivity.
The off season is a great time to work on your limiters: attend that swim clinic
you’ve been meaning to, use your bike trainer to focus on technique work when
it’s too frigid to ride outside, sign up for some local 5 and 10K fun runs as
this can be a great way to get in some speed work while being social.
The off season is also a great time to incorporate other activities you may
enjoy (yes, there are a host of other activities beyond swim, bike, and run!).
Go skiing with friends, head to the mountains for some vigorous hiking, take up
skate skiing, volleyball, pilates. It doesn’t really matter what it is; they
key is to find ways to remain active, but allow your body and mind a bit of a
break from tri training. You may be surprised to discover a new passion and
your family and friends (who patiently tolerate all the tri training, tri talk,
tri gear, etc) will be thrilled to join you on a new adventure!
© Performance Training Systems, All Rights Reserved.
Visit PTS at:
http://www.performancetrainingsystems.com


6. Allergic to Running:
Exercise Induced Anaphylaxis.
I’d gone to the gym religiously before work for eight years without incident.
Then why, after a typical run, did I step off the treadmill dizzy, eyes swollen
and bloodshot, scalp crawling, my windpipe coated with a thick mucus, and my
skin covered in hives? When the hives returned with a vengeance after another
run two days later, I headed to an allergist, who informed me I had an allergy
to exercise. The really bad news: He didn’t know what triggered it, nor could
he predict when and if it might return—or if the condition would simply run
its course (no pun intended) and eventually disappear.
Making the claim that you’re allergic to exercise is bound to prompt a few
snickers, perhaps even a “yeah—me, too” in any crowd. But exercise-induced
allergies aren’t a figment of a couch potato’s wild imagination. Although
rare, they’re indeed real—striking victims off-guard with a host of
frightening symptoms.
Exercise-induced anaphylaxis (EIA), like anaphylaxis itself, is a multi-systemic
allergic reaction, meaning that the allergy manifests itself through a spectrum
of symptoms affecting the cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, or
other vital systems. A unique problem, EIA has no connection to other
exercise-related disorders, such as exercise-induced asthma.
The chemistry of exercise-induced anaphylaxis may be the same as any other
allergy, says the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN;
www.foodallergy.org): The victim’s immune system senses erroneously that a
harmless substance (or in this case, exercise, or the combination of food and
exercise) is dangerous. The physical manifestations may begin with a tingling
sensation, itching, or metallic taste in the mouth. Other symptoms can include
hives, a sensation of warmth, asthma symptoms, swelling of the mouth and throat
area, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, cramping, a drop in blood
pressure, and loss of consciousness. The disorder generally isn’t considered
life-threatening, although doctors “don’t yet have enough research data to
know if this type of anaphylaxis is as serious as anaphylaxis to, say, [a] bee
sting or peanuts,” says Carlos Camargo, MD, associate professor of medicine
and epidemiology at Harvard Medical School. In fact, “we’ve learned precious
little about exercise-induced anaphylaxis—and about anaphylaxis in
general—in the past 20 years,” says David Golden, MD, research associate
professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University and fellow in the American
Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. “We have many questions, and few
answers.”
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/rt/articles/?id=7006


7. Joe Henderson's Running Commentary - Terrible Tourist:
Travel can be instructional, and you can learn as much about yourself from the
road as about where you go. What I learned about myself on a recent driving trip
wasn't pretty. I tried to travel with a runner's mindset -- that is, to cover
ground quickly -- and this is no way to go through country so scenic.
The trip was my idea. It shocked my wife Barbara when I proposed it, because
it's so out of character. We rarely travel together outside the running circuit.
"Let's drive to Idaho and Montana," I said. "Those are two of the six states
I've never visited." The others (all in New England) are far beyond our driving
range.
"How long do you want to take?" she asked. She's the great tourist in the
family, having visited more countries (all but three without me) than I have
added up states.
"Oh, three or four days," I said, pulling out the map and tracking the most
direct route across Idaho and barely touching the nearest point in Montana.
I was thinking like a racing runner: hurry to a turnaround point and hightail
back. This is how I've traveled since age 15: to do a job and reach a goal, not
to dawdle and sightsee along the way.
"No, no," Barbara protested. "We can't go all that distance and not see
Yellowstone and the Tetons. We have to spend at least a week."
She thinks any trip lasting less than a week is hardly worth taking, though
she'll go along with me to some races just so we'll have some time away
together. By hurrying, she doesn't see enough to satisfy her exploratory
leanings.
We compromised between travel styles. Barbara agreed to limit our time on the
road to one week. I agreed to stay off the Interstates and to take close looks
at the two national parks.
I freely admit here that my wife was right. The sights were spectacular and not
to be missed.
But I also freely confess to what were the best and worst parts of the trip for
me. They tell what I learned on the road -- which is that much of the baggage
from life at home traveled along with me.
More...from Joe Henderson at:
http://www.joehenderson.com/archive/home.php?article=2078


8. Science of Sport: Creatine - is it really safe for long-term use?
Creatine is the number one choice of sports supplement for athletes at all
levels – and with good reason. Unlike most products that compete for space on
the shelves of health food stores up and down the country, creatine does
precisely what it says on the tin: namely boost the body’s phosphocreatine
energy system, thereby enhancing short-term, high intensity anaerobic efforts.
But, while there are few, if any, remaining concerns about short-term use, there
are still no guarantees of long-term safety, writes Andrew Hamilton.
Because creatine is both manufactured in the body and naturally present in a
number of foods, most researchers have quite reasonably assumed that its
toxicity is low. Numerous past studies on athletes had shown that even the very
high doses required to produce rapid creatine saturation in the muscles (10-20
grams per day) seem to be perfectly safe in the short term, despite the
occasional anecdotal report of side effects like bloating (1).
Nevertheless, many researchers remained concerned about the potential
longer-term health effects of prolonged creatine supplementation, particularly
on the health of the kidneys. This was because each day about 2% of the body’s
store of creatine is broken down to a substance called creatinine, which has to
be cleared from the body by the kidneys. Ingesting large doses of creatine over
a long period of time could theoretically place a significant extra burden on
the kidneys, possibly leading to damage for those with less than perfect kidney
function.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/creatine.htm


9. Racing to Recovery:
by Suzanne Girard Eberle, MS, RD
Have you ever wondered why it's so hard to get out the door some days or why
your Wednesday after-work run with the group often turns into a heavy-legged
slog? Many runners attribute their lack of motivation or desire to being
weak-willed. Others simply accept a plethora of unfulfilling runs and workouts
as inevitable. Poor training days, however, are often linked to poor eating
days. Feeling good on tomorrow's run hinges, to a large degree, on what you did
following your previous workout. The key to a speedy recovery is to provide your
body with the fluids and nutrients it needs following exercise. And the sooner
you do it, the better.
The Recovery Process
Carbohydrates that runners consume daily (from fruit and fruit juices,
vegetables, milk, yogurt, bread, pasta, rice, beans, as well as sweets and snack
foods) are converted into glucose or blood sugar and used as energy throughout
the day. The body stores glucose that is not used fairly promptly in the liver
and muscles as glycogen, which the body can convert back to glucose and use for
energy at a later time. Muscle glycogen-the body's preferred fuel during
exercise-plays a crucial role when you pick up the pace or intensity of workouts
as well as during prolonged exercise. As glycogen stores become depleted, you're
forced to slow down, sometimes even to a crawl, just in order to finish.
Chronically low muscle glycogen stores can trip up even the fittest runner,
especially those who train daily. Heavy or sore legs, feeling rundown, or a lack
of your usual oomph can all indicate insufficient recovery from previous
physical efforts. Runners who exercise with low muscle glycogen stores also
incur more nagging injuries. Start out with less than a full tank and you'll
also likely perceive the workout or race as "feeling harder than it should."
Since it takes the body almost 24 hours to fully replenish muscle glycogen
stores, the trick is to capitalize on the "carbohydrate window" that exists
immediately following exercise. During the first 60 minutes (especially the
initial 15-30 minutes), muscles convert carbohydrate-rich foods and beverages
into glycogen up to three times faster than at other times. Unfortunately,
runners often spend this time stretching, socializing, showering and scurrying
back to their desk or jumping into the car to pursue their next commitment.
Rehydrate and Refuel
Most of us are aware of the need to rehydrate following exercise, especially
when running or racing in hot and/or humid weather. Feeling thirsty, however,
isn't the best indicator as to how much you need to drink. Get to know your body
by periodically weighing yourself before and after running. To fully rehydrate,
drink a minimum of 2 ½ cups of fluid (over the next few hours) for every pound
lost. (If you've dropped more than a pound or two, work on doing a better job
meeting your fluid needs during exercise.) Being able to urinate
frequently-clear to pale yellow in color-also indicates you're sufficiently
hydrated.
For optimal recovery, replace fluids and carbohydrates simultaneously, within
the first 15 to 30 minutes, especially following intense workouts or prolonged
runs lasting 90 minutes or longer. If you like to train by the numbers, consume
at least ½ gram of carbohydrate per pound of body weight. For most runners this
equates to 50 to 100 grams of carbohydrate. Numerous options abound: sports
drinks (14 to 19 grams per cup), high-carbohydrate or meal replacement beverages
(check the label for grams of carbohydrate per serving, some provide as much as
50 grams per 8 ounces), fruit juice (25 to 40 grams per cup) and milk (12 grams
per cup). Of course real foods, such as fruit, yogurt, cereal and bagels, serve
as other generally easy-to-put-down, well-tolerated options.
To further enhance your recovery, you should pay attention to your sodium and
protein needs as well. Drinking a sports drink, judicial use of the salt shaker,
or consuming salty foods, such as salted pretzels or popcorn with little or no
butter or other fat, soup, canned vegetables, tomato or vegetable juice and
pickles will help your body hold on to the fluids you drink. It can also help
prevent hyponatremia (low blood sodium level), a potentially fatal condition
that can develop during or after prolonged exercise when runners consume large
amounts of water but fail to replace sweat-induced sodium losses.
Protein is a vital constituent of recovery, also. Protein is needed to repair
and rebuild muscle tissue and may further boost glycogen resynthesis when
consumed shortly after exercise. Since runners can't live on carbohydrates
alone, it doesn't hurt to experiment with consuming protein within the same
crucial "carbohydrate window" following exercise. At the very least, include a
source of quality protein at your next meal-dairy foods, eggs, meat, poultry,
fish, beans or soy foods, and plan to eat within one to two hours following
exercise.
* Suzanne has helped numerous athletes in their nutritional recovery. She is the
author of Endurance Sports Nutrition.
From The Finish Line to the Grocery Line
Poor training efforts and sub-par race performances may be due to "underfueling"
rather than errors made in training. Enhance the body's recovery process on a
daily basis. Consume carbohydrate-rich beverages and foods within 60 minutes
following exercise-when muscles are most primed to resynthesize muscle glycogen.
Recovery Drinks
· Fluid replacement drink (e.g., Gatorade, Cytomax)
· High-carbohydrate beverage (e.g., Gatorlode, Ultrafuel)
· Meal replacement beverage (e.g., Ensure, Boost, Endurox R4)
· Fruit juice
· Milk/soymilk
· Carnation Instant Breakfast
· Low-fat milkshake
Recovery Foods
· Banana with honey/peanut butter
· Fresh fruit and yogurt or cottage cheese
· Fruit smoothie
· Cereal/instant oatmeal with milk/yogurt
· Bagel with jam/honey/peanut butter
· Toaster waffles and syrup
· Breakfast or energy bar(s)
· Baked potato with cottage cheese/low-fat cheese
· Rice cakes or low-fat crackers and hummus/bean dip
· Turkey sandwich
· Low-fat muffin and fruit juice
· Low-fat cookies (Fig Newtons, graham crackers, gingersnaps, etc.) and milk
Permission granted to redistribute, as long as you acknowledge the author,
FootNotes and the Road Runners Club of America.
From the RRCA at: http://RRCA.org.


10. Extreme Exercise Can Slow the Heart:
Doctors studying what is probably the most intensive physical effort on earth
have found that if the body is pushed hard enough, the heart will slow down. The
finding came as a bit of a surprise, because until recently, the conventional
wisdom was that the heart never slowed down, according to lead investigator Dr.
Euan A. Ashley, an assistant professor of cardiology at Stanford University.
"Your heart is going to beat two or three billion times in your lifetime,"
Ashley said. "It was believed that in the absence of disease, it would not slow
down. What we showed was that if you exercise for 19 or 20 hours at a time, your
heart will tire a bit, about 10 percent."
And the slowdown is greater in people who carry what's been called the "fitness
gene," Ashley's team reported in the August issue of the Journal of the American
Cardiology. The gene is called "ACE" because it is linked to the
angiotensin-converting enzyme, the target of ACE inhibitor heart medications.
For the study, Ashley and his colleagues set up shop at the finishing line of an
ultra-endurance race called the "Adrenalin Rush," held in the Scottish
Highlands. The annual event is grueling even by "iron man" standards, with one
or two competitors usually requiring hospitalization after every race.
As athletes crossed the line after 90 hours of biking, climbing, swimming,
paddling and rope work, the researchers tested their hearts.
The athletes' average heartbeat had slowed from what was measured before the
race, by about 8 percent for athletes who did not carry the ACE fitness gene and
13 percent for those who did carry it.
The ACE gene has been associated with improved athletic performance, and Ashley
said the association could explain the difference. "It could be that people with
the fitness gene pushed themselves harder," he said. "They were the ones pulling
the others along."
Other studies have suggested the heart might tire with intense effort, said
study senior author Dr. Pamela Douglas, chief of cardiovascular medicine at Duke
University in Durham, N.C.
More...from Competitor Magazine at:
http://www.competitor.com/article/?Guid=ea3e66d2-9cb9-4389-b67e-5b84d380e987


11. A Battle Over ‘Juice of Youth’ :
IT’S almost impossible to turn on the television and not glimpse Suzanne
Somers smiling back at you. In the last week, she has appeared on the
“Today” show, “The View” and “Entertainment Tonight.” She has
chatted with Martha Stewart and bonded with Bill O’Reilly. She is not
discussing the war in Iraq, nor offering opinions on the Mark Foley scandal. Her
latest book, “Ageless: The Naked Truth About Bioidentical Hormones,” hit
stores on Oct. 10, and Ms. Somers is simply doing what celebrities do these
days: selling.
She happens to be good at it. The actress made the ThighMaster a household
product and, of the 13 books she has written, 7 have been best sellers.
If history — and a good marketing plan — has anything to do with it,
“Ageless” may just be her eighth. It is a paean to bioidentical hormone
replacement therapy, a controversial treatment for menopausal women that she
dubs “the juice of youth.”
“I had bone loss 10 years ago — I restored it with bioidenticals,” Ms.
Somers, who turns 60 on Monday, said in a telephone interview from Houston,
where she was speaking before a group of 1,100 pharmacists. They also recharged
her libido, she said, reduced her depression, and rejuvenated her hair, skin and
body. (In February 2001, National Enquirer photographed her leaving a plastic
surgery clinic, and she subsequently admitted to having had liposuction on her
upper back and hips.)
The book, though, has raised the hormone levels of at least seven medical
doctors. The doctors — three of whom are quoted in the book — generally
support the concept of bioidentical hormone therapies but say that too little
research has been done to assure that they are safe.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/15/fashion/15suzanne.html?ref=fitnessandnutrition


12. Crisis? What Crisis?
For most men at midlife, the red sports car and emotional tumult are but a myth.
They get older, yes, but with aplomb.
MINDING your health is not a young man's game. Muscles work smoothly in the teen
years, joints flex easily in the 20s. It seems like men can eat what they want,
drink what they desire, and the pounds melt away as quickly as they put them on.
They can work 16-hour days, party until 3 a.m., and get up the next day and do
it again. (Give or take a few bad hangovers, of course.) Life is a river,
flowing to them effortlessly and endlessly.
Then sometime in the middle decades — perhaps as men hit their mid-30s and
approach 40, or sometimes 50 — the river changes. It no longer flows quite so
smoothly, quite so fast. Knees give out during a squash game. Hair gives out,
well, every time a comb runs through it. And men begin to think that, beyond the
next bend, the end of the river waits. They can't see it yet, but they know that
it's there.
This, for many men, marks a turning point, not just physically but in the mind
as well.
"You realize half of your life is over," says screenwriter Bruce McKenna, 44,
who just moved from Los Angeles to Santa Fe, N.M. "I found myself thinking
seriously about what to do with the rest of it. I hit 42, 43, and I was more
worried about my kids, about them growing up" — his children are 13, 11 and 8
— "about wanting to spend more time with them. I worried about working myself
to an unhealthy degree, and I worried about finances. So I decided to leave L.A.
Not only is Santa Fe cheaper, but L.A. is just not an easy town to be
middle-aged in. In my business, you're old if you're 30."
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-newmen16oct16,1,7468999.story?coll=\
la-headlines-health&ctrack=1&cset=true


13. The new opiate of the middle-class masses:
How a once-solitary pursuit became a must-have trophy for the modern
status-seeker.
When the enthusiasts make their way through the streets of Toronto or alongside
the shores of Prince Edward Island this weekend, when they fill the downtown in
Chicago and Washington, D.C., after that, it is unlikely they will be pelted
with derisive epithets or rotten apples.
There was a time, not so long ago, when practitioners of long-distance running
were the subject of societal ridicule for an extreme athletic pursuit that was
regarded as freakish.
These days, however, marathon running is the quintessence of mainstream. It has
become so common among the ranks of upwardly mobile professionals that
participating in such a race is almost expected -- the ancient event has been
transformed into a thoroughly modern status symbol that singlehandedly conveys
fitness, financial success, work-life balance and an unerring ability to do it
all.
"If you look at a cross-section of marathoners in a big race, it would be almost
identical to a cross-section of the urban middle class," says Ian Ritchie, a
sociologist who studies sport and is a marathoner himself. "The event reinforces
the values which are important to that class: individual ability, merit as a
reward system, self-discipline, hard work, organization, constantly striving for
self-improvement."
Between 400,000 and 500,000 people across North America run marathons in a
single year, with October the busiest month of all.
More...from the National Post at:
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=25dcb495-da4f-424a-8b83-bc\
179f67e1cd
Related stories:
The new opiate of the middle-class masses
As the popularity of marathon running balloons, the fitness rate of many
participants is declining. At least one doctor wonders whether the punishing
42-kilometre endurance ordeal has become too popular.
More...
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=4d846eeb-54eb-4d49-8efc-18\
7be49de829
Heart attacks, hyponatremia and hitting the wall
A runner's perils.
More...
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=86670b28-bfd4-47ff-9183-59\
71f0fda272


14. The greater your weight, the lower your IQ, say scientists:
It is bad for your blood pressure, knocks years off your life and is a strain on
your heart. Now scientists have discovered that gaining weight lowers your
intelligence.
The findings follow last week's government figures that show Britain as the "fat
man" of Europe, with nearly a quarter of adults and more than 14 per cent of
children under 16 classified as obese.
The new five-year study of more than 2,200 adults claims to have found a link
between obesity and the decline in a person's cognitive function. The research,
conducted by French scientists, which is published in this month's Neurology
journal, involved men and women aged between 32 and 62 taking four mental
ability tests that were then repeated five years later.
The researchers found that people with a Body Mass Index – a measure of body
fat – of 20 or less could recall 56 per cent of words in a vocabulary test,
while those who were obese, with a BMI of 30 or higher, could remember only 44
per cent.
The fatter subjects also showed a higher rate of cognitive decline when they
were retested five years later: their recall dropped to 37.5 per cent, whereas
those with a healthy weight retained their level of recall.
More...from the Telegraph at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/10/15/nweight15.xml


15. Endurance Sports Nutrition: What to Eat and When:
Most people approach eating healthfully as eating less: less calories, less
carbs, less fat. Yet, for endurance athletes, the nutritional mantra is just the
opposite. Seasoned marathoners, triathletes and adventure racers know that in
order to compete at the highest levels, they must feed their bodies adequately
and effectively. Many of us seek fitness through moderation, but when your sport
of choice is anything but moderate, your diet (at least while racing and
training) needs to⎯ in some ways⎯ follow suit.
While most experienced endurance athletes know the importance of eating and
drinking enough during a run or ride, amateur racers may not, and those who know
may not follow their own advice. This kind of ignorance could mean that many
Boston Marathon or Ironman hopefuls out there may be severely underfeeding or
underwatering themselves, which often leads to the dreaded bonk and could
ultimately undermine all the passion or talent in the world.
More...from Stellar at:
http://www.stellarmag.com/newsFeatures/sports_nutrition_marathon_triathlon_runni\
ng_biking_908295


16. This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago- Paul Evans (ENG) collected US$60,000 for winning the LaSalle
Banks (IL/USA)
Marathon. He was more than a minute ahead of runner-up, Jerry
Lawson (USA),
2:08:52 to 2:10:04. Leonid Shvetsov (RUS) was 3rd in 2:10:23.
Marian
Sutton (ENG) took home US$43,000 for winning the women's race in
2:30:41.
Kristy Johnson (USA) was not far back at 2:31:06 and Danuta
Bartozek (CAN)
place 3rd in 2:33:01.

20 Years Ago- The somewhat downhill Penofin (CA/USA) 10K had a very deep field
with 7 men
under 28 minutes and 25 under 29 minutes. Paul McCloy (CAN) was
first across
the finish line in 27:48. Gerardo Alcala (MEX) was given the
same time in 2nd
while Derrick Lakeman (USA), Bruce Bickford (USA), and Joseph
Kipsang (KEN),
in that order, were all given times of 27:49. The women's race
saw two under
32 minutes with Brenda Webb (USA) defeating Lisa Ondieki (AUS),
31:38 to
31:46.

30 Years Ago- The AAU Championships (LA/USA) Marathon was won by Gary Tuttle
who was nearly
a mile ahead of Benji Durden, 2:15:15 to 2:20:25. Ron Kurrle was
3rd in 2:21:38.

40 Years Ago- Phil Weiser (USA) won the 4th edition of the Twin Cities (MN/USA)
Marathon which
was then known as the Land of Lakes Marathon. His time was
2:32:18 and there was
no prize money.

50 Years Ago- Al Lawrence (AUS) won a 5000m in Melbourne AUS in 14:03.6. One
second back was
Albert "Albie" Thomas (AUS) and yet another second back was David
Power (AUS).
From the Analytical Distance Runner at:
http://www.arrs.net


17. After the Marathon: A Guide to quick Recovery:
After you finish a marathon, you face a difficult decision: Should you have
cheesecake before, after or for dinner? Other than that toughie, most
marathoners give little thought to what they should do the rest of the day.
While understandable, the urge to do as little as possible, or whatever you feel
like doing, isn’t your best guide. Instead, you’ll return to full physical
and mental strength quickest with a few wise choices after your marathon.
Let’s look at what to do immediately after, and then in the ensuing days, so
that you recover as quickly as possible.
Immediately After the Marathon
Be excited. Congratulate yourself and those around you. Don’t count your
blisters. Grab some water. Hug your sweetheart. If your stomach is okay, grab
something easy to eat, such as a banana. Wrap yourself in a Mylar blanket or
anything else you can find to keep your body temperature from dropping rapidly.
(Don’t worry about how silly you look.) As soon as possible, change into dry,
warm clothes. Put on fresh socks and a different pair of comfortable shoes with
plenty of room to accommodate your swollen feet.
More...from Uta Pippig at:
http://www.uta-pippig.com/site/85-0-news.html?nid=706


18. Lab rabbits:
Can a pre-built training plan really work?
What kind of training should goal-oriented triathletes do in the off-season to
stay fit?
Can athletes with slightly different backgrounds and different 2007 race goals
follow the same pre-built plan?
The editors at Triathlete magazine devised a scheme to have several athletes
volunteer to be lab rabbits for the 2006 to 2007 off-season. The team at Active
Trainer happily agreed to help with the experiment.
Donning white lab jackets, the Triathlete magazine and Active Trainer team
decided to run the rabbits through a four-month training program and see what
happens. For the experiment, the lab rabbits are all given the same training
plan. Each rabbit has a different background, current level of fitness and a
different 2007 race goal.
The goal of the experiment is to help the rabbits prepare for their key races
next season -- and help you too. Yes, you. You can follow the same training plan
as the lab rabbits or one of the other available online plans.
More...from Active.com at:
http://active.com/story.cfm?story_id=13592


19. 20 Proven health benefits of exercise:
Think about it. A 30-minute walk every day can probably do more for your health
than all the efforts of a dozen doctors and ten different types of medication.
Not only does exercise improve your health, even if you have already been
diagnosed with something, but it can go a long way to prevent the onset of
several life-threatening conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
And exercise can make you look great – younger, fitter and thinner. Who needs
any more convincing?
We have scrutinized the medical journals. Here's a summary of the proven health
benefits of exercise:
1. It's good for your heart
"Even a moderate amount of exercise helps your heart," says Dr William Kraus,
associate professor of medicine at Duke University Medical Centre in an article
published in The New England Journal of Medicine. "Some exercise is better than
none and more is better than less."
Exercise reduces LDL cholesterol, the kind that clogs arteries. It also reduces
your blood pressure, relieving stress on your heart; improves your insulin
sensitivity; improves heart muscle function and blood flow and diminishes the
chances of developing blood clots. These findings have been corroborated by a
host of studies over the years.
More...from Health24 at:
http://www.health24.com/Woman/General/711-3633-3635,31214.asp



20. Eat Like A Champion:
To run your best, you need to eat differently than the rest of the population.
Elite coach Chris Carmichael explains what should be on your plate.
In the months leading up to the Tour de France, every aspect of Lance
Armstrong's training regimen has a purpose. And that includes eating. He ups his
caloric intake from 3,000 to 6,000 calories per day. The percentage of
carbohydrates in his diet also increases (from 60 to 70 percent of his
calories), while he slightly decreases his protein and fat intake. This finely
tuned nutritional balancing act, which has helped Armstrong win five consecutive
Tours, was designed by Chris Carmichael, Armstrong's long-time coach,
nutritionist, and friend.
As an Olympic trainer and a former competitive cyclist, Carmichael, the founder
of Carmichael Training Systems, has learned that athletes need to match their
nutritional intake to the demands of their training in order to achieve peak
performance. In his new book, Food for Fitness: Eat Right to Train Right, due
out this month, Carmichael applies his nutritional principles to all types of
athletes, particularly runners.
According to Carmichael, runners need to take a holistic approach to eating and
training. "Diet and training are so closely intertwined, they can't be
separated," he says. Runners' diets, therefore, need to evolve throughout the
year to correspond with particular workouts. Essentially, Carmichael takes the
training technique known as periodization (you break your training year into
"periods" with different goals, then concentrate on specific training) and
extends it to the training table.
The concept of periodization naturally translates to nutrition, because the
amount of energy you burn changes as you go through weeks, months, and a full
year of training. If you're eating the same number of calories all year, there
is most likely a portion of the year when you're eating more food than you need.
Likewise, there will be times when your training burns more calories and demands
more nutrients than you are consuming. So just as your training focuses on
different goals in different months of the year, you need to make sure you're
eating enough food--and the right kinds of foods--to support your workouts.
More...from Runner's World at:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-301--6686-0,00.html?cm_mmc=Ext\
ra%20NL-_-2006_10_13-_-Nutrition-_-Eat%20Like%20A%20Champion


21. Heed the Signs of Over- and Under-Training:
Welcome to that odd time of the year when you’re not really sure if you should
keep pushing hard (you feel great, after all), should dial down the work load
(fall’s first chill sidelined you with a cold), or start jacking up your
intensity (you haven’t done much since Labor Day). To help you determine where
you are in your fitness you need to watch for the following signs:
SIGNS OF OVER-TRAINING
You train everyday, year round. We once knew a woman who had exercised everyday
of her life for five years. She became obsessed with her streak — to the point
of craziness. She pushed through small colds that lasted for the entire winter
and injuries that became full-blown emergencies. Eventually her streak ended
after her body gave out. During the streak, she never got any faster, never
became stronger, and never “felt” better, but she didn’t care. Sure, she
was working out everyday, but she was a pretty miserable person, really.
The fact is that the body actually gets stronger through rest and recovery. Rest
is when your body turns its energy to building muscle instead of powering
through a workout. Rest enables you to bounce back refreshed, and once you get
back up to speed, you will be noticeably faster.
You’d rather watch golf than break a good, healthy sweat. Old-school training
has a simple premise: train as hard as you can until you puke. Repeat the next
day, and so forth. But pushing yourself like this all time will punch your
ticket to a trip into physical and mental anguish. After a few days your body
will become exhausted and you’ll move slower on a run, bike, or swim — even
though it feels like you’re working harder. You’ll feel like crud, even
though you’re relatively fit. Then frustration sets in as you grow weaker.
You’ll consciously dream up reasons not to exercise, like watching the Golf
Channel. Instead, vary up your training to include long, slow endurance days and
short, fast tempo days to keep your body and mind engaged.
More...from Carmichael Training Systems at:
http://www.trainright.com/info.asp?action=display&uid=4003


22. From Running Times Magazine:
* Your Last Long Run
While marathon training is a foundation made of many bricks, the keystone
workout, physically and mentally, is your last long run. Most coaches agree that
ideally it should be three weeks out from the race, or, at the closest, two
weeks out. Depending on your training plan, it ranges in length from 18 to 26
miles, although the vast majority of coaches cap the long runs at 22 miles. As
for speed, you'll also find numerous opinions, ranging from an easy,
conversational pace to the full distance at race pace. Among top coaches I've
interviewed or read, a progression run strategy seems to be the most widely
held, and the most reasonable method of accomplishing the goals of both getting
in the distance without undue stress and simulating race pace when fatigued.
This method begins at a comfortable pace, approximately 20% slower than race
pace, and gradually increases during the second half to either race pace or just
under (approximately 10% slower than race pace) during the last five miles. The
last long run should leave you confident that you can accomplish your goal. Now
comes the hardest part of training mentally: the taper, as you cut back to let
your body build for the big day.
--Jonathan Beverly, Editor
* Q and A:
Q: In my first marathon I ran 3:56:04 on a 13-week training plan that averaged
about 50 miles per week. My long runs averaged about 18 miles. I ate well, took
care of my legs, rested, and stretched; however, around the 17th mile of the
marathon, my legs started hurting very, very badly, and I had to keep stopping.
My feet were throbbing, my hamstrings seized up, my hips were burning, and my
knee and ankle joints were burning and throbbing as well. How can I prevent this
from happening in my next marathon?
A: Sorry to hear about your traumatic encounter with the wall, but it sure was a
classic. The list below might help you figure out what went wrong and what you
can do to avoid the problem this time around.
1. Perhaps you were overtrained. Although 13 weeks is not too long a period to
train for a marathon (I usually design 12-week programs for my runners in order
to minimize the mental and emotional fatigue of marathon training), your
workouts, especially your long runs, could have been too hard. Your mistake
could have been doing your long runs at marathon goal pace. For beginner
marathoners, I have them run from one to two full minutes slower than expected
goal pace. Of course, other workouts are done at faster paces. To set a goal
time for a marathon, I use a rule of thumb based on current 10K fitness: you
should be able to maintain a marathon pace that is around a minute slower than
current 10K race pace.
2. Perhaps you succumbed to the rookie temptation to go faster in the early
miles because they felt "just too easy." Again, review your splits to see if you
hit the wall because you used up your glycogen supplies too soon. It is now
accepted that negative splits are better than even splits, while positive splits
are to be avoided at all costs.
3. Perhaps you didn't manage your fluid and energy needs very well during the
race. You didn't mention what the weather was like, but it certainly could have
been a factor in your hydration and fuel issues.
I hope these issues provoke some review that will lead to some answers. Good
luck!
--Coach Benson


23. How's Your Balance:
Balance is an essential function of the locomotor system. It is often ignored
but no less important than flexibility, strength, endurance, or aerobic fitness.
Balance is an important part of the rehabilitation of certain injuries. It is
also important part of injury prevention programs in runners and walkers.
Balance training has been shown to improve strength in the hips and legs and is
less time consuming than strength training programs. It’s also important to
note that in the past few years research has shown that people with weaker hip
muscles tend to get more leg and low back injuries.
Poor balance in healthy individuals may be due to previous injuries that were
not properly rehabilitated, muscle imbalance, poor sensation coming from the
sole of your feet, or other causes. Balance depends on the somatosensory,
vestibular and visual systems. The somatosensory system gets sensory
information for balance from the soles of the feet, the neck, and the lumbar
spine for inputs. If two of the previously mentioned systems are not working
properly, our balance will be affected. One way to test balance in healthy
people is with the single leg standing balance test.
Single-leg standing balance test. Begin with eyes open and practice once or
twice on each side. Then by looking straight ahead close your eyes and try
maintaining your balance. Failure occurs if the foot touches the opposite leg,
hopping occurs, the other foot touches the floor, or the arms touch something
for support. You have 3 chances on each side to reach your best time.
Depending of your age you should be able to stand on one leg, eyes closed for a
minimum of the following length of time.
20-49 year of age→ 24.2 seconds
50-59 year of age→ 21.0 seconds
60-69 year of age→ 10.2 seconds
70-79 year of age→ 4.3 seconds
If you can’t reach these times it may be important for you to get assessed to
determine the cause of your poor balance and prevent injuries. One easy
exercise to work on your balance is to try holding your balance on one leg for
30 seconds. Perform the routine three to four times per leg twice daily until
you can comfortably keep balance for 30 seconds. After that proceed with your
eyes closed until you reach 30 seconds again.
Dr. Steve Pelletier B.Sc., D.C. ♦ Centrum Chiropractic Clinic ♦ (613)
830-4080 ♦ www.drstevepelletier.ca



24. Running the mental marathon:
Lisa Bentley, one of Ironman's most revered runners, once told me the hardest
thing about running an Ironman marathon is that it is "just such a long time to
concentrate."
Through years of working together and tweaking her mental preparation process,
we have refined how she prepares herself mentally and emotionally for such a
difficult, sustained effort.
When thinking about the Ironman marathon, all athletes feel some degree of
apprehension. It is a very long way to run off an already challenging bike leg,
and it is the hardest part of the race, physically, which makes it the hardest
part of the race psychologically, too. These challenges are, of course, the very
allure of Ironman: to go farther or faster than ever before; to do something
exceptional that most people never dream of.
Are you ready to will yourself forward, to keep your legs moving to get over the
next hill, through the exposed windy section, survive the heat, and be diligent
enough to stick to your pacing, hydration, and nutrition plan? Consider these
four steps to refine your psychological preparation for the Ironman marathon.
Step 1: Think about how you want to treat yourself
It is easy to slip into a spiral of negative self-talk and doubt when you are
facing another 20 miles of running and you are very tired -- particularly if
things aren't clicking. Predetermine an emotional reason for being out there, or
a personal theme. Perhaps it is to inspire your family or kids to go after their
dreams. Perhaps it is just to constantly remind yourself that you have chosen an
exceptional thing to do with your life journey.
More...from Active.com at:
http://active.com/story.cfm?story_id=13601


25. Digest Briefs:
* Triathlon Training Do's and Dont's*
From Triathlon 101 by John Mora
* Good training is not just about listening to your body, although that’s
certainly important. It’s also about learning to listen to your family, and
your boss, and the voice in your head that keeps telling you to take it easy on
yourself. The following list of do’s and don’ts will help you get the most
out of your triathlon training:
* Do add variety. Try not to do the same thing all the time - reach for new
goals and more challenges. Change your running course, or better yet, take the
family to a weekend getaway, preferably somewhere where you can still get in
some good training. That way you can combine family values with your triathlon
goal.
* Don’t sacrifice your family or career. Stick to your priorities. Triathlon
training should be a solid addition to a well-balanced lifestyle, not an
obsession that hinders your family life or puts your career in danger. Besides,
your chances of succeeding in triathlon - whatever that means to you - will be
greatly increased if you have the support of your family and coworkers.
* Do be realistic about your available time. There’s nothing worse than
constantly checking your watch during a workout. Part of the reason for working
out is for stress relief, so why not schedule your workouts during a time of day
when you won’t feel hurried? Overestimating how much time you can afford to
spend on training can lead to feeling rushed and frustrated and can also
contribute to a faster pace when you know you should be going slower.
* Don’t be inflexible. Don’t be so rigid in executing your training that you
endanger your health or neglect your other priorities. If your training schedule
seems to be too hard on your body, rethink your approach and build in some more
recovery days, or cut the distance or intensity.
* Do follow the hard/easy rule. Working at a high intensity all the time will
only increase your chances of injury. Always make sure you give your body a
chance to recover, especially from hard or long runs, with easy workouts the day
following a hard one.
Buy the book from Human Kinetics - 30% OFF UNTIL OCTOBER 31ST - AT:
http://www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?associate=880&isbn=0880118\
113

* Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine
Caffeine increase endurance
Caffeinated drinks increase endurance during long events such as a marathon,
triathalon or bicycle race. A study from the University of Birmingham in
England shows that caffeine
helps the body use more carbohydrates from drinks that you take during exercise
(Journal of Applied Physiology, June 2006). Those who took sugared drinks with
caffeine were able to absorb and use 26 percent more of the ingested sugar than
those who took the same drinks without caffeine.
Previous studies show that caffeine helps athletes run faster in both short and
long-distance races. In short races, it makes athletes faster by causing the
brain to send messages
along nerves to cause a greater percentage of muscle fibers to contract at the
same time. In longer races, it delays fatigue by preserving stored muscle
sugar. Muscles get their energy from sugar and fat in the bloodstream, and from
sugar, fat and protein stored in the muscles. When muscles run out of their
stored sugar, they hurt and become more difficult to coordinate. Caffeine
causes muscles to burn more fat, thus sparing stored muscle sugar to delay
fatigue.
Nobody really knows how much caffeine you can take in without harming yourself.
At rest, caffeine is a diuretic, but during exercise it does not increase
urination. Caffeine is a potent stimulant that can cause irregular heartbeats
in people who already have heart disease, and raise blood pressure in people
with hypertension. Most research shows that it doesn't take much more than one
or two soft drinks to increase endurance. Caffeine loses its beneficial effects
with repeated exposure, so athletes who want to gain maximum advantage from
caffeine during competition should avoid drinking caffeinated beverages when
they are not exercising.
From...Dr. Gabe Mirkin at:


THIS WEEK'S FEATURED EVENTS:
*Please verify event dates with the event websites*
Check the Runner's Web FrontPage for links to the race sites.
October 21, 2006:
2006 Ford Ironman World Championship - Kona, HI

October 22, 2006:
Awesome Alpharetta Half Marathon - Alpharetta, GA

Jim Howe Memorial NCRA Cross Country Races - Ottawa, ON

Lasalle Bank Chicago Marathon - Chicago, IL
Runner's World Coverage
Running Times Coverage

Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort International Marathon - Buffalo, NY to Niagara
Falls, ON

Nike Women's Marathon - San Francisco, CA

St. John's Santa Monica 5000 - Santa Monica, CA

The Other Half - Moab, UT


RACE PREVIEW:
2007:

June 23, 2007:
Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - Ottawa, ON
http://www.emiliesrun.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.

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