A FREE WEEKLY E-ZINE OF MULTISPORT RELATED ARTICLES.
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sports of running and triathlon and general fitness and
health issues. The opinions expressed in the articles referenced by the Digest
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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. A children's (12 and under) 1K run will
also be held.
More information at: http://www.emiliesrun.com and at http://www.somersault.ca
Online race registration is now available through Events Online at:
http://www.eventsonline.ca/events/somersault_rweb/
We have added a Google Group for Emilie's Run. Join and the group and contribute
at:
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/emiliesrun?hl=en

3. Road Runner Sports, the world's largest running store at:
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000010069822.
Check out their Perfect Fit Finder for running shoes.

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

5. The Toronto Marathon, October 14, 2007
http://www.torontomarathon.com

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

7. The ING Ottawa Marathon.
Ottawa's Race Weekend returns next May 25 to 27 with a new course for the
marathon and new (earlier) start time for the
Half-Marathon.
For more information and online entry visit:
http://www.ncm.ca


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THIS WEEK:
The Runner's Web is pleased to be the presenting sponsor for the Mark Allen
triathlon clinic January 1-21, 2007. For more
information, visit www.triathlonOttawa.com

*Special Offer from Human Kinetics*
As an associate member Human Kinetics is offering an exclusive Online Christmas
Special ~ 25% off all purchases + Free Shipping on
orders of $50+. To place your order, click on the following
http://www.humankinetics.com/?associate=880 where you will find the
Human Kinetics site. Enter marketing code K191 when placing your order to
receive the 25% off. If the Free Shipping applies the
shipping amount will be deducted from your order when processed. Offer good in
Canada only.

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RUNNER'S AND TRIATHLETE'S WEB CONTENT PARTNERS

ACTIVE.COM
RunnersWeb.com has teamed up with Active Trainer coaches to offer training
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* 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
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* Peak Performance Online
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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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Visit the PPO site 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
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
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Check out the Peak Running 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
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
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Check out the article index at:
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THIS WEEK'S PERSONAL POSTINGS/RELEASES:
We have NO personal postings this week.


THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

1. Proprioceptive cues
2. Progression Runs: Flexible marathon training alternatives
3. Triathlon: The Ideal HR for IM Racing
4. Cold injuries: How to protect your performance as well as your health against
the chill winds of winter
5. It really is possible to exercise too much
6. Tips on Exercising in the Cold
7. What Do You Mean by Speed?
High-intensity training can boost your fitness but wield its power judiciously.
8. MoD tests drugs for ‘supertroops’
9. Reasons why muscles can get twitchy after workouts
10. Wheels Wheels Wheels
11. The Science of Carbohydrate Loading
12. Working your heart
13. iPod trainer can be just as tough
Yoga stretches into tech world Downloadable workouts offer four- to six-week
exercise routines.
14. Lab Report: Essential Ingredients IX
Developing your own training plan.
15. Warm Up Activity : The dynamic alternative to static stretching
16. To Avoid ‘Boomeritis,’ Exercise, Exercise, Exercise
17. Vegetarian diets, when properly planned, provide all the nutrients you need
18. Female athletes at risk from obsessive exercise routines
19. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine
20. Artificial Sweeteners...or Sugar?
21. Exercising the gray cells:
A tough new test of the 'use-it-or-lose-it' theory finds even brief sessions
helped keep elderly sharp for years.
22. A Two-Wheeled Love Affair
23. A Grand Total:
How important is a year-end goal with time is almost up?
24. Pregnancy Weight Training: Pregnancy, strength and fitness
25. Digest Briefs


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Which of the following events do you plan to do in 2007?
Track Race
5/1-K road race
Half-Marathon
Marathon
Olympic triathlon
Ironman
Duathlon
Ultra
Adventure race
None of the above"

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

LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULTS:
"Do you plan to train on Christmas Day?"
Answers Percent
1. Yes 75%
2. No 25%


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE WEEK: European Indoor Athletics Championships, Birmingham,
GBR
This will be the 29th staging of the European Athletics Indoor Championships and
previous cities to host this prestigious
championships include:
1994 Paris (FRA)
1996 Stockholm (SWE)
1998 Valencia (ESP)
2000 Gent (BEL)
2002 Vienna (AUT)
2005 Madrid (ESP)
Check out the site at:
http://www.birminghamathletics2007.com/


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


BOOK OF THE WEEK: Inside Dope: How Drugs Are the Biggest Threat to Sports, Why
You Should Care, and What Can Be Done About Them
Book Description
An IOC insider speaks out on creating a drug-free sports culture
With doping charges leveled at athletes in baseball, cycling, and in the
Olympics, cheating has, to many onlookers, become the norm
in pro sports. With implications far beyond the sports arena, Inside Dope
examines the genesis of doping in sports as well as in the
world of doctors and trainers; drug testing and the battle to stay ahead of
users; drug companies and big business; and the role of
the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as watchdog. Written by a former Olympian,
an IOC official, and a passionate advocate of fair
play in sports, this eye-opening book takes a candid look at testing standards
and the future of doping and sports and the larger
issue of how doping affects the public perception of athletes.
From the Inside Flap
The scandals break monthly, even weekly—athletes caught doping in a multitude of
sports, and around the world. The doping spotlight
has been shone on Olympic athletes for years, and now professional sports,
leagues, and athletes can no longer hide in the shadows
either.
Leading the fight against doping in sports is Dick Pound, the chair of the World
Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Controversial,
outspoken, and reviled by those he seeks to expose and bring to account, Pound
is the authority in the world on doping in sports.
According to Pound, doping is “one of the most important and difficult problems
that sport will have to overcome in the future.” It
goes to the core of the ideals that we hold about sport, our heroes, and what
parents want for their children. No longer an issue
that can be ignored by any country or any sport, doping is a growing problem,
extending far beyond the world of sports to touch on
much broader social issues.
Never shy of the issues or his critics, Pound takes on tough subjects in Inside
Dope with his usual straight talk and candor, as
well as a fiery passion for upholding the ideals of fair play in an intensely
competitive environment.
Inside Dope tackles the issue of doping in sports: why it has become such a
problem; the role of big business and drug companies;
the complicity of coaches, doctors and trainers; testing and the battle to stay
ahead of the users; WADA as the world’s watchdog;
setting standards and the future of doping and sports.
At times damning, sometimes revealing, at others prescriptive, but always honest
and outspoken, Inside Dope is an important
contribution to the debate on performance-enhancing drugs in sport and gives a
rare inside view on the business, the personalities,
and the issues behind the greatest challenge facing the world of sports.
Buy the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0470837330/runnersweb/102-0182896-9006569\
?v=glance&s=books

For more publications 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. Proprioceptive cues:
Proprioceptive cues are images and other sensory cues that enable you to modify
your running stride for the better as you think
about them while running. I have used proprioceptive cues in my training for the
past four years and have found that they really
work.
Using proprioceptive cues effectively requires concentration and discipline. Our
natural tendency is to let our thoughts wander
aimlessly while running. If you're serious about improving your stride, you must
fight this tendency by forcing yourself to
concentrate on and execute a particular proprioceptive cue for hundreds of
consecutive strides.
The stride improvements that proprioceptive cues facilitate do not happen
overnight, because the motor patterns that underlie your
current stride habits are deeply ingrained, to the point of being almost
completely automatic.
You'll get the best results from proprioceptive cues if you use one at a time
throughout the entire length of a run and you use them
generally at least three times a week every week. Because proprioceptive cues
require you to use your muscles differently than they
are accustomed to being used, certain muscles may fatigue more quickly, so it's
best to begin using each specific proprioceptive cue
only during short recovery runs.
It's not necessary to "master" the stride change associated with any given cue
before moving on to other cues. In fact, no matter
how perfect your stride becomes, you can still benefit from using each cue
regularly as a reminder to keep your form sharp,
especially when you're fatigued. Therefore, I recommend that you cycle through
the following cues in an endless rotation, never
neglecting any one of them for long.
More...from Active.com at:
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=13668&sidebar=13


2. Progression Runs: Flexible marathon training alternatives:
It’s true, most runners love structure. There are countless training programs,
workouts, etc that offer and promote such beloved
precision and planning.
They detail exactly what pace to run at, for how long and on what terrain; often
ensuring dependence on training assistants, sports
watches and heart-rate monitors.
Although such training can be effective, it can also be very beneficial to take
a break from such rigidity. These workouts offer
freedom, alleviate a lot of the stress inherent to traditional training runs and
will enable you to become more in tune with your
body.
One example is the progression run. The concept is quite simple: You start out
at a slow pace to give your body the sensation of
embarking on a relaxing run. Complete relaxation and diaphragmatic breathing is
the only focus. This allows the runner to unleash
their inner speed. Progression runs can vary in duration, frequency and
intensity - but all of them stick to the theme of a
progressively, faster pace.
According to exercise physiologist Greg McMillan, this type of run can benefit
anyone, from seasoned veteran marathoners who might
be a little stuck in their training methods to the newcomer who have very little
experience with ulterior training methods. McMillan
explains:
More...from Reuters at:
http://today.reuters.com/News/ArticleBlog.aspx?type=healthNews&w1=B7ovpm21IaDoL4\
0ZFnNfGe&w2=B8kvecPa11hc9lKHEnu7ZUN&src=blogBurst_he
althNews&bbPostId=CzCid93BensRNB4AgKqmkG4GIBDYH4Rs11CslCzErqAQRMvniX
[Multi-line URL]


3. Triathlon: The Ideal HR for IM Racing:
By Coach Mike Ricci
From the Mailbag:
A question for the first timers, or seasoned Ironman finishers who are familiar
with HR zones for first timer: What is the ideal HR
zone for the Bike & Run portion of a full IM for someone just hoping to finish?
I was thinking it is high Z2 and low Z3. And what is
the BPM difference between Bike and Run LT HR zones?
Answer:
While training for an Ironman race – most of our training should be done in Zone
2 – this is the ‘Endurance Zone’ – and where we can
sustain an even heart rate for the longest amount of time. Why? When our heart
rate is about 20-30 beats below our Race Pace HR or
Lactate Threshold, we are tapping into the biggest resource we have for fuel –
fat. When we are above this HR and into Zone 3, we
are tapping into more of our glycogen stores for fuel and this supply will not
last very long – maybe two to three hours at most
before it needs to be restocked. The glycogen is a limited supply of fuel, while
fat is limitless. Zone 3 efforts should be reserved
for the final miles of a Half Ironman or even a marathon in a well conditioned
athlete. But going into Zone 3 in an Ironman for an
athlete who is racing for longer than 11 hours, would be a big mistake.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20061219_D3_IMHR.html


4. Cold injuries: How to protect your performance as well as your health against
the chill winds of winter:
Exercising and competing in cold weather conditions poses fewer risks to health
and performance than working in extreme heat – as
the elite athletes attending this year’s Olympic Games in the torrid heat of the
Athenian summer can attest with feeling.
However, there are a number of environmental threats to guard against and a
variety of ways to safeguard your performance as well as
your health in the less-than-perfect conditions.
The human temperature is tightly controlled to within about 1°C either side of
37°C (core temperature) or 33°C (skin temperature),
although it is possible to survive a fall in core temperature of around 10°C and
an increase of about 6°C(1). The balance between
heat gained and heat lost is tightly regulated to maintain thermal homeostasis,
or balance.
During exercise, the two most powerful challenges to this thermal balance are
metabolic heat production and environmental
conditions.
Metabolic heat production is most likely to vary as a result of muscular
activity, including exercise and shivering. In fact, humans
are only 25% efficient, with 75% of the chemical energy produced during muscular
contraction being lost as heat. This is necessary
because during sustained vigorous exercise heat production can exceed 20
calories per minute. If the body were prevented from losing
any of the heat it produced, a fatal level of heat storage would be reached in
about four hours at rest and after just 25 minutes of
moderate exercise!
The primary aim of the body’s thermoregulatory system is to maintain body
temperature within safe limits. This is achieved by a
complex combination of mechanisms.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/cold-injuries.html


5. It really is possible to exercise too much:
Robert Irwin boosted his running to 128 kilometres a week when he was in his
20s. It felt good, until it started feeling bad.
"I really started to break down," said Irwin, now 34. "I got plantar fasciitis
in both my feet, ended up getting bone spurs. I had a
really bad hamstring that hampered me for a couple of years."
Irwin, now a chiropractor in suburban New York, dialled down his workouts to
about half that. He worked his way back up over the
years to a more manageable 112 kilometres a week - with breaks when needed.
Irwin found out that, yes, it really is possible to exercise too much.
Overzealous exercisers can run their way to stress fractures, spin their way to
insomnia or even overdo it to the point their immune
systems are compromised.
The danger is real for both tip-top athletes and middle-agers trying to work off
the holiday paunch. Problem is, the line defining
when exercise becomes risky is a blurry one. There are different thresholds for
different people. But medical experts work off some
general guidelines.
"The real sweet spot, as you would expect there to be in any biologic system, is
around an hour a day," said Dr Mehmet Oz, a surgeon
at Columbia University and co-author of You: The Owner's Manual. "After that,
it's hard to show a great benefit."
More...from The Age at:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/too-much-of-a-good-thing/2006/12/16/11661623\
66214.html


6. Tips on Exercising in the Cold:
Russell R. Pate, Ph.D.
Exercising in cold weather is a fact of life for many athletes. For some, such
as cross-country runners and baseball players, low
temperatures are an unwelcome element in late-season competitions or off-season
training. For other athletes, including Nordic
skiers and ice skaters, cold weather is an essential element of the sport.
Regardless of its specific role in a sport, cold weather can profoundly affect
the physiological responses to exercise. In some
cases, it can present a significant health risk. Coaches and trainers must be
prepared to help their athletes overcome the hazards
associated with cold.
BODY RESPONSE TO COLD
Like all warm-blooded animals, humans must maintain an internal body temperature
close to 98.6F (37C). During exposure to a cold
environment, the normal body temperature is maintained by increasing heat
production and/or reducing the rate of heat loss (heat
conservation).
Heat production can be increased by voluntary exercise or by shivering, which is
caused by involuntary muscle contractions.
Heat conservation is accomplished behaviorally by adding clothing or
physiologically by constricting the vessels that carry blood to
the skin and to regions of the body such as the ears, feet, and hand.
BODY RESPONSE TO EXERCISE IN COLD
The effect of cold on exercise performance depends largely on the severity of
the cold and the nature of the exercise. With
endurance exercise, exposure to extreme cold reduces both the athlete's core
body temperature and maximal aerobic power (VO2max),
impairing the athlete's performance.
Moderate cold exposure, however, may actually produce a positive effect.
Research has shown that the performance of endurance
exercise is enhanced by cooler environmental conditions and by treatments such
as brief pre-exercise cold showers. Indeed, record
performances during long-distance running and cycling are usually achieved in
cool climatic conditions.
More...from the Sport Factory at:
http://thesportfactory.com/site/trainingnews/coldexercisetips.shtml


7. What Do You Mean by Speed?
High-intensity training can boost your fitness but wield its power judiciously.
By Joe Friel and Eric Schwartz
(This article originally appeared in Inside Triathlon)
How fast do you need to train to optimize your speed? The answer to that
question varies depending upon whom you ask. Some people do
several high-intensity sessions each week, and others do every workout at the
same moderate pace. For a small minority of athletes
one of these two plans may result in success, but the majority of multisport
athletes' workout schedule should fall within these two
extremes. There is no doubt that speed sessions will improve performance, but
how fast and how often should you go hard?
High-intensity training can be defined as anaerobic, or above lactate threshold,
workouts. Aerobic work is done at an effort below
your lactate threshold. If you use a heart-rate monitor you can develop a good
estimate of your lactate threshold (the training
intensity at which you produce lactic acid more quickly than your body is able
to flush it) by doing a hard 30-minute cycling or
running time trial when you are rested. Determine your average heart rate over
the last 20 minutes of the workout ¾ it will be close
to your lactate-threshold heart rate. Note that you should perform tests on both
the bike and run as your LT will differ for each
sport.
Finding the balance
For most athletes, races under one hour will rely primarily on the anaerobic
system ¾ that is, you will be racing above your LT.
However, races longer than two hours are almost exclusively sub-LT efforts.
Ironman-distance racing typically occurs substantially
below lactate threshold.
Too much high-intensity training greatly increases the risk of illness, burnout
and overtraining and such efforts require more
recovery time as they temporarily break down the body. But with adequate rest
the body will overcompensate and recover, leading to
greater fitness.
More...from Endurance One at:
http://enduranceone.com/articleshowfast.html


8. MoD tests drugs for ‘supertroops’:
THE Ministry of Defence has been testing controversial drugs aimed at making
military personnel stronger, faster-thinking and
quicker at recovering from fatigue.
The drugs — some banned from Olympic sports — range from modafinil, which raises
the IQ, to creatine, used by bodybuilders.
Defence scientists have also been experimenting with prescription sedatives like
temazepam and diazepam, aimed at helping soldiers
get vital sleep between bouts of combat. And they have looked at pemoline, a
drug designed to help children concentrate.
Details of the experiments emerged after a researcher from Qinetiq, one of the
contractors doing the testing, was asked to give
evidence to MPs. “There is a lot of research funded by the MoD into substances
like modafinil, ephedrine, those types of things,”
Anna Casey told a select committee investigating drug misuse in sport. “It does
not mean such substances are being used
(operationally) but it does mean they are keeping an open mind.”
More...from the Times Online at:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2509065,00.html


9. Reasons why muscles can get twitchy after workouts:
Janet Cromley; Jeannine Stein
Q: Why, after an intense run or session on the stepmill, is there involuntary
twitching in my leg muscles, especially my calves?
A: Post-exercise twitching, which can be likened to low-grade cramping, is very
common, especially in the calves, hamstrings and
quadriceps, says Dr. John Su, a sports medicine physician at UCLA. There are
several possible explanations.
The twitching could be caused by insufficient energy in the muscles. Muscles
need adequate energy for proper contraction and
relaxation, and a specific balance of electrolytes (such as sodium, potassium,
calcium and magnesium) to regulate electrical signals
governing contraction of the muscles. If either of these needs aren't met, "then
you may get a cramp or twitching," Su says.
Some suggest there may be a neural component to cramping and twitching, says
Joel Stager, a kinesiology professor at Indiana
University in Bloomington. After intensive activity, the recovery process takes
some time to be complete. Chemical substances that
act as neural signals causing the muscles to contract must be recycled. Until
they are, the muscle cells remain "irritable" and may
spontaneously contract.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/fitness/la-he-ask18dec18,1,7508170.story?\
coll=la-health-fitness-news


10. Wheels Wheels Wheels:
Wheels, wheels, wheels. It is probably one of the most often asked questions I
get, what wheels should I use in my upcoming race?
Which are fastest? Lightest? Should I use the disc or the deep rim or should I
whip out the Hed 3’s? I can't believe I am even
considering writing this article because I know just how involved and technical
it could become if I tried to go over every possible
scenario and type of course and the ins and outs of aerodynamic drag and how it
all relates to the gazillion wheel offerings out
there. As always, I will try my best to keep it simple and hopefully, if you are
in the market for some cool new wheels, will help
you make the right decision.
First of all, remember, aero race wheels fall under the category of FREE SPEED
(although it's not really free - some wheel sets
might set you back as much as $1500-$2000!!!). Also, realize that even in a best
case scenario, the very most aero wheel set might
drop 3-4 minutes from your current 40k time trial personal best (but probably
more like 1-2 minutes) if you are now using a basic
set of box rims with 32-36 spokes. Extrapolate that over the distance of an
Ironman bike course and the numbers start to sound very
impressive and very much worth every penny invested if you are on the bubble for
one of those Kona slots. The faster you already are
- the more aero wheels are going to help you – if you currently ride at speeds
less than about 17 mph, aero wheels are not going to
help as much as if you currently ride 28+ mph.
Without any constraints on budget, you could have a "quiver" of wheels from
which to choose for any course or condition you might
encounter. With lots of constraints on budget, however, you might be considering
a single wheel, or at most, an ?all purpose? pair
that is sturdy, reliable and can be used on any course in any conditions and
possibly even for training as well as racing. One thing
to remember is that the front wheel is the most important wheel as far as
aerodynamics goes but it is also the most affected by
crosswinds.
There are many factors that affect the price you will pay for a specific wheel
and there is some basic truth to the saying – you get
what you pay for?. It seems to me that weight is probably the single most
considered factor when an athlete is purchasing anything
bike related and that includes wheels, for sure. But don’t look at weight (or
aerodynamics) alone - look at hub design, braking
surfaces and structural integrity. Some wheels are virtually bomb proof AND very
fast (but not necessarily the lightest) while
others are, well, let’s just say not very fast if you have to pull out of the
race or stop and wait for a wheel change from neutral
support.
More...from Jeff Devlin at:
http://www.jeffdevlin.com/articles.php


11. The Science of Carbohydrate Loading:
A valid connection between hypoglycemia, fatigue and premature termination of
exercise been firmly established and therefore
carbohydrate loading is a proven form of boosting running endurance in prolonged
events lasting more than two hours in duration.
While there are various methods of carbo-loading, the process basically involves
consuming large quantities of carbohydrate-rich
food in order to saturate the body’s carbohydrate stores. It is proposed that
with these increased energy stores, the competitor
will be able to avoid exercise-induced hypoglycemia and continue exercising
longer than if this saturation process had not occurred.
This article aims to further explain how to perform carbohydrate loading and the
reasoning behind its practice.
The human body is able to store carbohydrates for energy use in the liver and
the muscles in the form of a substance known as
glycogen. This carbohydrate store is basically human "starch" and is able to be
quickly broken down to fuel the muscles during high
intensity exercise (muscle glycogen) and to maintain blood glucose levels (liver
glycogen). In the unloaded/non-carbohydrate
saturated state, an untrained individual consuming an average diet (45%
carbohydrate) is able to store approximately 100 grams (g)
of glycogen in the liver, whereas muscle is able to store about 280g.
More...from Marathon Training - The State of the Art at:
http://marathontraining.com/articles/art_39th.htm


12. Working your heart:
How hard do I have to workout? How far do I have to go? I workout 2 hours every
other day of the week and I still can’t lose those
last 10 pounds. Why do I keep getting injured when I try to run? These are all
questions and comments people make about their
training that seems to have no simple solution.
I want to give you that solution. It’s called a heart rate monitor. Whether your
goal is to win a race or just live a long healthy
life, using a heart rate monitor is the single most valuable tool you can have
in your training equipment arsenal. And using one in
the way I am going to describe will not only help you shed those last few
pounds, but will enable you to do it without either
killing yourself in training or starving yourself at the dinner table.
I came from a swimming background, which in the 70’s and 80’s when I competed
was a sport that lived by the “No Pain, No Gain”
motto. My coach would give us workouts that were designed to push us to our
limit every single day. I would go home dead, sleep as
much as I could, then come back the next day for another round of punishing
interval sets.
It was all I knew. So, when I entered the sport of triathlon in the early
1980’s, my mentality was to go as hard as I could at some
point in every single workout I did. And to gauge how fast that might have to
be, I looked at how fast the best triathletes were
running at the end of the short distance races. Guys like Dave Scott, Scott
Tinley and Scott Molina were able to hold close to 5
minute miles for their 10ks after swimming and biking!
More...from Xtri.com at:
http://www.xtri.com/article.asp?id=1916


13. iPod trainer can be just as tough:
Yoga stretches into tech world Downloadable workouts offer four- to six-week
exercise routines.
These days, it's hard to strut into a gym and not find people plugged into ear
buds, whether they're pumping iron to their favourite
tunes or pounding the treadmill to the nightly news podcast.
It was really only a matter of time before someone saw the light and recognized
the demand for digital iPod workout programs.
That idea came to physiotherapist Declan Condron in April 2005 when he drew
exercises with stick people to show his friend Craig
Schlossberg how to stay fit on vacation.
That's when he realized that working out didn't need to come with all the
baggage of carrying around pages of exercises.
PumpOne was born.
PumpOne is a series of complete illustrated workouts on the Net that can be
downloaded onto any video-enabled iPod, MP3 player or
PDA.
The programs give fitness buffs and newbies alike a routine of exercises to
follow for four to six weeks. Programs are priced from
$19 U.S.
Neither a newbie nor a buff, it has taken me a lot more over the years to get my
butt to the gym.
I never had any desire to sweat it out for weeks cross-training or curling my
biceps unless I was motivated to show off a spanking
new pair of sneakers or to finally keep that nagging New Year's resolution.
More...from the Toronto Star at:
http://www.thestar.com/Health/article/150868


14. Lab Report: Essential Ingredients IX:
Developing your own training plan.
The start of the new year is an opportunity and a challenge. Whether your
running attains new heights in 2007 is largely up to your
willingness to plan to improve your performance. Effective planning begins by
being aware of your strengths and weaknesses,
determining what you want to achieve, and understanding the process involved in
making your goals a reality. You need clear goals, a
racing plan, a training plan, and a supplementary training and recovery plan.
World-class coaches and athletes go through these
steps at this time of year, as should anyone who wants to optimize performance.
What do you want to accomplish in 2007?
Your first step is to establish goals for the coming year. Sport psychologists
recommend stating goals in terms of performance (such
as "to run at least five days a week during January and February") rather than
outcome (such as "to win my age group"). The
advantage of performance goals is that most of the necessary factors to achieve
your goal are within your control, whereas with
outcome goals, major aspects of reaching your goal (e.g., the efforts of other
runners) are not, which can lead to anxiety and
frustration.
To be truly motivating, your goals should be specific and measurable, have a
time limit, and be challenging yet achievable. Such
goals focus your efforts much better than vague goals such as "to become a
better runner." To provide motivation, there can be no
question afterwards as to whether you reached your goal. Examples of specific
and measurable goals are "to run under 40 minutes for
10K by the end of the summer," or "to run a minimum of 30 miles per week for
each of the next six weeks."
Challenging yet achievable goals are great motivators. Easy or outlandish goals,
on the other hand, will not provide the motivation
to roll out of bed on a rainy morning. Set goals that you have a realistic
chance of achieving within a time frame that provides
motivation for your training.
More...from the Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/rt/articles/?id=9549


15. Warm Up Activity : The dynamic alternative to static stretching:
Strength and conditioning coaches and trainers are engaged in a constant search
for the best ways to improve sport performance. All
things being equal, a bigger, faster, stronger, more conditioned athlete will
rule supreme on the playing court or field. While
there is constant debate over techniques for boosting sport specific speed,
power and strength, I believe we tend to overlook the
importance of a comprehensive warm-up, and the role it plays in optimising
performance in each and every workout, practice and game,
writes Alan Stein.
This leads to the obvious question: what is the best way to prepare an athlete
for performance – mentally as well as physically? For
many years the accepted norm has been to perform a light warm-up followed by
some static stretching. In fact, almost anywhere in the
world you will see athletes – from schoolchildren to elite competitors –
starting their practice sessions with ‘a couple of laps’
and some light stretching. So ingrained is this type of routine in almost every
coach’s head that it tends to go unquestioned.
But is this approach really beneficial? Does it adequately prepare an athlete
for the workout ahead? Is there a better way? I
believe there is. In my view, an active or ‘dynamic’ warm-up is an infinitely
superior way to prepare for physical activity.
Although this type of warm-up has been used by track and field athletes for
years, it is not widely practised within other sports –
eg football, basketball and baseball – at junior, senior or professional levels.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/warm-up-activity.htm


16. To Avoid ‘Boomeritis,’ Exercise, Exercise, Exercise:
An apology to all baby boomers and beyond: I’m afraid that in our efforts to get
everyone to become physically active, we’ve sold
you a bill of goods. A 30-minute walk on most days is just not enough. There is
much more to becoming — and staying — physically fit
as you age than engaging in regular aerobic activity. (Of course, the same
applies to those younger than 60.)
In addition to activities like walking, jogging, cycling and swimming that
promote endurance, cardiovascular health and weight
control, there is a dire need for exercises that improve posture and increase
strength, flexibility and balance. These exercises can
greatly reduce the risk of injuries from sports and endurance activities, the
demands of daily life, falls and other accidents.
Musculoskeletal injuries are now the No. 1 one reason for seeking medical care
in the United States. And falls, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention reported last month, have become the leading
cause of injury deaths for men and women 65 and older.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/19/health/19brody.html?_r=1&ref=fitnessandnutriti\
on&oref=slogin


17. Vegetarian diets, when properly planned, provide all the nutrients you need:
Question: I am a vegetarian. Should I add meat to my diet if I want to train
hard?
Answer: No, meat is not needed in your diet to support intense training.
Misconceptions regarding exercise and the vegetarian diet
are widespread, and I will clear these up for you.
A vegetarian diet is defined as one that does not include meat, fish or fowl. A
lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet includes dairy products
and eggs but no meat. Vegetarian diets, when properly planned, provide all the
nutrients you need, and help prevent and treat
disease. Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits, including
lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol and animal
protein as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium,
folate and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E.
Vegetarians tend to be leaner than nonvegetarians, have lower blood cholesterol
and blood pressure levels, and suffer less from
heart disease, type 2 diabetes and prostate and colon cancer.
More...from the Citizen-Times at:
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006612190312


18. Female athletes at risk from obsessive exercise routines:
Exercise makes you healthier, right?
We have heard quite enough about the health benefits of exercising. So, you'd
say, the more I exercise the better. But Susan, would
not agree with that (after exercising too much and eating too little). She loved
sports and challenges, registered for a state high
school triathlon taking place in eight months later and started training right
away. Her coach encouraged her to lose a "little
weight."
"As you feel lighter," he said, "you'll perform better."
Susan started counting calories. To her amusement, she lost eight pounds in just
a few weeks.
She was flabbergasted with the upbeat comments coming from her pals about both
her looks and performance on the track. Susan wasn't
that popular before and she wanted more and more of the good stuff.
With time, losing weight didn't seem to be happening as easily. Susan said to
herself, perhaps I should train a little harder. So,
she started to get home every day after hours of schoolwork and conscientious
training, to do one or two more hours of sit-ups,
squats, crunches, dumbbells and bike. During the weekends, she tried to run at
least three extra miles. She also decided to skip
morning snacks and dinner. To avoid her mom's worrisome advice, she found ways
to pretend she was eating properly. Her trainer was
so proud of Susan's performance in local competitions that he started to imagine
her winning this triathlon.
More...from the Naples Sun Times at:
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=2605&dept_id=564185&newsid=17608571&PAG=4\
61&rfi=9


19. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine:
* How to Exercise with Back Pain
People with back pain need to exercise as much as everyone else, but they need
to choose their sports carefully. Running, jogging,
or any sport that requires jumping are usually
poor choices. The bones of your spine are located one on top of the other,
separated by pads called discs. Bones are much harder
than discs, so when spinal bones are compressed and move closer together, they
can flatten the discs like pancakes. Since the discs
are shorter, they have to go somewhere else, so they widen and press on the
nerves near them, causing pain. This is called a
herniated disc. Anything that presses the bones closer together squashes the
disc further and usually makes it hurt more. During
running or jumping, the force of the foot striking the ground is transmitted up
the leg to the back, which can compress the discs
and cause pain.
The best sports for people with back pain are those that do not hurt when you do
them. Riding a bicycle, walking or swimming do not
exert a jarring force on the discs to compress
them, so these exercises are recommended for people with back pain as long they
don't hurt while they exercise. Doctors often
recommend special exercises to flatten the lower back, strengthen the belly
muscles and stretch the lower back muscles. The key to
exercising when you have a compressed disc is to stop exercising when you feel
pain. You may need to try several different
activities to find the right one for you.
* Dear Dr. Mirkin: How much do I need to exercise to lose weight?
A: In one recent study, researchers asked people to walk and count an extra 2000
steps each day (Journal of Human Nutrition &
Dietetics, August 2006). This is really a minimal
amount of exercise. They also kept complete food diaries. They lost weight and
did not increase their food intake. When you start
an exercise program, your appetite may increase, but this will not increase your
caloric intake to equal the extra calories that you
burn. For example, if you burn 600 calories with added exercise, you may take in
200 calories extra and you will lose weight.
Exercise helps you lose weight by raising your metabolism so you burn more
calories for several hours after you finish exercising.
However, only vigorous exercise that increases
body temperature and makes you sweat will increase your metabolism enough to
continue burning more calories after you finish.
Overweight is a major cause of premature death and increases risk for heart
attacks, strokes, cancers and arthritis. If you are out
of shape and want to lose weight, get a stress cardiogram and ask your doctor to
clear you for an exercise program. Start slowly
and then gradually increase the intensity of your exercise over several months.
From dr. Gabe Mirkin at:
http://www.drmirkin.com/


20. Artificial Sweeteners...or Sugar?
As we start the New Year, here's some advice for all calorie watchers. The next
time you reach for a packet of yellow, pink or blue
stuff to sweeten your morning coffee, stop and think about how many calories
that artificial sweetener is saving you. Ninety? One
hundred? The truth is, sugar has just 15 calories per teaspoon.
We're always wary of claims made by special interest groups who sponsor their
own research, but this particular study raised our
eyebrows. In research conducted in October 2006, The Sugar Association found
that the majority of consumers thought sugar contained
a whopping 70 calories per teaspoon. That's a huge difference from 15.
How did we become so misinformed? Have all the sugar-free products, artificial
sweeteners, anti-sugar diets and sugar-buster books
biased our perception?
While neither a large amount of sugar or any sweetener, for that matter, is
particularly good for your health, our society has a
collective sweet tooth. Sugar and its replacements are not going anywhere soon.
Thus, it's important to understand the caloric
impact of sweeteners on your diet.
Browse any supermarket and you'll find sugar-free or less sugar products in
almost every category, from jams and jellies to ice
cream, cookies, bread, salad dressings and cereals. Recently, the Associated
Press asked five nutrition scientists to evaluate newly
introduced "reduced sugar" kids cereals. The scientists found that the reduced
sugar version of popular kid's cereals provided no
reduction in calories or improved nutritional content over the regular sugar
versions. The replacement ingredients provided the
necessary bulk and texture to the reduced sugar cereals but offered no
nutritional or calorie advantage.
According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA) 2004 position paper on the
use of nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners,
"Nonnutritive sweeteners added to the diet have been shown to promote a modest
loss of weight.... The prevalence of obesity has
increased substantially at the same time as the consumption of nonnutritive
sweeteners has increased," the ADA also found.
More...from Competitor Magazine at:
http://www.competitor.com/article/?Guid=5152551b-503f-4c8d-85f6-0f56ca587902


21. Exercising the gray cells:
A tough new test of the 'use-it-or-lose-it' theory finds even brief sessions
helped keep elderly sharp for years.
Brief sessions of brain exercise can have long-lasting benefits for elderly
people, helping them stay mentally fit for at least five
years, one of the most rigorous tests of the "use-it-or-lose-it" theory
suggests.
For people age 73, on average, just 10 sessions helped keep their brains sharp.
The brain training involved hour-long classes and included exercises done on a
computer. While it is uncertain whether similar
results would occur with mental exercise done at home, other research has shown
that intellectual tasks such as crossword puzzles
and reading can help keep the brain sharp as people grow old.
The study is "the toughest test of these hypotheses to date," said Jeff Elias,
chief of cognitive aging at the behavioral science
research branch of the National Institute on Aging, which helped pay for the
$15-million study.
The study, which appears in yesterday's Journal of the American Medical
Association, was led by Sherry Willis, a human-development
professor at Penn State University.
More...from NewsDay at:
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hsbrai215023538dec21,0,550617.story?coll=n\
y-health-print


22. A Two-Wheeled Love Affair:
When your passion about something or someone runs deep, you’ll often find
yourself scaling great heights—and enduring the deepest of
lows. My love of cycling has been the former type of journey, giving me the
highest of highs. Although the journey continues today,
its genesis can be found in the form of a brown bike from Sears and Roebuck.
The brown bike had no pride, no fear, and no preconceived notions about how
often or far it should have been ridden. Purchased by my
parents as my first “ten speed” (a quantum leap in technology from my one-speed
kid bike), its slender steel handlebars were covered
with a shiny vinyl brown tape that almost matched its 1970s brown paint job.
Adding to its mystique and style were the white racing
stripes and logos that were layered down its frame, giving bystanders what I
imagined as the illusion of Indy car-like speeds.
Although “Brownie” knew no fear, its rider was intimately familiar with the
emotion, so Brownie was eased into service, its brakes
tested on hearty Midwestern hills. Neither clipless pedals nor toe clips were a
gleam in Brownie’s eyes, and her rough pedal
platforms demanded good sneakers. Brownie’s tires received regular feedings from
the corner gas station’s air hose, with estimates
for air pressure based on a non-technical sidewall finger squeeze.
You remember your first bike, don’t you? When mine came along, I found myself no
longer bound by the limits of my walking shoes.
More...from Competitor Magazine at:
http://www.competitor.com/article/?Guid=94798297-ad58-4ca5-be86-ad65a89377c6


23. A Grand Total:
How important is a year-end goal with time is almost up?
December 31. 11:08 p.m. I settle in beneath my comforter and reach over to the
nightstand for my running log. Most people are out
reveling, preparing to ring in the New Year with champagne and confetti. I've
already sipped my bubbly and shot off party poppers
with the kids. Now that they're tucked into bed, I'm ready for my favorite
year-end ritual: musing over 12 months' worth of running.
In early December, I'd done a preliminary tally and figured out how much I had
to run before January to reach my annual goal of
2,000 miles. Oh, the final push had taken some doing-a two-a-day here, an extra
loop there-but I'd managed to hit the magic number a
full day early.
Or maybe not. When I add up this month's figures, I don't get 2,000 for the
year. I get 1,997.
This has to be a mistake. I flip back through my log and count up my miles all
over again. 1,997. I glance at the clock. 11:26-34
minutes till New Year's. I tell my wife about my miscalculation.
"You're not thinking of going out and running?" she asks, knowing that's exactly
what I'm thinking. "Nah," I say, pulling the covers
up to my chin. "I mean, 2,000-that's just a random number. What does it matter
anyway?"
A good question, really. I'm not quite sure how 2,000 became the brass ring.
Maybe because I first started keeping a log in 1999,
and wanted to hit 2,000 by year 2000. It probably also had something to do with
the fact that I was required to bill 2,000 hours
when I worked at a New York law firm. But most of all, I think I picked 2,000
because of its nice, round quality-like the
four-minute mile or the three-hour marathon.
More...from Runner's World at:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-297--11153-0,00.html?cm_mmc=Ex\
tra%20NL-_-2006_12_21-_-Motivation-_-A%20Grand%20Tot
al
[Long URL]


24. Pregnancy Weight Training: Pregnancy, strength and fitness:
The theory that pregnancy, being a form of graduated weight training, actually
improves subsequent performance in women has been
dealt a blow by a major new US study suggesting that both fitness and strength
decline significantly during pregnancy and are still
not fully restored six months after birth.
The study was set up to examine the pregnancy-related changes in physical
activity, fitness and strength in women of varying BMIs
(body mass index – or the relationship of weight to height). A cohort of 124
moderately active healthy women were recruited to the
study, of whom 76 became pregnant and 63 were followed up until 27 weeks
postpartum. Of these, 17 had a low BMI (ie were of low
weight in relation to their height), 34 had a normal BMI and 12 a high BMI.
The women were assessed before pregnancy and at six and 27 weeks postpartum for
body composition, self-reported physical activity,
fitness (VO2max, as measured by maximal oxygen consumption test on a cycle
ergometer) and strength (as measured by a one-repetition
maximum test on leg press, leg extension, bench press and latissimus pull-down).
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/pregnancy-weight-training.htm


25. Digest Briefs:
* Strength Training Helps Distance Runners:
Source: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Summary:
Female distance runners were divided into 2 groups: endurance training only, and
endurance training with strength training added
There was no change in either group in aerobic capacity (VO2max) or body
composition after the 10-week program
Only the endurance plus strength training group improved running economy (oxygen
consumption at a given speed)
Conclusion:
Strength training added to endurance training can improve running economy, and
potentially performance, in female runners.
* Marathon Running Doesn't Hurt Cardiac Function:
Source: Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
Summary:
Researchers examined effects of marathon running on markers of cardiac damage
Runners were tested 2-5 days before the race, at the finish, and 24-36 hours
after
Markers did not indicate damage and although LV systolic function was reduced at
the end of the race it returned to resting levels
after 24-36 hr
Conclusion:
Marathon running does not damage the hearts of healthy individuals



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.

December 31, 2006:
Emerald Nuts Midnight Run - New York, NY

January 19-21, 2007:
Mark Allen Triathlon Clinic
http://home.cogeco.ca/~geordiem/triathlonottawa/2007/home.htm

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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Runner's Web
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bid=0

Your very own personal trainer at a fraction of the cost
http://www.cartville.com/app/?af=473063

Check out TotalWellness's mp3 Personal Training Program - only 5% the Cost of
Regular Personal Training!
http://www.totalwellnessconsulting.ca/fitter_u_totalwellness.htm

Geezer Jock Magazine, The Masters Sports & Fitness Magazine
http://www.geezerjock.com/index.cfm?affID=runnersweb

Athletes, Coaches, Trainers and Physio's
...new software designs unlimited stretching routines with ease!
Design unlimited stretching routines today, starting from scratch, in under 60
seconds!
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/cmd.php?af=245575&u=http://www.thestretchin\
ghandbook.com/products/instantstretch.htm

Mental Strength Training Center:
http://www.memberstar.com/redir_a.php?LFAId=1027

National Bike Registry
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=vVGS2V*0iZg&offerid=21387&type=3&sub\
id=0

Axill
Sony vs Panasonic:
http://www.axill.com/trackingcode.aspx?affid=8001&pid=1762&bid=4677&c=8001

Buy Paula Radcliffe's book, My Story - So Far, from Amazon UK at:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/074325242X/runnersweb-21

Endurance Films
Triathlon Training DVDs
https://endurancefilms.hivelocity.net/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_C\
ode=EF&Affiliate=runnersweb

Instant Stretching Routines
Design unlimited stretching routines today, starting from scratch, in under 60
seconds!
http://www.instantstretchingroutines.com/cgi-bin/a.cgi?a=runnersweb

ShoeWallet.com has set out on a mission to enable people to easily carry ID and
medical information at all times. Basically, anyone
who is out on the roads or trails needs a convenient place to carry this vital
information.
http://store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/clink?joggerscompanion+pXgxpm+index.html+

SportsShoes in the UK
http://www.sportsshoes.com/index.php?id=149

Visit on AssociatesShop.com Online Bookstore for running and triathlon books:
http://associatesshop.filzhut.de/shop/index.php?ID=90c9f271c1a519abc4a69299be707\
5a9

LX Sport - Leading Edge Sports Products for Women.
"We strive hard to bring you the best fitness and sports products on the market
that we can find. Our product range is constantly
evolving"
http://www.lxsport.com/products.php?PARTNER=runnersweb. Use the promotion code
"RWEB".
This application was recently featured on National TV - please see the following
link:
http://easylink.playstream.com/networknewssource/hdo/onlinetrainer.wvx

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
http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-2141789-10440258

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
* Play the entire video from start to finish.
Buy the DVD at:
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/cgi-bin/at.pl?a=286905&e=products/video-dvd\
.htm


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