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
our daily news, features, polls, trivia, bulletin boards and more. General
questions should be posted to one of our forums available
from our FrontPage.

SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS:
All of the revenue from our advertisers and affiliates goes to support clubs,
athletes and clinics related to multisport and
Canadian Olympians.

1. Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women:
** Nicole Stevenson of Toronto, the winner of last year's RunnersWeb5K.com Race
for Women will return this year to defend her title.
Sra Dillabaugh, who placed third last year, has also signed up for this year's
race.**
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

ASSOCIATIONS:
The Runner's Web is a member of Running USA, The National Professional
Organization for the Running Industry.
http://www.runningusa.org/

NEW SUBSCRIBERS:
Check the "New Subscribers' note at the bottom of the newsletter

Check out our RSS auto-feeds page for automated news updates:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/rw_auto_feeds.html

Webmasters:
Get our Syndicated headlines for your site.
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/rw_getRSS.html
Add the Runner's Web News feed to your site through a simple JavaScript.
Check out OnTri.com's implementation at:
http://www.ontri.com/runnersweb.html
The Runner's and Triathlete's Web Digest is now available through an RSS feed
for myYahoo at:
http://e.my.yahoo.com/config/cstore?.opt=content&.url=http%3a//rss.groups.yahoo.\
com/group/RunnersWeb/rss
[Long URL]
The Digest is also available through other RSS Readers on request.

Get the Runner's Web News Feed via email from Squeet.com. Sign up at:
http://www.squeet.com/?FeedURL=http://www.runnersweb.com/running/RW_RSSNews.xml

Get the Runner's Web button for the Google Toolbar 4 for Internet Explorer from
the link on our FrontPage at:
http://www.runnersweb.com . We have added a button for Lauren Groves,
Triathlete.

If anyone is looking for a web mail provider, you might wish to consider
Google's GMail. Currently you can get GMail by invitation
only from a current user. My stock of "invites" has been replenished. If you are
interested in getting FREE GMail account, contact
me at: mailto:kparker@... .

Race Directors:
Advertise your event on the Runner's Web.
For more information:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/rw_advertising.html
You can also list your events for free in our Interactive Calendars and on our
Marathons, Races and Triathlons pages.

THIS WEEK:
If you feel you have something to say (related to triathlon or running) that is
worthy of a Guest Column on the Runner's Web, email
us at: mailto:webmaster@... or leave your comments in one of our
Forums at: http://www.runnersweb.com/running/forum.html
or from our FrontPage.

We have 2,273 subscribers as of publication time. Forward the Runner's Web
Digest to a friend and suggest
that they subscribe
at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RunnersWeb/join .

RUNNER'S AND TRIATHLETE'S WEB CONTENT PARTNERS

ACTIVE.COM
RunnersWeb.com has teamed up with Active Trainer coaches to offer training
programs that are a balance of aerobic, anaerobic and
cross-training workouts. These training programs are built to get people of all
levels across the finish line. From the first timer
to the seasoned veteran you will find the right training plan for you. Good luck
with your training and we will see you at the
finish line.
Training Log and Analysis:
Log your daily workouts and monitor your progress along the way.
Getting Started:
Set a realistic goal for training. Review the list of training programs
developed by Active Trainer Coaches. Select the program that
best matches your current training schedule. If you have been inactive, select a
conservative schedule to assure success and
decrease the risk of injury. Plug in the start date or the date of your target
race and go! The schedule will automatically be
entered into your log. It is as simple as that...
Training:
Select the daily email to receive your training by the day or log on to your
account and review the entire schedule. Use the
interactive log to enter in valuable training information. The more information
you enter in your personal log, the better. You will
be able to use this information in the future to evaluate performance, keep
track of what works and what doesn't and stay motivated
to see just how far you've come.
Sign up at: www.RunnersWebCoach.com OR
http://training.active.com/ActiveTrainer/listing.do?listing=51

* 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
Visit the PPO site at:
Peak Performance Online:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/cmd.php?af=517509

* 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 .

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 will only post notes here regarding running and triathlon topics of interest
to the community.
We have NO personal postings this week.


THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

1. Science of Sport: Tips for Racing and Training in the Heat and Humidity
2. Over 400,000 Marathon Runners Each Year Are at High Risk for Melanoma - The
Most Dangerous Skin Cancer
3. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine
4. Americans pursuing fitness in well into retirement
Living to 80 or 90 is one thing. But blowing through those benchmarks at full
speed on a bike, in the pool or in running shoes is
quite another.
5. Base Training to Speed Work: Making the Transition
6. Joe Henderson's Running Commentary - Who's Right, Who's Real?
7. Elite coaching special - Marathon world record holder Paul Tergat
8. Overtraining Syndrome
9. 'Good Fat' OK for Heart Attack Patients
10. First Time Marathon Runners - Study Compares Dropouts And Race Finishers -
Motivation Factors Predicted Completion Of Race
11. Proper training pace
12. ACL injuries growing problem for young female athletes
13. Pizza as health food?
14. MRI Helps Identify Older Athletes At Risk For Heart Attack
15. You Are Also What You Drink
16. Contraceptive Pill and Performance
17. Revving Up
Can a performance supplement be legal, healthy, and effective? The Lab Rat pops
a fistful to find out.
18. This Week in Running:
19. Optimum Running Performance and Body Fat Levels
20. Digest Briefs


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"How many miles per week did you average prior to your last marathon?"

You can access the poll from our FrontPage ( http://www.runnersweb.com) as well
as checking the results of previous polls.

LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULTS:
"What is the longest distance you've raced in the past year?"
Answers Percent
1. Mile 3%
2. 5000M 9%
3. 10K 6%
4. 20K 26%
5. Marathon 14%
6. Ultra 3%
7. Sprint Triathlon 0%
8. Olympic Distance Triathlon 6%
9. Ironman 17%
10. Did not race 17%

FIVE STAR SITE OF THE WEEK: British Triathlon.
Welcome to the British Triathlon Federation
The British Triathlon Federation is the national governing body for the sport of
triathlon in Great Britain. The British Triathlon
Federation's members are comprised of Triathlon England, Triathlon Scotland and
Welsh Triathlon. Anyone wishing to partake in
triathlon events is recommended to become a member of their Home Nation
Association and to join a local triathlon club. The benefits
of Home Nation Association membership includes a reduced entry fee to sanctioned
events, worldwide public liability insurance cover,
personal accident cover, legal claims service, bimonthly copies of TriNews,
access to the members-only section of this site as well
as a British Triathlon Federation Handbook and car sticker.
Visit the site at: http://www.britishtriathlon.org/


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


BOOK/VIDEO OF THE MONTH: Marathon Woman: Running the Race to Revolutionize
Women's Sports
By Kathrine Switzer
Book Description
Katherine Switzer ran the Boston Marathon in 1967 where she was attacked by one
of the event's directors who wanted to eject her
from the all-male race. She fought off the director and finished the race.
From the childhood events that inspired her to winning the New York City
Marathon in 1974, this liberally illustrated book details
the struggles and achievements of a pioneering women in sports.
Runner's World:
Kathrine Switzer Has Completed Her Autobiography, "Marathon Woman". The book
will be published by Carroll & Graf. "We will launch at
the Boston Marathon starting on April 12," Switzer has informed her friends. She
became the first woman to officially finish the
Boston Marathon in 1967 after she entered the race as "K. V. Switzer." She later
developed a global women's running circuit for Avon
and campaigned to get a women's marathon in the Olympics. Switzer has been a TV
commentator; she authored "26.2 Marathon Stories"
with her husband, masters running stalwart Roger Robinson.
Order the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786719672/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. Science of Sport: Tips for Racing and Training in the Heat and Humidity:
Nothing will slow you down or stop you like heat and humidity. As the
temperatures rise in Summer, so does the number of
heat-related problems experienced by triathletes. Most experts agree that your
body will acclimatize to heat and humidity - mostly
in the first two to three weeks of exposure, and maximally after about two
months. However there is a genetic limit on how much you
can acclimatize.
We can't all have the genetic gifts and ability that Dave Scott and Mark Allen
had to tolerate the scorching heat and stifling
humidity in the lava fields of Kona! But there are ways to improve the ability
of the body to tolerate extreme temperatures and to
move the process along by cautiously increasing your exposure to heat and
humidity. The payoff will be safer and more tolerable
running, swimming and cycling when training and racing.
Acclimate Your Body First
On the first hot days of late spring, start by prepping your body with a few
bikes and runs during the heat of the day. I would
recommend staying aerobic (below Lactate Threshold) during almost all of your
heat acclimatization training. Do quality sessions
during the cooler morning or evening hours.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20070325_TSO_Heat.html


2. Over 400,000 Marathon Runners Each Year Are at High Risk for Melanoma - The
Most Dangerous Skin Cancer:
Dr. Sam Speron a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon states many runners visit his
office during the summer months as a precautionary
visit and he recommends all marathon runners to see a Plastic Surgeon or
Dermatologist annually.
(PRWeb) March 27, 2007 -- As spring looms around the corner, marathon season
will soon begin to take full force. 400 marathons are
scheduled in 2007 around the country. There will be over 400,000 participants
with an additional 500,000 onlookers creating quite a
crowd. Amongst all the bottled water, ice cream, and pizza served at these
events, there is also an increased risk for everyone
present to develop Melanoma, which is the most dangerous skin cancer.
Melanoma originates in the skin cells which are called melanocytes and create
melanin. Melanin is what gives skin its color and
protects the deeper layers of your skin from UV rays. Essentially if one's skin
receives too much UV light (from the sun or tanning
booths), the melanocytes begin to grow abnormally fast and become cancerous. The
end result is Melanoma.
An Austrian research team studied 210 white male & female marathon runners
against 210 white male & female non-marathon runners.
Each person was given total body skin exams, was surveyed about their habits,
skin cancer family history, sun sensitivity, as well
as observed for traits such as eye color, skin type and change in moles. The
final study results revealed that runners had more
abnormal moles (large, asymmetrical), more lesions suggestive of basal and
squamous cell carcinoma and more solar lentigines (age
spots or liver spots). All of these indicators are high risk factors for
Melanoma.
Dr. Sam Speron a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon states many runners visit his
office during the summer months as a precautionary
visit and he recommends all marathon runners to see a Plastic Surgeon or
Dermatologist annually.
Why would this be true? Obviously runners are exposed to the sun much more than
the average person. First, they train only with
short shirts and shorts which increases their exposure. They train on average
25-45 hours a week. Only a little more than 50% of
marathoners use any form of sunblock. Finally, this high intensity activity
depletes the runners' immune system which makes then
more vulnerable to sun damage.
"The long term skin damage someone in their 20's, 30's, or 40's can do while
running outdoors is not even comprehensible until it is
too late," says Dr. Sam Speron, plastic surgery expert and consumer advocate.
"More education on this topic is desperately needed as
thousands of innocent people are exposed to increase of Melonoma by doing what
they enjoy. The sad thing is that most runners do not
even take proper precautions such as wearing sunblock. It's just like driving
your car down the highway at 80 miles per hour without
a seat belt!"
The initial indication of melanoma is usually a change in the size, shape, or
color of a mole. However, melanoma can also appear on
the body as a new mole. The most common locations are:
In Men:
* On the upper body, between the shoulders and hips
* On the head and neck In Women
* On the lower legs. In Dark-Skinned people:
* Under the fingernails or toenails
* On the palms of the hands
* On the soles of the feet
If you are suspicious that you might have Melanoma or have an oddly shaped mole,
it is always best to seek professional advice. Many
cities and local organizations offer complimentary skin care consultations at
certain times of the year, so check with your local
calendar. If you want a more immediate interaction you should consult with a
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon: Check with the
American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) for a referral in your area
(www.PlasticSurgery.org or 888-4-PLASTIC).
For further information or to have a skin consultation with Dr. Speron please
call us at: 847 696 9900 or visit www.prplastic.com.


3. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine:
* Caffeine Helps in Sprints and Endurance Events
It has been established for more than 50 years that caffeine helps you exercise
longer in events that require endurance. Recently
researchers at Christ Church University in
Canterbury, UK, showed that caffeine also helps you in much shorter events.
Trained cyclists raced one kilometer (0.6 mile) on
three times, in random order, after taking 5 mg of caffeine, taking a placebo,
or taking nothing. Their speed, mean power and peak
power were more than three percent higher after taking caffeine (Journal of
Sports Sciences, November 2006).
Most athletes know that caffeine improves their performance. A recent study from
Griffith University in Queensland, Australia shows
that 90 percent of triathletes used a caffeinated substance immediately prior to
or throughout a competition (International Journal
of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, October 2006). They used cola drinks
(78 percent),
caffeinated gels (42 percent), coffee (37 percent), energy drinks (13 percent),
and caffeine tablets (9 percent).
Caffeine increases endurance by preserving muscle sugar, causing your muscles to
burn far more fat. When your muscles run out of
their stored sugar (glycogen), they hurt and are difficult to coordinate.
Caffeine causes your body to produce more adrenalin that
moves fat from your fat stores into your bloodstream and causes your muscles to
burn more of these fats. Caffeine also helps you
move faster in shorter races because adrenalin makes you more alert and more
aggressive.
* Dear Dr. Mirkin: How can I avoid nerve damage from my bicycle seat?
A: Several recent papers have shown that bicycle riders can suffer nerve damage
that causes impotence in men and decreased pelvic
sensation in both men and women. A paper
from Dartmouth College shows that a rider's position on the bike may be more
important than the type of seat he or she chooses
(British Journal of Urology International, January 2007). Nerve damage comes
from pressure on the internal pudendal nerves that
travel from the sitz bones (ischial tuberosities) forward toward the center of
the pelvic bones. Anything that presses on this
nerve can cause permanent damage. The nose of a bicycle seat is positioned
between the legs and can press on the nerve. Bending
forward lowers the internal pudendal nerve on the seat to compress it between
the pelvic bones and the seat. Changing to a more
upright position relieves the pressure.
Dr. Steven Schrader, at the National Institute for Occupational Safety, notes
that bicycle seats can cause impotence by blocking
blood flow to the penis, as well as causing nerve damage. He emphasizes that
the nose of the seat is the major culprit and
recommends noseless seats. However, bicycle racers and many recreational riders
will not use them because they move their legs
against the seat's nose to help control the bike. Seats that have holes in the
middle do little to prevent compression. See
http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/8733.html
Since pressing on a nerve hurts, you can usually tell when you are causing nerve
damage. According to this new study, the best way
to avoid nerve damage is to change positions
immediately when you feel any discomfort.
* Dear Dr. Mirkin: Will my muscles get stronger if I eat before a hard workout?
A: A study from the University of Birmingham in England shows that eating
protein plus carbohydrate before and after vigorous
exercise helps athletes grow larger and stronger muscles (American Journal of
Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, January
2007).
Many other studies have shown that eating protein and carbohydrate helps muscles
recover faster. Protein is broken down by your
body into its building blocks called amino acids that are then used to heal your
muscles. Taking carbohydrates causes blood insulin
levels to rise and insulin drives these amino acids into muscles. This study
shows that it does not matter when you take in the
amino acids and carbohydrates. You can eat them before, during or after
exercise. All you have to do is supply the amino acids and
insulin, and your muscles will do the rest.
* Blood Pressure Drugs Can Interfere with Exercise
The beta blocker drugs used to treat blood pressure and heart problems can
markedly impair your ability to exercise, according to a
study from Switzerland. How hard you can exercise is limited by the ability of
your heart to pump blood from your lungs to your
exercising muscles. Beta blockers markedly reduce blood flow and oxygen supply
to muscles. Beta blocker brand names include Toprol,
Inderal, Blocadron, Coreg, Inopran, Levatol, Pindolol, Sectral, Tenormin,
Timolol Trandate, Zebeta and Bisoprol.
Beta blockers are prescribed to treat people who have had heart attacks, heart
pain, heart failure, rapid heart beat and atrial
fibrillation. However, even though many physicians prescribe beta blockers to
treat high blood pressure, there is no data show that
they prevent heart attacks in healthy people. If beta blockers interfere with
your ability to exercise, ask your doctor if you can
take other types of medications such ace inhibitors, angiotensin receptor
blockers or calcium channel blockers. Better yet, control
your blood pressure with diet. More information on blood pressure drugs; Journal
reference for this article.
* Why the DASH diet lowers blood pressure
Scientists at the National Institutes of Health have shown why the DASH diet
lowers high blood pressure to normal in more than 80
percent of people with high blood pressure. On the DASH diet you eat lots of
leafy green vegetables that are rich sources of
nitrites, common salts that your bloodstream, can be converted to nitric oxide
which opens blood vessels.
This means that nitrites could be a new treatment for high blood pressure, heart
attacks, sickle cell disease, and blocked arteries
leading the heart, brain and legs. Hemoglobin is the red pigment in red blood
cells that carries oxygen in your bloodstream. When
hemoglobin releases oxygen, it converts nitrites to nitric oxide, to widen blood
vessels. Blood nitrite levels are low in patients
with high blood pressure.
However, at high concentrations nitrites are toxic, so you must take limited
amounts. Leafy greens are rich sources of safe amounts
of nitrites. The nitrites go into the bloodstream, where exposure to oxygen
converts nitrites to nitrous oxide which dilates
arteries and lowers high blood pressure. Hypertensives should also eat lots of
other plants for the same reason and cut back on meat
and chicken, that are rich sources of sodium that can raise high blood pressure.
The modified DASH diet I recommend will also lower cholesterol and help you lose
excess weight; it is the most effective diet for
preventing or controlling diabetes. Journal reference for this report.
* Exercise Makes Cells More Efficient
Why does risk for heart attacks, strokes or diabetes increase with age? A team
from Yale University showed that as you age, you lose
your ability to make AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) (Cell Metabolism,
February 2007). This enzyme functions to increase
mitochondria in muscles. Anything that reduces the number or efficiency of
mitochondria interferes with your body's ability to burn
fat and sugar for energy. As a result, blood sugar, fat and cholesterol levels
rise.
Most cells in your body contain many mitochondria, small furnaces that burn food
for energy. With aging, the number and the
efficiency of mitochondria both decrease. This interferes with your body's
ability to turn food into energy. The extra calories that
are not burned accumulate in your body as fat in your muscles, liver and fat
cells. This causes you to gain weight. Extra fat in
cells block their ability to take in sugar from the blood stream, so blood sugar
levels rise and you are at increased risk for
developing diabetes. Extra fat in the liver prevent the liver from removing
extra insulin, so insulin levels rise to constrict
arteries and cause heart attacks. Insulin also makes you hungry all the time to
increase your chances of gaining weight.
AMPK is increased by exercise and by drugs used to treat diabetes, such as
metformin, Actos or Avandia. The best way to increase the
number and size of mitochondria in your cells is to exercise. If you do not have
a regular exercise program, you are shortening your
life.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at:
http://www.drmirkin.com/


4. Americans pursuing fitness in well into retirement:
Living to 80 or 90 is one thing. But blowing through those benchmarks at full
speed on a bike, in the pool or in running shoes is
quite another.
Accentuating the "active" in active retirement, Americans are rejecting the
rocking chair - flooding gyms and hiking trails and bike
paths like never before. Often born-again exercisers who got religion in their
50s and 60s after busy, non-athletic careers and
family lives, they surprise themselves by reclaiming dormant childhood skills -
or developing athletic talent they never knew they
had.
Among the leaders of the pack are four Southern Californians - a runner, a
cyclist, a swimmer and a triathlete, ages 84 to 94. Using
good diets, family support and challenging athletic goals to keep them motivated
and youthful, they're helping prove that sweat
equity may be the best social security.
BILL BELL | AGE 84 | THE TRIATHLETE
In 1975, at age 53, Palos Verdes explosives manufacturer Bill Bell heard the 14
words that changed his life: "I want you to jog 40
minutes a day for three days a week."
A stress test had detected an irregular heartbeat, and the doctor felt that
sustained aerobic activity such as running - not Bell's
old love, golf - would fix the problem. So the man who hadn't worked out for 35
years ran. "And it felt so good that I came back and
asked him if I could run every day," he says.
With the doc's nod, Bell immersed himself in the running boom sweeping America.
He ran with his dog. He ran with new running friends
he met on the roads and trails. He ran the Palos Verdes Marathon. He began
logging 11 to 12 miles before work every day and began
building an athletic r-sum- of 158 marathons and ultra runs, including 14
marathons in one year. Running was his health insurance,
his soothing refuge from the stressful entrepreneurial business wars, and his
teenage payback. "In my mind," he said, "I was earning
the letterman's sweater I never got in high school." (His dad's death forced
him, starting at 15, to work a double paper route
rather than play sports.)
Before long, the father of three and grandfather of eight would set his sights
on the most exalted "letterman's sweater" in the
endurance sports world: A Hawaii Ironman finisher's T-shirt.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-unstoppable26mar26,1,5584706.story?\
coll=la-headlines-health&track=crosspromo


5. Base Training to Speed Work: Making the Transition:
As you flip through your training log and enjoy consistent weeks of steadily
increasing weekly mileage, a gradual growth in the
distance of your long run, and a feeling of strength and endurance, you might
ask yourself, "What's next?" as you prepare for a
personal best in a 10K or half marathon. The answer, of course, is faster
running.
Faster running, done with a specific purpose in each workout, will enable the
athlete who has diligently built a solid foundation to
make an effective transition to faster running without injury. If you are unsure
if your base building phase was done in a well
rounded manner (by incorporating a growth in the weekly volume of miles run and
running-specific strength training), then refer to
"Foundations of Base Training" for guidance on this topic. If you are ready to
make the transition to faster running, just follow
the concepts below.
Taking the strength and endurance you've built during your base training and
spinning it into fitness that is specific to short
races takes some work. Improving the pace that you are running when blood lactic
acid begins to significantly increase is one of
these areas. A highly effective means of improving your pace at Lactate
Threshold is to incorporate a type of Fartlek running.
Fartlek running has been used in the United States since the 1950s in various
forms. For improvement in distances from 10K to the
half marathon, I suggest the following parameters for your Fartlek: Keep the
distance during the "on" or "fast" segment to between
30 seconds and 2 minutes. The intensity of this running should be slightly
faster than your current Lactate Threshold pace. Each
bout of this faster running should be followed by a float period or "off" phase
that has you running easy for the same amount of
time as the "on" period. This can be done on a run of any distance after an
appropriate warm up. The total distance of Fartlek
running with the "on's" and "off's" can range from 4-8 miles, depending on the
athlete. A coach will be able to help you incorporate
this running into your program.
More...from Competitor Magazine at:
http://www.competitorsocal.com/article/?Guid=edae0a2c-9ac9-4fb1-9d4b-e43528e8d87\
f


6. Joe Henderson's Running Commentary - Who's Right, Who's Real?
Imagine you are training for your first marathon. You're filled with equal parts
excitement and uncertainty. One simple conversation
can dampen the former and heighten the latter.
A first-timer from my Marathon Team told of meeting another runner. They learned
that both of them were training for the same race.
One woman boasted of "running my fourth 20-miler last weekend." The one from my
group, who'd just reached 15 for the first time,
wondered if she was doing enough.
"What program are you on?" asked the first woman. The other said she trained
with my group.
The harder-training runner went silent, her face clouding over. "Oh," she
finally said. "You're one of THOSE."
Those what? "Those run-walkers who take all day to finish. I wouldn't think of
myself as a real marathoner if I ever walked."
Never mind that she confused me with Jeff Galloway. Never mind that Jeff has
trained more marathoners than perhaps any other
individual, or that many of his trainees could run/walk ahead of this woman.
Never mind, either, that walk breaks (which I take myself) are only a downplayed
option for my Marathon Teams, not a requirement. Or
that these every marathon starter from these teams has finished.
I relate this story because the sentiments expressed by that woman need exposing
and rebutting. They separate runners into camps --
one side right and real, the other side misguided and unworthy.
The sport is above that, or should be. That's reason enough to speak out against
this thinking every chance I get.
More...from Joe Henderson at:
http://www.joehenderson.com/archive/home.php?article=2103


7. Elite coaching special - Marathon world record holder Paul Tergat:
Introduction & Tergat on training
Paul Tergat has been one of the world's greatest distance runners with five
World Titles at cross country, a 10K world record, and a
hatful of honours at half marathon.
In 2002 Paul made his debut at marathon. Both he and arch-rival Haile
Gebrselassie were beaten by Khalid Khannouchi who clocked a
new world record but it was clear that Paul had great potential at the distance.
In 2003 his potential was fulfilled with a world record run of 2hr 4min 55sec in
the streets of Berlin, incredibly his pacemaker
Sammy Korir came in just a second behind to clock the second fastest run of all
time.
We caught up with Paul and asked him about his career to date.
Tergat on training
Unsurprisingly Tergat places a huge emphasis on the importance of proper
training. He certainly believes in training hard but also
stresses the importance of the training having a purpose and being suited to the
end target.
Paul said: "Nothing can compare with training. Training can be frustrating and
very hard. If you think about the time you spend
training it is difficult. For any athlete or sportsman to achieve anything good
you have to put in a lot of work. For an athlete you
have to train very hard to reach the top. You may be talented but without
training you will never realise your true potential.
He said the most important thing is that an athlete must focus their training
what their goal is, whether it is cross country, track
or marathon.
Paul said: "In cross country make sure you are training on the country, on hills
and roads. Also train with a group. Then move to
track go on track to get used to speed and used to spikes again.
More...from Sports Fitness at:
http://www.sports-fitness.com/article/sf/uk/read/117


8. Overtraining Syndrome:
Getting the most out of your training is a fine line between training enough and
resting enough to improve but not over doing it and
becoming overtrained. Coach Julian Piotto looks at overtraining and some
suggestions to help avoid it.
Overtraining occurs when athletes try too hard to improve performance and train
beyond the body's ability to recover. Recently I
became one of the victims of overtraining. During my build up to one of the most
important races in the season I started training
too hard too early in the season (hey I wanted to be fast!) and that led to a
complete burn out, and suddenly I was not interested
in the race anymore. Race day came sooner than I thought. I struggled to achieve
speeds that would be achieved with ease in
training. My resting heart rate was 90 when normally is around 30! Something was
definitely wrong with me. I was OVERTRAINED!
The common warning signs of overtraining include the following:
. Mild leg soreness, general achenes
. Pain in muscles & joints
. Washed-out feeling, tired, drained, lack of energy
. Sudden drop in ability to run 'normal' distance or times
. Insomnia
. Headaches
. Inability to relax, twitchy, fidgety
. Insatiable thirst, dehydration
. Lowered resistance to common illnesses; colds, sore throat, etc.
. Increased Resting Heart Rate
More...from Active Peak at:
http://www.activepeak.com/content/view/149/182/


9. 'Good Fat' OK for Heart Attack Patients:
A Mediterranean-style diet high in olive oil and other "healthy" fats is just as
good as the classic American Heart Association
low-fat diet for the 8 million Americans who have suffered a heart attack and
want to prevent a repeat, new research suggests.
People on either diet had one-third the risk of suffering another heart attack,
a stroke, death or other heart problem compared with
heart patients eating in the usual way, the study found. The results of the
study were presented Sunday at an American College of
Cardiology conference.
Doctors said it was one of the best tests of specific diets on heart health,
especially because participants stuck to it and
achieved the goals for various fats that researchers set. The participants also
were similar in treatments and other factors so the
effect of the diets could be isolated.
More...from Access NorthGA at:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DIET_HEART_HEALTH?SITE=WDUN&SECTION=HEALT\
H&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-03-25-15-32-47


10. First Time Marathon Runners - Study Compares Dropouts And Race Finishers -
Motivation Factors Predicted Completion Of Race
First-time marathon runners who drop out of training are motivated by different
factors than race finishers, according to a study
presented at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine
(ACSM) in Denver. Dropouts were more motivated by a
desire to lose weight and gain recognition than those who successfully completed
their first marathon.
Specifically, first-time marathon finishers were less concerned with their
weight and recognition than those who eventually dropped
out of training. The motivations of dropouts were compared to those of race
finishers to see which group's motivation factors were
linked with exercise adherence.
Prior research on marathon runners has revealed participation motivations vary
among individuals. The research team used the
Motivations of Marathoners Scales (MOMS), an instrument designed to measure the
motives of these endurance athletes. Its categories
include health orientation; weight concern; personal goal achievement;
competition; recognition; affiliation; psychological coping;
life meaning, and self-esteem. Their results suggest weight concern and
recognition are predictors of attrition within six months of
beginning an exercise program.
The study focused solely on first-time marathon runners and is the first to
analyze the motivations of dropouts. Other studies have
compared the motives of groups with varying levels of marathon experience,
noting experienced marathon runners are more likely to
have undergone motivational changes since their initial race.
More...from medical News Toady at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=60119


11. Proper training pace:
Giving thought to what pace you should be running on any given day enables you
to shape your training to meet specific goals. It
also helps cut down on mileage that offers little or inefficient training
effect. This takes an understanding of what various
running paces do for you aerobically, mechanically and chemically.
Perhaps the easiest way to be sure you're running at the desired pace is to use
a heart rate monitor, but many people simply learn
over time how their bodies feel at certain training paces. The following will
help you become accustomed to the feel of each type of
running and provide an overview of the various factors in play at a given
running pace.
Easy pace
Easy running occurs at about 60 to 70 percent of your maximal oxygen consumption
(VO2max), or 70 to 75 percent of your maximal heart
rate (MHR). It is a good recovery pace in between faster workout days, and so in
this sense it is your "normal" training pace. When
this pace is held for longer runs, it's a useful way to attenuate your body's
glycogen depletion and rely more on fat for energy.
More...from Active.com at:
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=13826&sidebar=13


12. ACL injuries growing problem for young female athletes:
.Girls four to eight times more likely than boys to injure anterior cruciate
ligament
. Doctors suspect anatomy, hormones, muscle-use differences may be factors
. Rehab focuses on different ways to jump, land, to prevent re-injury
First she heard the pop, then she felt the pain. Sixteen-year-old Lindsey
Robinson tore the anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, in
her knee during the last game of the 2005 soccer season. She's been sidelined
ever since.
"I was rolling on the ground," Lindsey says. "I couldn't feel the bottom half of
my knee. It freaked me out."
Lindsey's story is becoming more common. Several of her teammates have torn the
same knee ligament. "We often compare scars during
practice," Lindsey says with a laugh. (Watch how more girls are being sidelined:
http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?url=/video/health/2007/03/26/health.\
minute.woman.acl.injuries.cnn&wm=10 )
An estimated 150,000 Americans suffer ACL injuries each year in the United
States. A growing number of them are female athletes.
Orthopedic surgeon John Xerogeanes (pronounced Zer ROY ans) says girls are four
to eight times more likely than boys to injure the
ACL. Last year, he recalls, "I reconstructed ACLs for just four male high school
soccer players, compared to 25 girls." He expects
to see more young female athletes on the operating table.
"We know that there is a huge increase in ACL injuries when you compare female
athletes to male athletes," says Dr. Xerogeanes, who
is the head of sports medicine at the Emory Orthopaedic and Spine Center in
Atlanta, Georgia. "We've looked at a million different
things in terms of size of the pelvis, angulation of the knees, hormones and the
way girls fire their muscles when they land. We're
not exactly sure why this happens."
Twenty years ago, injuries like Lindsey's would be career-ending, but thanks to
advances in arthroscopic surgery and specialized
physical therapy, doctors are able to get the majority of athletes back to the
same level of playing.
In Lindsey's case, an initial surgery (done by another surgeon) to repair the
damage was unsuccessful. She endured a second
operation last fall and has undergone months of rehabilitation. "My rehab was
really slow," says Lindsey. "The first few weeks, it
really hit me that I wouldn't be playing soccer for a long time."
More...from CNN at:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/conditions/03/26/hm.acl.girls/index.html


13. Pizza as health food?
. Story Highlights. Researchers enhanced the antioxidant content of whole-grain
wheat pizza dough
. Antioxidant levels rose by up to 60 percent with longer baking times
. Fatty toppings negate any good health effects, researchers said
It's the junk food junkie's wildest dream come true -- pizza as health food.
University of Maryland food chemists said Monday that they had found ways to
enhance the antioxidant content of whole-grain wheat
pizza dough by baking it longer at higher temperatures and giving the dough lots
of time to rise.
Antioxidants are substances that protect cells from damage caused by unstable
molecules known as free radicals. Some experts believe
antioxidants can lower the risk of cancer, heart disease and other ailments.
Liangli Lucy Yu, a food chemistry professor, said the findings arose from
broader research into ways to improve health-promoting
properties of wheat-based food products.
"The reason that we chose pizza is just because it is a very popular food
product, not only in the U.S. but worldwide," researcher
Jeffrey Moore added.
"So we thought if we could find ways to improve (its antioxidant) properties,
doing this for such a product could have a larger
impact on public health," Moore added.
But Moore had a slice of advice for pizza aficionados who might want to cover
their crust with mounds of fatty toppings such as
extra cheese, pepperoni, sausage and ground beef.
More...from CNN at:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/03/26/pizza.antioxidants.reut/index.html


14. MRI Helps Identify Older Athletes At Risk For Heart Attack:
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study of healthy marathon runners over age 50
showed that cardiovascular disease occurs among
seemingly healthy endurance athletes and may be difficult to distinguish from
the effects of training the heart muscle. The findings
were presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North
America (RSNA).
"Radiologists can use MRI to identify cardiovascular disease that is not yet
causing symptoms," said Torleif A. Sandner, M.D.,
radiologist at University Hospital, Munich University in Germany.
The study, performed at University Hospital in Essen, Germany, involved 110 male
volunteers between the ages of 50 and 72, all of
whom had completed at least five marathons in the last three years. The
endurance athletes had no current symptoms or known history
of cardiovascular disease or diabetes.
The MRI scans revealed that, although cardiac chambers were not enlarged, left
ventricular mass (LVM) in the marathon runners was
significantly higher than in the general population. LVM is the weight of the
muscle of the left ventricle, the main pumping chamber
of the heart. The marathon runners had an average LVM weight of 141 grams
compared to a normal weight of approximately 77.5 grams.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/11/061128084409.htm


15. You Are Also What You Drink:
What worries you most? Decaying teeth, thinning bones, heart disease, stroke,
diabetes, dementia, cancer, obesity? Whatever tops
your list, you may be surprised to know that all of these health problems are
linked to the beverages you drink - or don't drink.
Last year, with the support of the Unilever Health Institute in the Netherlands
(Unilever owns Lipton Tea), a panel of experts on
nutrition and health published a "Beverage Guidance System" in hopes of getting
people to stop drinking their calories when those
calories contribute little or nothing to their health and may actually detract
from it.
The panel, led by Barry M. Popkin, a nutrition professor at the University of
North Carolina, was distressed by the burgeoning
waistlines of Americans and the contribution that popular beverages make to
weight problems. But the experts also reviewed 146
published reports to find the best evidence for the effects of various beverages
on nearly all of the above health problems. I
looked into a few others, and what follows is a summary of what we all found.
At the head of the list of preferred drinks is - you guessed it - water. No
calories, no hazards, only benefits. But the panel
expressed concern about bottled water fortified with nutrients, saying that
consumers may think they don't need to eat certain
nutritious foods, which contain substances like fiber and phytochemicals lacking
in these waters. (You can just imagine what the
panel would have to say about vitamin-fortified sodas, which Coca-Cola and Pepsi
plan to introduce in the coming months.)
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/27/health/27brody.html?_r=1&ref=fitnessandnutriti\
on&oref=slogin


16. Contraceptive Pill and Performance:
The Pill may be the most effective contraceptive and the best way to manipulate
your cycle for important events, but are you aware
of its physiological effects and their impact on performance?
The oral contraceptive pill (OCP) is the form of contraception most widely used
by women in general and sportswomen in particular.
Undoubtedly, the main reason for its popularity with both groups is its high
effectiveness in preventing pregnancy.
Female athletes may also choose the Pill on the basis of other perceived
benefits, including bone health, the ability to manipulate
the menstrual cycle and control of premenstrual symptoms.
However, the impact of the Pill goes further than that, and the purpose of this
article is to make sportswomen and their coaches
fully aware of its physiological effects, both positive and negative, and their
impact on performance and health?
An OCP is made up of hormones which can be combined in four different ways,
defined by the ratio of oestrogen to progesterone:
* The monophasic pill has a low oestrogen content and the dose of both hormones
remains constant throughout the cycle, allowing for
easy manipulation of cycles when competing and travelling;
* The triphasic pill provides three different dosages of hormones during the
cycle. Because it contains less total progesterone (and
therefore a lower overall dose of hormones) than the monophasic pill, it is
thought to mimic the 'natural' cycle more closely than
other types of OCP. It is recommended for women who experience side effects,
such as weight gain, when using the monophasic pill.
However, the varying dosages employed throughout the cycle make cycle
manipulation more difficult;
* The biphasic pill maintains a constant oestrogen dose throughout the cycle,
with a change in progesterone mid-cycle. It offers no
particular advantage over the other two preparations and is not often
prescribed;
* The 'minipill' contains progesterone only and is recommended for new mothers
and those who are sensitive to the oestrogen
component of other pills. Its main drawback is that it has a higher failure rate
than the other formulations.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/contraceptive-pill.html


17. Revving Up
Can a performance supplement be legal, healthy, and effective? The Lab Rat pops
a fistful to find out.
THERE COMES A TIME in every athlete's life when he's tempted to add a little
something special to his training regimen, and these
days the possibilities are many and creepy: andro, HGH, EPO-maybe a little
synthetic testosterone, Floyd? Since I'm committed to
keeping it safe-and legal-high-octane bulk builders are out. Plus I'm not after
a bod like the latest James Bond's. I have a
multisport race coming up in February, and what I really want is to transcend my
standard performance as a grimacing mid-packer. All
I need is enough extra voltage to get me there.
A while back I heard about a supplement called Optygen, made by First Endurance,
that would ostensibly improve my lactate threshold
and VO2 max by as much as 20 percent. What's more, Optygen, a new sponsor of
Team Discovery, has been enthusiastically endorsed by
Tour de France veterans like David Zabriskie. I called up First Endurance
cofounder Mike Fogarty to ask whether Optygen might work
for me. "Oh, yeah," he said. "After a week or two it will take you to the next
level." Sweet!
First Endurance set me up on a course of Optygen ($50 for a one-month supply)
and a few of the company's other products, including
multivitamins and a high-tech recovery-beverage mix called Ultragen, which
replaced my previous low-tech recovery drink, called
margarita. The weeklong loading phase required me to choke down six pills a day,
plus three daily multivitamins. After a week, I
eased off to a slightly less gaggable three capsules a day, but that was still a
total of six. I knew the stuff was supposed to keep
me young, but the pill diet was making me feel old.
More...from Outside Online at:
http://outside.away.com/outside/bodywork/200702/lab-rat-performance-supplements.\
html


18. This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago- Paula Radcliffe (ENG) won the Crescent City Classic (LA/USA) 10K
in 31:47,defeating
Lynn Jennings (USA) by more than 30 seconds at 32:20. Cheri
Kenah (USA) was 3rd in 32:21.
Todd Williams (USA) won the men's race in 28:50, followed by
Sammy Nyamongo (KEN) in
29:02 and Dan Held (USA) in 29:08. Williams won the USA 10K
title
20 Years Ago- Marti tenKate (NED) won the 13th edition of the City-Pier-City
(NED) Half Marathon with
a time of 1:03:14. Alex Hagelsteens (BEL) was 2nd in 1:03:22 and
Ken Stuart (ENG) was
3rd in 1:04:20. Karolina Szabo (HUN) won the women's race in
1:10:58 with Agnes Pardaens
(BEL) and Carla Beurskens (NED) following in 1:12:37 and 1:12:49
respectively.
30 Years Ago- Dave Northey (CAN) won the 69th edition of the Around the Bay
(ON/CAN) 30K in 1:36:54
with Michael Dyon (CAN) next in 1:38:08. Mary Copeland won the
women's race (time
not available).
40 Years Ago- Alistair Fergus Murray (SCO) won the 59th edition of the Around
the Bay (ON/CAN) 30.73K
in 1:33:28 with Andy Boychuk (CAN) 2nd in 1:36:16 and Louis
Castagnola (USA) 3rd in
1:38:39.
50 Years Ago- Nothing of note in the ARRS database.
From The Analytical Distance Runner, the newsletter for the Association of Road
Racing Statisticians with a focus on races, 3000m
and longer, including road, track, and cross-country events.
The ARRS has a website at http://www.arrs.net.


19. Optimum Running Performance and Body Fat Levels:
Running and body fat - walking the tightrope of optimum performance.
All runners know that excess body fat can hinder running performance. But,
according to Ron Maughan, the relationship between
running performance, dietary intake and fat levels is not quite as
straightforward as it seems
Although it's immediately apparent that there are substantial differences in
physical characteristics between sprinters and long
distance runners, elite runners at all distances come in a variety of shapes and
sizes, and there are perhaps too many exceptions to
make all but the broadest generalisations. Generally speaking though, sprinters
have powerfully developed musculature of the upper
body and of the legs, while distance runners have low body mass, with smaller
muscles and extremely low body fat levels.
The one outstanding anthropometric characteristic of successful competitors in
all running events is a low body fat content. The
textbooks tell us that the body fat stores account for about 15-18% of total
body weight in normal young men, and in young women the
figure is about 25-30%.
'Normal', of course, is changing, and those ranges should be qualified as being
normal for healthy people. Most of this fat is not
necessary for energy supply and is simply extra weight that has to be carried
throughout the race. This is not to say that people
carrying extra fat cannot complete a marathon - they just can't do it in a fast
time.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/node/32193


20. Digest Briefs:
* Grounds For Performance...
"Grounds For Performance" isn't the name of a new coffee place, but with all of
the athletes who drink and enjoy coffee for
aesthetic and performance-enhancing reasons, maybe it's time someone opened up
shop.or at least used the slogan on a new variety of
Kona coffee beans. Recent studies indicate that caffeine can not only help your
performance on race day, but can also deliver
benefits during your recovery from a hard effort. Sound too good to be true? For
hardcore java lovers, maybe it is, but the research
gives us diehards just another reason to enjoy our daily hot cup 'o joe. As for
beer (see this week's quote). you're probably best
off if you limit your intake to the occasional pint.
From Competitor Magazine
* Get your muscles back on track after a long run by taking an icebath
afterwards rather than a hot shower. Make sure the water
covers the places most likely to feel tight--your calves, Achilles tendons,
heels, thighs, and buttocks.
From Runner's World
* Rising in the world
"In the world of competitive sports, stair climbing isn't exactly the stuff of
ESPN," writes Peter Cox of Columbia News Service.
"But the sport has grown in popularity, with races up the world's tallest
buildings sprouting up all over. And though athletes
aren't getting rich at these races (most races are run for small cash winnings
or to raise money for charity), a growing number of
stair racers are snagging sponsors who pay to send them around the world to run
up the stairs."
From the Globe and Mail
* Not your father's marathon - athletes' increased risk of heart attack after
running marathon
Marathon runners are the ultimate aerobic athletes, yet they may be at increased
risk of heart attack for 24 hours after racing. In
an analysis of 80 healthy runners, researchers at several Boston medical centers
discovered a temporary increase in clotting and
inflammatory factors that "loads and cocks the gun" for a heart attack, which
could occur if a cardiac complication were to arise.
"Runners need to understand not only the benefits of regular exercise, but the
risks of extreme exercise," says lead author Arthur
Siegel, M.D., a former marathon runner. He advises long-distance runners to take
low doses of aspirin and consult their doctors
about whether to take statins.
"To young people, I say go out and enjoy the training and the sport," says
Siegel. "But I have reservations about people in their
30s and 40s doing this to promote their cardiovascular health."
The report was published in the American Journal of Cardiology in 2002.


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.

March 30-31, 2007:

Ragnar Relay del Sol - Scottsdale, AZ

March 31, 2007:

Ford Ironman 70.3 California - Oceanside, CA

Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K - Richmond, VA

Television: NBC 2pm EDT
Triathlon: World 70.3 Championships

April 1, 2007:

Berlin Half-Marathon - Germany

Big D Texas Marathon - Dallas, TX

Carlsbad 5000 - Carlsbad, CA
Home of the 5K World Records (13:00 & 14:46)

Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon - Knoxville, TN

Loco Great Bay Half Marathon - Newmarket, NH

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

Send this to a Friend:
Forward the Runner's Web Digest to a friend and suggest that they subscribe at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RunnersWeb/join

YOUR FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS:
Comments, contributions and feedback are always welcome via this list at:
mailto:runnersweb@yahoogroups.com and in our Runner's Web Forum, available off
our FrontPage. If you post to the mailing list and
get your email returned, please contact the Runner's Web at
mailto:webmaster@... to notify us of the problem. To update your
Runner's Web eGroups subscriber's profile, go to the web
site at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RunnersWeb/join , sign in and update your
changes.
Forward the Runner's Web Digest to a friend and suggest that they subscribe at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RunnersWeb/join

Have a good week of training and/or racing.

Ken Parker
Runner's Web
mailto: webmaster@...
http://www.runnersweb.com/running.html
A running and triathlon resource portal
Runner's Web Online Store
http://store.runnersweb.com
RunnersWebCoach
http://www.runnerswebcoach.com

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

Free Ground Shipping on Orders of $175 or More at Patagonia.com
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000012303508&pubid=2100000000\
0028567

Peak Performance Online:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/cmd.php?af=517509

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

Reebok
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=h1QosBYBFXw&offerid=117802&type=3&su\
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

NEW SUBSCRIBERS:
This newsletter has been composed using Outlook set to "Text" format. The Digest
is sent via an email list at
http://groups.yahoo.com.
If you experience any delays in receiving your copy of the Digest, please advise
us at:
mailto:webmaster@...
You can receive the digest in three ways:
1. Immediately, via email,
2. Daily, in an email summary, and
3. By accessing the YahooGroups.com web site on demand.
The mail list has been set to not allow attachments out of concerns for viruses.
Also, all messages must be approved by the monitor (me) prior to being released
to the group. If you have any questions regarding
the options available for receiving this digest,
please do NOT email the list, rather email me directly at
mailto:Webmaster@...
*NOTE*
**[ Some e-mail clients may split the URL address into two lines. If you have
trouble connecting to a link, be sure that you paste
the entire address into your browser, so that it ends in ".html" or another
appropriate suffix ].
Note: An increasing number of media sites require free registration. If you wish
to sign up for free access to sources for our
articles without using your main email address we suggest the use of a mail
alias program such as http://www.emailias.com.

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