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
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1. Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women:
The 2008 race will be held on Saturday, June 21.
In this year's race Paula Githuka of Hamilton held off a closing Nicole
Stevenson of Toronto to win Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor
Memorial 5K in
Ottawa this morning. Githuka held a nine second lead at 3K which Stevenson
whittled down to two by the finish line. Githuka won in
16:37 to Stevenson's 16:39. Last year - in the RunnersWeb5K Race for Women -
Stevenson won in 16:28 over Emily Tallen of Kingston
who placed third this year in 16:55. 45 women ran under 20:00. For more on the
race visit the website at: http://www.emiliesrun.com.
Join Emilie's Run Community 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. 26.2 with Donna:
The National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer
"The only U.S. marathon dedicated solely to raising funds to end breast cancer."
February 17, 2008 8 a.m.
Location: Near Mayo Clinic
Jacksonville, Florida
Beneficiaries: Donna Hicken Foundation and Mayo Clinic
Proceeds from the race will go directly to The Donna Hicken Foundation, a
charitable organization dedicated to helping women with
breast cancer. While a portion of the proceeds will be used by the Donna Hicken
Foundation for the critical care of breast cancer
survivors in need, the foundation has pledged to donate the majority of funds
raised to Mayo Clinic for research and its
Multidisciplinary Breast Clinic, which specializes in the detection and
treatment of breast cancer.
Visit the website at: http://www.breastcancermarathon.com

7. KineSys - Performance Sunscreen.
Did you know that it is estimated that approximately 1 out of 5 people in North
America will develop some form of SKIN CANCER during
their life time???
These statistics keep on rising due to the fact that it only takes ONE serious
sun burn to increase the risk of getting skin cancer
by 50%. This means that 1.0 million North Americans will develop skin cancer
this year from being exposed to the sun's harmful rays.
These are scary statistics but there is something you can do to keep from being
one of them.
Wear Sunscreen! We at KINeSYS want to remind you of the importance of protecting
your skin from harmful UV rays, which are
responsible for more than 90% of all skin cancers. By protecting your skin with
sunscreen on a regular basis, you can reduce the
chances of being harmed by these rays while still being able to enjoy all of
your favourite outdoor activities.
Visit KineSys at: http://www.kinesys.com/suncare/

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Advertise your event on the Runner's Web.
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NEW THIS WEEK:

Your comments please!
We are considering dropping three features from the website due to an apparent
lack of interest:
1) the weekly poll
2) the Book/DVD of the Month
3) the Five Star Site of the Month
4) Monthly Trivia Quiz
5) Monthly Pegasus Quiz
We would appreciate any feedback, pro or con, on these features.

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
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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
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
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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 ONE personal posting this week.
ONE:
Hi Everyone!
As you all know Island Triathlon Series is a new and exciting triathlon that is
taking place in Turks & Caicos on December 1st.
This triathlon is taking the sport of triathlon to a new level. It is more than
a race—it is an exceptional experience.
In our pro-athlete category we have already secured an amazing line up of
athletes that are participating in the event that include:
- Lisa Bentley (Canada)
- Chris McCormack (Australia)
- Desiree Ficker (USA)
- Chris Leito (USA)
- Joanna Lawn (New Zealand)
- Matt Reed (USA)
- Melanie McQuaid (Canada)
- Kim Loeffler (USA)
- Marino Vanhoenacker (Belgium)
- Leon Griffin (USA)
- Lewis Elliot (USA)
- Rutger Beke (Belgium)
Check out our website at www.islandtriathlonseries.com to find out more about
how you can sign up for the race in our age-group
categories. Or feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.
Thanks,
Hala


THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

1. Sportsmedicine: Shin Splints
2. Running Times Newsletter
3. This Week In Running
4. What's the best way to refuel your body?
Learn how energy bars, gels and drinks stack up for your strenuous workouts.
5. Don't blame your knees for the pain
Weak hips are cause of most running injuries.
6. On the mean streets of L.A.
Bicyclists and runners just want to share the pavement with drivers. They're
entitled, right?
7. Fast and Injury Free – Secrets from the World’s Best Runners
8. Working Class Ironman
9. Do You Know What's In Your Sports Drink?
10. One Potato, Two Potatoes
A potato, great fuel for runners, is nature's energy bar.
11. Water, Water Everywhere, but Guilt by the Bottleful
12. Sweatology
13. Tape measure, not scale, key to knowing heart risk
14. Keeping Bones Strong
15. The Power of the Group
16. Bar new 'comfort food'
Is there anything chocolate can't do?
17. Too much exercise may speed heart failure
18. Protein Ingestion and Endurance Exercise: A Closer Look at the Science
19. One Runner’s View: Age and the Elite Marathoner - Part II
20. Digest Briefs

RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"What is your level of interest in the World Athletics Championships in Osaka,
Japan August 25 - September 2, 2007?"

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:
"How do you intend to follow the Beijing Olympics?""
Answers Percent
2. Television 41%
3. Print media 25%
4. Internet 34%


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE MONTH: Osaka 2007 World Championships in Athletics.
Monte-Carlo - The IAAF is delighted to announce the launch of its new dynamic
website for the 11th IAAF World Championships in
Athletics, Osaka, Japan (25 Aug to 2 Sep).
There is plenty on offer to attract, inform, entertain, and illuminate the
enjoyment for all the fans of our sport, in particular
there is enhanced video and audio content, and even the chance to indulge your
athletics fantasies!
The new Osaka competition website is part of a long term re-development of the
IAAF’s presence on the internet, and based upon the
‘Osaka 2007’ look, a cosmetic remodelling of the main IAAF Home Page has also
been unveiled today.
Osaka World Championships
With little more than three weeks to go to the start of the planet’s biggest
sporting event of 2007, the Osaka website’s complete
look, structure and content has been radically re-designed.
Already full of news and information, when the championships begin the
Broadcasting section in particular will burst into action
with:
VIDEO: 3-minutes highlights of each SESSION and of each individual FINAL
RADIO: ‘LIVE’ commentary, comment and interviews throughout the championships
PODCASTS: Audio interviews with the major stars
IAAF Fantasy Athletics
Its game time too! We are proud to launch IAAF Fantasy Athletics, enabling fans
to select a team of champion athletes from those
competing in Osaka. Participants will score points depending on their team’s
performances and be able to compare their rankings
with others from all over the world. There are great prizes to be won and
registration is free and open now.
Plus all the regular information
And of course we haven’t forgotten the core content of all previous World
Championships sites – Results and Statistics, News,
Features, Event Reports and Flash Interviews, “LIVE” Competition Blog, Photo
Gallery…
Check out the site at: http://osaka2007.iaaf.org

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

BOOK/VIDEO OF THE MONTH: From Lance to Landis: Inside the American Doping
Controversy at the Tour de France
By David Walsh
Book Description
For eight years, the Tour de France, arguably the world’s most demanding
athletic competition, was ruled by two men: Lance Armstrong
and Floyd Landis. On the surface, they were feature players in one of the great
sporting stories of the age–American riders
overcoming tremendous odds to dominate a sport that held little previous
interest for their countrymen. But is this a true story, or
is there a darker version of the truth, one that sadly reflects the realities of
sports in the twenty-first century? Landis’s title
is now in jeopardy because drug tests revealing that his testosterone levels
were eleven times those of a normal athlete strongly
suggest that he used banned substances, and for years similar allegations have
swirled around Armstrong.
Now internationally acclaimed award-winning journalist David Walsh gives an
explosive account of the shadow side of professional
sports. In this electrifying, controversial, and scrupulously documented exposé,
Walsh explores the many facets of the cyclist
doping scandals in the United States and abroad. He examines how
performance-enhancing drugs can infiltrate a premier sports
event–and why athletes succumb to the pressure to use them. In researching this
book, Walsh conducted hundreds of hours of
interviews with key figures in international cycling, doctors, and other
insiders, including Emma O’Reilly, Armstrong’s longtime
massage therapist; former U.S. Postal Service cycling team doctor Prentice
Steffen; cycling legend Greg LeMond; and former teammates
of both Landis and Armstrong.
Central to the story is Lance Armstrong’s relentless, all-consuming drive to be
the best. Also essential to this narrative is Floyd
Landis, the unassuming, sympathetic hero who was the first winner of the Tour de
France after Lance–and the first ever to face the
threat of having his title revoked. More than anything else, this book will
ignite anew the debate about whether there is room in
the current sports culture for athletes who compete honestly, whether sports can
be saved from a scandal as widespread as this, and
what changes will have to be made.
With a compelling narrative and revelations that will stun, enlighten, and haunt
readers, David Walsh addresses numerous questions
that arise in that crucial space where sports meet the larger American culture.
About the Author
David Walsh is chief sports writer with The Sunday Times (London). A four-time
Irish Sportswriter of the Year and a three-time U.K.
Sportswriter of the Year, he is married with seven children and lives in
Cambridge, England. He is co-author of L.A. Confidential:
The Secrets of Lance Armstrong.
Buy the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/034549962X/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. Sportsmedicine: Shin Splints:
Shin Splints are one of the most common injuries known to athletes.
Shin splints are a term commonly used to describe most lower leg pain. However,
shin splints are only one of several conditions that
affect the lower leg. The most common causes of lower leg pain are: general shin
soreness; shin splints; and stress fractures. For
the purpose of this article, I'll only be addressing the first two. I'll save
the topic of stress fractures for another issue.
Before I move on to shin splints, I want to quickly cover the topic of general
shin soreness. Shin soreness is simply a muscular
overuse problem. By using the R.I.C.E.R. regime outlined in a previous issue of
The Stretching & Sports Injury Newsletter, you'll be
able to overcome 95 percent of all general shin soreness within about 72 hours.
For lower leg pain that goes beyond general shin soreness, a more aggressive
approach must be taken. Lets now have a look at shin
splints in a little more detail.
What are Shin Splints?
Although the term shin splints is often used to describe a variety of lower leg
problems, it actually refers specifically to a
condition called Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS). To better understand shin
splints, or MTSS, lets have a look at the muscles,
tendons and bones involved.
As you can see from the diagram to the right, there are many muscles and tendons
that make up the lower leg, or calf region. It's
quite a complex formation of inter-weaving and over-crossing muscles and
tendons.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20070814_TSH_Shin_Splints.html


2. Running Times Newsletter:
* Ways to Predict Your Best Marathon Pace:
Runners and coaches have found several ways to estimate your best marathon pace.
Here are a few good ones:
1) Race a half-marathon. Take your half-marathon time and double it then add
five minutes. This has long been a quick rule of thumb
for predicting marathon time. Doubling your half-marathon time and adding seven
minutes is a bit more realistic for most
marathoners. Of course, you can always use one of the many race time calculators
and charts available online and in many running
books to also gauge the marathon time predicted by your half-marathon
performance.
2) Perform eight to ten 800 meter repeats. Run each repeat in the minutes and
seconds of your goal hours and minutes of your
upcoming marathon. Take equal recovery jog between each. For example, if you
want to run three hours and thirty minutes for your
marathon then run eight to ten 800 meter (2 laps of the track) repeats in 3
minutes and 30 seconds taking 3 minutes and 30 seconds
jog between each. If you can perform this workout without having to strain to
hit the time then this would predict that your
marathon pace is reasonable. Special thanks to Bart Yasso for this “Yasso 800”
workout.
3) Perform two to four marathon pace runs where you warm up then run for four to
10 miles at your goal marathon pace. If you can
build up to an eight to 10 mile marathon pace run and not have to work
exceedingly hard to maintain the pace, then your goal
marathon pace is reasonable.
4) Run marathon pace at the end of a few long runs. If you can run the last four
to eight miles of a long run at your goal marathon
pace then your goal pace is reasonable. Do this on two to four long runs in the
last couple of months before your marathon to get
another gauge of whether your marathon pace is reasonable.
All of these methods are good but most coaches and runners find that there is no
one single best predictor. Rather, it is a good
idea to use several of the predictors listed above to better determine your best
marathon pace.
Greg McMillan is an exercise physiologist and certified USA Track and Field
coach. He helps runners via his website
www.mcmillanrunning.com.
* Medical Corner
Compartment Syndrome
Q: I have run every day for the past two years and after about a mile my legs
begin to feel heavy. This year the feeling got
increasingly worse.
Now my legs still feel heavy when I run and when I try to do the cool-down
stretches, I can't because the nerves on the outer sides
of my legs start to pop. I feel a sharp prick in random bundles throughout the
lower half of my legs. It isn't a constant pain, but
it "pops" a lot.
Also, any time I run 3 miles or more, my feet start to fall asleep. By the 5th
mile they are completely numb and I am afraid that
I'm going to trip because I can't feel what I'm running on. I was diagnosed with
scoliosis this summer and my Mom thinks that this
has something to do with it. So far, the trainer at my school and my doctor have
no idea what is wrong with me.
-- Jill in Florida
A: You are describing some classic symptoms of Chronic Exertional Compartment
Syndrome (CE CS). The muscles in the lower leg are
divided into four compartments, each of which contains the muscles, and a nerve,
artery and vein. A membrane known as fascia
surrounds each compartment.
During exercise, muscles increase in size by up to 20%. If the fascia is too
tight to tolerate this swelling, it acts like a
tourniquet, restricting blood flow to the muscles. This causes pain that is
often so severe that exercise must stop. Clumsiness may
occur due to inability of the muscles that control the foot to function
properly. Numbness of the foot is also common. Symptoms
disappear as swelling resolves after exercise has stopped. Therefore, athletes
with CE CS are usually asymptomatic when they arrive
at a physician’s office.
CE CS is diagnosed by measuring the pressure in each compartment prior to
exercise and immediately following exercise (typically
running on a treadmill). If symptoms occur in both legs, which is quite common,
then both legs are tested. Surgery is the treatment
for this condition. Following surgery, most athletes are able to successfully
return to sports.
--Dr. Cathy Fieseler
* Q and A:
Q: I sustained a stress fracture in my right ischium four months ago, ostensibly
due to overtraining, and haven't been running
since. Aside from being annoyed that I'm still not healed, I'm wondering why my
appetite has not decreased since I've stopped
running -- is there an increase in caloric needs due to injury?
Thanks,
--Stephanie
A: I sympathize with your dilemma. It’s no fun to be sidelined by an injury,
especially one that will take a while to heal.
Unfortunately, it takes a while for most people’s appetites to decrease, even if
exercise habits change. Your body is used to
consuming those calories, and probably more important, you’re mind has also been
enjoying the sensations and pleasures associated
with eating.
It is unlikely that you require an increase in calories to heal a stress
fracture, especially not the number of calories you were
burning as an endurance athlete. Instead of cutting out meals or denying
yourself, try reducing caloric intake by choosing low
calorie meals and snacks. Concentrate on eating vegetables and low-fat foods in
small portions throughout the day.
Your doctor or physical therapist may have suggestions for workouts that won’t
hinder the healing process. Ask about swimming, water
running, or other workouts that may get you through your recovery.
--Candace
Do you have a question for our coaches? Ask it here:
http://runningtimes.com/pages/askquestion.asp


3. This Week In Running:
10 Years Ago- Hiromi Suzuki (JPN) won the women's marathon title at the IAAF
World Championships
held in Athens GRE with a 2:29:48. Manuela Machado (POR) took
the silver medal
(2:31:12) while Lidia Simon (ROM) took the bronze (2:31:55).
Gabriela Szabo (ROM)
won the 5000m in 14:57.68 with Roberta Brunet (ITA) and Fernanda
Ribeiro (POR)
taking the silver and bronze respectively in 14:58.29 and
14:58.85. Daniel Komen
(KEN) won the men's 5000m in 13:07.38 with Khalid Boulami (MAR)
posting a 13:09.34
for the silver and Thomas Nyariki (KEN) running 13:11.09 for the
bronze.
20 Years Ago- Fernanda Ribeiro (POR) won the 3000m at the European Junior
Championships (ENG)
in 8:56.33, almost 15 seconds ahead of Doina Homneac (ROM) who
ran 9:11.30 for
the silver medal. Yvonne Lichtenfeld (GER) took the bronze in
9:13.61. Simon
Mugglestone (ENG) won the men's 5000m in 14:12.83, followed by
Giuliano Baccani (ITA)
and Luc Krotwaar (NED) in 14:18.39 and 14:20.44 respectively.
30 Years Ago- Lyudmila Bragina (RUS) won the 3000m at the European Cup (FIN)
with a 8:49.9.
Maricica Puica (ROM) was 2nd in 8:51.0 while Gabriele Veith (GER)
placed 3rd in
8:53.9. Germans went 1-2 in the men's 10,000m with Jörg Peter
winning in 27:55.50
and Detlef Uhlemann next in 27:58.79. Leonid Mosetev (RUS) was
3rd in 28:03.60.
Nick Rose (ENG) won the next day's 5000m in 13:27.8 with Enn
Sellik (EST) in 2nd
for the Soviets at 13:29.20 and Karl Fleschen (GER) 3rd in
13:29.4.
40 Years Ago- American's went 1 & 3 at a 10,000m in London ENG with Van Nelson
winning in 28:48.2
and Tom Laris 3rd in 28:59.8. Breaking up the 1-2 sweep was
Michael Freary (ENG) in
28:54.8.
50 Years Ago- Monte Wolford (USA) broke the course record at the Pike's Peak
(CO/USA) Marathon
with a 5:15:53, taking more than 20 minutes off his time from the
previous year's
inaugural race. His record would be bettered by more than 45
minutes the following
year.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.


4. What's the best way to refuel your body?
Learn how energy bars, gels and drinks stack up for your strenuous workouts.
Endurance athletes know they need to properly fuel their bodies if they want to
make it to the end of their workouts. It's the
reason products such as Gatorade and PowerBar have been so successful. But with
so many choices out there, how is an athlete to know
what works best?
"Expending calories utilizes energy," says Dr. Cedric Brant, the chief science
officer for the American Council on Exercise. "You're
also losing fluids because of the sweating that's going to occur. To be able to
exercise safely and effectively, you have to be able
to meet the energy and hydration needs."
Leslie Bonci, a registered dietician, offers general guidelines for fueling on
the go.
"In terms of sports drinks, a little carbohydrate goes a long way," Bonci says.
"If something is too concentrated, it takes too long
to leave the stomach."
~ Look for drinks that offer about 14 grams of carbohydrates and 100 to 200
milligrams of sodium per 8-ounce serving to replace
lost electrolytes, Bonci says.
~ Energy bars should have 200 to 300 calories and 30 to 50 grams of carbs,
which makes them a good meal an hour before a workout or
as a recovery meal afterward, Bonci says.
~ Always chase gels with water, or risk the carbohydrates sticking in the
stomach and failing to reach the bloodstream to be used
quickly, Bonci says.
More...from the Olympian at:
http://www.theolympian.com/living/story/186282.html


5. Don't blame your knees for the pain:
Weak hips are cause of most running injuries.
A landmark study from the University of Calgary's Running Injury Clinic suggests
bad knees have been getting a bum rap.
While most running injuries happen in the knees and lower legs, it turns out
their root cause is almost always weak hip muscles. So
runners should stop blaming faulty knees for causing them so much pain as they
jog and start strengthening their hips.
The surprising news come from an investigation by Reed Ferber, who runs the
clinic and is a professor with the university's
faculties of kinesiology and nursing.
I think this is a good news study for people who are living with chronic running
pain," Ferber says. "You can do something about
it."
Ferber was stunned to discover that of 284 patients who visited his clinic
complaining of leg pain over a period of seven months, 92
per cent had weak hip muscles.
As part of each patient's consultation, he gave them a program to improve hip
strength, along with other recommendations to speed
their recovery.
The results, say Ferber, were even more astonishing: 89 per cent of the patients
reported a significant lessening of pain within
four to six weeks. Hip-strengthening exercises helped everyone from senior
citizens who take long walks to young runners who
participate in races.
While strong hips aren't a guarantee against future running injuries, Ferber
says improving the strength in your hips is a great way
to reduce the number and severity of lower-leg running injuries.
More...from The Province at:
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/liveit/story.html?id=1c140537-21d1-4a7b-8\
819-a9411c69ca64


6. On the mean streets of L.A.
Bicyclists and runners just want to share the pavement with drivers. They're
entitled, right?
Scott Sing has had a tire iron hurled at him, a water bottle thrown at his head
and been bombarded with racial epithets. And all he
was trying to do was ride his bike on Los Angeles city streets.
His cycling and running brethren tell similar tales -- of being peppered with
flying objects, cursed or otherwise assaulted -- and
those don't even include the stories of near-misses and actual collisions. Such
are the perils of trying to do something healthful
in a city that's not known as bike- or pedestrian-friendly.
Many like Sing, 48, who have been on the roads for years say that the hostility
and congestion are getting worse, especially as
traffic worsens and drivers become more distracted by cellphones and other
electronic gadgets. Cyclists in particular have borne the
brunt of the road rage because they most often have to share the asphalt with
the four-wheeled. And, judging from the frequent
shouted demands to get off the road, many drivers are unaware that cyclists have
as much right to the streets as they do.
In Los Angeles County, bicycle-related accidents have increased slightly in the
past year, according to the California Office of
Traffic Safety. There were 25 deaths and 2,885 injuries in 2005 and an estimated
28 deaths and 2,910 injuries in 2006.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-traffic13aug13,1,6783746.story?coll\
=la-headlines-health


7. Fast and Injury Free – Secrets from the World’s Best Runners:
The Tarahumara Indians of Mexico are one of the few tribes in the world that
live well into their hundreds. Another amazing feature
of this tribe is that they are well known to be incredible distance runners. In
fact, they are able to run more than 100 miles at a
time, even in the 60s! In the 1993 Leadville ultramarathon, the winner was a 55
year old man from the Tarahumara tribe.
What’s even more amazing is that they don’t even wear shoes. They simply run in
sandals that are attached to the feet by a few
simple pieces of leather. And the best part – the runners in this tribe are
almost all injury free! So what’s their secret? How can
they run so long, in such heat, while only wearing sandals and being?
Here are 2 secrets of the Tarahumara running legends:
Get Rid of the Overprotective Shoes
According to Gerard Hartmann, Ph.D, an exercise physiologist who works with the
world’s greatest marathoners and is a consultant to
Nike, most running injuries are a result of too much foam-injected pampering in
today’s shoes. Running shoes have become so
elaborately over cushioned and motion controlling that they cause the foot
muscles to atrophy while shortening and stiffening our
foot’s tendons. This is similar to core muscle atrophying that occurs with
weightlifters that consistently employ waist belts.
More...from Total Wellness Consulting at:
http://www.totalwellnessconsulting.ca/running-performance.htm


8. Working Class Ironman:
By Oliver Piggin
You'd think that at 6'4 and 125kgs Nick Lawson would be racing round a field
after a rugby ball , he however was preparing to race
Ironman and for the past three years has been training with Endurance Coach. As
he prepares for his third year competing at IMNZ we
look at how he has managed training/life and being coached for his Ironman
training.
What motivated you to start training & what were you doing prior?
Nick: Prior to starting Triathlons I was about as unfit as you could get, I had
been playing golf for about 10 years and got down to
a 2 handicap. However I was pretty out of shape. My standard diet consisted of a
steady mix of fast food, pies, coke, beer and
general junk food. After going for my first run all I could do was make it to
the top of the street. That was my reality check; I
decided it was time to have a bit of a health kick to shed a few kgs! I started
going to the gym and built my running up to about 20
minutes a few times a week. I also got my hands on a bike and then I was off for
some cycling events. I did some smaller triathlons
& running events and in 2003 I watched Ironman NZ and decided like many others
that competing was my next big thing. I had a friend
recommend me to check out Endurance Coach & they offered what I was after;
local, cost effective & experienced coaches.
More...from Endurance Coach at:
http://www.endurancecoach.com/Working_Class_Ironman.htm


9. Do You Know What's In Your Sports Drink?
You're in the middle of a 30-minute workout at the local gym, and you're
parched. Should you pop open a Cytomax or a bottle of
water?
Experts in sports nutrition say before you decide what to down, it's worth
thinking twice about the length of your workout, the
conditions you're exercising in and your intensity level.
"If you're working out 30 minutes a day, you don't need a sports drink," says
John Ivy, chairman of the Department of Kinesiology
and Health Education at the University of Texas at Austin. "You're probably
trying to maintain or lose weight, so you don't need
those extra calories."
Quiz: Do You Know What's In Your Sports Drink?
In fact, Ivy and most other experts recommend simply drinking water to keep your
body going during workouts under an hour. The
American Council On Exercise, a nonprofit organization that promotes safe and
effective physical activity, suggests consuming at
least four to 10 ounces, or a cup, every 15 minutes to refuel.
It's when you work out, or perform strenuous activities under a hot sun (such as
mowing the lawn), for more than an hour that your
body might want and need more than water.
More...from Forbes at:
http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/2007/08/07/health-gym-drink-forbeslife-cx_avd_08\
08health.html


10. One Potato, Two Potatoes:
A potato, great fuel for runners, is nature's energy bar.
Each May when the runners belly up to the pre-race carbo feed at the Famous
Idaho Potato Marathon and Fun Run in Boise, Idaho, they
are greeted by a startling sight: no linguine, penne or marinara sauce. Instead
of the usual pasta, the athletes are offered a
potato bar, consisting of fresh-baked russet potatoes with an array of healthy
toppings like broccoli, lentils and strips of chicken
breast.
And the next day, when the runners cross the finish after covering 26.2 miles,
they replenish their depleted energy with... you
guessed it.
"I just love the potatoes," recalled Amanda Long, an assistant cross-country
coach at Borah High School in Boise, who as a teenager
ran the 2.2-mile fun run held in conjunction with the marathon. "Especially the
lumpy mashed potatoes. I tell my girls on the
cross-country team why potatoes are such a good idea. The better runners are the
ones who listen."
Who knows-the pre-race Potato Party may soon rival the Pasta Party for runners
seeking an energy boost for competition. In Idaho,
the running community is doing more than pushing the state's signature product.
A fresh potato contains all the complex carbs
contained in a plate of pasta, along with a bonus windfall of vitamins and
minerals that pasta-or just about any food-lacks.
More...from Runner's World at:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-393-397--11856-0,00.html?cm_mmc=Ex\
tra%20NL-_-2007_08_09-_-nutrition-_-This%20Spud?s%20
For%20You
[Long URL]


11. Water, Water Everywhere, but Guilt by the Bottleful:
ON a recent family vacation in Cape Cod, Jenny Pollack, 40, a novelist and
public relations associate from Brooklyn, did something
she knew she would come to regret. She did it on the spur of the moment. She did
it because she felt desperate.
Besides, the giant illuminated Dasani vending machine was just standing there,
like a beacon.
So, with her reusable plastic Nalgene bottles dry and her son Charlie working up
a thirst in an indoor playground, she broke down
and bought a bottle of water. To most people it would be a simple act of
self-refreshment, but to Ms. Pollack it was also a minor
offense against the planet — think of all the oil used to package, transport and
refrigerate that water.
“Something about it felt like a betrayal,” said Ms. Pollack, who otherwise does
not consider herself an ardent environmentalist. She
said she decided to stop buying water after hearing friends talk about the
impact of America’s bottled water habit. And now she is
doing what she can to spread the word.
“I’ve pretty much said to every single one of my friends, ‘Can I tell you my
spiel about bottled water?’ ”
How unlikely, that at the peak of a sweltering summer, people on playgrounds, in
parks, and on beaches are suddenly wondering if an
ice-cold bottle of fresh water might be a bad thing.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/12/fashion/12water.html?ref=style


12. Sweatology:
Like the finish line of a long road race, the Times Square subway platform one
recent hot afternoon was a study in wet humanity,
from drenched (a large woman in shorts and a skimpy, sweat-splotched top,
flushed and vigorously fanning herself), to barely bedewed
(an elderly man in a suit and tie calmly reading his paper).
Who would believe that every sufferer had the same model of personal
air-conditioner operating at full blast?
Sweat is our interior coolant, part of a uniquely human biologic machine. The
machine drips and occasionally stalls: long waits on
torpid platforms can inspire glum reflections on how it will hold up as the
planet heats up. But experts counsel optimism: the
system is sturdy, adjustable and even reproducible by engineers working to make
our future sweaty selves more comfortable.
Humans operate in a tiny range of preferred internal temperatures. We can
tolerate overcooling, routinely recovering from long
periods of hypothermia with body temperatures diving 20 or more degrees below
normal.
But we have little tolerance for even brief overheating: the brain malfunctions
with six or seven degrees of fever, and an internal
temperature of 110, barely a dozen degrees above normal, is often cited as the
upper limit compatible with life. So a good internal
air-conditioner is essential, both to dissipate the heat generated by the body’s
metabolism and to relieve the heat absorbed from
miserable summer weather.
“It is plain old unglamorous sweat that has made humans what they are today,”
writes the evolutionary anthropologist Nina G.
Jablonski in her recent book “Skin.” “Without plentiful sweat glands keeping us
cool with copious sweat, we would still be clad in
the thick hair of our ancestors, living largely apelike lives.”
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/14/health/14swea.html?_r=1&8dpc&oref=slogin


13. Tape measure, not scale, key to knowing heart risk:
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A quick check around the waist with a tape measure may be
a better way of telling if you are at risk of heart
disease than stepping on a scale, researchers said on Monday.
Even if people are not overweight, those with larger waistlines are more likely
to show the early signs of heart disease than those
with smaller waists, the team at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
in Dallas reported.
"Inches are as important as pounds," Dr. James de Lemos, a cardiologist who led
the study, said in a telephone interview.
Writing in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the researchers
said they have started a long-term study of 2,744
people with a median age of 45.
They used magnetic resonance imaging and electron beam computed tomography scans
to look for early signs of clogged arteries and
found a direct relationship between waist size and early indications of heart
disease, regardless of the patients' overall weight.
"It's a straight-line relationship all the way down to the lowest levels," de
Lemos said.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1336132720070814


14. Keeping Bones Strong:
By Colette Cole, M.S.
Knowing how likely you are to develop osteoporosis is the first step in
preventing it. Getting a bone density baseline test and
monitoring your bone health regularly with your doctor is a necessity. The
following factors will also help you determine your risk:
~ Gender. Women are at higher risk due to changes involved in menopause.
~ Age. The older you are, the weaker and less dense your bones become.
~ Family history. Susceptibility may be, in part, hereditary.
~ Body size. Small-boned and thin women are at greater risk.
~ Ethnicity. Caucasian and Asian women have more of a risk than other
ethnicities.
~ Reduced hormone levels. These changes occur during normal or early menopause.
~ Improper diet. Inadequate nutrition, such as a lack of calcium, may be a
factor.
~ Inactivity. This means little or no weight-bearing exercise.
~ Improper lifestyle choices. These behaviors include smoking or excessive
alcohol consumption.
~ Certain medications and chronic conditions. Discuss your medications with your
doctor.
~Be proactive and reduce any of the above risk factors you can. Proper
nutrition, lifestyle choices, and exercise are risk factors
you can change.
~ Osteoporosis can be a preventable disease, and performing regular exercise is
important in maintaining healthy bones. The
following exercises are recommended:
~ Cardiovascular (weight-bearing endurance activities). This type of exercise
includes activities such as walking, jogging, stair
climbing, aerobics classes and sports. (Note that water activities and other non
weight-bearing exercises are not effective for
osteoporosis prevention.) Exercise three to five times per week at a moderate to
high intensity level for at least 30 minutes at a
time.
~ Resistance (weight-lifting). Resistance exercise includes weight machines,
free weights, stability balls, bands, and bodyweight
activities. Exercise two to three times per week at a moderate to high intensity
level.
Both weight-bearing activities and resistance training are important for the
best results. If you are not currently participating in
regular exercise, or you are not sure if the exercises you are doing are proper
for maximizing bone health, contact a qualified
personal trainer who can design an exercise program right for you.
Four Steps to Healthy Bones
In addition to regular exercise, the National Osteoporosis Foundation suggests
four other ways to maintain good bone health and
prevent osteoporosis.
1. Take your daily recommended doses of calcium and vitamin D.
2. Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol.
3. Talk with your doctor about bone health.
4. When appropriate, have a bone density test and take medication.
Colette Cole is a senior personal trainer at Cooper Fitness Center. She is the
developer of The Female Focus program, which offers
fitness training and lectures aimed at preventing and treating conditions such
as osteoporosis, heart disease, fibromyalgia and
arthritis. Dallas residents interested in enrolling in the program or learning
more may call 972-233-4832. You can also find
information at http://www.cooperaerobics.com/fitness/FemaleFocus.aspx.
This article was originally published in the spring 2007 issue of Cooper
Clinic's Cooper Health magazine.
Material adapted from Women's Health and Fitness Guide by Michele Kettles, M.D.;
Brenda Wright, Ph.D.; and Colette Cole. Copies are
available at http://www.coopercomplete.com/store/detail/217.php.
For more health articles visit www.CooperComplete.com


15. The Power of the Group:
I’m convinced that almost anyone can train for a marathon or half marathon
without injury. But for every 20 people who train for a
marathon alone, only one makes it to the finish line. Having the support of a
coach and/or a group increases the odds of finishing
by 10 times or more.
When you choose the right training group, you want to be with your friends on
the long workouts. In my book, Marathon, I note the
four main reasons people join groups:
1. As a team, you can share the challenges, the laughs, the struggles and the
exhilaration.
2. No group member needs to go through a tough day without being bolstered by
others.
3. As you give support, you’ll receive so much more in return.
4. Bonding occurs as individuals support and respect one another — lifelong
friendships are formed.
Choosing the Right Group
Pick a group that runs at your pace and takes walk breaks as you need them.
After over 30 years of organizing Galloway Training
groups, I believe that you cannot go too slow on long runs. Slower running (with
more walk breaks) can reduce the aches and pains
down to almost nothing. Some training groups have one large mass that spreads
out as individuals try to find their own pace. We’ve
found in the Galloway programs that individuals are supported better when a
group leader (GL) manages pace and walk breaks and is
in charge of those with similar conditioning. When this is done, the GL can
reduce adversity — and promote fun with the sharing of
jokes, stories and experiences.
More...from Competitor Magazine at:
http://www.competitor.com/article/?Guid=b037cdf6-bd74-4177-a73f-1ff51e4b829c


16. Bar new 'comfort food':
Is there anything chocolate can't do?
A Windsor company has come up with the best reason yet for women to indulge a
passion for chocolate.
Jamieson Laboratories, a naturopathic health products manufacturer on Rhodes
Drive, has announced the development of a chocolate bar
that it says can alleviate the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
The company's new PMS Support chocolate bar line, a collection of 15 soy crisp
chocolate bars "infused with natural botanicals,"
claiming to help relieve the physical and emotional symptoms of PMS, should be
on the shelves of select stores across Canada within
days.
John Challinor, director of communications for Jamieson's Toronto office, said
the new comfort food "is like nothing else on the
market today."
While Challinor would not speculate on the chocolate bar line's expected sales
figures, he said the company was very optimistic
about international marketing.
The company, Canada's largest manufacturer and distributor of natural health
care, vitamin and nutrition products, exports to
clients in 50 countries, including the United States, China, Japan, Korea and
Singapore.
"It's difficult to determine how markets will respond, but early indications
through market studies indicate a positive outlook," he
said, adding it is too soon to determine if there will be a need to expand the
Windsor operation.
Challinor said there are immediate marketing opportunities in Canada. He added
there are about 175 employees at the plant and
distribution warehouse in Windsor.
More...from Canada.com at:
http://www.canada.com/topics/bodyandhealth/story.html?id=dd0c3eb1-152d-44d1-8b5f\
-f4f34234bcb6&k=19679


17. Too much exercise may speed heart failure:
Though exercise can be a key part of managing high blood pressure and heart
disease, new animal research suggests there can be too
much of a good thing.
In experiments with rats, researchers found that excessive exercise worsened
high blood pressure and progression to heart failure in
rats with high blood pressure.
Dr. Rebecca L. Schultz and colleagues at the University of South Dakota, Sioux
Falls, report the results in the journal
Hypertension.
Regular physical activity has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease in
numerous studies. Moreover, exercise therapy has been
shown to improve both blood pressure and symptoms of heart failure -- a chronic
condition in which the heart loses its ability to
pump blood efficiently, causing symptoms like breathlessness and fatigue.
The new findings in rats are, therefore, unexpected, according to an editorial
published with the study.
The implications for humans are not yet certain, according to the editorialists
Dr. Paul Christian Schulze, of Boston University
Medical Center, and Satyam Sarma, of Brown University Medical Center in
Providence, Rhode Island. However, the findings "should
raise our awareness" of the potential harm intense exercise might do to people
with untreated high blood pressure.
Humans, as well as rats, develop high blood pressure that can progress to heart
failure. In the current study, some of the animals
were housed with a running wheel, while the others remained sedentary.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSCOL66582620070816


18. Protein Ingestion and Endurance Exercise: A Closer Look at the Science:
Michael J. Saunders, PhD, School of Kinesiology and Recreation Studies, James
Madison University
INTRODUCTION
Carbohydrates and fats are the primary fuels metabolized during endurance
exercise. However, during prolonged exercise, protein can
contribute 5-10% of total energy demands (2, 4) and this contribution can
increase under conditions of low glycogen availability (7,
14). Because this contribution is considerably less than carbohydrates and
fats, exercise scientists have historically minimized
the importance of protein for endurance athletes. However, protein’s
contribution is not inconsequential as subtle changes in
metabolism can impact training and performance.
PROTEIN METABOLISM & EXERCISE
The importance of protein ingestion during recovery from exercise has become
widely accepted in the sports nutrition field but the
ingestion of protein during exercise is less appreciated. From a metabolic
perspective a small amount protein consumed during
exercise will increase protein oxidation. The oxidation of this protein for
energy can alter substrate utilization and potentially
spare blood glucose and/or muscle glycogen as well as modulate protein turnover
(i.e. sum of protein synthesis and breakdown). To
this end, Koopman et al. (6) reported two-fold increases in protein oxidation
when protein was added to a carbohydrate beverage
during prolonged exercise. Furthermore, ingestion of protein intake during
exercise improved protein balance by stimulating whole
body protein synthesis and minimizing breakdown. By contrast, whole body protein
balance remained negative when only carbohydrate
was ingested.
Colombani and associates (3) observed that protein was absorbed and partially
oxidized during marathon running with carbohydrate
plus protein (CHO+Pro) ingestion. Thus, carbohydrate/protein ingestion may
increase the total fuel availability to the working
muscles beyond levels attainable with carbohydrate alone. In support of this
hypothesis, we observed significantly improved power
output and performance times in the late-stages of a cycling time-trial with
CHO+Pro ingestion during exercise when compared to a
carbohydrate (CHO) beverage (12). Both beverages contained equal carbohydrate
content, which was provided at the upper-limit of
exogenous carbohydrate oxidation (>60g/hr), suggesting that these performance
benefits could not have been elicited with higher
carbohydrate content.
RECENT PERFORMANCE STUDIES
In the past few years a number of studies have shown great promise for the role
of supplemental protein to improve endurance
performance. Ivy et al. (5) compared the effects of consuming varied sports
beverages during exercise on cycling time at 85% VO2max
following three-hours of varied-intensity, sub-maximal cycling. Cyclists
completed significantly longer time-to-exhaustion when
consuming a CHO+Pro beverage (26.9±4.5 min) than a CHO beverage (19.7±4.6 min),
with both beverages outperforming a placebo
(12.7±3.1). Our Human Performance Laboratory compared cycling time to
exhaustion at 75% VO2max between CHO and CHO+Pro beverages
(10). Cyclists were able to ride 29% longer when receiving CHO+Pro (106.3±45.2
min) than CHO (82.3±32.6 min). Similarly, we
recently reported significant endurance improvements in both male and female
cyclists when CHO+Pro gels were ingested during
exercise (11).
More...from Accelerade at:
http://www.accelerade.com/science/FeaturedStudy.aspx


19. One Runner’s View: Age and the Elite Marathoner - Part II:
by Joel Tetreault & Erin Gemmill
1. Introduction
In a previous article (One Runner’s View: Age and the Elite Marathon [March
16]), we looked at one of the age-old questions in
sport: “for a particular event or sport, is there an optimal age to compete?”
Specifically, we looked at the ages of elite male
marathoners to see if there were in fact any trends in the age at which male
marathoners tended to medal, or set the fastest time.
The marathon, in particular, is an interesting event to focus on because of the
conflicting opinion on when to focus on the
marathon. One school of thought says that the marathon should be tried early on,
while on the other hand, some believe that the
marathon should be tried after one is no longer improving in the shorter track
events (which assumes speed has been maximized).
On the men’s side, this dichotomy was apparent in our previous study: European
countries, which followed the latter school of
thought, had marathoners setting PRs over the average, while major marathon
countries such as Kenya and Japan had marathoners
running their best times just under the average. In addition, we observed that
27 years was the average for an elite marathoner to
PR and also most likely win an Olympic medal. We found no trend in the age of PR
or medaling over time. That is, per decade, the
average age to PR or get an Olympic medal has hovered around 27 years.
In this article, we now look at the women’s statistics to see if our previous
observations with the men generalize across genders.
Looking at the ages of the top 10 women, we can already see some differences
with the men:
More...from Running Times at:
http://runningtimes.com/blog/?p=34


20 Digest Briefs:
* Dear Dr. Mirkin: Will following a low-carbohydrate diet help me run faster?
A: There is no evidence that it will. Runners get fuel for their muscles from
fat and sugar in muscles, fat and sugar in the
bloodstream and, to a lesser degree, from protein. The key to increasing
endurance for racing is to store as much sugar in muscles
before you race and keep it there as long as possible. Muscle sugar gives you
the most energy for the least amount of oxygen.
Restricting carbohydrates does not stimulate muscles to store more sugar (Sports
Medicine, April-May 2007). A low carbohydrate diet
may impair performance if carried out for extended periods because a runner
cannot train on a low- carbohydrate diet. If there are
benefits from depleting muscles of their stored sugar supply, they probably come
from the high- volume depletion workouts, not from
the diet. To maximize stored muscle sugar, a runner should reduce his workouts
for two to three days before a race. He should not
restrict carbohydrates.
* Train Easier, Race Faster: It's Not A Fiction, It's For Real!
A team at Madrid University in Spain has been doing some of the best (just about
the only for that matter!) actual training
experiments with talented runners. They gather their subjects, give them two
different training programs, and then measure who
improves the most. Plus, they use veteran, quite fast runners. It's much tougher
to change these guys' performance results than it
is to get changes with beginners. In this five month study, the researchers
found that subjects who did mostly "easy" running
improved significantly more than those who did greater amounts of "threshold"
(tempo) training. All subjects did the same amount of
RCT training (ie, "interval training; 8.5 percent of all training). The EZ group
did 81 percent of their training at an EZ pace; the
Threshold group did 67 percent of their training at EZ pace. In a 10.4 K
cross-country trial, the EZ group improved by 2:37 and the
Threshold group by 2:02. In other words, the guys who trained easier, improved
more. Source: Journal Of Strength And Conditioning
Research. More...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=PubMed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSear\
ch=17685689&ordinalpos=10&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntre
z.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
[Aug. 13, and I've now read the full study. More details: The two training
groups did equivalent amounts of training, about 53 miles
a week. Both followed a sophisticated strength-training program. At the
beginning of the study, their best 10K times ranged from
30:30 to 35:00. So, they were good runners who trained hard. The authors say
this study reinforces the benefits of "hard-easy"
training, that most training should be easy, that tempo training and
marathon-pace training are the actual "junk miles" for runners,
and that slow training is very valuable. Yes, this is going to make a lot of you
shake your heads. But remember, it comes from a
randomized, experimental study, which is not true of any other training theory.
On the other hand, note that these subjects were
5K-10K runners, not marathoners, and the results reflect their 10K success, not
their marathon success.]
From Runner's World
* Most Runners, Even Elite Competitors, Are Rearfoot Strikers
In recent years, a number of popular running "experts" have been proposing a
forefoot-based running stride as the best and fastest
way to run. That proposal doesn't appear to hold up in this new study. The
researchers videotaped 415 runners at the 15K point in an
elite half marathon. Among all these runners, 74.9 percent used a rearfoot
strike, followed by 23.7 percent for midfoot striking,
and 1.4 percent for forefoot. Among the 50 fastest runners, who were averaging
under 5:00 at the 15K point, the corresponding
figures are 62, 36, and 2. Thus the fastest runners were more likely to be
forefoot or midfoot strikers than the slower runners, but
they were still PRIMARILY landing on their heels. And very, very few were
landing on their forefoot. Source: Journal Of Strength And
Conditioning Research. More..
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=176857\
22&dopt=AbstractPlus
From Runner's World
* Drink Milk To Gain Muscle And Lose Fat After Your Workout
Milk may be the ideal drink to help you gain muscle and burn fat after a
workout. That’s true for both athletes and recreational
exercisers.
As published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a study at McMaster
University examined the post-workout effects of
drinking 2 cups of skim milk vs. a soy beverage with the same amount of protein
and energy vs. a carbohydrate drink (like a sports
drink) with about the same amount of energy.
The researchers followed 3 groups of men from 18 to 30 years old. These 56 men
engaged in rigorous weightlifting 5 days a week over
a 12-week period.
When the study was over, the researchers discovered that the milk drinking group
had lost almost twice as much fat (2 pounds) as the
carbohydrate drinking group (1 pound).
The soy drinkers lost no fat.
In addition, the milk drinkers gained 40% more muscle (2.5 pounds) than the soy
drinkers and 63% more muscle (3.3 pounds) than the
carbohydrate drinkers.
The researchers concluded that milk is the ideal post-workout drink.
The study was funded by grants from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research
and the U.S. National Dairy Council.
* Spot Reduction Exercises are Not Effective
Many people believe that if they do enough sit-ups they will get rid of belly
fat, but your body does not work that way. Exercising
a specific muscle does not get rid of more fat over
that muscle in comparison to the rest of your body. If it did, tennis players
would have less fat in their tennis arms, and this
does not happen. Strength training strengthens weak muscles, but it cannot
remove fat specifically over the strengthened muscle.
A recent study from the University of Connecticut showed that men who exercised
one arm against heavy resistance for 12 weeks
appeared to lose more fat in their exercised arm than their inactive one when
fat was measured by a caliper that calculated skin
thickness (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, July 2007). However, when
the same authors used an MRI machine to measure fat
underneath the skin, there was no difference between the exercised and
non-exercised arms.
When you take in more calories than your body burns, you store the extra
calories as fat. More than half of the fat in your body is
stored underneath your skin and over your muscles. Your stomach will look
better when your belly muscles are strong, but sit-ups
or crunches will not remove extra fat from your belly. The only way to lose fat
from a specific part of your body is to lose weight
overall.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at: http://www.drmirkin.com

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.

August 18, 2007:
Helsinki City Marathon - Helsinki, Finland

Maggie Valley Moonlight Race - Maggie Valley, NC

August 19, 2007:
30th EAS America's Finest City Half Marathon - San Diego, CA

Celebration of Running 5K - Orlando, FL

Leading Ladies Marathon - Spearfish, SD

August 21, 2007:
Xerox 10K - Ottawa, ON

August 25 - September 2, 2007:
World Championships in Athletics - Osaka, Japan


June 21, 2008
Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K race for Women
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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The Stretching Handbook:
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