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 - Canada's
Fastest Women's 5K
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. 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. in 2006 - in the RunnersWeb5K Race for Women -
Stevenson won in 16:28 over Emily Tallen of Kingston
who placed third this year in 16:55. This year 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. Sportera.Net
Sport massage has become an integral part of the new athletic regimen from after
school athletics to high performance training.
With an athlete in mind SporteraT Sport preparations were developed. SporteraT
Sport Lotions are designed to give an extra edge to
physically active persons and athletes at every level of training.
Complete workout routine includes not only the exercise itself, but also caring
for the wear and tear and minor injuries that
naturally occur with strenuous movement. The nature of SporteraT Sport Lotions
makes it ideal complement to a total training.
Anyone who routinely performs physical activities such as running, hiking,
strength training, playing soccer, hockey, basketball,
and tennis will ultimately benefit from SporteraT Sport lotions.
SporteraT Lotions are designed to help the body prepare itself and recover from
the stresses of all sports therefore improving
physical condition.
Visit their web site at:
http://www.sportera.net/intro.html

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NEW THIS WEEK:

Nike Specials:
Nike Sports Essentials. Built to be the World's Greatest Sports Tee. Shop
NikeStore.com
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Women's workout gear. Work out. Chill out. Find Nike favorites at NikeStore.com
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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
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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
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Select the daily email to receive your training by the day or log on to your
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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:
Island Triathlon Series - Turks and Caicos Islands
Turks and Caicos Islands - CONVENIENT LOCATION Where else on earth could the
pursuit of excellence in sport be coupled with such a
divine landscape? The almost virginal and self-described "beautiful by nature"
Island of the Turks & Caicos is untouched, unspoiled
and unparalleled to any of the Caribbean Island currently offering races of this
magnitude.
The Turks and Caicos Islands are situated relatively central in the Caribbean,
surrounded by other popular places such as the
Bahamas, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. Miami, Florida is located a mere 575
miles southeast of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Turks and Caicos Islands - TRAVEL INFORMATION
There are some great travel options when traveling from the US and Canada to
Turks and Caicos listed online from as low as $622 per
week.
Turks and Caicos Islands - GREAT ACCOMMODATIONS The official race hotel for
Island Triathlon SeriesT is the Alexandra Resort
(www.alexandraresort.com). The island is stacked with a variety of different
hotels and villas to meet all your desired preferences.

To find out more travel information from your city visit
www.islandtriathlonseries.com/travel_hotel.
***Island Triathlon SeriesT is taking place on December 1st 2007.
Visit us online at www.islandtriathlonseries.com to register. ***


THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

1. Science of Sport: Leading-edge body sensor could help produce sporting
champions
2. This Week in Running
3. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine
4. Fundraising's long, lonely roads
5. Brits 'dying not to do exercise'
6. Amino Acids and Performance
7. Study finds any kind of exercise helps diabetics
8. Scientists Highlight Benefits Of Genetic Research In Sport, But Warn Of
Ethical Concerns, UK
9. Men Shed Light On The Mystery Of Human Longevity, Study Finds
10. Can You Really Boost Your Metabolism?
Burn calories--even while you sleep!--with a little strength training. Sounds
great. But does it work?
11. Stress Test
12. Cool Down
13. The McMillan Performance Page: Fixing the Fade
How to feel strong in the final miles of your next marathon.
14. Get Some Running Therapy
Exercise-induced happiness fights anger, sadness, and anxiety. Who needs a
shrink?
15. Running Economy
16. Young female runners must deal with body changes
17. Exercise on par with drugs for aiding depression
18. The Marathon Minefield
19. What Causes Muscle Soreness and How Can I Minimize This?
20. Digest Briefs

RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"What is your serum ferritin value?"

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 your coaching situation?"
Answers Percent
1. Self-coached 78%
2. Club coach 11%
3. Internet 6%
4. Other 6%


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE MONTH: SanyaRichards.net
Sanya Richards, The Fastest 400m Woman in U.S. History
She's fast, professional, beautiful and ready to have you watch her run with her
website.
View Sanya Richards like you've never seen her before, enter her website.
Renowned for her ability to challenge a speeding bullet, Sanya Richards is the
youngest woman ever to break the elusive 49-second
barrier at 400 meters. Her remarkable achievements include:
- 2006 World Female Athlete of the Year
- 400m American Record Holder - 48.70
- 3-time US Outdoor National Champion at 400m
- Olympic Gold Medalist (4x400m)
- Ranked #1 in the world in 2006 by the IAAF at 200 and 400m
- Undefeated at 400m in 2006
Check back regularly to see where Sanya is going to be next, view her most
recent accomplishments, read her latest diary entries and
much, much more
Visit her web site at:
http://www.sanyarichards.net/

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

BOOK/VIDEO OF THE MONTH: Brain Training For Runners: A Revolutionary New
Training System to Improve Endurance, Speed, Health, and
Results
By Matt Fitzgerald
Book Description
Based on new research in exercise physiology, author and running expert Matt
Fitzgerald introduces a first-of-its-kind training
strategy that he's named "Brain Training." Runners of all ages, backgrounds, and
skill levels can learn to maximize their
performance by supplying the brain with the right feedback. Based on
Fitzgerald's eight-point brain training system, this book will
help runners:
- Resist running fatigue
- Use cross-training as brain training
- Master the art of pacing
- Learn to run "in the zone"
- Outsmart injuries
- Fuel the brain for maximum performance
- And more
Packed with cutting-edge research, real-world examples, and the wisdom of the
world's top distance runners, Brain Training for
Runners offers easily applied advice and delivers practical results for a better
overall running experience.
About the Author
Matt Fitzgerald coaches online through TrainingPeaks.com and serves as a
communications consultant to sports nutrition companies. A
former editor at several top fitness magazines, he is the author of numerous
articles and books. He lives in Northern California
Buy the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0451222326/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: Leading-edge body sensor could help produce sporting
champions:
A revolutionary unobtrusive sensor that collects and immediately transmits data
from the human body could boost British sporting
success in future.
Cufflink-sized and clipped behind the wearer's ear, the sensor is unique in two
key respects. First, it does not hinder performance,
yet can gather unprecedentedly wide-ranging and useful data about posture,
stride length, step frequency, acceleration, response to
shock waves travelling through the body etc.
Second, when worn by an athlete during training, it can transmit the information
for immediate visual display on a handheld device
or laptop used by their coach at the trackside. The coach can then harness the
data to shape the on-the-spot advice and instruction
they give the athlete regarding technique. By instantly adding to the value of
every training session, the sensor can therefore
deliver better sporting performance.
Currently under development at Imperial College London with funding from the
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
(EPSRC) and the Government's Technology Programme, the new sensor and its
potential contribution not just to sport but also to wider
healthcare will be outlined at this year's BA Festival of Science in York.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20070914_Sports-BSN.html


2. This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago- Paul Koech (KEN) won the Dam-tot-Dam (NED) 10M in 44:45, the #1
ten mile time on
the world all-time rankings list (still #2). Ismael Kirui (KEN)
was well back
in 46:01 amd Brahim Lahlafi (MAR) was 3rd in 46:15. Tegla
Loroupe (KEN) took
the women's race in 51:52 with Hellen Kimaiyo (KEN) next in 52:48
and Delilah Asiago
(KEN) 3rd in 53:08. Note that this is a point-to-point course on
which world road
records are not accepted.
20 Years Ago- Martyn Brewer (USA) won the Philadelphia (PA/USA) Half Marathon
in 1:02:07 with
Mark Curp (USA) next in 1:02:12 and James Haughey (NIR) 3rd in
1:02:16. Curp had
set the still-standing (at that time) world record of 1:00:55
here two years previously.
Sylvia Mosqueda (USA) won the women's race in 1:10:47 with Ria
VanLandeghem (BEL)
and Leatrice Hayer (USA) following with 1:12:44 and 1:13:12
respectively.
30 Years Ago- Walter VanRentergham (BEL) won the Berchem (BEL) Marathon in
2:17:27, leading three
others under 2:20. Next was Nils-Bertil Karlsson (SWE) in
2:17:33, then Herman
Parmentier (BEL) in 2:18:37, and 4th was Colin Taylor (ENG) in
2:19:36.
40 Years Ago- Yoshiaki Unetani (JPN) won the Tamatsukuri (JPN) Marathon with a
2:23:48. Nobuyoshi
Sadanaga (JPN) was 2nd in 2:28:50.
50 Years Ago- Stanislaw Ozog won the Polish 10,000m title in 30:24.8.
60 Years Ago- Emil Zatopek (CZE) won a 5000m in Pilsen CZE with a 14:19.8.
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.


3. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine:
* Rest Periods Probably Do Not Increase Weight Loss
Researchers at the University of Tokyo claim that they have shown that
intermittent exercise will help you to lose more
weight than continuous exercise at the same intensity (Journal of Applied
Physiology, June 2007). Seven men participated in three
different trials: 1) one hour at an intensity equal to 60 percent of maximum
oxygen uptake; 2) 30 minutes at the same intensity
followed by a 20-minute rest, followed by 30 more minutes of exercise at the
same intensity; and 3) one hour of rest. The trial
with two bouts of 30 minutes separated by a 20-minute rest burned the most fat.
This intermittent exercise trial resulted in higher
blood free fatty acid, glycerol and epinephrine levels, and significantly lower
values of insulin and glucose.
If these researchers are correct, scientists may need to revamp their
ideas about the best exercise regimen for weight loss,
recommending multiple bouts of exercise with intermittent rest periods.
However, there may be another way to explain the results of
this study. Fat cells release fat during exercise and then reabsorb some of
that fat during rest. During the intermittent exercise
trial, fat cells would release fat in the first bout of exercise, some of the
released fat would return during the rest period, and
then during the second bout of exercise, the fat cells would appear to have
released more fat because they released new fat and some
of the more-soluble fat that had returned to the fat cells. The increase in fat
loss would be due to the fat that had re-entered
the cells during the rest period, and would not make any difference in total
weight loss.
Unless the researchers can show that intermittent exercise burns more
total fat than continuous exercise, there is no need
to change your exercise routine. Weight loss is determined by how hard and how
long you exercise, not by the timing of your rest
periods.
* Testosterone replacement for older men?
As men age from 50 to 70, their testosterone levels drop more than 40%, causing
them to become fatter, and less sexual, muscular and
assertive and have smaller, weaker bones, 20% of men aged 60-80 years have
testosterone levels below the lower limit of normal.
Giving testosterone to normal men over 65 years of age causes them to lose fat,
principally in the arms and legs, and increase
muscle and bone size, principally in the trunk. Testosterone is an effective
treatment for depression in older men. A study in the
American Journal of Psychiatry shows that men who are mildly depressed have much
lower levels of the male hormone, testosterone,
than men who are severely crippled by depression and men who have no depression
at all.
Men with low blood testosterone levels are at high risk for heart attacks, even
though testosterone pills lower blood levels of the
good HDL cholesterol and increase a man's chances of getting a heart attack. Men
with the highest testosterone levels have the
lowest blood insulin levels which prevents heart attacks. Insulin is necessary
to keep blood sugar levels from rising too high, but
it also can increase your chances of getting a heart attack by causing arteries
to constrict, and making you fat by causing hunger
and forcing your liver to make extra fat from the extra calories that you
consume.
Testosterone injections can make older men with low blood levels of testosterone
more interested in making love. The only reported
significant side effect is an increase in the concentration of red blood cells
that could cause clots. Two major theoretical
concerns about prescribing testosterone to older men are that they may cause a
heart attack or spread an existing prostate cancer.
However, only testosterone pills have been shown to lower blood levels of the
good HDL cholesterol and cause heart attacks.
Testosterone injections and skin patches do not.
Studies from Chicago Medical School showed that men 60 to 75 years of age who
take very low doses of the male hormone, testosterone,
(25 to 50 mg) weekly for two years have lower blood cholesterol levels, less
body fat and greater muscle strength. Their prostates
did not enlarge and their PSA blood test did not rise. More research is needed,
but older men who take testosterone, should take
injections or patches, rather than pills, and have their prostates checked by
physical exam, sonogram and a blood test called free
PSA.
Side effects of testosterone include androgen-sensitive epilepsy, migraine,
sleep apnea, polycythemia or fluid overload. It is
illegal for Olympic athletes to take testosterone.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at: http://www.drmirkin.com


4. Fundraising's long, lonely roads:
I'm running a marathon! I'm climbing a mountain! I'm raising awareness! It's for
a good cause! Hey -- is this thing on?
EARLIER this month, Tim Borland set out to run the equivalent of 63 marathons in
63 days, consecutively, to raise money and
awareness for a rare degenerative disease.
About the same time, a group of fathers began cycling across the country to help
combat a rare form of children's cancer.
A New York man is in the midst of a decade-long goal to scale 10 mountains in as
many years for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
research.
And a local gym owner recently spent 24 hours on an elliptical trainer to raise
money for Lou Gehrig's disease.
All hope for copious dollars and national media attention for their gee-whiz
exploits, but most people will never hear of their
endeavors or make donations to their cause. News organizations are beset with
pitches to cover such Herculean events, and many of
these well-meaning men and women, most of whom have zero background in
publicity, have no idea that their grueling physical feats
are paltry compared to what it takes to get the "Today" show to call back.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-feats17sep17,1,6000721.story?coll=l\
a-headlines-health&ctrack=4&cset=true


5. Brits 'dying not to do exercise' :
Most UK adults are so unwilling to exercise that not even the threat of an early
death is enough to get them off the sofa, a survey
suggests.
Only 38% of people questioned by YouGov said they would do more exercise if
their life depended on it.
And British Heart Foundation figures show only a third of people manage to do
enough exercise to achieve the minimum recommended
amount.
Experts warned inactivity is dangerous even in those who are a healthy weight.
Among the 2,100 people surveyed, brisk walking was found to be the favourite way
of getting exercise - before dancing, swimming or
going to the gym.
However, only 4% said they found exercise fun.
A greater inspiration was exercising to change body shape, particularly among
women and young adults.
More...from the BBC at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6994632.stm


6. Amino Acids and Performance:
Reviewed by Bob Seebohar, MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS
Introduction
Amino acids are the building blocks for skeletal muscle as well as digestive
enzymes, hormones, antibodies and other body proteins
necessary for optimal functioning. Of the 20 amino acids in the body, there are
two types: essential and non-essential. There are
eight essential amino acids including -- leucine, isoleucine, lysine,
methionine, phenylalanine, theonine, tryptophan, and valine.
The term essential is used because the body cannot synthesize these amino acids,
making it necessary to obtain them from the diet.
The twelve non-essential amino acids are equally important, but most of the time
can be synthesized in the body at a rate that
equals demand so dietary intake is not as crucial. Complete proteins include all
of the essential amino acids, and are considered
higher quality proteins. Animal proteins (including dairy, poultry, eggs, beef,
and pork) and soy protein (plant protein) are
considered complete proteins. Incomplete proteins are missing one or more of the
essential amino acids, and are therefore
characterized as lower quality proteins. Eating a variety of animal and plant
sources of protein is the best way to obtain all
essential amino acids in the diet.
Of particular interest to endurance athletes are the amino acids, valine,
leucine, isoleucine and glutamine. The Branched Chain
Amino Acids (BCAA's), valine, leucine and isoleucine, are metabolized
differently than other amino acids. During prolonged exercise,
BCAA's are taken up by the skeletal muscle rather than the liver in order to
contribute to energy production (oxidative metabolism).
Making up one third of the muscle amino acid pool, BCAA's can become quickly
depleted with exhaustive endurance exercise.
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body accounting for greater
than 60% of the total intramuscular free amino acid
pool. Many cells in the body use glutamine as a fuel for growth and is
synthesized in both skeletal muscle and in adipose tissue in
addition to the lungs, liver and brain.
There is evidence that during times of stress the body cannot produce enough
glutamine to keep up with demand which in turn can
reduce performance, immune function and affect mood state. Athletes at risk for
inadequate stores of glutamine include those not
eating enough calories, carbohydrates or protein or those participating in
strenuous endurance events. The plasma glutamine response
to training is thought to be biphasic that is an increased concentration during
acute exercise followed by a decreased concentration
after more prolonged exercise. Several authors have reported plasma glutamine
levels decreased as much as 25% after running a
marathon. Therefore, the need for proper daily eating is important to help
maintain normal glutamine levels.
More...from First Endurance at:
http://www.firstendurance.com/newsletter_aminoacids_vol5_9.html


7. Study finds any kind of exercise helps diabetics:
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Weight training works just as well as running on a
treadmill or biking to help the most important symptom of
type-2 diabetes -- long-term control of blood sugar -- Canadian researchers said
on Monday.
Doing both aerobic and resistance training lowered blood sugar levels better
than either alone, researchers said -- and both
appeared to be safe.
At least 194 million people worldwide have diabetes, and the World Health
Organization expects the number to rise to more than 300
million by 2025.
Most have type-2 diabetes, caused by a combination of genetic predisposition,
lack of exercise and rich diet.
Exercise -- the type that makes people breathe a little heavily -- is known to
reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes and can improve
the body's control of sugar. But there were doubts about the safety and
effectiveness of weight training.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTON77866220070917


8. Scientists Highlight Benefits Of Genetic Research In Sport, But Warn Of
Ethical Concerns, UK:
Genetic research into athletic ability should be encouraged for its potential
benefits in both sport and public health, a leading
group of scientists meeting at the University of Bath said recently.
However, ethical concerns, such as whether seeking information about differences
between ethnic groups could be perceived as racist
research, need to be properly addressed, they warn.
Their recommendations are published in a 'position stand' on genetic research
and testing launched at the British Association of
Sport & Exercise Sciences annual meeting today.
They call for more genetic research in the sport and exercise sciences because
of the anticipated benefits for public health, but
want researchers to take a more active role in debating the implications of
their work with the public.
"If a powerful muscle growth gene was identified, on the one hand this could
help develop training programmes that increase muscle
size and strength in athletes, but even more importantly the knowledge could be
used to develop exercise programmes or drugs to
combat muscle wasting in old age," said Dr Alun Williams from Manchester
Metropolitan University, one of the report's authors.
More...from Medical News Today at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/82463.php


9. Men Shed Light On The Mystery Of Human Longevity, Study Finds:
It turns out that older men chasing younger women contributes to human longevity
and the survival of the species, according to new
findings by researchers at Stanford and the University of California-Santa
Barbara.
Evolutionary theory says that individuals should die of old age when their
reproductive lives are complete, generally by age 55 in
humans, according to demographer Cedric Puleston, a doctoral candidate in
biological sciences at Stanford. But the fatherhood of a
small number of older men is enough to postpone the date with death because
natural selection fights life-shortening mutations until
the species is finished reproducing.
"Rod Stewart and David Letterman having babies in their 50s and 60s provide no
benefit for their personal survival, but the pattern
[of reproducing at a later age] has an effect on the population as a whole,"
Puleston said. "It's advantageous to the species if
these people stick around. By increasing the survival of men you have a
spillover effect on women because men pass their genes to
children of both sexes."
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070913090351.htm


10. Can You Really Boost Your Metabolism?
Burn calories--even while you sleep!--with a little strength training. Sounds
great. But does it work?
Let me say right up front that I'm a big fan of strength training. Muscle is
sleek and sexy, and I wish I had more. Muscle is also
functional; it helps you do stuff. More muscle can help you run faster, for
example, or slow down the nasty effects of aging, or get
you an invite every time one of your friends needs to move heavy furniture. The
problem is, strength training has been vastly
oversold as a metabolism-boosting calorie burner. It's time for a reality check.
First, let's do a quick review of Metabolism 101. To lose weight, you want to
increase your total calorie burn, which scientists
call TEE (total energy expenditure; get ready for a parade of acronyms). To
raise your TEE, you need to increase one or more of its
four key parts: BMR, TEF, PAEE, and EPOC. Got that? Don't worry, I'll explain.
Your basal metabolic rate, or BMR, is essentially the calories you burn at rest.
Also called resting energy expenditure, your BMR is
important because it makes up a large percentage of total calorie burn, but
unfortunately you can't do much about it. Your BMR is
mostly determined by your genetic makeup and body weight. The only big-time way
to boost your BMR is to gain weight, which will do
nothing to help you wiggle into a bathing suit.
More...from Runner's World at:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-304--7753-0,00.html?cm_mmc=nut\
rition-_-2007_09_13-_-nutrition-_-Can%20You%20Really
%20Boost%20Your%20Metabolism%3f


11. Stress Test:
Kenneth H. Cooper, M.D., M.P.H.
Tyler C. Cooper, M.D., M.P.H.
With William Proctor
The stress test, or exercise electrocardiogram (ECG), is usually conducted by
having the patient walk on a treadmill, but it may be
done with a cycle or other device that will raise the heart rate to the maximum.
For patients who can't walk or cycle, a
pharmacological stress test is performed. This procedure involves injecting a
medicine into the body to simulate exercise (i.e.,
elevation of the heart rate and blood pressure).
The purpose of the stress test is to test the health of the heart when the
person's endurance level is pushed to exhaustion.
Although a resting ECG can be helpful, an exercise ECG under maximal conditions
is essential to evaluate a person's true heart
health and true risk for cardiovascular disease.
In brief, the Cooper Clinic Protocol we use for stress tests includes these
elements:
~ You undergo a complete screening before the stress test, with a check of such
functions as your blood pressure and heart rate, and
also at least four resting ECGs. The ECGs should be done with at least twelve
"leads," or electrical lines connected to electrode
pads attached to your upper body.
~ For the actual stress test, you should have at least ten leads attached to
electrodes on your chest and upper body. This approach
gives you a standard twelve-lead ECG at rest and during exercise. A good rule of
thumb is the more leads and electrodes, the more
accurate the test.
~ Walk a minute or two on the treadmill to get your bearings and balance. At
this stage, it's okay to hold on to the treadmill bar.
~ When the actual stress test begins, don't hold on to the bar. If you do, an
accurate measure of your fitness won't be possible
because holding on to the bar will reduce the emergency expenditures by at least
30 percent.
~ We use a version of the Balke method as part of the Cooper Protocol. The Balke
approach requires the patient to walk a longer
period, with a more gradual increase in treadmill rate and incline, than do
other techniques, such as the Bruce method.
~ You should walk on the treadmill until you have to stop, either because you're
totally out of breath or your legs won't keep
going. By "exercising to exhaustion" in this way, you'll cause your heart rate
to rise to its maximum rate (or very closer to it).
It's at this point of maximum heart rate that latent heart problems tend to
become obvious on the ECG.
~ After you've reached your maximum heart rate, cool down on the treadmill with
five minutes of slow walking.
~ Lie down on your back for a few minutes after the test. During this final
phase, your physician or qualified technician will
continue to monitor your blood pressure, ECG, and other vital signs.
Combining a good treadmill stress test with a fast CT scan can provide you with
the best possible evaluation of your heart function.
And now, with the new "64 slice spiral CT," it is possible to perform a coronary
angiogram (arteriogram) as a part of a routine
physical. This procedure is noninvasive, less expensive, and less traumatic than
a regular angiogram. All that is required is the
injection of a contrast medium into a vein in the arm and, immediately
afterward, the administration of the CT scan. The accuracy of
this approach is remarkable when it is compared with the routine coronary
angiogram performed in hospitals. In the future, the 64
slice spiral CT may replace the ultrafast CT because of its greater sensitivity.
The Stress Test Under a Microscope
The Balke protocol consists of walking at a constant speed (3.3 mph, or 90
meters per minute) with the treadmill flat for the first
minute. At the conclusion of the first minute, the incline is increased by 2
percent. At the end of each subsequent minute, the
incline is increased by 1 percent until the twenty-fifth minute. After that, the
speed is increased 0.2 mph per minute until the
patient reaches exhaustion or "predicted maximum heart rate" (PMHR).
PMHR is calculated by using this formula: 220 minus the age of the patient =
PMHR. But for conditioned people, this formula is more
accurate: 205 minus 1/2 the age of the patient = PMHR.
In addition, the technician monitoring the test will ask the patient how hard he
or she is working according to the Borg scale of
perceived exertion, with 6 being the lowest level of perceived exertion and 20
being the highest level. A rating of 6 means the
person is totally at rest, whereas a 20 is very, very hard. Ordinarily, the
technicians will stop the test either when PMHR is
reached or when the Borg measure of work is a 19 or 20.
When exhaustion is achieved, the incline of the treadmill is reduced rapidly to
0 percent, and the speed is dropped to 2.2 mph. The
cool-down period lasts for five minutes on the treadmill, followed by five more
minutes of ECG monitoring in the supine (lying on
the back) position.
To compare performances on the Bruce and Balke protocols, multiply the minutes
on the Bruce test by 1.7 to predict what the time
would have been using the Balke test. For example, a maximal performance of nine
minutes on the Bruce protocol is equal to fifteen
minutes on the Balke test.
For levels of fitness as determined by time on the Balke test, age and sex
adjusted, go to pages 373-374 in the Appendix.
This excerpt comes from Start Strong, Finish Strong, the newly published book by
Dr. Kenneth Cooper and his son, Dr. Tyler Cooper -
available from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1583332820/runnersweb/102-0182896-9006569\
?v=glance&s=books


12. Cool Down:
A few months ago, you may remember an issue of The Stretching & Sports Injury
Newsletter titled; Warm Up Activities & Stretching
Exercises. That article covered the warm up in quite some detail, so I thought
it was about time we had a look at the other end of
your work out, the Cool Down.
Many people dismiss the cool down as a waste of time, or simply unimportant. In
reality the cool down is just as important as the
warm up, and if you want to stay injury free, it's vital.
Although the warm up and cool down are just as important as each other, they are
important for different reasons. While the main
purpose of warming up is to prepare the body and mind for strenuous activity,
cooling down plays a different role.
Why Cool Down?
The main aim of the cool down is to promote recovery and return the body to a
pre exercise, or pre work out level. During a
strenuous work out your body goes through a number of stressful processes.
Muscle fibres, tendons and ligaments get damaged, and
waste products build up within your body.
The cool down, performed properly, will assist your body in its repair process.
One area the cool down will help with, is "post
exercise muscle soreness." This is the soreness that is usually experienced the
day after a tough work out. Most people experience
this after having a lay-off from exercise, or at the beginning of their sports
season. I remember running a half marathon with very
little preparation, and finding it difficult to walk down steps the next day
because my quadriceps were so sore. That discomfort is
"post exercise muscle soreness."
This soreness is caused by a number of things. Firstly, during exercise, tiny
tears called micro tears develop within the muscle
fibres. These micro tears cause swelling of the muscle tissues which in turn
puts pressure on the nerve endings and results in pain.
More...from Competitor Magazine at:
http://www.competitorsocal.com/article/?Guid=a40f7937-4c93-4c85-9209-3e061bd7ce7\
e


13. The McMillan Performance Page: Fixing the Fade:
How to feel strong in the final miles of your next marathon.
Like most first-time marathoners, I sailed through 18 miles of my first marathon
feeling like a million bucks. By 21 miles I wasn't
worth five cents. I faded badly over those final six miles. My second marathon
was even worse. Run in hot and humid conditions, I
was reduced to the marathoner's survival shuffle even earlier.
By my third marathon, I figured a few things out and voila! - no fade. I finally
felt like I actually raced the full marathon
distance and set a 10-minute personal best. Here are the three things that I
find help fix that marathon fade.
Fix #1: Decrease Your Delta
When I first evaluate a runner's marathon training, I calculate what I call the
"long run delta." The "long run delta" is the
difference between your longest long run in your marathon phase and your average
long run in the six weeks prior to beginning your
12-week marathon-specific training. For example, if your average long run prior
to marathon training is 14 miles and your longest
long run during your marathon plan is 22 miles, then your long run delta is
eight miles (22 - 14 = 8). If you regularly run 12 miles
and your longest run is 22 miles, then your long run delta is 10 miles.
I've found that if runners simply decrease their long run delta (meaning that
they increase their normal long run distance prior to
marathon training), they are less likely to fade in the final few miles of their
marathon. I've also found that a long run delta of
six or less miles works best for runners hoping to qualify for Boston.
Clever runners, of course, suggest that it's easy to get a long run delta of six
or less. All you have to do is do pre-marathon
long runs of 12 miles and marathon long runs of 18 miles. While this is a
popular strategy for beginning marathoners, it isn't the
best plan if you're trying to fix your marathon fade. You need to condition the
leg muscles to withstand the stresses of running
long. You want to improve your body's ability to fuel these muscles for the long
run. And, you want to callous the mind to running
while tired. These are best accomplished by running more and longer long runs.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/rt/articles/?id=11725


14. Get Some Running Therapy:
Exercise-induced happiness fights anger, sadness, and anxiety. Who needs a
shrink?
Some people work through issues lying down, feet propped up on a leather couch.
Austin "Ozzie" Gontang, Ph.D., however, finds
problem-solving most effective when he and his clients are in running shoes.
Gontang, a psychotherapist, marathoner, and director of
the San Diego Marathon Clinic, has been hitting the streets with his patients
for the past 30 years. "Getting out and talking with
others while you run or walk can help change your thoughts and give you a
different perspective on how you choose to deal with
anger, grief, or trauma," he says.
You don't need to be clinically depressed or severely troubled to benefit from
"motion therapy." In fact, Gontang says many people
run out their problems, perhaps unknowingly, on a regular basis. "Your therapy
might come from your running group, your running
buddy, the Saturday morning bunch," he says. "When you run sometimes hundreds or
thousands of miles together, you trust each other,
bare your souls to each other, and help each other heal."
Numerous studies have shown that exercise stimulates the neurotransmitters
serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, and beta-endorphin, all
of which elevate mood and reduce depression and anxiety. Research is showing
what runners have known all along: In this state of
mind, they are more likely to disclose thoughts and feelings--whether it's to a
training partner or licensed therapist--when they
are logging miles. Gontang strongly believes in motion therapy and offers
discounted rates to those who will see him on the road.
About 75 percent of his clientele do--to his delight. "It's a healthy outlet for
me as well," he says.
More...from Runner's World at:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267--11911-0,00.html?cm_mmc=wo\
men-_-2007_09_19-_-women-_-Run%20Away%20from%20Stres
s
[Long URL]


15. Running Economy:
In many sports speed is an important attribute and ways to improve speed are
sought after. In a simplistic view, to improve speed
you need to increase stride length and/or stride rate. Many athletes and coaches
initially concentrate on improving stride length
only to find that both stride rate and speed decrease. It is perhaps more
effective to work on stride rate because this increases
the power in the leg muscles which in turn naturally increase stride length.
In a number of sports (e.g. football, basketball, netball, hockey) the athlete
is required to conduct short bursts of effort and is
then able to recover by getting oxygen back into the system. There are sports
(e.g. running) where there is a long sustained burst
of effort and oxygen consumption (breathing rhythm) needs to be effective and
efficient.
Running economy can also be improved by improving your vVO2max
(http://www.brianmac.co.uk/vvo2max.htm)
Stride Length and Rate
Exercise physiologists Jack Daniels, PhD monitored the stride rate, stride
lengths of the athletes in the 1984 Olympic track and
field competitions. It was found that competitors in the shorter distances had
longer stride lengths. Female stride lengths varied
form 4 feet 10 inches in the marathon to 6 feet 8 inches for the 800 metres.
Male stride length was 6 feet 2 inches during the 10
kilometre race to just over 7 feet 9 inches in the 800 metres.
In contrast, the stride rate did not vary significantly. Stride rates for all
events, for both men and women, fell between 185 and
200 steps per minute.
Reference: Hoffman, K (1971). Stature, leg length and stride frequency. Track
Technique, 46: 1463-69.
Reference: Rompottie, K (1972). A study of stride length in running.
International Track and Field. (pp.249-56)
More...from Brian Amc, Sports Coach at:
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/economy.htm


16. Young female runners must deal with body changes:
Every year, there are a number of standout high school female runners who show
extreme promise of becoming the next American running
phenom. Then, two years later, more often than not, we wonder what ever happened
to these girls.
How is it that this seems to happen mostly to young female distance runners, and
not to male runners? Why do so many talented girls
go from being among the fastest in the country to one of the slowest on the
team?
Boys and girls, obviously, are subject to puberty. However, while male runners
tend to gain height and muscle mass that helps
improve their times, girls tend to gain weight and change in ways that
negatively affect their running. Although all girls are
affected, the athletes who are hardest hit seem to be cross country runners,
divers, gymnasts and ice skaters.
These physiological changes make running less natural, and the extra weight puts
pressure on knees, ankles and shins. Wider hips
increase the angle of the leg from the hip to the knee, down to the ankle, and
this increases the incidence of injury to these
joints, as well.
More...from Delaware Online at:
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070919/SPORTS1101/709\
190339/1126/SPORTS11&GID=dfawoMmxxl7o6rEeWb8CzA6BeJX
nd6OWWqQW%20M%20v2BQ%3D
[Multi-line URL]


17. Exercise on par with drugs for aiding depression:
Regular exercise may work as well as medication in improving symptoms of major
depression, researchers have found.
In a study of 202 depressed adults, investigators found that those who went
through group-based exercise therapy did as well as
those treated with an antidepressant drug. A third group that performed
home-based exercise also improved, though to a lesser
degree.
Importantly, the researchers found, all three groups did better than a fourth
group given a placebo -- an inactive pill identical to
the antidepressant.
While past studies have suggested that exercise can ease depression symptoms, a
criticism has been that the research failed to
compare exercise with a placebo. This leaves a question as to whether the
therapy, per se, was responsible for the benefit.
The new findings bolster evidence that exercise does have a real effect on
depression, according to the researchers.
Doctors may not start widely prescribing exercise as a depression treatment just
yet. But for patients who are motivated to try
exercise, it could be a reasonable option, the study authors say.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSCOL96941220070919


18. The Marathon Minefield:
With one week to go to the day you race your next marathon, it's time to cut
back on your training volume, rest a lot, and, for
obvious reasons, not go out and get drunk. Those are the basics, which we all
know. The following tips, however, will also help you
avoid disaster and have a great run come race day.
By T.J. Murphy
1. Think about the race, but don't obsess about it. The mantra for your
countdown to race day should revolve around the word,
'relax.' Be aware that one of the side effects of tapering is stress - stress
that you can't burn off with a typical week of mileage
and long runs. At the Hawaii Ironman, where many competitors spend most of their
pre-race week in and around the Kona village, the
collective nerves and desire to compete apparently jolt the common sense of
many: On the day before the race, you'll see athletes
burning through hard tempo runs leaving their best race effort on the pavement.
The bottom line? Have a tapering plan, keep your
cool and, if your goal is to beat others to the finish line, stay away from them
until race morning.
2. Be organized. Marathons generally involve the following complexities:
traveling to a city, transportation to a hotel, being in an
unfamiliar location with unfamiliar dining, final training runs in an unfamiliar
place, and perhaps a new time zone. Then there are
the emotionally charged necessities like checking in, getting your race packet
and gear squared away, and, of course, getting to the
starting line at an appropriate time. To keep both mental and physical stress to
a minimum, devise a detailed plan for what you need
to do and when you need to do it. If possible, bring a supportive friend or
loved one to help you navigate and do some of the grunt
work (like getting groceries) for you. Do all of your thinking and planning well
before you get near the race.
More...from Competitor Magazine at:
http://www.competitorsocal.com/article/?Guid=af3e1970-6b81-48ce-a545-65a967d135f\
2


19. What Causes Muscle Soreness and How Can I Minimize This?
By Kris Walker MD
"No pain, no gain." All athletes experience muscle soreness at one time or
another during training or competition. But what causes
muscle soreness? How can it be minimized? Could it or should it be prevented?
We'll discuss two types of muscle pain here: the acute
burning type that occurs during strenuous activity and delayed onset muscle
soreness, or DOMS, which occurs one to three days after
the inciting activity. These are caused by different mechanisms and warrant
different coping strategies.
Acute muscle pain is the burning you get when you are pushing yourself. Your
muscles seem to scream, "Stop! You're hurting me!" If
you continue at the same pace, your muscles will slow down or stop working. The
pain occurs when muscles are forced to work
anaerobically, or without oxygen. Muscles require fuel to perform work, in the
form of blood glucose or muscle glycogen. If oxygen
is available, the fuel is burned "clean" and no by-products accumulate in the
muscle. When there is not enough oxygen available,
lactic acid is produced as a by-product in the muscle cell. It is thought that
the hydrogen ions from the lactic acid decrease the
pH in the cell and stimulate pain receptors, causing the burning sensation.
Some ways to lessen this pain have been proposed. One method is to buffer the
acidity by taking sodium bicarbonate and some athletes
try this. However, 1 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate provides more than twice the
RDA of sodium, and to get effective buffering, you
would have to use many times this amount. Other supplements have been marketed
to buffer the acidity, containing potassium
hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, and calcium carbonate. Phosphate loading is also
claimed to reduce lactic acid production and
increase ATP (energy) production. Phosphate loading, though, is likely to cause
stomach cramping, and the body will adapt to it,
requiring cycling on and off supplementation for effectiveness.
Recent research has suggested that, far from being a poison that stops muscles
from contracting effectively, lactic acid is actually
an important fuel. George A Brooks, a biology professor and exercise
physiologist at UC Berkeley, has studied lactic acid for years
and has developed the "lactate shuttle theory." This theory shows that the
lactate is transferred from the cytoplasm of the cell
into the mitochondria, where it is used as fuel. Heart muscle, slow twitch
muscle fibers, and breathing musculature actually prefer
lactate as fuel over glucose or glycogen. In order to minimize the lactic acid
burn, it may be more beneficial to increase
mitochondrial capacity to burn the lactate, rather than minimize the production
of the lactic acid.
Interval training, generates big lactate loads and the body adapts by building
more mitochondria. Endurance training also increases
mitochondrial mass. To build mitochondria without destroying muscle, intervals
should gradually increase in intensity. A combination
of endurance training and intervals may be optimal to increase mitochondrial
numbers and the ability to use lactate as fuel. This
also will increase cardiovascular capacity and increase oxygen delivery to the
muscle, decreasing lactic acid production.
More...from First Endurance at:
http://www.firstendurance.com/coaches_soreness.html


20 Digest Briefs:
* Air Pollution Should Not Keep You From Exercising
It's healthful to exercise and harmful to breathe polluted air, so how can you
decide whether you are doing more harm than good? The
worst time for pollution is when clouds cover the sky and automobiles fill the
roads. Automobile exhaust fumes are the principal
source of air pollution in most cities, and overlying clouds increase pollution.
Usually the sun's rays heat the ground to warm air
closest to the ground. Hot air rises, taking large amounts of pollutants
skyward. On air inversion days, the clouds prevent the
sun's rays from getting through to the ground, so the air near the ground is not
heated, remains colder and doesn't rise, causing
the air with its pollutants to remain close to the ground.
Air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, ozone, carbon dioxide, and sulfur
dioxide can damage your lungs. When you exercise, you
breathe more deeply and more frequently so that you breathe in more pollutants.
However, you don't retain more pollution. Bicycle
riders in rush hour downtown Washington traffic breathe in more carbon monoxide
than car riders do, but have lower blood levels of
carbon monoxide. So keep exercising, but if possible, try to avoid heavily
trafficked streets, and exercise before the heavy morning
traffic peak or at least two hours after the evening rush hour ends.
* Ask the Experts - Biology:
Floyd Landis tested positive for increased testosterone on the day of his
spectacular stage win at the Tour de France last year,
after testing negative on previous days. Can a large dose of the hormone produce
such an immediate and profound improvement?
Michael Bahrke, co-editor of the 2002 book Performance-Enhancing Substances in
Sport and Exercise and former project director for a
large National Institute of Drug Abuse study on anabolic steroid use, offers
this insight.
During the 2006 Tour de France, Floyd Landis's ratio of testosterone to
epitestosterone (an inactive steroid isomer of
testosterone), the so-called T/E ratio, was higher than 4 to 1, the limit
considered by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as proof
of steroid use. (Some reports say Landis's level was as high as 11 to 1.) Later,
additional investigation using carbon isotope ratio
testing revealed a foreign, prohibited substance as the likely source for the
positive test.
Because Landis previously tested within the acceptable ratio limit, speculation
as to why a spike in the ratio occurred centered
around the possible use of a testosterone patch or gel, which typically provide
a relatively low dose of testosterone.
Is it possible a small, single dose of testosterone produced such a quick
recuperative effect resulting in a sensational turnaround
in performance? Physiologically speaking, most likely not. But it is feasible
that the improved performance could have come as a
result of a shift in mood level.
Although research indicates that use of large doses of testosterone can
significantly increase muscular strength within six to 12
weeks of administration, it is not clear if the performance-enhancing benefits
are evident following shorter periods of
administration, such as within a few days. One recent study, however, found
significant effects in muscular strength (one repetition
maximum) and cycle performance (10-second sprint) following three weeks of
testosterone administration. Surprisingly, almost half of
the subjects (four of nine) remained under the current WADA T/E ratio limit
despite receiving testosterone injections. (Additional
research is needed to determine if similar results can be produced employing
even shorter administration periods, such as within 24
to 72 hours.)
At this time, and with large doses of testosterone, most researchers, clinicians
and recipients would generally consider the
performance-enhancing effects-especially increases in muscle strength, endurance
and size, as well as mood changes and recuperative
abilities-to manifest following chronic (that is, weeks of) administration
rather than acute, or within hours of, administration. In
other words, testosterone would not be used so much for recovery and increased
work output during a single Tour stage as it would be
for maintenance and improved performance over the course of the entire race.
From the Scientific American at:
http://www.sciam.com/askexpert_question.cfm?articleId=84EC9327-E7F2-99DF-3275ED1\
BD923D659
* Experts: sleep is vital before competition
THIS will come as no surprise, but it has been proved scientifically now that
getting some extra sleep before a competition can
improve energy and boost performance.
Researchers at Stanford University in the United States analysed six healthy
male college basketball players. They were told to
maintain their usual sleeping habits for two weeks and in the following two
weeks they were asked to get as much extra sleep as
possible.
Throughout the study, researchers measured the students' performance in several
areas including sprint time and shooting
percentages.
By the end of the extended sleep period, the results showed that the average
sprint time had decreased by a second and average free
throw percentage increased. In addition to this, the athletes also reported
increased energy and improved mood during practices and
games.
Extra sleep for as little as two weeks significantly improved their game. They
ran faster and made more free throws than they did
with their typical sleep schedule.
From Athletics Weekly at:
http://www.athletics-weekly.com/back-issues/2007/aw_basics_July_26_2007_6.htm


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.

September 22, 2007:
15th St. Luke's Women's Fitness Celebration - Boise, ID

September 22-23, 2007:
World Athletics Final - Stuttgart, GER

September 23, 2007:
Community First Fox Cities Marathon - Appleton, WI

Omaha Marathon, Omaha, NE

Quad Cities Marathon - IL

Walt Disney World Triathlon - Florida


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.

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

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

Visit on AssociatesShop.com Online Bookstore for running and triathlon books:
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The Stretching Handbook:
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The Stretching Video in a DVD version. With the DVD version you're able to use
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