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
November 10, 2007: Prize Money Announced for Teams
RunnersWeb.com Inc. is pleased to announce the addition of $2,250 in prize money
for the top teams for the 2008 Emilie's Run. This
prize money is in addition to the previously announced $5,500 in individual
prize money for the top open and masters runners and the
primes for the leaders at 1 through 4K.
The team prize money will be allocated as follows:
1st (Open): $1,000,
2nd:$750,
3rd: $500
A maximum of 5 entrants per team, top 3 to score.
The 2008 edition of Emilie's Run will take place on Saturday, June 21st at the
Aviation Museum in Ottawa with $5,500 in cash prizes
for the top open and masters and merchandise prizes for the top teams and
age-groupers.
There will also be a 1K run for children.
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
January 4, 2008: Goodlife Fitness has come on board as a sponsor of Emilie's Run
GoodLife Fitness – Coed or Women’s Only
Visit www.GoodLifeFitness.com today to receive 3 FREE Visits!
Your 3 FREE visits include:
· A Visual Fitness Planner Consultation
· Fit Fix Orientation to learn how to exercise safely
and effectively
· Access to all cardio and strength-training
equipment
· Access to all of our world-class Group EXercise
classes
· A copy of Living the Good Life audio CD
Get started today! Visit www.GoodLifeFitness.com Limited time offer.


3. Road Runner Sports, the world's largest running store at:
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000010069822.
New Arrivals from Nike With Web Exclusive Apparel and More!

4. Toronto Waterfront Marathon, 2008
http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/

5. 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

6. Training Peaks
Training Peaks, LLC is dedicated to the endurance athlete and coach. With our
industry leading software products, we're committed to
help you monitor, analyze and plan your training. We encourage you to draw on
our passion for excellence to help you reach your
athletic dreams. Trusted by thousands. Dedicated to you.
http://www.trainingpeaks.com/

7. Running Free
Running Free is a complete online running store with everything for the casual
to serious runner.
They also have retail stores in the GTA (Toronto) and Markham.
Check them out at:
http://www.runningfree.com

8. January 4, 2008: Goodlife Fitness has come on board as a sponsor of Emilie's
Run
GoodLife Fitness – Coed or Women’s Only
Visit www.GoodLifeFitness.com today to receive 3 FREE Visits!
Your 3 FREE visits include:
· A Visual Fitness Planner Consultation
· Fit Fix Orientation to learn how to exercise safely
and effectively
· Access to all cardio and strength-training
equipment
· Access to all of our world-class Group EXercise
classes
· A copy of Living the Good Life audio CD
Get started today! Visit www.GoodLifeFitness.com Limited time offer.


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NEW THIS WEEK:
January 4, 2008: Goodlife Fitness has come on board as a sponsor of Emilie's Run
GoodLife Fitness – Coed or Women’s Only
Visit www.GoodLifeFitness.com today to receive 3 FREE Visits!
Your 3 FREE visits include:
· A Visual Fitness Planner Consultation
· Fit Fix Orientation to learn how to exercise safely
and effectively
· Access to all cardio and strength-training
equipment
· Access to all of our world-class Group EXercise
classes
· A copy of Living the Good Life audio CD
Get started today! Visit www.GoodLifeFitness.com Limited time offer.

SpeedoUSA $6 Standard Shipping on All Orders through 1/31/08
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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
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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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track of what works and what doesn't and stay motivated
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Sign up at: www.RunnersWebCoach.com OR
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* Sports Nutrition by Sheila Kealey.
Sheila is one of Ottawa's top multisport athletes and a member of the OAC Racing
Team and X-C Ottawa. She has a Masters in Public
Health and works in the field of nutritional epidemiology as a Research
Associate with the University of California, San Diego. Her
column index is available at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/SK_index.html

* Carmichael Training Systems
Carmichael Training Systems was founded in 1999 by Chris Carmichael.
From the beginning, the mission of the company has been to improve the lives of
individuals we work with through the application of
proper and effective fitness and competitive training techniques. Whether your
focus is recreational, advanced, or you are a
professional racer, the coaching methodology employed by CTS will make you a
better athlete. Check the latest monthly column from
CTS at: http://www.runnersweb.com/running/cts_columns.html.
Carmichael Training Systems at:
http://www.trainright.com/promos.asp?code=DSBYBFCSP

* Peak Performance Online
Peak Performance is a subscription-only newsletter for athletes, featuring the
latest research from the sports science world. We
cover the whole range of sports, from running and rowing to cycling and
swimming, and each issue is packed full of exclusive
information for anyone who's serious about sport. It's published 16 times a
year, including four special reports, by Electric Word
plc. Peak Performance is not available in the shops - only our subscribers are
able to access the valuable information we publish.
Check out our article archive from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/PPO_index.html
Visit the PPO site at:
Peak Performance Online:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/cmd.php?af=517509

* Peak Running Performance
Peak Running Is The Nation's Most Advanced Running Newsletter. Rated as the #1
Running Publication by Road Runner Sports (Worlds
Largest Running Store) , Peak Running caters to the serious / dedicated runner.
Delivering world class running advice are some of
running's most recognizable athletes including Dr. Joe Vigil (US Olympic Coach),
Scott Tinley (2 Time Ironman Champ) Steve Scott (3 Time Olympian) and many more.
This bi-monthly newsletter has been around for over
13 years, and in the past two it has been awarded the "Golden Shoe Award" in
recognition of it's outstanding achievements.
http://www.clixGalore.com/Sale.aspx?BID=37234&AfID=103794&AdID=5075&LP=www.peakr\
unningperformance.com
Check out the Peak Running article index at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/PRP_index.html .

* Running Research News:
RRN's free, weekly, training update provides subscribers with the most-current,
practical, scientifically based information about
training, sports nutrition, injury prevention, and injury rehabilitation. The
purpose of this weekly e-zine is to improve
subscribers' training quality and to help them train in an injury-free manner.
Running Research News also publishes a complete, 12-page, electronic newsletter
10 times a year (one-year subscriptions are $35); to
learn more about Running Research News, please see the Online Article Index and
"About Running Research News" sections below or go
to RRNews.com.
Check out the article index at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/RRN_index.html

THIS WEEK'S PERSONAL POSTINGS/RELEASES:
We will only post notes here regarding running and triathlon topics of interest
to the community.
We have NO personal postings this week.


THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

1 All Athletes: Volume or Intensity
2. VO2 Max Newsletter
3. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine
4. Exercise may help seniors stave off mental decline
5. Extreme muscle soreness a warning
6. The Science Behind PowerBar with C2 MAX: More Energy for Demanding Sports
7. Newly Identified Exercise Gene Could Help With Depression
8. Fighting Diseases Of Aging By Wasting Energy, Rather Than Dieting -- Works
For Mice
9. Running a Marathon Is Less Risky Than Driving One
10. But First, Doctor, What Was Your Marathon Time?
11. Improve Your Strength
Congratulations! You’re Motivated! That could be a problem.
11. Improve Your Strength
Congratulations! You’re Motivated! That could be a problem.
12. Balancing Act
13. Two Secrets of Success
14. Resolved - Set Goals
15. This Week in Running
16. The effects of face-cooling during hyperthermic exercise
17. Oranges: They Can Help Prevent Heart Attacks
18. Carbohydrate Supplementation During Exercise: Does It Help? How Much is Too
Much?
19. The Hardest Way To Get Fast
20. Digest Briefs


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"What will your first competition of 2008 be?
Marathon
5/10K road race
Half-Marathon
Track race
Triathlon
Half-Ironman
Ironman
Other"

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:
"Do you plan to work out on Christmas Day and New Year's Day?"
Answers Percent
1. Christmas 2%
2. New Years 17%
3. Christmas and New Year's 78%
4. No 2%


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE MONTH: Down the Backstretch
Down the Backstretch strives to be your first stop for information, results, and
comments about track and field and running in and
from Minnesota. Write us with suggestions, news tips, photos, and ideas ... and
feel free to comment on our posts for others to
read.
Visit the site at:
http://downthebackstretch.blogspot.com/


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

BOOK/VIDEO OF THE MONTH: Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook-4th Edition
About the Product
Boost your energy, manage stress, build muscle, lose fat, and improve your
performance with the all-time best-selling sports
nutrition guide!
Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook will help you make the right food
choices in health clubs, convenience stores,
drive-throughs, and your own kitchen.
Whether you’re preparing for competition or simply eating on the go, let this
leading sports nutritionist show you how to get
maximum benefit from the foods you choose and the meals you make. You’ll learn
how to eat before exercise and events as well as how
to refuel afterward for optimal recovery.
Updated and on the cutting edge, the fourth edition includes the latest sports
nutrition research on hydration and fluid intake,
vitamins, supplements, energy drinks, organic foods, and the role of
carbohydrate and protein during exercise. You’ll also learn
about the new food pyramid and the American Heart Association’s latest dietary
guidelines.
If you’re seeking advice on losing weight, getting energized to exercise, or
improving your health and performance, Nancy Clark’s
Sports Nutrition Guidebook has the answers you can trust.
About the Author
Nancy Clark, MS, RD, CSSD, renowned author and board-certified specialist in
sports dietetics, is known for her ability to translate
the science of nutrition for exercise and health into practical tips to enhance
performance, manage weight, and resolve eating
disorders. She has a private practice at Healthworks Fitness Center in Chestnut
Hill, Massachusetts, where she offers nutrition
consultations to both casual exercisers and competitive athletes. Her more
renowned clients have included members of the Boston Red
Sox, the Boston Celtics, and many collegiate, elite, and Olympic athletes from a
variety of sports. She is also an advisory board
member of Mizuno, Medical Wellness Association, and the Aerobics and Fitness
Association of America.
An internationally known lecturer, Clark has given presentations to professional
groups such as the American Dietetic Association
(ADA) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), as well as team talks
to athletes at Boston College and coaches with the
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program. She offers workshops
nationally to health professionals with her sports
nutrition workshop series. As a result of her renowned work, her photo and
nutrition advice appeared on the back of the Wheaties box
after the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Clark received her bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Simmons College in Boston
and her master’s degree in nutrition from Boston
University. She completed her internship in dietetics at Massachusetts General
Hospital. She is a fellow of the American Dietetic
Association, recipient of its Media Excellence Award, an active member of ADA’s
practice group of sports nutritionists (SCAN), and a
recipient of that group’s Honor Award. In addition, Clark is a fellow of the
ACSM and a recipient of the Honor Award from ACSM’s New
England chapter. She is also the recipient of the 2007 Simmons College
Distinguished Alumna Award.
Clark is the nutrition columnist for New England Runner, Adventure Cycling, and
Rugby and is a frequent contributor to sports and
fitness publications such as Shape and Runner's World. Clark also writes a
monthly nutrition column called “The Athlete's Kitchen,”
which appears regularly in over 100 sports publications and Web sites. She has
authored Nancy Clark’s Food Guide for Marathoners:
Tips for Everyday Champions and The Cyclist's Food Guide: Fueling for the
Distance.
Clark has competed at the 10K, half-marathon, and marathon distances. She has
led many extended bike tours, including a Transamerica
Trip and other tours through the Canadian and Colorado Rockies. She has trekked
into the Himalayas and planned the high-altitude
menu for a successful expedition. Her newest sport is rowing. She and her
husband, son, and daughter live in the Boston area.
Table of Contents
PART I The Athlete’s Training Table
1. Building Your Balanced Diet
2. Eating to Stay Healthy in the Long Run
3. Breakfast: The Key to a Successful Sports Diet
4. Meals Planning at Home, On the Road, and On the Run
5. Snacking Smarts
6. Simplifying Carbohydrate
7. Protein for Muscles and Performance
8. Replacing Fluids

PART II The Science of Eating for Sports’ Success
9. Fueling for Exercise
10. Refueling During and After Exercise
11. Supplements, Performance Enhancers, and Sports Foods
12. Age-Specific Nutrition Needs

PART III Balancing Weight and Activity
13. Your Body: Fat, Fit, or Fine?
14. Adding Bulk, Not Fat
15. Losing Weight Without Starvation
16. Eating Disorders and Food Obsessions

PART IV Winning Recipes for Peak Performance
17. Breads and Breakfasts
18. Pasta, Rice, and Potatoes
19. Vegetables and Salads
20. Chicken and Turkey
21. Fish and Seafood
22. Beef and Pork
23. Beans and Tofu
24. Beverages and Smoothies
25. Snacks and Desserts

Words of Praise
"Nancy showed me how eating the right foods, at the right time, would both
enhance performance and create a leaner physique. Those
lessons, and many more, are included in Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition
Guidebook. It's a must-read for anyone involved in sport and
fitness."
Jennifer Shultis
US Adventure Racing National Champion
Captain of Team Eastern Mountain Sports
"Nancy Clark understands what it takes to be properly fueled for peak
performance in any activity. Her experience as both athlete
and nutritionist helped in creating a book that will benefit any
athlete-serious, recreational, or weekend warrior.
Tommy L. Owens
National Training Coordinator for Team in Training
"The nutritional information in Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook helped
me accomplish a lifelong goal of not only skating at
the Olympics, but receiving the honor of becoming a silver medalist as well. I
highly recommend her book."
Kitty Carruthers Conrad
Olympic Silver Medalist
United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame Member
Buy the book from Human Kinetics at:
http://www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?associate=880&isbn=9780736\
074155

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. All Athletes: Volume or Intensity:
Which is more important for improving race performance in endurance athletes,
the volume of training or the intensity of training?
It’s obvious that both play a role in racing well. Athletes tend to place a lot
of value on volume more so than on intensity. I’ve
yet to hear an athlete, when asked how training is going, respond by talking
about intensity. The answer is usually based on volume
(“I rode 200 miles last week.”) But given the choice, which should you place
more emphasis on when making decisions about your
training?
Before attempting to answer these questions, let’s define the terms. Volume is
the product of duration and frequency. Duration is
how long a workout lasts. Frequency is how often workouts are done. Volume is
usually expressed in terms of weekly accumulated
training time or mileage. Intensity for the purpose of this discussion refers to
training done at or above the anaerobic threshold
(also sometimes called lactate threshold, ventilatory threshold, or functional
threshold). Assuming that you are preparing for an
event that takes about one hour or less to complete at a maximum sustainable
effort, this intensity is about race intensity. For
athletes competing in events that last longer than about one hour, training
intensities at and above AT are more challenging than
race effort. This is not to say that athletes training for longer events should
not train above the AT. It is quite common,
especially for elite and well-experienced athletes.
Let’s get back to the original question: Will volume or intensity have a greater
impact on your race performances? There is very
little research on this matter, but what there is seems to be in agreement.
Let’s examine two of these for some insight.
In a German study, 17 experienced runners steadily increased their volumes from
their normal 50 miles per week to 105 miles per week
over a four-week period (1). All of these runs were done at about marathon pace
or slower (2mmol/L lactate). One year later they
allowed the researchers to tinker with their training again. This time they
nearly doubled the amount of time they trained at high
intensity, over a four-week period again. With increased intensity they improved
on four measures of performance from 5 percent to
17 percent. Increased volume produced no significant improvements in the same
metrics.
In another study of swimmers conducted by David Costill, PhD at Ball State
University, it was found that increasing swim training
volume from three hours per day to four per day and increasing swim weekly
workouts from five to six sessions provided no greater
benefits than training 60 to 90 minutes per day for five days per week (2).
Does this mean you should keep your training volume low while jacking up
intensity year round? Not at all. When you have been
training with low volume and low intensity for some period of time, as when in
the season-ending “transition” period, gradually
increasing the stress load by boosting volume is probably a wise move (3,4).
This will help to prevent injury by fortifying soft
tissues before commencing with higher-intensity training later.
During the Base period it is common in the classic/linear periodization model to
increase the volume of training while also much
more gradually increasing the intensity. In Base 1 I have my athletes training a
considerable amount in zone 2. In Base 2 they add
training volume in zone 3. And by Base 3 they are also training in zone 4. This
is typical for all of my clients regardless of the
events for which they are training. In the Build period the training becomes
increasingly specific to the demands of their first
A-priority race of the season, especially the intensity of those workouts.
So what’s the bottom line? The intensity of one’s training is a better predictor
of performance than the volume of training although
some mix of both is necessary for success.
Joe Friel is the author of the Training Bible book series and the founder of
Training Bible Coaching, Ultrafit and Training Peaks.
He may be reached through the Training Bible website at www.trainingbible.com.
References
Lehmann, M., et al. 1996. Unaccustomed high-mileage vs intensity
training-related changes in performance and serum amino acid
levels. Int J Sports Med 17(3):187-192.
Costill, D.L., et al. 1991. Adaptations to swimming training: Influence of
training volume. Med Sci Sports Exerc 23:371-377.
Gomes, P.S. and Y. Bhambhaniy. 1996. Time course changes and dissociation in
VO2max at maximum and submaximum exercise levels as a
result of training in males. Med Sci Sports Exerc 28(5):S81.
Fry, R.W., et al. 1992. Periodisation of training stress – a review. Can J Sport
Sci 17:234-240.
From UltraFit e-Tips: http://www.ultrafit.com


2. VO2Max Newsletter:
* Long Runs
The winter is a good time to focus on long runs since it's harder to do higher
quality training in the winter. Every runner knows
that he or she should run long. But why?
Long runs involve sustained aerobic metabolism and apply sustained pressure of
oxygen through the muscle capillary system into the
mitochondria. In response to the sustained pressure, our "metabolic machinery"
is stimulated to increase its capacity to do more
work. For example, the number of mitochondria increases along with the aerobic
enzymes contained within them. Also, capillary
diameter and number increase to accommodate more oxygen. The more capillaries
you have perfusing the muscle fibers, the shorter the
diffusion distance for oxygen from any given capillary to a mitochondrion.
Long runs also increase the amount of stored carbohydrates (glycogen) in your
skeletal muscles, which is of great benefit to runners
who run long races, like the marathon. Scientists have known since the 1960s
that the ability to perform prolonged endurance
exercise is strongly influenced by the amount of glycogen stored in skeletal
muscles, with fatigue coinciding with glycogen
depletion. To the marathoner's benefit, the human body responds rather
elegantly to situations that threaten or deplete its supply
of fuel. Since carbohydrates are our bodies' preferred fuel during exercise,
depleting this fuel source by running for long periods
of time initiates a very strong signal to synthesize and store more glycogen.
Empty a full glass, and you get a refilled larger
glass in its place. Much like college fraternity parties.
Another important reason for doing long runs, especially for the marathoner, is
to teach your muscles to use fat more effectively.
Since the marathon is the one unique race in which most people run out of
glycogen, it becomes important to use fatty acids at a
fast rate so the pace doesn't slow down too much. (Energy for muscle
contraction is generated more slowly when using fat compared
to when using carbohydrates. So, when you are forced to rely on fat because you
have run out of carbohydrates, your pace will slow
down.) Long runs will train your muscles to use fat when they have run out of
carbohydrates. Research has shown that faster
marathoners are able to use fatty acids for fuel at a faster rate than slower
marathoners.
While you should try to not let your long runs comprise more than about 30% of
your weekly mileage, this rule can be broken in the
name of necessity if you plan on running only a few times per week. While you
should run at a comfortable, conversational pace
(about two minutes per mile slower than 5K race pace, or about 70 to 75% of
maximum heart rate), the exact pace is not as important
as the continual pressure of oxygen going into your mitochondria. Lengthen your
long run by one mile each week for three or four
weeks before backing off for a recovery week. If you run more than about 40
miles per week, or if you run faster than about
8-minute mile pace, you can add two miles at a time to your long run. If you're
training for a marathon, keep adding miles until
you reach 22 to 24 (or about 3 to 3.5 hours, whichever comes first), and do your
longest run three weeks before your marathon. In
my study on the training characteristics of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials
qualifiers, I found that the men's and women's longest
runs averaged 25 and 23.5 miles, respectively, and that they ran longer than 20
miles an average of 18 and 10 times, respectively,
during the year preceding the Olympic Trials.
To view past newsletters go to: http://www.runcoachjason.com/newsletter
Copyright Jason Karp All Rights Reserved - http://www.runcoachjason.com


3. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine:
* Why Exercise Protects Your Memory
Recent research shows that a regular exercise program can help to prevent some
of the loss of memory that comes with aging. A part
of your brain called the hippocampus is the control station for memories that
you store in other parts of the brain. Another brain
structure called the prefrontal cortex is the central station that assembles
data from other parts of your brain when you want to
recall something from your past. Aging causes the brain to shrink and you lose
synapses that transmit messages from one nerve to
another.
Exercise causes the brain to produce a substance called Brain Derived
Neurotropic Factor (BNDF) that strengthen old synapses and
causes new one to grow (Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences, May 2007). Researchers used MRIs of their human
subjects to show that an exercise program of an hour
a day, four days a week for three months caused new neurons to grow in the
hippocampus. Several previous studies showed that
exercise enlarges the hippocampus in rats and doubles or even triples the rate
of the formation of new nerves. However, one way
that rats differ from humans is that most of them like to run and need no
encouragement to spend several hours a day on a treadmill.
There is also emerging evidence that physical activity may be protective against
neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's and
other forms of dementia, Parkinson's disease, strokes and spinal cord injuries.
If you are not a regular exerciser, check with your
doctor and get started.
* Dear Dr. Mirkin: You recommend taking sugar during long exercise; does this
apply to me since I am diabetic?
A: Yes. I am also diabetic; my HBA1C was 7.2 (normal is below 6) and it is now
5 with no medication. Unless I am exercising, I
avoid sugar, flour and all other refined carbohydrates. However, when I
exercise for more than two hours, I have to take a source
of sugar or my muscles run out of their stored sugar supply and I become very
tired. This was confirmed in a recent study in
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (December 2007.)
On long bicycle rides, I drink soda and eat granola bars or other foods that
contain sugar. I have no adverse effects because the
exercising muscles draw sugar rapidly from the bloodstream. However, I wait
until I have been exercising for at least half an hour
before I start to eat. Taking sugar before starting to exercise, or too early
in the ride, raises insulin which causes low blood
sugar that makes me tire earlier.
* Growth Hormone Does Not Prevent Loss of Muscle Strength
As you age, expect to lose muscle fibers and strength unless you exercise. A
study from the University of Florida in Gainesville
shows that a program of exercise training later in life helps aging rats to
reverse this age-related loss of muscle size and
strength (American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and
Comparative Physiology, November 14, 2007). The study also
showed that short-term administration of growth hormone late in life does not
prevent loss of muscle strength. Previous studies show
that it may help people get rid of fat.
At this time, there is not enough evidence for an older person to take growth
hormone to improve muscle strength, and there is no
long-term data on safety. Sudden deaths reported in athletes who have taken
growth hormone are probably due to the effect of
enlarging the heart muscle without also adequately enlarging the blood supply.
The larger heart requires more blood and cannot meet
its needs for oxygen, so it starts to beat irregularly.
* Cold Weather Hinders Weight Loss
Many people gain weight during the cold months even if they exercise and watch
what they eat. One reason may be that you burn fewer
calories when you exercise in cold weather than you do when it's hot. The hotter
it is, the more extra work your heart must do to
prevent you from overheating. More than 70 percent of the energy produced by
your muscles during exercise is lost as heat. So the
harder you exercise, the hotter your muscles become. In hot weather, not only
must your heart pump extra blood to bring oxygen to
your muscles, it must also pump hot blood from your heated muscles to your skin
where heat can be dissipated.
On the other hand, in cold weather, your heart only has to pump blood to your
muscles and very little extra blood to your skin to
dissipate heat. Your muscles produce so much heat during exercise that your body
does not need to produce more heat to keep you
warm. So your heart works harder and you burn more calories in hot weather. This
information should not discourage you from
exercising when its cold, because staying in shape is a year-round proposition.
However, it may help to explain why so many people
find the pounds creeping on in the wintertime, even when they stay active.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at: http://www.drmirkin.com


4. Exercise may help seniors stave off mental decline:
Older Americans play with video games that promise to keep their minds sharp.
Some do crossword puzzles, try to master foreign
languages or learn to play musical instruments — all in the hope of staving off
Alzheimer’s disease. Now, a growing body of research
is offering tantalizing evidence that a brisk walk in the morning or some laps
in the pool might accomplish the same task.
“There’s an avalanche of neuroscience to support that (physical) exercise is
good for the brain,” said John Ratey, an associate
clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and co-author of an
upcoming book on the subject.
That’s hopeful news for many who worry that growing old may mean losing their
minds.
A 2006 survey conducted by Harris Interactive for the MetLife Foundation found
that Alzheimer’s was a bigger source of anxiety for
Americans 55 and older than heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
“Losing one’s mental faculties is people’s biggest fear,” said Shawn Brennan,
who specializes in promoting senior health initiatives
for Montgomery County’s Department of Health and Human Services. “Whenever we
have an event focusing on improving your memory,
people just flock to it.”
More...from the Missourian at:
http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2007/12/28/exercise-may-help-seniors-s\
tave-mental-decline/


5. Extreme muscle soreness a warning:
Your workout is either too intense for your body to handle, or you changed your
program recently. Try a more gradual approach.
Q: I took a body-sculpting class at my gym and was so sore the next couple of
days I could hardly walk. What causes this, and do you
have any suggestions to help me avoid or reduce this type of soreness in the
future?
A: Muscle soreness generally occurs 24 to 48 hours after a tough workout and
usually decreases after 72 hours. Fit people experience
muscle soreness when they increase the intensity, frequency or duration of their
workouts or when they change the type of exercise
they do. Others feel sore when they first start exercising or when they resume
workouts after taking time off.
The consensus of most fitness experts is that muscle soreness is caused by
microscopic tears in the muscle and connective tissue
during eccentric contractions. These are contractions in which the muscle is
under tension while it is being lengthened. When doing
a biceps curl, for example, the downward phase of the exercise would be the
eccentric phase. Another example would be the downward
phase of a bench press, because the chest muscles are under tension and
lengthening as the bar is being lowered.
Eccentric contraction also can occur during cardio workouts such as
stair-climbing or downhill running. This consensus would explain
why most exercisers don't experience as much soreness doing non-eccentric
exercises, such as a plank pose in yoga (holding the body
stiff while in a push-up position).
There are many schools of thought regarding the best way to get rid of muscle
soreness -- ice, massage, stretching or
anti-inflammatory drugs. But there is not one proven, consistent method for
relieving muscle soreness for everyone, even though any
of the above methods might work for some people.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-matters31dec31,1,4218656.story?coll\
=la-headlines-health


6. The Science Behind PowerBar with C2 MAX: More Energy for Demanding Sports:
As an endurance athlete, any exercise you do burns a combination of fat and
carbohydrates. The more intense the exercise, the more
you rely on carbs as your energy source. About 20 years ago, researchers first
published studies clearly demonstrating that
consuming carbs during prolonged, moderate or high intensity exercise improved
athletic performance.1,2 Now, it’s a fact: taking in
carbs while training or competing will help an athlete to maintain a supply of
energy. The reason for this is that even the very
best athletes have a limited supply of carbohydrate energy, known as glycogen,
in their bodies. Consuming carbs during exercise
helps to spare your supply of muscle and liver glycogen and helps maintain blood
glucose levels. 1,2 With more carbs held in
reserve, you are able to maintain your energy supply for demanding activities.
Training for or competing in endurance events without replenishing carbs is a
recipe for disaster. Once your glycogen reserves are
depleted, your blood sugar will drop and you will have no choice but to slow
down or even stop. Cyclists call it bonking and runners
call it hitting the wall. No matter what you call it, if you are an endurance
athlete, it’s a physiological state you want to avoid.
Accepted Limits to Carb Utilization
Although carbs are the primary energy source for intense endurance exercise,
there is a limit to the rate at which your body can
absorb them. This is believed to be the primary factor in how fast you can
metabolize or burn carbohydrates consumed during
exercise. Scientists call this metabolic burning of carbohydrates “carbohydrate
oxidation”. Based on prior studies, researchers have
long believed that the maximum burn or oxidation rate of ingested carbs is about
1 gram per minute. 3 In fact, the American College
of Sports Medicine currently advises endurance athletes to consume up to 60
grams of carbs during each hour of training or
competition, which equates to 1 gram of carbs per minute.4 Consuming more carbs
than you are able to effectively absorb and
metabolize does you no good and can lead to digestive discomfort.
More...from Power Bar at:
http://www.powerbar.com/ca/NutritionResource/NutritionArticleDetail.aspx?Article\
Id=FD2D5185-9C8B-4d3f-8FDE-E63375540438
[Long URL]


7. Newly Identified Exercise Gene Could Help With Depression:
Boosting an exercise-related gene in the brain works as a powerful
anti-depressant in mice-a finding that could lead to a new
anti-depressant drug target, according to a Yale School of Medicine report in
Nature Medicine.
"The VGF exercise-related gene and target for drug development could be even
better than chemical antidepressants because it is
already present in the brain," said Ronald Duman, professor of psychiatry and
senior author of the study.
Depression affects 16 percent of the population in the United States, at a
related cost of $83 billion each year. Currently
available anti-depressants help 65 percent of patients and require weeks to
months before the patients experience relief.
Duman said it is known that exercise improves brain function and mental health,
and provides protective benefits in the event of a
brain injury or disease, but how this all happens in the brain is not well
understood. He said the fact that existing medications
take so long to work indicates that some neuronal adaptation or plasticity is
needed.
He and his colleagues designed a custom microarray that was optimized to show
small changes in gene expression, particularly in the
brain's hippocampus, a limbic structure highly sensitive to stress hormones,
depression, and anti-depressants.
More...from Medical News Today at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/90285.php.


8. Fighting Diseases Of Aging By Wasting Energy, Rather Than Dieting -- Works
For Mice:
By making the skeletal muscles of mice use energy less efficiently, researchers
report that they have delayed the animals' deaths
and their development of age-related diseases, including vascular disease,
obesity, and one form of cancer. Those health benefits,
driven by an increased metabolic rate, appear to come without any direct
influence on the aging process itself, according to the
researchers.
Metabolism researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
have found that although it does not extend maximum
lifespan in mice, activating a protein in muscle tissue increases average
lifespan and prevents some age-related diseases. The
researchers believe a similar approach may someday help people avoid age-related
problems such as atherosclerosis, diabetes,
hypertension and even some cancers.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204122007.htm


9. Running a Marathon Is Less Risky Than Driving One:
Happy New Year. Why not resolve this year not to be fooled by apparent risks,
rather than real ones? Let's start with running a
marathon. Everyone knows (because the media reports it) that every so often a
healthy marathon runner drops dead during the race.
And before we can think it through, we come to assume that marathon-running is a
risky sport. Well, a new report suggests it's not
as serious as taking the automobile.
Canadian researchers report in the British Medical Journal on their study
comparing the risks of sudden cardiac death during a
marathon run with the risk of dying in a motor accident that might have occurred
if the roads hadn't been closed for the race.
The data came from marathons run on public roads with at least 1000 runners over
the last 20 years. Of over 3.2 million runners, 26
had sudden cardiac death, equivalent to 0.8 deaths per 100,000 runners. Because
of road closures, an estimated 46 accidental deaths
were prevented, which is equivalent to a 35% reduction in relative risk of
running rather than driving (or being driven). Put
another way, 1.8 crash deaths were saved for every runner who dropped dead. So
get training! After all, road accidents are something
that happen often and repeatedly, and yet we manage to continue to ignore them.
Walking or running to your destination (or even -
gasp! - using public transport) may be a safer way to get there.
More...from Health and Age at:
http://www.healthandage.com/public/news-home/13263/Running-a-Marathon-Is-Less-Ri\
sky-Than-Driving-One.html


10. But First, Doctor, What Was Your Marathon Time?
If you’re an athlete should you seek doctors who are athletes, too?
YOU are an athlete, or, at least, very active. Should you seek doctors who are
athletes, too? After all, some obese people pass
around lists of “fat friendly” doctors who treat them with respect. Women often
want female doctors.
Are athletes also a special group? And, if so, do they fare any differently if
they see doctors who are athletes?
“Nobody knows,” said Dr. James Fries, a 20-mile-a-week runner and a professor of
medicine at Stanford. “There’s no data.”
There are some hints, though, said Dr. Ronald Davis, who is the president of the
American Medical Association and a specialist in
preventive medicine at the Henry Ford Health System, which includes hospitals,
clinics, a managed-care plan and a large physician
group practice.
Dr. Davis cited a study by Dr. Erica Frank, who is now at the University of
British Columbia. Her study, published a few years ago,
involved a survey of about 4,000 female doctors and found that those who were at
least moderately active were much more comfortable
advising patients about exercise and encouraging them to exercise.
A doctor who is physically active, Dr. Davis said, “is more likely to provide
advice on exercise that will be meaningful to
patients.”
More...from the New York Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/03/health/nutrition/03Best.html?ref=fitnessandnut\
rition


11. Improve Your Strength:
Congratulations! You’re Motivated! That could be a problem.
If you’re reading this then there is a good chance you fit into one of two
categories: either you are a long time runner and you’re
combing the internet looking for a training tip, or you just purchased the Nike+
system as part of your 2008 Resolution plan. In
either case, you’re motivated enough to take the time to learn more about
running and there is no doubt that when you go for a run
you’ll be motivated to work hard and give 100%. Problem is, your eager
motivation could become a problem if it manifests itself in a
running injury in 2008, rather than that first half-marathon that you’ve been
planning or that 5k PR.
The reason that your motivation might be a problem has to do with how the human
body adapts to training. There is a simple principle
in human physiology, developed by Hans Selye, called the General Adaptation
Syndrome. The principle simply says that the human body,
once stressed, can and often does adapt to the stress if - and only if - there
is ample time for the body to recover and rejuvenate.
When the human in question has adequate time to recover then the beautiful
change occurs as the person has made an adaptation. This
phenomenon is often referred to as Supercompensation; in running lingo we’d call
it “getting fit.” Simple, right? But as Thelonious
Monk said, “Simple ain’t easy” and the problem for all endurance athletes is
that the rate at which your heart and lungs can improve
is faster than the rate at which your bones, joints, tendons and muscles can
improve. As my friend and peer Mike Smith likes to say,
“metabolic changes take place faster than structural changes.” And that is the
problem - the motivated runner who starts the New
Year full of great expectations may find that two or three weeks into training
they feel good running, yet they have a nagging
injury they can’t seem to shake. Come February 1st, the runner may be unable to
run.
More...from Nike at:
http://insidenikerunning.nike.com/2007/12/21/improve-your-strength/


12. Balancing Act:
Whatever time of day you run, you have 60 minutes after your workout to properly
refuel. Here's how to take it all in.
If you're like a lot of runners, your postworkout routine goes something like
this: Stretch, drink water, shower, and get on with
your day. Food? That can wait until you're hungry, right?
Not if you want to feel your best on your next run. When you run, you burn
mostly glycogen, a fuel stored in your muscles. Your
mission right after a run, therefore, is to eat, even if you don't feel hungry.
And fast. No matter what time of day you run, the
enzymes that are responsible for making glycogen are most active immediately
postworkout-leaving you a 60-minute window in which
those highly stimulated enzymes are at maximum capacity to produce glycogen.
"After exercise, especially following intensive or prolonged bouts, the body is
primed to reload muscle glycogen," says Suzanne
Girard Eberle, M.S., R.D., author of Endurance Sports Nutrition. Wait more than
an hour to refuel, and your body's ability to make
glycogen out of what you consume drops by an astounding 66 percent. And the
longer you wait, the more likely you are to feel
sluggish.
"Everything runners do is about how well we recover," says Lisa Dorfman, M.S.,
R.D., a sports nutritionist and marathoner. "That's
when the gains from training come."
More...from Runner's World at:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-303-307-9478-0,00.html?cm_mmc=\
nutrition-_-2008_01_03-_-nutrition-_-Your%201-Hour%2
0Window
[Long URL]


13. Two Secrets of Success:
By Chris Carmichael
Call it a resolution, plan, objective, or target. Call it your alarm clock or
the incentive to get out there when it’s cold. Call it
whatever makes you happy, but do yourself a favor and set at least one effective
goal for 2008. My goal, which should be no surprise
to anyone who’s read this newsletter over the past two years, is to earn my big
belt buckle for finishing the Leadville 100 mountain
bike race in less than 9 hours on August 10, 2008. Lance Armstrong’s goals for
2008 may be more surprising, but I’ll get to that
later.
A goal can be a great foundation for providing motivation and defining your path
through training and nutrition, but only if it’s
specific. A loosely-worded “I want to lose weight” or “I want to climb faster”
marks a poor beginning to a journey that’s likely to
fail. To be effective, goals have to meet two requirements:
More...from Train Right at:
http://www.trainright.com/articles.asp?uid=3181


14. Resolved - Set Goals:
New Year’s Resolutions.
It’s that time again. The gyms will be bursting at their seams again for about
four weeks, as hordes of people try to get rid of
excess weight. Unfortunately, the majority of them will have given up by the
time February comes round. Fortunately, we are runners,
and therefore already fit, slim and healthy, aren’t we?!
New Year’s resolutions will do the rounds in our circles nonetheless, so here
are a few suggestions:
- Set a mileage goal for 2008. No matter if it’s 500 or 300 miles, try to beat
your 2007 marker, but remain sensible. Don’t double
your mileage in one go.
- Involve your family in your next race. I don’t mean let them stand shivering
in the freezing cold while you zip by. I mean take
them for a weekend to a race a bit further away, and make a family break out of
it.
- If you have children of the right age, get them involved in running. Share a
mile or two with them, obviously at their pace, not
yours. Don’t use any pressure, chances are they will enjoy running with mummy or
daddy and will soon ask to come again.
More...from Complete Running at:
http://completerunning.com/archives/2008/01/03/resolved-set-goals/


15. This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago- Khalid Skah (MAR) won the Corrida de Houilles (FRA) 10K in 27:57,
followed closely
by Habte Jifar (ETH) in 27:58, Thomas Nyariki (KEN) in 27:59, and
El Hassane Lahssini
(MAR) in 28:00. Worku Ayelech (ETH) took the women's race by a
wide margin with her
33:04. Christine Mallo (FRA) was 2nd in 34:13.
20 Years Ago- Paul Arpin (FRA) won the Corrida de Houilles (FRA) 9.3K in 26:48
with Fernando
Mamede (POR) 2nd (time unknown) and Pat Porter (USA) in 5th with
a 27:52. Linda
Milo (BEL) won the women's 6K race in 21:02.
30 Years Ago- Werner Dörrenbacher (GER) won the Sea of Galilee International
(ISR) Marathon,
held on New Year's Day, in 2:19:33. Maxwell Coleby (ENG) was 2nd
in 2:21:11 while
Michael Spöttel (GER) was 3rd in 2:22:29. Zehava Shmueli (ISR)
won the women's
race in 3:02:38.
40 Years Ago- Gaston Roelants (BEL) won the Around the Houses (BRA) 8.4K in
24:31.2. David Ellis
(CAN) was 3rd (time not known). This race is now known as the
São Silvestre and is
held at 15K.
50 Years Ago- Murray Halberg (NZL) won a three mile track race in 13:27.2.
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.


16. The effects of face-cooling during hyperthermic exercise:
There’s no doubt that effective face-cooling strategies can help improve sport
performance in very hot conditions. However (as Matt
Lancaster has indicated elsewhere in this issue), effective cooling protocols
are not always convenient or possible during match or
race conditions. Face-cooling (applying cold packs to the forehead) as a cooling
strategy is easy to implement but how effective is
it?
That’s the question scientists from the University of Birmingham in the UK have
been trying to answer in a study on cycling in hot
conditions. Ten fit but non heat-acclimatised males (average age 23 years,
average VO2max 56mls per kg per min) exercised for 40
minutes on a cycle ergometer at 65% of their peak aerobic power in ambient
temperatures of 33ºC and 27% relative humidity on two
separate occasions with face-cooling and without face-cooling (the control
condition). In particular, the scientists were keen to
see the effects of face-cooling on core temperature, heart rate, blood lactate,
perceived rate of exertion (PRE), prolactin release
(a measure of exercise stress) and subjective thermal comfort. The results were
as follows:
With face-cooling, forehead temperature was maintained around 6ºC lower than
with no face-cooling while the temperatures of other
skin sites were similar or slightly higher;
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/does-face-cooling-improve-sports-performance-359\
03


17. Oranges: They Can Help Prevent Heart Attacks:
Oranges have been a staple food in the Mediterranean countries from time
immemorial. They have also been a major player in
protecting the people of that region from heart disease. So, if you never
thought of oranges as a "must" food for your heart, here
are some good reasons to start:
Oranges and vitamin C
Oranges are very rich in vitamin C. This vitamin has the following effects in
the body:
~ It protects the arteries from free radicals, highly damaging molecules that
cause cells to oxidize.
~ It helps prevent the oxidation of cholesterol; oxidized cholesterol sticks to
the walls of the arteries, building up plaque.
Plaque can grow large enough to block blood flow in small blood vessels, causing
a heart attack or a stroke.
~It helps recycle vitamin E, one of the most powerful antioxidants and the first
line of defense when it comes to the oxidation of
our cells.
Oranges and folate
Oranges are naturally rich in folate, or folic acid, a vitamin of the B group.
One role of folate is to process the amino acid
homocysteine in the body. When folate is lacking, homocysteine is not broken
down, piles up in our blood vessels and becomes toxic,
even in small amounts. The accumulation of high levels of homocysteine in the
blood may cause a heart attack even among people who
have adequate cholesterol levels.
More...from Health and Age at:
http://www.healthandage.com/public/article/3296/Oranges-They-Can-Help-Prevent-He\
art-Attacks.html


18. Carbohydrate Supplementation During Exercise: Does It Help? How Much is Too
Much?
Carbohydrate intake during exercise can delay the onset of fatigue and improve
performance of prolonged exercise as well as exercise
of shorter duration and greater intensity (e.g., continuous exercise lasting
about 1 h and intermittent high-intensity exercise),
but the mechanisms by which performance is improved are different.
· During prolonged exercise, the performance benefits of carbohydrate ingestion
are likely achieved by maintaining or raising plasma
glucose concentrations and sustaining high rates of carbohydrate oxidation,
whereas during intense exercise, carbohydrate intake
seems to positively affect the central nervous system.
· Carbohydrate from a single source, such as glucose, can only be oxidized at
rates of approximately 60 g/h.
· When a combination of carbohydrates is ingested (e.g., glucose and fructose)
oxidation rates of slightly more than 100 g/h can be
achieved if large amounts of carbohydrate are ingested (e.g., > 140 g/h).
· Ingesting a carbohydrate solution that is very concentrated and/or has a high
osmolality is likely to cause gastrointestinal
discomfort.
· The amount of carbohydrate an individual athlete should ingest during exercise
should be determined by trial and error, and a
balance should be struck between increasing carbohydrate availability during
exercise and minimizing gastrointestinal distress.
More...from GSSI at:
http://www.gssiweb.com/Article_Detail.aspx?articleID=757


19. The Hardest Way To Get Fast:
By Coach Matt Russ
Increasing your speed requires consistent and careful application of training
stress. However, if you are gaining body fat, you are
working against yourself. One of the most difficult tasks is creating enough of
a caloric deficit to facilitate body fat loss while
training intensely. This deficit may lead to a more rapid depletion of energy,
and training quality can suffer as a result. You
can't train hard on a salad. So when is the best time to reduce body fat and the
best methods for doing so?
The first thing you must realize is that your power-to-weight ratio is one of
the most significant factors, if not the most
significant factor, affecting your speed. Even a modest body fat loss will
result in an increase in speed. A runner will drop
approximately 2.5 seconds per mile with each pound of body fat lost. Drop 10
pounds and you just shaved 11 minutes off your
marathon! For cyclists, watts-per-kilogram is the “golden ratio,” and you can
fairly judge an athlete's performance based on it.
Your max VO2 is yet another key determinant of performance and it is expressed
in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight.
If you get tested regularly, ask the test administrator to put in your goal
weight versus your actual weight and notice the
difference in your numbers.
You can also perform a simple test by cycling with a fluid pack weighing 10
pounds. You will notice a significant difference in
heart rate and perceived exertion, especially on climbs. Or try walking (not
running) on an inclined treadmill with the extra
weight. Now that you know how drastically extra body fat affects your
performance, the next step is getting it off. The best time to
accomplish this is when your caloric deficit will have the least impact on your
training. For most athletes, this will be during
base season and most athletes' base seasons occur in the fall and winter months.
The reasons this is a good time to address body fat
loss…
More...from the Sport Factory at:
http://speed-factory.com/site/nutritionnews/The_Hardest_Way_To_Get_Fast.shtml


20. Digest Briefs:
* Medical myths that even doctors believe
People should drink at least eight glasses of water a day
This advice has been promoted as healthful as well as a useful dieting or weight
control strategy. But when the researchers looked
further, they found no medical evidence to suggest that anyone needs that much
water.
Vreeman thinks this myth can be traced back to a 1945 recommendation from the
U.S. Nutrition Council that a person consume 64 ounces
of fluid a day. But an important part of the Council's recommendation has been
lost over the years: that amount also includes the
large amount of fluid contained in food, especially fruits and vegetables, as
well as in the other beverages that people drink every
day.
The study authors note that drinking excess water can be dangerous, since it
could lead to the potentially fatal condition of water
intoxication.
* Absorb, Process, Persevere
By Coach Matt Russ
One of the key ingredients to being a successful athlete is not motivation, or
talent, or mental focus, it is the ability to learn
from your mistakes. Bad races happen to everyone and they will likely happen to
you at some point. A race is only "bad," however, if
you do not walk away some knowledge that will help you in the future.
Having worked with many elite athletes, I can tell you one of their key
charactoristics is the ability to absorb an injury, bad
race, equipment failure, or other setback, learn from it, and move on. I have
observed talented athletes that did not have this
ability fall by the wayside, victims to their own discouragement.
It is ok to be disappointed, but then you must look for answers. If it was
something out of your control such as a mechanical,
weather, or illness then you must simply shrug it off. There are numerous
accounts of unlucky athletes that stuck with their sport
and came back to achieve their goals. If it is a factor within your control,
break it down, come up with a plan over come it, and
keep moving forward. A successful athlete is like Teflon; they do not let
negativity stick to them.
Matt Russ has coached and trained elite athletes from around the country and
internationally for over ten years. He currently holds
expert licenses from USA Triathlon, USA Cycling (Elite), and is a licensed USA
Track and Field Coach. Matt is head coach and owner
of The Sport Factory, and works with athletes of all levels full time. He is a
free lance author and his articles are regularly
featured in a variety of magazines such as Inside Triathlon, and Triathlete.
Visit www.thesportfactory.com for more information or
email him at mailto:coachmatt@...



THIS WEEK'S FEATURED EVENTS:
*Please verify event dates with the event websites*

January 5, 2008:
Mississippi Blues Marathon - Jacksonville, MS

January 6, 2008:
Avia OC Marathon - Newport Beach, CA

Prom Classic - Nice, France


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

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

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Carmichael Training Systems at:
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Reebok
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Your very own personal trainer at a fraction of the cost
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Check out TotalWellness's mp3 Personal Training Program - only 5% the Cost of
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Mental Strength Training Center:
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National Bike Registry
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Buy Paula Radcliffe's book, My Story - So Far, from Amazon UK at:
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Endurance Films
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Instant Stretching Routines
Design unlimited stretching routines today, starting from scratch, in under 60
seconds!
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ShoeWallet.com has set out on a mission to enable people to easily carry ID and
medical information at all times. Basically, anyone
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information.
http://store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/clink?joggerscompanion+pXgxpm+index.html+

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

Visit on AssociatesShop.com Online Bookstore for running and triathlon books:
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TrainingPeaks.com by Wes Hobson.
Find the training program that fits you at:
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TriSwim Coach - The Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming
http://hop.clickbank.net/?rhianyth/triswim1

If you have an accident while running or cycling, do you want your family to be
contacted? Do you want to receive immediate and
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If so, make this cool item part of your gear -- for safety and peace of mind.
Road ID has created 4 awesome ways for athletes to
wear ID: the SHOE, the WRIST, the ANKLE, and the NECK. Get your RoadID at:
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The Stretching Handbook:
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/cmd.php?af=245575&u=http://www.thestretchin\
ghandbook.com/specials.php#stretch_book
The Stretching Video in a DVD version. With the DVD version you're able to use
the convenient menu facility to:
* Go directly to a specific stretch;
* View only stretches for a specific muscle group;
* Pause each stretch to get a good look at how it is performed;
* View only the introduction and rules for safe stretching; or
* Play the entire video from start to finish.
Buy the DVD at:
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/cgi-bin/at.pl?a=286905&e=products/video-dvd\
.htm

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