A FREE WEEKLY E-ZINE OF MULTISPORT RELATED ARTICLES.
The Runner's and Triathlete's Web Digest is a weekly e-zine dealing with the
sports of running and triathlon and general fitness and
health issues. The opinions expressed in the articles referenced by the Digest
are the opinions of the writers and not necessarily
those of the Runner's Web. Visit the Runner's Web at http://www.runnersweb.com
The site is updated multiple times daily. Check out
our daily news, features, polls, trivia, bulletin boards and more. General
questions should be posted to one of our forums available
from our FrontPage.

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

1. Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - 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. Mississauga Marathon
The 5th anniversary edition of the Mississauga Marathon will be run on May 11,
2008 with the 10K the evening before on May 10th.
Register before February 6th to beat the price increase.
For more visit the race site at:
http://www.mississaugamarathon.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.

9. Watch over 50 IAAF Events Live and On-Demand.
World Championship Sports Network
ABOUT WCSN
World Championship Sports Network (WCSN) is the premier destination for fans of
Olympic and lifestyle sports, delivering an
immersive experience via exclusive live and on demand coverage of world class
competitions, interaction with top athletes and in
depth access to sports news and information year round.
WCSN offers comprehensive coverage of over 60 sports disciplines, through
exclusive long term programming agreements across a number
of key International Federations and National Governing Bodies. Major
championship events in sports ranging from Athletics (Track &
Field), Skiing, Swimming, Gymnastics and Cycling to Volleyball, Karate and
Taekwondo are featured online at
http://tinyurl.com/ysnvnh and on television via WCSN's weekly syndicated
television program, World Championship Sports, available in
more than 45 million US households. WCSN also markets Olympic sports in
partnership with International Federations, National
Governing Bodies, local organizations, clubs, sponsors, and through related
websites and publications.
WCSN is dedicated to providing year round, in depth coverage of these important
and exciting sports to reach millions of fans around
the world for whom they represent a way of life. WCSN is committed to expanding
the audience by delivering programming that
exemplifies the best of the human spirit. WCSN enables fans to interact with
world class champions as well as get to know the up and
coming athletes through blogs, interviews and their broadcast commentary.
Consistent with the world class caliber of the sports it celebrates, WCSN
delivers high quality production values, leveraging
state-of-the-art-technology and next generation distribution platforms to
provide an immersive, interactive experience available
anytime, anywhere.
Visit WCSN at:
http://tinyurl.com/ysnvnh

10. Canadian Running Magazine:
Subscribe at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/CanadianRunner.html

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

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

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

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

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

If anyone is looking for a web mail provider, you might wish to consider
Google's GMail. You can now sign up for free Gmail at
Google WITHOUT AN INVITATION at:
www.gmail.com

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

NEW THIS WEEK:
Road Race Management Newsletter
Save $30 off a new 1-year subscription to Road Race Management, the must-have
monthly newsletter covering the operational,
administrative and marketing elements of the sport of long distance running.
Want to learn more?
http://www.rrm.com/rrmnewsletter/newsletter.htm
If you like what you see, Click Here
(http://www.rrm.com/directory/08newslspringmid.htm) to Subscribe at the special
rate of $67
($82 for overseas). That is $30 off the regular price. Once you subscribe, you
will receive Road Race Management Newsletter in your
mailbox 11 times a year.

FREE Stretching, Flexibility & Sports Injury Information!
Get all the answers to your questions about how to use stretching for maximum
performance and injury reduction with your very own 6
part e-Course and 1 hour MP3 Audio
presentation.
You'll Discover how to...
* Use simple stretching techniques effectively and safely to reduce injury.
* Safe guard yourself against inappropriate stretches.
* Know which type of stretching to use at what point in your recovery and
rehabilitation.
* And Much, Much, Much more...
And the best part is; it's all entirely free!
This special offer from The Stretching Institute won't be available forever.
Don't miss out. Click on the link below to claim your
free 6 part e-Course and 1 hour MP3 Audio
presentation today.
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/cmd.php?af=245575&u=http://www.thestretchin\
ghandbook.com/newsletter.php

Free Shipping on Orders of $100 or More from Finish Line at
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000023743250&pubid=2100000000\
0028567

New Affiliates:

FRS Healthy Energy Drink: A new kind of Healthy Energy Drink that provides
sustained energy without the Crash. Using a unique
patented formula powered by Quercetin, a potent antioxidant found in fruits and
vegetables. A breakthrough antioxidant energy
formula, FRS contains powerful nutrients and key vitamins to help you naturally
increase energy and stay healthy. Whether you're
dieting, starting an exercise program, or just looking for a healthy boost, FRS
can help.
About FRS and Lance Armstrong
Lance's relationship with FRS is more than an endorsement deal, it's a
partnership. After carefully reviewing the science behind the
product and meeting our management team, Lance has joined our Board of Directors
and chosen FRS to be the exclusive beverage he
represents worldwide. FRS aligns with his lifestyle choices and what he believes
in. Power your life with FRS.
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000023989281

Under Armour Women's
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000005851699&pubid=2100000000\
0028567

Under Armour Men's
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000005851698&pubid=2100000000\
0028567

I've created a Runner's Web Group on Facebook.
To join the Runner's Web Facebook group, if you are not a member of Facebook,
you must first create a free Facebook account at
www.facebook.com. Once you have your own space, search "Runner's Web" under
"Groups". At the Runner's Web site, click "Join this
group". Once I have approved your request to join, you'll be able to visit the
site, post race photos, discuss training tips, and
share information about running, racing and training.

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

We have 2,328 subscribers as of publication time. Forward the Runner's Web
Digest to a friend and suggest that they
subscribe at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RunnersWeb/join .

RUNNER'S AND TRIATHLETE'S WEB CONTENT PARTNERS

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

* Sports Nutrition by Sheila Kealey.
Sheila is one of Ottawa's top multisport athletes and a member of the OAC Racing
Team and X-C Ottawa. She has a Masters in Public
Health and works in the field of nutritional epidemiology as a Research
Associate with the University of California, San Diego. Her
column index is available at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/SK_index.html

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

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

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

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

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

THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

1. VO2max Newsletter by Jason Karp
2. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine
3. e-Tips - March 2008
4. Tennessee Heart Test Is Credited With Saving Lives
5. My Love Affair With Lactate
6. Carbohydrates: Forget fancy supplements - carbohydrates are even more
important than you'd thought, for strength as well as
endurance
7. Supercharge Your Season
8. The Cure for Exhaustion? More Exercise
9. Why flu strikes in cold weather
10. The message isn't getting through
11. Crash and Burnout
Working like mad to reach your peak but getting nowhere? You might be
overtraining.
12. This Week in Running
13. Something Fishy Going On?
14. Skin and Sun 101: Basics for Cyclists and Triathletes
15. Eight Healthier Foods
16. Accelerating Work Out Recovery
17. On the Other End of the Line, Discipline
Feel like back-sliding? What, and disappoint the wellness coach?
18. Distance running veterans - Is ageing inevitable - or simply the result of
'detraining'?
19. How To Get Ripped Abs
America's top runners have a secret weapon: core training.
20. Fats, Vitamins and Your Sore Achilles


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Do you support women's only road races?"

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:
"Which best describes your athletic endeavours?
Answers Percent
1. Fitness Runner 8%
2. Fitness Multisport Athlete 35%
3. Recreationally Competitive Runner 12%
4. Recreationally Competitive Multisport Athlete 19%
5. Serious Competitive Runner 12%
6. Serious Competitive Multisport Athlete 15%


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE MONTH: WCSN.com
Watch over 50 IAAF Events Live and On-Demand at WCSN.com.
World Championship Sports Network (WCSN) is the premier destination for fans of
Olympic and lifestyle sports, delivering an
immersive experience via exclusive live and on demand coverage of world class
competitions, interaction with top athletes and in
depth access to sports news and information year round.
WCSN offers comprehensive coverage of over 60 sports disciplines, through
exclusive long term programming agreements across a number
of key International Federations and National Governing Bodies. Major
championship events in sports ranging from Athletics (Track &
Field), Skiing, Swimming, Gymnastics and Cycling to Volleyball, Karate and
Taekwondo are featured online at
http://tinyurl.com/ysnvnh and on television via WCSN's weekly syndicated
television program, World Championship Sports, available in
more than 45 million US households. WCSN also markets Olympic sports in
partnership with International Federations, National
Governing Bodies, local organizations, clubs, sponsors, and through related
websites and publications.
WCSN is dedicated to providing year round, in depth coverage of these important
and exciting sports to reach millions of fans around
the world for whom they represent a way of life. WCSN is committed to expanding
the audience by delivering programming that
exemplifies the best of the human spirit. WCSN enables fans to interact with
world class champions as well as get to know the up and
coming athletes through blogs, interviews and their broadcast commentary.
Consistent with the world class caliber of the sports it celebrates, WCSN
delivers high quality production values, leveraging
state-of-the-art-technology and next generation distribution platforms to
provide an immersive, interactive experience available
anytime, anywhere.
Visit WCSN at:
http://tinyurl.com/ysnvnh

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

BOOK/VIDEO OF THE MONTH: Yoga for Runners
Keeping runners healthy and on the road.
The key to unlocking your potential as an athlete is flexibility. Christine
Felstead’s Yoga for Runners™ is an easy, empathic method
of improving flexibility for all athletes, regardless of body type. The
four-part format allows you to focus on any individual
segment or run through the program in its entirety.
~ Fundamentals – as a runner, how to integrate yoga into daily life to improve
sitting, standing and running postural alignment
~ Lower Back
~ Hamstrings
~ Hips
Also included is a visual Anatomy Reference Guide. As an athlete, knowing more
about your body will help to improve performance;
reduce the risk of injury; and yoga poses will be better aligned.
Read a review of Yoga for Runners on the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news_2008/rw_news_20080218_Yoga_for_Runners.ht\
ml
Buy the DVD at:
http://www.yogaforrunners.com/products/

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. VO2max Newsletter by Jason Karp:
* VO2max Training
While increasing your weekly running mileage will increase your VO2max if you
currently run less than 40 to 50 miles per week, as
the increased volume attends to the many biochemical characteristics that
influence oxygen extraction and use by the muscles,
high-intensity interval training at or near VO2max is the most effective
stimulus to improve it, especially for trained runners.
While long intervals (2-5 minutes) provide a greater load on the cardiovascular
system, short intervals (<1 minute) can also
increase VO2max, as long as they include short, active recovery periods to keep
VO2 elevated throughout the workout. In lieu of a
laboratory test to tell you the velocity that elicits VO2max (vVO2max), you can
use current race performances or heart rate. vVO2max
is close to 1-mile race pace for recreational runners and 2-mile race pace (10
to 15 seconds per mile faster than 5K race pace) for
highly-trained runners. You should be within a few beats of your maximum heart
rate by the end of each interval. Examples of
workouts are: 1) 3 x 1,000 meters (or 4 minutes) at vVO2max with a 3 minutes
recovery, 2) 4 x 800 meters (or 3 minutes) at vVO2max
with 2.5 minutes recovery, and 3) 16 x 400 meters (or 1.5 minutes) at vVO2max
with 45 seconds recovery.
* What's the Best Cardio Equipment?
(excerpted from Karp, J.R. Show Me The Treadmill: The Best
Types of Cardio Equipment. Fitness Management, Jan. 2008).
Being a lifelong runner and coach, people think I'm biased when I say that
running is the best aerobic exercise. Well, they're
right. I am biased. But that's only because running is the best aerobic
exercise. If you were to choose one aerobic exercise to do
or choose one piece of cardio equipment to use for the rest of your life, that
exercise should be running and that piece of cardio
equipment should be the treadmill. Running is the single best exercise you can
do.
Weight-bearing activities are associated with a significantly greater caloric
expenditure than non-weight-bearing activities, even
when the two types of exercise are performed at the same level of intensity.
Among weight-bearing activities, running burns more
calories than most everything else, being equaled only by cross-country skiing
and sports that require a lot of running, like
soccer, squash, handball, and racquetball. However, while these other
activities use lots of muscles and burn lots of calories,
they also require a high degree of skill, which limits your ability to perform
the activities for long enough or at a high enough
intensity to fully realize the aerobic development or energy expenditure
benefits. By contrast, running requires little skill, so
people are limited only by their fitness level.
All studies that have compared energy expenditure between different modes of
exercise have found that the treadmill yields the
highest oxygen consumption and caloric expenditure. Taking together the
research on caloric expenditure and the amount of skill
needed to acquire a cardiovascular and caloric-burning benefit, the treadmill
would have to be considered the best piece of cardio
equipment, followed by the cross-country skiing machine (e.g., NordicTrack),
rowing machine, stair stepper, and stationary bike.
To view past newsletters go to: http://www.runcoachjason.com/newsletter
Copyright Jason Karp All Rights Reserved - http://www.runcoachjason.com


2. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine:
* Bone Density Does Not Necessarily Measure Bone Strength
The greater the force you put on your bones during exercise, the stronger they
become. Researchers at the University of Missouri in
Columbia showed that recreational runners have denser bones than cyclists
(Journal of Metabolism, February 2008). Another study
from Université de St-Etienne in France show that youth soccer players have an
increase in bone density over three years of playing
high level soccer (Joint Bone Spine, January 2008). They failed to show that
the soccer players had denser bones than their
classmates, yet their intuition told them that heavy forces on bones while
playing soccer must strengthen bones, so they stated that
"The yearly gain im bone density is greater in soccer players than in controls."
These studies and many others comparing various sports measure bone density, not
bone strength. The only way to measure bone
strength is to see how much force it takes to break them. Needless to say,
nobody is doing these studies in humans. So scientists
use bone density, which can be measured, as a substitute for measuring bone
strength. Nobody has shown that bone density determines
bone strength. For example, birds have bones that are not dense because they
need a low weight to fly effectively. Yet their bones
are very strong. I think that, in the future, methods will be developed to
determine bone strength and they will show that measuring
bone density is, at best, a crude measure of whether a person is likely to break
his or her bones.
* Donating blood: effects on athletes
A healthy athlete should be able to recover completely from donating blood in
eight weeks, but he may lose some of his ability to
train for a few days. Following a donation of one pint, blood volume is reduced
by about ten percent and returns to normal in 48
hours. For two days after donating, you should drink lots of fluids and probably
exercise at a reduced intensity or not at all.
Donating blood markedly reduces competitive performance for three to four weeks
as it takes that long for blood hemoglobin levels to
return to normal.
You should not donate blood more often than every eight weeks because it takes
that long to replace lost nutrients. If you donate
blood frequently, you need to make sure to replace the B vitamins and possibly
the iron that you lose with the blood. You can meet
your needs for iron by eating meat, fish or chicken or by taking iron
supplements; and you can meet your needs for the B vitamins
with whole grains and diary products. Donating blood at least four times a year
may help to prevent heart attacks by lowering blood
cholesterol levels significantly and reducing iron levels. Iron in the
bloodstream converts LDL cholesterol to oxidized LDL which
forms plaques in arteries.
* Dear Dr. Mirkin: What can I do about the fatigue I feel after exercising?
After you exercise intensely or for a long time, you feel exhausted and cannot
exercise again comfortably until you have allowed
enough time to recover. Part of the fatigue that you feel in your muscles is
due to loss of sugar and fat stored inside the
muscles, and part is due to damage to the muscle fibers. Many studies show that
you will recover faster if you take drinks orfoods
after exercise, but nobody is certain whether recovery is hastened more by
calories, protein or carbohydrates.
Researchers at the University of Bath in England recently confirmed previous
studies showing that taking a source of both
carbohydrates and proteins helps athletes recover faster for a second bout of
competition (Journal of Sports Sciences, November
2007). However, they also showed that putting more nutrients into the drinks
(increasing the calories) did more to hasten
recovery. It did not make any difference whether the extra calories came from
carbohydrates or proteins.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at: http://www.drmirkin.com


3.e-Tips - March 2008:
* How Much Should You Eat?
A reader asked me to comment on how much an athlete should eat. Obviously, it is
not possible to recommend an amount that works for
every athlete. There are too many variables.
For example, recently I saw that Deena Kastor, the American women's marathon
record holder, eats about 5,000 calories a day when
training hard and about 3,000 when recovering or tapering. She is 5'4" and
probably weighs less than 100 pounds, so that is a lot of
food. But I expect she runs in the neighborhood of 100 miles a week. This is
probably about 10-12 hours weekly of training, much of
it done at moderate to high intensity (the more intense the workout, the more
calories are burned).
On the other hand, I coach a 56-year-old triathlete/road cyclist who weighs in
at 156 pounds. He also trains, on average, about 12
hours a week with a significant amount of moderate to high intensity and eats
around 2,500 calories day, I expect. If he was to eat
5,000, or even 3,000, calories daily he'd soon look like the Michelin tire man.
He basically has to watch how much and what he eats
every day, especially in mid-winter when he is trying to get back down to race
weight after the holiday season and a break from
training.
In terms of how much to eat, I like the Okinawan way of being aware of food
intake. I understand that they stop eating when
satisfied and about 80-percent full. We Westerners tend to eat until everything
on the plate is gone regardless of how we feel. And
the portions we consume, especially in restaurants, are huge. If weight control
is an issue for you as it is for many of my
client-athletes, following the Okinawan example would help a lot. You don't need
to clean your plate. Stop eating when no longer
hungry.
But it isn't simply how much you eat, but also what you eat. My pet peeve with
athletes is that they eat way too much starch.
Starchy foods such as rice, bagels, bread, cereal and corn are the staples in
many athletes' diets. Such foods are great for
recovery. Eating them in the meal following a long and/or intense workout is a
great way to restock your glycogen stores in
preparation for the next workout. But continuing to eat such foods as a
significant source of calories outside of the narrow
recovery window is a sure way to pack on excess poundage. And to make matters
worse, most starches are very low in micronutrients
(for example, vitamins and minerals) compared with vegetables. Once beyond the
recovery window, micronutrient intake is the key to
becoming more fit and healthy.
And to make matters worse, eating a high starch diet upsets the body's acid-base
balance, which ultimately results in the loss of
bone calcium and muscle nitrogen. The only exceptions are potatoes, yams and
sweet potatoes, which raise body fluid pH levels and
help to maintain bone density and muscle mass. This is what makes these
particular starches the best possible recovery foods. All
other starchy foods (along with dairy, legumes, meats, fish, nuts and eggs) have
a tendency to increase acidity, forcing the body to
react to maintain pH balance by pulling calcium out of the bones and nitrogen
out of the muscles (Remer and Manz 1995). Only fruits
and vegetables have a net alkaline (acid-lowering) effect on the body's pH
level. There is a great deal more that could be discussed
on this topic and perhaps I will in a future post. I'd strongly recommend that
you read Dr. Loren Cordain's and my book, The Paleo
Diet for Athletes(
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594860890/qid=1148183873/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2\
_1/002-4776738-7792862?s=books&v=glance&n=283155) ,
for more details on this important topic and more.
Joe Friel is the founder of Ultrafit and the author of the Training Bible book
series for cyclists, triathletes and mountain bikers.
The March issue of e-Tips is now ready for you at www.Ultrafit.com


4. Tennessee Heart Test Is Credited With Saving Lives:
The mother of Duke Crews is pretty sure Tennessee basketball saved his life.
Duke Crews, who was found to have a heart condition, is averaging 6 points and
4.6 rebounds this season.
Crews seemed healthy until a echocardiogram he received as part of health
screenings administered to all Tennessee athletes found
the forward had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition blamed for the sudden
death of more than a hundred athletes each year.
“If they hadn’t done it, no one would have ever known he had it,” Crews’s
mother, Louise Poindexter, said. “There’s a possibility
they did save his life.”
Tennessee is one of only a few universities that routinely perform
echocardiograms on all athletes. A fan last year volunteered to
provide the screenings at no cost.
The expense of such a test — between $500 and $1,500 for each athlete — is why
some universities do not offer it to all athletes,
said Dr. Douglas Zipes, the past president of the American College of Cardiology
and a distinguished professor of medicine at
Indiana University.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/29/sports/ncaabasketball/29heart.html?_r=1&ref=he\
alth&oref=slogin


5. My Love Affair With Lactate:
It all started with an innocent race once around the track in sixth grade.
Midway through the final curve, I felt something,
something that would change my life. Her name, I discovered later, was lactate.
As I continued to run, she teased me with her power,
drawing on the reigns, gently at first, then harder with each passing moment.
Harder. Harder. By the time I had reached the finish
line, she had taken control of my whole body with her rapture. I could no longer
move. It was love at first sight.
First discovered in 1780 in sour milk, lactic acid (or lactate, as she is known
at the pH of body fluids and to her friends) is
produced in a metabolic pathway known as glycolysis. Her mother, pyruvic acid,
also known as pyruvate and herself a product of
glycolysis, is converted into lactate when oxygen is not supplied fast enough to
meet the needs of the cell. This happens a lot
during intense exercise because the muscle cell's need for energy (ATP) is too
immediate to wait on oxygen, who left pyruvate
standing alone at the altar (the entrance to the Krebs cycle) for his duties as
the patriarch of metabolism. "I'm oxygen," he says
to the muscle cell, with more than a hint of superiority. "I can give you a lot
of ATP, but you will have to wait for it." Oxygen
knows that he is worth the wait, as he controls the fate of endurance (not to
mention that he is the sustenance of life). Therefore,
as it is well known, there is an accumulation of lactate in the muscles and
blood during intense exercise. And from the time I first
experienced her caress in sixth grade, I was hooked. I still regularly sneak
away from home to go to the track, just so I could be
near her and feel her embrace.
It wasn't until years later, when I began my graduate work in exercise
physiology, that I learned the extent to which lactate really
is misunderstood. And it was then, when I finally understood what was
misunderstood by so many, that our love affair blossomed.
More...from Enhanced Fitness and Performance at:
http://www.enhancedfp.com/my-love-affair-lactate


6. Carbohydrates: Forget fancy supplements - carbohydrates are even more
important than you'd thought, for strength as well as
endurance:
The role of carbohydrates in sports performance might be one of the most
thoroughly researched topics in the field of sports
nutrition, but that doesn’t stop it constantly throwing up new surprises! Read
any biochemistry textbook on carbohydrates nutrition
and you will find no mention of variation in carbohydrates metabolism between
different groups of people. But now new research
indicates that both gender and age can affect the way our bodies utilise this
vital fuel.
And just in case you have any lingering doubts about the crucial contribution of
carbohydrates to optimum performance, scientists
have also been busy investigating the link between low carbohydrates intakes and
exercise-induced free radical damage, leading to
impaired muscle function.
According to evolutionary theory, one of the reasons the average female carries
more fat than the average male is because of her
role in child rearing. More fat stores and a more efficient fat metabolism add
up to an enhanced ability to survive a period of
famine – crucial for the survival of any infant, born or unborn. This difference
in fat metabolism is thought to underlie the
observation that females are able to oxidise proportionately more fat and less
carbohydrate during long periods of endurance
exercise, when normal fuel reserves run low, and also why women perform
proportionately better at ultra-distance events than their
male counterparts.
New research on gender differences
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/carbohydrates.html


7. Supercharge Your Season:
By Chris Carmichael
In many areas of the US, Europe, and even Africa and Asian, the cycling season
is already in full swing. Meanwhile, much of the
United States is still waiting for the spring thaw to arrive, and bring with it
the start of the competition season.
Like many racers, you may already have your early-season races picked out, but
there’s more to starting your season than simply
signing up for a few local criteriums. This is a good time to formulate an
early-season plan, a program of training and racing that
will hone your skills and develop your strengths so you’re fast and powerful for
your goal events later in the year.
Goal setting is a critical part of developing your early-season plan. Everyone
wants to start the season on a strong note,
preferably with a win that proves your winter training was effective.
Unfortunately, a cyclist’s typical winter training program is
designed to develop aerobic strength, focusing on longer, lower-intensity rides,
neuromuscular-development workouts, and strength
training. It shouldn’t be a surprise that your high-end power for accelerations
and sprints is not as well developed as it was at
the height of last season, but it’s a fact that only becomes evident to some
racers during the first competition of the season.
Perspective is the key to having a successful early season. When your training
program is aimed at achieving peak performance later
in the spring and summer, it’s important to go into early-season races with
realistic and productive goals. Look at the first five
races of the season as a development period, the time when you use racing to
gain skill and speed you’ll use to perform at your best
in the months to come. These races should be a component in your overall
early-season plan, not necessarily the sole focus of that
plan. To supercharge your season, early races need to be incorporated into
focused training and goal-oriented group rides.
More...from CTS at:
http://www.trainright.com/articles.asp?uid=3296


8. The Cure for Exhaustion? More Exercise:
When a person is sapped by fatigue, the last thing he or she wants to do is
exercise. But new research shows that regular,
low-intensity exercise may help boost energy levels in people suffering from
fatigue.
Fatigue is one of the most common health symptoms and can be a sign of a variety
of medical problems. However, about one in four
people suffers from general fatigue not associated with a serious medical
condition.
University of Georgia researchers decided to study whether exercise can be used
to treat fatigue. The research, which appears in the
February issue of the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, involved 36
volunteers who were not regular exercisers but who
complained of persistent fatigue.
One group of fatigued volunteers was prescribed 20 minutes of moderate-intensity
aerobic exercise three times a week for six weeks.
The second group engaged in low-intensity aerobic exercise for the same time
period, while a third control group did not exercise.
The study volunteers used exercise bikes that allowed the researchers to control
their level of exertion. The low-intensity exercise
was equivalent to a leisurely, easy walk. The more intense exercise was similar
to a fast-paced walk up hills. Patients with fatigue
due to serious medical conditions, such as those with chronic fatigue syndrome,
weren’t included in the study.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/29/the-cure-for-exhaustion-more-exercise/


9. Why flu strikes in cold weather:
Scientists believe they have uncovered a key reason why flu viruses tend to
strike in cold weather.
They found the viruses coat themselves in fatty material that hardens to a gel,
protecting them in the cold.
This coating melts in the higher temperatures of the respiratory tract, allowing
the virus to infect cells.
The US National Institutes of Health team hope their study, which features in
the journal Nature Chemical Biology, could lead to new
treatments.
However, a UK expert said the discovery did not explain why some flu viruses
also thrived in tropical climates.
The hard rubbery coating around the virus which forms in colder temperatures
gives it the protection it needs to pass from person to
person. The coating is so robust it can even resist to certain detergents.
However, once inside a host the virus can only infect a target cell once the
coating has melted.
But this liquid phase is not tough enough to protect the virus against the
elements, and so if the protective coating melts when the
virus is outside the host, it dies.
More...from the BBC at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7276447.stm


10. The message isn't getting through:
There's a second running boom allegedly sweeping North America. The first one,
some of us remember, was back in the 1970s, sparked
by people like Bill Rodgers and his four Boston Marathon wins and writer/runner
Jim Fixx. On this side of the border, Jerome
Drayton's 1977 Boston win and Jacqueline Gareau's victory there three years
later — after officials disqualified Rosie Ruiz —
inspired hordes of Canadians to lace up.
Now, figures compiled by MarathonGuide.com
(http://www.marathonguide.com/features/Articles/2007RecapOverview.cfm#TotalFinis\
hers) in
the U.S. show that the number of people completing marathons has been rising
steadily for years. In 2007, 407,000 people crossed the
finish line of a marathon in the U.S. That's a jump of about 35 per cent since
2000.
While there are no comparable numbers on this side of the border, anecdotal
evidence abounds. The Chilly Half Marathon in
Burlington, Ont. — held annually on the first weekend of March — has sold out
two months in advance the past two years.
Canada's biggest road race — the 10K Vancouver Sun Run — attracted more than
53,000 entrants in 2007. They're looking to smash that
record this year. It seems we're finally getting the fitness message.
Actually, we're not.
Last month, Statistics Canada came out with figures that show that barely three
in 10 Canadians aged 15 and over participated
regularly in at least one sport in 2005, down dramatically from nearly half in
the early 1990s.
More...from the CBC at:
http://www.cbc.ca/health/fitness-blog/2008/02/the_message_isnt_getting_throu_1.h\
tml


11. Crash and Burnout:
Working like mad to reach your peak but getting nowhere? You might be
overtraining.
To understand the toll that overtraining can take on an athlete’s life, consider
the competitive arc of Whitney Myers, a fifth-year
senior and a world-class swimmer at the University of Arizona. In 2006, Myers
won the women’s N.C.A.A. title in the 200- and
400-yard individual medleys and, to the surprise of almost everyone, won gold in
the 200-meter individual medley at the Pan Pacific
Championships. The accolades kept coming: Myers was named an all-American in
several events and an N.C.A.A. Breakout Performer of
the Year and swam for the United States national team. But barely a year later,
she floundered badly at the 2007 long-course
championships, making the finals in only one event. For weeks before that, her
performance in practices had been miserable: slow
times, inert form. “I remember standing behind the starting blocks at the pool
and thinking, ‘I don’t want to be here,’ ” she says.
“I felt terrible, mentally and physically.” While trying to build on her
breakthrough season, she had pushed too hard. She had
overtrained. She was, for a while at least, finished as a swimmer.
Though it seems innocuous, overtraining isn’t just a matter of having overdone
things in a workout or two. It is, instead, a
recognized illness (known formally as “overtraining syndrome” by the growing
cadre of doctors and researchers who study it), similar
in many physiological and psychological respects to chronic-fatigue syndrome and
major depression, but exactly like neither.
Overtraining strikes indiscriminately, felling both endurance and strength
athletes, particularly the most hardworking and
tenacious. By some estimates, up to 60 percent of competitive athletes overtrain
at some point. A recent study of over 200 elite
British athletes across a wide spectrum of sports found that more than 15
percent met the criteria for being overtrained. More
ordinary types can succumb, too. “I work with a lot of runners and distance
athletes,” says Ralph Reiff, a certified athletic
trainer who's the director of the St. Vincent Sports Performance Center in
Indianapolis and a leading expert on the symptoms and
treatment of overtraining. “In my experience, a large percentage of the people
who train for 10Ks, half-marathons and marathons are
overtrained by the time they reach the starting line. Same with cyclists and
cross-country skiers. A very high percentage get into a
state of fatigue that they just cannot get out of.”
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/sports/playmagazine/02play-physed.html?ref=fit\
nessandnutrition


12. This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago- Paul Tergat (KEN) defeated Paul Koech (KEN) by 7 seconds at the
Mombasa Int'l
Crosscountry (KEN) 12K. Thomas Nyariki (KEN) was another 17
seconds back in 3rd.
The women's 8K went to Jackline Maranga (KEN) who was 16 seconds
ahead of Sally
Barsosio (KEN) who, in turn, was 20 seconds ahead of Naomi Mugu
(KEN).
20 Years Ago- You-feng Zhao (CHN) won the Nagoya International Women's (JPN)
Marathon in 2:27:56.
Carla Buerskens (NED) was a minute behind in 2:28:58 while Birgit
Stephan (GER) was
3rd in 2:29:19. The men ran a 30K that was won by Kiyoshi
Hayashi (JPN) in 1:32:02.
The men's 30K was discontinued in 1996.
30 Years Ago- Dominique Coux won the French crosscountry (11.9K) title by 2
seconds over Jean-Luc Paugam.
Pierre Levisse was 3rd, another 3 seconds back while Lucien Rault
at age 41 was
4th, another 2 seconds back. Joëlle deBrouwer won the women's 5K
in by 10 seconds
over Joëlle Audibert with Chantal Navarro in 3rd, another 10
seconds back.
40 Years Ago- Ron Hill won the English (AAA) crosscountry champs, Gaston
Roelants won the Belgian
champs, Jean Waddoux won the French champs, and Mariano Haro won
the Spanish champs.
50 Years Ago- Nothing of note in the ARRS database.
From The Analytical Distance Runner, the newsletter for the Association of Road
Racing Statisticians with a
focus on races, 3000m and longer, including road, track, and cross-country
events.
The ARRS has a website at http://www.arrs.net.


13. Something Fishy Going On?
By Alicia Kendig, RD, CTS Sports Dietitian
Questions regarding the hype over fish-oil supplements have started trickling
into my Inbox lately, so many that I feel it’s time to
take a concentrated look at these supposed miracle pills. In a nutshell, the
capsules claim to replicate the heart-healthy benefits
of a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like one that includes two servings of
fatty fish (like salmon or halibut) each week.
Fish Oil Basics
There are two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish that are directly
linked to improving heart health: eicosapentaenoic acid
(EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The clinical studies and guidelines from
the American Heart Association suggest that the
combination of omega-3s naturally found in fish can decrease VLDL (bad
cholesterol) and triglycerides and possibly increase HDL
(good cholesterol). According to the American Heart Association, some people
diagnosed with Coronary Heart Disease may benefit from
1 gram of EPA+DHA per day. For someone needing to lower high triglyceride
levels, 2 to 4 grams of EPA+DHA per day, taken in capsule
form and under a physician’s supervision, may be prescribed. These amounts of
EPA+DHA are higher than what is typically found in the
average fish oil supplement on store shelves.
More...from CTS at:
http://www.trainright.com/articles.asp?uid=3317


14. Skin and Sun 101: Basics for Cyclists and Triathletes:
By Aaron K. Joseph, M.D., F.A.A.D.
Several professional cyclists have made the news lately, not for their race
results but for their pathology test results. Magnus
Backstedt of Team Slipstream/Chipotle and Amber Neben of Team Flexpoint both
were treated for melanoma in 2007. Former pro and
lifetime cyclist Chris Carmichael has also had suspicious growths removed
(thankfully they were negative for melanoma). Many more
cyclists, triathletes, and outdoor enthusiasts are at risk, and it's time for a
more vigilant approach to skin health, including sun
protection and frequent self examination of the skin.
All cyclists should be aware of the dangers of moles that change shape or color,
one of the earliest signs of melanoma. Melanoma is
one of the most aggressive skin cancers, affecting more than 50,000 Americans
each year, and the incidence is rising in young adults
each decade. Melanoma is easily treated with minor surgery if caught early, but
can be deadly if detected too late.
More...from CTS at:
http://www.trainright.com/articles.asp?uid=3309&p=3308


15. Eight Healthier Foods:
To stay healthy and run strong, you need to make the right food choices. We show
you how.
By Liz Applegate Ph.D.
You make choices every day--cash or charge, coffee or tea, Leno or Letterman.
And most of these choices are easy. That is, you know
what's best for you. (Letterman, definitely Letterman.) But take a stroll down
any aisle in the grocery store, and suddenly simple
choices disappear. Is a reduced-fat food truly a better option than its full-fat
counterpart? Are vegetarian products more healthful
than non-vegetarian versions? Having so many seemingly healthy choices makes it
difficult to know for sure which foods are best for
you and your running.
Since I can't join you when you cruise the grocery store, I've done the next
best thing: I've come up with a list of my picks for
eight of the most puzzling food choices out there. Just remember that even when
you've filled your cart with the best choices
possible, you'll still be faced with one final question: Paper or plastic?
Regular Peanut Butter vs. Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter
Liz's pick: regular peanut butter. Check the label, and you'll find that both
versions pack about 190 calories per 2-tablespoon
serving. But, while the reduced-fat variety has less fat (12 grams versus 16
grams in regular), it has considerably more sugar.
Even if you're looking to slash the fat in your diet for better heart health,
you'll still want to stay away from the reduced-fat
varieties. Why? Reduced-fat peanut butters contain hydrogenated vegetable oil,
which is a primary source of artery-clogging trans
fats. In comparison, regular peanut butter is a natural source of
cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fats. So when you opt for a
reduced-fat peanut butter, you actually end up eating more unhealthy fats.
And thanks to the healthy fats and the disease-fighting phytochemicals in
regular peanut butter, it should be a part of every
runner's diet. Bonus: The fat in peanut butter helps you feel full, making a PB
and apple snack a great way to stave off
late-afternoon hunger.
More...from Runner's World at:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-300--5348-0,00.html?cm_mmc=nut\
rition-_-2008_03_06-_-nutrition-_-FOOD%3a%208%20Smar
ter%20Choices
[Long URL]


16. Accelerating Work Out Recovery:
By Ken Mierke
Overtraining is generally the result of a buildup of workout and life stresses
with insufficient recovery, not from a single workout
being too hard. Overtraining really should be called "under-resting". Every good
coach searches continually for the right balance of
volume, intensity, and rest. Rest needs to be an active process, taking full
advantage of every opportunity to get the athlete's
body, and their mind, ready for the next hard workout.
Recovery is really the athlete's greatest resource. If an athlete can train
harder and longer, and absorb and adapt optimally to the
workouts, he/she will become faster. Therefore, we should teach our athletes to
take every reasonable step to accelerate recovery.
Recovery is more than just taking a day off from training; it is giving the body
every resource it needs to adapt to the stimulation
of previous workouts. Taking every step to maximize workout recovery is a
critical part of training.
More...from the Sport Factory at:
http://thesportfactory.com/site/trainingnews/Accelerating_Work_Out_Recovery_287.\
shtml


17. On the Other End of the Line, Discipline:
Feel like back-sliding? What, and disappoint the wellness coach?
“CLOSE your eyes, breathe deeply, and imagine yourself at your most well. What
does it look like?”
The voice on the other end of the phone belonged to neither a guru nor my
primary doctor, but to a wellness coach, and the question
wasn’t rhetorical. The coach, Dr. Julie Desch of Palo Alto, Calif., wanted me to
“paint a picture with words.”
Such is the initial session with a wellness coach — essentially a life coach for
your body. You say what you want to do to be
healthier, and you are told to do it, together you work on the how, and you pay
$50 to $150 for the hour on the phone. Counseling is
rarely done in person.
While executive coaches help the ambitious and life coaches offer direction to
the aimless, wellness coaches are the fitness
industry’s version of a paid motivator. Not so long ago, their clients were
those with injuries, illness or pounds to shed, but more
recently coaches have been making a play for the perfection-minded, and their
motto seems to be “You can always be more fit!”
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/06/fashion/06fitness.html?_r=1&ref=fitnessandnutr\
ition&oref=slogin


18. Distance running veterans - Is ageing inevitable - or simply the result of
'detraining'?
A leading question to ask senior citizens, or those nearing seniority, is: ‘how
old would you think you were if you didn’t know how
old you are?’ I would predict that the disparity between theory and fact in the
answer would give an indication of that person’s
exercise level. No one can escape their genetic programme, but most people can
do a great deal, barring injury and illness, to
minimise some of the physiological aspects of ageing by means of modest exercise
programmes which embrace conditioning in strength
and flexibility as well as aerobic exercise.
It is worth noting that, from the 100m to the marathon, men and women of 80 take
only up to 55% and 110% respectively longer than
they did at 40, with a virtual plateau in performance between 20 and 35-40 (see
table 1 below). The current gap between men and
women will undoubtedly narrow with time, as women’s times are coming down faster
than men’s.
This article will focus on the achievements of older distance runners, including
veteran and masters athletes, together with changes
in some of the physiological parameters relating especially to distance running
in older people.
In 1900 people were considered old in their 40s; just 40 years ago people seemed
old in their 60s; but today many do not feel old in
their 80s – a phenomenon described as ‘youth creep’. Yet there is no common
experience in the ageing process, for while an orchestra
conductor might see himself as a mere stripling at 50, a 20-year-old rhythmic
gymnast can feel hopelessly middle-aged.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/distance-running-veterans.html


19. How To Get Ripped Abs:
America's top runners have a secret weapon: core training. Steal their moves,
and you'll become stronger, fitter, and more efficient
on the road.
Every Monday through Saturday at 5 p.m. you can find them, some of the best
runners in America--including Meb Keflezighi, Deena
Kastor, and Ryan Hall--grunting and groaning together on the carpeted floor of
Snowcreek Athletic Club in Mammoth Lakes, California.
Under the blare of a techno beat and the watchful eye of coach Terrence Mahon
(whom Meb has dubbed "Dr. Pain"), the members of Team
Running USA work for 45 minutes toward a common goal: building stronger abs and
backs that can only be described in one way--elite.
Intense core training has become essential for elite runners for good reason: It
improves efficiency and endurance as it lowers
injury risk. Dan Browne, a 2004 Olympic marathoner and a regular carpet-dweller
at the 5 p.m. sessions, is quick to cite the
benefits he's experienced since beginning a regular regimen: "When I'm running,
some of the muscles that used to fatigue don't get
tired as quickly, letting me run stronger and longer."
The secret is stability. That's because core strength is the primary force that
controls motion in the hips and spine when you run.
Think back to when you were learning to ride a bike. You'd wobble and maybe fall
until your dad or mom placed a hand on your back.
When you run, your core acts as that steadying hand. The stronger the muscles,
the more stable your center--and the more efficient
your running will be.
More...from Runner's World at:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267--12417-0,00.html?cm_mmc=wo\
men-_-2008_03_05-_-women-_-STRENGTH%3a%20Flat%20Bell
y,%20Strong%20Runner
[Multi-line URL]



20. Fats, Vitamnins and Your Sore Achilles:
What has Soren Mavrogenis been doing lately?
That question has not exactly been rolling off athletes' lips, especially since
Soren's latest published paper - "Pyeloureteral
Junction Stenosis and Ureteral Valve Causing Hydronephrosis" (Scandinavian
Journal of Urology and Nephrology, Vol.35(3), pp.
245-247, June 2001) - has nothing at all to do with athletics. But give the
fellow a chance! In addition to his pyeloureteral
pursuits, the Dane is currently carrying out extremely interesting research on
the treatment of athletic injuries, and his findings
may one day help you bounce back from an injury more quickly than expected and
as a result set a new personal record or win an
important competition. A physiotherapist with Denmark's Olympic Committee,
Mavrogenis has effectively treated several hundred cases
of recurrent inflammatory injuries with a novel dietary supplement (Reuters
Health, April 27, 2001). Tested for the first time in
1996 on a group of rowers from Denmark's National Rowing Team, Soren's nostrum
appears to have remarkable anti-inflammatory
properties (research on the overall healing properties of the treatment will be
published in a peer-reviewed journal shortly).
More...from Running Research News at:
http://runningresearchnews.com/News_Feed.php


THIS WEEK'S FEATURED EVENTS:
*Please verify event dates with the event websites*
March 7-9, 2008:
IAAF World Indoor Championships - Valencia, Spain

March 8, 2008:
Canyonlands Half Marathon - Moab, UT

Gate River Run - Jacksonville, FL

HEB Bayou City Classic 10K - Houston, TX

NIKE 5K for Kids - Atlanta, GA

March 9, 2008:
Valley of the Sun Half Marathon & Relay - Mesa, AZ


Saturday, June 21, 2008
Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K race for Women
http://www.emiliesrun.com
Over $7,000 in prize money for top individual and teams
In 2007 45 women broke 20:00!

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/

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

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

Have a good week of training and/or racing.

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

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

XM Satellite Radio
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000021517490

Puma
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000005110141&pubid=2100000000\
0028567

Champion
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=h1QosBYBFXw&offerid=113858.10000144\
&type=1&subid=0

Nike
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000015009821

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

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

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

Reebok
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=h1QosBYBFXw&offerid=117802&type=3&su\
bid=0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Instant Stretching Routines
Design unlimited stretching routines today, starting from scratch, in under 60
seconds!
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/cmd.php?af=245575&u=http://www.thestretchin\
ghandbook.com/newsletter.php

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

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

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

TrainingPeaks.com by Wes Hobson.
Find the training program that fits you at:
http://www.trainingpeaks.com/rw

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
proper medical treatment?
If so, make this cool item part of your gear -- for safety and peace of mind.
Road ID has created 4 awesome ways for athletes to
wear ID: the SHOE, the WRIST, the ANKLE, and the NECK. Get your RoadID at:
http://www.roadid.com/?referrer=50

The Stretching Handbook:
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/cmd.php?af=245575&u=http://www.thestretchin\
ghandbook.com/newsletter.php
The Stretching Video in a DVD version. With the DVD version you're able to use
the convenient menu facility to:
* Go directly to a specific stretch;
* View only stretches for a specific muscle group;
* Pause each stretch to get a good look at how it is performed;
* View only the introduction and rules for safe stretching; or
* Play the entire video from start to finish.
Buy the DVD at:
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/cgi-bin/at.pl?a=286905&e=products/video-dvd\
.htm

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

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