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
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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

11. BeatRunning Music for runners:
Music to start running, for experienced runners and for interval training.
Check it out at:
http://www.beatrunning.com

12. Mi-Sport - The Ultimate Sports MP3 Player
Introducing the world's first and only waterproof and wireless sports mp3
player. These Mi-SPORT mp3 headphones have a 1GB memory
built into a cool neckband design. At last no wire tangle and no earbuds to fall
out. The patented design makes this
waterproof/sweatproof mp3 player great for running, cycling and gym work. The
player however is more than splash proof! It can be
completely submerged with no harm to it making it perfect for swimming,
kayaking, and water skiing. Now incorporating the latest 3D
music quality with it's adapted waterproof speaker. Relax to music in the bath,
or push out that training session with no fear of
losing your player or tangling the wires. Circuit training is so much easier
with your own music. Enjoy the waves wire-free.
This is the only waterproof pair of classic headphones with a built in mp3
player in the world. The stylish looking headphones play
the usual MP3, WMA and WAV formats and are compatible with
Windows98/98SE/2000/XP and Apple MAC. Depending on track length, the
headphones hold well over 14 hours worth of music and the rechargeable battery
life is about 8 hours.
Nick Matthew, the 2006 British Open squash champion now uses the player to train
with and Mi-SPORT are endeavouring to encourage
more athletes to enjoy the benefits of training to wire-free music, podcasts or
coaching aids.
Inspiration and freedom at last, for athletes and exercise enthusiasts
everywhere.
Check it out at:
http://www.mi-sportmp3.com/


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Get the Runner's Web button for the Google Toolbar 4 for Internet Explorer from
the link on our FrontPage at:
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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:
Watch the webcast of the London Marathon FREE on WCSN this Sunday.
Sign up at:
http://www.wcsn.com/sport/index.jsp?id=34003&affiliateID=hptRunWebLNAV1A021208&p\
artnerId=hptRunWebLNAV1A021208

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\
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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
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"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
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If you feel you have something to say (related to triathlon or running) that is
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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.
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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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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
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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. Toronto lags behind pack as a bike city
Cyclists in Vancouver, Montreal treated better.
2. How Exercise Changes Structure And Function Of Heart
3. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine
4. Maintaining Aerobic Fitness Could Delay Biological Aging By Up To 12 Years,
Study Shows
5. Cheating Starts Before the Race Does
6. Intense training - can you have too much of a good thing?
7. Exercise Balance - Helping Over-Exercisers And Under-Exercisers - New Book
8. High-tech treadmill steps up rehab for Lakers' Bynum, Ariza
9. This Week in Running
10. Duelling treadmills
I may not be the fastest thoroughbred in the gym, but I was determined to outrun
this young filly.
11. Smoggy days are here again
Dangers of air pollution extend to your heart.
12. How sugar sneaks into your diet
13. Why Women Suffer More Knee Injuries
14. Performance-enhancing ... clothing?
15. Biofeedback On Abnormal Mechanics Lowers Risk For Stress Fractures, Pain
Under Kneecap
16. Digest Briefs

RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Did you watch the Boston Marathon?"

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

LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULTS:
"What is the highest mileage you have run in one week this year?"
Answers Percent
Answers Percent
1. 100 miles or more (160km+) 9%
2. 60 - 100 (100 - 160) 12%
3. 40 - 60 (64 - 100) 47%
4. 20 - 40 (32 - 64) 15%
5. < 20 (<32) 18%


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE MONTH: Tim Don - World Triathlon Champion 2006
As a junior, Tim was soon marked out for great things. His swift and easy
running style made him ideally suited to take his place in
the new wave of triathletes who used their pace in the third discipline to
distance their cycling and swimming peers.
Bad luck was never far from the heels of the young Don however, with stolen
bikes and crashes all looming large in his early career.
One aspect of his abilities was never called into question: stomach for the
fight. He quickly gained a reputation for being one of
the bravest emerging talents, often attacking from the front on the bike to stir
up the action. His willingness to take races by the
scruff of the neck often left him staring at silver medals rather than gold, as
more canny rivals took advantage of his enthusiasm
to split the field, but a strong character was starting to shine through.
Those 2nd places were beginning to make Tim look like the nearly-man. A Silver
at the 1998 European Junior Duathlon Championships
was followed by another at the same season's European Junior Triathlon
Championships. Fortunately for Tim, his family and
supporters, they were merely indicators of the good things to follow, as he
shrugged off those disappointments to become World
Junior Triathlon Champion.
He made a quiet but successful transition to the senior ranks, featuring in
1999's ITU World Cup series. In losing out to Spencer
Smith in a thrilling finish to the Windsor ITU race that still lives in the
memory of the huge crowds who lined the streets below
the castle, Tim displayed the guts that he would need to call upon again and
again.
Read more about Tim Don at:
http://www.timdon.com

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

BOOK/VIDEO OF THE MONTH: 30 Years of the Ironman Triathlon World Championship
Available May 13, 2008 - Pre-order Now!
Buy the book at Amazon.com at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1841261149/runnersweb/102-0182896-9006569\
?v=glance&s=books

For more publications on running and triathlon visit:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/human_kinetics.html and
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/amazon.html

THIS WEEK'S FEATURES:

1. Toronto lags behind pack as a bike city;
Cyclists in Vancouver, Montreal treated better.
Toronto has more bike lanes than Montreal and Vancouver, but is significantly
behind them when the physical sizes of the three
cities are taken into account, states a study to be released today at an
international cycling conference.
The report, prepared by the Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation, also
says Toronto lags behind London and New York when it
comes to per capita spending on bike lanes.
"It's slow because it hasn't been a priority at city council," TCAT spokesperson
Fred Sztabinski said yesterday. "We're not seeing a
lot of leadership from the top."
He said Toronto's poor standing as a bicycle city should serve as a wake-up call
to city council: "It's certainly a disappointment."
There are 214 kilometres of bike lanes in Toronto, compared with 180 in Montreal
and 106 in Vancouver. But the ranking is reversed
when land mass is taken into account.
More...from the Toronto Star at:
http://www.healthzone.ca/health/article/418291


2. How Exercise Changes Structure And Function Of Heart:
For the first time researchers are beginning to understand exactly how various
forms of exercise impact the heart. Massachusetts
General Hospital (MGH) investigators, in collaboration with the Harvard
University Health Services, have found that 90 days of
vigorous athletic training produces significant changes in cardiac structure and
function and that the type of change varies with
the type of exercise performed.
"Most of what we know about cardiac changes in athletes and other physically
active people comes from 'snapshots,' taken at one
specific point in time. What we did in this first-of-a-kind study was to follow
athletes over several months to determine how the
training process actually causes change to occur," says Aaron Baggish, MD, a
fellow in the MGH Cardiology Division and lead author
of the study.
To investigate how exercise affects the heart over time, the MGH researchers
enrolled two groups of Harvard University student
athletes at the beginning of the fall 2006 semester. One group was comprised of
endurance athletes -- 20 male and 20 female rowers
-- and the other, strength athletes -- 35 male football players. Student
athletes were studied while participating their normal team
training, with emphasis on how the heart adapts to a typical season of
competitive athletics.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080422103857.htm


3. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine:
* Get Your Vitamins From Food, Not Pills
One in three women and one in four men in the United States take vitamin pills.
If you are among them, you may be doing more harm
than good. In a wake up call to the multibillion dollar vitamin pill industry,
a review of 67 randomized trials of vitamin pill
effects on life and health has found that taking vitamin pills may shorten life
(Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 1,
2008). Other studies have shown that taking vitamin pills may increase risk for
cancers and heart attacks.
This review of 232,000 adults showed that those taking beta-carotene, vitamin A,
C, and E and selenium gained no benefit over those
who took placebos or no pills. "The findings show that, if anything, people in
trial groups given beta-carotene, vitamin A and
vitamin E showed increased rates of mortality. There was no indication that
vitamin C and selenium may have positive or negative
effects."
The study was originally set up to see if antioxidant vitamin pills and minerals
prevent gastrointestinal cancers. It found no
protection whatever. Instead, an increased death rate of 16 percent was seen in
those taking vitamin A pills, seven percent with
beta-carotene, and seven percent with vitamin E. No increased death rate was
seen in those taking vitamin C or selenium.
* Dear Dr. Mirkin: Will I get stronger if I keep on lifting weights when my
muscles are hurting?
When you want to become very strong, you try to lift very heavy weights. Weight
lifters have known for a long time that you don't
pick up the heaviest weight you can move, raise it once and then quit for the
day. They do their weightlifting in sets. For
example, they lift and lower a weight in three sets of ten or one set of six. If
you exhaust your muscles by bench pressing a weight
for three sets of ten, is there any benefit to try to do another set?
Researchers from Australia showed that you gain nothing if
you force extra lifts after your muscles are exhausted (Journal of Strength and
Conditioning Research, August 2007). This study
should serve as a warning particularly to young lifters. Plan your workouts.
When your muscles are tired or sore, don't try to keep
on lifting through the soreness. After a hard workout, go easy for as many days
as it takes for your muscles to feel fresh again.
* Dear Dr. Mirkin: You recently said that caffeine increases endurance; isn't
it addicting?
Yes, but dependence on caffeine lasts only for a few days. You are dependent on
a chemical when you become sick from not being able
to take it. When regular coffee drinkers are suddenly deprived of their morning
fix, they may suffer from headaches, fatigue and
depression and be unable to function at their usual level of efficiency.
Moderate use of coffee, tea or soft drinks with caffeine is not harmful to most
people, but caffeine can make you shaky, raise blood
pressure, cause irregular heart beats or interfere with sleep. If you have these
symptoms and want to stop drinking caffeinated
beverages, doctors recommend that you stop cold turkey at a time when you don't
need to function at your best for a few days. The
headaches, fatigue and depression should pass in a short time. Nobody should
associate caffeine dependence or addiction, which is
relatively harmless, with alcohol or nicotine dependence which have severe
health consequences. Each year, misuse of alcohol causes
more than 100,000 deaths in the United States and smoking causes more than
400,000 deaths.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at: http://www.drmirkin.com


4. Maintaining Aerobic Fitness Could Delay Biological Aging By Up To 12 Years,
Study Shows:
Maintaining aerobic fitness through middle age and beyond can delay biological
ageing by up to 12 years and prolong independence
during old age, concludes an analysis published ahead of print in the British
Journal of Sports Medicine.
Aerobic exercise, such as jogging, improves the body's oxygen consumption and
its use in generating energy (metabolism).
But maximal aerobic power starts to fall steadily from middle age, decreasing by
around 5 ml/[kg.min] every decade.
When it falls below around 18 ml in men and 15 ml in women, it becomes difficult
to do very much at all without severe fatigue.
In a typical sedentary man, the maximal aerobic power will have fallen to around
25 mil/[kg.min] by the age of 60, almost half of
what it was at the age of 20.
But the evidence shows that regular aerobic exercise can slow or reverse the
inexorable decline, even in later life.
Research shows that relatively high intensity aerobic exercise over a relatively
long period boosted maximal aerobic power by 25%,
equivalent to a gain of 6 ml/ [kg.min], or 10 to 12 biological years.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080409205827.htm


5. Cheating Starts Before the Race Does:
THE eBay entry was so brazen it almost seemed like a joke: “2008 Boston Marathon
entry on the FRONT ROW Must See!!”
Someone was selling a coveted starting place for the Boston Marathon. And this
person claimed to have run a marathon in the
impressive time of 2 hours 30 minutes, not only earning a place in the Boston
Marathon — which requires nearly all runners to meet a
tough qualifying time — but guaranteeing a spot near the starting line, where
the quickest line up.
There was a problem with this eBay auction. It was against the rules.
The Boston Marathon requires athletes to have run a marathon in the past year
with a time that is adjusted for age and gender. Most
find the race’s strict standards all but impossible to meet. All this helps make
the Boston Marathon unique and makes running it a
dream for many athletes.
It also raises two questions: Why does the Boston Marathon make it so hard to
enter? And how often do runners sneak in by trading or
buying one another’s entries?
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/24/health/nutrition/24Best.html?ref=fitnessandnut\
rition


6. Intense training - can you have too much of a good thing?
The serious athlete could be forgiven for thinking that he or she is training
too hard, given the universal endorsement of moderate
activity and the much publicised deaths of Jim Fixx, Marc-Vivien Foe, Reggie
Lewis and other famous athletes (possibly linked to
overtraining). Gary O’Donovan reviews the latest evidence and considers whether,
in the interests of health, the serious athlete
should give up high-intensity exercise in favour of brisk walking.
Diseases of inactivity are the leading cause of death in the UK(1). In England
and Wales, rising levels of obesity and type-2
diabetes are thought to have caused around 5,000 additional deaths between 1981
and 2000(2). More alarmingly, coronary heart disease
(CHD) is thought to have caused over 40,000 premature deaths in the UK in
2002(3). There is no genetic explanation for the increased
prevalence of these diseases, as the genetic make-up of man has changed little
during the past 10,000 years(4). Rather, obesity,
type-2 diabetes and CHD are ‘lifestyle diseases’ that can be prevented.
Why is moderate activity recommended for health?
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/the-risks-of-overtraining-35870


7. Exercise Balance - Helping Over-Exercisers And Under-Exercisers - New Book:
Everyone has heard the term "no pain, no gain," but some exercisers can take
this mentality to the extreme. Take Billy, for example,
who runs two hours on weekdays, and up to four hours on Saturdays and Sundays,
regardless of injury. Excessive exercise is becoming
increasingly popular, and dangerous, as people assume that "all exercise is good
exercise" and they fail to realize the harm they
are inflicting upon their bodies and minds. The new book, The Exercise Balance
(Gürze Books, 2008), helps both over- and
under-exercisers find a personal prescription for what is best for their bodies
and unique situation.
Authors Pauline Powers, MD and Ron Thompson, PhD, both experts in the field of
eating disorders, describe people on the extreme ends
of the workout spectrum: compulsive exercisers and those who are too sedentary.
Individuals with eating disorders account for a
significant portion of both populations; those with anorexia nervosa often
suffer from "activity anorexia" as a means to weight
loss, and binge-eaters typically fail to exercise enough. The Exercise Balance
provides detailed information about the
characteristics and hazards of each group and provides sound medical advice for
moving toward a more moderate and healthy regimen.
More...from Medical News Today at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/105185.php
Buy the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0936077026/runnersweb/102-0182896-9006569\
?v=glance&s=books


8. High-tech treadmill steps up rehab for Lakers' Bynum, Ariza:
The NASA-derived device is gaining converts with an anti-gravity method that
helps players recover from lower-body injuries.
If it looks like something that was not designed for this planet, that's because
it wasn't.
The anti-gravity treadmill that Laker players Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza have
used during their rehab from lower-body injuries is
derived from NASA technology that allows astronauts to maintain their fitness
during prolonged flights. The team's backup center
Chris Mihm, who returned to action last month, also used this exotic treadmill
during his recovery.
The device looks a little quirky, with the athlete's lower half of his body
encased in something that resembles half of a kid's
inflatable bounce house. But it is also quickly becoming popular among rehabbing
athletes.
By strapping their lower bodies into a pressurized enclosure, the athletes
reduce the pressure and weight on their legs while they
run. Trainers can set the treadmill so an injured player can run at whatever
percentage of their body weight they so choose.
The professional's version is called the G-Trainer Pro, made by Alter-G, and was
first used by the Washington Wizards two years ago.
Shaquille O'Neal, Yao Ming and Amare Stoudemire, among others, have used it
since.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-spw-bynum23apr23,1,625688.story


9. This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago- Christian Weber (CAN) won the Vancouver Sun Run (BC/CAN) 10K in
28:40 with compatriot
Steve Boyd close behind at 28:41. William Kiptum (KEN) was 3rd
in 28:42 and Ashley
Johnson (USA, formerly RSA) was 4th in 28:45. Krystyna Pieczulis
(POL) won the
women's race in 32:55, well ahead of Lori Durward (CAN) who
clocked a 33:11.
Canadians also took 3rd and 4th with Lucille Smith in 33:24 and
Lisa Harvey in 34:12.
20 Years Ago- Diamantino dosSantos (BRA) won a close one at the Stramilano
(ITA) Half Marathon.
Runner-up Francesco Panetta (ITA) was given the same time of
1:02:51. Spyridon
Andriopoulos (GRE) was 3rd in 1:03:08 and Salvatore Bettiol (ITA)
was 4th
in 1:03:20.
30 Years Ago- Francesco Fava (ITA) won the Stramilano (ITA) Half Marathon
easily over Luigi
Zarcone, 1:04:31 to 1:05:28. Ilie Floroiu (ROM) was 3rd in
1:05:46 while Karel
Lismont (BEL) took 4th in 1:05:54.
40 Years Ago- Arne Kvalheim (NOR) defeated Gerry Lindgren (USA) over 2 miles at
Eugene OR/USA,
8:33.2 to 8:38.4.
50 Years Ago- Franjo Mihalic (SER) won the Boston (MA/USA) Marathon in 2:25:54.
John J Kelley (USA)
was 2nd in 2:30:51 while Eino Pulkkinnen (FIN) was 3rd in
2:37:05.
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.


10. Duelling treadmills:
I may not be the fastest thoroughbred in the gym, but I was determined to outrun
this young filly.
Of all the empty treadmills in the gym that afternoon, she had to climb onto the
one beside me.
I was enjoying the solitude of my run after an onerous day. I've never
understood running groups. I prefer loping along at my own
pace, lost in my thoughts, free from the obligation of making conversation. I
talk all day at work. I want to be alone when I run.
I'm a dedicated runner. Not marathon dedicated, but dedicated to staying off
Prozac. Running is the best antidepressant I know. It
always brings me back from the brink.
I have yet to encounter a demon or bad incident that couldn't be outrun. At the
end of the day I strap on my running shoes and take
off until I find my happy place. When friends ask how I'm preparing for
retirement, I tell them the money I have saved from avoiding
therapy by running will keep me living comfortably for years to come.
I detest running inside, but it's a necessary evil in the winter. I feel
ridiculous on a treadmill. I can't seem to shake the image
of being a hamster on a wheel. The perfect run is one that takes place beside a
body of water, ideally an ocean, lake, canal, even a
creek in the woods.
More...from the Globe and Mail at:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080424.FACTS24/TPStory/?query\
=duelling+treadmills


11. Smoggy days are here again:
Dangers of air pollution extend to your heart.
When I am driving toward downtown Toronto, I am fascinated by the changing
skyline. Each day looks different. Many days the view is
clear and crisp, but beginning at this time of year I'm more likely to see a
hazy brown cloud of air pollution hovering around the
CN Tower. It's like the dirty cloud that follows the Peanuts character Pigpen.
It's said this brown stuff blows up from the States.
We may as well blame them for that, too.
Everybody knows that hot, smoggy days are bad for your lungs -- particularly for
people with asthma. But what about your heart?
Well, some troubling new data has emerged that might make you catch your breath:
According to a Swedish study, the particulate
matter contained in air pollution is associated with increased risk of heart
attack and cardiac complications. Other studies show a
correlation between the smoggiest days and the incidence of heart attack and
stroke in a large city like New York.
More...from the National Post at:
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=466976


12. How sugar sneaks into your diet:
A bran muffin and a flavored coffee drink are not unusual choices for a
breakfast on the run. But along with fiber and caffeine, you
may be getting something you hadn't bargained for: a day's worth of added sugar
in just one small early morning meal.
We shouldn't consume more than 40 grams -- about 10 teaspoons -- of sugar a day,
based on a 2,000-calorie diet, said Andy Bellatti,
a graduate student at New York University's department of nutrition and food
studies who blogs about diet and health at Small Bites.
"It's very easy, though, to go way above that because that's basically one can
of soda," Bellatti said. "So although 10 teaspoons
sounds like a lot, it's actually not really that much."
Though the World Health Organization recommends that added sugar should make up
no more than 10 percent of our daily caloric intake,
the average American eats about double that. A muffin could have 11 teaspoons of
sugar added, and a grande vanilla latte at
Starbucks has about seven teaspoons.
There are a few different chemicals we may be referring to when we talk about
sugar, although teaspoon-for-teaspoon their calorie
content is virtually the same. Sucrose is essentially table sugar. Lactose is a
naturally occurring sugar found in milk. Fructose is
also found naturally in fruits and some vegetables -- it's what makes an apple
sweet -- but it's probably best known, and most
maligned, as high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), an inexpensive sweetener used in
many processed foods made by changing the sugar in
corn starch into fructose.
More...from Reuters at:
http://features.us.reuters.com/wellbeing/news/919590D2-0CC6-11DD-B59E-61AD3A9A.h\
tml


13. Why Women Suffer More Knee Injuries:
Female athletes are up to eight times more likely to suffer knee injuries during
their careers than males, and now researchers may
be closer to understanding why.
A recent study of 10 female and 10 male NCAA athletes completed within the
Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Cleveland
Clinic found that female athletes tend to land from a jump with a more flexed
ankle, the foot rolling outward with an elevated arch,
and more knee abduction and knee internal rotation compared to male athletes.
When fatigued, differences between women and men in these movements and loads
were even larger, possibly explaining why females may
be at greater risk of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during
landing
The study's lead researcher, Scott McLean, was previously at Cleveland Clinic
and is now an assistant professor with the Division of
Kinesiology at the University of Michigan. The study will be published in the
March issue of Medicine and Science in Sports and
Exercise.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070308084542.htm


14. Performance-enhancing ... clothing?
Who needs performance-enhancing substances when you can wear
performance-enhancing fabric? Researchers at the Commonwealth
Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia's national science
agency, have invented an "interactive" garment that
plays specific, individualized tunes when athletes move correctly.
The garment is made of a stretchy spandex material and contains sensors that
monitor movement. When a basketball player takes a
shot, for example, the sensors transmit information to a laptop, which produces
audible tones in sync with the arm and wrist
movements. The idea is to give athletes audible, real-time feedback.
More...from the LA Times at:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2008/04/work-out-clothe.html


15. Biofeedback On Abnormal Mechanics Lowers Risk For Stress Fractures, Pain
Under Kneecap:
More than seven out of 10 runners will sustain an injury over the course of a
year, many of these injuries preventable without any
adverse effects on running distance or performance, according to Dr. Irene
Davis, director of the Running Injury Lab at the
University of Delaware, and director of Research for Drayer Physical Therapy
Institute.
In earlier studies, Dr. Davis identified the specific gait mechanics associated
with common injuries. Now, in a study reported at
the Experimental Biology meeting in Washington, DC, she explains how she
successfully retrained runners to change their faulty gaits
in eight half hour sessions, reducing leg shock by 50 percent and completely
eliminating pain under the kneecap.
In the laboratory, Dr. Davis uses sophisticated biofeedback devices and
monitors, but she says she does similar - and also effective
- retraining in the physical therapy clinic at the University of Delaware using
basic mechanical information, mirrors and advice to
listen to the sound of one's own feet hitting the ground.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070430155828.htm


16. Digest Briefs:
* Age-Related Rates of Decline in Performance Among Elite Senior Athletes
Vonda J. Wright, MD* and Brett C. Perricelli, MD
From the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Center for Sports Medicine,
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Address correspondence to Vonda J. Wright, MD, University of Pittsburgh,
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Center for Sports
Medicine, 3200 South Water Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203 (e-mail:
vondawright@...).
Background: Age-related disability and lost independence currently plague one
third of older Americans. Many causes of disability,
lost muscle mass and bone mineral density, are modifiable with exercise. Most
exemplary of successful aging are the Senior
Olympians; this group of vital athletes exhibit persistently high levels of
functional capacity.
Purpose: This study describes demographic data, injury characteristics and the
effect of aging on physical performance in senior
athletes to identify key time points for intervention to address declining
performance.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 4.
Methods: Senior Olympians (>50 years) participating in the 2001 National Senior
Olympic Games were surveyed for demographic and
health characteristics. Age-related changes in physical performance were
determined from mean winning performance times in track and
field events. These were plotted against age and task for men and women.
Analysis of variance and intergroup significance were
analyzed using the Tukey procedure. Percentage performance change across events
was compared. The 2001 National Senior Olympic Games
results were compared with American track and field record holders.
Results: Senior athletes’ performance declined (male and female) approximately
3.4% per year over 35 years of competition—slowly
from age 50 to 75 years and dramatically after age 75 years. Men showed no
difference in decline of sprint and endurance events,
whereas the decline in the sprint was greater than in endurance for women,
especially after the age of 75 years.
Conclusion: Even the healthiest examples of musculoskeletal aging experience
significant performance declines around age 75 years.
This may be a key time point for preventive intervention.
* Shock Wave Application for Chronic Plantar Fasciitis in Running Athletes
A Prospective, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Jan D. Rompe, MD*, Jens Decking, MD, Carsten Schoellner, MD and Bernhard Nafe,
MD
From the Department of Orthopaedics, Johannes Gutenberg University School of
Medicine, Mainz, Germany
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Jan D. Rompe, MD, Department of
Orthopaedics, Johannes Gutenberg University School of
Medicine, Langenbeckstrasse 1, D-55131 Mainz, Germany
Background: Recent articles have reported success with repeated low-energy shock
wave application for treatment of chronic plantar
fasciitis in runners.
Hypothesis: Shock wave treatment for chronic plantar fasciitis is safe and
effective.
Study Design: Prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
Methods: Forty-five running athletes with intractable plantar heel pain for more
than 12 months were enrolled; half were assigned to
a treatment group that received three applications of 2100 impulses of
low-energy shock waves, and half received sham treatment.
Follow-up examinations were performed at 6 months and at 1 year by a blinded
observer.
Results: After 6 months, self-assessment of pain on first walking in the morning
was significantly reduced from an average of 6.9 to
2.1 points on a visual analog scale in the treatment group and from an average
of 7.0 to 4.7 points in the sham group. The mean
difference between groups was 2.6 points. After 12 months, there was a further
reduction of pain in both groups, to an average 1.5
points in the treatment group, and to 4.4 points in the sham group.
Conclusion: Three treatments with 2100 impulses of low-energy shock waves were a
safe and effective method for treatment of chronic
plantar fasciitis in long-distance runners.
* Tip for Today: Warming Up
A warm-up can consist of anything that will raise your heart rate and get the
blood flowing to your muscles. Walking, jogging, or
any other low intensity exercises, are great ways to warm up for a
cardiovascular workout. The increase in blood flow to your
muscles makes them more pliable and increases their flexibility, making it
easier to stretch them. Warming up before beginning your
cardio workout will help to reduce the risk of injury, such as straining or
pulling a muscle. In general, 5-10 minutes is usually
adequate time for a proper warm-up, but different routines may call for a longer
or shorter warm up period.



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

April 25-27, 2008:
St. Anthony's Triathlon - St. Petersburg, FLA

April 26, 2008:
Chesapeake Bay 10K - Norfolk, VA

Country Music Marathon - Nashville, TN

Get in Gear 10K / 5K - Minneapolis, MN

Kentucky Derby Festival Meijer Marathon & Mini - Louisville, KY

Texas RoundUp 5K / 10K - Austin, TX
USA Masters 10K Championship

April 26-27, 2008:
Limestone City Half Marathon, KGH Trauma 10k and 5K Race - Kingston, ON

April 27, 2008:
Big Sur International Marathon - Carmel, CA

Conergy Marathon - Hamburg, Germany

Tongyeong BG Triathlon World Cup - Tongyeong City, Korea

Vienna City Marathon - Vienna, Austria

Waterloo Marathon - Waterloo, ON


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/

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