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
Emilie's Run is over for another year. Almost 300 women completed the race with
38 women running under 20:00
For more on the race visit the website at:
http://www.emiliesrun.com.
Join Emilie's Run Community and contribute at:
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/emiliesrun?hl=en

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

4. Toronto Waterfront Marathon, September 28, 2008
http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/

5. Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon - October 19, 2008
http://www.torontomarathon.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. On August 5, 2008, uber ultra-runner Karl Meltzer will set off on the
biggest race of his life. His challenge: to run the entire
length of the 2,174-mile in less than 47 days.
Definitely daunting. Absolutely grueling. Probably insane. But when he does it,
he'll rule the AT as the guy who conquered it, all
of it, the fastest on two feet.
This is going to be Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Self, Man vs. Clock - and it's going
to be good. So, check back. As Karl's start date
draws near, this site will transform into mission control. With an interactive
map featuring real-time GPS tracking of his progress,
a blog, forums, videos, pictures and podcasts, whereskarl.com will be the place
to keep track of the Speed Goat as he ticks off the
miles on his way from Maine to Georgia. In the meantime, sign up for email
updates* on Karl's training and racing leading up to his
AT attack, feature additions to this site, and occasional discounts from
Backcountry.com and other sponsors
Check it out at:
http://whereskarl.com/?utm_source=runnersweb&utm_medium=banner&utm_content=ad1&u\
tm_campaign=whereskarl

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/

13. Labour Day Oakville Half-Marathon and 10/2K - Oakville, ON
http://www.oakvillehalfmarathon.com/

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Get the Runner's Web button for the Google Toolbar 4 for Internet Explorer from
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If anyone is looking for a web mail provider, you might wish to consider
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NEW THIS WEEK:

We have partnered with Breaksweat TV to provide us with video content.
Simply Sports Media is part of a large group called Simply Media, which operates
more than 25 digital TV channels, including 6 on
satellite and cable. Simply Media has developed and continues to expand on
premium content for TV, web, mobile, captive Audience
Networks, and IPTV.
Breaksweat.tv was recently launched to provide instant access to premium video
content covering outdoor sports. The innovative
online channel uses a system called, Brightcove to continually and seamlessly
deliver content to its users, whilst providing
easy-to-use navigation.
Breaksweat TV is not a user generated website, or a broadcasting channel; rather
it is a platform used to host Breaksweat.tv's
independently produced video content, and content it obtains from key
relationships in the outdoor sports industry. By applying this
strategy to supply content for its viewers, SnowZone.tv is able to showcase
video content that is unique, high-quality, and
continuous filled with updated material.
For more information and to visit other existing channels in the Simply Media
network, please visit:
http://www.simply.tv/

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Watch live and webcast of Track and Field and Road races on WCSN.
Sign up at:
http://www.wcsn.com/sport/index.jsp?id=34003&affiliateID=hptRunWebLNAV1A021208&p\
artnerId=hptRunWebLNAV1A021208

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 2,379 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

* BREAKSWEAT.TV
We have partnered with Breaksweat TV to provide us with video content.
Simply Sports Media is part of a large group called Simply Media, which operates
more than 25 digital TV channels, including 6 on
satellite and cable. Simply Media has developed and continues to expand on
premium content for TV, web, mobile, captive Audience
Networks, and IPTV.
Breaksweat.tv was recently launched to provide instant access to premium video
content covering outdoor sports. The innovative
online channel uses a system called, Brightcove to continually and seamlessly
deliver content to its users, whilst providing
easy-to-use navigation.
Breaksweat TV is not a user generated website, or a broadcasting channel; rather
it is a platform used to host Breaksweat.tv's
independently produced video content, and content it obtains from key
relationships in the outdoor sports industry. By applying this
strategy to supply content for its viewers, SnowZone.tv is able to showcase
video content that is unique, high-quality, and
continuous filled with updated material.
For more information and to visit other existing channels in the Simply Media
network, please visit:
http://www.simply.tv/

* 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. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine
2. VO2max Newsletter By Jason Karp
3. Sportsmedicine: Heat Injuries
Tips for Training and Playing in the Heat.
4. Fitter. Healthier. More orgasmic
5. Recuperative therapy: no pain, no gain
Canada's athletes use new techniques to get back in the game.
6. Back of the Pack - Fit to be downtown
7. RT's Top 12 running orientated commercials
8. Tips for a long, healthy life
9. Core strengthening to keep your spine in good shape
The sporting spine - what all athletes should know about core strengthening.
10. Formulating Your Optimal Race Warm Up
11. 10k training: What does science have to say about the right training
programme for the 10K?
12. 6 Ways to Improve Your Race Day Results
13. Stepping Up to Ironman - Without Overstepping
14. This Week in Running
15. To Beat the Heat, Learn to Sweat It Out
16. The Validity Of EPO Testing For Athletes
17. Many Sunscreens Don't Work Or Are Hazardous To Health Says Group
18. Doctors call for heart checks on athletes
19. Aiming to Sell the World on Fitness
20. Digest Briefs


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Should an Olympic athlete be banned for life after their first doping offense?"

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 of the following services do you use on a regular basis?
Answers Percent
1. A.R.T. Therapist 16%
2. Chiropractor 10%
3. Massage 20%
4. Physio 16%
5. Podiatrist 10%
6. Sports doctor 15%
7. Sports psychologist 12%
8. Other (email:polls2008@...) 0%


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE MONTH: The Runner's Tribe, Side By Side, Stride By Stride.
The Runner's Tribe believes, quite simply, that running is the most pure form of
physical endeavor known to humans. Being the first
and foremost true world sport, the basic process of running occurs daily the
world over wherever there are people.
At its most basic level running needs no fancy or expensive equipment, no
man-made constructions, or sterile playing arenas. Runners
are free to enjoy the solitude of nature either by themselves, or with a group
of friends around them.
The Runner's Tribe believes that running is vital for the health of society as a
whole. In today's modern world, kids growing up
turn to video games instead of playing outdoors, movies instead of weekend
sport, or junk food instead of a play at the park.
Furthermore, the percentage of overweight people continues to climb, as do rates
of depression. We believe that running acts as a
natural form of medicine, increasing self-confidence and improving both mental
and physical health.
The Runner's Tribe also believes in the value of taking running to the elite
level and acknowledges the amazing athletes who
dedicate much of their lives to the pursuit of superior fitness. Running is one
of our truly world sports, thus making success at
the elite level rare indeed. We believe that the level of dedication required to
be an Olympic runner exceeds the commitment
required for most other sports.
The world's best runners hail from all corners of the globe, from Nigeria to
London, New Zealand to Zurich. It isn't a sport
dominated by one nationality, nor is it structured in a way that only wealthy
people can gain access to it. We believe that these
amazing athletes do not receive the recognition that they deserve. We hope to
improve the profile of athletics at an elite level and
help aspiring elite athletes realise their dreams.
Check out the site at:
http://www.runnerstribe.com/mission.html


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

BOOK/VIDEO OF THE MONTH: Out of Nowhere: The Inside Story of How Nike Marketed
the Culture of Running
By Geoff Hollister
Synopsis
How does a boy from a small Oregon farm town get swept up in the politics of his
chosen sport? Out of Nowhere takes the reader along
on Geoff Hollister's 33 year journey at the center of Nike, the company that
would change not only the world of athletic shoes and
apparel but the business of sport itself.
Nike began with a handshake and a few hundred dollars passed between Phil Knight
and legendary track coach Bill Bowerman. Hollister
was coached by him at the University of Oregon and was Bowerman's pick as Nike's
third employee. Before he had even graduated
Hollister began selling shoes out of the trunk of his car for Blue Ribbon
Sports, the company that became Nike.
Out of Nowhere provides an inside look for the entrepreneur, from someone who
experienced the humble beginnings, lived and breathed
the first 33 years of Nike, now the largest sports and fitness company in the
world. Hollister takes you on the rollercoaster ride
of success and failure.
Buy the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/184126234X/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. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine:
* Caffeine Boosts Hot Weather Performance
A study from Toledo, Spain shows that giving caffeine to dehydrated bicycle
racers helps them ride faster, longer and with more
power in hot weather (Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, July 2008).
When combined with water and carbohydrates, caffeine
ingestion increases the force of muscular contractions which helps them to pedal
with more power. Almost all professional bicycle
riders take caffeine is some form because they know it helps them to ride
faster.
Another recent study from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign shows
that caffeine helps to reduce muscle pain in riders
pedaling as hard and as long as they can
(International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, May 2008).
Other studies have shown that caffeine is a diuretic
only when a person is at rest, not during exercise.
These reported benefits of caffeine for cyclists can be expected to apply to
other sports as well. However, people with heart
damage should be cautious about taking caffeine before
exercising. It is a stimulant and may increase risk of irregular heart beats.
* Stretching
A review in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine shows that there is no good
evidence that stretching prevents sports injuries.
Muscles and tendons tear when the force applied to them is greater than their
inherent strength, so anything that makes a muscle
stronger helps to prevent injuries. Strengthening muscles helps prevent muscle
and tendon tears, but stretching does not make
muscles stronger. This review showed that stretching does not prevent shin
splints, bone stress fractures, sprains, strains or other
arm and leg injuries.
However, stretching can make you a better athlete. Competitive athletes need to
stretch to makes muscles and tendons longer and more
flexible. A longer muscle can exert a greater torque on a joint to help you run
faster, lift heavier, throw further and jump higher.
Stretching should always be done after your muscles are warmed up. You are
likely to injure yourself if you stretch before you have
warmed up or when your muscles are tired. Warming up raises muscle temperature
to make them more pliable. Stretch no further than
you can hold for a few seconds. Bouncing gives you a longer stretch, but can
tear muscles. Only competitive athletes need to stretch
further than they can hold for a few seconds. If you're over 50, be extra
careful because older muscles are less springy and more
likely to tear.
Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, March 2005 - Checked 6/9/08
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at:
http://www.drmirkin.com


2. VO2max Newsletter By Jason Karp:
* Enzymes
Enzymes function as biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions. In
the absence of enzymes, chemical reactions would not
occur quickly enough to generate the energy needed to run. The amount of an
enzyme also controls which metabolic pathway is used.
For example, having more aerobic enzymes will steer metabolism toward a greater
reliance on aerobic metabolism at a given submaximal
speed. Enzymes are also activated or inhibited (i.e., their effectiveness in
speeding up chemical reactions can be either increased
or decreased), determining which metabolic pathways are functional during
certain cellular conditions. Thus, enzymes essentially
control metabolism and therefore
control the speed at which you fatigue.
A number of studies have documented an increase in enzyme activity in response
to aerobic training. One of the first among these
was published in 1967 in Journal of Biological
Chemistry, in which aerobically trained rats increased mitochondrial enzyme
activity, increasing the mitochondria's capacity to
consume oxygen. More recently, a study published
in Journal of Applied Physiology in 2006 found that citrate synthase (a key
enzyme of the Krebs cycle) activity significantly
increased by 37 percent in novice runners after 13 weeks of
training during which weekly mileage increased from 15 to 36.
Similarly, sprint training induces changes in the anaerobic enzyme profile of
muscles and also increases aerobic enzyme activity,
particularly when long sprints or short recovery between short sprints are used.
For example, a study published in Journal of
Applied Physiology in 1998 found that sprint cycle training three times per week
for seven weeks using 30-second maximum-effort
intervals significantly increased both anaerobic and aerobic enzyme activity.
Research on changes in enzyme activity with sprint
running is currently lacking.
Metabolism is also regulated by its patriarch--oxygen. The availability of
oxygen determines which metabolic pathway predominates.
For example, at the end of the metabolic pathway that breaks down carbohydrates
(glycolysis), there is a fork in the road. When
there is adequate oxygen to meet the muscle's needs, the final product of
glycolysis--pyruvate--is converted into an important
metabolic intermediate that enters the Krebs cycle for oxidation. This
irreversible conversion of pyruvate inside your muscles'
mitochondria is a decisive reaction in metabolism since it commits the
carbohydrates broken down through glycolysis to be oxidized
by the Krebs cycle. However, when there is not adequate oxygen to meet the
muscle's needs, pyruvate is converted into lactate. An
associated consequence of this latter fate is the accumulation of metabolites
and the development of acidosis, causing your muscles
to fatigue and you to slow down.
The more aerobically developed you are, by focusing on increasing your mileage
and lactate threshold runs, the more you'll steer
pyruvate toward the Krebs cycle and away from
lactate production at a given pace. That's a good thing, because the amount of
energy you get from pyruvate entering the Krebs
cycle is 19 times greater than what you get from pyruvate being converted into
lactate. While pyruvate will always be converted
into lactate given a fast enough speed, the goal of training is to increase the
speed at which that occurs.
To view past newsletters go to: http://www.runcoachjason.com/newsletter
Copyright Jason Karp All Rights Reserved - http://www.runcoachjason.com


3. Sportsmedicine: Heat Injuries:
Tips for Training and Playing in the Heat.
With the northern hemisphere right in the middle of summer, heat injuries are on
the increase. Although heat injuries are one of the
most common forms of sports injuries to effect athletes, they are totally
preventable.
Heat injuries occur when your body temperature rises above normal, or when your
body is no longer able to regulate heat loss. Heat
injuries are generally defined in three stages.
~ Dehydration: This is the first stage of a heat injury. It's the mildest form
of heat injury in which your body simply suffers from
a lack of fluid.
~ Heat Exhaustion: This is the next step beyond dehydration. If not treated
immediately, serious injury and even death can result.
~ Heat Stroke: This is the worst stage of a heat injury. Without proper medical
attention a victim can die within minutes.
What Causes Heat Injuries?
There are a number of contributing factor that increase your chances of
suffering a heat injury. Some of them are obvious, like high
temperatures, others are less obvious. To follow is a list of factors to be
aware of when training and playing in the heat:
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news_2008/rw_news_20080701_TSH_Heat_Injuries.h\
tml


4. Fitter. Healthier. More orgasmic:
People can not only run their way to a better sex life , but also have sex to
become a better runner, according to a survey of
studies on the issue by Runner's World magazine.
Male runners seem to have the sexual prowess of men two to five years younger,
it found. Vigorous exercise, combined with lifestyle
factors such as diet and not smoking, can improve a man's sexual status by up to
10 years.
"The science is very complex," says Dr. Ted Fenske, an Edmonton cardiologist who
ran the Boston Marathon this year. "But running
will improve vascular health and vascular health is necessary for a male to have
proper sexual function."
Mike Finch, editor of Runner's World's South African edition, says marathoners
are "like sexual gods."
Countless university studies and field work all pointing to a similar -- albeit
less bombastic -- conclusion. Because exercise
increases feel-good hormones and helps improve overall physical function,
experts contend that sex stands to be enhanced from
regular running.
More...from the National Post at:
http://www.nationalpost.com/life/health/story.html?id=619021


5. Recuperative therapy: no pain, no gain:
Canada's athletes use new techniques to get back in the game.
Olympic athletes know injuries. Ligament damage in knees, torn muscles in
shoulders and broken bones are part of their world. So are
months of intensive recuperative therapy.
Their sports have changed little over the years, but the athlete's ability to
recover from those debilitating injuries has changed
considerably.
In April 1994 Lori-Ann Muenzer was a 28-year-old Canadian track cyclist who was
chasing a dream in Cuba. She was undergoing
intensive training when she went down hard from her bike. Her shoulder hit the
ground first and she broke her collar bone.
"If you can't bench press a broom, there's no way you're going to be able to
pull and steer your bicycle," she said. Muenzer's road
training was over for months.
Immediately after returning home from Cuba, Muenzer went to the hospital, and
began a long, tedious program to regain her strength.
She began training on a bike in an upright position. She slowly regained
strength in her upper body, eventually using soup cans as
dumbbells.
Muenzer worked as hard as she could, but missed the Commonwealth Games that
August. A decade and a half later, her rehabilitation
would still have been painful and tedious, but it probably wouldn't have taken
nearly as long.
It is now possible for athletes with injuries like this to resume training
immediately and return to competition sooner.
More...from the CBC at:
http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/story/2008/05/27/f-olympics-features-injury.html


6. Back of the Pack - Fit to be downtown
Hey - wanna get fit? Then ditch that suburban spread, move away from the condo
bordering the golf course and - by all means - back
away from the ravine.
Concrete jungle's where you want to be. Stick to city living if you want to
improve your chances at maintaining a healthy weight -
if you believe some of the research that's out there.
Even urban birds seem to have a better handle on getting by than their rural
cousins.
Now Dutch researchers are saying that living close to green space may not be the
inducement you need to get active. The research
published in the online journal BMC Public Health, found that people who live
near green spaces walk and cycle less often and for
shorter periods of time than people in more urban environments.
The study involved almost 5,000 Dutch residents who responded to questions about
their levels of physical activity and how they
perceived their health. Lead researcher Jolanda Maas said the study suggests
that people who live near green spaces walked less
often, relying more heavily on their cars, probably because stores and other
facilities were further away.
Her take: if you want to get in more walking and cycling in your leisure time,
live closer to the places you want to get to.
The findings echo the results of some other studies that looked at people's
activity levels in relation to where they live. Your
chances of being obese tend to be higher if you live in a rural community than
in an urban area, according to one study from Saint
Louis University School of Public Health. It found that if you live relatively
far from places like recreational facilities, stores,
churches and schools, you're at greater risk of putting on too much weight.
Again, because you're relying too heavily on your car.
More...from the CBC at:
http://www.cbc.ca/health/fitness-blog/2008/06/fit_to_be_downtown_1.html


7. RT's Top 12 running orientated commercials:
Originally it was going to be a top 10 list however there were to many great
commercials so we juiced it up to a top 12 list. The
criteria for these commercials were that they had to be pretty much running
related, inspirational and/or humorous. To see more
running commercials and a wide range of race videos, visit the Runner's Tribe
video section. We hope you enjoy our selection.
More...from the Runner's Tribe at:
http://www.runnerstribe.com/adclips.html


8. Tips for a long, healthy life:
Dan Buettner hasn't discovered the fountain of youth, but he has some pretty
good clues on living a longer, healthier life after
years of studying what he calls "blue zones" -- areas of the world where
longevity and health go hand in hand.
Along with a team of demographers and scientists, Buettner spent seven years
studying places where people were living longer and
better, as outlined in his book, The Blue Zones. That research, funded in party
by the National Institute on Aging, found that
people in these four zones are more likely to see their 100th birthday. Many of
them also manage to avoid diseases of lifestyle and
aging.
Buettner's blue zones are located in four very different parts of the world:
Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; the Nicoya Peninsula,
Costa Rica ; and among the Seventh Day Adventists in Loma Linda, California. (A
fifth blue zone may be announced in the fall, he
told Reuters in an interview.) These four areas are marked not only by a long
life expectancy, with a high concentration of
centenarians, but also by a long healthy life expectancy. Simply put, people
living in the blue zones are living longer without the
years of decline marked by illness like heart disease and cancer that many older
North Americans face.
More...from Reuters at:
http://features.us.reuters.com/wellbeing/news/9517EF20-3336-11DD-8327-E910DFDD.h\
tml


9. Core strengthening to keep your spine in good shape:
The sporting spine - what all athletes should know about core strengthening.
'There are two types of people in this world- those who have back pain and those
who are going to get back pain'! While this may be
an exaggeration, research suggests that 80% of people will suffer with lower
back pain at some time in their life(1). But as TJ
Salih explains, sportsmen and women can reduce this risk with targeted core
strengthening work
Anatomy of the healthy spine
The spine consists of 33 individual bones or vertebrae and 23 intervertebral
discs. The spine is comprised of neck (cervical),
thorax (thoracic) and lower (lumbar) bones (vertebrae). Each has a slightly
different shape, which, when fitted together, form a
lazy 'S' shaped curve. This curve is very important as it provides the optimum
mechanical advantage, putting the least amount of
stress and strain on the surrounding joints, ligaments and discs.
The vertebrae communicate with each other via small joints on either side (facet
joints). These joints allow only small movements
within adjacent vertebral bodies but when moved together allow large spinal
movements (much like a child's wooden snake toy). These
joints are like other joints in the body only on a smaller scale; they have
cartilage to absorb shock and lubricate like other
joints.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/caring-for-your-spine


10. Formulating Your Optimal Race Warm Up:
By LifeSport Coach Lance Watson
Most athletes and coaches believe in the value of a good warm-up, though all to
often it is forgotten on race day. Have you ever
been guilty of rushing down to the swim start in time for a quick fifty meter
dip, then asking your body to fire on all cylinders at
full race pace? A good warm up prepares you for racing by increasing the blood
flow to the muscles, which delivers oxygen and
glycogen for energy and performance. Warm muscles are better able to meet the
demands of your event right from the beginning. Warm
ups also help protect against injury. If your muscles are loose and lengthened
it is less likely that you will tear or pull
something when you start into your faster race pace. Finally, warming up allows
you to sharpen your skills and activate your
neuromuscular system to feel coordinated and engaged. Most athletes have drills
or routines that help make them feel fast and doing
those things before a race will better prepare you for a great performance in
your event.
An optimal race warm up routine is individual and event specific. In order to
figure out your best race warm up you must figure out
what works for you and what doesn't. Use your pre-race workouts to help you
determine a routine. Once you have established a
general routine it is easier to make educated adjustments according to the
demand and logistics of the day.
It is important to be properly activated for the swim, as this is the first leg
of the race. The first step it to think about swim
workouts where you have performed well in the past. What did you do in warm up
and the workout prior to your top performance? For
instance, if you are an athlete who swims a personal best for a timed 400 meter
freestyle at the end of a long set, then you likely
need a longer swim warm up to feel activated. People who feel best right at the
beginning of swim workout likely need a shorter warm
up. Consider how you would feel after a 300-400 meters of swimming with
pick-ups. Swim fitness dictates the warm up as well. If you
get tired after swimming for 10 minutes continuously then don't venture out into
the middle of a lake on race morning. If you are
very fit and comfortable in the water, then a longer swim warm up of about 10-15
minutes would be just what you need. Start out
with a nice, easy three to four minutes of swimming. Incorporate some drills
that you like and ones that make you feel fast. Do two
or three sets of 20 to 30 strokes of drills. The drills should be done with a
bit of tempo, not just floating along. After the
drills do some pick-ups to engage your muscles in a race specific range of
motion, and to increase arterial blood flow. Increase you
stroke rate and build up your speed over a certain number of strokes. An athlete
who needs more warm up may do 150 meters (or
100-150 strokes) at your triathlon 1500 meter race pace. The athlete who needs
less warm up may do three or four repeats of 20 to 30
strokes at race pace. At the end of your warm up you should leave at least a 50
to 100 meters to swim back in easy and loose and to
check out the swim exit. Use this warm up time to familiarize yourself with the
course. What are you going to be looking for when
towards the water exit? Is there a large buoy that is easy to see, or tall
building or tree that would be easier to sight off of?
It is always reassuring to finish your warm up with a few good exhales and some
good confidence building thoughts in knowing the
racecourse and specifically the swim exit and the entry into the transition
zone.
More...from LifeSport at:
http://www.lifesport.ca/JulyRaceTip.htm


11. 10k training: What does science have to say about the right training
programme for the 10K?
The arrival of spring no doubt means you'll be running 10k races more
frequently. You'd like to do as well as possible, but trimming
your 10k times requires a smart, systematic approach to training, not just a
hodgepodge of interval sessions and longer runs.
Consulting the various running books for 10k advice is like opening a pandora's
box of workouts and training schedules; there are so
many recommendations that it's hard to know exactly where to begin or what to
do. Isn't there a simple, scientifically sound way to
prepare for 10k competitions?
Well, science has been annoyingly silent about 10k racing. For one thing,
exercise scientists don't usually look at race
performances to evaluate the merits of their tinkerings, preferring instead to
assess VO2max, running economy, lactate threshold, or
some other variable obtained in the laboratory under controlled conditions. And
when a race is utilised to gauge the worth of
various training programmes, the chosen competition is almost always a 5K. After
all, it's easier to get initially untrained
subjects to agree to run a 5K, rather than a race which is double the distance
However, there have been a few attempts to judge the value of various 10k
training programmes. The most notable effort was carried
out by a pretty fair runner - Peter Snell (gold medallist at the 1960 Olympic
Games and double-gold medallist at the 1964 Olympics)
- and his colleagues at the University of Texas Southwestern Human Performance
Center in the 1980s. Snell et al worked with 10
runners over a 16-week period. For the first six weeks of the study, the
runners, who were pretty well trained to begin with, logged
about 50 miles of steady running per week
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0004.htm


12. 6 Ways to Improve Your Race Day Results:
By Kelly Cawthorn
How do you prepare for race day? Are you a meticulous planner who follows a
detailed training schedule leading up to the big day?
Or do you just fly by the seat of your pants? Regardless of your methods and
style of training, diet will have a much greater
impact on your race results than you might think. Try to incorporate some or all
of the following nutritional guidelines in your
next race gameplan.
Food Log. No matter what the length of your event is, what you eat and drink
deserves some attention and pre-planning. Write down
everything you eat and drink each day including the time and how you feel - this
gives you valuable information you can use to
figure out which foods and beverages affect you during training, good or bad.
This way you'll know how to fuel your body on race
day.
Trial and Error. Whatever you choose to eat and drink, it's critical that
you've tested it out ahead of time in as close to race
day conditions as possible - time of day, temperature, humidity, etc.
Pre-Race Nutrition. Pre-race nutrition should consist of a healthy breakfast
including primarily low glycemic carbohydrates, some
fat, and some protein containing branched chain amino acids. Ideally, this meal
should be eaten at least 2 hours before the start
of the race and consist of 400-600 calories depending on body size. An example
of what this looks like is fruit with eggs. You'll
want to choose fruits that are relatively low in fiber so they don't upset your
stomach - cantaloupe, watermelon, and banana. High
fiber fruits to avoid include apples, berries, grapes, and pineapple. If you're
unable to tolerate solid foods in the morning or if
you have pre-race jitters, you may be able to digest liquids better. Blend
low-fiber fruit with fruit juice and 2 or 3 tablespoons
of protein powder. One hour before the race take in nothing but plain water to
prevent an insulin spike. Ten minutes before the
race is set to begin, take in a liquid carbohydrate source up to 16 oz - this
can be a gel with water or a drink.
Post-Race Nutrition. The best time to start planning for your next race is now.
What you eat right after a race becomes more
important with duration and intensity of the race. After a long and/or highly
intense race, eat as soon as you can, ideally within
30 minutes. This is your recovery window of opportunity - the time to replenish
muscle glycogen most efficiently and for muscle
repair. Sweet potatoes are a great recovery food. Include some canned salmon
and not only will you get a high quality protein but
also a good dose of omega-3 fatty acids which will help in muscle repair. You
can use a recovery drink that has both carbohydrate
and protein in a 4:1 ratio if you're not able to stomach solid food right away.
Full Meal after Race. Your next full meal after the race should continue to
focus around moderate to high glycemic carbohydrates
along with protein at a 4:1 carb to protein ratio. This is the time
(post-exercise is really the only time) to eat foods rich in
glucose such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, and dried fruit.
Between Races. Race day is over - until the next training session return to
eating a Paleo diet - lean protein, veggies, fruits,
nuts, and seeds.
Don't leave it to chance - keep a food log - learn what works for you and what
doesn't. One week try a liquid food pre-workout, the
next week try solids. When you right it down, you have something to work from
rather than shooting in the dark. Enjoy your event!
Kelly Cawthorn is a Registered Dietitian specializing in paleolithic nutrition
for athletes To contact Kelly e-mail her at
mailto:kcawthorn@....


13. Stepping Up to Ironman - Without Overstepping:
By Coach Brendon
If you read all the great articles on getting ready for your first Ironman, you
could easily be overwhelmed by the process and
what's required. Further it would be really easy to take all the individual
advice in swimming, cycling and running and cobble
together a program that is completely unrealistic and leaves you on the start
line looking like a strip of well done bacon from your
BBQ.
So I though readers might be interested in an executive summary of what's
actually required to undertake your first Ironman.
The first thing that you need to know is that whilst most athletes get
themselves fit enough to complete Ironman, what they often
fail to do is prepare specifically and in particular they don't optimize their
PACING to match their fitness or FUEL themselves
correctly over the day to maximise the fitness that they have. It's a long day
and you don't need to be fast to do a good job, you
just need to be consistent and prepared by simulating enough to test that
everything is ready.
So my first key point is that your preparation needs to focus on details that
make the actual day run smoothly. So apart from
fitness and pacing, the other key areas are race day nutrition, pacing
strategies, efficiency and having reliable equipment (reads a
bike that won't break).
Let's look at these in turn.
Fitness
The key thing with Ironman is having covered nearly the distances of each of the
legs in training, SEPARATELY - so it's 3.8km Swim,
180km Ride and around 32-36km running. The run doesn't need to be 42km, indeed
doing 42km in training leading into Ironman can be
counter productive as it often takes too much out of you, a better strategy is
to have run over 60km in a week, closer to 80km in a
single week is a good bench mark to aim for. And the truth is that ONE session
of this sort of distance is enough... BUT. you
wouldn't schedule only one session in the plan because it exposes you to the
possibility of not getting a session done. My advice to
first timers - plan to take on the distance sessions 2-3 times leading in and
then if you miss one, no worries!
More...from Endurance Coach at:
http://www.endurancecoach.com/Stepping_Up_to_Ironman.htm


14. This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago- Sonia O'Sullivan (IRL) lowered the world two mile (outdoor track)
record by nearly
20 seconds at the Cork City Sports meeting in Dublin IRL with a
9:19.56. Amy Rudolph
(USA) at 9:21.35, Kathy Butler (CAN) at 9:27.18, and Yuko
Kawakami (JPN) at 9:35.04
were also under the old record. O'Sullivan's record stood until
last year when
Meseret Defar (ETH) lowered it to 9:10.47. Mark Carroll (IRL)
won the men's 5000m
in 13:20.82.
20 Years Ago- Vincent Rousseau (BEL) won the World Games 5000m in Helsinki FIN
with a 13:30.74.
Tatyana Samolenko (UKR) won the women's 3000m in 8:43.48,
followed closely by Natalya
Artyemova (RUS) in 8:43.82, Iulia Ionescu (ROM) in 8:44.30, and
Kathrin Wessel (GER)
in 8:44.81.
30 Years Ago- The German men went 1-2 against the Soviets in a Soviet Union vs
West Germany meet held
in Dortmund GER. Frank Zimmerman won in 7:49.1 with Detlef
Uhlemann 2nd in 7:50.0. The
Soviets came back the next day with Enn Sellik (EST) winning the
5000m in 13:31.75.
40 Years Ago- Martins Ande (NGR) won the Denver (CO/USA) Marathon in 2:34:46.
Author Hal Higdon (USA)
was 2nd in 2:35:47 while 6-time Pike's Peak Marathon winner Steve
Gachupin (USA) was
6th in 2:43:26.
50 Years Ago- Colin Kemball (ENG) won the Polytechnic (ENG) Marathon in
2:22:27.4. 12-time AUT marathon
champion Adolf Gruber was 2nd in 2:23:30.0 while Arthur Keily
(ENG) was 3rd in 2:23:32.
60 Years Ago- Emil Zatopek (CZE) won the Czechoslovak 5000m championship in
14:21.0.
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.


15. To Beat the Heat, Learn to Sweat It Out:
YOU already know that if you exercise outside on hot and humid days, you should
drink plenty of water. And you are probably well
aware of the risk of heat stroke given the countless reports about the warning
signs.
But if you're going to be out exercising anyway, you may have different
questions: How long does it take to acclimate to the heat
and humidity, and what is the best way to do it? How much does your performance
time slow when it is sweltering and humid, and why?
Does it help to douse your head with water?
Should you go out in the morning, when it is cooler but the relative humidity is
higher, or at night, when it tends to be hotter but
less humid?
The answers, some exercise physiologists say, are not always what you might
expect.
There is no question that heat can take a toll on performance. Look, for
example, at results from races on the second weekend in
June, when a heat wave gripped the Northeast.
On June 7, over 4,000 women ran the New York Mini 10-K race in Central Park.
When the race began at 9 a.m., it was 71 degrees and
the humidity was 78 percent. The winning time, 32 minutes 43 seconds, by Hilda
Kibet, was the slowest in a decade.
"From the beginning, my legs were not really moving," Ms. Kibet told The New
York Times.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/03/health/nutrition/03Best.html?_r=1&ref=fitnessa\
ndnutrition&oref=slogin


16. The Validity Of EPO Testing For Athletes:
Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo) is a genetically engineered hormone
sometimes misused by high-performance athletes such as
cyclists and marathon runners to boost their endurance. The potential misuse of
the drug is detected in urine collected from
athletes.
Since the test was introduced in 2000, 33 labs around the world have been
accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to
administer the procedure. During the last few years, the testing procedure has
been criticized by some. Accordingly, a team of
researchers investigated the quality of the test results at two WADA labs. They
found that the detection power of the test at the
two labs was poor.
The Study
The researchers conducted the study using eight male volunteers (non-athletes).
Following baseline measurements, the volunteers were
injected every second day for 14 days with 5,000 IU rHuEpo (the "boosting
period"). For the next two weeks, the volunteers received
one injection every seven days (the "maintenance" period). Blood samples were
drawn before the injections and on eight additional
occasions. Urine samples were collected before the blood draws and on six
additional days. Exercise tests using a bicycle ergometer
were conducted prior to injection and on three other occasions.
More...from Science Daily at:


17. Many Sunscreens Don't Work Or Are Hazardous To Health Says Group:
A non-profit group in the US claims that most sunscreens either don't work or
are hazardous to health, but the sunscreen industry
rejects the charge. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) said their
investigation of nearly 1,000 brand-name sunscreens showed that
4 out of 5 of them either don't adequately protect against damaging UV radiation
or contain potentially hazardous chemicals.
Leading brands like Coppertone, Banana Boat and Neutrogena were among the worst
offenders, claimed the EWG in their report,
"Sunscreen Summary - What Works and What's Safe", published on their website
yesterday, 2nd July.
The sunscreen market is growing, with more Americans than ever using products to
protect themselves from sun damage and skin cancer.
Consumers tend to choose products with a high Sun Protection Factor (SPF), are
waterproof and claim to offer "broad spectrum"
protection, wrote the authors. However, few of the claims on the bottle were
met.
The EWG researchers investigated 952 name-brand sunscreens, and found only 143
products that offered very good sun protection using
ingredients that posed minimum health risks. They based their assessment on "a
detailed review of hundreds of scientific studies,
industry models of sunscreen efficacy, and toxicity and regulatory information
housed in nearly 60 government, academic, and
industry databases".
They found that none of the market leader Coppertone's 41 sunscreens met EWG's
criteria for safety and effectiveness, and only 1 out
of 103 of Banana Boat and Neutrogena products, the second and third largest
manufacturers, are on EWG's recommended list.
More...from Medical News Today at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/113765.php


18. Doctors call for heart checks on athletes:
Mandatory heart screening should be introduced for all athletes taking part in
competitive sports, doctors said.
Regular heart check-ups could dramatically reduce the number of athletes who die
from sudden heart failure by identifying medical
problems early on, according to a study in the British Medical Journal.
In Britain and across Europe heart screening has developed erratically. Some
bodies, such as the International Olympics Committee,
recommend check-ups for elite athletes but do not insist on them, while football
associations such as Uefa are only now introducing
tests.
Doctors at the University of Florence in Italy analysed data from 30,065
athletes who had electrocardiogram (ECG) heart tests over a
five-year period ending in 2006. Italy introduced mandatory heart check-ups 25
years ago.
The study found that after a first scan doctors identified 348 (1.2%) athletes
with abnormal heart activity. A second scan, after
exercise, revealed 1,459 (4.9%) had some form of heart abnormality.
Francesco Sofi, who led the study, said: "The use of this kind of screening
could identify people who are at high or moderate risk
of having a cardiac accident during sport," said Sofi.
More...from the Guardian at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/jul/04/medicalresearch.health


19. Aiming to Sell the World on Fitness:
Technogym, the world's second-largest maker of exercise equipment, has a
strategy for fighting the declining dollar: promote
exercise as a necessary luxury.
On the eve of the European Central Bank's expected increase in interest rates, a
move likely to drive the value of the dollar still
lower, Technogym is taking a page from the Italian fashion industry, focusing on
reputation, cachet and flair, celebrating customers
like Sylvester Stallone, Madonna and George Clooney.
"Fashion is looking good outside; wellness is feeling good inside. It's the new
frontier of luxury," said Nerio Alessandri, the
46-year-old who owns and runs Technogym, second only in size to America-based
Life Fitness, and exclusive supplier of 1,000 exercise
machines on the grounds of the 2008 Olympics.
The United States is the world's biggest fitness market. But in case growth in
the American market slows - as it seems to be with
every other consumer good and service - Mr. Alessandri has expanded the
company's reach in recent years to Dubai, Russia and China,
countries where few people join health clubs and fewer still have home
equipment.
In addition to mining such growth markets, Technogym's other strategy for
surviving an American (or trans-Atlantic) downturn is
containing costs.
Assembly lines are organized like an auto plant, with just-in-time supplies of
components, digital message boards flashing the day's
production target versus the actual production numbers, and slogans announcing
"Quality and reliability are our first objectives."
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/03/business/worldbusiness/03fitness.html?ref=fitn\
essandnutrition


20. Digest Briefs:
* Get into the exercise habit
A few minutes of activity a day is better than none
Thirty minutes isn't such a long time. Most people think nothing of plopping
down to watch a half-hour sitcom or news program. But
try telling people they need to get 30 minutes a day of moderate-to-intense
exercise for maximum health. Suddenly, half an hour
sounds like an eternity.
Fortunately, exercise taken in smaller than 30-minute bites also translates into
better health. That is to say, even a little
exercise is better than none at all. Exactly how much better is not known. But
that shouldn't discourage you from walking, when
possible, instead of driving; taking the stairs instead of the elevator; or
pedalling on a stationary bike while you watch TV.
In fact, there are a hundred little opportunities to challenge yourself in the
course of a day. Each by itself isn't much. But they
add up. For instance, when you park at a mall or shopping centre, choose a spot
far from the front door and enjoy the walk. Wash
your car by hand, and think proactively about burning calories. Play with your
kids! Their energy and enthusiasm can be contagious.
What about those two to three minutes twice a day you spend brushing your teeth
while you're just standing there? This is a
fantastic opportunity to stand one-legged (or two if you must) and perform
shallow brief mini-squats. Your quadriceps (thigh),
gluteus (buttock) and even your core (abdominal) muscles will get a great
workout and you'll improve your sense of balance. If your
workplace allows it, try sitting on an exercise ball at your desk instead of a
standard office chair. Talk about a daily dose of
core conditioning!
In time, doing these and other small exercises will become a habit. You'll start
looking for new challenges. Who knows? You may work
your way up to that golden half hour of exercise without even knowing it.
-Tim Rindlisbacher, BSc (PT), MD, diploma in sport medicine, is director of
sports health at the Cleveland Clinic in Toronto.
* Ask the Coaches: Possible Causes of Calf Pain
As featured in the issue of Running Times Magazine
Q: Possible Causes for Calf Pain: I believe I have posterior compartment
syndrome. What can I do to prevent these "attacks" from
occurring? What triggers these episodes? Thanks.
--Jeff from Texas
A: Describing your symptoms as an attack leads me to believe that you are not
experiencing compartment syndrome.
Compartment syndrome involving the calf muscles (superficial posterior
compartment) is not common. With compartment syndrome, the
muscles swell beyond the expansion capability of the surrounding tissue (fascia)
creating a tourniquet effect on the blood vessels
and nerves. This develops at a certain point during each bout of exercise and
will resolve with cessation of activities. It is not
sudden in presentation (like an attack), but gradually worsens to the point of
intolerable pain.
Calf cramps are a much more common cause of calf pain. Causes include muscle
fatigue and dehydration. Electrolyte abnormalities may
contribute to cramping as can previous injury to the muscle. Maximizing
flexibility and strength should help. Strength exercises
include calf raises with your heels hanging off of the edge of a step, lowering
your heels as far as they will go and then rising on
your toes. Perform 30 reps slowly standing on both feet, gradually increasing
the speed of repetitions over a couple of weeks. Then
start performing the exercises on one leg, starting slowly and gradually
increasing speed; perform the single leg exercises on each
leg.
Make sure that you maintain good hydration during exercise. If you sweat
heavily, add salt to your food. Apply ice to your legs
following hard workouts to speed recovery.
If symptoms persist, seek medical evaluation for other sources of pain,
including possible entrapment of the popliteal artery at the
knee. Special testing is needed to evaluate for this and other sources of pain,
including compartment syndrome.
--Dr. Cathy Fieseler
* Mosquitoes Prefer Fitness Freaks?
FROM BLOG: FitSugar - Healthy, happy you. - FitSugar is an online hot spot for
reading anything and everything related to health,
wellness, fitness, yoga, relaxation, celeb trends and weight loss. From the
latest health news to the coolest...
I now know why I attract mosquitoes, and my dear husband does not. It has
nothing to do with "taste." Mosquitoes bite people that
are easiest to find. The insects hone in on their victims through signals people
emit that are scent and heat related. Body
temperature, the amount of carbon monoxide in the breath, and certain skin
chemicals like lactic acid all help mosquitoes locate
their next meal. All three of those factors are increased with exercise, making
you more vulnerable to bites during and immediately
after exercise. Simply put, I exercise more than my husband and I have the bites
to prove it. I am not tastier, just hotter
literally and probably more stinky, at least to the mosquitoes
* Beach to Beacon Launches Medical History Program
The TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K has launched a pilot program to collect the
medical history of runners and enhance care on race
day. Race officials are urging runners to participate in the voluntary program.
The TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon is the first road
race nationwide to implement an online personal health record service as part of
the medical care provided to runners. Race
officials are partnering with MedicalSummary.com to offer the 2008 race field an
opportunity to submit vital medical information
safely and securely online. In the past, race officials relied solely on a rapid
medical team response from a well-educated staff to
help an ailing runner, as doctors had no way of determining medical history
along the course.
From Running USA E-News. For membership information email:
mailto:pbanta@...


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

July 3-6, 2008:
Canadian Track and Field Championships - Windsor, ON

July 5-27, 2008:
Tour de France

July 4, 2008:
Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race 10K - Atlanta, GA
AJC Coverage

Footloose Freedom Mile - Mammoth Lakes, CA

Watermelon 5K - Winter Park, FL

July 5, 2008:
Mike Collingwood Memorial Triathlon - Gatineau Park, QC

July 5-27, 2008:
Tour de France

July 6, 2008:
Canadian Championships, Long Distance Triathlon - Osoyoos, BC

Gold Coast Marathon - Australia

August 15-24, 2008
Olympic Games - Beijing, China

For more complete race listings check out our Upcoming Races, and Calendars.
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