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/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NEW THIS WEEK:
Free Shipping with Under Armourr
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000024875861&pubid=2100000000\
0028567

Get FREE SHIPPING on everything at NikeStore.com when you enter 4JULY4 at
checkout
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000024851903&pubid=2100000000\
0028567

New Balance Men's 708 Running Shoe for $29.97 - 40% off
URL:
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000024847565&pubid=2100000000\
0028567

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 2,401 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 TWO personal postings this week.
ONE:
The 2008 Lake County Triathlon is happening August 10, 2008 in Lake Zurich
Illinois!
It's one of the best of the Mid West!!!
More Info:
www.lakecountytriathlon.com
Register at:
http://www.active.com/page/Event_Details.htm?event_id=1593191&assetId=c8a6c458-6\
0b7-4cae-a1a6-cc41a5e19c7b
Questions? Email mailto:kchung@...
TWO:
Jacques Rogge and Olympic Committee: Please move Marathon, Triathlon, and
Cycling out of Beijing's Deadly Air Pollution!
Carbon Monoxide, Industrial Pollution,Lead,Particulate Matter, Ozone....
Please read my most recent article, in which I ask Jacques Rogge and the
International Olympic Committee to move the venues for the
Endurance Competitions, like Marathon, Triathlon, and Cycling, out of Beijing's
Smog:
http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=52987&ret=AccountDtl.aspx
If you know Olympic athletes, physicians, sports enthusiasts, and
internationally minded people, please forward this to them, and to
friends and colleagues. I look forward to your reply!
Thanks so very much,
Stephen Fox, Managing Editor Santa Fe Sun News
mailto:stephen@...

THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

1. Athleticogenomics – the gene genie is out of his bottle
2. Outlook For Air Quality In Beijing For Olympics Is Borderline
3. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine
4. Samba Lines at the Gym
5. Exercise 'slows down Alzheimer's'
6. Nissan Master the Shift - Alberto Salazar
How to become a better runner.
7. Outlook For Air Quality In Beijing For Olympics Is Borderline
8. B vitamins don't boost energy drinks' power
5-Hour Energy, Red Bull and Cranergy pack in the vitamins, but they don't
enhance the power of the already caffeine-laden beverages.
9. This Week in Running
10. As Children Grow, Activity Quickly Slows
A study that followed more than a thousand children from ages 9 to 15 indicates
that there is a significant drop in the amount of
physical activity that they participate in.
11. Fueling the Runner: Water Safety
where can we find the cleanest stuff, and how can we keep it that way.
12. Running Times Newsletter
13. Healthy Diets Shown to Have Benefit Despite Modest Weight Losses
14. Hormone Disorder May Contribute To Lack Of Menstruation In Teenage Athletes
15. Leave Your Stress Behind
Any vacation is a good vacation. But the best ones can calm your mind, refresh
your body, revive your relationships, and maybe even
extend your life.
16. Why Sports Nutrition is Different
17. The mental discipline of marathons
18. The May Benefits of Long Runs
19. Allergic to exercise?
20. Digest Briefs


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Are you following the Tour de France?"

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:
"Paula Radcliffe is recovering from a stress fracture but stills hopes to run
the Beijing Olympic Marathon. How will she do?"
Answers Percent
1. Top 3 45%
2. Top 10 10%
3. Top 20 20%
4. Will start but not finish 5%
5. Will not start 20%


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. Athleticogenomics – the gene genie is out of his bottle:
Over the last 40 years or so, sports science and research into genetic traits
and physiology has revolutionised the way we train and
fuel ourselves for sport. But as Craig Sharp explains, an even more profound
revolution with far-reaching implications for sport is
just around the corner. Prepare yourself for ‘athleticogenomics’.
Athleticogenomics is a phrase I have coined to cover all the genetic aspects of
sport, especially the physiological traits that are
inherited. For a trait to be inherited, there needs to be a genetic code for it
in the genetic material in the cell. At the heart of
every cell is genetic material (the genome) that contains the information coding
for our anatomy and physiology. This material is
known as DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), which consists of about 27,000 genes. Each
gene is a long segment of DNA, containing
information, or ‘instructions’, distributed among the 23 pairs of human
chromosomes.
Some genes switch others on or off, and control the expression of their fellow
genes. Other genes simply issue an instruction to
make a protein. Just out of interest, 98% of our genes are shared with
chimpanzees (13 of our chromosomes are exactly the same);
indeed chimps are closer to us than they are to gorillas. Mice are 90% similar
to us, fruit flies about 66%, and we even share over
a third of our genes with a banana, so think of that when a fellow athlete is
getting a bit too full of him or herself!
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/the-integration-of-genome-datasets-with-physiolo\
gical-performance-parameters-35874


2. Outlook For Air Quality In Beijing For Olympics Is Borderline:
The outlook for air quality in Beijing during the Olympics is borderline, and
there's little that the Chinese government can do to
improve it. That's the conclusion drawn by a University of Rhode Island
atmospheric chemist who analyzed pollution data collected
regularly for the last five years by Chinese scientists.
"There is both a local component and a regional component to the pollutants that
cause unhealthy air in Beijing, and the severity of
their effects are driven by weather fronts and winds," said Kenneth Rahn, a
retired URI professor who travels to China several times
a year to help scientists at Tsinghua University interpret their data. "Since
it's controlled by the weather, it will be a matter of
luck whether the bad air periods correspond with days of outdoor Olympic
events."
Locally generated pollutants in Beijing consist primarily of organic matter from
transportation, factories and cooking, while
regional sources of pollution include ammonium sulfates and ammonium nitrates
from coal-burning power plants, industry and
transportation sources, which are easily transported long distances in the
atmosphere, according to Rahn.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714113005.htm


3. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine:
* Lose Weight with Exercise
A new study from Israel shows us once again that dieting without exercise does
not work. The participants took off only six to 10
pounds in two years. No matter what diet they were on, most regained some of
the weight they lost in the early months by the end
of the study (NEJM, July 17, 2008). It didn't make any difference whether the
overweight person was on a low-fat or
low-carbohydrate diet, or the healthful Mediterranean-type diet that stresses
fruits, vegetables, whole grains beans, seeds, nuts
and seafood. However, their small weight loss did result in improved
cholesterol and blood pressure readings.
If you really want to lose weight for good, you have to exercise. Appetite is
controlled in a part of your brain called
hypothalamus. If you try to lose weight just by eating less food,
your hypothalamus makes you miserable when you see tasty food and know that you
shouldn't eat it. If you exercise, you will eat
more, but you will not increase your intake of food to equal the extra calories
that you burn when you exercise. After you have
been exercising for a few months, your muscles will be stronger, you will feel
and sleep better and you can actually start to enjoy
your new activity. Then you are set for a life-long pattern of burning up the
calories you take in.
Unfortunately, the majority of older people who start exercise programs drop out
in the first six weeks. People are more likely to
stay in an exercise program if they have company and
find a sport that is fun for them. The best success comes when a husband and
wife exercise together. You can also increase you
chances of sticking to an exercise program by having a personal trainer, going
to regular exercise classes, or joining an exercise
group that is also a social club, such as Road Runners, a bicycle club or a
square dancing society.
* Dear Dr. Mirkin: Why do you tell people not to drink fruit juice?
Researchers at Tulane University showed that eating fruit helps to prevent
diabetes, while drinking fruit juices increases risk
(Diabetes Care, July 2008). They analyzed diets of 71,346 women enrolled in
the Nurses Study. Increasing intake of whole fruit
by three servings a day lowered risk for diabetes by 18 percent, while a serving
of fruit juice each day increased risk by 18
percent.
The food that you eat passes into your stomach and must remain there until it is
turned into a liquid soup. No solid food is
allowed to pass into your intestines. This delay prevents blood sugar levels
from rising too high. However, sugar in drinks can
pass directly into your intestines to cause an immediate rise in blood sugar.
This can cause sugar to stick to the surface of cell
membranes and damage them to cause the side effects of diabetes which include
blindness, deafness, heart attacks, strokes, and so
forth. It makes no difference whether the sugared drink is "junk food" such as
a soft drink, or a supposedly healthful fruit juice.
* Dear Dr. Mirkin: Is night shift work unhealthful?
Some scientists think that humans learned to sleep in the dark because of the
saber toothed tiger. Since they couldn't possibly
compete with that animal at night, they hid in their caves and slept.
Two dozen scientist from ten countries met last fall in Lyon, France to discus
the theory that night lights may cause cancer. They
report that six of eight studies on the subject show
that shift work increases risk for breast cancer (Lancet, December 2007).
Melatonin is a potent hormone produced by your brain at
night. It has strong anti-oxidant properties that help to prevent cells from
becoming cancerous. However, if a person sees bright
lights at night, the brain stops making melatonin, and these people may be at
increased risk for several cancers. The panel
concluded that bright lights at night are probably carcinogenic.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at:
http://www.drmirkin.com


4. Samba Lines at the Gym:
WITH a name like Zumba, the exercise class defined by its Latin rhythms and
party atmosphere was not exactly an easy sell at first.
“Zumba?” people would ask. (It connotes buzzing like a bee, or going fast, in
Spanish.)
Worse, it could have run the course of any other fitness fad: Word of mouth
excitement. Feverish following. Media attention.
Hardcore fans. Then on to the next fitness craze.
But five years after arriving in gyms and dance studios, Zumba Fitness
(www.zumba.com) keeps expanding, most recently into schools,
senior centers and unconquered territory like New York City, and some foreign
markets.
A session of Zumba, a cardio-dance routine, can feel like a trip to the
nightclub of a cruise ship, where a well-toned crew member
teaches you to wiggle your hips and do the fast footwork for a mix of dance
styles to the thump of loud music. While Zumba crowds
are not plied with alcohol, people often throw away inhibitions — they pump
their arms, applaud, let out “yeahs” — as they work out.
More than 3.5 million Zumba DVDs have sold through infomercials and about 20,000
instructors in 40 countries now teach Zumba, 15,000
of those in the United States, said Alberto Perlman, the chief executive of
Zumba Fitness, in Hollywood, Fla.
Recent additions include ZumbAtomic, a program on DVD for children 5 to 12 ;
Zumba Gold, classes for people 60 and older; and Zumba
Toning, a sculpturing program using weighted sticks that sound like maracas,
offered on DVD and through classes starting this year.
Still to come are water exercise classes called Aquazumba, and a guide to all
things Zumba (including a nutrition plan) to be
published next spring.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/fashion/10fitness.html?ref=fitnessandnutrition


5. Exercise 'slows down Alzheimer's':
Being physically fit could hold back the advance of Alzheimer's disease, US
researchers have suggested.
Their study, published in the journal Neurology, looked at 121 people aged over
60, around half of them in the early stages of the
disease.
Those with Alzheimer's who were less fit had four times more signs of brain
shrinkage than those who were fit.
The Alzheimer's Research Trust said other research showed exercise reduced the
risk of dementia.
Some 700,000 people in the UK are living with dementia, with this number
predicted to grow quickly over the next two decades, as the
proportion of older people in the population increases.
Other studies looking at the relationship between dementia and exercise tend to
focus on whether being active can reduce the risk of
the condition developing in the first place.
Dr Jeffrey Burns, from the University of Kansas School of Medicine, said his was
one of the first to look at whether exercise could
affect the progress of the illness.
His volunteers underwent a treadmill test to see how fit they were and then
their brains were scanned for shrinkage, which is one
way of measuring the severity of their Alzheimer's.
More...from the BBC at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7505091.stm


6. Nissan Master the Shift - Alberto Salazar:
How to become a better runner video.
http://www.mastertheshift.com/masters/salazar/videos/index.asp?videoID=as1


7. Outlook For Air Quality In Beijing For Olympics Is Borderline:
The outlook for air quality in Beijing during the Olympics is borderline, and
there's little that the Chinese government can do to
improve it. That's the conclusion drawn by a University of Rhode Island
atmospheric chemist who analyzed pollution data collected
regularly for the last five years by Chinese scientists.
"There is both a local component and a regional component to the pollutants that
cause unhealthy air in Beijing, and the severity of
their effects are driven by weather fronts and winds," said Kenneth Rahn, a
retired URI professor who travels to China several times
a year to help scientists at Tsinghua University interpret their data. "Since
it's controlled by the weather, it will be a matter of
luck whether the bad air periods correspond with days of outdoor Olympic
events."
Locally generated pollutants in Beijing consist primarily of organic matter from
transportation, factories and cooking, while
regional sources of pollution include ammonium sulfates and ammonium nitrates
from coal-burning power plants, industry and
transportation sources, which are easily transported long distances in the
atmosphere, according to Rahn.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714113005.htm


8. B vitamins don't boost energy drinks' power:
5-Hour Energy, Red Bull and Cranergy pack in the vitamins, but they don't
enhance the power of the already caffeine-laden beverages.
The product: Judging from the slew of energy products taking up space in
supermarkets and convenience stores, B vitamins have become
the new go-to ingredients for a quick pick-me-up.
A 2-ounce gulp of the popular liquid supplement 5-Hour Energy contains an
astounding 8,333% of the recommended dietary allowance of
vitamin B-12 and 2,000% of the RDA for vitamin B-6. (You'll get a mere 100% of
the RDA for folic acid, also known as vitamin B-9.) A
12-ounce Red Bull, the near-official energy drink of the high school and college
set, offers 360% of the RDA for vitamin B-6, 120%
of B12, 140% of niacin (vitamin B3) and more sugar than you'd get in a can of
Coke. B vitamins have also made their way into other
energy drinks such as Cranergy, a cranberry and green tea extract drink from
Ocean Spray.
These examples all contain caffeine for an extra boost; 5-Hour Energy does sell
a caffeine-free version, and there's a sugar-free
version of Red Bull. None of these "light" varieties skimp on the vitamins.
You can expect to pay about $5 for two 2-ounce bottles of 5-Hour Energy. Users
are instructed to down an entire bottle for "maximum
energy." (If you're willing to make do with 4,000% of your daily quota for B-12,
you could just drink half and save the rest for
later.) A 12-ounce can of Red Bull costs about $3. A 46-ounce bottle of Cranergy
costs about $4.
The claims: A TV spot for 5-Hour Energy featuring burned-out office workers says
that the product contains a "powerful blend of B
vitamins for energy" that will let you "sail through your day without feeling
jittery or tense." The 5-Hour Energy website clarifies
that the supplement is supposed to "provide mental alertness, focus and improved
mood rather than physical energy." The website for
Red Bull says that B vitamins "play an important role in energy metabolism" and
"are shown to support mental and physical
performance."
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-skeptic14-2008jul14,0,3939169.story


9. This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago- Khalid Khannouchi (MAR) won the Utica Boilermaker (NY/USA) 15K
over a quartet of
Kenyans with his 42:57 clocking. Ondoro Osoro was 2nd in 43:00
and John Korir was
3rd in 43:08. Lornah Kiplagat (KEN) won the women's race in
50:06, just ahead of
Jane Omoro (KEN) on 50:07. Teresa Wanjiku (KEN) was 3rd in
50:13.
20 Years Ago- Arturo Barrios (MEX) won the Nikaia (FRA) 5000m in 13:23.20,
followed closely by
Brahim Boutaib (MAR) in 13:23.37 and Paul Williams (CAN) in
13:23.84. Yvonne Murray
(SCO) won the women's 3000m in 8:37.22, comfortably ahead of Lynn
Williams (CAN) in
2nd at 8:39.28 and Liz McColgan (SCO) in 3rd at 8:42.99.
30 Years Ago- Ric Rojas (USA) won the Utica Boilermaker (NY/USA) 15K in 45:38
while Kathy Mills (USA)
won the women's race by a wide margin with her 54:26.
40 Years Ago- Bernd Diessner (GER) won a 5000m in Leningrad (now St Petersburg)
RUS with a 13:41.0.
Russians Vladimir Sharafutinov and Leonid Mikitenko went 2-3 in
13:46.8 and 13:55.2
respectively. Lech Boguszewicz (POL) was 4th in 14:02.2.
50 Years Ago- Stanley Eldon (ENG) won the AAA (English) 3 mile title in
13:22.4.
60 Years Ago- Mikko Hietanen won the Finnish marathon title with a 2:31:02.
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. As Children Grow, Activity Quickly Slows:
Young children spend an extraordinary amount of time moving about: an average of
three hours a day at age 9, new research shows.
But in just a few short years, all that childhood energy disappears. By the age
of 15, daily physical activity is down to just 49
minutes on weekdays and about a half-hour on weekends, according to the
research, being published Wednesday in The Journal of the
American Medical Association.
Experts have long believed that activity wanes as children enter their teenage
years. This study affirming that belief, one of the
largest and longest ever undertaken on the subject, followed about 1,000
children from around the country and, unlike many previous
studies, used monitoring devices to track the activity carefully rather than
relying on reports from parents.
The findings, which measured everything from moderate walking to vigorous
athletic pursuits, show clearly that even the most
energetic young children experience a precipitous drop in physical activity as
they reach puberty.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/16/health/research/16exercise.html?ref=fitnessand\
nutrition


11. Fueling the Runner: Water Safety:
Where can we find the cleanest stuff, and how can we keep it that way.
Sweat beads cover your body as you turn the corner at the end of a hot summer
run. There is only one thing on your mind. You fill
your cup with a sense of urgency in anticipation of the cool refreshing flavor
rolling down your throat, quenching the intense
thirst.
“But wait,” you think, “it’s from the tap!” You dump the cup of water and open
the refrigerator. Snapping off the cap on the
bottle of water, you long to find relief. But again there is a moment of
hesitation. Why are you hesitating? Suddenly the one
thing you couldn’t stop thinking about the past 20 minutes seems so
unattractive. Will drinking this water somehow have a negative
impact on my health?
Some will answer this question with a resounding “yes.” The outcome of
environmental contaminants in our groundwater has grown to
be quite concerning. I once thought, “Is there really a problem?” It was a
pleasure last fall to attend a conference in which
this topic was covered in great detail. Admittedly, I now often find myself
with a bit of hesitation drinking even the most popular
of bottled waters.
What I learned is that there may be a link between the exposure to pesticides
and nitrates found in our drinking water to adult
disease, birth defects, low birth weight, accelerated aging, infertility and
more. They have also drawn a conclusion that exposure
begins with our ancestors. If great-grandma was a farmer with high exposure to
pesticides, the effects of that exposure are still
present in you. This is applies to claims such as, “I have a family history of
heart disease or cancer.”
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=13742


12. Running Times Newsletter:
* Training Tip - Running: Just the Tip of the Iceburg
We Run, We (might) Stretch, We Drink Some Water, and we continue on with our
day. Every day. Sometimes twice per day, and
occasionally we hit the weight room. But do you remember high school track
practice? Or maybe your son or daughter's grade school
soccer practice? Under the tutelage of a coach, we would do high knees, butt
kicks, skips and lunges. We would do step ups and hill
bounding and leg raises with resistance. But when left to our own devices, these
things seem less important and slowly fall off our
radar.
Through this last Olympic cycle, a trend has been developing in which the top
coaches are those who stress drills and supplementary
strength exercises the most. In his article about Coach John Cook and his
athletes (Shannon Rowbury, Shalane Flanagan and Erin
Donohue, all Olympic qualifiers), Kevin Beck reported that, "the boundaries
between training by running and otherwise training for
running are not just blurred, but nonexistent. Indeed, Cook believes that his
runners' ancillary exercises are what set
national-class runners apart from champions, and his protégés obviously believe
it, too."
The runners in Terrence Mahon's particularly successful Running USA group in
Mammoth, California do core strength training six days
per week, as well as four days in the weight room and a series of running motor
skills drills.
Need more examples? The Gouchers and the rest of Nike's Oregon Project group,
coached by Alberto Salazar, do "an hour a day of
non-running exercises--a set of 12 separate drills that are designed to
strengthen and protect various parts of the body." Finally,
up in Madison, Wisconsin, Tegenkamp, Solinsky & Riley, training under Jerry
Schumacher do them regularly as well. See what kind of
drills they do in this video.
So. The elites do them, and while the majority of us don't have time for an
additional hour per day of ancillary exercises, as part
time runners we quickly come to realize that any little bit helps. So try to
reserve 5 or 10 minutes at the end of your run for some
supplemental drills. Post-run is the best time for drills because doing them
when your body is fatigued will condition your body to
maintain good form and explosive power when tired.
The Pedestal Routine is a great 10 minute circuit of easy to understand
exercises. [Description; Video] Here is a video of Shalane
Flanagan doing her post workout drills [Video] and Ronaldo da Costa talks about
what worked for him HERE.
The best thing about drills is that they are flexible and accommodating. You can
do them on a track or soccer field, sidewalk or
living room floor, for as long as you have time and energy. So pick and choose,
find what works for you, and keep at it, the
benefits will build and you may find yourself slowly becoming faster
* Q&A: Ask the Coaches - Stride Rate
Q: Some experts observe that elite runners average 180 strides per minute. What
is an appropriate stride rate for non-elite runners?
Should we aim to maintain that stride rate for all of our different paced runs,
i.e. distance/easy, tempo, and speed intervals?
Would you recommend striders and plyometrics to help improve turnover, and if
so, could you lay out some program elements?
--Matt
A: In general, I feel the stride rate that produces the most economy varies from
individual to individual. However, I am going to
answer your question by stealing directly from one of the country's most
successful distance coaches, Dr. Daniels. In his book
Daniels™ Distance Formula, he writes, "Elite distance runners tend to stride at
about the same rate, almost always 180 or more steps
per minute."
"Quite different from elite runners is the rate taken by many beginning runners.
When I have my new running classes count their own
stride rates, I find very few take as many as 180 steps per minute. The main
problem associated with slower turnover is that the
slower you take your steps, the longer the time you spend in the air, and the
more time you are in the air, the higher you displace
your body mass and the harder you hit the ground on landing. When working with
less experienced runners, running economy can often
be improved by converting slow-turnover runners into runners using a faster
rate."
The other issue you get into is that if in your long stride your foot strikes
the ground significantly in front of your body mass,
it may have the effect of "putting on the breaks." Shortening your stride can
help avoid this problem. Experiment with this in
practice. You might also consider having some one film you from the front, the
back and the side to see how all this looks.
Here are a few stride drills to help strengthen the appropriate muscle groups.
Good Luck, Coach Ayer


13. Healthy Diets Shown to Have Benefit Despite Modest Weight Losses:
In a tightly controlled dieting experiment, obese people lost an average of just
6 to 10 pounds over two years.
The study, published Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine, was
supposed to determine which of three types of diets works
best. Instead, the results highlight the difficulty of weight loss and the fact
that most diets do not work well.
The researchers followed 322 dieters, 277 men and 45 women. The dieters were
assigned to follow one of three types of diets — a diet
with about 30 percent fat, based on American Heart Association guidelines; a
Mediterranean diet; and a low-carbohydrate diet based
on the Atkins diet plan. The study was partly financed by the Atkins Research
Foundation.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/health/nutrition/17diets.html?_r=1&ref=fitness\
andnutrition&oref=slogin


14. Hormone Disorder May Contribute To Lack Of Menstruation In Teenage Athletes:
Researchers from Harvard University have found a way to predict which teenage
female athletes will stop menstruating, an important
risk factor for bone thinning, according to a preliminary study.
Amenorrhea, or absence of menstruation, occurs in as many as 25 percent of
female high school athletes, compared with 2 to 5 percent
in the general population, according to the study's presenter, Madhusmita Misra,
MD, a pediatric endocrinologist at
Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Amenorrhea in athletes is known to cause infertility and early onset of low bone
density and may increase the risk of breaking
bones. Evidence suggests that intense exercise associated with caloric
restriction, and therefore a state of energy deficit, is most
responsible for menstrual irregularities among athletes.
"The hormonal factors that link energy deficit and the stopping of periods in
athletes are not well characterized," she said. "These
factors are important to determine in order to develop therapies that will lead
to resumption of periods and hence improved bone
density."
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080616133123.htm


15. Leave Your Stress Behind
Any vacation is a good vacation. But the best ones can calm your mind, refresh
your body, revive your relationships, and maybe even
extend your life.
achieved complete disengagement on the fourth fairway at the Pacific Dunes golf
course in Bandon, Oregon. To my right, roaring
surf. In front of me, 180 yards distant, the flagstick. In my hands, a 3-iron.
Which I cannot hit to save my life. But this time I
did, and as the ball hung splendidly in the blue morning sky, nothing else
mattered. Not the pile of work back at the office 2,400
miles away, not my son's pending college applications, not the potholed driveway
at home, not my crippled car that barely reached
the airport. None of it. Psychologists call this experience disengagement, or
detachment, and it's what you want in a vacation. If
reducing stress is the primary goal of a getaway (and for busy American men it
should be), then you must detach yourself from work.
And that means far more than yanking the recharge cord out of the BlackBerry.
Believe me, it'll feel good.
Researchers who study vacations take their work seriously, because modern
medicine and modern business take the subject of stress
seriously. One study found that the fewer vacations a man takes, the higher his
risk of having a heart attack. Nothing less than a
healthy, productive workforce is at stake. Not to mention the happiness of those
workers. I've sifted through much of their research
and talked to Ph.D.'s from Tel Aviv to Vienna to Arizona. (I could use another
vacation, maybe in one of those places.)
But first, let's look at some of the experts' peer-reviewed conclusions on
"respite effects." You want to take a vacation that
replenishes your psychological resources, and to find ways to make that vacation
afterglow last. We're talking about the psychology
of summer.
See those happy faces of children on summer vacation? Let's bottle it and mark
it with an Rx. Here's a prescription for downtime
that will extend your lifetime.
More...from Men's Health at:
http://tinyurl.com/5dzjgb


16. Why Sports Nutrition is Different:
In January 2005, the government released new Dietary Guidelines for Americans
(www.health.gov). The well-known "food pyramid" has
now been subdivided into 12 pyramids, each one corresponding to a distinct food
group. Unfortunately, it has not been warmly
endorsed, mainly because many feel it is too complex for the average American
(Kuehn BM. 2005).
In this discussion, I want to point out four nutrition concepts that differ when
athletes (and active people) are compared to
general dietary guidelines.
SODIUM
Most people have probably heard the medical profession's recommendation to limit
the amount of sodium (salt) in our diets. This is
because sodium causes fluid retention and raises blood pressure. Limiting sodium
intake is especially important for people with
conditions like hypertension, congestive heart failure, and certain kidney
diseases. Blacks should also limit their sodium intake
because they are more sensitive to its effects than other races.
The new Dietary Guidelines recommend a maximum of 2.3 grams of sodium per day.
(NOTE: 2.3 g of sodium is equivalent to 5.8 g of
salt.) For blacks, elderly, and individuals with hypertension, a limit of 1.5 g
of sodium is suggested.
However, during strenuous exercise, athletes can lose 1 gram (or more) of sodium
per hour. Thus, their sodium requirements can be
much higher than 2.3 grams per day.
Further, if sodium loss is coupled with the consumption of large volumes of
plain water, a condition known as "hyponatremia" can
occur. (Translated, this term means "a low concentration of sodium in the
blood".) Hyponatremia can cause confusion, disorientation,
seizures, and can even be fatal.
More...from Athlete in Me at:
http://www.athleteinme.com/ArticleView.aspx?id=339


17. The mental discipline of marathons
Marathon running involves great mental discipline. Two-time New York marathon
winner German Silva of Mexico once said, ”Sometimes I
run more with my mind than with my body.” The mental work required to complete a
marathon successfully also help us achieve
excellence in other life endeavours as well.
What does this mental process involve?
DEFINE YOUR MISSION CLEARLY
What is your goal? How are you going to achieve it? Why are you doing this?
There are 3 elements to defining your mission clearly: (i) outcome goal(s); (ii)
process goals, and (iii) power reasons.
1. Outcome goal - Research shows that no matter what area of life, people who
set goals are much more likely to achieve success that
those who don’t. An example would be “I want to complete the marathon in under 4
hours.” If you don’t already have an outcome goal,
stop now, think about it, and set one for yourself.
2. Process goals – Many people set outcome goals, but fail to elaborate on
detailed process goals. Process goals help you map out
what steps you need to commit to in order to achieve the outcome that you want.
For example, how much mileage you must clock in
training each week, how much rest, and what kind of diet etc. To complete a
marathon, you should have a specific training plan with
specific training targets (or process goals) in place. If you haven’t already
done so, write out your goals and keep a training log
to monitor your progress.
More...from Red Sports at:
http://redsports.sg/2008/06/30/mental-discipline-marathon-psychology/


18. The May Benefits of Long Runs:
The snow melts. Your Gore-Tex suit is back in the closet. Spring marathons loom
on the horizon, and runners everywhere are putting
in long runs to prepare. But, why run long? What do these annual rites of spring
do for you?
There are at least 7 physiological benefits to long runs, and there are other
advantages as well. Let's start with the physiology.
#1: Surround your muscle fibers with capillaries. Capillaries are the smallest
blood vessels. Several capillaries typically border
each muscle fiber. They are the transportation system for the cell, bringing
oxygen and fuels in, and waste products such as carbon
dioxide out. Long runs increase the number of capillaries per muscle fiber,
which improves the efficiency of delivery and removal.
#2: Shuttle oxygen with more myoglobin. Myoglobin in your muscle cells serves a
similar function to hemoglobin in your blood-it
carries oxygen from the cell membrane to the mitochondria. Long runs increase
the myoglobin content of your muscle fibers, so more
oxygen can reach the mitochondria to produce energy.
#3: Make mighty mitochondria. The mitochondria are the aerobic energy factories
in your cells. Long runs increase the number and
size of the mitochondria in your muscle fibers. With more mitochondria, you can
produce more energy aerobically, and maintain a
faster pace.
#4: Increase aerobic enzyme activity. Enzymes in the mitochondria speed up
aerobic energy production. Long runs increase the
activity of these enzymes, which improves the efficiency of the mitochondria. So
you not only have more and bigger energy factories,
but they are also more efficient.
#5: Fill the tank with glycogen. Long runs teach your muscles to store more
glycogen. Glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrate,
and when you run low, you slow down. How do long runs lead to greater glycogen
storage? Running long distances uses up the glycogen
in your muscles. Our ancestors were at risk of being eaten when they ran out of
glycogen. Fortunately, glycogen depletion stimulates
the muscles to store more glycogen-to help prevent future depletion. Because the
faster you run the more glycogen you burn, running
your long runs at a reasonable pace is a more effective way to deplete your
glycogen stores (and hence stimulate the muscles to
store more) than jogging.
More... From Pete Pfitzinger at:
http://www.pfitzinger.com/labreports/longruns.shtml


19. Allergic to exercise?
Does all that exertion on the elliptical machine make you nauseous? Have you
ever been convinced that if you spend even one more
minute on the treadmill, you will actually die? Maybe it’s not all in your head.
A few people are actually allergic to exercise, and in very rare cases, a sweaty
workout could be enough to kill them.
Exercise-induced anaphylaxis is a fairly rare condition which can cause hives,
fainting, vomiting and difficulty breathing during a
workout, and the symptoms can last up to four hours after it. In some cases, it
can be triggered by certain foods eaten before
exercise, like peanuts, shellfish, eggs or even, in two reported cases, celery.
But this isn't just your average food allergy, an
expert explains.
"These are people who will not have this reaction unless they exercise right
after eating this food," says Dr. Jacqueline
Eghrari-Sabet, an allergist in private practice in Montgomery Village, Md., and
a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Allergy,
Asthma and Immunology. "Eating shellfish and sitting there? Nothing. But eating
shellfish and exercising? For these people, it's bad
news."
As you exercise and your heart rate speeds up, your blood starts whizzing
through organs much faster, and therefore more frequently,
than it normally does. With every trip your blood takes to your stomach, it's
picking up more, say, celery bits. For those with
exercise-induced anaphylaxis, the normal amount of celery antigens picked up by
the blood isn't enough to bother them. But while
exercising, the extra celery bits their blood is picking up causes an allergic
reaction.
Running and jogging are the most likely to trigger an attack, but other
strenuous activities like dancing, volleyball, skiing and
even yard work can also cause a reaction.
More...from MSNBC at:
http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/07/16/1202623.aspx


20. Digest Briefs:
* Race Day Plan
Plan your race and race your plan.
It's the heart of triathlon season. You've started racing. And you're gearing up
for your big race of the year. (For many athletes,
that race is Ironman Placid this coming weekend!)
You've worked hard in training to formulate some sort of race day plan. The plan
should address the key components of racing:
~ pacing. How do you plan to pace each leg of your race? Be sure the pacing plan
is suitable for your fitness level and the distance
of the event you're racing.
~ fueling. Ensure you know how many calories to consume, and in what form, on an
hour by hour basis during your race.
~ hydrating. As with fueling, know your fluid requirements.
~ mental. Know what you're going to focus on throughout the race. Break the race
into manageable-sized chunks.
Formulate your plan, know it inside and out. And then most importantly of all,
execute the plan on race day! Don't let race-day
excitement influence you into abandoning your plan (which unfortunately happens
so very frequently)!
Plan your race and race your plan.
From the Endurance Lab. Subscribe at:
http://www.endurancelab.ca/maillist.asp
* What's your favorite recovery drink?
In a recent poll, most RW.com readers said they used water as a "recovery
drink." Is that right? I thought you should use something
more. What is your favorite recovery drink, Running Doc? And why? - Jon G. San
Diego, CA
Thanks, Jon. I noticed that, too, and was concerned that our readers may not be
doing the best for themselves post-workout or
post-race. Recovery drinks and foods are an important consideration and should
be practiced in training.
In order to understand what to eat and drink, you need to understand what you
are “recovering” from. When you exercise, muscle
membrane breaks down on a microscopic level and there are micro-tears of
muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Healing (and minimizing
post-event muscle soreness) depends on having amino acids in your body to
re-build the protein in these structures. One also should
replenish carbs and fats that were used to provide energy. Therefore, a good
diet all week that includes these food groups is
important, as is a good pre-workout (or pre-race) meal.
My favorite pre-workout (or race) meal is the “Elvis bagel” I have described
before: peanut butter and banana on a bagel. On hot
days, I use a salted bagel to get extra salt in my system. (I don't use gels; I
like real food.) Timing before the run is individual
and should be practiced in training.
Post workout, a recovery drink that has carbs as well as added protein is best
(in a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate:protein) so as
to have amino acids available for repair. If you do not have a “recovery drink”
be sure to eat protein in your next meal. Peanut
butter and jelly sandwiches, pretzels, tomato juice, and chocolate milk are all
good food alternatives to the scientific drinks.
Many runners I know love French fries and chocolate milk after a marathon—it
works great and you deserve the treat!
If you do all of the above, you should recover quickly and feel great.
Enjoy the ride.
HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE RUNNING DOC? E-MAIL IT TO MAILTO:RUNNINGDOC@....


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

July 5-27, 2008:
Tour de France

July 19, 2008:
Tahoe Rim Endurance Runs - Spooner Lake State Park, NV
USA 100 Mile Trail Championships

Virginia Derby Day 5K - New Kent County, VA

Television - CBC
The Canadian Athletics Championships/Trials from Windsor, ON 1pm EDT
Golden League Paris - Location: Paris, France 2pm EDT

July 20, 2008:
Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon - Napa / Sonoma, CA

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

For more complete race listings check out our Upcoming Races, and Calendars.
Check the Runner's Web on Sunday and Monday for race reports on these events at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/

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

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

Have a good week of training and/or racing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TriSwim Coach - The Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming
http://hop.clickbank.net/?rhianyth/triswim1

If you have an accident while running or cycling, do you want your family to be
contacted? Do you want to receive immediate and
proper medical treatment?
If so, make this cool item part of your gear -- for safety and peace of mind.
Road ID has created 4 awesome ways for athletes to
wear ID: the SHOE, the WRIST, the ANKLE, and the NECK. Get your RoadID at:
http://www.roadid.com/?referrer=50

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

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

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