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. 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/


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:
We have added a new event calendar. It is available for event directors to add
events at:
http://runnersweb.mhsoftware.com/
Events must be approved before going live.

Watch live and webcast of Track and Field and Road races on Universal Sports
Sign up at:
http://www.universalsports.com//SportSelect.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=23000&KEY=&SPID=13055\
&SPSID=105551

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 2,426 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

ROAD RUNNER SPORTS
We have partnered with Road Runner Sports, the world's largest online running
store, to provide a shopping portal. Check it out at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/Mobile_RRS.html

* 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/

* 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. Performance-Enhancing Drugs and Today's Athlete: A Growing Concern
2. How science is catching up with chronic front-of-knee pain
3. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine
4. Adaptive Running Techniques
5. Exercising after injury
Fitness expert Matt Roberts on the best exercises to do after injury or illness.
6. The 'slow component' of VO2 - understand it to go faster!
7. New Guidelines Urge Physical Activity During Pregnancy
8. Way too tired?
Resting may hurt, not help, say those unraveling the mystery of fatigue.
9. Going the extra mile for runners
10. iPods users risking 'stealthy' hearing loss
11. The Science of Performance - Recovery
12. A Push for Adding B12, Though the Jury Is Out
13. This Week in Running
14. The science of sleeplessness
Chronic fatigue is a complicated condition, but one Toronto doctor says it's
beatable.
15. Digest Briefs


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"When do you stretch?"

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:
"Have you run or are you planning to run a fall marathon?"
Answers Percent
1. Yes 39%
2. No 33%
3. No, I don't run marathons 28%


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE MONTH: Boulder Coaching.
"We want to be your triathlon and running coach"
You're a Triathlete who knows that you can improve your swimming, biking and
running performance.
You've started running, but you need direction.
You may not be going to the next Olympics, but you want to train with the best.
Think Boulder Coaching
The company's owner, Simon Lessing, is a five-time Triathlon World Champion. His
Partner, Darren de Reuck, a running trainer, is
helping many long-distance runners reach a higher level of performance.
Reach New Heights in Triathlon and Running Competition
You may want frequent access to the Boulder Coaches. Or you may only want to tap
their accomplishments, their knowledge of all of
the triathlon distances, Marathon, half marathon and other competitive sporting
events.
Explore our various virtual training online packages. Drop us an email
(mailto:triathlon@...) or give us a call.
Let's talk.
Visit the site at:
http://www.bouldercoaching.com/


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


BOOK/VIDEO/MOVIE OF THE MONTH: RUN FOR YOUR LIFE
Run For Your Life - In Theatres For Limited One Week Run To Celebrate The NYC
Marathon
Comes to DVD October 28th, 2008
Emmy-Nominated Filmmaker Judd Ehrlich's Documentary About the Relentlessly
Ambitious and Endlessly Quirky Founder of the New York
City Marathon, Fred Lebow
(New York, NY) - Screen Media will release Judd Ehrlich's inspirational and
propelling documentary Run For Your Life on DVD October
28, 2008. The film will also be in New York City theatres the week prior to the
New York City Marathon in honor of race week.
From Emmy-nominated filmmaker Judd Ehrlich comes this remarkable story of how
one man ran New York and inspired millions to do the
same. Chronicling Fred Lebow's revolutionary creation of the New York City
Marathon, Ehrlich uses archival footage of Lebow himself
and couples it with a myriad of exclusive interviews including: Mayor Ed Koch,
Manhattan Borough President Percy Sutton; Lebow
family members Moshe Katz, Sarah Katz and Mike Lebowitz; New York Times
reporters Neil Amdur and George Vescey; original marathoners
Norb Sander and Gary Muhrcke (winner of the first NYC Marathon in 1970); and
other notable athletes including Bill Rodgers, Alberto
Salazar, Grete Waitz, Nina Kuscsik, Frank Shorter and Kathrine Switzer. The film
also includes the last known interview with
Olympian legend Ted Corbitt.
"As a New Yorker, Fred's story spoke to me," Ehrlich recalls. "I grew up here
and I remember how he transformed the city each year
putting on the marathon with glitz and flare. Fred was a showman and, like all
performers, there was a side of his persona that few
people really knew about."
Credited as the mastermind behind the New York City Marathon, Fred Lebow is now
one of the most influential American icons. He fled
his Orthodox home in war-torn Europe and found his calling when he brought
together a group of runners for the first NYC Marathon in
Central Park. In 1976, Lebow took the race through all five boroughs, uniting a
divided city and sparking a worldwide fitness boom.
Lebow lived for the NYC Marathon, yet he only ran through the five boroughs
once, as the world looked on, in an unforgettable race
against the odds.
The film originally premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival to critical and
audience acclaim. It finished 6th overall in the audience
rankings and was also a favorite of festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal, who
described it as "fascinating" in a television appearance
alongside co-founder Robert DeNiro.
"Fred ignited what we know as the most popular participatory sport today," says
Mary Wittenberg, president and CEO of the NYRR and
director of the NYC Marathon, who attended a screening of Run for Your Life last
spring. "He made running part of popular culture."
"We are releasing the film around the New York City Marathon as homage to Fred
and in celebration of today's runners. Even if you
aren't a runner you can truly enjoy this film and its inspirational story." said
Screen Media Films President, Robert Baruc.
About Judd Ehrlich
Judd Ehrlich was born August 17, 1971 and raised in New York City. He produced
and directed Mayor of the West Side, the
Emmy-nominated coming-of-age story about a teenager with multiple disabilities.
The documentary continues to air on public
television stations nationwide, and will through 2009. Ehrlich collaborated on
the editing of Ric Burns' epic PBS series, New York,
and Macky Alston's Sundance Film Festival award-winner and PBS broadcast, Family
Name. He also worked for the acclaimed PBS
documentary series POV and edited for CBS News. Ehrlich has created and curated
multiple film series around New York City, hosting
notables such as Darren Aronofsky, Steve Buscemi, Tony Kushner, Cyndi Lauper,
and Willem Dafoe. He teaches documentary filmmaking in
high schools and colleges and is a graduate of Vassar College. Ehrlich lives in
Brooklyn with his wife and two children.
For more information, see www.fredlebowmovie.com.

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. Performance-Enhancing Drugs and Today's Athlete: A Growing Concern
The use of anabolic steroids in professional athletes has been a concern for a
long time; however, the rise in use by younger
athletes is especially troubling. Physician-guided education is vital to the
creation of an effective intervention program.
As athletic competition continues to intensify, athletes strive to higher levels
of performance to achieve success. There appears to
be a "win at all costs" mentality, not only among many of today's athletes, but
also among their coaches and parents. It is this
same mentality that fuels many athletes to seek performance-enhancing substances
such as anabolic steroids and other drugs. However,
no longer is this just a problem of the elite athlete; today, the perception
that anabolic steroids correlate with athletic success
can be found among collegiate and scholastic athletes as well.
Epidemiology
In the United States, an estimated 1 to 3 million people have used anabolic
steroids.1 Many of these are young adults. An estimated
4% to 12% of US high school boys and up to 3.3% of high school girls have used
anabolic steroids.2 A study by Buckley et al3 found
that 6.6% of male high school seniors had tried steroids, with 67% initiating
use by 16 years and 40% using multiple cycles. These
findings were later confirmed in studies of Indiana high school football
players, as well as a 2003 Centers for Disease Control
report. Prevalence studies extend to middle school populations as well. A 1993
study of Modesto, California, seventh graders
reported an overall use rate of 3.8%.4 These findings correlated with a later
study out of Massachusetts that found a usage rate of
2.7% in students between 9 and 13 years.4
More...from Ortho Supersite at:
http://www.orthosupersite.com/view.asp?rID=32081


2. How science is catching up with chronic front-of-knee pain:
Patellar tendinitis is the most common knee disorder found among competitive
athletes(1). You are most likely to be affected if you
play high-impact sports involving bursts of intense or repeated stress, notably
basketball and volleyball (these sports demand
twisting on the spot, deep knee bends and sprinting). However, anyone from the
casual jogger to contact sport players may develop
the condition - all too often with far-reaching consequences. One study has
estimated that more than half of athletes diagnosed with
patellar tendinitis were forced to retire from their sporting activity(2).
Classically patellar tendinitis has been explained as chronic inflammation of
the tendon connecting the kneecap (patella) to the
main shin bone (tibia), at the point of connection to the kneecap (see figure
1). Recent research has, however, effectively revised
our understanding of the condition - and with it a change in terminology: it is
more correct these days to refer to the condition as
tendinosis.
Symptoms start with pain after exercise, which can progress to pain during
exercise. In extreme circumstances the tendon may weaken
and rupture. The pain can be debilitating and even force you to retire from high
level sport.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/node/39583


3. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine:
* Dear Dr. Mirkin: Since your recent report on BPA, I'm wondering if I should
avoid using plastic water bottles altogether?
Whether plastic bottles are safe or not is highly controversial. Some of these
plastics do contain phthalates or bisphenol, which
are poisons, but nobody knows how much of these substances it takes to harm you.
The manufacturers say that the amount leeched from
bottles is insignificant. I continue to drink from single-use plastic bottles
and eat food that has been packaged in plastic, but I
do not freeze, heat or re-use them. Heating or freezing and thawing increase the
amount of chemicals that leech from the bottles
into the food or liquid. I also recommend that you check the bottoms of your
microwave cookware and re-usable water bottles and
discard any that have the numbers one or seven.
* Check Vitamin D Levels this Winter
In this newsletter I have reported that low vitamin D levels are associated with
increased risk for heart attacks, strokes, at least
17 different cancers, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, depression and
osteoporosis. Adequate blood levels of vitamin D are thought to
be over 75nmol/L. Researchers at the University of Toronto have now shown that
in the winter, more than 93 percent of the people in
Toronto have concentrations below 75 nmol/L, and 75 percent have concentrations
below 50 nmol/L (BMC Public Health, September 26,
2008).
Only those with light skins had average vitamin D intakes exceeding the current
Recommended Adequate Intake (RAI = 200 IU/day).
Those with dark skin and/or excess weight had very low levels of vitamin D.
Dark skin blocks ultraviolet light. Obesity sequesters
vitamin D so it is not available for use. Aging also lowers vitamin D levels as
the skin of older people doesn't make vitamin D as
well as during younger years.
In the wintertime, I recommend getting a blood test called D3. If it is below 75
nmol/L, you need more sunlight or vitamin D pills.
The blood test for the active form of vitamin D (1,25
dihydroxy-vitamin D) is of little value as it often is normal when a person has
a severe deficiency. Lack of vitamin D causes the
parathryroid gland to produce massive amounts of parathyroid hormone that causes
these falsely high levels.
* Volunteers sought for a study on stretching:
After last week's report on stretching, I received this note from Alan Roth,
Ph.D., Stretch Study Coordinator for USA Track &
Field:
"The jury is still out regarding pre-run stretching. There have been no large
randomized studies to show that pre-run stretching
helps prevent injury. It's true that it can help
performance but at what risk? The first large randomized study of pre-run
stretching is now underway. We already have about 2,400
runners registered and more than 1,200 have submitted their reports after three
months of participation."
For more information and to sign up to be part of the study go to
http://www.usatf.org/stretchstudy
* Dear Dr. Mirkin: How can I tell if my bicycle seat is at the right height?
Bicycle riders quickly learn that setting their seats too low often causes knee
pain, while setting it too high often causes back
pain. Extensive previous research shows that to prevent
injuries, you should set the seat so that your knee bends to a 25 to 35 degree
angle; and to get maximum power from pedaling, you
should set the seat at 109 percent of the distance from the ground to your
groin (inseam length). These two methods produce
different seat heights.
Researchers at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway found that a 25
degrees knee bend angle is best to improve performance
and prevent injuries (Journal of Strength
and Conditioning Research/National Strength & Conditioning Association, July
2008). However, if you have knee pain or back pain,
adjust the seat height until it is comfortable for you.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at:
http://www.drmirkin.com


4. Adaptive Running Techniques:
An excerpt from Run Faster: From 5K to the Marathon
Every elite coach has a training philosophy. Mine is called adaptive running. It
is based on my belief that a responsive, evolving,
creative approach to training is better than an approach that is too structured
and formulaic. Simply put, there is no single
training formula that works perfectly for every runner.
Adaptive running is not about reinventing the wheel of training for each
athlete. There are certain training methods that I believe
to be effective for every runner. Creating a customized training plan for
yourself is simply a matter of learning these methods and
applying them in the way that suits you best.
Even though I train each of my runners uniquely on the level of details, on a
group level there are some general characteristics
that each runner's training shares with that of the others. These general
characteristics represent the training methods that I have
found to be beneficial for every runner, and therefore to be essential
characteristics of any successful training program.
There are twelve general methods that characterize my adaptive running system.
In this article, we'll take a brief look at six of
these methods. You can learn more about each method, plus all of the details you
need to apply them, in our book, Run Faster.
1. Consistent, Moderately High Running Volume
General running volume -- or how much you run -- is the most basic parameter of
training and therefore the first parameter that each
runner should consider in creating a customized training plan. How many times
per week should I run? How many miles per week? How
much should my running volume increase from the beginning to the end of my
training plan? These are the questions you need to answer
before asking any others as you look ahead to your next training cycle.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=14496


5. Exercising after injury:
Fitness expert Matt Roberts on the best exercises to do after injury or illness.
It's frustrating after working hard getting yourself into good shape when you
get a cold or a niggling injury, which lays you low
for a week or two.
With the shorter days and cooler weather, it's also a time of year when your
exercise regimen becomes more stop-start. Added to
illness and injury, that's enough of an excuse for many of us to stop
exercising.
When you're feeling sluggish and daunted by the mountain to climb to regain your
fitness, it's easy to think "what's the point?" But
it's vital to take the long-term view; any setback is a pain, but a break can
have a restorative effect. Getting in shape is not
about what happens over a week or two, but what happens over several weeks and
even several months.
All is not lost
You'd have to be out of action for two months to be back to square one. Missing
a week's training through illness costs you only 2
to 5 per cent of your fitness. It is barely noticeable and could actually prove
to be a much-needed rest. If you have to put your
feet up for a month, you would still lose only 15 to 20 per cent of your
fitness, which could be rapidly regained.
It's only after eight weeks that your fitness drops off a cliff and it's a long
slog back to your peak. Even then, it's not so much
that you've lost fitness as that you simply feel unfit because you have not
generated the blood flow and physical highs of exercise.
But these figures apply only to those who have been working out continuously for
a year. If you keep starting and stopping, your
fitness will erode much more quickly.
Don't overdo it at first When you eventually resume your routine, moderate your
approach. You will be hit for six physically and
mentally if you try to plunge back in after more than a week off. Reduce the
intensity of your workout by 10 to 15 per cent and work
your way back gradually. This is particularly important if you've been had a
cold or flu because your heart is at greater risk if
you try to push yourself while recovering.
More...from the Times Online at:
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/diet_and_fitness/article\
4918915.ece


6. The 'slow component' of VO2 - understand it to go faster!
Many athletes and coaches structure training sessions on the assumption that
oxygen consumption during exercise remains constant for
any given training intensity. But as Andy Jones explains, thanks to the 'slow
component' of oxygen uptake, this assumption is not
only physiologically flawed, but can also lead to inappropriate training
prescriptions
Imagine that you begin walking at a very comfortable pace on a treadmill and
every few minutes the speed of the treadmill belt is
progressively increased so that you need to break into a slow jog, then a faster
jog, then a run, and finally a sprint. Although the
walking or running speed might have increased in a linear fashion, your
perception of the difficulty of the exercise challenge would
almost certainly not be linear; there will come a point at which the exercise
will quickly switch from feeling quite manageable, to
not feeling sustainable for very much longer, and then to feeling intolerable.
This is well known, but what is the physiological
explanation?
To answer this question, we must first appreciate what is meant by the term
'exercise intensity'. The intensity at which exercise is
performed has traditionally been described in terms of the fraction of the
maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) that the exercise requires
in the 'steady state'. Here, the steady state refers to the plateau in oxygen
uptake that is reached following a few minutes of
exercise.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/slow-component-vo2-understand-it-go-faster-39797


7. New Guidelines Urge Physical Activity During Pregnancy:
Moderate physical activity during pregnancy does not contribute to low birth
weight, premature birth or miscarriage and may actually
reduce the risk of complications, according to a Michigan State University
professor who contributed to the U.S. government's
first-ever guidelines on physical activity.
Kinesiology professor James Pivarnik and doctoral students Lanay Mudd and Erin
Kuffel wrote the section on pregnancy and postpartum
activity as part of the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines unveiled Oct. 7 in
Washington, D.C., by the Department of Health and Human
Services. Pivarnik, president-elect of the American College of Sports Medicine,
attended the event and spoke on behalf of the
organization and MSU.
"There has been quite a dramatic change in regards to pregnancy and exercise,"
said Pivarnik, who has studied the topic for more
than 20 years. "While it used to be thought that avoiding exercise meant
avoiding harm to the fetus, research now shows physical
activity can not only improve health of the mother but also provide potential
long-term benefits for the child."
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081008151322.htm


8. Way too tired?
Resting may hurt, not help, say those unraveling the mystery of fatigue.
Fatigue has long been one of the most common, yet least understood, of medical
problems. It drives millions to their doctors every
year, and doctors typically have had little to offer except the usual bromides -
eat well and rest.
But a new understanding of everyday fatigue - the kind associated with a
fundamental lack of energy, not the fatique caused by
conditions such as anemia, or a lack of sleep - is emerging from labs around the
country. Last month, leading physiologists gathered
at the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health,
and came up with a new paradigm of what happens in
the brain and the rest of the body when a person has subjective feelings of
fatigue.
The new understanding "is a fundamental jump forward in the study of fatigue,"
said Dr. Luigi Ferrucci, one of the conference
organizers, and brings with it some good news for the tired among us.
Scientists are now convinced that fatigue has a real, molecular basis, and that
at least two major biological processes are
involved: An excess of natural chemicals called pro-inflammatory cytokines,
which the body pumps out in response to infection. And
sluggish mitochondria, the tiny organelles inside cells that make energy.
More...from the Boston Globe at:
http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2008/10/13/way_too_tired/


9. Going the extra mile for runners:
THERE IS some research to suggest that if you're training for a marathon you'd
do well to steer clear of running by major roads
because of the fumes from cars and trucks, while it's generally accepted that
pounding away on hard surfaces can take its toll on
your knees.
Still, as more than 3,000 people living in the Dublin area enter the last two
weeks of their preparations for this year's race day,
the city's pavements are still where most of them can be seen.
Dr Eanna Falvey, a sports physician at the Sports Surgery Clinic in Dublin,
cites a study from the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine
and Science in Sports which found that 55 per cent of the competitors surveyed
in a recent Rotterdam marathon had suffered lower
limb injuries during the previous year and 16 per cent had had a new injury
within the month prior to taking part in the race.
Having made his own debut over the distance in Melbourne last year, Falvey is
conscious of the potential problems those undertaking
what can be a fairly arduous training programme can encounter.
But, he insists, those who have gotten this far with their running without any
problems should be able to go on and pursue other
goals in the sport without serious concerns about future injuries.
"From my own point of view, I would certainly look to get people who are getting
over a problem back running on grass before they
move on to hard surfaces but, to be honest, I'm not aware of any hardcore
evidence that there is a significantly higher risk of
weight-bearing running resulting in serious problems.
More...from the Irish Times at:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2008/1014/1223680489766.html


10. iPods users risking 'stealthy' hearing loss:
Thundering jackhammers, screeching trains and wailing sirens.
New Yorkers ears' are assaulted daily by a barrage of noise, but it's the
headphones covering them that can cause the most harm.
"When you start trying to drown out that noise with one of these iPods, that's
when you get into real trouble," said Maurice Miller,
an adjunct professor of audiology at New York University. "There's a gradual,
stealthy hearing loss from iPods."
According to a study released Monday by the European Union, those rocking out on
headphones to music at more than 89 decibels for
just one hour a day for five years can suffer permanent hearing damage. As many
as 10 million Europeans are at risk, the study says.
Adults are more likely then teenagers to experience hearing loss symptoms and
use MP3 players for longer periods, according to a
2006 poll by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The durations may
be explained by time spent commuting to work, the
poll said.
And it's probably worse in New York, where practically everyone spends their
subway ride with headphones on.
Some have their music cranked so loud, you can hear it from a few feet away.
More...from AM New York at:
http://weblogs.amny.com/entertainment/urbanite/blog/2008/10/ipods_users_risk_ste\
althy_hear.html


11. The Science of Performance - Recovery:
By now you have come to understand that muscles are the primary limiting factor
in your running and that the best way to improve
your running is by conducting intense training. This brings us to another
aspect of training that is so misunderstood, so ignored,
and so debated that we must devote part 8 of this series to it. That aspect is
the rate at which the body recovers and grows from a
workout. No other factor is more important to your longevity than this one.
And no other factor is more debated either.
Training is a stress on the body
You probably already know that training stresses the body. The question to ask
is what happens to your body when you impose a
stress on it, say a maximum set of bicep curls, a hard 400 meter sprint, or a
marathon? The answer to this question is crucial
because it determines how frequently you will train and ultimately how much you
improve.
As I outlined in part 5, your muscles undergo considerable stress from hard or
long training. The harder and longer you train, the
more stress the muscles endure. Stress results in micro-trauma, with symptoms
such as ruptured and inflamed muscle cells and muscle
soreness that can last for multiple days. Micro-trauma results in decreased
performance and increased chance of injury. Why is
micro-trauma important? It is important because you will not improve until the
muscles recover from that trauma.
How Long Does it Take to Recover?
Muscles do not recover from micro-trauma in a single day. Think about it this
way; if you cut yourself how long would it take for
the cut to heal? Of course it depends on the depth of the cut; the deeper the
cut the longer the healing time. But even a minor
cut won't heal in one day. Cells don't regenerate in a single day. It takes
longer than that. The same thing applies to your
muscles. The longer and harder you train, the more stress you put on the body,
the more micro-trauma you experience, and the longer
it will take you to recover. You have to train hard in order to improve, but
each increase in intensity necessitates an increase in
recovery time. Intensity and recovery are inextricably intertwined.
So, just how long does it take to recover from a workout? Obviously there are a
lot of different factors that have an effect on
recovery rate, but I can tell you this - it takes a LOT longer than you may have
ever suspected. For example, a study conducted by
Taiwanese researchers investigated recovery levels after a hard bout of bicep
curls (1). The researchers recorded starting strength
levels and then had the subjects perform a maximum set of eccentric bicep curls.
The researches then tested the subjects' bicep
strength levels every day for the next week. They observed that even after 7
days the subjects had not fully recovered to their
starting level of strength. Imagine that; still not recovered after a full week
of rest.
More...from Power Running at:
http://www.powerrunning.com/Exercise%20Physiology/Power%20Running%20part%208.htm


12. A Push for Adding B12, Though the Jury Is Out:
It has long been known that vitamins must be obtained from sources outside the
body - food and drink, and for vitamin D, exposure to
sunlight - and that failing to get enough of a vitamin can result in
well-defined and sometimes deadly diseases.
But in recent decades, epidemiological studies have linked several nutrients,
especially vitamins C and E, beta carotene and folic
acid, to chronic ills including heart disease and cancer. That led people to
take large doses in hopes of warding off dire
consequences.
But when scientifically designed clinical trials were conducted, most early
promises proved false. Now another vitamin, B12, is
being discussed as a factor in several ailments that commonly afflict older
people, including heart disease and stroke, Alzheimer's
disease and dementia, frailty, depression, osteoporosis and even some cancers.
As with the other vitamins, the evidence for the role that low levels of B12 may
play in these problems comes almost entirely from
epidemiological studies - those that follow a population of people, in this case
measuring their B12 levels to see whether there are
correlations with health. For example, a continuing study of 2,576 adults in
Framingham, Mass., linked low blood levels of B12 to
bone loss in men and women; a study of 703 women in their 70s living at home in
Baltimore linked markers of B12 deficiency to
frailty; and a study published this year, of 107 community-dwelling people over
60 who were followed for five years, linked low
levels of B12 to shrinkage of the brain.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/14/health/14brod.html?_r=1&ref=fitnessandnutritio\
n&oref=slogin


13. This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago- Osoro Ondoro (KEN) won the LaSalle Banks Chicago (IL/USA)
Marathon in 2:06:53.3 with Khalid
Khannouchi (MAR) 2nd in 2:07:19 and Gert Thys (RSA) 3rd in
2:07:45. Khannouchi would break the
WR the next year at Chicago. Joyce Chepchumba (KEN) won the
women's race in 2:23:57 while Colleen
deReuck (RSA) took 2nd with a 2:27:04. Third was Elana Meyer
(RSA) in 2:27:20. DeReuck placed
6th this year at Chicago with a 2:32:25 (at age 44).
20 Years Ago- Domingos Castro (POR) won the Dam tot Dam (NED) 10M in 46:55,
edging William Musyoki (KEN) by
two seconds. Joaquim Pinheiro (POR) was 3rd in 47:00. Carla
Beurskens (NED) won the women's
race in 53:21, well ahead of 2nd place Joke Kleijweg (NED) in
57:35.
30 Years Ago- Ed Mendoza (USA) won the Heart of San Diego (CA/USA) Marathon in
2:21:28 followed by Jeff Galloway
(USA) in 2:22:02. Sue Krenn (USA) won the women's race in
2:53:52 with Elaine Campo (USA) 2nd in
2:59:25.
40 Years Ago- Naftali Temu (KEN) won the Olympic Games (MEX) 10,000m in
29:27.40, outkicking Mamo Waldo (ETH)
who finished in 29:27.75. Mohamed Gammoudi (TUN) took the bronze
medal in 29:34.2.
50 Years Ago- John J Kelley (USA) won the Jersey City (NJ/USA) Marathon in
2:20:55.6. Ultra-marathoner Ted
Corbett (USA) was 3rd in 2:33:53.5.
60 Years Ago- Alois Wagner won the Austrian marathon championship in 3:09:32.
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.


14. The science of sleeplessness:
Chronic fatigue is a complicated condition, but one Toronto doctor says it's
beatable.
Dr. Alison Bested is one of a handful of Canadian doctors who specialize in
myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome
(ME/CFS) and related conditions such as fibromyalgia and multiple chemical
sensitivity. Michelle Magnan spoke with Bested, a
Toronto-based hematological pathologist and co-author of Hope and Help for
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia, Second Edition
(Cumberland House, 2008, $20.05), about ME/CFS, how it's diagnosed and how it's
treated.
Q What is ME/CFS? Is it considered a disease?
A Disease means there's a specific entity known to cause it. That isn't the case
here, so this is considered a syndrome, and is
defined by a list of criteria. The criteria [include] disabling, pathological
fatigue. People go for a walk and they might stay in
bed for the next three days; there's this element of post-exertional fatigue.
They also have sleep problems -- they're not getting
the deep sleep that everybody needs in order to feel better. They often have
pain, which can be in their muscles and joints. They
also have brain fog, poor short-term memory, they can't focus, they can't
multi-task and they can't pull up words, so they feel
stupid. Symptoms also include chronic sore throats, feeling off-centred, cold
and dizzy all the time, heart palpitations and
irritable bowel syndrome. It's extremely complicated, which makes it so
difficult to be sorted out by doctors, unless they recognize
this whole picture.
More...from the National Post at:
http://www.nationalpost.com/life/story.html?id=883121


15. Digest Briefs:
* Exercise: Program Reduces a Knee Injury in Women
The program, which is described in a recent article in The American Journal of
Sports Medicine, is intended to reduce injuries to
the anterior cruciate ligament, which often require surgery and months of
rehabilitation. The lead author is Dr. Julie Gilchrist of
the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While other strengthening and flexibility programs have been found to reduce
injuries to the ligament, known as the A.C.L., they
often require special equipment. The researchers said they wanted one that could
be easily incorporated into regular team practices.
A co-author of the study, Holly J. Silvers of the Santa Monica Orthopedic and
Sports Medicine Research Foundation, said the new
program took only about 20 minutes three times a week. Sample exercises, which
involve jumping and other forms of muscle
strengthening, can be found at www.apta.org/consumer.
For the study, the researchers worked with 61 women's soccer teams in the
N.C.A.A. and more than 1,400 athletes. Some teams were
asked to use the new program for the fall season, while the others were asked to
follow their usual routine.
The study found a 41 percent decrease in reported A.C.L. injuries.


THIS WEEK'S FEATURED EVENTS:
*Please verify event dates with the event websites available from our FrontPage
(www.runnersweb.com)*

October 18, 2008:

Indianapolis Marathon -Indianapolis, IN

Oasis ZooRun - Toronto, ON

Run for Hospice - Rochester, NY

Run With The Champions - Ottawa, ON
Canadian 10km Championships
Canadian Masters 10K Championships

(Inaugural) 5K Spirit Run - Sparta, NJ

Waddell & Reed Kansas City Marathon - Kansas City, MO

October 19, 2008:

Beijing Marathon - China

Denver Marathon - Denver, CO

Detroit Free Press / Flagstar Marathon - Detroit, MI

IMT Des Moines Marathon - Des Moines, IA

Mount Desert Island Marathon - Bar Harbor, ME

Nike Women's Marathon- San Francisco, CA

St. John's Santa Monica 5000 / 10K - Santa Monica, CA

The Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon - ON

The Other Half - Moab, UT

UCF 5 Miler - Orlando, FL


June 20, 2008
Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - Ottawa, ON
http://www.emiliesrun.com

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

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

Ken Parker
www.RunnersWeb.com
The Running and Triathlon Resource Portal
mailto:kparker@...
613-746-4053
http://www.OACRacingTeam.com
http://www.EmiliesRun.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

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

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

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

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.

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...***