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
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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
The 2009 race will be run on June 20th.
For more on the race visit the website at:
http://www.emiliesrun.com.
**Register before March 15, 2009 and get a 10% discount**

3. Road Runner Sports, the world's largest running store at:
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4. Toronto Waterfront Marathon, September 27, 2009
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/STWM_Transporter.html

5. Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon - October 18, 2009
Register before the end of this month for the Marathon, Half Marathon, or 5k and
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8. iRun Magazine
More than a million Canadians are runners, making it this country's most popular
recreational and fitness activity. Canadians run
for exercise and we run to raise money for important causes. We run alone and in
groups. And every year, hundreds of thousands of us
participate in organized races, from fun runs to marathons, which are growing
steadily.
Until now, Canadian runners haven't had our own running magazine. But now,
there's iRun, providing a uniquely Canadian perspective
on the activity and the sport. Published six times a year, iRun educates,
informs and inspires Canadian runners.
The Team
Mark Sutcliffe, Publisher and Editor
Mark has more than 20 years of experience in the Canadian media business. An
avid runner, he has completed five marathons and 10
half-marathons. He writes a popular weekly column on running in the Ottawa
Citizen and co-hosts The Running Show every week on The
Team 1200 radio. Mark is the former Executive Editor of the Ottawa Citizen and
has also launched several publications, including the
Ottawa Business Journal, now in its second decade, and the Kitchissippi Times, a
successful community newspaper in Ottawa. His
writing has appeared across the country in daily newspapers, and magazines like
Macleans and Canadian Business.
Ray Zahab, Contributing Editor
Ray Zahab is Canada's most renowned ultramarathon runner. A former pack-a-day
smoker, Ray transformed his life by becoming a
successful long-distance runner, winning some of the world's most challenging
foot races. Beginning in November 2006, Ray and two
other runners ran across the Sahara Desert in 111 days, averaging 70 kilometres
per day without a single day's rest. Ray is an
accomplished public speaker, writes regularly about running and coaches athletes
striving to achieve their own goals.
Distribution
iRun is Canada's highest-circulation and most popular running magazine. With a
total distribution of 50,000 and more than 9,000
subscribers, iRun is leading the market in the rapidly growing and highly
desirable demographic of Canadian runners.
iRun Magazine is a sponsor of Emilie's Run
http://www.irun.ca/

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

10. 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
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it perfect for swimming, kayaking, and water
skiing. Now incorporating the latest 3D music quality with it's adapted
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Circuit training is so much easier with your own
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The stylish looking headphones play the usual MP3, WMA and WAV formats and are
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Depending on track length, the headphones hold well over 14 hours worth of music
and the rechargeable battery life is about 8 hours.
Nick Matthew, the 2006 British Open squash champion now uses the player to train
with and Mi-SPORT are endeavouring to encourage
more athletes to enjoy the benefits of training to wire-free music, podcasts or
coaching aids. Inspiration and freedom at last, for
athletes and exercise enthusiasts everywhere.
Check it out at: http://www.mi-sportmp3.com/

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NEW THIS WEEK:

Register before March 15, 2009 and get a 10% discount.
http://www,emiliesrun.com

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Events must be approved before going live.

Watch live and webcast of Track and Field and Road races on Universal Sports
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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
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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
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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
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video content that is unique, high-quality, and
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For more information and to visit other existing channels in the Simply Media
network, please visit:
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* 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

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* 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:
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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.
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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. The Challenging Periods for Women in Training
2. Limiting Fatigue When You Run
3. The Mystery of Honking
Why do runners make drivers honk like geese?
4. Building on the Abs of Madonna and Gwyneth
A workout trainer responsible for Madonna's and Gwyneth Paltrow's toned
physiques has opened a studio in New York City.
5. Exercise Plays Large Role In Recovery From Knee Replacement And Occurrence Of
Osteoarthritis
6. Learning to Love the Sport
How runners are reaching the next generations.
7. Study Finds No Benefit From Daily Multivitamin
8. Sportsmedicine: Rehabilitation for a Healthy Back
9. Sports Technology For Para-athletes: Closing The Gap
10. Peak Performance by Karlene Sugarman, M.A.
11. This Week in Running
12. Hams Give Out Before Quads In Marathon
13. Mental Health for the Long Run
14. Even Short Bursts Of Intense Exercise Can Improve Metabolism
15. Chocolate: It's just not that good for you


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Should women's road race records ("best times") be allowed to be established in
mixed (men and women) races?"

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

LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULTS:
"On which of the continents have you run?"
Answers Percent
Answers Percent
1. Africa 14%
2. Antarctica 0%
3. Asia 18%
4. Australia 15%
5. Europe 22%
6. North America 29%
7. South America 3%


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE MONTH: Women's Running Magazine
Women's Running is the world's largest women-specific running magazine.
Women's Running covers all aspects of the running lifestyle, from active beauty
needs to training plans. The Women's Running mission
is simple: to create a high-quality magazine for smart, successful women who use
running to balance and enrich their lives. Women's
Running features quality editorial that motivates women to train intelligently,
participate in active travel, adopt healthy
nutrition habits and keep moving.
Women's Running is distributed at over 4,000 retailers including Barnes & Noble,
Borders, REI, Dick's Sporting Goods, Eastern
Mountain Sports, and other independent, specialty retailers.
Visit the website at:
http://www.womensrunningmag.com

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

BOOK/VIDEO/MOVIE OF THE MONTH: The Coolest Race on Earth: Mud, Madmen, Glaciers
and Grannies at the Antarctica Marathon
By John Hanc
The Coolest Race on Earth* follows Hanc's 2005 attempt to complete the 26.2 mile
grueling race in humorous and invigorating detail.
This icy adventure traces the wild history of the Antarctica Marathon while
amusingly meditating on what drives people to spend
thousands of dollars to run atop glaciers, thick mud, penguin dung and extinct
volcanoes on the most desolate continent on earth.
With a diverse and delightful cast of international athletes, among them a
wheelchair bound runner, three law-breaking grandmothers
and an ex-Marine who describes the race as "the hardest thing I ever did in my
life, next to Vietnam," *The Coolest Race on Earth*
tells an exhilarating Antarctic tale that truly few people in the world can
tell.
Buy the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1556527381/runnersweb/102-0182896-9006569\
?v=glance&s=book

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. The Challenging Periods for Women in Training:
By Coach Wendy
I'm not sure if is the pre menstrual irritability or the dealing with the
inconvenience of the actual period that often cause the
most hassles for us active women. I would imagine it would depend on who is on
the receiving end of the period!!! For the most part,
we have probably become used to this monthly ritual and the general feeling
associated with it... but for those of you new into the
active lifestyle or for those old hand athletes, juggling period needs with
being active does have its challenges.
You will all recognise the variety of common symptoms of feeling bloated, or of
having a slightly dull ache in your back. The
feeling of a deep dull tension in the lower abdominal region (dysmenorrhea) and
then there is the general feeling of being tired
especially in the first 3 days of the cycle. For some women, their monthly
period is accompanied with minimal symptoms and for
others it is a time of great discomfort and requires considerable planning when
it comes to exercise.
The effect of menstruation on training is varied. Most active women notice
minimal change in their 5 day cycle and if anything they
comment on their increased awareness as to how the body is feeling during this
time. Their heighten sense of body awareness is one
of the many benefits that comes from training and listening to their bodies.
Encouraging women to be aware of how they are feeling during this time is
extremely important especially when it come to training
for longer events such as marathons or ironman triathlons. For events such as
these, the training intensity and quality become
critically linked to a persons available energy and the balance becomes finer
the longer the distances.
It is important during this time that women pay particular attention to their
dietary and rest requirements. Due to the blood loss
from the menstruation process, combined with the destruction of blood cells in
the feet caused by running, women can find their iron
stores reduced. An increase in either red meat or other foods high in iron such
as silver beet and lentils along with vitamin C plus
a reduction in tea during the period week, will enable your body to absorb and
store the iron necessary for everyday body cellular
function. The necessary chocolate bar/s goes with out saying - and it would be a
brave man who questions any women during this week
as to whether she REALLY needs them!
For women who encounter heavy bleeding, major fatigue or discomfort - they may
be well advised to significantly modify their
training during their periods. From experience, by changing the emphasis from
say intensity to technique, I have found that women
are often able to sustain the training as set in their programme and yet
accommodate their levels of fatigue. It is common for women
to report a sense of tiredness in the days leading up to the period starting,
for this to last for the first three days of their
cycle and then they comment of returning back to normal energy levels at the
completion of the cycle.
More...from Endurance Coach at:
http://www.endurancecoach.com/Menstruation_and_Training.htm


2. Limiting Fatigue When You Run:
One of the great mysteries of running is why elite African endurance runners
have greater fatigue-resistance, compared with runners
from the rest of the world.
What do we mean by fatigue-resistance? It is simply the ability to sustain a
high-quality pace.
If you tell an elite African runner to run as far as possible at an intensity of
90 percent of maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max),
he/she will often be able to race a half-marathon at that level of effort. But,
if you provide the same instructions for an elite
American or European distance runner, he/she will be able to run for only six or
seven miles before slowing down. The elite African
has greater fatigue resistance - an enhanced capacity to perform at a high
intensity for a sustained period of time without
diminishing pace.
Traditionally, we have tried to explain differences in performance between
endurance runners by invoking an "aerobic paradigm."
Superior performances were thought to be the result of higher aerobic capacities
and therefore faster speeds.
However, the disparity in fatigue-resistance between African and white runners
can not be due to differences in VO2max, because
research shows that elite white and black runners have similar aerobic
capacities. The truth is that runners who share the same
VO2max can have great differences in fatigue-resistance - and that endurance
runners with higher fatigue-resistance can beat runners
with greater max aerobic capacities.
More...from The Educated Runner at:
http://www.educatedrunner.com/Blog/tabid/633/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/1\
14/Limiting-Fatigue-When-You-Run.aspx


3. The Mystery of Honking:
Why do runners make drivers honk like geese?
Socks that disappear in the laundry. Why it suddenly became de rigueur to shuck
corn at the supermarket. How people who put flags on
their cars after September 11 decided it was time to remove them. These are
perplexing matters, but nothing compared to the eternal
question, What the hell are people thinking when they honk at runners?
Like any long-time runner, I have my theories. The most flattering one came
decades ago from a friend's mother. Her hypothesis was
that her son and I were always getting honked at, swerved at, yelled at and
otherwise menaced on the roads of Reisterstown because
the sight of Chris and me running induced great feelings of guilt in drivers,
pedestrians and everyone else who regularly heaped
abuse on us. Only by lashing out at the catalysts of guilt, the theory goes, can
the guilt be assuaged. Sounds good, until you
realize that Chris, who became a 2:17 marathoner, used to pelt the neighborhood
jogger with snowballs. Can we really believe that,
at age 12, his snowballs were an expression of guilt that he hadn't started
running yet and, therefore, was possibly preventing
himself from running 2:16 a dozen years later?
As my wife, a cyclist, will testify, we runners aren't the only ones who attract
attention while working out. In this view, part of
the abuse stems from drivers thinking they have exclusive rights to the roads.
The law says they're wrong, of course, but I'm not
sure that legal minutiae are the primary concern of the guys who threw tobacco
juice on me, or the one who shot a BB into a friend's
leg, or that guy in the Jeep who asked if I would like to get in while he was
masturbating. (Thanks, but I'm busy.)
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15577


4. Building on the Abs of Madonna and Gwyneth:
A workout trainer responsible for Madonna's and Gwyneth Paltrow's toned
physiques has opened a studio in New York City
THIS is the woman responsible for Madonna's arms.
Tracy Anderson pulls down on resistant elastic bands strung across the ceiling;
dances around the room; endlessly circles her arms.
She moves her torso back and forth and sideways to strengthen the abdominals,
and then lies on her - of course - taut belly for a
series of butt-toning leg lifts.
To spend an hour working out with Ms. Anderson, with an iPod blasting and the
heat cranked up, is to get a taste of what it's like
to prepare for a grueling concert tour, striving for that sinewy muscle tone. Or
so you can tell yourself. Maybe this is how it
feels to sweat like Gwyneth Paltrow, bopping around your blond-wood home gym in
the Hamptons, losing the pregnancy pounds with Ms.
Anderson's mat exercises and dance routines. "You really are how you move," Ms.
Anderson said.
Ms. Anderson, 33, worked out with a reporter recently in a rented space in
Midtown, demonstrating her signature muscle strengthening
and cardio dancing, which have won her two devoted clients in Madonna and Ms.
Paltrow. With those celebrity names lofting her
reputation, she is preparing to open a high-end $900-a-month workout studio in
TriBeCa.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/fashion/08trainer.html?_r=1&ref=fitnessandnutr\
ition


5. Exercise Plays Large Role In Recovery From Knee Replacement And Occurrence Of
Osteoarthritis:
Two new studies found that exercise may be a factor in recovering from a total
knee replacement (total knee arthroplasty or TKA)
and knee osteoarthritis (OA). One study involving a progressive quadriceps
strengthening program after total knee replacement found
that it enhanced clinical improvement almost to the level of healthy older
adults.
The other study, the first to examine the relationship between four components
of physical activity and the incidence of knee OA in
older adults, found that certain types of activities were linked to an increased
risk of the disease.
Nearly half a million total knee replacements are performed each year in the
U.S. to treat severe knee OA, which is on the rise due
to an increase in the elderly and overweight populations. Although knee
replacement improves function, patients continue to have
impaired quadriceps strength and function for activities such as walking and
climbing stairs, which remain below those of healthy
people of the same age. Rehabilitation targeting these areas has not been
studied well and is not routinely prescribed.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090129122551.htm


6. Learning to Love the Sport:
How runners are reaching the next generations.
The epidemic of childhood obesity is well-documented, along with the plethora of
programs designed to get kids away from the tube.
But the real road to fitness is to fall in love with running as a lifetime
passion and make it part of your identity, not something
you "have to do" to keep from being fat. Here's a look at people and programs
inspiring young people not just to get out, but to
become athletes, challenging them to be better runners and better people, and
building the future of the sport.
Dan Bellino can recall when he fell in love with running. It was the 2003 New
York City Marathon. "My dad and brother asked me to
run the marathon with them. Up to that point I was just a casual runner,"
recalls Bellino. "During my training I fell in love with
the simplicity of the sport. Every run became an adventure that I looked forward
to, whether it was a beautiful trail run along the
Hudson River or running in Central Park. The sound of my running shoes slapping
the pavement was enough to get me going." Now an
administrator with the New York City Department of Education, he is giving back
to the sport he loves by volunteering as a coach for
the New York Road Runners Foundation (NYRRF) youth running program, turning
young kids on to running instead of having them tuning
out at home on video games.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15244


7. Study Finds No Benefit From Daily Multivitamin:
Multivitamins are the most commonly used diet supplement, but new research shows
that daily multivitamin use doesn't ward off cancer
or heart disease.
In a study of 161,808 women who were part of the government-funded Women's
Health Initiative research effort, doctors from 40
centers around the country collected data on multivitamin use. While research
shows that people who eat nutrient-rich diets filled
with fruits and vegetables have lower rates of heart disease and cancer, it
hasn't been clear whether taking a daily supplement
results in a similar benefit.
After following the women for about eight years, they looked at rates of various
cancers and heart problems among the 42 percent of
women who were regular multivitamin users, and compared them to those who didn't
take vitamins. The researchers found no evidence of
any benefit from multivitamin use in any of 10 categories studied, including no
differences in the rate of breast or colon cancer,
heart attack, stroke, blood clots or mortality.
The finding that multivitamins produced no benefit in such a large,
well-regarded study is disappointing, given that some earlier
research has produced mixed results. While some earlier studies failed to show a
benefit of daily multivitamin use, other research
has suggested a possible benefit for colon and breast cancer and cardiovascular
disease. However, those data were collected from
less rigorous studies, and researchers say the lack of a benefit measured in the
Women's Health Initiative is a "robust finding." In
the tightly controlled W.H.I. trials, data from women were copiously collected,
and participants actually brought vitamin bottles to
W.H.I. centers so supplement use could be confirmed by researchers.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/09/study-finds-no-benefit-from-daily-multi\
vitamin/


8. Sportsmedicine: Rehabilitation for a Healthy Back:
This issue of the Stretching & Sports Injury Report comes from a well-respected
web site called, Spine-Health.Com. Spine-Health has
been developed by a multi-specialty group of medical professionals, and their
goal is to provide you with a comprehensive, highly
informative and useful resource for understanding, preventing, and seeking
appropriate treatment for back & neck pain and related
conditions.
If back pain has caused you any problems, either now or in the past, I highly
recommend you visit Spine-Health. Their extensive
range of back care information and articles is second to none.
People who suffer from lower back pain are often encouraged to participate in
their own recovery, but they are seldom given the
knowledge and tools needed to accomplish this. This discussion will help you
acquire a basic understanding of the reasons for lower
back pain, and take charge of your own health by taking the appropriate steps to
rehabilitate your back.
Of course, getting better is only the beginning, since further episodes of back
pain are quite common as time passes. Fortunately,
you can improve your chances of avoiding recurrences by rehabilitating your
back, whether you are experiencing your first bout with
low back pain or have had extensive treatments or even surgery.
Causes of back pain
There are several structures in the back that can cause and/or contribute to low
back pain.
Although the intervertebral disc is a remarkably versatile and strong structure,
essentially acting as a shock absorber as we go
about our activities, sometimes the disc fails when there is a sudden,
unexpected force (such as a fall, lifting or other trauma).
And when the disc does get injured it cannot repair itself very well, which is
one of the major reasons recurrent back pain is so
common.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news_2009/rw_news_20090210_TSH_Back_Rehabilitt\
ation.html


9. Sports Technology For Para-athletes: Closing The Gap:
This issue of Sports Technology, published by Wiley-Blackwell, spotlights recent
developments that seek to close the gap between
able-bodied athletes and para-athletes, with two published articles highlighting
running prostheses.
The first article, entitled "Biomechanics of double transtibial amputee
sprinting using dedicated sprinting prostheses" by
Bruggemann et al., compares the sprinting mechanics data of able-bodied
sprinters with that of a double transtibial amputee by
examining the overall kinetics and the kinetics at the joints - while sprinting
at maximum speed.
The carbon blade used by the amputee sprinter has a significant advantage in
both energy storage and return in fast sprinting, in
comparison to the healthy human ankle joint. The blade allows the disabled
sprinter to deliver the same level of performance as an
able-bodied athlete - but at a lower metabolic cost.
The other article, "Lower Extremity Leg Amputation: an advantage in running?" ,
authored by Lechler and Lilja describes the clinical
view of fitting an amputee with a prosthetic leg.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090130104258.htm


10. Peak Performance:
by Karlene Sugarman, M.A.
I think it is important to talk about peak performances because this is what
athletes are trying to achieve and what experts in the
field of sports psychology are trying to help athletes and teams obtain. It's
imperative we examine some of the universal
characteristics of that best performance. This way you will have more control
and awareness about these peak performances and they
won't seem as mysterious as they once might have.
In the flow, in a groove, on a roll, in the zone - whatever you call it, it's
all defining one thing. It's that special feeling of
playing like you can do no wrong and everything goes your way. You are so
involved in what you are doing that nothing else seems to
matter because you are so connected to your task. Unfortunately, these peak
performances don't seem to happen often enough. In fact,
every time it does happen, it is usually by chance, it just happened to be a day
when everything fell into place, clicked for you,
and you got a taste of what it's like to be in the zone. It's kind of like
getting a taste of the good life. Hopefully this
occurrence will motivate you to do everything you can to have more peak
performances.
By implementing mental training skills and working effectively as a team, you
can increase the chances of this transpiring on a more
consistent basis and you will be able to be in the zone as one harmonious unit.
Being in the zone means doing more than anyone else
thought possible, even superseding your own expectations at times. This zone is
the definitive reason why many people are motivated
to participate in sports.
Characteristics of being IN THE ZONE
1. Relaxed: The days of getting psyched up to play are over. Research has shown
over and over that the best performances occur when
you are just slightly above your normal state of arousal, not at the extreme end
of the spectrum as once thought. You are energized,
yet relaxed it's a subtle balance of quiet intensity. Your mind is calm and your
body is ready to go. You feel relaxed, but you are
able to move with great strength and ease.
2. Confident: Not letting a lapse in performance undermine your belief in your
overall abilities is at the core of this
characteristic. When you are playing well, you feel confident that no matter
what you are up against, you are going to come out on
top. You just exude with confidence and pride, and it is evident in your
performance. There is no fear. Confidence on the inside is
outwardly shown by way of your presence, your walk and your facial expressions.
You should expect to be successful, not hope or wish
to be successful. You must adopt a confident, winning attitude. It is trusting
your instincts and intuition to do the right thing at
the right time; and if you are prepared, you can be confident that this will
happen. This complete faith allows you to just know
that you are going to do everything necessary to be successful without the
conscious use of reasoning or analyzing.
More...from Peak Performance -- Sport Psychology with Karlene Sugarman, M.A. at:
http://www.psychwww.com/sports/peak.htm


11. This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago- Philip Tarus (KEN) won the 37th edition of the San Blas (PUR)
Half Marathon with a still-
standing course record of 1:02:11. Khalid Khannouchi (MAR) was a
distant 2nd with 1:03:24
while Silvio Guerra (ECU) was 3rd in 1:03:41. Svetlana Zakharova
(RUS) took the women's
race by a wide margin with a 1:13:55 while Nadezhda Wijenberg
(RUS) was 2nd in 1:15:35. Irina
Timofeyeva (RUS) was 3rd in 1:16:10.
20 Years Ago- Keith Brantly (USA) defeated an international field at the
Gasparilla Classic FL/USA) 15K,
clocking a 42:50. Gerardo Alcala (MEX) prevailed in a close
battle for 2nd, coming in at
43:03 over James Cooper (USA) at 43:04, Salvador Garcia (MEX) at
43:06, and Stephen Jones
(WAL) at 43:07. Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) won the women's race
with a 48:14 as six women
broke 50 minutes. Lisa Rainsberger (USA) was 2nd at 49:01 while
Nancy Tinari (CAN) was
3rd in 49:09.
30 Years Ago- Ralph King (USA) won the Gasparilla Classic FL/USA) 15K with a
44:12. Near Olympic bronze
medalist in the marathon (finished 4th in 1976), Don Kardong
(USA) was 2nd in 44:15 while
Doug Brown (USA) was 3rd at 44:44. Gayle Olinekova (CAN) won a
close race over Betty Jo
Springs-Geiger (USA), 53:17 to 53:23 while Kim Merritt (USA) was
well back in 3rd with a 55:33.
40 Years Ago- Gaston Roelants (BEL) won the 7th edition of the San Blas (PUR)
Half Marathon in 1:06:30.
50 Years Ago- Bill Dillinger (USA) defeated Max Truex (USA) at the BAA Indoor
Meeting in Boston MA/USA
with a time of 8:49.9 (no time available for Truex).
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.

12. Hams Give Out Before Quads In Marathon:
In a marathon or prolonged run, especially one involving a fair amount of
downhill running, one would expect the quads to take quite
a pounding. However, new research indicates that the hamstrings are the muscles
which are most fatigued by very long bouts of
running- and thus may be the muscles which are mostlimiting during extended
efforts. Exercises for bolstering the eccentric strength
of your hamstrings,including leg swings and pistol squats, are prescribed.
Which muscle - or muscle group - fatigue to the greatest extent during a
marathon? That is not a trivial question. Understanding
which sinew - or collection of sinews - is most apt to lose its normal
functioning during a marathon is very useful information. If
there is a muscle which is most likely to fail during the 26.2-mile event,
marathon runners can focus intently on strengthening this
muscle in a running-specific way during their pre marathon training, lessening
the possibility that it will spoil things on race
day.
To find out which muscle is most likely to interfere with the opportunity to set
a marathon PR, Dr. W. Schobersberger and his
colleagues at the Medical University of Innsbruck in Austria recently monitored
13 runners (12 male an one female) who completed the
Tirol Speed Marathon (1). These competitors performed isokinetic muscle tests
three to four days before and then 18 hours after the
marathon (isokinetic muscle actions are ones in which the speed of contraction
is kept constant). Both legs were tested, and
strength testing involved both concentric and eccentric contractions of the
quadriceps and hamstring muscles (concentric actions
involve force production and shortening of the muscle; eccentric actions involve
force production as the muscle lengthens). The idea
was to see which muscles had lost the most strength as a result of the
completion of the race.
More...from Running Research News at:
http://runningresearchnews.com/News_Feed.php?cid=1&m=12&y=2007


13. Mental Health for the Long Run:
By Kate Chappell
The science is only just emerging, and it's too early to prescribe exercise as
treatment for mental illness, but we may soon have an
answer to the question: is running good for your mind? And if so, why?
A good hard run can sweep your head of worries, solve a problem or perk up your
mood. It's especially true when winter's dark,
inhospitable days descend upon us. But despite its reputation as a coping tool,
it's still not completely clear why a run can
generate positive feelings. Obviously, it makes sense that if you allow your
body to sweat, to move free of inhibition and to work
towards and achieve a goal, you will feel good about yourself. But the
characteristically cautious medical and psychological
community is still searching for definitive evidence that clearly and directly
links running and mental health.
COULD RUNNING BECOME TREATMENT?
This search for a link is crucial for several reasons. Advocates are still
working to overcome the stigma of mental illness, and
funding is not as accessible as it is for other diseases.
If exercise and running come to be regarded as a supplemental form of treatment
for mental illness, it could open up an entire new
realm of more affordable and accessible treatment options. But it's too early to
prescribe a 10k run as a cure for mental illness,
since there is still so much undiscovered about mental health and the treatment
for illness. For now, exercise and running are
considered insufficient as a sole treatment for most forms of mental illness.
Nevertheless, there are a handful of groundbreaking projects specifically
related to running and mental health. The Ontario chapter
of the Canadian Mental Health Association is embarking on research exploring how
exercise relates to mental wellbeing. Also, the
Mental Health Commission of Canada, considers running and exercise as one
possible piece of the puzzle to overall health, although
it's not yet the organization's official policy.
Eventually, it is conceivable that running and exercise could be widely regarded
as a supplemental tool for dealing with anxiety and
depression, in addition to conventional treatment such as pharmaceutical drugs
or therapy.
More...from iRunNation at:
http://www.irun.ca/issues/article.php?id=106&intIssueID=6


14. Even Short Bursts Of Intense Exercise Can Improve Metabolism:
Sedentary people who find the idea of fitting regular exercise sessions into
their lives so difficult that they don't even try, may
be interested to hear about a new study that found even regular short bursts of
intense exercise, such as a short session of four to
six 30-second high intensity sprints on an exercise bike every two days, showed
a significant effect on the body's ability to
metabolize sugars and could be an effective way to cut the risk of diabetes.
This was the conclusion of a study by professor James Timmons and a team of
researchers from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh,
Scotland, that is to be published in the journal BMC Endocrine Disorders.
Most people know that regular physical activity is a good way to cut the risk of
developing heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, but
knowing it and doing it are not the same, and many people feel they just don't
have the time to do vigorous aerobic exercise for
several hours week, as suggested by many of the current guidelines.
Timmons said that while these guidelines are worthwhile in principle, the fact
many people don't follow them shows we need an
alternative.
"Unfortunately, many people feel they simply don't have the time to follow
current exercise guidelines. What we have found is that
doing a few intense muscle exercises, each lasting only about 30 seconds,
dramatically improves your metabolism in just two weeks,"
he said.
More...from Medical News Today at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/136910.php


15. Chocolate: It's just not that good for you:
If an excuse is needed to consume chocolate, it comes on Valentine's Day.
Heart-shaped boxes full of sweet treats lurk in just about every drug and
department store, testing the wills of even the most
ardent detractors of the lovers' holiday.
But this year, some of that temptation is moving over to the health food aisle.
A new crop of companies are trying to sell consumers on the positive aspects of
dark chocolate as part of a growing campaign to
rebrand it as a health food.
It marks a new era in chocolate marketing prompted by research that has shown
dark chocolate contains antioxidants, which can help
protect cells and potentially prevent disease. The findings are similar to
studies that have pointed to the health benefits of red
wine.
After the link between dark chocolate and antioxidants was made several years
ago, well-known confectionery companies such as
Hershey, Mars and Dove began launching new dark chocolate products as a way to
appeal to consumers.
Now, new companies are going one step further by promoting their dark chocolate
products not just as treats with a nutritional
benefit, but as health foods.
Some experts worry that the new tactic risks crossing the line of responsible
marketing.
More...from the Globe and Mail at:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090212.wchocolate12/BNStory\
/specialScienceandHealth/home


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

February 13-14, 2009:
Tyson Invitational - Fayetteville, ARK

February 14, 2009:
Marathon Sports Valentine's 5K - Minneapolis, MN

Smile Mile - Orlando, FL

February 15, 2009:
Austin Marathon - Austin, TX

ABC 7 Sarasota Grouper Marathon - Sarasota, FL

Lost Dutchman Marathon - Apache Junction, AZ

Pensacola Marathon - Pensacola, FL

March 6-9, 2009:
European Athletics Indoor Championships - Torino, Italy

June 20, 2009:
Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - Ottawa, ON
**Register before January 31, 2009 and get a 15% discount**
**Register before March 15, 2009 and get a 10% discount**

August 15-23, 2009:
World Athletics Championships - Berlin, Germany

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

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Have a good week of training and/or racing.

Ken

Ken Parker
www.RunnersWeb.com
The Running and Triathlon Resource Portal
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