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
The 2009 race will be run on June 20th.
For more on the race visit the website at:
http://www.emiliesrun.com.

3. Road Runner Sports, the world's largest running store at:
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000010069822.

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
save $$. Fees increase March 1st!
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.
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7. 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
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cardio and strength-training equipment . Access to
all of our world-class Group EXercise classes . A copy of Living the Good Life
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www.GoodLifeFitness.com Limited time offer.

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

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Get the Runner's Web button for the Google Toolbar 4 for Internet Explorer from
the link on our FrontPage at:
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:

Foot Locker:
Take 15% off no minimum. Use code LKS19A5M. Valid 4.6-5.4
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=pgaZgw/VDU4&offerid=101680.10000287\
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It's The Sports Bra Sale at ChampionUSA.com! All Bras are $19.99 and up! Valid
Through April 27th.
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=vVGS2V*0iZg&offerid=139837.10000200\
&type=3&subid=0

The book "The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life: What 35 Years of Running
has Taught Me About Winning, Loving, Happiness,
Humility, and the Human Heart" is available FREE as a download from
MindsetTriathlon.com.
http://www.mindsettriathlon.com/product_info.php?products_id=1158&it=1#previews

FRS Healthy Energy Drink - Free Trial
http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-1452277-10571944

The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - June 20, 2009
http://www,emiliesrun.com

Event directors, add your event to our Event Calendar 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:
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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
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 ONE personal posting this week.
ONE:
Runner Appeal: Get fit, have fun and help a great cause!
We are currently looking for people to take part in the 10K London Run on
Sunday 12th July 2009 as a sponsored challenge in aid of helping street
children in Brazil.
No entry fee, no experience needed, just your willingness to try your best
to complete the challenge and raise £250 for ABC Trust.
The race will begin at 9.30AM, and the course starts in Piccadilly Circus,
passes through London’s famous landmarks and finishes in Whitehall.
We have a team of 20 people and some places left, please come and join our
team, get fit and help change the lives of vulnerable children in Brazil!
To register or to find out more, please contact me directly: Fatima Luna:
0207 287 3818, mailto:fatima@...
www.abctrust.org.uk/challenges.html

THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

1. How much water should we drink?
With spring in the air, thoughts turn to marathons, heat - and dehydration. So
how much liquid do we need?
2. As Good As It Gets: Octogenarian Muscles Don't Get Stronger With Exercise,
Study Finds
3. Triathlete Magazine reviews new Team FE nutrition site
4. Putting Failure in its Place
5. One easy remedy for overweight kids -- water
6. Advanced Balancing
Getting the right mix of training and recovery is essential to peak performance.
7. Optimize Nutrition with Naturally Occurring Compounds
8. Interval Training by Coach Bryan Hoskinson
9. Practical Considerations for Eating the Hour Before Exercise
10. Caffeine may lessen exercisers' muscle pain
11. Stretching Exercises: When and How
12. Pezcyclingnews.com reviews Ultragen
13. CHI Running Incorporates Core To Enhance Performance
14. Caffeine Reduces Pain During Exercise, Study Shows
15. Digest Briefs

RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"What would be the best way(s) to manage the excessive demand for entry into
many of the major marathons and triathlons?"
Time stamped on-line entry
Geographical quotas
Performance standards
Lottery
Other

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:
Are you male or female and do you support women-only races?
Answers Percent
1. Female - Yes 35%
2. Female - No 0%
3. Male - Yes 60%
4. Male - No 5%


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE MONTH: All-Athletics.com
A new subscription-based athletics Web site has been launched:
www.all-athletics.com. The site intends to provide an "unprecedented variety of
facts, figures, news and other features" on athletics, according to a recent
release circulated to journalists covering the European Indoor Championships.
Here is a partial list of the features the site is offering:
. In depth Overall and Event-by-event World Rankings with searchable archive and
history
. Area, regional and national Rankings
. Athletes Profiles including the athletes'€™ Personal and Annual Bests,
past and current results, records, honours, participations at major
championships, their World Ranking positions and Ranking calculations, etc.
. Head-to-head statistics against other athletes
. Winning streaks of the selected athletes
. Score Calculator
. Competition Results
. World and Area Records
. World news, Competition previews and reports and other Featured articles
The site is a "Service Partner" of the Weltklasse Zurich, and its full content
is only available by subscription. Pricing varies from USD 5 per day and USD 21
per month to USD 99 for a full year.
Currently, the only other athletics website charging a fee for usage is the
statistics site, www.Tilastopaja.org, which charges 90 Euros (USD 113) for two
years or 55 Euros (USD 69) for one year.
(This review was written by Race Results Weekly)
Visit the website at:
http://www.all-athletics.com

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

BOOK/VIDEO/MOVIE OF THE MONTH: Race Against Me: My Story
By Dwain Chambers
It is being billed as the book "they don't want you to read" and at its launch
in Soho, London last night, Dwain ­Chambers said he was braced for controversy.
'Race Against Me', due to be published on 9 March, is likely to upset some of
the most important and influential individuals in athletics.
"It's an opportunity to express my point of view," said Chambers. "It involves
some peoples' names being mentioned, not to upset them, but to set the record
straight. I'm just using it to voice my opinion. I am fully aware that I'm not
everybody's cup of tea but that's life and you can't please everybody."
The book is Chambers' side of the story since testing positive for THG in 2003,
his subsequent two year ban, his failed attempt to overturn a lifetime Olympic
ban in the high court and his opinion on his treatment by the sport's governing
bodies and leading individuals.
The title itself is provocative, with some suggesting it is a thinly veiled
accusation of racism. Asked if this was his intention Chambers replied: "If
you're a smart man you'll read between the lines. That's never been my point but
I understand how ­society works and it's something I'm accustomed to. I think
it's a fitting title."
Chambers, who is tipped to win gold at next month's European Indoor
­Championships in Turin, published and wrote the book on a shoestring budget.
He received no advance sum from the ­Spanish publishers Libros International.
"I'm using it to add a bit of balance to the story because so far it's been so
one sided and I haven't been able to get my point across," Chambers added. "It's
been very therapeutic to get everything off my chest."
Chambers, who is heavily in debt, insisted the book was not an attempt to earn a
quick buck. "I'm not doing it just to make money because I have no idea how well
the book's going to sell. Most importantly I just want to focus on Turin and
earn money on the track so I can pay off my debts and then see where it goes
from there."
From the Guardian
Buy the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1905988753/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. How much water should we drink?
With spring in the air, thoughts turn to marathons, heat - and dehydration. So
how much liquid do we need?
If you are confused about how much water we should really be drinking, then you
are not alone. I am often asked: is it two litres? Four litres? Does a can of
diet cola count?
According to the UK Food Standards Agency, what we need is about six to eight
glasses of fluids a day - about 1.2 litres in total. This will help your body to
carry out myriad roles, from helping us to keep the body temperature steady and
stable to protecting sensitive tissues such as the spine and keeping up water
levels in the brain.
What is crucial here, however, is the word “fluid” because, physiologically
speaking, this can be from any fluid source including tea, coffee, squashes,
juices, diet or standard fizzy drinks and, to a certain extent, alcohol. Many
foods provide fluids as well; watermelon provides 185ml (about a small yoghurt
pot's worth) of fluid per 200g slice. Even an average 100g banana provides about
75ml of water.
Scientists say that there is no convincing medical research to prove that
glugging litres of water on top of these needs will improve the elimination of
toxins by your kidneys, improve skin tone or reduce your appetite or the
frequency of headaches.
Responding to your body's thirst mechanism is apparently the best way to remain
properly hydrated - and this goes for everyone, including those of us embarking
on marathons and fun runs. While amateur runners often believe they should drink
as much water as possible during long runs, the reality is that too much can in
a substantial fraction of runners be dangerous to health and in rare cases,
fatal.
More...from the Times Online at:
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/diet_and_fitness/article\
6028000.ece


2. As Good As It Gets: Octogenarian Muscles Don't Get Stronger With Exercise,
Study Finds:
Octogenarian women were unable to increase muscle mass after a 3-month weight
lifting program targeted at strengthening the thigh muscle, according to a new
study from the Journal of Applied Physiology. The results are surprising because
previous studies have found resistance training capable of increasing muscle
mass, even for people who are into their 70s. An increase in muscle size
translates to an increase in strength.
Still, the Ball State University study contained some good news: The
octogenarians were able to lift more weight after the training program, likely
because the nervous system became more efficient at activating and synchronizing
muscles.
The American Physiological Society published the study, “Improvements in whole
muscle and myocellular function are limited with high-intensity resistance
training in octogenarian women.” The researchers are Ulrika Raue, Dustin
Slivka, Kiril Minchev and Scott Trappe.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090331091250.htm


3. Triathlete Magazine reviews new Team FE nutrition site:
Written by Jay Prasuhn -Courtesy of Triathlete Magazine
Which would you find more valuable? A triathlon team nutrition sponsor that
gives you cool jerseys, some product and then just sends you on your way? How
about a team and nutrition sponsor whose goal is getting you through your race
with a nutrition plan that not only delivers calories, but also keeps your
stomach happy. It’s that duo, paired with proper training, which lead to PRs.
The two developers of Team First Endurance—Robert Kunz and Mike
Fogarty—considered what a real athlete wants, which is either a PR or a
qualifying spot. Moreover, they want knowledge, and a way to test products in
their own training that will help them develop a solid nutrition program.
First Endurance has a stable of doctors and research board members in their
stable who actually race as well, including Bob Seebohar (a former U.S. Olympic
Committee sports dietitian and the 2008 Olympic Triathlon Team dietitian who is
also an Ironman athlete) and Neal Henderson, the director of the Sports Sciences
Department at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine, who’s also a Masters
road racer. They actually get what endurance athletes need. They do the studies
on subjects and then they do the studies on themselves.
More...from First Endurance at:
http://blog.firstendurance.com/2009/04/triathlete-magazine-reviews-teamfirstendu\
rancecom-nutrition-research-site/


4. Putting Failure in its Place:
Failure: Are you defining and managing it effectively, or is it defining you?
Wrestling successfully with the interpretation, role, and consequences of
failure are common challenges for the mentally fit athlete. Consciously working
with your experience of failure – rather than defaulting to one that is too
habitual and narrow – can dramatically enrich your riding and your results.
By Marvin Zauderer
In last month’s Sport Psychology column, published during the Tour of
California, we looked at More Minds of Mentally Fit Pros: what it takes,
mentally, to succeed in a stage race. Just as in last year’s Tour of
California column, we looked at how we mere mortals can learn and apply the
pros’ mental skills in our own experiences on the bike.
Did you notice this quote from Tom Zirbel of Bissell Pro Cycling in last
month’s column?
“The worst rejection is when you try your hardest and fail. Mentally, it’s
easier to give in and fail. After feeling failure, it can be easy to say, ‘I
don’t want to feel that again, I’m going to beat it to the punch.’”
That’s Tom’s view. What’s yours? How do you define failure as an athlete?
What meaning do you make of it when it happens? What impact does it have on you?
Whether it’s attached to a race, a group ride, a century, a tough interval, or
that hill you’ve been trying to conquer, your experiences and relationship
with failure can affect you before, during, and after your ride. Have you put
failure in its place? Let’s take a closer look.
How much does it hurt, and why?
In the movie The Princess Bride, the master swordsman Inigo Montoya duels with
the mysterious Man in Black, who quickly puts Inigo in the shockingly unfamiliar
position of second best. There is a pause in the duel.
More...from Pez Cycling News at:
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=6885&status=True&catname=Toolbox


5. One easy remedy for overweight kids -- water:
Want to help your kids keep the weight off? Just give them water instead of soda
and other sugar-sweetened drinks, researchers advised on Monday.
One analysis of the diets of children and teens in the United States showed they
drink, on average, 235 "empty" calories in sugar-sweetened beverages each day.
When these drinks are cut out, the average child does not make up for them by
eating or drinking more calories elsewhere, the researchers said. In a second
study, Dutch researchers found children would cut out sugary drinks before they
would exercise or abandon snacks.
"The evidence is now clear that replacing these 'liquid calories' with
calorie-free beverage alternatives both at home and in schools represents a key
strategy to eliminate excess calories and prevent childhood obesity," Dr. Claire
Wang of Columbia University in New York said in a statement.
Writing in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Wang and colleagues
said they looked at data from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey that includes detailed questions about diet.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE53560U20090406


6. Advanced Balancing:
Getting the right mix of training and recovery is essential to peak performance.
Every time you do a hard workout, you provide a stimulus for your body to
improve in some way, such as your lactate threshold, fat-burning ability, VO2
max, and so on. Any one workout, though, provides only a mild stimulus for
improvement; it's the sum of your workouts over time that determines the total
stimulus to improve a specific component of your fitness. For example, if you do
one tempo run in the few months before a marathon, you provide a mild stimulus
for your lactate threshold to improve. If you do six tempo runs in eight weeks,
you provide a strong repetitive stimulus for your lactate threshold to improve.
The training stimulus, however, is only half of the formula for performance
improvement. To improve, your body must recover from training and adapt to a
higher level. By learning to manage your recovery, you'll optimize your
training. If you manage your recovery so that you can do hard workouts more
frequently or so that the quality of your hard workouts consistently improves,
then you'll provide a greater stimulus for your body to improve its capacities.
Recovery from training is important, both day to day and over the course of your
marathon preparation program. Poor management of your recovery can lead to
overtraining, which simply overwhelms your body's ability to respond positively
to training. Let's look more closely at how to optimize your recovery for racing
success.
Recovery and Supercompensation
One of the realities of running is that if you do a hard workout today, you
won't be a better runner tomorrow. In fact, tomorrow you'll just be tired. Hard
training causes immediate fatigue, tissue breakdown, dehydration, and glycogen
depletion. Depending on the difficulty of the training session and other
factors, you'll require from two to 10 days to completely recover from a
workout.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=16078


7. Optimize Nutrition with Naturally Occurring Compounds:
New kids on the block – do quercetin and beta-alanine have any value for
athletes?
Athletes are always looking for a competitive edge and optimising nutrition is
one area where significant gains can be had. In this two-part article, Ron
Maughan and Andrew Hamilton look at emerging evidence for the possible benefits
of two naturally occurring compounds – quercetin and beta-alanine, both of
which are attracting attention from researchers in the field of sports
nutrition.
Quercetin – by Ron Maughan
A recent press release on 14 February, 2007 drew attention to research that has
recently been conducted by Dr David Nieman and his colleagues at Appalachian
State University in the USA. David Nieman is well known around the world,
especially for his work on the effects of exercise and stress on the immune
system. He has conducted many important studies in this area, including many
field studies on marathon and ultra-marathon runners.
David Nieman was largely responsible for the first description of the so-called
‘J-shape’ relationship between exercise and the risk of illness and
infection. This is important, because it seems that the ability of our immune
system to fight off infection is enhanced with moderate levels of exercise,
which is good news. With very high levels of exercise stress, however, athletes
seem to be more susceptible to minor illness and infection. These usually amount
to little more than a few sniffles, but they may be enough to interrupt
training. Two or three such interruptions over the course of a season may have
serious effects, especially if one of them coincides with a major race.
For many years, Nieman – along with many other research teams around the world
– has been investigating the effects of a number of different nutritional
interventions on the ability of the immune system to fight off infections. Most
of the earlier work has focused on the traditional interventions, and from this
we know that athletes who want to stay healthy should be sure to eat enough food
to match their energy demands, to get enough carbohydrate and protein, and to
make sure they select a wide range of foods that will provide essential vitamins
and minerals in the amounts that are necessary.
More recently however, attention has turned to the effects of a range of herbal
extracts and botanical compounds on the immune system. There are many such
products on the market, and echinacea has for many years been one of the
top-selling supplements aided at promoting a healthy immune system, but it is
only one of an enormous number of such products. Many of these herbals form an
important part of the traditional medicine culture in different parts of the
world, but western medicine has largely ignored them in favour of antibiotics
and other more powerful pharmaceuticals.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/optimize-nutrition-with-naturally-occurring-comp\
ounds-36330


8. Interval Training by Coach Bryan Hoskinson:
Most of us know intervals from sets in our swim workouts, jumps or tempo sets on
the bike, or track work for runs. While these are the most common, and bread and
butter of any training plan, there are other “fun” ways to accomplish the
same goal. Group workouts!
The goal is to make them fun; use others to help you push, yet not over train.
The last of these is the one to watch out for as too many times athletes abuse
these sessions and end up over trained or injured. Here are some options for
you.
Open water or pool swims where you agree to practice swimming as a group,
simulating a mass race start where you have to move around each other, are great
intervals. This is best accomplished if you work at a pace everyone can
maintain, so swimmers in the back can accelerate through the other swimmers then
slow down, and the next swimmer can work through. Obviously caution is well
advised.
Group rides are an excellent way to accomplish intervals. Ride in a pace line of
riders, spread out 3 bike lengths from each other. When you get to the front
work towards your goal pace, heart rate or wattage; hold it to your planned
duration, then move to the back to recover and repeat through the ride as
planned.
Group run work outs can be accomplished in much the same way. Prior to the
workout, agree to the goal pace. Runners at the back will accelerate to the
front, working around other runners and using them to pace off of. Then slow
down so the next set of runners can work their way through, using pace and or
heart rate to regulate the duration of the efforts.
Plan these workouts for several key weeks of your season where you need some
help and motivation to push through barriers. It is a fun way to share your
workouts with your training partners or club.
Have fun and train smart!
Bryan Hoskinson is an Elite level TrainingBible Coach and can be reached at
mailto:bhoskinson@...


9. Practical Considerations for Eating the Hour Before Exercise:
By Monique Ryan
Triathletes are well aware that beginning training and competition with a well
fueled body can delay fatigue. One significant fuel source is stored glycogen,
which remains relatively limited even with an optimal diet. Depending on the
intensity of your workout, glycogen stores may last only for 75 to 90 minutes of
exercise. Because of the multiple training sessions required for the sport,
triathletes face the constant cycle of training and refueling, often with only
several hours of recovery time. It is not unusual to have the need to fit a
small meal or snack in between training sessions.
Eating Before Exercise
Research and practical experience makes a good case for consuming carbohydrate
2-4 hours prior to exercise. A relatively nice amount of food can be consumed
and replenish or top off your muscle glycogen stores. Liver glycogen stores,
which maintain blood glucose levels during training, can become significantly
depleted after a training session and require a good meal to return back to
their full levels. Eating adequately before exercise can also prevent hunger
during longer training sessions. However, scheduling and other real-life
considerations may not always allow for optimal meal timing before exercise.
Often, consuming foods and fluids in the 30-60 minutes prior to exercise may be
a viable and necessary option.
The Hour Before Exercise
There are a variety of scenarios that could necessitate the need for food 30-60
minutes prior to exercise. Every triathlete is all too familiar with those early
morning training sessions and early race start times. Rising in the extremely
early hours of the morning simply to eat food and fuel up for an early start may
not be feasible or desirable. Scheduling may also result in a long time gap
between the last meal and the start of a training session, and hunger and
limited fuel during training may become a significant issue. It may also be
helpful to eat closer to longer training sessions in which the added fuel
provides a performance benefit. Despite these practical considerations,
consuming carbohydrate in the hour prior to exercise has been a subject of some
controversy over the years.
More...from USA Triathlon at:
http://usatriathlon.org/content/index/5894


10. Caffeine may lessen exercisers' muscle pain:
A couple cups of coffee before a tough workout may lower the chances of sore
muscles later on, a small study suggests.
The researchers found that young men who performed an intense bout of cycling
had less muscle soreness when they took a pre-workout dose of caffeine.
What's more, the benefits were seen in both habitual caffeine consumers and
those who typically shunned caffeine, the researchers report in the
International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.
The findings add to evidence from earlier studies showing that caffeine may help
prevent that familiar muscle soreness that strikes during and after a
particularly tough or new exercise routine.
In theory, caffeine may limit muscle pain by blocking the activity of a chemical
called adenosine. Adenosine is released as part of the inflammatory response to
injury and can activate pain receptors in body cells.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE5374YR20090408


11. Stretching Exercises: When and How:
Stretching your horizons – why timing counts
Recent research has shown that some types of pre-exercise stretching may not
only fail to enhance performance, but can also be counter-productive. However,
according to James Marshall, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be
stretching – you just have to stretch appropriately
Practice and research shows that the components of stretching are as varied as
other training principles such as speed or strength. But all too often,
stretching is either just tagged on to other forms of training, or overlooked
completely. And repeating the same stretching routine day in, day out inevitably
gets you the same results. However, adding a variety of stretches and altering
the types of stretching that you do at different times of day, time of season,
or time of year should enable you to improve your flexibility and your
performance.
Is stretching is bad for you?
I’ve recently had this comment thrown at me by coaches and athletes alike. As
is often the case, information can be misinterpreted or applied in the wrong
context (with the best of intentions) and then becomes dogma – for example
‘weight training makes you slow’. There has been a lot of research in recent
years that has shown that static stretching as part of a warm-up may not improve
performance, and may actually inhibit speed and power activities. But some
athletes and coaches have extrapolated these findings to conclude that all
stretching is bad for you at any time. In fact, there may be a clue in the
phrase ‘warm-up’ as to what you are supposed to do! We will examine this
later.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/stretching-exercises-when-and-how-36327


12. Pezcyclingnews.com reviews Ultragen:
The hard training we do on the bike is only the stress that we impose, and is
only half of the training equation. To get the most out of that hard training,
we need to recover and let our body adapt and come back even stronger. Ultragen
recovery drink by First Endurance can be a critical component of your recovery
plan.
The Importance of Recovery
When I was younger, my ideal weekend consisted of pounding out hours and hours
on the bike each morning and then trying to do the same the next day. I rather
enjoyed that feeling of utter exhaustion in between and at the start of
following rides, and looked at it as a sign of good training. It was only a few
years and degrees later that I put the training-recovery spiral together and
realized the importance of proper recovery, both physical and dietary, as an
important component of overall training.
Think of a rubber band analogy. If you want to have the hardest snap of the band
(training), you also need to pull the band back (recovery) as much as you can.
One does not exist in a vacuum without the other.
More...from First Endurance at:
http://blog.firstendurance.com/2009/04/pezcyclingnewscom-reviews-ultragen/


13. CHI Running Incorporates Core To Enhance Performance:
Though your legs may be able to bring you to the start line, your core gets you
to the finish, according to the fundamentals of Chi running. Experts at today's
American College of Sports Medicine's (ACSM) Health & Fitness Summit &
Exposition discussed the physics and benefits of the technique.
Dixie Stanforth, M.S., and Karen Smith, M.A., say core activation is essential
for efficient movement, particularly distance running. Chi running is based on
the concept that a strong and stable core improves performance by allowing the
arms and legs to move freely while the spine/trunk provides stability.
"Core supported alignment, combined with forward lean, allows for the majority
of the rest of the body to remain tension free and relaxed," said Stanforth.
A strong and stable core is essential during all activities - whether
sport-related, such as running or basketball, or real life activities like
picking up groceries, say Stanforth and Smith. Having a strong and stable core
is the foundation for any functional movement pattern, and trainers need to be
mindful of alignment and technique during all activities.
More...from Medical News Today at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/144198.php


14. Caffeine Reduces Pain During Exercise, Study Shows:
Stopping to smell the coffee – and enjoy a cup of it – before your morning
workout might do more than just get your juices flowing. It might keep you going
for reasons you haven't even considered.
As a former competitive cyclist, University of Illinois kinesiology and
community health professor Robert Motl routinely met his teammates at a coffee
shop to fuel up on caffeine prior to hitting the pavement on long-distance
training rides.
"The notion was that caffeine was helping us train harder … to push ourselves
a little harder," he said.
The cyclists didn't know why it helped, they just knew it was effective.
"I think intuitively a lot of people are taking caffeine before a workout and
they don't realize the actual benefit they're experiencing. That is, they're
experiencing less pain during the workout," Motl said.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090330200831.htm


15. Digest Briefs:
* Quick Tip
By Robert Kunz MS
Use all 5 Electrolytes
The primary electrolytes are sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and chloride.
Cells require a complex electrolyte balance between intracellular and
extracellular milieu which maintains a precise osmotic gradient. This osmotic
gradient is regulated by all 5 electrolytes and drives proper hydration. For
superior hydration and elimination of cramping, make sure to consume all 5
electrolytes.
* This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago- Julius Rutto (KEN) won the Paris (FRA) Marathon in 2:08:10,
leading four others under
2:09. Paul Kipsambu (KEN) was next in 2:08:25 and Mwenze Kalombo
(COD) was 3rd in 2:08:40.
Cristina Costea (ROM) won the women's race with a 2:26:10, well
ahead of Irina Timofeyeva
(RUS) who finished at 2:27:46. Mineko Yamanouchi (JPN) was 3rd
in 2:28:52.
20 Years Ago- Marti tenKate (NED) won the City-Pier-City (NED) Half Marathon
with a 1:01:34. Eddy
Hellebuyck (BEL) was 2nd in 1:02:19 with Peter Daenens (BEL)
completing the top three
in 1:03:02. Nelly Aerts (BEL) won the women's race in 1:11:32,
followed by Susan Dilnot
(ENG) in 1:12:51 and Barbara Kamp (NED) in 1:13:54.
30 Years Ago- Bill Rodgers (USA) won the Perrier Cherry Blossom (DC/USA) 10M in
48:00.7. John Flora
(USA) and William Haviland (USA) rounded out the top three with
48:16 and 48:34
respectively. Aileen O'Connor (USA) won the women's race in
56:03 with Cathie Twomey
(USA) and Jill Haworth (USA) clocking in at 58:28 and 58:49
respectively.
40 Years Ago- Bill Adcocks (ENG) won the Athens (GRE) Marathon by more than two
minutes, finishing
2:11:07.2. Japanese star Kenji Kimihara was 2nd in 2:13:25.8
while Ismail Akcay (TUR)
was 3rd in 2:15:07.6. Mamo Wolde (ETH) was 4th in 2:15:17.2.
50 Years Ago- Fred Norris (ENG) won the English (AAA) 10 mile track title in
48:32.4 over Basil Heatley
(ENG) at 48:58.4. Derek Ibbotson (ENG) was a notable dnf.
60 Years Ago- Jesse vanZant (USA) won the Petaluma (CA/USA) Marathon in
2:58:45.
back.
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.



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

April 10, 2009:
Beirut Marathon - Beirut

April 11, 2009:
(Inaugural) Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon, Champaign-Urbana, IL,

Eisenhower Marathon - Abilene, KS

Half Marathon Unplugged - Burlington, VT

April 12, 2009:
Television
NBC - Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3
4:30 to 6:00 p.m. EDT

May 9, 2009:
Run For A wish - Ottawa, ON

June 20, 2009:
Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - Ottawa, ON

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
mailto:kparker@...
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* Play the entire video from start to finish.

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