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
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our daily news, features, polls, trivia, bulletin
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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:
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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
save $$. Fees increase March 1st!
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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
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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
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/

11. Training Peaks
The Runner's Web has partnered with Training Peaks to provide online coaching
from experts such as Hal Higdon, Joel Friel and Matt
Fitzgerald.
Sign up at:
https://home.trainingpeaks.com/create-account-personal-edition.aspx?af=RunnersWe\
b


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Race Directors: Advertise your event on the Runner's Web.
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NEW THIS WEEK:

ChampionUSA
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It's The Shorts Sale at ChampionUSA.com! Get Shorts As Low As $8.99! This offer
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Holabird Sports:
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The Runner's Web has partnered with Training Peaks to provide online coaching
from experts such as Hal Higdon, Joel Friel and Matt
Fitzgerald.
Sign up at:
https://home.trainingpeaks.com/create-account-personal-edition.aspx?af=RunnersWe\
b

Under Armour is pleased to announce Free Shipping on Orders $75+ through May
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shop at Under Armour today!
Free Shipping on all orders over $75!
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Event directors, add your event to our Event Calendar at:
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Watch live and webcast of Track and Field and Road races on Universal Sports
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At the Runner's Web site, click "Join this group". Once I have approved your
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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
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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
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
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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:
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.
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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. Do Sports Creams Rub the Pain Away?
2. Vibrate yourself to a leaner you
3. Run less. Run faster? For marathon training, less can be more, experts say
4. Wisdom From a World Record Holder
5. Beta-Alanine clinically proven to enhance performance in endurance athletes
6. Excess training may leave runners vulnerable to flus
7. The Anaerobic Threshold In Marathon Training
8. Massage After Exercise Myth Busted
9. Vitamins Found to Curb Exercise Benefits
10. Massive Volume Does Not Equal Massive Performance
11. Will Running Barefoot Cure What Ails Us?
12. One Size Doesn't Fit All
Individualizing Track Workouts Within a Group.
13. Heart Rate Variability Analysis- how to improve your training performance
14. Next-Level Training: Club or Coach?
Finding the Right Path to Better Running.
15. Digest Briefs

RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Which brand(s) of running shoe(s) have you worn?"


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

LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULTS:
"Which is/are your favourite event group(s) within athletics at the Olympic
Games?
Answers Percent
1. Sprints/hurdles 10%
2. Middle distance 18%
3. Long distance 22%
4. Steeplechase 12%
5. Jumps (high, long, triple jump) 9%
6. Throws (shot, discus, javelin) 7%
7. Pole vault 9%
8. Decathlon/Heptathlon 12%


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE MONTH: RunningUSA.org
Mission
Running USA advances the growth and success of the running industry in America.
Overall Goals
1. Promote and build the sport
2. Provide quality services that enhance members' businesses
History
Running USA, a non-profit organization for the running industry, was launched on
March 13, 1999 in Los Angeles. A joint and historic
venture with USA Track & Field (USATF), Running USA resulted from a year of
planning by the race directors of several leading U.S.
road races along with USATF's Long Distance Running Chairs and its CEO Craig
Masback. Steve Edwards was named its first executive
director.
From its original press release, Running USA was created to improve the status
of road racing in the United States through
collective marketing and promotions, services to runners and events and the
development of American world class stars
Visit the site at:
http://www.runningusa.org


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


BOOK/VIDEO/MOVIE OF THE MONTH: The Winning Mind: My Inside Track on Great
Leadership: Developing Inspirational Leadership and
Delivering Winning Results
By Seb Coe
Product Description
THE WINNING MIND is Seb Coe's highly personal account which gives true insight
into how success can be achieved.
From a childhood amidst the steel mills of Yorkshire to Olympic glory and
beyond, Sebastian Coe has always known how to capitalise
on the moments which separate winners from losers. Great leadership is also
about seizing the moment and doing the right thing at
the right time. The daily challenges, hard graft, meticulous planning, small
wins and frequent set-backs are all critical steps
which take you closer to a winning position and your ultimate goal. THE WINNING
MIND combines inspirational leadership,
self-development, popular business and biography that will help nurture the
qualities needed to achieve your full potential.
About the Author
Sebastian Coe is a winner. His record as a sporting champion and world-record
holder in middle-distance running speaks for itself,
and earned him four Olympic medals during a glittering career. He is also a
renaissance man of our times, as his record of achieving
success in many different areas of life shows. Sebastian Coe, now Lord Coe of
Ranmore, has been a politician, a business leader and
the inspirational figurehead of the successful 2012 Olympic bid. He is a life
peer, a Knight Commander of the Order of the British
Empire and is Vice President of the International Association of Athletics
Federations. Sebastian Coe has the passion,
determination, focus, dedication and self-belief that mark him out as a true
champion.
Buy the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0755318838/runnersweb-21

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. Do Sports Creams Rub the Pain Away?
CAROLYN LUMBER, a 56-year-old retired tennis pro, experimented with different
over-the-counter sports creams for more than five
years in the hope that one might ease the pain she had suffered since having
knee-replacement surgery. Nothing worked until Ms.
Lumber, who lives in Portland, Ore., started using a prescription product along
with the over-the-counter pain-relieving cream
ALCiS.
"I used to be very limited in what I could do, but now I can go for a two-hour
hike around the mountains,” Ms. Lumber said before
she was scheduled to play tennis one day. “ALCiS has managed to keep everything
very comfortable.”
ALCiS is one of several successful new products to enter a large, longstanding
and lucrative market for over-the-counter topical
analgesics, or pain creams, an industry that includes Bengay, Icy Hot,
ThermaCare and Aspercreme, and has been part of United States
retail since before the turn of the 20th century. Indeed, the medicinal smell of
many of these creams is ubiquitous in locker rooms
(that smell comes from methyl salicylate, an ingredient ALCiS does not include).
Last year, external analgesic rubs had approximately $275 million in sales in
the United States, excluding sales at Wal-Mart,
according to the Chicago-based market research firm Information Resources. But
despite Ms. Lumber’s experience, and despite those
big sales numbers, there is scant evidence that any of the creams actually work.
Some doctors point out that no physical changes
occur at the spot where the creams are applied — even if they give the
not-unpleasant sensation of heat or cold — and suggest that
the only real benefit could be that of a placebo.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/07/health/nutrition/07fitness.html?ref=nutrition


2. Vibrate yourself to a leaner you:
Vibrating exercise platforms, which are increasingly found in commercial gyms in
Europe and elsewhere, may help people lose the
particularly harmful deep "hidden" fat that surrounds the abdominal organs and
is linked to type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and
heart disease.
"We conclude that it would be good to combine aerobic exercise with whole body
vibration in a weight loss program," study chief Dirk
Vissers, a physiotherapist at the Artesis University College and the University
of Antwerp in Belgium told Reuters Health.
With whole body vibration training, people do squats, lunges, calf raises,
push-ups and sit-ups on a platform that sends mild
vibratory impulses through the feet and into the rest of the body. These
vibrations make muscles rapidly contract, which builds lean
muscle mass. Whole body vibration training is touted as a more effective method
of resistance training. Its true value, however, has
been unclear.
To investigate, Vissers and his colleagues divided 79 overweight or obese adults
into four groups. One group dieted but did not
exercise; another group dieted and did "conventional" aerobic and general
strength training exercises; a third group dieted and
engaged in three sessions per week of supervised whole body vibration training
but no aerobic exercise; and the fourth group -- the
control group -- did not diet or exercise.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE54743C20090508


3. Run less. Run faster? For marathon training, less can be more, experts say:
It sounds a little too good to be true: Finish a 26.2-mile marathon on just
three days of training a week.
But for time-pressed, injury-prone runners, this type of low-mileage marathon
plan can be an attractive alternative to the
traditional five- or six-day training programs. Why neglect your job, family and
friends while pounding out more than 50 miles a
week if you don't have to?
For many runners, finding the right regimen is a precarious balancing act. Too
little training can leave you painfully unprepared.
But as your mileage increases, so does your mental fatigue, physical exhaustion
and the risk of an overuse injury.
Marathon-lite plans usually involve two short but purposeful runs -- a speed
workout and paced run -- during the week and a longer
one on the weekend. Cross training (swimming, strength training or cycling) can
be incorporated, but isn't necessary. Junk miles are
eliminated
More...from the Chicago Tribune at:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-0510-marathonmay10,0,718282\
0.column


4. Wisdom From a World Record Holder:
Insights for masters and others from Jim Sorensen.
In the course of researching this article on masters world record holder Jim
Sorensen, I had a conversation with him about his
approach to training and advice he has for others aspiring to compete at their
best. Here’s what Sorensen, who has world masters
records at 800m (1:50.34) and 1500m (3:44.06)) and the American masters mile
record (4:04.98), had to say.
Running Times: You’ve managed to stay healthy and run at a very high level for a
long time. To what do you credit that success and
your ability to stay healthy?
Jim Sorensen: I stay relatively healthy but I always have a set back. My best
year ever [1996] I had no injuries, but every other
year I have had setbacks. My second healthiest year was 2006/07, and I ran a
couple of masters world records that year. Since I’m so
injury-prone, I’ve always been pretty conservative, so I don’t run high mileage.
I love to run mileage but I never have.
Almost every miler I know, that I’ve interacted with that’s at my level, like a
sub-4:00 guy, every single one of them has run more
miles than I have per week and has put in more training. And I’m always envious
of them because I know that if I could put in all
those miles and put in that training that my body will improve. But then again
you’re not going to improve if you’re injured, so
I’ve always had to be conservative. Maybe that’s given me longevity, I’m not
sure, but since I’m fairly injury-prone I’m always very
cautious and I have to be conservative. I can’t take chances because my body
just gets hurt.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=16487


5. Beta-Alanine clinically proven to enhance performance in endurance athletes:
Intro
With its release of OptygenHPTM in August of 2007, First EnduranceTM introduced
the endurance training and racing market to
beta-alanine-enhanced supplements. Since then, three additional clinical studies
have shown significant endurance performance
benefits from beta-alanine. Now positioned as the most promising nutrient since
creatine and supported with over 10 positive
clinical studies, beta-alanine has become widely accepted as a highly effective
nutrient for endurance training and racing. More
recent studies have clearly shown it to be an effective tool to boost endurance
training and racing through its effect on working
capacity, VO2 and lactate threshold. (Pottier 2007, Stout 2007, Suzuki 2002, Van
Thienen 2009, Zoeller 2006, and Smith 2009).
Lactate Threshold
Based on current research, beta-alanine’s primary role appears to be its effect
on lactate threshold - in endurance training,
defined as the rate at which there is equilibrium in lactic acid production and
lactic acid elimination. During exercise, hydrogen
ions (H+) are produced in the body and cause the pH levels in the muscles to
drop. When pH levels in the muscles are low, it means
muscle tissue is acidic or producing lactic acid. At this lower pH, muscles
cannot balance lactic acid production with lactic acid
elimination, resulting in an overall slowing of movement, physical strength and
intensity. When pH levels are balanced, training can
continue for longer periods at increased intensity.
More...from First Endurance at:
http://blog.firstendurance.com/2009/05/beta-alanine-clinically-proven-to-enhance\
-performance-in-endurance-athletes/


6. Excess training may leave runners vulnerable to flus:
With concern ratcheting up over the current pandemic potential of swine flu,
it's appropriate to address the curious, ambivalent
interplay between distance running and our immune systems. Runners have long
suspected what science has but recently confirmed:
moderate exercise can buttress our natural defenses against illness, but
excessive training – in terms of volume or intensity – can
crumble our biochemical fortresses, leaving us vulnerable to contagions that
range from merely pesky to downright life-threatening.
In his cult classic novel Once a Runner, John Parker describes the health
conundrum of a serious athlete, whose over-the-top
training occasionally threatened to bottom out his immunity to sickness. After a
Frank Shorter-like 132-mile week, Parker's
protagonist knew "that had a single germ strolled up and surveyed the premises,
it could have set up shop without even a damage
deposit." Like the novel's fictional hero Quenton Cassidy, many who undertake
arduous training leave themselves uncovered against
infection even as they add layers of endurance fitness. Personally, I've taken
sick after four of the nine marathons in my running
career. Likewise, although I haven't kept statistics on the phenomenon, I
regularly witness an uptick in sniffles within my prep
track team in the 48 hours following a major, day-long championship. Scientific
investigators do have statistics that suggest a link
between long, hard running and infectious episodes. Among others, Appalachian
State University health & exercise science professor
and Vanderbilt University epidemiologist Charles Matthews have published
independent studies that confirm anecdotal observation:
moderately active subjects experience about 20% fewer respiratory tract
infections than sedentary folks, but excessive exercise
bouts (can you say marathoning?) increase the infection rate almost fivefold,
compared to moderate running.
More...from Tallahassee.com at:
http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20090502/SPORTS/905020338/1002/SPORTS


7. The Anaerobic Threshold In Marathon Training:
By A. Glimov and V. Kulakov
The authors discuss the possible practical value in using the anaerobic
threshold speed, based on the Conconi test, as a guide for
the selection of an optimal pace in the various combinations of training means
employed by experienced marathon runners. The article
is a slightly edited and abbreviated translation from Legkaya Atletika, USSR,
No. 3, March 1991. Re-printed with permission from
Modern Athlete and Coach.
The anaerobic threshold, indicating the running speed at which the blood lactate
level increases suddenly, is a common indicator in
the guidance of long distance and marathon training. A popular method to
determine the anaerobic threshold is the Conconi test (Fig.
1). It is based on finding a deviation point in the pulse rate graph during a
steadily increased running speed. The deviation point,
according to Conconi, indicates the individual anaerobic threshold.
There appears to be a reliable correlation between the anaerobic threshold and
the running performance. Several authors have shown
that high level marathon runners cover the distance at an average speed that
corresponds to 92 to 93% of the anaerobic threshold
speed. Knowing their anaerobic threshold is therefore helpful for marathoners
for the selection of an optimal pace and the correct
exploitation of energy reserves.
Contemporary research has also shown that fats play, next to carbohydrates, an
active part in supplying energy for long distance
running. In addition, it is known that fats can be the basic energy suppliers up
to a certain running speed. However, as the running
speed increases, the role of the fats in the total energy production begins to
decrease in favour of carbohydrates.
More...from the Canadian Athletics Coaching Center at:
http://tinyurl.com/p2q2w9


8. Massage After Exercise Myth Busted:
A Queen’s University research team has blown open the myth that massage after
exercise improves circulation to the muscle and
assists in the removal of lactic acid and other waste products.
“This dispels a common belief in the general public about the way in which
massage is beneficial,” says Kinesiology and Health
Studies professor Michael Tschakovsky. “It also dispels that belief among people
in the physical therapy profession. All the
physical therapy professionals that I have talked to, when asked what massage
does, answer that it improves muscle blood flow and
helps get rid of lactic acid. Ours is the first study to challenge this and
rigorously test its validity.”
The belief that massage aids in the removal of lactic acid from muscle tissue is
so pervasive it is even listed on the Canadian
Sports Massage Therapists website as one of the benefits of massage, despite
there being absolutely no scientific research to back
this up.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090507164405.htm


9. Vitamins Found to Curb Exercise Benefits :
If you exercise to improve your metabolism and prevent diabetes, you may want to
avoid antioxidants like vitamins C and E.
That is the message of a surprising new look at the body’s reaction to exercise,
reported on Monday by researchers in Germany and
Boston.
Exercise is known to have many beneficial effects on health, including on the
body’s sensitivity to insulin. “Get more exercise” is
often among the first recommendations given by doctors to people at risk of
diabetes.
But exercise makes the muscle cells metabolize glucose, by combining its carbon
atoms with oxygen and extracting the energy that is
released. In the process, some highly reactive oxygen molecules escape and make
chemical attacks on anything in sight.
These reactive oxygen compounds are known to damage the body’s tissues. The
amount of oxidative damage increases with age, and
according to one theory of aging it is a major cause of the body’s decline.
The body has its own defense system for combating oxidative damage, but it does
not always do enough. So antioxidants, which mop up
the reactive oxygen compounds, may seem like a logical solution.
The researchers, led by Dr. Michael Ristow, a nutritionist at the University of
Jena in Germany, tested this proposition by having
young men exercise, giving half of them moderate doses of vitamins C and E and
measuring sensitivity to insulin as well as
indicators of the body’s natural defenses to oxidative damage.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/health/research/12exer.html?ref=nutrition


10. Massive Volume Does Not Equal Massive Performance:
Training volume is a component of three things; frequency, duration, and
intensity. The right mix of the big three at the right time
is the key to athletic success. It is a rare athlete that can absorb massive
amounts of volume. Full time professional athletes that
are able to sleep, eat, train, and repeat have a tremendous leg up on the rest
of us that must to incorporate full time jobs into
this mix. An afternoon power nap in and of itself is an incredible training
tool, especially for sleep deprived Americans. Many
athletes (and some coaches) insist on throwing massive amounts of training
volume at themselves with the idea that more volume
equals more speed. As one of my athletes pointed out several years ago "...this
is the only area of my life in which working harder
can actually work against me." There may initially be good adaptation to large
training volume, but the athlete will begin to
unravel if they can not absorb (recover from) the volume prescribed, both
physically and mentally.
Duration is the most common component to be over-introduced; especially for
athletes competing in shorter distance races. It is
logical to think that more miles will equal more speed but that is not
necessarily the case. I have worked with ultra distance
runners training for distances up to the 100 mile mark. Time on the feet is
essential for these athletes but all those miles did not
equal top end speed. Long slow distance training has a specific adaptation- it
trains you to cover long distances slowly. Why do
athletes insist on endless base miles even for shorter distance events? I think
it is the easiest of the big three to add to the
training plan. It is relatively complex to time lactate threshold training,
incorporate aerobic capacity work, and design a
progressive strength endurance plan. For an athlete that is new to a sport
adding the miles will create good adaptation up to a
point; then performance plateaus. In order to break through this plateau other
substrates must be addressed beyond endurance. There
is most definitely a place for long slow distance training but it is but a
single tool in the training tool box.
More...from TriFuel at:
http://www.trifuel.com/training/triathlon-training/massive-volume-does-not-equal\
-massive-performance


11. Will Running Barefoot Cure What Ails Us?
PopSci talks to an anti-shoe guru.
Why is it that, although the human species is pretty pathetic when it comes to
sprinting (just imagine Usain Bolt matching up with
your average cheetah in an Olympic 100-meter final and you get the picture), we
really rock as long-distance runners? In a
long-enough distance race, a well-trained human can outrun just about any
species on the planet.
Did we evolve to run long distances? There is certainly some compelling evidence
to support this hypothesis. Daniel Lieberman, a
paleoanthropologist at Harvard University, and Dennis Bramble, a biologist at
the University of Utah, argue that many of the
morphological and physiological characteristics of humans make us uniquely
adapted to running long distances.
But if so, why are those of us who run for recreation or competition so prone to
running-related injuries? If we are natural
runners, shouldn't running come naturally to us? Nowadays, we have a plethora of
fancy cushioned running shoe designs supposedly
intended to alleviate all manner of running related ailments. Maybe you need a
stability shoe for added support or perhaps a motion
control shoe in order to avoid excessive pronation. It may seem logical that
cushioning reduces the impact forces experienced while
running but do they really? In fact although it seems counter intuitive there
may be evidence to the contrary! At the same time
there is no convincing evidence supporting the case that cushioned running shoes
actually do anything to reduce the rate of running
injury.
More...from PopSci at:
http://www.popsci.com/entertainment-amp-gaming/article/2009-05/running-barefoot?\
page=


12. One Size Doesn't Fit All:
Individualizing Track Workouts Within a Group.
"Tonight, we'll start with six by 400, then close with four 200s." It's the type
of announcement you'll hear each week at hundreds
of club track workouts throughout the country. The workouts may vary, but the
concept doesn't: It's a group workout and everyone
will be doing the same thing.
We all know that's not the perfect way to train; runners differ and so do their
ideal workouts. We band together, though, because
solo speed workouts are tough. Personally, I love the camaraderie of the track
so much that if I had to choose between perfect
workouts and a congenial group, I'd probably choose the group.
But that doesn't mean workouts can't have some flexibility.
With 300 members, my club can draw as many as 40 to any given track workout.
We're a varied lot. There are high-mileage marathoners,
5K road racers, cross country runners, and people training for masters track.
Some are peaking for upcoming races, others just
beginning to build up. Paces vary, too. We have age-group champions, former
collegiate stars, and even 10-minute milers.
The diversity makes it hard to design workouts. When I was first asked to coach
the group, there seemed to be only two choices: run
a program aimed at whatever segment of the group I chose to favor, or punt, with
workouts that had something for everyone but not a
lot for anyone.
Every club coach faces the same dilemma. How to provide structurally sound
workouts that give everyone what they need, rather than
forcing them into the same mold? How to keep the whole thing fun and
interesting? Beginners are easily intimidated by repetitive
workouts, like 5 x 1,000m or 12 x 400m. Mile repeats are also a problem because
many people think the average runner shouldn't do
repeats much longer than 5 or 6 minutes. That means miles are too tough for the
slower people.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=16398


13. Heart Rate Variability Analysis- how to improve your training performance:
Heart rate variability analysis – a training tool you can’t ignore
Heart rate variability analysis (HRVA) is fast becoming a versatile instrument
for athletes and coaches. In this article Alan
Ruddock provides further evidence for HRVA’s efficacy and gives a step-by-step
guide for sportsmen and women who wish to use HRVA as
a monitoring tool to enhance training response.
In endurance sports, several ‘endurance markers’ are used to monitor athletes,
assess the effects of training and determine training
intensity. The most frequently applied models are the ventilatory threshold (VT)
and respiratory compensation point (RCP). To
identify these endurance markers, athletes normally undertake an incremental
exercise test to volitional exhaustion, usually within,
but not restricted to, an exercise physiology laboratory.
VT and RCP are identified using cardiopulmonary gas analysis equipment, which
continuously measures oxygen and carbon dioxide
concentrations and the flow of air inhaled and exhaled by athletes during
exercise. As exercise intensity increases during the test,
so does lactate and hydrogen ion production, and as the body attempts to
‘buffer’ the hydrogen, an increase in carbon dioxide
occurs. The response of the physiological system is to increase ventilation (the
total volume of gas being inspired and expired) to
expel the carbon dioxide.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/heart-rate-variability-analysis-how-improve-your\
-training-performance-40837



14. Next-Level Training: Club or Coach?
Finding the Right Path to Better Running.
It's 6 o'clock on a Tuesday evening at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco's Golden
Gate Park. I'm talking with Neil about the reasons
behind a recent race disappointment and with Dave about his spring marathon
mileage buildup. Newcomers Joe and Monica wait to
discuss pace for their upcoming intervals; meanwhile, around 10 more experienced
runners warm up together, rehashing the past
weekend, debating the relative merits of various post-workout watering holes, or
planning the next West Valley Track Club beer mile.

All of these athletes have joined the club for one basic reason: to improve.
And, although each may see a different aspect of the
experience as most important, all have found something in the mixture of group
training, weekly workout schedules, and socializing
that has enriched their running experiences.
I did all my best running, modest as it might have been, solo. I became
intimately familiar with the pitfalls that can result from
training without a coach or experienced training partners, even as I read every
available book on the theory and practice of
training and worked toward a Ph. D. in exercise physiology. Now, after
discovering how much the camaraderie of team training and
team competition can enhance someone's enjoyment of the sport and improve their
performance, I understand well the pull that brings
this group to the track each week, and I try to ensure that their experience
with the club benefits their running.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=16384


15. Digest Briefs:
** Quick Tip
By Robert Kunz MS
Gums found in gels slow absorption
Cellulose, xanthan and arabic gums are a typical ingredient in many gels. These
gums are used to turn a liquid product into a thick
gel. Clinical studies also clearly show they slow absorption and delay gastric
emptying leading to stomach discomfort. This is just
one reason why the EFS liquid shot which was formulated without any gums gets
absorbed fast and won’t back-up your stomach.
From First Endurance at:
http://www.firstendurance.com/
** The Natural Anti-Inflammatory Drug .To be a triathlete often means that
inflammation is your constant companion due to
over-training. As a result, the use of anti-inflammatory drugs (Aspirin, Motrin,
and Aleve) is exceptionally common. These drugs
reduce inflammation by inhibiting pro-inflammatory hormones known as
eicosanoids.
Unfortunately, they also inhibit the formation of anti-inflammatory eicosanoids
which results in the collateral damage that comes
with long-term use. Even in short-term use in ultra marathoners, it was
demonstrated that taking anti-inflammatory drugs prior to
and during a race actually produced more oxidative stress (1) and inflammation
without improving the muscle damage and soreness in a
matched group of runners who were not taking any such drugs (2).
So what is a triathlete to do, simply live with constant pain?
Actually it turns out that following an anti-inflammatory diet will dramatically
reduce the need for such anti-inflammatory drugs.
An anti-inflammatory diet is one that reduces the production of arachidonic acid
(AA). AA is the molecular building block for the
pro-inflammatory eicosanoids. Reduce AA by the diet and you automatically reduce
inflammation induced by training.
The foundation of an anti-inflammatory diet is one that is based on a diet rich
in fruits and vegetables. The reason is that the
color found in fruits and vegetables is a result of compounds known as
polyphenols. Polyphenols not only act as anti-oxidants to
reduce oxidative stress (i.e. free radicals), but they also have
anti-inflammatory properties as they inhibit the same enzymes that
are blocked by anti-inflammatory drugs. Now combine the consumption of fruits
and vegetables with adequate intake of protein and
high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, and you have a true “drug” that not only
reduces inflammation, but improves performance. It’s
also known as the Zone Diet.
Barry Sears Ph.D.
Founder of The Zone Diet
1) McAnulty SR, Owens JT, McAnulty LS, Nieman DC, Morrow JD, Dumke CL, Milne GL.
Ibuprofen use during extreme exercise: effects on
oxidative stress and PGE2. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007 Jul;39(7):1075-9.
2) Nieman DC, Henson DA, Dumke CL, Oley K, McAnulty SR, Davis JM, Murphy EA,
Utter AC, Lind RH, McAnulty LS, Morrow JD. Ibuprofen
use, endotoxemia, inflammation, and plasma cytokines during ultramarathon
competition. Brain Behav Immun. 2006 Nov;20(6):578-84.
** Changing a Flat Using a CO2 Cartridge .
You're out on a ride and, ppsssstttttt....the sound of a flat! Oh no! What do
you do now?! Hopefully you're prepared with the right
tools and knowledge about how to change the flat on the road so you can finish
your ride. In this short videocast, Coach Troy
demonstrates how to quickly change a clincher tire (tube) using a standard CO2
Cartridge. Practice this at home so that when it
happens on the road, you're ready for it!
Watch the video at:
http://usatriathlon.org/content/index/6220
From... www.USATriathlon.org
** This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago- Joseph Kariuki (KEN) won the Old Kent River Bank (MI/USA) 25K in
1:14:09 with compatriot
William Kiptum in 2nd with 1:14:24. Todd Williams won the USA
title in 4th place with
a 1:17:15. Teresa Wanjiku (KEN) won the women's race in 1:26:51
with Margaret Kagiri
(KEN) next in 1:27:38. Christine McNamara won the USA title in
3rd place with a 1:28:05.
This race is now known as the Fifth Third Bank 25 km.
20 Years Ago- David Clarke (ENG) won the Berlin (GER) 25K in 1:15:07, edging
Martin Vrabel (SVK) by
three seconds. Suleiman Nyambui (TAN) was 3rd in 1:16:01. Rosa
Mota (POR) won the
women's race in 1:25:46 with Alena Peterkova (CZE) not far back
at 1:25:55. Third place
went to Carla Beurskens (NED) in 1:27:10 while Alison Gooderham
(ENG) was 4th in 1:27:49.
30 Years Ago- Greg Meyer (USA) won the Old Kent River Bank (MI/USA) 25K in
1:14:29 well ahead of
Steve Flanagan (Shalane's father) in 1:17:28. Doug Kurtis was
3rd in 1:21:15. Kurtis
is perhaps best known for his "world record" 75 sub-2:20 marathon
performances (69 on
legitimate courses). Cheryl Flanagan (Shalane's mother) won the
women's race in
1:36:39.
40 Years Ago- Timothy Johnston (ENG) won the Karl Marx Stadt (GER) Marathon in
2:15:31.2 with Nedjalko
Farcic (SER) 2nd in 2:16:50.2 and Jürgen Busch (GER) 3rd in
2:17:43.8.
50 Years Ago- Kurao Hiroshima (JPN) won the Mainichi (Osaka JPN) Marathon in
2:30:06. This race is now
known as the Biwa-ko Marathon and is held in near-by Otsu.
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)

May 15-16, 2009:
Ragnar Relay New York - Woodstock-NYC, NY

May 16-17, 2009:
PAC 10 Championships - Eugene, OR

May 16, 2009:
Colonel by Classic 8Km, 3Km Run, & Wylie Ryan Dow's Lake 1Km Run - Ottawa, ON

Early Bird Triathlon, Duathlon & Relays - Ottawa, ON

(5th) Healthy Kidney 10K - New York, NY

May 17, 2009:
ING Bay to Breakers 12K, San Francisco, CA

(10th) Cellcom Green Bay Marathon - Green Bay, WI

Denver Post Colorado Colfax Marathon, Denver, CO

Marine Corps Historic Half - Fredericksburg, VA

Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon & 10K, Cleveland, OH

Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon - Sydney, Australia

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
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