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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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
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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/

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

Offer: Enjoy 20% off clearance items at Nikestore.com when you enter code
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Dates: April 23, 2009 - May 6, 2009
Restrictions: Enter promo code TRAINHARD at checkout. Discount valid on
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after discount. Not transferable and not redeemable for cash, credit, towards
previous purchases. Redeemable at NikeStore.com, Swoosh.com, or via telephone
only. Can be used in combination with Free Shipping promo codes only.  Offer
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Text Link:
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Foot Locker:
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It's The Sports Bra Sale at ChampionUSA.com! All Bras are $19.99 and up! Valid
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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
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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:
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&SPSID=105551

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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:
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* 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
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premium content for TV, web, mobile, captive Audience
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Breaksweat.tv was recently launched to provide instant access to premium video
content covering outdoor sports. The innovative
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Breaksweat TV is not a user generated website, or a broadcasting channel; rather
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For more information and to visit other existing channels in the Simply Media
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* Sports Nutrition by Sheila Kealey. Sheila is one of Ottawa's top multisport
athletes and a member of the OAC Racing Team and X-C
Ottawa. She has a Masters in Public Health and works in the field of nutritional
epidemiology as a Research Associate with the
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Carmichael Training Systems at:
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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. What Ruins Running
Tomorrow's marathoners who have suffered foot and knee injuries should ask: Is
the problem their body or their shoes?
2. Sportsmedicine: Understanding the Stretch Reflex (or Myotatic Reflex)
3. Educated's Excellent Ekstrand: His Fitness Is Up in Uppland
4. Runner's high
If judged by race times alone, 1992 was the pinnacle of my running career. It
was also 17 years ago.
5. Five common pre-race mistakes triathletes should avoid
7. How to prevent hyponatremia during long distance events
8. Heat Illness Study
9. Corrective Exercises That Triathletes Need To Do
10. Want to Go Faster? You Need a Trainer
Exercise physiologists and coaches say most people who want to run, swim, cycle
or row faster or improve in almost any sport do not appreciate what can be
accomplished with training nor how to do it.
11. Triathlon – why swimming, cycling and running training is not enough
12. U.S. nutritionists urge new, not-as-sweet drinks
13. What women want from mountain biking
14. Keep the running shoes, but hit the pool
15. Digest Briefs


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Which are your favourite places to run?
Cross Country
Indoor Track
Outdoor Track
Road
Trail
Treadmill"

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 aspects of race organization are important to you?"

Answers Percent
1.   Certified course  14%
2.   Accurate timing  14%
3.   Traffic-free course  13%
4.   Aid stations  11%
5.   T-shirts  10%
6.   Finisher medals  7%
7.   Prize money  8%
8.   Medical services  8%
9.   Large field  6%
10.  Other (Weather)  8%


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. What Ruins Running:
Tomorrow's marathoners who have suffered foot and knee injuries should ask: Is
the problem their body or their shoes?
I'd been plagued by running injuries my entire adult life. I'd seen the best
sports-medicine physicians and podiatrists in the country, and they'd all
prescribed the same fruitless formula of orthotics, ice, and injections. Nothing
and no one could cure me. So a few years ago, I looked elsewhere: to a tiny
tribe of super-athletes in Mexico, who taught me that it's not running that's
dangerous -- it's running shoes.
That's right. Running shoes are a failed experiment. After nearly four decades
of technological gimmicks and outrageous prices, they simply do not perform the
function that's their only reason for existence -- protecting your feet. You can
now buy running shoes with steel bedsprings embedded in the soles or with
microchips that adjust the cushioning, but the injury rate hasn't decreased in
almost 40 years. It's actually inched up; Achilles' tendon problems have risen
by 10 percent since the '70s.
More...from the Boston Globe at:
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/magazine/articles/2009/04/19/what_ruins_runnin\
g/


2. Sportsmedicine: Understanding the Stretch Reflex (or Myotatic Reflex):
The nervous system of mammals is very complex. For most major actions in the
body the brain must decide what movement or action must be taken, the nerve
impulses must be transmitted out of the brain, down the spinal cord and out to
the intended receiver. Then when the action is carried out the impulse must
return back the reverse pathway to tell the brain it was completed and start the
next process. This is the path for any brain-controlled, conscious, impulses.
Although it takes a lot of words to explain, it is really a very rapid process.
There are many processes in the body that do not require direct thought to
complete. The heart functions, breathing, metabolic processes, disease fighting
and many other autonomic processes happen automatically in the body. The body
uses signals to increase, decrease, or maintain many of these actions. If the
carbon dioxide levels in the body begin to rise, the autonomic nervous system,
through acid/base thermostats, calls for an increase in respiratory rate.
Another automatic response by the nervous system is the reflex. The body reacts
in a predetermined way based on specific stimulus. This may be a practiced
response or a pre-programmed one. The stretch reflex is one of those responses.
What is the Stretch Reflex?
The stretch reflex; which is also often called the myotatic reflex, knee-jerk
reflex, or deep tendon reflex, is a pre-programmed response by the body to a
stretch stimulus in the muscle. When a muscle spindle is stretched an impulse is
immediately sent to the spinal cord and a response to contract the muscle is
received. Since the impulse only has to go to the spinal cord and back, not all
the way to the brain, it is a very quick impulse. It generally occurs in 1-2
milliseconds.
This is designed as a protective measure for the muscles, to prevent tearing.
The muscle spindle is stretched and the impulse is also immediately received to
contract the muscle, protecting it from being pulled forcefully or beyond a
normal range.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news_2009/rw_news_20090421_TSH_Stretch_Reflex.\
html


3. Educated's Excellent Ekstrand: His Fitness Is Up in Uppland:
The runners coached by EducatedRunner.com have been doing extremely well. A case
in point is Ingmar Ekstrand, an intelligent, tough-minded, 63-year-old runner
who hails from the beautiful university city of Uppsala, Sweden. Ingmar has
life-time PR of 3:10 for the marathon and in the past year has hit 20:43 during
a club-run 5K and 3:34:00 for the 26.2-mile event. Before coming to
EducatedRunner, he was a confirmed Lydiardite, with weeks filled with 17- to
18-kilometer runs and a nearly mandatory 25- to 30-K, LSD workout each Sunday.
He arrived at EducatedRunner’s door step wanting to be faster in shorter races
and more-confident in competitions.
At the beginning of this month, coach Owen placed Ingmar on a lower-volume,
higher-quality training plan, dropping his weekly Ks from 100 to about 60,
boosting Ingmar’s workout intensity, and adding strength training to his
program (the combination of quality running and resistance work is a cornerstone
of the EducatedRunner philosophy).
Over the past three weeks, Ingmar has completed some notable workouts, including
the following:
             (1) 7 X 400 in 87 seconds each, with 87-second jog recoveries (a
session which EducatedRunner.com would term a vVO2max-plus workout),
             (2) 3 X 1000 in 3:50-3:55 each, with four-minute jog recoveries (the
projected split for this one was 4:18, but Ingmar felt so good with his reduced
volume that he took off and felt great at the faster speeds!),
             (3) A marathon-prep session, with 6K easily, 12K at marathon tempo,
and 6K easily,
             (4) Three circuit sessions with series of 10 different exercises
interspersed with high-quality running segments ranging in length from 400 to
800 meters, and finally
             (5) A vVO2max test, which involved running all-out for six minutes
continuously. This was a shock to Ingmar’s system: After a winter of running
at tempos of 11 to 12 km/hour, his neuromuscular system was jolted by the update
to 16 km/hour! Ingmar covered 1610 meters during the exam, for an average of 4.5
meters per second (89.5 seconds per 400 meters). Completion of the vVO2max test
provides a benchmark which can be used to chart gains in running capacity in the
months ahead. vVO2max can also be employed to create a variety of high-intensity
workouts, including the vVO2max-plus session described above (# 1).
This kind of training pushed Ingmar’s fitness up so high that Saturday he won
the Regional (Uppland) Cross Country Championship (4K) in his division,
completed over a very tough and hilly course. The key period of the race was the
second lap, when Ingmar overtook his opponents during a challenging uphill
segment and then charged steadily toward the finish (the photo at the top of
this story shows Ingmar, in second place, getting ready to make his decisive
move). He is looking forward to a series of upcoming races and of course to
toeing the starting line for the Stockholm Marathon on May 30.
As Ingmar himself points out, moving his six-minute, vVO2max-test distance up to
1700 meters, a reasonable goal, would represent a close-to-6-percent upgrade in
vVO2max and thus in all of his race times. Before too long, he will be in
sub-20-minute territory for the 5K, for example, and he will knock about 13
minutes off his marathon time. Stay tuned to this blog for further reports on
Ingmar’s progress. He’ll be transitioning soon from general strengthening
(as represented by the circuit workouts) to running-specific strength training
and then on to hill and explosive work.
From the Educated Runner at:
http://www.educatedrunner.com/


4. Runner's high:
If judged by race times alone, 1992 was the pinnacle of my running career. It
was also 17 years ago.
Almost lost amid the clutter of our basement office are two cardboard file
boxes. They contain a nearly complete and mostly chronological record of an
amateur athletic career now well into its fourth decade.
One box covers the prehistoric era, roughly defined as the period from the
mid-1970s until 1990. To fully understand this era, you need to know that I
started running long before it was popular.
My early athletic aspirations followed the mainstream. Like my friends, I wanted
to play football or hockey. These dreams were gradually dispelled by the
overwhelming reality that I was neither big enough nor talented enough.
But when the dreaded one-mile run was forced upon us in gym class, I found
myself at the front of the pack. I did as I was told and reported to the
cross-country coach after school. My relationship with running had begun
More...from the Globe and Mail at:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090422.wfacts22/BNStory/lif\
eMain/home


5. Five common pre-race mistakes triathletes should avoid:
Mora offers tips for beginning triathletes
Champaign, IL--The days preceding a first triathlon can be nerve-wracking for
first time triathletes. In the new edition of Triathlon 101 (Human Kinetics,
2009), triathlon expert John Mora addresses five pre-race mistakes triathletes
should avoid:
~ Overreacting to new race course information. It's important to be familiar
with the race course on race day, but don't squeeze in some last-minute training
based on new information you learn about the race the day before the event. For
example, perhaps you discover that the bike course is hillier than you
thought--now is not the time to get in some last-minute hill training. You'll
risk injury or burnout, plus it won't do you much good, anyway.
~ Losing sleep. Chances are you'll be a little anxious the days before your
first triathlon. While it's not a big deal to get less sleep the night before,
long-term sleep deprivation over three or more days can cause you to lose your
edge and diminish your enjoyment on race day. Make a special effort to catch up
on your sleep the week before an event. This will also help your body recover
from training.
~ Becoming too preoccupied with details. Triathlon racing, like life, is a
balancing act. We've talked about the importance of covering all those details,
but there is such a thing as obsessing over insignificant particulars. Examples
include fussing over the lack of detail on the swim course map, fretting over
which flavor Gatorade to drink, and checking the race Web site every 15 minutes.
~ Not accounting for race-day conditions. Keep an eye on the weather forecast in
the days before the race. If there's even a slight chance of rain, pack a poncho
for prerace transition area setup and comfort. If conditions will be hot and
humid, pack extra fluids and your best moisture-wicking racing apparel. Of
course, don't forget your sunblock and sunglasses.
~ Not preparing for a flat. We've talked about the importance of having the
essential flat repair equipment on your bicycle--tube, frame air pump, tire
levers. Yet, you'll almost always see a novice triathlete walking his or her
bicycle back to the transition area or waiting for a rescue wagon during a big
race. Don't let that be you. You should have done it long ago, but if you
haven't, visit your bike shop for the gear and a flat-tire changing lesson the
week before the race.
Excerpt adapted from Triathlon 101, Second Edition (Human Kinetics, 2009).  For
more information on Triathlon 101 or other triathlon books, visit
www.HumanKinetics.com or call 800-747-4457.


6. High Altitude Healing:
By Chris Carmichael
I’m less surprised that Lance broke his collarbone, and more surprised that
it’s the first time he’s broken it in the 19 years I’ve been working with
him. Come to think of it, he’s had remarkably few injuries in his adult life.
Back in 2000 he broke a vertebra in his neck in the process of flipping over a
car – if memory serves – while training in the mountains before the Sydney
Olympics. Beyond that, he’s really only had the normal scrapes, bumps, and
bruises that come with being a professional cyclist. And in typical Lance
fashion, he took his recent crash in stride and looked forward instead of
lamenting about what he could have done differently.
And as much respect as I have for European physicians, I glad Lance endured the
long plane flight home to be treated in Austin, Texas. I’m not an expert in
healthcare systems, but having been in and out of my share of hospitals around
the world with my own injuries, injured athletes and kids, there’s no place
I’d rather be treated than in the US. I broke my collarbone in East Germany in
the early 80s, and when I went to the hospital all the instruments and
facilities looked they were straight out of WWII. Then my doctor came into the
room and proceeded to smoke a cigarette throughout my examination. They told me
I needed surgery, and I could only imagine where the metal plate was going to
come from, so I gritted my teeth, got off the table and walked out. My plane
ride home was a lot longer than Lance’s, but probably just as painful, and in
my case it turned out I didn’t need surgery after all. In Lance’s case,
x-rays in Austin showed the fracture – and the subsequent repair - was more
complicated than previously believed. But the surgery went very well and he was
back on the bike within days.
More...from Carmichael Training Systems at:
http://www.trainright.com/articles.asp?uid=4260


7. How to prevent hyponatremia during long distance events:
By Monique Ryan, MS, RD
The past decade of triathlon long distance course competition has born witness
to the hyponatremic meltdown of many age-groupers and professionals competitors.
While this lowering of blood sodium levels can be dramatic, dangerous, and even
fatal, many half and full Ironman triathletes can experience mild to severe
degrees of this condition. The lower sodium blood levels drop, the more serious
and life-threatening the symptoms. At the very least, hyponatremia can slow your
competitive efforts and is best prevented. Anywhere from 3 to 27 percent of
ultra-endurance athletes seeking medical care may suffer from hyponatremia.
Researchers at one Hawaiian Ironman found that up to 30 percent of competitors
were hyponatremic.
Cause and effect
While the causes of hyponatremia are many and varied, there are two main
culprits. The first is excess fluid intake, which occurs when you drink too much
salt-free fluid leading up to competition and drink in excess of your sweat
losses during competition. High sodium sweat concentration is the second
culprit. Extensive and repeated sweating as seen during Ironman can clearly
result in large sodium losses. Triathletes with longer finishing times are also
at great risk for fluid overload, as there is simply more time to sweat and
drink during a race.
Simply put, excessive fluid intake is a big risk factor for developing
hyponatremia, and how you pre-hydrate and your drinking strategies during
competition can have a significant effect upon this precarious fluid balance.
Being a salty sweater also exacerbates this condition.
More...from USA Triathlon at:
http://usatriathlon.org/content/index/6036


8. Heat Illness Study:
Lora Harrison April 20, 2009
Heat Illness in Endurance Athletes
•    How many athletes feel sick during hot races?
•    Why do some athletes get sicker than others?
•    What can be done to prevent these symptoms?
The Department of Sports Medicine at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical
Center is researching heat illness in endurance athletes. If you attempted a
marathon, half marathon, or triathlon within the past two weeks then you may be
eligible to complete an online survey about your race. The survey takes 5-10
minutes to complete and is completely anonymous. This will not affect your
participation in future races. Please click the link below if you are interested
in completing the survey.
Take the survey now at:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=gsh9UO8yOmlPD9ExC0UZJw_3d_3d


9. Corrective Exercises That Triathletes Need To Do:
This is the first of a 6 part series on corrective exercises triathletes (or any
athlete for that matter) must do everyday to balance their body. With so many
overuse injuries in the sport, these athletes must make it a priority to perform
these exercises as part of their daily workout routine.
With so much demand on the body from vigorous training, triathletes need to
build balance throughout their entire body. All athletes need core, hip and
shoulder stability and ankle, hip and thoracic (mid-spine) mobility. The
stronger your structure becomes the less you become injured and the higher your
performance will soar. Endurance athletes seem to wait too long to correct their
imbalances and issues. From an unstable lower spine, weak and “loose” hips
and shoulders, and a weak core, triathletes are destined for a physical therapy
clinic. These six corrective exercises can big a huge assistance to correcting
some major issues I see all the time in, not just triathletes, but a majority of
athletes. These movements need to be part of a regular routine so you can build
a balanced body, increase your flexibility and mobility and decrease your chance
of injury. Remember when you get hurt you can not train and when you can not
train you can not get better. Train smart and perform these exercises daily.
More...from TriFuel at:
http://www.trifuel.com/training/triathlon-training/corrective-exercises-that-tri\
athletes-need-to-do


10. Want to Go Faster? You Need a Trainer:
Exercise physiologists and coaches say most people who want to run, swim, cycle
or row faster or improve in almost any sport do not appreciate what can be
accomplished with training nor how to do it.
IF anyone ever wondered whether it was talent or sustained systematic training
that makes athletes so good, they need only look at Joshua Gordon, a
professional mediator in Boston.
Mr. Gordon ran cross-country in college before stopping completely to take up
baseball. Six years later, in 1999, he decided, almost as a lark, to run the
Boston Marathon. He joined a program to learn how to run longer distances, a
process that involved gradually increasing the length of his runs and focusing
only on distance, not speed.
He finished the marathon in a little over four hours, not especially fast for a
man of 24, but he did meet his goal. “I was thrilled,” he said.
And so he found himself edging back into running, entering shorter races, 5 and
10 kilometers. He tried to train on his own, but he never did particularly well
until he decided to start serious, rigorous marathon training with the Boston
Athletic Association. He received coached track workouts once a week, four to
six coached runs of 18 to 23 miles along the marathon course, and he had a group
of skilled and talented athletes to run with.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/health/nutrition/23best.html?_r=1&ref=nutritio\
n


11. Triathlon – why swimming, cycling and running training is not enough:
Triathlon may be the ultimate test of cardiovascular endurance, but according to
Nick Grantham, triathletes who neglect musculoskeletal strength and flexibility
will never fulfil their true potential
Triathlon is an endurance sport consisting of swimming, cycling and running over
various distances. In most modern triathlons, these events are placed
back-to-back in immediate sequence, and a competitor’s official time includes
the time required to ‘transition’ between the individual legs of the race,
including any time necessary for changing clothes and shoes.
While there are various race distances the three most common are Sprint, Olympic
and Ironman. Take a look at the breakdown (see table 1 below) for each stage of
the event and you can see that when it comes to the Ironman competitors, these
are no normal athletes!
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/triathlon-why-swimming-cycling-and-running-train\
ing-not-enough-40780


12. U.S. nutritionists urge new, not-as-sweet drinks:
Soft drink makers should invent and market a new category of semi-sweet
beverages that will help wean Americans off their reliance on sugary drinks,
nutrition experts said on Monday.
They proposed a new class of reduced-calorie beverages with no more than 1 gram
of sugar per ounce, which with about 50 calories is about 70 percent less sugar
than a typical soft drink contains. They said such drinks should also be free of
artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharine.
"We need to retrain American tastes away from super-sweet drinks," Lilian Cheung
of the Harvard School of Public Health said in a statement.
"If we can shift the present American norm back to a lower expectation of
sweetness, people will adjust their palates, particularly the younger
population."
The American Beverage Association, which represents soft drink makers, was not
immediately available for comment.
The researchers cited evidence that sugary drinks are an important contributor
to the epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes in the United States, where more
than two-thirds of the population is overweight or obese.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE53J6NE20090420


13. What women want from mountain biking:
Riding down a spongy, pine needle-covered trail in the North Cascade foothills,
one thing was clear: I did not want to hit a tree. Some of the hefty hardwoods
measured as wide as doorways and had withstood years of battering, coastal
storms and, more recently, mild assaults from clumsy mountain bikers.
My fellow biker babes and I were feeling confident, however, after three hours
of skills sessions during which we learned how to leap over logs, pedal up steep
hills, and do wheelie drops (a technique for clearing obstacles or descending
steep ledges). Even more important, we had mastered controlled braking, the
skill that would help ensure a safe, Band-Aid-free descent of Galbraith Mountain
in northwest Washington.
Thirty-four of us had signed up for the Dirt Series program, a women's weekend
mountain bike camp in Bellingham. This roving instruction program holds camps
throughout the Northwest, from its home base in Whistler, British Columbia, down
to Santa Cruz, Calif., and as far east as Park City, Utah.
More...from the Boston Globe at:
http://www.boston.com/travel/getaways/us/articles/2009/04/19/what_women_want_fro\
m_mountain_biking/


14. Keep the running shoes, but hit the pool:
Allan Rock, 61, is president of the University of Ottawa. An Achilles tendon
injury ended his 30-year, five-day-a-week running regime, which had included
four marathons and five half-marathons. But the injury introduced him to
cross-training, which improved his stamina as it restored his conditioning and
flexibility.
MY GOAL
"My goal used to be to bring my running time down. I did a half-marathon in
1:50. My first marathon was in New York and I ran it in 3:55. My best was 3:30,
because I knew the route and didn't start out too fast. I've been lucky with
health. ... Now I exercise for energy to endure long work days."
six days a week, and varies his activities. "I studied yoga, but haven't in 10
to 12 years. I do a series of my own design based on my general awareness of
what to stretch and for how long. As time goes by, it's increasingly difficult
to maintain flexibility."
Elliptical or rowing machine: 40 minutes.
Weights: three sets of 10 reps of bench press and biceps curls. "[They're] not
huge weights, but enough to provide sufficient challenge to the muscles."
"I walk to work every day." This amounts to about 10 kilometres each workday.
More...from the Globe and Mail at:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090417.LCRUNCH17ART1610/TPSto\
ry/?query=power+crunch


15. Digest Briefs:
** This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago-  The London (ENG) Marathon had five men under 2:10, led by
Abdelkader El Mouaziz (MAR)
                with a 2:07:57.  Antonio Pinto (POR) in 2:09:00 and Abel Anton
(ESP) in 2:09:41
                finished out the top three.  Joyce Chepchumba (KEN) led seven
others under 2:30 in
                the women's race with her 2:23:22.  Adriana Fernandez (MEX) was
2nd in 2:24:06 and
                Manuela Machado (POR) was 3rd in 2:25:09.
20 Years Ago-  Susan Marchiano (USA) won the IAAF World Cup (ITA) Marathon by a
wide margin with her
                2:30:48.  The silver medal went to Misako Miyahara (JPN) while
Uta Pippig (GER)
                collected the bronze medal with a 2:35:17.  Metaferia Zeleke
(ETH) won the next day's
                men's race in 2:10:28 with Dereje Nedi (ETH) and Gianni Poli
(ITA) getting the silver
                and bronze medals with 2:10:36 and 2:10:49 respectively.
30 Years Ago-  Tim Backenstose (USA) won the Penn Relays Etonic (PA/USA)
Marathon in 2:22:14.  Diana
                Golden (USA) won the women's race in 3:07:21.  This was one of
several marathons
                associated with spring relay meets in the USA, including the
Drake Relays, Kansas Relays,
                and Florida Relays.  All of these marathons have been long
discontinued.
40 Years Ago-  Dave Bedford (ENG) won a 10,000m in London ENG with a 28:24.4.
50 Years Ago-  John Macy (POL) defeated Leonard "Buddy" Edelen (USA) in the two
mile at the Kansas Relays.
                Macy's winning time was 8:59.2.  Edelen's time is not known to
ADR.
60 Years Ago-  Gösta Leandersson (SWE) won the Boston (MA/USA) Marathon in
2:31:51.
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.
**  Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine:
Dear Dr. Mirkin: I exercise heavily but still have high blood pressure. Do I
need to take drugs?
High blood pressure causes premature death from heart attacks, strokes and
kidney disease.  Exercise and a high-plant diet are effective ways to lower high
blood pressure. However, if your blood pressure is still high after you have
done your best with lifestyle changes, your doctor will probably recommend that
you take drugs. Many exercisers and even elite competitive athletes suffer from
high blood pressure and should take medication (Journal of Clinical
Hypertension, April.2009).  High blood pressure is dangerous when your systolic
blood pressure does not drop below 120 in the evening before you go to bed.
Angiotensin receptor blockers are the drugs of choice for exercisers because
they do not hinder athletic performance and may even enhance it.  ACE inhibitors
are also safe for athletes with the exception that as many as 25 percent will
suffer coughing when they take them.  Beta blockers are not recommended for
athletes or heavy exercisers because they slow heart rate, tire you during
exercise, and impair performance.  Diuretics are very safe, but when you take
them, you will start each exercise session dehydrated which will make you tire
earlier.
Common brand names of Angiotensin Receptor Blockers: Atacand, Avapro, Benicar,
Cozaar, Diovan, Micardis, Teveten
ACE Inhibitors: Accupril, Aceon, Benazepril, Capoten, Captopril, Mavik, Monapril
Ramipril, Univasc, Vasotec
  Beta blockers:   Betapace, Blocadren, Cartrol, Coreg, Corgard, Corzide,
Inderal, Inderide, Kerlone, Levatol, Lopressor, Normodyne, Sectral, Tenoretic,
Tenormin, Timolide, Toprol,
Trandate, Visken, Zebeta, Ziac
From Dr. Mirkin's e_zine at:
http://www.drmirkin.com




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

April 22-25, 2009:
Drake Relays - Des Moines, Iowa

April 23-25, 2009:
Penn Relays - Philadelphia, PA

April 24-25, 2009:
American Odyssey Relay - Gettysburg, PA-Washington, DC

April 24-26, 2009:
St. Anthony's Triathlon - FL

April 25, 2009:
(10th) Country Music Marathon - Nashville, TN

East Beach Chesapeake Bay 10K - Norfolk, VA

Get in Gear 10K - Minneapolis, MN

Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon & Mini Marathon - Louisville, KY

Main Street 5K Festival - Sparta, NJ

April 26, 2009:
adidas MBC Marathon - Seoul, Korea

Big Sur International Marathon, Carmel, CA

London Marathon, London, UK

More | Fitness Marathon + Half-Marathon - New York City, NY

Run for Reach - Ottawa, ON

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@...
613-746-4053
http://www.OACRacingTeam.com
http://www.EmiliesRun.com

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* Play the entire video from start to finish.

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

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
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:
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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
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Ray Zahab, Contributing Editor
Ray Zahab is Canada's most renowned ultramarathon runner. A former pack-a-day
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foot races. Beginning in November 2006, Ray and two
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Distribution
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iRun Magazine is a sponsor of Emilie's Run
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9. Canadian Running Magazine: Subscribe at:
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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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NEW THIS WEEK:

Check out the latest hot promotion now available at Nikestore.com.
Enjoy Free Shipping on your purchase of $100 or more
Offer Copy: Enjoy Free Shipping on your purchase of $100 or more at
Nikestore.com
Code: NIKESNEAKER
Dates: April 16, 2009 - April 22, 2009
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GET AN EXTRA 20% OFF EVERYTHING ON OUR SITE!
Hurry! Now through April 26th, your customers can get an EXTRA 20% off their
total purchase at ChampionUSA.com.
There's no promotional code necessary!
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Foot Locker:
Take 15% off no minimum. Use code LKS19A5M. Valid 4.6-5.4
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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

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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. Do tight socks improve performance?
Compression garments claim to speed recovery by pumping oxygen flow. They may
actually work.
2. Growth hormone slows age-related loss of strength
3. Dr. Mirkin's Fitness & Health eZine
4. .Calorie-Burning Fat? Studies Say You Have It
5. Gender Differences in Endurance Performance and Training
6. Student-designed Device Provides New Way To Track Calorie Burning
7. Alex "IronDoc" McDonald: Amino Acids Before, During and After Exercise
8. Horse stem-cell technique to be tested in people
9. Eat or get beaten
One of the most overlooked ways that female athletes sabotage themselves is by
not consuming enough food.
10. Want to get buff, ladies? Switch contraceptives
11. Hormones, knee injuries linked
New research finds joint laxity is influenced by phases of the menstrual cycle .
12. Multivitamins could be dangerous, report says
13. Hamstring Flexibility and Stretches
14. Walking vs Running as dryland training for XC
15. Digest Briefs


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Which aspects of race organization are important to you?"
Certified course
Accurate timing
Traffic-free course
Aid stations
T-shirts
Finisher medals
Prize money
Medical services
Large field
Other (email:polls2009@...)

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:
"What would be the best way(s) to manage the excessive demand for entry into
many of the major marathons and triathlons?"
Answers Percent
1.   Time stamped on-line entry  5%
2.   Geographical quotas  0%
3.   Performance standards  89%
4.   Lottery  5%
5.   Other  0%


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. Do tight socks improve performance?
Compression garments claim to speed recovery by pumping oxygen flow. They may
actually work.
THE QUESTION
Will compression pants and knee socks make me fitter and stronger?
THE ANSWER
From basketball players wearing compression shorts and sleeves on their shooting
arm to marathoners racing in knee-high socks, there's a lot of tight clothing in
the upper echelons of sport these days. And the reasons vary.
"It has become evident that one garment does not do all things," says William
Kraemer, a professor at the University of Connecticut's Human Performance Lab
and past president of the U.S. National Strength and Conditioning Association.
The wave of colourful spandex that engulfed gyms in the 1980s offered benefits
such as cooling, sweat management, reduced chafing and (ahem) better support,
Dr. Kraemer notes. The current vogue is focused on bolder claims of enhanced
power, better endurance or faster recovery, depending on the garment.
Attempts to verify these claims have reached conflicting conclusions, in part
because it's so difficult to control exactly how much compression is applied to
different body shapes. But it's increasingly clear that these garments do
something.
The new generation of compression gear is descended from medical leggings that
have been used for decades to treat blood clots and certain circulatory
disorders. The key is that these garments deploy "graduated" compression: They
squeeze more and more tightly the farther they are from the heart. Such leggings
help reduce blood pooling in the legs and speed the return of blood to the
heart.
More...from the Globe and Mail at:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090410.LJOCKOLOGY10GTAART1627\
/TPStory/?query=Alex+Hutchinson+


2. Growth hormone slows age-related loss of strength:
Ten years of growth hormone treatment improves muscle strength in adults who
have a deficiency of the hormone. The first five years of treatment restores
muscle strength, and the second five years and thereafter slow age-related loss
of strength, Swedish investigators say.
Adults with growth hormone deficiency tend to have excess body fat and reduced
muscle strength, but little is known about the effect of prolonged growth
hormone therapy on muscle strength.
Dr. Galina Gotherstrom and colleagues at Goteborg University evaluated the
effects of 10 years of treatment on muscle strength and neuromuscular function
in 109 subjects, average age 50 years, with adult-onset growth hormone
deficiency.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE53861W20090409


3. Dr. Mirkin's Fitness & Health eZine:
**  Special Issue on Coffee and other Caffeine Sources
Researchers at the University of Illinois report that 300 mg of caffeine (the
amount in four cups of coffee) reduces muscle burning during intense exercise in
both regular coffee
drinkers and in those who do not drink coffee at all (International Journal of
Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.  April, 2009).  One of the researchers,
Robert Motl, PhD, says that caffeine blocks spinal nerves that transmit pain
messages to the brain.  This means that people can exercise longer because they
feel less pain.
Athletes take caffeine because they know it helps them to exercise longer. When
muscles run out of their stored muscle sugar, they have to burn more fat which
requires more oxygen.  Lack of oxygen is the limiting factor in how fast and
hard you can exercise over long periods of time. When you run low on oxygen,
lactic acid accumulates in the muscles, which makes muscles more acidic, causing
the burning that you feel in tired muscles.  However, caffeine helps to delay
the burning by causing muscles to burn more fat so they can preserve the sugar
stored in muscles and you can exercise longer without accumulating large amounts
of lactic acid.
Another interesting study from Iran showed that omega-3 fatty acids lessened
delayed onset muscle soreness that occurs 48 hours after exercise in untrained
men (Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, March 2009).
**  Dear Dr. Mirkin:  Is there any evidence that caffeine raises blood pressure?
If you do not have high blood pressure or heart disease, there is little
evidence that drinking coffee will affect you.  Several studies have shown no
association between drinking coffee (up to six cups per day) and sustained high
blood pressure or heart attacks (JAMA, February 14, 1996; American Journal of
Epidemiology, January 15, 1999; Hypertension, July 2000).
If you have high blood pressure, you may want to limit your caffeine intake. 
Caffeine can raise blood pressure slightly and temporarily in people with normal
blood pressures and more so in people with high blood pressure, but there is
little evidence caffeine causes sustained high blood pressure or heart attacks
(European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, June 2007).
Coffee and tea may be good for you because they contain polyphenols, which help
protect against high blood pressure and heart attacks by preventing blood clots
and lowering
C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation (Atherosclerosis, August
2007).
*  Note on an interesting potential use for caffeine:
A study from the University of Washington in Seattle showed that a
caffeine-containing cream helps to prevent cancer in skin cells that had
long-term exposure to ultraviolet B rays (the cancer-causing rays).  Caffeine
disrupted a protein, ATR-Chk1, so the affected cells would stop spreading and
would self-destruct (Journal of Investigative Dermatology, March 2009.)
* * Muscle Soreness, Exercise Injuries and Vitamin D
When doctors don't know the cause of a patient's problem, they often give it a
fancy name so you will believe they are giving you a useful diagnosis.  A
perfect example of this is
"idiopathic inflammatory myopathy", which means you have chronic muscle soreness
and your doctor doesn't know why.  Researchers recently reviewed the effects of
exercise on people with chronic muscle soreness and found that exercise is
beneficial (Current Opinion in Rheumatology, 04/07/09):
*The muscles of many of subjects with this condition did not get a sufficient
oxygen supply
*Exercise increases endurance-type fibers after a 12-week exercise program
*Creatine supplements plus an exercise program are more beneficial than exercise
alone
*Intensive resistance training improves muscle strength and endurance
*Exercise reduces muscle soreness and possibly even muscle inflammation
I am now convinced that a leading cause of muscle soreness and slow-healing
injuries is lack of vitamin D.  All my life, I have suffered a series of
baffling injures that usually occur
in the winter. and heal in the summer.  For the entire winter of 2007-8, I was
unable to exercise because of a non-healing hamstring injury and diffuse muscle
soreness.  Eventually I found that my vitamin D 3 level was 22 nmol/L (normal is
greater than 75).  I took the prescribed treatment of 50,000 IU of vitamin D
twice a week and my muscles became so sore that I couldn't even walk.  In the
summer, the hamstring injury healed and the soreness disappeared.  This winter I
went to Florida and was able to train on my bicycle better than ever.  In March
I went back to wintery Maryland and the non-healing hamstring injury and
soreness reappeared.  This time I improved within 24 hours of taking 2000 IU of
vitamin D twice a day.  From my experience, I conclude that:
* my muscle soreness and non-healing injuries are caused by or worsened by low
levels of vitamin D
* very high doses (50,000 IU) may increase muscle soreness
* lower doses of vitamin D (2000 to 4000/day) or daily sunlight exposure cured
my muscle soreness and helped to heal my injuries
Dr. John Cannell of the Vitamin D Council quotes 14 studies that show that
athletic performance improves in the summer months when sunshine is abundant, or
with ultraviolet light exposure in winter.
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/newsletter/2007-mar.shtml
If your muscles feel sore or you keep on being injured when you exercise, get a
blood test called D3.  If it is below 75 nmol/L, your problems may be caused by
lack of vitamin D and
be cured by getting some sunshine or taking at least 2000 IU each day of the
very inexpensive vitamin D3.
**  Dear Dr. Mirkin: I get so nervous before races that I have diarrhea almost
every time.  Can you help me?
Hard running causes giant contractions of the colon in runners whether they are
nervous or not. However, it is a problem only if your colon is full when you
start the race. The solution is to be sure to empty your colon before you run. 
On the day before a race, eat lots of fiber-rich foods: salads, vegetables, and
fresh or dried fruits. On the day of the race, get up and eat your pre-race meal
and drink fluids several hours before your race.  This causes the gastro-colic
reflex that stimulates your colon to contract.   About half an hour after the
meal, spend a long time trying to empty your colon.  You should then be able to
run without any distress.
  From Dr. Mirkin's e_zine at:
  http://www.drmirkin.com


4. Calorie-Burning Fat? Studies Say You Have It:
For more than 30 years, scientists have been intrigued by brown fat, a cell that
acts like a furnace, consuming calories and generating heat. Rodents, unable to
shiver effectively to keep warm, use brown fat instead. So do human infants, who
do not shiver very well. But it was generally believed that humans lose brown
fat after infancy, no longer needing it once the shivering response kicks in.
That belief, three groups of researchers report, is wrong.
Their papers, appearing Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine,
indicate that nearly every adult has little blobs of brown fat that can burn
huge numbers of calories when activated by the cold, as when sitting in a chilly
room that is between 61 and 66 degrees.
Thinner people appeared to have more brown fat than heavier people; younger
people more than older people; people with lower glucose levels, presumably
reflecting higher metabolic rates, had more than those whose metabolisms were
more sluggish; and women had more than men. People taking beta blockers for high
blood pressure or other medical indications had less active brown fat.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/health/research/09fat.html?_r=1&ref=science


5. Gender Differences in Endurance Performance and Training:
This article is long overdue and I apologize to those who were interested in the
topic. To bring up the issue of gender differences in physical performance may
suggest sexism, but that is not my intention. Historically, there is no doubt
that sport has been a center of faulty assumptions and sexism where female
athletes are concerned. Social issues, and misunderstanding about female
physical and medical limitations (or the presumption of limitations) conspired
to slow the development of female performance for many years (the marathon for
women was only added to the Olympic schedule in 1984! ), but those times are
gone, at least among young athletes. Among master's athletes, we still see
greatly reduced participation by the older female age groups. This participation
difference will no doubt diminish over the next couple of decades. As a result,
performances by the oldest females will probably improve more rapidly than those
of the oldest males, as this new generation of well trained young female
athletes moves into age-group competition, and are joined by more and more
talented "late bloomers."
"Old" Social norms and habits are still having negative consequences on
participation and performance by older (50 +) females. Modern female athletes
have repeatedly demonstrated these norms ("women are not built to run long
distances" blah- blah-blah) are totally bogus. Currently, teenage daughters are
encouraging their formally sedentary mothers and even grandmothers to take up
exercise. This transfer of knowledge and norms UPSTREAM is the reverse of what
we traditionally see in males (Dad teaching his boy all he knows). However, this
is a transitional period for women in sport, so the knowledge transfer across
generations is helping to speed the development of women's masters sport.
Having said all that, there ARE some physiological differences between the sexes
that impact performance in females independent of age. Some years ago, when the
marathon was first becoming a competitive event for women, the rapid improvement
in female times led some to predict that female performances would soon equal
those of men in the marathon. This has not happened, and it won't. The current
world record for women is 2:21, compared to 2:06:50 for the men, a difference in
speed of about 10%. This same 10% gap is present across the distance running
performance spectrum The reason for the performance gap is not that women don't
train as hard as men. There are some important physiological differences between
the sexes that can't be overlooked or overcome. I want to point out the most
important. Where relevant, I will try to do so in terms of the BIG THREE
Performance adaptations that I have discussed on the MAPP.
The Maximal Oxygen Consumption
The "typical" young untrained male will have an absolute VO2 max of 3.5
liters/min, while the typical same-age female will be about 2 liters/min. This
is a 43% difference! Where does it come from? Well first, much of the difference
is due to the fact that males are bigger, on average, than females. Us humans
are all (sort of) geometrically similar, so heart size scales in proportion to
lean body size . If we divide VO2 by bodyweight, the difference is diminished
(45 ml/min/kg vs 38 ml/min/kg) to 15 to 20%, but not eliminated. What is the
source of this remaining difference?
More...from Exercise Physiology - The Methods and Mechanisms Underlying
Performance at:
http://home.hia.no/~stephens/gender.htm


6. Student-designed Device Provides New Way To Track Calorie Burning:
Counting calories that burn through activity is a constant quandary.
One can only run on a treadmill so long, watching intently as the pedometer
reads out the number of calories melted during a session of exercise. Not to
mention the question of how many calories are burned through basic daily
movements and even during sleep.
But technology – and youthful ambition – is presenting a round-the-clock
solution for those consumed with this calculation.
A group of Georgia Tech students has crafted a device that allows individuals to
constantly compute the amount of calories they burn – even as they sleep.
“It’s a completely converged device,” said Garrett Langley, 21, a senior
in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) who spearheaded the
project. “It’s a single unit that provides complete fitness monitoring and
management.”
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090311153416.htm


7. Alex "IronDoc" McDonald: Amino Acids Before, During and After Exercise:
It has been known for some time that carbohydrates are essential to endurance
exercise, before, during and after to main blood glucose levels as well as
restore muscle glycogen in order to fuel the next training session. However,
more recently Amino Acids (AA), particularly Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA),
have become a popular nutritional topic. Products from reputable companies, such
as Base Performance Nutrition, have began producing powders and supplements that
contain amino acids. What exactly are amino acids, what role do they play in
nutrition as it pertains to endurance athletics and what does this mean
practically for an athlete.
Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein. A protein molecule is a long
string of hundreds to thousands of amino acids strung together. The order of
amino acids dictate the shape of the protein and as a result, dictates the
function of the protein. Many common diseases illustrate the importance of amino
acid. For example Cystic Fibrosis, a lethal genetic disease, results from a
change in a single amino acid among hundreds which alters the protein just
enough so that it is unable to perform its intended function. Lastly, and most
interestingly, amino acids are also involved in numerous metabolic pathways that
affect exercise metabolism. Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) are a few amino
acids with a specific structure that make them slightly unique in their
function.
There are 36 different amino acids, many of which the body can produce on its
own by breaking down the nutrients a person's diet (obtained thru various forms
of dietary protein), reorganizing it and building the necessary amino acids it
requires. However, there are 9 “essential” amino acids that the body is
unable to produce and these must be obtained in the diet in order to maintain
health. Lastly, there are “conditionally essential” amino acids which the
body is able to produce, however, under periods of heavy stress the body’s
ability to produce these amino acids is not be able to keep up with demand. As a
result, under circumstances of heavy training stress, these amino acids become
essential as well and must be obtained in the diet.
More...from Xtri.com at:
http://www.xtri.com/features_display.aspx?riIDReport=5527&CAT=21&xref=xx


8. Horse stem-cell technique to be tested in people:
A stem-cell repair technique that has already been used to fix hundreds of
injured race horses is to be tested for the first time in people with damaged
Achilles tendons.
Privately owned British biotech firm MedCell Bioscience Ltd said on Wednesday it
would start clinical tests within 12 months and planned to run a larger
confirmatory study at several European hospitals in 2011.
Patients will receive injections containing millions of their own stem cells,
which have been extracted and multiplied up in a laboratory, and can regenerate
new tissue to repair damaged regions.
More than 1,500 race horses have been treated using the same process and
follow-up data suggests a 50 percent reduction in re-injury over a three year
period, compared with conventional treatment.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE53E4WJ20090415


  9. Eat or get beaten:
One of the most overlooked ways that female athletes sabotage themselves is by
not consuming enough food.
Picture it: A thirtysomething woman is interested in training for a triathlon,
maybe even one as gruelling as the half- or full-Ironman. To get herself into
top shape, she decides to lose a few pounds, not only to reduce the stress on
her joints and potentially lower her risk of injury, but also to shave valuable
seconds or minutes off of her training and race times (and hey, it doesn't hurt
to look lean and mean in those skimpy running bras). So despite the higher
energy needs that come with more intense training, she decides to trim her
caloric intake just a little, perhaps by cutting excess carbs such as pasta,
bread and cereal. Her intentions, she feels, are good, so much so that she might
even see a dietitian or other nutrition professional to help her lose the
weight.
As a sport dietitian, I routinely work with female athletes of all shapes and
sizes, and some of them inevitably have eating issues, which can be severe and
ultimately life-threatening. But below the layer of the most severe, clinically
diagnosable eating disorders (including anorexia and bulimia nervosa), there is
another, much larger percentage of female athletes whose dietary habits are
putting them at risk, not only in terms of their performance, but also when it
comes to their health - and in many cases, even the athletes themselves don't
realize it.
More...from the National Post at:
http://www.nationalpost.com/life/story.html?id=1245408


10. Want to get buff, ladies? Switch contraceptives:
Young women seeking a sculpted, muscular silhouette may want to avoid taking
oral contraceptives, U.S. researchers said on Friday.
They found women who were not taking birth control pills gained 60 percent more
muscle mass after a 10-week weight training program than those who were.
The study, led by Chang-Woock Lee and Steven Riechman of Texas A&M University in
College Station and Mark Newman of the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania,
will be presented at the American Physiological Society meeting in New Orleans
this weekend.
The researchers studied 73 generally healthy women between 18 and 31 who
completed a whole-body resistance exercise training program. About half took the
pill and half did not.
The women were encouraged to eat at least half a gram of protein per pound of
body weight each day -- about a third more than recommended by U.S. nutritional
guidelines -- to ensure they got enough protein and calories to build muscle.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE53G3ZS20090417


11. Hormones, knee injuries linked:
New research finds joint laxity is influenced by phases of the menstrual cycle.
  Female athletes have long been more prone to knee injuries than men - something
experts have largely chalked up to differences in anatomy. But new research
suggests that the monthly changes in a woman's hormone levels may also play a
role.
Darren Stefanyshyn, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Calgary, and
his team of researchers have found knee joint laxity, or looseness, which can
make athletes more prone to injury, is influenced by phases in the menstrual
cycle.
"We found on average, the average person is going to be more lax during
ovulation, but it's not true for everybody."
Prof. Stefanyshyn and colleagues have published several studies in The American
Journal of Sports Medicine and the British Journal of Sports Medicine examining
the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament injuries among women.
More...from the Globe and Mail at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE53G3ZS20090417


12. Multivitamins could be dangerous, report says:
More than 30% of multivitamins tested recently by ConsumerLab.com contained
significantly more or less of an ingredient than claimed, or were contaminated
with lead, the company reports.
ConsumerLab.com, based in White Plains, New York, is privately held and provides
consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health
and nutrition. According to the company, it is neither owned by nor has a
financial interest in any companies that make, distribute or sell consumer
products.
Several multivitamin products tested, including three for children, exceeded
tolerable upper limits established by the Institute of Medicine for ingredients
such as vitamin A, folic acid, niacin and zinc, according to the report posted
on www.ConsumerLab.com.
More...from the National Post at:
http://www.nationalpost.com/life/health/story.html?id=1481847


13. Hamstring Flexibility and Stretches:
Hamstring flexibility: How to keep your hamstrings in tune and singing sweetly
EXERCISE 3: GENERAL STRENGTH: HIGH-BENCH STEP-UPS
Perform this exercise twice a week after you have warmed up thoroughly.
Begin from a standing position on top of a bench that is approximately knee
high, with your body weight on your left foot and your weight shifted toward the
left heel. The right foot should be free and held slightly behind your body.
Lower your body in a controlled manner until the toes of the right foot touch
the ground, but support all of your weight on your left foot. Return to the
starting position by driving down with the left heel and straightening your left
leg. Maintain an absolutely upright body posture with your trunk throughout the
entire movement, with your hands held at your sides.
Perform this exercise for two sets of 10-15 repetitions with each leg. You can
make the step-ups progressively more difficult by holding dumbbells in your
hands as your perform the exercise (start with three to five pounds and
gradually increase to 25 pounds) - and by gradually increasing the height of the
step. Increase the height of the step by no more than two inches from workout to
workout. Of course, you can eventually add on additional reps and sets as well -
and increase your overall speed of movement.
If you are a devoted follower of Peak Performance, you may have noticed with
some surprise that we called the bicycle swings a specific strength exercise for
the hamstrings - and labelled the high-bench step-ups a general
hamstring-strengthening activity. Since the high-bench step-ups force the
hamstrings to exert force while they are in a weight-bearing mode, while the
bicycle swings call for hamstring action when the hams aren't bearing any
weight, shouldn't that be the other way around? The high-bench step-ups seem
more specific to the act of running, which of course was a weight-bearing
activity the last time we checked.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/hamstring-flexibility-and-stretches-715


14. Walking vs Running as dryland training for XC:
It might surprise many of you to know that it is November here on the south
coast of Norway, and we still have no snow. It turns out the ocean "warms" the
coast a bit and makes the coastline less snow-covered in winter. So, for a Texas
transplant who is learning cross country skiing where it all started, I have to
do my best to get ready for some skiing without the white stuff for now.
What to do for off-snow training? Certainly roller skiing is an option, but not
always a safe one if the conditions are wet, icy, hilly etc. Plus I am a
beginner. The next obvious choice is running. This is sensible. You are on your
legs doing the same "basic" motion as skiing. And then there is walking. Yeah,
walking. Now, trust me, I am a hard core, fairly fit guy who would have laughed
at anyone that suggested to me that I could train for anything by walking. But
after some personal experience, observations and experimentation, I am
rethinking. Here is why.
The "make or break" aspect of XC racing is hill climbing. That is when the boys
and girls with the really big aerobic capacity show their stuff. So, do we run
hills to simulate the hill climbing on skis? No, I think most of us would do
better by walking all the long steep ones we can find, fast.
This got started when my wife told me that the women she ran with would often
shift to a fast walk during hill climbs. They cold have continued running, but
they didn't. They shifted into a style where their arms and legs were moving in
the long deliberate movement cycles typical of skiing.
On a motorized treadmill, usually late at night, I have been experimenting on
myself. With a heart rate monitor and controls that allow me to change speed or
treadmill incline on the fly, I have done some interesting workouts. I like to
experiment under well controlled conditions, so the laboratory treadmill is
perhaps a workout only a physiology geek could appreciate. I started with
walking and slowly increased the "hill" to 14% grade, which is really steep, but
just below what over-stretches my Achilles, then I keep increasing the speed
until I have to really work to keep up while walking. In fact, if I shift into a
jog on the steep climb, the going is actually easier and I feel less fatigue. It
turns out that I can achieve a heart rate of 155-160 at this steep incline,
upper limit walking pace. This is perfect for me for steady state work. However,
I can easily reach the same cardiovascular workload with running if I speed up
the treadmill and drop the incline. This is actually more "comfortable" for me
and I get less local muscular fatigue. So, why not just run? The really
important difference is the muscular work pattern.
More...from Cross-Country Skiing Physiology and Performance at:
http://home.hia.no/~stephens/walkvrun.htm


15. Digest Briefs:
*  Biking While Intoxicated
A new study of New York City bicycling accidents over a decade found that one in
five cyclists who died had alcohol in the body.
“It’s something we have to call attention to,” said Catherine Stayton,
director of the health department’s injury epidemiology unit, as reported by
the City Room blog. “To learn this is new for us. We want to get that
information out there.”
While the information about alcohol and cycling could lead to an awareness
campaign, it’s not clear what role alcohol actually played in the deaths.
It’s important not to blame the victim, said Wiley Norvell, a spokesman for
Transportation Alternatives. “It’s a no-brainer to be sober when you ride in
New York City,” Mr. Norvell said. “Being alert and conscious of everyone
else on the road is the best protection a bicyclist has, and biking while
impaired makes our already dangerous streets an even greater risk.”
To read more about the link between bicycle deaths and alcohol, read the full
City Room post, “Study Links Alcohol and Bicycle Deaths.”
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/study-links-alcohol-and-bike-deaths\
/?hp
*  Compression Socks- Fact or Fad
By Coach Brett Daniels
If you have been to a running race or triathlon in the last year to eighteen
months you have no doubt noticed the athletes in knee high socks. The first time
I saw someone in a pair of them I didn’t know what to think, were tube socks
from the 70’s making a comeback (and could headbands be far behind?) or was
this some new super secret piece of performance clothing that would make me
considerably faster?
The idea behind compression socks (or any compression clothing for that matter)
is that the compression fabric increases blood flow, removes the waste, and
gives additional support to the working muscles. According to a medical study
conducted by (A. Ali, B.G. Snow & M.P. Caine 2003), 14 runners were tested in a
fast 10 km pace and found runners wearing graduated pressure socks: Ran 1%
faster despite being paced. Had lower pulse rates (2-3 BPM).Jumped higher
post-exercise and recovered faster with 60% less post-exercise muscle soreness.
I became intrigued with the idea of compression socks and decided to do some
testing to see what all the fuss was all about. I tested OxySox and CEP
Compression socks in unscientific field trials by using the socks on my long
runs and then wearing non compression socks every third week. I found that after
the non-compression sock runs my calves were significantly more sore and tight
and it took me longer to feel recovered. I also noticed a 10-15 second per mile
increase in performance over my long runs. I did not notice a difference between
the OxySox and the CEP Compression socks in comfort or performance, however the
CEP Compression Socks were labeled for the Right and Left foot and the heel and
toe were reinforced to provide a bit smoother ride, where the OxySox just had a
padded sole. The CEP Compression Socks also seemed to be made of a heavier
weight fabric and seemed to be a higher quality product. This is reflected in
the cost with the OxySox retailing for $29.99 and the CEP socks going for
$59.95.
As of now the Ali study is the only medical study that uses compression socks in
an exercise environment and not in treatment of patients with phlebitis or deep
vein thrombosis. There is not enough clinical evidence to draw a definite
conclusion as to the effectiveness of compression socks during competition or in
assisting recovery post exercise. That being said all of the anecdotal evidence
from my personal use as well as athletes that I coach suggest that there are
benefits to be had from wearing compression socks during and after competition.
Just do not to forget your headband!
From the Sport Factory at:
http://thesportfactory.com
*  Biological vs. Habitual Hunger .There is a distinct difference between eating
when you are biologically hungry and eating out of habit.
Biological hunger is easily characterized by stomach pangs and decreased
cognitive focus. During these times, the body and the brain absolutely needs
fuel. It is best to try to identify biological hunger about 30 minutes before it
sets in so you can eat before the craving response hits.
In contrast, habitual hunger is either tied to the clock or emotions. For most
athletes, I encourage them to eat when they are biologically hungry so they do
not let emotional triggers such as stress, boredom and fatigue drive their
eating patterns and overeat.
By simply asking yourself, "am I biologically hungry," you will be able to
identify the difference, control your blood sugar and decrease the infamous
craving response better.
  About the author
Bob Seebohar, MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS is a sport dietitian and elite triathlon coach.
He traveled to the 2008 Summer Olympics as the U.S. Olympic Committee Sport
Dietitian and the personal Sport Dietitian for the 2008 Olympic Triathlon Team.
He is also Sarah Haskins' personal coach and was a performance team member
(sport dietitian and strength coach) for Susan Williams, 2004 Olympic Triathlon
bronze medalist.
Bob's book, Nutrition Periodization for Endurance Athletes: Taking Sports
Nutrition to the Next Level will provide triathletes of all levels education on
how to structure their nutrition program based on their exercise program. For
more information, visit www.fuel4mance.com or contact Bob at
mailto:coachbob@...
* Running Times Medical Corner: Chronic Achilles Soreness
Q: I am a 48 year old male, with over 30 years of running behind me. I had a
right Achilles tendon problem earlier in the spring. I took time off and
returned to training slowly. But I have noticed my right Achilles still is
slightly sore and does not stretch as easily or as much as the left side. Is
there anything I can do to reduce the scar tissue or whatever from my right
Achilles tendon to eliminate the soreness and limited flexibility?
-- John
A: Achilles tendon injuries can be quite persistent. The tendon is the structure
that connects the large calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) to the heel.
These muscles provide the power for pushing off while running. Any injury causes
some loss of flexibility and strength in the involved muscles. Recovery involves
working on improving these deficits.
Hang your heels off the edge of a step and lower your heels to a point where you
feel stretching, but not pain. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds. You can also stretch
just the right Achilles tendon. Try to incorporate stretching into daily
activities; you can gently stretch while sitting at a desk and at other times
during the day.
Once you have no pain with stretching, begin incorporating strengthening
exercises into your routine. Hang your heels off the edge of a step and lower
them as far as you can. Then rise on your toes. Slowly lower again. Repeat this
20 times at least once a day. As you become stronger, perform the exercise at a
more rapid rate, but make sure that your heels are moving through the entire
range of motion. You can progress to performing this exercise just on the right.
Warm up prior to running and apply ice to the tendon following all workouts.
Deep tissue massage may help break up the scar tissue.
Recalcitrant cases of Achilles tendonitis may require more aggressive treatment,
ranging from physical therapy to prolotherapy to surgery. Be patient; avoid
hills and speed work until your symptoms resolve. Good luck.
-- Dr. Cathy Fieseler, MD
From the Running Times Newsletter. Sign up at:
http://runningtimes.com/Newsletter.aspx
*  This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago-  Hendrick Ramaala (RSA) won the Humarathon (FRA) Half Marathon
over a very deep field that
                saw 34 men at or better than 1:06:00.  Ramaala won in 1:00:40
with Faustin Baha (TAN)
                and Philip Rugut (KEN) also under 1:01:00 with 1:00:45 and
1:00:51 respectively.
                Cristina Costea (ROM) won the women's race in 1:10:09, besting
Restituta Joseph (TAN)
                by four seconds (1:10:13).  Anne Njeri (KEN) was 3rd in 1:11:49.
20 Years Ago-  John Halvorsen (NOR) won the MDA Boston Milk Run (MA/USA) 10K in
28:01, edging John
                Gregorek (USA) at 28:02.  Andrew Lloyd (AUS) was well back in 3rd
with his 28:14.
                Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) ran a sterling 30:59, some 20 seconds
over Liz McColgan's
                WR set the month before.  Judi St Hilaire (USA) and Annette
Peters (USA) followed
                with 31:45 and 31:47 respectively.
30 Years Ago-  Shigeru So (JPN) won the Biwa-ko (JPN) Marathon in 2:13:26. 
Hatsuo Okubo (JPN) and Susumu
                Sato (JPN) were 2nd and 3rd with 2:14:13 and 2:14:22.
40 Years Ago-  James Haddow (CAN) won the first edition of the Calgary (AB/CAN)
Marathon in 2:38:07
                with William Herriott (CAN) 2nd in 2:45:23.  This race is still
being held
50 Years Ago-  Allan Lawrence (AUS) defeated Patrick CLohessy (AUS) over 2 miles
at the Southwestern
                Louisiana Institute Relays (LA/USA) with a time of 9:14.1.
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 18, 2009:
Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon - Chesapeake, VA

April 18-19, 2009:
GO! St. Louis Family Fitness Weekend - St. Louis, MO

April 19, 2009:
Banque Scotia 21k de Montréal - Montreal, PQ

(Inaugural) B.A.A. 5K & Invitational Mile - Boston, MA

Ottawa Physio Race - Ottawa, ON

Run Rocklin 12K - Rocklin, CA

Sacramento Zoo Zoom - Sacramento, CA

Santa Cruz Half Marathon / 10K - Santa Cruz, CA

Sun Run - Vancouver, BC

Vienna City Marathon - Austria

April 20, 2009:
Boston Marathon - Boston, MA

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

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If so, make this cool item part of your gear -- for safety and peace of mind.
Road ID has created 4 awesome ways for athletes to
wear ID: the SHOE, the WRIST, the ANKLE, and the NECK. Get your RoadID at:
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The Stretching Video in a DVD version. With the DVD version you're able to use
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* Go directly to a specific stretch;
* View only stretches for a specific muscle group;
* Pause each stretch to get a good look at how it is performed;
* View only the introduction and rules for safe stretching; or
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1. Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - Canada's
Fastest Women's 5K
Emilie's Run is over for another year. Almost 300 women completed the race with
38 women running under 20:00
The 2009 race will be run on June 20th.
For more on the race visit the website at:
http://www.emiliesrun.com.

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.
http://www.trainingpeaks.com/

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
Fix Orientation to learn how to exercise safely and effectively . Access to all
cardio and strength-training equipment . Access to
all of our world-class Group EXercise classes . A copy of Living the Good Life
audio CD Get started today! Visit
www.GoodLifeFitness.com Limited time offer.

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/

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

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

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Add the Runner's Web News feed to your site through a simple JavaScript. Check
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[Long URL]
The Digest is also available through other RSS Readers on request.

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

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

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

NEW THIS WEEK:

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\
&type=3&subid=0

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:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/forum.html or from our FrontPage.

We have 2,498 subscribers as of publication time. Forward the Runner's Web
Digest to a friend and suggest that they subscribe at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RunnersWeb/join .

RUNNER'S AND TRIATHLETE'S WEB CONTENT PARTNERS

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

* BREAKSWEAT.TV
We have partnered with Breaksweat TV to provide us with video content.
Simply Sports Media is part of a large group called Simply Media, which operates
more than 25 digital TV channels, including 6 on
satellite and cable. Simply Media has developed and continues to expand on
premium content for TV, web, mobile, captive Audience
Networks, and IPTV.
Breaksweat.tv was recently launched to provide instant access to premium video
content covering outdoor sports. The innovative
online channel uses a system called, Brightcove to continually and seamlessly
deliver content to its users, whilst providing
easy-to-use navigation.
Breaksweat TV is not a user generated website, or a broadcasting channel; rather
it is a platform used to host Breaksweat.tv's
independently produced video content, and content it obtains from key
relationships in the outdoor sports industry. By applying this
strategy to supply content for its viewers, SnowZone.tv is able to showcase
video content that is unique, high-quality, and
continuous filled with updated material.
For more information and to visit other existing channels in the Simply Media
network, please visit:
http://www.simply.tv/

* Sports Nutrition by Sheila Kealey. Sheila is one of Ottawa's top multisport
athletes and a member of the OAC Racing Team and X-C
Ottawa. She has a Masters in Public Health and works in the field of nutritional
epidemiology as a Research Associate with the
University of California, San Diego. Her column index is available at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/SK_index.html

* Carmichael Training Systems Carmichael Training Systems was founded in 1999 by
Chris Carmichael. From the beginning, the mission
of the company has been to improve the lives of individuals we work with through
the application of proper and effective fitness and
competitive training techniques. Whether your focus is recreational, advanced,
or you are a professional racer, the coaching
methodology employed by CTS will make you a better athlete. Check the latest
monthly column from CTS at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/cts_columns.html.
Carmichael Training Systems at:
http://www.trainright.com/promos.asp?code=DSBYBFCSP

* Peak Performance Online Peak Performance is a subscription-only newsletter for
athletes, featuring the latest research from the
sports science world. We cover the whole range of sports, from running and
rowing to cycling and swimming, and each issue is packed
full of exclusive information for anyone who's serious about sport. It's
published 16 times a year, including four special reports,
by Electric Word plc. Peak Performance is not available in the shops - only our
subscribers are able to access the valuable
information we publish.
Check out our article archive from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/PPO_index.html
Visit the PPO site at: Peak Performance Online:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/cmd.php?af=517509

* Peak Running Performance Peak Running Is The Nation's Most Advanced Running
Newsletter. Rated as the #1 Running Publication by
Road Runner Sports (Worlds Largest Running Store) , Peak Running caters to the
serious / dedicated runner. Delivering world class
running advice are some of running's most recognizable athletes including Dr.
Joe Vigil (US Olympic Coach), Scott Tinley (2 Time
Ironman Champ) Steve Scott (3 Time Olympian) and many more. This bi-monthly
newsletter has been around for over 13 years, and in the
past two it has been awarded the "Golden Shoe Award" in recognition of it's
outstanding achievements.
http://www.clixGalore.com/Sale.aspx?BID=37234&AfID=103794&AdID=5075&LP=www.peakr\
unningperformance.com
Check out the Peak Running article index at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/PRP_index.html .

* Running Research News: RRN's free, weekly, training update provides
subscribers with the most-current, practical, scientifically
based information about training, sports nutrition, injury prevention, and
injury rehabilitation. The purpose of this weekly e-zine
is to improve subscribers' training quality and to help them train in an
injury-free manner. Running Research News also publishes a
complete, 12-page, electronic newsletter 10 times a year (one-year subscriptions
are $35); to learn more about Running Research
News, please see the Online Article Index and "About Running Research News"
sections below or go to RRNews.com. Check out the
article index at: http://www.runnersweb.com/running/RRN_index.html

THIS WEEK'S PERSONAL POSTINGS/RELEASES: We will only post notes here regarding
running and triathlon topics of interest to the
community. We have 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@...
613-746-4053
http://www.OACRacingTeam.com
http://www.EmiliesRun.com

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The Stretching Video in a DVD version. With the DVD version you're able to use
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* Play the entire video from start to finish.

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

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.

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4. Toronto Waterfront Marathon, September 27, 2009
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5. Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon - October 18, 2009
Register before the end of this month for the Marathon, Half Marathon, or 5k and
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8. iRun Magazine
More than a million Canadians are runners, making it this country's most popular
recreational and fitness activity. Canadians run
for exercise and we run to raise money for important causes. We run alone and in
groups. And every year, hundreds of thousands of us
participate in organized races, from fun runs to marathons, which are growing
steadily.
Until now, Canadian runners haven't had our own running magazine. But now,
there's iRun, providing a uniquely Canadian perspective
on the activity and the sport. Published six times a year, iRun educates,
informs and inspires Canadian runners.
The Team
Mark Sutcliffe, Publisher and Editor
Mark has more than 20 years of experience in the Canadian media business. An
avid runner, he has completed five marathons and 10
half-marathons. He writes a popular weekly column on running in the Ottawa
Citizen and co-hosts The Running Show every week on The
Team 1200 radio. Mark is the former Executive Editor of the Ottawa Citizen and
has also launched several publications, including the
Ottawa Business Journal, now in its second decade, and the Kitchissippi Times, a
successful community newspaper in Ottawa. His
writing has appeared across the country in daily newspapers, and magazines like
Macleans and Canadian Business.
Ray Zahab, Contributing Editor
Ray Zahab is Canada's most renowned ultramarathon runner. A former pack-a-day
smoker, Ray transformed his life by becoming a
successful long-distance runner, winning some of the world's most challenging
foot races. Beginning in November 2006, Ray and two
other runners ran across the Sahara Desert in 111 days, averaging 70 kilometres
per day without a single day's rest. Ray is an
accomplished public speaker, writes regularly about running and coaches athletes
striving to achieve their own goals.
Distribution
iRun is Canada's highest-circulation and most popular running magazine. With a
total distribution of 50,000 and more than 9,000
subscribers, iRun is leading the market in the rapidly growing and highly
desirable demographic of Canadian runners.
iRun Magazine is a sponsor of Emilie's Run
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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
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Nick Matthew, the 2006 British Open squash champion now uses the player to train
with and Mi-SPORT are endeavouring to encourage
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with code APRIL20100. This promotion is only available to the affiliate channel
and expires on April 4th.
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/tplclick?lid=41000000027534803&pubid=2100000000\
0028567

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

Get Free Shipping with a Purchase of $60 or more from March 13th through March
15th. No promo code necessary! Hurry and get a chance
to save before this fantastic offer ends!
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&type=3&subid=0

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:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/forum.html or from our FrontPage.

We have 2,497 subscribers as of publication time. Forward the Runner's Web
Digest to a friend and suggest that they subscribe at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RunnersWeb/join .

RUNNER'S AND TRIATHLETE'S WEB CONTENT PARTNERS

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

* BREAKSWEAT.TV
We have partnered with Breaksweat TV to provide us with video content.
Simply Sports Media is part of a large group called Simply Media, which operates
more than 25 digital TV channels, including 6 on
satellite and cable. Simply Media has developed and continues to expand on
premium content for TV, web, mobile, captive Audience
Networks, and IPTV.
Breaksweat.tv was recently launched to provide instant access to premium video
content covering outdoor sports. The innovative
online channel uses a system called, Brightcove to continually and seamlessly
deliver content to its users, whilst providing
easy-to-use navigation.
Breaksweat TV is not a user generated website, or a broadcasting channel; rather
it is a platform used to host Breaksweat.tv's
independently produced video content, and content it obtains from key
relationships in the outdoor sports industry. By applying this
strategy to supply content for its viewers, SnowZone.tv is able to showcase
video content that is unique, high-quality, and
continuous filled with updated material.
For more information and to visit other existing channels in the Simply Media
network, please visit:
http://www.simply.tv/

* Sports Nutrition by Sheila Kealey. Sheila is one of Ottawa's top multisport
athletes and a member of the OAC Racing Team and X-C
Ottawa. She has a Masters in Public Health and works in the field of nutritional
epidemiology as a Research Associate with the
University of California, San Diego. Her column index is available at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/SK_index.html

* Carmichael Training Systems Carmichael Training Systems was founded in 1999 by
Chris Carmichael. From the beginning, the mission
of the company has been to improve the lives of individuals we work with through
the application of proper and effective fitness and
competitive training techniques. Whether your focus is recreational, advanced,
or you are a professional racer, the coaching
methodology employed by CTS will make you a better athlete. Check the latest
monthly column from CTS at:
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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. Study: Triathlons can pose deadly heart risks
2. Fitness: Underwater trainers - do they work for you?
We put the latest fitness trends through their paces.
3. Study: Triathlons can pose deadly heart risks
4. Optimal Running Speed Associated With Evolution Of Early Human Hunting
Strategies
5. Tired of the treadmill? Get out and play instead
6. Team Triabetes
7. Get in step with your fitness personality: expert
8. Forty years of aerobics
More than 40 years ago, Dr. Kenneth Cooper's book touted a new type of exercise.
9. Piloting a Distance Revolution
Rob Conner's Portland Pilots Get Faster by Running Slower.
10. This Week in Running
11. VO2max Newsletter
12. Heart Muscle Renewed Over Lifetime, Study Finds
13. Run Softly, Naturally
Can a Gait Makeover Improve Your Running?
14. Dr. Mirkin's Fitness & Health eZine
15. Digest Briefs

RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Are you male or female and do you support women-only races?"


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

LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULTS:
Should there be an age restriction for the marathon?
Answers Percent
1.   No restriction  10%
2.   12+  10%
3.   14+  5%
4.   16+  15%
5.   18+  40%
6.   21+  20%



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. Study: Triathlons can pose deadly heart risks:
Warning to weekend warriors: Swim-bike-run triathlons pose at least twice the
risk of sudden death as marathons do, the first study of these competitions has
found.
The risk is mostly from heart problems during the swimming part. And while that
risk is low — about 15 out of a million participants — it's not
inconsequential, the study's author says.
Triathlons are soaring in popularity, especially as charity fundraisers. They
are drawing many people who are not used to such demanding exercise. Each year,
about 1,000 of these events are held and several hundred thousand Americans try
one.
"It's something someone just signs up to do," often without a medical checkup to
rule out heart problems, said Dr. Kevin Harris, a cardiologist at the
Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital. "They might prepare
for a triathlon by swimming laps in their pool. That's a lot different than
swimming in a lake or a river."
He led the study and presented results Saturday at an American College of
Cardiology conference in Florida. The Minneapolis institute's foundation
sponsored the work and tracks athlete-related sudden deaths in a national
registry.
Marathon-related deaths made headlines in November 2007 when 28-year-old Ryan
Shay died while competing in New York in the men's marathon Olympic trials.
Statistics show that for every million participants in these 26.2-mile running
races, there will be four to eight deaths.
The rate for triathletes is far higher — 15 out of a million, the new study
shows. Almost all occurred during the swim portion, usually the first event.
"Anyone that jumps into freezing cold water knows the stress on the heart," said
Dr. Lori Mosca, preventive cardiology chief at New York-Presbyterian Hospital
and an American Heart Association spokeswoman. She had no role in the study but
has competed in more than 100 triathlons, including the granddaddy — Hawaii's
Ironman competition.
More...from AP at:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jac9_Ky-Kczqn-CYlQwwgOuZivPwD9\
775UKO0


2. Fitness: Underwater trainers - do they work for you?
We put the latest fitness trends through their paces.
What are they?
These are running shoes to wear in the swimming pool. Developed by Garry
Killgore, a professor in sports biomechanics in Oregon, they have
“hydro-dynamic fins” and six “drainage ports” to allow water to escape.
Who are they aimed at?
Physiotherapists have long recommended aqua (or deep water) running for injured
sports people, those with dicky knees and pregnant women. Water reduces pressure
on joints and tendons by up to 90 per cent. Because it is 800 times denser than
air and provides up to 12 times the resistance you get on land, you work harder
running in water than on land. Studies show that regular runners burn eight
calories a minute, and aqua-runners burn 11.5.
What's the idea?
Aqua-running is done in the deep end of a pool (you also need a flotation suit
or belt) and your feet don't actually touch the floor. The main benefit of these
trainers is to provide some resistance as you “jog”. They also have a
non-slip surface that makes them great for getting in and out of the pool.
Who uses them?
Elite athletes in their hordes, including the world 5,000 metres record-holder
Lornah Kiplagat, and the former winner of the London Marathon, Catherina
McKiernan from Ireland. Paula Radcliffe runs in water when she is injured, as
did Liz McColgan. And Jennifer Aniston stays in shape by aqua-running for 15
minutes every day.
Can I try it?
You can buy the AQX Aquatic Training shoes (from £49.99), zero gravity suits
and flotation belts from www.aqua-running.co.uk
Is it worth the money?
Yes, if you are going to use them regularly. Ignore the gawps from swimmers -
your waistline and knees will thank you for it.
From the Times Online at:
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/diet_and_fitness/article\
5988771.ece


3. Study: Triathlons can pose deadly heart risks:
Warning to weekend warriors: Swim-bike-run triathlons pose at least twice the
risk of sudden death as marathons do, the first study of these competitions has
found.
The risk is mostly from heart problems during the swimming part. And while that
risk is low — about 15 out of a million participants — it's not
inconsequential, the study's author says.
Triathlons are soaring in popularity, especially as charity fundraisers. They
are drawing many people who are not used to such demanding exercise. Each year,
about 1,000 of these events are held and several hundred thousand Americans try
one.
"It's something someone just signs up to do," often without a medical checkup to
rule out heart problems, said Dr. Kevin Harris, a cardiologist at the
Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital. "They might prepare
for a triathlon by swimming laps in their pool. That's a lot different than
swimming in a lake or a river."
He led the study and presented results Saturday at an American College of
Cardiology conference in Florida. The Minneapolis institute's foundation
sponsored the work and tracks athlete-related sudden deaths in a national
registry.
Marathon-related deaths made headlines in November 2007 when 28-year-old Ryan
Shay died while competing in New York in the men's marathon Olympic trials.
Statistics show that for every million participants in these 26.2-mile running
races, there will be four to eight deaths.
The rate for triathletes is far higher — 15 out of a million, the new study
shows. Almost all occurred during the swim portion, usually the first event.
More...from USA Today at:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-03-29-triathlon-heart_N.htm


4. Optimal Running Speed Associated With Evolution Of Early Human Hunting
Strategies:
  Runners, listen up: If your body is telling you that your pace feels a little
too fast or a little too slow, it may be right.
A new study, published online March 18 in the Journal of Human Evolution, shows
that the efficiency of human running varies with speed and that each individual
has an optimal pace at which he or she can cover the greatest distance with the
least effort.
The result debunks the long-standing view that running has the same metabolic
cost per unit of time no matter the speed — in other words, that the energy
needed to run a given distance is the same whether sprinting or jogging. Though
sprinting feels more demanding in the short term, the longer time and continued
exertion required to cover a set distance at a slower pace were thought to
balance out the difference in metabolic cost, says Karen Steudel, a zoology
professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
However, Steudel and Cara Wall-Scheffler of Seattle Pacific University have now
shown that the energetic demands of running change at different speeds. "What
that means is that there is an optimal speed that will get you there the
cheapest," metabolically speaking, Steudel says.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090319142411.htm


5. Tired of the treadmill? Get out and play instead:
Tired of the same old exercise routine? Get out and play instead, suggests a
fitness expert who spoke at the American College of Sports Medicine's (ACSM)
Annual Health and Fitness Summit in Atlanta.
Play is "the perfect anecdote for when your exercise routine starts to feel like
more of a chore than an activity of enjoyment," health scientist from Bethesda,
Maryland, and ACSM faculty member Dr. Carol E. Torgan noted in a statement from
the meeting. It's good for the body, mind and soul.
"Think about activities you loved to do as a child and incorporate those into
your routine (and) include your family," Torgan added in comments to Reuters
Health.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE52T6JI20090330


6. Team Triabetes - Denise Ricci of New Jersey, Sean McKendry of Denver and
Jerry Nairn of Phoenix. The three are accomplished marathoners,
ultramarathoners, cyclists, Ironman finishers and Type 1 diabetics. Each has a
compelling story of overcoming adversity of a life challenging disease while
using the latest medical technology to reach new athletic heights.
Denise, Sean and Jerry are all captains for unique training group called
Triabetes- an organization strictly for diabetic athletes looking to push
themselves that extra mile. In November, American Diabetes Month, the Triabetes
team will compete in the Ford Ironman in Arizona. For more about the Triabetes
team, check out http://www.triabetes.org/.
About Denise Ricci
Denise Ricci, an active 37 year-old Forked River, New Jersey resident, was
diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in high school after experiencing unexplainable
and unquenchable thirst following spring track practices.  A fit teenager and
avid runner, she vowed never to let diabetes stand in her way.  That mindset has
helped Denise achieve many personal goals—such as completing 15 marathons, two
ultramarathons, three Ironman events, and the hardest of all, a one-day 200-mile
bike event.
Being an RN since the age of 19, Denise recognizes that exercise is just one
part of the equation.  She manages her diabetes with a Medtronic Paradigm
insulin pump, which closely mimics a healthy pancreas by delivering insulin on
demand.  Denise calls the decision to use the pump “the best thing I’ve ever
done.”  Elated with the pump’s convenience and consistency, Denise boasts
that freedom from multiple daily injections, and better control of her blood
glucose levels, gives her ultimate peace-of-mind and allows her to live a normal
life.
Today, Denise is driven to go beyond “normal.”  She’s currently a 2009
team captain of Triabetes, a program that inspires and instructs diabetic
athletes as they train for triathlons (contests that feature a 112-mile bike
ride, a 2.4-mile swim, and a 26.2 mile run).  Denise and the Triabetes team will
compete in the Ironman Arizona this November and she’ll “warm-up” for the
race during her Iron Girl event in Las Vegas this May.
Denise thinks of herself as “just your typical Type 1 diabetic” -- a proud
mom, devoted wife, full-time night shift RN and accomplished athlete.  She’s
always sworn to live life to the fullest and demonstrate to people with diabetes
that their condition does not have to hold them back from doing anything.
About Sean McKendry
Sean McKendry, an active 36 year-old Denver resident, was diagnosed with Type 1
diabetes when he was 15.  After graduating from college, Sean moved to Colorado
to pursue a healthier lifestyle, having realized that exercise would play a
critical role in managing his diabetes.  He’s taken full advantage of his
active Colorado lifestyle – pursuing sports such as mountaineering,
snowshoeing, skiing and, more recently, cycling and triathlons.
Sean recognizes that exercise is just one part of the equation in staying
healthy.  Today, he manages his diabetes with a Medtronic Paradigm insulin pump,
which closely mimics a healthy pancreas by delivering insulin on demand.  Sean
credits a friend in convincing him to try the pump, and he’s glad he did. 
Elated with the pump’s convenience and flexibility, Sean boasts that freedom
from multiple daily injections, and better control of his blood glucose levels,
provides him with peace-of-mind and confidence in pursuing any dream.  It’s
this confidence that allowed him to travel through remote areas of Thailand and
Nepal without being limited by his diabetes.
Now a 2009 team captain of Triabetes – a program that inspires and instructs
diabetic athletes as they train for triathlons – Sean’s next adventures
include two half Ironman-distance triathlons this May, a cycling fundraiser with
the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in August, and an Ironman with his
fellow Triabetic athletes in Arizona this November.
Sean calls his determination and drive “pretty normal” – he’s just
playing the cards he’s been dealt in the game of life and in the process,
hopes to show diabetics and non-diabetics alike that you can accomplish anything
that you set your mind to.
About Jerry Nairn
Jerry Nairn, an active 50-year-old Chandler, Arizona resident, was first
diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes his sophomore year of high school.  A fit
teenager and cross country athlete, Jerry vowed never to let diabetes stand in
his way.  Throughout the years, Jerry continued to stay active and completed his
first marathon in 1998.  Jerry is now a self-proclaimed “marathon maniac”
having participated in 48 marathons and 5 ultramarathons.
Jerry recognizes that exercise is just one part of the equation in staying
healthy. Today, he manages his diabetes with a Medtronic Paradigm insulin pump,
which closely mimics a healthy pancreas by delivering insulin on demand. Elated
with the pump’s convenience and flexibility, Jerry finds the pump a “huge
improvement” from multiple daily injections and says that it provides him with
the confidence to live a very active lifestyle.
These days, Jerry runs with a dual purpose to raise both awareness and funds for
diabetes. As a 2009 team captain of Triabetes – a program that inspires and
instructs diabetic athletes as they train for triathlons – Jerry’s next
adventures includes the Ironman Arizona with his fellow diabetic endurance
athletes, and the Avenue of the Giants Marathon – his 49th lifetime marathon
– this May.  With the support of his loving family, Jerry is living his life
to the fullest and demonstrating to people with diabetes that “you can do
anything you put your mind to.”
Visit the website at:
http://www.triabetes.org/.


7. Get in step with your fitness personality: expert:
Having trouble sticking to your exercise regimen? Maybe you're not doing the
right exercises for your "fitness personality," suggests Linda Shelton, a
fitness expert who spoke at this year's American College of Sports Medicine's
Health and Fitness Summit held last weekend in Atlanta.
"Everyone has a fitness personality; their own exercise needs," Shelton told
Reuters Health. Most people fail to stick with an exercise regimen, she said,
because they are not exercising according to their fitness personality.
In her work, Shelton has identified five distinct fitness personality types,
which she labels squares, rectangles, triangles, circles and squigglies -- each
has its own pitfalls.
Of the five personality types, "squares" are the most reliable, stable and
predictable exercisers. They thrive on routine. "Squares tend to develop rigid
schedules for themselves, so while they get to the gym, they don't see
progressive results because they hit plateaus," Shelton explained in a statement
from the meeting. "Instead, a square should try to take baby steps toward
sprinkling in new activities weekly that switch up their routines while still
giving them the familiarity of the old program."
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE52U70B20090331


8. Forty years of aerobics:
More than 40 years ago, Dr. Kenneth Cooper's book touted a new type of exercise.
Today's gym goers can be found singing on their stationary bikes during Cycle
Karaoke, shaking their butts at Yoga Booty Ballet, sweating through a
high-energy yoga flow class and learning the dance moves to "Legally Blonde."
They're moving in different ways with different rhythms, but they're all trying
to get the heart rate up in an interesting, engaging way.
In short, they're doing aerobics.
released the book "Aerobics," the form of exercise hasn't died. It's just
morphed with the times, giving itself new names and shedding the leg warmers and
the headbands.
Cooper, then a young Air Force physician, invented the word "aerobics" for his
1968 book of the same name -- tacking an S onto the medical adjective "aerobic"
as a way to describe the new kind of exercise he was touting. In the book, he
defined aerobic exercises as those that "demand oxygen without producing an
intolerable oxygen debt, so that they can be sustained for a long period of
time."
He didn't particularly like the word, and he didn't want it to be the title of
his book. "The publisher thought we should call the book 'Aerobics.' I
disagreed," he said recently from his office at the Cooper Institute in Texas
where, at 77, he still sees patients, including former President George W. Bush.
" 'People can't pronounce it, they can't spell it, they won't remember it,' " he
recalled contending. "But look what has happened in the past 40 years."
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-aerobics30-2009mar30,0,6263972.stor\
y


9. Piloting a Distance Revolution:
Rob Conner's Portland Pilots Get Faster by Running Slower.
Three years ago, David Kinsella and his freshman classmates at the University of
Portland began their collegiate careers by running among themselves so they
could gingerly adjust to collegiate training. One week in, longtime Portland
mentor Rob Conner let 'em loose to run with the varsity.
Their guide for their trial by fire was Michael Kilburg, a man who would explode
as a Pilot senior in 2008 after an otherwise undistinguished career to run a
school-record 28:20 for 10,000m. Kilburg proceeded to haul ass through the
Oregon forest at such a clip that Kinsella and crew remember not how far or fast
they went -- Kinsella is fairly certain it was 10 miles in 57 minutes -- only
that they had to hang on for dear life.
Welcome to college, fellas. "It was this attitude of just go out and blast it,"
says Kinsella, who quickly discovered that everyday runs like that were the
norm. He knew if he was to make it as a collegiate runner, he would have to
survive a training regimen that typically consisted of 60 to 80 miles a week,
blazing 6-mile tempo runs and intense sessions of repeat miles, and 60-minute
"recovery" day efforts routinely run at a 6-minute-per-mile clip. The Portland
training program, as then constituted, resembled what you'll find on many
campuses around the nation, and, like many others, its components developed
organically from within.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15744


10. This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago-  Getenesh Wami (ETH), Merima Denboba (ETH), and Paula Radcliffe
(ENG) were the medalists
                in the women's 8K on the first day of the IAAF World Crosscountry
Championships (NIR).
                Benjamin Limo (KEN), Paul Kosgei (KEN), and Hailu Mekonnen (ETH)
were the men's short
                course medalists.  The next day's long course (12K) for men saw
Paul Tergat (KEN),
                Patrick Ivuti (KEN), and Paulo Guerra (POR) collecting the medals
while Jackline Maranga
                (KEN), Yamna Oubouhou-Belkacem (FRA), and Annemari Sandell (FIN)
were the medalists for
                the women's short course (4K).
20 Years Ago-  Peter Maher (CAN) won the 81st edition of the Around the Bay
(ON/CAN) 30K in 1:34:12,
                with a comfortable lead over Andrew Jones (CAN) in 2nd with
1:38:11.
                Dorothy Goertzen (CAN) won the women's race in 1:58:53.
30 Years Ago-  Joan Benoit-Samuelson (USA) was first woman at the Jacksonville
River Run (FL/USA) 15K
                in 51:47 while Jermy Odlin (ENG) was the first man in 46:03. 
Peter Squires (USA) and
                Malcolm East (ENG) followed Odlin with 46:25 and 46:30
respectively.
40 Years Ago-  Jay Dirksen (USA) won the National Junior AAU Championships
(IA/USA) Marathon in 2:24:36
                in very cold (6F = -14C) and windy weather.  Canadian Joe Skaja
was 3rd in 2:36:17
                and masters legend Alex Ratelle (USA) was 14th in 2:51:39.  Yours
truly finished his
                first marathon in 3:21:35, way back in 36th place.
50 Years Ago-  Gordon Dickson (CAN) won the Firestone War Veterans (CAN) 25K in
1:21:58 with Ron
                Wallingford (CAN) picking up 3rd place in 1:24:16.
60 Years Ago-  Alain Mimoun (FRA) won the World Crosscountry Champs (Dublin IRL)
14.5K by one second
                over Rafael Pujazon (FRA).  Bronze medalist Charles Cerou (FRA)
was another four seconds
                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.

11. VO2max Newsletter:
*  Marathon Fatigue
Continuing with our discussion of fatigue, this month we examine the marathon.
Given the length of the marathon, there are some things that limit your
performance that don't play a major role in shorter races. The main difference
is that you run out of  carbohydrate, which is your muscles' preferred fuel. 
You have enough stored carbohydrate (glycogen) in your muscles to last slightly
more than two hours of sustained running at a moderate intensity.  Glycogen
depletion and the accompanying low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) coincide with
hitting the infamous wall.  Once you run out of glycogen and blood glucose, your
pace will slow down.
Other issues not encountered in shorter races that affect marathon performance
include dehydration, muscle fiber damage, hyperthermia, and psychological
fatigue.  When you sweat a lot, you become dehydrated, which causes a decrease
in the plasma volume of the blood, decreasing the heart's stroke volume and
cardiac output.  Oxygen flow to your
muscles is then compromised, and the pace slows.  The relentless pounding on the
pavement causes muscle fiber damage, which decreases muscle force production. 
Since your muscles produce heat when they contract, running for long periods of
time increases body temperature and the resulting hyperthermia decreases blood
flow to the active
muscles since more blood is directed to the skin to increase convective cooling.
Finally, running for so long can cause psychological or neural fatigue, the
latter of which is due to changes in the levels of brain neurotransmitters.
To combat fatigue in the marathon, you need to do high mileage, long runs, tempo
runs, and long intervals.  A high training volume improves many aspects of
aerobic metabolism, including the number of red blood cells, hemoglobin
concentration, muscle capillary and mitochondrial volumes, and aerobic enzymes,
together resulting in a greater oxygen-
carrying capability and greater ability to use the available oxygen.High mileage
also seems to improve running economy, the oxygen cost of maintaining a given
pace.
Long runs present a threat to the muscles' survival by depleting their storage
of fuel.  Given adequate ingested carbohydrates following the long run, our
bodies respond rather elegantly to the "empty tank" by synthesizing and storing
more glycogen, thus increasing endurance for future efforts.  However, molecular
evidence suggests that holding out
on the muscles by delaying the consumption of carbohydrates may be even more
beneficial.  By "starving" the muscles of carbohydrates, even more glycogen may
be synthesized when carbohydrates are finally consumed.  Low muscle glycogen
content has been shown to enhance the transcription of genes involved in protein
synthesis.  Long runs also help you combat the psychological and neural fatigue
by practicing to tolerate prolonged exertion.
Tempo runs improve your lactate threshold, the fastest speed you can sustain
aerobically and above which fatigue-inducing acidosis occurs. Increasing your
lactate threshold pace allows you to run faster before you fatigue because it
allows you to run faster before oxygen-independent metabolism begins to play a
significant role.  This is paramount for the marathon, which is basically a test
of how long you can sustain a hard aerobic pace.  The goal of marathon training
is to increase the pace at which your lactate threshold occurs and to increase
your ability to sustain as high of a fraction of your lactate threshold as
possible.  Try 3 to 4 miles, increasing to 7 to 8 miles, at lactate threshold
pace (about 10 to 15 seconds per mile slower than 5K race pace or about 10K race
pace for recreational runners, and about 25 to 30 seconds per mile slower than
5K race pace or about 15 to 20 seconds per mile slower than 10K race pace for
highly trained runners) or 5 x 1 mile at lactate threshold pace with 1 minute
rest.  If you're experienced with doing many long runs
and you want to give your marathon performance a boost, try inserting lactate
threshold-paced running into some medium-long runs (12 to 16 miles).  These
LT/LSD combo runs let you simulate the physiological and psychological fatigue
of the marathon without having to run as far.  They also severely lower muscle
glycogen, stimulating its synthesis and storage.
Long intervals (3 to 5 minutes) increase your heart's stroke volume and cardiac
output, sending more blood and oxygen to your muscles and increasing your
VO2max.  You should come close to reaching your maximum heart rate by the end of
each work period. High-intensity training (95 to 100% VO2max) is the optimal
stimulus for VO2max improvement. Try 5 x 1,000 meters or 7 x 800 meters at
VO2max speed (about 2-mile race pace for good runners) with equal (or slightly
less than equal) time as recovery.
Other things you can do to combat fatigue in the marathon are 1) ingest
carbohydrates during the race, 2) drink fluids with sodium, and 3) run long on
pavement.  That muscles prefer carbohydrates as a fuel is so fundamental to
exercise metabolism, even research examining supplementation with carbohydrate
during prolonged exercise has shown that fatigue can be delayed.  Begin
ingesting glucose about 30 minutes before you hit the wall so the glucose has
time to be absorbed into your blood where it can be used for energy.  Since your
sweat rate exceeds your ability to ingest fluid while running, dehydration is
difficult to prevent. However, since endurance performance declines with only a
2-3 percent loss of body weight due to fluid loss, it's important to minimize
its effects.  Since water goes wherever sodium goes, more water is conserved by
the kidneys when you ingest sodium with the water.  Finally, unless you're
planning on running a trail marathon, do all of your long training runs on
pavement to prepare for the muscle fiber damage you'll sustain in the race.
*  Strides
There are a number of lightning-fast steps that occur for muscles to contract
and produce force, all starting with the central nervous system, including the
transmission of a signal to a motor neuron, the release of a neurotransmitter
(acetylcholine) at the neuromuscular junction, the depolarization of the muscle,
the propagation of an action potential deep inside the muscle, the release of
calcium ions from the muscle's sarcoplasmic reticulum, the interaction between
contractile proteins (actin and myosin), and the hydrolysis of ATP for muscle
contraction.  To run fast, the central nervous system has to increase the number
of motor units recruited and increase the frequency of stimulation of the motor
units.  Thus, running fast is a strong stimulus for the central nervous system. 
While most of a distance runner's training is cardiovascular and metabolic in
nature, sometimes you have to focus on the neuromuscular aspect of performance.
Strides are one of the things you can do to focus on the neuromuscular aspect. 
Strides are 10- to 25-second (50 to 150 meters) controlled sprints.  The purpose
of strides is largely neuromuscular: to increase stride rate by recruiting
fast-twitch motor units (muscle fibers), which increases speed and, more
importantly, to increase stride length by increasing joint mobility (especially
at the hip) and increasing leg muscle power, causing a greater propulsive
thrust. The short bursts of speed also improve your coordination and running
form.
Strides, like other neuromuscular and technique work, should be performed at the
beginning of the training session (after a warm-up) or after an easy run, when
you're still fresh.  Strides for a distance runner are analogous to starting
block drills or plyometrics for a sprinter or hurdle drills for a hurdler.  It's
about making fast movements efficient.  Thus, doing strides after an interval
workout that causes a large amount of fatigue defeats the purpose of the
strides.  When you're fatigued, stride length naturally decreases.  Any
neuromuscular or power training requires greater recovery than endurance or
metabolic training; thus, you should take full recovery between strides.  Taking
only a few seconds of
recovery between strides introduces a metabolic demand.  Making strides too long
also introduces a metabolic demand, so strides should not be longer than about
25 seconds, otherwise you will start to cause acidosis.
When running strides, aim for a fast, smooth feeling.  Don't press to go
fast--they should not feel like intervals.  Rather, relax and focus on moving
your legs quickly through the running cycle to increase stride rate, and (more
importantly) extending your legs behind you from the hip to increase stride
length.  Take as much time as you need between each one to feel recovered.  Try
to do strides on the track; if you can't get to the track, find a flat stretch
of road or other firm footing.
Want to know more about organizing the components of your training program?  My
popular DVD--"Chasing Mercury, Battling Hercules: Getting Fitter and Stronger
with Periodization Training"--provides an overview of training theory, reviews
research findings, discusses the use of training cycles, and provides examples
of how to properly organize all of the components of training.  To order a DVD,
just go to http://www.runcoachjason.com/merchandise.
*  Coaching Consultations
Are you having trouble meeting your running and fitness goals?Do you coach other
runners and want to know how to improve theirperformances?  RunCoachJason.com
can help.  We offer the best consultations for runners, coaches, and personal
trainers.  If you want to improve your running performance, or you want the
opportunity to have your fitness and running questions answered immediately, you
can talk to Coach Jason live.  For a list of consultation topics and to book a
consultation with Coach Jason,
go to http://www.runcoachjason.com/consulting.
To view past newsletters go to: http://www.runcoachjason.com/newsletter
Copyright Jason Karp All Rights Reserved - http://www.runcoachjason.com

12. Heart Muscle Renewed Over Lifetime, Study Finds:
In a finding that may open new approaches to treating heart disease, Swedish
scientists have succeeded in measuring a highly controversial property of the
human heart — the rate at which its muscle cells are renewed during a
person’s lifetime.
The finding upturns what has long been conventional wisdom: that the heart
cannot produce new muscle cells and so people die with the same heart they were
born with.
About 1 percent of the heart muscle cells are replaced every year at age 25, and
that rate gradually falls to less than half a percent per year by age 75,
concludes a team of researchers led by Dr. Jonas Frisen of the Karolinska
Institute in Stockholm. The upshot is that about half of the heart’s muscle
cells are exchanged in the course of a normal lifetime, the Swedish group
calculates. Their results are to be published Friday in the journal Science.
“I think this will be one of the most important papers in cardiovascular
medicine in years,” said Dr. Charles Murry, a heart researcher at the
University of Washington in Seattle. “It helps settle a longstanding
controversy about whether the human heart has any ability to regenerate
itself.”
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/03/science/03heart.html?_r=1&ref=health


13. Run Softly, Naturally:
Can a Gait Makeover Improve Your Running?
For years, running coaches and elite athletes have preached that good running
form is the key to efficient running and faster times.
Now the concept of running "naturally" and hitting the ground on your midfoot
instead of your heel is being advanced by university studies, biomechanists,
stride gurus and shoe companies as a highly efficient way to run and prevent
common running injuries.
Many longtime runners are hesitant to tweak their form, especially if they're
skeptical about falling for what they might consider a fad. But the basis of
natural form or midfoot running gaits has been around for decades, much of it
derived from the super-efficient form elite runners have been employing for
years.
"It's not new, it's just that most runners have either gone away from what they
used to do or they were never taught the proper way to run in the first place,"
says Malcolm Balk, a Montreal-based running coach, form guru and competitive
masters runner who teaches The Art of Running workshops in Canada and the United
Kingdom.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15751


14. Dr. Mirkin's Fitness & Health eZine:
*  Study Finds Eating Red Meat Contributes to Risk of Early Death
A study of more than 500,000 Americans over 40 shows that those who consume the
equivalent of at least a hamburger a day have a 30 percent increased chance of
dying  during the next 10 years, mostly from heart disease and cancer. Cold
cuts, sausage and other processed meats also increased the risk (Archives of
Internal Medicine, March 2009).  This agrees with many other studies showing
that eating meat from mammals is associated with increased risk for heart
attacks, arthritis, and several types of cancer.  The study found that eating
fish, chicken, turkey and other poultry decreased the risk of premature death.
Most authorities still attribute the high mortality in meat eaters to the
saturated fats and cholesterol in meat.  This makes little sense since 1)
poultry is also a rich source of saturated fats and does not increase premature
death, cancer or heart attacks; 2) people who eat a diet rich is saturated fats
from palm, palm kernel and coconut oils are not at increased risk for premature
death; and 3) eggs and shell fish are extremely rich sources of cholesterol and
they are not associated with premature death.  I believe that the most likely
explanation for the increased risk for heart attacks and premature death in meat
eaters is inflammation from  the glycoprotein Neu5Gc; see
http://www.drmirkin.com/public/ezine110908.html
http://www.drmirkin.com/public/ezine111608.html
*  Piriformis Syndrome
If it hurts to touch a point that's in the middle of one side of your buttocks,
you probably have piriformis syndrome. This chronic condition is very difficult
to diagnose, because other injuries may produce exactly the same symptoms.
Similar pain may be the result of an injury to bones, muscles, tendons, bursae
(pads between the tendons and bones), the hip joint, or the sciatic nerve, but
there are ways to determine from which condition you might be suffering.
If you feel most pain when you land after hopping on one leg, you might have an
injured hip joint or a stress fracture in your pelvis or upper leg bones. An
x-ray will usually reveal a joint injury, but only a bone scan will reveal a
stress fracture.
If you feel pain in your buttocks, particularly when you touch your toes while
keeping your knees straight, you might have a tear in the large muscles or
tendons that run down the back of your hips.
If you feel pain when you touch a spot that's either on the lowest point of your
pelvis (the part that touches a chair when you sit) or at the top of your femur
(thigh), you might have injured your bursae (bursitis) or torn the tendons that
are attached to bones at these sites.
If your back hurts, particularly when you bend backwards, and the pain goes down
the back of your leg to below your knees, your sciatic nerve is probably being
pinched in your back.
Cause: The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body. It starts on the
lower part of your spine, [passes through a hole between the piriformis muscle
above it and several other muscles beneath it, and goes down the back of your
leg to below the knee. When you run, the piriformis muscle contracts and
squeezes the sciatic nerve underneath it. Repeatedly squeezing and relaxing the
piriformis muscle can damage the sciatic nerve and cause pain. This injury is
thought to be caused by an innate tightness of the piriformis muscle or a
structural abnormality in the path of the sciatic nerve. It can't be attributed
to a specific error in training.
Treatment: Priformis syndrome won't ease until you stop running. Don't run again
until you can run without feeling pain in your buttocks. If it hurts to touch,
it hasn't healed.
In most cases, pedaling a bicycle will also be painful. You probably shouldn't
do any exercise that causes you to bend at the hip while keeping your knees
straight, because this will stretch the sciatic nerve. You might be able to
swim, if it isn't painful. Medication doesn't usually alleviate the pain, and
even if it does, the pain will return as soon as you stop taking it.
Sometimes, the pain will disappear after a rest of a few days to several months;
frequently it does not. In this case your doctor will be able to make an
accurate diagnosis by injecting a mixture of xylocaine and corticosteroid drugs
directly into the piriformis muscle where it passes over the sciatic nerve. If
the pain disappears, you may resume running only after a few weeks, but remember
that this injury tends to recur. If you feel pain in that area, stop running
immediately, and don't attempt to run again until you can do so without pain.
*  Dear Dr. Mirkin: Is caffeine safe when I exercise in hot weather?
Just about everyone agrees that caffeine can help you exercise intensely longer,
but a major concern was that it could raise body temperature and increase
urination to harm
performance in the heat.  However, in one study doses of caffeine as high as 420
mg did not raise body temperature in the heat and did not impair hot-weather
performance because it is not a diuretic during exercise (Exercise and Sport
Sciences Reviews,  March 2009). That's four cups of coffee or eight soft drinks.
However, caffeine is a stimulant that can harm people with irregular heart
beats, blocked coronary arteries, high blood pressure, and other conditions that
you may not know you have.
When you compete in endurance events that last more than an hour, you go at the
fastest pace that allows enough oxygen to reach your muscles to prevent a large
build up of lactic
acid.  However, when your muscles start to run out of their stored sugar, you
burn more fat which requires more oxygen and you slow down for the same effort. 
So anything that preserves your muscle sugar during competition will give you
greater endurance.  Caffeine causes your muscles to burn more fat and therefore
preserve the stored muscles sugar, so it allows you to move very fast for a
longer period of time.  That's why the vast majority of cyclists in races such
as the Tour de France use caffeine.
*  Should You Drink Milk and Eat Dairy Products?
In this month's issue of the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition is a debate on whether milk causes cancer, heart attacks and a
shortened life span (March 25, 2009). Dr. Amy Lanou of the University of North
Carolina in Asheville, NC, writes that you don't need milk to be healthy. There
is little evidence that the calcium in milk prevents osteoporosis. Osteoporotic
bone fracture rates are highest in countries that consume the most dairy
products, and most studies of fracture risk provide no evidence that dairy
products benefit bone.  But Dr. Connie Weaver of Purdue University claims that
studies show that dairy products are associated with reduced risk of stroke,
metabolic syndrome, and some cancers.  She does admit that dairy products can
elevate blood levels of insulin-like growth factor (a cancer promoter), and that
the high calcium content of milk can reduce blood levels of active 1,25
dihydroxy vitamin D (a cancer preventer).
The issue is far from settled. Extensive theoretical evidence shows that whole
milk dairy products are full of saturated fat and cholesterol that may increase
risk for heart attacks.  We do not know if dairy products really increase cancer
risk.
Professor Ajit Varki, of U Cal/San Diego, proposes a theory to explain why
eating meat, which contains Neu5Gc, increases risk for cancers, heart attacks
and arthritis. If his theory is correct, dairy products should also be linked to
these diseases because milk also contains Neu5Gc, although in much smaller
amounts (meat has seven times more Neu5Gc than dairy products).  More on this at
http://www.drmirkin.com/public/ezine110908.html
http://www.drmirkin.com/public/ezine111608.html
http://www.drmirkin.com/public/ezine111608.html
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at:
http://www.drmirkin.com


15. Digest Briefs:
*  Vitamin D Pills May Prevent Fractures in Older Adults
Vitamin D supplements may help prevent fractures in people over 65, provided
they take enough of the right kind. A new review of clinical trials appears to
show a strong dose-dependent effect for vitamin D in lowering the risk for
nonvertebral fractures in the elderly.
The lead author of the analysis, Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari, a professor of
medicine at the University of Zurich, said that “vitamin D in a high enough
dose is not only beneficial in the frail older population, but it also works in
those still living at home and able to take care of themselves.”
The researchers, writing in the March 23 issue of The Archives of Internal
Medicine, reviewed 12 randomized trials that together included more than 65,000
subjects. Doses under 400 international units a day had no discernible effect,
but for doses larger than that, the pooled data showed a 20 percent reduction in
the risk for all nonvertebral fractures, and an 18 percent reduction for broken
hips.
The type of vitamin D made a difference. The effect of vitamin D3 was
significant, with a 23 percent risk reduction, but there was no significant
reduction with vitamin D2. The authors suggest that D3 is more effective in
maintaining blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, the active form that the
supplement takes in the body.
*  Sleep for Optimal Recovery
By Jason Gootman, USAT Certified Coach
Sleep is a critical aspect of health and one of the most important aspect of
recovery from your workouts. Aim for as much sleep as you can get. Six hours is
the minimum effective amount of sleep for an endurance athlete in heavy
training. Eight to nine hours is ideal for most athletes.
Jason Gootman, MS, CSCS, is the co-director of Tri-Hard Endurance Sports
Coaching, a USA Triathlon Certified Coach and a Certified Strength and
Conditioning Specialist. Visit his website at www.tri-hard.com.
*  More Energy for Your Workouts .
Focus on combining a good source of lean protein, healthy fat and
fruits/vegetables together for your meals and snacks.
Whole grains should be used sparingly right now if you are in your prep/base
season, especially if you have weight or body fat loss goals. Eating foods such
as chicken, fish, yogurt, beans, nuts, tofu, cottage cheese, fruit and
vegetables will stabilize your blood sugar nicely, minimize emotional eating
cravings, prevent the afternoon energy "crash" and keep you fuller longer.
Try this almost every time you eat and you will be on the road to having more
energy for exercise!
Bob Seebohar, MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS is a sport dietitian and elite triathlon coach.
He traveled to the 2008 Summer Olympics as the U.S. Olympic Committee Sport
Dietitian and the personal Sport Dietitian for the 2008 Olympic Triathlon Team.
He is also Sarah Haskins' personal coach and was a performance team member
(sport dietitian and strength coach) for Susan Williams, 2004 Olympic Triathlon
bronze medalist.
Bob's book, Nutrition Periodization for Endurance Athletes: Taking Sports
Nutrition to the Next Level will provide triathletes of all levels education on
how to structure their nutrition program based on their exercise program. For
more information, visit www.fuel4mance.com or contact Bob at
coachbob@...


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

April 4, 2009:
Challenge Obesity 5K - St. Paul, MN

Harry's Spring Run-Off - Toronto, ON

Run with the Wolves 5K - Minneapolis, MN

Santa Anita Derby Day 5K - Arcadia, CA

April 5, 2009:
Big D Texas Marathon - Dallas, TX

Carlsbad 5000 - Carlsbad, CA
Home of the 5K World Records - 13:00 & 14:46

Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run - Washington, DC

Fortis Rotterdam Marathon - Netherlands

Ironman Australia - Port Macquarie, Australia

Paris Marathon - Paris, France

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/

Send this to a Friend:
Forward the Runner's Web Digest to a friend and suggest that they subscribe at:
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YOUR FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS:
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our FrontPage. If you post to the mailing list and
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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@...
613-746-4053
http://www.OACRacingTeam.com
http://www.EmiliesRun.com

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

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

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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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!
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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
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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
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include: . A Visual Fitness Planner Consultation . Fit
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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/

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NEW THIS WEEK:

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
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Get Free Shipping with a Purchase of $60 or more from March 13th through March
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to save before this fantastic offer ends!
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&type=3&subid=0

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

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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 NO personal postings this week.

THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

1. Iron to Gold
Low iron levels can affect your running performance. Here are some strategies to
help you get enough iron in your diet.
2. It’s Time to Make a Coffee Run
Caffeine is one of the few performance enhancers that are not banned by the
World Anti-Doping Agency, and studies have proved that it does work in athletes'
favor.
3. Sifting Through the Sugars – The good, the bad, and the ugly
4. Moderate drinking may help build bone density
5. Race Day Nutrition
6. Turning to the Pros
Whether you are a ten-time marathoner or just looking to get into running for
the first time, finding a coach can offer up some great benefits.
7. Fuelling for the Long Run
8. Red meat raises risk of all kinds of death: study
9. What Seneca Would Say about Marathon Frustrations
10. Gains From Exercise After Heart Attack Are Lost if Exercise Stops
11. Developing Your Junior Athlete
12. Body and The Machine
13. Sportsmedicine: Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
Discover the causes behind Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome plus the correct treatment and
prevention strategies
14. Rub You The Right Way: Massage for Runners
Do you know how to unwind? iRun answers your most pressing questions about how
to loosen up.
15. Digest Briefs

RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Should there be an age restriction for the marathon?"
No restriction
12+
14+
16+
18+
21+

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:
"What is you all-time personal best marathon time?"
What is you all-time personal best marathon time?
Answers Percent
1.   Never run one  13%
2.   Sub 2:20  7%
3.   2:20 to 2:30  0%
4.   2:30 to 2:40  0%
5.   2:40 to 2:50  20%
6.   2:50 to 3:00  27%
7.   3:00 to 3:20  13%
8.   3:20 to 3:40  0%
9.   3:40 to 4:00  7%
10.   4:00 Plus  13%


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. Iron to Gold:
Low iron levels can affect your running performance. Here are some strategies to
help you get enough iron in your diet.
Six weeks before the 1984 Canadian Olympic marathon trials, Silvia Ruegger
stepped out the door for a crucial 35K training run. Right from the start, her
legs felt heavy and her energy levels were low, and after five miserable
kilometres, the habitually determined and resilient athlete turned around and
walked home. At her doctor’s office the next day, she got an explanation: her
body’s iron stores were depleted. Ruegger’s experience was not unusual:
runners tend to lose more iron through the heavy sweating, repetitive
foot-pounding that ruptures blood cells, and gastrointestinal bleeding that can
accompany competition and heavy training loads. And the risk of low iron for
pre-menopausal female runners is compounded by the monthly blood loss of
menstruation.
Low iron is a problem because we need it for the production of hemoglobin in our
red blood cells, which carries oxygen from the lungs to the working muscles. If
your muscles aren’t getting enough oxygen, it’s much harder to run. Sounds
fairly straightforward – but iron levels are a little more complicated for
runners than they are for the rest of the population. Most doctors test for
“iron deficiency anemia” by measuring your hemoglobin levels. If they’re
low, your iron stores are gone. Running performance, however, can suffer even if
you just have “iron depletion,” in which your hemoglobin levels are still
normal even though your iron stores are depleted. The best way to test for iron
depletion is to have a doctor measure your “serum ferritin,” which is an
index of iron stores in the body – but you may have to specifically ask your
doctor to include that test in any blood work.
More...from Canadian Running at:
http://runningmagazine.ca/2009/01/sections/health-nutrition/iron-to-gold/


2. It’s Time to Make a Coffee Run;
Caffeine is one of the few performance enhancers that are not banned by the
World Anti-Doping Agency, and studies have proved that it does work in athletes'
favor.
WELDON JOHNSON first tried caffeine as a performance enhancer in 1998. He was
not a coffee drinker but had heard that caffeine could make him run faster. So
he went to a convenience store before a race and drank a cup of coffee.
For the first time in his life, he ran 10 kilometers in less than 30 minutes.
“I remember being really wired before the race,” he said in an e-mail
message. “My body was shaking.”
From then on, he was a convert.
Mr. Johnson, a founder of LetsRun.com, would avoid caffeine, even in soft
drinks, for a few weeks before he competed in a race, wanting to have the full
stimulant effect.
“It may have been a huge placebo effect, but I swore by it,” Mr. Johnson
said. “Having a cup of coffee exactly one hour before the race was part of my
routine.”
Or maybe it was not a placebo effect.
Caffeine, it turns out, actually works. And it is legal, one of the few
performance enhancers that is not banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
So even as sports stars from baseball players to cyclists to sprinters are
pilloried for using performance enhancing drugs, one of the best studied
performance enhancers is fine for them or anyone else to use. And it is right
there in a cup of coffee or a can of soda.
Exercise physiologists have studied caffeine’s effects in nearly every
iteration: Does it help sprinters? Marathon runners? Cyclists? Rowers? Swimmers?
Athletes whose sports involve stopping and starting like tennis players? The
answers are yes and yes and yes and yes.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/health/nutrition/26best.html?ref=nutrition


3. Sifting Through the Sugars – The good, the bad, and the ugly:
By Monique Ryan, MS, RD
America clearly is in the midst of a long love affair with refined
carbohydrates, particularly in the form of added sugars. In the typical American
diet,  20-perent of our total carbohydrate intake and 10-percent of our total
calorie intake comes from the pervasive sugar additive corn syrup. Added sugar
consumption is currently estimated at well over 150 pounds per person each year.
How does sugar fit into the diet of a triathlete that consumes a healthy diet
geared to both optimal performance and good health, but who may enjoy a sweet
taste now and then?
Sifting through the sugars
Triathletes appreciate that carbohydrate, refined or not, provides fuel for
their muscles, brain, and nervous system during exercise. Adequate amounts of
carbohydrate in your daily diet impacts your recovery by replacing your body’s
carbohydrate fuel stores from one training session to the next.  Sugars are one
simple form of carbohydrate found in both healthy nutrient filled foods, but
also in processed foods with very little nutritional value. Smart triathletes
choose not only the proper quantity of fuel, but quality fuel as well.
When we refer to “sugar” we commonly think of the white stuff that may
sweeten your morning coffee, but this term refers to simple carbohydrates
composed of single and double carbohydrate molecules. Glucose, fructose, and
galactose are monosaccharides or single carbohydrate molecules that are the
building blocks for carbohydrates found in our diet. Disaccharides are composed
of two sugar molecules and include sucrose (table sugar), which is a combination
of glucose and fructose, and lactose (milk sugar), which a combination of
glucose and lactose. Corn syrup is a combination of glucose and fructose, and a
processed sugar frequently listed on food labels.
Too put “sugars” in the context of the general term carbohydrate, complex
carbohydrate are simply long chains of glucose molecules. Added sugar is simply
sugars added to food such as sweeteners. Naturally occurring sugar is found in
foods and not added in processing, preparation, or at the table. To make
choosing the right sugars simple- when classifying sugars as good or bad,
nutrients provided with these sugar containing foods should be your primary
consideration.
More...from USA Triathlon at:
http://usatriathlon.org/content/index/5092


4. Moderate drinking may help build bone density
People who enjoy a glass or two of wine or beer every day could be helping to
keep their bones strong, new research published in the American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition suggests.
However, drinking more -- and choosing hard liquor instead of wine or beer --
may actually weaken bones, Dr. Katherine Tucker of Tufts University in Boston
and her colleagues found.
In an interview with Reuters Health, Tucker agreed that keeping track of the
health benefits and risks of alcohol is tough these days. "It is very confusing
for people because alcohol has such diverse effects on different things," she
said; for example, while drinking may prevent heart disease, it increases breast
cancer risk.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE52J2VX20090320


5. Race Day Nutrition:
We say it time and again at The Endurance Lab, an athlete's success on race day
comes down to four things:
A) fitness
B) pacing
C) nutrition
D) mind set
Your fitness is already determined long before race day. It's the other three
factors that often go neglected. Too many of us train, train, and train and thus
get terrifically fit. But we neglect paying much attention to the crucial
factors of pacing, nutrition, and mind set.
The longer the event being contested, the more important these factors become.
Particularly race day nutrition. Have you ever had disappointing race results
due to an upset stomach? Gas? Cramping? Bloating? Nausea? Bonking? Heat stress?
You surely have, as has near every endurance athlete at one time or another.
Use the next few months to develop and fine tune your race day nutritional plan.
Be it for a half marathon, Olympic triathlon…or the grand events of the
marathon and Ironman…race day nutrition is vitally important to your success.
In fact, any event of about an hour or longer requires careful attention to race
day nutrition for optimal success.
In determining your nutritional plan, you should address three variables:
~ calories: how many calories should you consume for your given event?
~ hydration: how much fluid should you consume for your given event?
~ electrolytes: what amount of electrolytes need you consume for your given
event?
Given how relatively easy it is to develop a race day nutritional plan, everyone
should do it! It's far easier and less time consuming to develop a nutritional
plan for race day than it is to build your fitness over the months and years for
the same event!
Get your nutrition right, and you'll race well.
About The Endurance Lab
The Endurance Lab is an endurance coaching, consulting, training, and testing
facility which helps adult athletes of any ability achieve their
endurance-related athletic goals. We work with triathletes, cyclists, runners,
and swimmers. We provide expertise, practical experience, and a deep level of
caring for our athletes throughout their endurance journey.
From the Endurance Lab at: www.EnduranceLab.ca


6. Turning to the Pros:
Whether you are a ten-time marathoner or just looking to get into running for
the first time, finding a coach can offer up some great benefits.
For many of us, getting an unsolicited email promising to help us “go
harder” or “perform longer” warrants an immediate click of the delete key.
But for ten-time marathoner Stefan Steen, these are the messages he eagerly
awaits – albeit with a very different connotation. Six years after completing
his first marathon clinic, his renewed quest for a 3:15 Boston qualifier has him
seeking the guidance of Ontario-based Marathon Dynamics. For $30 per week, Steen
receives a training schedule personalized to his initial conditioning and race
aspirations, weekly coached group runs, monthly analysis of his progress and
access to private online discussion groups. By the time he crosses the start
line at the Mississauga Marathon in May, he will have spent nearly $500 on the
program. “If it gets me to Boston, I’ll say it was worth it,” says Steen.
Running is somewhat unique in that it frequently gives participants quantifiable
feedback – times, distances, heart rates – and promotes constant
self-improvement. As running crowds continue to swell, more and more people are
seeking professional help. Whether you’re a ten-time marathoner like Steen or
just looking to get into running for the first time, finding a coach can offer
up some great benefits. Read on to find out what the perks include, as well as
what type of coaching is best suited for you.
More...from iRun at:
http://www.irunnation.com/issues/article.php?id=140&intIssueID=8


7. Fuelling for the Long Run:
It seems simple-the further you go, the more fuel you use. But running a
half-marathon is drastically different than running an ultramarathon. You might
think you’re delirious seeing potatoes, nuts or doughnuts on the ultra
racecourse, but they’re there for a good reason. Before you tack another 10K
onto your longest run, consider what food is going to get you there.
Calories from carbohydrates, protein and fat are your body’s fuel. You get
four calories from one gram of carbohydrate or protein and you get nine calories
from a gram of fat. Because they’re burned quickly and efficiently with or
without oxygen, carbohydrates are your body’s preferred fuel source for
exercise. The exact amount of carbs you burn per workout depends on your
fitness, intensity and energy efficiency. If you’re new to running, you’re
going to use two baked potatoes to every one that a trained athlete uses for the
same distance and intensity. But a top marathoner like Paula Radcliffe is going
to need more macaroni than a jogger for the same route because her intensity is
higher.
More...from Canadian Running at:
http://runningmagazine.ca/2009/03/sections/health-nutrition/fuelling-for-the-lon\
g-run/


8. Red meat raises risk of all kinds of death: study:
People who eat the most red meat and the most processed meat have the highest
overall risk of death from all causes, including heart disease and cancer, U.S.
researchers reported on Monday.
The National Cancer Institute study is one of the largest to look at the highly
controversial and emotive issue of whether eating meat is indeed bad for health.
Rashmi Sinha and colleagues looked at the records of more than 500,000 people
aged 50 to 71 who filled out questionnaires on their diet and other health
habits.
Even when other factors were accounted for -- eating fresh fruits and
vegetables, smoking, exercise, obesity -- the heaviest meat-eaters were more
likely to die over the next 10 years than the people who ate the least amount of
meat.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE52M6UR20090324


9. What Seneca Would Say about Marathon Frustrations:
Running a marathon can be an extremely frustrating experience. Frustration
occurs during this great race when there is a gap between actual performance on
race day and expected performance.
One “solution” could be to eliminate expectations and simply focus on the
actual effort during the race. A key problem with this is that expectations can
be great motivators during pre-marathon training. In addition, having a goal
pace for the marathon (an expectation) improves the quality of pre-race
training, because portions of long runs can be carried out at goal tempo (thus
enhancing goal-tempo economy and fatigue-resistance, not to mention confidence
with one’s goal).
If frustration is permitted to mount on race day (because race pace is slower
than expected), it usually hurts performance severely. As my friend Angelos
Vetsis points out, frustration produces stress and a loss of focus and mental
control. One feels a bit disgraced out on the course, and a feeling that
pre-marathon training has been a waste of time is allowed to burgeon. The
overall race performance becomes much worse than it should be – finishing time
moves even farther away from the goal.
So frustration should be handled successfully during races which do not meet
expectations, but what is the key to such success? Part of the answer may come
from the Stoics of ancient Greece.
One of the key tenets of the stoic philosophy was that one should not worry
excessively about situations over which one has no control. What might Stoicism
mean – from a practical standpoint – in a race? In the case of a marathon,
expected pace might be 4:00 per K, but actual pace could turn out to be 4:20 per
K, as an example. The runner hitting the 4:20 Ks feels that nothing can be done
– it is simply impossible to ramp up to 4:00 per K, for whatever reasons. The
legs simply won’t go any faster.
Frustration over this 4:00 to 4:20 gap can completely ruin the rest of the race.
Seneca, a founding Stoic (not the noted American-Indian chief, although he might
have similar thoughts), would say that one should completely forget about the
20-second gap, since nothing can be done about it. All attempts to close the gap
have failed. Thus, the task remaining in the race is to maintain the 4:20 pace
without letting frustration tear it apart. Accomplishing this “maintenance
job” would be a major victory on a very tough day. It would be easy to let the
whole race come crashing down into dejected plodding and mental self-abuse, out
of frustration associated with not hitting what appeared to be an achievable
goal. In this common situation, frustration is dealt with and a crash is avoided
through stoic thinking, an adjustment of goals, and within-race focus on the new
goal.
The Stoics also believed that one should focus more intently on constructive
actions rather than thoughts (especially repetitively negative cogitations).
Putting this belief into practice, a frustrated runner would “cancel”
negative thoughts about performance during the race and would consciously refuse
to dwell on the gap between goal and reality. Such a thought (about the
inability to sustain goal speed) could occur once and only once, and then the
runner would move on with actions, employing all the strategies needed to keep
on running in a quality way (such strategies are covered in our marathon blog).
Part of the answer, too, may lie in the realization that every day is different
from a performance standpoint, and every day has its own specific, top level of
possible performance (which is different from the tops on other days). As a
mature runner, one can realize that a certain day, perhaps even race day, simply
can not be a day for best-possible performance, for a variety of different
physiological and psychological reasons. When a race goes bad, one can thus
proceed in different directions: (1) Beating oneself up for not reaching the
goal and letting frustration mount, with all of its negative consequences, or
(2) Deciding that one is going to perform at one’s best on that day, even
though it is not a goal performance. The accomplishment of the latter can
actually be quite heroic and satisfying. On a day when a goal can’t be
reached, there is no mental elation associated with flying along at one’s very
top capacity, and thus the effort can be very hard psychologically. The race
then becomes a matter of toughness, self-control, gutting it out, and employing
Stoic philosophy. On a bad day, succeeding in this way is even more difficult
than achieving one’s goal on a perfect day – and thus it can be even more
satisfying. As the Stoics often pointed out, you should strive to locate
happiness in things you can control.
Dealing with frustrating aspects of training and racing – and much more –
will be fully developed at my running camps this summer. Three camps are
available for you – June 20-25 in Vermont, July 4-9 at the University of
Oregon, and July 18-23 in Los Angeles (at beautiful Loyola Marymount
University). Attending one of these camps will make you fitter, faster, and more
injury free. I’ll personally help you develop a training program which is just
right for you. To sign up and work with me on making your running better than it
has ever been before, please go to http://www.educatedrunner.com/Camps.aspx
I also have a special offer running from now until April 1 (no fooling). The
offer is one month of personal coaching for $19.99, no strings attached. You
don’t have to provide a credit card – just information about yourself and
your running goals. After the month, you can continue to work with me at my
usual rate or simply say “No – it’s not what I expected,” with no hard
feelings at all, and of course no pressure at any time. To begin your month of
training at the astonishing rate of just 67 cents per day, please go to
http://www.educatedrunner.com/Coaching.aspx


10. Gains From Exercise After Heart Attack Are Lost if Exercise Stops:
Some important benefits of exercising after a heart attack can vanish in weeks
if the exercise is stopped, a new study has found.
The researchers tested F.M.D. — flow-mediated dilation, a measure of the
flexibility of an artery as blood flows through it — in 228 heart attack
survivors. Their arteries averaged about 4.2 percent expansion, compared with
the 10 percent considered normal in healthy people.
Then the scientists divided patients into four groups to undergo resistance
training, aerobic exercise, both together, or no exercise program at all.
Finally, the exercisers “detrained,” remaining idle for four weeks.
The study, published in the March 16 issue of the journal Circulation, found
that the dilation had increased to 5.3 percent in the people who had not
exercised, but to an average of more than 10 percent in the training groups.
After four weeks of detraining, dilation returned to almost exactly the initial
levels in all three exercise groups.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/health/24prev.html?_r=1&ref=nutrition


11. Developing Your Junior Athlete:
Great parents do not necessarily make great coaches for their children. Coaching
requires a certain level of objectivity, even detachment, that a parent will
generally not possess when it comes to their child. It is very important to
provide a level of training and teaching that is commensurate with the junior
athlete’s age, experience, and interest.
Children simply do not need highly structured coaching at an early age; they
mainly need to have fun and to learn. For this reason, we will not design a
structured training plan for a child under the age of 14, and even in the 14-16
age range we select athletes for our junior program on a case by case basis. We
will offer coaching for skill sets, technique, safety, and mentoring under the
age of 14, but defer structured programs to those offered by schools or team
sports (such as the neighborhood swim team). It is vital to recognize that a
child’s main motivation at a young age is to HAVE FUN. Although dad may be
setting Ironman PRs, children simply do not have the internal drive, focus, or
ambition that adults possess. Do not impose these ambitions on your child, or
they may find that the pressure becomes too great and desire to participate is
lost. Let your child explore different avenues in sport and come to their own
decision as to what piques their interest.
Children should not be “training;” rather, they should be spending quality
time with mom and dad. Avoid prescribing specific performance markers at a very
early age (i.e. we must run 2 miles today) that may make this time drudgery.
Keep the swim, bike, and runs unstructured and enjoyable. As they get older you
can set reasonable goals and praise them for attaining them. Always keep
feedback positive and the praise unconditional. When they do participate in an
event, do not place too much emphasis on placement or prizes. There will be
plenty of time for that as they get older.
More...from the Sport Factory at:
http://thesportfactory.com/site/trainingnews/Developing_Your_Junior_Athlete.shtm\
l


12. Body and The Machine:
Aerodynamic bikes and aero products are definitely “hot” on the market right
now. Every triathlete or cycling are always looking for a easy way to faster. It
is certainly possible to gain “free” speed with the use of such equipment:
to go faster for no increase in effort or fitness.
However, improvements in the aerodynamics of the machine must be viewed within
the contest of the bike and rider combination. Here is a simple exercise to
illustrate the point: Stand in front of a mirror with your bicycle, which is
larger, your bike or your body? Clearly, the frontal area of your body is much
larger than that your bike. This simple observation is important to cycling
because aerodynamic drag is a function of frontal area. Consequently, your body
is much more of a determinant of your aerodynamic drag than your bicycle is.
Even though your body has a large frontal area, the frontal area you present
during cycling can be modified by changing your body position. Another simple
exercise will illustrate how dramatic those changes can be: Set your bicycle
upon a trainer in front of a mirror and observe your frontal area with your
hands on the top of the handlebars, the brake hoods, and the drops, and with
your elbow on the aerobars. You will observe a dramatic range in frontal area as
you change from one position to the next. Indeed, within each if those hand
positions, you can substantially affect your frontal area by flexing or
extending your arms. Each of those observed changes will significantly alter
your cycling velocity.
More...from TriFuel.com at:
http://www.trifuel.com/training/bike/body-and-the-machine


13. Sportsmedicine: Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome:
Discover the causes behind Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome plus the correct treatment and
prevention strategies.
The foot is subjected to forces hundreds of times the bodyweight, thousands of
times in a day. The ankle is a complex structure that makes weight bearing
possible. It allows the foot to flex and extend and absorb the shock of the
compressive forces when walking, running and jumping. The ligaments, tendons,
nerves and blood vessels travel over and through the ankle joint to the foot.
The posterior tibial nerve runs down from the leg and behind the medial
malleolus, the bump on the inside of the ankle, down into the foot. This nerve
is protected by a fibrous sheath, called the flexor retinaculum. The flexor
retinaculum, along with the bones of the ankle, forms a tunnel for this nerve
(and tendons, arteries, veins) that runs through the foot. This tunnel is the
tarsal tunnel. The ligament over the tunnel is meant to protect the components
underneath, but if it becomes inflamed or a foreign body obstructs the tunnel,
then it can become part of the problem.
What is Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome?
Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome, like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in the wrist, is a
compression of the nerve inside the tunnel. It is less common than its
counterpart in the wrist and is sometimes simply wrapped into the foot
neuropathy diagnosis. The pressure can come from injuries resulting in
deformities, inflammation of the protective sheath, tumors, or other
impingements on the nerve. The compression on the nerve interferes with the
signals sent through the nerve, causing pain and other neuropathy in the foot.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news_2009/rw_news_20090324_TSH_Tarsal_Tunnel_S\
yndrome.html


14. Rub You The Right Way: Massage for Runners
Do you know how to unwind? iRun answers your most pressing questions about how
to loosen up.
Sure, you’re an expert in tying your muscles up in all kinds of knots, but do
you know how to unwind? iRun answers your most pressing questions about how to
loosen up, whether it’s with the help of a trained professional or with some
handy tricks you can try at home.
For some runners, massage is as much a part of their training regime as
speedwork and post-long-run greasy breakfasts. But for the uninitiated, the
prospect of going for a massage can seem kind of confusing, even intimidating:
Will I be layered with hot lava rocks and subjected to plinky-plonky spa music?
Assaulted with a barrage of Miss Piggy-style karate chops and
Streetfighter-esque spinal adjustments? Quietly be judged for having a
less-than-perfect posterior? I’m not ashamed to admit that I had been a
dedicated runner for years and was training for my first marathon before I got
over my own massage table anxieties – caused, in my case, by an unfortunate
incident at a traditional Hungarian bath, where “sports massage” apparently
means “getting beaten within an inch of your life with a wet towel and a bar
of soap.” But one fateful day, when my 85-year-old grandmother accused me of
moving so stiffly I looked like a ‘little old lady,’ I decided it was time
to take matters into my own hands – or rather, someone else’s. Here’s what
I learned on my journey from massage-o-phobe to true believer.
More...from iRun at:
http://www.irunnation.com/issues/article.php?id=127&intIssueID=8


15. Digest Briefs:
*  Create Your Reality Through Visualization
By David Glover, USAT Level 1 Coach
Positive thinking and planning in the months and weeks leading up to an event
are critical elements to setting the stage for a successful race. When I once
asked a female friend of mine who was attempting to make the U.S. Olympic
Triathlon Team in an e-mail what she does to prepare mentally before a race, she
replied back, “Visualization.” Visualization means visualizing the race in
your mind as to how you want it to happen.
Before your next race, write a race report as if you had raced your perfect
race. From start to finish, detail everything that you want to happen from warm
up to swim start to climbing on the bike to pacing on the run. Revisit your
story on a weekly basis. By visualizing a perfect race in your head before the
race, you can make it happen on race day.
David Glover is a USAT Level 1 Certified Coach and Certified Race Director.
Visit his website at www.davidglover.net.
* This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago-  Philip Tanui (KEN) won the Rome (ITA) Marathon in 2:09:56. 
Dmitriy Kapitonov (RUS),
                Philip Chirchir (KEN), and Roberto Barbi (ITA) followed with
times of 2:10:10,
                2:10:15, and 2:10:46 respectively.  Maura Viceconte (ITA) won the
women's race in
                2:29:36.  Jane Salumae (EST), Gadisse Edato (ETH), and Karina
Szymanska (POL) followed
                with 2:30:40, 2:32:36, and 2:34:46 respectively.
20 Years Ago-  John Ngugi (KEN) won the Cinque Mulini (ITA) 10K (cross) by six
seconds over Moses
                Tanui (KEN).  Andrew Masai and Boniface Merande completed the
Kenyan 1-2-3-4 sweep.
                Jacqueline Perkins won the women's 5K by 5 seconds over Susan
Hobson as the Aussie
                women went 1-2.  Nadia Dandolo (ITA) was 3rd while Carla
Borovicka (USA) was 4th.
30 Years Ago-  John Treacy (IRL) took the gold medal at the IAAF World
Crosscountry Champs (IRL) 12K,
                nine seconds ahead of Bronislaw Malinowski (POL).  Aleksandras
Antipovas (URS/LTU)
                edged Anthony Simmons (ENG) for the bronze medal, both given the
same time.  Grete
                Waitz (NOR) won her 2nd of five gold medals at these
championships with a 26 second
                margin over Raisa Smekhnova (URS/BLR).  Ellison Goodall (USA)
nabbed the bronze medal
                another four seconds back.
40 Years Ago-  Gaston Roelants (BEL) won the gold medal at the World
Crosscountry Championships (SCO),
                19 seconds up on Dick Taylor (ENG).  Ian McCafferty (SCO) took
the bronze medal, another
                13 seconds back.  Doris Brown (USA) won her third of four gold
medals at these championships,
                5 seconds up on compatriot Maureen Dickson.  Val Robinson (NZL)
won the bronze medal,
                another seven seconds back.  Cheryl Bridges-Flanagan (USA) was
4th.  Cheryl is the mother
                of reigning Olympic 10,000m bronze medalist, Shalane Flanagan.
  50 Years Ago-  Fred Norris (ENG) led a near medal-sweep for England, leading
Frank Sando (ENG) by eight
                seconds with Salah Beddiaf (FRA) taking the bronze another 9
seconds back. Basil Heatley
                (ENG) was another nine seconds back in 4th.
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)

March 28, 2009:
37th IAAF World Cross Country Championships - Amman, JOR
Website of the Local Organising Committee, Amman WXC 2009

Big Sur's Mud Run - Seaside, CA

Hervis Prague Half Marathon - Prague, Czech Republic

10th Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K - Richmond, VA

March 29, 2009:
(5th) Arizona Distance Classic Half Marathon - Oro Valley, AZ

Around the Bay 30K Road Race - Hamilton, ON

Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K - Chicago, IL
Inaugural Elite Club Competition

(5th) Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon - Knoxville, TN

ING Georgia Marathon - Atlanta, GA

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
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1. Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - Canada's
Fastest Women's 5K
Emilie's Run is over for another year. Almost 300 women completed the race with
38 women running under 20:00
The 2009 race will be run on June 20th.
For more on the race visit the website at:
http://www.emiliesrun.com.

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.
http://www.trainingpeaks.com/

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
Fix Orientation to learn how to exercise safely and effectively . Access to all
cardio and strength-training equipment . Access to
all of our world-class Group EXercise classes . A copy of Living the Good Life
audio CD Get started today! Visit
www.GoodLifeFitness.com Limited time offer.

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/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NEW THIS WEEK:

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

Get Free Shipping with a Purchase of $60 or more from March 13th through March
15th. No promo code necessary! Hurry and get a chance
to save before this fantastic offer ends!
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=vVGS2V*0iZg&offerid=139837.10000196\
&type=3&subid=0

The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - June 20, 2009
Register before March 15, 2009 and get a 10% discount.
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:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/forum.html or from our FrontPage.

We have 2,492 subscribers as of publication time. Forward the Runner's Web
Digest to a friend and suggest that they subscribe at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RunnersWeb/join .


RUNNER'S AND TRIATHLETE'S WEB CONTENT PARTNERS

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

* BREAKSWEAT.TV
We have partnered with Breaksweat TV to provide us with video content.
Simply Sports Media is part of a large group called Simply Media, which operates
more than 25 digital TV channels, including 6 on
satellite and cable. Simply Media has developed and continues to expand on
premium content for TV, web, mobile, captive Audience
Networks, and IPTV.
Breaksweat.tv was recently launched to provide instant access to premium video
content covering outdoor sports. The innovative
online channel uses a system called, Brightcove to continually and seamlessly
deliver content to its users, whilst providing
easy-to-use navigation.
Breaksweat TV is not a user generated website, or a broadcasting channel; rather
it is a platform used to host Breaksweat.tv's
independently produced video content, and content it obtains from key
relationships in the outdoor sports industry. By applying this
strategy to supply content for its viewers, SnowZone.tv is able to showcase
video content that is unique, high-quality, and
continuous filled with updated material.
For more information and to visit other existing channels in the Simply Media
network, please visit:
http://www.simply.tv/

* Sports Nutrition by Sheila Kealey. Sheila is one of Ottawa's top multisport
athletes and a member of the OAC Racing Team and X-C
Ottawa. She has a Masters in Public Health and works in the field of nutritional
epidemiology as a Research Associate with the
University of California, San Diego. Her column index is available at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/SK_index.html

* Carmichael Training Systems Carmichael Training Systems was founded in 1999 by
Chris Carmichael. From the beginning, the mission
of the company has been to improve the lives of individuals we work with through
the application of proper and effective fitness and
competitive training techniques. Whether your focus is recreational, advanced,
or you are a professional racer, the coaching
methodology employed by CTS will make you a better athlete. Check the latest
monthly column from CTS at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/cts_columns.html.
Carmichael Training Systems at:
http://www.trainright.com/promos.asp?code=DSBYBFCSP

* Peak Performance Online Peak Performance is a subscription-only newsletter for
athletes, featuring the latest research from the
sports science world. We cover the whole range of sports, from running and
rowing to cycling and swimming, and each issue is packed
full of exclusive information for anyone who's serious about sport. It's
published 16 times a year, including four special reports,
by Electric Word plc. Peak Performance is not available in the shops - only our
subscribers are able to access the valuable
information we publish.
Check out our article archive from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/PPO_index.html
Visit the PPO site at: Peak Performance Online:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/cmd.php?af=517509

* Peak Running Performance Peak Running Is The Nation's Most Advanced Running
Newsletter. Rated as the #1 Running Publication by
Road Runner Sports (Worlds Largest Running Store) , Peak Running caters to the
serious / dedicated runner. Delivering world class
running advice are some of running's most recognizable athletes including Dr.
Joe Vigil (US Olympic Coach), Scott Tinley (2 Time
Ironman Champ) Steve Scott (3 Time Olympian) and many more. This bi-monthly
newsletter has been around for over 13 years, and in the
past two it has been awarded the "Golden Shoe Award" in recognition of it's
outstanding achievements.
http://www.clixGalore.com/Sale.aspx?BID=37234&AfID=103794&AdID=5075&LP=www.peakr\
unningperformance.com
Check out the Peak Running article index at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/PRP_index.html .

* Running Research News: RRN's free, weekly, training update provides
subscribers with the most-current, practical, scientifically
based information about training, sports nutrition, injury prevention, and
injury rehabilitation. The purpose of this weekly e-zine
is to improve subscribers' training quality and to help them train in an
injury-free manner. Running Research News also publishes a
complete, 12-page, electronic newsletter 10 times a year (one-year subscriptions
are $35); to learn more about Running Research
News, please see the Online Article Index and "About Running Research News"
sections below or go to RRNews.com. Check out the
article index at: http://www.runnersweb.com/running/RRN_index.html

THIS WEEK'S PERSONAL POSTINGS/RELEASES: We will only post notes here regarding
running and triathlon topics of interest to the
community. We have ONE personal posting this week.
Hi there,
I have a baby store called - The Baby Boutique - www.boutiqueyourbaby.com . We
are based out of Kitchener Ontario and currently have
2 specials that may be of interest to your members. We are a certified retailer
for Baby Jogger - http://www.babyjogger.com/  . Baby
Jogger specializes in high quality jogging / running strollers and bike
trailers.
Once a year Baby Jogger offers retailers a great discount to clear out their
remaining stock. This year we were able to get great
savings on the following items:
Double Performance Jogging Stroller  -  
http://babyjogger.com/performancedouble.htm
This is a high performance double jogging stroller that is specifically designed
for runners.
This stroller typically retails for $899, we are selling them at $479 + tax
while our supplies last.
Tailwind Double Bike Trailer - http://babyjogger.com/tailwind.htm
This is a very well built bike trailer.
At the beginning of 2008 this trailer was retailing for 697$, we are selling
them at $339 + tax while our supplies last.
Julie Evans
1-877-868-7360


THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

1. Athletes, pause before you pill pop
2. Enlyten Sports Strips Used To Keep Players Hydrated In Six Over-time Game
3. Fatigue-Defying Strategies for the Marathon
4. High-impact exercise may be best bone-builder
5. Fixing Damaged Knees
Biomedical Engineers 'Arm' Surgeons For Highly Precise Knee Resurfacing With
Robot.
6. Training Tip - Taking on the early season
Enhance your preparation for the coming season.
7. Beating the Band
New Treatment for IT Band Syndrome Yields Results.
8. The Right Way to Warm Up
Coach Jay Johnson explains how to really get ready to race.
9. Study sheds light on exercise after heart attacks
10. Moderate-protein diet may beat high-carb diet
11. Off The Oval
Getting race-ready without a track.
12. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine
13. Optimum Running Speed Is Stride Toward Understanding Human Body Form
14. How Good is the 'Bod Pod'?
15. Digest Briefs


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"What is you all-time personal best marathon time?"

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 of the following injuries (conditions) have you had:
Answers Percent
1.   Patellofemoral Syndrome  10%
2.   Pulled Hamstring  11%
3.   Iliotibial Band Syndrome  16%
4.   Shin Splints  15%
5.   Stress Fractures  9%
6.   Exercise Induced Compartment Syndrome  5%
7.   Achilles Tendonitis  11%
8.   Plantar Fasciitis  11%
9.   Hip Bursitis  5%
10.   Mononucleosis  6%


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE MONTH: MileSplit.us
The Nations' Premier High School T&F/XC Network.
MileSplit US is the nation's premier network for high school track & field and
cross country. We believe that the heart of the sport
is on a local, grassroots level. By facilitating the publishing and business
process for our state webmasters, we are able to
provide in depth state-by-state coverage of the sport. At the same time, these
state portals feed content into a national database
allowing us to provide an unprecedented depth of coverage on the national level
as well.
Designed around powerful proprietary database software that unites all of the
important aspects of covering the sport--results,
rankings, articles, videos, photos, podcasts, statistics, etc--MileSplit US is
the only online publisher in the sport with the tools
to provide a high level of timely and comprehensive nationwide coverage.
MileSplit was founded in 2000 by then college sophomore Jason Byrne. It has
continued to grow over the years, incorporating and
adding Don Rich and Fred Finke to the corporate team in 2004. MileSplit has a
partnership with Universal Sports (formerly WCSN),
which serves as its sales team for its national advertising inventory.
MileSplit, Inc. is a privately held Florida corporation. Its primary offices and
datacenter are located in Greater Orlando, Florida.
Additional servers are located just outside of New York City. MileSplit has a
team of staff and affiliates located around the
country. We encourage your questions, sponsorship and investment inquiries.
Visit the website at:
http://www.milesplit.us

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

BOOK/VIDEO/MOVIE OF THE MONTH: Out of Nowhere: The Inside Story of How Nike
Marketed the Culture of Running
By Geoff Hollister
How does a boy from a small Oregon farm town get swept up in the politics of his
chosen sport? Out of Nowhere takes the reader along
on Geoff Hollister's 33 year journey at the center of Nike, the company that
would change not only the world of athletic shoes and
apparel but the business of sport itself.
Nike began with a handshake and a few hundred dollars passed between Phil Knight
and legendary track coach Bill Bowerman. Hollister
was coached by him at the University of Oregon and was Bowerman's pick as Nike's
third employee. Before he had even graduated
Hollister began selling shoes out of the trunk of his car for Blue Ribbon
Sports, the company that became Nike.
Out of Nowhere provides an inside look for the entrepreneur, from someone who
experienced the humble beginnings, lived and breathed
the first 33 years of Nike, now the largest sports and fitness company in the
world. Hollister takes you on the rollercoaster ride
of success and failure.
Buy the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/184126234X/runnersweb/102-0182896-9006569\
?v=glance&s=books

For more publications on running and triathlon visit:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/human_kinetics.html and
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/amazon.html

THIS WEEK'S FEATURES:

1. Athletes, pause before you pill pop:
Alex Hutchinson draws on the latest research to answer your fitness and workout
questions in this biweekly column on the science of
sport.
Last summer, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in
California made a splash by announcing an exercise pill
that allowed mice to gain the benefits of vigorous exercise - all without
setting a paw on their exercise wheels. That era hasn't
yet arrived for humans, but strolling down the aisle of any drugstore makes it
clear that we're very interested in pills whose
claims include faster, higher and stronger.
With a few exceptions, if you're eating a healthy, balanced diet, there's very
little evidence that any (legal) pill you pop will
make you a better athlete. But there's hope: New research is constantly
emerging, as the links between nutrition and physical
activity become clearer. In the first part of a two-part series, we look at the
hard data behind some currently popular supplements.
OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS
Used for: Endurance
The Claim:
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish such as salmon and tuna and (in a less
usable form) in plants such as flax and canola. Because
they have well-established effects on the cardiovascular system, researchers
have hypothesized that they should improve endurance.
More...from the Globe and Mail at:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090313.wljockology13/BNStor\
y/Front/


2. Enlyten Sports Strips Used To Keep Players Hydrated In Six Over-time Game:
March 13, 2009, NCCA Men's Basketball, New York, Syracuse and Connecticut . Two
of the Big East's top teams for the past 20 years,
staged a game for the ages on Thursday night and into Friday morning here at
Madison Square Garden.
Regulation time wasn't enough for these two rivals as they played into overtime
and well past midnight in a classic battle. It took
six overtimes; 30 extra minutes of incredible nonstop action , before Syracuse
finally outlasted UConn for a 127-117 victory.
The Syracuse trainer Brad Pike had a difficult job to keep his players hydrated.
To help him with this task he gave the players
Enlyten Electrolyte Strips. The players pressed the strips in their checks and
gums to help them hydrate.
The strips are Fast & Efficient: Recent studies indicate that delivery through
the buccal mucosa region may deliver double the
bio-availability of active ingredients at more than two to three times the rate
of absorption, compared with products that rely
exclusively on digestion through the GI tract.
Enlyten Electrolytes Strips are designed to provide your body with much needed
electrolytes prior to and during exercise to promote
optimal physical performance. They help maintain proper electrolyte balance
which is essential for proper hydration as well as
muscle and nerve function. Electrolytes plus strips provide an active lifestyle
with essential electrolytes and antioxidants via one
of the most technologically advanced delivery systems available today!
More...from Village Soup at:
http://waldo.villagesoup.com/sports/story.cfm?storyID=150021


3. Fatigue-Defying Strategies for the Marathon:
The spring marathon season is kicking into full-swing, which reminds me that
this race depends on mental strategizing (for success)
more than any other popular race distance. You can burn a 5K without thinking,
but in the marathon pensiveness is always going to
come to the fore at some point, and it can hurt you or help you as you negotiate
those 26.2 miles. The right mental mind-set for the
marathon revolves around what I like to call FFRR & DSD - Focus, Fatigue-Relief,
Relaxation, and Doing Something Different.
Focus: There are times during the race when fatigue seems overwhelming and
thoughts are turning negative. At these points, total
focus on the act of running becomes paramount. Yes, running becomes one foot
forward, then the other, then the other, and so on, and
the only conscious thoughts permitted are the ones associated with controlling
gait. Thinking about how far you still have to run is
verboten. Thinking about how bad your muscles feel is arrested in its tracks.
Thinking about how terrible your chest is feeling is
ended. The mind becomes totally transfixed by the process of controlling
movement in a smooth and coordinated way. One step, then
the next, then the next, and one continues to cover ground without any worries
about how fast one is going, how far it is to the
finish line, how soon one will get to the next rest stop, etc. You become an
animal out there, an animal in motion and nothing more.
You suddenly are thrilled that all thoughts are completely purged from your mind
and that you are exhilarating in movement and
nothing else. Your mind is totally pure for the first time in a long while, with
no distracting thoughts, no doubts.
More...from the Educated Runner at:
http://www.educatedrunner.com/Blog/tabid/633/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/3\
67/FatigueDefying-Strategies-for-the-Marathon.aspx


4. High-impact exercise may be best bone-builder:
Men who want to keep their bones strong may want to add running to their
exercise routine, new research suggests.
In a study of 42 athletic men ages 19 to 45, researchers found that running
seemed to have even bigger benefits for bone mass than
strength training did. Both runners and weight trainers had greater bone density
in the spine compared with road cyclists, but much
of the benefit in weight trainers seemed to stem from their greater muscle mass.
In contrast, running appeared to build bone density regardless of the men's
muscle mass.
"The results of the study confirm that both resistance training and high-impact
endurance activities increase bone mineral density,"
senior researcher Pamela S. Hinton, an assistant professor at the University of
Missouri in Columbia, said in a news release from
the university.
"However," she added, "high-impact sports, like running, appear to have a
greater beneficial effect."
Hinton and her colleagues report the findings in the Journal of Strength and
Conditioning Research.
Bone is living tissue that reacts to exercise by becoming stronger.
Exercise that forces the body to work against gravity -- like running, jumping
and weight training -- is most effective. In
contrast, low- impact activities, such as cycling or swimming, put relatively
little stress on the bones.
In this study, cyclists generally had the lowest bone density at all body sites
measured. That sports-related difference did
diminish once Hinton's team factored in the men's muscle mass; in general, as
muscle mass -- or body weight -- increases, bone mass
does as well.
However, even with muscle mass considered, weight trainers
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE52B6RR20090312


5. Fixing Damaged Knees:
Biomedical Engineers 'Arm' Surgeons For Highly Precise Knee Resurfacing With
Robot.
Biomedical engineers developed a robotic arm to very precisely resurface the
knee before replacing it. In order to do this, a 3-D
image of the knee is generated, providing a live-action view of the knee during
surgery. A stereo camera system constantly updates
surgeons on the location of the diseased portion of the knee--this keeps the
healthy parts untouched. Visual alarms and artificial
resistance tell the surgeons when they are too close to healthy parts. After the
resurfacing is done, the implant is placed.
More than 15 million Americans have osteoarthritis in their knees, and about
600,000 of them could be helped by a partial knee
replacement. A new way to fix arthritic knees that uses robots and computers is
helping patients walk out of the hospital the same
day of surgery.
Once an avid runner, Harvey Saff was surprised when he was sidelined with knee
osteoarthritis.
"It felt like a knife going right through me," said Saff. "That's the only
description that can aptly describe it."
Saff got relief with a knee resurfacing system developed by a biomedical
engineering team led by Rony Abovitz.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2009/0107-fixing_damaged_knees.htm


6. Training Tip - Taking on the early season:
Enhance your preparation for the coming season.
By Lance Watson
Ask 10 athletes and coaches about how one should prepare for next season and
odds are you will get 10 completely different answers.
Some will tell you to begin preparation only after an extensive "off-season,"
where you do very little training and allow your body
to recover with a month, or even more, of time off. Others will tell you the
precise opposite. Others will advocate a position
somewhere in between.
No off-season
I advocate that there is no "off-season," just varied levels of training that
allow you body to actively recover. This allows you to
maintain a level of conditioning without slipping into a fitness valley, which
takes an extended period of time to climb out of.
While a great number of athletes start with sprint races and work their way up
to longer distances, if you have already raced long
course (1/2 IM or IM), now is the time to evaluate your racing goals. What type
of racing suits you? Do you have the time to devote
to longer races? Maybe you are better at racing shorter triathlons such as
international- or sprint-distance. Once you have
established the type of triathlons you should be racing, it is time to set your
goals. Be sure to pick only one or two "A" priority
races; these will be your most important events. Then, pick "B" and "C" races --
less important events that will help prepare you
for the key races.
More...from TriSeries.ca at:
http://triseries.ca/news_article.php?id=95


7. Beating the Band:
New Treatment for IT Band Syndrome Yields Results.
Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) can be a debilitating injury to a runner. The IT
band, as it is more commonly known, can become so
painful that a runner is unable to train at all. Mark Fadil, the Director of
Sports Medicine Institute International (SMI) in Palo
Alto, CA, knows this injury both personally and professionally. As a high-school
senior, Fadil won the New York state 3,200m
championship in 9:10. After one successful collegiate year, Fadil developed pain
on the outside of his knee on the fourth day of his
sophomore year. He was diagnosed with IT band syndrome and, even though he was
receiving regular treatment-including NSAIDs,
ultrasound, stretching, and two cortisone injections-the pain progressed to the
point that he could not even run a mile. Nine months
later, he turned to physiotherapist Gerard Hartman, and after 11 days of deep
tissue massage, stretching, and strengthening, he was
able to train again, finishing his career at Stanford as a team captain with an
8:50 best in the 3,000m steeplechase.
What It Is, What It Does, What Goes Wrong
The IT band begins in the hip as the tensor fascia latae muscle and has
attachments at the origin from three different muscles: the
gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and vastus lateralis. The muscle becomes a
fibrous band of tissue as it progresses down the thigh,
then crosses the knee joint, and inserts along the lateral (outside) portion of
the patella (knee cap) and into the tibia (shin)
bone on a bump known as Gerdy's Tubercle.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3528


8. The Right Way to Warm Up:
Coach Jay Johnson explains how to really get ready to race.
A half century ago a coach named Arthur Lydiard was conducting experiments, with
himself as the lone subject, with the simple
purpose of figuring out the best method to train distance runners. By the 1960
Olympics his athletes were the talk of the track and
field world, confirming the efficacy of his training method. Lydiard's view on
pre-race warm-ups were simple, as he states in
Running the Lydiard Way (p.85-86):
"The main reasons are: 1) to raise blood circulation to a pulse rate near 130 to
140 beats a minute, so that you don't have to 'go
through the gears' in your race; and 2) to raise the body temperature and loosen
up the muscles so they can function more
efficiently, reducing the risk of pulling a muscle or straining a tendon."
I share this a preface because, at the most elemental level, the modern warm-up
is no different than Lydiard's; the warm-up needs to
prepare the body metabolically for the race/workout as well as prepare the body
neuromuscularly for the race/workout. That said, the
warm-ups I assign athletes look much different than the "old model."
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15924


9. Study sheds light on exercise after heart attacks:
Exercise helps people recover after a heart attack but the benefits vanish when
the workouts stop, Swiss researchers said on Monday.
Blood vessel function improved after four weeks of exercise among people who
exercised, but the findings published in the journal
Circulation suggest that long-term and continuing physical activity is key to
preventing another heart attack.
The Swiss team looked at 209 people who had survived a heart attack to gauge the
effects of different types of exercise and what
happened when people stopped regular physical activity.
Volunteers were assigned to receive training in aerobic exercise, resistance
workouts to build strength, a combination of the two,
or no exercise at all.
After four weeks, blood vessel function in the three exercise groups improved
regardless of the type of exercise, the researchers
said. There were no improvements among the men and women who did not work out.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE52F79I20090316


10. Moderate-protein diet may beat high-carb diet:
People lose weight when they cut calories, but a diet with some extra protein
may be especially effective at trimming body fat and
improving blood fats, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that over one year, a moderate-protein diet was better than a
standard high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet at helping
overweight adults shed body fat. What's more, it had greater benefits when it
came to boosting "good" HDL cholesterol and lowering
triglycerides, a type of blood fat that contributes to clogged arteries.
The findings, reported in the Journal of Nutrition, suggest that trading in some
carbs for protein may do dieters good.
For the study, 130 overweight adults were randomly assigned to one of two
calorie-restricted diets: the commonly recommended
higher-carb diet, with about 15 percent of calories coming from protein, 55
percent from carbohydrates and 30 percent from fats; or
a moderate-protein diet where 30 percent of calories came from protein --
including lean meat, low-fat dairy and nuts -- while 40
percent came from carbs, and 30 percent from fats.
All participants were given menu plans and attended weekly meetings with a
dietitian to help them stick with their new lifestyle.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE52H4LX20090318


11. Off The Oval:
Getting race-ready without a track.
At some point, most serious runners turn to the track. Tracks are fantastic
gauges for pace and good places to conduct time-specific
workouts. And, for the most part, they are ubiquitous. But what happens if the
nearest track is too far away? How can you best
prepare for a race when you can't get to a track?
You may be surprised to learn that some of the world's fastest runners train off
the track. The 2004 New York City Marathon
Champion, Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa, has run the same 3.5K loop near the
Johannesburg Zoo for more than 10 years. His speed
work entails 1,000-meter repeats along the loop.
Another example of an elite runner training off the track is Joe LeMay. In the
mid 1990s, LeMay was one of America's top distance
runners, placing second in the 1996 Olympic trials 10,000m and running a 2:13
marathon.  He avoided the track for a great part of
his training, opting to run a lot of his workouts on the roads, because track
workouts took more out of him and were a challenge to
fit into his schedule.  (LeMay worked a full-time office job with a long commute
throughout his elite running career.)
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15984


12. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine:
*  Lack of Thyroid Hormones Explains Why Some People Cannot Lose Weight
Diets rarely help people to lose weight permanently, so exercise gives you your
best chance to lose excess weight and keep it off.
However, some people cannot lose weight, no matter how much they exercise.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh showed that
overweight people who do not lose weight when they follow an exercise program
are likely to suffer from low thyroid function, and
therefore should be able to lose weight if they take thyroid hormones (Medicine
& Science in Sports & Exercise, February 2009).  I
think this is a very important study so this issue of the eZine is a little
longer than usual.
When you eat, blood sugar levels rise.  Your pancreas responds by releasing
insulin into your bloodstream which drives sugar into
cells where it can be used for energy.  As you gain weight, fat cells fill with
fat. This blocks insulin receptors so your cells
cannot respond adequately to insulin and blood sugar rises to higher levels.
This causes your pancreas to release even more insulin.
Too much insulin can harm you. It acts on your brain to make you hungry, eat
more and gain more weight.  It constricts the arteries
leading to your heart to cause heart attacks.
As I explained last week, muscles become extraordinarily responsive to insulin
when you exercise so you need far less insulin to
drive sugar from your bloodstream into cells.  Insulin levels go way down with
exercise, but the effect gradually tapers off in
about 18 hours.  So you have to exercise every day to maintain the benefit of
lowered insulin levels, and overweight people who
exercise every day usually lose weight.
However, some overweight people cannot lose weight no matter how much they
exercise.  This study shows that many of these people
have low thyroid function which prevents the cells from responding to insulin
and drives both insulin and blood sugar to very high
levels.
Doctors do not diagnose low thyroid function by measuring thyroid hormone
levels. Instead, they do a blood test called TSH that
measures the brain's response to thyroid hormone
levels.  The brain produces TSH to stimulate the thyroid gland to make more
thyroid hormone.  TSH rises to high levels when the
brain senses that there is not enough thyroid hormone in the body.
For many years, doctors have argued among themselves whether to treat people who
have normal levels of thyroid hormones and very
high levels of TSH (called subclinical hypothyroidism).  This exciting new study
shows that people who have high levels of TSH but
have normal levels of thyroid hormone have muscles that do not respond to
insulin adequately when they exercise. This means that
they develop high levels of insulin and blood sugar, become
overweight, diabetic, and often die of heart attacks.
If you are person who has extreme difficulty losing weight, ask your doctor to
draw a blood test called TSH. If it is above 3.0, you
probably will benefit from taking thyroid hormone. However, you must be careful
not to take too much because overdoses of thyroid
cause osteoporosis.  Your thyroid dose should be adjusted to keep your TSH
values between 0.3 and 3.0.
*  Muscles and Diet
Many body builders and weight lifters are overly concerned about what they eat
and what food supplements they take. If you want to
grow larger and stronger muscles, you should concentrate on lifting weights, but
you can help muscles grow larger by understanding
how what you eat affects how you recover from hard exercise. Just exercising
will not make you strong and it will not help you to
grow large muscles. If exercise made you strong, marathon runners would have the
largest muscles. The only stimulus to make muscles
larger and stronger is to stretch them while they contract. When you lift a
heavy weight, your muscles start to stretch before they
start to contract. This tears the muscle and causes soreness on the next day and
beyond. If you rest and let the muscle heal, it
will be stronger than before you stretched it lifting weights.
This training principle of stress-and-recover is so strong that you can enlarge
a muscle by lifting weights even if you are fasting,
losing weight and all your other muscles are getting smaller. In one study,
obese, un-athletic women were instructed to restrict
food and lift weights. They averaged a weight loss of more than 35 pounds in
three months and gained a lot of muscle.
Training for sports is done by taking a hard workout and then having sore
muscles on the next day. Then you take easy workouts or
you take off until the muscle soreness disappears. You improve by taking hard
workouts and your muscles grow and heal while you
recover on your easy days. Of course, if you could recover faster from a hard
workout, you could do more work and be a better
athlete. Scientists have known for years that you recover faster by eating
carbohydrates immediately after you finish your hard
workout (2). New studies show that eating extra protein on the day that you take
hard workouts helps you recover even faster. Eating
extra protein reduces muscle damage during hard exercise (3). Eating
carbohydrates along with a protein building block called
leucine helps you to recover even faster (4).
Chronic muscle fatigue in athletes is associated with low blood levels of amino
acids, the building blocks of proteins (1). The
sooner you eat protein after you finish your hard workout, the quicker you will
recover. The benefits of eating protein soon after
you lift weights does not apply just to elite athletes. A study from the
University of Arkansas shows that eating meat helps older
people grow large muscles when they also lift weights. Muscles are made
primarily from protein building blocks called amino acids.
Muscles heal from a hard workout when amino acids and other nutrients travel
from your bloodstream into the muscles. Eating food,
particularly protein, immediately after you finish your workout helps muscles
heal faster. This study shows that men between the
ages of 51 and 69 recover faster and grow larger muscles when they include meat
than when they eat only dairy, fruits, vegetable,
whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts (5).
1) JE Donnelly, T Sharp, J Houmard, MG Carlson, JO Hill, JE Whatley, RG Israel
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition OCT 1993;58(4)
.
2) KJ Kingsbury, L Kay, M Hjelm. Contrasting plasma free amino acid patterns in
elite athletes: association with fatigue and
infection. British Journal of Sports Medicine 32: 1 (MAR 1998):25-32.
3) Nancy Rodriquez. The Journal of Nutrition July, 1999.
4) Hayward R et al. Effects of dietary protein on enzyme activity following
exercise-induced muscle injury. Med Sci Sprts Exerc.
March, 1999. 31(3):414-420.
5) WW Campbell, ML Barton, D CyrCampbell, SL Davey, JL Beard, G Parise, WJ
Evans. Effects of an omnivorous diet compared with a
lactoovovegetarian diet on resistance-training-induced changes in body
composition and skeletal muscle in older men. American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1999, Vol 70, Iss 6, pp 1032-1039.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at:
http://www.drmirkin.com


13. Optimum Running Speed Is Stride Toward Understanding Human Body Form:
Runners, listen up: If your body is telling you that your pace feels a little
too fast or a little too slow, it may be right.
A new study, published online March 18 in the Journal of Human Evolution, shows
that the efficiency of human running varies with
speed and that each individual has an optimal pace at which he or she can cover
the greatest distance with the least effort.
The result debunks the long-standing view that running has the same metabolic
cost per unit of time no matter the speed - in other
words, that the energy needed to run a given distance is the same whether
sprinting or jogging. Though sprinting feels more
demanding in the short term, the longer time and continued exertion required to
cover a set distance at a slower pace were thought
to balance out the difference in metabolic cost, says Karen Steudel, a zoology
professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
However, Steudel and Cara Wall-Scheffler of Seattle Pacific University have now
shown that the energetic demands of running change
at different speeds. "What that means is that there is an optimal speed that
will get you there the cheapest," metabolically
speaking, Steudel says.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090319142411.htm


14. How Good is the 'Bod Pod'?
Body Composition - Fat Measurement: How Good is the 'Bod Pod'?
Athletes from a variety of different sports feel the need to monitor their body
composition. Resistance-trainers, for example, check
weight changes and percentage body fat on a regular basis to ensure that the
gains they make are in the form of lean mass rather
than fat; endurance athletes are often concerned about potential gains in fat
weight because it can reduce maximal aerobic capacity
and impair movement efficiency; athletes in power sports like volleyball and
tennis worry that excessive fat will interfere with
their ability to jump explosively or get to the ball quickly and some athletes
intent on losing weight need to make sure that they
don't lose muscle mass along with fat tissue. All such athletes would welcome a
reliable and user-friendly method of assessing body
composition.
Hydrostatic weighing is considered the 'gold standard' in this respect, but it
is neither problem-free nor easy to use. The repeated
underwater submersions (and corresponding maximal exhalations) required for this
technique have proved troublesome for athletes,
while many coaches find it hard to measure hydrostatic weights accurately, which
requires a significant amount of technical
expertise.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/how-good-bod-pod-49


15. Digest Briefs:
*Exercise: A Pace for Fitness: 100 Steps a Minute
A journey of a thousand miles may begin with a single step, but even if you take
just 2,999 more within half an hour, you may be on
the road to fitness.
A new study finds that people who walk to keep in shape can achieve the right
intensity if they take at least 100 steps a minute.
The researchers, led by Simon J. Marshall of San Diego State University,
equipped volunteers with pedometers that counted their
steps as they worked out on treadmills at different speeds. They also measured
the participants' heart rates.
A pace of 100 steps a minute or more, they calculated, was enough for the
workout to be considered of moderate intensity. The study
appears in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
The researchers noted government recommendations that people engage in
moderately intensive activity for at least 150 minutes a
week, which can be accomplished with five 30-minute sessions.
The problem with pedometers is that while they can give a rough measure of the
distance traveled, they cannot show how hard someone
is working. But they can be helpful if people use them to count their steps and
set a goal of walking 3,000 steps or more in half an
hour, the researchers said. They cautioned, though, that the method was still an
imperfect measure of how hard the workout was.
*  Add Intensity to Workouts
By Jason Gootman, USAT Certified Coach
Make sure your long workouts feature portions at race intensity. This will help
you prepare for your race physically, mentally, and
emotionally. You'll be very specifically prepared for exactly what your race
will feel like. You can't go slow in your workouts and
expect to go fast in your races.
Jason Gootman is a USAT Certified Coach, Co-Director of Tri-Hard Endurance
Sports Coaching and a Certified Strength and Conditioning
Specialist. Visit Tri-Hard Endurance Sports Coaching online at www.tri-hard.com.
*  This Week in Running
10 Years Ago-  Salah Hisou (MAR) won the 67th edition of the Cinque Mulini
Crosscountry (ITA) 11K,
                defeating John Cheruiyot Korir (KEN) by 14 seconds.  Sergey Lebed
(UKR) was another
                three seconds back.  Anita Weyermann (SUI) won the women's 5K by
five seconds over
                Margaret Okayo (KEN) with Fatima Yvelain (FRA) way back in 3rd
(53 seconds behind
                Okayo).
20 Years Ago-  John Treacy (IRL) won the 12th edition of the Azalea Trail
(AL/USA) 10K in 28:17,
                well ahead of Mauricio Gonzalez (MEX) and Rob deCastella (AUS) at
28:33 and 28:35
                respectively.  Wendy Sly (ENG) had a similar margin over Judi St
Hilaire (USA),
                32:15 to 32:32.  Ruth Partridge (ENG) took 3rd in 32:44.
30 Years Ago-  Duncan Macdonald (USA) won the 2nd edition of the San Jose
Mercury News (CA/USA) 10K
                in 29:14.  Olympic marathoner Don Kardong (USA) was 2nd in 28:19
and Ben Wilson (USA)
                was 3rd in 29:45.  Roxanne Bier (USA) won the women's race in
35:17.  This race appears
                to have died after the 2006 running (just faded away).
40 Years Ago-  Kimio Otsuka (JPN) won the 17th edition of the Chunichi
(Toyohashi JPN) Marathon in
                2:18:45.  Kunio Fujita (JPN) and Naoyuki Sato (JPN) rounded out
the top three with
                2:20:38 and 2:24:57 respectively.  This race held its 57th
running this year.
50 Years Ago-  Antonio Ambu won the Italian Crosscountry Championships held in
Grosseto ITA.
60 Years Ago-  George Bromley (NZL) defeated Arthur Lydiard (NZL) for the New
Zealand marathon title,
                2:40:05.6 to 2:40:48.
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)

March 21, 2009:
Canyonlands Half Marathon - Moab, UT

SunTrust National Marathon - Washington, DC

March 21-22, 2009:
Yuengling Shamrock Sportsfest - Virginia Beach, VA

March 22, 2009:
Kaiser Permanente Pasedena Marathon - Pasedena, CA

Rome Marathon - Italy

Tokyo Marathon - Japan
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
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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
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opinions expressed in the articles referenced by the
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Web. Visit the Runner's Web at
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SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS: All of the revenue from our advertisers and affiliates
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to multisport and Canadian Olympians.

1. Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - Canada's
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More than a million Canadians are runners, making it this country's most popular
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Until now, Canadian runners haven't had our own running magazine. But now,
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The Team
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Mark has more than 20 years of experience in the Canadian media business. An
avid runner, he has completed five marathons and 10
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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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NEW THIS WEEK:

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Get Free Shipping with a Purchase of $60 or more from March 13th through March
15th. No promo code necessary! Hurry and get a chance
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The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - June 20, 2009
Register before March 15, 2009 and get a 10% discount.
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RUNNER'S AND TRIATHLETE'S WEB CONTENT PARTNERS

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* BREAKSWEAT.TV
We have partnered with Breaksweat TV to provide us with video content.
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more than 25 digital TV channels, including 6 on
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Breaksweat.tv was recently launched to provide instant access to premium video
content covering outdoor sports. The innovative
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Breaksweat TV is not a user generated website, or a broadcasting channel; rather
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video content that is unique, high-quality, and
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For more information and to visit other existing channels in the Simply Media
network, please visit:
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* Sports Nutrition by Sheila Kealey. Sheila is one of Ottawa's top multisport
athletes and a member of the OAC Racing Team and X-C
Ottawa. She has a Masters in Public Health and works in the field of nutritional
epidemiology as a Research Associate with the
University of California, San Diego. Her column index is available at:
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* 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:
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Carmichael Training Systems at:
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* Peak Performance Online Peak Performance is a subscription-only newsletter for
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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
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Check out our article archive from Peak Performance Online at:
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* 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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unningperformance.com
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* 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. Marathon Race Week: What to Do and When to Do It
2. Pressed for Time?
What to run when your training time is slashed.
3. 10 Tips to Overcome Morning Stiffness
4. It's never too late to start exercise
5. Bananas And Dieting
6. Ankle exercises build seniors' strength, balance
7. The Claim: Morning Is the Best Time to Exercise
8. Bleeding risk for ultra runners
9. Live Fast, Die Young? Maybe Not
10. Credit Crunch
11. Training for Best Race
12. 'No evidence' on running shoe safety
13.  Body type training � are we slaves to our �body type� genes?
14. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine
15. Digest Briefs


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Which of the following injuries (conditions) have you had:
Patellofemoral Syndrome
Pulled Hamstring
Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Shin Splints
Stress Fractures
Exercise Induced Compartment Syndrome
Achilles Tendonitis
Plantar Fasciitis
Hip Bursitis
Mononucleosis"

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:
"What was/were the greatest running achievement(s) of all time?"
Answers Percent
1.   Emil Zatopek wins the 5K, 10K and Marathon at the 1952 Olympics  20%
2.   Roger Bannister breaks 4 minutes for the mile  16%
3.   Abebe Bikila wins the 1960 and 1964 Olympic Marathons  8%
4.   Lasse Viren wins the 5K and 10K in 1972 and 1976 Olympics  8%
5.   Flo Jo runs 10.49 in the 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials  8%
6.   Joan Samuelson wins the first Women's Olympic Marathon  12%
7.   Michael Johnson runs 19.32 in the 1996 OIympics  10%
8.   Usain Bolt runs world records of 9.69 and 19.30 in the Beijing Olympics 
10%
9.   Other (email polls2009@...)  6%


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE MONTH: MileSplit.us
The Nations' Premier High School T&F/XC Network.
MileSplit US is the nation's premier network for high school track & field and
cross country. We believe that the heart of the sport
is on a local, grassroots level. By facilitating the publishing and business
process for our state webmasters, we are able to
provide in depth state-by-state coverage of the sport. At the same time, these
state portals feed content into a national database
allowing us to provide an unprecedented depth of coverage on the national level
as well.
Designed around powerful proprietary database software that unites all of the
important aspects of covering the sport--results,
rankings, articles, videos, photos, podcasts, statistics, etc--MileSplit US is
the only online publisher in the sport with the tools
to provide a high level of timely and comprehensive nationwide coverage.
MileSplit was founded in 2000 by then college sophomore Jason Byrne. It has
continued to grow over the years, incorporating and
adding Don Rich and Fred Finke to the corporate team in 2004. MileSplit has a
partnership with Universal Sports (formerly WCSN),
which serves as its sales team for its national advertising inventory.
MileSplit, Inc. is a privately held Florida corporation. Its primary offices and
datacenter are located in Greater Orlando, Florida.
Additional servers are located just outside of New York City. MileSplit has a
team of staff and affiliates located around the
country. We encourage your questions, sponsorship and investment inquiries.
Visit the website at:
http://www.milesplit.us

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

BOOK/VIDEO/MOVIE OF THE MONTH: Out of Nowhere: The Inside Story of How Nike
Marketed the Culture of Running
By Geoff Hollister
How does a boy from a small Oregon farm town get swept up in the politics of his
chosen sport? Out of Nowhere takes the reader along
on Geoff Hollister's 33 year journey at the center of Nike, the company that
would change not only the world of athletic shoes and
apparel but the business of sport itself.
Nike began with a handshake and a few hundred dollars passed between Phil Knight
and legendary track coach Bill Bowerman. Hollister
was coached by him at the University of Oregon and was Bowerman's pick as Nike's
third employee. Before he had even graduated
Hollister began selling shoes out of the trunk of his car for Blue Ribbon
Sports, the company that became Nike.
Out of Nowhere provides an inside look for the entrepreneur, from someone who
experienced the humble beginnings, lived and breathed
the first 33 years of Nike, now the largest sports and fitness company in the
world. Hollister takes you on the rollercoaster ride
of success and failure.
Buy the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/184126234X/runnersweb/102-0182896-9006569\
?v=glance&s=books

For more publications on running and triathlon visit:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/human_kinetics.html and
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/amazon.html

THIS WEEK'S FEATURES:

1. Marathon Race Week: What to Do and When to Do It:
McMillanRunning.com Coach
Confused as to just how to get fully prepared for a peak marathon performance?
You�re not alone.  In this article, coach Jonas
Holdeman, himself a former marathon champion, tells you what he tells his
athletes prior to their marathon.
(1) RACE WEEK
Sleep
Do your best to get to bed early the two to three nights before your target
event.  If you get adequate sleep these two nights, you
won�t have to worry about losing sleep the night before the marathon (and you
will because you�ll likely be restless the night
before the race).   I typically climb into bed at 9:00 PM and read until I doze
off.  I never worry about whether or not I get good
sleep the night before a race:  chances are I
won't, due to nerves.  And, from a physiological standpoint, if you�re used to
seven hours of sleep and you get ten, you�ll probably
feel more sluggish on race morning.  So, don�t worry about the night before the
race.  Focus on the night before the night before.
By the way, if you find it hard to sleep, just do the following.  Lie on your
back and focus on taking long, deep nasal breaths.
Try to make the inhale and the exhale match in terms of length. (I usually count
the inhale and the exhale � in two, three, four:
out two, three, four).  This will do two things:  1) free your mind from the
anxiety of thinking �Oh my!  I can�t sleep!  I have a
race in the morning!  I�ll be too tired to run!� etc., etc.  and 2) relax your
body so that you actually fall asleep.
Hydration
In the three days prior to your race, you'll need to consume 0.5-0.7 ounces of
fluid per day per pound of body weight.  Shoot for
75-100 ounces daily, consuming an 8 ounce glass at regular intervals.  The way I
do it is to set the timer function on my sports
watch for 1:00:00; and, every time the alarm sounds, I drink 8 ounces.
This strategy:  1) ensures that you drink enough without having to really think
about it and 2) provides constant intake instead of
realizing you are behind and chugging to catch up.  What the latter means is
that you will not have to jump up and take a leak every
20 minutes.  If you drink more water less frequently (i.e., chug a 16 ounce
glass every two hours), you'll be forcing the body to
"pass" on the available fluid because it cannot absorb it.  If you need an
analogy, it's like what a farmer wants when his crops are
dry:  six hours of light, steady rain that provides a gallon per square meter
rather than a 15 minute downpour of the same volume
that ends up washing into the lake.  Stop drinking water about two (2) hours
before you hit the sack to reduce the need to whiz
during the night.
More...from MacMillan Running at:
http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/rununiv/marathonprep.htm


2. Pressed for Time?
What to run when your training time is slashed.
For the competitive runner, daily runs are not simply a means to an end; without
them, normal sleeping, eating, socializing, and
working patterns can suffer. You depend on the daily run, not only to log PRs,
but also to help maintain a precious balance in life.
Unfortunately, balance cannot always be achieved. The scales tip, life steps in,
and you are faced with the dreaded circumstance: a
hiatus from your usual mileage, perhaps for many weeks, because of an
unavoidable work commitment, a family health situation, lack
of child care, etc. Fortunately, even several weeks away from regular training
does not necessarily equate into loads of lost
fitness, if you properly structure your more-limited training time.
Pete Rea, head coach at ZAP Fitness,  is well versed in the training of runners
on both ends of the spectrum and everywhere in
between. He says, �If you�re able to continue running three or four days a week
and you do the right things during those three or
four days, you can maintain fitness even for a couple months if you have a busy
time at work or aren�t able to get out the door
every day.� Smart training, with an emphasis on quality over quantity, could
actually spit you out on the other side of those down
weeks rejuvenated, ready to jump back in with full force.
Paul Giannoble, a Minneapolis-based master who wins races outright in his late
40s, knows this predicament well. The father of two
and full-time investment adviser says he had many 5:30 a.m. runs during his
children�s younger years, �trying to get back before
everyone was up.� He looks at balancing competitive running with all of life�s
other responsibilities as a welcome challenge that
can sometimes even improve your running performance by forcing you to make the
most of the limited training time. He explains, �For
the typical runner, let�s face it, quality is more important than quantity. To
get faster, you have to get in the higher-quality
workouts. That�s what it could force you to do if you can�t run every day.�
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15904


3. 10 Tips to Overcome Morning Stiffness:
Do you find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning, because of too much
pain? Does it take you an hour or two for your body
to �warm up' and your joints and muscles to loosen before you can tackle the
tasks of the day? You are not alone.
According to the American College of Rheumatology, Fibromyalgia affects 3 to 6
million Americans. That's 1 in 50 Americans, with
seven times more the frequency in women than in men. And according to the NHIS,
by 2030 an estimated 67 million Americans are
projected to have doctor-diagnosed arthritis.
Morning stiffness is one of the more common complaints doctors hear about from
patients with fibromyalgia, arthritis, rheumatism and
those whose bodies no longer rebound after a day of activity�even gardening�like
it used to.
Don't let morning stiffness cut your day short, by starting it later... And
while most people reach for muscle relaxants like Motrin
and pain relievers like Aleve to get them going, you don't need to.
More... From the Healthy Back at:
http://www.losethebackpain.com/overcomingstiffness.html


4. It's never too late to start exercise:
People who put off regular exercise until they hit the age of 50 can still
benefit from physical activity but it appears to take 10
years for the effects to kick in, Swedish researchers said Friday.
A study of 2,205 Swedish men followed for more than 20 years from the age of 50
showed that exercise made no difference in premature
death rates for at least a decade for those who waited until later in life to
start physical activity.
"It has been shown that young people benefit from exercise but this is the first
time we have been able to show that old people can
also benefit from increasing their physical activity," Liisa Byberg, a
researcher at Uppsala University in Sweden, said in a
telephone interview.
"It's not too late to start."
The researchers put the volunteers into low, medium and high activity groups.
About half the men reported a high level of exercise,
corresponding to at least three hours of sport or heavy gardening each week.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE52501X20090306


5. Bananas And Dieting:
After reading this you�ll never look at a banana in the same way again.  BANANAS
contain three natural sugars � sucrose, fructose
and glucose - and fiber.  No wonder a banana gives an instant, sustained and
substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that
just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous ninety minute workout.
This is what makes the banana the number one fruit
with the world�s leading athletes. But energy is not the only way a banana helps
us to be fit. It can also help overcome or prevent
a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must add to our
diet.
DEPRESSION: According to a recent survey undertaken by �Mind.� Amongst people
suffering from depression, many felt much better after
eating a banana. This is because bananas contain Tryptophan - a type of protein
that the body converts into Serotonin, known to
relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS: FORGET THE PILLS � EAT A BANANA.  A banana contains Vitamin B6 which
regulates blood glucose levels which can affect your mood.

ANEMIA: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the
blood to help in cases of anemia.
BLOOD PRESSURE: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet
low in salt, making it perfect to control high blood
pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just permitted the
banana industry to officially claim the fruit�s
ability to reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.
More...from Infinite Health Resources at:
http://www.infinitehealthresources.com/Store/Resource/Article/1-2/2/10.html


6. Ankle exercises build seniors' strength, balance:
  A simple series of ankle and foot flexing exercises can improve strength and
balance in older people, research from Portugal shows.
Among elderly individuals living in an institution, those who performed the
exercises showed substantial increases in the strength
of the muscles that flex and extend the ankle, as well as significantly better
balance.
People lose mobility with aging in part due to weakening of the lower limbs,
Fernando Ribeiro of the University of Porto and his
colleagues note in their report in the journal Geriatrics and Gerontology
International. Targeting muscle groups in the legs that
play a key role in helping maintain balance may offer a low-cost way to increase
mobility and prevent falls among elderly people,
they add.
To investigate whether strengthening one set of key muscles might indeed build
balance, Ribeiro and his team randomly assigned 48
institutionalized elderly individuals to an ankle exercise group or a "control"
group.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE52563D20090306


7. The Claim: Morning Is the Best Time to Exercise:
Without a doubt, exercise at any time of the day beats no exercise at all. But
are there physiological advantages to working out in
the morning versus evening, or vice versa?
In various studies, scientists have found that subjects tend to do slightly
better on measures of physical performance � including
endurance, strength output, reaction time and aerobic capacity � between 4 and 7
p.m. The explanations are numerous: the body�s
temperature and hormone levels peak in late afternoon, making muscles more
flexible and producing the best ratio of testosterone
(the muscle-building hormone) to cortisol (the hormone that does the reverse).
But these variations have only small effects. And much as one can adjust to
waking up at the same time daily, studies have shown
that the body can adapt to the time of day that you train. In several long-term
studies, for example, scientists randomly split
people into groups and instructed them to train only in the morning or only in
the early evening. In the end, the morning exercisers
generally did better on tests of physical performance early in the day, while
the evening exercisers did better when tested later.
On a practical level, that means that if you plan to run a marathon that starts
in the morning, it may be best to schedule your
training runs early in the day.
THE BOTTOM LINE
In general, research suggests that the ideal time to exercise is late afternoon,
though the advantages are slight.
From the NY Times

8. Bleeding risk for ultra runners:
Minor bleeding from the gut is a common sports injury in increasingly popular
sport of ultra-endurance running caused by the severe
physical stress of ultra events. This problem, a reflection of the severe
physical stress of ultra events, is particularly common
among older athletes, women and people with existing gastrointestinal disorders.
No one knows the precise cause of this bleeding or whether it poses any
long-term threat to health. But now a new study from Austria
and Greece suggests that it can be prevented in many cases by a class of drugs
known as �proton pump inhibitors�.
The effects of this drug were tested in 70 athletes taking part in the 2005
Spartathlon in Greece. This is one of the most gruelling
running events in the world, covering a distance of 246k from Athens to Sparta,
which has to be finished within 36 hours.
Half the athletes were given a proton pump inhibitor called pantoprazole to take
for the three days of the race, while the rest took
an identical-looking placebo. Samples of the athletes� stools were analysed
before and after the race for signs of �occult� bleeding
� traces of blood that might escape the naked eye. In the end only 37 of the
runners � 20 from the treatment group and 17 from the
placebo group � were included in the final analysis because some dropped out and
others were excluded because they failed to finish
within the specified time.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/sports-injury-danger-for-distance-runners-35882


9. Live Fast, Die Young? Maybe Not:
The theory that a higher metabolism means a shorter lifespan may have reached
the end of its own life, thanks to a study published
in the journal Physiological and Biochemical Zoology. The study, led by Lobke
Vaanholt (University of Groningen, The Netherlands),
found that mice with increased metabolism live just as long as those with slower
metabolic rates.
The theory that fast-living animals die young, known as the rate-of-living
theory, was first proposed in the 1920s. The premise is
simple: Aging is the inevitable byproduct of energy expenditure. The faster you
expend energy, the faster you age, and the sooner
you die. It remained a prominent theory of aging until recently, when
comparisons across broad animal groups cast doubt on it. For
instance, birds have significantly higher metabolisms than mammals of similar
size, yet the birds live much longer.
Vaanholt's study was designed to test the rate-of-living theory among
individuals of one species�in this case, mice.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090309162121.htm


10. Credit Crunch:
Jason Gootman, MS, USA Triathlon Certified Coach, NSCA CSCS
Will Kirousis, BS, USA Triathlon & USA Cycling Certified Coach, NSCA CSCS
Tri-Hard Endurance Sports Coaching (www.Tri-Hard.com)
It�s mile 5 in your big � Ironman. You had a real good swim and your best bike
split ever by 15 minutes! You�re working real hard,
but you think you can keep the pace up. Then you head up a steep hill, around a
corner, and bam�your pace slows to 8:00 per
mile�8:35�9:15, you�re cramping up bad, your stomach feels lousy, you�re walking
now�it�s not a pretty finish. You missed your PR by
five minutes, when it seemed earlier that you had it in the bag. What happened?
You took out a loan you couldn�t pay back and there was no bailout for you! You
have a certain amount of energy you can expend in a
race. The sound approach is to parcel out this energy evenly from start to
finish, paying your bills with cash (energy) you have on
hand, one mile at a time as they come. Do so, and you�ll have a good day.
Disobey this contract with your body and you�ll eventually
pay the penalty�you�ll slow down considerably, and it won�t feel good!
There�s three ways you can approach pacing a race: even splits, positive splits,
and negative splits. To illustrate these
approaches, let�s consider a five-mile run and a runner trained to run 8:00 per
mile.
More...from Tri-Hard at:
http://www.tri-hard.com/SCC%20Materials/Credit%20Crunch.pdf


11. Training for Best Race:
I got a long email from an athlete last week. The bottom line was that he wanted
to know what he might be missing in his training.
He�s got an important race in the spring and wants to make it his best ever. Of
course, there is no way I could tell him exactly
what to do. Even when I know an athlete quite well this is a challenge. So I
pointed out three things he needs to do in order to be
aiming his energy and time in the right directions. Here�s what I told him.
1. Know what your limiters are and train so as to improve them while maintaining
your strengths. There are lots of things that could
be one�s limiters. This guy is a triathlete so I asked him to consider, first of
all, the three sports and how good he is at each.
Sometimes age group race results tell you this. A good example of this is a
triathlete I coach. It was obvious when I first started
working with him that swimming was his weakest sport. So I shot video of him and
determined that the greatest weakness here was his
catch. So we have been working on that for a month. I just got a new video from
him this week and he has improved it considerably.
There are still flaws but they are minor. Our focus now shifts to his running.
This will be a bigger challenge as we need to improve
both his technique and his muscular endurance. We�ve been working on the
technique for about a month. It�s also coming along quite
well. Now we�re ready to get his ME improved. That will take several weeks.
Of course, there�s a lot more to limiters than this. One has to also determine
what the course will be like and compare that with
weaknesses. For example, if it�s a hilly course and he is a poor climber then
this is a limiter. But if it�s a flat course climbing
is not a limiter. Wind, cold, heat and humidity can also be limiters. Water
conditions (rough, flat, cold) are also possibilities.
There are others to consider such as nutrition and inadequate recovery time.
More...from Joe Friel's Blog at:
http://www2.trainingbible.com/joesblog/blog.html


12. 'No evidence' on running shoe safety:
AUSTRALIAN joggers are being warned there's no hard science underpinning what
they wear on their feet.
Scientists at the University of Newcastle wanted to find independent studies on
the safety of sneakers that have cushioned heels and
other features to prevent the ankle rolling in.
Dr Craig Richards said an analysis of the global pool of sports medicine
research turned up nothing relating to the commonly used,
and recommended, sports shoes.
"Since the 1980s, distance running shoes with thick, heavily cushioned heels and
features to control how much the heel rolls in,
have been consistently recommended to runners who want to avoid injury,'' Dr
Richards said.
"We did not identify a single study that has attempted to measure the effect of
this shoe type on either injury rates or
performance.
"This means there is no scientific evidence (the) shoes provide any benefit to
distance runners.''
Dr Richards said Dutch researchers had previously found between 37 and 56 per
cent of recreational runners become injured at least
once each year.
More...from the Herald-Sun at:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25171370-5005961,00.html


13. Body type training � are we slaves to our �body type� genes?
The human body comes in a huge array of different shapes and sizes, but should
your natural body type dictate the sport you choose
or the way you train? John Shepherd looks at the evidence and in particular
whether it�s nature or nurture that really counts
In a particular sport or event within a sport, the participants will often share
a similar body shape. For example, male sprinters
tend to be relatively tall and be proportionately muscled, whilst female
gymnasts tend to be relatively slight with very low body
fat and shot-putters relatively round with more body fat and large muscles.
These sports� body shapes quite closely reflect the
three derivative �somatotypes� (body type classifications). The sprinter fits
the typical mesomorph body type, the gymnast the
ectomorph, and the shot-putter the endomorph. In this article, we�ll consider
the relationship between body types, sports
performance and training response.
Somatotypes, body classification and �typical� training response
As indicated there are three main body types or somatotypes: endomorphs,
mesomorphs and ectomorphs. This basic classification
derives from the work of the psychologist William Sheldon in the mid 20th
century. In everyday terms these types can be described as
�fat�, �athletic� and �thin� (see figure 1). Sheldon believed that each
somatotype had distinct physiological (and psychological)
traits.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/body-type-training-and-body-classification-39798


14. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine:
*  Increasing Exercise after Age 50 Prolongs Lives
Men who start or increase their exercise programs after age fifty live longer
than those who remain at their present activity
levels, according to a study in the British Medical Journal
(March 2009).  More than 2200 men were checked at ages 60, 60, 70, 77 and 82
years.  The greater the increase in exercise duration
over that span, the longer their lives were extended.  The reduction in early
death from increasing exercise was the same as for men
who stopped smoking.
Lack of exercise is associated with obesity, diabetes, heart attacks, strokes,
osteoporosis, and cancer. Exercising regularly more
than halves your chance of dying prematurely
(Archives of Internal Medicine, December 2007).  Yet more than 50 percent of
North Americans do not exercise.
Exercise prevents disease and increases life span by many mechanisms. The major
benefit probably comes from the contracting muscles
themselves.  A high rise in blood sugars and fats after meals damages cells. 
When blood sugar levels rise too high, sugar sticks to
the surface of cell membranes. Once there, it can never get off, eventually
killing the cells and leading to blindness, heart
attacks, strokes and the other consequences of uncontrolled diabetes. 
Contracting muscles draw sugar and fat so rapidly from the
bloodstream that they usually prevent blood sugar levels from rising too high. 
This effect is maximized during exercise.  The
effect is maintained for about half hour after you stop exercising and gradually
tapers off until it disappears after about 18
hours.  That explains why you get maximum benefit by exercising every day
(rather than three times a week), and why greater benefit
is gained by exercising more intensely for longer durations.
*  Dear Dr. Mirkin:  Since I started to train seriously for marathons, my wife
has complained that I have markedly reduced my
interest in making love.  What can I do to keep running and satisfy my wife?
Get a medical check-up. If your doctor finds nothing wrong with you, you may be
training too much.  Most endurance athletes have
normal blood levels of the male hormones,
testosterone and dihydro-testosterone, and lose neither sexual desire nor sexual
performance (Journal of Endocrinological
Investigation, October 2008).
Endurance athletes who have low levels of testosterone usually have normal blood
levels of LH and FSH, the brain hormones that
control testicular production of testosterone.
Defective testicular production of testosterone is usually associated with very
high levels of brain hormones.  That means that
reduced sexual desire associated with endurance training is governed by the
brain, not testicular damage, and is often part of an
overtraining syndrome.
Training for competition is done by taking an intense workout on one day,
feeling sore on the next, and going at reduced intensity
for as long as it takes for the soreness to go away.  Taking intense workouts
when you feel soreness causes muscle injuries and
fatigue that affects all your organ systems, including your sexuality.  Once you
develop an overtraining
syndrome, it can take a very long time to recover.  If this has happened to you,
I recommend jogging slowly each day and stopping
each workout immediately when your legs feel heavy or sore.  When you feel
better, you can start to train intensely again, but be
sure to include slow recovery days in your training program.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at:
http://www.drmirkin.com


15. Digest Briefs:
* Effects of strength training on running economy.Guglielmo LG, Greco CC,
Denadai BS.
Human Performance Laboratory, UNESP, Rio Claro, Brazil.
The objective of this study was to compare the effect of different strength
training protocols added to endurance training on
running economy (RE). Sixteen well-trained runners (27.4 +/- 4.4 years; 62.7 +/-
4.3 kg; 166.1 +/- 5.0 cm), were randomized into two
groups: explosive strength training (EST) (n = 9) and heavy weight strength
training (HWT) (n = 7) group. They performed the
following tests before and after 4 weeks of training: 1) incremental treadmill
test to exhaustion to determine of peak oxygen uptake
and the velocity corresponding to 3.5 mM of blood lactate concentration; 2)
submaximal constant-intensity test to determine RE; 3)
maximal countermovement jump test and; 4) one repetition maximal strength test
in leg press. After the training period, there was an
improvement in RE only in the HWT group (HWT = 47.3 +/- 6.8 vs. 44.3 +/- 4.9 ml
. kg (-1) . min (-1); EST = 46.4 +/- 4.1 vs. 45.5
+/- 4.1 ml . kg (-1) . min (-1)). In conclusion, a short period of traditional
strength training can improve RE in well-trained
runners, but this improvement can be dependent on the strength training
characteristics. When comparing to explosive training
performed in the same equipment, heavy weight training seems to be more
efficient for the improvement of RE.
From: International Journal Of Sportsmedicine
*  Middle age 'key for exercising'
Increasing activity levels in middle age can prolong life as much as giving up
smoking, a study suggests.
Swedish researchers from Uppsala University monitored more than 2,200 men from
the age of 50.
They found those who increased activity levels from 50 to 60 ended up living as
long as those who were already exercising regularly
by middle age.
Public health experts said the findings showed it was never too late to start
exercising.
The team asked the men about their activity levels at the start of the study in
the early 1970s, when they were aged 50.
The men were put into three groups - high levels of activity, moderate levels
and sedentary.
High levels was classed as those who did at least three hours of sports or heavy
gardening each week.
Moderate was said to be the equivalent of several hours of walking or cycling,
while people who were classed as sedentary spent most
of their free time watching TV.
Their exercise habits were then reassessed at the age of 60.
The team found that those who were doing high levels of activity at the age of
50 lived 2.3 years longer than sedentary men and 1.1
years longer than those who reported medium levels of activity - once a range of
factors such as weight, alcohol intake and smoking
was taken into account.
But interestingly the researchers found that those who increased their activity
level to high - whether they were in the moderate or
low group - from the age of 50 to 60 also lived the longest.
It was not clear what effect reducing activity levels during this period had,
the British Medical Journal report said.
From: British Medical Journal.
* This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago-  Gabriela Szabo (ROM) won the gold medal in the 3000m at the IAAF
World Indoor Championships,
                held in Maebashi JPN.  She was two seconds ahead of the silver
medalist, Zhara Ouaziz (MAR),
                8:36.42 to 8:38.43.  Regina Jacobs (USA) took the bronze medal in
8:39.14.  Haile
                Gebreselasie (ETH) took the men's gold in an African medal sweep
with a 7:53.57.  Very close
                behind was Paul Bitok (KEN) at 7:53.79, while Million Wolde (ETH)
was 3rd in 7:53.85.
20 Years Ago-  Liz McColgan (SCO) lowered her own 10K road WR for the second
time (third consecutive
                record) at the Red Lobster (FL/USA) 10K with a 30:38.4.  She beat
former 10K road WR-holder
                Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) by one minite with Kristiansen clocked
at 31:39.  Lynn Williams
                (CAN) was 3rd in 31:44.  Keith Brantly (USA) edged William
Musyoki (KEN) in the men's race,
                both were given 28:02.  Gerardo Alcala (MEX) was 3rd in 28:05.
30 Years Ago-  Don Ritchie (SCO) won a 50,000m race in Timperley ENG with a
2:50:30.  Cavin Woodward
                (ENG) was 2nd in 2:55:24 while Tom O'Reilly (ENG) was 3rd in
2:56:34.
40 Years Ago-  Ian Stewart (SCO) won the European Indoor Games 3000m, held in
Belgrade YUG (now SER)
                with a 7:55.4.  Javier Alvarez (ESP) took the silver medal in
7:56.2 while Werner Girke
                (GER) ran 7:56.8 for the bronze medal.  This competition later
evolved into the European
                Indoor Championships.
50 Years Ago-  Allan Lawrence (AUS) won the Knights of Columbus (NY/USA) 2 mile
with a 8:46.7, defeating
                Max Truex (USA) and Laszlo Tabori (HUN) who ran 8:47.1 and 8:47.8
respectively.  William
                Dellinger (USA) was 4th in 8:49.9.
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)

March 13-14, 2009:
NCAA� Indoor Track & Field Championships - College Station, TX
ESPN Coverage

March 14, 2009:
Catalina Island Marathon - Two Harbors, CA

CNL Bank Winter Park Road Race 10K - Winter Park, FL

Gate River Run - Jacksonville, FL
USA 15K Championship

H-E-B Bayou City Classic 10K - Houston, TX

Irish for a Day 5K - Minneapolis, MN

OIRC's Ottawa St. Patrick�s Day Races - Ottawa, ON

March 15, 2009:
Bay to Bay 12K - Tampa Bay, FL

Kelly St. Patrick's Day Shamrock 5K - Baltimore, MD

Little Rock Marathon - Little Rock, AR

Shamrock'n Half Marathon - West Sacramento, CA


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

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

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

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Have a good week of training and/or racing.

Ken

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

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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.
**Register before March 15, 2009 and get a 10% discount**

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

5. Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon - October 18, 2009
Register before the end of this month for the Marathon, Half Marathon, or 5k and
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
Fix Orientation to learn how to exercise safely and effectively . Access to all
cardio and strength-training equipment . Access to
all of our world-class Group EXercise classes . A copy of Living the Good Life
audio CD Get started today! Visit
www.GoodLifeFitness.com Limited time offer.

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

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

10. Mi-Sport - The Ultimate Sports MP3 Player Introducing the world's first and
only waterproof and wireless sports mp3 player.
These Mi-SPORT mp3 headphones have a 1GB memory built into a cool neckband
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it perfect for swimming, kayaking, and water
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Circuit training is so much easier with your own
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Depending on track length, the headphones hold well over 14 hours worth of music
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Nick Matthew, the 2006 British Open squash champion now uses the player to train
with and Mi-SPORT are endeavouring to encourage
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athletes and exercise enthusiasts everywhere.
Check it out at: http://www.mi-sportmp3.com/

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Register before March 15, 2009 and get a 10% discount.
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Digest to a friend and suggest that they subscribe 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 NO personal postings this week.

THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

1. How to Train Smarter and Run Faster
2. Workout for breathing muscles may aid some athletes
3. Food for running
The foods which you should eat when exercising regularly.
4. Iliotibial Band Injuries
5. VO2max - The monthly newsletter of RunCoachJason.com
6. Postpartum Depression
7. Good or Useless, Medical Scans Cost the Same
8. Building Strong Bones: Running May Provide More Benefits Than Resistance
Training, Study Finds
9. Ask the Expert: At What Age Should You Run Your First Marathon?
10. Part II of the Audio Interview with Canadian Olympian Gary Reed
11. Ironman Nutrition research site
12. This Week in Running
13. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine
14. Health Campaigns That Promote Exercise May Cause People To Eat More
15. Running Form: How Should You Run?


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"What was/were the greatest running achievement(s) of all time?"
Emil Zatopek wins the 5K, 10K and Marathon at the 1952 Olympics
Roger Bannister breaks 4 minutes for the mile
Abebe Bikila wins the 1960 and 1964 Olympic Marathons
Lasse Viren wins the 5K and 10K in 1972 and 1976 Olympics
Flo Jo runs 10.49 in the 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials
Joan Samuelson wins the first Women's Olympic Marathon
Michael Johnson runs 19.32 in the 1996 Olympics
Usain Bolt runs world records of 9.69 and 19.30 in the Beijing Olympics
Other (email polls2009@...)

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 of the following do you use frequently pre, during and post exercise -
training and/or competing?
Answers Percent
1.   Beer  17%
2.   Energy Bars  15%
3.   Energy Gels  14%
4.   Sports drinks  21%
5.   Water  21%
6.   Other   12%


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE MONTH: MileSplit.us
The Nations' Premier High School T&F/XC Network.
MileSplit US is the nation's premier network for high school track & field and
cross country. We believe that the heart of the sport
is on a local, grassroots level. By facilitating the publishing and business
process for our state webmasters, we are able to
provide in depth state-by-state coverage of the sport. At the same time, these
state portals feed content into a national database
allowing us to provide an unprecedented depth of coverage on the national level
as well.
Designed around powerful proprietary database software that unites all of the
important aspects of covering the sport--results,
rankings, articles, videos, photos, podcasts, statistics, etc--MileSplit US is
the only online publisher in the sport with the tools
to provide a high level of timely and comprehensive nationwide coverage.
MileSplit was founded in 2000 by then college sophomore Jason Byrne. It has
continued to grow over the years, incorporating and
adding Don Rich and Fred Finke to the corporate team in 2004. MileSplit has a
partnership with Universal Sports (formerly WCSN),
which serves as its sales team for its national advertising inventory.
MileSplit, Inc. is a privately held Florida corporation. Its primary offices and
datacenter are located in Greater Orlando, Florida.
Additional servers are located just outside of New York City. MileSplit has a
team of staff and affiliates located around the
country. We encourage your questions, sponsorship and investment inquiries.
Visit the website at:
http://www.milesplit.us

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

BOOK/VIDEO/MOVIE OF THE MONTH: Out of Nowhere: The Inside Story of How Nike
Marketed the Culture of Running
By Geoff Hollister
How does a boy from a small Oregon farm town get swept up in the politics of his
chosen sport? Out of Nowhere takes the reader along
on Geoff Hollister's 33 year journey at the center of Nike, the company that
would change not only the world of athletic shoes and
apparel but the business of sport itself.
Nike began with a handshake and a few hundred dollars passed between Phil Knight
and legendary track coach Bill Bowerman. Hollister
was coached by him at the University of Oregon and was Bowerman's pick as Nike's
third employee. Before he had even graduated
Hollister began selling shoes out of the trunk of his car for Blue Ribbon
Sports, the company that became Nike.
Out of Nowhere provides an inside look for the entrepreneur, from someone who
experienced the humble beginnings, lived and breathed
the first 33 years of Nike, now the largest sports and fitness company in the
world. Hollister takes you on the rollercoaster ride
of success and failure.
Buy the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/184126234X/runnersweb/102-0182896-9006569\
?v=glance&s=books

For more publications on running and triathlon visit:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/human_kinetics.html and
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/amazon.html

THIS WEEK'S FEATURES:

1. How to Train Smarter and Run Faster:
When you set yourself a goal to complete a particular event or do a particular
time for a given distance, it is not just about
getting yourself to peak physical fitness to compete in the event. There is
another side to completing your goal.
Have you ever watched somebody doing a race? I have seen so many people miss
their time goal because of poor pacing; aiming to break
25 minutes for 5km for example, by doing the first kilometer in 4:30, and then
quickly fading because they spend their energy too
early.
Then there are injuries. Injuries don't just happen. They are generally a result
of poor training technique or lack of recovery,
stability and flexibility.
This article will hopefully give a head start to all beginning runners, and even
answer some of those mysteries for the so called
experienced runner.
Basic Training Principles
General coaching or training principles are divided into 5 basic rules. While
these rules do not provide all the answers, they do
provide a solid base
knowledge that will help all runners when applied correctly.
More...from TriFuel at:
http://www.trifuel.com/training/run/how-to-train-smarter-and-run-faster


2. Workout for breathing muscles may aid some athletes:
Some athletes may be able to boost their performance by working out the muscles
that control breathing, a small study suggests.
The study, of 27 college soccer players, found that five weeks of respiratory
muscle training improved the athletes' "intermittent"
exercise performance -- those short bursts of intense effort needed in sports
like soccer, basketball and field hockey.
The athletes worked their breathing muscles using a device called a respiratory
muscle trainer, which applies resistance as the user
inhales through a valve. This essentially makes the respiratory muscles work
harder and become stronger.
Past studies have found that the devices can help people with heart failure or
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease breathe easier.
The training has also been studied as a way to enhance athletic performance in
endurance sports like rowing and cycling.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE51Q4ZJ20090227


3. Food for running:
The foods which you should eat when exercising regularly.
If you are exercising regularly, it is important to eat plenty of carbohydrates,
which provide muscle fuel. Even before a gentle
morning jog, have a cereal bar to give you a little lift, followed by a small,
carb-based breakfast once you return.
Before a big race eat a slice of bread with a teaspoon of jam, a large banana, a
handful of raisins or a 400ml isotonic sports
drink. During a marathon you will benefit from topping up with isotonic drinks
at intervals throughout the race.
A 30-minute jog each day does not mean that you have to consume more calories.
Experts suggest that runners who were previously
minimally active need to increase their intake by only 100-200 calories a day.
Eat too much, and you will still gain weight.
From Times Online at:
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/diet_and_fitness/article\
5816470.ece


4. Iliotibial Band Injuries:
Tightness along your iliotibial band is one of the main sources of knee pain
from running. As your ITB is a long muscle it can be
difficult to work out where the problem is. Here we offer possible causes,
symptoms, treatment and stretches.
What is it?
The Iliotibial Band (ITB) is the muscle that runs from the outside of your
pelvis, over the hip, down the outside of your quadricep,
crossing your knee to attach to the tibia just below your knee. The ITB
stabilizes your knee while you run.
Symptoms:
~Pain on the outside of your knee.
~Pain just above or below your knee joint.
~Tightness and pain along the outside of your leg from your hip to
~your knee.
~If you're unsure, it's wise to seek a professional diagnosis.
Possible Causes:
~Not warming up or cooling down properly.
~Sudden increase in your mileage, speed or hills.
~Running on cambered roads, running bends on the track (especially indoor
tracks) or running down hills.
~Too much stair training.
~Not stretching your ITB.
~Tight hips and quadriceps.
~Shoes that are worn out or don't provide enough support.
~Structural problems e.g. over supination (rolling outwards).
More...from WomenRunningTogether.com at:
http://www.women-running-together.com/iliotibialband.html


5. VO2max - The monthly newsletter of RunCoachJason.com:
*  3K to 10K Fatigue
Continuing with our discussion of fatigue, this month we examine the 3K to 10K.
Races between 3K and 10K are primarily aerobic.  So, limitations in aerobic
metabolism, due to inadequate blood flow to and oxygen
use by the muscles, are the major causes of fatigue.  However, since any race
that is run faster than lactate threshold pace
includes a significant anaerobic contribution, metabolic acidosis and
accumulation of metabolites also contribute to fatigue in
these longer distances because they are run faster than lactate threshold pace. 
That's why it's important to also do anaerobic work
for these longer distances.
To combat fatigue in the 3K to 10K, you need to do relatively high mileage,
tempo runs, and both long and short intervals.  While
both the low and high ends of this racing range require all of these types of
training, what differentiates the training between the
3K and 10K is how much emphasis you give to each.  The 10K necessitates more
mileage, tempo runs, and long intervals than does the
3K.
Long intervals (3 to 5 minutes) increase your heart's stroke volume and cardiac
output, sending more blood and oxygen to your
muscles and increasing your VO2max.  You should come close to reaching your
maximum heart rate by the end of each work period.
Research has shown that high-intensity training (95 to 100% VO2max) is the
optimal stimulus
for VO2max improvement. Try 4 x 1,000 meters or 6 x 800 meters at VO2max speed
(about 2-mile race pace for good runners) with equal
(or slightly less than equal) time as recovery.  Short intervals (45 seconds to
about 2 minutes) improve your ability to buffer
acidosis and increase anaerobic capacity by increasing the number of enzymes
involved in glycolysis.  Try 6 to 8 x 400 meters at
mile race pace with equal time as recovery or 2 sets of 4 x 300 meters at
800-meter race pace with double the time as recovery and 5
minutes recovery between sets.
Tempo runs improve your lactate threshold, the fastest speed you can sustain
aerobically and above which fatigue-inducing acidosis
occurs. Increasing your lactate threshold pace allows you to run faster before
you fatigue because it allows you to run faster
before oxygen-independent metabolism begins to play a significant role.  Try 3
to 4 miles at lactate threshold pace (about 10 to 15
seconds per mile slower than 5K race pace or about 10K race pace for
recreational runners, and about 25 to 30 seconds per mile
slower than 5K race pace or about 15 to 20 seconds per mile slower than 10K race
pace for highly trained runners) or 5 x 1 mile at
lactate threshold pace with 1 minute rest.
*  Signals
How much you adapt to a training stimulus, whether running or lifting weights,
ultimately depends on how responsive your cells are
to signals.  Muscle cells are able to detect all kinds of signals: mechanical,
metabolic, neural, and hormonal, which are amplified
and transmitted via signaling cascades and lead to the events involved in gene
expression.  This signaling is fast, occurring within
minutes of completing a workout.  Signaling results in the activation of
transcription factors, proteins that bind to a specific
part of DNA and control the transfer of genetic information from DNA to RNA.
Many of the physiological and biochemical adaptations to training begin with
your DNA, with the copying of one of its double helical
strands (a process called replication).  The replicated DNA strand, under the
action of transcription factors, is then transcribed
into messenger RNA (a process called transcription), and the messenger RNA is
then translated into a protein (a process called
translation). Finally, the protein is transported from the nucleus of the cell
where transcription and translation occur to the
place where it will function.
While a single bout of exercise alone, especially if it is new to you,
introduces a specific signal and activation of transcription
factors, repeated bouts of exercise will lead to a concerted accumulation of
messenger RNAs that can be translated into a host of
structural and functional proteins.  In the case of endurance training, the
accumulation of proteins is manifested, for example, as
an increase in the number of mitochondria, the microscopic energy factories
responsible for aerobic metabolism.
When you begin a training program, you will experience many signaling responses
and subsequent adaptations.  However, continual
training at the same level decreases the exercise-specific signaling responses
involved in the adaptations to training. In other
words, if your training stays the same, you can expect your fitness level to
stay the same.  For example, if you run 10 miles when
you're used to running only 7, you will send a strong signal to make specific
adaptations (increase in mitochondria, muscle glycogen
content, etc.).  If you continue to run 10 miles every Sunday for a period of
time, you'll continue to send signals to make
adaptations until those adaptations are fully realized.  After you have run 10
miles so many times that you have become habituated
to it, a 10-mile run will no longer be enough of a stimulus to initiate any
further adaptations. Therefore, if you want to force
more adaptations, you must run longer than 10 miles.  To become a faster runner,
you have to gradually and systematically increase
the amount of stress so that you increase the signaling response.
Want to know more about signals and how to increase the amount of stress?  My
popular DVD--"Chasing Mercury, Battling Hercules:
Getting Fitter and Stronger with Periodization Training"--provides an overview
of training theory, reviews research findings,
discusses the use of training cycles, and provides examples of how to properly
organize all of the components of training.  To order
a DVD, just go to http://www.runcoachjason.com/merchandise.
To view past newsletters go to: http://www.runcoachjason.com/newsletter
Copyright Jason Karp All Rights Reserved - http://www.runcoachjason.com


6. Postpartum Depression:
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a real illness caused by changes in biology,
psychology, environment and hormones. PPD is the most
common complication of childbirth.
~You are not alone. PPD affects up to 20% of new mothers anytime in the first
year after delivery.
~You are not to blame. PPD can affect any new mother regardless of age, race,
income, education and/or marital status.
~You can feel better with help. PPD can be treated with self-help techniques,
social support, counseling and medication when
necessary.
Women Experiencing Postpartum Depression Say:
~�This is supposed to be the happiest time in my life...why am I so miserable?�
~�I love my child, but I hate my life�
~�My marriage cannot survive this�
~�Having a baby was a mistake�
~�I feel like the worst mother in the world�
~�Everything would be better if I got a good night�s sleep�
~�Why can't I 'snap out of it'?�
~�I can't take it anymore!�
~�Why am I such a failure?�
More...from StrollerStrides at:
http://www.strollerstrides.com/postpartum_depression.php


7. Good or Useless, Medical Scans Cost the Same:
When Gail Kislevitz had an M.R.I. scan of her knee, it came back blurry,
�uninterpretable,� her orthopedist told her.
Her insurer refused to pay for another scan, but the doctor said he was sure she
had torn cartilage that stabilizes the knee and
suggested an operation to fix it. After the surgery, Ms. Kislevitz, 57, of
Ridgewood, N.J., received a surprise: the cartilage had
not been torn after all.
She had a long rehabilitation. And her insurer paid for the operation. But her
knee is no better.
More than 95 million high-tech scans are done each year, and medical imaging,
including CT, M.R.I. and PET scans, has ballooned into
a $100-billion-a-year industry in the United States, with Medicare paying for
$14 billion of that. But recent studies show that as
many as 20 percent to 50 percent of the procedures should never have been done
because their results did not help diagnose ailments
or treat patients.
�The system is just totally, totally broken,� said Dr. Vijay Rao, the chairwoman
of the radiology department at Thomas Jefferson
University Hospital, in Philadelphia.
Radiologists say a decent M.R.I. scan should have clearly shown whether the
cartilage in Ms. Kislevitz, a meniscus, was torn. But
bad scans, medical experts say, are part of a growing problem with medical
imaging.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/02/health/02scans.html?_r=1&ref=health


8. Building Strong Bones: Running May Provide More Benefits Than Resistance
Training, Study Finds:
Osteoporosis affects more than 200 million people worldwide and is a serious
public health concern, according to the National
Osteoporosis Foundation. Resistance training often is recommended to increase
and prevent loss of bone mineral density (BMD),
although previous studies that examined the effects of resistance training in
men produced varied results.
Now, in a new study, University of Missouri researchers have found that
high-impact activities, such as running, might have a
greater positive effect on BMD than resistance training.
�The results of the study confirm that both resistance training and high-impact
endurance activities increase bone mineral density.
However, high-impact sports, like running, appear to have a greater beneficial
effect,� said Pam Hinton, associate professor in the
Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology in the MU College of Human
Environmental Sciences.
According to the researchers, the true effects of weight-bearing or resistance
exercise are only apparent when controlling for
differences in body weight or composition. People who primarily perform non
weight-bearing activities will benefit from resistance
training that increases lean body mass, Hinton said. People who engage in
activities, such as cycling, swimming, or rowing, should
add bone-strengthening activities, such as resistance training or running, to
their exercise regimens.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090227080005.htm


9. Ask the Expert: At What Age Should You Run Your First Marathon?
And What Age is Too Young?
Q: At 19 years old, Julius Keter won the Baltimore Marathon in 2:11:56, and at
19 years old, Ilsa Paulson ran the New York City
Marathon in 2:41:17. At what age should you run your first marathon? Are there
risks or benefits from running a marathon at a young
age? Should there be differences in marathon training because of your age? It
would be interesting to know how young these two
runners started running and racing, how they progressed with racing distances,
and how they train. At what age do people start
running and racing in Kenya versus the U.S., and how much does this effect how
good they will be?
        -- Denise, Maryland
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15622


10. Part II of the Audio Interview with Canadian Olympian Gary Reed:
Gary Reed, a two time Olympian, is one of the most successful Canadian track
athletes in the sport today. He is the Canadian
national record holder in the 800m with a time of 1:43:68 and is the first
Canadian to break both the 1:45 and 1:44 barriers. Gary
is the 2007 World Championships silver medalist and recently finished 4th at the
Beijing Olympics. Gary is an exceptional role model
for all Canadian athletes due to his incredible work ethic and dedication to the
sport, and is the idol of many younger Canadian
athletes in athletics.
In part two, Gary discusses his training with world renowned endurance coach
Wynn Gmitroski, and specifically the way that they
train qualities such as maximal speed and strength. Furthermore, Gary reveals
their general training philosophy including the
structure of weekly plans and the control of the quality of work being done. He
also answers questions concerning his implementation
of therapy and nutrition into his training regime. To conclude the interview,
Gary gives the listener a very clear picture as to
maturation of his career and some of the difficulties he has had to overcome.
Listen to the interview at:
http://www.athleticscoaching.ca/?pid=1&spid=81


11. Ironman Nutrition research site:
By Robert Kunz, MS
First Endurance, in cooperation with the Endurance Research Board, our Sponsored
Pro Triathletes and our dedicated customer base is
launching a new innovative approach to endurance nutrition. This site creates a
cooperative knowledge base towards developing
innovative nutritional approaches for endurance racing and training.
On this site you can
~ Learn & participate in structured nutritional programs
~ Find answers to common and uncommon problems associated with the unique
nutritional and biological demands of endurance sports
such as:
~ Should I eat gluten-free?
~ What works for me before during and after training?
~ How do I stop cramps?
~ How much salt do I need?
The goal of http://team.firstendurance.com is to have 100% of our members finish
Ironman with no cramps, no bonk, and no gastric
distress. This new website delivers an innovative approach to perfect Ironman
nutrition by offering various nutritional programs
that require member participation. Each program is based on an evidenced based
nutritional theories where results can vary by
individual.
With this site you gain knowledge by implementing each nutritional program into
your own training. In the end you will have a deep
understanding of what works for you. This knowledge and testing will allow you
to greatly increase the chances of finishing Ironman
or any long distance race with no cramps, no bonk and no gastric distress.
Other features on the site include forums, your own personalize page and access
to our group of experts.
Our Experts Pro Triathletes:
Donna Phelan
Michael Lovato
Amanda Lovato
Ryan Ignatz
Sarah Haskins
Becky Witinok-Huber
Josiah Middaugh
Julie Swail-Ertel
Justin Park Our Expert Research Staff
Bob Seebohar MS RD CSSD CSCS
Neal Henderson MS CSCS
Patricia Rosen MD MPH
Shawn Dolan MA PhD
Jeff Rocco MD
Kris Walker MD
Robert Kunz MS


12. This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago-  Frank Pooe (RSA) won the RSA marathon title at the Old Mutual
Capetown marathon with
                a time of 2:12:40.  John Monyatso (RSA) and Joshua Peterson (RSA)
followed with 2:13:00
                and 2:13:19 respectively.  Gwen vanLingen won the RSA women's
title with her 2:36:25.
                Angelina Sephooa (LES) was 2nd in 2:40:45 and Sarah Mahlangu
(RSA) was 3rd in 2:41:53.
20 Years Ago-  The English men's crosscountry title was captured by David Lewis
who had a 21 second
                margin over Steve Tunstall.  Dion McNeilly (NIR) was 3rd, another
four seconds back.
                Other notables included Eamonn Martin (4th), David Moorcroft
(14th), Nick Rose (18th),
                and Steve Cram (83rd).
30 Years Ago-  Tom Fleming (USA) won the 20th edition of the Mike Hannon
(NY/USA) 20M in 1:41:45.
                William Sieben (USA) and Peter Squires (USA) rounded out the top
three with times of
                1:43:49 and 1:45:05 respectively.  This race would have
celebrated its 50th running
                this year except it seems to have died with the 2003 race (43rd
running)
40 Years Ago-  Kenji Kimihara (JPN) won the 13th edition of the Kumanichi (JPN)
30K in 1:33:02.6.
                He was followed by compatriots Akio Yoshida (1:33:37.4) and
Yoshinobu Kitayama
                (1:33:44.0).
50 Years Ago-  Browning Ross (USA) won the Married vs Single Men Crosscountry
Match (NJ/USA) 12K
                but it is not known which team Browning ran for.
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.


13. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine:
*  Metabolic Syndrome Increases Salt's Effect on Blood Pressure
Most doctors recommend salt restriction for all their patients, even though many
will not develop high blood pressure from high-salt
intake and some may even be harmed if they restrict salt.  Heavy exercisers lose
so much salt that they have to take in lots of salt
just to replace what they lose through sweat.
A study from China shows that people with metabolic syndrome are the ones who
are most likely to develop high blood pressure from a
high-salt diet and that high levels of insulin may cause the rise of blood
pressure that is associated with increased salt intake
(Lancet. published online March 2, 2009). Metabolic syndrome occurs when a
person's cells lose their ability to respond adequately
to insulin and blood levels of sugar rise too high.  It is caused by eating too
much refined carbohydrates, being overweight, not
exercising, and lacking vitamin D and is characterized by storing fat primarily
in the belly, having a thick neck, high blood
triglycerides, low blood good HDL cholesterol, high blood sugar, and eventually
liver damage and all the side effects of  diabetes.
People with metabolic syndrome had a greater rise in blood pressure with
increased salt intake and drop in blood pressure with salt
restriction.  The more risk factors for metabolic syndrome a person had, the
greater the rise and fall of blood pressure with
changes in salt intake.
If you are concerned about your blood pressure, you can buy an inexpensive wrist
cuff and check your blood pressure at bedtime. If
it is below 120, you do not need to restrict salt.
If you store fat primarily in your belly rather than your hips, your HDL is
below 40, your triglycerides are above 175, or you have
a blood sugar above 100 two hours after a meal or an HBA1C above 5.9, you
probably should restrict salt and definitelyshould work to
correct the causes of metabolic syndrome (described above).
*  Follow-up on the controversy about bone loss in cyclists:
Last week I quoted a study that concluded: "Sprint cyclists, and to a lesser
extent distance cyclists, had greater tibia and radius
bone strength surrogates than the controls, with
tibial bone measures being well preserved with age in all groups. This suggests
that competition-based cycling and the associated
training regimen is beneficial in preserving average or above-average bone
strength surrogates into old age in men" (Medicine &
Science in Sports & Exercise, March 2009).
Several readers responded, quoting other studies that showed competitive
cyclists have lower bone mineral density in their spines
than moderately-active, aged-matched men (Medicine and Science in Sports and
Exercise,  February 2009;  Osteoporosis International
Reports, August 2003). These studies have been interpreted to mean that cycling
increases risk for bone fractures beyond what you
would expect from just falling off the bike.
I cannot find any studies showing that cycling weakens bones to increase
fracture risk.  Bone density is associated with bone
strength, but does not measure it.  The only way to measure bone strength is to
see how much force it takes at break a bone.  For
example, birds have strong bones that are not very dense.
The theory that the act of cycling weakens bones flies in the face of our
current understanding of bone metabolism.  If indeed
cyclists suffer from weak bones (and I do not believe
that they do), the cause would be something other than riding a bicycle.   Bones
are constantly remodeling.. Cells called
osteoblasts bring in calcium to bones while cells called
osteoclasts take calcium out. Any force on bones increases, and lack of force
decreases, the rate of bone formation. Astronauts in
space lose bone because lack of force blocks
their ability to respond to Insulin Like Growth Factor-1 that stimulates bone
growth (Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, March
2004).   All competitive cyclists know that hammering on the pedals while
pulling up on their handle bars puts tremendous force on
every muscle and bone in their bodies, and this should stimulate bone growth.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at:
http://www.drmirkin.com


14. Health Campaigns That Promote Exercise May Cause People To Eat More:
New research from the University of Illinois suggests that weight-loss campaigns
that promote exercise may actually cause people to
eat more.
People who viewed posters suggesting that they "join a gym" or "take a walk" ate
more food after looking at the posters than people
who saw similarly designed posters prompting them to "make friends" or "be in a
group," the researchers found.
Subliminal words about being active had a similar effect on study participants,
said psychology professor Dolores Albarrac�n, who
led the research.
"Viewers of the exercise messages ate significantly more (than their peers, who
viewed other types of messages)," she said. "They
ate one-third more when exposed to the exercise ads." Those exposed to
subliminal words about activity during a computer task ate
about 20 percent more than those exposed to neutral words, she said.
The study, which appears in the journal Obesity, builds on previous research by
Albarrac�n that suggests that general messages to be
active can prompt people to behave in a variety of ways, some of which may have
negative consequences.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090227112305.htm


15. Running Form: How Should You Run?
A key component to successful distance running is efficiency or economy of
movement. It is common to focus on training the heart,
lungs and legs when preparing for an event but training form is less common.
Recently I was able watch some of the athletes I train complete the run portion
of a Half Ironman Triathlon event and between the
wind gusts, showers and hail, I had a chance to assess their run form. The
athletes have all had plenty of swim technique training,
in most cases bike technique training but only a handful had had any run
technique training. Those that had, really stood out and in
some cases their run times were very close to their run times in a straight Half
Marathon which they completed a few months earlier.
An increased level of fitness would account for some of this but also knowing
how to run efficiently made a huge difference. The
outcome of this observation was a Sunday afternoon technique and drill session
for some of the athletes down at the local park.
Good running form involves a mix of your body movements so that you move with
optimal mechanical efficiency. Good form can decrease
discomfort when you run, help prevent injury, increase speed as well as lower
the energy output at a given speed. Below are the main
points I look at when assessing an athletes form and the advice I give them.
More...from TriFuel at:
http://www.trifuel.com/training/run/running-form-how-should-you-run




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

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

March 7, 2009:
Ironman New Zealand - Taupo, NZ

March 7-8, 2009:
Inaugural Disney's Princess Half Marathon Weekend - Orlando, FL

March 8, 2009:
Harry's Spring Run-Off - Vancouver, BC

March 10, 2009:
Antarctica Marathon, King George Island

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

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

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

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Have a good week of training and/or racing.

Ken

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

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

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Check out TotalWellness's mp3 Personal Training Program - only 5% the Cost of
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Buy Paula Radcliffe's book, My Story - So Far, from Amazon UK at:
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ShoeWallet.com has set out on a mission to enable people to easily carry ID and
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SportsShoes in the UK
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TriSwim Coach - The Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming
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If you have an accident while running or cycling, do you want your family to be
contacted? Do you want to receive immediate and
proper medical treatment?
If so, make this cool item part of your gear -- for safety and peace of mind.
Road ID has created 4 awesome ways for athletes to
wear ID: the SHOE, the WRIST, the ANKLE, and the NECK. Get your RoadID at:
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The Stretching Handbook:
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The Stretching Video in a DVD version. With the DVD version you're able to use
the convenient menu facility to:
* Go directly to a specific stretch;
* View only stretches for a specific muscle group;
* Pause each stretch to get a good look at how it is performed;
* View only the introduction and rules for safe stretching; or
* Play the entire video from start to finish.

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

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.
**Register before March 15, 2009 and get a 10% discount**

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.
http://www.trainingpeaks.com/

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
Fix Orientation to learn how to exercise safely and effectively . Access to all
cardio and strength-training equipment . Access to
all of our world-class Group EXercise classes . A copy of Living the Good Life
audio CD Get started today! Visit
www.GoodLifeFitness.com Limited time offer.

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/

ASSOCIATIONS:
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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:
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If anyone is looking for a web mail provider, you might wish to consider
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Race Directors: Advertise your event on the Runner's Web.
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Marathons, Races and Triathlons pages.

NEW THIS WEEK:

The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - June 20, 2009
Register before March 15, 2009 and get a 10% discount.
http://www,emiliesrun.com

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

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

I've created a Runner's Web Group on Facebook. To join the Runner's Web Facebook
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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\
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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. Don�t Be a Slave to Heart Rate Training Zones!
Heart Rate Monitors may not be the best way to predict VO2 Max and monitor
overtraining.
2. Short + Steep + Swift = Strength
How Hill Sprints Can Make You Faster at All Distances,
3. Stubby toes are custom-made for running
4. Exercising Bollywood-Style
5. Athletes' cooling 'glove' tested
6. Study confirms: Don't reward yourself for calories burned
7. Exercise No Danger For Joints: Non-Elite Level Activity Does Not Increase
Risk Of Osteoarthritis, Review Suggests
8. Piloting a Distance Revolution
Rob Conner's Portland Pilots Get Faster by Running Slower.
9. This Week in Running
10. Flat Out Necessary
How to get your legs used to racing flats.
11. Mental Fatigue Can Affect Physical Endurance
12. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine
13. The Barriers Fell, One Year, One Step at a Time
14. Is the elliptical as good as running?
The machine is a good way to get fit and lose weight, especially for those with
repetitive stress injury.
15. Give gizmos the boot - heal your sprained ankle in a cast


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Which of the following do you use frequently pre, during and post exercise -
training and/or competing?
Beer
Engergy Bars
Energy Gels
Sports drinks
Water
Other - (email: polls2009@...)"

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:
"If you are unable to run, what do you do?"
Answers Percent
1.   Cycle  20%
2.   Pool run  12%
3.   Swim  13%
4.   Row  11%
5.   Use elliptical trainer  14%
6.   XC ski  10%
7.   Other  11%
8.   Watch TV  9%


FIVE STAR SITE OF THE MONTH: MileSplit.us
The Nations' Premier High School T&F/XC Network.
MileSplit US is the nation's premier network for high school track & field and
cross country. We believe that the heart of the sport
is on a local, grassroots level. By facilitating the publishing and business
process for our state webmasters, we are able to
provide in depth state-by-state coverage of the sport. At the same time, these
state portals feed content into a national database
allowing us to provide an unprecedented depth of coverage on the national level
as well.
Designed around powerful proprietary database software that unites all of the
important aspects of covering the sport--results,
rankings, articles, videos, photos, podcasts, statistics, etc--MileSplit US is
the only online publisher in the sport with the tools
to provide a high level of timely and comprehensive nationwide coverage.
MileSplit was founded in 2000 by then college sophomore Jason Byrne. It has
continued to grow over the years, incorporating and
adding Don Rich and Fred Finke to the corporate team in 2004. MileSplit has a
partnership with Universal Sports (formerly WCSN),
which serves as its sales team for its national advertising inventory.
MileSplit, Inc. is a privately held Florida corporation. Its primary offices and
datacenter are located in Greater Orlando, Florida.
Additional servers are located just outside of New York City. MileSplit has a
team of staff and affiliates located around the
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Visit the website at:
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PHOTO SLIDESHOW:
Our Photo Slideshow is updated on a random basis. Check it out from our
FrontPage.


BOOK/VIDEO/MOVIE OF THE MONTH: Out of Nowhere: The Inside Story of How Nike
Marketed the Culture of Running
By Geoff Hollister
How does a boy from a small Oregon farm town get swept up in the politics of his
chosen sport? Out of Nowhere takes the reader along
on Geoff Hollister's 33 year journey at the center of Nike, the company that
would change not only the world of athletic shoes and
apparel but the business of sport itself.
Nike began with a handshake and a few hundred dollars passed between Phil Knight
and legendary track coach Bill Bowerman. Hollister
was coached by him at the University of Oregon and was Bowerman's pick as Nike's
third employee. Before he had even graduated
Hollister began selling shoes out of the trunk of his car for Blue Ribbon
Sports, the company that became Nike.
Out of Nowhere provides an inside look for the entrepreneur, from someone who
experienced the humble beginnings, lived and breathed
the first 33 years of Nike, now the largest sports and fitness company in the
world. Hollister takes you on the rollercoaster ride
of success and failure.
Buy the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/184126234X/runnersweb/102-0182896-9006569\
?v=glance&s=books

For more publications on running and triathlon visit:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/human_kinetics.html and
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/amazon.html

THIS WEEK'S FEATURES:

1. Don�t Be a Slave to Heart Rate Training Zones!:
Heart Rate Monitors may not be the best way to predict VO2 Max and monitor
overtraining.
Athletes have used heart rate training successfully for years. However, slavish
adherence to heart rate training zones won�t allow
an athlete to reach his or her true potential. Gary O�Donovan and Romain Denis
discuss the strengths and limitations of heart rate
monitoring and heart rate training.
For centuries, heart rate monitoring consisted of placing an ear or a
stethoscope on the chest. The heart�s electrical activity was
first recorded in the 19th century and American biophysicist Norman Holter
invented a portable device for recording the heart�s
activity in 1961. The Holter monitor can record the heart�s electrical activity
for 24 hours or more, but it is too large for
recording heart rate during exercise. Watch-like heart rate monitors were first
developed in the 1980s, and since then most
endurance athletes have used heart rate training(1). It is claimed that today�s
heart rate monitors can perform all sorts of
wonders, from predicting maximal oxygen uptake to detecting overtraining; in
this article we�ll examine the validity of these
claims.
Prediction of VO2max
Strengths: Some heart rate monitors can be used to predict VO2max (maximal
oxygen uptake). For example, it has been shown that the
Polar S810 heart rate monitor can accurately predict VO2max, which is a strong
predictor of endurance performance and the best
measure of health-related fitness. In different tests, most participants�
estimated VO2max scores were within 5ml/kg/min of their
directly measured scores(2). The S810 is also highly reliable, yielding
consistent results test after test(1). What�s more,
S810-predicted VO2max was favourably associated with cholesterol and blood
pressure in a study of 3,820 men and women aged 25-64
years(3).
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/dont-be-restricted-by-heart-rate-training-zones-\
40533


2. Short + Steep + Swift = Strength:
How Hill Sprints Can Make You Faster at All Distances.
By Brad Hudson
Every runner I coach does regular sessions of short hill sprints. Should you?
Well, these brief, maximal-intensity efforts against
gravity offer two key benefits. First, they strengthen all of the running
muscles, making you much less injury-prone. They also
increase the power and efficiency of your stride, enabling you to cover more
ground with each stride with less energy in races.
These are significant benefits from a training method that takes little time and
is fun to do.
Hill sprints are an example of what I call "muscle training" -- practices whose
primary purpose is to stimulate neuromuscular
adaptations that enhance running performance. They call for the nervous system
to activate very large numbers of motor units, to
fire these motor units quickly, to contract the muscles with great force, and to
resist fatigue at maximal and near-maximal levels.
They test the limits of the neuromuscular system's capacity to generate and
sustain running-specific speed and power, and thereby
push back these limits. By engaging in regular, progressive muscle training, you
will improve your brain-muscle communications in
ways that increase your power efficiency, running economy and fatigue
resistance.
Muscle training represents half of the foundation that supports specific
endurance, or the physiological capacity to run the full
distance of a race at your goal pace. The other half of this foundation is, of
course, aerobic support. To achieve a higher level of
specific endurance, you must first build a higher level of aerobic support and
neuromuscular fitness. Broadly speaking,
aerobic-support training and muscle training move toward specific endurance from
opposite ends of the spectrum of running fitness.
If the most foundational sort of aerobic-support workout is a long run at a slow
pace, then the most foundational sort of
muscle-training effort is an all-out sprint lasting only a few seconds.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15737


3. Stubby toes are custom-made for running:
  Scientists have found the reason behind evolution of big toes in humans to the
current small size. According to biomechanical
analysis,
long toes require more energy and generate more shock than short toes, thus
making them one of many adaptations that may have helped
our savannah-dwelling ancestors chase their prey.
"Longer toes require muscles to do more work, and exert stronger forces to
maintain stability, compared to shorter toes. So long as
we were engaged in substantial amounts of running, natural selection would
favour individuals with shorter toes," said University of
Calgary anthropologist Campbell Rolian.
Unlike most primates- including our closest relative, the chimpanzee-humans have
comparatively dwarfish and two-dimensional toes,
capable only of extending and flexing, reports Wired News.
Even running animals have extremely short toes-some species, such as cats and
dogs, have paws composed almost entirely by palms.
Thus, researchers tried to explain the human foot physiology on the basis of
running.
More...from the Times of India at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Health--Science/Stubby-toes-are-made-for-runn\
ing/articleshow/4169368.cms


4. Exercising Bollywood-Style:
Bollywood-style dance classes, based on the lavish dance numbers found in some
films from India, have become a popular attraction
among American exercisers, the Associated Press reports.
The American Council on Exercise told the news organization that ethnic dancing
styles like salsa, belly-dancing and now
Bollywood-dancing is a major growth area for gyms and dance studios.
Fans of Bollywood � an informal term for Hindi-language films, often romantic
musicals � want formal instruction in the style marked
by foot-stomping dance numbers that put folk moves and hip swings to pop beats.
�I was looking to try something different,� says Tina Striegel, a 45-year-old
accountant who tried a Denver class after falling in
love with Bollywood-style movies such as �Slumdog Millionaire,� the
Oscar-nominated film inspired by Indian films that includes a
large dance number at the end.
Denver�s Bollywood West school started in 2006 as the first in Colorado to focus
on Bollywood-style dancing. It now packs in crowds
four nights a week to two locations and will move to a bigger studio next month.
�I love the movies. I love the culture. I love all of it,� Striegel says before
stretching for an hour-long session in which more
than a dozen women practice a song-and-dance number.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/exercising-bollywood-style/


5. Athletes' cooling 'glove' tested:
A device called "The Glove" is being used by athletes to dramatically improve
their performance and by soldiers in Iraq.
The device creates an airtight seal around the wrist, pulls blood into the palm
of the hand and cools it before returning it to the
heart and to overheated muscles and organs.
Its applications are far broader: from treating stroke and heart attack victims
to allowing soldiers to remain in the field longer
under intense heat.
More...from the BBC at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7861766.stm


6. Study confirms: Don't reward yourself for calories burned
Overweight women who exercised one to two hours a week lost several pounds in
six months without dieting, a study shows. But those
who exercised the most � about three hours a week � didn't lose as much as they
should have, possibly because they increased the
calories they consumed.
"There is a great lesson here: People generally overestimate the calories they
are burning with exercise, and they may reward
themselves by eating more," says lead researcher Tim Church, director of
preventive-medicine research at the Pennington Biomedical
Research Center in Baton Rouge.
If a person runs for an hour then goes out to have a large high-calorie coffee
drink and a large muffin, she probably consumed more
calories than she burned, he says.
For the latest study, Church and colleagues recruited 411 overweight or obese
sedentary women, average age 57. Some of the women
were told not to change their level of physical activity. The others were
divided into three groups and instructed to do different
amounts each week. They rotated walking briskly on a treadmill at a fitness
center with riding a stationary bike.
Their workouts were monitored closely by the researchers, and the women were
asked not to change their eating habits during the
study.
More...from USA Today at:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2009-02-17-exercise-eating_N.htm


7. Exercise No Danger For Joints: Non-Elite Level Activity Does Not Increase
Risk Of Osteoarthritis, Review Suggests:
There is no good evidence supporting a harmful effect of exercise on joints in
the setting of normal joints and regular exercise,
according to a review of studies published in this month's issue of the Journal
of Anatomy.
Exercise is an extremely popular leisure-time activity in many countries
throughout the Western world and has for many become part
of the modern lifestyle. It is widely promoted in as being beneficial for weight
control, disease management in cardiovascular
disease and diabetes, and for improving psychological well-being amongst an
array of other benefits. In contrast, however, the lay
press and community perception is also that exercise is potentially deleterious
to one's joints, in particular those of the lower
extremities.
Researchers from Boston, USA, and Ainring, Germany, reviewed existing studies on
the relationship between regular exercise and
osteoarthritis (OA) and concluded that in the absence of existing joint injury
there is no increased risk of OA from exercise.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090127101854.htm


8. Piloting a Distance Revolution:
Rob Conner's Portland Pilots Get Faster by Running Slower.
Three years ago, David Kinsella and his freshman classmates at the University of
Portland began their collegiate careers by running
among themselves so they could gingerly adjust to collegiate training. One week
in, longtime Portland mentor Rob Conner let 'em
loose to run with the varsity.
Their guide for their trial by fire was Michael Kilburg, a man who would explode
as a Pilot senior in 2008 after an otherwise
undistinguished career to run a school-record 28:20 for 10,000m. Kilburg
proceeded to haul ass through the Oregon forest at such a
clip that Kinsella and crew remember not how far or fast they went -- Kinsella
is fairly certain it was 10 miles in 57 minutes --
only that they had to hang on for dear life.
Welcome to college, fellas. "It was this attitude of just go out and blast it,"
says Kinsella, who quickly discovered that everyday
runs like that were the norm. He knew if he was to make it as a collegiate
runner, he would have to survive a training regimen that
typically consisted of 60 to 80 miles a week, blazing 6-mile tempo runs and
intense sessions of repeat miles, and 60-minute
"recovery" day efforts routinely run at a 6-minute-per-mile clip. The Portland
training program, as then constituted, resembled what
you'll find on many campuses around the nation, and, like many others, its
components developed organically from within.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15744


9. This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago-  The two most significant 30K races in the world were held on the
same day.  Kenji Noguchi (JPN)
                won the Kumanichi (JPN) race in 1:29:46 with Takaki Morikawa
(JPN) also breaking 1:30
                with a 1:29:55.  Twenty-six men broke 1:35.  Toshiaki Kurabayashi
(JPN) won the Ome-Hochi
                (JPN) race with a 1:31:54.  Shigeru Okada (JPN) was 2nd at
1:32:05.  A total of nine men
                broke 1:35.  These two races accounted for all but one of the top
25 men's times for 1999.
                Asami Obi (JPN) won the women's race at Hochi-Ome with a 1:45:00.
20 Years Ago-  Dieter Baumann (GER) won the European Indoor Championships (NED)
3000m in 7:50.43.
                Abel Anton (ESP) took the silver medal in 7:51:18 and Jacque
Carlier (FRA) took the
                bronze medal in 7:52.23.  Elly vanHulst (NED) won the gold medal
with her 9:10.01
                with Nicola Morris (ENG) at 9:12.37 and Maricica Puica (ROM) at
9:15.49 taking the
                silver and bronze medals respectively.
30 Years Ago-  Markus Ryffel (SUI) won the European Indoor Championships (AUT)
3000m with a 7:44.43.
                Christoph Herle (GER took the silver medal with a 7:45.44 and
Aleksandr Fedotkin (RUS)
                took the bronze medal with a 7:45.50.  Nick Rose (ENG) was 5th in
7:46.7 and Dieter
                Millonig (AUT) was 7th in 7:47.5.
40 Years Ago-  Takayuki Tanaka (JPN) won the Ome-Hochi (JPN) 30K in 1:34:37.4. 
Yoshitaka Ishikura (JPN)
                and Nobuaki Takao (JPN) rounded out the top three with 1:35:42.4
and 1:35:46.6 respectively.
50 Years Ago-  Bill Dillinger (USA) won the USA indoor 3 mile title (NY/USA)
with a time of  13:36.8.
                Al Lawrence (AUS) and Alex Breckenridge (USA) matched their 2nd
and 4th place finishes
                from the preceding week, posting times of 13:38.6 and 14:43.4
respectively.
From The Analytical Distance Runner, the newsletter for the Association of Road
Racing Statisticians with a
focus on races, 3000m and longer, including road, track, and cross-country
events.
The ARRS has a website at http://www.arrs.net.


10. Flat Out Necessary:
How to get your legs used to racing flats.
The start of a new racing season often brings with it sore calf muscles from the
first few times you use racing flats. This can be
the beginning of a dangerous injury cycle that can lead to Achilles tendinitis,
shin splints or even the dreaded stress fracture.
You can avoid this scenario by gradually reintroducing your body to racing shoes
and strengthening your lower legs.
Many runners do all of their non-race running in training shoes, which often
have a heel height of 1� to 2 inches. A lot of runners
also train in a custom orthotic device, which add another � inch of heel height,
but then don�t wear the orthotics in races. When
you consider that racing flats often have less than 1 inch of cushioning in the
heels, it�s easy to see why suddenly subjecting your
legs to such a large difference can strain to the calf muscles.
I typically recommend that people wear their racing shoes for faster workouts,
such as tempo runs and track sessions, to help
prevent this soreness. If, however, you�ve been wearing only training shoes,
slowly work up to regularly wearing racing flats.
(That�s the case even if you usually do workouts in flats, but have been doing
nothing but steady running in trainers over the
winter months.)
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15817


11. Mental Fatigue Can Affect Physical Endurance:
When participants performed a mentally fatiguing task prior to a difficult
exercise test, they reached exhaustion more quickly than
when they did the same exercise when mentally rested, a new study finds.
The study also found that mental fatigue did not cause the heart or muscles to
perform any differently. Instead, our �perceived
effort� determines when we reach exhaustion. The researchers said the next step
is to look at the brain to find out exactly why
people with mental fatigue perceive exercise to be more difficult.
Samuele M. Marcora, Walter Staiano and Victoria Manning of Bangor University,
Wales, the United Kingdom, did the study, �Mental
fatigue impairs physical performance in humans.� The study will appear in the
March print edition of the Journal of Applied
Physiology. The American Physiological Society published the study.
The study
The 16 participants rode a stationary bicycle to exhaustion under two
conditions: once when they were mentally fatigued and once
when they were mentally rested. The trials took place in the laboratory on
different days. The participants got the same amount of
sleep, drank the same amount and had the same meal before each of the sessions.
The mental fatigue sessions began with a challenging 90-minute mental task that
required close attention, memory, quick reaction and
an ability to inhibit a response. After undergoing this session, participants
reported being tired and lacking energy. The control
session consisted of watching neutral documentaries for 90 minutes and was not
mentally fatiguing.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090224132915.htm


12.  Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine:
* Exercise Necessary for Permanent Weight Loss
More than 50 percent of Americans are overweight and can expect a premature
death because of it.  One of the largest scientific
studies on weight loss shows that calorie restriction
(below 1700 calories per day) is the most important factor that helps people
lose weight and that its effect is temporary and
dependant on constant reenforcement (NEJM February 26, 2009).
The ratios of carbohydrate, protein and fat were irrelevant.  Furthermore, most
dieters are incapable of following diets that
restrict the proportion of carbohydrates, fats or proteins.
Although the dieters were placed on diets with different protein ratios,
measuring their urinary nitrogen showed that they ended up
with close to the same protein intakes.  Carbohydrate restriction, as measured
by a drop in HDL cholesterol, showed there was little
difference in carbohydrate intake.
People in this study lost about 13 pounds in six months regardless of the type
of nutrient restriction.  However, after 12 months
they started to regain the weight that they lost, and after two years their
average weight loss was down to six pounds.  This
suggests that many will eventually regain all the weight that they lost.
If you want to reduce your weight to normal permanently, you need an exercise
program that involves other people so you will stick
with it permanently.  The more you exercise, the more weight you are likely to
lose.  You also need a social environment in which
your companions eat the way you should eat, and constant exposure to people who
are trying to follow healthful eating and other
lifestyle behaviors.
* Dear Dr. Mirkin:  Does bicycling reduce bone density, increasing risk for
fractures and osteoporisis?
A: This is a myth that is not supported by any good data.  A study from
Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK shows that
sprint cyclists have denser bones than long distance cyclists who have denser
bones than sedentary control subjects (Medicine &
Science in Sports & Exercise, March 2009).  While cyclists have less dense bones
than weight lifters and football players, they
still have denser bones than people who do not exercise.   The greater the force
on bones during exercise, the denser the bone.  So
any type of exercise is good for your bones and a sedentary lifestyle is bad for
bones.
*  Dear Dr.. Mirkin: I'd like to improve my swimming.  Should I try to swim as
many laps as possible?
A: If you want to improve in any sport, it is far more important to train fast 
than to try to build up huge distances. A study from
the University of Saarland in Germany shows that
swimmers who concentrated on swimming very fast at the cost of swimming fewer
miles, swam faster than those who kept up a huge
volume of training that forced them to swim slower in practice (International
Journal of Sports Medicine,  November 2008).
This study does not tell you to just train as fast as you can. This would
eventually cause a syndrome of chronic fatigue.The key to
successful training is to take a very intense workout,
feel sore on the next workout, and train less intensely with as much work as
possible that allows you to recover without injuring
yourself.  When you feel fresh again, take your next
intense workout.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at:
http://www.drmirkin.com


13. The Barriers Fell, One Year, One Step at a Time:
TED CORBITT knew all about barriers in sports. One of America�s greatest
distance runners, Mr. Corbitt, born in 1919, grew up in an
era when, as a black athlete, he sometimes was not even allowed to compete in
races.
So when Gail Kislevitz, a runner and author, interviewed Mr. Corbitt shortly
before his death on Dec. 12, 2007, she thought she
could guess what he would say to one of her questions. What, she asked him,
surprised him most about the evolution of running over
the years?
His answer was not what she expected. The biggest surprise, he said, was how
women had taken to the sport.
It�s a story that is familiar and yet, in its details, almost stunning. Until as
recently as the 1970s, women were discouraged from
competitive sports in general and running in particular. This means that among
us is a generation of women, middle-aged and older,
who are discovering to their astonishment that they can be athletes, that it is
not too late.
Even Gail, a middle-aged and talented distance runner, was amazed by stories of
the old days. She told me over dinner recently that
although she had lived during those times, she � like many of us � failed to
appreciate how different they were than today. Her eyes
are opening, she said, as she goes through Mr. Corbitt�s papers and library
noticing article after article documenting the long,
slow rise of women�s running.
For example, a runner, Sharon Barbano, in the August 1979 issue of New York
Running News, decried the way female runners were
patronized.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/health/nutrition/26best.html?_r=1&ref=health


14. Is the elliptical as good as running?
The machine is a good way to get fit and lose weight, especially for those with
repetitive stress injury.
Alex Hutchinson draws on the latest research to answer your fitness and workout
questions in this biweekly column on the science of
sport.
The question
Do I get the same workout from the elliptical machine that I get from running?
More than 23 million Americans used elliptical trainers in 2007, according to
the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association - triple
the number that used them in 2000. Canadians have also eagerly adopted the
low-impact, pseudo-jogging machine.
Despite this popularity, there's still some haziness about the benefits of
elliptical use - even among researchers. The biomechanics
of the low-impact elliptical motion are still poorly understood, though studies
now suggest it could help ward off several common
running injuries. And there's no consensus about how hard your body has to work
compared to other exercises.
A 2005 University of Scranton, Pennsylvania, study found that at a self-chosen
"hard" level of exercise, subjects consumed more
oxygen and had higher heart rates on the treadmill than the elliptical. In
contrast, a University of Idaho study in the same year
found that the elliptical felt easier than either the treadmill or recumbent
bike, despite producing the same oxygen consumption and
heart rate.
Subsequent studies have added little clarity, which suggests that any
differences are too small to matter. An Irish study published
in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness appears to be the only
one to tackle what really matters to most people:
fitness and weight loss. A group of 24 women performed a 12-week fitness program
using either an elliptical, treadmill or
stair-climbing machine. Cardiovascular fitness increased and body fat percentage
decreased to the same degree in all three groups.
There are other differences, though. A forthcoming study by Western Washington
University exercise scientist Kathleen Knutzen used
elliptical machines with force plates on the pedals to determine that, even at a
fast stride, the forces on the lower legs were
comparable to walking, and two or three times less than running.
"That's a real benefit if you're prone to repetitive stress injuries," Dr.
Knutzen said.
More...from the Globe and Mail at:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090227.wljockology27/BNStor\
y/specialScienceandHealth/home


15. Give gizmos the boot - heal your sprained ankle in a cast:
Doctors may be treating severe ankle sprains the wrong way, according to the
results of a surprising British study.
Normally, physicians recommend the use of ice and elevation to ease pain and
reduce swelling, and wrap the ankle in a compression
bandage. The main piece of advice is to keep the foot moving - within limits of
tolerable pain.
But the new research shows that short-term use of a below-the-knee cast, which
essentially immobilizes the joint, is the best
approach to speed healing.
"Contrary to popular clinical opinion, a period of immobilization was the most
effective strategy for promoting rapid recovery," the
researchers concluded in the medical journal The Lancet.
The study was conducted for the British National Health Service, which wanted to
know the most cost-effective means of treating the
common injury that can sideline people for months.
The researchers followed 584 sprain patients who were randomly assigned to
receive one of four different types of ankle support: a
compression bandage; a below-the-knee cast; an Aircast brace (which includes an
inflated cushion); or a Bledsoe boot (a lightweight
device that limits motion).
The lead researcher, Sarah Lamb of the University of Warwick, admits she was
surprised to see that 10 days in a standard cast beat
out some of the latest high-tech foot supports on the market.
Although such a cast is now made with light-weight materials and comes in many
vibrant colours, "it is a bit like one of the
old-fashioned plaster casts in appearance," Dr. Lamb said. Yet the key to its
success is "the way it fixes the ankle and foot in a
rigid position," she said.
More...from the Globe and Mail at:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090227.wdoses27/BNStory/spe\
cialScienceandHealth/home


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

February 27-28, 2009:
Myomed Ragnar Relay Del So -, Wickenburg-Scottsdale, AZ

February 28 - March 1, 2009:
USA Indoor Track & Field Championships - Boston, MA

March 1, 2009:
13.1 Marathon Miami - FL

Caumsett Park 50K- Lloyd Harbor, NY
USA 50K Championship

Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon - Napa, CA

Miracle Match Marathon - Waco, TX

World's Best 10K - San Juan, PUR
Home of the Women's 10K World Record (30:21, Paula Radcliffe, 2003)

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

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

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

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

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Have a good week of training and/or racing.

Ken

Ken Parker
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The Running and Triathlon Resource Portal
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Check out TotalWellness's mp3 Personal Training Program - only 5% the Cost of
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Buy Paula Radcliffe's book, My Story - So Far, from Amazon UK at:
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SportsShoes in the UK
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TriSwim Coach - The Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming
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If you have an accident while running or cycling, do you want your family to be
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proper medical treatment?
If so, make this cool item part of your gear -- for safety and peace of mind.
Road ID has created 4 awesome ways for athletes to
wear ID: the SHOE, the WRIST, the ANKLE, and the NECK. Get your RoadID at:
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The Stretching Handbook:
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The Stretching Video in a DVD version. With the DVD version you're able to use
the convenient menu facility to:
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* Pause each stretch to get a good look at how it is performed;
* View only the introduction and rules for safe stretching; or
* Play the entire video from start to finish.

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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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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.
**Register before March 15, 2009 and get a 10% discount**

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4. Toronto Waterfront Marathon, September 27, 2009
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5. Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon - October 18, 2009
Register before the end of this month for the Marathon, Half Marathon, or 5k and
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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
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running, cycling and gym work. The player however is
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it perfect for swimming, kayaking, and water
skiing. Now incorporating the latest 3D music quality with it's adapted
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Circuit training is so much easier with your own
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The stylish looking headphones play the usual MP3, WMA and WAV formats and are
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Depending on track length, the headphones hold well over 14 hours worth of music
and the rechargeable battery life is about 8 hours.
Nick Matthew, the 2006 British Open squash champion now uses the player to train
with and Mi-SPORT are endeavouring to encourage
more athletes to enjoy the benefits of training to wire-free music, podcasts or
coaching aids. Inspiration and freedom at last, for
athletes and exercise enthusiasts everywhere.
Check it out at: http://www.mi-sportmp3.com/

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NEW THIS WEEK:

The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - June 20, 2009
Register before March 15, 2009 and get a 10% discount.
http://www,emiliesrun.com

We have added a new event calendar. It is available for event directors to add
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Watch live and webcast of Track and Field and Road races on Universal Sports
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RUNNER'S AND TRIATHLETE'S WEB CONTENT PARTNERS

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

* BREAKSWEAT.TV
We have partnered with Breaksweat TV to provide us with video content.
Simply Sports Media is part of a large group called Simply Media, which operates
more than 25 digital TV channels, including 6 on
satellite and cable. Simply Media has developed and continues to expand on
premium content for TV, web, mobile, captive Audience
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
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Breaksweat TV is not a user generated website, or a broadcasting channel; rather
it is a platform used to host Breaksweat.tv's
independently produced video content, and content it obtains from key
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video content that is unique, high-quality, and
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For more information and to visit other existing channels in the Simply Media
network, please visit:
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
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http://www.runnersweb.com/running/SK_index.html

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* Peak Performance Online Peak Performance is a subscription-only newsletter for
athletes, featuring the latest research from the
sports science world. We cover the whole range of sports, from running and
rowing to cycling and swimming, and each issue is packed
full of exclusive information for anyone who's serious about sport. It's
published 16 times a year, including four special reports,
by Electric Word plc. Peak Performance is not available in the shops - only our
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Visit the PPO site at: Peak Performance Online:
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* 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
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Check out the Peak Running article index at:
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* 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. Knee realignment surgery lets athletes stay active
2. Fast Transitions - How the Pros Do It So Fast
3. Athletes� Own Blood Could Nurse Them to Health
4. Recovery
The coach, author and former Olympic marathoner describes what to do when.
5. Eggs Pack Protein, Power, Strength And Energy Say Food and Sports Scientists
6. Psychology (General Concepts) - Competition Plans and Routines
7. This Week in Running
8. Ten Quick Fixes to Save Your Running Knees Long Term
9. Great Workout, Forget the View
10. Sore, No More
11. Sweeteners: Real Aid or Excuse to Indulge?
12. Running Times Newsletter
13. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine
14. Study Examines Effects Of Exercise On Quality Of Life In Postmenopausal
Women
15. Sprints may be best for diabetes prevention


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"If you are unable to run, what do you do?"

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:
"Should women's road race records ("best times") be allowed to be established in
mixed (men and women) races?"
Answers Percent
1.   Yes  26%
2.   No, women's only races  74%


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


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


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

For more publications on running and triathlon visit:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/human_kinetics.html and
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/amazon.html


THIS WEEK'S FEATURES:

1. Knee realignment surgery lets athletes stay active:
New research confirms that active people who undergo a procedure called high
tibial osteotomy (HTO) to repair an arthritic knee will
be just as active after the surgery.
Bowing of the leg due to arthritis on the inside of the knee joint is common
among active people who sustain injuries to the
cartilage or bone of the knee, Dr. Andreas Imhoff of Technische Universitaet
Muenchen in Munich and colleagues note. When
individuals with this injury are young, they add, joint replacement "may not
provide sufficient longevity," due to loosening or wear
of the artificial joint or progression of arthritis.
These patients can undergo HTO to restore normal alignment of the joint, which
can put off the need for knee replacement 5 to 10
years, Imhoff told Reuters Health. Thanks to new implant materials, he added,
patients can bear weight on the leg immediately after
surgery. Rehabilitation time is also much shorter than it is for some major knee
operations including knee replacement surgery or
anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, he added.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE51F2S220090216


2. Fast Transitions - How the Pros Do It So Fast:
If you always wonder how the pro triathletes have their T1 and T2 times way
under a minute where you would take 2 or sometimes 3
minutes, here�s the answer.
Know the transition area � First thing Elite athletes do when they arrive at the
race site is study the details of the transition
area; The exit of the swim and bike, the entry of the bike, mounting and
dismounting lanes and where is the best position to rack
your bike (usually as close to the bike exit as possible reducing the time you
have to run carrying your bike).
Get your bike/running shoes ready � Make sure your bike is in the right gear for
the course. If you know that you have to climb a
hill right off the transition area, don�t leave your gear on the big chain ring.
If it�s a flat course or at least starts flat,
definitely put on the big chain ring for best usage of your power output and
also to save time with shifting. Rack your bike from
the saddle, put your helmet on the handlebars (with the straps already open)
facing you so you don�t have to turn it around. Leave
your sunglasses with the arms open inside the helmet (put it on before you put
the helmet on so you don�t pull them off with your
helmet in T2). Clip your shoes on the pedals and make sure the straps are opened
and not grabbing the chain rings. Put the cranks on
a 9 o�clock position so your shoes won�t hit the ground, or even better use
rubber bands to secure the shoes on the position. Put
your running shoes in a position ready to put them on, use the "speed laces"
(elastic lace shoes) that don�t need to be tighten,
pull the tong of the shoes out and turn it forward to facilitate the entrance of
your feet. Baby powder is a great trick to speed
the slide into the shoes (bike or running).
More...from TriFuel at:
http://www.trifuel.com/training/triathlon-training/fast-transitions-how-the-pros\
-do-it-so-fast


3. Athletes� Own Blood Could Nurse Them to Health:
Two of the Pittsburgh Steelers� biggest stars, Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu,
used their own blood in an innovative injury treatment
before winning the Super Bowl. At least one major league pitcher, about 20
professional soccer players and perhaps hundreds of
recreational athletes have also undergone the procedure, commonly called
platelet-rich plasma therapy.
The technique�s early promise is reassuring experts in sports medicine that
platelet-rich plasma therapy, which is strikingly
straightforward and easy to perform, could eventually improve the treatment of
stubborn injuries like tennis elbow and knee
tendinitis for athletes of all types.
The method centers on injecting portions of a patient�s own blood directly into
the injured area, which catalyzes the body�s
instincts to repair muscle, bone and other tissue. Most enticing, many doctors
said, is that the technique appears to help
regenerate ligament and tendon fibers, which could shorten rehabilitation time
and possibly obviate surgery.
Research into the effects of platelet-rich plasma has accelerated in recent
months, with most doctors cautioning that more rigorous
studies are necessary before the therapy can emerge as scientifically proven.
But many researchers suspect that the procedure could
become an increasingly attractive course of treatment for reasons both medical
and financial.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/sports/17blood.html?_r=1&ref=sports


4. Recovery:
The coach, author and former Olympic marathoner describes what to do when.
We often hear that the benefits of training are absorbed while we're recovering.
What can you do to speed your recovery from a hard
run so that you're ready to go again sooner? Former Olympic marathoner, coach
and author Pete Pfitzinger describes some of the best
things to do after your next run. (12:34).
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15711


5. Eggs Pack Protein, Power, Strength And Energy Say Food and Sports Scientists:
Researchers reviewing 25 studies on protein suggest that the protein in eggs
makes a valuable contribution to muscle strength, helps
to satisfy hunger and provides a source of sustained energy. They suggest that
because research shows eggs are rich in leucine, an
essential amino acid that plays an important role in how muscles use glucose,
they would be a valuable food for men and women
undergoing endurance training.
The study, by Drs Donald K Layman and Nancy R Rodriguez, is published in the
Jan/Feb 2009 issue of the journal Nutrition Today.
Layman is a professor emeritus at the Department of Food Science and Human
Nutrition at the University of Illinois and researches
amino acids and muscle metabolism, and Rodriguez is an associate professor of
Nutritional Sciences, University of Connecticut Sports
Nutrition Programs at the University of Connecticut and researches links between
exercise and protein.
More...from Medical News Today at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/139231.php


6. Psychology (General Concepts) - Competition Plans and Routines:
The first article this week tackles some important issues regarding the
psychological effects on performance. It is arguable that
mental skills are every bit as important as conditioning and technical skills.
This text looks at some efficient ways to develop
mental skills through competitive plans and routines, as well as a discussion of
some dangerous mindsets that hinder performance. In
our second article, Sustov and Nikitushkin discuss several factors involved in
the efficient development of young distance runners.
Topics discussed include the influences of growth factors, the biological age
and certain developmental processes on the ability of
young athletes. This article is an excellent read for coaches attempting to
optimize the safe training of their young endurance
athletes.
More...from the Canadian Athletics Coaching Center at:
http://www.athleticscoaching.ca/?pid=2&nid=195


7. This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago-  Gabriela Szabo (ROM) became the first woman to run under 15
minutes for 5000m indoors,
                lowering Liz McColgan's (SCO) WR by more than 15 seconds to
14:47.35 at the Sparkassen
                Indoor Meeting in Dortmund GER.  Tegla Loroupe (KEN) was also
under the old mark with a
                14:51.69.  Leah Malot (KEN) was 3rd in 15:17.88 while Petra
Wassilik (GER) was 4th in 15:56.33
20 Years Ago-  Domingos Castro (POR) won the L'Equipe Crosscountry (FRA) 9K by
16 seconds over twin
                Dionisio Castro (POR).  Bertrand Itsweire (FRA) was the first
non-Castro finisher in
                3rd, another five seconds back.  Albertina Machado (POR) won the
women's 5.5K by an even
                wider margin, 53 seconds, over Annette Sergent (FRA).  Albertina
Dias (POR) was 3rd, four
                seconds behind Sergent.
30 Years Ago-  John Dimick (USA) won the Mardi Gras (LA/USA) Marathon with a
wind-aided 2:11:53.  John
                Gregorio (USA) and Ron Hill (ENG) went 2-3 with 2:15:29 and
2:15:46 respectively.  Gayle
                Olinekova (CAN) won the women's race in 2:38:12 with Susan Parks
(USA) 2nd at 2:46:46 and
                Karen MacKeachie (USA) 3rd at 2:48:40.  This course was a last
minute replacement for the
                traditional course, necessitated by a police strike.  The course
needed no traffic control
                as it was run almost entirely on the Lake Ponchartrain Bridge. 
Ted Corbitt was attending
                the RRCA convention held in New Orleans and was able to certify
the course before the race.
40 Years Ago-  Bernd Diessner (GER) won a 3000m in Berlin with a time of 7:47.8.
He was followed by Gert
                Eisenberg (GER) at 7:58.6 and Klaus Schimmagk (GER) at 8:06.6.
50 Years Ago-  Bill Dillinger (USA) won the New York Athletic Club Games
(NY/USA) 2 mile (indoors) in 8:59.8.
                Al Lawrence (AUS) was 2nd and Alex Breckenridge (USA) was 4th (no
times available).
60 Years Ago-  Gaston Reiff (BEL) ran 8:53.8 to win an indoor two mile in New
York NY/USA.
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.


8. Ten Quick Fixes to Save Your Running Knees Long Term:
By Matt Russ
Unlike swimming and biking running is weight bearing and involves compressive
forces many times body weight. The eccentric
(lengthening) muscle contractions are also very hard on your body. If you are a
large or heavy set person; harder still. If you plan
on running long term there are some basic rules to follow which will keep you
striding long term.
1. Take at least 1-2 rest or active recovery days per week. This means no impact
giving your joints a rest from the pounding forces
that running produces. Less experienced runners may need 2-3 rest/recovery days
per week.
2. Perform no more than 1-2 "break through" or high intensity interval work outs
per week. Speed work puts more stress and the body,
and requires more recovery time. This type of training must performed
prescriptively and carefully. Try to schedule these key work
outs directly proceeding a rest or recovery day.
3. Train in 2-3 day cycles, with a rest or recovery work out in between cycles
giving your body to some space to recover from and
adapt to the training load. Some athletes will need more rest and less training,
especially as intensity increases.
4. Change your shoes out frequently. A good rule of thumb is at least 3x per
year for a high volume runner. You may want to write
the date you purchased your shoes in permanent ink on your shoes for reference.
Buying shoes is expensive, but so is your insurance
deductible.
More...from the Sport Factory at:
http://thesportfactory.com/site/trainingnews/10quickfixesrun.shtml


9. Great Workout, Forget the View:
EIGHTEEN years ago, Ronnie Guie considered buying a treadmill or a
stair-climbing machine to stay in shape. Then one day on his
lunch hour at Con Edison in Astoria, Queens, two co-workers invited Mr. Guie to
take a walk to the top of the 10-floor building. He
was breathing heavily by the time he got there, but was hooked: he had found his
workout for free.
�For me, it�s a quick fix,� he said.
At 59, Mr. Guie says he still has the same waist size (30 inches) and weight
range (150 to 155 pounds) that he did when he was 17,
thanks to his five-day-a-week regimen. He climbs the concrete stairs usually 10
times or so in an hour, depending how much time he
has. �I get the results out of it � and it�s not easy,� he said. �But I always
feel great.�
Stairs are everywhere, of course, but they are rarely embraced as an option for
getting into shape. They wait in the stale air wells
of high-rises (especially in dense urban centers like New York City), or on
stationary machines in the corners of health clubs now
inundated by the more popular, but less strenuous, elliptical machines. Many
stairwells aren�t even accessible, often because of
post-9/11 security concerns. But when they are, or are opened especially for
runners going up, they provide a workout that returns
maximum value in minimum time, with low impact. And going up is much better for
your knees than going down.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/health/nutrition/19fitness.html?ref=nutrition


10. Sore, No More:
You have had the experience: You've gone out for an extra-long run, worked out
on some steep hills for the very first time, or
completed an unusual number of work intervals on the track - and then paid the
grisly price. For a few days after your effort, your
legs felt stiff, your muscles and tendons were tender and sore, and your usual
leg strength was missing in action.
What did you actually do to your legs to create so much discomfort and weakness?
Did you set back your training, or are such
occasional bouts of pain and feebleness a normal part of the training process?
Was there anything about your soreness induction
which would actually be good for you during subsequent training? Before we
respond to these key questions, let's take note of a fact
which will help us with our answers: You have probably also had an interesting,
follow-up experience with soreness. That is, it's
likely that you performed - at a later date - a workout similar to the one which
produced so much leg distress initially, after a
few weeks of other sorts of training, for example. Somewhat surprisingly, this
second session produced no ill effects at all - not
even a whisper of protest from the sinews and cables in your lower appendages.
Why did the first effort lead to misfortune, while
the second failed to perturb your legs at all?
This scenario, in which a specific workout produces pain after its initial
completion and then rubs milk-and-honey balm on your legs
after its second and subsequent fulfillments, has been noticed by exercise
scientists and is often called the "repeated-bout
effects" (1 & 2). Amazingly enough, the "protection" from soreness and
enfeeblement which occurs after the first training session
can last for several weeks - and possibly for as long as six months in some
cases (3).
Why should we care about this? If we can understand the underlying mechanism
which produces protection from significant soreness, it
might be possible to train in ways which invoke this mechanism (without
producing significant tissue damage) and thus protect
ourselves from muscle strains and training-related tendon damage. There might,
in fact, be a general routine, a combination of
strength training and running, which, when carried out during an initial phase
of training, could provide many protective benefits
over the course of a training year.
To date, investigations which have attempted to unravel the mystery of the
repeated-bout mechanism have produced some extremely
interesting results. Some research has suggested, for example, that a muscle
group does not have to be exercised in the same manner
in the initial and subsequent bouts of exertion in order for a protective effect
to occur (a clear violation of our hallowed
specificity-of-training principle). For example, one study found that 100
maximal, eccentric contractions of the quadriceps muscles
furnished protection against quadriceps damage following a subsequent bout of
downhill running (4).
That word "eccentric" will appear repeatedly as we talk about post-workout
soreness, so let's deal with it for a moment. Recall that
eccentric muscle contractions are notorious for producing soreness and that an
eccentric muscular contraction is one in which a
muscle is exerting force and attempting to shorten - and yet ends up being
elongated by other forces acting on the muscle. A good
example of this is what happens to your quads as you run. The poor fellows'
contract when your foot hits the ground, but the forces
of impact make your knee flex anyway, and the quads get temporarily stretched
and lengthened - as they are trying to shorten and
keep the knee joint under control. Put yourself on a significant hill and run in
a downward direction - and things get much worse
for the quads. Since your foot is falling farther with each step, the leg is
accelerating downward to greater extent than usual, and
thus the forces on the quads are considerably augmented. The eccentric-strain
damage to the quads is more extensive, and post
workout quadriceps pain is likely to appear - if you have not done much prior
downhill running. It is clear that eccentric strains
produce a significant amount of leg discomfort which is part of running
training. However, there is also something about eccentric
straining/training which ultimately provides a considerable amount of protection
for muscles and tendons (5). In short, eccentric
strains damage muscles - but lead to adaptations which are highly protective.
To learn more about Sore No More (the full article can be read by purchasing
Vol. 22 Issue 4 of Running Research News) and many more
running related topics, simply click-on the Back Issues link, and select the
volume and issues number, from the drop-down menu. A
subscription to Running Research News is another way to receive valuable
information about running. BUY NOW. From RRN at:
http://runningresearchnews.com/catalog/running_nl


11. Sweeteners: Real Aid or Excuse to Indulge?
You may find this surprising � I certainly did � but only about 15 percent of
Americans regularly consume beverages and foods that
contain artificial sweeteners.
Given the perpetual struggles in this nation with expanding waistlines, and the
apparent popularity of diet sodas, I would have
expected that at least half the population would routinely try to cut calories
by choosing what scientists call non-nutritive
sweeteners in place of caloric sweeteners like sugar (sucrose) and high-fructose
corn syrup.
Experts offer several reasons people may be reluctant to make the switch. One,
of course, is taste. People become used to foods and
drinks tasting a certain way, and they won�t or can�t adapt to a new flavor. Try
convincing a lover of regular Coke that Diet Coke
tastes as good.
Another obstacle is the safety concerns about the federally approved
non-nutritive sweeteners: aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal),
saccharin (Necta Sweet), sucralose (Splenda), stevia (Truvia and PureVia),
acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) and neotame (a relative of
aspartame).
Forty years ago saccharin and cyclamates came under scrutiny after a study found
that the combined artificial sweeteners caused
cancer in laboratory rats. That led to a federal ban in 1969 on cyclamates, a
sweetener that is still marketed in more than 100
countries. Saccharin, rarely used in soft drinks, remains a popular tabletop
sweetener despite a suspected link to bladder cancer.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/health/17brod.html?ref=fitnessandnutrition


12. Running Times Newsletter:
Q&A: Intended Tune-Up Race Pace in Pfitz Training Plan
Q: Pfitzinger 12/55 Marathon Plan & Tune-Up Races: Running Times is the best
magazine out there and I have become a huge fan of
Pete's work. I am currently training for a marathon using his 12/55 plan, along
with a few friends. We have a disagreement among
ourselves regarding marathon pace runs in the schedule.
If possible, could we get some clarification on how the tune-up races are
supposed to be run. There is one with 4 weeks to go and
one with 2 weeks to go in the schedule. Are these to be done as MP runs or as
true races? Any other info would be greatly
appreciated. Thanks and keep up the great work.
-- Charles
A: Thanks for your message and your kind words. The correct balance of tune-up
races, long runs and marathon paced runs for a
specific runner depends on a number of factors. Some of the considerations are
whether you are more of an aerobic animal who handles
long running relatively easily but struggles with a faster pace or whether you
are better suited to 10Ks and find the marathon to be
a real stretch.
In the Advanced Marathoning training schedules, I have tried to find a middle
ground that works for many runners, but am always
concerned that runners will stick to the schedules too closely without taking
their own unique circumstances into account. In the 12
week/55 plan, the intent was to do the races as "races" rather than at marathon
pace, but it would be a perfectly good option with 4
weeks to go to find a slightly longer race (perhaps a 20k or half marathon) and
do it at marathon pace if that suits you better.
Good luck to you and your friends!
--Peter Pfitzinger
Note: The second edition of Pete's Advanced Marathoning book is now available.
You can read an excerpt from the book in the April
2009 issue of RT, available on newsstands Feb. 24th.
(http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=7437#april)
Running Times Shoe Review:
http://runningtimes.com/Channel.aspx?CategoryID=194


13. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine:
Dear Dr. Mirkin: I understand how aerobic activities such as running or cycling
help the heart, but what about weight lifting?
A: Most authorities recommend both endurance and resistance exercise for heart
health, even for people who have recovered from heart
attacks. Now a study from The University of Athens in Greece shows how
resistance exercise may help prevent heart attacks (Medicine
& Science in Sports & Exercise, February 2009). Nine healthy, untrained male
volunteers performed leg presses, with eight sets of
six repetitions and three-minute rest intervals. One day later their blood fat
levels were lower than normal after a high-fat meal.
This shows that a single bout of weight lifting can prevent a high rise in blood
fats one day later. A high rise in fat or sugar
after meals increases risk for heart attacks. Exercising and exercised muscles
help to remove sugar and fat from the bloodstream and
this effect can last as much as twenty-four hours.
Dear Dr. Mirkin: Are athletes allowed to take cortisone-type drugs during
competition?
A: Yes, but I believe that cortisone-type steroids should be put on the list of
forbidden drugs for athletes. Cortisone-type drugs
decrease immunity, prevent injuries from healing and cause high blood pressure,
diabetes, and unreasonable manic behavior, so most
doctors think that athletes will not take them to improve performance. However,
an article from Universit� d'Orl�ans in France shows
that 60 mg of prednisolone/day for one week taken before exhaustive exercise
almost doubled time to exhaustion from 64 to 107
minutes (British Journal of Sports Medicine, December 2008). This is not
surprising because cortisone-type drugs raise blood sugar
to very high levels so that extra fuel is available to power the muscles during
exercise.
Q: Dear Dr. Mirkin: What's the best exercise program for a person  with back
pain?
A: People with back pain need to exercise as much as anyone else.   The best
sports are those that do not hurt when you do them.
The bones of your spine are located one on top of the other, separated by pads
called discs. Bones are much harder than discs, so
when spinal bones are compressed and move closer together, they can flatten the
discs like pancakes. Since the discs are shorter,
they have to go somewhere else, so they widen and press on the nerves near them,
causing pain. This is called a herniated disc.
Anything that presses the bones closer together squashes the disc further and
usually makes it hurt more. During running or jumping,
the force of the foot striking the ground is transmitted up the leg to the back,
which can compress the discs and cause pain.
  Riding a bicycle, walking or swimming do not exert a jarring force on the discs
to compress them, so these exercises are
recommended for people with back pain as long they don't
hurt while they exercise. Doctors often recommend special exercises to flatten
the lower back, strengthen the belly muscles and
stretch the lower back muscles. The key to exercising when you have a compressed
disc is to stop exercising when you feel pain. You
may need to try several different activities to find the right one for you.
Q: Dear Dr. Mirkin:  How does alcohol damage the liver and what can I do to
protect my liver?
A: When you pour alcohol on cut skin, it hurts because alcohol damages cells. 
The pain is caused by alcohol binding to water and
pulling the water molecule out of cells to damage them.
Most alcohol that you drink goes to your liver because it is the only organ that
can break down alcohol.  The damage to liver cells
turns on your immunity so your own antibodies and
immune cells attack the liver as they would do to invading bacteria. This is
called inflammation.  A recent study from Yale shows
that taking aspirin twice a day may help to prevent liver damage from alcohol by
shutting down the prostaglandins that cause
inflammation (Journal of Clinical Investigation February 2009).  However, both
aspirin and alcohol can irritate the stomach, so
anyone with stomach problems should not take either.
The generally accepted guideline is that up to two drinks a day will not cause
harm, but more than that can damage the liver. A
drink is five ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer or 2/3rds of a shot glass of any
liquor.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at:
http://www.drmirkin.com


14. Study Examines Effects Of Exercise On Quality Of Life In Postmenopausal
Women:
Exercise appears to improve quality of life in postmenopausal women regardless
of whether they lose weight, according to a report in
the February 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives
journals.
Physical inactivity is a risk factor for various chronic conditions including
diabetes mellitus, heart disease, stroke and several
types of cancers, according to background information in the article. Regular
physical activity is often reported to improve mood,
reduce stress and increase energy levels, all of which are measurements of
quality of life. However, these claims are largely
derived from studies composed of participants with serious illnesses and have
not been confirmed in healthy populations.
Corby K. Martin, Ph.D., of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center and
Louisiana State University System, Baton Rouge and
colleagues studied the effect of 50 percent, 100 percent and 150 percent of
current public health physical activity recommendations
on quality of life in 430 sedentary postmenopausal women (average age 57.4).
Participants were randomly assigned to a non-exercise
control group (n=92) or one of three exercise groups: exercise energy
expenditure of 4 kilocalories per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of
body weight per week (4-KKW) (n=147), 8-KKW (n=96) or 12-KKW (n=95). A short
health survey was used to measure physical and mental
aspects of quality of life at the beginning of the study and six months later.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090209163207.htm


15. Sprints may be best for diabetes prevention:
A few minutes of intense exercise a week is just as good as a half-hour of
moderate physical activity a day for reducing a person's
risk of developing type 2 diabetes -- and may actually be even more effective,
new research hints.
"It is possible to gain significant health benefits from only 7.5 minutes of
exercise each week -- if that is all that you find the
time to do," Dr. James A. Timmons of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, one of
the researchers on the study, told Reuters Health.
"This is a dramatically different view from current thinking," he admitted.
Timmons and his team found that young sedentary men who did just 15 minutes of
all-out sprinting on an exercise bike spread out over
two weeks substantially improved their ability to metabolize glucose (sugar).
Traditional aerobic exercise programs can boost
sensitivity to the key blood-sugar-regulating hormone insulin. The
high-intensity program did this too, but it also directly reduced
the men's blood sugar levels -- something that standard exercise programs have
not been shown to do.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE51F2T320090216



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

February 20, 2009:
Half-Marathon - UAE

February 21, 2009:
House of Hope Run Around the Pines 5K - Winter Park, FL

February 22, 2009:
Fort Lauderdale A1A Marathon - FL

Winterman Marathon and Relays - Ottawa, ON

Radio
(CBC) Athletics: A Marathon to Remember
Canadian Marathon runner Danny Kassap survives a heart attack thanks to some
strangers on the streets of Berlin

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

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

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

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

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Have a good week of training and/or racing.

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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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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.
**Register before March 15, 2009 and get a 10% discount**

3. Road Runner Sports, the world's largest running store at:
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4. Toronto Waterfront Marathon, September 27, 2009
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5. Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon - October 18, 2009
Register before the end of this month for the Marathon, Half Marathon, or 5k and
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8. iRun Magazine
More than a million Canadians are runners, making it this country's most popular
recreational and fitness activity. Canadians run
for exercise and we run to raise money for important causes. We run alone and in
groups. And every year, hundreds of thousands of us
participate in organized races, from fun runs to marathons, which are growing
steadily.
Until now, Canadian runners haven't had our own running magazine. But now,
there's iRun, providing a uniquely Canadian perspective
on the activity and the sport. Published six times a year, iRun educates,
informs and inspires Canadian runners.
The Team
Mark Sutcliffe, Publisher and Editor
Mark has more than 20 years of experience in the Canadian media business. An
avid runner, he has completed five marathons and 10
half-marathons. He writes a popular weekly column on running in the Ottawa
Citizen and co-hosts The Running Show every week on The
Team 1200 radio. Mark is the former Executive Editor of the Ottawa Citizen and
has also launched several publications, including the
Ottawa Business Journal, now in its second decade, and the Kitchissippi Times, a
successful community newspaper in Ottawa. His
writing has appeared across the country in daily newspapers, and magazines like
Macleans and Canadian Business.
Ray Zahab, Contributing Editor
Ray Zahab is Canada's most renowned ultramarathon runner. A former pack-a-day
smoker, Ray transformed his life by becoming a
successful long-distance runner, winning some of the world's most challenging
foot races. Beginning in November 2006, Ray and two
other runners ran across the Sahara Desert in 111 days, averaging 70 kilometres
per day without a single day's rest. Ray is an
accomplished public speaker, writes regularly about running and coaches athletes
striving to achieve their own goals.
Distribution
iRun is Canada's highest-circulation and most popular running magazine. With a
total distribution of 50,000 and more than 9,000
subscribers, iRun is leading the market in the rapidly growing and highly
desirable demographic of Canadian runners.
iRun Magazine is a sponsor of Emilie's Run
http://www.irun.ca/

9. Canadian Running Magazine: Subscribe at:
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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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* Sports Nutrition by Sheila Kealey. Sheila is one of Ottawa's top multisport
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* Peak Running Performance Peak Running Is The Nation's Most Advanced Running
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Joe Vigil (US Olympic Coach), Scott Tinley (2 Time
Ironman Champ) Steve Scott (3 Time Olympian) and many more. This bi-monthly
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past two it has been awarded the "Golden Shoe Award" in recognition of it's
outstanding achievements.
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* Running Research News: RRN's free, weekly, training update provides
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based information about training, sports nutrition, injury prevention, and
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THIS WEEK'S PERSONAL POSTINGS/RELEASES: We will only post notes here regarding
running and triathlon topics of interest to the
community. We have NO personal postings this week.

THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

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


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

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

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


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

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

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

For more publications on running and triathlon visit:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/human_kinetics.html and
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/amazon.html

THIS WEEK'S FEATURES:

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


11. This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago-  Philip Tarus (KEN) won the 37th edition of the San Blas (PUR)
Half Marathon with a still-
                standing course record of 1:02:11.  Khalid Khannouchi (MAR) was a
distant 2nd with 1:03:24
                while Silvio Guerra (ECU) was 3rd in 1:03:41.  Svetlana Zakharova
(RUS) took the women's
                race by a wide margin with a 1:13:55 while Nadezhda Wijenberg
(RUS) was 2nd in 1:15:35.  Irina
                Timofeyeva (RUS) was 3rd in 1:16:10.
20 Years Ago-  Keith Brantly (USA) defeated an international field at the
Gasparilla Classic FL/USA) 15K,
                clocking a 42:50.  Gerardo Alcala (MEX) prevailed in a close
battle for 2nd, coming in at
                43:03 over James Cooper (USA) at 43:04, Salvador Garcia (MEX) at
43:06, and Stephen Jones
                (WAL) at 43:07.  Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) won the women's race
with a 48:14 as six women
                broke 50 minutes.  Lisa Rainsberger (USA) was 2nd at 49:01 while
Nancy Tinari (CAN) was
                3rd in 49:09.
30 Years Ago-  Ralph King (USA) won the Gasparilla Classic FL/USA) 15K with a
44:12.  Near Olympic bronze
                medalist in the marathon (finished 4th in 1976), Don Kardong
(USA) was 2nd in 44:15 while
                Doug Brown (USA) was 3rd at 44:44.  Gayle Olinekova (CAN) won a
close race over Betty Jo
                Springs-Geiger (USA), 53:17 to 53:23 while Kim Merritt (USA) was
well back in 3rd with a 55:33.
40 Years Ago-  Gaston Roelants (BEL) won the 7th edition of the San Blas (PUR)
Half Marathon in 1:06:30.
50 Years Ago-  Bill Dillinger (USA) defeated Max Truex (USA) at the BAA Indoor
Meeting in Boston MA/USA
                with a time of 8:49.9 (no time available for Truex).
From The Analytical Distance Runner, the newsletter for the Association of Road
Racing Statisticians with a
focus on races, 3000m and longer, including road, track, and cross-country
events.
The ARRS has a website at http://www.arrs.net.

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


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


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


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


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

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

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

Smile Mile - Orlando, FL

February 15, 2009:
Austin Marathon - Austin, TX

ABC 7 Sarasota Grouper Marathon - Sarasota, FL

Lost Dutchman Marathon - Apache Junction, AZ

Pensacola Marathon - Pensacola, FL

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

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

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

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

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Have a good week of training and/or racing.

Ken

Ken Parker
www.RunnersWeb.com
The Running and Triathlon Resource Portal
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613-746-4053
http://www.OACRacingTeam.com
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ShoeWallet.com has set out on a mission to enable people to easily carry ID and
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SportsShoes in the UK
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TriSwim Coach - The Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming
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If you have an accident while running or cycling, do you want your family to be
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If so, make this cool item part of your gear -- for safety and peace of mind.
Road ID has created 4 awesome ways for athletes to
wear ID: the SHOE, the WRIST, the ANKLE, and the NECK. Get your RoadID at:
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The Stretching Video in a DVD version. With the DVD version you're able to use
the convenient menu facility to:
* Go directly to a specific stretch;
* View only stretches for a specific muscle group;
* Pause each stretch to get a good look at how it is performed;
* View only the introduction and rules for safe stretching; or
* Play the entire video from start to finish.

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***Note: There will be no Digest on Friday, February 6th as I will be travelling
that week. The Digest will resume publication on
Friday, February 13th***

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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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.
**Register before January 31, 2009 and get a 15% discount**

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
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
Fix Orientation to learn how to exercise safely and effectively . Access to all
cardio and strength-training equipment . Access to
all of our world-class Group EXercise classes . A copy of Living the Good Life
audio CD Get started today! Visit
www.GoodLifeFitness.com Limited time offer.

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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NEW THIS WEEK:
***Note: There will be no Digest on Friday, February 6th as I will be travelling
that week. The Digest will resume publication on
Friday, February 13th***

Register for Emilie's Run - June 20, 2009 before January 31, 2009 and get a 15%
discount.
Register before March 15, 2009 and get a 10% discount.
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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:
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* 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
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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.
http://www.clixGalore.com/Sale.aspx?BID=37234&AfID=103794&AdID=5075&LP=www.peakr\
unningperformance.com
Check out the Peak Running article index at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/PRP_index.html .

* Running Research News: RRN's free, weekly, training update provides
subscribers with the most-current, practical, scientifically
based information about training, sports nutrition, injury prevention, and
injury rehabilitation. The purpose of this weekly e-zine
is to improve subscribers' training quality and to help them train in an
injury-free manner. Running Research News also publishes a
complete, 12-page, electronic newsletter 10 times a year (one-year subscriptions
are $35); to learn more about Running Research
News, please see the Online Article Index and "About Running Research News"
sections below or go to RRNews.com. Check out the
article index at: http://www.runnersweb.com/running/RRN_index.html

THIS WEEK'S PERSONAL POSTINGS/RELEASES: We will only post notes here regarding
running and triathlon topics of interest to the
community. We have NO personal postings this week.

THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

1. Running a marathon a net benefit for the body, experts say
It tones bodies, calms minds and builds up cardiovascular system.
2. Fitness Isn't an Overnight Sensation
There are many examples of people who took up exercise and markedly changed
their appearance. But how long does it take?
3. Props to Proprioception
Improve your running by improving your balance.
4. Runner's Digest
Eliminate stomach trouble with our short list of foods to eat--and avoid.
5. When a Workout is Going Badly
Should you cut it short or gut it out?
6. This Week in Running
7. Want to get healthy? Exercise 7 minutes a week
8. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine
9. Sportsmedicine: Ankle Injuries, Ankle Pain and Sprained Ankle Treatment -
Part III
10. Exercise No Danger For Joints: Non-Elite Level Activity Does Not Increase
Risk Of Osteoarthritis, Review Suggests
11. Regular Sprints Boost Metabolism
12. Caffeine Cuts Post-workout Pain By Nearly 50 Percent, Study Finds


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"On which of the continents have you run?"

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 city should host the 2016 Summer Olympics?"
Answers Percent
1.   Chicago, USA  22%
2.   Madrid, Spain  13%
3.   Rio, Brazil  39%
4.   Tokyo, Japan  26%


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

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

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

For more publications on running and triathlon visit:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/human_kinetics.html and
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/amazon.html

THIS WEEK'S FEATURES:

1. Running a marathon a net benefit for the body, experts say:
It tones bodies, calms minds and builds up cardiovascular system.
Historians say the first marathon runner was Philippides, who, in 490 B.C., ran
24.85 miles from the battlefield at Marathon with
news of the Athenian army's victory over the Persians. He reached Athens, cried
out, "Rejoice, we conquer," fell down and died.
Today we run marathons for fun. Are we crazy? Isn't running a marathon a giant
insult to the human body and mind?
What does it do to us?
As counterintuitive as it seems to those who don't indulge, doctors,
psychologists and runners agree that the effects of marathon
running are mainly positive. It tones our bodies, calms our minds and builds up
our all-important cardiovascular system.
"Running is good for you if you do it right," says Kevin Jacobs, Ph.D., exercise
physiologist at University of Miami. "It builds
your aerobic capacity, so your body is better able to use oxygen, which is good
for you. It can improve blood lipids and blood
glucose if they're abnormal. You sleep better. You feel better during the day."
Jake Zabara of Miami Beach, Fla., at 76, will be one of the oldest runners in
Sunday's marathon and has been running them since he
was 54. He says long-distance running reboots your mind, much like a computer.
"For a week or so afterwards there's a certain
serenity, a coming-to-peace-with yourself and the world."
Dr. Kristing Karlson, of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Sport Medicine Clinic in New
Hampshire, agrees. "Running is good for the heart and
lungs because exercising any muscle makes it stronger," she says.
More...from AJC at:
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/health/stories/2009/01/23/running_health_mar\
athons.html


2. Fitness Isn't an Overnight Sensation:
There are many examples of people who took up exercise and markedly changed
their appearance. But how long does it take?
CARL FOSTER, an exercise physiologist at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse,
was amused by ads for a popular piece of exercise
equipment. Before-and-after photos showed pudgy men and women turned into
athletes with ripped bodies of steel. And it all happened
after just 12 weeks of exercising for 30 minutes three times a week. Then there
was the popular book, with its own before-and-after
photos, promoting a program that would totally change your body in six weeks
with three 20-minute exercise sessions a week.
There are many examples of people who took up exercise and markedly changed
their appearance. But how long does it take? And how
much time and effort are required? Six weeks sounded crazy to Dr. Foster.
"We said: 'Wait a minute. You can't change yourself that much,' " Dr. Foster
said. So he and his colleagues decided to experiment.
Suppose they recruited sedentary people for a six-week exercise program. Would
objective observers notice any changes in their
bodies?
The plan was to photograph volunteers wearing skimpy bathing suits and then
randomly assign them to one of three groups:
cardiovascular exercise, weight lifting or control. Six weeks later, they would
be photographed again.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/health/nutrition/22best.html?ref=fitnessandnut\
rition


3. Props to Proprioception:
Improve your running by improving your balance.
Of all the ways for runners to get better and faster, nothing beats remaining
injury-free. One way to accomplish that goal is to
regularly do a few simple exercises to improve your proprioception.
Propriowhat? Simply put, proprioceptors are the sensors in your muscles that
help to govern your balance. All of your muscles and
tendons have these sensors. When you're injured, the proprioceptors become
damaged and don't function properly. This can lead to
becoming more easily injured, such as when you are running on uneven terrain. In
those circumstances, when you're about to roll your
ankle, it's your proprioceptors that inform your tendons and muscles to fire to
stop that process. After an initial ankle sprain it
becomes even easier for the second sprain to happen because the sensors are
informing the muscles and tendons to fire to protect
them from further injury. Running in the winter adds the extra challenge of not
just uneven footing but also slippery conditions,
increasing the importance of these sensors.
How good are your proprioceptive senses functioning? Try this: Stand up, balance
on one foot and close your eyes. If you must
immediately put your foot down or hands out to prevent falling, then your
proprioceptors are not functioning properly.
Balance training to improve proprioception is usually a part of the treatment
plan when you sprain an ankle, but it really should be
a part of every runner's program.
Get started on improving your proprioception by balancing on one foot. Begin
with your shoes on and eyes open. As your balance
starts to improve, close your eyes. (If you have trouble maintaining this
posture for more than a few seconds with your eyes closed,
do it in a doorway so you can reach out to prevent falling.) When you can
balance easily for at least a minute, start doing the
exercise with your shoes off. Again, build up with your eyes open and then
closed. You can do this several times during the day.
Because most people brush their teeth twice a day, this a great time to
multitask and balance on one foot with your eyes closed.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15488


4. Runner's Digest:
Eliminate stomach trouble with our short list of foods to eat--and avoid.
Halfway through the 2003 Los Angeles Marathon, Emma Diego was on pace to clock a
3:40--her Boston qualifying time--when painful
stomach cramps forced her to make three detours into Porta Potties. She finished
in 3:48. The total length of her lavatory layovers?
Eight minutes.
Diego's experience is, unfortunately, not uncommon. Studies suggest that as many
as 60 percent of runners experience varying degrees
of nausea and unpleasant stomach issues during or following a run.
Gastrointestinal (GI) issues can make finishing a workout
painful, or worse, they can impair performance. The problems are said to be
caused, in part, because blood is diverted from the GI
tract to the muscles during exercise. The diversion of blood can cause cramping
and limits the body's ability to absorb fluids,
potentially leading to dehydration. "Stops at the Port-a-John can also
accelerate dehydration, which can end a race," says Bobby
McGee, a distance-running coach in Colorado and running expert for USA
Triathlon.
The main culprit of stomach distress, however, is running itself. When you ride
a bike, blood is also diverted from the gut, but
cyclists report half the number of GI problems as runners. That's because
running has twice the force of impact. "All the pounding
jostles the GI tract," says Stephen Simons, M.D., a sports-medicine physician at
St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in South Bend,
Indiana. Which, in turn, speeds up the need for a pit stop.
But why do some runners suffer and others don't? Because the amount of bacteria
in the stomach, digestion time, and even hormone and
stress levels affect digestion and vary from person to person. And because
running compounds preexisting conditions like lactose
intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome, says Dr. Simons. Some runners
experience difficulty only during speedwork and races (at
higher intensities, more blood is diverted, increasing the likelihood of GI
distress). The solution is to experiment with your diet
the day before workouts that give you trouble. "Test different foods," says
McGee. "You'll find what works for you."
More...from Runner's World at:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-301--10005-0,00.html


5. When a Workout is Going Badly:
Should you cut it short or gut it out?
Third mile, 6:11. Two more gut-wrenching repeats remain and you're already 11
seconds off goal pace for the workout. Not to mention
it's getting dark, you're tired and you can think of at least half a dozen less
strenuous things you could be doing right now. The
moment of truth has arrived: solider on and finish all five of your assigned
intervals or throw up the white flag and surrender the
workout?
It's a question with no easy answer, regardless of your competitive goals.
"Effort matters more than times," says Bob Hodge, third-place finisher at the
1979 Boston Marathon. "One needs to get to the point
where they can judge the proper effort for a session. Times will follow."
Randy Ashley, staff coach at ZAP Fitness in Blowing Rock, NC, couldn't agree
more. When working with athletes, Ashley emphasizes the
importance of hitting a certain effort level over trying to target specific
times for a given workout.
"I don't give the athletes I coach a time to hit, but rather an effort level to
hit," says Ashley. "For example, if I'm training
someone for the mile and we're doing eight to ten 400 [meter] repeats, I want
them running at 92 percent effort, not necessarily
75-second pace. As a coach, you don't want to force it if someone's not on."
OK, back to the workout. You're very obviously not "on" tonight, but you're
already more than halfway through the scheduled session.
You tell yourself if you quit now you'll only quit when it counts. When the
going gets tough the tough get going, right?
Not necessarily, says Hodge. "If a session is going badly, most times it will
pay to cut it short and save it for another day. No
sweat, no worries."
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15498


6. This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago-  Sergey Lebed (UKR) won the Great North Crosscountry (ENG) 9K by
one second over Fita
                Bayissa (ETH).  Patrick Ivuti was another second back in third. 
Getenesh Wami (ETH)
                won the women's 6.5K by three seconds over Kenyan Jackline
Maranga.  Spaced one second
                apart behind her came Susan Chepkemei (KEN) and Paula Radcliffe
(ENG).
20 Years Ago-  Lorraine Moller (NZL) won the Osaka Women's (JPN) Marathon in
2:30:21, followed by
                Renata Kokowska (POL) in 2:31:19 and Gabriela Wolf (GER) in
2:31:45.  First Japanese
                was Kazue Kojima in 4th with a 2:34:56.
30 Years Ago-  Eamonn Coghlan (IRL) won the San Francisco Examiner Games
(CA/USA) 3000m in 7:57.0,
                defeating Wilson Waigwa of Kenya (7:57.8) and compatriot Niall
O'Shaughnessy (7:59.8).
40 Years Ago-  George Young (USA) defeated Ron Clarke (AUS) over 2 miles indoors
in Albuquerque NM/USA
                (time unknown).  Clarke was clocked in 8:53.6.
50 Years Ago-  Ted Corbitt (USA) won the Shanahan Catholic Club (PA/USA)
Marathon in 2:29:43.  This
                marathon held its 50th running this past November and is now
known as the Philadephia
                Marathon.  Corbitt has the most wins at this race with a total of
four.
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.


7. Want to get healthy? Exercise 7 minutes a week:
Rigorous workouts lasting as little as three minutes may help prevent diabetes
by helping control blood sugar, British researchers
said on Wednesday.
The findings published in the journal BioMed Central Endocrine Disorders suggest
that people unable to meet government guidelines
calling for moderate to vigorous exercise several hours per week can still
benefit from exercise.
"This is such a brief amount of exercise you can do it without breaking a
sweat," said James Timmons, an exercise biologist at
Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, who led the study.
"You can make just as big as an effect doing this as you can by doing hours and
hours of endurance training each week."
Type 2 diabetes, which affects an estimated 246 million adults worldwide and
accounts for 6 percent of all global deaths, is a
condition in which the body gradually loses the ability to use insulin properly
to convert food to energy.
Very strict diet and vigorous, regular and sustained exercise can reverse type 2
diabetes, but this can be difficult for many
people. The condition is closely linked to inactivity.
Timmons and his team showed that just seven minutes of exercise each week helped
a group of 16 men in their early twenties control
their insulin.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE50R0BH20090128


8. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine:
*  Add Omega 3's, but No Need to Limit Omega 6's
Omega-6 fatty acids are found in most whole grains and vegetable oils.  An
American Heart Association Panel found no evidence that
omega-6s promote inflammation to increase heart attack risk, and they believe
that reducing these fats could increase heart attack
risk (Circulation, February 17, 2009).
The AHA panel analyzed 25 studies and found that 1) people who eat the most
omega-6 fatty acids have lower rates of heart attacks
than those who eat least; 2) people who have had heart attacks have lower blood
levels of omega-6 than people without heart attacks;
and 3) people in controlled trials who eat diets high in omega-6 are less likely
to develop heart attacks than those on low omega-6
diets.
Fats are classified by their chemical structures into saturated, polyunsaturated
and monounsaturated.  Polyunsaturated fats are
sub-classified into omega-3s, 6s and 9s. Omega-3s are turned into prostaglandins
that turn off inflammation, and there has been a
theoretical concern that omega-6s would turn on inflammation which would
increase heart attack risk.  Just about every respected
authority still agrees that omega-3 help to prevent heart attacks, but this
latest report shows that omega-6s do not increase heart
attack risk. The panel concludes that "Although increasing omega-3 tissue levels
does reduce the risk of chronic heart disease, it
does not follow that decreasing omega-6 levels
will do the same."
I recommend a diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and
other seeds, and at least two servings of seafood
per week.  Reduce your intake of saturated fats, particularly in meat, and the
partially hydrogenated fats that are still found in
many processed foods.  Increase the omega-3 fatty acids in your diet by eating
fish and seeds.
*  Dear Dr. Mirkin: You recommend sunlight for vitamin D, but isn't skin cancer
a greater concern?
A single sunburn can cause malignant melanoma, but since 1940, the greatest
increase in melanomas has occurred in office workers,
not in people who work outdoors.  FDA researchers believe that low vitamin D
levels may be responsible (Medical Hypothesis,  January
2009).  Ultraviolet light is classified by wavelength into UVA and UVB. UVB rays
cause skin to make vitamin D which helps the body
to prevent cancers by inhibiting uncontrolled cell growth and restoring
programable cells death called apoptosis.  Since window
glass block UVB almost completely, indoor office workers get up to nine times
less UVB than people who spend more time outside and
therefore, have far lower levels of vitamin D.
Since window glass allow UVA to pass through it, indoor workers have exposure to
UVA which causes DNA damage and  also breaks down
what little vitamin D indoor workers get.  The authors found indoor solar UVA
irradiation to be 25 percent of what a person gets
outdoors.  So being indoors and exposing skin to the sun mostly through window
glass reduces exposure to UVB that causes skin to
make the vitamin D that prevents cancer, and increases relative exposure to UVA
that destroys vitamin D in the skin and therefore
increases cancer risk.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at:
http://www.drmirkin.com


9. Sportsmedicine: Ankle Injuries, Ankle Pain and Sprained Ankle Treatment -
Part III:
A guide for the prevention and treatment of ankle injuries
Part 3
In part 1, we took a look at exactly what a sprained ankle is. We had a look at
the structures that make up the ankle joint; what
happens when an ankle injury occurs; the symptoms associated with an ankle
injury; and the major causes and risk factors that
contribute to ankle injury. Click here if you missed part 1.
In part 2, we started by going over the risk factors and common causes of ankle
injury, and then looked at a number of prevention
strategies to help reduce those risk factors. We then looked at the importance
of the immediate treatment (the first 48 to 72
hours), and begun to outline the ongoing treatment necessary for a full
recovery. Click here if you'd like to go back and have a
look over part 2.
In this issue, part 3, we're going to outline a detailed strategy for the
complete rehabilitation of an ankle sprain. We'll look at
the rehabilitation and conditioning exercises needed to get your sprained ankle
back to 100%.
By now, you've come over 80% of the way. You may even feel that your ankle is
fully recovered. Your treatment so far may have
stopped the swelling and bleeding, it may have reduced the amount of scar tissue
at the ankle, and it may have even started to heal
the ligaments that were injured. But there is still one more important thing to
do.
The last 20% can be the most crucial to your complete recovery. If you've ever
suffered from a sporting injury in the past, you'll
know how annoying it is to think you're recovered, and then out-of-the-blue,
you're injured again and back to where you started. It
can be one of the most frustrating and heart-breaking cycles an athlete, or
anyone else for that matter, can go through.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news_2009/rw_news_20090122_TSH_Ankle.html


10. Exercise No Danger For Joints: Non-Elite Level Activity Does Not Increase
Risk Of Osteoarthritis, Review Suggests:
There is no good evidence supporting a harmful effect of exercise on joints in
the setting of normal joints and regular exercise,
according to a review of studies published in this month's issue of the Journal
of Anatomy.
Exercise is an extremely popular leisure-time activity in many countries
throughout the Western world and has for many become part
of the modern lifestyle. It is widely promoted in as being beneficial for weight
control, disease management in cardiovascular
disease and diabetes, and for improving psychological well-being amongst an
array of other benefits. In contrast, however, the lay
press and community perception is also that exercise is potentially deleterious
to one's joints, in particular those of the lower
extremities.
Researchers from Boston, USA, and Ainring, Germany, reviewed existing studies on
the relationship between regular exercise and
osteoarthritis (OA) and concluded that in the absence of existing joint injury
there is no increased risk of OA from exercise.
"We found that in elite athletes where there was more likelihood of obtaining
sports injuries, there was an increased risk of OA in
the damaged joints, but in most people vigorous, low-impact exercise is
beneficial for both it's physical and mental benefits," said
lead researcher David Hunter MD PhD, New England Baptist Hospital. "The largest
modifiable risk factor for knee OA is body weight,
such that each additional kilogram of body mass increases the compressive load
over the knee by roughly 4kg".
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090127101854.htm


11. Regular Sprints Boost Metabolism:
A regular high-intensity, three-minute workout has a significant effect on the
body's ability to process sugars. New research shows
that a brief but intense exercise session every couple of days may be the best
way to cut the risk of diabetes.
Professor James Timmons worked with a team of researchers from Heriot-Watt
University Edinburgh, Scotland, to investigate the effect
of 'high-intensity interval training' (HIT) on the metabolic prowess of sixteen
sedentary male volunteers. He said, "The risk of
developing cardiovascular disease and type two diabetes is substantially reduced
through regular physical activity. Unfortunately,
many people feel they simply don't have the time to follow current exercise
guidelines. What we have found is that doing a few
intense muscle exercises, each lasting only about 30 seconds, dramatically
improves your metabolism in just two weeks."
Current exercise guidelines suggest that people should perform moderate to
vigorous aerobic and resistance exercise for several
hours per week. While these guidelines are very worthwhile in principle, Timmons
suggests that a lack of compliance indicates the
need for an alternative, "Current guidelines, with regards to designing exercise
regimes to yield the best health outcomes, may not
be optimal and certainly require further discussion. The low volume, high
intensity training utilized in our study substantially
improved both insulin action and glucose clearance in otherwise sedentary young
males and this indicates that we do not yet fully
appreciate the traditional connection between exercise and diabetes".
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090127190344.htm


12. Caffeine Cuts Post-workout Pain By Nearly 50 Percent, Study Finds:
Although it's too soon to recommend dropping by Starbucks before hitting the
gym, a new study suggests that caffeine can help reduce
the post-workout soreness that discourages some people from exercising.
In a study to be published in the February issue of The Journal of Pain, a team
of University of Georgia researchers finds that
moderate doses of caffeine, roughly equivalent to two cups of coffee, cut
post-workout muscle pain by up to 48 percent in a small
sample of volunteers.
Lead author Victor Maridakis, a researcher in the department of kinesiology at
the UGA College of Education, said the findings may
be particularly relevant to people new to exercise, since they tend to
experience the most soreness.
"If you can use caffeine to reduce the pain, it may make it easier to transition
from that first week into a much longer exercise
program," he said.
Maridakis and his colleagues studied nine female college students who were not
regular caffeine users and did not engage in regular
resistance training. One and two days after an exercise session that caused
moderate muscle soreness, the volunteers took either
caffeine or a placebo and performed two different quadriceps (thigh) exercises,
one designed to produce a maximal force, the other
designed to generate a sub-maximal force. Those that consumed caffeine one-hour
before the maximum force test had a 48 percent
reduction in pain compared to the placebo group, while those that took caffeine
before the sub-maximal test reported a 26 percent
reduction in pain.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070109172152.htm


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

January 30, 2009:
Millrose Games, New York, NY

February 1, 2009:
(45th) New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon - LA

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

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

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


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

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Have a good week of training and/or racing.

Ken

Ken Parker
www.RunnersWeb.com
The Running and Triathlon Resource Portal
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Buy Paula Radcliffe's book, My Story - So Far, from Amazon UK at:
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TriSwim Coach - The Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming
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If you have an accident while running or cycling, do you want your family to be
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* Play the entire video from start to finish.

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

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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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:
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**Register before January 31, 2009 and get a 15% discount**

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4. Toronto Waterfront Marathon, September 27, 2009
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5. Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon - October 18, 2009
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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
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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
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foot races. Beginning in November 2006, Ray and two
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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
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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
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These Mi-SPORT mp3 headphones have a 1GB memory built into a cool neckband
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Nick Matthew, the 2006 British Open squash champion now uses the player to train
with and Mi-SPORT are endeavouring to encourage
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NEW THIS WEEK:

Register for Emilie's Run - June 20, 2009 before January 31, 2009 and get a 15%
discount.
http://www,emiliesrun.com

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

Watch live and webcast of Track and Field and Road races on Universal Sports
Sign up 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:
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* 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
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premium content for TV, web, mobile, captive Audience
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Breaksweat.tv was recently launched to provide instant access to premium video
content covering outdoor sports. The innovative
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Breaksweat TV is not a user generated website, or a broadcasting channel; rather
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For more information and to visit other existing channels in the Simply Media
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* Sports Nutrition by Sheila Kealey. Sheila is one of Ottawa's top multisport
athletes and a member of the OAC Racing Team and X-C
Ottawa. She has a Masters in Public Health and works in the field of nutritional
epidemiology as a Research Associate with the
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* Peak Performance Online Peak Performance is a subscription-only newsletter for
athletes, featuring the latest research from the
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rowing to cycling and swimming, and each issue is packed
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published 16 times a year, including four special reports,
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Visit the PPO site at: Peak Performance Online:
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* 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
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Joe Vigil (US Olympic Coach), Scott Tinley (2 Time
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* 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. Age Matters
Are you too old-or too young-to run your best marathon?
2. Don't Forget To Eat
3. Collapse in the Endurance Athlete
4. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine
5. Sportsmedicine: Ankle Injuries, Ankle Pain and Sprained Ankle Treatment -
Part II
6. Key To A Healthy Lifestyle Is In The Mind
7. This Week in Running
8. Improve Your Functional Strength and Muscle Elasticity for Better Running
This Season and Beyond
9. Sportsmedicine: Ankle Injuries, Ankle Pain and Sprained Ankle Treatment -
Part III
10. Abnormal Heart Function Associated With Reduced Capacity For Exercise
11. Caffeine dehydration : Caffeine and alcohol - just how dehydrating are they?
12. More Wisdom From the Wizard of Italy
Part 2 of a visit with coaching legend Renato Canova.
13. Freaky Fitness: What Working Out Can Do to You
Weird Things Exercise Can Do to Your Body, From Black Toes to Orgasms.
14. 30 Years of Marathon Training
We Know MORE, But It's Still 26.2 Miles.
15. Digest Briefs


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Which city should host the 2016 Summer Olympics?"

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:
"Do you use an iPod or MP3 player while running?
Answers Percent
1.   In training  22%
2.   In races  19%
3.   In both training and races  11%
4.   No  48%


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


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


BOOK/VIDEO/MOVIE OF THE MONTH: Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon.
By Brad Hudson (Author), Matt Fitzgerald (Author)
Do you want to run faster? Are you trying to peak for a particular race? Would
you like to find your true running potential? Brad
Hudson, former Olympic Trials marathoner and current coach to Olympians like
Dathan Ritzenhein, will show you the way in this
practical, reader-friendly guide. Hudson is the most innovative running coach to
come along in a generation. Until now, only a
handful of elite athletes have been able to benefit from his methods. Now Run
Faster from the 5K to the Marathon shows all runners
how to coach themselves as confidently and effectively as Brad coaches his
world-class athletes. Becoming your own best coach is the
ticket to running faster at any distance.
First you will learn to assess your abilities. Then you'll learn how to devise a
training program specifically geared to you. Filled
with easy-to-follow sample training programs for distances ranging from the 5K
to the marathon and abilities ranging from novice to
advanced, Run Faster is the cutting-edge guide for optimal performance.
With Hudson's guidance, you can train smarter and more effectively-and avoid
injury. And you'll soon be running faster than you ever
thought possible!
Buy the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0767928229/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. Age Matters:
Are you too old-or too young-to run your best marathon? To find out, we asked
top scientists, coaches, and elite athletes about the
impact of aging on endurance. Their answers might pleasantly surprise you.
The two Olympic Marathons held last August in Beijing were literally races for
the ages. Kenya's Samuel Wanjiru, 21, broke more than
an Olympic record with his 2:06:32 win; he crushed long-held conventional wisdom
that marathon performance peaks among runners in
their late 20s and early 30s. That conventional wisdom also took a beating when
a 38-year-old mother with 10 marathons under her
belt, Romania's Constantina Tomescu-Dita, won the women's event. To a casual
observer, these Olympian efforts resembled an emerging
trend, with runners young and old bursting through a narrow age boundary. The
youth movement included two 25-year-olds-Dathan
Ritzenhein and Ryan Hall-who qualified for the U.S. Olympic squad (and finished
ninth and 10th, respectively, in Beijing), as well
as 19-year-old Kum-Ok Kim, a North Korean who finished 12th in the women's race.
And on the other side of the age spectrum, the U.S.
women's team was led by two 35-year-olds- Deena Kastor and Magdalena Lewy
Boulet-while "old-timers" and world record holders Paula
Radcliffe (34) and Haile Gebrselassie (35) showed no signs of slowing down.
Korean who finished 12th in the women's race. On the other side of the age
spectrum, two 35-year-olds - Deena Kastor and Magdalena
Lewy Boulet-led the U.S. women's team. Meanwhile, "old-timers" and world record
holders Paula Radcliffe (34) and Haile Gebrselassie
(35) continued posting world-beating performances in races last fall.
Impressive results from youngsters like Wanjiru and older runners like
Tomescu-Dita might imply that marathon performance isn't
bound by rigid age limits. But are these remarkable performances simply the
exceptions to a rule, or are top marathoners truly
stretching age boundaries? If so, how, and what are the implications for those
of us who finish races far behind? Is there an ideal
age to run your best marathon?
We posed these questions to top physiologists, statisticians, coaches, and elite
athletes. Their answers paint a picture that offers
lots of encouragement to runners of all ages and talents.
More...from Runner's World at:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-413--13034-0,00.html


2. Don't Forget To Eat:
When embarking on a long drive or road trip, one typically starts by filling the
gas tank. Since fuel is consumed throughout the
adventure, you are required to make periodic re-fueling stops to avoid running
out of gas. The number and frequency of re-fueling
stops is based on your speed, the distanced traveled, traffic congestion, road
conditions, etc. And when you finally reach that
final destination it is generally a good idea to top off the gas tank in
preparation for local travel excursions (or the return
trip). A road trip provides a great analogy for the preparation, participation,
and recovery from a long distance running event.
Simply put, you want to be assured that your fuel tank is full prior to your
event, you want to maintain your energy reserves
throughout the race to avoid "bonking", and after the event recovery should be
first and foremost on your list of "things to do".
All too often runners don't follow these simple rules of the road and the
consequences can be disastrous. Here, I'll provide some
useful information regarding proper nutrition for before, during and after and
training sessions and races. Follow these simple
guidelines and expect to see immediate results!
"Fill the Tank" before your event
In the months leading up to your race you trained hard, you watched your diet
and maintained the recommended diet composition of
60-70% carbohydrate, 15-20% protein, and fat 10-15% fat. The few days before the
race you consumed high carbohydrate, low fat meals
and your gas tank is full! You've had plenty of sleep throughout the week so
you're well rested for the next day's event. Race
morning arrives and you're feeling confident and ready to race. Although your
well-planned meals have boosted your body's energy
stores, the question still remains: Is the
More...from Running Research News at:
http://runningresearchnews.com/News_And_Events.php?cid=1&iid=131


3. Collapse in the Endurance Athlete:
Collapse is perhaps the most dramatic of all medical problems affecting
athletes. Though collapse can be seen in any athletic event
requiring maximal exertion, it is most common in endurance events, such as
marathons and triathlons. The incidence seems to increase
as the race distance, temperature, and humidity increase (O'Conner et al.,
2003).
In endurance events, about 85% of the cases of collapse occur after the athlete
crosses the finish line (Holtzhause & Noakes, 1997).
Most of these cases are benign and the athlete suffers no lasting deleterious
effects, but in some circumstances collapse can be
severe and life threatening. For this reason, medical personnel attending
endurance events or caring for these athletes should be
aware of the proper evaluation and management of the collapsed athlete, which
can sometimes be the difference between life and
death.
Defining Exercise-Associated Collapse
Exercise-associated collapse can be defined as the inability to walk unassisted,
with or without exhaustion, nausea, vomiting, or
cramps (Holtzhause & Noakes, 1997; O'Conner et al., 2003). An athlete who
collapses may have a body temperature that is normal,
high, or low. For the purposes of this article, exercise-associated collapse
excludes orthopedic conditions such as knee or ankle
injuries that could potentially prevent an athlete from walking unassisted but
can be easily distinguished from the more traditional
causes of collapse.
The conditions that usually cause exercise-associated collapse are relatively
few in number and can generally be grouped into benign
and serious conditions. The most common benign causes of collapse include
exhaustion, postural hypotension, dehydration, and muscle
cramps. Serious causes include hyponatremia, heatstroke, hypoglycemia,
hypothermia, cardiac arrest, and various other medical
conditions.
More...from GSSI at:
http://www.gssiweb.com/Article_Detail.aspx?articleid=699&level=8&topic=1


4. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine:
* Greater Endurance with Aging
I'm 74 years old and ride my bicycle more than 200 miles per week, often in pace
lines with younger riders.  I have noticed that
younger riders can easily pull away from me in short bursts, but I keep coming
back on them and seem to be better able to keep up
with their accelerations as the ride progresses.
The latest issue of Exercise and Sports Sciences Reviews (January 2009) reviews
the entire world's literature to show that endurance
improves as you age. Wow!
The maximal muscle contraction force occurs when you do a single muscle
contraction with all your might.  Even though older people
are not as strong as younger ones, many studies show that they can retain
maximal force after many contractions far longer than
younger people can.
Here's the theory and evidence to explain why aging improves endurance.  Muscles
are made up of millions of individual fibers just
as a rope is made up of many different
threads.  Each muscle fiber is enervated by a single nerve. As you age, you lose
nerves throughout your body and when you lose the
nerve that enervates a specific fiber, you also lose that muscle fiber.
Muscle fibers are classified as type I endurance fibers and type II strength and
speed fibers.  With aging, you lose far more nerves
that enervate the strength and speed fibers than those that enervate the
endurance ones. So, with aging, you lose strength but you
retain a greater proportion of endurance fibers.
Muscle fatigue comes from the accumulation of waste products that occurs while
food is converted to energy to power your muscles.
Scientists can measure fatigue by measuring the accumulation of acid (H+),
Phosphate (Pi) and protonated phosphate (H2PO4) in
muscle.  With the same percentage of their maximal muscle force, older people
accumulate far lower levels of these end products than
younger people do. Therefore even though older people are weaker, they can
maintain their forceful contractions far longer than
younger people can and they have greater endurance.  This exciting recent data
will encourage me to train even harder.
*  Dear Dr. Mirkin: I'm an avid runner who gets severe leg cramps; could they be
caused by an over-the-counter supplement that
contains beta sitosterol?
Beta sitosterol is a plant cholesterol that blocks the absorption of animal
cholesterol in your intestines.  It's unlikely that
these supplements would cause your leg cramps.  Low salt levels are a far more
common cause of cramps in exercisers. When you
exercise intensely, you lose tremendous amounts of salt in your sweat.  Go for a
long run of at least ten miles. On the next morning
have your doctor draw your blood sodium level.  If it is below 130, you need
more salt.
Try adding more salt to your food and eat salted peanuts or other salty snacks
frequently during your rides.  Salt may contribute to
high blood pressure in non-exercisers, but it rarely
causes high blood pressure in athletes. If you are concerned about the effect of
added salt on your blood pressure, get an
inexpensive wrist blood pressure cuff at your local drug store and keep a log.
*  Dear Dr. Mirkin:  Should I exercise when I have a cold or a fever?
Exercise may actually be beneficial when you have a cold. However, it's probably
better to stop exercising altogether if you have a
fever with aching muscles.  When you exercise, your heart has to pump blood to
your muscles to supply them with oxygen. It also must
pump blood from your muscles to your skin where the heat is dissipated. When you
have a fever, your heart has to work harder to get
rid of extra heat.
You risk injury if you exercise when your muscles hurt at rest. When muscles are
damaged, they release enzymes from their cells into
the bloodstream and they fill with blood from broken blood vessels. One study
reported markedly increased muscle damage during
relatively minor exercise during an infection, with blood tests showing
increases in muscle enzymes and ultrasound tests
demonstrating hemorrhage into the muscles. You will not lose much conditioning
if you take off a few days.
*  Exercise and Healthful Diet More Important than Salt Restriction
A recent report from the University of London warns that a high-salt diet is
associated with increased risk for stroke, heart
attacks and premature death (Journal of Human
Hypertension, January 2009).  The authors feel that taking in too much salt is
the major risk factor for high blood pressure,
associated with 62 percent of strokes and 49 percent of heart attacks.  They are
correct about the association between high salt
intake and high blood pressure in some people.  However, the association with
heart attacks is much stronger between eating meat and
processed foods (both high food sources of salt) than it is with added salt.
Other studies show that eating meat increases
inflammation that causes heart attacks (reported in my eZine on November 9 and
16, 2008.)
The highest association between high blood pressure and risk for heart attacks
is in people who have a systolic (heart contraction)
blood pressure that does not drop below 120 in the evening.  I recommend getting
a wrist blood pressure cuff (about $30 in drug
stores) and taking your blood pressure in the evening.  If your systolic blood
pressure is above 120 before you go to bed, you are
at increased risk for premature death and need to check with your doctor, make
lifestyle changes and perhaps take
medication.
Data associating a high-salt diet with disease is reported only in people who
are not heavy exercisers.  In 1942, James Gamble of
Harvard Medical School showed that salt is the only mineral you lose in
significant amounts with exercise.  If you are a regular
exerciser and run low on salt, you can become too tired to work out every day
and be at increased risk for muscle cramps and
injuries.
Eighty percent of people with high blood pressure can be cured with diet alone. 
See my explanation of the DASH diet at
http://www.drmirkin.com/heart/8614.html  Regular exercisers who have bedtime
blood pressures below 120 probably do not need to
restrict salt.  If they suffer muscle cramps, injuries or chronic fatigue, they
should get blood sodium (normal is above 135 nmol/L)
and chloride (normal is above 98 nmol/L) levels. If either test result is low,
they may need to take in more salt.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at:
http://www.drmirkin.com


5. Sportsmedicine: Ankle Injuries, Ankle Pain and Sprained Ankle Treatment -
Part II:
A guide for the prevention and treatment of ankle injuries
Part 2
In part 1, we took a look at exactly what a sprained ankle is. We had a look at
the structures that make up the ankle joint; what
happens when an ankle injury occurs; the symptoms associated with an ankle
injury; and the major causes and risk factors that
contribute to ankle injury.
In part 2, we're going to start off by looking at the risk factors and common
causes of ankle injury, and then look at a number of
prevention strategies to help reduce those risk factors.
Then we're going to outline a detailed strategy for the complete treatment and
rehabilitation of an ankle sprain. Firstly, we'll
look at the importance of the immediate treatment (the first 48 to 72 hours).
Secondly, we'll outline the ongoing treatment
necessary for a full recovery, and finally we'll look at the rehabilitation and
conditioning exercises needed to get your ankle
joint back to 100%.
Prevention should be your First Priority!
In part 1 we outlined a number of common causes and risk factors associated with
ankle sprains. They included: a lack of
conditioning; inadequate warm up and stretching; inadequate footwear; training
on uneven ground; and the big one, a previous history
of ankle sprains.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news_2009/rw_news_20090118_TSH_Ankle.html


6. Key To A Healthy Lifestyle Is In The Mind:
The main factors influencing the amount of physical exercise people carry out
are their self-perceived ability and the extent of
their desire to exercise. A study of 5167 Canadians has shown that psychological
concerns are the most important barriers to an
active lifestyle.
Sai Yi Pan, from the Public Health Agency of Canada, led a team of researchers
who carried out a study which examined data from a
nationwide series of telephone interviews. She said "Our findings highlight the
need for health promotion programs to enhance
people's confidence and motivation, as well as providing education on the health
benefits of physical activity".
One interview question asked participants how confident they were that they
could regularly do a total of 30 minutes of moderate
physical activity (PA) three or four times a week and a total of 60 minutes of
light PA each day. This 'self-efficacy' score was
consistently found to be related to higher PA across gender, age group,
education level and family income level. According to the
authors, "Confidence in one's personal ability to carry out exercise plays a
central role in the direction, intensity and
persistence of health-behavior change. People who have higher PA self-efficacy
will perceive fewer barriers to PA, or be less
influenced by them, and will be more likely to enjoy PA".
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090115190449.htm


7. This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago-  Elana Meyer (RSA) won the Tokyo (JPN) Half Marathon in a near WR
time of 1:06:44.  Not
                far back was Esther Wanjiru (KEN) who clocked in at 1:06:49. 
Kerryn McCann (AUS) was a
                distance 3rd in 1:09:05.  John Kanyi (KEN) won the men's race in
1:00:49 with Lee Troop
                (AUS) next in 1:01:00 and Emerson Iser-Bem (BRA) 3rd in 1:01:14.
20 Years Ago-  Doug Padilla (USA) won the Sunkist Invitational (CA/USA) 3000m
with a 7:57:02.  Brian
                Abshire (USA) and Matt Giusto (USA) were close behind with
7:57.88 and 7:57.89
                respectively.
30 Years Ago-  Nick Rose (ENG) won the Sunkist Indoor Meet (CA/USA) 2 mile in
8:27.3 with Alberto
                Salazar (USA) in 2nd at 8:35.9 and Chris Schankle (USA) 3rd at
8:42.0.  Julie Brown
                (USA) took the women's 3000m in 9:23.5 with Martha Cooksey (USA)
next in 9:33.1 and
                Linda Heinmiller (USA) 3rd in 9:41.2.
40 Years Ago-  George Young (USA) won a two mile indoors at Los Angeles CA/USA
(time not known).
                He was followed by John Lawson (USA) at 8:42.6 and Ron Clarke
(AUS) at 8:44.2.
50 Years Ago-  Benjamin Basil Heatley (ENG) won the Inter-Counties Championships
(ENG), prevailing
                by 20 seconds over John Merriman (WAL).  John Anderson (ENG) was
another seven seconds
                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.


8. Improve Your Functional Strength and Muscle Elasticity for Better Running
This Season and Beyond:
"The economy of running is determined on one hand, by how the degrees of
movement are restricted, and on the other hand, by how
energy is reused."
- Bosch and Klomp from: Running- Biomechanics and Physiology Applied In Practice
Runners and triathletes are a stubborn and dedicated bunch, whose approach to
training is often rooted in traditional thinking. When
it comes to running, traditional thinking states that all a runner need do to
improve is to just run, and run, and run some more,
without paying much attention to other aspects of overall fitness such as
functional and core strength, or maintaining muscle and
joint mobility and elasticity. The problem with that thinking is that running,
in and of itself, does NOT make you stronger, and
it's not an activity that helps you stay more mobile and flexible. Why does
strength or flexibility matter? Over time, as we age and
as the miles pile up, if we do nothing but just run, we will become weaker and
tighter and eventually that weakness and tightness
will ruin our performance and increase our injury risk. In what is a cruel
reality, if you just run and ignore the other aspects of
a smart, balanced training program, you will end up losing the ability to do the
ONE thing you most want to do, which is run!
More...from TriFuel at:
http://www.trifuel.com/training/run/improve-your-functional-strength-and-muscle-\
elasticity-for-better-running-this-season-a


9. Sportsmedicine: Ankle Injuries, Ankle Pain and Sprained Ankle Treatment -
Part III
A guide for the prevention and treatment of ankle injuries
Part 3
In part 1, we took a look at exactly what a sprained ankle is. We had a look at
the structures that make up the ankle joint; what
happens when an ankle injury occurs; the symptoms associated with an ankle
injury; and the major causes and risk factors that
contribute to ankle injury. Click here if you missed part 1.
In part 2, we started by going over the risk factors and common causes of ankle
injury, and then looked at a number of prevention
strategies to help reduce those risk factors. We then looked at the importance
of the immediate treatment (the first 48 to 72
hours), and begun to outline the ongoing treatment necessary for a full
recovery. Click here if you'd like to go back and have a
look over part 2.
In this issue, part 3, we're going to outline a detailed strategy for the
complete rehabilitation of an ankle sprain. We'll look at
the rehabilitation and conditioning exercises needed to get your sprained ankle
back to 100%.
By now, you've come over 80% of the way. You may even feel that your ankle is
fully recovered. Your treatment so far may have
stopped the swelling and bleeding, it may have reduced the amount of scar tissue
at the ankle, and it may have even started to heal
the ligaments that were injured. But there is still one more important thing to
do.
The last 20% can be the most crucial to your complete recovery. If you've ever
suffered from a sporting injury in the past, you'll
know how annoying it is to think you're recovered, and then out-of-the-blue,
you're injured again and back to where you started. It
can be one of the most frustrating and heart-breaking cycles an athlete, or
anyone else for that matter, can go through.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news_2009/rw_news_20090122_TSH_Ankle.html


10. Abnormal Heart Function Associated With Reduced Capacity For Exercise:
Patients with abnormal diastolic function (when the heart is relaxed and
expanded) in the left ventricle of the heart have a
substantially lower maximum capacity for exercise, according to a  new study.
Many factors, including age, female sex, body mass index and co-existing medical
conditions are known to be associated with a
decrease in exercise capacity. Identifying potentially reversible mechanisms
underlying the decline in maximum exercise capacity
could have important implications. Some research has suggested that assessing
left ventricular (one of four chambers in the heart)
function could be used to predict exercise capacity, according to background
information in the article.
Jasmine Grewal, M.D., of Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and colleagues conducted
a study to examine the relationship between left
ventricular diastolic function and exercise capacity. The study included 2,867
patients undergoing exercise echocardiography (a
noninvasive diagnostic procedure that uses ultrasound to study the structure and
motions of the heart) with routine measurements of
left ventricular systolic (contraction of the heart) and diastolic function.
Analyses were conducted to determine the strongest
correlates of exercise capacity and the age and sex interactions of these
variables with exercise capacity.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090120164213.htm


11. Caffeine dehydration : Caffeine and alcohol - just how dehydrating are they?
Do you do drugs? Think long and hard before you answer, because the answer is,
very probably, yes! Like it or not, alcohol and
caffeine are drugs that most of us consume regularly as part of our diet. Like
all drugs, they have side effects, one of which is
common to both - a 'diuretic' (waterloss) effect. But how strong is this effect,
and is a diet containing these drugs detrimental to
the goal of optimum hydration?
Trimethyl xanthine (more commonly known as caffeine) belongs to a family of
naturally occurring compounds found in a number of
plants. The most common sources of caffeine in western diets include coffee,
tea, cocoa and its derivatives (such as chocolate), and
kola nuts. Caffeine is also added to a number of carbonated beverages,
particularly cola drinks.
Part of the reason for the popularity of caffeine-containing beverages is that
caffeine is a central nervous stimulant. Caffeine
blocks the binding to nerve cells of a substance called adenosine, which
normally acts to slow down nerve cell activity. The
resulting increased nerve activity stimulates the release of the hormone
epinephrine (adrenaline) which, in turn, leads to such
effects as increased heart rate and blood pressure, increased blood flow to
muscles and the release of glucose by the liver.
Caffeine also increases brain levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is
involved in cognitive (thinking) processes,
alertness and memory.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/caffeine-dehydration.htm


12. More Wisdom From the Wizard of Italy:
Part 2 of a visit with coaching legend Renato Canova.
In part 1 of our profile of Italian coach Renato Canova, we learned his eclectic
approach to developing athletes, and how he
believes that performance-enhancing drugs are unnecessary to achieve peak
performances. In part 2, the Italian wizard talks about
how he became involved with Qataris and Ugandans, and reveals further sage
advice to athletes and his ultimate goal for each of
them.
In 2003, Canova was asked to create a Qatari team, and also to prepare the
Ugandan team for the IAAF World Championships. At the
time, he was already coaching Stephen Cherono, who would become Saaeed Saif
Shaheen when permitted to become a part of the Qatari
team, and Paul Kosgei, who almost won the IAAF World Half Marathon Champs during
his first time over the distance in 2002. Canova
took on Albert Chepkurui and was able to recruit for his newly formed Qatari
team only other Kenyan athletes not at the top level.
Nicolas Kemboi had run 26:30 for 10,000m under Canova's guidance, but the Kenyan
federation refused to release him. Then in 2004
Kemboi ran 27:17, and the Kenyan officials let him go to the Qatari team.
Care must be taken never to stereotype the members of any one nationality or
ethnic group. Canova cites the contrast between
Christopher Kosgei and his brother, Stephen Cherono (Shaheen). "The younger
brother of the elder champion who won the 3000 steeple
in 1999, Christopher Kosgei, (and) who was my first world champion, [Cherono]
could have very good motivation from the mistakes the
brother did. Because the brother exactly, finishing the competition where he won
in Seville, became again a Kenyan in mentality. For
a Kenyan it means that he was proud to be a winner and looked for his life not
as an athlete. And in eight months he never went for
even one minute of running. Nothing completely. And believe me, he lost the
opportunity for winning the Olympics in 2000 and World
Championships in 2001, because he was absolutely number one, absolutely. He was
not able to use this gift that he had in his future
life.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15473


13. Freaky Fitness: What Working Out Can Do to You:
Weird Things Exercise Can Do to Your Body, From Black Toes to Orgasms.
When it comes to exercise, you get out what you put in. So, when you devote a
lot of work, you expect fabulous results. But,
sometimes, the results of a workout are far from what was expected.
From surprise orgasms to black toes, a number of strange things can happen to
the body when put through its paces. These issues
often occur when the exercise is intense, when it lasts a long time and is
atypical -- running a marathon, for example.
Many of the problems stem from simple nutrient depletion, as the body uses up
fuel to sustain a tough work out.
"When the body is stressed, it reroutes resources, such as blood flow, away from
non-vital systems," said Dr. Michelle Wolcott,
assistant professor and sports medicine specialist at the University of Colorado
at Boulder. "Muscles, particularly the heart and
leg muscles, use up all available nutrients and oxygen."
Because of this, loading up on electrolyte salts or carbohydrates for energy
won't solve the problem, and a person can go into a
state of hyponatremia, in which the body cannot even process any nutrients.
More...from ABC News at:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Fitness/story?id=6710852&page=1


14. 30 Years of Marathon Training:
We Know MORE, But It's Still 26.2 Miles.
"There's no race that's simpler to prepare for than the marathon," wrote Mark
Conover in our pages in 1996. Five years later, Pete
Pfitzinger echoed him, writing, "While running a marathon isn't easy, training
for it should be relatively simple."
If this is the case - and who am I to question two Olympians - I postulated that
I should be able to sort through all the marathon
training articles published in RT over the past 30 years and find the essential,
core principles by which to make all those
four-page, four-month, four-point-font charts "simple." I also wanted to see
what may have changed in those 30 years since RT began
publishing marathon training programs.
One way of making it simpler is to isolate which marathoners we're talking
about. Beginning marathoners have different priorities
and different programs than experienced marathoners. In the very first marathon
training program RT published, penned by Tom Allison
in February 1980 (coincidentally, the same year I first ran the marathon), we
laid out our target audience:
This article is addressed to individuals between these two extremes [first-timer
and elite]. If you have been running seriously for
at least one year, have progressed up to 50 or more miles per week, and have
completed at least one full marathon, then you may be
ready to begin a training program that will enable you to run the fastest
marathon possible for your age, sex, and genetic
endowment.
With very few exceptions, all of our marathon training articles since then, some
two dozen of them, have been aimed at the same
runners. While this simplifies the parameters, it complicates the training,
since for first timers, all that is required is adequate
miles and some long runs, as Jeff Galloway spelled out in a crash-course for the
100th Boston, or as John Treacy said in the intro
to his 1994 article:
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=9906


15. Digest Briefs:
*  Endurance Training
Female Endurance Athletes
What foods and fluids should female endurance athletes eat during training?
Carbohydrates:
Consume 60% of calories from carbohydrates (7-to-10 grams per kilogram of body
weight daily) from nutrient-dense carbohydrate-rich
foods.
Fluids:
Drink 16 ounces of a rapidly absorbed fluid (water or sports drink) two hours
before exercise, and at least 5-to-10 ounces of a
sports drink every 15-to-20 minutes during exercise.
Calcium:
Eat low or non-fat dairy products to consume 1,000 mg of calcium daily (RDA).
Iron:
Emphasize iron from animal sources (red meat) for good absorption. The new RDA
for iron is 18 mg per day.
-- Ellen Coleman, M.A., M.P.H., R.D., Sports Nutritionist, The Sports Clinic
*  Sports Psychology
Motivational Tips
What are tips for staying motivated late in the season?
To stay motivated, you need to set goals. Goals keep you on target or help you
refocus late in the season. Setting goals involves
the process of self-evaluation, and requires more than outcome goals. Outcome
goals, such as a win or specific time, are the end
products of your efforts. Process goals are more controllable, regulating the
steps you need to accomplish to reach favorable
outcomes. These preferred goals should be stated positively, specific to your
abilities, and set for practices as well as
competition.
-- Linda Petlichkoff, Ph.D., Professor, Boise State University


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

January 24, 2009:
Carlsbad Marathon - Carlsbad, CA

Keebler Kids Marathon Mile - Carlsbad, CA

Seasons 52 Park Avenue 5.2K - Winter Park, FL

Winter Carnival Half Marathon - St. Paul, MN

January 25, 2009:
ING Miami Marathon, Miami, FL

(Inaugural) Maui Oceanfront Marathon - Lahaina, HI

NYRR Half Marathon Grand Prix: Manhattan - NY

Osaka International Ladies Marathon - Japan

January 30, 2009:
Millrose Games, New York, NY

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


June 20, 2009
Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - Ottawa, ON
http://www.emiliesrun.com
**Register before January 31, 2009 and get a 15% discount**

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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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
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1. Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - Canada's
Fastest Women's 5K
Emilie's Run is over for another year. Almost 300 women completed the race with
38 women running under 20:00
The 2009 race will be run on June 20th.
For more on the race visit the website at:
http://www.emiliesrun.com.
**Register before January 31, 2009 and get a 15% discount**

3. Road Runner Sports, the world's largest running store at:
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New Arrivals from Nike With Web Exclusive Apparel and More!

4. Toronto Waterfront Marathon, September 27, 2009
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5. Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon - October 18, 2009
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6. Training Peaks Training Peaks, LLC is dedicated to the endurance athlete and
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8. Watch over 50 IAAF Events Live and On-Demand. World Championship Sports
Network ABOUT WCSN World Championship Sports Network
(WCSN) is the premier destination for fans of Olympic and lifestyle sports,
delivering an immersive experience via exclusive live
and on demand coverage of world class competitions, interaction with top
athletes and in depth access to sports news and information
year round. WCSN offers comprehensive coverage of over 60 sports disciplines,
through exclusive long term programming agreements
across a number of key International Federations and National Governing Bodies.
Major championship events in sports ranging from
Athletics (Track & Field), Skiing, Swimming, Gymnastics and Cycling to
Volleyball, Karate and Taekwondo are featured online at
http://www.universalsports.com and on television via WCSN's weekly syndicated
television program, World Championship Sports,
available in
more than 45 million US households. WCSN also markets Olympic sports in
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Governing Bodies, local organizations, clubs, sponsors, and through related
websites and publications. WCSN is dedicated to
providing year round, in depth coverage of these important and exciting sports
to reach millions of fans around the world for whom
they represent a way of life. WCSN is committed to expanding the audience by
delivering programming that exemplifies the best of the
human spirit. WCSN enables fans to interact with world class champions as well
as get to know the up and coming athletes through
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Visit WCSN at: http://www.universalsports.com

9. 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/

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

11. Mi-Sport - The Ultimate Sports MP3 Player Introducing the world's first and
only waterproof and wireless sports mp3 player.
These Mi-SPORT mp3 headphones have a 1GB memory built into a cool neckband
design. At last no wire tangle and no earbuds to fall
out. The patented design makes this waterproof/sweatproof mp3 player great for
running, cycling and gym work. The player however is
more than splash proof! It can be completely submerged with no harm to it making
it perfect for swimming, kayaking, and water
skiing. Now incorporating the latest 3D music quality with it's adapted
waterproof speaker. Relax to music in the bath, or push out
that training session with no fear of losing your player or tangling the wires.
Circuit training is so much easier with your own
music. Enjoy the waves wire-free. This is the only waterproof pair of classic
headphones with a built in mp3 player in the world.
The stylish looking headphones play the usual MP3, WMA and WAV formats and are
compatible with Windows98/98SE/2000/XP and Apple MAC.
Depending on track length, the headphones hold well over 14 hours worth of music
and the rechargeable battery life is about 8 hours.
Nick Matthew, the 2006 British Open squash champion now uses the player to train
with and Mi-SPORT are endeavouring to encourage
more athletes to enjoy the benefits of training to wire-free music, podcasts or
coaching aids. Inspiration and freedom at last, for
athletes and exercise enthusiasts everywhere.
Check it out at: http://www.mi-sportmp3.com/

ASSOCIATIONS:
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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:
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Triathlete.

If anyone is looking for a web mail provider, you might wish to consider
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Race Directors: Advertise your event on the Runner's Web.
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You can also list your events for free in our Interactive Calendars and on our
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Register for Emilie's Run - June 20, 2009 before January 31, 2009 and get a 15%
discount.
http://www,emiliesrun.com

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

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

I've created a Runner's Web Group on Facebook. To join the Runner's Web Facebook
group, if you are not a member of Facebook, you
must first create a free Facebook account at www.facebook.com. Once you have
your own space, search "Runner's Web" under "Groups".
At the Runner's Web site, click "Join this group". Once I have approved your
request to join, you'll be able to visit the site, post
race photos, discuss training tips, and share information about running, racing
and training.

If you feel you have something to say (related to triathlon or running) that is
worthy of a Guest Column on the Runner's Web, email
us at:
mailto:webmaster@... or leave your comments in one of our Forums at:
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We have 2,471 subscribers as of publication time. Forward the Runner's Web
Digest to a friend and suggest that they subscribe 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
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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
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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

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Carmichael Training Systems at:
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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. Eating disorders may be rising among male athletes
2. Why staying physically fit helps women stay mentally fit
3. Burn Baby Burn
Learn to train at your lactate threshold, and you'll race faster.
4. Sweet Dreams for Runners
5. Finishing Kick: Data Slave
Technology can slow our minds as it speeds our bodies.
6. New Year's Fitness Resolutions Good For Body, Wallet And Job
7. Test Will Catch Sports Cheats On New Endurance Drugs
8. Running slows the aging clock, Stanford researchers find
9. Can Too Many Miles Make You Sick?
Understanding How Stress Affects Your Immune System.
10. Sleepless nights equal more colds in U.S. study
11. Sportsmedicine: Ankle Injuries, Ankle Pain and Sprained Ankle Treatment
12. The Wizard From Italy
Part 1 of a 2-part visit with coaching legend Renato Canova.
13. Auto Gear-Change Bicycle: Computer Controlled Bicycle Gear Changes Optimize
Power, Comfort
14. Running Times Newsletter
15. Digest Briefs


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Do you use an iPod or MP3 player while running?"

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 of the following sports should be dropped from the Summer Olympics?"
Answers Percent
1.   Archery  8%
2.   Boxing  12%
3.   Equestrian  11%
4.   Fencing  8%
5.   Handball  9%
6.   Polo  9%
7.   Shooting  10%
8.   Synchronized anything  15%
9.   Taekwondo  9%
10.   Weightlifting  10%


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

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

BOOK/VIDEO/MOVIE OF THE MONTH:Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon.
By Brad Hudson (Author), Matt Fitzgerald (Author)
Do you want to run faster? Are you trying to peak for a particular race? Would
you like to find your true running potential? Brad
Hudson, former Olympic Trials marathoner and current coach to Olympians like
Dathan Ritzenhein, will show you the way in this
practical, reader-friendly guide. Hudson is the most innovative running coach to
come along in a generation. Until now, only a
handful of elite athletes have been able to benefit from his methods. Now Run
Faster from the 5K to the Marathon shows all runners
how to coach themselves as confidently and effectively as Brad coaches his
world-class athletes. Becoming your own best coach is the
ticket to running faster at any distance.
First you will learn to assess your abilities. Then you'll learn how to devise a
training program specifically geared to you. Filled
with easy-to-follow sample training programs for distances ranging from the 5K
to the marathon and abilities ranging from novice to
advanced, Run Faster is the cutting-edge guide for optimal performance.
With Hudson's guidance, you can train smarter and more effectively-and avoid
injury. And you'll soon be running faster than you ever
thought possible!
Buy the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0767928229/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. Eating disorders may be rising among male athletes:
More and more male athletes are developing unhealthy eating behaviors after
seeing the competitive advantage a leaner physique can
bring, a sports medicine doctor warns in a new report.
Recent deaths among wrestlers have raised awareness of eating disorders and
their potentially deadly consequences among male
athletes, but Dr. James L. Glazer told Reuters Health he's increasingly seeing
problematic eating behavior among men engaged in
other sports at the recreational level, such as cyclists, triathletes and Nordic
skiers.
Eating problems may first arise in a recreational athlete when he loses a few
pounds as a result of training, explained Glazer, of
the Maine Medical Center in Portland.
"Often he'll notice that he's getting faster and that his placement when he
competes is getting higher and better," he added. "That
will change what is a good and a healthy dieting pattern into one that becomes a
little problematic and dangerous."
Eventually, Glazer noted, a man may lose so much weight that his performance
starts to suffer. Seeing this change for the worse may
be enough to convince him to change his habits for the better, he added.
"Many men can turn things around just with a little bit of increased awareness
about nutrition and healthy weight," Glazer said.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE5075NH20090108


2. Why staying physically fit helps women stay mentally fit:
Being physically fit helps older women stay on top of their mental game, an
Alberta study suggests.
In an upcoming issue of the journal Neurobiology of Aging, Marc Poulin of the
faculties of medicine and kinesiology at the
University of Calgary and his colleagues said they found a clear relationship
between physical fitness and cognitive function in 42
women with an average age of 65.
Compared to the sedentary group, those who participated in regular aerobic
activity:
~ Had resting blood pressure that was 10 per cent lower.
~ Five per cent better blood flow in their brains when exercising.
~ Scored 10 per cent higher on cognitive skill tests, such as memory, complex
thinking and multi-tasking.
"The cresting of the wave of baby boomers begins in 2011 as the first of the
Silver Tsunami have their 65th birthdays," Poulin said.
"Our results point to a simple intervention - exercise - to delay the onset of
age-related brain afflictions."
More...from the CBC at:
http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2009/01/08/silver-tsunami.html


3. Burn Baby Burn:
Learn to train at your lactate threshold, and you'll race faster.
A threshold is the point at which something changes. Anyone who has been carried
(or has carried someone) across the threshold would
agree that life changes dramatically thereafter. For the better, of course.
As a runner, the threshold you should be most concerned about is your lactate
threshold-the point at which, during exercise of
increasing intensity, your blood-lactate level rises.
When its energy demands are being met aerobically (your breathing in oxygen),
your body produces little lactate. But as workout
intensity increases and oxygen becomes more scarce, something called anaerobic
glycolysis kicks in. This produces energy and lactic
acid. When your lactic-acid level exceeds your body's ability to deal with it,
you're in trouble: Blood lactate dramatically
increases, energy production and muscle contraction decreases, fatigue ensues,
and performance drops.
Naturally the faster you can run without crossing your lactate threshold, the
better off you'll be. An article in last January's
Journal of Medical Science for Sport and Exercise showed that speed at lactate
threshold is the best physiological predictor of
distance-running performance. Indeed, Frank Shorter was said to have had a
marginal max VO2 but was able to run at a high percentage
of max VO2 before reaching his lactate threshold.
More...from Internet Fitness at:
http://www.internetfitness.com/articles/running_burnbabyburn.htm


4. Sweet Dreams for Runners:
Do you have trouble sleeping at night? Do you find it hard to slow down and fall
asleep after a hectic day? If you have trouble
sleeping, you are not alone. According to the National Commission on Sleep
Disorders Research, over 40 million Americans have
chronic sleep problems, and over 20 million more experience periodic insomnia.
Most runners assume that training leads to improved
sleep (we look like we're about to fall asleep much of the time). But, is there
scientific evidence that exercise improves the
quantity or quality of our sleep?
A study on sleep and exercise conducted in Finland found that 43% of subjects
who increased their exercise over the previous 3
months reported improved sleep, and only 1% had a sleep decrement. In addition,
30% of subjects who reduced their exercise over the
previous 3 months reported poorer quality or reduced duration sleep while only
4% reported improved sleep. These results certainly
support the notion that increased exercise leads to improved sleep. This
evidence should be interpreted with caution, however,
because we do not know whether the exercise caused the improved sleep, or
whether improved sleep made these individuals feel like
exercising more.
Another study, by John Trinder, Ph.D., and colleagues in Australia compared the
sleep habits of trained distance runners (average of
45 miles/wk), serious weight lifters (12 hours/wk), and sedentary folks. The
runners fell asleep more quickly after going to bed and
experienced a longer duration of deep sleep than the individuals in the other 2
groups. In other words, the runners had greater
sleep efficiency, which is the ratio of the amount of time you are asleep to the
total amount of time you are in bed. So, if you are
an efficiency freak, you can rest peacefully knowing that you may gain back some
of the time you spend running by taking less time
to fall asleep.
More...from DistanceCoach.com at:
http://pfitzinger.com/labreports/sleep.shtml


5. Finishing Kick: Data Slave:
Technology can slow our minds as it speeds our bodies.
Long ago, when I was a young runner (after the dinosaurs died, but before Al
Gore invented the Internet), my method of recording my
runs was simplicity in itself. In a college-ruled spiral-bound notebook, each
line contained an entry with the date and miles run.
That's it. At the end of each week, I'd tally up the mileage, and do the same at
the end of month and year. And that was the extent
of my running log, as it was for most runners of the time.
Of course, that was as much a matter of necessity as philosophy. Digital watches
hadn't been invented yet, so we thought in terms of
distance, not time. That was for races, when the officials would (maybe) record
your time for a distance that might or might not be
within a tenth of a mile of what was advertised.
Eventually, the Japanese electronics firms, having saturated the U.S. with
transistor radios and color TVs, turned their marketing
sights on the running market, and the digital chronograph was born. Once the
price dropped below $50, every runner seemed to sport
one on his wrist. In fact, for a while "Casio" was the athletic equivalent of
"Frisbee" or "Xerox," a name brand that came to be a
generic representation of an entire product category. It's perhaps more than
coincidental that the first running boom occurred just
about that time. Many credit Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers for that first
explosion of the sport's popularity, but maybe there's an
electronic engineer in Japan who deserves some mention as well.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=11639


6. New Year's Fitness Resolutions Good For Body, Wallet And Job:
Research from the American College of Sports Medicine shows making a
fitness-related New Year's resolution will benefit your
pocketbook and employer in addition to your body.
According to a presentation on ACSM's "Exercise is MedicineT" program by Robert
Sallis, M.D., FACSM, ACSM immediate past president,
health care for inactive persons costs $1,543 per year more than active ones.
Exercise is MedicineT, an initiative calling for
physical activity and exercise to be a standard part of disease prevention and
treatment, emphasizes that physical activity prevents
and treats chronic diseases. Lower rates of obesity, coronary artery disease,
diabetes, hypertension, cancer, depression, anxiety,
arthritis and osteoporosis are among the benefits of exercise, in addition to a
lower rate of mortality.
An article published in ACSM'sHealth & Fitness Journal reported the United
States spends more than 95 percent of its health care
budget on curative tactics and less than five percent on preventive strategies.
Diabetic persons spend an average of $11,000 more
than persons without diabetes. Preventative programs with a fitness protocol
could save the U.S. $20 million on diabetic patients
alone.
Making a resolution to exercise is also good news for employers. The results of
a study published in ACSM's official scientific
journal, Medicine & Science in Sports & ExerciseR, shows workers' show quality
of work, mental performance and time management were
better on days when employees exercised. This leads to fewer sick days, better
attendance and more tolerant co-worker relations,
concluding with higher return-on-investments for the employer.
More...from Medical News Today at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/134936.php


7. Test Will Catch Sports Cheats On New Endurance Drugs:
Avoiding detection just got harder for drug cheats who try to use a particular
range of untested, but potentially enhancing,
compounds. In the past, tests have been developed once a drug is known to be in
circulation. Now a German research team has
developed tests for a class of drugs that they believe could be used in the near
future.
On the face of it, the Beijing Olympics were remarkably drug free with only six
athletes being caught during the games and three
further suspect cases identified after the games closed. Rumours suggest that
many athletes were in fact using performance-enhancing
drugs that could not be detected using standard tests. One possibility is that
some athletes were using compounds that have not yet
been tested in humans, but have shown performance enhancing properties in animal
trials. Because these compounds are in the early
stage of development no test has been developed, so their use will go
undetected.
A new test will help sports officials stay one step ahead of the game by
allowing them to screen for some of these emerging drugs,
as well as others in the same class that have not yet reached the market.
The test detects a core chemical structure belonging to a class of compounds
called benzothiazepines. These compounds stabilise
protein channels that would otherwise "leak" calcium from muscle cells during
strenuous exercise. Calcium is needed for muscle
contraction and this "leaking" effect weakens the contractions and is a causal
factor in muscle fatigue.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090107203122.htm


8. Running slows the aging clock, Stanford researchers find:
Regular running slows the effects of aging, according to a new study from the
Stanford University School of Medicine that has
tracked 500 older runners for more than 20 years. Elderly runners have fewer
disabilities, a longer span of active life and are half
as likely as aging nonrunners to die early deaths, the research found.
"The study has a very pro-exercise message," said James Fries, MD, an emeritus
professor of medicine at the medical school and the
study's senior author. "If you had to pick one thing to make people healthier as
they age, it would be aerobic exercise." The new
findings appear in the Aug. 11 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
When Fries and his team began this research in 1984, many scientists thought
vigorous exercise would do older folks more harm than
good. Some feared the long-term effect of the then-new jogging craze would be
floods of orthopedic injuries, with older runners
permanently hobbled by their exercise habit. Fries had a different hypothesis:
he thought regular exercise would extend
high-quality, disability-free life. Keeping the body moving, he speculated,
wouldn't necessarily extend longevity, but it would
compress the period at the end of life when people couldn't carry out daily
tasks on their own.  That idea came to be known as "the
compression of morbidity theory."
Fries' team began tracking 538 runners over age 50, comparing them to a similar
group of nonrunners. The subjects, now in their 70s
and 80s, have answered yearly questionnaires about their ability to perform
everyday activities such as walking, dressing and
grooming, getting out of a chair and gripping objects. The researchers have used
national death records to learn which participants
died, and why. Nineteen years into the study, 34 percent of the nonrunners had
died, compared to only 15 percent of the runners.
More...from the Stanford School of Medicine at:
http://med.stanford.edu/news_releases/2008/august/running.html


9. Can Too Many Miles Make You Sick?
Understanding How Stress Affects Your Immune System.
Norm Klein was worried-worried about the health of some of the athletes he and
his wife Helen had come to know as friends and fellow
competitors during Norm's 14-year tenure as race director of the Western States
100. "It was after I was no longer race director, in
2000, that I started observing what I believed was a cancer trend in runners who
had competed over the years in the event," Klein
says. The 20 athletes he refers to are or were all residents of northern or
central California and northern Nevada; 15 men and five
women, two of whom are now deceased.
Klein, a former surgeon, explains that it "seemed unusual that people in such
excellent physical condition would be developing
cancer." The majority of the cancers in the male runners were cancer of the
prostate, while the women developed various unusual and
rare forms of the disease. "The man who died was our best friend; he died 16
months after his prostate cancer diagnosis. The woman,
who was in her mid-40s, died of a particularly vicious cancer that produced
tumors and lesions throughout and all over her body. She
was dead within a few months after winning the women's division of the Rio Del
Lago 100."
Was it possible that there was a connection between the high mileage these
runners had maintained over the years and their
developing serious, even terminal illnesses? Klein wanted to find out, so he
called on Dr. Robert Lind, at that time the medical
advisor to the Western States 100, for help. Upon hearing of Klein's
observations Lind was quickly caught up in the medical mystery
and became equally determined to understand what was happening within the
runners' bodies
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=9255


10. Sleepless nights equal more colds in U.S. study:
People who sleep less than seven hours a night are three times as likely to
catch a cold as their more well-rested friends and
neighbors, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.
The study supports the theory that sleep is important to immune function, said
Sheldon Cohen and colleagues at Carnegie Mellon
University in Pittsburgh.
Volunteers who spent less time in bed, or who spent their time in bed tossing
and turning instead of snoozing, were much more likely
to catch a cold when viruses were dripped into their noses, they found.
People who slept longer and more soundly resisted infection better, they
reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
"Although sleep's relationship with the immune system is well-documented, this
is the first evidence that even relatively minor
sleep disturbances can influence the body's reaction to cold viruses," Cohen
said in a statement.
"It provides yet another reason why people should make time in their schedules
to get a complete night of rest."
Cohen's team tested 153 healthy volunteers, locking them in a hotel for five
days after infecting them with a cold virus.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE50B6Q120090112


11. Sportsmedicine: Ankle Injuries, Ankle Pain and Sprained Ankle Treatment:
A guide for the prevention and treatment of ankle injuries.
Part 1
Ankle Injuries are one of the most common injuries faced by anyone who
participates in sport or exercise. As a matter of fact, you
don't even have to be engaged in any exercise to suffer from a sprained ankle.
It seems that even while minding your own business,
an ankle injury can occur.
Ankle injuries are commonly associated with sports that require a lot of
running, jumping and change of direction. Excessive
twisting or turning of the ankle joint results in a rupture of the ligaments
that hold the ankle in place.
I've had many requests for an article on sprained ankles, so to follow is the
most comprehensive information I could put together.
In fact, I found it hard to fit it all into one issue, so I've decided to split
it into two parts.
In the first part, we're going to have a look at exactly what a sprained ankle
is. I'll go over the structures that make up the
ankle joint; we'll have a look at what happens when an ankle injury occurs;
we'll check out the symptoms associated with an ankle
injury; and then we'll finish off with a look at the major causes and risk
factors that contribute to ankle injury.
In the second part you'll find the most complete treatment, rehabilitation and
prevention information available anywhere. I'm going
to outline a detailed, step-by-step process of firstly treating the initial
injury and then making sure you never have to worry
about ankle injuries again.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news_2009/rw_news_20090113_TSH_Ankle.html


12. The Wizard From Italy:
Part 1 of a 2-part visit with coaching legend Renato Canova.
Throughout history there have always been those intrepid souls responsible for
the guidance of athletes with both unique genetic
talents and the singular ability to fully utilize such talents. They're the men
and women who hover over stopwatches in wet, cold,
snowy and windy as well as sunny conditions. They're the ones scratching out the
weeks of workout schedules that will bring dramatic
improvements to their charges. They must pick horses for courses. Yet those same
chosen thinclads must be properly guided and
encouraged to the fine levels of fitness that stop clocks early and dazzles
spectators and peers alike.
If there are any secrets, they must include having a discerning eye, a mind that
will quickly learn from experience, and a penchant
for studying everything historically that works or doesn't in the arcane realm
of coaching. These magicians and their athletes will
both succeed and fail, the trick being to tip in the right direction the scales
of enormous accomplishment and disastrous failure.
One unique individual having absorbed the elusive tools of coaching wizardry is
Renato Canova of Italy. He began humbly in 1956,
when, as a 12-year-old watching a televised track meet among Italy, Belgium and
France, the young lad decided he would someday be a
coach, perhaps of the Italian national team.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15396


13. Auto Gear-Change Bicycle: Computer Controlled Bicycle Gear Changes Optimize
Power, Comfort
Researchers in Taiwan are designing a computer for pedal cyclists that tells
them when to change gear to optimize the power they
develop while maintaining comfort.
As environmental pressures mount to find greener modes of transport, more and
more people are turning to bicycling not only as an
enjoyable form of exercise but also as their main mode of transport for
commuting. But, athletes aside, few people know how to
adjust the gears on their bicycle to get the most power out of their pedaling
without becoming uncomfortable either through having
to pedal too fast in a low gear on level roads or straining when going up hill
or to maintain a high speed.
T.Y. Lin, Y.C. Chen, and H.C. Ping at the Department of Mechanical Engineering,
at National Defense University, Tashi, Taiwan, ROC,
explain how ergonomic studies show that cyclists can be in an optimum state
during cycling with a fixed output power and cadence
(pedaling speed). They have now developed a computer algorithm that gives any
cyclist a gear shift strategy to cope with almost any
cycling conditions and maintain this optimal state without reducing comfort.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090113101116.htm


14. Running Times Newsletter:
*  Training Tip - Taking on Sisyphus
We bring it on ourselves, being fairly obsessed with this sport of running. The
year-round nature gives it a masochistic appearance
to outsiders. We're out there running, slogging, jogging and sometimes even
training -- come rain, wind, sleet, snow and the
nastiest combinations of those variables. Just when an onlooker thinks this
situation can't get any more ridiculous we run to the
top of a hill, pause, turn around, and run back down it. To what end? Why, to
run up it for a fifth time, of course.
Sisyphus' fate of pushing the boulder up a hill (the depictions always show it
as a large round rock. Can you imagine how much
harder it would have been if it weren't round?) was conferred onto him by the
gods. It was punishment. We runners don't have that
same excuse. And at this time of the year, when the track is probably covered
with ice and snow, the trails are hardly passable and
the days are still short, we voluntarily head to the hills when we need a good
cardiovascular workout.
Hill workouts on the streets are a convenient workout in the winter. Most of us
can find at least one that is long enough, steep
enough, plowed and perhaps even lit that we can do our workout at any time of
the day or night (or morning). So, how long is long
enough? How steep is steep enough? And what kind of hill workout should I do?
For a good general pre-season workout, look for a hill that is a quarter to a
half-mile long (~400-800m). The hill doesn't have to
be particularly steep, but if it is, of course, you will adjust your expected
times to suit. An ideal hill will curve around so that
you finish close to directly above where you started and therefore can jog the
short way back to your starting point. This is not
usually possible, though, so you will just jog back down the hill to start
again.
On your first day of hill work for a season, take it easy on yourself. Start
with 3 or 4 good efforts. Once the soreness wears off,
revisit your hill and add two repeats. The goal is to spread your effort out
over all the intervals. So you don't want your first
interval to be the fastest and the times go downhill (pun intended) from there.
If this happens your first day on the hill, make
note of how long it took and make sure you start out more slowly next time.
Make sure to do a sufficient warm-up, keep in mind that it's probably cold and
windy out and you are about to demand a large effort
from your legs. Work your way up to 12 or more repeats of the hill. This workout
should leave your legs sufficiently wobbly by the
end that your cool down will be welcome relief. Come warm spring weather though,
you'll feel a spring in your stride and you'll find
it easier to transition into everything from long runs to track workouts. ...
And be glad you don't have to push a rock on the way
up.
For more information on different kinds of hill training, listen to RT Radio's
podcast about hills with Dathan Ritzenhein's coach
Brad Hudson from Running Times at:
http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15400
       -- Katie Wolpert, runningtimes.com webmaster
*  Q&A: Training Before a First Marathon
Q: I recently completed my first ever race (Half Marathon in San Jose, October
14th - 1:52.07). I am a male, 35, 6'3" tall, 205
pounds. I am a collegiate tennis player, now playing tennis 1 time per week. I
do weight training based on the Athletes Performance
program 3 times per week.
I was running 2 times per week 4-6 miles per run prior to my training for the
Half Marathon. For 6 weeks I specifically trained for
the half by running 3 times per week with one longer run each week and two 3-4
mile runs. Two weeks prior to the Half, I ran 13
miles in 2:02.
As I hit mile 10 in the half, I felt my cardio was being taxed, however, I felt
physically strong. I was sore primarily in my calves
and hamstrings the day after the race.
How much time should I plan on training prior to running my first Marathon? What
is the best strategy for training based on my
current level of running fitness?
Thanks,
--Hunt, California
A: I recommend that you consider a 3-4 month training period for a full
marathon, and considering your schedule of training (1x
tennis, 3x weight etc...) I advise you to add a 4th day of running and take out
one day of training with weights. You'll not need
much weight training for marathons, anyway.
If you will be training 3 months for a marathon try to have 1 month base (much
more mileage then what you used to do). The second
month you should start working in a mixed zone (with more then just mileage, but
also with some low intensity running, and some
fartlek type running). The third month you should decrease mileage and increase
quality running at higher intensity. Throughout this
3 month period please make sure your nutrition/recovery needs are taken care of
by knowledgeable people. Also go to a specialized
running store where they will evaluate your style of running and recommend you
the right running shoes so you will avoid potential
injuries.
I hope this answers it and will help somehow. I wish you good luck.
--Coach Valeriu Tomescu
Do you have a question for our coaches? Ask it at:
http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=11937


15. Digest Briefs:
*  Running Damages Your Muscles:
Like other forms of exercise, running creates microspoic tears in your muscles,
tendons and ligaments. Amino acids from protein
rebuild these structures. To initiate healing, eat a 200- to 500-  calorie snack
with carbs and protein within 60 minute sof a run.
*  Eating Berris Can reduce Muscle Soreness:
Red and purple fruits such as cherries, blueberries, and  strawberries contain
anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that may act
similarly to anti-inflammatories in reducing muscle soreness and speeding
recovery. Don't feel like dropping $5 for a pint? Opt for
frozen fruit until summer returns.
From www.RunnersWorld.com.
*  Appropriate Physical Activity Intervention Strategies for Weight Loss and
Prevention of Weight Regain for Adults
Overweight and obesity affects more than 66% of the adult population and is
associated with a variety of chronic diseases. Weight
reduction reduces health risks associated with chronic diseases and is therefore
encouraged by major health agencies. Guidelines of
the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) encourage a 10% reduction
in weight, although considerable literature
indicates reduction in health risk with 3% to 5% reduction in weight. Physical
activity (PA) is recommended as a component of weight
management for prevention of weight gain, for weight loss, and for prevention of
weight regain after weight loss. In 2001, the
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) published a Position Stand that
recommended a minimum of 150 min.wk of moderate-intensity
PA for overweight and obese adults to improve health; however, 200-300 min.wk
was recommended for long-term weight loss. More recent
evidence has supported this recommendation and has indicated more PA may be
necessary to prevent weight regain after weight loss. To
this end, we have reexamined the evidence from 1999 to determine whether there
is a level at which PA is effective for prevention of
weight gain, for weight loss, and prevention of weight regain. Evidence supports
moderate-intensity PA between 150 and 250 min.wk to
be effective to prevent weight gain. Moderate-intensity PA between 150 and 250
min.wk will provide only modest weight loss. Greater
amounts of PA (>250 min.wk) have been associated with clinically significant
weight loss. Moderate-intensity PA between 150 and 250
min.wk will improve weight loss in studies that use moderate diet restriction
but not severe diet restriction. Cross-sectional and
prospective studies indicate that after weight loss, weight maintenance is
improved with PA >250 min.wk. However, no evidence from
well-designed randomized controlled trials exists to judge the effectiveness of
PA for prevention of weight regain after weight
loss. Resistance training does not enhance weight loss but may increase fat-free
mass and increase loss of fat mass and is
associated with reductions in health risk. Existing evidence indicates that
endurance PA or resistance training without weight loss
improves health risk. There is inadequate evidence to determine whether PA
prevents or attenuates detrimental changes in chronic
disease risk during weight gain.
From NCBI: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
*  Bone Density Comparisons in Male Competitive Road Cyclists and Untrained
Controls
Low bone mineral density (BMD) has been documented in endurance-trained runners;
however, the bone status of cyclists is unclear.
PURPOSE:: The purpose of this study was to compare total body, lumbar spine, and
dual proximal femur BMD in male competitive road
cyclists (n = 32) and in age- and body mass-matched controls (n = 30). METHODS::
The cyclists had an average of 9.4 yr of racing
experience and trained 7-22 h.wk. BMD was measured using dual energy x-ray
absorptiometry (DXA; GE Lunar Prodigy, v. 6.70.021).
Calcium intake was estimated from a food frequency questionnaire. Resting serum
total and free testosterone levels were measured by
RIA (Diagnostic Systems Laboratory). RESULTS:: There were no significant
differences (P > 0.050) between the cyclists (CYC) and the
controls (CON) for age, height, body mass, or testosterone levels. CYC had
significantly (P < 0.050) lower percent body fat and
higher bone-free lean body mass than the CON. Calcium intake for CYC was
significantly higher (P < 0.050) than for the CON group
(1557 +/- 132 vs 1098 +/- 69 mg.d). Anterior-posterior spine (L2-L4) and lateral
spine (LS) BMD (g.cm) were significantly lower (P <
0.050) for CYC (L2-L4 = 1.165 +/- 0.023 g.cm; LS = 0.781 +/- 0.025 g.cm) than
for CON (L2-L4 = 1.246 +/- 0.028 g.cm; LS = 0.911 +/-
0.027 g.cm). Based on t-scores (SD from the young adult reference population
mean), 9% of CYC and 3% of CON were classified as
osteoporotic, whereas 25% and 10% of CYC and CON, respectively, were osteopenic.
CONCLUSIONS:: Our findings indicated that male
cyclists had lower spine BMD than controls, which was not associated with group
differences in testosterone. Future studies are
needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms for low bone mass in cyclists.
From NCBI: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
* This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago-  Richard Limo (KEN) won the Cross International Zornotza (ESP)
10.8K by a nose over
                Benjamin Limo (KEN), both were given the same time.  Hailu
Mekonnen (ETH) was one
                second back in 3rd.  Getenesh Wami (ETH) had a one second margin
over Zhara Ouaziz
                (MAR), the pair having more than a 20 second margin over the
field
20 Years Ago-  Pat Porter (USA) won the first edition of the Senior Bowl
(AL/USA) 10K in 29:47.
                Mark Curp (USA) and Bruce Bickford (USA) followed up with 29:54
and 30:44 respectively.
                Lisa Rainsberger-Weidenbach (USA) won the women's race by a wide
margin over Francie
                Larrieu (USA), 34:14 to 35:33.  This race moved to a November
date after the second edition
                and held its last (19th) running in 2006.
30 Years Ago-  John Cain (ENG) won the Micham (ENG) 25K in 1:17:08.  Guy Ogden
(ENG) and Colin Moxsom
                (ENG) rounded out the top three with 1:19:08 and 1:19:48
respectively.  Gillian Horovitz
                (ENG) won the women's race in 1:34:07 with Margaret Lockley (ENG)
in 2nd with 1:35:20.
                This race made it to its 50th running in 2001 and then died.
40 Years Ago-  Tom Bache (USA) won the 5th edition of the Mission Bay (CA/USA)
Marathon in 2:30:32.1.
                Robert Deines (USA) and Martins Ande (NGR) were 2nd and 3rd with
2:32:55 and 2:34:33.
                This race had 98 finishers, making it one of the 20 largest
marathons in the world for 1969.
50 Years Ago-  Nothing of note in the ADR database.
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)

January 16, 2009:
Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon - Dubai, UAE

January 17, 2009:
St. Pete Beach Classic 5K / 10K - St. Pete Beach, FL

January 18, 2009:
Chevron Houston Marathon - Houston, TX
USA Men's & Women's Half-Marathon Championships

Maui 15K / 5K - Lahaina, HI

P. F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon - Phoenix, AZ

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


June 20, 2009
Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - Ottawa, ON
http://www.emiliesrun.com
**Register before January 31, 2009 and get a 15% discount**

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

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A FREE WEEKLY E-ZINE OF MULTISPORT RELATED ARTICLES. The Runner's and
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1. Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - Canada's
Fastest Women's 5K
Emilie's Run is over for another year. Almost 300 women completed the race with
38 women running under 20:00
The 2009 race will be run on June 20th.
For more on the race visit the website at:
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**Register before January 31, 2009 and get a 15% discount**

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Network ABOUT WCSN World Championship Sports Network
(WCSN) is the premier destination for fans of Olympic and lifestyle sports,
delivering an immersive experience via exclusive live
and on demand coverage of world class competitions, interaction with top
athletes and in depth access to sports news and information
year round. WCSN offers comprehensive coverage of over 60 sports disciplines,
through exclusive long term programming agreements
across a number of key International Federations and National Governing Bodies.
Major championship events in sports ranging from
Athletics (Track & Field), Skiing, Swimming, Gymnastics and Cycling to
Volleyball, Karate and Taekwondo are featured online at
http://www.universalsports.com and on television via WCSN's weekly syndicated
television program, World Championship Sports,
available in
more than 45 million US households. WCSN also markets Olympic sports in
partnership with International Federations, National
Governing Bodies, local organizations, clubs, sponsors, and through related
websites and publications. WCSN is dedicated to
providing year round, in depth coverage of these important and exciting sports
to reach millions of fans around the world for whom
they represent a way of life. WCSN is committed to expanding the audience by
delivering programming that exemplifies the best of the
human spirit. WCSN enables fans to interact with world class champions as well
as get to know the up and coming athletes through
blogs, interviews and their broadcast commentary. Consistent with the world
class caliber of the sports it celebrates, WCSN delivers
high quality production values, leveraging state-of-the-art-technology and next
generation distribution platforms to provide an
immersive, interactive experience available anytime, anywhere.
Visit WCSN at: http://www.universalsports.com

9. 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/

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

11. Mi-Sport - The Ultimate Sports MP3 Player Introducing the world's first and
only waterproof and wireless sports mp3 player.
These Mi-SPORT mp3 headphones have a 1GB memory built into a cool neckband
design. At last no wire tangle and no earbuds to fall
out. The patented design makes this waterproof/sweatproof mp3 player great for
running, cycling and gym work. The player however is
more than splash proof! It can be completely submerged with no harm to it making
it perfect for swimming, kayaking, and water
skiing. Now incorporating the latest 3D music quality with it's adapted
waterproof speaker. Relax to music in the bath, or push out
that training session with no fear of losing your player or tangling the wires.
Circuit training is so much easier with your own
music. Enjoy the waves wire-free. This is the only waterproof pair of classic
headphones with a built in mp3 player in the world.
The stylish looking headphones play the usual MP3, WMA and WAV formats and are
compatible with Windows98/98SE/2000/XP and Apple MAC.
Depending on track length, the headphones hold well over 14 hours worth of music
and the rechargeable battery life is about 8 hours.
Nick Matthew, the 2006 British Open squash champion now uses the player to train
with and Mi-SPORT are endeavouring to encourage
more athletes to enjoy the benefits of training to wire-free music, podcasts or
coaching aids. Inspiration and freedom at last, for
athletes and exercise enthusiasts everywhere.
Check it out at: http://www.mi-sportmp3.com/

ASSOCIATIONS:
The Runner's Web is a member of Running USA, The National Professional
Organization for the Running Industry.
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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
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Race Directors: Advertise your event on the Runner's Web.
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NEW THIS WEEK:
Another Great Promotion Only at ChampionsUSA.com!
Come celebrate the New Year at ChampionsUSA.com! Enjoy $5.00 Flat Fee Shipping
on all orders from January 9th through January 11th!
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=vVGS2V*0iZg&offerid=139837.10000185\
&type=3&subid=0

Spirit of the Marathon Holiday Sale
http://www.marathonmovie.com/store.html

Register for Emilie's Run - June 20, 2009 before January 31, 2009 and get a 15%
discount.
http://www,emiliesrun.com

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

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

I've created a Runner's Web Group on Facebook. To join the Runner's Web Facebook
group, if you are not a member of Facebook, you
must first create a free Facebook account at www.facebook.com. Once you have
your own space, search "Runner's Web" under "Groups".
At the Runner's Web site, click "Join this group". Once I have approved your
request to join, you'll be able to visit the site, post
race photos, discuss training tips, and share information about running, racing
and training.

If you feel you have something to say (related to triathlon or running) that is
worthy of a Guest Column on the Runner's Web, email
us at:
mailto:webmaster@... or leave your comments in one of our Forums at:
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We have 2,472 subscribers as of publication time. Forward the Runner's Web
Digest to a friend and suggest that they subscribe 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 NO personal postings this week.

THIS WEEK'S DIGEST ARTICLE INDEX:

1. Peak Performance Requires Optimal Sleep And Alertness
2. Take Control
Stress doesn�t have to wreak havoc on your life. Make it work for you.
3. The Enigma of Phosphorus
4. A running program that fits your stride
Four-part series spells out the keys to exercise success for a healthier 2009.
5. Post-run heart issue likely 'blip on radar'
6. What should I eat and drink after working out
7. More than half of U.S. cyclists forgo helmets: report
8. With the Right Motivation, That Home Gym Makes Sense
9. Running on the Shoulders of Giants
Training lessons from 15 years of close contact with elites.
10. Treadmill Desks More Effective In Cancer Prevention For Women Than Vitamin
C, E And Beta Carotene Supplementation
11. Heat Stroke in the cold?
Cool weather heat stroke risk.
12. New Season, New Goals by Coach Jim Vance .
13. Training techniques to improve economy (or should that be performance?)
14. Disease Invades a Body, and Endorphins Kick In
15. Digest Briefs


RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Which of the following sports should be dropped from the Summer Olympics?"
Which of the following sports should be dropped from the Summer Olympics?
Archery
Boxing
Equestrian
Fencing
Handball
Polo
Shooting
Synchronized anything
Taekwondo
Weightlifting

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 of the following marathons would you run if you had an unlimited amount
of time to train and cost was not an issue?
Answers Percent
1.   Berlin  12%
2.   Boston  19%
3.   Chicago  4%
4.   Honolulu  23%
5.   London  19%
6.   Los Angeles  8%
7.   Marine Corps  0%
8.   New York  8%
9.   Ottawa  4%
10.   Rotterdam  4%


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

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

BOOK/VIDEO/MOVIE OF THE MONTH:Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon.
By Brad Hudson (Author), Matt Fitzgerald (Author)
Do you want to run faster? Are you trying to peak for a particular race? Would
you like to find your true running potential? Brad
Hudson, former Olympic Trials marathoner and current coach to Olympians like
Dathan Ritzenhein, will show you the way in this
practical, reader-friendly guide. Hudson is the most innovative running coach to
come along in a generation. Until now, only a
handful of elite athletes have been able to benefit from his methods. Now Run
Faster from the 5K to the Marathon shows all runners
how to coach themselves as confidently and effectively as Brad coaches his
world-class athletes. Becoming your own best coach is the
ticket to running faster at any distance.
First you will learn to assess your abilities. Then you�ll learn how to devise a
training program specifically geared to you. Filled
with easy-to-follow sample training programs for distances ranging from the 5K
to the marathon and abilities ranging from novice to
advanced, Run Faster is the cutting-edge guide for optimal performance.
With Hudson�s guidance, you can train smarter and more effectively�and avoid
injury. And you�ll soon be running faster than you ever
thought possible!
Buy the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0767928229/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. Peak Performance Requires Optimal Sleep And Alertness:
By Mark R. Rosekind, Ph.D., President and Chief Scientist--Alertness Solutions
Coach, I had so much to do to prepare for today�s competition that I had to stay
up all night to be ready.
Coach, to prepare for the time zone change at the international competition I
have been sleeping during the day and staying awake
all night.
Coach, I couldn�t relax and just kept worrying about today�s big event but after
a few beers I feel much better.  Doug Ingram
Hopefully, you will never experience these situations. In fact, they probably
represent the exact opposite of what you and your
athletes are working so hard to attain. Unfortunately, many common practices
that are thought to be helpful or benign can actually
create performance decrements equivalent to these scenarios.
Consider the diverse and complex array of factors that coaches and athletes
address to achieve peak athletic performance and
success. Conditioning, sport-specific skills training, nutrition, recovery,
strength training, and mental/psychological
considerations are just some examples of important factors that can
significantly affect athletic performance. So, in all of your
preparation, planning and training for your athletes and yourself, how and where
do you address sleep, circadian rhythms (the body
clock), and alertness?
Humans have some basic physiological requirements for survival: food, water, and
air. Though often ignored or underestimated, sleep
is also a basic human biological need, equal to food, water and air in its
importance to life and for achieving optimal performance
and alertness. Sleep is not elective; it is not an option, to be obtained when
convenient. Overwhelming scientific data clearly show
that sleep loss and circadian disruption can impair performance, degrade health,
and disturb mood. More importantly, obtaining
optimal sleep, addressing circadian factors, and effective use of alertness
strategies can enhance performance, health, and mood and
provide a competitive advantage.
An introduction to sleep and circadian basics, some example sleep and alertness
strategies, and an approach to planning can provide
an initial, informed foundation for addressing this basic physiological
requirement.
More...from
http://www.phsvb.com/resources/PEAK+PERFORMANCE+REQUIRES+OPTIMAL+SLEEP+AND+ALERT\
NESS.htm


2. Take Control:
Stress doesn�t have to wreak havoc on your life. Make it work for you.
Tight deadlines, unpaid bills, angry coworkers.  In today�s 24/7, go-go-go
world, stress is unavoidable - but that�s not necessarily
a bad thing. �The body�s stress hormones, particularly cortisol, give us the
power to get up and go in the morning,� says Jacqueline
Rivers, a researcher at the University of Texas at Austin who specializes in
stress. �We shouldn�t think of cortisol as the enemy,
because the body needs it to function.�
In an athlete, cortisol provides the adrenaline rush that spurs her on in a
race. Jeannie Samson, a top amateur triathlete and a mom
of four, says she usually rises to the occasion in stressful race situations.
�I either had a bike crash or a flat three races in a row last year,� she says.
�But I dealt with it well. After the crash I kept
going, and went on to place second in my age group.�
Stressed Out
The body�s adrenal glands release several stress hormones besides cortisol the
�fight-or-flight� hormone that causes an increase in
heart rate, breathing and blood pressure including epinephrine and
norepinephrine. When we find ourselves in a difficult situation,
like an unexpected confrontation at work or a traffic jam, these hormones kick
in, providing extra energy and alertness, and then
return to normal when the crisis is over.
Generally, hormone levels rise and fall throughout the day as needed, and that
balance is critical to our overall health. �The body
releases these hormones to protect itself,� says Charles Raison, M.D., assistant
professor of psychiatry at Emory University in
Atlanta. �When we get into trouble is when we can�t fight or flee.�
When your body stays in a chronic high-stress mode for a long period of time�for
example, dealing with a difficult boss daily or
going through a divorce�your health can be severely impacted. �The body needs
cortisol, but in balance,� says Holly Thacker, M.D.,
director of the Women�s Health Center at the Cleveland Clinic and author of
Women�s Health: Your Body, Your Hormones, Your Choices.
�Any hormone is a bad thing if it�s too high or too low.�
More...from Women's Running Magazine at:
http://www.womensrunningmag.com/articles/51-take-control


3. The Enigma of Phosphorus:
By Frank Horwill
"Warning: excessive consumption of this drink may damage your bones" The average
70-kilogram man has 680,000 milligrams of
phosphorus in his body. It is an essential nutrient, and sufficient quantities
are necessary for calcium to do its job in the
system, yet too much phosphate can increase calcium needs, which, if not met,
can render the individual calcium- deficient. A
junk-food diet is rich in phosphorus and can produce a relative calcium
deficiency and all the problems that this entails. Ideally,
the dietary calcium-phosphorus ratio should be about 1 or 2:1.
The phosphorus RDA has recently been fixed at 900mg. In 1980, in the USA, it was
fixed at a trivial 100mg per day. In the UK, the
daily intake is about 1200-2000mg. Good food sources include milk and milk
products, nuts and wholegrain cereals, poultry, eggs,
fish, meats and legumes.
B vitamins are only effective when combined with phosphate in the body. A very
important use in the athlete is the
phosphorus-containing compound, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is involved
in all exercise, short or long. Its other activities
include: development of bones and teeth, multiplication of cells, activation of
some enzymes and vitamins, and maintenance of body
neutrality. It also participates in carbohydrate metabolism.
But are athletes getting too much?
Quite possibly athletes are ingesting three times the RDA. Dr Tim Noakes, the
eminent physiologist at Cape Town University and
author of 'The Lore of Running' (one of the greatest books ever written about
road running) and four other scientists decided to
carry out an investigation into the causes of shin-soreness. To do this, they
brought together 12 sufferers from different sports
(not just runners).
More...from the Serpentine Running Club at:
http://www.serpentine.org.uk/pages/advice_frank03.html


4. A running program that fits your stride:
Four-part series spells out the keys to exercise success for a healthier 2009.
The best-laid resolutions to get fit can quickly crumble with no plan in place
and no budget for a personal trainer. Don't worry --
we asked fitness experts to map out monthlong strategies to jump-start running,
cycling, swimming and strength-training programs
designed to remove the confusion and intimidation many feel. We kick off this
four-week series with a running program courtesy of
Andrew Lockton ( www.andrewlockton.com), a professional triathlete, private
running and triathlon coach, and track coach for the
L.A. Leggers running club ( www.laleggers.org).
The main goal is to establish a routine, Lockton says -- so set a time to run
and hit the ground. "The key is making this a part of
everyday life."
That means determining the best time to run every day -- mornings before work,
in the middle of the day, or in the evening --
without making excuses about having to take the dog for a walk or needing to
pick up dinner on the way home.
Getting into that routine is key, he adds, because it tamps down the desire to
put it off. "You shouldn't be making a decision about
what you're going to do each time," he says. "You've already decided, so just
keep it going."
More...from the LA Times at:
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-getgood5-2009jan05,0,4891162.story


5. Post-run heart issue likely 'blip on radar':
The man was 40 years old and seemed perfectly healthy - he had just run a 10K.
But he fainted after the race and was rushed to a
hospital. There, in the emergency room, his blood was tested. His levels of a
heart protein, troponin, were sky-high.
It looked as if he was having a heart attack.
The runner ended up in the coronary intensive care unit at Hadassah-Hebrew
University Medical Center in Jerusalem. He was in the
hospital for four days, undergoing test after test. Yet nothing appeared to be
wrong. His doctors - Lior Tolkin, Beth Goldstein and
David Rott - report on his case in a recent issue of Cardiology.
The runner had no other symptoms of a heart attack; every test of his heart's
function was normal. And his soaring troponin levels,
which can be an indicator of heart muscle damage, went down to normal.
A false alarm or a heart attack averted or maybe a lab error? Researchers say
the most likely explanation is that the man had been
caught up in a poorly understood but surprisingly common phenomenon: Blood
tested shortly after a long or strenuous bout of exercise
is likely to show abnormalities, maybe even indicators of a heart attack or
liver failure. But usually the patient is not in danger.

Instead, those results are normal and are not a reason for concern.
While it is unusual to find such effects after a race as short as 6.2 miles,
researchers say they are well aware of the general
problem.
More...from NWA News at:
http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Style/248640/


6. What should I eat and drink after working out?
It's always nice when science tells you what you want to hear. That's why
several studies in the past few years touting low-fat
chocolate milk as a perfect postworkout elixir have been greeted so
enthusiastically. Chocolate milk is convenient, cheap and tasty,
so what's not to like?
But applying studies based on competitive athletes to casual exercisers is not
always straightforward. The basic principles are the
same, but new research - and common sense - suggests that those whose main goal
is to lose weight should chug milk with caution.
Postexercise nutrition has two primary goals: to recharge the body's depleted
energy stores and to provide fuel to synthesize the
contractile proteins that increase strength and the mitochondrial proteins that
boost endurance.
"It's a continuum between short-term recovery and long-term adaptation," says
Trent Stellingwerff, a Canadian scientist in the
performance nutrition group at the Nestl� Research Center in Switzerland.
The key factors to consider are when and what you eat. For the first half-hour
after exercise, the body is processing nutrients to
repair itself at a dramatically elevated rate. After about two hours, the
"window" is closed and the opportunity for any accelerated
recovery is lost.
In the past, conventional wisdom held that weightlifters should ingest protein
to build muscle, while endurance athletes should
focus on carbohydrates. Now researchers agree that both macronutrients are
important no matter what type of exercise, Dr.
Stellingwerff says.
More...from the Globe and Mail at:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090102.wljockology02/BNStor\
y/specialScienceandHealth/home


7. More than half of U.S. cyclists forgo helmets: report
More than half of Americans admit they never use a helmet while bicycling and
more than a quarter skip the sunscreen, even when they
are in the sun all day, according to Consumer Reports National Research Center.
A report released by the consumer group on Monday shows half also neglect to
unplug appliances such as toasters -- even though
leaving them plugged in can cause fires.
The risks of cycling without a helmet are even higher -- the group cited the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety as saying 92
percent of bicyclists killed in 2007 were not wearing helmets. Helmets reduce
the risk of head injury by 85 percent.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE5045HH20090105


8. With the Right Motivation, That Home Gym Makes Sense:
  A year ago, I bought an elliptical trainer � a gym-quality machine that I felt
certain would get a daily workout.
Today, my top-of-the-line exercise machine sits idle most of the time. But I�m
not alone. Every year, consumers spend an estimated
$4 billion on home treadmills, stationary bikes, Stairmasters and other
equipment that ends up gathering dust. A Consumer Reports
survey last year found that nearly 40 percent of those who buy home exercise
machines say they use them less than they expected.
This may be discouraging to people like me, but it is a source of fascination
for behavioral scientists. The hope is that by better
understanding the behavior, they can help people make better buying decisions �
and help them start exercising and stick with it.
Buying an exercise machine does seem to influence whether people start working
out. But some research suggests that the same people
are less likely to stick with exercise over time than people who don�t own home
equipment.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/06/health/nutrition/06well.html?_r=1&ref=fitnessa\
ndnutrition


9. Running on the Shoulders of Giants:
Training lessons from 15 years of close contact with elites.
Since the early '90s, I've been privileged to regularly be around elite distance
runners. Actually, not just around, but with -- as
in run with, dine with, and talk at length with -- thanks to a combination of
professional assignments, natural curiosity, and a
willingness to place myself in potentially disastrous situations. ("A hilly
44-miler with ultra legend Ann Trason? I'll be fine!" I
wasn't.)
What follows is some of what I've observed as commonalities among the many
elites I've invited myself to tag along with. Some are
approaches to running, some are things done while not running, some are habits
of mind. All are things that non-elites, yours truly
included, regularly do otherwise, to the detriment of our running. If you're
looking for a New Year's running resolution or two, you
could do worse than adopting some of these ways.
Vary Great
If I had to pick one major difference between how elites and non-elite
competitors train, it would be in how much their paces vary
from day to day, session to session.
Many of us in the second category consider it a big deal if one day's run is
more than a minute per mile slower than another's. Even
the day after a hard workout, we're running near what we consider our "normal"
pace, that sort of mediumish effort we seem to lock
into day after day after day. The more obsessive among us regularly check our
splits to make sure we're running fast enough to merit
leaving the house.
More...from Running Times at:
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=15247


10. Treadmill Desks More Effective In Cancer Prevention For Women Than Vitamin
C, E And Beta Carotene Supplementation:
Yet another study published online by the Journal of the National Cancer
Institute confirmed that vitamin supplementation provided
no statistically significant value in cancer prevention among women. This study
comes on the heels of numerous studies which all
draw the same conclusion: vitamin supplementation among a normally well
nourished population has no positive effect on cancer
prevention. Daily exercise, such as that provided by treadmill desks however
does assist in both prevention and potential mitigation
of various forms of cancers in both men and women.
The National Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School reported in November
that Vitamins A thru E were ineffective in cancer
prevention as well. These studies are casting a bright spotlight towards the
most effective preventative measure available:
exercise.
Exercise was touted as the most effective cancer preventative measure by the
Harvard study and does not have to be strenuous or
relegated to a gym to be effective. Sufficient amounts of daily walking have
been shown to prevent colon, prostate and breast
cancers as well as diabetes and heart disease.
More...from Medical News Today at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/134508.php


11. Heat Stroke in the cold?
Cool weather heat stroke risk.
Most athletes, particularly those doing running exercise, only worry about heat
stroke in hot conditions. But a case report of a
near-fatal incident during a cool-weather marathon in the US suggests they may
need to think again.
A well-trained male runner in his late 30s collapsed 10m before the finish of a
race run in autumn temperatures ranging from
6-9.5�C. In the medical tent his condition continued to deteriorate, with an
erratic heart rate and breathing difficulties.
At the local emergency department, his rectal (core) temperature was measured at
40.7�C � well above the threshold for exertional
heat stroke � and he had heat-induced damage to his heart, kidneys, liver and
blood clotting system.
After drastic cooling, the runner�s core temperature returned to normal and the
organ damage was eventually reversed. He was able to
leave hospital after five days but took a long time to recover and wasn�t able
to resume regular running until six months later.
More...from Peak Performance Online at:
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/heat-stroke-in-the-cold-35897


12. New Season, New Goals by Coach Jim Vance:
The start of a new season brings the chance of a great season. But what exactly
makes a great season? The answer varies from athlete
to athlete, as we all have different goals. You have goals, whether you realize
it or not. Many athletes don't really recognize
their goals until after they've met them or not.
Now is the time to sit down and make your goals clear and concise, so you keep
focused on them and avoid decisions or actions which
could jeopardize them. Too many times athletes make decisions which put their
season goals at risk. When the athlete has
acknowledged their goals clearly, these mistakes tend to be avoided.
So how can you make your goals clear and concise? First, limit your goals to
three, but have at least one. Too many goals and you
begin to lose focus on what is really important. Athletes can tend to stretch
themselves trying to reach a lot of smaller goals, at
the cost of sacrificing the bigger, more important goals, which will determine
the success of the entire season. Avoid the pitfall
of too many goals, and focus on what is most important.
Second, make the goals specific and measurable. Saying, "I just want to do
well," offers no accountability. Without accountability,
athletes tend to fall short of what they could accomplish. Use some aspect of
measurability to see if you reached your goal. This
could be watts, time, place, or some other standard. When the season or race is
completed, did you meet or exceed the measurable
mark? That will help you determine whether you were successful or not.
Lastly, make sure your goals are realistic. Trying to win the biggest race on
the planet while you're still learning how to ride is
probably going to lead to disappointment, despite all your hard work. It's ok to
make the goals lofty, but they should always be
relative to you. Challenge yourself, but be realistic.
Once you've set the goals, write them down and keep them visible to you, so you
can make the right decisions on a daily basis to
help you achieve them. Best of luck!
Jim Vance is an Elite Coach for TrainingBible Coaching, and a professional
triathlete. Questions or comments can be sent to
mailto:jvance@.... You can also follow his writings and training
advice at his coaching blog,
mailto:CoachVance.blogspot.com
From the Training Bible at:
http://www.trainingbible.com/


13. Training techniques to improve economy (or should that be performance?)
Today sees the third and concluding part of our series on Running Economy. It's
been a whistle stop tour of a complex subject. We
have no doubt that we'll be returning to the topic in time, because it has major
implications for how we understand fatigue and
performance, but for now, we stuck to the boundaries - there is a lot to be
written in the coming week! But hopefully today we'll
provide some 'meat' that might help explain economy a little more, as well as
provide some practical insights into how it can be
improved.
On that note, there's a very valid question about whether you should worry about
training specifically to improve your running
economy, or whether good, common sense training just happens to improve economy
as you do it.
I was out on a training run just yesterday, and have a 10 km loop that I do once
in a while. Compared to about a month ago, when I
just started running again after a layoff due to illness/injury, I covered the
10km a minute or so faster, running at the same
effort level as before. And it occurred to me as I was jogging along that if I
were to put on my scientist's hat (or lab coat, if
you wish), I would probably find about four or five reasons to explain how I can
run faster with the same level of effort - running
economy would be one of them, for sure.
So in other words, scientists are sometimes very good at looking at the runner
(or sportsman) after the fact and working out that X,
Y and Z have changed, and that must explain the faster running, when all along,
it's the simple fact that you've been running that
explains it! Had I consciously spent the last month trying to improve my economy
to help me get faster, chances are I'd only improve
by the same amount anyway, or maybe even less!
The point is, sometimes the simplest solution is the best one, and that is the
case with running economy. Over-complicating things
by trying to target what we've emphasized is only one of many factors
contributing to performance is likely to be a bit of a
self-defeating task - rather just train, and let it happen!
The best way to improve running economy - just run!
Don't worry, that's not all we have to offer as practical advice for today! But
it's the most obvious and truest statement we could
make! When it comes to training, practice makes perfect. A great illustration
was provided a few months ago when we were discussing
Pose Running Technique, and we came across a study that looked at the oxygen
cost of running in a group of athletes who had been
taught Pose for 12 weeks.
What one would predict is that when learning a new running technique, the oxygen
cost would go UP, because you'd be less economical
as a result of doing a task that is relatively unfamiliar. And sure enough,
that's what they found - running economy was worse when
running Pose. A number of people wrote in and said this was expected, and that
given more time (than the 12 weeks of training in the
study), the Pose Runners would improve their economy. Maybe that's true (the
debate about Pose was covered back then, you can link
to the posts and read it), but the point is, within 12 weeks, economy was still
worse.
More...from the Science of Sport at:
http://www.sportsscientists.com/2007/12/running-economy-part-iii.html


14. Disease Invades a Body, and Endorphins Kick In:
Many who are faced with a chronic condition or a terminal diagnosis find a new
purpose in exercise, developing regimens that leave
them in the best shape of their lives.
DAVID SHACK�S Type 1 diabetes had been so out of control for so many years that
he had had more than 100 seizures. The highway
patrol once stopped him at a roadblock because he was weaving.
�My eyes were acting up, and my blood sugar levels were so low, they thought I
was a drunk driver,� said Mr. Shack, 31, a science
teacher and father of three in Boone, N.C.
So, of course, he decided to participate in an Ironman race.
Mr. Shack was recruited for the 2008 Ford Ironman Wisconsin by John Moore, 31,
who also has Type 1 diabetes. The competition was
organized and designed specifically for the diabetes community as part of a
study. Participants would have to follow a 2.4-mile swim
with a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run.
Given that Mr. Shack had gone long stretches avoiding medical care, often nodded
off by 8 p.m. (�I was getting lazier each year,� he
said) and enjoyed nibbling on steak fat or chicken skin, he made an unlikely
candidate.
�Dave was a doctor�s worst nightmare,� said Mr. Moore, who lives in Denver and
sells annuities. �There�s no question his life was at
risk.�
But, Mr. Shack said, �Something about the craziness of it got me going.�
And go he did.
Mr. Shack completed the race in September. It took him 17 hours.
�I was the last dude across the finish line,� he said.
He is training for a 10-mile race later this month.
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/health/nutrition/08fitness.html?ref=health


15. Digest Briefs:
*  Hot Drinks Help Fight Cold And Flu
A hot drink may help reduce the symptoms of common colds and flu, according to
new research by Cardiff University's Common Cold
Centre.
New research at the Centre has found that a simple hot drink of fruit cordial
can provide immediate and sustained relief from
symptoms of runny nose, cough, sneezing, sore throat, chilliness and tiredness.
Published in the December 2008 edition of the clinical journal Rhinology, the
research compared the effects of a commercially
produced cordial apple and blackcurrant drink either 'hot' or at room
temperature in 30 volunteers with common cold symptoms.
The Centre's Director, Professor Ron Eccles, is urging people suffering from
colds or flu to have a hot drink to help reduce their
symptoms.
Professor Eccles said: "It is surprising that this is the first scientific
research on the benefit of a hot drink for treating cold
and flu symptoms.
"With temperatures falling and Christmas just round the corner, cold viruses
love this time of year. Having a bottle of fruit
cordial in the cupboard and making a hot drink could help fight off the symptoms
of festive cold and flu. The big advantage of this
type of treatment is that it is cheap as well as safe and effective."
The Common Cold Centre is the world's only centre dedicated to researching and
testing new medicines for treatment of the symptoms
of flu and the common cold. It is based in Cardiff University's School of
Biosciences.
*  This Week in Running:
10 Years Ago-  Million Wolde (ETH) won the Great North Crosscountry 9K in Durham
ENG, two seconds
                ahead of Thomas Nyariki (KEN).  Jonathan Brown (WAL, now CAN) was
3rd, another second
                back.  Getenesh Wami (ETH) won the women's 6.5K by a 13 second
margin over Jackline
                Maranga (KEN).  Annemari Sandell (FIN) was another 6 seconds back
in 3rd.
20 Years Ago-  Fraser Clyne (SCO) won the 75th edition of the Morpeth-Newcastle
(ENG) 14M in 1:09:17
                with a 25 second margin over 2nd place Stephen Brace (WAL) at
1:09:42.  Peter Fleming
                (SCO) was 3rd in 1:09:54.  Angela Hulley (ENG) won the women's
race in 1:16:33 with
                Veronique Marot (ENG) 2nd in 1:16:42 and Sandra Branney (SCO)
well back in 3rd with a
                1:19:19.  This race held its 90th and last running in 2004 after
leaving the traditional
                New Year's Day date and shortening to a half marathon in 2002.
30 Years Ago-  Benton Hart (USA) won the California (CA/USA) 10M in 48:52, just
two seconds ahead of
                Michael vanHorn (USA) who finished at 48:54.  Gary Romesser (USA)
and Wayne Badgley (NZL)
                were 3rd and 4th with 49:06 and 49:23 respectively.  This race is
still being held (number
                of runnings unknown).
40 Years Ago-  Yasunori Hamada (JPN) won a marathon in Kagoshima JPN with a
2:22:47.  Yoshikazu Funasako
                was 2nd in 2:24:58.
50 Years Ago-  Nothing of note in the ADR database.
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.
*  Dear Dr. Mirkin: You have explained how inflammation can cause heart attacks,
cancers and other health problems, but doesn't
exercise cause inflammation by damaging muscle cells?
A: No!  Researchers from Ataturk University in Turkey showed that hard exercise
protects you from inflammation by raising blood
levels of the antioxidants superoxide dismutase,
glutathion peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase (The Journal of Sports
Medicine and Physical Fitness, September 2008).  During
vigorous exercise, food exposed to oxygen is converted to energy by transferring
electrons from one chemical to another.  If the
transferred electron ends up on hydrogen, it is converted to water and is
harmless.  If it ends up on oxygen, it forms free radicals
that can damage your genetic material and cause cell damage.  To protect you,
your cells produce antioxidants.  Exercise protects
you from free radicals by causing your cells to produce large amounts of
antioxidants.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at:
http://www.drmirkin.com


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

January 9, 2009:
Disney's Circle of Life 5K, Walt Disney World Resort, FL

January 10, 2009:
Fred Lebow Classic 5 Mile - New York, NY

January 10-11, 2009:
Disney World Half Marathon & Marathon - Orlando, FL

January 11, 2009:
Inaugural Maui Paradise Marathon -, Kihei, HI

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

January 11, 2009:
Inaugural Maui Paradise Marathon -, Kihei, HI


June 20, 2009
Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - Ottawa, ON
http://www.emiliesrun.com
**Register before January 31, 2009 and get a 15% discount**


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@...
613-746-4053
http://www.OACRacingTeam.com
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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:
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4. Toronto Waterfront Marathon, September 27, 2009
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5. Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon - October 18, 2009
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6. Training Peaks Training Peaks, LLC is dedicated to the endurance athlete and
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9. 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
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iRun Magazine is a sponsor of Emilie's Run
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10. Canadian Running Magazine: Subscribe at:
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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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* 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
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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. Protein Sports Drinks Proven To Give Best Performance
2. Don�t Starve a Cold of Exercise
3. Body Type, Training, and Racing
4. Exercise Suppresses Appetite By Affecting Appetite Hormones
5. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine
6. Regeneration After Sporting Loads
7. Even a tiny bit of flab raises heart failure risk
8. Your Perfect Weight
Transcend society�s obsession with size and find your ideal weight for peak
performance and optimal health.
9. No cancer risk reductions seen with antioxidants
10. Avoid the Seven Deadly sins of Running Technique: Running Expert Explains
how to stay Injury free
11. Gluten Free. Is it a new fad diet?
12. Structured Warm-up Exercises May Prevent Up To Half Of Severe Sports
Injuries
13. VO2max - The monthly newsletter of RunCoachJason.com
  14. Ten Medical Reasons To Exercise: What Does Exercise Really Do For Us?
15. Digest Briefs

RUNNER'S WEB WEEKLY POLL:
"Which of the following marathons would you run if you had an unlimited amount
of time to train and cost was not an issue?
Berlin
Boston
Chicago
Honolulu
London
Los Angeles
Marine Corps
New York
Ottawa
Rotterdam"

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:
"What will your first competition of 2009 be?"
Answers Percent
1.   Marathon  13%
2.   Half-Marathon  13%
3.   5/10K  36%
4.   Track Race  10%
5.   Triathlon  8%
6.   Half-Ironman  3%
7.   Ironman  5%
8.   Other  13%


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


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

BOOK/VIDEO/MOVIE OF THE MONTH:Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon.
By Brad Hudson (Author), Matt Fitzgerald (Author)
Do you want to run faster? Are you trying to peak for a particular race? Would
you like to find your true running potential? Brad
Hudson, former Olympic Trials marathoner and current coach to Olympians like
Dathan Ritzenhein, will show you the way in this
practical, reader-friendly guide. Hudson is the most innovative running coach to
come along in a generation. Until now, only a
handful of elite athletes have been able to benefit from his methods. Now Run
Faster from the 5K to the Marathon shows all runners
how to coach themselves as confidently and effectively as Brad coaches his
world-class athletes. Becoming your own best coach is the
ticket to running faster at any distance.
First you will learn to assess your abilities. Then you�ll learn how to devise a
training program specifically geared to you. Filled
with easy-to-follow sample training programs for distances ranging from the 5K
to the marathon and abilities ranging from novice to
advanced, Run Faster is the cutting-edge guide for optimal performance.
With Hudson�s guidance, you can train smarter and more effectively�and avoid
injury. And you�ll soon be running faster than you ever
thought possible!
Buy the book from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0767928229/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. Protein Sports Drinks Proven To Give Best Performance:
Sports drinks containing protein are better at improving athletes' performance.
Research published in BioMed Central's open access
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition has shown that drinks
containing a mix of carbohydrate and protein are
superior to carbohydrate-only drinks in improving cyclists' recovery from
exercise.
John Berardi of Precision Nutrition worked with researchers from Gettysburg
College and The University of Western Ontario to study
which energy drink best helped cyclists recover after a strenuous ride. He said,
"Liquid carbohydrate and protein supplements given
early during a six hour post-exercise recovery period helped subjects better
maintain subsequent time trial performance and power
output, compared to supplements with carbohydrate alone".
In the test, cyclists rode exercise bikes that were attached to monitors
allowing them to compete against a virtual opponent. After
a morning session, they rested for six hours drinking either the
protein-containing sports drink or the carbohydrate only version.
Both formulas had the same energy content. After their six-hour rest, the
athletes did another virtual cycle race. According to
Berardi, "Both groups showed a reduction in performance in the afternoon
session. However, the reduction in distance traveled and
power output during the afternoon exercise was significantly less among those
who had the protein and carbs drink, relative those
who just had the carbs".
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081223193108.htm

2. Don�t Starve a Cold of Exercise:
YOU have what seems to be a really bad cold. You are coughing and sneezing, and
it is hard to breathe.
Should you work out?
And if you do, should you push yourself as hard as ever or take it easy? Will
exercise have no effect, or make you feel better or
worse?
It is a question, surprisingly enough, that stumps many exercise physiologists
and infectious disease specialists.
�That question has not been actually studied,� said Dr. Aaron E. Glatt, a
spokesman for the Infectious Diseases Society and the
president of New Island Hospital in Bethpage, N.Y.
Many avid exercisers make up their own rules, and it seems that many of them,
like Dr. Michael Joyner, an exercise researcher at the
Mayo Clinic who is a swimmer and runner, decide to keep exercising if they
possibly can.
�I can tell you that unless I am really wiped out, I still work out but maybe
scale back a bit,� Dr. Joyner said. �I think that
would be the answer from most relatively hard-core, old-school types.
�If I have an obvious fever and muscle aches,� he continued, �I do very little
or take a day or two off, but I really have to be in
a bad way to skip more than that.�
More...from the NY Times at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/25/health/nutrition/25best.html?_r=3&em


3. Body Type, Training, and Racing:
by Coach Matt Russ
Your body type was primarily determined before you were born. When it comes to
racing, lamenting your body type is futile and
counter-productive. Cyclists can be particularly hard on themselves. Small
bodied climbers wish they were faster in the flats, and
the larger cyclists hate being dropped in the hills. It is the natural order of
cycling. When it comes Training and racing, your
body type is an important consideration. The smart athlete identifies their
strengths to exploit and weaknesses to develop.
Power to weight ratio is the  golden  ratio for cyclists. Ignoring tactics, the
number of watts per kilogram of power an athlete can
generate for the duration of a race will be a key determinant of the outcome. It
is important to note that a small climber and a
large sprinter can have an equal power to weight ratio. So why is the smaller
cyclist faster in the hills, whereas the larger
cyclist can motor in the flats? Well, the answers to this question are varied
and complex. One theory is that smaller riders tend to
have higher VO2 values, which will serve them well in the hills. A cyclist with
more muscle cross section gives them the power
needed to push through the increased air resistance associated with high speeds.
Muscle fiber predominance (fast twitch vs. slow
twitch) is another determining factor of ability and strength, as is limb length
and muscle origin / insertion points. Of course
there are numerous exceptions to these generalizations that should be noted, but
it is well known that body type affects cycling
performance. You have in all likelihood observed this phenomenon on your own.
The best all-around cyclists tend to fall in the
middle of the spectrum (Lance) and are of a more medium build. Climbers tend to
be small and light, whereas sprinters are larger and
thick muscled.
More...from the Sport Factory at:
http://thesportfactory.com/site/trainingnews/bodytype.shtml


4. Exercise Suppresses Appetite By Affecting Appetite Hormones
A vigorous 60-minute workout on a treadmill affects the release of two key
appetite hormones, ghrelin and peptide YY, while 90
minutes of weight lifting affects the level of only ghrelin, according to a new
study. Taken together, the research shows that
aerobic exercise is better at suppressing appetite than non-aerobic exercise and
provides a possible explanation for how that
happens.
This line of research may eventually lead to more effective ways to use exercise
to help control weight, according to the senior
author, David J. Stensel of Loughborough University in the United Kingdom.
Treadmill versus weight lifting
There are several hormones that help regulate appetite, but the researchers
looked at two of the major ones, ghrelin and peptide YY.
Ghrelin is the only hormone known to stimulate appetite. Peptide YY suppresses
appetite.
Ghrelin was discovered by researchers in Japan only about 10 years ago and was
originally identified for its role as a growth
hormone. Only later did its role in stimulating appetite become known. Peptide
YY was discovered less than 25 years ago.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081211081446.htm


5. Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine:
* Principles of Training
You will not become a better athlete by doing the same training regimen each
day. Athletes train by taking hard workouts on one day,
feeling sore on the next, and not taking another hard workout until the muscles
stop feeling sore.
It's called the hard-easy principle. If you want to become stronger or faster or
increase your endurance, you have to exercise hard
or long enough to make your muscles burn. Then your muscles will be sore for one
or more days. If you try to exercise hard when your
muscles are damaged, you will tear them and the muscles will weaken. If you wait
for the soreness to disappear, your muscles will be
stronger than they were before your workout. As you continue to take stressful
workouts only after the soreness disappears, you will
become progressively stronger and faster and have greater endurance. Athletes in
most sports train once or twice a day in their
sports, but they do not exercise intensely more often than every 48 hours.
There is a difference between the good burning of training and the bad pain of
an injury. The good burning usually affects both
sides of your body equally and disappears almost immediately after you stop
exercising. The bad pain of an injury usually is worse
on one side of your body, becomes more severe if you try to continue exercising
and does not go away after you stop exercising.
*  Understanding Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness
If you exercise properly, you are supposed to work hard enough to damage your
muscles so they feel sore on the next day. This is
called delayed-onset muscle soreness. You should then exercise at reduced
intensity for as many days as it takes for the soreness to
go away.
An article from St Mary's University College in New Zealand reviews scientific
studies on exercise-induced muscle damage (Sports
Medicine, December 2008). When muscles feel
sore from exercise, they are swollen and leak proteins from inside their cells
into the bloodstream, and they cannot generate their
usual force.  You really have no choice. You must put far less pressure on sore
muscles or you will injure them, delaying recovery
and your ability to exercise intensely again.
Sore muscles heal faster if you take the next day off, but exercising gently
during recovery will make your muscles more fibrous so
they can withstand more pressure when you take your next intense workout.
Eating foods with protein and sugar within four hours after you finish a hard
workout helps muscles recover faster.  The sugar
raises insulin levels which helps to drive protein into the muscle cells to
promote healing.
Aspirin and nonsteroidals such as ibuprofin may help reduce muscle soreness, but
they can delay healing.  Stretching and massage
make your muscles feel better but there is little
evidence that they make you recover faster.  Studies of electrical muscle
stimulation and cold therapy (ice packs) are so
inconsistent that most exercise researchers do not recommend them. On the other
hand, virtually everyone agrees that each bout of
intense, muscle-damaging exercise followed by reduced intensity exercise makes
muscles stronger.
*  Dear Dr. Mirkin: Will lifting weights and staying strong help me to live
longer?
A: Researchers at the University of Helsinki in Finland have shown that it
probably will (International Journal of Epidemiology,
December 2008).   Increased elbow flexion and hand grip and knee extension
strength in younger people were all associated with
decreased risk for heart attacks and strokes in later life.  In this study,
taller men had also had reduced risk for heart attacks
and strokes.  Being overweight markedly increased risk for these diseases.
* Dear Dr. Mirkin: Do the risks of drinking alcohol outweigh the possible health
benefits?
A: Numerous studies have associated moderate drinking with decreased heart
attack risk. However, this is offset by its association
with high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, respiratory infections, gall stones,
kidney stones, age-related macular degeneration,
decrease in bone density, and lowered mental capacity.  Now a study from Kaiser
Permanente in Oakland, California, of more than
70,000 women shows that drinking alcohol regularly is associated with increased
risk for hormone-related breast cancer (European
Journal of Cancer,   December, 2008).  It didn't make any difference whether the
drinks were hard liquor, beer or wine.
  The most likely explanation is that alcohol interferes with the ability of the
liver to remove estrogen from the body, so that
women who drink have higher estrogen levels that stimulate breast cancer cells
to grow.  The association between drinking and breast
cancer was highest in cancers that are stimulated by estrogen.
*  Exercise Increases Brain Cells
Dr. Yu-Min Kuo, of the National Cheng Kung University Medical College in Taiwan,
has shown how exercise helps to preserve brain
function as you age (The Journal of Applied
Physiology. November 2008).  Dr Kuo trained mice to run daily for five weeks on
wheels at 70 percent of their capacity.  They
started to exercise at 8, 12 and 24 months of age.  These ages are equivalent in
humans to ages of 40, 60 and 90 years.
The mice that exercised every day grew 2.5 times more new brain cells than those
who did not exercise, and these new nerves helped
them to learn and memorize new tasks. The increase in brain cells came from
increased production of signaling molecules that promote
brain cell growth.
  However, the mice that started exercise in early middle age (equivalent to age
40) did much better than mice that did not start
exercising until later middle age (equivalent to age 60).
This would indicate that the capacity of exercise to help you maintain
intelligence decreases after middle age.
When you are young, your body continuously creates new brain cells. As you age,
your brain loses its ability to regenerate new nerve
cells.  This is why you gradually lose some of your ability to remember and
learn.  We don't know if Dr. Kuo's results would be
found in humans, but his study should encourage people to start exercising while
young and continue throughout their lives.
*  Blood Pressure Drugs Can Interfere with Exercise
The beta blocker drugs used to treat blood pressure and heart problems can
markedly impair your ability to exercise, according to a
study from Switzerland (European Journal of Applied Physiology, October 2005).
How hard you can exercise is limited by the ability
of your heart to pump blood from your lungs to your exercising muscles. Beta
blockers markedly reduce blood flow and oxygen supply
to muscles. Beta blocker brand names include Toprol, Inderal, Blocadron, Coreg,
Inopran, Levatol, Pindolol, Sectral, Tenormin,
Timolol Trandate, Zebeta and Bisoprol.
Beta blockers are prescribed to treat people who have had heart attacks, heart
pain, heart failure, rapid heart beat and atrial
fibrillation. However, even though many physicians prescribe beta blockers to
treat high blood pressure, there is no data show that
they prevent heart attacks in healthy people. If beta blockers interfere with
your ability to exercise, ask your doctor if you can
take other types of medications such as ace inhibitors, angiotensin receptor
blockers or calcium channel blockers. Better yet,
control your blood pressure with diet.
*  Dear Dr. Mirkin: How could strong muscles affect cancer risk?
Researchers at the University of Alberta used body scan imaging to show that
cancer patients with the least muscles lived an average
of 10 months less than patients who were more muscular, even after controlling
for other variables such as cancer stage and severity
(Lancet Oncology, January 2009). This supports many other studies that show
people who exercise have lower risk of some cancers and
better survival rates.
A possible mechanism is that muscles are the source of the body's protein which
is necessary to make antibodies and cells to prevent
cancer from occurring and spreading.  Extremely low muscle mass is associated
with a poor immunity.
From Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine at:
http://www.drmirkin.com


6. Regeneration After Sporting Loads:
By Herman Rieder, Dietmar Riffelt, Sabire Vierneisel
Recovery is a critical aspect of the training process in all sports. In our
first article this week, the authors Rieder, Riffelt and
Vierneisel have critically examined the regeneration from various sporting
performances. The scope of their study encompassed more
properties of recovery than most think of, such as psychological, movement and
trauma regenerations. They have studied these
parameters in terms of general sports, and not only are the results interesting,
but the conclusions are valuable.
INTRODUCTION
The recovery capacity after a work load is an increasingly discussed subject in
high performance sport (Martin 1987). The frequency
of injuries among top athletes is obviously related to the quantity of training,
an overloading of the competition calendar and the
pressure of expected performances. At the same time, there is a shortage of
knowledge and scientific studies to indicate which
recovery measures are available, what is their effect and how can they be used
in practice? Further, what are the roles of
nutrition, sleep and
relaxation recommended by sport medicine to athletes and coaches to improve the
performance capacity and to limit injuries?
We attempted in two experimental practical studies to discover from top athletes
and coaches their recovery procedures in order to
analyze these for possible recommendations based on such information. We also
understood that the comparison between different
sports is limited. For example, it is hard to compare soccer or tennis with
marathoning and triathlon or weightlifting with rhythmic
gymnastics.
Some introductory remarks should help to clarify this complex problem. Recovery,
regeneration and breaks of training relate not only
to purely physical proceedings, but also are essentially dependent on psychic
and cognitive areas. The universal "burnout" problem
indicates further the complexity of restoration and is, as is the phenomenon of
overtraining, known for several decades to be a
motivational problem and a problem of goal setting. Medium and long term
regeneration phases with the assistance of a sport
psychologist, as well as nutritional and environmental changes can here be
responsible for an acceptable restoration.
More...from the Canadian Athletics Coaching Center at:
http://tinyurl.com/a4g7n4


7. Even a tiny bit of flab raises heart failure risk:
Even a little bit of extra weight can raise the risk of heart failure, according
to a U.S. study published on Monday that calculated
the heart hazards of being pudgy but not obese.
It comes as little surprise that obesity makes a person much more apt to get
heart failure, a deadly condition in which the heart is
unable to pump enough blood throughout the body.
But researchers who tracked the health of 21,094 U.S. male doctors for two
decades found that even those who were only modestly
overweight had a higher risk -- and it grew along with the amount of extra
weight.
In men who are 5 feet 10 inches tall, for every seven pounds (3.2 kg) of excess
body weight, their risk of heart failure rose on
average by 11 percent over the next 20 years, the researchers wrote in the
journal Circulation.
The average age of the men at the outset of the so-called Physicians' Health
Study was 53. During the study, 1,109 of them developed
heart failure.
Overall, the risk of heart failure increased by 180 percent in men who met the
definition of obesity according to their body mass
index (BMI of 30 and higher), and by 49 percent in men who met the definition of
overweight (a BMI of 25 to 30).
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSTRE4BL4IO20081223


8. Your Perfect Weight:
Transcend society�s obsession with size and find your ideal weight for peak
performance and optimal health.
Surfer Catherine Lippincott�s moment of revelation arrived on a wave in Hawaii.
A former plus-size model, she�s proud of her body
and participates in a wide range of sports. But every time she surfed in
California, she felt the
which-of-these-kids-is-not-like-the-other vibe next to all those tiny West Coast
surfer girls.
�Before Hawaii, I was always the biggest girl in the water,� says Lippincott,
who picked up surfing about four years ago. But on the
boards and beaches of the island paradise, she noticed a big difference.
�Hawaiian surfers are so diverse. A lot of them are not
small, and they all surf well,� says Lippincott, 44. She now embraces that part
of herself, the athlete, who has kept her body fit
and strong.
More...from Women's Running at:
http://www.womensrunningmag.com/articles/54-your-perfect-weight


9. No cancer risk reductions seen with antioxidants:
  In the large Women's Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study, participants who took
beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, or a combination
of supplements had no significant reductions in their risk of cancer.
The clinical trial, which involved 7,627 women who were followed for an average
of 9.4 years, was conducted by Dr. Jennifer Lin and
colleagues at Harvard Medical School in Boston, and is published in the Journal
of the National Cancer Institute.
The patients were randomly assigned to a placebo group, or to 500 mg ascorbic
acid daily, 600 IU alpha-tocopherol every other day or
50 mg beta-carotene every other day. Overall, 624 women developed invasive
cancers and 176 died from their disease.
Compared with women who took placebo, the relative risk of developing cancer was
almost identical in the vitamin C group, the
vitamin E group and the beta carotene group.
More...from Reuters at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE4BT50T20081231


10. Avoid the Seven Deadly sins of Running Technique: Running Expert Explains
how to stay Injury free:
Dedicated runners have come to expect running-related injuries. In any given
year, up to 70 percent of runners sustain an injury
serious enough to stop them from running. According to running expert Sam
Murphy, those problems are often caused by errors in
training and technique and can be avoided. Simple mistakes, including wearing
the wrong shoes, increasing mileage too quickly, or
not varying sessions enough, are responsible for 60 percent of running injuries.
  Champaign, IL (PRWEB) December 31, 2008 -- Dedicated runners have come to
expect running-related injuries. In any given year, up to
70 percent of runners sustain an injury serious enough to stop them from
running. According to running expert Sam Murphy, those
problems are often caused by errors in training and technique and can be
avoided. Simple mistakes, including wearing the wrong
shoes, increasing mileage too quickly, or not varying sessions enough, are
responsible for 60 percent of running injuries.
"By learning the difference between training and straining and honing your
technique, you can minimize the risk of injury and the
training setbacks it inevitably brings," Murphy says.
More...from the International Business Times at:
http://www.ibtimes.com/prnews/20081231/avoid-the-seven-deadly-sins-of-running-te\
chnique-running-expert-explains-how-to-stay-injury-f
ree.htm
Buy the book at:
http://www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?associate=880&isbn=0736077\
456


11. Gluten Free. Is it a new fad diet?
What is gluten?
Gluten is a storage protein in wheat, rye, barley, triticale (cross between
wheat and rye), and possibly oats. Gluten consists of
two proteins gliadin and glutenin. Gluten is formed when dough is made from the
kneading process of flour and water.
Why do people eliminate gluten from their diet?
There are a variety of reasons people follow a gluten free diet (GFD). Some
people choose to while others must in order to prevent
adverse effects on their gastrointestinal (GI) system. Consider some of the
following reasons people follow a GFD.
             �            Individuals who are diagnosed with celiac disease
follow a strict GFD as their treatment plan. Celiac
disease is a permanent intolerance to gluten. The walls of the small intestine,
which are necessary for absorbing and digesting
nutrients, become inflamed and interfere with absorption. Injury to the
intestinal walls usually resolves itself when gluten and
gluten containing products are eliminated. The disease affects as many as 1 in
every 200-400 individuals in North America and
Europe. However, many cases go undiagnosed due to the vague nature of and wide
variety of symptoms. The disease is diagnosed with a
biopsy of the small intestine. A blood test can measure the level of antibodies
to gluten, but is limited as a screening tool rather
than a diagnostic tool.
             �            Some individuals have an intolerance or sensitivity to
gluten, but are not diagnosed with celiac disease.
These people often experience GI symptoms and begin to experiment by eliminating
different foods from their diet (e.g. lactose,
gluten, sugar).
             �            Individuals who follow extended cleansing programs
often are instructed to eliminate gluten from their diet
during this period.
             �            Athletes involved in weight class or aesthetic sports
sometimes choose to eliminate gluten surrounding
competitions. The goal is follow a low residue diet by eliminating gluten and
minimizing sodium and fiber 24-36 hours prior to
competition. This minimizes fluid retention and assists with emptying the gut of
undigested food and fiber. This method helps
athletes �feel light� while still fueling and hydrating adequately prior to
competitions.
             �            Recently, there are individuals who experiment with GFD
who do not have an intolerance or sensitivity to
gluten. These individuals simply believe they feel better, perform better, or
lose weight easier when they do not eat gluten and
gluten containing foods. Keep in mind, by following a GFD, you often eliminate
processed, packaged, and fast foods. Be sure to ask
yourself �Is
More...from First Endurance at:
http://blog.firstendurance.com/2008/12/gluten-free-is-it-a-new-fad-diet/


12. Structured Warm-up Exercises May Prevent Up To Half Of Severe Sports
Injuries:
  warm-up programme that focuses on improving strength, balance, core stability
and muscular awareness cuts injury in female
footballers by a third and severe injuries by almost a half, according to
research published on the British Medical Journal website.
In an accompanying editorial, John Brooks an injury expert for the Rugby
Football Union, says that people participating in any sport
at all levels should adopt a warm-up programme like this to reduce injury.
Previous studies investigating the effect of warming up
on the risk of injury have focused on key warm-up elements�raising the core
temperature, stretching the muscles used, and conducting
movement specific exercises�but the effect on injury has been unclear until now.
Torbj�rn Soligard and colleagues recruited 1,892 female footballers from Norway
between the ages of 13󈝽 and randomised them
to perform either traditional warm-up exercises (1, 055) or the "11+" 20 minute
warm-up intervention (837).
The "11+" 20 minute warm-up programme consists of slow and speed running, key
exercises to improve strength and balance, and
movements that focus on core stability, hip control and knee alignment. The
whole programme emphasises the importance of internal
muscular awareness.
More...from Science Daily at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081209221703.htm


13. VO2max - The monthly newsletter of RunCoachJason.com:
*  Training Theory
If you spend any time talking to evolutionary biologists, they'll tell you that
an organism's structure evolves to cope with the
stresses to which it is subjected.  This idea has led to the theory of
symmorphosis--that an organism's structural design is
regulated by its functional demand.  As preeminent anatomist Ewald Weibel wrote,
"...the quantity of structure incorporated into an
animal's functional system is matched to what is needed: enough but not too
much."  Remarkably, structural changes also occur in the
short term in response to exercise training: bones increase their density,
muscle fibers increase their metabolic machinery, and
cardiac muscle grows larger.  If the quantity of structure incorporated into our
system is matched to what is needed, it's logical
to assume that if we increase the need, we'll ultimately increase the amount of
change that takes place to match the increased need.
And that's exactly what happens when we run or do other forms of exercise.
Following a training stress, your body adapts and physiologically
overcompensates so that the same stress, when encountered again,
does not cause the same degree of physiological disruption.  In short, your body
adapts to be able to handle the stress.  Following
the adaptation, your body can do more work.  The aim of training, therefore, is
to introduce training stimuli in such a fashion that
higher and higher levels of adaptation are achieved.  Think of these training
stimuli as small threats to the body's survival.  If
you
repeatedly threaten the body's survival, you will cause adaptations to be made
to assuage the threat.  A classic example of this is
the long run of marathoners.  Repeatedly running for long periods of time
(longer than two hours), presents a threat to the muscles'
survival by depleting their storage of preferred fuel (glycogen, the stored form
of carbohydrates).  If you run out of fuel, the
muscles say, "Hey, this person is running for so long that I don't have any more
fuel.  I won't be able to survive.  If this
activity is going to be a regular habit, I need to make more fuel."  So, guess
what happens?  When you consume carbohydrates
following your long run, you respond to the empty tank by synthesizing and
storing more glycogen than usual in your skeletal
muscles, thus increasing your storage of fuel (and therefore your endurance) for
future efforts.  Imagine if you kept driving your
car until the gas tank was empty and your car responded to that threat by making
its tank bigger so it could hold more gasoline.
Pretty elegant adaptation.
Unfortunately, our ability to adapt to a training stimulus doesn't keep
occurring indefinitely.  There will come a point, which is
specific to each runner, when more training, at best, does not lead to better
results and, at worst, causes injury.  The main
difference between Olympic athletes and the rest of us is that Olympic athletes
continue to make physiological adaptations with more
and more training, upwards of 100 miles per week, and do so while not getting
injured.  Most of us will stop adapting far short of
100 miles per week, and would probably get injured with that amount of training.
*  Fat Burning Zone
People often assume that low-intensity exercise is best for burning fat.  During
exercise at a very low intensity (e.g., walking),
fat does account for most of the energy expenditure, while at a moderate
intensity (e.g., 80% maximum heart rate or about 70-75%
VO2max), fat accounts for only about half of the energy used.  While you use
both fat and carbohydrates for energy during exercise,
these two fuels provide that energy on a sliding scale--as you increase your
intensity up to your lactate threshold, the
contribution from
fat decreases while the contribution from carbohydrates increases. When you
exercise at an intensity above your lactate threshold,
you use only carbohydrates.  While there is only a minimal amount of fat used
when exercising just below your lactate threshold, the
number of calories used per minute and the total number of calories expended are
much greater than when exercising at a lower
intensity, so the amount of fat used is also greater.  What matters is the rate
of energy expenditure, rather than simply the
percentage of energy expenditure derived from fat.  Since you use only
carbohydrates when exercising at a high intensity, does that
mean that if you run fast or take a high-intensity Spinning class, you won?t get
rid of that flabby belly?  Of course not.
Despite what most people think, you don't have to use fat during exercise to
lose fat from your waistline.  After all, have you ever
seen a fat sprinter?  Sprinters primarily train anaerobically, never using fat
during their workouts.  Carbohydrates are actually
the muscles' preferred fuel during exercise.  The little amount of fat that is
used in combination with carbohydrates during
exercise below the lactate threshold is in the form of intramuscular
triglycerides--tiny droplets of fat within your muscles.  Your
adipose fat (the fat on your waistline and thighs) is burned during the hours
before and after your workout.  Since fat is oxidized
inside your muscles' mitochondria, it is more efficient to use fat during
exercise that is physically closer to the mitochondria,
when you need to regenerate ATP quickly for muscle contraction.  To use adipose
fat, it has to be transported to the mitochondria
where it can be oxidized.
To become a better fat burning machine, you must enhance the metabolic profile
of the muscles.  Endurance training enhances fat
oxidation by increasing skeletal muscle mitochondrial content and cellular
respiratory capacity, allowing for a greater use of fat
and the sparing of muscle glycogen.  This steering in fuel use to a greater
reliance on fat at the same exercise intensity is one of
the hallmark adaptations to endurance training.  Since a metabolic priority of
recovering muscle is to replenish glycogen stores,
the way to not gain excess fat is to constantly use your glycogen stores during
exercise so that the carbohydrates you ingest will
be used to replenish the glycogen stores rather than be stored as fat.  If your
glycogen stores are already full, as they are in
most of the population that doesn't exercise, any extra calories are stored as
fat.
To view past newsletters go to: http://www.runcoachjason.com/newsletter
Copyright Jason Karp All Rights Reserved - http://www.runcoachjason.com


14.  Ten Medical Reasons To Exercise: What Does Exercise Really Do For Us?
We all know that exercise is good for us, but why, exactly? What does exercise
really do for us, for our bodies, for our minds, for
our social lives? Physicians at The Methodist Hospital in Houston propose their
Top 10 list of reasons to exercise this holiday
season.
1. Exercise helps keep your arteries flexible and malleable, which prevents
heart disease and heart attacks.
2. If you have metabolic syndrome, losing as little as 6.5 percent of your body
weight results in substantial reductions in blood
pressure, glucose, triglycerides and total cholesterol, all factors that lead to
heart disease.
3. Exercise prevents the growth of fat that surrounds the midsection, which is
angry, dynamic fat that actively contributes to
diabetes and resulting vision loss and limb amputations.
More...from Medical News Today at:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/132408.php


15. Digest Briefs:
*  Kenyan cyclists
In September Zakayo Nderi, a shoe-shiner, and Samwel Myangi, a bicycle taxi
rider, competed in a time trial on the Alpe d'Huez, Tour
de France stage course. Both are from the Kenyan town of Eldoret, which has
provided most of Kenya's recent distance-running
champions. Neither had ridden a proper racing bike before arriving in France,
and neither had competed in any kind of formal cycling
event. Nderi did the Alpe in 42 minutes, Myangi took a minute longer. That would
have put Nderi comfortably inside the top 50 in the
2004 Tour de France time-trial. No black African has ever ridden the Tour. Watch
out cycling. The Kenyans are coming.
*  Quick Tip
By Robert Kunz MS
EFS Bars-Gluten FREE
More and more athletes are testing the effects of a gluten free diet on their
health and performance. EFS bars are formulated with
high levels of electrolytes, a mix of easily digestible carbohydrates, amino
acids and are Gluten FREE. These features make the EFS
bar the perfect pre-exercise or during exercise food. Try them today.


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

January 3, 2009:
Mississippi Blues Marathon - Jackson, MS

Xiamen Marathon - China

January 9, 2009:
Disney's Circle of Life 5K, Walt Disney World Resort, FL

January 10, 2009:
Fred Lebow Classic 5 Mile - New York, NY

January 10-11, 2009:
Disney World Half Marathon & Marathon - Orlando, FL

January 11, 2009:
Inaugural Maui Paradise Marathon -, Kihei, HI


June 20, 2009
Emilie's Run - The Emilie Mondor Memorial 5K Race for Women - Ottawa, ON
http://www.emiliesrun.com
**Register before December 31, 2008 and get a 20% discount**

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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Forward the Runner's Web Digest to a friend and suggest that they subscribe at:
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YOUR FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS:
Comments, contributions and feedback are always welcome via this list at:
mailto:runnersweb@yahoogroups.com and in our Runner's Web Forum, available off
our FrontPage. If you post to the mailing list and
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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@...
613-746-4053
http://www.OACRacingTeam.com
http://www.EmiliesRun.com

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

XM Satellite Radio
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Check out TotalWellness's mp3 Personal Training Program - only 5% the Cost of
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Buy Paula Radcliffe's book, My Story - So Far, from Amazon UK at:
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Instant Stretching Routines
Design unlimited stretching routines today, starting from scratch, in under 60
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ShoeWallet.com has set out on a mission to enable people to easily carry ID and
medical information at all times. Basically, anyone
who is out on the roads or trails needs a convenient place to carry this vital
information.
http://store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/clink?joggerscompanion+pXgxpm+index.html+

SportsShoes in the UK
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TriSwim Coach - The Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming
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If you have an accident while running or cycling, do you want your family to be
contacted? Do you want to receive immediate and
proper medical treatment?
If so, make this cool item part of your gear -- for safety and peace of mind.
Road ID has created 4 awesome ways for athletes to
wear ID: the SHOE, the WRIST, the ANKLE, and the NECK. Get your RoadID at:
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The Stretching Handbook:
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ghandbook.com/newsletter.php
The Stretching Video in a DVD version. With the DVD version you're able to use
the convenient menu facility to:
* Go directly to a specific stretch;
* View only stretches for a specific muscle group;
* Pause each stretch to get a good look at how it is performed;
* View only the introduction and rules for safe stretching; or
* Play the entire video from start to finish.

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

This week's Digest is being sent one day early due to my travel schedule. There
will be NO Digest on December 19th and 26th due to
our holiday schedule. The Digest will resume on January 2, 2009

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.
**Register before December 31, 2008 and get a 20% discount**

3. Road Runner Sports, the world's largest running store at:
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000010069822.
New Arrivals from Nike With Web Exclusive Apparel and More!

4. Toronto Waterfront Marathon, September 27, 2009
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/STWM_Transporter.html

5. Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon - October 18, 2009
http://www.torontomarathon.com/

6. Training Peaks Training Peaks, LLC is dedicated to the endurance athlete and
coach. With our industry leading software products,
we're committed to help you monitor, analyze and plan your training. We
encourage you to draw on our passion for excellence to help
you reach your athletic dreams. Trusted by thousands. Dedicated to you.
http://www.trainingpeaks.com/

7. January 4, 2008: Goodlife Fitness has come on board as a sponsor of Emilie's
Run GoodLife Fitness - Coed or Women's Only Visit
www.GoodLifeFitness.com today to receive 3 FREE Visits! Your 3 FREE visits
include: . A Visual Fitness Planner Consultation . Fit
Fix Orientation to learn how to exercise safely and effectively . Access to all
cardio and strength-training equipment . Access to
all of our world-class Group EXercise classes . A copy of Living the Good Life
audio CD Get started today! Visit
www.GoodLifeFitness.com Limited time offer.

8. Watch over 50 IAAF Events Live and On-Demand. World Championship Sports
Network ABOUT WCSN World Championship Sports Network
(WCSN) is the premier destination for fans of Olympic and lifestyle sports,
delivering an immersive experience via exclusive live
and on demand coverage of world class competitions, interaction with top
athletes and in depth access to sports news and information
year round. WCSN offers comprehensive coverage of over 60 sports disciplines,
through exclusive long term programming agreements
across a number of key International Federations and National Governing Bodies.
Major championship events in sports ranging from
Athletics (Track & Field), Skiing, Swimming, Gymnastics and Cycling to
Volleyball, Karate and Taekwondo are featured online at
http://www.universalsports.com and on television via WCSN's weekly syndicated
television program, World Championship Sports,
available in
more than 45 million US households. WCSN also markets Olympic sports in
partnership with International Federations, National
Governing Bodies, local organizations, clubs, sponsors, and through related
websites and publications. WCSN is dedicated to
providing year round, in depth coverage of these important and exciting sports
to reach millions of fans around the world for whom
they represent a way of life. WCSN is committed to expanding the audience by
delivering programming that exemplifies the best of the
human spirit. WCSN enables fans to interact with world class champions as well
as get to know the up and coming athletes through
blogs, interviews and their broadcast commentary. Consistent with the world
class caliber of the sports it celebrates, WCSN delivers
high quality production values, leveraging state-of-the-art-technology and next
generation distribution platforms to provide an
immersive, interactive experience available anytime, anywhere.
Visit WCSN at: http://www.universalsports.com

9. 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/

10. Canadian Running Magazine: Subscribe at: