rec.running FAQ, part 1 of 8

rec.running FAQ, part 1 of 8	gontang at electriciti.com (Ozzie Gontang)
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From: gontang at electriciti.com (Ozzie Gontang) Subject: rec.running FAQ, part 1 of 8 Date: 21 Jan 2005 05:37:14 GMT Archive-name: running-faq/part1 Last-modified: 10 March 2003 Posting-Frequency: 14 days Answers to REC.RUNNING FAQ and Interesting Information This posting contains answers to frequently asked questions posted to rec.running plus interesting & useful information for runners. If known, author's name/email address are given. Send me Ozzie Gontang any corrections,updates, suggestions, or proper info of sources or holder's of copyright. ================================================================== Part 1 of 8 What to do before posting to rec.running or any news group Runner or Jogger Avoiding Dogs Books and Magazines Winter Running Gear Clothes (Winter/Summer) Rules For Winter Running Clothing Layers Dressing for Winter Clothing Materials Microfibers Polyolefin Nylon Wool Gortex Polypropylene/Thermax 60/40 Cloth Breathability of Materials Breathable options Linings Maintenance General Information Running Mailing Lists Terminology ( overpronation, oversupination) Calorie/energy count Calories burned by running Muscle fuels used during exercise Part 2 of 8 Fat burning primer Conversion chart Fluid replacement Noakes's Ten Laws of Running Injuries Second Wind Soda Pop Computer software Hashing Interval training Legs Sore Knees Leg Massage Part 3 of 8 Mail Order Addresses Marathon Increasing your mileage Major Marathons (e.g. Boston, LA, New York) Part 4 of 8 Miscellaneous Medical /Injuries Achilles tendinitis (incomplete) Shin splints Side stitches Lactic Acid Loose bowels Diabetes & running Nutrition and Food Part 5 of 8 Nutrition primer Powerbar Recipe Orienteering Predicting times Running Clubs & Organizations Part 6 of 8 Shoes Stretching Sweat Tredmill Running Weather (cold, hot, wind, rain, altitude) Part 7 of 8 Pregnancy & Running Mindful Way of Dealing with Out of Control People Hints for the Successful Four Hour Marathoner (Super-Fours) Part 8 of 8 Running Related Internet Sites ================================================================= What to do before posting to rec.running or any news group Read news.announce.newusers and news.answers for a few weeks. Always make sure to read a newsgroup for some time before you post to it. You'll be amazed how often the same question can be asked in the same newsgroup. After a month you'll have a much better sense of what the readers want to see. The difference between jogging and running is in the eye of the beholder. Partial list compiled by Phil Margolies Jogging is spelled with a j, an o, and two g's, running is spelled with an r, a u, and two n's. Otherwise there is no important difference that I am aware of ;-) ******************** There is no real distinction between the two. Traditionally joggers are considered to be more casual and slower than someone who refers to themselves as a runner. But use which ever term you prefer. ******************** A jogger is person who worries about the difference. A runner just goes out and runs. ******************** This issue has been beaten to death more than once, but ...... My gut feeling is: if your goal/focus is to get there in minimum time; you are racing (or race training) if your goal/focus is on what your are doing; you are running if your focus is to lose weight or gain fitness or whatever else (possibly indicated by wearing headphones?); you are jogging. Speed doesn't matter; some people race at 4:00/mile, some at 12:00/mile. No one of these three activities is any better or nobler than any other. ******************** When I'm tired I jog, when I'm not I run. After all, it's all relative. ******************** Speed IMHO has nothing to do with it. Joggers are interested in the fitness benifits of the activity. Runners are interested in the sport of racing. ******************** The best quote I ever read on this was: The difference between a jogger and a runner is a bib number. ******************** A Jogger is everyone that I can pass. A Runner is everone who passes me. ******************** There are many differences between a jogger & a runner, although both are very positive activities & neither should be knocked. Here's a couple of differences I notice: Jogging is a hobby. Running is a way of life. Joggers get out on a nice day. Runners get out everyday. Avoiding Dogs (Arnie Berger arnie@hp-lsd.COL.HP.COM) There are varying degrees of defense against dogs. 1- Shout "NO!" as loud and authoritatively as you can. That works more than half the time against most dogs that consider chasing you just good sport. 2- Get away from their territory as fast as you can. 3- A water bottle squirt sometimes startles them. If they're waiting for you in the road and all you can see are teeth then you in a heap o' trouble. In those situations, I've turned around, slowly, not staring at the dog, and rode away. "Halt" works pretty well, and I've used it at times. It's range is about 8 feet. I bought a "DAZER", from Heathkit. Its a small ultrasonic sound generator that you point at the dog. My wife and I were tandeming on a back road and used it on a mildly aggressive German Shephard. It seemed to cause the dog to back off. By far, without a doubt, hands down winner, is a squirt bottle full of reagent grade ammonia, fresh out of the jug. The kind that fumes when you remove the cap. When I lived in Illinois I had a big, mean dog that put its cross-hairs on my leg whenever I went by. After talking to the owner (redneck), I bought a handlebar mount for a water bottle and loaded it with a lab squirt bottle of the above mentioned fluid. Just as the dog came alongside, I squirted him on his nose, eyes and mouth. The dog stopped dead in his tracks and started to roll around in the street. Although I continued to see that dog on my way to and from work, he never bothered me again. Finally, you can usually intimidate the most aggressive dog if there are more than one of you. Stopping, *and moving towards it will often cause it to back off*. ( But not always ). My bottom line is to always *run* routes that I'm not familiar with, with someone else. E-Book John Lupton Gordon Pirie's book "Running Fast and Injury Free" which can be found via http://www.gordonpirie.com . Pirie is a proponent of fore-foot striking. All I can say is Pirie works for me. As a novice, having a pretty straightforward book on technique to read, one that is uncomplicated by jargon, is very useful. For me, even before a novice puts on his/her running shoes for the first time, it is worth reading this book (its *very* short). Not all of it is relevant to the recreational runner, but the bits that are are very obvious and accessible. Books and Magazines (Phil Cannon pcannon@spotlight.Corp.Sun.COM) Books ===== 1) The Lore of Running - Tim Noakes 2) The Complete Book of Running - Fixx 3) The Runner's Handbook - Bloom 4) Long Distance Runner's Guide to Training and Racing - Sperks/Bjorklund 5) The Runner's Handbook - Glover & Shepard 6) Galloway's Book on Running - Galloway 7) Jog, Run, Race - Henderson 8) The New Aerobics - Cooper 9) Training Distance Runners- Martin and Coe 10) Any book by Dr. George Sheehan 11) The Essential Runner (John Hanc) 12) The Runner's World Complete Book of Running (Amby Burfoot) check for books available at:The Athlete's Bookstore bookstore@stevenscreek.com RUNNING DIALOGUE David Holt RN, Santa Barbara and 31:16 10 K. Includes winter running advice; extensive interval (three chapters) and diet advice; marathon chapter; three chapters on injury prevention and treatment; predicting times; plus table for paces to train for 2 mile pace for VO2 max, and 15K pace for anaerobic threshold. Table of contents/list of contributors -http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/holtrun/ or send a blank E-mail to runningdialogue@mailback.com Magazines ========= Track and Field News (12/96-monthly $34.95 US per year) 2370 El Camino Real, Ste 606 Mountain View CA 94040 415-948-8188 Fax: 1-415-948-9445 1-800-GET-TRAK (1-800-438-8725) Self-proclaimed "Bible of the Sport", T&FN is the source for major meet results in T&F, road racing, cross-country, and race walking from the high school to int'l levels. Emphasis on U.S. athletes. though significant int'l coverage provided. Compiles annual post-season rankings of the top 10 performers in world and U.S. in every major event, men and women. Publishes list of top 50 performances in each event for the year. Also sponsors TAFNUT tours for major championships and the Euro Circuit/GP meets. Lots of stats, good interviews. Track Technique (quarterly; $15 in US, $16 outside) same contact info as Track & Field News. The official USATF(formerly TAC) quarterly, each issue has important articles on technique, training, and other practical information on all events, at all levels. Intended for coaches. California Track News ($18/yr) 4957 East Heaton Fresno, CA 93727 Calif.'s only all track & X-county publication. Lots of attention to prep action. Running Journal, P.O. Box 157, Greeneville, TN 37744. Covers southeastern United States monthly. Founded 1984. Covers road races in 13 states, plus ultras, multi-sports, racewalking. Annual subscription is $22.95. Running Research News P.O. Box 27041 Lansing, MI 48909 Credit card orders: 1-517-371-4897 MC/Visa accepted. e-mail: rrn@gisd.com 12/96 $35/year $65/2 years (10 issues per year, 12-14 pages per issue.) 76 back issues, $265 (postage US 10 outside US $30) (Add $10 for overseas airmail, except Mexico and Canada) ALL non-US customers please provide a credit card number or money order in U.S. funds, or a check drawn on a U.S. bank (with American-bank computer numbers). Running Times (monthly $24.95 US per year) P.O. Box 511 Mount Morris, IL 61054-7691 1-800-877-5402 Runner's World (monthly $24 US per year) P.O. Box 7574 Red Oak, IA 51591-2574 1-800-666-2828 Masters Track & Field News (5 issues/yr; $10.50) P.O. Box 16597 North Hollywood, CA 91615 Results, rankings, age-records, schedules, stories of age 40+ athletes worldwide. "Satisfaction guaranteed" "The Schedule" - A monthly magazine in California that has an extensive lists of races and other info. Northern CA: 80 Mitchell Blvd, San Rafael CA 94903-2038 (415) 472-7223; 472-7233 FAX Southern CA: 549 Highland Dr, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405-1116 (805) 541-2833 Winter Running Gear Curt Peterson 13 Nov 1996 Just wear the same things for running as for cross country skiing. Suggestions- Wind briefs -available in both womens and mens. Underlayer turtleneck. Underlayer long underwear Tights ( thin or thicker cross country ski tights which are thicker wt.) Wicking socks vest or sweatshirt, but if long long run I use a Thermax sweatshirt Shell for wind hat and neck gator if really cold. You can run in virtually all weather. Our run group in Michigan runs every Monday night all year no matter what the conditions are. I think -4 F is our record. ================================================================== Clothes (Winter/Summer) (Mike Gilson GILSON@ALF.CS.HH.AB.COM) Disclaimer What I have to say here is *my* opinion only. ---------- Preference on amount of clothing required for winter running varies widely among runners. A couple of runners that I see wear shorts, long sleeved T's and gloves at 30F! Experiment with how much clothing at various temp's. Rules for Winter Running Rule 1: Dress in layers. Outer layers can be added/shed easily. Rule 2: Stay dry. When clothes get wet,they don't performance - & you get cold. Rule 3: Hydrate. You may not sweat as much, but fluid replacement still needed. Clothing Layers Inner layer. The layer closest to the skin should be a tight, lightweight fabric that wicks water away from the skin. Shirts should be long-sleeved, skin-tight (without chafing), and may be turtle-necked (my preference). There are a variety of fabrics that are effective in wicking water; I have had a lot of success with polypro, but it is not machine washable. These are readily available at running specialty shops and mail order. For pants, lycra running tights work very well. Outer layer. The next layer should be a looser, mediumweight fabric that wicks water. A zipper at the neck is convenient for temperature control. I prefer a shirt that is slightly longer than waist-length so that I have the option of tucking it into the pants. I've had more success in finding these in cycling stores than anywhere else. Two layers of lycra tights if very cold. Shell. A water-proof or water resistant shell that is breathable is useful in the coldest conditions. These are usually sold as suits, but tops are available separately at a higher cost. Gore-tex is considered the best fabric, but there are cheaper alternatives. You can get these suits made to your measurements or buy them off the rack. I have a Burley jacket, which I purchased at a cycling shop. It's chief advantage over the running suits is the venting and extra zippers for temperature control. There are zippers under each arm, starting at mid chest going up to the armpit and travelling down the arm to about mid forearm. Tights. Tights have been mentioned above as inner/outer layers. Many people run in sweats, but sweats have two disadvantages: they're heavy and they get heavier when wet. Lycra is lightweight and warm, but costs more and shows off body (im)perfections more than sweats. Gloves. Any cotton glove works. Polyproplyene or other microbfiber materials. Hat. A lot of heat is lost through the scalp, so a hat is a must for most people. Cotton hats get too heavy with sweat. Balaclavas are more versatile than hats, and allow you to cover you neck/face if requires. Both hats and balaclavas are available in wicking fabrics. Socks. A wicking sock will seem less heavy and your feet will be drier than a conventional sock. Coolmax socks are my preference, worn in a single layer. You can also find other fabrics, such as capilene or polypro socks, which are considerably more expensive. Running shoes. Runner's World (anyone know which issue?) had some tips from Alaskan runners on how to put (short) screws into the sole of the shoe for better traction on the ice. I haven't tried it, but you obviously have to be careful not to puncture the midsole, air/gel chambers, etc. Dressing for Winter Running Temp range Number of layers (degrees F) Inner Outer Shell Tights Gloves Hat Socks ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 50-55 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 40-45 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 30-35 1 1 0 1-2 1 1 1 20-25 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 0-15 1 1 1/pants 1 1 1 Clothing Materials compiled by Ozzie Gontang (see www.FabricLink.com/characteristics.html) MICROFIBERS Man-made: available in acrylic, nylon, polyester and rayon. Characteristics: * Washable, dry cleanable Shrink-resistant * High strength (except Rayon) Insulates well against wind, rain, cold Major End Uses: sportswear, activewear,swimwear, outerwear, rainwear. Micro-fibers is not a fiber unto itself. It is a technology developed to produce an ultra-fine fiber, and then weave it or knit it into a very high quality fabric constructions. DuPont introduced the first microfiber in 1989, a polyester microfiber. Today in addition to polyester microfibers, there are also nylon microfibers that have become important in the pantyhose market, rayon microfibers, and acrylic microfibers. An important characteristic of microfiber fabrics: they can be woven so tightly so the fabric can't be penetrated by wind, rain, or cold. For this reason, raincoat manufacturers have become big users of polyester microfibers. Microfibers also have a wicking ability, which allows perspiration to pass through. So they're comfortable to wear. Nov. '96 RW (pp.48-52) evaluted 12 underlayer shirts for keeping you comfortable wicking away sweat to the exterior surface of the fabric. Polyester has been treated (hydrophillic chemical) and altered (electrostatic evaporation process, differing inner/outer surfaces) to enhance its wicking ability. Some names: Capilene, BiPolar 100 polyester, BiPolar 200 polyester, Dri-F.I.T. Dacron is the trademark name for Dupont polyester. Woven fabric made from dacron is similar to nylon ripstop or taffeta, but not as stretchy. Many of the better clothing insulations are made from dacron. They are usually referred to by more specific trademark names, like quallofil, hollofil, polarguard, and dacron-88. POLYOLEFIN (OLEFIN) Characteristics: * Lightweight, lightest fiber, it floats * Strong * Abrasion resistant, resilient * Stain-, static-, sunlight-, and odor-resistant * High insulation characteristics * Resists deterioration from chemicals, mildew, sweat, rot and weather * Fast drying * High wickability * Static and pilling can be a problem * Ironing, washing/drying need to be done at low temperature * Non-allergenic Major End Uses: Apparel - activewear, sportswear, jeans, socks, underwear, lining fabrics. Of all fibers, this is probably least familiarto you. Developed in 1961, polyolefin has been used exclusively in the home furnishings and high performance activewear market: backpacking, canoeing, mountain climbing apparel. In 1996 producers of olefin began to make in-roads into the mainstream apparel market. It is being blended with cotton in the denim market. It's being tested in the swimwear market. Asics Japan has developed a swimsuit made of polyolefin and Lycra for the Japanese Olympic Swim Team. Polyolefin is the least absorbent of all the man-made fibers, and the only fiber that floats. (Swimmers will do anything to cut a milli-second off their times!) NYLON Characteristics: * Lightweight * Exceptional strength * Good drapeability * Abrasion resistant * Easy to wash * Resists shrinkage and wrinkling * Fast drying, low moisture absorbency * Resistant to damage from oil and many chemicals * Static and pilling can be a problem * Poor resistance to continuous sunlight Major End Uses: * Apparel - swimwear, activewear, foundation garments, hosiery, blouses, dresses, sportswear, raincoats, ski and snow apparel, windbreakers, childrenswear. * Other-Luggage/back packets/life vests/umbrellas/sleeping bags,tents. Nylon is one of the strongest of all fibers, and for this reason it's used in garments that take a great deal of hard wear, like panty hose, swimwear, tents. Although nylon is a very strong fiber, one of it's unfavorable characteristics is that it has poor resistance to prolonged exposure to the sun. In addition, the Lycra (or spandex) breaks down from exposure to chlorine in pool water. Lycra is used for its stretch. Supplex has a feel of cotton,comfortable, breathable and water repellent/ NOT water proof). Absorbs a small amount of water if it is getting drenched. WOOL Natural, Animal fiber Characteristics: * Comfortable * Luxurious, soft hand * Versatile * Lightweight * Good insulator * Washable * Wrinkle-resistant * Absorbent Major End Uses: * Apparel - sweaters, dresses, coats, suits, jackets, pants, skirts, childrenswear, loungewear, blouses, shirts, hosiery, scarves. GORETEX A teflon based membrane with microscopic holes. Gortex's claim to fame is that it will let water vapor (from perspiration) through, but not liquid water (rain). It blocks wind fairly well too. The membrane is delicate, so it always comes laminated between 2 layers of other material. It does not breathe enough. There are less expensive alternatives. POLYPROPYLENE/THERMAX Does not wick very well. Can be uncomfortable. Troublesome to care for (e.g. can pill badly) Will keep you fairly warm if soaked. Not very wind resistant. Shrinks under heat from dryers. Thermax is an improvement on Polypropylene. The big advantage is that Thermax isheat resistance so you can put it in the dryer. Balance that against the extra cost. 60/40 CLOTH This is a cloth with nylon threads running one direction, cotton in the other. It was the standard wind parka material before Goretex came along, and is considerably less expensive. Good wind resistance, fairly breathable. Somewhat water resistant, especially if you spray it with Scotchguard, but won't hold up to a heavy rain. Breathability of Materials summarized from Clive Tully UK Outdoor/Travel Writer 100260.2053@compuserve.com Breathability in waterproof clothing is one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented technical aspects of outdoors clothing and equipment. It's all very well listing the technical merits of a particular fabric, coating or membrane. Too often, the design of the finished garment either makes or breaks the fabric manufacturer's claim. E.g., a walking jacket with a permanently vented shoulder flap might as well be made of non-breathable PU. It can't maintain the partial pressure which makes the fabric work. The exception is Gore-Tex fabric. Garment manufacturers using their fabrics have to submit sample products for Gore to check they meet their laid down standards of manufacture. Not many fabric manufacturers do that, but then, not many have such a tight grip on their markets. The Breathable options Breathable waterproof fabrics operate by one of two ways.They're microporous, with microscopic pores which permit the passage of water vapour but not water liquid, or they're hydrophilic, a solid barrier but capable of absorbing moisture vapour and passing it through its structure. Either may come as coatings applied directly to a fabric, or membranes which are glued to the fabric which carries it. Then there are microfibre fabrics and cotton fabrics. The top end of the market is dominated by Gore-Tex, and like some of the other laminates on offer, it comes in a variety of forms. The original, and still the best for durability, is 3-layer, where the breathable waterproof membrane is sandwiched between a facing and lining fabric. Garments made of this tend to be good value, too, because the manufacturing processes aren't so complex. 2-layer is softer, with the membrane glued to the underside of the facing fabric, and a loose lining. Not so durable, but usually more breathable, and more expensive. Other varieties, laminate the membrane to a lining fabric with loose outer - nice for fashion garments, and sometimes the waterproof lining has loose outer and lining on either side - again, more complex constructions generally adding up to more expensive garments. And the outside pockets will let in water... A coating is a coating, or is it? Breathable PU nylon doesn't really mean an awful lot. Individual coatings can have their chemistry tinkered with to make them more breathable or more waterproof. Cheaper coatings may be applied in one pass over the fabric, more expensive performance coatings may be made up of several thinner applications. You'd expect breathable waterproof fabric to work reasonably well in dry conditions, provided you're not working so hard as to overload its capability to transport moisture. The real crunch is when it's raining. How much does it breathe after 5 hours in pouring rain? Tests showed that all fabrics lose an element of breathability in wet conditions. The various configurations of Gore-Tex lost between 34 and 43% of their breathability, Sympatex 31% on a Z-liner construction, 70% in a double layer. Helly-Tech's decline was just short of 75%, but perhaps the biggest surprise was Lowe Alpine's Triple Point Ceramic 1200, losing just 15%. Whatever the coating or laminate, the facing fabric and its water-repellent surface treatment is absolutely critical. It's fair to say that the coarse texturised facing fabrics will fare less well than smooth ones because of a larger surface area to grab water when the water repellent treatment wears off. Linings It is a misconception that a lining is an aid to breathability. It isn't. It won't make any improvement. As an extra layer of insulation, it will make condensation inside the jacket MORE likely. What it does is improve the comfort factor by putting a layer between you and any condensation which may form on the shiny underside of your coating or membrane. 2-layer Gore-Tex would be just too fragile without a loose lining to protect it. In other instances, it's used to mask what's going on (or rather, not) at the point of greatest resistance! A mesh lining can achieve the same effect with less resistance to the passage of water vapour - looks nice too, even if it is a bit of a pain with Velcro - but the best functional designs will still employ a smooth lining fabric down the arms to avoid drag over your fleece. But if the mesh is to do the same job for a poor breathable coating or membrane as a close weave lining fabric, it has to be made from an absorbent or wicking fibre, otherwise, there's not much point in having the lining at all. Maintenance Whether you have an expensive membrane or an inexpensive coating lurking behind the face fabric of your jacket, the moment the fabric "wets out", you're in danger of anything from drastically reducing performance to turning your jacket into something with the breathability of a bin liner. It's easy to see when this happens. The water no longer beads up and rolls off the surface of the fabric, and you'll see it soaking into the material in patches. The fabric is still waterproof (apart from pressure points - see above), but its breathability will be greatly impaired. The answer is to keep your jacket clean, following any washing instructions to the letter, and maintain the water repellent finish on the outside. General Information Running Mailing Lists T & F Mailing List For details send email to: (Derrick Peterman)dwp@mps.ohio-state.edu The Track and Field Mailing List is a world wide network of athletes, coaches, sports scientists, officials, and track and field enthusiasts. Many national class athletes from several nations subscribe. The list provides rapid dissemination of results, discussion of track and field topics, and a source for inquiry about track and field events. Terminology: Pronation/Supination (Tom Page page@ficus.cs.ucla.edu) "Over" pronation describes a minor misalignment of the leg's forward swing that causes the footstrike to be skewed to the inside of the heel. (J.Horalek) "Over" supination is the reverse - impact is shifted toward the outside of the heel. (Jim Horalek) Pronation and supination describe natural and normal motions of the foot during the walking or running stride. In a normal stride, the outside portion of the heal strikes the ground first. The foot pronates to absorbe shock. That is, it rolls inward. At the end of the stride, the foot re-supinates -- rolls outward-- on push-off. What the previous writer (Jim Horalek horalek@alliant.com) is defining is `over pronation', and `over supination'. These are excesses of the normal motions. Note that over pronation is fairly common and many shoes are designed to counteract this. Over supination is very rare. Most people who think they over supinate probably just under pronate. Some people who think they over pronate may in fact pronate a normal amount, but fail to re-supinate sufficiently at the end of the stride. Calorie/Energy Count (Kenrick J. Mock mock@iris.ucdavis.edu) Here is a little table adapted from "Beyond Diet...Exercise Your Way to Fitness and Heart Health" by Lenore R. Zohman, M.D. Energy Range = Approx. Calories Per Hour Energy Range Activity Conditioning Benefits 72-84 Sitting, Conversing None 120-150 Strolling, 1 mph Not strenuous enough to produce endurance unless Walking, 2 mph your exercise capacity is very low 150-240 Golf, power cart. Not sufficiently taxing or continuous to promote endurance. 240-300 Cleaning windows Adequate for conditioning if carried out Mopping floor continuously for vacuuming 20-30 minutes Bowling Too intermittent for endurance Walking, 3mph Adequate dynamic exercise if Cycling, 6mph your capacity is low Golf, pulling cart Useful if you walk briskly,if cart is heavy isometrics may be involved. 300-360 Scrubbing floors Adequate if done in at least 2 minute stints Walking, 3.5 mph Usually good dynamic aerobic exercise Cycling, 8 mph Ping Pong Vigorous continuous play can Badminton have endurance benefits. May aid skill. Volleyball Tennis, doubles Not beneficial unless there is continuous play for at least 2 minutes at a time. Aids skill. 360-420 Walking, 4mph Dynamic, aerobic, beneficial. Cycling, 10mph Skating Should be continuous 420-480 Walking, 5mph Dynamic, aerobic, beneficial. Cycling, 11mph Tennis, singles Benefit if played 30 minutes or more with an attempt to keep moving Water Skiing Total isometrics 480-600 Jogging, 5 mph Dynamic, aerobic, endurance Cycling, 12mph building exercise. Downhill skiing Usually too short to help endurance significantly. Paddleball Not sufficiently continuous for aerobic benefits. 600-660 Running, 5.5 mph Excellent conditioner. Cycling, 13 mph Over 660 Running, 6+ mph Excellent conditioner Handball, Squash Conditioning benefit if played 30 min or more. Swimming (wide Good conditioning exercise caloric range) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Calories burned by running (Rob Lingelbach rob@xyzoom.info.com) Here is a table I clipped from Runner's World; the source listed is "Exercise & Physiology" (Lea & Febiger, 1986). At 70% of max. Pace (minutes per mile) 12:00 10:43 9:41 8:46 8:02 7:26 6:54 6:26 6:02 Wt(lbs) Calories burned per hour running 100 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800 119 432 486 540 594 648 702 756 810 864 128 464 522 580 638 696 754 812 870 928 137 496 558 620 682 744 806 868 930 992 146 528 594 660 726 792 858 924 990 1056 154 560 630 700 770 840 910 980 1050 1120 163 592 666 740 814 888 962 1036 1110 1184 172 624 702 780 858 936 1014 1092 1170 1248 181 656 738 820 902 984 1066 1148 1230 1312 190 688 774 860 946 1032 1118 1204 1290 1376 199 720 810 900 990 1080 1170 1260 1350 1440 207 752 846 940 1034 1128 1222 1316 1410 1504 216 784 882 980 1078 1176 1274 1372 1470 1568 225 816 918 1020 1122 1224 1326 1428 1530 1632 234 848 954 1060 1166 1272 1378 1484 1590 1696 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Muscle Fuels Used During Exercise Stuart Phillips(phillips@healthy.uwaterloo.ca) There are 3 main fuels used during exercise by the contracting muscle: 1) Protein; 2) Carbohydrate; 3) Fat. PROTEIN: A majority of text books written will not acknowledge protein as a major fuel, and it likely is not. It should be pointed out that protein requirements of someone who is running/exercising on a regular basis are GREATER than those of a sedentary population. Is this something to worry about? Most "North American" diets contain more protein than is needed. So the bottom line is you get more than you need so don't worry. Vegetarians? Again the answer is likely yes, they also get enough protein. Even when consuming a pure protein diet there is enough protein to more than cover the needs of a person who regularly runs/exercises. Moreover, most vegetarians are aware of what they eat and plan their diets very well. FUELS: Fats and carbohydrates (CHOs are then the major fuel sources for the exercising person. The balance of the use of these fuels is dependant upon exercise intensity and duration (the two are inversly related). The general rule is that the lower the intensity the greater the energy cost of exercise can be covered by fat. Hence, the greater the exercise duration the more fat will be burned, usually because the intensity of one's workout will decrease - FATIGUE! The flip side then, is that during higher intensity exercise (>70% of max), one relies heavily on CHOs. From: gontang at electriciti.com (Ozzie Gontang) Subject: rec.running FAQ, part 8 of 8 Date: 21 Jan 2005 05:40:18 GMT Archive-name: running-faq/part8 Last-modified: 21 March 2003 Posting-Frequency: 14 days (Sites are being rechecked and new ones added by Arthur Bamps . He continues to update the info. Ozzie) Part 8 of the FAQ had been subdivided into 3 areas Part 1 deals with the WWW pages Part 2 deals with mail-based discussion lists Part 3 deals with Usenet discussion groups Part I General http://www.waddleon.com/ The Internet Guide to Becoming an Athlete http://run-down.com/ Run Down Running Portal - Dan Kaplan (+10000 links) http://www.ontherun.com Serves runners/walkers/multi-sport athletes-Denny Brooks http://www.womensmultisport.com/ Women's Multisport Online http://www.runnersweb.com/running.html Runnersweb http://www.runnerswebuk.com/index.html Runners Web UK http://www.coolrunning.com/home.htm Cool Running http://www.letsrun.com/ Lets Run http://www.jeffgalloway.com/ Jeff Galloway http://teamoregon.com/ Team Oregon http://dir.yahoo.com/Recreation/Sports/Running/ Yahoo-Recreation:Sports:Running http://www.nederland.org/atletiek/ Remko's T&F Page http://www.athletics-online.co.uk/index.htm Sportscreen - Athletics online http://www.tflinks.com/index.shtml The World of Running and Track & Field http://www.track-and-field.net/ Athletics (Track & Field) Links http://www.runningonline.com/ Running Online http://running.about.com/ Running (About.com) http://www.onrunning.com/index.asp Onrunning.com (UK) http://dmoz.org/Sports/Running/Trail_Running/ Trail Running links on DMOZ http://www.mountainrunning.com/kgbroad/index.html MountainRunning.com http://www3.nbnet.nb.ca/ATREE/weblinksCCRR.htm CCRR Running Weblinks http://www.runstopshop.com/ RunStopShop.com was Joe's Running Links http://www.rnib.org.uk/youhelp/teamrnib/tm_tips.htm Tips for Blind and Partially Sighted Runners http://www.sarasanctuary.org/runningdog.html Running with your Dog http://www.backward-running-backward.com/ Backward running http://www.runningbarefoot.com/ http://www.unshod.org/ Barefoot running http://www.cybernude.com/nuderuns/ Nude Running Events Organizations & Associations International http://www.iaaf.org/index.asp IAAF International Amateur Athletic Federation http://www.olympic.org/ International Olympic Committee http://www.aims-association.org/ Association of International Marathons and Road Races http://www.wava.org/ World Association of Veteran Athletes USA http://www.americanrunning.org/ American Running Association http://www.usatf.org/ USA Track & Field http://usatfnj.org/ USA TF New Jersey http://www.rrca.org/ Road Runners Club of America http://www.americanultra.org/index.html American UltraRunning Association Canada http://www.canoe.ca/Athcan/ Athletics Canada Australia http://www.athletics.org.au/ Athletics Australia http://www.ausport.gov.au/ Australian Sports Commission New Zealand http://www.athletics.org.nz/index.html Athletics New Zealand Europe http://www.eaa-athletics.ch/ European Athletic Association UK http://www.ukathletics.org/ UK Athletics http://www.saf.org.uk/ Scottish Athletics Federation http://www.welshathletics.org/ Athletics Association of Wales http://www.niathletics.org/ Northern Ireland Athletic Federation Asia http://www.asianathletics.org/ Asian Amateur Athletic Association Hong Kong http://www.hkaaa.com/index.html Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association Running Clubs World http://www.tflinks.com/lclubs/index.shtml http://www.gthhh.com/ Canada http://www.canadianmarathoning.bc.ca/links.htm http://www.bcathletics.org/links.htm http://www.ontarioroadrunners.com/clublist.html USA http://www.gbtc.org/whatelse.html http://www.nyrrc.org/race/linksclb.htm http://rrca.org/ 50 States Marathon Club http://hometown.aol.com/fiftydc/index.html Australia http://www.coolrunning.com.au/clubs.shtml Europe Netherlands http://www.ra.nl/atl/ Belgium http://www.val.be/val/verenigingen/1_2.htm http://www.jogging.org/ http://gallery.uunet.be/BAV/links.html UK http://www.british-athletics.co.uk/ http://www.roadrunnersclub.org.uk/ http://www.runtrackdir.com/ukclubs/ http://www.serpentine.org.uk/links/links.htm http://www.windmilers.org.uk/links.htm http://www.lescroupiersrunningclub.org.uk/links.html Ireland http://www.iol.ie/~imra/links.html Switzerland http://www.running.ch/club/ Running events World http://www.trackcoach.com/Links_competition_calendars_index.htm Links to different Competition Calendars http://users.chello.be/cr32000/frame1e.htm Marathon Calendar (over 650 worldwide) USA http://www.rrca.org/ http://kicksports.com/calendar/index.shtml http://www.runningclubnorth.org/lnk_rgeo.htm http://www.active.com/running/ http://www.theschedule.com/calendar/index.htm http://www.run-2-3.com/ Canada http://www.runningclubnorth.org/lnk_rgeo.htm http://www.wi.bc.ca/ UK http://www.british-athletics.co.uk/ http://www.roadraces.co.uk/ http://www.realrunner.com/ukandeurope/racesdiarypage.htm http://www.gbrathletics.com/ South Africa http://www.runner.co.za/ http://www.runnersguide.co.za/ France http://www.courirenfrance.com/ Extreme http://www.guetali.fr/grandraid/ Reunion-Grand Raid http://home.mweb.co.za/sa/sabike/ South African Augrabies http://www.aoicimbaly.com/ http://www.sandmarathon.com/ Sand Marathon-Marathon des Sables http://spartathlon.webvista.net/index.html Spartathlon Athletics Statistics http://www.hkkk.fi/~niininen/athl.html Global and Local Athletic Records Medical corner http://www.med.uiuc.edu/m1/anatomy/LE/lecture_text.html Anatomy - Lower Extremity http://www.recnet.ca/anatomy101/ Muscles and Joints http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/ Virtual Sports Injury Clinic http://www.sover.net/~sstryker/itbs.html Iliotibial Band Causes and Solutions http://www.clark.net/pub/pribut/spsport.html http://www.csuchico.edu/phed/atc/Projects/ITband/ITBFS.html Dr. Pribut Sports Page http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/mednav.html The SportsMed Web http://www.footandankle.com/ Foot & Ankle Web Index http://home.hia.no/~stephens/ Masters Physiology & Performance http://spot.Colorado.EDU/~collinsj/ Sport and Exercise Psychology http://www.zunis.org/index.html Zunis Foundation Coaching & Training http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/index.htm Brian Mackenzie on all aspects of it http://www.marathontraining.com Marathon Training http://www.halhigdon.com/ Hal Higdon http://www.doitsports.com/virtualtraining/ Do It Sports Virtual Training http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/dept/coachsci/index.htm Coaching Science Abstracts http://www.chirunning.com/Chi/Running/index.html ChiRunning http://dstc.edu.au/TU/staff/timbomb/ab/ Abdominal Training http://www.stretching.com/ Stretching Ultra running http://www.he.net/~mmahoney/ultra/ Matt Mahoney http://www.run100s.com/ Stan Jensen http://www.ultraned.org/ UltraNed /Fox.nstn.ca:/~dblaikie/">http://Fox.nstn.ca:/~dblaikie/ David Blaikie http://www.fred.net/ultrunr/ Kevin Sayers Resource The press http://www.runningnetwork.com/ The Running Network http://www.stevenscreek.com/books Athlete's Bookstore http://www.raceplace.com Southern California Running/Tri/Bike Calendar http://www.runnersworld.com/ Runner's World http://www.marathonandbeyond.com/learn.htm for marathoners/ultradistance runners http://www.runningstats.com/ 42 times per year newsletter http://www.siteworks.co.uk/pperf/index.html Peak Performance http://www.rrnews.com Running Research Newsletter http://home.sprynet.com/~holtrun/homepage.htm David Holt - Running Dialogue http://www.trifind.com/books/run.html Running Books at TriFind.com Equipment http://users.chello.be/cr32000/commerce.htm Running gear - all brands http://www.roadrunnersports.com/roadrunner/ Shoes and sports gear Software http://www.lin-mark.com/ Lin-Mark timing systems http://www.pccoach.com/ PC Coach Training Software http://pegasussoftware.com/ Stevens Creek Software http://www.stevenscreek.com/ Athlete's Diary http://www.fitwise.com/default.asp FitWise.Com http://www.science-sportsware.dk/ Science Sportsware Measurement http://website.lineone.net/~athletics/coursemeasurement/ Road Running Race Course Measurement http://www.moloney.freeserve.co.uk/measurement.htm Obtaining a Course Measurement Certificate http://www.rrtc.net/jones-history.html http://www.geol.binghamton.edu/faculty/jones/jones.html http://www.horsforth.harriers.btinternet.co.uk/jones.htm The Jones Counter PART II E-mail lists are the easiest way to obtain information on running. However, the mail volume can become increasingly large and your mail-box becomes clogged when you are subscribed to a number of these toys. The tone is sometimes informal to more scientifically oriented in other lists. E-mail lists normally have two addresses, one to subscribe and one to send contributions to You can find a LISTSERV user's guide on http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/scripts/wa.exe Running related E-mail lists ============================ UK Running e-mail list Join over 200 participants in a discussion of all aspects of running in the UK. Send a blank email to : ukrunning-subscribe@yahoogroups.com And there are more at http://groups.yahoo.com/ Dead Runners Society The Dead Runners Society is a discussion group for people who like to talk about running. The group is informal and social and all members try to encourage each other in their running programs. Traffic is heavy. Write to listserv@listserv.dartmouth.edu and, in the text of your message (not the subject line), write: subscribe drs firstname lastname list-owner: Christopher Mark Conn To obtain the FAQ via e-mail, send the message : send drs faq to : listserv@listserv.dartmouth.edu Archives : http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/archives/drs.html Webpage : http://storm.cadcam.iupui.edu/drs/ Dead Runners Mind Offshoot of DRS discusses the philosophical/psychological aspects of running. Send : subscribe drm firstname lastname in the text of your message(not the subject line) To: listserv@listserv.dartmouth.edu DRS Sublists There also exist many regional mailing lists (in Cleveland, for example, they have the DRNEO - Dead Runners of NorthEast Ohio list, and DRS-Nl for Dutch-deads) which cover local running scenes. These regional groups, or mini-lists, are generally used to contact dead runners in a specific area of the world. Check the DRS FAQ on these groups. Clydesdale Virtual Racing Team CVRT is a mailing list for 'heavy' runners. It is for men over 195 pounds and women over 140 pounds. To subscribe to cvrt, compose a message addressed to clydesdale@listserv.rmi.net with the text subscribe clydesdale as the only message in the body. List'owner': Tim Bergstresser Orienteering This mailing list discusses the sport of orienteering. send a message to: orienteering-request@graphics.cornell.edu Hash-l This list covers the hashing scene. To: listserv@vm.usc.edu Send: subscribe hash-l FirstName LastName Don't Stop Moving http://www.teleport.com/~pmotion Don't Stop Moving is a newsletter written for runners by a runner with 24 years of competitive and recreational running experience. The newsletter comes out monthly or thereabouts, with back issues periodically sent to the list. To receive Don't Stop Moving, send a message: To: majordomo@teleport.com Message:subscribe ds-moving (your address here) Listowner: Mike Van Meter Ultra This mailing list discusses the sport of ultramarathoning. Send: subscribe ultra FirstName LastName To : listserv@listserv.dartmouth.edu List-owner : Joe Jurzcyk (an241@cleveland.freenet.edu) Training-Nutrition mailing list. The focus is on bodybuilding and sports nutrition, athletic physiology and biochemistry, overall diet planning, and recipes. Low fat, high protein recipes preferred. Supplement discussion is discouraged. If the list sounds interesting to you, you can request the FAQs by sending mail to: trnutreq@dgs.dgsys.com Biomechanics This list discusses aspects of biomechanics. Address to (un)subscribe : listserv@listserv.net Message to subscribe: sub biomch-l firstname lastname Address for list messages : biomch-l@nic.surfnet.nl Part III Usenet was THE net. You only need a newsreader and server and you can subscribe to thousands of lists and read a zillion contributions each day. Most of the discussions are informal, especially the sports oriented ones. The newsgroups you can access depends also on the Usenet server which supports your ISP, e.g. not all nl.* groups can be read in Japan (I doubt if any). The idea is that if you find an interesting newsgroup, via DejaNews for instance, you ask your ISP to put it on the server. Usenet Discussion Groups ------------------------ news:rec.running rec.running FAQ http://www.faqs.org/faqs/running-faq/ Maintainer FAQ Ozzie Gontang news:alt.sport.uk.athletics news:uk.sport.athletics 2(?) discussion groups dedicated to athletics in the UK. news:alt.sport.track-field news:rec.sport.triathlon news:misc.fitness Related newsgroups 23.05.96 Site created by:Wouter Gerritsma 10.08.01 Site updated and checked by: Arthur Bamps Visit Arthur's Marathon Page at http://users.skynet.be/arthurbamps/marathon/ . From: gontang at electriciti.com (Ozzie Gontang) Subject: rec.running FAQ, part 7 of 8 Date: 21 Jan 2005 05:40:18 GMT Archive-name: running-faq/part7 Last-modified: 10 March 2003 Posting-Frequency: 14 days =========================================================== Answers to REC.RUNNING FAQ and Interesting Information This posting contains answers to frequently asked questions posted to rec.running plus interesting & useful information for runners. If known, author's name/email address are given. Send me Ozzie Gontang any corrections,updates, suggestions, or proper info of sources or holder's of copyright. Running and Pregnancy. Paula Vanzant-Hardick I have been running for oh, about 11 or 12 years now and have run all the way through all of my pregnancies. I feel like it has made them healthier for both of us. I have never had any kind of a problem with low iron, high blood pressure or any real pregnancy related maladies. I also believe that had I not run, my recovery time after each baby was born would have been significantly longer than they were. Even after my second one (the C section, I could walk a couple of miles within about 10 days after delivery). Running is a FABULOUS form of stress management. Now to my diet, I just really maintained my normal diet, the only thing is I may have been a little heavier on the fresh fruits (trying to avoid that refined sugar you know) and I usually drink at least 10 8oz glasses of water a day (you notice I say at least). The water I think also helps to keep the yuckies away. I am planning to continue my training regime as usual with this pregnancy as I have with the others. I guess the only thing that I may do a bit differently during pregnancy is if I really feel like I need to walk during any of my runs, I will, it may only be a few feet or it may be 1/2 mile but if I have a feeling that I don't think should be there I don't hesitate to walk it off. Any of these other women who have run while pregnant may have other suggestions but I guess my biggest thing is to just really do what feels best for the person. And one last note, there were times during each of my pregnancies that I would have rather had a nap, but instead would drag myself out for a run, I would not only feel better after I had run, I would have TONS more energy (and the second, third and now fourth time that is VERY important.) Thanks for asking and giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts! Paula (and the thundering herd--Tom, Shaun, Alexa, Erin and #4) excerpted by Paula from UK version of Runner's World May 1995 "Running for Two" (subtitle Good News- running during pregnancy can make you and your baby healthier!) By Joe Dunbar "There are two main issued: how will training affect the baby, and how will pregnancy affect running performance?....In General, the running you do when pregnant should be aimed at maintaining rather than developing fitness. The main danger to the fetus (that British spelling), according to Dr. Richard Budgett 0f the British Olympic Medical Centre, is from an increase in body temperature. The main effect of too great an increase in body temperature is damage to the fetus's central nervous system. The danger is especially great in the first three months, but you should be careful throughout the pregnancy. Budgett recommends that you limit the increase in body temperature to 38.9 Degree C (102 F). You are also generally recommended not to exceed a rate of 140-150bpm, but individuals vary enormously in their resting , maximum and training heart rates. Remember too that one effect of endurance training is that your body can control temperature rises more effectively ,so a runner who is highly trained before pregnancy should be in a slightly better position. Drinking plenty of fluids is essential to avoid dehydration and hyperthermia. This will also help to limit the temperature increase, so get into the habit of drinking regularly during training it's equally important to avoid hypoglycemia during and after exercise carbo drinks will help to replace [carbohydrates] both during and after exercise, provided that they aren't too concentrated. One recent project that followed two groups of 462 suburban women through their pregnancies found that women who had burned more calories per week (as a result of greater exercise levels) tend to give birth to slightly heavier babies than women who had exercised less. ....the bottom line? Although each individual will differ, you should bear in mind the following guidelines on pregnancy and running: o It is safe to continue moderate training throughout your pregnancy, although individual complications may cause limitations. o Listen to your body and run as you feel. o There is no need to switch to other forms of exercise unless you have specific problems. o Use your heart rate and check your temperature during training. Stick to sensible levels to avoid hyperthermia. o Take plenty of fluids to limit the risk of dehydration and assist cooling. o You can reduce lower back pain by strengthening the abdominal & hip flexor muscles, & stretching the muscles around the pelvis and spine. o Try to avoid explosive exercise during pregnancy. o Try water-running sessions: they are specific to running but have far less impact, and water helps to avert hyperthermia." As I said, I found this article very interesting, and the parts that I have included are verbatim, unless in parentheses. Hope you find this interesting and of some use to all those expectant mom's who don't want to give up their running. A Mindful Way of Dealing with Out of Control People from Ozzie Gontang THE EMPTY BOAT from The Way of Chuang Tzu by Thomas Merton, 1965 New Direction Publishing Corporation If a man is crossing a river And an empty boat collides with his own skiff, Even though he be a bad-tempered man He will not become very angry. But if he sees a man in the boat, He will shout at him to steer clear. If the shout is not heard, he will shout again, And yet again, and begin cursing. And all because there is somebody in the boat. Yet if the boat were empty, He would not be shouting and not angry. If you can empty your own boat Crossing the river of the world, No one will oppose you, No one will seek to harm you.... When I confronted by reckless drivers, speeding skaters or bikers, I simply avoid them and say to myself, "Empty boat." Over the years, those two words have saved me from feeding anger, aggression and violence-both mine and theirs. Hints for the Success of the Four Hour Marathoner (Super-Fours) These Hints are from a brochure for Super-Fours, i.e. those running over 4 hours in the Marathon. It was subtitled: "A Short Guide to the Care and Support of Four-Hour Marathoners, The Physically Distressed and Mentally Distracted Sub-Fours and The First Time Marathoner-Who Only Wants To finish" It was originally published by the International Association of Marathoners (IAM and pronounced "I AM") in 1988. The last 6 to 8 miles of the Marathon will test an individual physically but most of all mentally. No matter how well prepared on may be, the unknown of how one will be or how the weather conditions will be leaves one with some sense of discovery or travelling unfamiliar territoroes of mind/body. It is often for the righteous and well-trained that the fall from grace is the hardest. IAM Aware: Know that you will tell others your verbal time: "About 4 hours." Know that you will harbor a desired time: "I THINK I can do it, if all goes perfect, 15 to 30 minutes faster." Know that you will have an ideal or fantasized time: "Wouldn't it be great to break 3:30 in my first marathon." Acknowledge your desired time and Fantasy Time verbally to yourself, otherwise they will influence you finish time for the worse. Super-Four Success One: Set your time with a standard deviation (SD) of 15 minutes. The SD+/- (Verbal Time + 5 minutes). The mind/body message goes from a single second in time to a window of 30 minutes and respects the mind, the body and the conditions of the day. Super-Four Success Two: Starting a marathon 30 seconds to 60 seconds per mile faster than your race plan for the first 3 to 5 miles can slow your finish time from 20 minutes to 90 minutes. That speed will burn off several times more glycogen in the first 3 to 5 miles than needed. You are fueled with energy from minimal running the 6 days before the marathon. You have also stored extra energy from eating and hydrating well the last three days before the marathon. Know your game plan and stick to it for the first 3 to 5 miles when you are so full of energy. That energy can easily give you the power to run those first few miles at that 30 second to 60 second per mile faster...and not even realize it. It will remember somewhere between miles 18 and 26. Super-Four Success Three: The jitteriness you feel the morning of the race and the day before are from your body being fueled and needing to expend energy. You can identify it as fear, or nervousness, or worry. Just remember you haven't run more than 2 to 4 miles in 3 days. You body is ready to do something-Run A Marathon. You now feel what it's like not to run a few days...or the feelings 3 days after injuring yourself. To walk and sightsee 5 to 10 miles the day before the marathon is 500 to 1000 calories of energy plus the water to store the glycogen. You may not be able to replenish it by race time. Super-Four Success Four: In the past 6 months if you have moved, bought a house, changed jobs, started or ended a relationship, had a child (or fathered a child), have trouble at work or home that costs you mental energby, there is a good likelihood you will finish 30 to 60 minutes slower than you had planned. Super-Four Success Five: When you feel tired or unable to go on, should your mind go to the finish line, bring it back to the present. If your mind is at the finish, so is your body...even though it has 1 to 6 more miles jto go. Bring the mind to the present by saying, "I am at Mile ___ and am being drawn by a magnet to the finish. I hold my body up and erect and I am being pulled steadily to the finish." Super-Four Success Six: The last 10 miles push the crown of your head up and look to the horizon. By holding the head erect you save your shoulder muscles and balance not only the weight of your 12 to 14 pound head but also your breathing. Super-Four Success Seven: The last 6 miles run out from the pack and away from the curbside. You are in a trance state by mile 18. You will be open to and picking up visual and non-verbal cues of runners around you. If you are away from the curb and can see 200 to 300 yards in front of you, you will be running your own race. Should someone stop dead in f ront of you, do not give them any of your energy by getting angry or upset. Simply say as you pass them, "Don't lose your form. Even if you walk keep your good running form." Super-Four Success Eight: When someone running with you starts to speed up or to fall behind, or you start to pick up your pace or fall behind; in your mind, picture a pair of scissors in your hand cutting the cord between you and the other runner. Otherwise, you will be carrying that person in your mind...and it will only slow you down...or wear you out if they are in front of you. You can only be in one place physically, and that is directly above the space upon which you feet are running. Cutting that cord allows you to cut loose from a slower runner or free your mind from attempting to keep up with a faster runner. Super-Four Success Nine: When you run with someone, run shoulder to shoulder. If you run slightly behind, the mind often feels like it is having to catch up. If your image is that of being pulled or towed by the runner in front of you, then running behind is okay...unless the runner complains. Super-Four Success Ten: In a marathon to catch someone, wind them in over a mile to three miles. that way you waste no energy required to finish the last 1 to 6 miles. If you want to share your thoughts, suggestions, ideas, mantras, anecdotes, and your own Super-Four Success hints, please send e-mail them or send them to: International Association of Marathoners (IAM) Attn. Ozzie Gontang 2903 29th Street San Diego, CA 92104 e-mail: Ozzie Gontang ph. 619-281-7447 fax 619-281-9468 Mindful Running: http://www.mindfulness.com From: gontang at electriciti.com (Ozzie Gontang) Subject: rec.running FAQ, part 6 of 8 Date: 21 Jan 2005 05:40:17 GMT Archive-name: running-faq/part6 Last-modified: 10 Mar 2003 Posting-Frequency: 14 days =========================================================== Shoes (Thomas Page page@ficus.cs.ucla.edu) Here is a summary of shoe reviews gleaned from various places including manufacturers' adds, Road Runner Sports catalog, Runner`s World, Running Times, rec.running postings, and my own experience. I will post and update occasionally. Guide to Categories ------------------- BASICS: A good quality shoe for a beginning through mid-mileage runner. LIGHTWEIGHT TRAINER/RACER: Typically under 10 ounces. Very light, very fast, biomechanically gifted runners can wear these shoes as daily trainers. Other runners may get away with using these as a second pair for racing in or for track workouts. These shoes usually have blown rubber soles for light weight so they wear out too quickly for an everyday training shoe for most of us. MC: (Motion Control) Made for over-pronators and heavier runners. STABILITY: For neutral runners and mild over-pronators. Offers some resistance to pronation and supination. RACING FLAT: Most people should race in their regular trainers or lightweight trainers. For people who can get away with it, racing flats might buy them a few seconds in a 10k. If that is the difference between 1st and 2nd, it is probably worth it. If it is the difference between 38:04 and 38:14 it is probably not worth the risk of injury. These shoes have very little stability, cushioning, or durability, but they tend to weigh 2-4 oz. less than a lightweight trainer. Construction ------------ If you remove the insole, you can tell the type of construction. Slip Lasted shoes have a sewn seam running the length of the shoe. Board lasted shoes have a cardboard board running the length of the shoe. Combination lasted shoes have cardboard in the rear half, and a seam up the front half. Slip lasted shoes are the most flexible. Board lasted shoes are the most stable and least flexible. Combination lasted shoes attempt to compromise giving a flexible forefoot and a stable rear. Orthotics wearers should stick to board or combination lasted shoes. True over-supinators (these are rare) should use flexible slip lasted shoes. Another way to look at it: if you have a rigid foot (tends to be high arched feet), favor flexible (slip laste) shoes. If you have a floppy foot (tends to have flatter feet and overpronate), favor combination or board construction. Last ---- The last is the form the shoe is made on. Lasts vary from curved, to semi-curved, to straight. Straight lasts are generally the most stable shoes, while curved lasted shoes tend to be the most flexible. You just have to see what last from what manufacturer fits your foot. Stores ------ A good running shoe store is essential. The sales people at the sporting goods chain stores and the mall shoe stores just don't know their products or how to fit runners, despite advertising to the contrary. A real runner's store should allow you to run in the shoe on the sidewalk outside the store, or at least on a tread mill in the store and watch you run. They should be able to tell you if you over-pronate in a particular shoe. The advice you get in a good store is worth the price (full retail) you pay. Don't be a jerk and pick the brains of a good running shoe store salesman and then buy at a discount place. If you value their advice, buy a pair of shoes from the specialty running store so they will still be in business the next time you need them. Then, if you liked the pair you bought, go ahead and buy it from a discount store or mail order place in the future; you don't owe the store your business forever. Remember though, that models change, and you will want to go back to the good store every few years. Notes: ------ Weight is typically listed for mens' size 9 as quoted by manufacturer and found either in Runners World, Running Times, or Road Runner Sports catalog. Different sources differ in the weight they report, often by as much as an ounce. I have not been consistent about which source I use here so you may find a discrepancy with a source you consult. M.C. stands for Motion Control (i.e. a shoe for over-pronators). ************** SHOE REVIEWS ************* Check out: http://www.runnersworld.com/ Runner's World Online! ============================================================= Active Isolated Stretching Aaron Mattes' book Active Isolated Stretching. See RW, Feb/94 The book is $30 (+ Postage/handling). You can reach Aaron at: 2932 Lexington St Sarasota, FL 34231-6118 941-924-0462 941-925-8530 Aaron has video tapes of the stretches. The father/son team which has marketed themselves very well, were trained by Aaron Mattes in Active Isolated Stretching. They videoed their tape at Aaron's. Anyway, go to the source and support those people who often aren't the marketing wizs yet share so much great information. Two great little books which would be of great help to you are from a fellow who has shared a lot of his wisdom on rec.running. You can reach Paul Blakey at TEEHI@sunshine.net His books are: The Muscle Book $10.99 Stretching Without Pain $14.99 I have used them over the past several years and know that you'll find them very helpful in learning what you need to know about your "thinking body." Tell them Ozzie sent you. I don't receive any financial compensation, just want to support people who, I believe, care about helping people learn to take care of themselves plus get some good info out to the world. ============================================================= Stretching (Shane P Esau spesau@acs.ucalgary.ca) (Rocky Es rocky@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu) STRETCHING EXERCISES by Shane Esau, Edited by Rocky Es OVERVIEW When stretching, stretch the muscle until your feel a slight tightness, then hold for 20-30 seconds. Repeat, this time stretching the muscle a little more. Thus it should take 1-1.5 minutes/stretch (a total of 15-20 minutes) CHEST Place your hand on the wall, with the front of your elbow as well on the wall Now turn so that you can feel a stretch in your chest - try to keep your elbow on the wall - your hand should be shoulder height or higheer. HAMSTRING Stretch your hamstrings by lying on your back, with 1 knee bent. Then bring your other leg up to vertical, keeping your knee straight and your back against the floor. This is a much better stretch for your hamstrings than is the bent over stretch. QUADS Stand erect, grab one leg and pull your foot towards your but. Remember to keep your stomach tight - don't let your stomach relax - do this for both legs. Another quad stretch is to sit on your feet and bend (lean your upper torso) backwards, keeping your knees on the ground. ILLIOTIBIAL BAND (I.T. Band) Stand erect with your feet shoulder width apart. Now take your left leg and put it behind your right leg and put your left foot about 12" to the right of your right foot. Now lean your torso so that is upright again (take your right hand and run it down your right leg until your feel the stretch). Repeat with the other leg. FREQUENCY Try to stretch 1/2 - 1 hour/day - this includes pre-training stretching, but at least 1 stretching session/day that is outside of training. TRICEPS Take your left hand, and put it behind your head, palm facing the same way as your face. Now, slide your hand down your spine, until you feel a stretch. Now take your right hand and grab your left elbow, and pull your left elbow towards your right hip (over and down). This should stretch the tricep. LATS First, sit on your feet, with your arms outstretched in front of you. Now, place your left hand on top of your right hand. Now, lean back and twist your body towards your right side (you want to try to put your right armpit on the ground). If this is not stretching, move your hands further out in front of you. UPPER BACK This is for your upper back and is easy to do - take your left elbow in your right hand, and pull it across the front of your chest - try pulling your left elbow all the way over to your right pec muscle - it may be easier if your put your left forearm in your right armpit. BICYCLE SITUP Lie on your back, and put your legs in the crunch position (90 deg bend in your legs and your hips) Now, pedal your legs from bent to almost straight, and at the same time bend at the waist bringing your elbows to your knees. It is a killer (mainly because of the co-ordination that it takes) It is like a leg lift on the starting part, then changes to a crunch situp from that point on. Fingers interlaced behind head and pedal while you are crunching. GLUTEOUS MAXIMUS --THE BUTT Sit down with your legs out in front of you. Now bend your left leg and put your left foot on the outside of your right leg, between your right cheek and your right knee- pull your left foot as close to your right cheek as possible. Now, pull your left knee in towards your chest. If you don't feel much, grab your left shin, and give your left leg a little twist (ie pull your shin closer to your chest). Your should feel this. Another one is to lie on your back, put both feet in the air, then bend your left leg again, but this time bring your left shin in front of your roght quad. Now pull your right leg towards your chest - you should feel this in your buttocks. If you don't, push your left knee away from your chest, while maintaining the distance between your right leg and your chest. ANKLES (Mike Dotseth miked@col.hp.com) Stand with feet in normal standing position. Place a hand on a wall or a railing for a little balance. Now, 'roll' your feet around on their 'outer edges'. Repeat 50 times. ('Rolling on the outer edges' means to tilt your feet as far outward and inward (supination and pronationtween rock forward on your the balls of your feet and back on your heels.) The major benefit is the stretching and strengthening on the muscles and tendons which keep your foot stable as you run. A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about stretching and flexibility by Brad Appleton can be found on: Ftp-site: cs.huji.ac.il:/pub/doc/faq/rec/martial.arts WWW-URL: http://www.cs.huji.ac.il/papers/rma/stretching_toc.html ========================================== Sweat (Sam Henry shenry@cs.rice.edu) Question: I sweat more than I can replace during a long run, ride, or triathlon. What can I do about it? It's hard to say what to do without knowing what you do now. None of us can replace as much as we lose while we are losing it. The trick is to keep from going into deficit. Do you hydrate yourself every day, all day long? Min 2 qts/day. Do you hydrate yourself extra before the ride (like a qt an hour for 2 hrs or so before the start). Do you use sports drinks to help with trace element losses? I use Exceed at 25% solution for the 1st half of long rides, orange juice at 25% for med rides, and plain water for short rides. What is your consumption rate during rides? I start drinking 30 mins into the ride and drink a qt an hour whether I am thirsty or not. If you are thirsty, it is probably getting pretty close to too late. Do you eat while you ride? Things like bananas, oranges, and pears provide fuel *and* coolant, along with some nifty minerals and such that your body needs to make the cooling system work right. I eat fig newtons and such right as I start and eat every 20-30 mins after the first hour. Pears, particularly, are an easy-to-eat thirst slacker. What kind of hydration regimen do you use *afterwards*? I immediately start drinking at the end of a ride, starting with a quart of water followed by a quart of full-strength sports drink (Exceed for me). I also find something to eat that is high in complex carbohydrates. All this within the *first hour* after the workout. The eating and drinking are intertwined. Then I drink another quart of something that sounds appealing. Then I go back to my drinking all day long to get my "normal" two quarts. I might have thought I would slosh, but I never have. And most of my riding is done at temps above 80 degs and in high humidity. If you are urinating infrequently and the urine is a dark color, you are underhydrated, whether you have exercised or not. No matter how much you sweat. ============================================================ Treadmills--(contributed by Steve Pachuta, sjpachuta@mmm.com) The January, 1996 _Consumer Reports_ has a treadmill review which features both motorized and nonmotorized models, together with some useful criteria for evaluation. Why use a treadmill? There are many advantages to treadmills, including (1) The most obvious--weather is not a factor in your training schedule. (2) Training is possible any time of day--darkness is not a factor. (3) No danger of getting hit by a car or tripping on a curb. (4) No stoplights, no rabid dogs (presumably), no hecklers (presumably)! (5) Controlled hill workouts are possible with adjustable incline. (6) Precise interval training is possible. This is a big advantage; you just need to set your speed and stay on the treadmill to run your goal pace exactly. Is treadmill running the same as outdoor running? I think the consensus in the various posts in rec.running is that treadmill running is very similar to outdoor running. The physiological effects of a person moving relative to the ground vs. the ground moving relative to a person are not greatly different. Certainly there are some biomechanical issues involved, notably the tendency for the treadmill belt to slow down momentarily during each footstrike. Many treadmills have compensatory schemes to minimize this effect, including large flywheels and microsensors which constantly adjust the belt speed. Some differences between treadmill running and outdoor running are the absence of wind and visual motion cues on a treadmill. The lack of wind makes sweat generation a serious issue, and a strong fan blowing directly into your face is almost a necessity for serious training. The absence of a headwind also gives a slight speed advantage to treadmills, and it is often suggested that an incline of 1 to 2% on the treadmill will compensate for the lack of headwind. The lack of visual motion cues on a treadmill can be disconcerting initially, but this is something you get used to. It may contribute to the feeling that you are working harder at a given pace than you would outdoors. What features are important in a treadmill? Here are some things to consider: (1) Motorized vs. nonmotorized. If your goal is to bring your outdoor running indoors, then a motorized treadmill is what you want. Nonmotorized treadmills will certainly give you a workout, but they do not simulate true outdoor running since you are driving a belt as well as your body. Many nonmotorized treadmills only work at an incline, and pace is not constant as on a motorized treadmill (although in this respect they are similar to outdoor running). (2) Ruggedness. If you are really going to run on your treadmill, you need something more than the $299 specials you see at various discounters. Some things to look for: welded frame, large rollers (consider that some club models have rollers on the order of 8 inches in diameter), large motor (1.5 horsepower minimum, with 2.0 or up preferable). THE HEAVIER AND FASTER YOU ARE, AND THE LONGER YOUR WORKOUTS, THE MORE IMPORTANT THESE THINGS BECOME. Most treadmills are not built for people weighing more than 250 pounds. (3) WARRANTY AND QUALITY OF SERVICE ARE OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE. I wouldn't settle for anything less than a full 1-year warranty. Treadmills are like cars; they will almost certainly need some work at some point. (4) Maximum speed of 10 mph or more. This is 6:00 mile pace, which will do for most people. There are treadmills which can achieve 12 mph (5:00 pace); I haven't heard of any which go faster, but they probably exist. Personally, the consequences of a misstep while running indoors at 5:00 pace scare the hell out of me! (5) Method of belt lubrication. Running belts can get quite warm and wear faster if not properly lubricated. Some models are self-lubricating; others require periodic lubrication/waxing. (6) Ability to simulate actual running. Various mechanisms have been developed to make treadmill running feel more natural. Without putting in a plug for any particular manufacturer, I would recommend trying out several different makes. It is surprising how a treadmill that feels so natural can suddenly feel terrible after you try a different one. (7) Manual vs. motorized height adjustment. I've used both, and I strongly recommend motorized. If you want to run courses that simulate real outdoor runs you don't want to be cranking a handle all the time, especially if you're running fast. (8) Noise level. This can vary considerably, but note that "quiet" does not necessarily mean "better." (9) Programmability. It should be a given that speed and incline are adjustable during a workout. It is also very desirable to be able to PROGRAM both speed and incline to create your own custom courses. Many manufacturers include their own preprogrammed courses in their electronics, but it is less common for them to give the user the ability to do this. (10) Low price? Realistically treadmills for serious runners are going to cost more than $1000, and they can be a lot more than this. (11) Incline range. Most treadmills have inclines ranging from 0 to 10%. There are some which can produce a decline (-2% for example). See below for conversion between % incline and degrees. (12) Board and belt type. Some treadmills have shock-absorbing boards and/or soft belts to provide a more forgiving workout than can be obtained on hard pavement. Any disadvantages or other considerations? The lack of wind is definitely a problem, and as mentioned above a fan is a necessity. Another problem with treadmills is boredom. I am always amazed at how much faster an hour passes when running outside than when running inside. I don't think you can expect to read while running on a treadmill, but you can watch television or listen to music. I generally prefer loud music over television, but this is obviously a matter of personal preference. Another thing to be aware of is the tendency to set the treadmill at a fixed speed and incline and run an entire workout at these settings. I would recommend varying both speed and incline to give your muscles some variety and minimize the possibility of injury. Some treadmills interfere with heart rate monitors and prevent their use, though there are treadmills which come with built-in heart rate monitors. Safety is of some concern, and many treadmills come with protective devices which stop the belt in case you slip or fall off. Treadmill manufacturers always recommend plenty of clearance between the treadmill and the walls of a room. Treadmills can draw a lot of electrical current, and 30-amp circuits are recommended for some heavy duty models. How do I convert between % incline and degrees? Remember your trigonometry. Grade (or incline) = rise/run, opposite/ adjacent, height/length, or whatever you want to call it. For percent grade, multiply this by 100. degrees = arctan((percent grade)/100) percent grade = tan(degrees) * 100 Thus, 1% incline is a mere .57 degrees, 5% incline is 2.9 degrees, 10% incline is 5.7 degrees, and 15% incline is 8.5 degrees. Where can I get more information on treadmills? Start with back issues of _Runner's World_, _Running Times_, etc. They usually have articles on treadmills as winter approaches. The December, 1993 _Runner's World_ contains a list of manufacturers, a chart to convert between treadmill running at various inclines and outdoor running, and some sample workouts. The January, 1996 _Runner's World_ contains brief evaluations of many different treadmills (mainly high-end models). =========================================================== Weather ("The Running Book" By the Editors of Consumer Guide) COLD-WEATHER Cold weather does not present any serious problems for you, especially if you are in reasonably good condition. If you have heart problems, consult a doctor first. High wind-chill factors are the greatest threats to you in cold weather, since you can suffer frostbite if you are not adequately protected from the wind. You must remember that when you run, your own motion against the wind increases the windchill factor and increases the risk of frostbite. Be sure all normally exposed areas of skin are covered: head, face, ears, and hands. The important thing to remember is that you must dress in layers in order to create your own insulation. When you run in cold weather, beware of ice on the road, and remember to taper off your run slowly so you will not catch a chill. When you arrive home, change out of your damp, sweaty clothes right away. HOT-WEATHER When you run in hot weather, your blood pressure can drop dangerously or you could suffer heat exhaustion. If you start feeling dizzy and dehydrated while jogging and your pulse and breathing grow very rpid, you could very well be on your way to heat exhaustion. Stop exercising immediately. Get out of the sun, drink fluids (tepid, not cold), and rest. Running in heat also slows down the blood circulation, placing a greater burden on your heart. And of course, you will sweat a lot more so your body loses more water that usual. To replace it, drink a full glass of water before you start and one every 15 or 20 minutes during your run. A few pinches of salt dissolved in the water will help. But if your stomach is empty, omit the salt or it will probably cause stomach cramps. An important thing to remember about heat is that it takes your body about two weeks to adjust. WIND If you run in a strong wind, you are going to be expending six percent more oxygen that you would under ordinary condtitions. So, if you are running in a stiff breeze slow down and you will get the same benefits as you would from a faster run. When you set out on a windy day, start with the wind in front of you at the beginning of your workout; then at the end, when you are more tired, you will have it at your back, helping to push you along. RAIN Rain need not be a deterrent unless you're afraid of melting, but you will need some protection. Wear waterproof outer clothes, of course, and as many layers as you need to keep warm. Don't linger in them after the run but get into dry things as soon as you get home. HIGH ALTITUDES High altitudes are a source of special problems. When you get to 5000 feet above sea level and beyond, it takes a lot more time for oxygen to be absorbed into your blood and travel throughout your body. So your heart has to work a lot harder at its job. Plan on taking at least four to six weeks to get adjusted to a new high altitude, and adapt your jogging routine accordingly. Most runners recommend cutting your program by about 50% at the beginning. Running on cold, rainy days (Brendan Leitch bleitch@bcarh407.bnr.ca) TWO RULES: 1) Dress in layers 2) Keep DRY, this is done by putting the wicking layers closest to the SKIN. What works for us: (us = the running club I belong to) Top: 1st LIFA or some similar 'wicking' material against skin 2nd turtle neck or long sleeve t-shirt(repeat if needed) 3rd Shell jacket, Goretex is best, but any layered Nylon one will do the job Bottom: 1st LIFA or some similar 'wicking' material against skin 2nd long tights 3rd wind pants(preferably goretex again, but nylon will do) Head: 1st Bella Clava(a thin hat that goes around head like old fashioned ski mask) 2nd Your shell jacket hat over the Bella-Clava Hands: 1st light thin wicking material gloves 2nd heavier glove Feet: your normal socks/shoes - just make sure your bottom clothes cover ankles etc. ========================================================== QUESTIONS (1) Is it better to run in the morning or evening? "The Running Book" By the Editors of Consumer Guide It's' important to establish a routine for yourself, geared to your own disposition and living habits. Some runners prefer to run early in the morning, some even before daybreak. They seem to like the solitude available at that hour, when the streets are still empty of traffic and people. Some runners are shrewd, enough to kill two birds with one stone. They get their exercise in while "commuting" to work. Issues to consider: Are showers available at work? How far is it to work? What kind of work do you do? Do you work outside or inside? People who do their running in the morning say that it sets them up for the day. They are more alert and less likely to become upset by the pressures and frustrations of their work, and at the end of the day they fell less fatigued. Other runners wait to run after work, put their jobs behind them, and headed home. A run at this time provides a nice transition for them, a time to work off some of the tensions that may have built during the day so that they don't carry them into family life. ...you should end your run at least an hour before you retire. Otherwise you may find it difficult to fall asleep. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- (2) Should I run when I have a cold/fever? "The Running Book" By the Editors of Consumer Guide Recommended schedules should be followed as faithfully as possible, but not blindly. There are certain times when you have no business running. If, for example, you have the flu, a cold, or some other ailment, don't overexert yourself and possibly harm your body by trying to run. If you feel a cold coming on, however, running may help you get rid of it. But if you try this cure, follow Dr. Kostrubala's recommendations. He suggests that you dress warmly, take two aspirin in a glass of milk, and then go out for a run. Jog slowly and see how you feel. Continue jogging until your body grows warm, even hot, Then try to keep your temperature at that level. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- (3) How often should I run? "The Running Book" By the Editors of Consumer Guide Most running programs, ask you to run three times a week as a minimum requirement. This helps reinforce the habit of running, but its main purpose is to develop cardiovascular conditioning through frequent running. But more is not necessarily better. Experts in physical fitness tend to agree that running days should alternate with days of rest, since rest for the body is as much a part of developing fitness as exercise. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- (4) Which of the 8 lanes on a US track is actually the '1/4 mile' one? (Lori Moffitt lcm@med.unc.edu) writes: The long and short of it, pun intended, is that US 1/4 mile tracks are typically 400 meter tracks, and the runner needs to compensate for the difference by running a few yards extra, about 10 yards. The 400 meter distance seemed to be measured 12'' from the inside curb of the track. Opinions vary about this and the compensation distance. (Art Overholser overhoka@vuse.vanderbilt.edu) A perfect 400-m track, measured 12" from the inside curb as specified by TAC, is 437.4 US yards long, or 7'8'' shy of 440 yards. So you only need to run 8 feet (not 10 yards) extra to get the 1/4 mi. To get one mile out of 4 laps you have to add about 10 yards. If his figures are correct, to change this lap to a quarter mile, move out an additional 15 inches when going around the bends. (Sherwood Botsford sherwood@space.ualberta.ca) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- (5) I have started running after having my baby and I am curious to know if any one has some stomach exercises? If you had your baby less than 6 weeks ago, it is likely that your uterus hasn't returned to its normal size, and this could cause the cramps. Remember, too, that your stomach muscles separated during pregnancy and it takes time for them to meld together again. The important thing to remember when returning to running after a layoff is to ease back into running, paying scrupulous attention to how it feels. The old adage, "listen to your body," applies here. If your stomach is cramping, slow down, ease up. STRETCHES (Paulette Leeper paulette.leeper@daytonOH.NCR.COM) To stretch your abdominals, lay on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet on the floor. Let your knees drop to one side, as you lay your arms toward the other...hold for about 30 seconds and gently switch sides. >From this same position, you can begin to strengthen your abdominals by pressing your lower back toward the floor...holding it for increasing increments of time. Your ability to hold your lower back to the floor will give you a good sense of what kind of shape your abdominals are in at this time. Many of the abdominal exercises recommended during pregnancy are good to begin with post-partum. One of my favorites is to sit up with knees bent and do a sort of "reverse sit-up." Instead of coming up from the floor, move your torso toward the floor with your arms stretched out in front of you. ========================================================== From: gontang at electriciti.com (Ozzie Gontang) Subject: rec.running FAQ, part 5 of 8 Date: 21 Jan 2005 05:40:16 GMT Archive-name: running-faq/part5 Last-modified: 10 Mar 2003 Posting-Frequency: 14 days --------------------------------------------------------------------------- BASIC NUTRITION PRIMER Nutrition in athletics is a very controversial topic. However, for an athlete to have confidence that his/her diet is beneficial he/she must understand the role each food component plays in the body's overall makeup. Conversely, it is important to identify and understand the nutritional demands on the physiological processes of the body that occur as a result of racing and training so that these needs can be satisfied in the athlete's diet. For the above reasons, a basic nutrition primer should help the athlete determine the right ingredients of his/her diet which fit training and racing schedules and existing eating habits. The body requires three basic components from foods: 1) water; 2) energy; and 3)nutrients. WATER Water is essential for life and without a doubt the most important component in our diet. Proper hydrations not only allows the body to maintain structural and biochemical integrity, but it also prevents overheating, through sensible heat loss(perspiration). Many *runners* have experienced the affects of acute fluid deficiency on a hot day, better known as heat exhaustion. Dehydration can be a long term problem, especially at altitude, but this does not seem to be a widespread problem among *runners* and is only mentioned here as a reminder (but an important one). ENERGY Energy is required for metabolic processes, growth and to support physical activity. The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences has procrastinated in establishing a Recommended Daily Allowance(RDA) for energy the reasoning being that such a daily requirement could lead to overeating. A moderately active 70kg(155lb) man burns about 2700 kcal/day and a moderately active 58kg(128lb) woman burns about 2500 kcal/day. It is estimated that runners burn XXXX kcal/min or about XXX-XXX kcal/hr while *running* (this is obviously dependent on the level of exertion). Thus a three hour training *run* can add up to XXXX kcals(the public knows these as calories) to the daily energy demand of the *runner*. Nutritional studies indicate that there is no significant increase in the vitamin requirement of the athlete as a result of this energy expenditure. In order to meet this extra demand, the *runner* must increase his/her intake of food. This may come before, during or after a *run* but most likely it will be a combination of all of the above. If for some reason extra nutrients are required because of this extra energy demand, they will most likely be replenished through the increased food intake. Carbohydrates and fats are the body's energy sources and will be discussed shortly. NUTRIENTS This is a broad term and refers to vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, fiber and a host of other substances. The body is a very complex product of evolution. It can manufacture many of the resources it needs to survive. However, vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids(the building blocks of proteins) and fatty acids cannot be manufactured, hence they must be supplied in our food to support proper health. Vitamins and Minerals No explanation needed here except that there are established RDA's for most vitamins and minerals and that a well balanced diet, especially when supplemented by a daily multivitamin and mineral tablet should meet all the requirements of the cyclist. Proper electrolyte replacement(sodium and potassium salts) should be emphasized, especially during and after long, hot rides. Commercially available preparations such as Exceed, Body Fuel and Isostar help replenish electrolytes lost while *running*. Proteins Food proteins are necessary for the synthesis of the body's skeletal(muscle, skin, etc.) and biochemical(enzymes, hormones, etc.)proteins. Contrary to popular belief, proteins are not a good source of energy in fact they produce many toxic substances when they are converted to the simple sugars needed for the body's energy demand. Americans traditionally eat enough proteins to satisfy their body's requirement. All indications are that increased levels of exercise do not cause a significant increase in the body's daily protein requirement which has been estimated to be 0.8gm protein/kg body weight. Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are divided into two groups, simple and complex, and serve as one of the body's two main sources of energy. Simple carbohydrates are better known as sugars, examples being fructose, glucose(also called dextrose), sucrose(table sugar) and lactose(milk sugar). The complex carbohydrates include starches and pectins which are multi-linked chains of glucose. Breads and pastas are rich sources of complex carbohydrates. The brain requires glucose for proper functioning which necessitates a carbohydrate source. The simple sugars are quite easily broken down to help satisfy energy and brain demands and for this reason they are an ideal food during racing and training. The complex sugars require a substantially longer time for breakdown into their glucose sub units and are more suited before and after riding to help meet the body's energy requirements. Fats Fats represent the body's other major energy source. Fats are twice as dense in calories as carbohydrates(9 kcal/gm vs 4 kcal/gm) but they are more slowly retrieved from their storage units(triglycerides) than carbohydrates(glycogen). Recent studies indicate that caffeine may help speed up the retrieval of fats which would be of benefit on long rides. Fats are either saturated or unsaturated and most nutritional experts agree that unsaturated, plant-based varieties are healthier. Animal fats are saturated(and may contain cholesterol), while plant based fats such as corn and soybean oils are unsaturated. Unsaturated fats are necessary to supply essential fatty acids and should be included in the diet to represent about 25% of the total caloric intake. Most of this amount we don't really realize we ingest, so it is not necessary to heap on the margarine as a balanced diet provides adequate amounts. WHAT THE BODY NEEDS Now that we have somewhat of an understanding of the role each food component plays in the body's processes let's relate the nutritional demands that occur during *running* in an attempt to develop an adequate diet. Basically our bodies need to function in three separate areas which require somewhat different nutritional considerations. These areas are: 1) building; 2) recovery; and 3) performance. Building Building refers to increasing the body's ability to perform physiological processes, one example being the gearing up of enzyme systems necessary for protein synthesis, which results in an increase in muscle mass, oxygen transport, etc. These systems require amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Hence, it is important to eat a diet that contains quality proteins (expressed as a balance of the essential amino acid sub units present)fish, red meat, milk and eggs being excellent sources. As always, the RDA's for vitamins and minerals must also be met but, as with the protein requirement, they are satisfied in a well balanced diet. Recovery This phase may overlap the building process and the nutritional requirements are complimentary. Training and racing depletes the body of its energy reserves as well as loss of electrolytes through sweat. Replacing the energy reserves is accomplished through an increased intake of complex carbohydrates(60-70% of total calories) and to a lesser extent fat(25%). Replenishing lost electrolytes is easily accomplished through the use of the commercial preparations already mentioned. Performance Because the performance phase(which includes both training *runs* and racing)spans at most 5-7 hours whereas the building and recovery phases are ongoing processes, its requirements are totally different from the other two. Good nutrition is a long term proposition meaning the effects of a vitamin or mineral deficiency take weeks to manifest themselves. This is evidenced by the fact that it took many months for scurvy to show in sailors on a vitamin C deficient diet. What this means is that during the performance phase, the primary concern is energy replacement (fighting off the dreaded "bonk") while the vitamin and mineral demands can be overlooked. Simple sugars such a sucrose, glucose and fructose are the quickest sources of energy and in moderate quantities of about 100gm/hr(too much can delay fluid absorption in the stomach) are helpful in providing fuel for the body and the brain. Proteins and fats are not recommended because of their slow and energy intensive digestion mechanism. Short, *runs* or races of up to one hour in length usually require no special nutritional considerations provided the body's short term energy stores (glycogen) are not depleted which may be the case during *long* events. Because psychological as well as physiological factors determine performance most *runners* tend to eat and drink whatever makes them feel "good" during a *run*. This is all right as long as energy considerations are being met and the stomach is not overloaded trying to digest any fatty or protein containing foods. If the vitamin and mineral requirements are being satisfied during the building and recovery phases no additional intake during the performance phase is necessary. IMPLICATIONS Basically, what all this means is that good nutrition for the *runner* is not hard to come by once we understand our body's nutrient and energy requirements. If a balanced diet meets the RDA's for protein, vitamins and minerals as well as carbohydrate and fat intake for energy then everything should be OK nutritionally. It should be remembered that the problems associated with nutrient deficiencies take a long time to occur. Because of this it is not necessary to eat "right" at every meal which explains why weekend racing junkets can be quite successful on a diet of tortilla chips and soft drinks. However, bear in mind that over time, the body's nutritional demands must be satisfied. To play it safe many *runners* take a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement tablet which has no adverse affects and something I personally recommend. Mega vitamin doses(levels five times or more of the RDA) have not been proven to be beneficial and may cause some toxicity problems. GREY NUTRITION "Good" nutrition is not black and white. As we have seen, the body's requirements are different depending on the phase it is in. While the building and recovery phases occur somewhat simultaneously the performance phase stands by itself. For this reason, some foods are beneficial during one phase but not during another. A good example is the much maligned twinkie. In the performance phase it is a very quick source of energy and quite helpful. However, during the building phase it is not necessary and could be converted to unwanted fat stores. To complicate matters, the twinkie may help replenish energy stores during the recovery phase however, complex carbohydrates are probably more beneficial. So, "one man's meat may be another man's poison." NUTRIENT DENSITY This term refers to the quantity of nutrients in a food for its accompanying caloric(energy) value. A twinkie contains much energy but few vitamins and minerals so has a low nutrient density. Liver, on the other hand, has a moderate amount of calories but is rich in vitamins and minerals and is considered a high nutrient density food. Basically, one must meet his/her nutrient requirements within the constraints of his/her energy demands. Persons with a low daily activity level have a low energy demand and in order to maintain their body weight must eat high nutrient density foods. As already mentioned, a *runner* has an increased energy demand but no significant increase in nutrient requirements. Because of this he/she can eat foods with a lower nutrient density than the average person. This means that a *runner* can be less choosy about the foods that are eaten provided he/she realizes his/her specific nutrient and energy requirements that must be met. BALANCED DIET Now, the definition of that nebulous phrase, "a balanced diet". Taking into consideration all of the above, a diet emphasizing fruits and vegetables (fresh if possible), whole grain breads, pasta, cereals, milk, eggs, fish and red meat(if so desired) will satisfy long term nutritional demands. These foods need to be combined in such a way that during the building and recovery phase, about 60-70% of the total calories are coming from carbohydrate sources, 25% from fats and the remainder(about 15%) from proteins. It is not necessary to get 100% of the RDA for all vitamins and minerals at every meal. It may be helpful to determine which nutritional requirements you wish to satisfy at each meal. Personally, I use breakfast to satisfy part of my energy requirement by eating toast and cereal. During lunch I meet some of the energy, protein and to a lesser extent vitamin and mineral requirements with such foods as yogurt, fruit, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Dinner is a big meal satisfying energy, protein, vitamin and mineral requirements with salads, vegetables, pasta, meat and milk. Between meal snacking is useful to help meet the body's energy requirement. CONCLUSION All this jiberish may not seem to be telling you anything you couldn't figure out for yourself. The point is that "good" nutrition is not hard to achieve once one understands the reasons behind his/her dietary habits. Such habits can easily be modified to accommodate the nutritional demands of *running* without placing any strict demands on one's lifestyle. ------------------------ Powerbars (John McClintic johnm@hammer.TEK.COM) I submit "power bar" recipe originated by Bill Paterson from Portland Oregon. The odd ingredient in the bar, paraffin, is widely used in chocolate manufacture to improve smoothness and flowability, raise the melting point, and retard deterioration of texture and flavor. Butter can be used instead, but a butter-chocolate mixture doesn't cover as thinly or smoothly. POWER BARS ---------- 1 cup regular rolled oats 1/2 cup sesame seed 1 1/2 cups dried apricots, finely chopped 1 1/2 cups raisins 1 cup shredded unsweetened dry coconut 1 cup blanched almonds, chopped 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ 2 teaspoons butter or margarine 1 cup light corn syrup 3/4 cup sugar 1 1/4 cups chunk-style peanut butter 1 teaspoon orange extract 2 teaspoons grated orange peel 1 package (12 oz.) or 2 cups semisweet chocolate baking chips 4 ounces paraffin or 3/4 cup (3/4 lb.) butter or margarine Spread oats in a 10- by 15-inch baking pan. Bake in a 300 degree oven until oats are toasted, about 25 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. Meanwhile, place sesame seed in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium heat. Shake often or stir until seeds are golden, about 7 minutes. Pour into a large bowl. Add apricots, raisins, coconut, almonds, dry milk, and wheat germ; mix well. Mix hot oats into dried fruit mixture. Butter the hot backing pan; set aside. In the frying pan, combine corn syrup and sugar; bring to a rolling boil over medium high heat and quickly stir in the peanut butter, orange extract, and orange peel. At once, pour over the oatmeal mixture and mix well. Quickly spread in buttered pan an press into an even layer. Then cover and chill until firm, at least 4 hours or until next day. Cut into bars about 1 1/4 by 2 1/2 inches. Combine chocolate chips and paraffin in to top of a double boiler. Place over simmering water until melted; stir often. Turn heat to low. Using tongs, dip 1 bar at a time into chocolate, hold over pan until it stops dripping (with paraffin, the coating firms very quickly), then place on wire racks set above waxed paper. When firm and cool (bars with butter in the chocolate coating may need to be chilled), serve bars, or wrap individually in foil. Store in the refrigerator up to 4 weeks; freeze to store longer. Makes about 4 dozen bars, about 1 ounce each. Per piece: 188 cal.; 4.4 g protein; 29 g carbo.; 9.8 g fat; 0.6 mg chol.; 40 mg sodium. ============================================================= Orienteering (Matt Mahoney mvm@epg.harris.com) updated Orienteering is called the "thinking sport" because it involves two skills -- running and map reading. The object is to run to a series of markers in the woods, along any route you want. The hard part is finding the markers with the aid of a map and a compass. There are 6 courses to choose from, called White, Yellow, Orange, Green, Red and Blue. This has nothing to do with the colors of the markers (which are orange and white and look like lanterns hanging from trees). It has to do with level of difficulty, like belts in karate. The white course is the easiest, about a mile, with the markers clearly visible from roads or trails. Blue is the hardest, about 4-5 miles, and involves mostly cross-country running with emphasis on successful navigation using terrain features. Each marker has a 2-letter code (to distinguish it from markers on other trails) which you match up with a code sheet that you carry with your map. There, you stamp your card in the appropriate numbered spot. Each stamp produced a distinct pattern of holes in the card. Orienteering now has its very own news group, rec.sport.orienteering. The BAOC newsletter is run by Wyatt Riley out of Stanford (wriley@leland. stanford.edu). Subscription requests should be sent to: Majordomo@lists.stanford.edu with the following line in the text: subscribe baoc your name e.g. subscribe baoc Bill Clinton BAOC home pg:http://www-leland.stanford.edu/group/orienteer/baoc.html. ============================================================= Predicting times (10k-marathon) (Tim Tarmstro@metz.une.oz.au) In `Training Distance Runners' Coe and Martin come up with three sets of formulas for determining equivalent race performances over several distances when the performance for one distance is known. They have three tables to counter problems of athlete specificity. For long distance specialists (i.e 10k/15km) : Marathon = 4.76Y : 10k = Y : 5k = 0.48Y : 3k = 0.28Y : 1.5k = 0.13Y For 3k/5k runners : 10k = 2.1Y : 5k = Y : 3k = 0.58Y : 1.5k = 0.27Y : 800m = 0.13Y : 400m = 0.06Y For `real' middle distance: 5k = 3.63Y : 3k = 2.15Y : 1.5k = Y : 800m = 0.48Y : 400m = 0.22Y ============================================================= Running Clubs & Organizations (John Berkery berkery@crdgw2.crd.ge.com) ARFA - American Running and Fitness Association 9310 Old Georgetown Rd Bathesda MD 20814 301-897-0917 ARRA - Association of Road Racing Athletes (professionals) 807 Paulsen Bldg Spokane WA 99201 509-838-8784 Clydesdale Runners Association (heavyweights) 1809 Gold Mine Rd Brookville Md 20833 310-774-2493 NWAA - National Wheel Chair Athletic Association 3617 Betty Dr, suite S Colorado Springs CO 80907 719-597-8330 RRCA - Road Runners Clubs of America 629 S. Washington St Alexandria VA 22314 703-768-0545 Special Olympics (handicapped) 1350 New York Ave, NW, suite 500 Washington DC 20005 202-628-3630 TAC - The Athletics Congress of the USA (IAAF member) 1 Hoosier Dome, suite 140 Indianapolis IN 46225 317-261-0500 USABA - U.S. Association for Blind Athletes 33 N. Institute St Brown Hall, suite 015 Colorado Springs CO 80903 719-630-0422 USCAA - U.S. Corporate Athletics Association (company teams) 401 North Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611-4267 (312) 644-6610, fax (312) 527-6658 WWW site - http://www.geocities.com/Coloseum/1297/uscahome.html BACAA - Bay Area Corporate Athletics Assn. northern California affiliate of the USCAA Brian Schonfeld, Sun Microsystems, (415) 786-7801, brian_schonfeld@corp.sun.com Mal Murphy, Rocje Bioscience, (415) 960-5583, mal_murphy@roche.com WWW site - http://members.aol.com/annmbou/bacahome.htlm USCPAA - U.S. Cerebral Palsy Athletic Association 34518 Warren Rd, suite 264 Westland MI 48185 313-425-8961 USOC - U.S. Olympic Committee 1750 E. Boulder St Colorado Springs CO 80909-5760 719-632-5551 Achilles Track Club (handicapped) c/o New York RRC 9 East 89th St New York NY 10128 212-860-4455 Other running organizations Many road runners clubs are not affiliated with RRCA. Information about these independent clubs may be found at local sporting goods stores or at athletic shoe stores. Local YMCA/YWCA organizations may also be able to supply a contact address or phone number. From: gontang at electriciti.com (Ozzie Gontang) Subject: rec.running FAQ, part 4 of 8 Date: 21 Jan 2005 05:40:15 GMT Archive-name: running-faq/part4 Last-modified: 10 Mar 2003 Posting-Frequency: 14 days =============================================== Medical / Injuries -------------------------------- Achilles tendonitis (sorry, forgot the author) General advice: 1. Warm up before you stretch. This could be in the form of a slow jog as you start your run. When I feel it necessary, I stop for a few minutes and stretch during the early stages of a run. 2. Stretch after your run. This has proven the best solution for me. Whenever I skip this part, I end up stiff the next day. The muscles are nice and warm after a run and respond well to stretching. My flexibility has improved as a result of this practice, too. 3. With regards to an injury, you've got to be tough and rest it in order for it to heal. This might be a good time to concentrate on strength training with weights. -------------- The good news: since this seems to be your first injury, and your training load is light, your tendinitis is probably due to the most simple cause - leg length imbalance. Get someone to mark how far you can bend to each side, if these are different heights then you might find a heel raiser under the bad leg will both even out the side-bend _and_ speed up the recovery. The bad news: achilles is notoriously slow to heal even with the correct treatment. And the chances of recurrence are quite high. However the condition you describe shouldn't prevent your training, as long as you promote healing with stretching, massage (calf/inner thigh/groin), ice, etc... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shin splints (Harry Y Xu hyx1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu) (Doug Poirier os2user@dougp.austin .ibm.com) (Rodney Sanders rdsand@ccmail.monsanto.com) Excerpts from _The SprotsMedicine Book_ G. Mirkin, MD. and M. Hoffman: ``Shin splints are....condition that can result from muscle imbalance. They are characterized by generalized pain in front of the lower leg and are particularly comon in runners and running backs.... The most common cause is a muscle imbalance where the calf muscles--which pull the forefoot down--overpower the shin muscles--which pull the forefoot up. As the athlete continues to train, the calf muscle usually becomes proportionately much stronger than the shin muscles. The treatment for shin splints is to strengthen the weaker muscles (shins) and stretch the stronger muscles (calves). To strengthen the shins, run up stairs. To stretch the calves,...(do stretching exercises for the calves, et. the wall push-ups)'' *end of exerpts. _________________________________________ In my experience, I have found that stretching is the real key to avoiding shin-splints. I believe there's a book with stretches by Bob Anderson that you may want to check. Also, back issues of running magazines sometimes have helpful information. Basically, I do the standard "lean on the wall stretch" and a stretch by standing flat-footed on one leg and bending at the knee to stretch the achilles. I then top the