Archive-name: running-faq/part1 Last-modified: 01 Nov 1997 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 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. 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. 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. SOURCES: Fats are stored as adipose, body fat, and muscle fat (triglycerides). CHOs are stored as muscle and liver glycogen (long chains of glucose) and blood glucose. During a workout the early phases are characterized by a reliance on CHOs, both muscle glycogen and blood glucose. The blood glucose comes from the breakdown of liver glycogen. Again this is dependent upon intensity (see above). However, the muscle can also use fat as a fuel, The sources of this are from the inside of the muscle or from the outside - i.e. from adipose tissue. The problem is that levels of fats from adipose take a while to reach high enough levels for their use to become significant. Their concentration in the blood only reaches very high levels when the intensity of the exercise is low (i.e. 50% of max or less) and if the duration is sufficient (1 hour or more). However, when the concentration of fats from outside of the muscle is high enough the muscle can use these instead of glycogen and delay the use of glycogen, this is critical at times since muscle glycogen is a "rate-limiting" fuel for muscle. That is when muscle glycogen runs out, or gets very low, then you feel terrible - you've BONKED or HIT THE WALL (see below). BONKING/HITTING THE WALL: Lots of people talk about the phenomenon of bonking. It hits some people harder than others, I don't know why and have never seen any good information why? However, bonking is a combination of two processes. The first is a lack of muscle glycogen (see above). The second is low blood glucose. When muscle glycogen is low the muscle runs into a fuel crisis. It cannot burn fats at a rate high enough to sustain the muscle's maximal output. The consequence is that your muscle switches to burning more fats and so you have to slow down. The crappy feeling that you experience at the same time, often characterized by nausea and disorientation, is likely a consequence of low blood sugar/glucose (hypoglycemia). The trick then is to alleviate/delay the onset of these symptoms by consuming sugar solutions, or simply by becoming so well trained that you don't have to worry (see TRAINING below). Why is low blood sugar bad? Because your brain, eye tissue, and others are able to burn only glucose. That is when the levels of glucose are low your brain runs out of fuel, so you feel awful. Your vision might become impaired also. FATS vs. CHOs: However, as I've said above your muscle can burn fats and if given the chance your muscle will burn whatever fuel it has in the greatest abundance, even lactate! So, if supplied with enough fat muscle can burn fat and hence, "spare" muscle glycogen. This is the idea behind many runners drinking caffeine/coffee before a race. The caffeine has effects that cause release of fats from adipose tissue and the level of fats in the blood increases. The end result is that for the early phases of the race the runner's muscle's can use fat and delay the use of muscle glycogen, hence, sparing that glycogen for later use. One should be cautioned, however, that this mechanism for increasing fat usage has only been shown with some very high doses of caffeine that are not achievable without taking caffeine pills. It also critically dependent upon the person's habitual caffeine intake ("big" coffee drinker appear not to derive as great of a benefit as non-habitual users). There are other ways to maximize the use of muscle glycogen, however. CHO LOADING: CHO loading is a practice that many athletes use before a longer duration event to "supercompensate" their muscles with glycogen, delay it's running out (see above). The practice is of little use when the duration of the event is less than 60 minutes, since muscle glycogen will usually be able to meet the demands of such a duration. However, it should be noted that repeated bouts of high intensity exercise will also deplete one's muscles of glycogen (for example wrestling 3-4 bouts in one day). There are two basic protocols for CHO loading, one is just as good as the other. However, they involve an initial bout of exercise to deplete the muscle's glycogen (under normal dietary conditions), followed by a period of high CHO diet (i.e. 70% or more of one's total calories from CHO). This period should be the 4-5 days prior to the event and should be a time when the athlete tapers their training, so as not to deplete muscle glycogen too much. The result is an overload of glycogen in one's muscles. Two notes: 1) This procedure will result, if done correctly, in most people gaining 2-5 pounds. Why? Because muscle and liver glycogen is stored with water and increasing glycogen will increase water content - i.e. increased weight is water. 2) Preliminary evidence indicates that this procedure is less effective in women. That is to say that if a female runner were to increase her CHOs to 70% (or >) of her caloric intake she may not have an increase in muscle glycogen. Why? It may relate to a gender difference in the ability to store muscle glycogen or in the amount of CHOs that 70% of the female athlete's diet represents (i.e. 70% of a 2000 calorie diet would be 1400 Cal from CHO, eating this may not be enough to increase muscle glycogen content). Stay tuned for more info here! TRAINING: When one trains or conditions by completing endurance exercise changes occur at many levels, including the muscle. The changes that occur at the level of the muscle include an increased ability to utilize fats. Not surprisingly then one's endurance is increased. How? An increased utilization of fats means less reliance on glycogen, less reliance on glycogen means you don't run out of the fuel that allows you to maintain a high rate of muscle contraction, and hence a high rate of running/exercising. Another adaptation that occurs is that your muscle uses less glucose, this is important for tissues such as brain (see above). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Conversion chart (Jack Berkery BERKERY@CRDGW2.crd.ge.com) 1 yard = .9144 meter 100 yards = 91.4400 meters 220 yards = 201.1680 meters 440 yards = 402.3360 meters 880 yards = 804.6720 meters 1 meter = 1.094 yards 100 meters = 109.400 yards 200 meters = 218.800 yards 400 meters = 437.600 yards 800 meters = 875.200 yards 1 mile = 1.609 Kilometers 1 mile = 1760 yards = 5280 feet 1 Kilometer = .6214 miles = 1094 yards = 3281 feet Kilmoeters to miles Miles to Kilometers ------------------------------------------------------ 1 km = .6214 miles 1 mile = 1.609 km 2 km = 1.2418 miles 2 miles = 3.218 km 3 km = 1.8642 miles 3 miles = 4.827 km 4 km = 2.4856 miles 4 miles = 6.436 km 5 km = 3.1070 miles 5 miles = 8.045 km 6 km = 3.7284 miles 6 miles = 9.654 km 7 km = 4.3498 miles 7 miles = 11.263 km 8 km = 4.9712 miles 8 miles = 12.872 km 9 km = 5.5926 miles 9 miles = 14.481 km 10 km = 6.2140 miles 10 miles = 16.090 km 11 km = 6.8354 miles 11 miles = 17.699 km 12 km = 7.4568 miles 12 miles = 19.308 km 13 km = 8.0782 miles 13 miles = 20.917 km 14 km = 8.6996 miles 14 miles = 22.526 km 15 km = 9.3210 miles 15 miles = 24.135 km 20 km = 12.4280 miles 20 miles = 32.180 km 25 km = 15.5350 miles 25 miles = 40.225 km 30 km = 18.6420 miles 1 marathon = 26 miles + 385 yards = 42.186 km --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fluid replacement (2 personal methods) As an ultramarathoner, trail runner fluid replenishment etc. is quite important. My findings, based on personal experience, is that in 90+ degree weather I use a liter per hour on a one hour run - and that is carrying the water with me. If you are not running enough distance, dont be concerned about energy type drinks, and you probably don't lose enough salts to need electrolytes. But your system will absorb more fluid faster is it is hypotonic and cool. If you guys are always running for 45 minutes or an hour in HOT weather - I would really suggest carrying water. When you realize your dehydrated its TOO late - and it takes longer to replenish fluids than it does to lose them. (Milt Schol milts@mse.cse.ogi.edu) I prepare for a run with about 24-30 ounces of lukewarm water within 3 hours of the run. As for after the run, if it was particularly strenuous (and in the 85+ and humid Pittsburgh weather of late, the runs have been strenuous for me), within 10-15 minutes following the run, I take ~10-15 ounces of room-temperature, diluted Exceed (about 2 parts Exceed to 3 parts water). I follow that with about 24-30 ounces of room-temperature water over the next hour or two. (Barbara Zayas bjz@sei.cmu.edu) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Noakes's Ten Laws of Running Injuries (John Schwebel jcs@cbnewsh.cb.att.com) Ten Laws of Running Injuries stated therein: The 1ST LAW OF RUNNING INJURIES: Running Injuries Are Not an Act of God The 2ND LAW OF RUNNING INJURIES: Each Running Injury Progresses Through Four Grades The 3RD LAW OF RUNNING INJURIES: Each Running Injury Indicates That the Athlete Has Reached the Breakdown Point The 4TH LAW OF RUNNING INJURIES: Virtually All Running Injuries Are Curable The 5TH LAW OF RUNNING INJURIES: X-Rays and Other Sophisticated Investigations Are Seldom Necessary to Diagnose Running Injuries The 6TH LAW OF RUNNING INJURIES: Treat the Cause, Not the Effect The 7TH LAW OF RUNNING INJURIES: Rest is Seldom the Most Appropriate Treatment The 8TH LAW OF RUNNING INJURIES: Never Accept as a Final Opinion the Advice of a Nonrunner The 9TH LAW OF RUNNING INJURIES: Avoid the Knife The 10TH LAW OF RUNNING INJURIES: There Is No Definitive Scientific Evidence That Running Causes Osteoarthritis in Runners Whose Knwees Were Normal When They Started Running --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Second Wind (Newsweek July 27, '92) If an Olympian experiences a second wind, it's probably a sign that he isn't in a great shape. Scientists are divided over whether a second wind is purely psychological - the athlete "willing" himself forward. But if it has a physical basis too, the sudden feeling of "I can do it!" right after "I want to die" probably reflects a change in metabolism. The body gets energy by breaking down glucose, which is stored in muscles. This reaction releases lactic acid, which the body must burn in order to prevent a lactic-acid buildup that causes cramps. Burning lactic acid requires oxygen. If the body does not breathe in enough oxygen; the runner experiences oxygen debt: the heart beats more quickly; the lungs gasp; the legs slow. The second wind, says physicist Peter Brancazio of Brooklyn College, may come when the body finally balances the amount of oxygen coming in with that needed to burn the lactic acid. (When burned, lactic acid is transformed into sweat and carbon dioxide.) Why doesn't everybody get a second wind? Couch potatoes don't push themselves past oxygen debt; true Olympians have enough lung capacity and cardiovascular fitness to avoid oxygen debt in the first place. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Soda Pop (Paulette Leeper pleeper@wtcp.DaytonOH.NCR.COM) Q: Does anyone have any opinions on Soda pop as a drink in General. I find the CAFFEINE in soda to be irritating and DEHYDRATING, so, IMHO, drinking soda with caffeine (regardless of whether or not it contains sugar or aspartame) defeats the purpose of quenching thirst. It's much like drinking beer to quench thirst... it FEELS good, and TASTES good, but as a mechanism for hydration, it does the exact opposite. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Computer Software (Jack Berkery berkery@emmax5crd.ge.com) (Paul Gronke, Gronke@acpub.duke.edu) There is a Shareware program in the WUSTL archives available through anonymous ftp. (also on other archive sites) Look into ../msdos/database/joggr105.zip I didn't exactly like it but it may suit your style. It works with CGA/EGA/VGA graphics. Don't know how it functions under windows. ntu.ac.sg [155.69.1.5] AEROBIX.ZIP B 81246 910420 Fitness Log: Record aerobic exercise/progres JOGGR105.ZIP B 59053 920312 Runner's log and analysis database, v1.05 PT100.ARC B 175592 890914 Physical Training test scorekeeper database RUNLOG.ZIP B 71801 900308 Runner's/bicycler's workout log --------------------- All programs are available in the DATABASE directory on Simtel, via anonymous FTP. There are a number of Simtel mirrors, including WUARCHIVE.WUSTL.EDU (dir = mirrors/msdos/database), OAK.OAKLAND.EDU (dir = pub/msdos/database), and a lot of non US sites. RUNCOACH.ZIP RunCoach RunCoach helps coach people who are running, jogging or racing. It is based on Artificial Intelligence techniques and can produce an optimum training program tailored to the individual. If you are just starting to run, want to enter a fun run or are an expert runner and want to improve your time then RunCoach can help. First you enter some data about yourself, then set a goal race (or ask RunCoach to suggest one), tell RunCoach when you can train and RunCoach will quickly generate a personalised training schedule. It will also estimate how likely you are to succeed at your goal. Ver 0.90 was the first public release and can be found as RUNCOACH.ZIP. Ver 0.94 (RUNCO94B.ZIP) is the latest (july 95) release. It works in both miles or kms, has a better understanding of the taper, has a built in series of running guides and has a built in sports psych, so you can discuss any problems. It is available from a number of FTP sites but as an example try Simtel: oak.oakland.edu /SimTel/msdos/database/runco94b.zip Its running knowledge is extensive and includes the following:- - internally classifies runners into five major groups - takes into account age, experience, PB's, sex, training program etc - able to select days of the week you can run, and your long run day - provides feedback on whether you are capable of meeting your goal time - can suggest goal's based on your individual ability - provides a schedule even if Run Coach is sceptical you can reach your goal - knows about VO2 max, anaerobic threshold, efficiency, long runs etc - has many rules for minimising injury - has a variety of individualised speedwork schedules built in - understands periodisation & complex schedules & selects between them - can predict race results for distances not previously run - can produce a schedule for the complete beginner through to the elite RUNLOG.ZIP - I found this to be a barely usable program. It was not at all clear what I needed to enter at any of the prompts. There was no help key. There was no information telling me what format any times, distances, etc. need to be entered as. This does have a time prediction module. The interface is kind of nice. There are graphical displays of improvement, heart rate, etc. With a better manual expaining what you need to enter, I would rate is usable. At present, I found the other programs nicer. If you figure out what need to be entered where, you can use this program. JOGGR105.ZIP - This is a program of British origin. The interface is kind of interesting. It has most of the data entry options that you would want. It will graphically display your improvement. You can control the menu of courses so that you don't have to reenter distance and course info each time. Most annoying problem: everythin is in British units, so that you have to convert 100 meter dash, 5K, 10K, etc. into milage. This might not be a drawback for some; it is a major drawback for me. The data entry, printing is all nice. It escapes from errors well (unlike Runlog, which tends to bomb). This is definitely usable. RUNSTA11.ZIP - I really like this program and will continue to use it. It is by far the largest of the programs (300K zipped, 3 times the size of the others), so you might go for another if disk space is a problem. However, you get a full featured training / racing log for the space. What I like about it: 1) you can make it as complex or simple as possible. Via config options, you can enter for each race/training: shoes, weather, heart rate, health, hilliness, race surface, temp, calories...or none of these, depending on your preference. 2) You can easily set up a menu of courses to choose from in the race *and* training run entry 3) Race and Training are kept separate, a very nice feature if you want to track training runs and racing in the same database. 4) Multiple database files easily used, special configs are unique to each database file (meaning that you can monitor bicycle, running in the same program) 5) Can display data entries (runs) in a "calendar" format, then select the ones you wish to examine with a keystroke 6) Nice graphical displays Drawbacks: requires more memory than the other programs. Might not run on pre-286 machines, but I don't know. More disk space required. Not sure if it does time forecasting, I need to check. RUNSTAT3 Ver.3.0, Jan. 1995 by Scott Diamond RunStat3 is a Windows program useful to runners The program's main window is a pace calculator. You enter distance and time for your run and RunStat3 calculates your pace for your run and finishing times for a large set of distances and times. E.g., if you ran a 10k run, RunStat3 would list finishing times for 1 mile, 5k, 10k, 1/2 marathon, marathon, etc (you can add your own custom entries). Two listing for finishing times are presented, one based on running at constant pace and a 'realistic' estimate which accounts for slowing your pace the longer you run. RunStat3 also supports an ascii logbook in which users can keep a record of all their runs. RunStat3 includes a searching, plotting and statistics calculator so that you can search your log book and plot all your times for a given course, or total your mileage for each pair of shoes or make other plots. There is almost no limit to the number of entries you can place in your log file for tracking your runs (e.g temp., wt, avg. heart rate, course, shoes, etc.) The program is freeware. For more information, set your web-browser to: http://www.teleport.com/~ddfh/scott/runstat/runstat.html =========================================================================== Hashing From: Dweezil the Butt Beaker Subject: Rules of Hashing (one version, re: Rule Six) Organization: Orlando Hash House Harriers X-Hhh: A Drinking Club With A Running Problem. X-Hhh-Motto: If you have half a mind to hash, that's all you need. X-Hhh-Philosophy: Carpe Cerevisiam X-Oh3-Motto: We get drunk, we get naked, we give hashing a bad name. X-O2H3-Motto: We have beer, we have cookies, we give hashing a nice name. X-Dbh3-Motto: Daytona Beach Hash House Harriers never run out of beer. X-Dbh3-Motto: We have beer before, during, and after the hash. The Hash House Harriers is a running/drinking/social club which was started by bored expatriates in Kuala Lumpuer, Malaysia in 1938. ("Hash House" is the nickname of the restaurant/bar to which they retired for food and beer after a run.) Hashing is based on the English schoolboy game of "Hare and Hounds"; a Hash is a non-competitive cross-country run set by one or more runners called hares. The hares run out in advance of the other runners (the pack of hounds), and set a course marked by white flour, toilet paper, and/or chalk marks. Hash Rules ---------- 1. A HASHMARK is a splash of flour used to mark the trail. The pack should call out "On-On" when they see a hashmark. Blasts on horns, whistles, and other noise makers are encouraged. Hounds asking "RU?" (are you on trail?) of the FRB's (Front-Running Bastards) should be answered "On-On", which means they are on trail, or "Looking", which means they`ve lost the trail. 2. ARROWs, or several closely spaced hashmarks, are used to indicate change of trail direction. Hound should use arrows different from those used by the hares as necessary to assist hounds further back in the pack. 3. A CHECKMARK is a large circled X, or a circle with a dot at its center (fondly known as a "Titty Check"). Checkmarks indicate that the trail goes "SFP"; that is, the pack must search for true trail. Hounds should call out "Checking" when they see a checkmark. (Checking IS NOT Looking!) 4. A Backtrack is three lines chalked or drawn in flour across the trail, indicating a false trail. The pack, upon encountering a backtrack, calls out "On-Back" or "Backtrack", and goes back to the last checkmark to find true trail. Sometimes a hound will draw an arrow with a backtrack sign at the checkmark to identify the false trail for the rest of the pack. A CHECKBACK is a devious variation of the checkmark/backtrack. A checkback is a CB followed by a number. For example, a "CB 5" means to backtrack five hashmarks, then look for true trail as one would at a check. Also known as a COUNTBACK. A WHICHWAY is two arrows, only one of which points toward true trail; no hashmarks will be found in the other direction. 5. Tradition requires a DOWN-DOWN (chug-a-lug) of a beer after a hasher's virgin hash, naming hash, and other significant occasions, e.g., 25th hash, 50th hash, etc. A Down-Down is also in order for hares, visitors, and for any other reason that can be thought up. While frowned upon as "alcohol abuse", it is permissible for non- drinkers to pour the beer over their head; a soda Down-Down may also be elected. The primary consideration of the Down-Down is that once the mug leaves the drinker's lips, it is turned upside-down over the head. 6. THERE ARE NO RULES. =========================================================================== Interval training (micbrian@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu) First off, keep in mind that the interval part of the run is the rest part. This is where your body recovers and strengthens itself. Secondly, say your goal is to run an 8 minute/mile 10k. Start your intervals by doing 5X400m at a little under 2 minutes per rep. You'll see that an 8min mile is a 2min 400, so to better that, you run a little faster, as I said. Walk or jog between the rep (this is the interval). Remember to keep with what you started at. If you jogged to rest, don't walk during the next interval. Intervals should be challenging, but not defeating. If you are having problems maintaining your form during the course of the whole run, you are doing too much. You should feel good at the end of your run, not ready to drop dead. Remember to warmup and cool down sufficiently before and after intervals. 10 minutes of jogging is suggested. Other things to remember: you can customize intervals to achieve different things. For example, to increase endurance, you can decrease your interval while running the same rep. Or you can increase the rep and still do the same interval. You can work on speed by running faster reps. There are other variations as well, but I don't remember all of them. Lastly, make sure you have a good aerobic base when you start, and don't do too much too fast. You can tire your muscles out, and it will take a while to recover. Your goal is to exercise your fast twitch muscles, those used for speed. I've been doing intervals for about 2 months now, and it has made a difference. The first race I ran after starting intervals, my time dropped by about 15 seconds. I have a race tomorrow, and am hoping to improve on that. I also notice I have more pep in my regular workouts. I get out there, and once I'm warmed up, my body wants to run fast. =========================================================================== Legs Sore knees (Elizabeth Doucette ead@tmsoft.uucp) When running (also walking, and cycling), the inner most quad. muscle (inner part of thigh) does not get exercised as much as the other three quad. muscles of the thigh. If this inner muscle isn't strengthened by specific exercises, an imbalance of the muscles may occur. This can cause irritation of the underside of the kneecap (chondromalacia patellae) because the imbalance of the muscles can pull the kneecap towards the outside of the leg. The kneecap (which has two convex faces on the back) rides in a broad indentation on the femur. Weak inner quadriceps (M. Vastus medialis) can pull the kneecap slightly out of its "track"; and it is theorized that this is what causes chondromalacia (which I believe is called patellofemoral pain syndrome these days). [edited for correctness 2/19/95 by lmm5@postoffice. mail.cornell.edu (Lucie Melahn)] I had chondromalacia patellae for a long time (and many of my running friends did too) but I haven't had problems since I've been doing specific exercises for my inner quad. muscle. It is tedious and boring but it works. I haven't had knee problems for about 3 years now :-). I should do this every day, whether I work out or not, but I don't always. If I feel any discomfort at all in my knees, I make sure I'm more diligent with this exercise and the discomfort always disappears. I'm always able to prevent a problem now. The exercise is just a leg raise with the foot flexed and pointing away from the body. With this exercise make sure that your back is supported. As your quad. muscles fatigue, there is a tendency to help out with your back muscles. You may not realize that you're doing this until you notice later that your back is a little sore. Sitting on the floor, bend one leg (like you're going to do a sit-up), bringing the knee towards the chest. The other leg is straight. Place your hands behind you on the floor to support your back. You can vary this by leaning against a wall and hugging your knee to your chest with both arms. YOUR CANNOT BE TOO CAREFUL WITH YOUR BACK. For ease of explanation, start with your right leg being straight and flex your foot (bring your toes towards your head, as opposed to pointing them away from you). Turn your leg to the right, so that your toes and knee are pointing to the right as far as possible. The position of the foot is important because it helps to isolate the inner quad. muscle. Now, do leg raises. When I started I could only do 10 or 20 before I needed to rest. Don't do the leg raises too quickly because technique is more important than speed. I now do three sets, each leg of 60 repetitions (alternating legs after each set) for a total of 180 per leg. It takes me about 10 minutes. You can tell if your muscle is getting fatigued because it will start to quiver. Don't push it, change legs. Keep note of how many repetitions you do before you get fatigued and try to increase the repetitions next time. Compare you to you, not to others. Leg presses used to bother my knees. Now that I'm doing leg raises, the leg press doesn't bother me any more. Technique is important when doing leg presses. (Technique is probably more important than the fact that I'm doing leg raises). Make sure that the seat is forward far enough, so that when you press you cannot lock your knee. This makes the initial position feel too cramped. My knees feel too close to my chest. But it works for me and for others (both men and women) that I work out with. Nautilus equipment uses a cam system, such that there is less resistance on your knees in the initial, starting position, so there is less chance of injury. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Leg Massage (John Boone boone@IDA.ORG) (From Bicycling magazine, pp.76-77, July 1992, Reproduced without permission) MASSAGE TECHNIQUES 1. Full Muscle Flush This surface stroke prepares the muscles for deeper work. It loosens the fibers and increases the blood flow to wash out lactic acid and other toxins. Begin with the calves. Place the palms flat against the bottom of the muscle and stroke toward the heart in a continuous movement. Always stroke toward the heart so the blood containing the toxins isn't traveling back into the muscles. After a few of these, knead the muscle during the stroke by working the bottom of the palms in and out. End with the original flat stroke. 2. Broad Cross-Fiber Stroke After each muscle group has been flushed, use the same palm position at the center of the muscles, but work sideways. Press harder than the flush. The hands are moving acros the muscle fibers, separating them and making them pliable so the massage can go deeper with the next type of stroke. This is a great supplement to stretching. It makes muscle fibers less likely to tear. End with more flushing. 3. Deep Muscle Spress "Spress" is a Swedish term. This technique is also known as muscle stripping. Use fingers, knuckles, or even elbows to penetrate the muscle. [Press deep into the leg where previously rubbing the surface.] Apply pressure until the comfort limit is passed. If there's pain, work slower, or do a few palm strokes before spressing again. Knuckles and thumbs work best. Concentrate on specific areas, instead of stroking the whole muscle. But remember to work toward the heart. SELF-MASSAGE Initial Strokes Self-massage uses the same sequence of strokes as assisted massage, and the same order of muscles -- calf, quads, hamstrings, glutes. But it's usually less effective because self-massagers get tired or bored quicker. The most common mistake is skipping the full-muscle flush or cross-fiber stroke to concentrate on the spress in the sorest areas. If you don't prepare the muscles, you won't be able to penetrate deep enough. [...] Be sure you're applying pressure with both hands. Sometimes one side of the leg gets shortchanged. Going Deeper The advantage of self-massage is that you know exactly where it hurts and can key on these areas. You also know when your muscles are loose enough for deeper penetration. [...] Amateurs usually don't go [deep enough] in assisted massage, or do so too quickly and it hurts. You can find that perfect balance. [...] It's best to use both [hands], but fatigue is a problem in self-massage. ============================================================ Mail Order Addresses The addresse/phone of some popular running mail order outfits (Directory assistance at 1-800-555-1212 for mail order outfits not listed): Road Runner Sports 6150 Nancy Ridge Road 1-800-551-5558 (Orders) rrunner@cts.com San Diego, CA 92121 1-800-662-8896 (Cust Serv) Fax: 1-619-455-6470 California Best 970 Broadway 1-800-CAL-BEST Chula Vista, CA 91911-1798 1-800-225-2378 Tel-a-Runner 80 Speedwell Ave telarun@telarun.com Morristown, NJ 07970 1-800-835-2786 Hoy's Sports 1632 Haight St San Francisco, 94117 1-800-873-4329 Holabird Sports 9008 Yellow Brick Rd Baltimore, Md 21237 1-410-687-6400 Fax: 1-410-687-7311 ================================= Marathon --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Increasing your mileage (Jack Berkery berkery@emmax5crd.ge.com) There are many good, professional, books and articles on how to train for whatever distance you choose. More for the marathon than others I think. Get one or two and mull them over. The following recommendations are a distillation of having read and digested most of these and more than a decade of experience. Let's suppose you are beginning with a base load of about 20 miles per week over a long period. First I DO NOT recommend that anyone who has been running for less than 3 years should run a marathon. Running is a long-term game and it takes time for your body to become adjusted physically to the demands, not only of the marathon itself, but also of the heavy training mileage required to build up to it. Next, you should always keep in mind that your build-up should not exceed 10% per week. 10% doesn't sound like much but it's actually a big adjustment for your system to make. Not only muscles, but bones and connective tissues must be strengthened to take the increased load and running marathon mileage is a lot of pounding. Remember 10%. That is not to say that if you ran 20 miles last week, you cannot go more than 22 next week, but over a period of 3-4 weeks the rate of increase should not exceed the 10% slope. After 4 weeks then, you should be doing just under 30 miles, but not more. If you go from 20 to 24 in the first week thereby exceeding the 10% rate, then doing 24 again the second week will bring you back on track. You can continue to build up mileage for about 6 weeks when you'll reach 35 miles. Then you MUST BACK OFF for a week or so. Drop back by about 25-30% for one week. Take two or three days off in a row. Get some rest to gain strength before beginning the climb again. How much mileage is enough for a marathon? I have known people to run marathons on 25 or 35 miles per week. Don't try it. How they got away with it is not important. It is only important to know that it simply ain't smart. You can get away with 40-45 per week if you are doing a regular long run of 15-18 each week. It is better to be doing 50 or more for 6 to 8 weeks before the marathon. This means you have to have the time necessary to build to 50 at that 10% rate (with 1 rest week out of every 6) and then sustain that 50+ mileage for 6-8 weeks as well. This is a heavy schedule. Never doubt that. When you listen to the mega-mileage people talk about 70 or 80 or more, they make it sound as if everyone should be able to do that. Well we CAN'T all do that. We all have a break-down point and for the great majority, it lies somewhere below 50 or 60 miles per week. You'll know where yours is only after repeated tries to exceed it result in an injury. So how do you build the mileage? Suppose you are doing an even 3 miles a day, no more, no less. You must begin by building the long run. In a marathon training schedule, the long run is everything. Start the first week of the build-up by just lengthening one run. All other days should remain the same. Make one, usually Sat. or Sun., a 5-6 miler to get your 10% increase. Take the next day off from running. Rest is important after the long run to allow your system adjustment time. The next week of the build-up, increase the one long run again while still holding the normal daily runs the same. As a rule of thumb, your long run can go to 3 times the distance of your daily average run. So while still doing regular 3 milers, you can build up that Sat. morning run to 9 miles. Don't do a 12 miler though until you have made your daily run 4 miles. This means keeping the long run at 9 miles for a few weeks and increasing the daily runs until your average is 4 or 5 a day. Then you can return to increasing the long run. Toward the end of the build-up you may be doing something like 6-8 each weekday plus an 18-20 miler on the weekend. It might also be a good idea to alternate long runs of 15 and 20 miles every other week. As you get close to the date of the marathon, run your last long run 2 weeks before. DO NOT do a long run one week prior to the marathon. In fact for the last week you should taper down to do only about half, yes half, the mileage you have been doing. DO NOT run the day before and 2 days before the race you might only do 3 miles just to get the legs loose and the blood flowing. You MUST be well rested for the big race itself. Now assuming you do everything right there is still no guarrantee that the marathon is going to go well. Many things might prevail to make it hurt, hot or humid weather, getting caught up in too hard a pace, not drinking enough water before or along the way (THE GREATEST SIN). You may even spend 3 or 4 months building your training only to come down with an illness or injury a few weeks before the race which will set you right back to square-one. If you want certainties, you're in the wrong game. What matters is not that you get to do that particular marathon on that particular day 5 months from now, but rather what you plan to do over the next 5 or 10 or 50 years. I did say running is a long-term game, no? Another note of caution. All the rules can be broken. You may get away with lower training, higher ramp-up rates or shorter long-runs. You might even get away with it more than once, but sooner or later it's gonna get ya. Take the more conservative plan and be safe. You're looking for a positive experience not an injury. ------------------Major Marathons & partial World Marathon Schedule Please have Marathon Directors fax me (Ozzie 619-281-9468) the dates of their marathon from 1997 to 2000. I will create a database of that information to post on the rec.running. Have them also include mailing address, phone and fax number and e-mail address if they have it. (date: 11/15/96) Boston Marathon 101th Running in 1997 ================== Boston Athletic Association P.O. Box 1996 Hopkington, MA 01748 Tel: 508-435-6905 Fax: 508-435-6590 The Boston Marathon is held on Patriots day (3rd monday in April). Starting time: Noon Boston Marathon qualifying times. Age Men Women Wheelchair Divison 18-34 3:10 3:40 CLASS MEN WOMEN 35-39 3:15 3:45 1 (Quad Class) 3:00 3:10 40-44 3:20 3:50 2-5 2:10 2:35 45-49 3:25 3:55 50-54 3:30 4:00 55-59 3:35 4:05 60-64 3:40 4:10 65-69 3:45 4:15 70+ 3:50 4:20 Note: Qualifying time based on age on the day of the Boston Marathon. Example: You run a qualifying race at the age of 44 in 3:22. You then have a birthday before the Boston Marathon, making you 45. You qualify, because your required qualification time is 3:25. Chicago Marathon (October ?, 1997) ========= 101 W. Grand Ave. Ste. 600 (Carey Pinkowski) Chicago, IL 60610 (312) 527-2200 [VOICE] (312) 527-9901 [FAX] London Marathon April ?, 1997 ======== PO Box 3460 London, England SE1 8RZ 44 71 620 4117 fax: 44 71 620 4208 UK entrants: In Oct. get *proper* form from London, fill in, enclose cheque. You should find out before Xmas if picked in the lottery. . If you've run a sub 2h40 (men) or sub 3h10 (ladies) no need for lottery as you qualify for the national championships (held in conjunction with London). Non-UK entrants: Get on "official" trips to come to the UK to run London from sports travel firms. If you book with sports travel firm you will definitely get an entry. Going it alone then write: Los Angeles Marathon March , 1997 ====== 11110 W. Ohio Avenue, #100 Los Angeles, CA 90025-3329 (310) 444-5544 AGE 18-59 60+ Marine Corps Marathon October ? 1997 ======= Box 188 Quantico, VA 22134 (703)640-2225 New York Marathon Nov. ?, 1997 ====== NYRRC P.O. Box 1766 GPO New York, NY 10116 (212) 860-4455 For U.S. residents: Send a self-addressed #10 business-size envelope (about 4" x 9.5") and a check or money order (no cash) for a $5.00 non-refundable handling fee. Make the check payable to: NYRRC. Send AFTER midnight of "set start date." All requests must be posted "start date" or later. The NYRRC sets a "start date" for accepting requests for applications, about May 15-20. Prospective applicants must send a SASE and $5, postmarked ON OR AFTER this date, to a PO Box in NY. They send a blank application, with no guarantee of anything, fairly promptly. Fill it out and return it ASAP. A caveat: You must be a member of UST&F, the USA's governing federation of running, to run in the NYCM. You can apply for entry along with your marathon application; instructions and UST&F application are sent with the blank NYCM application. Applications accepted on the following basis: Slots are reserved for non-USA runners (don't know how they are allocated). 12,000+ applications are accepted "first-come, first served" basis. The NYRRC claims this is not a tough thing if you act promptly - i.e. send request for ap on "Opening Day", and mail back the completed app. within a day or two. X,000 slots remain. Once above criteria filled, all applications received go (figuratively) into a big, big box. In late July or early August, NYRRC draws out the X,000 lucky envelopes. These entries are accepted. They draw a few hundred more, I guess, to set up a waiting list in the event of cancellations. NB: the rest of the applications are returned with refunded entry fee. San Francisco Marathon July ?, 1997 ==== City of San Francisco Marathon P.O. Box 77148 San Francisco, CA 94107 (415) 391-2123 Honolulu Marathon (Dec. 8, 1996)====== Honolulu Marathon Assoc. 3435 Wailae Ave. #208 Honolulu, HI 96816 808-734-7200 Compiled from infor direct from marathon organizers Running Times and Runner's World (Jan, 1996)...and runners and marathoners like you. 1996 Nov 23 Tulsa Tulsa, OK 918-744-0339 Nov 24 Seattle Seattle, WA 206-821-6474 Nov 24 Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH 513-898-7015 Nov 24 SpaceCoast Melbourne, FL 407-724-2510 Nov 28 Atlanta Atlanta, GA 404-231-9065 Nov 30 Mississippi Bch Ocean Srngs, MS 601-865-3071 Dec 1 White Rock Dallas, TX 214-526-5318 Dec 1 Memphis Memphis, TN 800-489-4040 Dec 1 West Hemisp Culver City, CA 310-253-6650 Dec 1 Almost Heaven Charleston, WV 304-744-6502 Dec 1 MACAU Macau, S. China 853-580-762 Dec 1 Bulldog Altus, Okla. 405-946-5614 Dec 1 Holiday Vandalia, OH 513-898+7015 Dec 7 Alamogordo White Sands, NM 505-382-8869 Dec 7 Kentucky Louisville KY 502-228-1133 Dec 7 Mississippi Clinton, MS 601-856-9884 Dec 8 Cal. Int'l Sacramento, CA 916-443-6223 Dec 8 Honolulu Honolulu, HI 808-734-7200 Dec 8 Delaware Wilmington, DE 302-654-6400 Dec 8 Brandon Brandon, Fla 813-681-4279 Dec 14 Rocket City Huntsville, AL 205-881-9077 Dec 14 Kiawah Is. Charleston, SC 803-768-3400 Dec 14 Jacksonville Jacksonville, FL 904-739-1917 Dec 26-31 6 Pack Vandalia, OH 513-898-7015 Dec 28 New Year Res. Muir Beach 415-868-1839 1997 Jan Disney World Orlando, Fl 407-939-7810 Jan King Day Tacoma WA 206-383-3531 Jan Pt Reyes Trl Pt. Reyes CA 415-868-1829 Jan BERMUDA Bermuda 441-238-2333 or MT Jan Englewood Resrv Englewood OH 513-898-7015 Jan Mardi Gras New Orleans, LA 504-482-6682 J19 San Diego San Diego,CA 619-792-2900 imisdm@aol.com Jan Tenneco Houston, TX 713-864-9305 Jan Great Valley Chambersburg, PA 717-263-5631 Jan Raritan Vly Piscataway NJ 908-846-2739 Jan Winter Vandalia OH 513-898-7015 Jan VIET NAM Hanoi 84-8-290-672 Jan Beargrease Snowshoe Duluth MN 612-435-8114 Jan Ellerbe Sprgs Ellerbe, NC 910-895-2626(correct #) Feb Tallahassee Tallahassee,FL 904-385-2768(correct #) Feb Tybee Tybee Is. BA 912-354-6223 Feb TOKYO Japan 81-3-3481-2300 Long Beach Feb Mid Winter Huber Hgts/Dayton OH 513-898-2664 Feb Carolina Columbia, SC 803-929-1996 (Wom.Oly) Feb Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV 702-876-3870 Feb Lost Soles Talent, OR 503-535-4854 Feb Doral Ryder Miami, FL 305-227-1500 Feb Charlotte Obsvr Charlotte, NC 704-358-5425 (Men Oly) Feb Heart Break Hls Many, LA 318-868-5668 Feb Ohio River Oxford, OH 513-438-5308 Feb Motorola Austin, TX 512-505-83049(best #) Feb Wash.Birthdy Greenbelt, MD 703-271-8959 Feb TAHITI Moorea, Polynesia 310-414-8484 Feb Blue Angel Pensacola FL 904-452-2843 Feb Cowtown Forth Worth, TX 817-735-2033 Feb Smokey Mt Louisville, TN 615-681-7467 Feb HMRRC Albany, NY 518-383-4514 Feb 3rd Oly Mem St. Louis, MO 314-434-9577 Feb SEVILLA Spain 34-5-95-452-0033 Feb Capetown Capetown, So. Africa 27-21-616-186 Feb Charlotte Obsvr Charlotte, NC 704-358-5425 (Men Oly) Feb Heart Break Hls Many, LA 318-868-5668 Feb Ohio River Oxford, OH 513-438-5308 Feb Motorola Austin, TX 512-505-83049(best #) Feb Wash.Birthdy Greenbelt, MD 703-271-8959 Feb TAHITI Moorea, Polynesia 310-414-8484 Feb Blue Angel Pensacola FL 904-452-2843 Feb Cowtown Forth Worth, TX 817-735-2033 Feb Smokey Mt Louisville, TN 615-681-7467 Feb HMRRC Albany, NY 518-383-4514 Feb 3rd Oly Mem St. Louis, MO 314-434-9577 Feb SEVILLA Spain 34-5-95-452-0033 Feb Capetown Capetown, So. Africa 27-21-616-186 Mar Last Train Bost Edgewood, MD 410-638-1091 Mar Trail's End Seaside, OR 503-646-7867 Mar B&A Trail Severna Pk, MD 410-987-0674 Mar Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 310-444-5544 Mar Napa Valley Napa, CA 707-257-6515 Mar Maui Kahului, HI 808-871-6441 Mar CHINA CST Hong Kong, China 852-818-4856 Mar TEL AVIV Israel 972-3-561-3322 Mar Sat Catalina Is. Catalina, CA 310-433-4557 Mar Music City Nashville, TN 615-298-3435 Mar Shamrock Virginia Bch, VA 804-481-5090 Mar DONG-A Int'l Seoul, Korea 82-2-361-0730 Mar Rome Italy US=212-688-3700 81-52-221-0739 Mar Trail Breaker Waukesha, WI 414-453-7600 Mar Great SW Abilene, TX 915-677-8144 Mar Athens Athens, OH 614-594-3042 Apr Golden Gate Sausalito, CA 415-868-1829 Apr Army Mule Mt. Ft. Huachuca, AZ 602-533-2541 Apr Hogeye Fayetteville, AR 501-442-6488 Apr Boston Boston, MA 508-435-6905 Apr Longest Day Brookings, SD 605-692-2334 Apr Camp Lejune Camp Lejune, NC 910-451-5430 Apr Napa Vly Trail Calistoga, CA 415-868-1829 Apr LONDON England 617-242-7845=MT Apr PARIS Paris, France 33-1-42-77-17-84 or MT Apr VIENNA Austria 43-1-402-6917 Apr Glass City Toledo, OH 419-475-0731 Apr BRASILIA Brazil 55-92-656-5019 Apr Pine Line Trl Medford, WI (Dairylnd) 715-748-6450 Apr Big Sur Carmel, CA 408-625-6226 Apr Running Fit Trl Ann Arbor, MI 313-769-5016 Apr Lake Cnty Highland Pk, IL 708-266-7223 Apr USArmyMedComm San Antonio, TX 210-221-1342 Apr Michigan Trl Ann Arbor, MI 313-769-5016 Apr ROTTERDAM Netherlands 31.10.4172886 Apr MADRID Madrid, Spain 34-1-266-9701 Apr WROCLAW Poland 48-71-555-030 May FLETCHER Rotorua, N. Zealand 64-7-348-8448 Apr Mt.Hamilton Mt Hamilton, CA 415-868-1829 May Great Potato Boise, ID 208-344-5501 May Shiprock Farmington, NM 505-327-5595 May Whiskey Row Prescott, AZ 602-445-7221 May Ave. of Giants Weott,CA RT, 281 Hidden Vly Rd,Bayside,CA95524 May VANCOUVER BC Canada 604-872-2928 May Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA 412-578-3320 May Lincoln Lincoln, NE 402-423-4519 May Race of Cham Holyoke, MA 413-734-0955 May Revco Cleveland, OH 800-GO-REVCO May Wild West Lone Pine, CA 619-876-4444 May Buffalo Buffalo, NY 716-837-7223 May Long Is. East Meadow, NY 516-572-0251 May Spring Fling Vandalia, OH 513-898-7015 May TORONTO Ontario 416-426-7219 May Lake Geneva Lake Geneva, WI 414-248-4323 May HeadlndsWolfRdg Sausalito, CA 415-868-1829 May Forest City London, Ontario 519-685-8675 May TURIN Turin, Italy 39-11-663-1231 May Tallinn Tallinn, Estonia 372-2-238-220 May BUDAPEST Hungry 36-1-267-6560 May Nat'l Capital Ottawa, Ont Canada 613-234-2221 May J. Miles Nova Scotia 902-755-8363 May Forest City London, Ontario 519-685-8675 May MUNCHEN Munich, Germany 49-89-641-0616 May Muir Woods Muir Wood, CA 415-868-1829 May Capital City Olympia, WA 360-786-1786 May COPENHAGEN Denmark 45-35-26-6900 May Andy Payne Oklahoma Cty, OK 405-424-3010 May BayShore Traverse Cty, MI 616-941-5743 May Lone Star Amarillo, TX 806-345-3451 May Gage RdRunr Gage, OK 405-923-7727 May LAKELAND Vermilion,Alb. Canada 403-953-8471 MAY Med City Rochester, MN 507-282-1310 May Madison Madison, WI 608-256-9922 May Vermont City Burlington, VT 800-642-5154 May Wyoming Cheyenne, WY 307-635-3316 May Coeur D'Alene Coeur D'Alene, ID 208-773-7581 Jun Governor Cup Helena, MT 406-447-3414 Jun RidgeRunr Cairo, WV 304-643-2931 Jun God'sCntry Coudersport, PA 814-435-2290 Jun STOCKHOLM Sweden 46-8-667-1930 or MT Jun Steamboat Steamboat Sprgs, CO 303-879-0882 Jun Nipmuck Trl Ashford, CT 203-455-1096 Jun Clackamas River Beaverton, OR 803-646-2867 Jun WildernessTrl Marin, CA 415-868-1829 Jun MELBOURNE Australia 61-3-853-2768 Jun Palos Verdes Palos Verdes, CA (2nd Sat) Jun Sugar Loaf Kingfield, ME 207-237-2000 Jun Hoosier Fort Wayne, IN 219-749-1237 Jun Taos Taos, NM 505-776-1860 Jun Valley of Flwrs Lompoc, CA 805-735-3255 Jun Sunburst South Bend, IN 219-284-6613 Jun Mar2Marathon Marathon, IA 712-289-2246 Jun YUKON Yukon, Canada 403-668-4236 Jun MANITOBA Winnipeg, Canada 204-925-5751 Jun Fila Sky Aspen, CO 212-714-1280 Jun High Sierra Truckee, CA 510-223-5778 Jun Grandma's Duluth, MN 218-727-0947 Jun Midnight Sun Anchorage AK 907-343-4474 Jun Pk. of Roses Columbus, OH 513-898-7015 Jun Sum. Solstice Muir Bch, CA 415-868-1829 Jun ARTIC CIRCLE Nanasivik, Canada 416-869-0772 Jun PRAGUE Czchoslovakia 42-2-207-429 Jun MIDNIGHT SUN Baffin Is. NT Canada 416-869-0772 Jun KILIMANJARO Tanzania 310-320-3663 Jul PAAVO NURMI Turku, Finland 358-21-2503-526 Jul CALGARY Alberta, Canada 403-270-8828 Jul Grandfather Mt Boone, NC 704-265-3479 Jul San Francisco San Francisco, CA 415-391-2123 Jul Ohio-Mich Toledo, OH 419-475-0731 Jul GOLD COAST Queensland, Aus. 61-75-911-2405 Jul Mosquito Leadville, CO 719-486-3900 Jul Okoboji Pike's Pt St. Pk Iowa 712-338-2424 Jul Deseret News Salt Lake City, UT 801-237-2135 Jul Kilauea Volcano Hawaii Nat.Pk. HI 808-967-8222 Jul HELSINKI Finland 358-0-158-2405 Jul NOVA SCOTIA Barrington, NS 902-637-3254 Aug Frank Maier Juneau, AL 907-586-8322 Aug Drakes Bay Sausalito, CA 415-868-1829 Aug SIBERIAN Omsk, Russia 7-3812-311-844 Aug Union Terminal Cincinnati, OH 513-898-7015 Aug Crater Lk. Rim Klamath Falls, OR 503-884-6939 Aug Paavo Nurmi Upson, WI 715-561-4334 Aug Mammouth Mt Mammoth Lake, CA 510-223-5778 Aug Summer Spree Vandalia, OH 513-898-7015 Aug Pikes Pk Ascnt Manitou Spgs, CO 719-473-2625 Aug Pikes Peak Manitou Spgs, CO 719-473-2625 Aug REYKJAVIK Iceland 354-1-626-385 Aug Festival-by-Sea Saint John, N.Brunswick 506-696-4922 Aug Kona Kailua-Kona, HI 808-329-4661 Aug Silver State Reno, NV 702-849-0419 Aug EDMONTON Alberta, Canada 403-433-6062 Aug ADELAIDE Australia 61-8-213-0615 Aug Sausalito Sauksalito, CA 415-686-1829 Sep Black Hills Rapid City, SD 605-348-7866 Sep Scotty Hanton Port Huron, MI 519-542-2153 Sep Snowgoose Anchorage, AK 907-258-4964 Sep Tupelo Tupelo, Miss. 601-842-2-39 Sep BEAVERLODGE Grand Prarie, Alberta 403-532-7138 Sep Twin Cities St.John, Newfoundland 709-368-1728 Sep Heart of America Columbia MO 314-445-2684 (Labor Day, 6 am) Sep Turtle Roswell, NM 505-624-8830 Sep Am.Odyssey Marathon City, WI 715-675-6977 Sep Bismarck Bismarck, ND 701-255-1525 Sep Jackson Jackson, WY 307-733-5056 Sep OSLO Norway 47-22-565-370 Sep GOLDEN EAGLE Canmore, Alberta 403-270-7317 Sep SASKATCHEWAN Saskatoon, Canada 306-382-2962 Sep Oilsands Fort McMurray, Alberta 403-791-4027 Sep Yellowknife NW Terr. 403-920-3128 Sep Eriesistible Erie, PA 814-459-8381 Sep Burney Classic Burney, CA 916-335-2825 Sep Equinox Fairbanks, AK 907-452-8351 Sep Bethel Mt. Bethel, Alaska 907-543-2110 Sep Sugar River Trl Bradhead, WI 608-897-4516 Sep Walker North Walker, Minn 800-833-1118 Sep Fall Fantasy Vandalia, OH 513-898-7015 Sep MONTREAL Canada 514-284-5272 Sep AMSTERDAM Holland 31-20-663-0781 Sep Duke City Albuquerque, NM 505-890-1018 Sep Clarence Demar Gilsum NH 603-357-5891 Sep Portland Portland, OR 503-226-1111 Sep East Lyme East Lyme, Conn. 203-739+2864 Sep BERLIN Germany 49-30-392-2382 Sep PRINCE ED IS. Charlottetown, PEI 902-566-3966 Oct St. George St. George, UT 801-634-5850 Oct Maine Portland, ME 207 774-5795 Oct Sacramento Sacramento,CA 916-678-5005 Oct Yonkers Yonkers, NY 914-377-6430 (6450?) Oct Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN 612-673-0778 Oct Pueblo River Pueblo, CO 719-543-5151 Oct Lakefront Milwaukee, WI 414-783-5009 Oct Atlantic City Atalantic, NJ 609-822-6911 Oct Richmond Richmond, VA 804-649-6738 (6838?) Oct Green Mt S. Hero, VT 802-434-3228 Oct Caesar Creek C.C Park, OH 513-898-1015 (7015?) Oct Wichita Wichita, KS 316-267-6812 Oct Chicago Chicago, IL 312-527-2200 Oct Detroit Detroit, MI 313-393-7749 Oct Colorado Denver, CO 303-727-8700 Oct Humboldt Weott, CA 707-443-1220 Oct Mohawk-Hud. Albany, NY Oct ATHENS Greece 303-863-0066 Oct St. Louis St Louis, MO 314-781-3926 (3726?) Oct Sky to Sea Santa Cruz, CA 415-868-1829 Oct Marine Corps Wash. DC 703-640-2225 Oct VENICE Venice, Italy 39-41-940-644 Oct DUBLIN Ireland 617-242-7686 Oct FRANKFURT Germany Oct Cape Cod Falmouth, MA 508-540-6959 Nov Big Sur Trail Big Sur, CA 415-868-1829 Nov AndrJackson Jackson, TN 901-668-1708 Nov Cherokee Strp Ponca, OK 405-767-4339 Nov Leprechaun Vandalia, OH 513-898-7015 Nov Omaha Omaha, NE 402-553-8349 Nov New York New York, NY 212-860-4455 Nov Ocean State Narragansett, RI 401-885-4499 Nov Chickamauga Chickamauga, GA 615-875-3642 Nov Columbus Columbus, OH 614-433-0395 Nov Harrisburg Harrisburg, PA 717-652-2521 Nov San Antonio San Antonio, TX 210-246-9652 Nov Vulcan Birmingham, AL 205-995-5344 Nov Philadelphia Philadelphia,PA 215-685-0054 Nov Palm Desert Palm Desert, CA 619-346-8070 Many tours to the large national & international marathons are organized by: Marathon Tours 108 Main St Charleston MA 02129 (617) 242-7845 Marie Frances Productions 7603 New Market Dr Bethesda, MD 20817 301-320-3363 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Miscellaneous Pulled this chart out of Marathoning by Manfred Steffny. ( pub 1977). (Robert Davidson davidson@maricopa.edu) Max. possible Realistic 10Km marathon time marathon time ------ ------------- ------------- 27:00 2:05:00 2:08:30 28:00 2:10:00 2:14:00 29:00 2:15:00 2:19:30 30:00 2:20:00 2:25:00 31:00 2:25:00 2:30:30 32:00 2:30:00 2:36:00 33:00 2:35:00 2:43:00 34:00 2:40:00 2:49:00 35:00 2:45:00 2:55:00 36:00 2:50:00 3:00:00 37:00 2:55:00 3:07:00 38:00 3:00:00 3:15:00 39:00 3:05:00 3:20:00 40:00 3:10:00 3:25:00 42:30 3:22:00 3:42:30 45:00 3:35:00 4:00:00 47:30 3:47:30 4:20:00 50:00 4:00:00 4:40:00 =============================================== 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 these off with a few toe raises (no weights!) before I head out to run... If you're having trouble, I'd recommend stretching 2-3 times a day until you get over the problem. Start slowly! Also, you probably should avoid hills and extremely hard surfaces until the situation improves. I've known several people who've had shin splints and gotten over them by stretching. (Of course, you should be careful in case the shin splints are the result of a more severe problem...) ------------------------ Help with shin splints. 1. Try picking up marbles with your toes and holding onto them for a few seconds. 1A. While recovering from shin splints, it may help to use a wedge in the heel of your shoes. By raising the heel, you are reducing the pull on the muscles and tendons on the front. 2. Stand on the stairs with your heels out over the edge. Lower your heels as far as they will go without undue discomfort, and hold for 15 seconds. Slowly raise yourself up on your toes. Repeat 5 million times. (Sherwood Botsford sherwood@space.ualberta.ca) 3. If you can, rig something with either surgical tubing or a large rubberband. For example: put the tubing around one of the back legs of your desk in some sort of a loop. Reach under the tubing with your toes, with your heel as a pivot pull the tubing toward you. This will work the muscle in the front of the shins. Repeat 6 million times. It's easier than the stair exercise 4. Run on different terrain, preferably grass. It'll absorb the shock. 5. This normally affects knees, but it might affect shins. Don't run on the same side of the road all of the time. It is sloped left or right to let the water run off. Running on the same slope for long periods of time will cause adverse effects to the ankles, shins...etc.... If you are running on a track, alternate your direction of travel, as the lean when you are going around the corners is at least as bad as the crown slope of a road. This is especially true of small indoor tracks. 6. Strenghening the front muscles: Make a training weight by tying a strip of cloth to a pop bottle. Sit on the kitchen counter top, hang bottle from toes, and raise it up and down by flexing your ankle. Weight can be adjusted by adding water or sand to the bottle. (Sherwood Botsford sherwood@space.ualberta.ca) 7. Scatter a few chunks of 2x4 around the house where you tend to stand, say kitchen and bathroom. Now everytime you are at the stove or at the bathroom (in front of either fixture) stand on 2x4 and rest your heels on the floor. One in front of the TV and used during every commercial will either stretch you, or stop you from watching TV. sherwood@space.ualberta.ca ------------------------------ Side stitches (Jack Berkery berkery@emmax5crd.ge.com) The Latest Word on Stitches In the May-June 1992 issue of Running Research News there is an article by Dr. Gordon Quick about the causes of and cures for stitches. To summarize: 1) Stitches are a muscle spasm of the diaphragm. The cause of the spasm is that the organs below it are jouncing up and down and pulling down as it wants to pull up. The liver being the largest organ is the biggest culprit which is why most stitches are on the right side. A stomach full of food may also contribute to the problem for the same reason. Stitches also occur more often when running downhill or in cold weather. 2) The cure seems almost too simple. Breathe out when your left foot strikes the ground instead of when the right foot strikes so that the organs on the right side of the abdomen are jouncing up when the diaphragm is going up. The organs attached to the bottom of the diaphragm on the left aren't as big, so exert less downward pulling strain. If this is not enough to get rid of it, stop and raise you arms above your head until the pain goes away and when you resume, be a left foot breather. (Conversely, if your stitch occurs on the left side, switch your breathing to exhale on the right foot.) 3) Do not eat anything for an hour before running if you are prone to stitches, BUT PLEASE DO DRINK WATER. Water empties from the stomach faster than solids and the risk of complications from dehydration far exceed the problems one may have with a stitch. 4) In the long term, exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles will help prevent stitches because tighter abs will allow less movement of those internal organs. Practice belly breathing instead of chest breathing as recommended by Noakes. For the most part, stitches diminish over time. While they are not strictly a novice runner's problem (about 1/3 of all runners get them from time to time) they usually will go away after a few weeks of conditioning. -------------- By Tim Noakes Oxford Uni. Press, 1985. Quoted from "Lore of Running" Proper breathing prevents the development of the `stitch'. The stitch is a condition that occurs only during exercise and which causes severe pain usually on the right side of the abdomen, immediately below the rib margin. Frequently the pain is also perceived in the right shoulder joint, where it feels as if an ice-pick were being driven into the joint. The pain is exacerbated by down-hill running and by fast, sustained running as in a short road race or time trial. For various complex anatomical reasons, the fact that the stitch causes pain to be felt in the shoulder joint suggests that the diaphragm is the source of the pain. It has been suggested that when breathing with the chest too much air is drawn into the lungs, and not all is exhaled. This causes a gradual and progressive accumulation of air in the lungs, causing them to expand which in turn causes the diaphragm to be stretched and to encroach on the abdominal contents below it. During running, the over-stretched diaphragm becomes sandwiched between an over-expanded chest above, and a jolting intestine pounding it from below. It revolts by going into spasm, and the pain of this spasm is recognized as the stitch. Although there is really not a shred of scientific evidence for this belief, I have found that diaphragm spasm is almost certainly involved in the stitch and that belly-breathing can frequently relieve the pain. The runner who wishes to learn how to belly-breath should lie on the floor and place one or more large books on his stomach. He should concentrate on making the books rise when he breathes in and fall when he exhales. As it takes about two months to learn to do the movement whilst running fast, it is important to start practicing well before an important race. A change in breathing pattern may help relieve the stitch. Within a short period of starting running, breathing becomes synchronized with footfall. Thus one automatically breaths in on one leg and out when landing either on the same leg - that is 2, 3 or 4 full strides later - or on the opposite leg - that is 1 1/2, 2 1/2, or 3 1/2 strides later. Thus the ratio of stride to breathing may be 2:1, 3:1, 4:1; or 1.5:1, 2.5:1, 3.5:1. This phenomenon was first reported by Bramble and Carrier (1983). Of particular interest was their finding that most runners are `footed', that is the beginning and end of a respiratory cycle occurs on the same foot, usually in a stride to breathing ratio of either 4:1 whilst jogging or 2:1 whilst running faster. Runners then become habituated to breathing out on the same let, day after day. This produces asymmetrical stresses on the body and could be a factor in both the stitch and in certain running injuries. I am `left-footed' and have also suffered my major running injuries only on my left side. If changes in breathing patterns do not prevent the stitch then the last step is to increase abdominal muscle strength. The correct way to strengthen the abdominal muscles is to do bent-knee sit ups with the feet unsupported. -------------- EDITORS NOTE: Readers response to "Belly Breathing" definition above. "Belly Breathing" (Lamont Granquist lamontg@u.washington.edu) While I wasn't breathing with my chest, I wasn't really "Belly Breathing". When I exhaled, what I was doing was pulling my stomach muscles in. I found out that this is *not* the way to "Belly Breathe". The idea is to throw your gut out as much as possible -- try and look as fat & ugly as you can when you run. For the suggestion in the FAQ of lying on your back and lifting a book, it should probably be noted that when exhaling you want to try to keep the book lifted up (of course naturally, you don't want to try to do this all so hard that it becomes difficult to exhale -- the idea is that breathing this way should be comfortable). -------------- Stitches continued (Sunil Dixit sd007b@uhura.cc.rochester.edu) 1. Since it is a cramp, I try not to drink or eat too soon before my runs, and I try to limit my intake during runs. 2. I stretch my abs extensively before a run. Putting my arm over my head and leaning to the opposite side until I'm pulling on the side of my abdominals works well. 3. I regulate my breathing by breathing in through my nose, and out through my mouth. This sounds like zen-crap, but believe me, it works amazingly well in eliminating all types of cramping. When you first do it, it'll feel like you're not getting enough oxygen, but if you persist the technique will become very comfortable. 4. I run with my back fairly straight, even up hills. This keeps the lungs from bending over in my body, and makes it much easier to breathe. 5. If none of these work, I keep going anyway. After about 3 miles, it usually goes away . . . if you're lucky. ------------------ Lactic Acid (Rob Loszewski loszewski_im@sage.hnrc.tufts.edu) "Lactic acid buildup (technically called acidosis) can cause burning pain, especially in untrained muscles. Lactic acid accumulation can lead to muscle exhaustion withing seconds if the blood cannot clear it away. A strategy for dealing with lactic acid buildup is to relax the muscles at every opportunity, so that the circulating blood can carry the lactic acid away and bring oxygen to support aerobic metabolism. ...much of the lactic acid is routed to the liver, where it is converted to glucose. A little lactic acid remains in muscle tissue, where it is completely oxidized when the oxygen supply is once again sufficient." Understanding Nutrition, 5th ed., Whitney, Hamilton, Rolfes., West Pub. Comp. 1990, pg402- 403. ------------------ Loose Bowels (Rodney Sanders rdsand@ccmail.monsanto.com) Some general advice to take care of loose bowels. (1) Look for offending foods in your diet. For example, many people have a lactose intolerance which can cause all sorts of fun if you had a triple cheese pizza the night before the run... (2) If you run in the morning, eat lightly and early the night before... I try to make sure I eat the least problematic foods close to my workouts... I've personally found baked chicken/fish, baked potatoes, and pasta with light sauces (no alfredo!), to be pretty good... (3) I read that Bill Rodgers drinks a cup of coffee in the morning before heading out...The caffeine stimulates one to take care of things completely before getting out...This has helped me when I run in the morning.... (4) Carry a wad of toilet paper with you! I suspect that if you monitor your diet closely, you'll probably find something that makes the problem worse than at other times and you can avoid that food... Some other advice: (Sanjay Manandhar sanjay@media-lab.media.mit.edu) 1. Less fiber in the diet 2. Run repeats on small loops. 3. Note all the washrooms along the route. 4. Time of day. For me, mornings are bad. In the evening runs the problem is infrequent. 5. A primer run. If I have to run in the mornings, I run 1 mile of primer run so that the bowels can be taken care of. Then I start my real run. ----- Diabetes & Running (Timothy Law Snyder tim@normal.georgetown.edu) Oops, here is what makes virutually every person with diabetes bristle: MYTHS of diabetes! Not to flame Jay, but diabetics can (and do) eat as much sugar, drink as much booze, and run as many marathons as anybody else. The challenge is that they must manage the delicate balance between insulin (which lowers blood sugar), food (which raises it), and exercise (which, because it stokes up the metabolism and makes the insulin "rage") lowers blood sugar. Timing is important, and sometimes, due to the millions of factors that are at play (and _not_ due to negligence), the blood sugar will go too high or too low. Before a run, a person with diabetes (nobody in the know calls them "diabetics" any more) must make sure that the blood sugar is somewhat higher than normal. This gives a "pad" so that exercise does not result in a low-sugar crisis. Often the runner will take less insulin the day of the run. Before (and for long runs, during) the run some food must be eaten. For short runs, carbos will do, but proteins and fats are also necessary for the longer hauls. For a marathon, one must take some sort of food during the run. A high- carbo source like a soda works well, for the sugar is taken up immediately and, since the beverage is concentrated, it is easily digested (relative to, say, the caloric equivalent in whole wheat : ). Sugar does absolutely _no_ harm to the person with diabetes (provided, they do not ignore insulin requirements). That's right: The person could knock off twelve sodas, an entire chocolate cake, and a bag of M&Ms, and be as "fine" as anybody else (quotes intended---yuk!). While I am at it, here are a couple of other myth corrections: There is no clear evidence that diabetes is hereditary. Diabetes has _nothing_ to do with how much sugar the person ate before acquiring the condition. People with diabetes can (and do) drink as much alcohol as anybody else. (Alcohol lowers the blood sugar a tiny bit, so one must be careful to not forget to eat [and too many cocktails tend to...].) Hope this helps. Oh, by the way, NO, the taste of something sweet does not cause the release of insulin (save a possible [and rare] placebo effect). =========================================================================== Nutrition and Food (Bruce Hildenbrand bhilden@unix386.Convergent.COM) [Ed. note: Originally appeared in rec.bicycles] Oh well, I have been promising to do this for a while and given the present discussions on nutrition, it is about the right time. This article was written in 1980 for Bicycling Magazine. It has been reprinted in over 30 publications, been the basis for a chapter in a book and cited numerous other times. I guess somebody besides me thinks its OK. If you disagree with any points, that's fine, I just don't want to see people take exception based on their own personal experiences because everyone is different and psychological factors play a big role(much bigger than you would think) on how one perceives his/her own nutritional requirements. Remember that good nutrition is a LONG TERM process that is not really affected by short term events(drinking poison would be an exception). If it works for you then do it!!! Don't preach!!!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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