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Lead Stories: Friday, July 18, 2008

Note on the News: Running Can Really Make You High

Posted March 28th, 2008 at 9:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Running & Training, Health & Fitness, Exercise

New York Times science reporter Gina Kolata has a story today about how running actually produces a “high” in athletes. You can read it here at this shortened URL:

http://tinyurl.com/3d58v3

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Athletes and Other Active Individuals Found to Prefer Athletic Doctors

Posted January 16th, 2008 at 3:33 PM by Megan Hueter

Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise

People can be very selective about which doctor to seek. Some seek certain specialties, some (actually many of us) seek whatever our insurance will pay for, and some seek whatever is easiest and most convenient in terms of location. But—as an athlete—would you prefer doctor who is personally athletic? A recent article from the NY Times analyzed this exact question.

While it may not be proven that athletic doctors are better for athletes, a study of 4,000 female doctors found that those who are at least moderately active are much more comfortable giving advice about exercise to patients, and their advice would be more meaningful, since the active doctor sets the example about a healthy lifestyle. Athletic doctors are less likely to take off-the-wall conservative approaches to pain, such as, “Running destroys the cartilage in the knees.”

Read the rest of this entry at our partner site: HesFit.com

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Q & A: Is stretching helpful or harmful for exercisers?

Posted November 30th, 2007 at 2:12 PM by Andrew Goodman

Section: Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise

Stretching the leg muscles improves muscle flexibility and strength, running speed, and jumping distance, according to a study from Louisiana State University (Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, October 2007).

Stretching elongates muscles and tendons. Longer tendons allow muscles to exert a greater torque on the joint to exert more power to help you lift heavier, jump higher and run faster.

However, other studies show that you should not stretch before a competition involving speed and strength (Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, April 2006). The longer the athletes stretched, the weaker they became. Prolonged stretching fatigues muscle fibers so that they contract with reduced force.
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Managers Will Not Represent Athletes Who Have Been Banned

Posted November 15th, 2007 at 2:51 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Announcements, Track & Field, Drugs In Sports

The Association of Athletics Managers (AAM) agreed at their autumn meeting in Miami last week that its members will not represent any athlete who has tested positive and was convicted of a doping violation for which he or she has served a two-year ban or longer.

The AAM represents 29 athletics managers and management firms, including big players like Jos Hermens’ Global Sports Communications and Federico Rosa’s Rosa & Associatti.

The move was applauded by the Euromeetings group, which represents 48 indoor and outdoor meetings in Europe.
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Q&A: Are hot tubs and saunas helpful or harmful?

Posted November 1st, 2007 at 8:15 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise

For many years I have believed that heating muscles in a whirlpool or sauna after exercise interferes with muscle contractions and hampers muscular endurance.

However, a study from the University of Otago in New Zealand shows that taking a sauna after workouts for three weeks helped athletes to exercise longer to exhaustion (Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, Sports Medicine Australia, August 2007).

Trained runners sat in a humid sauna for 30 minutes at 89.9 degrees centigrade immediately after exercising, 12 times in three weeks. They then ran as hard as they could on a treadmill for about 15 minutes, to exhaustion.
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Low Bone Density: A Serious Risk Factor for Athletes

Posted October 29th, 2007 at 5:20 PM by Megan Hueter

Section: Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise

A University of Missouri study suggests that athletic men may be at risk for low bone density. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, “osteoporosis affects more than 2 million men in the United States and nearly 12 million more have osteopenia– clinically significant low bone density that is less severe than osteoporosis.” The study now suggests that men who engage in low-impact forms of exercise have a higher incidence of osteopenia.

Pamela Hinton, an associate professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Missouri’s College of Human Environmental Sciences claims that “Regular, non-weight-bearing activities, such as swimming and cycling are effective measures for preventing the leading risk factors for death and disability in our society, but the results of this study suggest that regular weight-bearing activities, such as running, jogging, or rope jumping, are important for the maintenance of healthy bones.”

Read the rest of this article by new, staff writer Denise Musumeci via our partner site: HesFit.com

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The Final Sprint Podcast Highlighted by Running Times

Posted October 29th, 2007 at 9:07 AM by thefinalsprint.com

Section: News & Results, Announcements, Marathons, Cross Country, Track & Field, Resources, Olympics, Special Features, Podcasts, Trail / Ultra

The Final Sprint Podcast, the most listened to running podcast in North America, continues to capture audiences and receive praise from athletes, coaches, journalists, industry leaders and running fans from around the world.

Most recently, Running Times Magazine chose to highlight The Final Sprint Podcast along with Flocasts/Flotrack and the World Championship Sports Network (WCSN) in their October 2007 issue.

The Final Sprint Podcast, launched in January 2007, features three to five audio interviews each week and is hosted by TheFinalSprint.com Editor-in-Chief Adam Jacobs.

Jacobs has proudly welcomed a dynamic and eclectic list of guests, including track & field superstars (Sanya Richards, Ryan Hall, Alan Webb), Olympic marathon medalists (Deena Kastor, Meb Keflezighi), ultra-elite champions (Dean Karnazes, Scott Jurek), coaching icons (Dr. Jack Daniels, Jeff Galloway), courageous heroes (Jim MacLaren, Kathrine Switzer, Billy Mills) and running legends from years past (Gail Devers, Jim Ryun, Grete Waitz).

To listen in, subscribe to the podcast feed, or even download recent episodes right to your mp3 player, please visit: TheFinalSprint.com.

The podcast is also available at no charge in iTunes.

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Scheduling and Qualifying Rounds at International
Track & Field Meets

Posted October 18th, 2007 at 8:53 PM by Jimson Lee

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Masters

Scheduling an international track meet with a full program of events is no easy task, especially when it involves a large number of competitors.

Add both genders, five year age groups starting from age 35 up to 100, and you’ll certainly run out of time and space. Often, multiple stadiums are used and the 2007 World Masters Athletics in Riccione, Italy, was no exception; hosting events in three different stadiums.

Of course, athletes representing our Italian host accounted for almost one-third of the 9000+ participants, and the most popular age groups (M40-44, M45-49, and M50-54) accounted for almost a third as well. Unlike local Masters competitions, straight finals are non-existent for these age groups.
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Interval Training on Consecutive Days

Posted October 15th, 2007 at 11:45 AM by Martha Jones

Section: Running & Training, Training Tips, Health & Fitness, Exercise

The faster an athlete moves in training, the faster he or she will be able to move during competition. So athletes use a training technique called interval training in which they run, cycle, skate, ski or swim very fast for a short time. When they become severely short of breath, they slow down until they recover, and then move very fast again.

Researchers at Ithaca College showed that athletes can gain as much by doing this type of intense interval training on consecutive days as on alternate days (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, September 2007).

Interval training causes considerable muscle damage, so it usually leaves athletes sore the next day. Most trainers recommend exercising at a slower pace until the soreness disappears. That is why athletes usually follow each intense day with one or more easy days.

However, many competitions require an athlete to exercise flat out for several consecutive days. He/She may have to compete in multiple preliminary heats over several consecutive days to reach the finals.
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The Power of Pedialyte

Posted October 12th, 2007 at 8:57 AM by Valerie Cerami

Section: Running & Training, Nutrition, Hydration, Race Prep & Recov, Supplements, Health & Fitness, Exercise

Next time you’re in the supermarket, take a stroll down the infant aisle. No, not to stock-up on Pampers or for that sale on sippy-cups…this walk on the tame side is for you.

If Motherhood hasn’t hit you yet, you’ve probably never ventured into the Gerber area. Yet, even if you’ve got a stash of Mother’s Day cards, visit (or revisit) this land-of-plenty with newborn eyes and with a novel toddler in mind: You.

A brand-spanking-new-view of baby paraphenalia is crying out, practically crawling off the shelves for your attention. The drink of champions (little and large, it seems), the nectar of the stars (athletes and your under-one-year-old), the elixir for all ages, is Pedialyte.

Long distance runners led the trend, beginning way back in the 1980s. Leaps and bounds ahead of the slower starters, marathoners …

Read the rest of this entry at our partner site: HerActiveLife.com

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