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Lead Stories: Saturday, July 19, 2008

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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Longer Lower Legs =
More Efficient Running

Posted October 29th, 2007 at 3:30 PM by Allyson Rosen

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

People who have longer lower leg lengths (the distance from knee to ankle) will usually have greater endurance during running or walking than those with shorter lower leg lengths.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin showed that people with longer lower legs use less energy when they run (Journal of Human Evolution, August 2007).

In a previous paper in the same journal, these authors showed that people with longer lower legs are better able to prevent heat build-up, which slows you down and makes you tired. When you exercise, almost 80 percent of the energy that you use to power your muscles is lost as heat.
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Podcast 97: KATE O’NEIL Reflects on Her Impressive Marathon Debut in Chicago

Posted October 22nd, 2007 at 5:18 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Episode 97 of The Final Sprint Podcast features my follow-up interview with KATE O’NEIL on her extremely impressive 3rd place, debut marathon performance at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

In the interview Kate reflects on her big day and talks about the keys to her success, battling through the heat, when she realized the leaders were too far out of reach and why after initially “feeling terrible despite the happiness” she now is excited to run another marathon.

Download the podcast to hear Kate discuss these topics, as well as, how this experience and her success in a slow, but strategic race will help her in April’s U.S. Olympic Women’s Marathon Trials, training adjustments and preparing for the wind in Boston, her racing plans for 2008, and advice for first time marathoners!

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Host: Adam Jacobs | Guest: Kate O’Neil
Producers: Greg Cherniet, Adam Jacobs
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt, Darnell Perkins
File Size: 8.34 MB | Length: 12:08 MIN

Episode sponsored by: Bill Rodgers Sportswear
After 21 years Bill Rodgers Sportswear is closing out their line of high-quality running apparel. Visit shopfest.com to take advantage of an unprecedented 50% discount on all in-stock items!

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Race Directors To Discuss 2007 Chicago Marathon
Issues at RRM Meeting

Posted October 18th, 2007 at 7:22 PM by Jamal Walker

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The Road Race Management Race Directors’ Meeting has added a mini forum titled: “Issues Relating to the Recent Chicago Marathon” to their schedule for Saturday, Nov. 10.

Prior to this session they will discuss the role of a race spokesperson, which will touch on some of the issues generated by the extreme heat at Chicago, but the extra allotted session will afford additional time to discuss, digest and exchange views about what happened in Chicago, why it happened, and the reactions of the participants, the public and the media.

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Video: Chicago Runners Can Finish At Denver Marathon

Posted October 11th, 2007 at 1:52 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon was stopped mid-way through due to high temperatures and extreme humidity on race day.

However, now Denver Marathon officials are offering free registration to Chicago runners who want to get to the finish line.

Click here for the press release and check out the video below to watch CBS4 Denver’s report on this unique situation:

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Chicago Marathon ‘07:
By the Numbers . . .

Posted October 7th, 2007 at 7:50 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Today’s LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon was both a thrilling and tragic event. Here’s a look at the 30th edition of the race by the numbers:

It was Chicago’s slowest men’s finish time in 12 years (1995 winner, Ritva Lemettinen (FIN) finished in 2:11:18), continuing a trend set by a majority of the year’s World Marathon Major events (Haile Gebrselassie’s world record of 2:04:26 in Berlin being the lone exception thus far in 2007). See the chart below to compare finish times over the last decade.

One runner tragically died during the race. Several news agencies have reported that the deceased was a 35 year old man named Chad Schieber of Midland, Michigan. He was pronounced dead, presumably from heat-related causes, shortly before 1 p.m. at a Veteran’s Affairs hospital, the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy was scheduled for Monday.

250 people were taken to the hospital for heat-related ailments.

Almost 10,000 of the 45,000 registrants did not start the race because of the heat.

At 88°F, it was the hottest (and most humid) Chicago Marathon in history. The previous race-day high was 84°F in 1979.

Less than 0.05 seconds separated men’s winner Patrick Ivuti from runner-up Jaouad Gharib. It was the closest finish in the Chicago Marathon’s 30 year history.

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Chicago Marathon ‘07: It is now 87 degrees in Chicago!

Posted October 7th, 2007 at 10:35 AM by Jeremy Sussman

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

These runners are really starting to feel the heat and memories of the hot Flora London marathon last April are setting in.

The temperatures in Chicago are now a sweltering 87 degrees Fahrenheit!

This heat will undoubtedly be an deciding factor in the final miles.

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Check back often for TheFinalSprint.com’s LIVE coverage of the 2007 Chicago Marathon, sponsored by Ultima Replenisher, at:

http://chicago.thefinalsprint.com

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Chicago Marathon ‘07: Ivanova and Adere trying to break away at 14 miles

Posted October 7th, 2007 at 10:20 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

Women are through 14 miles in 1:20:12 and ran the last mile in 5:36. The sun is directly in the face of the runners, causing some to struggle with the heat and some to feel blinded.

At this point, Ivanova, and Adere are trying to break the pack of 5 women and make their move.

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Check back often for TheFinalSprint.com’s LIVE coverage of the 2007 Chicago Marathon, sponsored by Ultima Replenisher, at:

http://chicago.thefinalsprint.com

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

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Chicago Marathon ‘07: Women through 15k; on pace for 2:30 finish

Posted October 7th, 2007 at 9:53 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

Women hit 9 miles in 51:30. 5:45 for the 9th mile. They subsequently hit the 15k mark in 53:20.

If they keep this up they are on pace for a 2 hours and 30 minutes finish time. That would be the slowest women’s pace at the Chicago marathon since 1996.

Reports from the course say that both the women and the men are drinking far more water than usual.

The women’s lead pack still includes seven favorites, including Benita Johnson and Berhane Adere. In addition, Kate O’Neil, who is making her debut at the distance, is catching up to the lead pack. She had been about 150 feet back at the 10k point and has cut that in half.

The women continue to allow Alevtina Ivanova to stay int he lead and do all of work. This may prove crucial down the stretch.

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Check back often for TheFinalSprint.com’s LIVE coverage of the 2007 Chicago Marathon, sponsored by Ultima Replenisher, at:

http://chicago.thefinalsprint.com

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

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Steamy Chicago Marathon On Tap For Sunday

Posted October 5th, 2007 at 8:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

The leaves may be falling from the trees of this bustling Midwestern city, but the temperature decidedly is not. Usually blessed with crisp autumn days, Chicago is in the middle of an untimely heat wave in advance of Sunday’s 30th edition of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

Britain’s Liz Yelling will be competing here for the first time. Usually joined by her triathlete husband, Martin, she is by herself here because he is preparing to compete in the Ford Ironman World Championships in Hawaii a week from tomorrow.

“It’s hotter here,” said Yelling.

The average high temperature for the last ten marathons here was 14.7°C (58.5°F), but forecasters are predicting a high temperature for Sunday of 31°C (88°F) accompanied by 65% humidity.

At the 8:00 a.m. start, the temperature should be around 21°C (70°F). It will be the hottest Chicago Marathon on record; the previous high temperature for the race, according to records kept by the organizers, was 29°C (84°F) in 1979. The record high for Oct. 7 here is 86°F (30°C).

Executive race director Carey Pinkowski and his team have taken steps to protect the massive field –last year’s race had 32,995 finishers– from the heat. They have posted a heat advisory on their website, beefed up their medical team, instituted a plan to move unused water from earlier drinking stations to later ones, and will have cooling sprays installed in various locations.
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