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Lead Stories: Sunday, September 7, 2008

BOSTON MARATHON PREDICTION CONTEST:
Win a year’s supply of nuun portable electrolyte hydration!

Posted April 15th, 2007 at 8:00 PM by thefinalsprint.com

Section: Nutrition, Hydration, Special Features, Sweepstakes

Here at nuun, we want you to stay hydrated; wherever you are, whatever you’re doing! … that’s why we are proud to sponsor …
… thefinalsprint.com’s 2007 boston marathon prediction contest!

how fast do you think this year’s men and women’s champion will run the race? … not sure? … well give it your best shot because if your prediction is among the top two for either the men’s or the women’s race, you’ll be awarded nuun for a year (retail value = $234); an equivalent of a tablet per day for a year or 54 gallons of hydrating goodness!

TO ENTER: just leave a comment on this post with your predictions for the winning men’s and women’s finish times at the 2007 boston marathon.
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Thanks for participating in our Gatorade Endurance Formula Sweepstakes!

Posted March 6th, 2007 at 5:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Special Features, Sweepstakes

The Final Sprint and I would like to thank the thousands of people who took the time to enter our Gatorade Endurance Formula Sweepstakes!

We also sincerely appreciate all of the support from our friends at Gatorade and thank them for generously awarding our lucky winners with four-month supplies of Gatorade Endurance Formula!

Speaking of our winners … check out the pictures of Andrew and Tom, two of the four randomly selected grand prize recipients, showin’ some love to their new and beloved training companions.

Thanks again … and stay tuned … because we’ll be announcing another exciting sweepstakes in just a few days!

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Study finds that mild dehydration does not impair exercise performance

Posted February 12th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: Nutrition, Hydration

The Gatorade Sports Science Institute in Barrington, Illinois published a study showing that 46 percent of recreational exercisers are mildly dehydrated (Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, June 2006).

However with good reason, the study does not say that they are harmed. There is no data anywhere to show that this mild dehydration affects health or athletic performance. Another study from the University of Connecticut shows that a person must lose a tremendous amount of fluid before it affects his performance (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, October 2006).

When you exercise for more than an hour, you [need to] take in fluid … but not too much. Excessive fluid can cause a potentially fatal condition called hyponatremia. Normally, the amount of salt and other minerals in your bloodstream should equal the same total mineral content in every tissue in your body. If the mineral concentrations are not equal, they try to become equal. Fluid moves from the area of lower mineral content to that of the higher concentration.
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Gatorade Endurance Formula Sweepstakes: You still have three more chances to win!

Posted February 8th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Special Features, Sweepstakes

The Final Sprint and I would like to thank the hundreds of people who have already taken the time to enter our Gatorade Endurance Formula Sweepstakes.

We would also like to announce that our first grand prize winner is . . .
Tom from Apple Valley, MN!

Tom was randomly selected on February 6th in the first of four weekly drawings and will be receiving six 50.2 oz canisters of Gatorade Endurance Formula Powder (retail value = $140.32) to help power him through his spring marathon training!

Wasn’t selected? … Don’t worry! … There are still three more chances to win!

So what are you waiting for? Hurry up and enter … because like they say - You’ve got to be in it, to win it!” All entries must be received by February 27, 2007 at 11:59pm EST.
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Gatorade Endurance Formula Sweepstakes: Enter for your chance to win 174 servings!

Posted January 31st, 2007 at 7:00 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Nutrition, Hydration, Race Prep & Recov, Special Features, Sweepstakes

Marathon running can be challenging. No scratch that, marathon running can be down right grueling. But that doesn’t stop us from charging ahead; nor does it stop you!

Everyone has heard the stories of professional athletes who have worked through the most arduous portions of marathons and training runs to reach their goals. But now . . . it’s YOUR turn!

The Final Sprint has teamed up with Gatorade to find out if IT is in YOU and to give away Six 50.2 oz canisters of Gatorade Endurance Formula Powder (retail value = $140.32) to four lucky winners (See Official Rules for further details).

What keeps you going when your legs are aching and feel heavier than lead? Where does your drive come from to stick with an intense and exhausting training regimen?

Enter our sweepstakes, and if you want to - share with us what keeps you going, and you could win enough Gatorade Endurance Formula to fuel that inner fire throughout your spring training and help you Finish Strong in your upcoming races!

TO ENTER: Please provide your full name and email address in the form below. If you like, you can also share your thoughts on what keeps you going when the going gets tough. Winners are chosen at random, so even if you don’t share any of your reflections, you will have an equal chance of winning. The contest will end on February 27, 2007 at 11:59pm EST with one winner being chosen at random at 11:59pm on each Tuesday night of the contest.

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Crunch Time: Optimum nutrition for runners

Posted January 25th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Christopher Jack

Section: Running & Training, Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Race Prep & Recov

Find yourself dragging through those morning runs? Your 10k pace not where you want it? Sprinting toward the porta potties on race day? There could be an easy fix and it all starts with your diet.

Every runner’s training regimen, regardless of experience level, should have a focus on proper nutritional maintenance. When and what you eat can significantly affect your workout and performance will suffer without the proper balance of nutrients.

A common mistake made by runners, especially those early morning warriors, is running before fueling up. Without the proper nutrients in your system, your body will suffer from lowered glycogen and blood-glucose levels; depriving the body of essential energy and sustenance.
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SPIT and SNOT – How you handle them may be more important than you think

Posted January 16th, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Martin Kennedy

Section: Running & Training, Health & Fitness, Exercise

One of the joys of trail running is that body fluids can be discarded almost anywhere. Most of us have perfected our nostril and loogie ejections (ie, snot and spit) to the point it is a subconscious endeavor. But do we leave behind anything that we should be personally recycling to our own bodies? As disgusting as it sounds, would it be better for hydration and electrolyte balance to swallow rather than eject?

Every runner occasionally experiences times when thick saliva seems to build up in the throat or when the nostrils partially block with mucous. It takes little extra physical effort to propel that spittle to the trailside or, by occluding one nostril at a time with the index finger, expel nasal secretions to first one side then the other (as my son, Scott, calls it, the “snot cannon”). We feel better afterwards and air seems to flow more readily into our lungs. Mother Nature absorbs and repossesses our effluents so efficiently that most of us leave little trace in the wilderness. This is exactly as it should be. But I had always wondered if helping Mother Nature hydrate might be at the expense of our own hydration.
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Rookie running guidelines for long-term fitness

Posted January 9th, 2007 at 2:30 PM by Christopher Jack

Section: Running & Training, Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Health & Fitness, Exercise

The passing of another year means it’s that time again; time to look to the future and resolve to create that better you. For many, personal health and fitness become the centerpiece of their New Year’s Resolution.

Running can be an ideal and long-term means to those ends as long as you follow these simple guidelines:

Set a goal. The downfall of many beginners is setting a goal that is too high considering their running experience and fitness level. Starting small and building up can protect a new runner from injury and the frustration that may accompany failure.
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