Hi, this is my blog in TFS’s Elite Athlete Blog Series. Bookmark kateoneill.thefinalsprint.com and check back every other Monday for my latest entry as I strive for the 2008 Summer Olympics!
For the first few weeks after the Olympic Marathon Trials, I was not able to run at all, but I thought about running constantly. Worries about what I had done wrong filled my head and doubts made me question all of my decisions leading up to the race. As my knee improved and I progressed toward running again, those thoughts quickly changed from the past to the future. I kept wondering what those first few steps of running would feel like. The first run loomed over thoughts and I wanted to do everything I could do to make sure that it went well.
I have been running for 13 years. In an ideal world, all those years of experience would make the act of running instinctual. I would not have needed to waste energy with all these thoughts. Instead, I felt sick with worry that my feet would no longer remember how to support me, my arms would start flailing, and my knees would buckle forward into each other.
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Episode 126 of TheFinalSprint.com Podcast, the most listened to running podcast in North America, features my interview with U.S. Olympic hopeful Jon Rankin as he prepares for next weekend’s USA Cross Country Championships.
Rankin, who ran two early season races in Bermuda and California, overcame injuries to finish strong in 2007, continues to stay healthy, and reports great, injury-free results throughout his recent training.
In the interview Rankin talks about his early season travels, his pursuit of at least a top ten finish at the XC Champs, how he enjoys training for and racing these longer distances, and that down the road he may even pursue such events up to the marathon.
Download the podcast to hear Rankin discuss these topics, as well as his success with Hypocxico’s altitude tent and being able to “Train High, Live Low” without ever leaving San Diego, his new charity organization “Shoes 4 the Soul”, and his responses to TFS’s newest podcast segment: “Rapid Fire Questions”.
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Host: Jimmie R. Markham | Guest: Jon Rankin
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt, Darnell Perkins
File Size: 17.2 MB | Length: 25:05 MIN
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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
Episode 117 of The Final Sprint Podcast, the most listened to running podcast in North America, features my interview with American steeplechaser and Team Running USA member JACQUES SALLBERG.
After being ranked fourth in U.S. for the 3000m steeplechase by Track & Field News at the end of 2006, Jacques struggled with injuries throughout 2007. However, he is now headed back on track and focused on earning the right to represent the U.S. in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
In the interview Jacques talks about his battle with heel spurs and plantar fasciitis, trying to get back to the success and P.R. performances of 2006, and working towards a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team.
Download the podcast to hear Jacques discuss these topics, as well as, his special relationship with Coach Bob Larsen, how their different personalities have created an advantageous dynamic, Team Running USA, his work as a high school track & field coach, and much more!
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Host: Adam Jacobs | Guest: Jacques Sallberg
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt, Darnell Perkins
File Size: 13.7 MB | Length: 20:02 MIN
Episode Sponsored By: Nike +
Long Live Running!
Nike Plus will improve the way you run. Get feedback from your iPod on pace, time, distance and calories burned.Log into Nikeplus.com to track your progress,
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NOTE: The following statement was released to major sports, health and fitness publications by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA). This press release is NOT in reference to any article, editorial, or other content published by TheFinalSprint.com or the TFS Media Network. Conversely, it is intended as a universal statement, clarification and request to the media at large on behalf of the NATA membership.
NATA has followed news of Roger Clemens’ admittance this week to receiving B12 and lidocaine from personal trainer Brian McNamee. NATA has read this information with interest and caution since some media have incorrectly reported that Brian McNamee is an athletic trainer.
McNamee is not, nor has he ever been an athletic trainer, as confirmed by NATA and Board of Certification (BOC) records and the New York Yankees. He is in fact a PERSONAL TRAINER and should be referred to as such and not as a “TRAINER” which can add to reader confusion. You should be aware that the term “athletic trainer” is a title-protected term by statute in 43 states.
In your coverage of this very timely sports and health issue, we appreciate any references to McNamee to be accurate. The original Mitchell Report correctly identifies McNamee as a personal trainer, and we hope media will continue to refer to him by his correct profession - PERSONAL training. An accurate description of McNamee is vitally important to the reputation and credibility of the 35,000 athletic trainers working with sports medicine patients and clients.
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If you have recently suffered an injury to your leg, then knee rehab exercise is going to be extremely important for helping you to heal and enjoy physical activity again.
It’s a good idea to start by talking to your physiotherapist, if you have been seeing one, about any knee rehab exercises that you can do. The experts usually have quite a few recommendations that will be targeted towards your specific needs, and will build the muscles and ligaments around this joint.
One great knee rehab exercise that will strengthen the outer quad muscles . . .
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With the fall season umong us, many children are enjoying after school sports. While sports are a great way to develop strong bones, there is a higher risk for injuries, especially since their bones and muscles are still growing. The American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons recommends that parents and coaches take precautions to minimize the risk of injuries.
The 2006 statistics from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission outlines the extent of sports injuries in children under 18.
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Completing a marathon puts ordinary runners in the company of elite athletes—finishing a 26.2-mile run is an impressive accomplishment.
But you don’t have to be an elite athlete to join the ranks of marathoners around the world. With dedication and training, most runners can complete a marathon—and then have the satisfaction of being able to say, “A marathon” Yeah, I’ve done that.”
So don’t shy away from a marathon because it seems too hard, too long, too painful. With the right attitude and a good training regimen, it’s just 26.2 miles away.
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An observant Muslim, Khalid Khannouchi has faced some unique challenges as he prepares for the USA Olympic Team Trials - Men’s Marathon scheduled for Nov. 3, in New York’s Central Park.
During Ramadan, Muslims fast between sunup and sundown. In observance of that tradition, Khannouchi would not begin his training until late at night after he had fully digested his dinner, sometimes finishing his training as late as 2:00 a.m.
Khannouchi, who with wife and coach Sandra, live in Ossining, N.Y. north of New York City, had to change training venues from the Rockefeller Preserve near his house to Central Park. The Preserve, which boasts a lovely network of carriage roads, is pitch-black at night, while the paved Central Park Loop road is well lit, like most of Manhattan This has at least given him the benefit of being able to train on the Trials course.
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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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Work. Errands. Overgrown lawns, full laundry baskets, and empty bank accounts. With countless concerns and unrelenting responsibilities, where is the relief? For many, exercise provides a much needed reprieve from life’s incessant demands. If your exercise of choice is running, however, you could be unintentionally creating rather than alleviating stress.
While running may seem the […]
All athletes have a dark, furtive, and silent fear of getting injured. It haunts all athletes; from professionals like Meb Keflezighi who was forced to drop out of last April’s Flora London Marathon at mile 16, to casual runners like myself.
Recently, I was sidelined with tendonitis in my right hip a month before […]
Most runners are aware of the dangers of overtraining and have read countless articles on how to prevent them through a sensible and well-structured regimen, the “10% Rule”, and many other strategies.
However, the one downside to this focus is that it often leads runners to overlook other, important safety and health concerns. That’s why […]
Need advice? Injured? Confused? Overwhelmed? Bored? ASK FLASH!
ASK FLASH is a free advice column to help you with all of your running, fitness and nutrition inquiries. To ASK FLASH — simply fill out the form at the conclusion of the column.
Welcome to the new home of ASK FLASH. Now … Let’s get right to […]
Achilles tendinitis means you feel pain in the large tendon that extends from in the back of your heel to your calf muscle.
It hurts most when you get up in the morning and when you start to walk or run. It will heal only if you stop running and find another sport that doesn’t […]
Triathletes are injured only about one third as often as marathon runners even though they do far more work in their program of swimming, cycling and running. Training intelligently for three sports is less likely to injure you than training very hard for one. Training is limited by damage to skeletal muscles.
Every time you […]
Today’s podcast features my interview with U.S. Olympic and TEAm LIPTON cyclist Kristin Armstrong.
Although osteoarthritis ended her competitive triathlon career, Kristin made the transition to professional cycling and never looked back. In just five short years she has become one of the world’s elite; winning the 2004 American Olympic Trials, 2004 U.S. Elite […]
Bone stress fractures are very common sports injuries. Any trauma to bones, such as repeated pounding when your heel strikes the ground during running, or landing on your feet after grabbing a basketball, can cause small cracks on the surface of bones called stress fractures. In healthy athletes, they can take from 3 to 12 […]
If you browse through any running magazine, website, or forum, you are sure to see a menagerie of articles and posts about overuse injuries. Stress fractures, tendonitis, “runner’s knee”, groin strains, and that beast, plantar fasciitis, all come up with surprising regularity. Let’s face the unfortunate truth, injuries can be a part of running.
Many of […]
Early in the summer of 2006, my “running” hit an all-time low. I use the term “running” loosely, because at that time I had not actually ran in over two months. A better description would be that my overall physical well-being hit an all-time low, as I was suffering from an adductor strain, lower pain […]
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