TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More!

Lead Stories: Friday, August 29, 2008

Five helpful tips for a healthy, active summer of running and overall fitness

Posted June 25th, 2007 at 9:00 AM by thefinalsprint.com

Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Motivation, Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Supplements, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise

The following article was written by TFS guest contributor Dr. Larry Robinson. For more about Dr. Robinson, check out the “About Dr. Robinson” section at the conclusion of the article.

1. Use the summer weather to increase your outdoor activity:

“From running and baseball games in the park to weekend getaways hiking, biking and canoeing, summer’s the perfect time to get in shape without a daily trip to the gym,” says Dr. Robinson. “Use the season to start a new sport you’ve always been interested in that can carry you through the holidays, New Year’s resolutions and colder weather.”

Of course check with your physician first if you have any physical concerns, and always start off easy. If you’re prone to heat stroke or exhaustion, take advantage of dusk and dawn to complete your fitness activity. And, as always, drink plenty of water and don’t forget the sunscreen for daytime outdoor activities.
Read the rest of this entry »

3 comments, add yours | Permalink

Marathon Cramps: Part II

Posted June 15th, 2007 at 7:15 PM by Jim Fortner

Section: Running & Training, Nutrition, Hydration, Training Tips

Jim Fortner is a weekly, guest contributor. Make sure to also check out his own personal running and advice site: “Jim2’s Running Page”.

runner cramp.jpg If you have found a regimen to avoid cramps during a marathon that works for you, stick with it. Don’t listen to the “naysayers” who try to tell you that you are doing something wrong or unnecessary.

I found a regimen that stopped my marathon cramps after suffering them in several races. It wasn’t simply one “silver bullet”. But a combination of factors.

I believe that the primary cause of cramps during a marathon is over running it … trying to run a pace that you truly aren’t prepared for. Obviously, the solution(s) for that is (are) more intensive training and/or better race planning and/or execution.

However, assuming that you are adequately trained for your race plan and that you execute your plan properly, then I also believe that there are other factors that come into play, especially when you are running “on the edge”. These “other factors” include your potassium and sodium stores going into the race and the intake of electrolytes during the race.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

Nutrition Tip: Go Bananas!

Posted June 1st, 2007 at 9:00 AM by Bridget Sullivan

Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Race Prep & Recov

Bananas If you need to recharge your batteries before your evening workout, then the fruit in the yellow jacket is perfect for you.

Packing just 100 - 110 calories and 467 mg of potassium, the banana registers as one of the world’s healthiest foods. Potassium rich diets, powered by fruits like bananas, may help prevent high blood pressure and protect against atheroslerosis. But that’s not all . . . bananas also pack healthy amounts of fiber, manganese, vitamin C and vitamin B6.

The World’s Healthiest Foods lists the following benefits of adding bananas to your diet:
Read the rest of this entry »

2 comments, add yours | Permalink

TFS Review: nuun portable electrolyte hydration

Posted January 19th, 2007 at 5:00 PM by Kathryn Magro

Section: Nutrition, Hydration, Race Prep & Recov, Supplements, Special Features, TFS Reviews

Proper hydration is essential for runners and other athletes. Sports drinks are good options, but many people don’t enjoy their very sugary taste and/or experience stomach problems from the excessive carbohydrate intake. Looking for an alternative? Try nuun’s portable electrolyte hydration. Read on for our comprehensive review and the results of our product testing.

Product: nuun portable electrolyte hydration
Price: $6.50 per tube (12 tablets)
Rating: Excellent 8.6/10.0
Pros:Effective hydration on the go; convenient; versatile; won’t cause stomach discomfort; variety of flavors
Cons: Lacks vitamins; no individually packaging
Overall: An effective and convenient hydration option for runners, cyclists and other endurance athletes.

nuun is a portable electrolyte tablet. The tablets come in a small container that resembles Airborne and quickly dissolve when added to 16-20oz. of water. They are also effervescent so no mixing or shaking is required for the tablets to dissolve (unlike many sports drink powders).
Read the rest of this entry »

2 comments, add yours | Permalink

Will potassium supplements treat fatigue in an athlete?

Posted January 3rd, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: Nutrition, Supplements, Health & Fitness

Tiredness and cramps in athletes can have many causes, but lack of potassium in their diets is not one of them. Many years ago, Dave Costill of Ball State University tried to create potassium deficiency in runners. He couldn’t do it because potassium is found in all foods except refined sugar, and his athletes would not stay on a diet that consisted only of hard candy.

The kidneys and sweat glands conserve potassium so well that you don’t lose much. If an athlete develops potassium deficiency, it is usually caused by drugs, such as diuretics or corticosteroids, or by diarrhea or repeated vomiting.
Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink

Portable electrolyte tablets: What’s all the buzz about?

Posted December 16th, 2006 at 6:19 PM by Jonathan Faccone

Section: Nutrition, Hydration, Race Prep & Recov, Supplements

Since the advent of Gatorade, manufacturers have been in fierce competition to one-up each other with new and better ways to fuel athletes. This has created a very saturated market; one that features a plethora of choices for competitive athletes. As a result, athletes vary greatly, especially in the world of endurance sports, about which option they believe is the most effective.

One alternative that has begun to slowly, pick-up steam in the market is the electrolyte tablet. There has been a lot of buzz surrounding these portable tablets, such as Nuun and Zym, because they are quick and convenient mechanisms for obtaining vital replenishment of electrolytes and other vitamins.
Read the rest of this entry »

4 comments, add yours | Permalink

TFS Review: Gatorade Endurance Formula

Posted November 30th, 2006 at 1:00 PM by Jonathan Faccone

Section: Nutrition, Hydration, Race Prep & Recov, Product Reviews, Special Features, TFS Reviews

Check out TFS’s review of Gatorade’s Endurance Formula; a revolutionary new product for mainstream endurance sports.

Product: Gatorade Endurance Formula
Price: $1.49 (24 oz bottle), $1.69 (34 oz bottle), $24.99 (50.2 oz powder canister)
Rating: Very Good 8.3/10.0
Pros: Provides increased electrolytes and other benefits for endurance athletes; good value; convenient to purchase
Cons: Slightly salty taste; could include some additional vitamins
Overall: If you can get over the slight difference in taste, then all things considered - Gatorade Endurance Formula is one of the top hydration choices for your training runs and endurance events.

Effectiveness - 8.5 - I used the Gatorade Endurance Formula during several of my training workouts and found it be more effective than my traditional endurance sports drink. I noticed that it prevented me from feeling as fatigued in the latter stages of my workouts; presumably because of its substantially increased electrolyte and potassium content. The Endurance Formula has nearly twice the amount of sodium and potassium as Gatorade’s original formula and substantially more of both nutrients than Accelerade. Read the rest of this entry »