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Lead Stories: Thursday, August 28, 2008

USATF Delegates Debate Headphones Ban

Posted November 29th, 2007 at 11:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Motivation, Music

Delegates to the USATF convention who attended the open session of the Long Distance Running Division chaired by Fred Finke were anxious to debate the ban on headphones in road races which was imposed by USATF at last year’s convention.

“We realize this issue has caused a great deal of angst,” said Finke, who has received hundreds of e-mails on the subject. “It seems to be a hot button issue.”

USATF enacted the ban in accordance with a rule put in place by the IAAF which banned the use of headphones in championship events. The IAAF ban was intended to prevent athletes from receiving information via radio about the whereabouts of their rivals, a practice which is permitted in the big bicycle tours, like the Tour de France.

But in practical application, it has meant that recreational runners are not allowed to wear MP3 players, like Apple’s iPod, and listen to music during road races. Only a handful of U.S. races have actively enforced the ban.
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Marathon Participants
Given the Run-Around
with Portable Audio Devices

Posted November 9th, 2007 at 3:26 PM by Megan Hueter

Section: News & Results, Gear & Apparel, Gadgets & Acces., Motivation, Music

All year long, thousands of runner train for this time of year: marathon season. You see them preparing themselves everywhere: running around the neighborhood, down the highway, even at the gym. Runners spend so much time preparing for fear that they will hit the wall after twenty miles.

This year, however, that is not their only concern. The New York Times reported on October 31st that USA Track & Field, the national governing body for running, banned the use of headphones and portable audio players at its official races in order to ensure safety and to prevent runners from having a competitive edge.

However, banning the use of headphones is easier said than done, especially on races that are 26 miles long, like the New York City Marathon. Some marathons do not police their fields or follow through on the rule of disqualifying contestants who use iPods and other audio players.

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What You Need to Know When Starting a Running Routine

Posted September 20th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: Running & Training, Training Plans

Why run?

Running carries with it the same benefits of all cardiovascular exercise: it helps reduce stress, strengthens the heart and lungs, reduces risk of certain diseases, increases confidence, brightens your mood, helps you sleep better, gives you more energy, and, in general, provides a better sense of well being. It is also a great way to burn calories.

How many calories do you burn running a mile?

Conventional wisdom says that, for every mile you run, you will burn 100 calories. But other factors play into the equation as well, including your running speed and your body weight. Generally speaking, a 135 pound person will burn about 100 calories per mile. A 200 pound person, running at the same speed, may burn 150. Obviously, the faster you run, the more calories you will burn.

Starting to run

Running can be stressful on your body, particularly on your leg muscles and knees. But you can minimize your risk of injury by following a few, simple tips.
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Athletes and spectators should heed lightning warnings

Posted August 17th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab

People who are killed by lightning are often spectators or participants in sporting events. In the United States each year, lightning kills more than 70 people and injures more than 300 people, often permanently.

Lightning strikes without warning, so sponsors of outdoor athletic events should have loudspeakers, sirens or horns to alert people to approaching electrical storms.

Water, metal and high objects attract lightning. When an electrical storm starts, try to enter a building or your automobile as quickly as possible. Get in your car, not near it. Standing near a car increases your risk of being struck by lightening because you are standing near metal. To avoid being near metal, get off your bike and away from it when you seek shelter. If you are on the golf course, get away from your golf clubs and carts and anything that contains metal.
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Road ID: Products that can literally save your life

Posted May 22nd, 2007 at 5:14 PM by Paul Petersen

Section: Gear & Apparel, Apparel, Gadgets & Acces., Miscellaneous, Product Reviews, Special Features, TFS Reviews

On Wednesday, January 24 of this year I heard a chilling story of a local runner who was struck and critically injured by a vehicle while running in a bike lane along a low-traffic road. At the scene and for hours afterward, emergency personnel were not able to identify her.

Just this weekend on en route to our marathon, we were forced to take a long detour. The main mountain pass to our destination was completely closed down, a rarity since it is a U.S. Highway. While sitting in traffic and listening to AM radio, we learned that a cyclist was struck by a vehicle, resulting in a large accident that killed both the cyclist and several occupants of the vehicle.

These are stories that have come from my own backyard in the past 6 months. And they are not just stories, but are real accounts of factual events and they hit close to home. Tragic events such as these hurt my heart and make me wonder, “What if this happened to me? How long would it take for my wife to find out? Hours? Days?”

Recently I began wearing a Road ID simply because I couldn’t stand the thought of being unidentified in an accident and what that would do to my wife.

Although that was my primary reason for wearing Road ID, it also directly benefits the wearer through disseminating medical information that a person who is unconscious or in shock simply cannot give. This often results in smooth medical transactions and even saved lives. Many testimonies pertaining to these benefits are found throughout the Road ID website.
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Video: Five risk factors for Melanoma

Posted May 22nd, 2007 at 12:19 PM by Martin Kennedy

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

In light of Olympic marathon bronze medalist Deena Kastor’s recent blog entry about her battle with skin cancer and the struggles that many runners and other athletes have with the disease, we recommend that you watch the below video segment (courtesy of CBS news) and take the proper precautions every time you run and/or perform any prolonged, outdoor activity.

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Tips for staying safe and expecting the unexpected

Posted April 20th, 2007 at 7:52 AM by Lisa Cieplechowicz

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

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 we decided to put together this basic, and yet incredibly useful, list of tips to help you beginners be more aware and prepared on your next run:

1) There is safety in numbers. Running in pairs or groups has its social benefits, but also can help increase running safety. If you hurt yourself, there’s someone there to give you the help you may need (think how much better off you’d be after rolling an ankle to have assistance getting home). If you prefer to run solo, stick close to home and consider running only in populated areas that you are familiar with. This way, help is much easier to come by.
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111th Boston Marathon: Schedule of events, weather forecast and advisories

Posted April 16th, 2007 at 7:48 AM by Adam Jacobs

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

The 111th Boston Marathon start times are as follows:

9:25 a.m. - Wheelchair Division
9:35 a.m. - Elite Women
10:00 a.m. - Elite Men & Wave 1
10:30 a.m. - Wave 2

Check Boston.TheFinalSprint.com for up-to-the-minute coverage of the men’s and women’s elite races, weather advisories and other pertinent announcements. Between 11am and 5pm EST, TheFinalSprint.com will also record video coverage of the elite athlete press conferences, awards ceremony (5pm) and more. These video telecasts will air shortly after each recording is completed.
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Keeping it safe on the trails

Posted April 2nd, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Lisa Cieplechowicz

Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Training Tips, Cross Training

Trail running can be a great workout and an excellent way to challenge your body and take your run to the next level. It can also be very mentally fulfilling by providing opportunities to enjoy nature and escape into a world of peace, quiet, and beautiful scenery.

Although enjoyable, trail running, like other forms of exercise, also comes with some inherent and potential risks. Rocky terrain, unknown paths, and unfriendly wildlife can make any trail run a challenging experience. So the next time you’re heading out to a trail, keep these helpful tips in mind to stay safe and have fun:

1) Get the low-down on a particular trail before you begin your run. Consult trail guidebooks, check the internet if possible, talk to people who have already run the trail you’re considering, or speak with the appropriate land-management agency to ensure the trail is safe and open to the public – whatever you do, make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into!
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Kenya reassures IAAF on World XC security

Posted March 6th, 2007 at 1:08 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Cross Country

Responding to a statement issued by U.S. officials on Monday, the Kenyan government today reassured the IAAF that a “specific security plan” is already in place for the upcoming World Cross Country Championships taking place in Mombasa, on March 24.

On Monday, the U.S. Embassy in the Kenyan capital Nairobi warned of a possible “unspecified terrorist attack” from “alleged extremist elements” at the upcoming world championships, but gave no further details.

Today, the Kenyan Government told the IAAF, the sport’s international governing body, that security measures:

“Involving all branches of the country’s military and police authorities, is already in place to protect all athletes and participants during their stay in Kenya.”

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