While the U.S. running world is boiling about the selection of the Olympic marathon team, with just two men and two women under the Olympic "A" standard, the Japanese federation faced the opposite problem: they had 46 men and 32 women under the standard. When Japan announced their team selections this week - including Naoko Takahashi, who ran 2:22:19 to win the Nagoya women's marathon last weekend - they had to leave a sub-2:23 woman off the team. All three men selected have PRs under 2:09.
The Japanese marathon team might be deep, but they've got nothing on the Arkansas men's track team, who won their sixteenth NCAA indoor title in seventeen years last weekend. UCLA took the women's championship.
Interval training improves your running mechanics and provides direct feedback on pace. While repetitions may be boring, they allow you to develop a fast running rhythm in a controlled environment, which helps improve form. Your time for each lap tells you exactly how you're performing and teaches pace judgment. - from Amby Burfoot’s Complete Book of Running, page 166. You can buy this book at: http://rodalepress7.cam-colo.bbnplanet.com:8080/Unity/UrlView/7/10/54/2/4141
Rice stops the runs: Next time you've got the stomach flu, try eating a large bowl of rice with a sports drink. The sports drink will help replenish electrolytes and fluids. The rice, according to new research, encourages your intestine to stop secreting the fluid that triggers diarrhea. \
Antibiotics and running don't mix: A class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones may increase the risk of tendon injuries. The drug is often used to treat upper respiratory, intestinal, and urinary tract infections. So, if you are taking these antibiotics, either cut back your training or ask your doctor to prescribe a different type.
Thinking of downing a pint or two of green beer for the St. Patrick's Day holiday? Go for it! According to sports nutritionist Lisa Dorfman, R.D. beer does have some benefits. "Beer will give you plenty of liquid and even some carbohydrate to help restore muscle glycogen," she says. Just be sure to chase each pint with a sports drink or glass of water. (And don't go overboard.) To learn more about nutrition and performance, simply visit our Nutrition forums.< http://proxicom.rodalestore.com:8080/servlet/AppServer?t=login/login_rw > .
Michael Johnson was at the USATF indoor championships in Atlanta last weekend, but not to compete. He watched the meet. Johnson didn't add any fuel to the fire over his expected 200-meter showdown with Maurice Greene at the U.S. Trials in Sacramento this July. Instead, he simply noted that it's a race both the fans and the runners are looking forward to. Runner’s World spoke with Johnson: http://www.runnersworld.com/dailynew/archives/2000/March/000310.html#chat
Saturday, Fifty-Plus 8-K: The top road race in the country for runners over 50. Also the site of several U.S. age-group top performances.
Saturday, Leprechaun 10-K: Dublin, Georgia. Georgia's tribute to St. Patrick's Day.
Saturday, Shamrock Sportsfest, marathon, 8-K, 5-K walk: Biggest one day total of running events in the state of Virginia; takes place at Virginia Beach. Web site: http://www.shamrocksportsfest.com
Sunday, Maui Marathon: Great scenery on one of Hawaii's most picturesque islands. Web site: < http://www.mauimarathon.com .
To sharpen your leg speed, add a few "strides" to the end of easy runs. These are 10- to 15-second bursts of effort, slightly faster than your 5-K pace. Afterward, cool down and stretch as usual. - Beth Eck, RW associate editor
The more I speak to athletes, the more convinced I become that the method of training is relatively unimportant. There are many ways to the top, and the training method you choose is just the one that suits you best. No, the important thing is the attitude of the athlete, the desire to get to the top." - Herb Elliott, never beaten in the mile in his entire career, won the 1960 Olympic 1500 in Rome and 44 consecutive races between 1954 and 1960.
| All times listed are eastern. The times listed are supplied to us by the broadcasters and are subject to change. We will update the information as it is given to us, but please check your local listings to confirm |
| March 15 | Interview | "The Today Show" (Karen Smyers, triathlete, Hawaii Ironman champion 1995, world champion 1990, 1995) | 7:00-9:00 a.m. | NBC |
| March 18 | Olympic history | "The Olympic Show" (the past two decades of Olympic history, including a retrospective of Carl Lewis's career and the 1996 Atlanta Games) | 7:30-8:00 p.m. | CNBC |
| March 22 | Road racing | "Saucony Running & Racing" (Walt Disney World Marathon and Half-Marathon, Orlando, Fla.; Great Aloha Run, Honolulu, Hawaii) | 2:30-3:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| March 26 | Road racing | "Saucony Running & Racing" (same as 3/22) | 4:00-4:30 a.m. | ESPN |
| April 3 | Road racing | "New Balance Elite Racing Show" (Carlsbad 5000, Carlsbad, Calif.) | 10:00-10:30 a.m. | ESPN |
| April 6 | Road racing | "New Balance Elite Racing Show" (same as 4/3) | 12:30-1:00 a.m. | ESPN |
| April 26 | Road racing | "Saucony Running & Racing" (Powerman Alabama Duathlon, Irondale, Ala.; Nortel Networks Cherry Blossom 10-Mile, Washington, D.C.; PowerBar 20-Mile and 20-Mile Relay, New York) | 11:00-11:30 a.m. | ESPN |
| April 26 | Road racing | "Saucony Running & Racing" (same as 11 a.m.) | 2:00-2:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| May 13 | Road racing | "Saucony Running & Racing" (same as 4/26) | 1:30-2:00 a.m. | ESPN |
| May 13 | Road racing | "Saucony Running & Racing" (same as 4/26) | 4:30-5:00 a.m. | ESPN |