Libbie Hickman, the Great North Run, new buzz on andro, getting to sleep quicker, race time calculators and weekend events.
If, as the days get colder and shorter, we ever question our attachment to the sport of running, mid-October news is like bulb planting. Runners can always face the fall with warm hopes for the future. Take Herb Elliott, for instance, former World Record holder in the 1500m, who said, I believe we have far more physical power in us than we have learned to unleash. I think we can go a hell of a lot faster than we are going at the moment.
- Faster and faster < http://www.runnersworld.com/dailynew/archives/1999/October/991012.html#shorts
Maybe not faster and faster, but it's nice to know Tegla Loroupe is human; her training partner, Joyce Chepchumba, defeated her in Britain's Great North Run half-marathon last weekend. Yet Loroupe's second-place finish marked the fourth consecutive weekend in which she ran sub-1:10 for the half-marathon distance, one of them being the first half of her marathon world best in Berlin.
- Chepchumba stops Loroupe at Great North Run < http://www.runnersworld.com/dailynew/archives/1999/October/991011.html >
In the days when it seems like U.S. runners can only win road races if foreigners aren't invited, sometimes it's nice to see Libbie Hickman running for "first" without "...American" tacked on. Even nicer to see her make it. Libbie defended her U.S. 10-K championship on Monday in Boston against an international field including names like Colleen DeReuck and Jane Ngotho.
- Hickman defends USA and Tufts titles < http://www.runnersworld.com/dailynew/archives/1999/October/991012.html >
Research indicates that sports drinks may be more effective than water. Sodium and carbohydrates can increase fluid absorption because sodium is readily absorbed in the small intestines; thus these drinks are more likely to enter the system than water alone, which would end up in the bladder. The carbohydrates in sports drinks serve as an energy source during long runs and can help prevent blood sugar levels from dropping. -- from Ken Sparks and Dave Kuehls’ The Runners Book of Training Secrets, page 104. You can buy this book at:
http://rodalepress7.cam-colo.bbnplanet.com:8080/Unity/UrlView/7/10/32/2/4141
Fall asleep faster: If tomorrow's race is disturbing your sleep, turn on the air conditioning and wear socks to bed. A recent study done in Switzerland found that warm feet and a cool head increases the amount of heat lost through your hands and feet, which instantly makes you sleepy.
Forget about andro: A study from Iowa State University has found that androstenedione does not increase levels of the hormone testosterone or lean body mass, as the supplement claims. It does, however, increase levels of the hormone estrogen, which, in men, may cause enlarged breasts, pancreatic cancer and cardiovascular disease.
This weekend would be a good time to catch up with the college racing scene. With the season’s end drawing near, there’s only so much time left to check out a meet in your area. Curious as to what’s happening in NCAA land? Visit the Runner’s World College Forum and voice your opinions on who’s tops this year. < http://proxicom.rodalestore.com:8080/servlet/AppServer?t=login/login_rw >
Amy Skieresz won seven individual NCAA titles in cross-country and track, including the 5000/10,000 double at the 1997 and 1998 outdoor track championships. She has run 15:37.77 in the 5000 and 32:31.65 in the 10,000. Runner’s World spoke with Skieresz: < http://www.runnersworld.com/dailynew/archives/1999/October/991011.html#chat >
Saturday, SouthTrust Running Festival 10-Mile, St. Petersburg, Fla. Site of a former 10 mile world record, the waterfront downtown course attracts a world-class field. Web site: < http://www.doitsports.com/run >.
Sunday, Arturo Barrios Invitational 10-K, Chula Vista, Calif. Honors one of the great Mexican distance runners of the 90s, site of the fastest road 10-Ks ever run in California.
Sunday, Atlantic City Marathon/Half-Marathon: Fast course with 10 miles on historic boardwalk surface with a view of the ocean or bay over the entire course.
Sunday, Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank International Marathon: New course in 1999 with a 5-K and kids marathon.
Sunday, Humboldt Redwoods Marathon: Scenic course through giant redwood trees in Northern Calif.; race featured in November issue of Runner's World magazine.
Rain makes everything a little slick, but dead leaves and painted lines on roads become especially slippery when wet. Watch out for these hazards when turning a corner, stopping fast or running downhill. -- Beth Eck, RW associate editor
There's only so much physical energy and resilience in the body. If you go beyond a certain point, you're in trouble. -Bill Rodgers
Tuesday, May 20, 2008 04:32 PM