Season Ending Injuries, Seville Gold, Stomach Stuffing, Stretching, Shoe Forums, Tender Shins
"Her season is over." With those four words Marion Jones's agent, Charlie Wells, announced the end of 1999 competition for one of track and field's most glamorous stars. Jones's season at an end <http://www.runnersworld.com/dailynew/archives/1999/September/990902.html>
Haile Gebrselassie paid a high price for his 10,000 meters gold-medal run on the hard track at Seville during last week's World Championships. Gebrselassie injury ends his season <http://www.runnersworld.com/dailynew/archives/1999/September/990901.html>
The 1999 World Championships of Track and Field concluded yesterday, and the USA led the way with 11 gold medals and 17 medals total. Russia was next with 6 golds and 13 overall. The USA total of 17 was the lowest in the seven editions of the World Championships, despite the fact that there were more medal events than ever, with the women's pole vault and hammer added to the Seville schedule. USA tops the medal charts at the World Championships http://www.runnersworld.com/dailynew/archives/1999/August/990830.html
The beginning racer needs little warmup. Do some stretching and start slow so that the early part of the race is a warmup. Don't get overly excited and blow it in the first mile or so by running too fast. -- from Ken Sparks and Dave Kuehls, The Runners Book of Training Secrets, p. 179. You can buy this book at: http://rodalepress7.cam-colo.bbnplanet.com:8080/Unity/UrlView/7/10/26/1/4141
A stomach full: If you're trying to lose weight, gravitate to foods that weigh a lot. The more your food weighs, the more it will fill you up, according to the Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter. Low- calorie, "heavy" foods like spinach, peppers, greens, strawberries, broccoli, grapefruit, cantaloupe, carrots and oranges weigh down your stomach, which then signals your brain that you've eaten enough. You must eat a higher volume of "lighter" foods like rice cakes, popcorn and melba toast to do the same. Other heavy foods like burgers, ice cream, cake and nuts will also satisfy, but contain a lot of calories. The worst offenders: "light," calorie-dense foods like marshmallows, croissants, potato chips and cheese puffs, which don't fill you up, but do fill you out.
The single best stretch: In an effort to find the most cost-effective way to reduce injuries, the armed forces asked one group of basic trainees to stretch their hamstrings four times a day in addition to their regular basic regimen. Another control group did not stretch. The group that stretched was 12 percent less likely to get stress fractures, knee pain, muscle strains, plantar fasciitis and shinsplints than the group that did not stretch.
Marathon season is just around the corner. Which means it's probably time to invest in a new pair of shoes. Not sure of the perfect shoe for your foot? Visit our Shoe Forum, and let deputy editor Bob Wischnia provide you with the inside scoop on the latest running shoes. < http://proxicom.rodalestore.com:8080/servlet/AppServer?t=login/login_rw >
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Labor Day Events Pacific Sun 10-K, Kentfield, Calif.: Fast, certified course with stadium finish, two-wave start. Also 2.5-mile run, kid's run and youth races. Web site: < http://www.theschedule.com >.
Park Forest Scenic 10-Mile Run, Park Forest, Ill.: U.S women's national championships with $1,000 bonus to any U.S. female in top three or U.S. male in top five who also makes Olympic Marathon team in 2000. Web site: < http://www.parkforest.org >.
Super Jock 'n' Jill Half-Marathon, Seattle, Wash.: Figure-eight, flat course, near Mt. Rainier, Sammamish River. Start and finish at Red Hook Brewery. The U.S. 10-K Classic, Atlanta, Ga.:
The other big 10-K in Atlanta, accompanying festival starts on Saturday. Also inline skating competition. Web site: < http://www.us10k.org >.
Plagued by tender shins? So was I, until I added this simple exercise to my bedtime routine: Lie on your bed with your feet dangling over the side, then write the alphabet in the air with your toes. Be sure to "write" big letters, really stretching your feet. Soon after making this a habit, my shin problems disappeared. -- Mark Remy, RW senior editor
If you tell yourself that your goal race is going to hurt and that it won't be any fun, your expectations will probably come true. Instead, tell yourself that there will be challenges, counterbalanced by feelings of joy and satisfaction. -- Jeff Galloway, runner and writer
Tuesday, May 20, 2008 04:32 PM