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The Runner's Web Digest is a FREE weekly digest of information on running, triathlons and multisport activities.
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Runner's Web Digest INDEX
1. The arms race of the feet
2. Fixing And Avoiding Quad Cramps
3. Methodological Considerations for Studies in Sport and Exercise Science with Women as Participants: A Working Guide for Standards of Practice for Research on Women
4. Adidas Solar Glide 5 Review: Bright, But Not Light
5. How to prevent and treat saddle sores
6. Patience Through Puberty
7. Controversial Nike Vaporfly running shoes slash female athletes’ personal best times more than men’s
8. Stretching has legitimate benefits – they’re just not the ones you assume
9. Transitioning from Winter Strength to Endurance Training in the Spring
10. When You Really Need to Replace Your Running Shoes, According to Reddit
11. TAKE A STEP BACK: Study debunks 10,000 daily steps as myth
12. Everything You Need To Know About Belgrade 2022
13. What a Harvard-trained sports medicine doctor does when she doesn’t feel like exercising: ‘It’s better than nothing’
14. Exercise Can Be Unhealthy, Too. Here Are 3 Red Flags to Look For
15. The Boy in the Plastic Bubble: A Season With Boost Treadmills
THIS WEEK'S POLL:
What is/are your favourite sport(s) of the summer Olympics?
* Athletics - track
* Athletics - marathon
* Cycling - road
* Cycling - track
* Swimming
* Triathlon
* Other
Vote here
PREVIOUS POLL RESULTS:
What is your all-time personal best marathon time?
1 Never run one 95 (2%)
2 Sub 2:20 33 (1%)
3 2:20 to 2:30 56 (1%)
4 2:30 to 2:40 133 (3%)
5 2:40 to 2:50 240 (6%)
6 2:50 to 3:00 351 (9%)
7 3:00 to 3:20 568 (14%)
8 3:20 to 3:40 672 (17%)
9 3:40 to 4:00 705 (18%)
10 4:00 Plus 1099 (28%)
Total Votes: 3952
FIVE STAR SITE OF THE MONTH MARCH 2022: UNION ATHLETICS CLUB.
Integrity, excellence, and diversity are values that drive us to be leaders on and off the track.
Together we stand. Together we thrive. Together we win.
Visit the website at: UnionAthleticsClub.com.
BOOK/VIDEO/MOVIE OF THE MONTH FOR MARCH 2022:.THE VILLANOVA TRACK STORY: 1966-1981: TOUCHING GREATNESS, FOREVER TOGETHER
By Jerry Bouma (Author), Jaclyn Draker (Contributor), & 2 more
Touching Greatness, Forever Together - The Villanova Track Story: 1966-1981 is an inside account of how a small private university in eastern USA became the greatest middle-distance track & field power in the world. For 16 consecutive years, the Villanova Track Team won the Championship of America Distance Medley Relay at the Penn Relays – a winning streak that is unrivalled in the world of amateur and professional sports. Astonishingly, during this same period, Villanova won a total of 52 Championship of America relay races including the One Mile, Two Mile, Sprint Medley and Four Mile at the Penn Relays as well as producing numerous IC4A and NCAA Champions, World Records and World Bests. Written by Jerry Bouma, a former Villanova track athlete (1970-74) and Co-Captain with John Hartnett in his senior year, the book provides front line insights of the philosophy and approach of the great Coach Jumbo Elliott. He describes in detail the ascendency of such national and international stars as Dave Patrick, Charlie Messenger, Frank Murphy, Tom Donnelly, Dick Buerkle, Marty Liquori, Chris Mason, Donal Walsh, Davey Wright, Wilson Smith, John Hartnett, Ken Schappert, Brian McElroy, Eamonn Coghlan, Tom Gregan, Ed Takacs, Phil Kane, Mark Belger, Don Paige, Tony Tufariello, Sydney Maree, Dean Childs, John Burns, John Hunter, Mike England and Marcus O’Sullivan and describes in detail the leaders who emerged from this accomplished group to inspire the team year after year, each in their own unique way. All supported and guided by another key contributing factor - Coach Jack ‘Mother’ Pyrah who played a critical role in the success of the team. Bouma addresses the fundamental questions of how and why the Villanova University Track Team sustained such a successful program for such a long period of time. He identifies and analyses several critical factors that encompasses coaching, training, the unique characters, leadership, team culture, and the uniqueness of the location of Villanova University itself including the training environment. Touching Greatness, Forever Together - The Villanova Track Story: 1966-1981 is a must read for any coach, aspiring runner or athlete from all sports. Additionally, the principles that generated success for Villanova Track year after year, can also be applied to any individual or business.
Buy the book from Amazon.
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For more books on Running and Triathlon visit:
HumanKinectics.com,
Amazon.com,
VeloPress.com, and
SkyHorse.com
THIS WEEK'S FEATURES:
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1. The arms race of the feet:
Something’s afoot in the world of track and field, and high-tech shoes are at the center of it.
There’s another arms race in track and field and this one has nothing to do with pharmaceuticals. It’s the arms race of the feet. High-tech shoes have been increasingly impacting the sport the past few years, stirring up controversy along the way, and now they could be responsible for a big spike in performances on the track.
“Times for NCAAs this year are outrageous,” says BYU coach Ed Eyestone.
Each year for the last 10 years, an average of 32 collegiate men ran sub four-minute miles indoors, topped by last year’s high of 38. This year there are 90.
Using a 4:36.0 as the cutoff for women in the same race — which is within seconds of the women’s equivalent of a men’s sub-four mile — 24 met that threshold this year, which doubles last year’s total. Over the previous decade the average was 10.
More...from the Deseret News.
2. Fixing And Avoiding Quad Cramps:
Suffer from quad cramps? Here’s how to fix the problem—and keep it from coming back.
As anyone who has ever raced a triathlon can attest, quad cramps suck. Cramping is extremely common, occurring in up to 67% in triathletes, with Any muscle can cramp up, but the quadriceps are one of the most commonly affected. These quad ramps can range in severity, from small short-lived spasms to episodes of painful “locking up” that can entirely derail races.
Some athletes seem to be more prone to cramps than others. A large study of runners linked underlying chronic disease, medication use, allergies, prior muscle or tendon injuries, and greater running experience to a greater risk of cramping. Multiple studies of Ironman athletes have shown that cramp risk increases with racing at higher-than-normal intensities and faster race times. Regardless of risk factors, cramps can negatively affect any athlete – so what causes them, and how can we prevent them?
More...from Triathlete.
3. Methodological Considerations for Studies in Sport and Exercise Science with Women as Participants: A Working Guide for Standards of Practice for Research on Women:
Until recently, there has been less demand for and interest in female-specific sport and exercise science data. As a result, the vast majority of high-quality sport and exercise science data have been derived from studies with men as participants, which reduces the application of these data due to the known physiological differences between the sexes, specifically with regard to reproductive endocrinology. Furthermore, a shortage of specialist knowledge on female physiology in the sport science community, coupled with a reluctance to effectively adapt experimental designs to incorporate female-specific considerations, such as the menstrual cycle, hormonal contraceptive use, pregnancy and the menopause, has slowed the pursuit of knowledge in this field of research. In addition, a lack of agreement on the terminology and methodological approaches (i.e., gold-standard techniques) used within this research area has further hindered the ability of researchers to adequately develop evidenced-based guidelines for female exercisers. The purpose of this paper was to highlight the specific considerations needed when employing women (i.e., from athletes to non-athletes) as participants in sport and exercise science-based research. These considerations relate to participant selection criteria and adaptations for experimental design and address the diversity and complexities associated with female reproductive endocrinology across the lifespan. This statement intends to promote an increase in the inclusion of women as participants in studies related to sport and exercise science and an enhanced execution of these studies resulting in more high-quality female-specific data.
More...from SpringerLink.
4. Adidas Solar Glide 5 Review: Bright, But Not Light:
What You Need To Know
Weighs 11.8 oz. (335 g.) for a US M9 / US W10.5
Not the lightest brick in the wall
Plenty o’ Primeblue and Parley Ocean Plastics
Available now for $130
BRANDON: THREE STRIPE LYFE IN DA HOUSE! I love it when an Adidas running shoe lands on my desk. I mean, c’mon, usually, we know it’s going to be a pretty quality trainer. I took the Solar Glide 5 out of the box, and the first thing I thought was… heavy. For a US M9, you can expect this shoe to weigh you down 335 grams, or 11.8 oz. This neutral daily trainer is built to be durable and flirts with the max cushion world.
Adidas claims the shoe is similar to the Nike Vomero, ASICS Cumulus, and Brooks Ghost. In some ways, I’d agree, but does the quality of the Adidas Solar Glide 5 meet the same standard as the shoes mentioned above? I’m not so sure that it does. For $130, the shoe certainly fits into a competitive price range for daily trainers. I ran easy miles in this shoe and only took it out for runs shorter than 90 minutes.
More...from Beleive in the Run.
5. How to prevent and treat saddle sores:
Nothing ruins a great ride faster than discomfort caused by friction or pressure between you and your saddle. There’s a lot going on in your shorts: pressure from supporting a substantial portion of your bodyweight, heat and moisture from exertion and sweat, and friction from spinning your legs and scooting fore and aft on the saddle. Keeping your skin healthy can be a challenge, so here’s what you can do to prevent and treat chafing and saddle sores, and to keep your skin happy.
What is a saddle sore?
A saddle sore is typically caused by continuous pressure and friction from your saddle. This causes damage to the skin that allows a place for bacteria to get in and flourish. Then, saddle a sore manifests as a raised, pink or red area of skin. It may look like a pimple or ingrown hair and contain liquid. Some feel like a cyst or marble under the skin. Another common form of a saddle sore results from chafing that abrades skin and may look like a rash.
More...from CTS.
6. Patience Through Puberty:
Female Physiological and Running Performance Development
This section on ‘Patience during Puberty’ will provide some thought-provoking facts on the abysmal performance attrition and participation rates of athletes, and particularly female athletes, in running events during the transition from high-school/junior to senior elite ranks. However, it will also raise the notion that the physiology behind female development through adolescence is different to that of male athletes and that patience in long-term athlete development is often over-looked and ignored in the pursuit of short-term performance outcomes. Finally, this section will focus on how creating a positive performance environment, with proactive awareness and education on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S; see within How She Did It, pages 16-22), is a requirement to improve female adolescent sport culture, and ultimately, female athlete retention rates and love of sport for life.
More...from Amazon.
7. Controversial Nike Vaporfly running shoes slash female athletes’ personal best times more than men’s:
New state-of-the-art running shoes have enabled female elite long-distance athletes to improve their personal best times more than male athletes, research reveals. Top runners, particularly women, have reduced their best times by up to three percent since the introduction of the controversial Nike “advanced shoe technology” five years ago, according to the findings.
When Nike introduced the shoes in 2017, the question arose whether the new design would significantly affect performances in professional sports. The study finds that the footwear did indeed reduce running times for elite competitors.
Researchers analyzed seasonal best times for elite male and female runners over three race distances — ten kilometers, half-marathon, and marathon races — between 2012 and 2019. They found a statistically significant decrease in race times after 2017, which coincided with the premiere of the Nike Vaporfly 4% shoe.
More...from StudyFinds.
8. Stretching has legitimate benefits – they’re just not the ones you assume:
For me one of the major take-aways of the COVID-19 pandemic is that reaching a consensus among industry professionals is about as easy as climbing the CN Tower blindfolded and with one hand tied behind your back. Nowadays even basic principles (e.g., “viruses exist”; “vaccines are helpful”) are being called into question, often by people who are more interested in elevating their own status than actually helping anyone.
The fitness industry is as guilty as any other when it comes to obfuscating facts, but thankfully the stakes for us trainers aren’t all that high. No one will die as a result of arguing over rep schemes or exercise selection. But this of course doesn’t stop us from treating disagreements like personal affronts. I’ve had my own qualifications (not to mention my sanity) called into question several times over the course of my career all because I happen to be a proponent of one of the most contentious of fitness protocols: stretching.
It makes some sense why such a large contingent of fitness pros scoff at stretching. Studies have suggested that stretching can impede athletic performance because a stretched muscle doesn’t produce as much force; and it’s true the physical relief it provides is only temporary. All this means is if you’re a competitive sprinter and the difference between winning and losing is determined by fractions of a second, then it would be in your best interest to lay off the hamstring stretches before a race. For everyone else, though, stretching has some legitimate benefits – they’re just not the benefits you may assume them to be.
More...from the Globe and Mail.
9. Transitioning from Winter Strength to Endurance Training in the Spring:
How to effectively and sustainably shift your winter weight routine and begin building spring endurance.
As athletes move further away from winter, their training often shifts to emphasize endurance over strength. This is an important component of periodized training, and a natural evolution of athletes’ interests as the weather improves. However it can be difficult to find balance in that interim phase on the way to dedicated endurance training volume.
By focusing on the controllable in planning your training, you can create a transition that allows your body to adapt while moving into your desired phase of training. One way to cover your bases is to start with following the four focus areas, which comprise the FITT Principle: Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type of exercise.
Frequency
Frequency is typically thought of as the number of times a specific intensity or type of exercise is performed. Frequency can be applied to the transition from strength to endurance in terms of how many times a type of exercise will be performed in a given week. This might look like:
Reducing strength training from 3x/week to 2x/week.
More...from TRaining Peaks.
10. When You Really Need to Replace Your Running Shoes, According to Reddit:
You don't have to chuck them just because they've hit 300 miles.
You’ve probably heard the advice that running shoes are only good for about 300 to 500 miles, and after that, the cushioning is so broken down that they’re an injury waiting to happen. But that’s not always true, and there are more ways to figure out when to throw out your shoes than just counting the miles.
How do running shoes break down?
When you put in the miles, your shoes undergo wear and tear. The first thing you’ll notice is that the tread on the bottom wears down, but that’s okay; there should be more than enough rubber under your feet to last the lifetime of the shoe.
Another place you’ll see visible wear is on the upper. Maybe you tend to get a hole in the toe box where your big toenail rubs; maybe you run on trails and tend to scuff up the sides. But these scrapes are usually a cosmetic issue, not a functional one. You can patch them up or just run in them despite the holes.
More...from LifeHacker.
11. TAKE A STEP BACK: Study debunks 10,000 daily steps as myth:
We’ve all heard that walking 10,000 steps each day is the ideal target for living a healthy, and possibly longer life.
A recent study found the popular myth that one must walk 10,000 steps to achieve health benefits is flawed. Getting between 6,000 and 8,000 daily steps is sufficient, the study found.
Taking these strides reduces the risk of early death for people who are 60 or older by 54%, according to the study, which noted walking more than 8,000 steps per day doesn’t bring any added benefits.
The research team perused 15 studies on how walking affected mortality for about 50,000 people across four continents.
More...from the Toronto Sun.
12. Everything You Need To Know About Belgrade 2022:
Your in-depth guide to all of the events, athletes and storylines to watch for every event at the World Indoor Championships.
It’s been four years since we’ve had the chance to watch a World Indoor Championship. The last time medals were handed out was in 2018 in Birmingham (UK) but that will all change this weekend in Belgrade, Serbia. Multiple Olympic champions from Tokyo will be in action, and there will also be a slew of athletes looking to make their mark as stars to watch ahead of this summer’s World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Here is a preview of all the events, athletes and storylines to watch for every event:
More...from CitiusMag.
13. What a Harvard-trained sports medicine doctor does when she doesn’t feel like exercising: ‘It’s better than nothing’:
If you hate exercising, you’re not alone. Even as a sports medicine doctor and physical activity advocate, I understand why living a more active lifestyle can be challenging, especially with our hectic schedules.
But prioritizing daily movement is one of the best things you can do to improve your health and quality of life. Regular exercise can help prevent medical conditions including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, anxiety and depression, and many types of cancer.
On days when I don’t feel like exercising, I practice a simple and time-efficient method to be more active without committing to a full-on workout: I add “fitness snacks” into my day.
What are ‘fitness snacks’?
When I say fitness snacks, I don’t mean pre-workout shakes or protein bars.
More...from CNBC.
14. Exercise Can Be Unhealthy, Too. Here Are 3 Red Flags to Look For:
Sometimes the gym isn't the best thing for your mental well-being. When do habits become more harmful than helpful?
We know exercise is good for the body, but what about the mind? Generally, the answer is an absolute yes. However, there are times when the goals we set for ourselves can turn sour if exercise takes over other aspects of our lives. It should be one of many tools to help us stay healthy, feel stronger or have fun.
When you think about the gym, it's often through the lens of how you view your body because of societal pressures. But your relationship with fitness is much deeper than that. It's important to explore your habits and rituals with exercise, and watch out for signs that they've become more harmful than helpful.
More...from CNET Wellness.
15. The Boy in the Plastic Bubble: A Season With Boost Treadmills:
By the time I graduated high school, I’d been diagnosed with three stress fractures, all in my right shin. That number ballooned to five as I hobbled my way through a tumultuous college distance-running career.
Notorious among distance runners, stress fractures are usually the product of overtraining, low Vitamin D or calcium intake, old shoes or biomechanical issues. Without getting too far into the weeds, my flat feet and shin structure cause overpronation, which led to increased stress on my tibia. Orthotics helped, but in the end, this was a problem I would have to manage and mitigate—not solve.
Then, in my fifth year of college and halfway through my last cross country season, I heard the dreaded words once again: “Medial tibial stress syndrome, edema on the posterior tibia—stress fracture.”
More...from SportTechie.
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FEATURED EVENTS:
*Please verify event dates with the event websites available from our FrontPage.
Upcoming Races, Marathons, Races, and Triathlons
March 18 - 20, 2022::
World Athletics Indoor Championships - Belgrade, Serbia
March 20, 2022::
Los Angeles Marathon, Los Angles, CA
Shamrock Shuffle - Chicago, IL
USATF Masters Half Marathon Championships - Syracuse, NY
United Airlines NYC Half - New York, NY
March 26-27, 2022::
Canadian Indoor Championships - St. John, NB
March 27, 2022::
Around the Bay Road Race - Hamilton, ON
April 3, 2022::
Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run - Washington, DC
April 3-24, 2022::
Colgate Women's Games - Queens, NY
April 9, 2022::
Amplifying Women: Championing Our Sport
April 18, 2022::
Boston Marathon - Boston, MA
For more complete race listings check out our Upcoming Races, and Calendars.
Have a good week of training and/or racing.
Ken
Email: webmaster@runnersweb.com
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