Question:

Heart says (i), mind (ii). You? Jarno

   I agree to keep in the running, but it is a very good idea to mix in nordic skiing as well, especially if you free-style.  It works the cardiovascular system as well or better than running, and keeps most of your leg muscles in shape for running as well.  Try about twice a week.           A few years ago I was not having much luck in college track, even though I ran 30 mpw during the winter (a lot in an area with 300 in of snowfall).  Then one year I dropped my running to 10-15 mpw and skiied 40 min- 60 min 4-5 times a week, fairly hard.  I lost the 7 lbs my coach had been hounding me about and had the season of my life.         Incidentally, quit the skiing at least two-three weeks before your race.  It takes that long to mzximize the muscles for running again. Andy

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   I agree to keep in the running, but it is a very good idea to mix in nordic skiing as well, especially if you free-style.  It works the cardiovascular system as well or better than running, and keeps most of your leg muscles in shape for running as well.  Try about twice a week.           A few years ago I was not having much luck in college track, even though I ran 30 mpw during the winter (a lot in an area with 300 in of snowfall).  Then one year I dropped my running to 10-15 mpw and skiied 40 min- 60 min 4-5 times a week, fairly hard.  I lost the 7 lbs my coach had been hounding me about and had the season of my life.         Incidentally, quit the skiing at least two-three weeks before your race.  It takes that long to mzximize the muscles for running again. Andy

Thanks Andy for sharing. One question: why do you say ‘especially if you free-style’? The motion of the body and legs is much similar to running in classic style so wouldn’t it be a better ‘fit’ with running? As a former competitive (in my teens) skier I think that skiing regardless of style is good cardiovascularly so my only (but a seriously taken) point to choose free-stlye would be that equipment ’service’ is much easier and less time consuming with free-style. Jarno — The woods are lovely, dark and deep But I have promises to keep And miles to go before I sleep And miles to go before I sleep.  - Robert Frost

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Thanks Andy for sharing. One question: why do you say ‘especially if you free-style’? The motion of the body and legs is much similar to running in classic style so wouldn’t it be a better ‘fit’ with running? As a former competitive (in my teens) skier I think that skiing regardless of style is good cardiovascularly so my only (but a seriously taken) point to choose free-stlye would be that equipment ’service’ is much easier and less time consuming with free-style. Jarno

–I just seemed to get a better workout that way.  And I skiied very hilly terrain and hated herring-boning. Andy

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I always carry some toilet paper (this is no spam) with me for emergency situations.

With me it was a rather classic case of not doing what one preaches ("Runners are, in this respect, like racing drivers: there are those who have had a major shunt and there are those who haven

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    I  had a great time at this sprint race in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.  No alligators showed up.  Tons of volunteers made every thing run well.  This being my first race, I had only hoped to finish before the streets were reopened for cars and the bagels were packed up.  I did!  At 1:16:something, I was even second in the Athenas.  Now if I can just speed up a little so I don’t see so many people running while I am on the bike:-) Lynne

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You can find the Petrie Chiropractic Triathlon race results at: http://www.trifind.com/results/petrie.html Steve A

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Question:

Do they work for anybody out there?, I always try the free sample breath rights I get in my race packets. They don’t seem to hinder my running, but they also don’t seem to help my breathing any. They mostly act as a distraction to get my mind off the race. Any thoughts? Any science?

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From http://www.sportsci.org/traintech/breatheright/fch.htm Summary. Breathe right nasal strips have little or no effect on the amount of air that passes through your lungs, or on the amount of oxygen you can extract from the air during exercise. Performance of and recovery from maximal endurance exercise by normal healthy adults under normal laboratory conditions also appears to be unaffected.

From http://www.sportsmedicine.about.com/health/sportsmedicine/library/wee… 11298.htm Some experts think it is likely, that the performance benefits are in the mind of the user – it makes them feel as though they can perform better. And any sport psychologist will tell you that the power of positive thinking may just be the key to a great performance.

The only positive studies I found were from Breath Right’s own site http://www.breatheright.com/ae/ For proof Breathe Right

Question:

Glad to help….. Good luck.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Sam Thanks for you advice about the importance of staying hydrated and eating carbohydrates during the long runs.  Yesterday I ran 22 miles, drinking twice as much water as I used to and sucking on a few butterscotch sweets along the way for the carbohydrates.  I had no problems with hitting the wall and as a result I feel more confident about doing my first Marathon in mid April. Thanks again. Mark

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Try some type of carbo gel.  You might find it more energizing than candies, due to its long chain carbs. JW – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Sam Thanks for you advice about the importance of staying hydrated and eating carbohydrates during the long runs.  Yesterday I ran 22 miles, drinking twice as much water as I used to and sucking on a few butterscotch sweets along the way for the carbohydrates.  I had no problems with hitting the wall and as a result I feel more confident about doing my first Marathon in mid April. Thanks again. Mark

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I’m training to run the London Marathon but I’ve only managed to complete one run over 20 miles.  Every other time I’ve tried to achieve this distance, I fade badly at around 16 miles and can’t run any further.  My lungs feel great and I don’t feel that tired but my legs just don’t seem to want to run any further.  Has anyone got any advice about what I can do to improve on my performance. Thanks Mark

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Be hydrated before running Hydrate while running Be carb loaded before starting the run Eat carbs early and often in the run (or take carbs in a sports drink) evaluate training program a good deal of the time "hitting the wall" is associated with drops in blood glucose and glycogen depletion.  The body can carry about 2 hours of glycogen so once past that you rely on fatty acid oxidation more heavily (fat burns in the fire of carbohydrate as the saying goes) and fat oxidation is not as efficient.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m training to run the London Marathon but I’ve only managed to complete one run over 20 miles.  Every other time I’ve tried to achieve this distance, I fade badly at around 16 miles and can’t run any further.  My lungs feel great and I don’t feel that tired but my legs just don’t seem to want to run any further.  Has anyone got any advice about what I can do to improve on my performance. Thanks Mark

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If you’re new to marathoning, maybe one completed 20-mile run is the best you can do this time. The worst thing you can do in that case is tire yourself out repeatedly trying to do it again.  One thing that might work is to walk 26 as quick as you can in the next few days.  This is not as crazy as it might sound.  It gives you an awareness of what 26 feels like – and will help with stamina. Julie

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m training to run the London Marathon but I’ve only managed to complete one run over 20 miles.  Every other time I’ve tried to achieve this distance, I fade badly at around 16 miles and can’t run any further.  My lungs feel great and I don’t feel that tired but my legs just don’t seem to want to run any further.  Has anyone got any advice about what I can do to improve on my performance. Thanks Mark

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Marathon conditions are different than any training run. The excitement of other runners and spectators could either help or hurt you. Help you by giving you extra psychic energy to finish the race; Hurt you by making go to hard at the beginning and burning out too early. The best marathon training to have run a marathon. Otherwise it sounds like you’ve doen reasonable training so far and just need go out and try it. It could be be easier or harder than you think. Before you buy.

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Mark, Although it may be too late to try before your race, you might consider slowing the pace of your training long runs to 1.5 to 2.0 minutes per miler slower than race pace. Also, take a few walking breaks whenever you feel like it. Then over time, you can gradully build up to 18,20, or even 26 mile training runs. There is nothing magic about 20 or even 26 miles, the wall is just beyond  what your body is used to. Remember that many ultrarunners do 40-50 mile training runs every month. Rock. Great Floridian Triathlon (4 times: best: 12:28) Old Dominion 100 mile run (1 time: 28:59) * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!

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Sam Thanks for you advice about the importance of staying hydrated and eating carbohydrates during the long runs.  Yesterday I ran 22 miles, drinking twice as much water as I used to and sucking on a few butterscotch sweets along the way for the carbohydrates.  I had no problems with hitting the wall and as a result I feel more confident about doing my first Marathon in mid April. Thanks again. Mark

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Question:

Hi, does someone know the latest results of the worlcup in ishigaki? the official itu page is not that fast! Christian

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The results have been posted on the ITU site at: http://www.worldsport.com/worldsport/sports/triathlon/events/99/world…. Hi, does someone know the latest results of the worlcup in ishigaki? the official itu page is not that fast! Christian

Ken Parker Runner’s Web www.runnersweb.com/running.html A running and triathlon resource site.

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Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Background:  Training for my 2nd marathon (ran a 3:31 on inconsistent training i.e.. lots of 8-10 mile runs almost no 18+ runs) had a decent spring/early summer until I started to work on my biking (Highlights being an 5:00.xx mile but not sub 5 and a couple sub 18 5ks including my pr of 17:47) As I enter the last 10 weeks of training I have some questions regarding speedwork vs say a mid-week long run.  Currently I have been doing some form of speedwork on wednesdays based on a marathon training plan from Jack Daniel’s (usually some type of threshold run.)  Some an example of my schedule would be: SNIP<<< So I guess I have two questions:        1.  Should I do a speed workout on wed (like those in the Jack Daniel’s plan) or should I do a longish run on Wed.        2.  Overall is this an ok plan? Matt

Matt,   I think that speedwork should be a part of any marathon plan. As someone who took up running and triathlon late (at 40, with my first marathon at 41), I have found that quality is far more important than quantity in training. I have raced 8 marathons so far, with my first and slowest a 3:39 and my PR 3:00:40 last year at age 46. I don’t think I have exceeded 40 miles/week in my training but, like you, I have kept my biking and swimming in my schedule. I feel this has a positive training benefit and lessens the chance of run-related injury.   My marathon schedule consists of three types of runs: 1) The long run (once a week). Aerobic (140-145bpm for me) run, building to 22 miles four weeks before race. I usually get 2 20s and 2-3 18s in the weeks building up. 2) The tempo run (once a week). For me this is a run of 8-10 miles at or slightly faster than my goal race pace. Usually 6:45-7:00. 3) The track or hills ( alternate, once a week). For my track workout for the marathon I concentrate on mile or 1/2 mile repeats at about 6:15 pace. The goal is to keep them steady and I use my watch to help. I set it on "countdown/repeat" mode and set the timer for the target pace for 1/2 lap. This way I have an alarm every 1/2 lap to adjust my pace to keep me on target and feel a hard steady pace. I don’t really see any use in short anaerobic blasts like 1/4s or 1/8s. These sessions go 3-5 miles, not including recovery. I alternate the track sessions every other week with a hill running session. I run repeats up and down a long grdual hill, concentrating on form and staying relaxed. Good luck and I hope this helps you meet your goals (I’m still after that sub 3 hour race). Cheers, Andrew — Andrew Peabody Miami

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Background:  Training for my 2nd marathon (ran a 3:31 on inconsistent training i.e.. lots of 8-10 mile runs almost no 18+ runs) had a decent spring/early summer until I started to work on my biking (Highlights being an 5:00.xx mile but not sub 5 and a couple sub 18 5ks including my pr of 17:47) As I enter the last 10 weeks of training I have some questions regarding speedwork vs say a mid-week long run.  Currently I have been doing some form of speedwork on wednesdays based on a marathon training plan from Jack Daniel’s (usually some type of threshold run.)  Some an example of my schedule would be: Monday:         At least 8 miles with the triclub usually with the middle part in the 6:30mpm range and usually on trails with the start a little slower (a lot if it is a co-ed run for the first mile and half) and the end usually a little slower.  However if I’m feeling good I may add a loop of the golf course before hand (4 miles.)  Ran 10 this week. Tuesday:           Usually a bike ride in the 25-45 mile range with the pace varying greatly based on terrain and group make-up. Wednesday:           This based on the plan I’m following is usually either 15 to 20 minute tempo repeats with 3-5 minutes between repeats or 5 minute repeats with 1 minute in between all at 6:15-6:30 pace.  Usually end up with 8-10 miles         However would I be better served by a longish run say 14-16 miles at an easy pace. Since I’m getting speed on Monday and Friday. Thursday:           Same as tuesday.  Usually it works out so that one day is a hammerfest and the other is a nice long ride. Last week one was a killer 20 mile hammerfest with all sorts of nasty crosswinds and the other was a nice easy 45 miles.  I don’t know if this makes any difference but I probably burned 2750 calories total while riding those two days based on some charts I’ve seen.         I also try to get a swim in at night only 30-45 minutes worth of swimming.  The goal of the swimming is to keep from forgetting how for next summers tris and to keep my arms from cramping during the marathon like they did last time. Friday:         Same as monday either 8 or so or 12-13. This week was a little longer then usual at 14 miles. Saturday:           Not really structured – Either a 8 mile run or an easy ride. Or sometimes just watching a football game followed by some touch football at the tailgate. This week bad time management and only a 5 miler. Sunday:           Jack Daniel’s plan has 3 different types of long run:         1.  A MP run or a race         2.  A TLT run which means some threshold running (say 4*5 minutes) followed by a long easy run (say 8 miles or so) followed by another threshold run (say 15 minutes at 6:25 pace)          3. Your basic long run of say 16-22 miles with nothing flashy. So far plain long run wise I’ve got in 5 or 6 15-16 miles and 2 20 milers. 1 more  20 and a 22 miler planned. Avg Mileage somewhere around 60 mpw. My Goal: A 2:55-3:00 marathon or an age group win at Philly (last year two runners in the 17-19 age group did 3:04:xx and the third place guy did 3:08:xx.) One of the 3:04:xx runners now goes to Penn State and isn’t in shape yet so…   So I guess I have two questions:         1.  Should I do a speed workout on wed (like those in the Jack Daniel’s plan) or should I do a longish run on Wed.         2.  Overall is this an ok plan? Matt

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Anyways, putting on my cynical hat, I often wonder if this behavior is not deliberate.  It seems to happen often near the finish line where there are many camaras.

Oh yeah, man. Two years ago PNF just staged that thing for the attention. You could tell she was faking it. She didn’t need the extra prize money, you know? Sheesh. Mike "TriBop" Tennent Remove "nospam." for email reply IMC ‘98 IronVirgins Website http://www.gate.net/~wbrunner/imc_iv.htm WebRunner Running Page http://www.gate.net/~wbrunner/running.htm My Model Railroad Layout http://www.gate.net/~wbrunner/srr.htm

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" But let me say that it makes me very uncomfortable that the film of Wendy and Sian’s struggle is almost certainly going to become the focal point of the TV coverage and is being talked about in other threads as making a lot of money for the networks." After all the negitive feedback NBC received after the PNF experience in 1995 I  can’t believe they would be STUPID enough to give it much attention. I can’t  understand why the IMH’s TV coverage which is paramount to growth in our sport  continues to support NBC which doesn’t support/understand Triathlon.

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hould have been in the med tent. wouldn’t you feel cheated out of the experience of seeing these superb athletes, stretched to the limits of their endurance, overcoming their bodies’ limits and WILLING themselves over the line?

After hearing everything about it on rst, I can’t wait.  I know we will be  watching from a little different perspective than the average non-participant,  but none the less excited. Dan Herrema

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Still, the scene that took place, no matter how riveting or inspiring, should not have taken place.  The rules against crawling should have been enforced.  Why?  Because if these types of scenes are allowed to take place then someday a triathlete is going to die.  The event does not justify the risk of such an outcome. I would argue that a rule is a rule (I have not seen a definitely post of what the rule actually is).  If the rule states no crawling, then no crawling is allowed, no matter who the athlete is.  

I did IMC this year and I seem to remember the wording "No other form of locomotion besides running, walking or crawling will be allowed."  I remember thinking it was odd to promote such behavior.  I’ll have to check my race material to see if this was the exact wording.  Anyone still have the booklet?   Anyways, putting on my cynical hat, I often wonder if this behavior is not deliberate.  It seems to happen often near the finish line where there are many camaras.  I’m not saying that this particular instance was a setup.  I was not there and did not see the tape.  Also since it involved two athletes the chance seem remote.  I’m just wondering if all the attention and exposure TV gives athletes who come across the line in this condition does not promote them doing so.   Dave Brueggen  

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first paragraph of my post: I would argue that a rule is a rule (I have not seen a definitely post of what the rule actually is).  If the rule states no crawling, then no crawling is allowed, no matter who the athlete is.  

There apparently is no clear word yet whether crawling is against the rules at IMH.  If it is not, then some of the points in my earlier post are not valid. Still, I think this issue is more than just a simple "it’s a rule/it’s not a rule"  decision. I highly doubt that crawling has very much to do with a triathlete is on the verge of death.  That fact that an athlete can still crawl suggests that both mental and physical capacity remain.

I didn’t say that everyone who can crawl is at the "verge of death".  My statement that someday someone will die if such conditions are allowed is based on anecdotal evidence from medical sources.  Below is an exerpt from Mark Jenkins’ (M.D.) page: Last summer (July 1994) a well conditioned athlete entered a 1/2-Ironman distance race with hopes of putting in her best performance. She was well trained and had raced in the heat before. It turned out to be a very hot west Texas day (110 degrees F, 45% humidity). Things were going well until the run. After one mile, she experienced diarrhea and painful quadriceps muscle cramps. By mile 6 1/2 she had headaches and had stopped sweating. She managed a slow, painful finish, tried to hydrate, but became delirious. The medical staff was called.  Intravenous fluids were started, but she deteriorated and began vomiting. After transfer to the hospital she had seizures. She experienced widespread muscle breakdown, severe electrolyte disturbance, kidney damage, and her lungs filled with fluid. She was placed on artificial life support and was given a 50:50 chance of survival. Fortunately, she lived, but is still recovering. (see http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/dehydration.html) This woman never got to the point of crawling and she nearly died.  I don’t think this is the only example of heat/dehydration threatening an athlete’s life.  I do think the chances of severe injury or death are sufficient to warrant very serious consideration. snipped some of my stuff about officials making decisions. The decision to leave the course should be a combination of an official, the athlete, and at least one other person who knows that athlete – a coach, a trainer, spouse, etc..  The athlete may or may not have the ability to make a rational decision, but nevertheless will probably want to continue – the athlete may have lost the ability to know their own capabilities, but may still have the mental and physical capability of continuing. The official seeing someone in trouble is likely to pull an athlete out of the competition, but the official does not know what the capabilities of the athlete are and the official should be more interested in their job that with the athlete.  With a third person involved, someone who knows the athlete, they have the best ability to judge what the athlete can do safely.

In a perfect world, your suggestion would probably work well.  However, I think the officials have to have the authority to make a decision on their own. A third person will be unavailable in many cases and may not have the insight/expertise/judgement to help in the decision in many other cases. More snippage. For the moments that were seen, neither Wendy or Sian could stand, but what’s to say that 2 minutes or 5 minutes later they would be alright and be able to stand again and finish on foot.  If this had happened miles from the finish, my guess is that they would have sat down, got some water, and massaged their legs until they could continue.  The fact that it happened to multiple athletes within sight of the finish line and who are in the same division changes the options the athlete must consider.  If there is the ability to continue to crawl, that’s an option and that’s what they did.  Now if the rule states no crawling, officials should have stopped both of them and told them you can’t continue until you can stand. The body can withstand far more than most can imagine.

I’m sure you are correct.  I’m also sure that in some cases it can stand less than an athlete will put it through.  I think the rule against crawling makes sense from a health standpoint.  It should be in place at IMH (if it is not now), and should be enforced if it is in place.  I also think that medical personnel should have the authority to remove athletes from the race when their health is at risk.  I would be interested in hearing from medical professionals as to whether an inability to stand upright and walk constitutes conditions consistent with such a risk.  My layman’s judgement is that it does.  I’m willing to be convinced that it does not, and that it was a sound MEDICAL decision to allow Wendy and Sian to finish the race Saturday. Mark Vande Kamp

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I would argue that a rule is a rule (I have not seen a definitely post of what the rule actually is).  If the rule states no crawling, then no crawling is allowed, no matter who the athlete is.  

In Australia (where the rules are generally identical to ITU rules) it definately states No Crawling in the rule book. I highly doubt that crawling has very much to do with a triathlete is on the verge of death.  That fact that an athlete can still crawl suggests that both mental and physical capacity remain.

A friend of mine told me of a story about a competitor in Forster a couple of years ago who was so dehydrated that he didn’t know where he was, who he was or which race he was in.  He only knew that he was racing and that he had to finish. He wasn’t crawling but in that state he wasn’t real good either The decision to leave the course should be a combination of an official, the athlete, and at least one other person who knows that athlete – a coach, a trainer, spouse, etc..  The athlete may or may not have the ability to make a rational decision, but nevertheless will probably want to continue – the athlete may have lost the ability to know their own capabilities, but may still have the mental and physical capability of continuing. The official seeing someone in trouble is likely to pull an athlete out of the competition, but the official does not know what the capabilities of the athlete are and the official should be more interested in their job that with the athlete.  

Part of an officials job is to ensure the safety of ALL competitors.  The guy mentioned above would have had to have been forceably removed from the course to stop him. In the end the official, the athlete and a medical person agreed upon a course of action that allowed the competitor to continue without endangering his own health. (Basically it involved drinking a large amount of liquid and being monitored by the medical official for several drink stations) With a third person involved, someone who knows the athlete, they have the best ability to judge what the athlete can do safely.

Theres a couple of problems I can see with this The third person would have absolutly no idea what the competitor has been through. e.g. How much liquid/food  has been injested, how hard they’ve been pushing etc etc etc.   Spouses/Friends etc have seen the all the hard work been put into just getting to an event such as IMH and know how much it means and would want the competitor to finish. The body can withstand far more than most can imagine.

Agreed but sometimes it will only take less than we think. "Tree Slug" Terry

AJ aka Simon Haigh Illawarra Triathlon Club http://www.moreton.qld.edu.au/itc/

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First of all, I have not seen any coverage and am gathering my sense of what happened from reports on this group. Second, I have nothing but admiration for Wendy and Sian as athletes and competitors.  By all accounts they were brave beyond words, and true competitors to the end.  None of what I say below should be read as criticism of them or any other competitors. Still, the scene that took place, no matter how riveting or inspiring, should not have taken place.  The rules against crawling should have been enforced.  Why?  Because if these types of scenes are allowed to take place then someday a triathlete is going to die.  The event does not justify the risk of such an outcome. One might argue that the decision of when to leave the course should be left to the triathlete.  I am very sympathetic to arguments that favor the freedom of the individual, but in this case I think the decision must be made elsewhere.  We all know that athletes can and do push themselves to dangerous extents.  The med tents at any Ironman bear witness to this fact.  It is admirable that this level of discipline exists, but it is so well established that we should need no further reminders.  The physiological fact is that as the limits are reached, the athlete becomes less and less able to make a rational decision.  By pushing beyond normal physical limits the athlete becomes incapable of judging his or her condition and the decision of whether to continue has to be made by officials. I’m sure that the officials have already thought of all this, and that it is part of the basis for the existing rule against crawling.  But why wasn’t a call made on Saturday?  I wasn’t there, so I don’t have a basis to judge.  But let me say that it makes me very uncomfortable that the film of Wendy and Sian’s struggle is almost certainly going to become the focal point of the TV coverage and is being talked about in other threads as making a lot of money for the networks.  Money, exposure, and fame that wouldn’t be there if someone made a call to send the competitors to the med tent.  I’m not comfortable with that situation. One last point.  People (including myself) find it riveting and admirable to see athletes push themselves beyond reasonable limits and risk their health in pursuit of athletic feats.  At the same time, most of us abhor the use of drugs among athletes.  These two situations seem to be completely unrelated.  But are they?  In both cases the athlete is risking their health in order to achieve feats not normally within their ability. In both cases they are being supported by modern medical technology in doing so (the IVs and cooling procedures come after the event, but they still support the performance by minimizing consequences).  In both cases, behavior occurs that is explicitly contrary to the rules (at least in cases where crawling occurs).  Why is one situation so admirable and one so despicable? I don’t think crawling is morally equivalent to drug use, but I think the distinction is finer than we first assume.  I also think that athletes who can no longer stand upright belong in the med tent.  Leaving them to struggle forward, even for a handful of meters ensures that someday one of them, one of us, will die.  Death should not be part of triathlon. Mark Vande Kamp

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     According to the ITU, you’re not a REAL Ironman unless you swim 2.4 miles, motorpace 112 miles, run 26.2 miles, and climax into a sample cup in the medical tent.                                           Bill

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<Someone wrote… Sperm Donors Needed: Adult Males 18-40 years of Age Only. Great opportunity for individuals to earn money(tax-free), and participate confidentially. Go to the Homepage listed below for more information. http://www.atlantic.net/~mode/donor

Am I to take it that the ITU is considering this as part of the triathlon?  Wouldn’t be surprised, although there is a discrimination aspect to this… (OK, I know.  My post really isn’t funny.) -Rolf —    Rolf "Ironman" Arands, Ph.D. (Chemical Engineering)   Dept. of Chem. and Biochem. Eng’g, Rutgers University  –These are my highly opinionated views, not Rutgers’–

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I recently stopped in a class taught by "Doug Stern."  He writes for triathlete magazine, and he’s done a few marathons himself. Contrary to what I have read, he says there is new evidence out showing that swimming actually burns more calories that running.  And, consequently, your heart and cardiovascular system work harder swimming. If this is true, and he claims it is because swimmers tested against runners were not swimming to capacity like their running counter parts. Whatever the case my be, I’m curious if anyone has had luck supplementing their training program with water running.  What I’m doing now is about 50 plus miles on the road only.  I have a habit of hitting the wall when doing marathons, but my log book clearly show that the more miles I do per week on average (we’re talking over a 16 week period) the easier the marathon.  The problem is when I raise the miles, even gradually from week to week, I’m flirting with injuries. Has anyone done serious marathon training in the water?  And if so, how often and what do you do? Regards, Mike

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I recently stopped in a class taught by "Doug Stern."  He writes for triathlete magazine, and he’s done a few marathons himself. Contrary to what I have read, he says there is new evidence out showing that swimming actually burns more calories that running.  And, consequently, your heart and cardiovascular system work harder swimming. If this is true, and he claims it is because swimmers tested against runners were not swimming to capacity like their running counter parts. Whatever the case my be, I’m curious if anyone has had luck supplementing their training program with water running.  What I’m doing now is about 50 plus miles on the road only.  I have a habit of hitting the wall when doing marathons, but my log book clearly show that the more miles I do per week on average (we’re talking over a 16 week period) the easier the marathon.  The problem is when I raise the miles, even gradually from week to week, I’m flirting with injuries. Has anyone done serious marathon training in the water?  And if so, how often and what do you do? Regards, Mike

I have not actually done any water running, but it has certainly been used successfully by a number of athletes to maintain conditioning while recovering from injuries. I can’t remember the names, but several world class athletes went directly from water running to major events and performed quite well (I believe one was Joan Benoit when she had knee surgery prior to the 1984 Olympic marathon trials). I would wonder about the transition from no-impact water running to impact road running and how much time (if any) you would need to make that adaptation. However, if increase mileage gives you the aches, I would definitely recommend water running. Rick Gerwin

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I already bought raffle tickets… I was wondering who finally made the team.  I attended the Guelph Sprint, but they never sent me the Olympic results  Could you pls. post the final team selection (and perhaps how they did in their respective races) Thanx, Sean.

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I already bought raffle tickets… I was wondering who finally made the team.  I attended the Guelph Sprint, but they never sent me the Olympic results  Could you pls. post the final team selection (and perhaps how they did in their respective races) Thanx, Sean.

No problem. I will post results from both qualifying races as soon as our committee meets this weekend in Peterborough to finalize the team roster. Look for the info sometime early next week. P.S.  As for Mr. Sullivan’s thrilling response to my first post: BITE ME!                                                              ^

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To all those out there on the ‘Net who may be interested: I am on the TriCan’s organizing committee for the 1994 National University Triathlon Team.  We have recently held our two qualifying events in eastern and western Canada and have selected a team to attend the World University Student Games in Nantes, France, pending athlete eligibility. We are currently pursuing a variety of fundraising ideas, including a raffle, t-shirt sales, tax deductable donations and corporate sponsorship, among others. At the moment our title sponsors include PowerBar, GlycoMax, and Rip ‘N Hammer. However, we are still short considerable funds.  If anyone out there is interested in supporting Canada’s National University triathletes by sponsoring our team, purchasing raffle tickets (3 for $5, with a chance to win a NordicTrack, Ironman 2001 wetsuit, Speedplay pedals and more), purchasing a limited edition t-shirt, or making a tax deductible donation could you please contact: Arran Timms                     phone/fax: (705) 876-6643 Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8 Canada We think our athletes can bring back a medal to Canada!  Help support a student co-ordinated effort and ensure that this twelve member student-athlete team has the opportunity to represent Canada on September 25 in France!                                                              ^                                                              ^

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