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RUNNER'S NICHE
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Vol. 5 No.1 January, 2000
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NOTES FROM THE EDITOR
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As we head into the next millennium, there are many and diverse
fears about what the future holds for us. Running in the year
2000 doesn't seem like it will be much different than it was in
1999, though. The shoe companies would like to remind us that
they are constantly upgrading their products, of course; and we
will all discover new races, running buddies and training routes.
Modern gizmos like heart rate monitors with the ability to upload
information to a computer are becoming more and more available.
Still, one of the nice things about running is that running
itself hasn't changed since good old Phidippides made his
historic messenger run in the Plains of Marathon. The act of
running is so simple and basic that it seems likely it will
survive anything technology can throw at us. As we see our world
constantly and rapidly changing, it can become a bit
overwhelming. Running, though, is, and always has been, about
putting one foot in front of the other. Runners will always
sweat, breathe hard, and have a silly grin on our faces after a
good workout. Running will remain important and popular because
it can help to satisfy our primeval compulsions. Fear not,
therefore, the future. For we can always go out and hammer a few
miles.
Happy New Year!
- WG
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MARATHON & BEYOND MAGAZINE - Marathon & Beyond, the only magazine
that focuses on the specific needs of marathoners and
ultrarunners. M&B offers in-depth articles on training, race
strategies, injuries, nutrition, race profiles, running history,
and more. Visit their web site at:
http://www.marathonandbeyond.com
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RUNNER'S NICHE / MARATHON & BEYOND TRIVIA CONTEST
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Congratulations to last month's trivia winner, Benji Durden.
(Yes, the same Benji who was on the 1980 U.S. Olympic team.)
Benji receives a free issue of Marathon & Beyond Magazine and
FAME!
Trivia contest entrants are limited to one prize per calendar
year.
When answering, email your answers with the subject "trivia
contest" and answer the questions in the order they appear below.
Mail to: woodyg3@netone.com. The FIRST person to answer all ten
questions correctly wins. If nobody answers all ten correctly, we
will award the prize to the person who answers the most questions
correctly. Good Luck!
This Month's Questions (Just 8 questions this month):
1. Who was the first man to break 4:00 for the mile?
2. Who was the second?
3. Who took the world record for the mile down to 3:57.2 in 1957?
4. Herb Elliot was the next man to lower the world mile mark in
1958. What was his time?
5. Michael Jazy set the world mile mark in 1965 with a time of
3:53.6. What country was he from?
6. Who was the first runner from the United States to own the
world record in the mile since the 4:00 mark had been broken?
7. Famed miler Roger Bannister ran 3:46.0 in the 1500 meter
finals at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki. What place did that earn
him? (Hint: he did not win.)
8. Who won that Helsinki 1500 race?
Last Month's Answers:
1. What event did Ben Johnson win in he Olympics, only to have it
taken away when he tested positive for drugs? Answer: 100 Meters
2. Julius Kariuki of Kenya ran an all-time best of 5:14.43 in
1990 for what rarely run track event? Answer: 2000 Meter
Steeplechase
3. Johnny Gray of the United States owns the world best in
another seldom run event. His time was 1:12:81. What was the
distance of this run? Answer: 600 Meters
4. In what event do the Kenyan men own all of the top 52 best
all-time marks? Answer: 3000 Meter Steeplechase
5. Italian Pietro Mennea was the world record holder in what
event? Answer: 200 Meters
6. Yelena Nikolayma posted a world record of 41:04 in 1996 in
what event? Answer: 10K Racewalk
7. In what event has Jarmila Kratochvilova of Czechoslovakia held
the world record since 1983? Answer: 800 Meters
8. Sonia O'Sullivan of Ireland ran 8:21.64, the fastest time ever
by a non-Chinese athlete, in what event? Answer: 3000 Meters
9. Ingrid Krisiansen's old world best in the marathon has been
topped by Kenyan Tegla Loroupe, but Kristiansen still holds the
world best time of 1:06:40 in what event? Answer: Half Marathon
10. Curt Clausen set an American record of 3:48:04 this year in
what event? Answer: 50 K Racewalk
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RUNNING DELIGHTS - all occasion and holiday greeting cards,
novelty gifts, t-shirts, bracelets and many others items.
www.ontherun.com/runningdelights
Our entire catalog is now online with secure ordering.
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LOW-TECH MUSCLE RELIEF
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By Woody Green
Muscles get tired, sore and stiff from all those hard miles you
put in. You can take ibuprofen for injuries, but this isn't a
good long term plan for everyday soreness caused by normal
training loads. Save the ibuprofen for the times you really need
it. Many runners go to a massage therapist, too, and this is a
great idea. Still, there are plenty of simple things you can do
on your own to help between those massage appointments. Here are
a few simple and low-tech ways to ease the ache.
1. Epsom salts bath. An old folk remedy for bruises, sore feet
and other aches and pains, many runners get good results by
taking a hot bath with a handful of Epsom salts added to the
water.
2. Golf ball or tennis ball. Just roll around on the floor with
the ball on the sore muscle. This works well for feet, shoulders
and little hot spots on your legs. Just be careful not to use too
much pressure, or you can actually bruise yourself.
3. Sticks, rollers and wooden posts(!?). Other great devices to
massage your muscles include massage "sticks", Styrofoam
cylinders and "canes" to reach those hard to get to spots. I even
know one runner who occasionally stops on her runs to apply
pressure on tight muscles by leaning on wooden posts. It may look
funny, but it works, so who cares!
4. Gentle exercise between runs. A walk or easy swim in the pool
are ideal ways to flush out tired muscles and aid in recovery
between workouts.
5. Stretching. You do stretch, don't you? I thought so. Just
checking.
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STREAK INTO THE NEW YEAR?
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By Woody Green
As the new year hits us, many people will make resolutions to
lose weight, get organized, quit bad habits or other such noble
goals. Runners often set a goal of running every day, rain or
shine, for the whole year. They want to have a streak of 365 (366
on leap year) days of consecutive running. The feeling is that
with consistency, fitness will improve, weight will come off and
times will go down.
The logic is good. One of the main keys to any successful
training program is consistency. The problem is that running
every day, non-stop for a full year is not always practical or
even healthy. Minor injuries or illness may require a day or two
of rest. Excess fatigue due to job stress, family emergencies or
other unexpected events can make it hard or even unhealthy to
train every day.
Still, consistency builds fitness, both physically and mentally.
So, what's a runner to do? Maybe instead of resolving to run
every single day of the year, a better plan would be to resolve
to average 6 days a week for the year. (313 days in a year equals
an average of 6 days a week.) That way if you need a couple of
days off here or there, you know you can still maintain your
goal.
Of course if you have been running 3 days a week for 1999,
jumping right up to 6 days a week will be too much. Maybe a good
goal would be to reach that 6 day a week goal by the end of 2000,
or perhaps to push it up to four days a week for all of 2000.
Other runners may be thinking of trying to hit a particular
mileage mark for each week. Again, though, this may not be the
best approach. An occasional low mileage week for rest or
recovery is usually called for, and it is too easy to get trapped
into doing a particular workout just to hit your mileage goal
rather than to improve your fitness or racing speed. An
alternative for those who like to use their pocket calculators is
to have a yearly goal in mind. This is more fun, too, since the
number will be bigger and a lot more impressive. 20 miles a week
sounds good, but over the course of a year if you average 20
miles a week you will run over 1,000 miles for the year, and
1,000 miles sounds pretty doggoned impressive, doesn't it?
Whatever goals you set for 2000, make them realistic and
attainable. A "pie in the sky" goal may be fun to daydream about,
but it will only serve to disappoint if it can't possibly be met.
After all is said and done, though, maybe the best resolution you
can have is to make sure you keep your running fun and injury
free. Whatever it takes to do those two things are the most
important goals, so you will still be running in 2001 and beyond.
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UFLASH TOP TEN LIST CONTEST
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First and Second place winners of the Top Ten List Contest for
January will receive a Uflash Sportbelt! And here they are:
Top Ten Things Other Runners Do That Annoy Me
First Place:
From Joseph Cua
10. Starting a 10K like it's the 50 yard dash.
9. Talking about how refreshing it is to run in the cold. I'll
agree as soon as my doubly-gloved hands defrost, thank you.
8. Streaming by me at the end of a race like I'm barely moving.
Wait, I really AM barely moving. Whatever.
7. Whining about the hills when there's a 2% grade.
6. When I say "hi" as we pass each other on the street, and
there's suddenly something really interesting on the ground they
have to look at.
5. Running with their dog off-leash, then acting surprised when
the beast accosts me.
4. Tex/Mex pre-race meals.
3. When I'm at a 5K race in a T-shirt and shorts and somebody
wearing a $500 running suit finishes 10 minutes behind me.
2. When I'm at a 5K race in a T-shirt and shorts and somebody
wearing a $500 running suit finishes 10 minutes ahead of me.
And the number 1 thing other runners do that annoys me:
1. Four words: snot rocket friendly fire.
Second Place:
From Jamie Larson
10. Ignore you when you run by, or worse, look the other way.
9. Spit on the ground just as you are approaching.
8. Brag about their fast times first and then ask for yours.
7. Complain about how bad they feel or how slow they run, then
beat you in a race.
6. Wear T-shirts from races they never even participated in--i.e.
High School runners wearing college championship shirts where
they were only spectators.
5. Throwing candy or sports/energy bar wrappers on the ground.
4. When you want a quick drink, the runner in front of you at the
drinking fountain has a huge water bottle that they want to fill.
3. Jog on the inside lanes of the track when a track workout is
being timed.
2. Leaving spikes for spike shoes laying around for others to
trip over.
And the number 1 thing other runners do that annoys me:
1. Believing that the more miles logged, the more they fit the
name "runner".
Thanks to Uflash for sponsoring the top ten contests this year!
We will be discontinuing the top ten contest for now. We have a
feeling it might come back to haunt you again in the future,
though.
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http://www.uflash.com, your online night safety store is now
OPEN! Visit our website and give us your feedback! Be Seen, Not
Hit!
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THIS AND THAT
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*Roads Scholar*
Many of you have enjoyed articles written by Michael Selman that
have appeared in Runnner's Niche. An all-time favorite was his
article "Beer Has Sustained Me." Just last month he wrote of his
compulsive mile counting tendencies in "A Christmas Bonus to
Myself." He writes passionately from the viewpoint of the every
day runner, and has the ability to tickle the ribs or bring a
tear to the eye.
What many of you may not realize is that Michael sends out these
articles in an email format called "Thoughts of a Roads Scholar."
If you'd like to get a copy each month, just email him at:
TheRoadsScholar@aol.com
*Bikes Recalled*
You cross-trainers should know that several models of Huffy and
Royce Union bikes have been recalled because of a problem with
the frames. If you own one of these bikes, return it to the
dealer immediately for replacement.
Huffy Model 26809 in blue and silver
Huffy ALX 1500, also model number 26809, green and silver
Huffy Aluminum 300, model #K6809, black and silver
Royce Union ABT 2000, model #16369. This 26-incher in red and
silver carries the words "Aluminum 200."
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WEB SITES OF INTEREST
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*Masters Track and Field Page Update!!!
The Masters Track & Field Home Page (with an all-new and improved
calendar section!) is now at
http://www.masterstrack.com
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