• I began the week by discussing how effective body weight exercises are when traveling. This was the final article of the month on training and travel in collaboration with Scott.
• I collected my best tips as well as what other people with the article about what to do when a dog wants to chase you. Once you use these tips and are safely away, I really recommend that you call animal services or your local warden. It may seem like a harsh thing to do and it will definitely upset the owner, but it is in the dog’s best interest for their owner to be aware of what they are doing and making sure that the animal stays safe and doesn’t put itself or anybody else in danger.
• This week last year, the marathon world record was broken by Haile Gebrselassie with a time of 2:04:26. That ain’t walkin’…
• In local racing news, Kay West finished the Eliot 5k in 1:28:53, which was below the USATF age group guidelines for the distance. She was 97 years old! I wonder if she’ll be running again later this morning?
• This week 2 years ago, I made the front page of the local newspaper. The story didn’t have a whole lot to do with me, but it involved a giant picture so I won’t complain! I pointed out how easy it is to make new friends while you are running, and discussed how important a flexible training schedule can be.
• This week 3 years ago, I discussed DNA tests that determine what sports you may have better success at than others. I also spoke about running through illnesses and a good swiss ball routine.

• In the training tips department, I wrote about training options while on the road. There are a lot of different ways to stay in shape even if you travel regularly, and this article pointed at some different ways to stay fit in your hotel room, the hotel fitness center or a local gym, or by heading outside.
• I make no bones about my abhorrence to caffeine, but I can still joke about it. I found a great webcomic strip that helps you to learn how to quit drinking caffeine. It gave me a good chuckle.
• In local news, cyclists received the protection of some new laws here in Maine by allowing motor vehicles to cross a solid yellow line when passing a cyclist, requiring at least 3 feet of clearance before passing, and by not allowing teenagers to use their cell phones while driving. I haven’t really noticed much of a difference on the streets over the past year, however. In other local news, Team competition returned to the Eliot 5k. Eliot used to be the largest 5k in Maine, and annually draws an extremely competitive local field. This year’s race (which is a week from today) should be no different.
• Also in the news, John L Parker, Jr had a heart attack and spent the next few months recovering. His health has since improved and he is doing quite well as of the last that I heard some months ago.
• This week 2 years ago, I created a video demonstration of how to tie your shoes with a runner’s knot so that they do not come untied. I also listed a few exercise related How-To articles and also reviewed Chariots of Fire, which must be the most well known running movie ever made. Dean Karnazes began the Endurance 50 and ran his first of 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. I began to mix up my pushups with medicine balls to give myself a little extra challenge, and I also offered a race tip about running first thing the morning before a race to properly loosen up your body.
• This week 3 years ago, I climbed Mount Washington and I wrote about proper gym etiquette.

• First, Asafa Powell set a new 100 meter world record in Rieti, Italy with his time of 9.74 seconds. He has since run faster than that, but no longer holds the record.
• Second, the Back Cove Weekly Race Series finished up. 2007 was the first year that I was one of the sponsors, and I managed to win free shoes for a year by having the fastest 6 times on the course. I only won by an average of 1 second per race!
• Third, I wrote about my first ultramarathon experience at the Pisgah 50k Mountain Race. I had quite a few articles about the race, so anybody that is thinking of running might want to take a look through. The race is either today or tomorrow this year, and I wasn’t able to make it back. Hopefully next year.
  1. Pisgah 50k Trail Race (2007) – Pre-Race Review
  2. Pisgah 50k Trail Race (2007) – Race Review
  3. Pisgah 50k Trail Race (2007) – Post-Race Review
  4. Pisgah 50k/23k Trail Races – 2007 Race Results
• This week 2 years ago also saw the Back Cove 5k Race Series finishing up, that time with Mike Caiazzo and Lindsey Davis taking the series honors. I won the last race, and placed 3^rd overall. I added on to my icing series from a few months earlier by explaining how to ice sensitive areas on your body such as your eyes or testicles, and I reviewed Breaking Away, a movie about cyclist in the 70s. On the news front, New Jersey began testing kids for steroids in an attempt to catch them young.
• This week three years ago, I pointed to some resources about deadlifting, namely a video on how not to deadlift and one on proper deadlift form.

• The week began with a new series with Scott, this time focusing on travel. I offered advice on finding a track to work out on when you are traveling. My favorite tip is to just look at Google Maps or some other aerial or satellite photography of the area you will be visiting, because running tracks are very distinctive and easy to pick out on a map.
• I created a case study on developing a race plan so that you could follow my thought processes on how I decided what to do during a specific race. I then followed that case study up with the actual results of the race after all was said and done.
• One of the reasons that I needed such a detailed race plan was because a few days after the 5k race, I ran a 50k. It was my first time racing beyond the distance of a marathon.
• Some of the latest research in muscle performance found that most racing problems are probably mental rather than physical. There is a chemical influence in the body relating to muscle damage, but there aren’t any actual problems with the muscles themselves that would inhibit performance.
• This week 2 years ago, I shared the 2^nd best way to avoid hangovers (the best obviously being to avoid drinking to excess.) I also suggested that you check your gym or race bag before you leave in the morning. It is much more convenient to remember something before you leave than after.
• This week 3 years ago, I wrote about the best marathon training run…ever! Not only did I get in a good 17 miles, but my girlfriend also agreed to marry me along the way. We’ve now been happily married for a little over 2 years. A little less exciting but more useful to everyone else, I also wrote about losing weight by cutting out sugar water by drinking more water and less soda or sports drinks.

• A common question that I get asked is a variant along the lines of “Why do my feet go numb?” There are quite a few reasons that you might get a numb foot while you are running, and I go over what they are could be as well as how to prevent the problem.
• Finishing up a month about the media, Scott discussed Usain Bolt was still beatable as the USA did well in the men’s sprints.
• This website got hacked by some script kiddies after I waited too long to update the software I use to run the site. Let this be a lesson: Update regularly. There are much worse security vulnerabilities around for outdated versions of WordPress these days.
• This week two years ago I was thinking a lot about marathons.
  • I explained 50 Marathons in 50 Days is impressive.
  • I discovered that it took 5 weeks of low mileage to decondition, and that I was able to regain that level of fitness in about two months. I also began lifting weights with a wedding ring on, which remains a surprisingly popular article.
  • The B.A.A. published a press release that they were going to move up the start of the Boston Marathon by 2 hours to 10:00 a.m. I predicted that there was going to be a blizzard due to the earlier starting time, and I was not too far off of the mark. A Nor’Easter blew through right before the race, which made it difficult for me to get home as the train tracks were washed out and the roads were all flooded and blocked.

Ian Parlin and Jamie Anderson gave an excellent Trail Running 101 clinic at a local shoe store, introducing the basic concepts and rules of trail running to the crowd. You can read my notes on the presentation as well as download the original powerpoint slides.

The world championships had a fair bit of media coverage, with constant radio broadcasts and daily television broadcasts on the Versus network and on NBC.

The IAAF coupled the increased media coverage with the first incarnation of their fantasy athletics game.

The heat and humidity was good preparation for this year’s Olympics, but led to quite slow times as Luke Kibet won the men’s marathon in a “pedestrian” 2:15:59.

In other racing news, the L/A Bridge Run was exactly a year ago. I managed to run (slightly) faster and place higher despite not being in as good of 5k shape as I am this year.

This week two years ago, I gave some reasons that running takes practice just like any other sport. I also found the “Athletes Against Doping” website, which contains a lot of information about what substances are banned in each sport and who the governing bodies are.

This week three years ago, I also talked about doping by explaining what EPO was after the furor with Lance Armstrong brought it to attention. Kenenisa Bekele also set the 10k world record with a time of 26:17.53.

• The first running tip that I offered was how to drink water during a race, with practical tips to keep you from having to slow down and to make sure you don’t try to drown yourself.
• The second tip that I offered last year was to warm up in spare clothes before a race. Getting your racing clothes soaked or sweaty before a race can be aggravating, so having a spare set of clothing to change out of before the race (and, for that matter, into after the race) can make you much more comfortable.
• I asked the question, “Dean Karnazes. That I was asking this question a year ago is rather appropriate, given that his new book is set to be published in another week or two.
• In running news, Jeremy Wariner set a 400m record and won a diamond at a meet in Stockholm with a time of 43.5 seconds.
• In fake running news, a graphic design student created a movie trailer for Once a Runner, which is one of the best fictional running books in the sport.
• This week two years ago, I was busy getting ready to get married but the site kept ticking over with interesting things to read.
  • I explained the difference between RICE and RID and why either method is a good way to treat your injuries. I have since learned that using anti-inflammatories can be counter productive.
  • Over in the UK, cross country running was declared a brand of abuse and was equated with bullying. It still seems a little ridiculous to myself.
  • The first half of my Shoe Maintenance Series went live while I was busy getting ready to be married. I introduced the series, and then offered up a central theme in the tips which is to keep your shoes dry when you are not wearing them. How you keep them dry is important, as well, which is why I continued on the second day by explaining how effective pulling out insoles can be and why you should remove rocks and mud after your run. The next day was the wedding itself, and then on Sunday there was one tip where I explained what to do if your shoes are sopping wet.
• This week 3 years ago, at the world championships in Helsinki, Kenenisa Bekele won the 10,000m, Bershawn Jackson won the 400m hurdles, and the United States took the top 4 in the 200 meters final. I also reviewed my casio wristwatch and the book, Run Fast: How to beat your best time every time.

• I started the week off by offering 4 ways to determine the length of a pool in response to a reader question on the matter.
• Maine Running Company hosted a talk by John L Parker, Jr. where he discussed his history as a runner and as a speaker. He read the first chapter of his as yet unpublished sequel to Once a Runner.
• The rest of the week was all about the B2B. First, it was announced that everybody would have a chance to run with the elites at the Back Cove race following the Beach to Beacon. There was also an interview between Joan Samuelson and Dave McGillivray published on the B2B site that offered some insights into the founding of the race. I offered up a few tips about running the race and provided a breakdown of the results after it was over.
• This week two years ago, I discussed why it is important to hydrate yourself after a race as well as before and during the race and I went into quite a bit of detail after being asked, “What is a taper?” I wrote a review of the movie Running on the Sun, about the Badwater ultramarathon.

• This week last year started off with The Running Shoe FAQ, which explained why runners wear specialty shoes and what makes them different from normal walking shoes.
• I answered a question from an aerobics instructor about how to treat posterior shin splints, including what they are, how to best treat them, and how to prevent them from coming back.
• I was asked “What is the difference between swiss balls and medicine balls?” by Susan. Swiss balls are the large inflatable balls that you can sit on, while medicine balls are the small weighted balls that you can use in place of dumbbells. For good measure, I also explained what a bosu ball was.
• Some friends of mine ran the Vermont 100 mile race last year for the first time, and all three have continued on for their ultramarathoning endeavors. In fact, there were 5 guys who went to Vermont last weekend to compete in this year’s event from our training group.
• On the news front, the IAAF finally agreed to work with Oscar Pistorius to determine whether or not his prosthetics give him an advantage. I also provided a new wrap up that covered stories about new Junior American records, doping at the Tour de France, Disney’s move to ban smoking in their movies, and a study that found that obesity is contagious.
• This week two years ago, I continued my series on how to ice sore muscles by explaining how to give yourself an ice massage and how to use an ice bath. I spent a little time exploring the cost of racing and how much race registration fees can cost. I also discussed how gastrointestinal problems are affected by running.
• This week three years ago, Lance Armstrong won his final Tour. I also gave some tips about proper hydration and how to time rest intervals while lifting weights.

• I began the week by continuing the discussion of technology and fitness by describing 7 ways to time workouts. This article ran the technological ladder from using the sun to using an RFID chip on your shoe.
• In a very unique race, 56 people ran blind in the Vision 5k. Half of them were actually blind and the other half were sighted runners taking the blindfold challenge. This would be a fun race for me and one that I believe that I could do well at, except that I can’t afford the time to get down to Boston multiple times for mandatory “training” sessions.
• Almost 4 months before Ryan Shay died in the Olympic Trials, I discussed whether running a road race will kill you. I still believe that running is inherently healthy and that the infinitesimal chance of having a heart attack is not something that I am personally going to worry myself about.
• On a lighter note, I followed up that morbid discussion by defining some common running terms that you may encounter. Specifically, I defined what it means to get “girled” or “geezered” in a race. Sadly, I did not hear any of the women at the Maine Coast Half Marathon complain about getting “guyed”.
• On a non-running related note, I shared my thoughts on attending minor league games, specifically baseball games.
• This week two years ago was pretty busy.
  • Nick had a great suggestion that I wish that I had done. He suggested that you take before and after pictures for new exercise programs. When you are starting a new program, there may be some aches and pains, so remember to ice early and ice often.
  • When in a training program, be sure to include some downhill running. Last year I provided a half dozen benefits to doing so. You should also remember that the best runs come when you least expect them, such as the morning after your bachelor party.
  • I reviewed the Vitruvian Running Shoes. In other shoe news, the Nike+ system launched.
• This week 3 years ago, I reviewed Thorlos socks and I got punched by an Olympic Gold Medalist. My wife also did a workout that I would never even attempt, and it was only the first workout of the day. Even 3 years later, I wouldn’t attempt that kind of a workout. I’m still amazed by it.

• Scott started off a discussion on technology and fitness by discussing the sustainable gym. They seem to be getting more popular as time goes on.
• I created a 4^th of July race recap to celebrate the 4561+ people that competed last year.
• In Olympic news, the IOC announced the new Olympic selection process for deciding which sports to include or drop in future games.
• Alberto Salazar was hospitalized after having a heart attack while coaching.
• This week two years ago, I spoke about how one of the best things about the Fourth of July are all of the Fourth of July races you can find in every state. I also did a recap of the 2006 Fourth of July races. I followed that up by describing one of the my favorite runs from preseason in college, the beach run. In running news, Sam Thompson beat out Dean Karnazes as the first person to run 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days.

• I began the week by looking at dancing as an alternative exercise. Unfortunately for my wife and I, we haven’t been out dancing too often since she went to law school.
• The UCI came out with an anti-doping charter, and I felt that cyclists would be foolish to sign it. On the surface, anything to discourage doping is a good thing. I just felt that this particular measure took away too many of the athlete’s rights.
• In running news, the IAAF changed their stance on Oscar Pistorius so that he could compete until they decided if he had an advantage or not.
• On the track and in a headwind, Tyson Gay ran the 2^nd fastest all-time 200m race in 19.62 seconds, about 3-tenths of a second behind the 1996 mark set by Michael Johnson.
• I reviewed Trails.com and put together a video demonstration of what you get with the website.
• This week 2 years ago, I suggested that you never go to bed hungry. During the Western States 100 (which was unfortunately canceled this year), Brian Morrison was disqualified for receiving some help from the crowd near the end. I also discussed research about whether or not bonking during training was a worthwhile pursuit or not. Two years ago was centered on marathoning, such as a book review and a website review, my list of marathon candidates for Autumn, and my discovery that I was near meeting the requirements to join the 50 States Marathon Club. I also won the Literacy 5k, which I believe has since folded.

• This week last year, there was a debate about whether or not you should refuel during a marathon or whether you should stick to water. I had to throw my 2 cents in. My opinion is basically the same this year as last year, although I should go back and update it with my latest opinions and experiments.
• Scott and I continued our series on alternate exercises by suggesting that you should walk everywhere. I just bought a new car, so regardless of how much exercise I want to get you had best believe that I’m parking in the least desirable areas where there will hopefully not be anybody else parking near me.
• There was a lot of news this week last year. Here are a few of the more interesting stories:
  • Bike activists create their own bike lanes.
  • 16 year old Windy Hagar married her 40 year old track coach.
  • Dean Karnazes missed setting the 24 hour treadmill record.
• This week two years ago, I suggested that you shouldn’t fall asleep in front of the television.
• This week three years ago, I reviewed the books Running with the Buffaloes and Eat to Be Fit. I also shared my Beef Jerky recipe and made on a suggestion on how to deal with migraines. Lastly, I recommended that you go for a good Beach Run.

In running news, there were 2 big stories. The first was that Asafa Powell had recovered from his tendonitis and was back on the track and ready to compete.

The other big story that broke was about the proposed IAAF ban on prosthetics in international competition, which was a ruling made specifically to address the case of Oscar Pistorius. I ultimately decided that prosthetics should be banned, a decision that the IAAF ultimately agreed with but then had to overturn in appeal over the past year. Now a year removed from when this whole situation began, I feel that Oscar probably does have an advantage over able-bodied athletes due to his prosthetics, but I highly doubt that any advantages he has outweigh the huge disadvantage of not having any legs or the additional blood volume that having legs would allow him.

This week 2 years ago I ran The Vermont City Marathon, followed a few days later by the Back Cove 5k.

• I discussed why breakfast is important, and anybody trying to attain or maintain a healthy weight would be well served to eat a good breakfast every day.
• I offered 7 tips for running in the heat, which is a good reminder for those of us up here in the Northern hemisphere that are just getting into Summer.
• I asked how often you used running as a means of transportation. The reason that we have legs isn’t so that we can just go out and pound out miles without actually producing anything; we have them so that we can get from place to place. Now and again it is nice to get something useful out of our hobby.
• I featured a radio interview of Matt Hartman, who started up a team run/bike race in New Hampshire last year. The race was very popular and will be held in August this year.
• I presented a case study for how a body builder could run sub-7 in the mile. I should send Chris an email and find out if he ever completed the program; his last update was a week before the time trial.
• Last week two years ago, a 7 year old swam to shore from Alcatraz. Amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it. The Nike+ system was announced and Bud Gibson described how to do a bridge with a knee tuck.

I also discovered the Vision 5k, a race where some of the runners run the race blind folded with the help of a seeing guide. I’ve never run blind folded, but I have run blind before when I have gotten a migraine during a workout or a race and begun hallucinating.

This week two years ago, I suggested that a regular sleep schedule is important and completed my weekend discussions on the New Rules of Lifting with the twentieth rule. It was also announced that Justin Gatlin didn’t break the world record because there was a timing error. (This was before his times were invalidated due to cheating.)

• This week last year, I finished up the series on Mind Games by discussing how how your body controls your thoughts. In a reversal from what you usually hear, it’s matter over mind.
• I also asked how well you can you can estimate the duration of your runs when you head out the door. Getting lost is not such a bad thing, but it can be stressful for your loved ones when you don’t come back when you are supposed to.
• Asafa Powell came down with tendonitis and had to miss a few weeks of racing. This year hasn’t shaped up to be very good for him either, as he is out right now with pulled muscle in his chest.
• In other running and track news, Justin Gatlin worked out for the Buccaneers in an attempt to turn his track speed into NFL speed.
• I described (and showed a video for) how to do the “300″ workout, which was a right of passage for the actors in the movie. Very tough, and not something that you’d want to do regularly.
• This week two years ago, I continued my animated workout series with instructions on how to do a swiss ball bridge, continuing the discussion on swiss balls throughout the week with why you would use a swiss ball in the first place and the difference between balance boards and swiss balls. Discussion about the Coast to Coast book continued, with a few reminders about the contest to win a free copy as well as a review of Coast to Coast. There was also the first guest article here at Run to Win, written by the photographer on the Coast to Coast relay. I continued my thoughts on the New Rules with the sixteenth and seventeenth rules.

• I offered 9 methods for counting laps in the pool. I usually use the buoys on the lane dividers.
• A revolutionary in the shotput in the early 50s, Parry O’Brien died of a heart attack this week last year while he was swimming in a masters 500m freestyle event.
• This week 2 years ago, I demonstrated how to do pushups, suggested that you ride your bike with traffic, discussed tapering for a 10k, and first learned of the Endurance 50 Challenge. I also continued my thoughts on the New Rules of Lifting with the fourteenth and fifteenth rules.

• The website updated automatically as I ran with text alerts, notifying the site about my disappointing finishing time. I missed out on all of my goals, so while the race was a failure it was still well worth running.
• Getting home from the race was far more difficult than running the race. The Nor’Easter left a good portion of New England in a state of emergency. I couldn’t take the train home because the tracks had been ripped up, so I had to take a late bus back to Maine. When I got here, there was no power anywhere in the area except for the penitentiary and the local peeler bar. It took me 5 tries to find a way home where the road wasn’t blocked due to downed trees and power lines or due to flooding, and I only live a dozen or so miles from the train and bus station.
• I continued the April series on Mind Games by sharing a lesson that I learned during the marathon and that directly led to missing my goals during the race. You should never let fear overcome your common sense. I was afraid of the conditions that I might face rather than looking at the conditions that I was facing, and this led to overdressing and being way too warm for a majority of the marathon.
• I described my Boston Marathon experience in pretty good detail, breaking up each part of the experience into a separate article:
  1. The Athlete’s Village
  2. The Race (including a mile by mile breakdown with splits.)
  3. Post-Race
• In running news unrelated to Boston this week last year, over 5000 runners had issues with the heat during the London Marathon. (Conditions were much better this year, with finishing times amongst the leaders dropping by as much as 2 minutes.) Some shot putters saved a woman’s life during a track meet when they looked across the street and saw that her building was on fire. They had to talk her out of trying to stay in the building to find her cats and shared their warm up clothes with her since she wasn’t wearing anything other than her undergarments.
• This week two years ago, I got back to my animated exercise series by describing how to do a bridge. I later expanded on that by discussing the benefits of the bridge as an exercise. I recommended that you always run facing traffic, unless there are local laws to the contrary. I also continued the series on the New Rules of Lifting by discussing the twelfth and thirteenth rules.

• I began the week by discussing my taper and race goals, which wound up not being feasible no matter how realistic they may have began as.
• I quickly began to wonder whether the Boston Marathon would be rained out or not. This led to the very relevant question, is it possible to run a PR at a race like Boston? Obviously, that is going to depend on the individual’s level of training and their previous personal best, but this article delved into some of the factors that might make it easier or more difficult to run a good time in the race.
• For a bit of a history lesson, I explained where the name “Heartbreak Hill” came from. It doesn’t actually refer to the difficulty of the hill, because let’s be honest, it isn’t that impressive. The first time that I ran in Boston I didn’t even realize I was on it and had to ask when we’d get to it.
• With 1 day before the marathon the weather forecast began to improve. It looked as though the Nor’Easter was going to go through before the race and only make things miserable while everybody waited around in the athlete’s village. I republished an email from the BAA about how to avoid Hypothermia for anybody that might be interested in the kinds of conditions that had been expected originally.
• In running news and completely unrelated to Boston, I also wrote about how Tim Montgomery was looking at jail time for his involvement with steroids.
• This week 2 years ago, I saw a dumb woman at the gym try supersetting a leg press with a calf press. That strikes me as a quick way to hurt yourself. I also continued through the New Rules of Lifting by discussing the tenth) and eleventh rules.

• The week began when I discussed what goes through your head while you are running. You are to some degree concentrating on the task at hand and distracting yourself from what you are doing.
• I recommended that you cut your hair before race day to gain a small edge. This is mostly a psychological advantage, but there are a few (very) minor physical benefits to it as well which obviously depend upon how long your hair was to begin with and how much you cut it.
• It’s important to step back once in a while and revisit your past achievements. This week last year I was reminded that a year prior I had had a great chat with Bill Rodgers when I was looking at the finisher’s certificate of a race I had run. The memories are one of the best parts of being a runner, so take a few minutes now and again to indulge in them and even share them with a friend or family member.
• While it is always important to get the advice of your primary care physician, I do not spend much time worrying about whether or not running will ruin my heart. Better a healthy life well lived than a sick life lived on a couch, and my operating assumption is that the running is not only going to provide a better life for me but will in all likelihood provide a longer one as well.
• This week two years ago I continued my discussion about the New Rules of Lifting, this time examining the eigth and the ninth rules. I also wrote about the 5 most common treadmill mistakes, namely:
  1. Taking it too easy
  2. Stepping off of a moving treadmill
  3. Using the handrails
  4. Unnatural stride length
  5. Not realizing how much easier it is

• This week last year I pondered whether elite athletes should drop out of races. Basically, I figure that unless they are actually sick or injured, they should complete the race if they are being paid an appearance fee. If they need to actually win in order to cash, then I have no problems with them dropping out.
• Some friends of mine attempted to raise $1500 to fund research on multiple sclerosis by participating in a 50 mile walk called the MS Challenge. They made their goal and then some.
• In running news, it was announced that all Nike shoes would be Nike+ compatible by the end of 2007. The public beta of Map My Run launched, although I was a little less than overwhelmed by the new version of the service.
• This week 2 years ago, I described how much Bulgarian split squats burn, and continued the New Rules series by offering up some thoughts on the sixth and seventh rules. (I was moving into a new house, after all.)

• I discussed some research on the merits of tempo workouts vs. interval workouts. Personally, I prefer a good mix of different types of workouts in my regimen.
• I recommended that you should watch for falling objects when you run, especially at this time of year. As ice melts in the trees or off of power lines, it can come crashing down quite forcefully. It also helps to spot any tree limbs that might be coming down or anything that the breeze picks up and throws towards you.
• After a close call in poor visibility, I reminded you to never play chicken with a car, mostly because a car is much more massive and will usually win. It just isn’t worth the bother. Having been hit by a car before, I actively take steps to avoid getting hit by car again.
• In response to an article at Complete Running, I disputed 7 sleeping myths and facts that were presented with my own thoughts on the matter. There were a few points that I agreed with up to a point, so they weren’t all wrong (from my point of view.)
• I pointed out an article at Free Money Finance that described how the author improved his life through exercise. Having never not exercised, one reason that I keep it up is to keep from degrading my life.
• In racing news, the men’s 8k championship was in Central Park, which had a few hitches but still provided some good entertainment for spectators. A couple of my college teammates were competing. I also began preparations for the Boston Marathon, spending the weekend shoveling snow and getting in a fast long run.
• In sports news, the Spanish doping raid’s charges against elite cyclists were dropped after they were deemed unlawful. At the time of the infractions, there was no Spanish law that made the specific practices at that clinic illegal. Just unethical
• Last week two years ago, I continued the animated lifting series with a demonstration of how to do a triceps extension using a pulleyand suggested that you flex at the lowest point of your pull. Running Dog Sports closed their doors for good, which was a shame. There was some research that pointed to the lack of brain benefits when running by yourself, but I think that that research was flawed. It did lead to pondering whether the time of day affects the clarity of your mind while running, though. I also continued the weekly series about the New Rules of Lifting, exploring the second and third rules.

• Some folks decided to try and break the 24-hour treadmill world record by running as a team on the treadmill. Each of the people in the “relay” needed to average 22 miles in 2 hours while they were on the treadmill. They succeeded, smashing the former record by over 14 miles.
• The Irish Road Rover was last week last year; I did not run but I got out and took some photographs. This year’s race is tomorrow morning, and unless they need some extra help I should be there with my camera again.
• I offered a very important swimming tip for the guys. Always tie your shorts! Pushing off from the wall and discovering your shorts are around your ankles can be embarrassing. Or so I’m told…
• Something I am asked on occasion is, “How many pairs of shoes do you need to be a runner?” Technically, you don’t need any shoes. I tend to have a lot of shoes, though, between trainers and racers and such.
• Finally, I discussed a story where Terry Francona made a bet that he could stop chewing tobacco. I challenged Red Sox fans to challenge themselves as well, but nobody took me up on it.
• Last week two years ago, I demonstrated how to do an overhead triceps extension and suggested that you should space your hands evenly on the bar when you are weight lifting. I also wrote a review of the Mizuno Wave Rider running shoe. They didn’t work for me, but I do use a different type of Mizuno’s these days.

• Scott continued our series on books by writing about health and fitness books.
• I pointed out that lifting weights is a means to an end and not an end in and of itself.
• In doping news, Dick Pound laughed off an IOC reprimand over his slander of Lance Armstrong. (It turns out that he was right to laugh it off, since it didn’t affect the IOC’s view on his character at all. He has since been nominated for President of the Court for Arbitration of Sport.)
• This week two years ago, I demonstrated how to do pullups and also explained how to do negative pullups. I learned that thirsty people feel more pain. I wrote up a recipe for cooking shark steaks and I wrote a review on The New Rules of Lifting.

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Refracted Moments™

• This week last year, I claimed that caffeine is worse for you than alcohol or tobacco. I fully admit that I’m prejudiced, but at least here in the United States I think that caffeine poses more of a public health issue than either of the other two drugs.
• I also listed my 6 favorite inspirational running books, each belonging to a different category. I represent how to manuals, retrospectives, essays and fiction in the list.
• I made a pretty big mistake with my training in the pool, and realizing what that mistake was instantly doubled how far I could swim on my lunch breaks. Not too bad…
• This week two years ago, I demonstrated how to do a 1 arm dumbbell bench press, reviewed Mead Memo Books and their applicability as a training log for the weight room, and discussed how exercise can prevent depression.