Run to Win

This week last year covered a lot of news, and I answered quite a few reader questions.

• 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 was checking the news wire this morning and saw quite a few articles of interest that I thought that I would share with you:

• Two national records were broken yesterday at the USATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships, both in the 4×800. The (15-16 year old) intermediate boy’s time was brought down to 7:41.30 by the Texas Stars, and the United Stars set the (17-18 year old) young women’s record at 8:50.72. (Source: USATF)
• The Tour de France is struggling to maintain its integrity after a lot of controversy over the past few days. No rider rode today in the leader’s jersey after the Tour leader was pulled by his team because he lied about his whereabouts during drug testing before the race. Two teams have pulled out following a rider testing positive in the doping tests. The Tour is not being canceled, despite protests from local French newspapers. I hope that the Tour is not canceled; just throw the cheaters out and let those who are remaining keep going. (Source: BBC Sport)
• The Walt Disney company is taking the plunge and removing cigarettes from their children’s movies completely. They are also going to discourage smoking in movies that they produce that is aimed at adults. While I do not see this as a bad thing, I also don’t see it as something that I think will make a huge difference. I think that these types of knee jerk reactions are a generally ineffectual, much like Homeland Security’s attempts to stop movie-plot terrorism attacks. (Source: BBC News)
• The New England Journal of Medicine has published a study that states that there may be a contagious element to obesity. Having friends that are obese may make it more likely that you in turn will become obese as the norms of what makes an acceptable body weight are adjusted. The study is not conclusive, and I am not so sure that I buy into their theories. I think that if you have friends that do not exercise, then you are less likely to exercise yourself, which can lead to weight gain. It is an interesting theory, though. (Source: New England Journal of Medicine)

The state of Washington has passed a new anti-smoking law. Unlike other states that have similar laws (such as California and Maine), Washington not only forbids smoking inside but also forbid smoking outside. Smokers are not allowed to light up anywhere within 25 feet of a door to any bar or restaurant.
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