Lance Faces New Drug Allegation

Seems like it's nothing that can be proved, but Lance is facing new drug allegations. Does anybody honestly believe that pro cycling is drug-free? The article also speculates that Lance's upcoming big announcement is that he will retire later this year. “The only thing I know for sure is that I will be starting the Tour de France this year," he said. "But it could be the last.”

Ten Toughest Endurance Races

Does the fact that Forbes magazine has listed the 10 toughest endurance races mean that today's CEOs and board members have time to train for these beasts?

"Society has changed, and these days everyone just wants to see how far they can go," says Nick Moore, an adventure racer and competition organizer with CORE Sports in Boise, Idaho.

JJ: Doing Laps

Since GloboCorp moved to our new office space, I've noticed from my new view that some people just "do laps" all day. How many times can you circle the office in a day? There are a handful of folks who obviously are in intense competition. Don't they have anything to do? Hey, I'm the first to admit that I should get up and stretch my legs every now and then for reasons other than getting water or going to the bathroom, but come on. I finally found a good guide to timesheet coding for "Miscellaneous Unproductive Time." Though it doesn't list a code for doing laps, it covers just about everything else.
-Jan

Going Clubbing in Southern California

Forty spin bikes are aligned in neat rows at the popular CORE boutique gym in Encinitas, San Diego County’s triathlon epicenter. More...

X: Elephant Treadmill Is a Wakeup Call

So the Alaska Zoo is installing an elephant treadmill. This news is both maddening and interesting to me, as I have long been meaning to patent my idea for a side-by-side, double-belted dogwalking treadmill. I'd better give my patent attorney buddy another call before it's too late. I haven't talked to him since we touched wheels and he went head-over-bars at Ironman Wisconsin last year, but I'm sure he didn't take that personally. Accidents happen and they certainly shouldn't impact a business relationship. - Racer X

From Pitcher to Engineer to Triathlete

Twenty-seven-year-old Jeremy Kacuba has quit his job as a mechanical engineer at Merck to attempt to earn a living as a professional triathlete (reg. req.'d.). A shoulder injury in the late-1990s dashed his dreams of playing major-league baseball. He's working as a personal trainer and preparing for Ironman Wisconsin on Sept. 11. His goals are to win the race and break 8:55. "Someone from my youth used to say, if you don't shoot for the moon, you'll never end up among the stars," Kacuba said.

Julich Claims Criterium International

Bobby Julich continued to show great early-season form by winning the 3-stage Criterium International race in the north of France.

Dean Karnazes' Ultra-PR Machine

The P.R. machine of ultra-runner Dean Karnazes continues to march forward. Last night CBS' 60 Minutes profiled Karnazes. CBS' cameras focused on him and Pam Reed at last summer's Badwater Ultramarathon—a 135-mile course that winds through Death Valley, a stretch of the Mojave Desert considered the hottest place on the planet.

Why does he feel the need to put himself in conditions that a normal person wouldn't even survive? "I think it's exploration," says Karnazes. "I mean, I have a—just a desire to see how far the human body can be pushed."

A CNN.com article on Karnazes notes that he sometimes orders carry-out food during his all-night runs. "I'll just set out with my cell phone and credit card and run up to the Napa Valley," he said. The credit card is to help stock him with food since running burns a lot of calories. "One of the things I love to do is in the middle of the night order pizza. I'll give them my coordinates, where I'll be at a certain time, and they'll deliver a hot pizza."

Jessi Stensland's Ralphs Race Report

"Go Jessi's" diary entry describes her experience at Ralphs California Half Ironman last week. (Never has a swim parka looked so nice.)

I liked this comment: "Note to athletes: Try to keep those negative thoughts to yourself, and if you happen to hear it on the course, refocus on yourself and don't spend one second thinking about it ... it's no help!"

It's Official—World Has Too Many Books

The fact that this guy can get a book published on "finding the perfect bike seat" has encouraged me to renew my effort to chronicle "the perfect spoke." Stay tuned.

Gatorade's New Endurance Formula

Gatorad's new Endurance Formula comes with twice the sodium and three times the potassium of the original. I'm looking forward to trying this and the new lemonade flavor.

Michael Ryan, head trainer for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, tested Endurance Formula last year at the request of Gatorade while preparing for a triathlon. “I felt my energy stayed higher and didn't taper off” during 130-mile bicycle rides, he says.

X: Club Calves

I'm heading out to the clubs to tie one on tonight, as all my training partners have family commitments on Easter. Our weekly Sunday morning "Pagan Run" thus has been cancelled. My body truly is my temple, but once in a while I feel a need to break some of my temple's windows with some Jack and Diet Cokes. My only wish is that the girls in the clubs tonight would have their ages clearly marked on their calves with Sharpies. It's an idea I've always thought would transfer well from the triathlon world. A valuable addition I would make for the club calf marking would be status: "M" for married; "S" for single; and "?" for anything goes. I'll bring a Sharpie in case I meet some babes who seem like trendsetters. - Racer X

Reason #740 We All Should Be Out Riding

It appears that more than one person called in a bomb threat for the Pacers-Pistons game in Detroit last night. It was Indiana's first trip back to Detroit since a brawl on Nov. 19 between the teams that spilled into the stands. It's just a game, mutants.

Sleep to Win

If you're cheating yourself on sleep to get in enough training, you need to know that chronic sleep deprivation will hurt your performance. Click here for 10 tips on getting more sleep.

Ironman Investor

Forbes magazine tells us us about an investment manager who lives, works, and trains for triathlons in Nassau, Bahamas.

Mark Holowesko has been known to wake up at 3:00 A.M. to do a 70 to 80 mile bike ride before he arrives work at 7:30 A.M. "I know it sounds bizarre, but sometimes it's what you have to do," he says. "To be successful in life, I think you have to have a lot of discipline, or you have to be exceptionally talented. I'm a person that's successful because I'm disciplined."

A Run to Honor Pat Tillman

More than 1,000 people have signed up to run "Pat's Run," a 4.2-mile race in Tempe, Arizona, to honor Pat Tillman, the first NFL player killed in combat since Vietnam. The course will finish at the 42-yard line of Sun Devil Stadium, where Tillman wore number 42 during his college career.

"I tried to find a way to give people a chance to remember Pat and celebrate his life," said race director Perry Edinger. "Pat was not about golf outings or tennis matches. He was about fitness."

Mastering the Brick

When I was in college, a friend who had started an alternative campus newspaper once led with a headline saying, "Teacher Deserves Brick to the Head." To clarify, that's not the type of brick we're talking about. Here are five good bike-run workouts.

Running With Heart-Rate Monitors

There are many benefits of training with a heart-rate monitor, reports Runners World's Ed Eyestone.

Unpaving Paradise to Put Up a Soccer Field

Cyclists and runners in a town near Vancouver, Canada, are upset because an abandoned paved auto racing oval they have been using for training is being torn down so the city can put up a soccer field.

"We have used the track and surrounding park for some of the most intense workouts known to humankind. The workouts became so secretively famous that friends would travel literally for hours to participate."

Dave Scott's Smoothie Recipe

Triathlete magazine editor's newest Ironman France training update includes a recipe for a smoothie inspired by one he watched Dave Scott make:

1/2 cup of soy milk
1/2 cup of orange juice
1 or 2 bananas (Dave used two)
A few tablespoons of non-fat or low fat vanilla yogurt
one cup of chocolate whey protein powder
one carrot (again, I think Dave used two)
a few ice cubes
1/4 cup of frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon of peanut butter
1 teaspoon of flaxseed

"Flaxseed is the ingredient that I added to what I saw Dave make. A grain with a sweet nutty flavor, it packs a punch of omega-3 fatty acids and fiber."

Could Africans Dominate Distance Running Because They Are "Saltier?"

Old friend Anonymous Economist responds to a post earlier this week on the science of electrolytes:

An article in the American Journal of Human Genetics suggests (if I've interpreted it correctly—and I'm an economist, not a medical professional) that populations with genetic roots in hot, humid climates tend to retain more salt than populations with roots in cooler climates. The relevant genes are CYP3A5 and AGT. Populations from cooler climates carry a mutated form of CYP3A5 that produces a nonfunctional protein, inhibiting salt retention.

In addition, research by up-and-coming Harvard economist Roland Fryer (along with Ed Glaeser and David Cutler) links a higher rate of salt sensitivity among African-Americans to higher rates of hypertension and other diseases. Slave traders, according to Fryer, may have licked the faces of prospective slaves. "Saltier" Africans may have been selected for the voyage from Africa to America—because slaves with higher capacities for salt retention may also have retained more water, decreasing their chance of death by dehydration during the long trip.

I may be reaching, but put that all together with the post on electrolytes and one can perhaps begin to see why Africans dominate long-distance running events—they may be saltier. Unfortunately, they may also suffer higher rates of cardiovascular, stroke, and kidney disease than their otherwise equally fit white counterparts.

The theory appears testable, though I don't recommend the experiment. The theory suggests that if you were to lick marathon runners' cheeks, the winners would taste saltiest.

Mmm…marathon runner cheek salt. Thanks, Anonymous Economist—for this provocative post you have once again been "activated," which as you know is our highest honor.

Ladies: I'll try to convince Activeness's Jan to make his face available for salt licking in the neighborhood of 10.A.M. (the race starts at 7:00 A.M.) on April 10 at the finish line of the St. Louis Marathon. - John

Back in the Saddle

Pez explores various causes and remedies for those who experience back pain while cycling.

Des Moines Marathon Is Cancelled

Organizers pulled the plug because they couldn't find a single sponsor.

Can You Win Friends With Salad?

McDonald's and Burger King are publicizing new salad, fruit, and vegetbable offerings. McDonald's claims to be the largest single buyer of apples in the U.S. But is it all a front to allow them to keep pushing their unhealthy foods?

"It's hard not to be cynical about a piece of activity like this," said one ad firm executive. "At the end of the day, aren't they just trying to sell McNuggets on the back of McSalads and McApples? ... I wonder who the target audience is in all this. Are they doing this to reach kids or to communicate to wider audiences that they have an ethical marketing standpoint?"

JJ: Reason #739 We All Should Be Out Running

A senior executive at GloboCorp just advised me to add this phrase to a piece I'm writing:

"That translates to add value to each exercise we undertake."

Recognizing I was in the presence of literary greatness absent since William Faulkner lay dying, my knees immediately buckled. I need a new profession.

Photo of the Day

That's a relief!

Cross Country: Not a Sport for Wimps

"Cross country running is tough," says Alan Storey, UK Athletics technical director for endurance events. "There is no place for wimps to hide. The people who shine are just tough nuts who don't know when to give in. As soon as the gun goes they will keep going until they fall over."

A Slam Dunk

A five-foot-eight, mid 30-ish writer went on an intensive 6-month training program so that he could slam dunk a basketball.

Head for the Hills

If you're running the Boston Marathon or just want to increase your leg strength, you best inject some steroids writes Runners World's Ed Eyestone. Just checking if you were paying attention. Actually, as the brilliant Mark McGwire informed us in MLB's Senate hearing last week: "Steroids is bad." Anyway, I meant to write "train on hills," not "inject steroids." Eyestone provides four basic types of hill workouts.

The Swimming, Biking, Running Nun

A 74-year-old Catholic nun from Spokane, Washington, has completed 12 Ironman races. She holds several age-group records.

"Not to use your talent is an insult to your creator," says Sister Madonna Beuder, who adds that she prefers the bike for prayers: "Running is too much work."

X: Food For Thought

At 3:00 P.M. last Friday, the business development manager who sits in the next cubicle over announced to whomever she assumes wants to hear her random thoughts that she had once again forgotten to eat lunch. This must be the 50th time this woman has made this proclamation in the year I’ve been consulting here as a senior consultant.

How somebody can forget to gas up the body’s tank is beyond me. Is making another sale really more important than fueling the engine? It’s mind-boggling, really. I felt like stuffing a PowerBar down her skinny throat.

As my thoughts drifted back to me, I was reminded of that broiling August day a few years back when poor signage caused me to make a wrong turn while riding a charity century for M.S. By the time I finally managed to navigate my way back onto the course, my bike's computer showed I had ridden 122 miles. I was alone on the road in a sea of cornfields and my carefully calculated—for 100 miles—supply of energy gels, bars, and Cytomax was long gone.

When the jeep of an MS ride official appeared on the horizon, I frantically signaled for the driver to pull over. “I’m going to need that bottle of water you’re drinking and that bag of Cheetos on your seat,” I commanded. “Your organization’s sub-par signage has wreaked havoc on my fueling plan.” As the red-faced official hurriedly handed over the sustenance I craved, I nodded a thanks and got back to the task at hand—finishing the ride. While I wouldn’t necessarily buy a Cheetos-flavored energy bar if it appeared on the market, these Cheetos actually helped me dig deeper for a strong kick in to the finish. Kudos to you, makers of Cheetos and other fine snack products. - Racer X

Home-Course Advantage

A group of 40 local runners rehearsed for their big race by covering 22 miles of the Boston Marathon route on Sunday. Husbands and wives of the runners manned ad hoc aid stations along the course.

Tri-Dubai Is a New Player

The new Tri-Dubai team includes 10 of the world's best long-distance triathletes. The city is sponsoring the team to create exposure for Dubai.

Tri-Dubai's star-studded roster for its inaugural season includes Peter Reid, Heather Fuhr, Tim and Nicole DeBoom, Joanna Lawn, Cameron Brown, Chris Legh, Kate Major, Simon Lessing, and Normann Stadler.

Badmann, Tissink Win Ironman South Africa

With a time of 9:23:21, Natascha Badmann smiled her way to another Ironman win in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. In the men's race, Raynard Tissink's 8:21:35 winning time was almost 16 minutes faster than the second-place finisher.

Quote of the Week: Canadian Shampoo Bottle

"The Earth is a difficult place to navigate, particularly hard on a man's hair. MALEkind is designed to make the journey easier for the male species." (made in Canada)

Thanks for the strange Christmas shampoo, Mom! (What? You expect every quote of the week to be inspirational? Like Freud said, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.)

JJ: Distance Running Doesn't Define Me

Kevin Beck writes about his passion for distance running on his web site:

"I count myself as fortunate in that I have one passion, one signature characteristic, that screams inside and out, 'This is who I am. This is what I am.' I don't know if everyone has such a frenetic locus in their soul or not. For many it's career, or children, or religion, or service. For me it is distance running, where I have spent many years and tears."

I don't exactly know what a "frenetic locus" is, but I'm pretty sure distance running isn't mine. And though a smooth, strong 2-3-hour Sunday morning run may be one of the week's highlights, it certainly isn't my religion. And it doesn't define me. To me, distance running simply is one (important) piece in my toolbox for living a healthy, happy, and balanced life. - John

More Than You Want to Know About Electrolytes

The author describes the chemistry behind electrolytes and suggests eight recommendations for athletes.

Be in the Moment

"The key for anyone going after something daunting and difficult and historic is to be in the moment,' says sports psychologist Charlie Brown. "People fail because they put extra demands on themselves that take them out of what they need to do."

Rain in San Diego?

Chilly rain put a damper on the Ralphs California Half Ironman race on Saturday. "There were places where we were riding in an inch of water," said Denmark's Torbjorn Sindballe, who won the pro men's division with a time of 3:59:58.

Triathlete Magazine has more on the soggy race.

Message From the Mountain Man

Kelly "Mountain Man" Guest reflects on his 23-day training camp in Tucson, Arizona.

Young Lance the Triathlete

A link to a video of 18-year-old Lance Armstrong winning the 1989 National Championship Sprint Triathlon is making the rounds. My favorite post-race quote, between swigs from a giant plastic jug: "Show no mercy, man ... I was gut-checking it out there." (Link courtesy of SwimBikeRunStLouis.com)

Too Much of a Good Thing?

Some research indicates that too much exercise can compromise the immune system and make athletes sick.

"While some athletes have robust immune systems that can handle substantial training workloads, others may break down at much lower levels. With the help of their coach, each athlete should find their own training threshold and avoid pushing into the zone of immune suppression and increased rates of sickness."

On the Run With Dean Karnazes

The New York Times profiles ultra-runner Dean Karnazes and his new book: Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner.

"A day and a night of running, he said, is more like a melodrama than an athletic contest—full of euphoric highs and gloomy, dispiriting lows. The emotional climax—the Dostoyevskian moment of suffering—comes when exhaustion and despair loom up and smack you in the face and the finish line seems unattainable."

Boosting Your Metabolism

Runners World's Amby Burfoot believes strength training has been vastly oversold as a metabolism-boosting calorie burner.

Cycling Photos

Lots of great images on this French site.

Shut Up Your Bike

Learn how to silence the five most common noises your bike makes.

He Loves the CompuTrainer

Coach Kevin Mackinnon explains the benefits of the CompuTrainer.

"The first time I saw a CompuTrainer, I wanted to cry. Here was a device that took indoor training to a whole new level—it simulated the outdoor riding experience, and at the same time, allowed you to analyze your pedaling stroke, ensuring you were getting the best of all possible worlds."

JJ: Return It When You Feel Like It

“Prefontaine is due back in a week,” said the Blockbuster clerk. “But if you need a few extra days, that’s OK, too.” No late fee if I needed a few extra days? I sensed a dangerous precedent.

“Here’s a no-interest loan so you can go do Ironman France,” said the Bank of America teller. “Good luck breaking 11 hours and just pay us back when you can.”

“Wear these Asics GT-2100s for a few months and then bring ‘em back to swap out for new ones when they lose their spring,” said the clerk at Fleet Feet.

“Ride this Litespeed Vortex this summer and then bring her in to exchange for a Cervelo P3 if you if you don’t dig titanium,” said the local bike shop owner.

I don’t want to imply that I don’t trust people, but enjoy Blockbuster’s new "return it when you feel like it" policy while it lasts. Now I’m going to watch that Collateral DVD I borrowed a few weeks ago—if I can find it.
- John

Activating the Plastic Peloton People

Welcome to the enchanted land of tiny plastic peloton people.

Staying the Course

Coach Paul Martin sees a connection between his gradual multisport improvement over the past 11 years and the Japanese concept of kaizen.

"The term represents a notion that skills are best developed through a series of ongoing incremental, barely noticeable changes over an extended period of time. In other words: practicing consistency and patience in effort to acquire a certain trait or ability."

Top Masters Triathlete Has Competed for 23 Years

Harry Barnes, Triathlon Canada 2004 masters male athlete of the year, competes at a high level by training just 12 hours a week.

"When you have too much time on your hands, there is a tendency to overtrain. That's when you get hurt. Twelve hours works well for me."

CyclingNews Interview With Lance Armstrong

"And we're considering breaking into the subway station in Brussels to take Eddy Merckx's bike. How do the purists like that?" Read the interview.

In an AP story, Armstrong said he is behind schedule in his preparation for a seventh straight Tour de France title.

He Can Run Faster Than You, Too

Who knew that Indy Car drivers worked out so intensely?

Carl Crawford's Four-Hour Workouts

To get ready for spring training, Tampa Bay Devil Rays All-Star centerfielder Carl Crawford put himself through a multifaceted four-hour-a-day, six-day-a-week program for six weeks.

At the end of each day's workout, Crawford spent three minutes in a 104° hot tub and one minute in a 55° cold tub. He hit each tub four times. "This flushes the [lactic acid] out of our muscles and makes them recover quicker," he says.

A U.S. Distance Revival

Dathan Ritzenhein, a 22-year-old who trains in Boulder, Colorado, just scored the most significant distance-running victory by an American man in two decades by winning the 6.1-mile Belfast International Cross Country run. Ritzenheim's maximal oxygen uptake, or V02 max, is among the highest measured for a distance runner and compares with Steve Prefontaine's. His coach, Brad Hudson, emphasizes hill training, which strengthens the leg muscles so they can better absorb shock. By sprinting up hills for leg power, he's able to keep his weekly mileage at a relatively low 95 miles. The New York Times (reg. req'd.) has the story.

BobbyJulich.com

Bobby Julich's web site has been getting a lot more traffic since he became the first American to win Paris-Nice last weekend.

The Best Hawaiian Island

We know that the Big Island is a mecca for triathletes but, Kona aside, which of the five Hawaiian islands is the best to visit? And don't you wish making tough decisions like this was your biggest dilemma in life?

Kick Start Your Kick

Kick drills are not the friends of most triathletes, but here are a few that will improve your freestyle.

Gizoogle it!

Freestyling and Freestylin'

Coach Marc Evans offers 14 good tips for improving your freestyle stroke. He actually provides 15, but we're discounting #10: "Swim forward."

If you're bored by the same old stroke advice, Gizoogle Evans' tips by clicking here! The spinning rims above the "oo" indicate that Gizoogle is not an actual Google-sanctioned site, but it's not every day you find a web site that converts others into Snoop Dogg's "izzle" language.

Julich Wins Paris-Nice

CSC's Bobby Julich scored his biggest career accomplishment by winning Paris-Nice. Teammate Jens Voigt took the green jersey.

CyclingNews.com showcases the American rider's bike. It's a Cervelo Soloist, one of the most affordable frames in the Cervelo line.

VeloNews has more on Julich reaching Nice in yellow."I feel like I have a new lease on life,' said Julich, recalling his lean years after he finished third in the 1998 Tour. 'Don't call this a comeback. I've been around for years. I've seen all the peaks and valleys of this sport, but I never quit. Right now I am living in the present, not the past."

Shaping Up for a Triathlon

A Honolulu Star-Bulletin reporter is chronicling his training for an Olympic-distance triathlon.

Quote of the Week: Dave Matthews

This week's quote is from a Dave Matthews Band song called "Lie in Our Graves."

"I can't believe that we would lie in graves
Wondering if we had spent our living days well.
I can't believe that we would lie in graves
Wondering what we might of been."

Runner-up goes to the beer-drinking 20-somethings who pulled up next to me in their jeep while I was running back to my car after the St. Patrick's Day race and parade on Saturday. "You're wasting a day, dude," one of them screamed. Right on, dudes...a day you're not wasted is a wasted day.

JJ: Like It or Not, Athletes Are Role Models

This morning my three-year-old asked me about the "pictures", i.e., tattoos he saw on the arm of an Illinois basketball player shown in today's newspaper. When I told him some people like to draw pictures on their body, he responded, "Well I think they do it because they look very cool." - John

Ironman New Zealand Photo Gallery

Check out some beautiful photos from the 2005 Ironman New Zealand race.

Steroids "Cult" Makes the Extreme the Norm

A New York Daily News article reports that convicted dealer Curtis Wenzlaff sold illegal anabolic steroids to Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco.

Wenzlaff’s connection to Reggie Jackson—he actually lived in his home—is a fascinating new development in the steroid investigation. But almost equally bizarre is the workout regimen Wenzlaff followed while playing high school football in Southern California in the early 1980s. Wenzlaff describes midnight sessions, sleeping in a sensory deprivation tank, taping hands to weight bars, lifting while breathing pure oxygen from a tank, being shocked by a cattle prod as a motivational tool, and, of course, mixing and ingesting all sorts of steroid cocktails.

Boulder's Summer Series

There's a strong triathlon vibe in Boulder, Colorado.

The Pros and Cons of Relationships with Professional Athletes

Here's an interesting article reviewing relationship issues involving professional athletes and some of their morally objectionable tendencies.

Included is a reasonable wish from NBA star Jalen Rose:

"Love between two people must be the best union in the world but if there's no love it is the worst feeling. I'd like to have a family. I want that white picket fence and the apple pie but it's hard to find. I don't want a three-year marriage. And I don't want a girlfriend for two months."

"We all want a woman with a nice flat stomach, the great body, nice personality who can clean the house and is a great cook. At the same time guys want to grow a potbelly while sitting on the couch drinking beer."

I understand about the body and the personality, Jalen, but I don't know about the potbelly and beer.

JJ: Midnight Buzz

After 8:30 P.M. masters swimming, I usually need about an hour to rehydrate and decompress before I can sleep.

When I hit the pillow last night, two hours of reliving the brutal backstroke set in my mind passed by and I still wasn’t asleep. Finally, a light bulb clicked on and I rolled out of bed to check the labels of the Propel flavored water that I drank. No caffeine. Next, I dug the wrapper of the Peanut Toffee Buzz Clif Bar out of the trash and discovered that it contained Green Tea Extract (50 mg caffeine equivalent). A little research today tells me that’s about the same amount of caffeine that’s in a 12-ounce can of Mountain Dew.

I need to start sorting my energy bars into day and night categories. Perhaps the “Buzz" in the name should have been a clue.
-Jan

JJ: Mc B.S.

A "McDonald's Healthy Living campaign" may be the biggest oxymoron since "government intelligence." Talk about a wolf wearing some ill-fitting sheep's clothing. I use the bathrooms at McDonald's before some runs or rides because they're usually clean and they open early, but that's all. Come to think of it, that particular use expresses my feelings toward them perfectly. McDonald's, you have been permanently and irrevocably "deactivated."
- John

Want to Get Faster?

Then "break it down," says Olympic runner Carrie Tollefson.

Peter Reid's Postcard From Tucson

The Ironman star says he's super-motivated by being part of the new Tri Dubai triathlon team. Reid just finished a solid four-week block of base miles.

"There have been lots of nights where the lights go out at 8 p.m. because I am so tired from the training. I am doing my little hermit routine...living by myself on the outskirts of town, training solo with my trusty iPod mini and hooking up with a great masters group for my swims."

No word on what Peter thinks of his ex-wife Lori's big news.

Yale Professor on Aging in Sports

Our friend "Anonymous Economist," who last posted on the theory of rational expectations as it relates to achieving PRs, continues to prove she’s way too smart for this blog by pointing us to Yale finance professor and world-renowned econometrics authority Ray Fair for his theories on aging in sports. At age 45, Fair ran a sub-three-hour marathon. His bottom line: We don't slow down as much as you might think.

Fair uses performance data for elite athletes to estimate biological-capacity deterioration rates. A calculator on his web page enables users to compute predicted minimum swimming and running times by age based on their best previous time. The good news is that deterioration rates are small. For longer running events, time loss is 27% from age 35 to 65, 38% from age 35 to 75, and 76% from age 35 to 85. And Fair suggests you won't be half as slow as you are/were at 35 until your late 80s!

As for the public policy implications of the research, Fair suggests a tax break for anyone who finishes the marathon in an age adjusted respectable time.

Leave it to an economist to set his marathon goal so that he stays on his regression line. May you outperform yours!

Thanks, Anonymous Economist. Let’s all raise our Gatorade cups and vow together to never stop outperforming our regression lines!

Saved Lives = One Free (Big) Dinner

Thanks for diving into the lake and preventing my wife and me from drowning, Italian swimmer guys! "I guess they saved our lives," said Michael Petosa. "I'd like to take them out to a big dinner." Dessert, too?

X: A Red-Letter Day

The other day one of my clients offered just one comment on a systems integration plan I had submitted for review: “Too many hyphenated words.” Too many hyphens!? Are you kidding me? Half-baked and self-important came to mind.

I’ve found the best way to recover from body blows like this is to get on my Softride, Bernice, and hammer away my blues. So I told Nancy I had a “meeting outside the office” and busted the Rover home to hop on my bike. As the miles clicked by and my equilibrium was beginning to return, I noticed some flashing lights over my shoulder. Cripes, 5-0 was pulling me over! The officer claimed he had witnessed me run three stop signs and four red lights without even slowing. I can’t dispute his claim but I also don’t understand 5-0's need to fiddle while Rome burns. Bottom line: Thanks to a hyphenation-obsessed client, I have a date in traffic court. Guess I'll worry later about how I'll fit in my scheduled 20/5 brick that day. Riding to court and running after my appearance could be the best option. - Racer X

Streamlining Your Body Composition

If you want to drop a few pounds, focusing on weight loss alone can hurt your athletic performance. The author provides tips on adjusting your body composition by burning off dead weight without losing muscle mass. 

It Was a Dark and Stormy Run

We hear these wind-proof, water-resistant Stormsocks will keep your feet warm all winter.

The BalanceBall Chair

Forget about the Aeron--that is so 2001. Now you can work out your abs and do extended spine stretches while sitting at the office filling out your TPS reports.

Details Set For Ironman Arizona

"Swim on!" say Ironman Arizona officials, refuting rumors that the inaugural Ironman's swim leg would be cancelled because of poor water conditions. The race is April 9 in Tempe, Arizona.

Crank It Up

Pez's readers seem to agree that PowerCranks have made them faster, stronger riders.

Banning Junk Food in Schools

Considering all the problems with childhood obesity, I've never understood how schools can peddle off junk food on their kids during the school day just to earn a buck. It's too bad common sense has to be government-mandated, but now Arizona appears to be doing something about changing that by passing a "junk food bill" that would ban soft drinks and candy sales during the school day. Several other states are considering similar bills.

Course Will Educate on Benefits of Exercise

A new University of Missouri course aims to counter the 'Freshman 15' weight gain. The course will explore the basic science of a calorie, how to achieve energy balance to maintain weight, the biology of aging, and the link between physical inactivity and chronic disease and its implications for public policy.

Marybeth Brown, a physical therapy professor who will help teach the course, said people can follow the lead of fitness guru Jack LaLanne, who keeps going at age 90, or end up in a nursing home by their early 70s. She wants to teach students how to stay healthy as they age. "You don't suddenly wake up at 65 and find you're old," she said. "The deficits of aging start in your 30s. ...We have enough oomph to get through 85 or 90 years ... but we spend all this time sitting on our rear ends."

Activating Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee

Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee finished the Little Rock Marathon in four hours and 39 minutes two years after he started a diet and exercise plan to lose 110 pounds. He has since championed healthy living. Huckabee, who watched the movie Rocky to pump himself up the night before the race, attributed his success to following a good training regimen: "I believe this is 90 percent preparation and 10 percent presentation," he said. "I did exactly what I was supposed to do, to the day, to the mile."

Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack also completed the 26.2 mile circuit, while Arkansas first lady Janet Huckabee walked the entire course.

Ode to the Snowman

If you've ever run in St. Louis' Forest Park, you've probably seen the guy who goes shirtless for every run--even through the winter. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch explains who he is and why he does it. Turns out he doesn't like to get chafed. Can't blame him, but one wonders if he would consider a little Body Glide along with micro-fiber clothing?

Adidas' Intelligent Running Shoe

Would you pay $250 for a pair of running shoes? What if it used an in-sole compuer to adjust its heel cushioning based on the surface you're running on like the new Adidas 1?

The St. Louis Marathon's Art and Sole

Rat Race
Originally uploaded by jjactive.

A group of St. Louis artists is enlivening the Spirit of St. Louis Marathon with 28 running-themed papier-mache sculptures. The larger-than-life, whimsical pieces will appear at the start and finish lines and at each of the 26 mile markers.

You can see the artists' creations by running the course on April 10. But there's an easier way. Get a sneak preview of all the sculptures from 12:00-5:00 P.M. on March 13 at an informal open house at 1019 North Skinker in University City. You'll also have an opportunity to buy your favorite one. The Art and Sole Sculpture Auction ($25.00 entry) will take place Saturday, March 19, from 6:30-10:30 P.M. at the Regional Arts Commission at 6128 Delmar in University City.

Pictured above is our talented friend Katie, whose "Rat Race" sculpture--"he's off his wheel and on the run"--will be at mile 13. She'll also run in the marathon on an artists' relay team.

The marathon has put out a call for performance artists: musicians, bands, dancers, singers, and street performers will appear throughout the 26 miles. Seems like St. Louis may be carving out a niche among U.S. marathons with this art and sole theme. Let's hope there are no mimes, though. I can imagine a cranky marathoner punching a mime doing "the glass wall" at mile 20.

Adapting a Fitness Lifestyle

A Des Moines man lost 60 pounds to participate in the 2002 Ironman Florida triathlon. He has since kept off the weight.

Physical activity is the No. 1 predictor of maintaining weight loss, according to the National Weight Loss Registry. "When you're putting in those kinds of miles, those Big Macs don't sound as good," he said.

The Soundtrack to Your Workout

After using my iPod for the past few years, I can't imagine the old days of lugging around a Discman. Outside Magazine has reviews of several MP3 players. Please be careful if you use them outdoors. I knew a beautiful young girl who was hit and killed by a van while running with headphones.

JJ: Close But No PR

For athletes who compete in individual timed events such as running and triathlon, the "PR," or personal record, is the Holy Grail. Taking home "bling-bling" (age group hardware, trophies, plaques, or medals) is nice, but that can be determined by who races, how the age groups are structured, and how deep into an age group the race director wants to go. Comparing personal times has its shortcomings too, however, as races are not similar in topography and weather conditions. Overall, though, a PR is the best measure of one's individual performance.

Sunday morning I raced in a local half marathon where I had PR'ed three years ago. The night before a race, I think about my times and my current training and fitness level and then set a goal. It's only a ritual--my goal inevitably ends up being a new PR. So it was on Sunday.

As the race started, the usual suspects fell into line: the fast young guys trailed by the veteran speedsters still running strong into their forties and fifties followed by the serious but human guys like me. There goes Patterson, then Brady…like clockwork. Hey, where'd that new guy come from?

At this race, the PR was all there was to run for as there would be no age group awards nor posted results. As we hammered through the unmarked course, I was doing the mental gymnastics to estimate my pace and finish time. Heading up the final hill and checking my watch, I knew I had a shot at a PR. But as the seconds slipped away and I made the last right turn into the finishing stretch, I realized it wouldn't happen today. I crossed the line 24 seconds slower than my PR. Close but no PR. - Jan

Quote of the Week: "Play with compassion and loathe to win."

Play with compassion
Originally uploaded by jjactive.

A teammate of mine with the Washington Mustangs (a minor league soccer team) said that in 1996 while delivering a pregame pep talk in Nashville. He was trying to encourage us to play with passion and refuse to lose--not as his words indicate, to "play soft" and "hate to win." We lost 1-0 and never heard that speech again.- Jan

He Finished Second in New Zealand

Gordo Byrn describes his second-place finish in this race report from Ironman New Zealand. Impressive to me is the fact that Gordo didn't start swimming until he was 30 years old--and he finished the 2.4-mile swim in under 50 minutes.

Runners World Profiles Kerri Strug

The 1996 Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics talks about staying in shape by running. The 27-year-old runs about an hour a day on a treadmill and has completed the Boston Marathon.

Jessi Stensland: Dear Diary

"Go Jessi" Stensland is keeping an online diary. From a recent entry we learn that Jessi, who apparently doesn't mind eating insects or taking high-altitude chances while tethered to a safety harness and being ogled by a strange guy in a black leather jacket, is trying out for Fear Factor.

Cameron Brown Takes New Zealand Again

Cameron Brown set an Ironman New Zealand record with a time of 8:20:15. It was the Kiwi's fifth-straight win at Taupo.

Lance in France

Lance Armstrong will be at the start line tomorrow for the Paris-Nice race.

"I have very low expectations for me personally," he said. "It will be my first race in Europe since the Tour [de France] of 2004. It's a great race that is steeped in history. It's interesting as it used to be a real goal for me to try and win Paris-Nice. However, that has changed and it's now purely a preparation race."

Athletes Could Be at Risk During Air Travel

Athletes—mostly runners and cyclists—appear to be at a higher risk for developing life-threatening blood clots during air travel. Athletic people with a lower resting pulse could be prone to having stagnant blood subject to clotting. Another theory is that athletic people are more likely to fly with bruises or sore muscles that can trigger clotting.

Bottom line: Make sure you flex your legs every 15 minutes during air travel. And if you have bruising behind your knee or a painful, swollen calf, see a doctor immediately. Airhealth.org has more information.

X: Near Miss Won't Get Me Down

Reviewing my training log, I just noticed that my 4,500-yard swim the other night brought me up to 100,000 yards for the month of February. That's about 57 miles. I have to think I would have hit an even 60 miles in a normal 30- or 31-day month. Maybe even if it had been a leap year. I'm determined to make lemonade out of this lemon life has dealt me by swimming even longer and harder in March—even if it means forfeiting my scheduled off day on March 27. I can't let this get me down. - Racer X

Phelps' Fastest Freestyle

Michael Phelps just achieved another American record by swimming the 200-yard freestyle in 1:32:08.

Bonk or Erode Your Teeth?

A new study cites sports drinks as culprits in tooth-enamel wear.

Keep the Faith

Multisport athlete and coach Paul Martin was robbed by a priest. Sort of—the priest actually forgot to refund a wedding fee when he moved. But Paul didn't lose faith.

"I have found that just about any negative situation of any sort can be turned around to work to one’s benefit. The keys to such manipulation are attitude, effort, and faith."

A Lifestyle Choice

Triathlon is a lifestyle choice—not just an activity for elite athletes.

“Individuals who take on long- and short-term goals, you see what it brings to their life—the healthy aspect of incorporating exercise in their lifestyles and just the empowerment of completing a goal. It really does create positive changes in almost anyone’s life."

JJ: Reason #738 We All Should Be Out Riding

It's enough to make me go through migraine withdrawals by quitting coffee—or even to seek a new profession in Tibet. Seriously. At a recent Starbucks Licensed Stores Awards ceremony in Seattle, Starbucks executives thought it would be a good idea to dress up as rock stars and lip-synch Jefferson Starship's "We Built This City," clearly the most annoying song in rock history. Only this time the "rock anthem" was even more grating because the lyrics had been rewritten to be Starbucks-specific. "We built this Starbucks … We built this Starbucks on heart and soul." Read the Stranger's inside story or, if you've already ingested your Prozac today, actually listen to the four-minute MP3.

Desperate Marathoning Housewives

Three Korean "housewives" talk about marathon running. The dialogue reminds me of a Saturday Night Live skit.

"When I run the marathon, I feel my weight increasing because of all those extra muscles. But I feel my skin gaining elasticity. And my thighs don’t get bigger."

The Mythology of Triathlon

Dan Empfield explores what he calls the "mythology of triathlon."

"It variously surprises us with gifts of courage, sublimity, humility, endurance, pain and the overcoming of pain or, sometimes, the succumbing to it. It gives us the occasional failure along with the gift of working through to the other side. It gives us despair and the faith and strength to overcome it. It shows us things we did now know about ourselves. The Bible admonishes us to 'work out our salvation in fear and trembling.' Multisport allows us to work out our mythology in fear and trembling, and to exit the other side as heroes."

JJ: Farewell, Cruel Mistress

Cruel Mistress
Originally uploaded by jjactive.

Dear Ankle:

I'm afraid I can't stay in this relationship any longer. As much as it pains me to type these words, I'm breaking up with you. Surely you can't be surprised, ankle.

I admit we've shared thousands of miles of wonderful running and cycling workouts together over the past 15 years. There's no doubt the great times have been ... well, really great.

But if you're being honest with yourself, ankle, you'll admit you haven't really been there for me--emotionally or physically--since the fall of 2001. Your sporadic and irrational bouts of tendonitis since forcing me to sit out the Chicago Marathon that year have caused me to miss countless races and training dates and to lose overall fitness. Ankle, I've treated you with massages, rest, ice, compression, elevation, the best shoes money can buy, and enough ibuprofen to kill a mule. To understand the root of our problems, I even sat through a three-hour MRI.

Despite all I've done for you, ankle, you continue to torture me by flaring up with this tendonitis at the worst possible times. Ankle, I hate to say it, but you're an inconsolable diva. Worse, you're a tease.

Ankle, I realize that part of the problem rests with me. My standards are high and I don't want you to blame yourself entirely. When you're at your best, you are an agile, robust ankle. I'm sure there will be many other more patient athletes who will be dying to snap you up now that you're a free agent.

I just can't do this any more, ankle. Have a nice life. - John

Arizona Dreamin'

SwimBikeRun St. Louis has Ironman Arizona course photos.

Marathon Gel and Calorie Calculator

How many gels should you eat in your next marathon? Carb-Boom, which clearly has a vested interest in influencing you to down as many as possible, provides a Marathon Gel and Calorie Calculator. Based on experience, the number the calculator recommended for me (four) was about right.

JJ: The Most Serious Form of Flattery

Goal!
Originally uploaded by jjactive.

My three year-old does somersaults after he scores a goal in our basement soccer games. He has been doing this since we witnessed a Major Indoor Soccer League player perform a flip after scoring. Joseph pours tiny cups of water over his head when he "wins" our football games because he has seen NFL players douse their coaches with Gatorade. Joseph loves swimming "laps" with his floaties on, wearing a jersey that goes down to his ankles while pretending he's Lance on training wheels, challenging me to intense 25-yard running races, and wearing my size 11 Adidas flip-flops. He brings Sports Illustrated into the bathroom.

What do you think Joseph would do if he saw me lying on the couch, watching ESPN, stuffing my face with Quarter Pounders, swigging Bud, smoking Marlboros, swatting our dog, and screaming at my wife?

I've been staying in decent shape but haven't competed in a triathlon since 2001, when health problems and Joseph's birth curtailed my training. I just signed up for an Olympic distance race this summer. I don't miss racing but it's time to dip my feet back into the lake. I'll make sure Joseph is at the finish line, which I don't doubt will be his start. - John

Visiting With Bobby Julich

VeloNews publishes the second part of a conversation with American cyclist Bobby Julich.

Julich took home the bronze medal at the Olympic time trial despite having no support from CSC. "USA Cycling didn't have any equipment for us, so I showed up with (Ivan) Basso's spare TT bike, a disc wheel with a hop in it, a pretty good front wheel. I had no idea about what tires I had. But I had my little tricks. I had my chain-rings and my Camelback. It's like a pea-shooter against a bazooka."