How A Park Helped One Town Weather The Recession

I found this piece from NPR online.  It brought to mind the Beltline project.

How A Park Helped One Town Weather The Recession

by Julie Rose

July 29, 2011

Mayor Knox White has led Greenville, S.C., for 15 years, and is running unopposed for another term. Here, he stands near a natural waterfall that's in the middle of the city's downtown, in a park that cost $13 million. "Within two years," he says, "over $100 million in private investment was created around the park."

During the worst of the recession, new development ground to a halt and small businesses closed their doors on many Main Streets throughout the country.

That wasn't the case in Greenville, S.C. And while it seems improbable that a city would thrive during the recession, Greenville's mayor credits a mix of good luck and good fundamentals.

Read and listen more here.

How Exercise Can Keep the Brain Fit

From the NY Times online…

July 27, 2011, 12:01 am

How Exercise Can Keep the Brain Fit

By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS

For those of us hoping to keep our brains fit and healthy well into middle age and beyond, the latest science offers some reassurance. Activity appears to be critical, though scientists have yet to prove that exercise can ward off serious problems like Alzheimer’s disease. But what about the more mundane, creeping memory loss that begins about the time our 30s recede, when car keys and people’s names evaporate? It’s not Alzheimer’s, but it’s worrying. Can activity ameliorate its slow advance — and maintain vocabulary retrieval skills, so that the word “ameliorate” leaps to mind when needed?

Obligingly, a number of important new studies have just been published that address those very questions. In perhaps the most encouraging of these, Canadian researchers measured the energy expenditure and cognitive functioning of a large group of elderly adults over the course of two to five years. Most of the volunteers did not exercise, per se, and almost none worked out vigorously. Their activities generally consisted of “walking around the block, cooking, gardening, cleaning and that sort of thing,” said Laura Middleton, an associate professor at the University of Waterloo in Ontario and lead author of the study, which was published last week in Archives of Internal Medicine.

But even so, the effects of this modest activity on the brain were remarkable, Dr. Middleton said.

Read on here.

Three Heart-Rate Monitor Mistakes That Everyone Makes

From Running Competitor online…

Three Heart-Rate Monitor Mistakes That Everyone Makes

Updated: Jul 27th 2011 2:09 PM UTC by Competitor.com

Avoid these and you will be well on your way toward getting the most out of your device.

Written by: Matt Fitzgerald

A heart rate monitor can be a useful piece of training equipment. Heart rate is a reliable indicator of exercise intensity, so training with one can help you work hard enough but not too hard in each workout. But using this type of device will not automatically make your training more effective. As with any piece of equipment, there is a right way to use a heart rate monitor, and there are numerous possible mistakes you can make with it.

There are three mistakes in the use of heart rate monitors that are especially common. Avoid these and you will be well on your way toward getting the most out of your device.

Read on here.

You Can Do This

From Fox News online…

Training for Your First Marathon—You Can Do This

By Grace Joyal

Published July 25, 2011

For most people, the decision to run a marathon serves as the ultimate test of physical endurance, but for Tracy Eldred, it was more of a social calling.

After months of debate, she decided to take on this monumental challenge after three friends from her Chapel Hill, N.C., social circle convinced her to “take a leap.”

And that leap of faith paid off. The 40-year-old mother and former biology teacher successfully ran the Vermont City Marathon in Burlington, Vt., in May.

“If I was doing it on my own, I doubt I would have ever done a marathon,” she said.

Before the marathon, Eldred said she had run seriously for about three years, but had never attempted a run anything even close to what she encountered in Vermont.

“After the half marathon mark, I had that ‘uh-oh’ moment,” she said. “It’s one of the most difficult things besides childbirth that I’ve ever done.”

Read on here.

9 Race-Day Nutrition Essentials

From Running Times online…

9 Race-Day Nutrition Essentials

Learn how and when to best fuel and hydrate on race-day

By Jackie Dikos, R.D.

As featured in the Web Only issue of Running Times Magazine

“Racing shoes — check. Gels, got ’em. Timing chip/bib (or check for race fee), it’s in there.” Every time I pull out of the garage on my way to a race I run through my essentials. I’m always paranoid I will forget something I really want to have on hand for a successful race. Last fall I got to the end of the neighborhood on my way to the Monumental Marathon before I realized I forgot to put on my Garmin watch.

We get so focused on the racing “hardware” that the nutritional components of racing can be easily forgotten. Here are nine nutrition racing essentials that every racer should consider to support good racing. Knowing the nine essentials is good, but actually applying these essentials will only support a strong performance.

Read on here.

A Running Debate: Dirt Trails or Pavement?

From the NY Times online…

For Runners, Soft Ground Can Be Hard on the Body

By GINA KOLATA

Published: July 18, 2011

Hirofumi Tanaka, an exercise physiologist at the University of Texas at Austin, bristles when he sees dirt paths carved out of the grass along paved bicycling or running routes. The paths are created by runners who think softer ground protects them from injuries.

Dr. Tanaka, a runner, once tried it himself. He was recovering from a knee injury, and an orthopedist told him to stay away from hard surfaces, like asphalt roads, and run instead on softer surfaces, like grass or dirt. So he ran on a dirt path runners had beaten into the grass along an asphalt bike path.

The result? “I twisted my ankle and aggravated my injury while running on the softer and irregular surface,” he said.

Read on here.

Local Races This Weekend

Local Races This Weekend

Saturday, July 30

for Tyler 5K & Mile, Cumming

3rd Annual Measuring Stick 5K/1Mile Fun Run, Lawrenceville

Red Top Roaster 15K/5K Trail Run, Cartersville

People's Health Day 5K Race, Piedmont Park

28th Annual Run for Life 5K & 10K, Mile and Tot Trot, Kennesaw

Adventure Race for the Rescues, Gainesville

Cruisin' For Christmas in July 5K, McDonough

Sunday, July 31

Rockin' the LP Half Marathon, Snellville

Training in the Heat

From Running Times online…

Training in the Heat

Why you're slower in the summer and what to do about it

By Kristin Barry

As featured in the JulAug 2011 issue of Running Times Magazine

As year-round runners facing a myriad of conditions, we all recognize that it's harder to run well when it's hot. Perceived effort is greater and race times typically suffer accordingly. Why does this happen? What happens to the body at a physiological level? And most important, how should we adjust workouts and race expectations to best weather the weather?

It's generally recognized that for every 10-degree increase in air temperature above 55 degrees, there's a 1.5 percent to 3 percent increase in average finishing time for a marathon. (Translation: An extra 3 to 6 minutes for a 3:30 marathon with every 10-degree increase.) This slow-down occurs because heat impacts runners at a physiological level through various means, including dehydration, increased heart rate and reduced blood flow (and subsequently oxygen) to the muscles used for running.

Read on here.

Myths About Running in Heat

From Running Times online…

Myths About Running in Heat

Current advice on training and racing in the summer heat

By Phil Latter

As featured in the JulAug 2011 issue of Running Times Magazine

After hundreds of thousands of years, you might think that we as a species would have our physiology down pat. The process of working hard, recovering and getting stronger seems almost instinctual these days, even if in many ways its application to running is somewhat recent. Yet if science has shown us anything since the days of Descartes, it's that one minute's moment of genius insight ("Drink as many fluids as you can in a marathon") is the next moment's blunder ("Drink too much water and you could die of hyponatremia"). Science, it seems, is an evolving art.

The process of heat training and acclimatization is no exception. Ever since Italian marathoner Dorando Pietri collapsed near the finish line at the 1908 Olympics (never mind Alberto Salazar being read his last rites after the Falmouth Road Race in 1978), caution has been the keyword used when discussing how to tackle hot and muggy conditions. Train early, train slower and train with lots of fluids on your back has been the advice passed down now through many a running generation. But like all conventional wisdom, there comes a time when the basis of that wisdom needs to be re-examined.

Particularly after what happened in a University of Oregon lab.

Read on here.

 

Roger on Running: Summer Running

From Running Times online…

Roger on Running: Summer Running

What a swell party it is

By Roger Robinson

As featured in the Web Only issue of Running Times Magazine

Summertime, and the runnin’ is easy. These relaxed July days are not made for serious hard racing, unless you are a track star. But don’t take the month off. The ingenious world of running has created some irresistible midsummer events, usually in special places or attractive surroundings, with the atmosphere of a frolic among friends. You’re not sure whether the important part is the race or the picnic, and you’re liable to drop your finisher’s medal in the beer cooler.

This summer I have been at two such races. You never heard of them. They are too obscure to rate even a dot on the global map of running.  But in my mind they stand high as scenes where I enjoyed that special conjunction of running and summer. They were also the races where I wore a bib number for the first time since 2006, complete with a new knee, a new age-group, and profound new humility. I ran extreme PWs (Personal Worsts), of course. I placed dead last for the first time since the age 9 100-yard dash at elementary school. But who cares? Doing some form of running again, however slow, among all those welcoming people and that wonderful scenery, who cares?

Read on here.

The Cost of a Marathon

Team RW Does Hood To Coast

In the future, I will run in, in the meantime,

Team RW Does Hood to Coast

Oregon's 200-mile Hood to Coast, the world's largest relay, is a month away. To see what this legendary race is all about, check out these photos from our own Hood to Coast experience in 2007.

Wednesday Night Run 7-20-2011

Hello ORC,

It seems the heat and humidity is following me wherever I go.  I looked at the weather for this evening and it is much of the same.  But it is the standard Atlanta summer.  Again I am at a loss at what’s happening this weekend.  There is probably a neighborhood festival going on, street food, a couple of races, or maybe not much so folks can stay get relief from the heat.  Just reply back to this email and we’ll all see it.

What else is going on this weekend?  Anyone want to share?

This Wednesday you will be running route 6.  It's the elephant run as named by Gail.  There are the challenging hills of Delano, the grind up Rogers, and of course climbing up McClendon.  The link to the route is at the bottom of this e- mail. After the run it's off to Mojo's Pizza for food, drinks and trivia.

Enjoy your run Wednesday night.  Thanks for making the Oakhurst Running Club one of the friendliest running club in Atlanta.

Corny

http://oakhurstrunningclub.blogspot.com/

http://oakhurst-running-club.googlegroups.com/web/Route+6.pdf?gda=MjHPd0AAAABX1J9qhvqHbbbNJKzo8aYd5CW2SF5A2nPQG2X9AtU4FXPNLSJDWxDtttThEJZz0tZtxVPdW1gYotyj7-X7wDON

Wednesday Night Run 7-13-2011

Hello ORC,

It’s early in the morning and the sun has just broken.  The weather is good for a morning run.  Fast forward 12 hours and its dusk and there is a 40% chance of rain.  I am not trying to scare folks from running tonight.  This group has run through worse weather.  I am at a loss on what’s going on this weekend.  Wednesday snuck up on me this week and will probably do the same next week.

What is going on this weekend?

Tonight, Wednesday, you will be running route 13.  The route goes up the hard flat of Oakview and hits the hills of Spence/McDonough.  The link to the route is at the bottom of this e- mail.  After the run it's off to Mojo's Pizza for food, drinks and trivia.

Thanks for making the Oakhurst Running Club one of the friendliest running club in Atlanta.

Corny

http://oakhurstrunningclub.blogspot.com/

http://oakhurst-running-club.googlegroups.com/web/Route+13.pdf?gda=lWVGakEAAABX1J9qhvqHbbbNJKzo8aYdKPTXouObMntgAIpzNo5MltMauZfeP2VUhote_RWBRRRTCT_pCLcFTwcI3Sro5jAzlXFeCn-cdYleF-vtiGpWAA

Wednesday Night Run 7-6-2011

Hello ORC,

It’s a short week for most and an even shorter week for me.  My vacation starts Thursday and hopefully there is some cooler weather in the Midwest.  Hopeful but I heard it’s been a scorcher there too.  On Thursday night at Decatur Square is another Flux Project in Decatur.  FAV is the next project to come to Decatur.  Doesn’t the word Flux just peak your interest and want to check it out, http://www.fluxprojects.org/index.html.  It’s almost as cool as Billy Bob Thornton’s moving being filmed in Oakhurst.  The EARL is celebrating their 12^th anniversary this weekend in EAV.

What else is going on?  Care to share?

This Wednesday you will be running route 15.  It’s the Katie Kerr run which hasn’t been run in a while.  I think construction has shelved this run for a little bit.  The roads and sidewalks seem runable but still take caution along South Candler.  There are some nice challenging hills and after making at all the way past the last steep hill and false flats, you finish strongly on the downhill to One Step at a Time.  It’s one of the few routes that actually has a downhill finish.  You can see the map through the link below. After the run it’s off to Mojo's Pizza for food, drinks, and trivia.

Thanks for making the Oakhurst Running Club one of the friendliest running club in Atlanta.

Corny

http://oakhurstrunningclub.blogspot.com/

http://oakhurst-running-club.googlegroups.com/web/Route+15.pdf?gda=o41DdEEAAABX1J9qhvqHbbbNJKzo8aYdhpyoimbpI8MUdfIwdkWdCIBC5-HLSqExTGd9FarfPntTCT_pCLcFTwcI3Sro5jAzlXFeCn-cdYleF-vtiGpWAA