July 4th - Peachtree Road Race

It's that time of the year again.  It's an exciting race.  If you are not running it, catch it on TV or see ot somewhere on the course.

Happy 4th of July!

Riders Who Take Mass Transit Regularly May Lose Weight

With the Marta cuts coming, there is a far reaching effect of public transportation.  Here is one on health.  The article is from npr.org.

Riders Who Take Mass Transit Regularly May Lose Weight

by Brenda Wilson

Using light rail regularly can actually make you lighter. Not the sitting and riding from home to work and back again, but all the walking in between.

A year after a light rail system in Charlotte, North Carolina began running, commuters who took light rail to work regularly were 6.45 pounds lighter than the folks who drove, researchers found.

Factoring in the walk to the bus stop, the walk from the bus stop to the rail stop, and then the walk to work and back, "It could add an extra mile a day [of walking] for the average rider. Over the course of year, that mile a day will translate into substantial loss of weight," says John M. MacDonald who co-authored the study.

Read on here.

Walk - Run - Dodge

As long as I have lived in Atlanta, I have never felt the need to run the Peachtree Road Race.  Don’t get me wrong, I am a fan of the race.  I plant myself somewhere on 10^th St and have seen some great races.  I think it’s pretty exciting.  After a while, I can start to see the frustrations in the faces of runners who are trying to finish strong but have to dodge others.  I have been critical of the Peachtree in that aspect.  To read an article for a smoother flow for the Peachtree gives me hope for a spectacle of a race from beginning to end.  The article is from the ajc.com.

Plans for smoother flow at AJC Peachtree

By Ken Sugiura

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The walk-run-walk-dodge that begins so many 10-kilometer journeys in the AJC Peachtree Road Race may be no longer.

In one of the more significant alterations to the format of the July 4 race, Atlanta Track Club officials have doubled the number of time groups to make the race flow more smoothly for its 55,000 entrants.

Said track club executive director Tracey Russell, "We may even have the last person cross the start line sooner than we did last year."

Participants will be broken up into 20 groups, or waves, that will average less than 3,000 runners. Most of the field was distributed randomly into the final eight groups, with runners and walkers of all stripe mixed together. The track club first began dividing the field into staggered groups in 1990, when the field was 40,000.

The volume, in addition to the varying paces of entrants in each group, led to congestion as soon as runners left the starting line. The scene of runners jogging, then walking, then going up onto the sidewalk to pass slower participants, was typical.

By reducing the size of the groups and arranging them by submitted times, Russell expects that runners will be less bottlenecked than in the past.

Read on here.

The Evolution of the Peachtree

I found this interesting article about Atlanta’s own Peachtree Road Race.  The article is from the ajc.com.

Peachtree race considered running in different directions

By Ken Sugiura

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

As the AJC Peachtree Road Race grew in size, Tim Singleton had a solution for the overcrowded start area: Start some runners on Roswell Road, and some on Peachtree Road, and have them meet at the intersection.

Said Singleton, the Peachtree's founder, "I think the way they do it now is really better."

Since its inception in 1970, the race has evolved almost annually to where the field has expanded, the course has been adjusted and different features have been added.

"I was always wondering, always trying to see what I wasn't seeing," said Julia Emmons, former race director who ran in the Peachtree for 22 years. "My job was to ponder."

Not all of Singleton or Emmons' ponderings, one of which was running the race from Midtown to Buckhead, made it to race day, perhaps for the better.

Read on here.

Bars and Gels Versus Sports Drinks

An article from the NYT Health section…

June 23, 2010, 12:01 am

Phys Ed: Do Sport Bars and Gels Provide the Energy of Sports Drinks?

By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS

According to a study published this spring in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, people who exercise for more than about two hours at a time can benefit from sports drinks. Most of us know that, of course. The carbohydrates in the drinks provide immediate fuel, which allows our bodies to avoid dipping into its own energy stores, meaning that, theoretically, you can exercise longer or more intensively before running out of fuel. But few people, in practice, can or will drink enough calories during a long workout to benefit significantly, the study authors suggest. The volume of fluid needed is, to say the least, daunting. Achieving the ideal “carbohydrate-intake rates,” the authors write, requires toting and stomaching about a half gallon of a typical sports drink every hour. Good luck with that.

Instead, it seems to be common practice today, the researchers write, for many athletes to turn to more-concentrated and portable forms of carbohydrates, like sports bars and those frosting like little packets of sports gels that are ubiquitous at running and cycling races. But to date no one has comprehensively studied whether, in fact, these carbohydrate alternatives are as effective as liquid calories. Do carbohydrates from solid or semisolid sources reach the bloodstream and straining muscles as quickly as those from fluids? Are they burned as effectively? Do they, in the process of being digested, cause what scientists delicately refer to as “gastrointestinal distress”?

Read on here.

East Point, The New Decatur

An article from the ajc.com….

Diversity a point of pride for East Point

By April Hunt

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

City financial struggles and political infighting have tarnished East Point’s reputation in recent years.

But the south Fulton County city has drawn praise for its embrace of an influx of gay residents. Some even wonder if East Point is becoming the new Decatur: an intown community that is part metro-chic and part Mayberry.

“Politics are everywhere, but the people here are unique,” said Rick Westbrook, who moved to East Point with his partner 12 years ago. “I can pick up the phone at 3 a.m. and get a phone tree going because an elderly neighbor has a tree that needs to be chopped up. We are all neighbors.”

Read on here.

Racing Saves Lives

An article from the Times Herald-Record...

By Kevin Gleason

Times Herald-Record

Published: 2:00 AM - 06/18/10

 Jon Wallach has never been a runner. But he's playing a life-saving role in one of the most successful road races in the area.

One week ago, Wallach got a call from a bone-marrow bank informing him that he had matched a patient seeking a donation. Wallach, a 49-year-old resident of Forestburgh, was in the database after testing at the Rhulen Rock Hill Run & Ramble.

The 3.1-mile walk/run will go off for the 18th time on Saturday. Race officials have worked exhaustively to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America and other charities. The event is held in honor of Walter A. Rhulen, a dedicated runner and local humanitarian who battled leukemia before his death in 1998.

Organizers first held the bone-marrow drive in 2008 after learning that 21-year-old Monticello resident Jared Carlew needed a transplant. Carlew died before the transplant arrived. The scenario happens often because of a lack of available donors.

Wallach's stepfather died of leukemia. Wallach has helped sponsor the event, and his wife, Resa, has helped organize the race for years. He had his cheek swabbed two years ago, a process that took less than a minute.

Read on here. 

Local Races This Weekend

Saturday, June 26

• Atlanta Beltline 5K, Atlanta, West End
• 3rd Annual HBCU Alumni Alliance 5K, Atlanta, Grant Park
• Atlanta Pride Run 5K, Atlanta, Piedmont Park, 8:00 a.m.
• C2A's 5K Challenge, Atlanta, 7:30 a.m.


Sunday, June 27
• Dirty Spokes (Race #5) - Central Park Trail Running Race 3.5 Miles, Cumming
• Adventist Race for Health 5K/10K, Atlanta, Centennial Park, 7:00 a.m.

2010 Atlanta Pride Run & Walk

2010 Atlanta Pride Run & Walk
Come join us for our 20th year!

• Saturday, June 26, 2010  
• 8:00 a.m. 
• Piedmont Park [starting line near the Aquatic Center]

Franchising Road Races

An article from runningtimes.com

Road Races Undergo Franchising Boom

Does national branding help or hurt local racing communities?

By Jim Gerweck

As featured in the June 2010 issue of Running Times Magazine

Runners might be among the most individualistic of athletes, and their sport tends to reflect that, especially in the competitive venue of road racing. Not only are there seemingly infinite choices of distances, especially if you're in a tradition-bound area like the Northeast, but the level of sophistication and organization of said races exhibits an almost equally wide variance. You can run everything from highly professional events with chip timing, overflowing expos and goody bags, and signage and entertainment to rival a Super Bowl or World Series, all the way down to local fun runs with little more than a start line chalked on the ground and a few volunteers with popsicle sticks and a stopwatch at the finish.

Such variety provides the spice of our racing life; most of us have entered at least one mom-and-pop race because we were in the area on business or vacation, or because the entry form looked cool, and come away putting it on our list of top-10 lifetime runs. But just as you can have the most incredible meal at some dilapidated roadside diner, it's possible to experience the running equivalent of ptomaine poisoning in a race with a mismarked course, no water stops, and messed up results that take weeks before they're posted--if ever. That may be an acceptable risk if it's a low-key event in your hometown, or a race you're entering just to get in a group run in a strange locale, but not if it's one that requires a considerable investment of time, energy and funds, like a marathon halfway across the country.

Travelers often opt for the bland yet safe familiarity of McDonald's. In the same way, many runners have begun looking for events that offer some race-experience familiarity and consistency, even if that means sacrificing some uniqueness. This attitude has become more prevalent as the racing ranks are swelled by beginning runners. For many of them, the act of covering the distance is challenging and exciting enough; they have neither the need nor the desire to seek something unique that more experienced competitors might want.

Read on here.

Tactics: Racing Alone

Sometime it feels like I am racing alone even though I know there are people in front and behind me.  Do I chase down the leader or get swallowed up by the group behind; an article from runningtimes.com.

Tactics: Racing Alone

How do you run your best when you're stuck in no-man's-land

By Gordon Bakoulis

As featured in the June 2010 issue of Running Times Magazine

We race to measure ourselves against others. But what if the others in the race aren't close enough at hand to provide a meaningful measure? What if we wind up running solo--not just for a short stretch but mile after mile? What strategies do we employ to remain competitive, aggressive, and willing to suffer?

That was the scenario for Molly Huddle at the USA Cross Country Championships in February. After aggressively following leader Shalane Flanagan, Huddle drifted back into second place, yet still well in front of the chase pack, a position she held for the remaining three-quarters of the 8K race.

It was a tough--and somewhat risky--way to run a high-stakes race. As far as the chase pack was concerned, Huddle was the target, not Flanagan, who extended her lead throughout and finished untouchable. Many a runner in Huddle's position has been swallowed by the chasers and finished out of the money--which in this case would have been outside the top six who made the team for the world cross country championships.

Read on here.

Art Stroll at Castleberry Hill

48 Hour Film Festival

Fri., June 25, 7-11 p.m. and Sun., June 27, 1-9 p.m.
Plaza Theatre (map)
1049 Ponce de Leon Ave.
Filmmakers from all over the Atlanta area compete to see who can make the best short film in only 48 hours. The winning film will go up against films from around the world. $9-$10

Art on the BeltLine Lantern Parade!

Sat., June 26, 8:30 p.m.
Little Five Points Community Center (map)
1083 Austin Ave.
The Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons invites you to help light the way! Carry a lantern and walk with us up the east side of the Beltline. Make a lantern in the free workshops or grab your old Coleman. Bonus: Full moon rises at 9:15 p.m. and post-parade drinks at Park Tavern! Free

Stand for Stand For Peace at Piedmont Park

STAND FOR PEACE! HUMAN PEACE SIGN ON THE BELTLINE

Sunday, June 20 12:30p
Piedmont Park, Atlanta
One Love Generation is welcoming Atlanta's Beltline with PEACE! Please join us June 20th, and bring your friends and family as we Stand For Peace!

EvolverFest

EvolverFest 2010
Presented by Evolver Atlanta, Circle of Creative Women, Jai Shanti Yoga,
Meditating Mantis, Selina Naturally, and Sevananda

Sunday, June 20th
12 PM - 9 PM
Lake Claire Community Land Trust
Atlanta, Georgia
$12 (kids 10 & under free)

East Point Possums

The East Point Possums organization announced today that their 13th Annual “East Point Possums Show,” would be held on Saturday, June 19th, 2010 from 8-11p on The Commons in Downtown East Point.

Red Stripe Light Mid Summer Music Fest

790 The Zone Midsummer Music Festival -- more info available at midsummermusicfestival.com

Too Much Water?

An article from runningtimes.com

Water Belly vs. Oxygen Debt

Drinking too much might keep you from running your best

By Roy Benson

As featured in the June 2010 issue of Running Times Magazine

Many high school track runners seem over-sold on the importance of drinking lots of water. Here's some news: You are not going to become dehydrated while running just two or even eight laps around the track. That reality calls to question two aspects to hydration.

First, there is the issue of hydration for health purposes. Runners of every age need to keep in mind that the average-size adult needs eight glasses of fluids per day, not eight glasses of water, to meet the Recommended Daily Allowance for adequate hydration. Any fluids such as juices, milk, coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks and, of course, sports drinks can help meet the RDA. Furthermore, foods such as apples, oranges, watermelon , grapes, celery, peppers, onions and even green leafy vegetables like lettuce can supply significant amounts of water. And don't worry too much about the "dehydrating" effects of coffee or caffeinated soft drinks. Those fears are over-exaggerated; you are not likely to urinate away as much fluid as you drink. If you are so worried, just drink enough plain water to make sure that your urine is clear at least once a day. For runners who sweat more than the average adult, it will obviously take more than the standard of eight glasses to meet the clear-urine rule.

Read on here.

Local Races This Week

Here are some local and not-so-local races this week.  Races start on Thursday this week.

Thursday, June 17

·       North GA Conference UMC 5K Run/Walk, Athens; 6:30 a.m.; 706-769-6593.

Friday, June 18

·       Midnight Run for Missions 5K/Mile/Kids Run, Locust Grove; 10:00 p.m.

Saturday, June 19

·       Run4Dad 5K & Mile, Sandy Springs

·       ATC Father's Day 4M, Atlanta, 8:00 a.m.; www.atlantatrackclub.org

·       32nd Annual Possum Trot 10K & Fun Run, Roswell, 7:30 a.m.; a Peachtree Road Race Qualifier

·       Mary Lin 5K, Atlanta, Candler Park, 8:30 a.m.

·       2010 Rocket Run 5K, Atlanta, 8:30 a.m.

Decatur Beach Party - June 18th

 

From the Decatur Business Association

The annual Decatur Beach Party is coming up soon- June 18th from 5 pm until midnight. This year there will be three bands! Douglas Brake and the Sizzle Hiss Pop Band will play in the Children's Boardwalk Area beginning at 5pm. The Reputations will play on the Bandstand from 5 pm until 7:30 pm and Terry Lee & The GTs will play on the Plaza Main Stage from 8pm until midnight.

The Children's Boardwalk area features some new games and activities that will be fun for all ages.

The Beach Party is produced by the Decatur Business Association and the City of Decatur. Sponsors for the event are Eagle Rock Distributors and Kona Beer, HLM Financial, FUZE beverages, Standard Parking, Barefoot Wine and Bubbly, Junior Pippin Trucking Company, Holiday Inn Decatur, Brick Store Pub, Amusement Masters, Leapin' Lizards, Nanston Dental, Dixie Homecrafters, DeKalb Medical,Vulcan Materials, Clearwire and Cultural Care Au Pair.

Tickets are $6.50 in advance and $10 at the gate. Pre-sell tickets will be available until noon on Friday, June 18 at www.decaturdba.com. Children under 12 are free, limit 2 per paying adult. No coolers, picnic baskets, glassware or pets will be allowed in the festival area. The event is held rain or shine, but it won't rain!

We suggest taking MARTA to the event as it is held directly over the Decatur Rapid Rail Station. If driving, free parking is available in the DeKalb County Parking deck after 5 pm. The deck is located at the corner of Commerce and Trinity Place.

See you on Decatur Beach!

Join Team Decatur!

This is a repost from The Decatur Minute blog.  The 5K course is not a bad course to run.  I’ve ran this race a couple of times and it has let me run some of my faster 5K times.

Join Team Decatur!

June 10, 2010 by Cheryl

The City of Decatur and the Decatur Business Association are “teaming up” to enter a team in the Kaiser Permanente Corporate Run/Walk to be held on Thursday, September 16 in downtown Atlanta. The event is a 5K that begins under the Olympic Rings and ends next to Turner Field. The event also involves a free 8 week training program. We will be kicking off the training program here in Decatur at the Bandstand on the Square on July 26 from 6 until 8pm. 

There will be an informational meeting on Thursday, June 24 at 6 pm at the Decatur Holiday Inn for those interested in rounding up their co-workers. If you plan to attend, RSVP here.

 Our goal is to have 250 people on the team.  Sign up now to be a part of Team Decatur!

Tapering Makes You Stronger

Tapering does work and here’s scientific proof, an article from the Journal of Applied Physiology.

Myocellular basis for tapering in competitive distance runners

Nicholas Luden, Erik Hayes, Andrew Galpin, Kiril Minchev, Bozena Jemiolo, Ulrika Raue, Todd A. Trappe, Matthew P. Harber, Ted Bowers, and Scott Trappe

Human Performance Laboratory, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana

Submitted 14 January 2010 ; accepted in final form 14 March 2010

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a 3-wk taper on the physiology of competitive distance runners. We studied seven collegiate distance runners (20 ± 1 yr, 66 ± 1 kg) before and after a 3-wk taper. The primary measures included 8-km cross-country race performance, gastrocnemius single muscle fiber size and function (peak force, shortening velocity, and power), baseline and exercise-induced gene expression 4 h after a standardized 8-km run, citrate synthase activity, and maximal and submaximal cardiovascular physiology (oxygen consumption, ventilation, heart rate, and respiratory exchange ratio). Race performance improved by 3% following taper (P < 0.05). Myosin heavy chain (MHC) IIa fiber diameter (+7%, P < 0.05), peak force (+11%, P = 0.06), and absolute power (+9%, P < 0.05) increased following taper. In addition to the MHC IIa adaptations, taper elicited a distinct postexercise gene response. Specifically, the induction of MuRF-1 was attenuated following taper, whereas MRF4, HSP 72, and MT-2A displayed an exaggerated response (P < 0.05). No changes were observed in MHC I size or function, baseline gene expression, citrate synthase activity, or cardiovascular function. Our findings show that tapered training in competitive runners promoted MHC IIa fiber remodeling and an altered transcriptional response following the same exercise perturbation, with no adverse affects on aerobic fitness. Together, these results provide a myocellular basis for distance runners to taper in preparation for peak performance.

Pickle Juice? Seriously?

From the NY Times and article on how pickle juice can stop muscle cramps.  Maybe I would indulge after a run; during a run may upset my stomach.

June 9, 2010, 12:01 am

Phys Ed: Can Pickle Juice Stop Muscle Cramps?

By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS

Recently, 10 healthy male college students filed into an exercise laboratory at Brigham Young University in Utah to drink pickle juice. Many people involved in sports are convinced that the briny fluid combats muscle cramping. In a 2008 survey, a quarter of the athletic trainers interviewed said that they regularly dispense pickle juice to cramp-stricken athletes. Many also report that, in their experiences, the stuff quickly brakes the cramping. The athletic trainers have told researchers that they believe the pickle juice must be replenishing the salt and fluids the athletes had lost to sweat. But no laboratory science had verified that theory.

The Utah volunteers began with a series of 30-minute bicycling sessions, using a semi-recumbent bicycle, configured so that only the leg pedaled. The laboratory was warm, increasing the amount the exercising men sweated. Each cycled in 30-minute bouts (with five minutes of rest between) until each had lost 3 percent of his body weight through perspiration, a widely accepted definition of mild dehydration.

Read on here.

Why Anton Krupicka Runs Barefoot

Who’s Anton? I don’t know either but this article was interesting in talking about the simplicity of running shoes or lack thereof.

Why Anton Krupicka Runs Barefoot

Embracing the simplicity of running

By Anton Krupicka

As featured in the issue of Running Times Magazine

I initially began pursuing the act of running barefoot and wearing more minimal running shoes over six years ago. After a series of injuries in high school, a well-meaning podiatrist convinced me that I needed heavily constructed motion-control shoes coupled with expensive, custom-made fiberglass orthotics in order to remain injury-free. 

But I continued to get injured.

The thought of throwing out my orthotics and experimenting with lighter shoes first occurred to me simply because of how much more enjoyable running was on the few occasions that I wore lightweight racing flats (at that time, I typically wore flats for speed workouts and races). As a result, over the course of a few months, I gradually transitioned from wearing orthotics and conventional trainers to logging miles in racing flats and often nothing more than my bare feet. Over the past year or two—and with the help of the timely publication of some peer-reviewed research and the best-selling book Born To Run by Christopher McDougall—this practice has now hit the mainstream in a big way.

Read on here.

Cabbagetown SoccerFest USA vs. England

Come support the USA in their first 2010 World Cup game versus England on June 12th. The game will be broadcast live on a big screen in Cabbagetown Park. Come early for Argentina vs. Nigeria at 10:00 am. Festivities will start before the game and include interactive activities for the kids put on by local soccer associations. Food and beer will be available by local vendors.
As a small community based festival, we plan to create awareness with kids and families by having fun, interactive soccer-based activities before and after the game.

Art on the Beltline

From WABE online, an article about the art on the Beltline, the site also has the audio version.  Below is the transcript.

Art on the Beltline

(2010-06-04)

ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - Spencer Murrill is busy painting graffiti with his black and white spray cans on the back loading dock of a Turner Studios warehouse.

Instead of the usual multicolored lettering that you'd see in most graffiti, Spencer is using the black and white paint to make a group of faces.

"The different characters that I chose to put in the piece are supposed to represent sort of, different cultural aspects of the city that we live in."

He's not doing anything illegal here because he is one of dozens of artists selected to create art projects along the Beltline.

"one of the things that I like about art in spaces like this is that it's open, but you also sort of get rewarded for coming out here to see it"

Spencer in young, in his mid 20s and he first became interested in doing graffiti from all of the pieces he saw while riding Marta around the city

"That's one of the things that really interests me about graffiti art is that a lot of the best work is in places that you really have to kind of work to get to"

And that's the whole point of the Art on the Beltline project. They want to encourage people to become explorers

"if people are really going to embrace the Beltline as the new public ground, they gotta get on it, and it's no use waiting until it's all done; they've gotta get on it now."

That's Fred Yalouris. He's Director of Design for the Beltline and is in charge of this arts project. The 2.8 billion dollar project is still in its early phases. The path itself is mostly covered in grass and gravel. The next step will be to install hiking and biking trails along its 22 mile corridor. Again, Fred Yalouris

"if you look at the Beltline project, it is so big, so vast, has so many facets, so many components, that if you're a transit advocate, you think of it as a transit project. If you're a bicyclist, you think of it as a trails project. Some people think of it as a housing project; what it is, is all of those things"

To attract people they had the idea for this art project. Beltline officials issued a call for submissions and ended up receiving 177 which was way more than they had expected. After selecting 42, the artists then had the month of May to pick a spot, then create and install their work. These works include; murals, sculptures, a gardening project. There is also a pair of bird house colonies sitting atop 2 twenty foot poles. They were installed by Alabama native Michi Meko.

"I hope that this piece stands for the metaphor of the wrong side of the tracks."

One colony is made of white plastic gourds, and the other is a collection of real gourds that have been painted all sorts of different colors. These were then placed on opposing sides of the old railroad tracks.

"so you have sort of a pre-fab side, which could be seen as a good neighborhood, and then you have this sort of graffiti, multi-color side, which could be seen as the other side of the tracks"

You can go find Michi's birdhouses, and Spencer's mural this Saturday, when Art on the Beltline opens to the public. Most of the art is temporary, just on display through October, but a few pieces will be selected to stay there longer.

For WABE news, I'm Aleck Ragsdale

© Copyright 2010, WABE

Massage After Exercise

This NY Times blog is quickly becoming my favorite to read.  I found this article in it.

June 2, 2010, 12:01 am

Phys Ed: Does Massage Help After Exercise?

By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS

Michael Tschakovsky, an associate professor in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, enjoys a post-exercise massage as much as anyone. But unlike those of us who happily drowse through the massage therapists assurance that the pummeling and kneading is speeding blood flow to our muscles and draining them of built-up lactic acid, Mr. Tschakovsky took notes. His academic specialty is the study of blood flow to muscles, particularly in diseases like diabetes, and he decided to put the therapists’ words to the test.

Recruiting 12 healthy young men, he and his colleagues had them exercise their forearm muscle to exhaustion. The men accomplished this by squeezing a specialized handgrip at 40 percent of maximum force for two minutes, nonstop. “If that doesn’t sound hard, try it,” Mr. Tschakovsky says. By the end of the two minutes, the men’s arms shook with fatigue. Their hearts beat faster, and lactic acid, measured by a catheter inserted directly into the deep vein that drains the muscle, enveloped the straining forearm muscle.

Lactic acid is widely believed by many of us outside academia to cause muscle fatigue and soreness after exercise. Physiologists are more skeptical. Recent studies have found few negative effects from lactic acid and, in fact, have shown that it provides fuel for tired muscles. But the studies are not definitive, so “it’s still theoretically possible” that lactic acid has some impact on fatigue, Mr. Tschakovsky says, especially in events that involve repeated short bouts of intense exercise. More to the point, “most people think that one of the main benefits of massage is that it removes lactic acid,” he says, whether such dispersal is important or not. “We wanted to see if massage fulfills” that promise.

Read on here.

3rd Annual Avondale Estates Art-B-Que

3rd Annual Avondale Estates Art-B-Que

June 11-13.

Artistic collaboration between over 100 artists and 30 bands. Featuring live performances by local hits: Warm in the Wake, The Booze, Cinetrope, Gringo Star, and Underhill Rose. And of course, tasty barbecue!
http:/www.bartwebbstudios.com
It all happens in the RAD, Rail Arts District, in Avondale.

BPRC/Subaru Trail Run - June 13

From BPRC...

BPRC/Subaru Trail Series Update

We’ve had a HUGE response for our upcoming June 13 trail run.  Over 50 people signed up in the first 12 hours, and we are very close to full capacity of 150.  If you registered, and realize that you have a conflict, please send a quick email to info@bigpeachrunningco.com, so we may open up a few more slots.  We’re excited to know so many of you want to try trail running!

Free and open to runners and halkers/wikers of all abilities, the running fun takes place at beautiful Vickery Creek. (Directions follow.) We have a 5K and 10K option available, and suspect some of the BPRC staffers could be persuaded to go longer if you twisted an arm.  (Just don't twist any ankles please!)  Because we have such a large crowd expected, we would like to invite you to meet at BPRC at 1062 Johnson Ferry Rd., Marietta, GA 30068 to carpool.

The Details:
What: BPRC/Subaru Trail Run
Where: Vickery Creek (directions follow)
When: Sunday, June 13, 7:30am Festivities Begin, 8:00am run
Register Now!

Local Races This Weekend

Run well, Run cool.

Saturday, June 12

·       9th Annual Army Hooah 5K & 10K, College Park / East Point

·       27th Annual Magnolia Run Four Mile and Mile, Atlanta - Perimeter Mall

·       Ray of Life Race 5K, Atlanta, Piedmont Park

Sunday, June 13

·       No Time for Pain 5K & Mile, Sandy Springs

Looking For Speed?

From Running Times…

Speed Development

How and why to improve your real speed

By Jay Johnson

As featured in the May 2010 issue of Running Times Magazine

There's speed work, and then there's speed work. When most runners talk about doing speed work, they mean things like mile repeats at 10K race pace, or a set of fast 200s, or maybe even a 5-mile tempo run. Such workouts, of course, are integral to becoming a faster runner. But they're not really speed work, if by "speed" we mean the fastest you can run for a very short distance. When I talk about speed, I mean your maximal velocity -- your top speed -- which even world-class sprinters can sustain for no more than 30-40m.

But here's the thing: This type of speed is also integral to being the best distance runner you can be. Improve your basic speed, and you'll run faster in all your races, even the marathon. That's why all the runners I coach, such as 2010 national indoor 3K champion Renee Metivier Baillie and 1:02 half marathoner Brent Vaughn, do regular speed-development workouts. To understand why, let's start by looking more closely at what speed is and isn't.

Read on here.

Ugh, Plantar Fasciitis

From Running Times…

Foot Loose and Injury Free

A game plan for fighting Plantar Fasciitis

By Mackenzie Lobby

As featured in the Web Only issue of Running Times Magazine

Running is 90% mental, right? Not always. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how badly you want to run, your body just won’t let you do it. Elite master’s runner Stephanie Herbst-Lucke is a classic example.  After collecting five national championships at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she left the world of competitive running to work and have a family. Then, after running several standout races in her early 30s, she decided to make a comeback. She returned to Madison to train with a group of Nike-sponsored elites, and all factors indicated her joining the ranks of the top runners in the country.

“There were great runners out there to train with, great workouts and a great coach. There was nothing that should have inhibited me,” Herbst-Lucke remembers. “But, I had chronic foot problems.” Fighting multiple bouts of plantar fasciitis for five years, she was unable to race even once during that time. At 35, she hung up her running shoes once again.

She certainly wasn’t the first runner to surrender to plantar fasciitis. A nagging injury that causes intense pain, the rehabilitation and prevention procedures are complicated. It wasn’t until she reached 40 that Herbst-Lucke finally figured out what she needed to do to manage her plantar fascia issues and compete again. As she discovered, the key to overcoming plantar fasciitis appears to lie in the ability to persevere through the trial and error process. Discovering the most effective combination of healing and prevention methods requires commitment.

Read on here.

Reynoldstown Wheelbarrow Festival, June 12

Summer Stroll on the Mile, Sunday June 13

Midtown Alliance is proud to support Summer Stroll on the Midtown Mile, Sunday, June 13, noon - 4 p.m.  This family-friendly event will have attractions and small events occurring from the High to the Fox, including live music, tasty treat giveaways, games, storytelling, artists, face painting, sidewalk sales and more.  While you're strolling, be sure to stop by the Arts District Plaza (15th at Peachtree) to see artists from Fine Arts Workshops at Serenbe and Paper Dog demonstrating their creative work, and hear live music from Sam Thacker.  Also, shop for local produce and gourmet treats at our market in the 999 Building plaza (10th at Peachtree).  See the poster below for all details. 

See you on Sunday, June 13 in Midtown!

Stress Fractures

An article from the NY Times…

December 1, 2009, 11:59 pm

Phys Ed: How to Prevent Stress Fractures

By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS

Stress fractures are one of the more pernicious injuries in sports, afflicting the experienced and the aspiring, with no regard for competitive timing. Last year, Tiger Woods managed to win the U.S. Open despite suffering from stress fractures in his left leg (as well as other leg and knee injuries), while the great British marathoner Paula Radcliffe struggled through the Beijing Olympics Marathon on a leg barely recovered from a stress fracture, one of several she’s suffered. The International Association of Athletics Federations, the world governing body for track and field, recently described stress fractures, with a kind of grim resignation, as “the curse of athletes.”

But studies published in this month’s issue of the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise offer hope that, at least for runners, simple alterations in their stride or in the strength of their legs might reduce their risk for the most common type of stress fracture.

Read on here.

It's Summer and Flip Flop Season, But

I found this article from KABC TV in LA.

Flip-flops can create foot and leg problems

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Before you slip on a pair of flip-flops this summer, doctors have a warning: flip-flops can be hard on your lower legs and feet.

In a new study, researchers from Auburn University compared the effects of flip-flops to athletics shoes.

Researchers found when you wear flip-flops, your toes fight to grip the shoe, making the muscles on the front of your shins work harder. Flip-flops were also found to shorten a person's stride. All of this can cause sore feet, ankles and legs when worn during a long period of time.

Researchers say flip-flips should only be worn during a short term basis and should be replaced every three to four months. Researchers also advise wearing models that hold your feet in place, like ones with heel cups and arches.

The study was presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Aspiring Runners of the Not-Quite-Elite

Still Chasing It

Aspiring American distance runners live lean to keep the dream alive

As featured in the June 2010 issue of Running Times Magazine

Making it to the elite level as a runner is no easy task. You have to have exceptional talent, but you also have to work hard and be smart about your training. You have to eat right, get plenty of rest and do all of the extra stuff, like building dynamic strength and getting treatment for nascent niggles. And, of course, you have to race like your life depends on it.

The following three stories offer a glimpse of the lifestyle and mindset of on-the-cusp American distance runners who are striving to reach the top level. How long they continue to put off other career ambitions and sacrifice what their non-running peers might consider basic necessities of American life depends on how long they continue to improve and how close they get to realizing their goals. Are the major sacrifices worth what might be just minor successes if they never realize their dream of making it to the Olympics or world championships? They definitely think so.

Read more here from Running Times online.  And below…

Holding out: Stephen Haas extends his running career with leap to the marathon

Happily Ever After: Living frugally, Thomas Morgan and Alli Grace keep moving ahead--together

On the Verge: Patience, progression put Brett Gotcher on the fast track after 2:10 debut marathon

Out & OutLoud: Stories of Atlanta's LGBTQ Community

Out & OutLoud:  Stories of Atlanta's LGBTQ Community

Wednesday, June 23 from 7:00 to 9:00

Radial Café

1530 DeKalb Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

“The lights went up, the music went off and you could hear a pin drop.”

Michael Levine, who witnessed the Stonewall Riots on June 27th, 1969, speaks with his friend Matthew Merlin.

Please join us as we celebrate stories of love and community from Atlanta's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community.
Hosted by John Lemley of WABE's City Cafe.

http://storycorps.org/

For more info: 678-686-0388 aplumb@storycorps.org

Local Races This Weekend

Running or cheering, here are some local and not-so-local races this weekend.

Saturday, June 5

·       Virginia Highland Summerfest 5K & Tot Trot, Virginia Highland

·       XTERRA Georgia - Deep South, Dauset Trails 15K, Jackson

Sunday, June 6

·       Harris Jacobs Dream Run 4K/2K, Dunwoody

·       UNIFEM 5K Walk to End Violence Against Women and Girls, Piedmont Park

Half the distance and Twice the fun

I’ve always thought so…

Half the distance, twice the fun: Half-marathons taking off

Universal Sports Performance & Training Advice Presented by Zig Tech from Reebok

By David Monti, Special to Universal Sports | Posted: May 20, 6:38a ET | Updated: May 20, 8:38a ET

It's been a long process to convince runners that racing 13.1 miles isn't actually half of anything. Perhaps it's that awkward name, half-marathon, which has somehow made the event seem less important.

But given the recent boom in half-marathon running, it's clear that more and more runners are targeting the distance, either as a stand-alone challenge or a stepping stone to a full marathon. According to a survey by running industry publication Race Results Weekly, participation in half-marathons in the United States grew by 15% last year, more than a third faster than the growth in all road running distances combined. Out of 200 well-established events surveyed, four of the top-10 in percentage growth were half-marathons, including the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Half-Marathon, which grew a whopping 132%, the most of any event in the survey.

"The half-marathon is a great distance to race in a build-up for a marathon," says New Zealand Olympian Kim Smith who finished her first marathon at last Sunday's Virgin London Marathon in a new national record of 2:25:21. "You can gauge where you are in your training and you can recover quickly afterward so it won't disrupt training."

Read more here from  Universal Sports.

Va-Hi 2010 Summerfest, June 4-6

This weekend is the Va-Hi Summerfest, come out and enjoy with artists and events.

Happy National Running Day!

Wednesday June 2nd is National Running Day!

Chi Running

I read about Chi Running a long time ago but never subscribed to it.  This article was interesting enough to read and post.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid42806360001?bctid=86137536001

On track to run free and without pain thanks to 'ChiRunning'

By Janice Lloyd, USA TODAY

When Danny Dreyer talks about his sport, he rhapsodizes about being "injury-free" and how it is "body-friendly" and "effortless."

He is talking about running, the activity that causes many of the nation's 24 million enthusiasts to reach for ice packs or question their sanity.

Dreyer, who lives in Asheville, N.C., is a distance junkie, no less. He has finished in the top three in his division in 39 ultra-marathons, races covering 50 to 100 miles.

His philosophy is outlined in the revised 10-step, how-to manual ChiRunning, A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-free Running. The guide, written with his wife, Katherine Dreyer, is the latest entry in a line of books and studies encouraging weekend warriors and elite runners to consider a "revolution" in the biomechanics of running and running shoes.

He developed ChiRunning after taking a course from a friend in tai chi, an ancient Chinese style of exercise based on moving from your center, aligning your posture and creating conditions for energy to flow.

"It completely rocked my boat," he says.

Read on here.