Athlo Blog

Although the 100 meter Olympic champion is often labeled as “the fastest man in the world”, it is the 200 meter sprinter who actually has the fastest average speed.  The record breaking performance by Usain Bolt of Jamaica last week was amazingly impressive, but not as impressive as Michael Johnson’s 200 meter performance at the 1996 Atlanta games. 

Usain Bolt ran 100 meters in 9.69 seconds, giving him an average speed of 10.31 meters per second but Michael Johnson’s 200 meters in 19.32 seconds was an average speed of 10.35 meters per second.  Not a huge difference, but enough to question why the 100 meter champion gets an undeserving title.

As of now, the 100 meter female sprinter is the fastest woman in the world.  However, since Florence Griffith-Joyner set both the 100 and 200 meter world records in 1988, there isn’t much of an argument.  Her average speed for the 100 meters was 9.53 meters per second but her average speed for 200 meters was 9.37 meters per second.  A female sprinter would need to run a 20.96 second 200 meter, beating Flo-Jo’s record of 21.34 seconds, in order to have a faster average speed.  Usain Bolt would have to run an unbelievable 9.66 second 100 meter if he truly wants to be the fastest man in the world.  If he doesn’t start celebrating with 20 meters left like he did at the Olympics he can probably do it.

Since there are a lot of avid cyclists in the Athlo community, I thought this would be a great topic to write about. I recently came across a good article by Elizabeth Quinn that this post provides a summary of. The main cause of erectile dysfunction from bicycling is the amount of time and pressure placed on the tissues of the perineum which can eventually damage the blood vessels and nerves that allow men to have an erection. The perineum is the area of the groin between the male reproductive organ and the anus. Continually damaging this area with constant pressure can permanently affect erectile function in men. 

Factors that are associated with an increase of risk for erectile dysfunction in cyclists include the weight of the cyclist, saddle design, length of rides or a cyclist’s intensity, and skill of the cyclist. Obviously heavier riders will have an increased pressure on the perineum and certain saddle designs increase these risk factors.

Many cyclists have felt some type of symptom in that area consisting of numbness, tingling, pain, etc. There is some good news though. Most of these symptoms will be felt long before any serious problems do develop and well before erectile dysfunction would be diagnosed. 

So, what can you do to prevent erectile dysfunction and continue riding pain free? One of the most important things to do when you ride is to keep the weight of your body on the pedals through your feet instead of on the saddle to reduce the pressure on the perineum. Cyclists need to take breaks on long rides if pain or discomfort is felt in the area. Changes positions frequently during rides will decrease some of this pressure as well. Adjust the saddle height so the knees are slightly bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke and avoid saddles with lots of padding because this will only cause you to sinker lower on the seat, putting more pressure on the perineum. You can also raise the handle bars causing the rider to sit a bit more upright. I also highly recommend wearing cycling shorts that have the proper padding in them. 

The last thing to consider is the type of saddle. Most studies show that wider saddles are better than narrow ones because it actually allows more blood flow throughout the groin area and more weight will be distributed to the ischial tuberosity (bottom of the butt). Newer saddles, like the Selle SMP, offer a larger cutout and downward facing nose. It is more advanced than the traditional saddles and allows more blood flow through the perineum. So, for those of you experiencing any types of symptoms, address the issue with some of these solutions and hopefully you will enjoy a new pain free ride.

I grew up playing multiple competitive team sports like hockey, soccer, baseball, and golf.  When I got out of college and didn’t have a year round busy sports schedule I started getting frustrated with beer league rec sports.  I wasn’t motivated to make time for the gym to stay in shape because I didn’t have something competitive to train for.

After two years of a mediocre fitness lifestyle I signed up for a marathon.  With a 4 mile longest run under my belt needless to say I was little nervous about 26.2 but I was desperate for athletic motivation.  The first few weeks of training was brutal, more mentally than physically, but eventually I gained a tremendous appreciation for running and more importantly for learning a new sport.  Since the marathon in ‘05 I’ve moved on to a variety of new races like 1/2 ironmans, 197 mi run relays, and adventure races.

Now my weeks are filled with runs, rides, rec league games still, and an occasional swim, circuit weight training, or round of golf.  I’m a cross trainer which has benefited me in staying motivated about fitness in a number of ways.  First and foremost cross training and being open to new sports has made me a constant learner. In a number of instances I’ve used aspects from one sport, like how to best warm up and stretch for a long run, and applied them to others.  Cross training has also kept my entire body in good enough shape to be able to do a sporadic activity like skiing or hiking and not experience extended soreness.  Other benefits of cross training include reducing the risk of injuries, improving overall athletic skills and balance, and being flexible enough to always get some kind of a workout in.

Athlo.com will start supporting more and more activity types so be sure to plan out your workouts on the training calendar, get workout ideas by viewing your friends calendars, and fill your weeks with activities that keep you motivated and exercising your entire body.

Most people have never heard of Dave Wiens, but they probably know who Lance Armstrong and Floyd Landis are. Well, Dave Wiens is the guy who can beat them both on a mountain bike. Wiens beat Lance this past Saturday to capture his sixth straight win at the grueling Leadville 100 mile mountain bike race.  

Leadville is located in Colorado and the entire course is more than 9,000 ft above sea level. The race also happens to contain 14,000 ft of climbing. Dave Wiens beat the ex-Tour de France champion Floyd Landis last year and in doing so broke a course record that had stood for 10 years. This year, both Lance and Wiens each smashed that record by over 10 minutes, with Weins coming in two minutes ahead of Lance. The third place finisher was more than 30 minutes behind them. Lance’s performance is impressive given his training going into the race. However, it is somewhat comforting to know that he is human and capable of being beaten. He even has to get off his bike and push it sometimes, just like the rest of us.

Congratulations to Dave Wiens on his amazing streak. Will Alberto Contador or Carlos Sastre be the next guys to try and challenge him?

While living in the San Francisco Bay Area, I’ve met many people who commute by doing something other than driving alone.  A former employer actually paid us $4 each day we didn’t drive. If we were a carpool driver we received $2 per passenger each way.  It was a really nice benefit and definitely an incentive to be green.

Even if your company doesn’t provide a financial incentive to not drive, the money you save on gas is probably enough of a reason to take a bus, train or get there under your own power.  However, health is a reason that often goes overlooked.  Endurance commuter is a term my buddy Dave Penake introduced me to one morning on our 13-mile run from San Francisco to work.  We did this run once a week and although we occasionally saw some bikers on this route, we never saw anyone else running it with the exception of a group of Google employees making the 40-mile one-way trip to Mountain View about once a month.  Since my endurance commuting debut, I’ve become much more interested in how people get to work and an advocate for alternate commuting.

When talking to people about how they get to work and if they would be interested in running, biking or walking, I usually hear one of five excuses: it’s too far, the weather is bad, there is no shower at work, the roads are dangerous, my bike is old.  The “too far” excuse could very well be a valid one but depends on just how far away you live.  I didn’t just start out running to work the first day I showed up.  I had a good base of training but had to build up to that distance on a consistent basis.  Snow, ice and heavy rain are definitely reasons to use your car to get to work.   On light rain days I just throw on my rain jacket and just go.  The lack of a shower could be bad if you sweat easily, but check with your company’s facilities management group and see what you can do to persuade them into installing one.  Dangerous roads are an extremely serious matter so try to seek out anyone who may know the routes to work or check out the new Walk There feature on Google Maps.  Lastly, there are plenty of bike shops that can either tune up your bike or sell you a new one.  Don’t let that stop you from saving gas money, getting a good workout and helping save the environment.

What’s the most you’ve done with regards to endurance commuting?  Are you still doing it?  If not, why’d you stop?  If so, what motivates you?  If never, what’s your excuse?

How many of you have seen athletes hunched over holding a stretch or bouncing a stretch repeatedly to warm-up?  The main focus of this article is to give you, the athlete, a general understanding of stretching.  But also talk about a newly advanced technique which may be taking a front seat to our common stretches.  There are three main forms of stretching that the majority of the athletic world uses today which include static, ballistic, and PNF stretching.  What is PNF you say?  PNF is also known as Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation. 

            Ballistic Stretching focuses around using a rapid, bouncing motion with a high force to increase muscle elasticity.  However effective it can be for some people, ballistic stretching is not recommended for daily use and can actually increase the risk of muscle injury and soreness.  Using the bouncing motion, it actually activates the spindle reflex, which is counterproductive for muscle elasticity, causing the muscle soreness (Frontera 1999).  So the next time you see someone bouncing a standing hamstring stretch, throw them a hint with a better technique for muscle stretching!

            The most common form we see today is the static stretching.  This is your basic stretch by holding it for a short period of time (ex. Bending over touching your toes).  It is an effective technique for improving flexibility and minimizes activation of the spindle reflex.  This type of stretching activates the Golgi tendon reflex by holding it long enough usually decreasing muscle soreness and decreasing risk of injury (Frontera 1999).  Static stretching needs to be held for at least six to ten seconds. 

            The last form of stretching is the PNF technique.  The two most popular and beneficial styles are the CR (contract/relax) and the CRAC (contract/relax agonist/contract).  Stretching the hamstrings using the CR method, one person lies supine (on their back) while their partner passively (no help) lifts their leg to a point where a stretch is felt.  Hold the stretch for about 10 seconds, then contract the hamstring against their partner resisting movement of the leg for a couple seconds.  Once the person relaxes his hamstring, the partner pushes the leg up further, increasing the ROM (range of motion) and holding once again.  This process is repeated three times for each leg.  The CRAC method is basically the same, however, the person being stretched lifts their own leg while the partner assists.  The partner then holds the leg for 10 seconds at the end stretch point. The person then contracts the quad once again trying to increase ROM and then the partner assists and holds the stretch once again.  Repeat three times on each leg.  The main difference between CR and CRAC is that the CR method is a passive stretch and the CRAC method is an active-assistive stretch.

            PNF stretching has become a popular new way of stretching, however usually requiring a partner and taking some practice to perform correctly.  It incorporates some neurological and physiological principles like the autogenic and reflex inhibitions that alter spindle reflexes, which in turn helps increase flexibility and decrease muscle soreness (Frontera 1999).  Give these new methods a try and see how it affects your flexibility.

Frontera, Walter R.  “Exercise in Rehabilitation Medicine.”  Human Kinetics;

Champaign. 1999.

I had never heard of the Navicular Bone until I took a slap shot to the foot during a hockey game and could barely walk for the next few days.  A PT friend of mine took a look and thought it might be a Navicular Bone stress fracture and that I should get an x-ray.

Before visiting the doc I did some reading on the web regarding this bone I had never paid much attention to.  I learned that the Navicular is the pronounced bone you can find by sliding your fingers from your inner ankle towards your big toe.  Several medical articles mention Navicular fractures being a common running injury, mainly related to excessive pronation, that often go undiagnosed because the  x-rays don’t always pick up the stress fracture.   The scary part is that most fractures come with ligament damage and severe cases must be surgecially repaired.

After two weeks of not being able to run (although I was still biking and swimming to stay in shape for an olympic tri) I gave in and made a rush x-ray appointment that sure enough turned up negative.  This would normally have been great news but the radiologist confirmed my research and told me to take it easy because the fractures are hard to detect on the Navicular.  Fortunately, after toning down my training for 2.5 weeks I started gradually feeling better and was back to running.  I consider myself lucky and would recommend that anyone having foot discomfort imparing walking or running seek immediate medical attention for a faster overall recovery; and of course to avoid taking slappers off the inside of your skate boot.

It’s no secret that runners need to consume more calories than non-runners. Physical exertion uses energy and that energy comes from calories in food. But, did you also know that runners need more protein than non-runners as well?

The USDA’s Daily Recommended Allowance of protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. 1 kilogram is 2.2 pounds and I weigh about 180 pounds so I should be consuming 65 grams of protein a day (180/2.2 * 0.8 = 65). However, a study by the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) states that runners need 1.4 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day. I consider myself a runner (check my Athlo calendar if you want to confirm!), which means I need 115 to 163 grams of protein a day. That seems like a lot of protein, probably more than I am currently getting.

The reason runners need more protein is because with every footstrike, a runner is carrying approximately 2 to 7 times their own body weight on that leg. Over the course of a long run muscles and tissues can break down. Protein is what keeps your body healthy under all that strain. Protein intake accelerates muscle growth and speeds recovery by helping rebuild muscle fibers. Because protein helps muscles heal faster, runners who consume the right amount are less likely to get injured.

My recommendation is to calculate your protein requirement based on the ISSN’s guidance of 1.4 to 2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day (you can average the two if you want to be more specific) and then start gauging how much protein you intake each day. Here is a list of the foods most people eat normally but with the amount of protein in each:  

Beef

• Hamburger patty, 4 oz – 28 grams protein
• Steak, 6 oz – 42 grams

Chicken

Make sure you space out your protein consumption throughout the day. Your body isn’t capable of handling your entire daily recommended amount in one meal. Also try to minimize the amount of fat you eat when you are having a high protein meal. Fat can interfere with the rate at which your body absobs protein.

We’ve done some serious house cleaning on the personalized home pages.  The biggest and most obvious change is the addition of the “What’s New” column that documents what the people in your network are up to.  Each day, your active friends will show up in this column with snippets about what they’re up to and links to more detailed information.  For now it only shows when people log workouts and add friends, but over the next week we’ll add several more types of logs to keep you informed with who’s doing what.

A more subtle enhancement is the friends page.  We’ve added tabs to let you quickly view all of your friends, who’s active, who’s local, and who hasn’t accepted your friend request yet.  Moreover, we’ve added some nice controls to make it easy for you to expand the friend boxes and get more information.

We hope you like the changes.  As always, send us any feedback you may have.  For you MSIE 6 users, we know there are some quirks when viewing the page with that browser.  They are at the top of our list now and we hope to roll out patches in the next few days.

For most people, running 100 miles sounds like as much fun as a bare knuckle fight with Mike Tyson. But for those looking to put their bodies and mind to the ultimate test, an ultramarathon is probably on their list of things to do before they die. It’s definitely on mine. An ultramarathon is by definition any distance greater than the normal 26.2 mile marathon.  A large number of ultramarathons today seem to be at or close to 100 miles. A race this long and challenging requires some serious training and lessons learned from those who have gone the distance before.

I recently came across a blog called The Run Down maintained by Charlie Nickell and Greg Hardesty that is about, you guessed it, ultramarathons. One post in particular, entitled So, You Want To Run 100 Miles, was a collection of tips and advice from people who have completed multiple races at that distance to those of us considering it. As I expected, not one of them said it was easier than they thought it would be. The general consensus was that at some point you will feel terrible and consider quitting. But it is those who are able to overcome and push through the pain, even if you just keep walking, that will discover a sense of satisfaction that I can only imagine.

Check out The Run Down and hopefully they will continue to post more great articles on their site. Active.com has a large list of ultramarathons you can register for but there are some, like the Western States 100 and Badwater Ultra 135, which require you to qualify in other races before you are allowed to enter.  If anyone has done an ultra and can think of big mistakes to avoid on a first attempt, drop a comment and share it with us.