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Newsletter Archives: June 1999 It's possible to completely turn around a non-productive attitude during a run. Why are so many people running the marathon? Overwhelming is the best way to describe the floodtide of entrants into marathons. Each year, beginning exercisers by the thousands are targeting a marathon instead of the safer choice of a 5K or 10K. Established marathons are filling their quotas earlier, and the overflow of procrastinators has been absorbed by a mushrooming growth of interesting regional and national 42K events. What started as a once-in-a-lifetime achievement is now being renewed by former couch potatoes every 6-12 months. At the same time that a majority of the North American population has been labeled "significantly overweight," marathon training has been noted by many experts as the fastest growing activity in the field of exercise. Surely some of the 2+ million who train for a marathon each year start with the goal of losing some of the blanket that has been accumulating around their midsections for a decade or so. The overwhelming number of those who continue do so because of the automatic positive attitude boost, significant stress release, and creative enhancement due to right brain activity. As the average age of the marathoner has increased to 40+, the marathon has assumed the role of mid-life mission. While most of these folks at this stage of life are accustomed to relying upon key people and leveraging with contacts, income and other negotiable items, the marathon stands out as one of the most esteemed of life's achievements which has to be done by developing the physical, mental and spiritual resources over an extended period of work. While it is difficult, it is deeply satisfying to see these capacities increase. Maybe the satisfaction comes from getting back to our roots. Our ancient ancestors walked and ran for thousands of miles each year to survive. In the process, they developed and passed on to us a treasury of attitude boosts and stress-relieving benefits, which reward us on every run. When we do the thing we were designed to do, it unleashes some primitive connections to our identity as human beings. When we run slowly, regularly, and in a small group, it's fun. But these recent couch potatoes realize that they need a mission. By writing the marathon date on a calendar, one becomes more motivated to get out the door on the early mornings or on days when the weather is adverse. Very soon, we'll be into marathon season. I want to wish the best of motivation to all of those who are pushing back their endurance barriers on each long run. Bravo! You will do it!  The Athlete's Kitchen "In the summer, I sweat profusely and my skin gets crusty with salt. Should I eat extra salt to replace those losses?" "I commonly eat processed foods that are loaded with salt. Are they really bad for me???" "I never use salt. I don't want to get high blood pressure." Many athletes have a confused relationship with salt. They love the taste of salty foods, but hate salt for its reputation of causing high blood pressure. They crave salt after sweaty exercise, but question if they should eat salty foods to replace it. If you are among the many active people who has concerns about salt, or more correctly sodium (the part of salt associated with health problems), this article can help you decide whether to shake it or leave it. Does restricting salt reduce blood pressure? The best way to prevent hypertension is to choose the right parents; high blood pressure has strong genetic links. Alternative ways to controlling (if not preventing) hypertension are to be fit, active--and responsible for choosing a wholesome diet abundant in fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy foods. A recent study, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (D.A.S.H.), suggests a multi-faceted dietary approach can effectively control blood pressure. In addition to moderating salty foods, the D.A.S.H. research suggests you should also: 1) eat extra fruits, vegetables, and lowfat dairy foods for calcium,
potassium, magnesium, and fiber Sodium requirements vary and depend upon how much sodium you lose in sweat. For non-athletes, the National Academy of Sciences recommends at least 500 milligrams of sodium per day for baseline health requirements. In the D.A.S.H. study, the subjects averaged 3,000 mg per day, which is slightly less than the 4,000 to 6,000 mg sodium most Americans consume daily. Three thousand milligrams is the amount in 6 small salt packets (such as you might get at a fast food restaurant) or one medium pizza. How much salt do I lose in sweat? The amount of sodium in sweat also varies according to how much you exercise in the heat. For example, the sweat of an unfit, unacclimatized person may contain 1,600 mg sodium per lb sweat; a fit but unacclimatized subject, 1,200 mg; a fit and acclimatized person, only 800 mg. As a frame of reference, the average male's body contains about 75,000 mg sodium, the amount in 11 tablespoons salt. If I crave salt, should I eat it? Sodium content of some common sports foods: Food
Nancy Clark, MS, RD is nutrition counselor at Boston-area's SportsMedicine Brookline and author of Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 2nd Edition. To order this best-selling book, send $20 to Sports Nutrition Materials, 830 Boylston, St #205, Brookline MA 02467 or visit http://www.nancyclarkrd.com.
In Volume One, 1999, we mentioned a Runner's World report on a group of military school cadets who used a roll-on antiperspirant on their feet to prevent blisters. This story has resurfaced in the American Running and Fitness Association's June 1999 "Running & FitNews." The group who used the antiperspirant did get many fewer blisters but they also had a lot more skin irritation. The authors suggest experimenting on a long training run before you use it in a race. (Journal of American Academy of Dermatology, 1998, Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 202-206). ARFA also offers some suggestions on how to avoid blisters (from Catherine Fieseler, M.D., an ultra runner from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, in a report to the American Medical Athletic Association Sports Medicine Symposium at the Marine Corps Marathon in October):
Reprinted by permission from American Running and Fitness Association's Running & FitNews, June 1999, page 3, arfarrun@aol.com Here is the Mayo Clinic's suggestions for blister care and treatment (from Total Wellness, June, 1999, Volume VII, Number 6, page 5): If it is small and "intact," just cover it with a bandage until the new skin has grown over it. If it is painful but still "intact," use clean hands and use alcohol to sterilize both the blister and the pin. Make several little holes around the edges and let it drain. Leave the skin on there. Cover it with an antibiotic ointment and a bandage. In a few days, you should be able to use tweezers to lift the dead skin and cut it away with clean scissors. Clean it and cover it again with antibiotic ointment and a bandage. Be sure to watch for any infection.
Injury of the Month: Heel Spur Symptoms: Pain on forward inside or middle of heel, which unfortunately may last a long time. When massaging, you can locate the pain area and often a small lump. Bursitis is another common heel problem (often from repeated impact) that is treated the same as a heel spur. Treatment:
From Galloway's Book on Running, by Jeff Galloway (Shelter Publications, 1984), p. 220.
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