Bay to Breakers 2009

Bay to Breakers, the world's wackiest foot race, is Sunday, May 17, and you can count on Caltrain to get you there – in record time!

Three northbound special express trains will be available to take you to the race. Please refer to the schedule below for exact time and station.

One-way tickets, Day passes or 8-ride tickets can be purchased at the ticket vending machines at the stations before boarding. Tickets must be purchased before boarding, and Caltrain fares vary by zone. On weekends, your Monthly Pass is valid for unlimited rides between all zones served by Caltrain. If you are using 8-ride Ticket or complimentary passes on that day, you must validate before boarding.

Sunday trains depart the San Francisco station 15 minutes after the hour from 8:15 a.m. until 9:15 p.m. Fare and schedule information is available here or by calling 1.800.660.4287 (TTY only: 650.508.6448).

Here is the train schedule:

Your Ultimate Half-Marathon Trainning Plan

Presenting a can't-fail nine-week program for beginners, experts, and everyone in between.
By Doug Rennie
From Runner's World (title linked above)

Presenting a can't-fail nine-week program for beginners, experts, and everyone in between. For some time now, the half has been the hottest race distance out there, with dozens of new events springing up all across the land. Here's why: For newer racers who've maybe finished a couple of 5- or 10-Ks, the half offers a worthy-yet-doable challenge without the training and racing grind of the marathon.

For more experienced athletes, training for a half bolsters stamina for shorter, faster races, plus it boosts endurance for a full 26.2-mile challenge down the road. In fact, the half is the ideal dress rehearsal for its twice-as-long kin. And unlike a marathon, which can leave your tank drained for a month or more, you can bounce back from a hard half in as little as a week.

So find a flat, friendly half a few months out. To get you there primed and ready, turn the page to learn about the three can't-fail schedules we have on offer.

Four Training Universals

Rest means no running. Give your muscles and synapses some serious R&R so all systems are primed for the next workout. Better two quality days and two of total rest than four days of mediocrity resulting from lingering fatigue. Rest days give you a mental break as well, so you come back refreshed.

Easy runs mean totally comfortable and controlled. If you're running with someone else, you should be able to converse easily. You'll likely feel as if you could go faster. Don't. Here's some incentive to take it easy: You'll still burn 100 calories every mile you run, no matter how slow you go.

Long runs are any steady run at or longer than race distance designed to enhance endurance, which enables you to run longer and longer and feel strong doing it. A great long-run tip: Find a weekly training partner for this one. You'll have time to talk about anything that comes up.

Speedwork means bursts of running shorter than race distance, some at your race goal pace, some faster. This increases cardiac strength, biomechanical efficiency, better running economy, and the psychological toughness that racing demands. Still, you want to keep it fun.

See training chart here.

Eat the Right Fats

A 2007 study found that a diet rich in monounsaturated fats can help prevent weight gain.
By Leslie Goldman
From the Runner's World April 2009 issue (title linked above)

Dieter's Strategy: Eat low-fat foods.

Runner's Strategy: Eat the right fats.

Though the fat-free craze peaked in the '90s, many dieters still avoid oils, butter, nuts, and other fatty foods. Their logic: If you don't want your body to store fat, then don't eat fat. Many dieters also know that one gram of fat packs nine calories, while protein and carbohydrate both contain just four calories per gram. Dieters can stretch the same number of calories a lot farther if they eat mostly carbs and protein in place of fat.

But the notion that having fat in your diet isn't a bad thing is catching on again. "I think it's a pretty antiquated thought now that we need to eliminate fat to lose weight," says Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., author of The 150 Most Effective Ways to Boost Energy Naturally. In fact, studies have shown that eating moderate amounts of fat can actually help you lose weight. The key is to make sure you're eating the right kinds. Saturated and trans fats are unhealthy because they raise your levels of LDL (so-called "bad cholesterol"). Trans fats may also lower your HDL (or "good cholesterol") levels and increase your risk for heart disease—not to mention weight gain. But unsaturated fats (which include mono- and polyunsaturated) have important benefits. Here's why runners should include these fats in their diet.

1. Keep You Satisfied: Unsaturated fats promote satiety, reduce hunger, and minimally impact blood sugar. That's important because if your blood sugar dips too low, you may experience cravings, brain fog, overeating, and low energy, making it "fiendishly difficult to lose weight," says Bowden.

2. Protect Heart Health: Unlike trans-fats, monounsaturated fats found in vegetable oils (such as olive and canola) and avocados have the added power to help lower LDL and reduce your risk of heart disease.

3. Reduce Injury: Unsaturated fats can help stave off injuries, such as stress fractures. A 2008 study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that female runners on low-fat diets are at increased risk of injury—and a sidelined runner can't burn as many calories.

4. Decrease Joint Pain: Bowden adds that omega-3 fatty acids—which are a type of polyunsaturated fat found in fish (particularly in salmon), walnuts, and ground flaxseed—possess anti-inflammatory properties that can help soothe knee, back, and joint aches and pains that plague many runners. Translation: You'll hurt less and run more.

Spring Fling

Toss out old eating habits for new ones to refresh your meals—and your running.
By Liz Applegate Ph.D.
From the April 2009 issue of Runner's World (title linked above)

Change Your Breakfast
Eating the same meal every morning can limit the range of nutrients you get. Try something new, like a whole-grain cereal with complex carbs and protein, such as Kashi GoLean. Scramble eggs and serve on sprouted-wheat bread, which is slightly higher in protein than regular whole wheat.

Drink Something New
Studies show that by changing the flavor of a beverage, you'll be inclined to drink more. If you usually drink green tea, try white—it's higher in catechins that may reduce heart-disease risk. Switch from orange juice to pomegranate-cranberry for antioxidants that reduce inflammation.

Think Fresh
Spring brings lots of seasonal produce, like lettuces (which are high in magnesium, a mineral that helps release stored energy), asparagus (a good source of folate), and artichokes. Fresh veggies give your body much-needed vitamins and phytochemicals that stave off damage from hard runs.

Try a New Tool
Gadgets can help any busy cook save time and add flavor. A tool like the Garlic Zoom, for example, makes it easy to quickly chop fresh garlic—and get more of that vegetable's healthy, cholesterol-lowering compounds. Surlatable.com is one of my favorite sites for kitchen aids.

Stroll the Aisles
Grocery stores get new products daily, so budget 15 extra minutes for your next trip to find healthy options. Check out whole-grain pastas made with added fiber or flaxseed. Look for tasty frozen fruit blends in the freezer aisle. Stock up on convenient 100-calorie packs of healthy snacks, such as nuts and pretzels.

Tend a Garden
Studies show you'll eat more vegetables on a daily basis if you grow your own. Pot a single tomato or herb plant in a container to keep on your patio; turn a small section of your backyard into a vegetable garden; or, if you want to plan a more substantial garden, consider enlisting the help of a neighbor so you can share the tasks of weeding and watering.

Custom Order

What, when, and how much should you eat postrun? That depends on the workout.
By Sarah Bowen Shea

This article is from Runner's World (title is linked above) and is longer than what I put in below. I just put in the parts I didn't want to forget!

Postrun: After a 45-minute run, you're short on time.

Eat This: For many runners, this type of workout is the backbone of their training, especially on time-crunched weekdays. For runs less than 60 minutes, don't worry about getting exactly the right ratio of carbs-to-protein postrun; rather, focus on eating foods that contain both. "It's when you run over an hour that the carbs-to-protein ratio becomes more important," says Jamieson-Petonic. Just aim for healthy choices. If you run in the morning, freeze a fruit and yogurt smoothie the night before and take it out to defrost before your run. If you're a noontime runner, pack a hummus and veggie pita sandwich to eat after you get back to your desk. Need a quick dinner after an evening run? Keep your freezer stocked with single, frozen chicken breasts or salmon fillets and pair with fast-cooking brown rice and steamed asparagus.

Postrun: You ran long and hard, and you're tired.

Eat This: When you run longer than an hour, you need to focus on refueling—and fast. "There's a 30-minute window where the body is very receptive to getting carbs back into the muscles," says Shulman. To know your carb needs, divide your weight in half. If you weigh 140 pounds, you need 70 grams (280 calories) of simple carbs within 30 minutes. Try energy bars or sports drinks because they're quickly absorbed. Getting some protein, too, will kick-start muscle repair. Within an hour of that snack, eat a full meal, ideally in a 4:1 carbs-to-protein ratio. According to a 2006 study in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, eating carbs and protein together increases glycogen levels more than eating just carbs. Try a bean burrito or pasta with meat sauce to give your body the nutrients it needs, says Shulman.

Stretch After You Run, Not Before

Runners have long believed that stretching will give them a longer, smoother stride and reduce their risk of injuries. However, in recent years research has failed to prove either point. Budd Coates and Jeff Galloway say they've never advocated stretching for their beginning runners, and the runners haven't developed injuries. Adds Dr. Lewis Maharam: "A preworkout stretching routine doesn't prevent injuries or improve performance, so there's no reason to do it. The time to do your stretching is after your run, or even later in the evening." Stretch (without straining) your calves, quads, and hamstrings for 10 to 15 minutes.

Crank it Up

How to map the perfect training sound track.
By Susan Rinkunas

Participants in London's Run to the Beat Half-Marathon in October got a performance boost: The race had a scientifically selected sound track. Costas Karageorghis, Ph.D., who studies the connection between music and exercise, selected almost 100 songs to play at 16 course points. "Music is a legal drug," Karageorghis says. "It reduces the perception of effort by blocking fatigue messages to the brain, and it can elevate positive mood." Karageorghis has found that runners who listen to songs with a tempo that matches their stride rate increase their endurance 15 percent.

1. Warmup Area
Play Slow songs with motivational lyrics to create a positive mind-set
Suggested Tracks "We Are the Champions," by Queen (64 beats per minute); "Faith," by George Michael (96 BPM)

2. Start
Play Songs with a slightly higher tempo to get you moving but that don't encourage you to go too fast
Suggested Tracks "Gonna Make You Sweat," by C+C Music Factory (116 BPM); "Pump It," by Black Eyed Peas (120 BPM)

3. Halfway Point
Play Music that increases in tempo
Suggested Tracks "You Shook Me All Night Long," by AC/DC (127 BPM); "Where Are We Runnin'?," by Lenny Kravitz (130 BPM)

4. Killer Hill
Play A special "booster" song that personally pumps you up
Suggested Tracks "Eye of the Tiger," by Survivor (108 BPM); "Livin' on a Prayer," by Bon Jovi (120 BPM)

5. Final Stretch
Play A fast song with motivational lyrics
Suggested Tracks "Let's See How Far We've Come," by Matchbox Twenty (166 BPM); "Are You Gonna Be My Girl," by Jet (209 BPM)

Most musicians record in the range of 110 to 140 beats per minute, Which is ideal for low- to Moderate-Intensity Running.

What's Your (Half) Type?

Use this quiz to decide which half-marathon training program is best for you
By Sarah Lorge Butler

PUBLISHED 07/11/2007

According to Terrence Mahon, who coached Ryan Hall to his breakthrough 13.1-mile debut, you can approach the half-marathon in one of two ways--extend a 10-K program or modify a marathon program. Whether you should use a short or long program depends on your strengths, preferences, and goals.

1. Which race scenario best describes you?
a) You struggle in the middle, but outkick other runners with a fast
final quarter-mile sprint
b) You pass a lot of people during the middle miles

Most runners know intuitively if they're geared toward speed or built for endurance, says Mahon. Your body responds to workouts in your strength area, meaning doing those runs enhances your training.

2. Which workout are you more psyched for?
a) Fast 400-meter intervals
b) A two-hour easy run or a long tempo workout

Doing what you like increases your motivation.

3. Which workout leaves you feeling more beat up the next day?
a) Long tempo runs
b) Short sprints

"If I give short, hard intervals for Ryan, he fatigues and it takes a couple days to recover," says Mahon. Needing more recovery time can affect the quality of your other key workouts.

4. What races are on your calendar this summer and fall?
a) 5-Ks and 10-Ks
b) A full marathon

Like Hall, who knew he'd run the London Marathon just three months after his half, your goals should factor into your decision on whether to use the short or long training program.

Answer Guide:
If the majority of your answers were "a," the short program is best for you; if "b," go with the long program.

Hamstring Strategies

How to handle this common runner's problem spot.
By Nikki Kimball

Tight hamstrings? You're not alone. Many runners complain about soreness in this group of three muscles in the back of the thigh, especially after intervals of fast running. Stretching helps reduce the risk of aches turning into full–blown injuries. But it can be difficult to get at the hamstrings without stressing the sciatic nerve, which runs parallel to the muscles in the back of the leg. This exercise stretches the hamstrings, not the nerve.

HAMSTRING STEP STRETCH
Put one foot on an eight–inch step. Keep your toes pointed forward and knee slightly bent. Looking straight ahead, lean forward from the hips and pelvis while maintaining an arch in your lower back. Once you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh, hold the position for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side. If you feel a stretch in your calf, then you're stretching the nerve. Reposition yourself so the sensation in your calf disappears.

Nikki Kimball, a physical therapist in Bozeman, Montana, is a three–time USATF Ultrarunner of the Year.

SamTrans to Bay to Breakers

I was contacted by a woman at SamTrans about the special service they plan to provide on Bay to Breakers day (May 18, 2008). Here are the broad strokes:

www.samtrans.com/baytobreakers
www.caltrain.com/baytobreakers

In order to facilitate the transportation for runners and fans there will be strategic locations throughout the San Mateo County to board an express service. The drop off will be close to the start line and after the race everybody will board close to the end line to come back to San Mateo County.

This will be a great service and no need to worry about arranging transportation or parking. Just like last year, SamTrans will also have one of the buses available to hold extra clothes and food (no valuables). The whole service will cost only $8.00 ($4 each way).

Your Ultimate Half-Marathon Training Plan

Presenting a can't-fail nine-week program for beginners, experts, and everyone in between. For some time now, the half has been the hottest race distance out there, with dozens of new events springing up all across the land. Here's why: For newer racers who've maybe finished a couple of 5- or 10-Ks, the half offers a worthy-yet-doable challenge without the training and racing grind of the marathon.

For more experienced athletes, training for a half bolsters stamina for shorter, faster races, plus it boosts endurance for a full 26.2-mile challenge down the road. In fact, the half is the ideal dress rehearsal for its twice-as-long kin. And unlike a marathon, which can leave your tank drained for a month or more, you can bounce back from a hard half in as little as a week.

So find a flat, friendly half a few months out. To get you there primed and ready, turn the page to learn about the three can't-fail schedules we have on offer.

Four Training Universals

Rest means no running. Give your muscles and synapses some serious R&R so all systems are primed for the next workout. Better two quality days and two of total rest than four days of mediocrity resulting from lingering fatigue. Rest days give you a mental break as well, so you come back refreshed.

Easy runs mean totally comfortable and controlled. If you're running with someone else, you should be able to converse easily. You'll likely feel as if you could go faster. Don't. Here's some incentive to take it easy: You'll still burn 100 calories every mile you run, no matter how slow you go.

Long runs are any steady run at or longer than race distance designed to enhance endurance, which enables you to run longer and longer and feel strong doing it. A great long-run tip: Find a weekly training partner for this one. You'll have time to talk about anything that comes up.

Speedwork means bursts of running shorter than race distance, some at your race goal pace, some faster. This increases cardiac strength, biomechanical efficiency, better running economy, and the psychological toughness that racing demands. Still, you
want to keep it fun.

Read more on the Runner's World web site.

Avoid Ankle Sprains

If you tend to roll your ankles a lot, try this exercise to make them stronger
By Jim and Phil Wharton

Sure, uneven sidewalks and untied shoelaces cause their share of twisted ankles. But people who supinate, or tend to strike the ground with the outside edges of their feet, are prone to ankle sprains. A natural amount of supination occurs during the push-off phase of the running cycle as the heel lifts off the ground and the forefoot and toes assist in propelling the body forward. Excessive supination, however, strains the muscles and the tendons that stabilize the ankle, which can result in a partial or complete tear of the ankle ligaments on the outside of the foot. Often runners roll their ankles and recover instantly, continuing on their run without a problem. But if this happens repeatedly, the ankle becomes progressively more unstable, increasing the risk of sprains over time. If you tend to roll your ankles when you run or you have high arches, you could benefit from the following exercise. It strengthens the tendons and muscles in the feet and ankles, which can reduce your tendency to roll outward.

ANKLE STRENGTHENER

1. Sit in a chair and put a towel down on the floor in front of you.
2. Put your bare foot on the towel, and keep your heel on the ground.
3. Starting with your little toe, contract your toes to bunch up the towel tightly and sweep it toward the midline of your body. Imagine that you are bringing your little toe under your foot to meet your big toe.
4. Without moving your heel, continue to gather and sweep the towel until you have done 10 repetitions or you run out of towel. Switch feet and repeat.

Half Marathon Makeover: Runner's World Wants You!

Apply for your chance to get a half-marathon makeover in 2008

Runner's World is looking for two runners to participate in a 2008 half-marathon makeover. Our team of experts-a coach, physical therapist, and nutritionist-will examine your training and eating habits and create a 10-week plan to help you reach your half marathon goal. We're looking for a runner who will be doing his or her first half marathon, as well as someone aiming for 1:30 time goal. You will need to be available to train mid-January to race day, March 29, 2008. If that's you, send us your name, address, age and a brief paragraph on why you would like to participate by November 16 to halfmakeover@rodale.com. Please put "first-timer" or "1:30 goal" in the subject line. This is not a contest; they're simply looking for interested runners.

Published on Runner's World.

Excessive Knee Lift

When runners tire, they often overstride, which exaggerates their knee lift. But lifting your knees just tires out the quadriceps even more quickly, leading to sore thighs the next day. Your knees should primarily swing forward and back not pump up and down. If your knees are lifting up instead of swinging forward:

1. Reduce the length of your stride.
2. Keep your feet low to the ground.
3. Maintain a quick stride rate, just lightly touching the ground with each footfall.

Achilles Tendinitis

Tendons lose their elasticity with age, making them vulnerable to irritation and inflammation.

Who Gets It:
Runners, especially older ones. Ramping up the volume or intensity - especially by running up and down hills - can lead to Achilles problems.

Ways to Prevent It:
Stretch your calves. Ask a trainer to teach you how to stretch the soleus, the smaller muscle that runs down the back of your calf.

How to Fix It:
Rest. Use ice and possibly anti-inflammatories.

The Latest Treatment:
Research suggests that "eccentric training" using heavy loads - in this case, certain calf exercises that lengthen the muscles as they are trying to contract - can improve the pain and disability of Achilles tendinitis.

Lower Back Pain

Back muscles get strained, disks degenerate, and nerves are pinched.

Who Gets It:
Who doesn't? A full 80 percent of the population can expect to experience significant back pain at some point.

Ways to Prevent It:
Your mother was right: Watch your posture! That ca fend off strain and pain.

How to Fix it:
Treatment runs the gamut from light exercise and a heating pad to major surgery, depending on the severity and type of pain.

The Latest Treatment:
Studies suggest that surgery helps people with degenerative spondylolisthesis with spinal stenosis (a condition in which a vertebra slips out of alignment, eventually causing the spinal column to narrow and pinching nerves). People with sciatica - pain caused by a disk pressing against a nerve - are apt to get better over time, with or without surgery.

Partner Workouts

Workouts to keep you and your partner on pace
By Jeff Galloway, Runner's World

Running with a partner is one of the best ways to ensure that you get out the door for every workout. But your workout may unravel if you (A) talk so much that your pace slows to a crawl or (B) race each other until someone bonks. Here are two workouts: one to help maintain a good effort and one to keep the run from becoming a race. Warm up and cool down with five to 10 easy minutes before and after each run.

Keep up the pace:
Break a 30- to 40-minute run into five-minute segments, with one- to three-minute walk breaks in between. During each segment, one person leads without speaking and with the sole focus of setting a strong, even pace. The other person runs behind and serves as coach, offering advice to help sustain the good effort: take shorter and lighter steps, keep feet low to the ground, maintain an upright body posture. After each walk break, runners should switch roles.

Rein in the pace:
To ensure you're not speeding up as you go along, you have to be able to accurately account for distance covered throughout the run. That means either one runner wears a distance-monitoring system like a GPS unit or shoe pod, or you do the run on well-marked trails or on a track. After the warmup, one person keeps tabs on the distance, announcing the passing of each quarter mile or so. The other runner is responsible for taking this information and adjusting the pace up or down according to the agreed-upon pace for the day. You can take walk breaks as needed to talk over pace adjustments. Once the pace is established, the person monitoring distance can keep tabs by announcing every half-mile completed.

Body Mass Index

BMI is a simple, universal measure of body fat that can be used to determine whether or not your weight is healthy. BMI is derived by comparing your height to your weight. It can be used by men and women of all ages, and has been supported by dozens of major studies. Click here to calculate your BMI

Tips for the Weekend Warriors

By Katherine Hobson
Posted 6/17/07 - US News and World Report

Baby boomers may be getting older, but many are still avid, if not obsessive, exercisers. And they want to stay that way. "We're not about to be sedentary," says Marjorie Albohm, a 57-year-old athletic trainer and director of sports medicine at OrthoIndy in Indianapolis. "As we approach the aging years, we're saying, 'Hey, I want to be as fit today as I was in my 20s, and I want to be sure I'm still physically active in my 80s.'" That's an admirable goal, but it's important to do it smartly. Here's how:

Be realistic. Face it: You can't do exactly what you did when you were 25. Says Havertown, Pa.-based orthopedic surgeon Nicholas DiNubile: "I don't mind people exploring and extending their limits, but when there are indeed limits, you need to respect them."

Still, push yourself. With the right precautions, your performance can even improve well into middle age. "If you want to run a few miles at eight or nine minutes a mile, most of the population has the potential to do that into their 60s," says Edward Coyle, director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Texas-Austin. And in sports that require technique, like swimming and rowing, it can take years for amateur athletes to develop moves that work best for them. So someone who starts in her 30s may not hit her stride until she's 50.

Cross-train. "You can't do weight-bearing activities the whole time," says Albohm. Mix things up. If you've always been a runner but your knees can no longer stand your old five-day-a-week routine, ride a bike or hop in the pool every other day instead.

If you're not lifting weights, start. "Around 40 or 45, we can see a decrease of as much as a pound of muscle per year," says Joseph Scott, an athletic trainer with the Sports Performance and Orthopedic Rehab Team at the Southcoast Hospitals Group in North Dartmouth, Mass. Moreover, bone density drops. Weights can help.

Rest. Recovery is key, says Kathy Zawadzki, who coaches cyclists and triathletes for Carmichael Training Systems, an online coaching company. She may give her older athletes 15 or 20 minutes in between hard sets, compared with 10 minutes for younger folks. And she builds in an extra rest day during the week to allow athletes more time to bounce back between big workouts. Rest is even more important if you've got a nagging injury. "When you're 20, you can rest and ice, take anti-inflammatories, and it will go away. When you're 50 or 60 or 70, those same problems can be debilitating," says Scott.

Watch your diet. Your metabolism slows as you get older. Zawadzki, who's a sports nutritionist as well as a coach, advises her athletes to be vigilant about what they eat when they're not training but fuel up properly immediately before, during, and after a tough workout.

Get good advice. It may be worth finding an athletic trainer or another fitness pro with experience dealing with older athletes to help tinker with your program. That's especially true if you've had a chronic injury. "You've got to be cautious about what you do to a body part that's already been compromised," says Albohm.

Expand your definition of athletic success. Some of the middle-aged cyclists and triathletes coached by Zawadzki are no longer achieving personal best times, she says, but "at 50, there aren't as many competitors." Besides having a better chance at picking up a medal, her athletes enjoy the community of other athletes or the novelty of competing at different distances.

This story appears in the June 25, 2007 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.

Setting Goals, Track Your Progress

It's difficult to reach your goals if you don't set a plan and track against it. There are three ways to track your fitness level.

1. The way you feel - understand your body and how you feel compared to less active times in your life. As your fitness level increases so will your energy and mental alertness.

2. The way you look - if you have high expectations, this method may not be the best choice. You may reach a high level of fitness, but still not have the body image you were hoping to see. Understand that this takes time. Be patient and enjoy the other physical changes like increased energy and sense of well being.

3. Logging your fitness routine - a tried and true method that's only getting easier with technological innovations. Track your goals and progress using a training monitor and training log.