Functional Strength Training for Running

This video shows you 10 different exercises that you could label 'functional strength training'. A way to say "This is not aimed at building up very big muscles but to create useful muscles". Something that will appael to most runners as in general creating big muscles is a past time for a different kind of people that like to show of their muscles on a beach to unnatural tanned and blond ladies (and with a taste for Gorrila Wear).

Some of these exercises can be done in your living room even in front of your TV if your don't feel like getting out. It can happen every now and than even to fanatic runners. So keep this video in mind the next time the rain splashes against your window.

Carrying the olympic torch at the age of 101 years old

After my post last Wednesday on the 101 year old finisher of the London Marathon another post on Fauja Singh. He will be on of the 8000 runners who carry the olympic torch in a relay that started with the arrival of the olympic torch on British soil.

I am sorry to say the voice over is in Dutch but the trainer speak english and shares a nice story of the first ever training of Mr. Singh at the age of 85! So it is never to late to pick up running!

Mr. Singh will be on of the last runners to carry the torch in the final stages of the relay when it is in its hometown London!

Running on Empty: Insights into the death of Samuel Wanjiru

Above the
Dutch cover
below the
english edition

A year after the death of Wanjiru the Dutch reporter Frits Conijn published his book on the death of the one time Olympic Champion on the marathon. Wanjiru died from a fall (or jump) from the balcony of his house in Kenia.

A quote from the international well known manager of athletes Jos Hermens  who wrote the foreword: "I knew Wanjiru always friendly and smiling. Trough this book I understand the tragedy he was hiding behind this smile."

Sammy Wanjiru ran a world record on the half marathon of the Hague, the City Pier City run. His best performance was the gold medal in the Olympic marathon of Being.

Conijn had access to Wanjiru’s inner circle and found evidence of a possible over up.

The Dutch edition was published exactly one year after the death of the athlete.

The video below, from Dutch Television, shows some of the highlight of his career.

 

101 years and still running

In London a 101 year old finished the marathon in 7 hours and 49 minutes. To be honest one could argue if this still deserves the label 'running' or even 'jogging'. But than again: 101 years old! A lot younger people have problem walking this distance.

Maybe mr. Singh himself also thinks he should crank up his speed a bit as he states that this is his last marathon race. He wants to run shorter distances, faster!

Wanna copy his lifestyle in the hope to be running a marathon at the age of 101? Cups of tea, staying happy, 10 miles of jogging or walking a day and a simple vegetarian diet.

Two statements: "The day I stop running, my body will stop altogether and that will be the end of me.” and on the marathon "“The first 20 miles are not difficult. As for last six miles, I run while talking to God.”

read more or watch the video:

Some new light on Wanjiru's death?

One year after the death of Wanjiru the Dutch journalist Frits Conijn tries to bring light to the Olympic champion’s death. Wanjiru died from head wounds he suffered after falling (or jumping?) from the second-floor balcony of his home in Kenya.

In the introduction manager Jos Hermens writes: “I knew Samuel Wanjiru as someone with a perpetual smile on his face,” and “This story clarifies the tragedy that was hiding behind it.”

Sammy Wanjiru gained international fame with winning some great marathons and running a world record on the half marathon of the Hague (the City Pier City run) but his best achievement was winning the gold medal on the Olympic games in Being.

Conijn had access to members of Wanjiru’s inner circle and found evidence of a cover-up. The Dutch title translates into “Dead runner: The tragic end of Olympic marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru.” (Doodloper – Het tragische einde van Olympisch marathonkampioen Samuel Wanjiru). 

The book was published on the first-year anniversary of Wanjiru’s passing. An English translation is expected soon.

The video below shows some highlights of his career (in Dutch):

Micah True Died From Heart Disease

resources2.news.com.au

Micah True, known as Caballo Blanco, died in March while running in the wilderness of New Mexico (read related post on the tarahumara ambassador. He was found to have idiopathic cardiomyopathy, or heart disease with an unknown cause, said the Office of the Medical Investigator (source running.competitor.com).

I don't know about you but this is not telling me anything so googled the term a little bith and found more information on idiopathic cardiomyopathy. What I found is that cardiomyopathy can have various causes and if the cause is unknown it is called 'idiopathic cardiomyopathy'.

OK so what about this cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy is a chronic disease of the heart muscle (myocardium), in which the muscle is abnormally enlarged, thickened, and/or stiffened. The weakened heart muscle loses the ability to pump blood effectively, resulting in irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) and possibly even heart failure.
This 'enlarged' triggered me to read on if there was any relation with his running but not that I could find. I think it would have been mentioned by the medical investigator. Read more in this medial dictionary.

Live longer: Start running

bron: http://www.vagabondish.com/running-cultures/   

A scientific study has shown that jogging on a regular base will help you live longer. In this extensive study (with 2000 joggers and 20.000 non joggers and started in 1976) the mortality rate among non joggers was higher than among the joggers. These results translate into 5.6 years extra for women. Men even gain a couple of months extra: 6.2 years extra for joggers compare to non-joggers.

The best results are to be gained with jogging between one hour en 2,5 hours a week at a moderate level that leaves you feeling a little breathless.

The research is done in Denmark by Peter Schnohr, chief cardiologist of the Copenhagen City Heart Study. "We can say with certainty that regular jogging increases longevity. The good news is that you don't actually need to do that much to reap the benefits," Schnohr said in a statement.

The findings were presented today (May 5) at a European Society of Cardiology meeting in Dublin. You can find the press release on the site of this meeting.

You can listen to an interview with Peter Schnohr.

On the same site you can also find an interview with experts on Sudden cardiac death in sports. It is an interview with Mats Borjesson, a specialist cardiologist in screening, and Nicole Panhuyzen-Goedkoop, a sports cardiologist. Usually there is an underlying cardiac disease which was unknown to the sporter. For this reason they promote screening.