The Olympic Torch and Chariots of Fire

Rember this one. The scene on the beach in the classic Chariots of Fire?



The Olympic torch was in Scotland last week. There on West Sands Beach in St. Andrews, 20 schoolchildren reenacted this famous scene. It's a beauty!

Wear red and improve your performance

Jessica Ennis in
new kit (source usatoday)

The controversy over the new kit, by Stella McCartney designed for Adidas, for the Olympic sporters form the UK triggered me to look into the meaning of colours. The kit lacks the red from the Union Jack.

Research published in Nature in May 2005 shows that: "Given the undoubted role of other factors, such as skill and strength, it is likely that the red advantage will determine the outcome only in relatively symmetric contests. That is, wearing red presumably tips the balance between losing and winning only when other factors are fairly equal. We found that this is indeed the case: only in contests between individuals of similar ability were there significantly more red than blue winners"

bron: http://www.math.ku.dk/~rolf/RedVsBlue.pdf

For more details read this PDF. The explanation given in this article is evolutionary: Red colouration is a sexually selected, testosterone-dependent signal of male quality in a variety of animals. As for human: When angry humans colour slightly red due to increased blood flow in the skin. Whereas fear is associated with increased pallor in similarly threatening situations. Hence, increased redness during aggressive interactions may reflect relative dominance. And as artificial stimuli can trigger natural stimuli: Red clothing can influence the outcome of contest. As a runner each run you do is in competition with yourself so all the circumstances are the same so deciding to wear red clothing can positively influence your performance. Remember this next time you are in front of your wardrobe wondering what to wear during the marathon or any other run.

Marathon Road; a road movie;p

This short documentary highlights Jason Lehmkule, Andrew Carlson, Matt Gabrielson and Josh Moen of Team USA Minnesota as they train for the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials.

Lets hope they know "It is al about the journey and not about the destination" because they did not succeed in running in the top three of the trails. Actually: The top three is made up of two quite senior runners with an African background.

First to finish was Meb Keflezighi, born in the African nation of Eritrea but immigrated to the U.S. with his family when he was 12. He won the trials race in a personal-best time of 2 hours, 9 minutes and 8 seconds. Aged 36 he will be 37 when running in London.
Second in 2:09:30 and earning a trip to his second Olympiad was the pre-race favorite, Ryan Hall, 29, who stamped himself as America's fastest marathoner when he ran a 2:04:58 in the 2011 Boston Marathon, placing fourth behind three African runners.
Third was another Africa-born runner, Somalia native Abdi Abdirahman, also breaking 2:10 with a time of 2:09:47. Like Keflezighi, he is, at 34, one of the older practitioners of this physically punishing sport. A three-time Olympian at 10,000 meters, he will be on his fourth Olympic team in London.

Haile Gebrselassie in video

In this posting a couple of videos that provide an insight into the live of Haile Gebrselassie. First a video with an interview clrearly sponsored by Adidas. Secondly in three parts a kind of documentary "Road to NYC Marathon".




Road to part 1


Road to part 2


Road to part 3

Earn more, Start Running!

From the blog Live Longer, Start Running we learned; runners live longer. New research shows runners earn more money as well. OK, this goes for people who exercise regularly in general. Not specifically for running.

The positive effect of regular exercises on your salary can be in the range from 6 to 10%. The results also show that while even moderate exercise yields a positive earnings effect, frequent exercise generates an even larger impact. Just another argument to get of from the coach!

The explanation is two fold: Regular exercising requires discipline, behaviour shown in work environment as well. Of course people who sport have higher energy levels, not only physically but mentally as well. Apparently this shows of in their work and is rewarded with a higher salary.

Live longer and earn more money. I think we have found a way out of the financial crisis;p

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!