How Do You Swim Straight in the Open Water?

You can practice several things like bi-lateral breathing, sight less and use long strokes to help you swim straight
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Swimming straight is a major challenge to open water swimming (and even swimming in a pool with lane lines!), and the key lies in one of our other fun challenges in swimming: breathing!

Here's a quick guide to swimming straight:

1. Simply doing alternate (or bi-lateral) breathing will go a long way towards making you swim in a straight line. If you are comfortable with this, breathe every three strokes and you will be much more in line with where you want to go.

2. If you cannot get enough oxygen while breathing bilaterally, this can be a big problem on a distance swim. Practice swimming and breathing two strokes on the left, two on the right, then go to three breaths left, three right. Then try two on the left, one on the right, three-one, etc. Find what works for keeping you in line, and stick with that plan in your race.

3. Practice sighting less often, as this will disrupt your stroke rhythm and balance.

4. Keep your strokes long. Extend your arm out in front on each stroke, and drive it forward.

5. Practice the One Arm Drill (in the Complete Guide), and pay attention to your arm pull, making sure you are not crossing in with your hand.

6. Practice open water swimming. Just being used to the environment will get you more comfortable, and you will intuitively pick up on swimming straight out there.

Notice the use of the word “practice” consistently throughout these tips. Keep that in mind as you learn this new skill!

By Kevin Koskella
www.triswimcoach.com

Triathlon One O One Series Cancelled

WORTHINGTON, OH - Triathlon One O One organizers regretfully announce the immediate cancellation of the Triathlon One O One series, including The Woodlands, Texas event scheduled for November 11. The decision to cancel The Woodlands event comes as a result of the inability to secure permits for the race venue.


Triathlon One O One will be issuing full refunds to all the registered participants of The Woodlands event, as well as those athletes who have transfers from previous Triathlon One O One events. All refunds will be mailed over the course of the several weeks. There are currently no plans to continue the Triathlon One O One series in 2008.


Triathlon One O One would like to thank its sponsors, partners, communities and volunteers for their unbelievable support of the organization, its goals and its passion for the sport of triathlon.


“I want to personally thank all of those folks that supported Triathlon One O One and I sincerely apologize to the many triathletes who scheduled their season around our championship race in Texas. This is a very sad day for me, especially since we had great momentum going into The Woodlands event. The decision to cancel the series was a difficult one,” said Shannon Kurek, executive director, Triathlon One O One series.


“It is extremely unfortunate we will not be staging The Woodlands event despite all of our planning. The challenges confronting us for this venue were far too many to overcome at this late stage in the game,” said Doug Grout, national race director for the Triathlon One O One series. “The cancellation of the Triathlon One O One series is a sad day for me both personally and professionally, as it was truly exciting to be building this new distance and brand for the triathlon community.”


Inquiries regarding Triathlon One O One refunds, or any other related details should be directed to: info@trioneoone.com.

Obesity rates show no decline in US

Just something to read and motivate you to keep on eating healty and exercise everyday.. so you won't be one of those unlucky numbers.
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WASHINGTON - Loosen the belt buckle another notch: Obesity rates continued to climb in 31 states last year, and no state showed a decline.

Mississippi became the first state to crack the 30 percent barrier for adults considered to be obese. West Virginia and Alabama were just behind, according to the Trust for America's Health, a research group that focuses on disease prevention.

Colorado continued its reign as the leanest state in the nation with an obesity rate projected at 17.6 percent.

This year's report, for the first time, looked at rates of overweight children ages 10 to 17. The District of Columbia had the highest percentage — 22.8 percent. Utah had the lowest — 8.5 percent.

Health officials say the latest state rankings provide evidence that the nation has a public health crisis on its hands.

Unfortunately, we're treating it like a mere inconvenience instead of the emergency that it is," said Dr. James Marks, senior vice president at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a philanthropy devoted to improving health care.

Officials at the Trust for America's Health want the government to play a larger role in preventing obesity. People who are overweight are at an increased risk for diabetes, heart problems and other chronic diseases that contribute to greater health care costs.

"It's one of those issues where everyone believes this is an epidemic, but it's not getting the level of political and policymaker attention that it ought to," said Jeffrey Levi, the organization's executive director. "As every candidate for president talks about health care reform and controlling health care cost costs, if we don't home in on this issue, none of their proposals are going to be affordable."

At the same time, many believe weight is a personal choice and responsibility. Levi doesn't dispute that notion, but he said society can help people make good choices.

"If we want kids to eat healthier food, we have to invest the money for school nutrition programs so that school lunches are healthier," he said. "If we want people to be more physically active, then there have to be safe places to be active. That's not just a class issue. We've designed suburban communities where there are no sidewalks for anybody to go out and take a walk."

To measure obesity rates, Trust for America's Health compares data from 2003-2005 with 2004-2006. It combines information from three years to improve the accuracy of projections. The data come from a survey of height and weight taken over the telephone. Because the information comes from a personal estimate, some believe it is conservative.

Indeed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study last year noting a national obesity rate of about 32 percent — a higher rate than was cited for any of the states in the Trust for America's Health report. The CDC's estimate came from weighing people rather than relying on telephone interviews, officials explained.

Generally, anyone with a body mass index greater than 30 is considered obese. The index is a ratio that takes into account height and weight. The overweight range is 25 to 29.9. Normal is 18.5 to 24.9. People with a large amount of lean muscle mass, such as athletes, can show a large body mass index without having an unhealthy level of fat.

A lack of exercise is a huge factor in obesity rates. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found last year that more than 22 percent of Americans did not engage in any physical activity in the past month. The percentage is greater than 30 percent in four states: Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Meanwhile, Minnesotans led the way when it came to exercise. An estimated 15.4 percent of the state's residents did not engage an any physical exercise — the best rate in the nation. Still, the state ranked 28th overall when it came to the percentage of obese adults.

Another factor in obesity rates is poverty. The five poorest states were all in the top 10 when it came to obesity rates. An exception to that rule was the District of Columbia and New Mexico. Both had high poverty rates, but also one of the lower obesity rates among adults.

Poverty can lead to less safe neighborhoods, which deter children from playing. It can lead to fewer grocery stores offering fruits and vegetables, and it can lead to greater reliance on fast food, officials said.

"It seems the cheapest foods are the worst ones for you," Marks said.

Officials said the report is not designed to stigmatize states with high obesity rates but to stir them into action.

"These are the states where the urgency is the greatest. They need not to wait for others to lead. They need to become the leaders," Marks said. "It's the only way that they can restore the health of their children and their families. It's the only way that they can improve their economic competitiveness."

By KEVIN FREKING, Associated Press Writer

THE RUNNER'S BODY: THE FOOT & ANKLE

I've taken this first article from RunnersWorld, I think is an excellent article and I have place the author's name.

Photographs by Noah Greenberg
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Our feet and ankles are our takeoff and landing gear. Making sure they stay healthy not only prevents injuries--it keeps our other key parts running smoothly

You might be able to run through a tight hamstring or a sore quad, but an injured foot or ankle usually throws the brakes on a workout--sometimes an entire training season. Our feet and ankles, after all, are the foundation of our sport. When they are working well, they allow us to love every step. When they aren't, they send us to the bike shop.

Feet and ankles are built tough, capable of sustaining two or three times our body weight. But when they are abused (overworked, overtrained) or neglected (understretched, understrengthened), they'll speak up. And the result can be some of the most chronic, hard-to-heal injuries a runner can face--namely, plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis. To avoid the dreaded "itises," it helps to first have an appreciation for the role your feet and ankles play in your running.

There's a reason we spend hundreds of dollars a year encasing our feet in high- tech, cushiony, supportive materials. "If your feet hit the ground in a compromised manner, it throws everything else off," says Jay Dicharry, speed clinic director and gait lab coordinator of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Virginia. "Injuries affecting the ankle, knee, hip, even lower back can be traced to the point of impact."

The foot is active in both the landing and push-off phases of the running cycle, so it's involved in absorbing the shock of impact (upon landing), then controlling the forces generated by running (during push-off). Dicharry thinks that all running injuries can be attributed to an issue with either of these functions. If your foot is too stiff to bear the impact, a tibial stress fracture could result. And if your foot is too unstable to land in a controlled manner, you could develop runner's knee.

The most common foot complaint of runners is plantar fasciitis, an injury that tends to strike those who overtrain, neglect to stretch their calf muscles, or overdo hill work and speedwork. The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue that stretches from the toes to the heel. "When your foot is overworked, the fascia becomes prone to tearing," says Marque Allen, a sports podiatrist with Sports Medicine Associates in San Antonio. That tearing, which usually occurs at the point where the fascia attaches to the heel, results in inflammation. Because the fascia has a poor blood supply, it can be a slow-healing, chronic condition. In these cases, the injury can result in a heel spur, a tiny, soft calcium deposit that forms from the bone trying to heal itself. While the spur isn't painful, it can further irritate the fascia.

The Achilles tendon picks up where the plantar fascia leaves off. The largest, strongest tendon in the body, it runs from the heel to the calf. It propels you forward when you run and, similar to the plantar fascia, the tendon or its surrounding sheath can become inflamed when overworked, causing achilles tendinitis. "The Achilles tendon is extremely strong and thick," says Bryan Heiderscheit, Ph.D., P.T., an assistant professor of physical therapy at the University of Wisconsin. "To think that it can break down is pretty amazing. It's designed to handle a big load." Still, sudden increases in mileage or excessive hill running or speedwork can lead to Achilles tendinitis. This tendon also has a low blood supply, making it slow to heal. If "acute" Achilles tendinitis isn't treated properly or rested sufficiently, it can lead to chronic Achilles tendinitis, which is very difficult to treat and can stay with an athlete for years.

Retrocalcaneal Bursitis is sometimes mistaken for Achilles tendinitis. Bursitis is the inflammation of a bursa sac, a fluid-filled cushion between bones and overlying muscles and tendons. This particular sac sits right where the Achilles attaches to the heel bone. Tight calf muscles, consistently running on hard surfaces, and jumps in mileage can all lead to bursitis.

Seeing a pattern? Yes, for these issues, the root is usually the same: too much, too soon. But if you've trained by the book and haven't broken any injury-prevention rules, it would be worth seeing a sports-medicine specialist. You could be wearing the wrong shoe for your foot type; you may have biomechanical problems that could be corrected with an insert or orthotic; you may have a weakness or imbalance that could be improved with specific strengthening and stretching exercises (see pages 82-83 for a start). In the meantime, icing the sore areas, cutting your mileage, and incorporating more cross-training into your routine will help you begin the road to recovery.

By Ted Spiker