Welcome to the March issue of the NUTSO.

In this Issue

	Welcome from OUS/OTS Series Coordinator
	OTS/OUS Spring Warmup
	News from the ACU
	Shin Splints: The bane of the long distance runner
	Handicap Rating Program for Runners

Upcoming Races

Seaton Trail April 18

Pick Your Poison May 9

Sulphur Springs May 23

Self Transcendence 6 hr June 6

Niagara Ultra July 4 

Runners' Bios

 Recent bios: Sara Montgomery, Karin McMillan, Derrick Spafford, Mark Coates, Ricardo Santa, Margi Ende, More...

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Welcome from OUS/OTS Series Coordinator

With only a few weeks left of winter, it is a good time to start thinking of the upcoming season in the OUS/OTS series. The snow is washing away and runners are emerging from their hibernation. The trails are thawing out and the need to be outside is catching on.

So what do we have in store for you this year? We have added new events and distances to our calendar for the upcoming year. With eight OTS length races, seven 50km series races, two 100 Mile races, two 24 Hour endurance races, as well as a number of unique and formidable race courses this series is packed with a the full gambit of choices to challenge you and keep you challenged for the whole season.

We also have some great prizes to shoot for at the series final in October. Don't forget our great group of sponsors as well as the best group of Race directors who want to promote a friendly and supportive atmosphere for your race experience.

So if you are new to the sport of trail running or you are a seasoned veteran of endurance events, we have the race to fit your life.

And don't forget to visit the OUS/OTS booth at the Around the Bay expo on the March 27th/28th weekend in Hamilton!

Left foot then right foot, repeat as necessary,
Ken Niemimaa
 

OTS/OUS Spring Warmup

EXTRA! EXTRA! Spring Warmup is at a new venue!

Although many will have fond memories of reuniting with wild and crazy friends for a run at the Spring Warmup, it has become difficult to schedule the event along the trails and streets of Toronto. Fear not! A new venue has been found where the air is clear, the roads less travelled and with luck or a bad memory, you will have forgotten about the hills…

For those not familiar with the Spring Warmup, it does not count towards the series and is not typically run at race pace, but at “conversion” pace. It is a wonderful way of spending a few hours with other OTS and OUS runners, discussing plans for the upcoming series. The Spring Warm-up includes a grand prize of free entry into all the OTS or OUS races that are 50K or shorter. You can move up to the longer events by paying the difference. This is a serious drawback as it forces you to run a race almost every 2 weeks!

The Spring Warmup's venue, Avening hall, is a rustic building replete with hardwood floors, reminiscent of the Curling Club only it’s harder to curl on the bowling lanes. Situated on Airport Road, it also has the advantage of being easy to find! With a civilized start time of 9:00 AM, the fun run sets out from the hall and follows Airport road south for 400 meters as it joins the course used by the Creemore Vertical Challenge.

From Airport Road, turn right and run along Concession 3-4 to the end, where you have a choice. Turn left and follow the bunnies on the unmarked 16K loop, or follow the flags on the 7.4K loop.

The 16K loop includes Horseshoe hill and the Gulley with significant elevation gain, before an enjoyable downhill section including a breathtaking view of Georgian Bay. Turn right onto the Lombard trail which sports 2 little cliffs to break up the downhill. Extra loops should be easy to run as the only left turn is mentioned above. Bring a water bottle as the only aid station is at 14K.

The 7.4K loop is marked with trail flags and is comprised of more trail than road. There is a short downhill section that is slippery in April, so be careful! Shortly after joining the Lombard trail, the 7.4K loop joins the 16K loop and proceeds along those cute little cliffs to the aid station. You might want to bring a water bottle as this loop is tricky to complete in less than 40 minutes.

You can chalk up your loops at the aid station to keep track of your distance. Both loops showcase small creek crossing, although it is sometimes possible to navigate these in April without getting your feet wet. The loops also follow the Mad River along the Ganaraska trail after the aid station, back to the starting point on Airport Road. The Mad River can be something to behold in early April, especially if there is significant spring runoff. Bodysurfing in the rapids is much faster than running the trail, but is considered cheating.

Pizza and awards will be presented at 1:00 PM at the Avening hall. At 2:00 PM, everyone is welcome back to the aid station (where the Creemore race starts) for a bonfire, refreshments and to cheer on those still out running. The aid station will be stocked until 3:00 PM for runners and until 5:00 PM with recovery refreshments. A large tarp and chairs will be set up, but come dressed for the weather.

News from the ACU

Dear Friends,

The Association of Canadian Ultramarathoners (ACU) will be selecting teams for four major world events this year. The international racing season starts with the 7th IAU 24 hour World Challenge in Bergamo, Italy from May 2-3. Details on runners selected for the 24 hour international team can be found at http://acu100k.com/selection24hr.html

The 22nd IAU 100km World Cup takes place in Torhout, Belgium on June 9. The athletes selected for this team will be announced by mid-March. Following the 100km, the 2nd IAU Trail World Challenge will take place in mountainous Serre-Chevalier, France on July 12. Canadian athletes for this 68km race will be selected by mid-April.

2009 also marks the organization of the first Commonwealth Series. It is being held in Keswick, UK from September 17-20. In addition to two mountain races (11km-ascent only, ascent and descent), there are 2 ultra distances being contested spanning 100km and 24hr. May 31 is the last day to qualify for the team. Athletes will be announced shortly after that date.

This year promises to be an amazing one with lots of international races including an exciting commonwealth series.

Whether you run in your local runs, provincial championships or the world challenge, we at the ACU wish you the very best and hope that you achieve all your running goals that you set for yourself in 2009!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us or visit our website www.acu100k.com

Yours in running,

Nadeem Khan
Assistant Team Manager

Editor's Note:

Congratulations to Nadeem who was recently elected to the Board of Directors at the IAU, The International Association of Ultra Runners. He was also selected as the Chair of the Medical Commission.  This marks the first time that a Canadian has been elected to the IAU Board.

Shin Splints: The bane of the long distance runner

Author:  Jennifer L. Salter

What Is It?
Most long distance runners are all too aware of the common running injury called Shin Splint Syndrome, referred to colloquially as “shin splints”. This condition is characterized by pain in the front of the lower leg, which can run from below the kneecap all the way down to the ankle. It accounts for 10-15% of all running injures, and up to 60% of the conditions that cause pain in the lower leg. The lower leg is the initial shock absorber during impact exercise – if this shock-absorption system begins to fail, you may experience a sore, tingling sensation that can be mild to debilitating.

Treating Shin Splints
If pain is severe, a medical specialist should be consulted first to rule out a stress fracture. That being said, the crucial first step in treating shin splints is identifying the root cause of the problem. There are many possibilities including sudden changes to your training, poor ankle flexibility, poor muscle tone in front lower leg muscles, training mistakes, and structural problems like overpronation or flat feet. But don’t fret – there are many possible strategies for preventing or overcoming shin splints.

1. Increase distance slowly! This is a concept in exercise physiology called gradual progression. Even though sunlight is streaming down through the trees and the air is heavy with the sweet smell of spring, do not throw caution to the wind and add an hour and a half onto your run that day! In all likelihood, your lower leg muscles will rebel, which might lead to dreaded time off. There is no magic rule for adding time onto a run – many avid trail runners find trails more forgiving on their bodies than the road, and may add 30 minutes onto each long run. It pays to be more prudent with road running, increasing long road runs by no more than fifteen minutes at a time.

2. Stretch your calves. If your calf muscles are flexible your ankle will have more mobility, which makes for a more efficient shock absorption system. Make sure to stretch both your gastrocnemious and your soleus, by letting your heel drop off a step (sticking your butt will give you a better stretch). Start with a straight leg, then bend your knee to feel a deeper stretch closer to your Achilles tendon. The added bonus of stretching your calves off a step is that you stretch the plantar fascia on the bottom of the foot as well.

3. Strengthen the front of the lower leg. This is very simple – just lean back again a wall and lift your toes up toward the ceiling, then lower slowly. This can be done with or without weights – lighter individuals may want to hold dumbbells to add some resistance. Build up to 20 reps. The speed of the reps can be varied to train for both strength and endurance. (Executing quick reps with heavy weights is not recommended.) Only train for endurance once all pain has disappeared and a base of strength has been developed.

4. Take care when changing your training environment. If you hit the trails during the warm weather and switch to road running for the winter, make the transition a gradual one. Exchange one trail run with flat road for several weeks, then two runs, and so forth. Once you are road running exclusively, once again use gradual progression to build up your time. The same rule applies if spring has sprung and the forest once again beckons.

5. Evaluate your running technique. Working with a personal trainer or a running clinic coach will give you information on how you might improve your running technique.

6. Don’t disregard possible structural issues. People with flat feet or fallen arches are especially prone to shin splints. If this sounds like you, taking great care to choose the right shoes, as well as considering custom made orthodics, can correct issues that cannot be addressed by exercise programming alone.

No serious runner wants to take time off to allow a pesky injury like shin splints to heal. By preparing your body to handle the stress of long distances, plus training intelligently, you can easily set yourself up for success!

 About the Author

Jennifer L. Salter inspires, educates and coaches others to a higher level of fitness. Her focus is on helping people with busy lives have a healthier lifestyle. She has owned and operated her Toronto personal fitness training practice, Lifeline Personal Training, for nearly fifteen years.  She can be reached at jennifer@lifelinepersonaltraining.com. Check out her website, www.lifelinepersonaltraining.com.

Handicap Rating Program for Runners

Specific Ontario running races designated as "Road Warrior" races offer a new category of prizing that ALL runners – slow, medium or fast - have a chance of winning. How so?

Men and women with a 'Road Warrior Handicap Rating' at those races will run 'virtually' against each other. The 'handicap rating', like a golf handicap, lets all compete as if on a level playing field.

Everyone with the 'rating' earns points at each 'Road Warrior' race and after each race and at year's end, prizes go to those with the most points. All Ontario runners qualify.

REGISTER FOR FREE on the Road Warrior site to receive a Road Warrior ID number. Sign in and check the ratings to see if you're already listed with a rating. If you don't have one, then run 3 running or trail races anywhere in the province and a 'handicap rating' can be created from your results at those races.

Enter any 'Road Warrior-designated race (use your new ID number when you register for races so that YOU, and not someone with your same name & city, is awarded points correctly). That rating is applied to your race time, then compared to everyone else's to see who were the top finishers in the 'Road Warrior' category.

Everyone has a chance of winning that category. Join Road Warrior then enter those races!

RoadWarriorRunning.com

An initiative of Ontario Track & Field Association and Eveque.

Supported by Trillium Foundation & RoadRaceResults.com

Ontario Ultra and Trail Series
www.ouser.org
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