Kudos to REI!

I called the Hingham, Mass. store, and confirmed with a sales associate – you can bring in your BPA Nalgene bottles and EXCHANGE for BPA-free ones!

Here’s a handy list on their site to browse which bottles they are offering.

When I first read the news, I was drinking green tea out of a red Nalgene (I cut the annoying plastic strip that keeps the top attached to the bottle), and wasn’t that alarmed.

I’ve weathered over 8 years of forwarded tree-hugging emails from friends, newspaper articles clippings mailed to me from my mother (here’s an article from 2003!) and blog links of pot-smoking hippies who proclaim the Bispherol death that resided at the bottom of my 32 ounce plastic cup.

Since 2000, I’ve accumulated about 10 Nalgene bottles that look like the ones soaking in the sun to the left. Some blue, clear and even pink (I stole my fiance’s), and they are an integral part of my day. From a morning cup of tea to my last sip of Surge after an evening workout, Nalgene bottles have been good to me and my weirdo eating habits.

But, when Nalgene posted this release on their site, I realized this wasn’t a pre-May sweeps scare tactic to hook newspaper readers and TV viewers. My favorite cup is being discontinued!

I called Nalgene’s customer service line to see if there was plans for a recall. Unfortunately, Nalgene isn’t fully admitting there’s a problem, and calling the “phase out” due to “consumer demand.” In fact, the FDA just formed an agency-wide BPA task force to review concerns noted in a “Bisphenol A Draft Report” recently issued by scientists from the National Toxicology Program and in a separate risk assessment by Canadian health officials.  The FDA states that based on its ongoing review, “we believe there is a large body of evidence that indicates that FDA-regulated products containing BPA currently on the market are safe and that exposure levels to BPA from food contact materials, including for infants and children, are below those that may cause health effects. However, we will continue to consider new research and information as they become available.”

The FDA says it isn’t recommending anyone discontinue using BPA-containing products; however, “concerned consumers should know that several alternatives to polycarbonate baby bottles exist, including glass baby bottles.”  The American Chemistry Council, an industry group, also maintains potential human exposure to BPA is minimal and poses no known risk to human health.

My first thought wasn’t the BPA promise of “possible precancerous changes to my prostate,” but what will I drink my protein shakes when I grow tired of my current cache!?

I love the Nalgene bottle for two reasons:

1. It’s the only bottle where the scooper fits into the bottle, so the powder doesn’t spill all over the place, AND
2. When you shake it, the Nalgene nevers leaks, spills or explodes!

Every health food and sports supplement store sells a version of this awful bottle below. While the mouth is perfect to pour in your protein or carb powder of choice, the top never screws on correctly, and you end up wearing more of your shake than you consume.

So, seeking out a new fleet of shakers hasn’t been too tough – in fact, the Globe has a nice line up of BPA-free bottles on their site and REI has even stepped and stocked the shelves with cancer-free alternatives. 

Others will be flocking to YouTube to figure out how to blow up these ticking timebombs…

Even the first lawsuit has popped and others are trying to sell their cancer cups on eBay to those brave souls who can’t get enough BPA in their system.

So, I will continue to toast my alleged cancer cup, as I’ll spend the weekend roaming the aisles of REI for a collection of BPA-free bottles and begin my collection anew.

“Buster busted: The ‘oldest London Marathon runner’ isn’t 101… he’s ONLY 94″

Courtesy of The Mail on Sunday

As he stumbled over the finish line at the end of yesterday’s London marathon, “Buster” Martin was on course to make history.

But his claim to be the oldest man to complete the 26-mile route is now in doubt after it emerged he may not be quite as advanced in age as he has claimed.

Buster, who works for Pimlico Plumbers, had told organisers he was 101. It now appears he may be a slightly more sprightly 94.

Fraud: Buster’s claim to be the UK’s oldest marathon runner is in dispute after officials claimed he is 94, not 101

The bizarre dispute blew up after Guinness World Records refused to back up his impressive feat.

Buster, whose real name is Pierre Jean Martin, reportedly told NHS staff that he was born on September 1, 1913, not 1906, as had been previously claimed.

He has previously made the headlines in September 2006 when it was revealed he was the UK’s oldest employee.

A source at Guinness told The Times that Buster “appeared to be a fake, and more so, one being exploited by his company, which is using him to promote their services”.

An official spokeswoman has confirmed he will not be entered into the Guinness Book of Records because it is impossible to verify his age.

She said: “We have to be quite stringent. If we do not have sufficient evidence we cannot verify it.”

“It is a real shame because it is such a lovely story.”

Charlie Mullins, managing director of Pimlico Plumbers, said: “He is adamant that is his age. That is what he told us and we did all the standard checks and they all came back to us that that his how old he is.

“He has got British citizenship from the Home Office that says how old he is.”

He added: “This is not about a world record but an elderly man doing a great thing for charity.”

Buster eventually finished the course in just over ten hours.

Guinness World Records lists the oldest man to complete a marathon as the Greek runner Dimitrion Yordanidis, aged 98, in Athens in 1976. He finished in seven hours 33 minutes.

The oldest woman to complete a marathon listed by Guinness World Records was Jenny Wood-Allen who completed the London Marathon at the age of 90 in 2002. She finished in 11 hours and 34 minutes.

Check out his form!

One in five readers responding to a recent online survey by the prestigious journal Nature said they took smart drugs to improve their concentration, focus, or memory. Four-fifths of all 1,400 respondents — users or not — said they thought adults should be allowed to take cognition-enhancing drugs if they saw fit.

The top three smart drugs that readers are poppin’:

Ritalin -  The pill of choice for attention deficit disorder treatment in children (and also a popular stimulant among college students), was the first choice of almost two-thirds of the people.

Provigil (Modafinil) – A little less than half said they had taken this nootropic which is meant for people suffering sleep disorders or jet lag, to enhance performance.

Beta Blockers – Fifteen percent said they had used these heart-rhythm drugs for  their anti-anxiety properties.

In the world of athletic performance, the idea of cognitive enhancement seems to sit in the shadows of the latest obsession with steroids, HGH and even ephedra.  But, it’s there – 5 year ago, American sprinter Kelli White swept the 100 and 200 meters at the track and field world championships in France.She also tested positive for modafinil, (see above). That year, five other American athletes were caught taking the same medication. Modafinil has been placed on World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) banned substance list under “stimulants.”

While I haven’t dabbled in the top three, I’ve mixed up some more common nootropics in the name of razor-like focus and concentration. My hands down favorite – Piracetam.  I’ve followed the research and protocol mapped out by David Tolson in his article, “Brain Food; Piracetam”, to assess doses and other nootropics to enhance the effects. The most effective dosage Tolson found appears to be about 5 grams. 1Fast400 sells the powder in bulk form - it mixes nicely with a protein shake or a Crystal Lite packet.

You will feel the central nervous system effects for about 4-5 hours. The best way to describe the feeling is tunnel vision. You are able to focus on the task at hand with more precision and less distraction from wandering thoughts. The cognitive effect can be quite helpful to get through a challenging weight workout or a tempo run.

The thought is still haunting me.  Oprah.

The same filthy rich celebrity on the cover of every National Enquirer and Woman’s Day Magazine munching on a buffet of ice cream, pizza and enough cookies to kill the Cookie Monster. Yup, Oprah could leave me in the dust and still have enough time to tape a half hour special with Dr. Phil.

While I haven’t resorted to cutting out her picture and attaching it to my vanity mirror, ala the Ivan Drago B&W in Rocky 4, my attention turned to strength training.

As embarassing as it was, my flag football injuries (Rolling Back to 26.2) have taught me the importance of stretching and soft tissue work. Additionally, I’m slowly regaining strength in my quads and hamstrings, as my last few workouts have left me pain-free and creeping back to reasonable poundage. Once my strength increases, my times will plummet.

A recent article Mike Boyle wrote for T-Nation, “So You Think You Know Strong” has me thinking more and more about single leg squats. Boyle is the editor of StrengthCoach.com, a website for coaches interested in serious strength and conditioning. He’s also an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Boston University, responsible for men’s ice hockey.

Check out Boyle’s easy formulas to see where you stack up on the strength scale, and there’s great video of single-leg squats, one of the toughest exercises to master.

I think I’ll leave the 45 pound plate behind, but I’ll incorporate them on leg day.

My “Ask Coach Jenny” RSS feed popped up a “Predicting Your Half Marathon Race Time” article, and naturally, I had to click. After plugging in my lastest pathetic 4 miler, on the cusp of my return from a flag football injury, the handy calculator at Runner’s World predicted I could be clocked with a sun dial, and would cross the marathon tape in 5:04:16.

Let me put that time in perspective for you. Courtesy of the Complete Running Blog Network, I give you 25 celebrities who would torch me and Van Halen’s answer to the 6-hour sprint. Additionally, I’ve run 3:30 and 4:00 times in past marathons, so humbling doesn’t even define my reaction.

Actor Marathoners
	Meredith Baxter, Family Ties, New York City Marathon4:08:30
	William Baldwin, New York City Marathon 3:24:29
	Anthony Edwards, Chicago Marathon 3:55:40
	David James Elliott, JAG, Boston Marathon 4:57:23
	Will Ferrell, Boston Marathon 3:56:12
	Mario López, Saved by the Bell, Boston Marathon 5:41:41
	Joan Van Ark, Santa Ana 1979 3:35:00
	Peter Weller, New York City Marathon 3:51:26.
	Freddie Prinze, Jr., Los Angeles Marathon 5:50:49
TV Personality Marathoners
	Danni Boatwright, Winner: Survivor: Guatemala, Nashville Country Music Marathon 4:23:24.
	Lisa Ling, formerly of The View, Boston Marathon 4:34:18
	Oprah Winfrey, Marine Corps Marathon 4:29:20
Musician Marathoners
	P. Diddy (Sean Combs), New York City Marathon 4:14:54
	David Lee Roth, former lead singer of Van Halen, New York City Marathon 6:04:43
	Björn Ulvaeus, former member of Swedish band ABBA, Stockholm Marathon. 3:23:54
Athlete Marathoners
	Lance Armstrong, Seven-time Tour de France champion and triathlete, New York City Marathon 2:59:36
	Kerri Strug, Gymnast, Houston Marathon. 4:12:06
	Lynn Swann, former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, New York City 4:26:21
Politician Marathoners
	George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States, Houston Marathon 3:44:52
	Michael Dukakis, Former Governor of Massachusetts, Boston Marathon 3:31:00
	John Edwards, Former United States Senator, Marine Corps Marathon 3:30:18
	Al Gore, Vice President of the United States at the time, Marine Corps Marathon 4:58:25
	Mikuláš Dzurinda, Prime Minister of Slovakia, Malokarpatsky Marathon 2:54:57
Model Marathoners
	Kim Alexis, model, New York City Marathon 3:52:00
	Ali Landry, model, Boston Marathon 5:41:41

Oprah. Ugh. Well, at least I could take AC Slater. Whew, I got work to do…

Monday morning inspiration courtesy of Lance Armstrong:

The “Power of Ice “ and you thought baths were for 3 year olds and Calgon ladies

After 3 weeks of huffing and puffing on the comeback trail, I was curious to see how far my fitness had fallen from a year ago. After a September injury to my leg in the roughest sport known to man, the layoff has provided a humbling experience, and now I’m learning quite a lesson in patience.

1 hour and 13 minutes.

That was my time a year ago. I ran 9 miles on a hilly course in Springfield, MA . 8 minute miles was the norm for my long runs, and at that stage of the year, quite enjoyable and reflective.

What a difference a year makes – 40 pounds heavier, lungs gasping for oxygen and a VO2 max that rivals a dead turtle, my morning runs look more like a punishment than a pleasure. I can see it on the eyes of 3rd graders waiting for their bus as I shuffle past them. Their laughter and screams die down as I plod by, and a look of sympathy washes across their face. Morning commuters are even friendly! I’ve had my share of drivers who enjoyed ramming their rearview into my back or basked in blowing their horn to see if I’ll jump out of my Nike Shoxs.

Every street corner found a car waving me across the street, and those stopped at a red politely tried not to stare as I confronted the hill awaiting me at the finish line steps of my apartment. 4 miles later, it was evident – I’m really out of shape.

My watch lit up 42 minutes and my curiosity propelled me through the front door. I tore open my 2007 Runner’s Log and 365 days don’t lie - I got a long way to go.

So, I jotted down my pathetic time with a new fire, and have decided I’ll compile my times in this blog to share my journey back to 1 hour 13 minutes….and then 26.2.

I always find it amusing when reporters write about legal sports supplements and have no background knowledge, didn’t take the time to do their homework or my personal favorite – sensationalize a product into a “steroid-like” monster.

 While the mention of creatine was brief in this WCNC online report,  Dog fighting case opens doors for animal care, the description is borderline ridiculous:

The muscle builder Creatine was confiscated as well.

“It’s some of the similar stuff an athlete would use,” Knicely said.

In this case, used for making mean animal fighting machines.  

For any reputable (if there is such a thing) dog-fighting owner, steroids, HGH and stimulants would be the breakfast of choice for their pitbull prizefighter. These are obviously not people concerned with breaking the law, so I would imagine a few trips to Mexico, some seedy online shopping and a few needles are far more prevalent than a trip to GNC on Gold Card day for a 1 lb. container of Cell-Tech. The video belows paints a nice picture of what a dogfight on creatine would look like: 

Bottom Line: A couple teaspoons of creatine in your puppy’s Purina isn’t going to turn your pooch into the Incredible Hulk on four legs.

By most accounts creatine is an amazing supplement. If you read the latest bodybuilding rags and advertisements, it makes strong men stronger, good-looking women even better looking, and above-average children superior. It turns world-class geeks into world-class athletes. In fact, BSN is the latest supplement company to get caught with their hype pants down.

Creatine monohydrate is the Paul Bunyan of supplements. The myths surrounding it grow larger and more preposterous every day. I took the time to find some cold hard facts to deflate some of those blimp-like myths and show you the bark is larger than the bite.

Here, in no particular order, are the top three creatine myths that I’ve heard the most:
 

Creatine Will Make You Stronger

Creatine does not make you stronger in the short run. It will, however, give you greater endurance if the exercise is dynamic, intermittent, and of high intensity.

Creatine does allow you to do more work. It may also create a cellular environment conducive to further muscle growth. Either of these advantages could lead to greater muscle mass and strength, providing all other conditions are optimal. The trouble is, it’s not an overnight cure as many people believe.

The More Creatine You Take, the Better

See if this makes any sense: if I take x grams of supplement z, than taking double-x is better; if taking double x is good, then taking triple x is lots and lots better! Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite work that way. If it were, you’d see guys taking inhuman amounts of steroids; amounts that would frighten the rest of…Ha! wait a minute, bad example. They already do. Oh well, either way it’s a bad idea, but that’s what most athletes are doing with creatine!

The fact is, human muscle appears to have a creatine ceiling of about 5.0 grams per kilogram of muscle. Once that amount is achieved, chances are it can’t be exceeded. In fact, most people have about 3.9 grams of creatine per kilogram of muscle tissue, so they can expect to experience a 30 to 40% increase with ingestion.(4)

Therefore, once you’ve gone through the standard loading phase (20 grams a day, in divided doses, for five or six days), your cells probably contain all the creatine they can handle. Trying to add more is like putting 10 pounds of cement in a 5-pound bag.

For instance, in one study, creatine intake in test subjects was very high up to 70% of a 10 gram dose was retained by the patient. After one week, however, almost all of the administered creatine could be retrieved in the urine. In another study, participants were given 6 five-gram doses per day for three days. On the first day, 40% of the 6 five-gram doses was recovered form the urine. On the second day, 61% of subsequent 5-gram doses was recovered, and on the third day, 68% was recovered.¹ It’s clear that less and less of the creatine was being absorbed by muscle cells and that a lot of this stuff gets flushed down the vortex of the toilet.

Obviously, there are many factors that affect individual creatine utilization, but generally, after you’ve reached the saturation point, you probably only need two or three grams a day to keep your cells super-saturated. Of course, if you’re a big mutha’?on the order of 200 pounds or above, you might need to up that maintenance dosage to about 5 grams a day, but no more.

Creatine Will Pack On Five to Ten Pounds of Muscle in Two Weeks

Let’s get this straight. It’s likely that 99% of the initial weight gain experienced by creatine is nothing but water. Creatine will promote amino acid uptake and stimulate myofibrillar protein synthesis, but not in two weeks! Steroids don’t even work that well.

If you’re lean, taking creatine will engorge your muscles very quickly and you’ll look bigger, but the effect is no more magical than filling a balloon up with your garden hose. In fact, some pro and top-level amateur bodybuilders use herbal diuretics while using creatine in an effort to cut down on the “puffy” look experienced by many water-logged users.

Studies on patients who suffer from Type II muscle fiber atrophy have shown that creatine supplementation significantly increases total body weight by 10% and Type II muscle fiber diameter by 34%, but over the course of a year.² True muscle growth will be enhanced by creatine ingestion, but it’s a relatively slow process.

In the next couple of weeks, I’ll be jumping back on the creatine wagon and document my results!

References

1) Balsom, et al., “Skeletal muscle metabolism during short duration high-intensity exercise: influence of creatine supplementation,” Acta Physiol Scand 1995, 154, 303-310
2) Krieder, et al, “Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Body Composition, Strength, and Sprint Performance,” Med. Sci. Sports, Exerc. Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 73-82, 1988.