Skepticism about cryotherapy and benefits of "cold showers." Believe the hype or Not?

Skepticism about cryotherapy and benefits of "cold showers."  Believe the hype or Not? HERE

How Exercise Keeps the Brain "Young"

How exercise Keeps the brain "young" HERE

Pros and Cons of Wearable Technology

The pros and cons of wearable technology HERE.

Adding a reference to @sweatscience's @nytopinon essay that helps make his case https://t.co/lVr5AjGMnx @bachscore pic.twitter.com/325CQFVaFi

— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) March 19, 2016

@sweatscience @JonathanLWai @stevemagness Classic Everlast Boxer's jump rope. B-day gift from my mom in 1972 pic.twitter.com/nvNnDQiyB6

— Michael Joyner (@DrMJoyner) March 19, 2016

“Study drugs/brain doping” May Not be What it’sThought to be

"Study Drugs/Brain Doping" may not match the hype  HERE

The Strengths and Limitations of Scientific Studies

The strengths and limitations of scientific studies HERE

Ted Experts Muse on What Sports Will Be Like in the Future

Writer David Epstein, biomedical engineer Cynthia Bir,and NFL punter Chris Kluwe talk about what's ahead for sports in the future HERE.

Science: Impact of Marathons and Ultras on the Heart

Despite the warnings that running marathons or ultra events can be damaging the heart, the one thing most scientists agree upon is that there is not enough data to make a definitive answer to the question of what the impact of training and racing for these events does for and/or to the heart HERE.

Drones in Kenya

This UFO keeps following me on the track ! Big Brother is watching me 😃 pic.twitter.com/oE52sVDlvo

— Lornah Kiplagat (@lornahkiplagat) May 16, 2015

No, this is not a new way to use drones for training.  An American film crew is in Kenya to film Lornah Kiplagat, the track and training center in Iten.  On Sunday they'll be filming a primary school in Kenya.  Probably not with the drone.  It is for a project to raise funds for US elementary schools.

News:Garrett Heath, Mudder; Bill Miles' COY Interview; Rombough; Economics of College Basketball; Compression Clothing

Want to beat the Kenyans? All you need is mud... http://t.co/YiKTcKgInY @_garrettheath @Great_Run pic.twitter.com/rvw7hxiNDJ
— SPIKES (@spikesmag) January 15, 2015

USTFCCCA interview with HS boys' XC Coach of the Year Bill Miles HERE.Sun Sailor story on Miles is HERE.

Rombough Named to WCCCA Hall of Fame http://t.co/hFbr8ViJ0F
— UWRF Athletics (@UWRFFALCONS) January 15, 2015

An interesting look at the economics of the major college sports--in this case Kentucky basketball--HERE.

Can compression clothing aid your workout HERE?

News: Bill Miles/Wayzata; Heather Kampf; Amanda Smock; Aris/F-M; Sleep

Sun Sailor story on retired Wayzata coach Bill Miles is HERE.

Another story, via @MNSunSailor, on retirement of @WayzataTrack legendary coach Bill Miles. http://t.co/PcHMgTl03I pic.twitter.com/7jTdXusr61
— Brian Maas (@TriGeekAddict) January 3, 2015

No. of @WayzataTrojans athletes receive 2014 Top 25 Sports Achievers honor from @MNSunSailor. http://t.co/mCl3J0vAkc pic.twitter.com/rQnllsKVDH
— Brian Maas (@TriGeekAddict) January 3, 2015

#Elites2015Indoor @TeamUSAMN's @HeatherRaeKampf wil be at @JDLFastTrack 1/31 & @MillroseGames 2/14. Will you be there @007TrackFan?
— Dennis Barker (@dbinsaintpaul) January 3, 2015

#1 USA Rankings per @tandfn for @AmandaBingson @AJTSMOCK @ShotDiva @hoffathrows @runmeb #teamnyac
— NYAC Track and Field (@NYACTrack_Field) January 3, 2015

DyeStat article on Fayetteville-Manlius coach Bill Aris HERE.

Reseach on the potetntial impact of lack of sleep for young athletes HERE.

News: NCAAs; HS Signings; Winter Running Advice; Drones, FOY

Gopher women's preview of the NCAA DI women's race HERE.

NCAA announcement of top athletes and coaches in each Region.  No winners in DI this year from Minnesota, but a lot(Hassan Mead, Eric Finan. Stephanie Price, Emma Bates, Beth Alford Sullivan, Gary Wilson) are on the accompanying list of past winners HERE
.
Video interview with Hamline's Ryan Peterson on the season and the trip to Nationals HERE.

Gopher men's team announce eight letter of intent signings HERE.

Winter running advice from Team USA MN coach Dennis Barker:

In winter, if you're warm enough when you first go out to run, you'll overheat. If it takes you a mile to get warm, you're dressed right.
— Dennis Barker (@dbinsaintpaul) November 18, 2014

Rules and regulations are being formed in an attempt to prevent misuse of drones HERE.

The "Fountain of Youth" business HERE

Drone's Eye View: the Future is Here?

If you've read newspapers or watched/listened to the news on TV/Internet/radio, you know that drones being touted as the next "big thing."  Well they've arrived in running as the video below shows.


St. Olaf Invitational from Tom Daymont on Vimeo.

Tom Daymont, son of St. Olaf coaches Chris and Dick Daymont, created the St. Olaf Invitational drone video.

A discussion of the potential for the technology as well as the issues that will need to be addressed before and/or if the technology allows more close up coverage HERE that includes another drone video of a XC race in Maryland.

In a comment on the drone videos  Garry Wilson said there was talk of trying a similar experiment at the Griak Invitational.  There are a host of legal, security, and liability issues that have to be worked out before the use of such devices gets beyond this aerial panorama view coverage to  actually being the technology for video coverage of not only cross country, but road races as well.  As the incident at the recent Serbia, Albania soccer match illustrated, some uses of drones can and will create problems (See CNN article HERE)

Right now, companies, such as FloTrack, film races from the back of golf carts.  Video cameras on motorcycles provided coverage for the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon.  Imagine what could be done with advanced drones with the equipment to get wide angle and close up views of a race as it unfolds. Drone technology, like the internet, was developed by and for the military.  The military has the "deep pockets" to do the necessary developmental work on these products.

If, however, companies, such as Amazon and others who are already investigating the feasibility of using drones in their businesses, creates a market for affordable drones, then the drone could be a "game changer" for many industries.  Will be interesting to watch how this evolves.  As these videos illustrate using the technology is already on the "radar" for those who want to do more creative things.  When creativity combines with the potential for making lots of money, new industries are created.   

News: RT HS Team Rankings; NCAA Rankings; Fat as Fuel; Goucher Driven; Kampf; HS

Running Times high school rankings are HERE(girl's) and HERE(boy's)

NCAA DIII national rankings HERE. DII national rankings HERE.

Fat as fuel.  Increased understanding of the use of fat as "fuel" for ultra runners is HERE

Episode one of FloTrack's mini documentary on Kara Goucher, Driven, is HERE.

A 33 minute internet radio interview with Heather Kampf recorded after her win at the Ryan Shay Mile is HERE

Strib story on Forest Lake's Emma Benner is HERE. Story on Lakeville North's Courtney Earle is HERE

News: Notre Dame Invitational; Blugold Invite; Pittsburgh 10; TCM; Keto Adaptation; Onion App

Mounds Park Academy grad Mason Ferlic leads Michigan team to a win in the team competition at the Notre Dame Invitational winning the individual 5 Mile race in 23:15.7.  Cretin-Derham Hall grad Kevin Docherty was Iowa's fourth man, finishing 114th in 24:39.2. Post race interview with Ferlic is HERE.

Michigan team, Notre Dame Invitational Blue race Champs

UMD women finish third at Notre Dame Invitational women's 5K Gold race, second DII team.  Team race was won by NCAA DII top ranked women's team Grand Valley State.  UMD's Samatha Rivard fourth in 16:55.9, nine seconds behind the winner.  Teammate Breanna Colberson 18th in 17:19.6  Full results for all the races are HERE..

UW Eau Claire Blugold Invitational results are HERE(men) and HERE(women)

Team USA Minnesota's Jon Grey and Jon Peterson will run the men's race and new team members Emily Gordon and are in the women's race of the EQT Pittsburgh 10 Miler n November 9.  Story HERE.

USATF preview of the USARC Marathon Championships that are part of the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon HERE. More on the top contenders for US titles this weekend HERE. Sunday's race will be televised live on the Internet on USATF.TV  HERE.

Research shows the "keto adaptation" is a key element in utilizing fat as fuel during endurance events is HERE.

The Onion introduces a new exercise app HERE.

News: Exercise and the Brain;Meb

Exercise and "sedentary behavior," impact on brain function for older adults HERE.

Meb Keflezighi provides tips on being successful at an age when most people write you off because of your age HERE.  (NOTE: Today 43-year-old Jens Voigt broke the cycling one hour record.)

News: NCAA DII National Rankings; HS Top 100 team Rankings; Lieberman; Team USA Minnesota Adds a New Sponsor; Jane Welzel; Strava

NCAA DII pre-season women's National Rankings HERE. UMC ranked fourth, Winona State tenth, UMary twenty-third.  Men's rankings are HERE.

DyeStat HS XC rankings are HERE(boy's) and HERE(girls).  Wayzata tenth, Edina sixteenth, Stillwater twenty-sixth, Hopkins ninety-first in boy's.  Wayzata ranked twenty-third, Willmar fifty-fifth, Edina seventy-second, Lakeville South eighty-first, and East Ridge ninety-eighth.

Evolutionary biologist Daniel Lieberman talks about running, science, and how to interpret science studies HERE.

Pittsburgh Three Rivers Marathon Inc. to sponsor Team USA Minnesota HERE.

Nice article celebrating the life of Jane Welzel, a lovely lady and not a bad runner either HERE.

Strava, London-based company tries to take the "lonliness" out of long-distance running HERE.

News: Bioenergy, Blankenship, Mead, Lund Brothers

Lactate in sweat as a power source HERE.

Ben Blankenship on the Amazon Trail in Eugene, putting in the miles.

Hassan Mead finishing altitude training in St. Moritz, ready to go back to "sea level" and the second half of the Euro track season and his home-away-from-home base in Lueven. Instagram photo HERE.

Stillwater Gazette article on the pole vaulting Lund brothers HERE.

News: MDRA Como Park Relays, TCTC All Comers Meet; Compression Clothes; Marathon Pacing; Round Hole on a Square Peg;

"Wednesday Night Lights" for track and cross country.  Twin Cities Track Club final All Comers Meet of the summer HERE.  MDRA Como Park Relays HERE.

IdeaTap Studios YouTube video promoting Twin Cities Track Club All Comers track meets HERE.

Northfield News article on the increased use of compression garments HERE.

Study on marathon pacing shows differences between men and women HERE

Sharp turns anyone HERE.

Scientists Debate--Ferrari Response to Parisotto, Part III

Dr. Michele Ferrari's response to Robin Parisotto is HERE

Scientists Debate--Parisotto's Response to Ferrari

Point 1 
Michele Ferrari: The article "It is all about blood" of September 20, 2012 makes no reference to the Tour de France 2009: it proposes two graphs for Hemoglobin values ​​and reticulocytes, without any historical (dates), logistical (altitude), and competitive context, comparing values ​​obtained in different situations, which interfere with the values ​​themselves. 

In particular, You cannot compare the results collected at the end of a three-week stage race with tests done out of competition, furthermore at altitude. Yet you decline to answer to such a serious FLAW. 

Robin Parisotto: The data which was initially reviewed (HERE) does not contain any reference to altitude exposure. Where or what evidence is there that these two samples were collected/tested at altitude? 

In a normal Biological Passport review such data is only made available when a full documentation package is requested to confirm/exclude any suspicions. The documentation package will include chain of custody details, time and place of collection, storage conditions,  time of transport, time of testing, testing laboratory, any relevant illnesses/injuries, exposure to altitude and any other relevant information such as blood donations.  

Until such time, a passport may be described (and communicated to an anti-doping authority) as being consistent with manipulation and deemed to be in breach of anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) until factors such as hemodilution, altitude exposure, illnesses or underlying medical conditions have been considered which suggest otherwise. As indicated previously, the analysis was posted in the context of an initial biological passport evaluation.

To address the "flaw, " the values in the graphs can be linked/viewed/confirmed by comparison with the results listed at the above website.  See the response to Point 3 and the chart for further clarification..

Point 2 
MF: Armstrong stayed at altitude (Aspen) from June 1, 2009 to June 26, 2009: therefore the tests on the 16th and 17th of June 2009 were taken at an altitude of 2400m a.s.l. 

So was the test dated August 12, 2009 (always Aspen, Armstrong raced in Leadville a few days later). 

RP: As this was data that was not evident in the website described above and also in the chart HERE:    which would ordinarily only become available to Passport members on request to the UCI through the Biological Passport process.   It is curious how a member of the public(As Armstrong has stated, Dr. Ferrari is merely a friend and their conversations have not been about matters of training or physiological analysis such as this) has such intimate knowledge of times, places, and conditions surrounding these blood tests.

Point 3 
MF: Since You are not informed enough about the discussed facts: the tests mentioned above are official values from USADA - UCI and each corresponds to a sample code. 

The correction factors are NOT applied in the COMMUNICATION of the result, but in any possible further EVALUATION: therefore Hemoglobin=16.0 is the measured value.

RP: The UCI is listed at the testing agency at this WEBSITE , so what is the point here? With regard to recorded vs corrected Hemoglobin values, to infer that a value of 16.0 equates to a value of 15.2 is making a simplistic interpretation of the biological passport evaluation process.

It is true that at altitude of between 2000 and 2500 metres a correction factor of eight is applied to the passport profile. However the correction factor is not automatically deducted from the recorded test value but rather applied to a predictive formula which adjusts the predictive distribution for low and high Hemoglobin values at that particular time of testing (see graphic below with upper and lower red lines indicating predictive values and blue line indicating the recorded values for each of the four passport parameters). 

In other words, if the predictive value was X but there was a confounding factor of altitude present, then this predictive value of X would rise to accommodate the influence of altitude (for those inclined, see WADA Athlete Biological Passport Guidelines for a full explanation HERE ) . The recorded value is not changed but the predictive value is, and if the recorded value is still increased above the adjusted high predictive value (or below the low predictive value) then this would be flagged as being an abnormal result. 

As previously posted though when evaluating a biological passport it is not about identifying or singling out any one abnormal result but rather about making a subjective assessment of the pattern of test results, magnitude of changes, and the times at which these changes may be occurring over a whole sequence of results (the profile). 

Point 4 
MF: Z-score is a number that expresses the probability that the test can not be the result of natural physiological changes (not necessarily doping, in any case). 
Z-score is used in the Biological Passport (Haematologica 2006,91:356-363 and UCI Technical Document 2.09), even though, as you say, often it takes a SUBJECTIVE assessment of a "picture of pattern, magnitude of changes and what time they are occurring", which sometimes lends itself to biased interpretations. 

RP: The four parameters used in the Biological Passport, as of today, are: Hemoglobin, %reticulocytes, OFF-score and ABPS-score. The passport is not a static tool or threshold based test but rather a continuous assessment of blood parameters that when assessed as a 'whole' can give very clear and objective patterns which may be reflective of blood manipulation. Factors such as competition, altitude, illness/injury, and pathology are always considered, however, before making final recommendations or conclusions about any suspicious profile.

Point 5 

MF: See comment to Point 3. 
I find it very surprising that such an Expert Scientist as Yourself has expressed an "absolute certainty of blood manipulation" in the evaluation of data of which You had only partial knowledge. 

RP: Two points that have not been explained by Ferrari and which would be pivotal in an evaluation of such a profile are:

1.      1) Why had the Hemoglobin and Hematocrit increased during the 2009 Tour race when in just the previous race they had dramatically decreased (by almost 15%). The point here is not the decrease in Hemoglobin during the Giro as this probably reflects  hemodilution as pointed out by Ferrari (and was not suggested by me that this was due to blood withdrawal) but rather why the same phenomenom did not occur during the Tour de France.

      

         2)Why were reticulocyte levels decreased when Hemoglobin was increased in the two tests allegedly collected/performed at altitude prior to the 2009 tour. This scenario is consistent with previous administration of stimulating agents such as EPO and or previous blood re-infusion. In the original post “…. from October 16, 2008 the average reticulocyte levels are 1.1 but from May 18, 2009 the average reticulocyte levels are 0.6.’ This change/reduction in reticulocyte production during competition is not due to hemodilution however as percentage values for reticulocytes are not affected by this physiological response. This reduction reflects a blunted response to normal red blood cell production and can be achieved by micro-doping over an extended period of time or blood doping over shorter periods.

Without a satisfactory explanation of these two key points, my suspicion of blood manipulation would remain as my conclusion in the initial biological passport evaluation.

2.