Friday, July 07, 2006

What Was RW Thinking?

This has been bugging me since I got my issue of RW a couple of weeks ago. I don't know why I can't just let it go. On two separate topics, I think RW did a big disservice to our running community.

Revisionist Drinking: New Rules On Hydration

The whole article could be summed up in this quote: "If you come up to a water station and you're ambivalent about downing a cup, you're not thirsty and you don't need to drink. But if you see the water at the station and crave it, then you're truly thirsty and should have a drink."

WTF?

1. It's not that black and white. Everyone already knows what to do if you're either bloated or dying of thirst. So what are you supposed to do in between?

2. It doesn't say how much to drink, a sip, a few sips, the whole cup, chug the Gatorade bucket?

3. It doesn't account for how far apart the water stations are. Are we supposed to keep passing each station, getting progressively thirstier until we really "crave" a drink, and then the next station is a killer to get to?

Personally, I'll keep drinking a few sips to half a cup at every station, unless I feel like drinking more at any one station.

The Marathon Experiment: How We Turned A Slacker Into A Finisher


This guy wasn't just a slacker, he was a non-runner! WTF again!

1. Seriously folks, do we really want to encourage first-time NON-RUNNERS to go for it in 18 weeks to run a marathon? Is this how we want to get people started with a lifelong love for running?

2. How many RW readers do you think are closet non-runners? Who's in this non-running customer segment that RW is trying to reach with this article? Are we in that slow a news month?

3. Anyone know of a good swimming magazine for non-swimmers? I've always wanted to swim across the English Channel ... can I still do it before Thanksgiving?

7 comments:

Anne said...

I've seen a couple of iterations of the article on hydration now and agree with you that the advice or findings are too ambiguous to be useful to everyone. There's a huge range of runners with individual needs to consider. I think the whole concept of hyponatremia is behind this "movement." If I'm not mistaken, the guy who almost won Western States but had to be pulled across the finish line was treated for it afterward, so it's not just newbies taking in too many fluids.

I haven't read the second article yet, but now I'm on it. If only to get my heart rate up while I'm laid low.

SRR said...

Points well taken.

On another note...Would you believe that I FINALLY got your damn blog title after reading it out loud? The irony of it is too fucking funny. Once the light bulb came on...I couldn't stop laughing. Hello...can I say DUMB BLONDE!?!? :-)

Black Knight said...

I don't care, I follow my istinct and my habits. It is only...water

Ginger Breadman said...

I think your reactions to the articles are even funnier than the articles themselves. You don't need a magazine for the english channel. Just put on a life jacket and jump in - you'd get to the other side by thanksgiving!

Unknown said...

If you hydrate enough the day before and the morning of a race or run you'll be fine.

I have been thinking about learning to BASE jump. Anyone know a good magazine or website with a quick guide to packing a parachute?

Come on!

Anonymous said...

I was a slacker living in portland, or. I had dabbled in some running in the past but nothing with discipline. I would bike to work, but that's about it. Standing in line at the grocery store, I was struck by the title. I wanted to learn is this for real? Can people like me do this, really? In 18 weeks, I finished the Portland Marathon in 4:04. The timing doesn't matter so much - I fell in love with the experience top to bottom as a direct result of this article. So as far as "target audience," perhaps the idea is to occasionally reach out to new communities and subcultures. Who knows? You may even get someone who is now fit and finished smoking cigarettes, and eager to run my next marathon. now if you'll excuse me, i'm off to TRAIN.

Anonymous said...

I was a slacker living in portland, or. I had dabbled in some running in the past but nothing with discipline. I would bike to work, but that's about it. Standing in line at the grocery store, I was struck by the title. I wanted to learn is this for real? Can people like me do this, really? In 18 weeks, I finished the Portland Marathon in 4:04. The timing doesn't matter so much - I fell in love with the experience top to bottom as a direct result of this article. So as far as "target audience," perhaps the idea is to occasionally reach out to new communities and subcultures. Who knows? You may even get someone who is now fit and finished smoking cigarettes, and eager to run my next marathon. now if you'll excuse me, i'm off to TRAIN.