Dave Scott-Thomas head coach of the University of Guelph Men’s and Women’s Track and Field program and the Speed River Track and Field club has been awarded the 2007 Ontario Coaching Excellence Awards in the high performance category from the Coaches Association of Ontario

2007 was an outstanding year for Scott-Thomas who saw his University of Guelph Gryphons men’s and women’s cross country teams become the first school to ever successfully defend both the men’s and women’s Canadian University titles.  The women were led by Canadian University champion and Rookie of the Year Lindsay Carson of Cambridge, Ontario, while the men were led by Ontario University Champion and Centennial graduate Kyle Boorsma. 

In addition to his highly successful results in the varsity arena; Scott-Thomas’ post-collegiate athletes were arguably even more successful.  University of Guelph graduate Reid Coolsaet captured two national titles, his record fourth consecutive title over 5000 meters and the AGSI Canadian Cross Country title at the Guelph arboretum in December. Hilary Stellingwerff captured the national title over 1500 meters and represented Canada at the World Track and Field Championships and Eric Gillis captured the men’s 10000 meters national title while adding a silver medal at the cross country championships and a bronze in the 5000 meters.  Overall, Speed River athletes captured a stunning twelve national medals in 2007 a three fold increase over their previous high of four.

Press release and other award winners here

FROM Letsrun.com

In our weekly review, we made fun of a race walker for racing with a lollipop in his mouth at the 2008 AT&T USA Indoor Track & Field Championships.  Apparently his name is Theron Kissinger. If you want to see more photos with him and lollipops, please click here. To see a larger image of the picture to the left, please click on the image (Note: The $25 for the first person to send us a photo has been given out).

But maybe we shouldn't have mocked him. Apparently, Kissinger may be ahead of the curve. While we're not sure if it's possible to run with a lollipop in your mouth, if it was, it might actually help your performance. Check out the email that we got from the Senior Scientist for Performance Nutrition for PowerBar, Trent Stellingwerff (who is the husband of Canadian 1,500 star Hilary Stellingwerff ). Very interesting stuff:

A possible explanation on the lollipop:  One of the areas that I have done research is in carbohydrate oxidation to enhance physical performance.  Now, I do not necessarily think that sucking on a lollipop during a race is the best way of accomplishing what I am about to describe, plus it actually might be bit dangerous, as I would think that having a lollipop in your mouth during exercise could lead to a higher chance of chocking.  And perhaps, this race

walker was doing this for 'feel' or for whatever reason.  But, there has been a study published a few years ago now looking at the effect of just carbohydrate mouth washing, and not actually drinking the sports drink, where the carbohydrate can be used for fuel in the muscles (see paper and abstract below).  And this very established research group, lead by Professor Asker Jeukendrup (physiologist/nutrionist for Rabobank Cycling Team, author of a few books including High Performance Cycling) found a significant positive effect on 1 hr cycling time trial performance, without actually swallowing a drop of sports drink.   Continuing on this it has been shown that sweetness receptors in the mouth, have a close link with the brain (reward and pleasure centers), and with CHO mouth washing during shorter (less than 1 hr of exercise, when muscle glycogen certainly would not be limiting) could stimulate the brain and allow athletes to focus more. And this can happen very rapidly, even before the sugar/carbohydrate has a chance to leave the stomach and enter the bloodstream.  I am sure, many people on here have run out of sports drink and ‘bonked’ during a long run or ride, only to find a coke machine or buy some sports drink at a variety store and have felt that nearly instant rush of feeling better—nearly as soon as the carbohydrate hits your lips.  

Now, if this race walker was specifically attempting this mechanism via the lollipop, in support of this study, I would be surprised.  But, if he/she was, then perhaps he/she is ahead of the game and trying to ensure the most optimal nutritional situation for performance?  Highly unlikely, but perhaps?  Nevertheless, more studies are need.

(To be honest, most times the opposite occurs—in that the science lags behind what is actually being done in practice.  As it is very easy for a coach or athlete to do a series of trial and error and over time very quickly get a ‘feel’ for that type of training and/or nutrition works. It can take over a year to do a single well controlled study. For example, already in the 1970’s many marathoners used de-carbonated cola during races.  All they knew was that it 'worked', and indeed it wasn't until about 30 yrs later that a study came out showing the combined effects of carbohydrate and caffeine on performance (ie. what is found in cola).  Now this has been refined a bit with properly formulated sports drinks, some of which have caffeine, as cola is pretty highly concentrated in sugars and can cause some stomach upset).  

All the best,

Trent
---------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Trent Stellingwerff, PhD
Senior Scientist- Performance Nutrition: PowerBar
Physical Performance and Mobility Group
Nestlé Research Center

http://www.letsrun.com/2008/lollipop0227.php

Hilary Stellingwerff was recently named to the Canadian team that will compete at the World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain from March 7-9.  Hilary qualified in the 1500m when she posted a 4:10.32 1500m in Karlsruhe on February 10th.  Hilary has competed in the 1500m at the World Track and Field Championships and Commonwealth games in the past two years.  There will only be eight athletes in total going to the World Indoor Championships from Canada as the Canadian standards are stiffer than those set by the IAAF.

Athletics Canada Team page
www.athletics.ca/page.asp?id=243

IAAF Championship site (start lists, schedule and results will be found here)
http://www.iaaf.org/WIC08/index.html

Hilary Stellingwerff posted a great indoor 1500m time this past weekend when she ran 4:10.32 for fourth place at the competitive Bank Meeting in Karsruhe, Germany.  Hilary ran faster than she did last year in the same indoor meet and was only 4/10ths off of her indoor PB set last year.  Her time qualifies her for the World Indoor Champs to be held next month in Valencia, Spain, (the Canadian A standard for World Indoors is 4:11.50 in the Women's 1500m).  “I haven’t done a ton of speed work yet”, Hialry said after the race, “so I’m very happy with the result here. It shows I’m on the right track for my summer season and my ultimate goal of being ready for Beijing.”

At the Valentine Invitational at Boston University, Speed Rivererians put down some solid results in the 3000m and 5000m races. In the 3000m Taylor  Milne ran 8:11.66 while Cleve Thorson set a PB with an 8:13.20 showing, good for 5th and 8th.  Taylor Murphy ran 14:29.62 for seventh place in his first indoor track race in a couple of years.  That time ranks Murphy first in Canada over 5000m on a standard 200m track. The BU race is a very popular race with the Men's 3000m and 5000m seeing over 150 and 120 competitors respectively.  Milne and Thorson’s performances rank them sixth and seventh respectively on this year’s Canadian rankings.  Coupled with earlier season results from Reid Coolsaet who has the nation’s leading time of 7:53.51 and Eric Gillis’s fourth best of 7:57.66, Speed River now boasts four of the top seven Canadians on this year’s men’s 3000 meters rankings.

 You can watch the Boston races at www.flotrack.com
http://www.flocasts.org/flotrack/coverage.php?c=172&id=8843

 Karlsruhe results:

1	Sylvia Kibet	KEN	28.3.84	4:07.46		NR	PB
2	Sonja Roman	SLO	11.3.79	4:08.16			SB
3	Bouchra Ghezielle	FRA	18.5.79	4:08.43			SB
4	Hilary Stellingwerff	CAN	7.8.81	4:10.32			SB
5	Nataliya Tobias	UKR	22.11.80	4:14.32			SB
6	Natalya Yevdokimova	RUS	17.3.78	4:16.95			SB
7	Sabrina Mockenhaupt	GER	6.12.80	4:19.42			SB
8	Denise Krebs	GER	27.6.87	4:26.06			PB

Valentine Invitational Results:

3000m 

1  2283 Smith, Max             PROVIDENCE                 7:57.19 
  2  1349 Martinez, Aucencio     ASC-ELITE               8:00.95 
  3  2776 Proctor, David                                                 8:07.48 
  4  2806 Yuot, Macharia                                                8:07.53 
  5  2449 Milne, Taylor          SPEED RIVER TFC        8:11.66 
  6  2272 Haji, Ahmed            PROVIDENCE              8:12.35 
  7  2049 Edgerton, Robert       NEW HAMPSHIRE   8:13.01 
  8  2451 Thorson, Cleve         SPEED RIVER TFC     8:13.20 
  9  2286 Yeates, Richard        PROVIDENCE             8:14.07 
10  2039 Lutz, Justin           NEW BALANCE BOST     8:16.01

5000m

1  1548 Clark, Chris           CALIFORNIA (PA.)            14:00.32 
  2  1786 Peck, Nate             GRAND VALLEY ST.      14:07.39 
  3  2134 Abdallah, Hany         NYU                                14:21.87 
  4  1783 Holm, Ryan             GRAND VALLEY ST.      14:24.84 
  5  1309 Anderson, Jonathan     ARMY                        14:28.25 
  6  1781 Fall, Grant            GRAND VALLEY ST.         14:28.97 
  7  2450 Murphy, Taylor         SPEED RIVER TFC       14:29.62 
  8  1809 Lipkin, Andrew         HARVARD                     14:32.07 
  9  1508 Hardy, Duriel          BROWN                           14:32.54 
10  1787 Polk, Nick             GRAND VALLEY ST.        14:34.02 

The issue which will hit newsstands on February 21^st will feature Stellingwerff on the cover and an accompanying article chronicling her preparations in her attempt to represent Canada at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.  Stellingwerff the 2007 Canadian National Champion over 1500 meters is coming off an career best year; which saw her ranked as high as twelve in the world and qualifying for her first World Championships in Osaka, Japan. Canadian Running Magazine will feature all-Canadian content and will be published in Canada.  It will be available locally at the Running Room and Running Works, as well as many Shoppers Drug Marts.

Canadian Running Magazine’s website (www.runningmagazine.ca) will launch on February 15. For subscriptions, please go to www.runningmagazine.ca or call 416-927-0774.

University of Guelph freshman star Lindsay Carson will lead the Canadian contingent as she attempts to defend her junior (under 20) title from last year’s championships.  She will be joined in the junior ranks by Centennial Collegiate’s Rob Jackson. Also named to the team are Speed River Track and Field Club teammates Rob Watson and Taylor Murphy who will compete in the senior men’s race.  Canadian National Champion Carmen Douma-Hussar who represents the Guelph Track and Field Club will lead the senior women’s team at the championships which are set to be held March 1^st in Orlando, Florida. The team was selected based on the results from this past December’s AGSI Canadian National Cross Country Championships which were held in the University of Guelph Arboretum.

In a related story, Brenda Scott-Thomas, Director of Speed River Physiotherapy, has received her first national team assignment.  Ms. Scott-Thomas will be the lead physiotherapist at this summer’s North American and Central American Under 23 Track and Field Championships to be held in Toluca, Mexico.