Sachin draws curtain on Ahmedabad Test with a ton

Ahmedabad: Sachin Tendulkar slammed his 8th Test ton against Sri Lanka as his partnership with VVS Laxman averted the possibility of a loss. He enthralled one and all with his timing and stroke-play, speaking volumes of his two decade long stint with international cricket. The first Test ended in a draw but India would be more than glad for the result as at one point, the Lankans were seemingly poised to race away with the game.

Sachin and Laxman helped the Indian cause with some good rotation of the strike, forging a partnership that took the hosts out of the danger zone in Ahmedabad. The former also became the first batsman to cross 30,000 runs in international cricket and also continued his domination of cricket statistics. Laxman was an apt partner, crafting a half-century too.

It was a Test match that would be more remembered for establishing new records for the history books than the result. Be it the superb 275 from Mahela Jayawardene, his record-breaking partnership with Prasanna Jayawardene or Dhoni’s century that saw both the wicketkeepers registering tons in their respective first innings.

Gautam Gambhir (114) was another pillar of the Indian innings, losing his concentration only once and paying a hefty price to Rangana Herath.

It was refreshing to watch Gambhir’s good form as had slammed his seventh Test hundred just when his team needed it the most. Studded with some exquisite boundaries, the southpaw promised hope.

Rahul Dravid too chipped in 38 runs at a time when it was most needed.

Scorecard: India Vs Sri Lanka »

On a wider note, the entire course of play saw the Sri Lankan spinners facing the same dilemma as their Indian counterparts, they simply lacked the sting! They had not created pressure of any sorts on the batsmen, rather, they were content playing the patience game, waiting for the batsmen to make mistakes. Even the ordinary fielding that saw catches being dropped in the slips did not help much to their cause.

The firm pitch held good, still being more batsmen friendly, with little or no help fore the spinners, an unusual sight in contrast to the traditional turning turfs.

With the three Test rubber starting with a draw, both the outfits would go into introspection mode as soon as possible, with India trying to figure out a way to induce energy into their lackluster bowling and Sri Lanka, figuring out a victory formula that would finally work.

Fergie:Every game is a must-win

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted Manchester United must treat every game as "must-win" as to put pressure on leaders Chelsea.

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Notable long-distance track athletes

Men

• Saïd Aouita, was ranked among the world's best at all distances between 800 metres and 5000 m in the 1980s, a gold medalist at the 1984 Olympics, and like Nurmi, was the world record holder for 1500 m, 3:29.46 in 1985, and 5000 m, 13:00.40 in 1985 and 12:58.39 in 1987
• Bernard Barmasai, steeplechase world record holder
• Dieter Baumann, gold medalist in the 5000 m at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona
• Kenenisa Bekele, set the current 5000 m world record of 12:37.35 at Hengelo, in the Netherlands, set the current 10000 m world record of 26:17:53 at Brussels, Belgium, and is the gold medalist in the 10,000 m at the 2004 Olympics, 2005 World Championships, 2007 World Championships, 2008 Olympics, and 2009 World Championships. He is also the gold medalist in the 5,000 m at the 2008 Olympics and 2009 World Championships.
• Brahim Boulami, steeplechase world record holder
• Christopher Chataway, set a 5000 m world record of 13 minutes 51.6 seconds in 1954, and was a pacesetter when Roger Bannister ran the first ever sub-4 minute mile that same year
• Ron Clarke, held the 10,000 meter world record for eight years
• Eamonn Coghlan, World 5000m champion 1983
• Hicham El Guerrouj, double gold medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and the reigning world record holder for the 1,500 metres, 3:26.00, the mile 3:43.13 and 2,000 metres, 4:44.79. He also captured the World Championship 5,000m silver medal in 2003 and the Olympic 5,000m gold medal in 2004.
• Haile Gebrselassie, considered one of the greatest distance runners of all time, was the 1996 and 2000 Olympic gold medalist in the 10000 m, and held the 5000 m world record from 1998 until 2004 with a mark of 12:39.36. As of September 2008, he holds the marathon world record at 2:03:59.
• Volmari Iso-Hollo, winner of 3000 m steeplechase at the 1932 and 1936 Summer Olympics
• Ben Jipcho, steeplechase world record holder
• Kipchoge Keino, the first of many great distance runners from Kenya, who won gold in at the 1968 Olympics in the 1500 m and at the 1972 Olympics in the steeplechase
• Wilson Boit Kipketer, steeplechase world champion and world record holder
• Moses Kiptanui, thrice world champion, held two world records
• Hannes Kolehmainen, the original Flying Finn, winner of four Olympic gold medals
• Daniel Komen, thus far the only human ever to run back to back sub-four minute miles running a world record 7:58.61 for two miles in 1997 and world record holder in the 3000 [1], as well as past world record holder in the 5000.
• Taisto Mäki, held the two miles, 5000 m and 10000 m world records simultaneously for three years. The first man to run 10000 m in under half an hour.
• Billy Mills, the only American ever to win an Olympic gold medal in the 10,000 m, at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics
• Noureddine Morceli a retired Algerian athlete, winner of the 1500 m run at the 1996 Summer Olympics, as well the gold medal in various world championships, in the 1990s, he held various world records, including 1500 m, the mile, 2000 m, and 5000 m
• David Moorcroft, set the world record for 5000 m on July 7, 1982, in Oslo, at the Bislett Games with a time of 13:00.41
• Steve Prefontaine, American middle- and long-distance athlete.
• Miruts Yifter, aka 'Yifter the Shifter', an Ethiopian winner of two golds at the 1980 Olympics
• Gaston Reiff, 3000 meters world record holder for five years, Olympic gold on the 1948 5000 meters
• Ville Ritola, winner of five Olympic gold medals
• Gaston Roelants, Olympic gold medal winner and world record holder on the 3000 meter steeplechase
• Henry Rono, a Kenyan runner who set several world records in 1978, and again broke the 5000 meters world record in 1981
• Paul Tergat, world record holder in the marathon 2003 - September 2007
• Lasse Virén, Finnish winner of four gold medals at the 1972 and 1976 Olympics
• Emil Zátopek, winner of one silver and four gold medals at the 1948 Olympics and 1952 Olympics and the first to break the 29 minute barrier in the 10,000 m run, in 1954
• Paavo Nurmi, winner of nine Olympic gold medals and one of the Flying Finns
• Fernando Mamede Portuguese athlete and former world-record holder. However, he never won any top level competition

Women

• Elvan Abeylegesse, former holder of the world record at 5000 m, clocking 14:24:68 in 2004
• Zola Budd, twice broke the world record in the women's 5000 m, running barefoot
• Mary Decker, set six world records in 1982, at distances ranging from the mile to 10,000 meters
• Meseret Defar, 2004 Olympic gold medalist at 5000 m, and former world record holder
• Tirunesh Dibaba, current olympic champion at both 5,000 m and 10,000 m (the first woman to win this double)
• Ingrid Kristiansen, world champion in the 10000 m in 1987, she set five track world records
• Tegla Loroupe, holds the world records in the one hour run, and for 20, 25 and 30 kilometer distances, and previously held the marathon world record
• Liz McColgan, world champion in the 10000m in 1991
• Sonia O'Sullivan, World Champion in 5000m in 1995 and won double gold at the 1998 European Championships at 5000m and 10000m. Olympic Silver medallist at 5000m in 2000.
• Paula Radcliffe, multiple world record holder, marathon, half marathon and cross country World Champion, fourth fastest at 10,000 m.
• Fernanda Ribeiro, Olympic 10,000 m gold medalist in 1996
• Gulnara Samitova, set 3000 m steeplechase world record, clocking 9:01.59, in 2004
• Gabriela Szabo, Romanian who won the 2000 Olympic 5,000 m gold medal in Sydney in a new Olympic record time of 14:40.79
• Derartu Tulu, 10000 m gold medalist in 1992 and 2000, and the first woman from sub-Saharan Africa ever to win an Olympic gold medal
• Wang Junxia, set 10,000 m world record of 29:31.78, the first-ever sub-30 minute performance by a woman, which broke the former record by 42 seconds
• Berhane Adere, Ethiopian former world champion, fourth fastest ever over 10,000 m with her 2003 African record

Lower body motion

Lower body motion

Humans leap from one leg to the other while running. Each leap raises the center of gravity during take-off and lowers it on landing as the knee bends to absorb the shock. At mid arc, both feet are momentarily off the ground. This continual rise and fall of bodyweight expends energy opposing gravity and absorbing shock during take-off and landing. Running uses more energy than walking to travel the same distance.^[1] Therefore, running is less efficient than walking in terms of calories expended per unit distance, though it is faster.

In 2004, scientists at the University of Utah and Harvard University hypothesized that the ability of humans to sustain long-distance endurance running may have been instrumental in the evolution of the human form.^[2]

Running is executed as a sequence of strides, which alternate between the two legs. Each leg's stride can be roughly divided into three phases: support, drive, and recovery. Support and drive occur when the foot is in contact with the ground. Recovery occurs when the foot is off the ground. Since only one foot is on the ground at a time in running, one leg is always in recovery, while the other goes through support and drive. Then, briefly, as the runner leaps through the air, both legs are in recovery. These phases are described in detail below.

Support

During the support phase, the foot is in contact with the ground and supports the body against gravity. The body's centre of mass is typically somewhere in the lower abdominal area between the hips. The supporting foot touches ground slightly ahead of the point that lies directly below the body's centre of mass. The knee joint is at its greatest extension just prior to the support phase. When contact is made with the ground, the knee joint begins to flex, and the extent it flexes varies with running style. Stiff-legged running styles reduce knee flexion, and looser, or more dynamic, running styles increase it. As the supporting leg bends at the knee, the pelvis dips down on the opposite side. These motions absorb shock and are opposed by the coordinated action of several muscles. The pelvic dip is opposed by the tensor fasciae lataeilio-tibial band of the supporting leg, the hip abductor, and the abdominals and lower back muscles. The knee flexion is opposed by the Muscle contraction^{[clarification needed]} eccentric contraction of the quadriceps muscle. The supporting hip continues to extend, and the body's centre of mass passes over the supporting leg. The knee then begins to extend, and the opposite hip rises from its brief dip. The support phase begins to transition into drive.

Drive

The support phase quickly transitions into the drive phase. The drive leg extends at the knee joint, and at the hips, such that the toe maintains contact with the ground as that leg trails behind the body. The foot pushes backward and also down, creating a diagonal force vector, which, in an efficient running style, is aimed squarely at the runner's centre of mass. Since the diagonal vector has a vertical component, the drive phase continues to provide some support against gravity and can be regarded as an extension of the support phase. During the drive, the foot may extend also, by a flexing of the soleus and gastrocnemius muscle in the calf. In some running styles, notably long-distance "shuffles" which keep the feet close to the ground, the ankle remains more or less rigid during drive. Because the knee joint straightens, though not completely, much of the power of the drive comes from the quadriceps muscle group, and in some running styles, additional power comes from the calves as they extend the foot for a longer drive. This motion is most exhibited in sprinting.

Recovery

When the driving toe loses contact with the ground, the recovery phase begins. During recovery, the hip flexes, which rapidly drives the knee forward. Much of the motion of the lower leg is driven by the forces transferred from the upper leg rather than by the action of the muscles. As the knee kicks forward, it exerts torque against the lower leg through the knee joint, causing the leg to snap upward. The degree of leg lift can be consciously adjusted by the runner, with additional muscle power. During the last stage of recovery, the hip achieves maximal flexion, and, as the lower leg rapidly unfolds, which it does in a passive way, the knee joint also reaches its greatest, though not full, extension. During this extension of the leg and flexion of the hip, the hamstring and gluteal muscles are required to stretch rapidly. Muscles which are stretched respond by contracting by a reflex action. Recovery ends when the foot comes into contact with the ground, transitioning again into the support phase.

Upper body motion

The motions of the upper body are essential to maintaining balance, and a forward motion for optimal running. They compensate for the motions of the lower body, keeping the body in rotational balance. A leg's recovery is matched by a forward drive of the opposite arm, and a leg's support and drive motions are balanced by backward movement of the opposite arm. The shoulders and torso are also involved. Because the leg drive is slower than the kick of recovery, the arm thrusting backward is slower also. The forward arm drive is more forceful and rapid.

The more force exerted by the lower body, the more exaggerated do the upper body motions have to be to absorb the momentum. While it is possible to run without movements of the arms, the spine and shoulders will generally still be recruited. Using the arms to absorb the forces aids in maintaining balance at higher speed. Otherwise, optimal force would be hard to attain for fear of falling over.

Most of the energy expended in running goes to the compensating motions, and so considerable gains in running speed as well as economy can be made by eliminating wasteful or incorrect motions. For instance, if the force vector in the drive phase is aimed too far away from the centre of mass of the body, it will transfer an angular momentum to the body which has to be absorbed.

The faster the running, the more energy has to be dissipated through compensating motions throughout the entire body. This is why elite sprinters have powerful upper body physiques. As the competitive distance increases, there is a rapid drop in the upper body and overall muscle mass typically exhibited by the people who compete at a high level in each respective event. Long distance runners typically have lean muscles.

It should also be noted that the upper body also helps to propel the body up hills. The faster one swings their arms up a hill, the faster the person will move up the hill because the legs will match the speed at which the arms are moving.

Elements of good running technique

Upright posture and a slight forward lean

Leaning forward places a runner's center of mass on the front part of the foot, which avoids landing on the heel and facilitates the use of the spring mechanism of the foot. It also makes it easier for the runner to avoid landing the foot in front of the center of mass and the resultant braking effect. While upright posture is essential, a runner should maintain a relaxed frame and use his/her core to keep posture upright and stable. This helps prevent injury as long as the body is neither rigid or tense. The most common running mistakes are tilting the chin up and scrunching shoulders.^{[citation needed]}

Stride rate and Types

Exercise physiologists have found that the stride rates are extremely consistent across professional runners, between 185 and 200 steps per minute. The main difference between long- and short-distance runners is the length of stride rather than the rate of stride.^[3][4]

During running, the speed at which the runner moves may be calculated by multiplying the cadence (steps per second) by the stride length. Running is often measured in terms of pace^[5] in minutes per mile or kilometer. Fast stride rates coincide with the rate one pumps their arms. The faster one's arms move up and down, parallel with the body, the faster the rate of stride. Different types of stride are necessary for different types of running. When sprinting, runners stay on their toes bringing their legs up, using shorter and faster strides. Long distance runners tend to have more relaxed strides that vary.

Running injuries

Because of its high-impact nature, many injuries are associated with running. They include "runner's knee" (pain in the knee), shin splints, pulled muscles (especially the hamstring), twisted ankles, iliotibial band syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and Achilles tendinitis.^{[citation needed]} Stress fractures are also fairly common in runners training at a high volume or intensity.^{[citation needed]} The most common running-related injuries are due to over-exertion or bad running form.^{[citation needed]} Repetitive stress on the same tissues without enough time for recovery or running with improper form can lead to many of the above. Generally these injuries can be minimized by warming up beforehand,^[6] improving running form, performing strength training exercises, eating a well balanced diet, getting enough rest, and "icing" (applying ice to sore muscles or taking an ice bath).^{[citation needed]}

Foot blisters are also common among runners. Specialized socks help to prevent blisters greatly. For existing cases, lancing the blister with a sterile needle and applying a cyanoacrylate glue (such as Superglue or Krazy Glue) may help to protect the wound and enable further running. This is common practice among hardened endurance athletes.^[7]

For the prevention of jogger's nipple, there are many commercial products available. A common solution is to simply affix a piece of medical tape over each nipple before running.^[8]

Another common pain is chafing. It occurs when one's upper thighs rub together and makes the skin raw. The skin feels coarse and has a rash-like look. It can be prevented by either rubbing petroleum jelly, deodorant, or special anti-chafing creams (sold in sticks that look like deodorant) to the area of the skin that rubs together.

A cold bath is a popular treatment of subacute injuries or inflammation, muscular strains, and overall muscular soreness, but which efficacy is controversial.^[9] Some claim that for runners in particular, ice baths offer two distinct improvements over traditional techniques. First, immersion allows controlled, even constriction around all muscles, effectively closing microscopic damage that cannot be felt and numbing the pain that can. One may step into the tub to relieve sore calves, quads, hams, and connective tissues from hips to toes will gain the same benefits, making hydrotherapy an attractive preventive regimen. Saint Andrew’s cross-country coach John O’Connell, a 2:48 masters marathoner, will hit the ice baths before the ibuprofen. "Pain relievers can disguise injury," he warns. "Ice baths treat both injury and soreness." The second advantage involves a physiological reaction provoked by the large amount of muscle submerged. Assuming one has overcome the mind’s initial flight response in those first torturous minutes, the body fights back by invoking a "blood rush". This rapid transmission circulation flushes the damage-inflicting waste from the system, while the cold water on the outside preserves contraction. Like an oil change or a fluid dump, the blood rush revitalizes the very areas that demand fresh nutrients. Make sure not to stay in longer than 15 minutes, with 10 minutes usually being sufficient. Some claim that all of those can be effective in both minimizing and recovering from running injuries.^[

Hitting the ball

Any hitting of the ball must be done such that the ball passes over or around the net. If the ball is struck such that it travels around the net, but still lands on the opponent's side of the table, the hit is legal and play should be continued. If a player cannot return a legal hit over (or around) the net so that the ball bounces on the opposite side of the table, the player loses the point.

Scoring

Points are awarded to the opponent for any of several errors in play:^[7]

• Allowing the ball to bounce on one's own side more than once.
• Double hitting the ball. Note that the hand below the wrist is considered part of the racket and making a good return off one's hand or fingers on the racket-holding hand is allowed, but hitting one's hand or fingers and subsequently hitting the racket is a double strike and an error.
• Allowing the ball to strike anything other than the racket (see above for definition of the racket)
• Causing the ball not to bounce on the opponent's half (i.e., not making a "good" return)
• Placing one's free hand on the playing surface or moving the playing surface
• Offering and failing to make a good serve (i.e., making a service toss and failing to strike the ball fairly into play)
• Making an illegal serve: (e.g., one preceded by a player's hiding the ball or his failing to toss the ball at least 16 centimeters (six inches) in the air).
• Hitting the net with racket or any body part.
• By volleying the ball (not allowing the ball to bounce on your side)
• The ball is considered out of bounds if: It touches a wall, ceiling, the opponent's body, or is stopped by the opponents racket.

Alternation of service

Service alternates between opponents every two points (regardless of winner of the rally) until a player reaches 11 points with at least a two-point lead, or until both players have 10 points a piece. If both players reach 10 points, then service alternates after each point, until one player gains a two-point advantage. This is the currently used standard followed by the ITTF.^[8]

In doubles, service alternates every two points between sides, but also rotates between players on the same team. At the end of every two points, the receiving player becomes the server, and the partner of the serving player becomes the receiver.

In the 21-point game system, service would alternate every 5 points. If both players reached a score of 20, then service would alternate each point until one player gains a two-point advantage.

Series of games

After each game, players switch sides of the table and in the fifth or seventh, game "for the match", players switch sides when the first player scores 5 points, regardless of whose turn it is to serve. In competition play, matches are typically best of five or seven games.