One foot in front of the other.
Continued from: 2010 Ironman Louisville: Race Report Part 1 – Before the race
On race day, August 29, 2010, I woke up at 3 o’clock AM. The reason I got up so early was too afford myself the time to follow my usual, daily routine. I know it may seem silly to some, but for me having the time to wake up, eat breakfast, shower and basically just give myself the time to get in gear is imperative.Also, since the transition area opened at 5:30 AM, I wanted plenty of time to get there, park and get to my bike.
I arrived at the transition area at about 5:10 AM. Already there was a huge mass of people waiting to be let in to transition in order to make final adjustments and nutritional additions to their bikes and transition bags. In my past experience, people are always early for these types of pre-race tasks, but due to the nature of the swim start, it was especially important in this race. You see, the swim start for Ironman Louisville is a time trial start. The reason for this is that the swim was taking place in the Ohio River, and the first third of the swim led athletes upstream in between Towhead Island and the shore. Therefore, there was not nearly enough room for the traditional Ironman mass start.
As it turned out, we were allowed into transition a few minutes early. I headed straight to my bike to fill my Speedfil (filled with 3 hours worth of my custom blend from Infinit Nutrition) and to top off my tires. I had done pretty much everything I needed to the day before, so I was all prepared and headed with the a boat-load of other people on the 3/4 mile walk to the swim start. As I walked, there were people literally hauling ass by me to get a decent place in the line to start. The reason for this (and a HUGE complaint for me) is that the line for the swim start had ABSOLUTELY NO RHYME OR REASON. It was entirely first come, first serve. I will go into this more in my review of the parts of the race that I experienced later, but as you can guess, I think the way it starts is crap.
I, like many others, had someone holding a place in line for me. While I imagine that had I not been fortunate enough to have this, I would have been furious at those who did. However there was/is no rule against it and that opportunity presented itself, so I took it. I was placed very close to the front of the line and knew I’d be in the water quickly once the cannon sounded.
As time drew nearer, volunteers were gathering morning clothes bags about 45 minutes before the actual start. This was a problem for many (including me) because it left us standing there, with no water, clothes or anything else we may want for 45 minutes (again, I’ll go into this more in my review later). I did run to the bathroom at one point, which meant going quite a way from where I was standing (many thanks to my line buddy for holding my spot). This was sort of easy, though the bathrooms were situated right beside the line for going in the water so it looked like some sort of spandex-clad M.C. Escher drawing.
I picked my way back to my spot in line, past a throng of not-so-pleased athletes, and waited. The professional start was right at 6:50 AM and we were to go off ten minutes later. In that ten minutes, a very talented trumpeter played the Star-Spangled Banner as well as My Old Kentucky Home. Then things began to get energized.
When the cannon went off, the lines we were in moved super fast. I put on my cap and goggles and watched my fellow competitors jumping off two separate docks. Swimmers were going in two at a time off each dock basically one on top of the other. It was actually quite dangerous looking and you really had to be careful not to jump on the swimmer in front of you.
I walked out on the dock and jumped.
To be continued…
Polar and LOOK, the inventor and leader in clipless pedals, have merged their expertise to introduce the first clipless pedal that measures power output and cadence. Kéo Power is a must-have novelty for the ambitious cyclists who want to reach their maximum potential.
Polar P5 power transmitters and Look Kéo Power pedals comprise together the first-ever power measurement system integrated in the pedals. Easy to attach to cranks and switch between the bikes, each pedal comes with eight embedded gauges for extreme precision in power measurement. The two power transmitters relay the data from the sensors directly to a compatible Polar cycling computer on the bike’s handlebars.
Kéo Power gives instant feedback by measuring accurate power output in watts from both the left and the right pedal separately. By revealing the cyclist’s left/right balance between the legs, the system helps perfect cycling technique. In addition, current and average cadence is essential for those willing to optimize their cycling economy.
The system is compatible with Polar CS600X and CS500 cycling computers and works with any crankset on the market. The CS500 displays power output and cadence, whereas the CS600X reveals the left/right balance and Cycling Efficiency Index as well. The Polar LOOK Kéo Power system will become available in spring 2011.
My trip to Louisville, Kentucky began at about 6 o’clock AM on August 26, 2010. Since I had so much stuff to bring, including my bike, helmet(s) and all my other race gear, some of which is quite bulky, I had decided to drive down rather than fly. From New York City, where I live, it is about a twelve hour drive. To be completely honest, the drive was rather boring and uneventful.
Upon arriving in Louisville and checking in to my hotel, I immediately headed to a nearby Wal-Mart super center to pick up some groceries. I was trying to keep my meals as on track as possible leading up to the race and, say what you want about Wal-Mart, but they had everything I needed to have the meals and snacks that Coach Jeff prescribed. After eating dinner and taking a bit to digest, I got right into bed and went to sleep.
The next morning, I didn’t have a very strict schedule of anything to do. So, after eating breakfast, showering and such I headed down to check myself in to the race and to visit the expo. Checking in was relatively painless and went by in about 15 or 20 minutes. The check-in process went like so:
After doing the check-in thing, it was on to the expo. A quick side-note on that; I think WTC (Ironman‘s parent company) is making a huge mistake by only having themselves as the sole vendor of general multisport “stuff” at these events. There are of course, other companies at the expo selling their products, but not really any multi-sport retailers other than Ironman. For instance, I needed two extra eight ounce Fuel Belt bottles. The Ironman store in the expo only sold Nathan products (that I could find) which do not fit in my Fuel Belt. So, I had to drive across town to what was actually a really great local multisport store, VO2 Multisport to find the bottles I needed. My point is, unless Ironman/WTC can somehow manage to have fewer exclusive deals and carry a wider range of products in their “store”, I think they’re hurting themselves and the athletes by boxing out stores that might be able to provide some of the things they cannot.
In the expo, I made my way through the companies that were there to visit Pam, Ian and the crew from Newton Running (I’m sure you’re completely shocked that I spent time there!). It was really great to hang out with them for a few and to talk about everything from shoes to the challenges of running (and hiking and biking and…) with babies, toddlers and beyond. I had put out the call for a tweet-up lunch thing meeting at the Newton booth at noon, so in the time I had before then, I ran back out to my car to take care of a couple of errands and to scope out the area. On my way out of the Galt House Hotel, where the expo and such was being held, I got recognized by a racer named Alvaro (I’m pretty sure). I’m constantly shocked when this happens, but he was such a nice guy and I truly hope his race was everything he’d set out to accomplish.
I got back to the Newton booth right at noon and waited around until 12:30 for people to show. The tweet-up ended up being just me, but that’s OK, because I like me (most of the time)! I think that a lot of the time, people are a bit shy about crossing the bridge between the virtual and real worlds and don’t want to speak up. So, if you’re reading this and you DID show up, but you just weren’t sure what to do next, SAY SOMETHING TO ME!! Chances are you know what I look like, but I probably don’t know what you look like!
After I had my lunch, I went back to my hotel to rest a bit and to shower and such as I’d be heading to the athlete’s dinner and meeting that evening. The meeting itself was the usual stuff; the directors of each portion of the course, and the race director went over rules and cautions, helping to give us the safest and best race experience.
Afterward, I headed back to my hotel. My plan was to begin to get my gear together and into it’s assigned bag. Below is the video of those details:
After all that, I headed to bed with my alarm clock set to wake me up and get down to the practice swim the next morning.
The practice swim was pretty uneventful. The race was NOT wetsuit legal as the temperature was about 86° F. I took the swim to feel out how I would react to the fact that we would begin the race by swimming upstream and against the current of the Ohio River. I also wanted to feel the downstream current as I was expecting to feel more pull than I actually did. The swim felt good and the water was MUCH better to swim in than the Hudson River!
After the swim, I took my bike to the Ironman wheel rental counter to get my race wheels put on (special thanks to @Indianabackdoc for helping facilitate this). I then had a short, easy bike ride of about 30 minutes in order to get my legs spinning. This was followed by a short, roughly 15 minute run. Both of these felt great and I was really beginning to get excited for the next day.
I went back to my hotel and got my gear together to check in. In Ironman races, you are required to check in your bike and transition bags the day before the race. Generally, you will have access to them on race day, but it pays to be ready ahead of time. I got my stuff all checked in and that pretty much ends the preparation!
After taking a short nap and lounging around my hotel room for the afternoon, I met up with Trevor and Kristine (Twitter friends and teammates on Team PRS Fit). We went to Lynn’s Paradise Cafe and had an awesome dinner with excellent conversation. It was so amazing to have met these two and to get to spend some really amazing time with them (more on this later). They really and truly made my trip without my wife and daughter that much more bearable and I cannot thank them enough for all they did for me.
I got back to my hotel at about 8:30 and set my alarm for 3 AM. I closed my eyes, and surprisingly, sleep came easily.
To be continued…
Because I am driving back home today (Monday), my podcast will be this Thursday, September 2 at 8pm EST.
My Top Ten Tips for Beginner Cyclists
Baker’s Review of the Catlike Whisper Plus
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In late July, my friend Brandon posted about Catlike’s 2010 Whisper Plus helmet. Supposedly, the lightest and coolest (from a temperature standpoint) helmet on the market and I had to have one! They were available for purchase in the US on August 2nd, which is when I placed my order, then anxiously checking the Fedex tracking each day to watch it’s progress. Yes, I was excited.
The Whisper Plus retails for $280.00 which puts it on the pricey side of things. My justification was simple, it was designed to protect my head making it invaluable riding accessory. It arrived in a black hard-shell carrying case, very similar to an expensive pair of sunglasses. I immediately inspected and tried on the helmet, being very impressed with its design. It is an extremely light helmet, yet feels very rugged.
I chose ‘Cervelo White’ as the color of my helmet which seems appropriate as I ride a Cervelo P2. The whites on both do in fact match.
The following morning in Central Park I noticed a number of interesting differences in this helmet as opposed to my old Bell. It has an adjustable back strap that sits right at the bottom part of the skull, keeping the helmet tight but still breathable. If necessary I was able to (with one free hand) reach back and tighten or loosen this device to find a happy medium while riding.
It’s most notable feature is the wind coming through the vents and across the top of your head. It was pretty amazing and really did keep my head cooler than I was used to.
As far as ‘looks’ go (come on people, we all like to look good when racing) it is great from the side angles and has an aerodynamic quality. From the front it looks very alien with its multiple honeycomb vents, which is a minor drawback compared to it’s cooling function. Overall, it looks very professional and may mark the beginning in a new era of helmet design.
I have been wearing it on training rides a lot with no dissatisfaction. In fact I love it. As far as races go, I haven’t tested it yet as I have only had a few ‘Sprints’ since owning it. Probably, I would wear it in any race greater than a Half Ironman as you hardly know you’re wearing the helmet which is a huge plus.
I would definitely recommend this helmet to any serious cyclist or triathlete.
Big thanks to Baker for writing this awesome review for me! You can visit his website and check out more of his stuff at: BeyondDefeat.com
If you’ve ever shopped for quality bike gear, whether it’s clothing, parts or accessories, then you know that the world or bike stores can be a very expensive one to navigate. I’ve put together this list of store where I like to shop online. I avoid shopping in brick & mortar store as much as possible because of the huge markups and the internet is the new bargain bin of retail! This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it is one that includes some of my favorites.
If you’ve got a great site that you’d like to add to this list, PLEASE leave it in the comments!
Serves: 4
Whisk vinegar, oil, dill (or oregano), garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives and feta; toss to coat.
Tip: If you don’t have cooked chicken, poach 1 pound chicken breasts for this recipe. Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a medium skillet or saucepan. Add lightly salted water (or chicken broth) to cover and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 15 minutes.
Per serving: 343 calories; 18 g fat (5 g sat, 7 g mono); 89 mg cholesterol; 11 g carbohydrates; 31 g protein; 3 g fiber; 618 mg sodium; 656 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (140% daily value), Vitamin C (45% dv), Folate (31% dv), Potassium (19% dv), Calcium (15% dv).
1 Carbohydrate Serving
There are so many tips for beginner cyclists floating around the internet that to cover them all could be a complete website unto itself (and probably is!). This list is the top ten things that I think every beginner cyclist should know (assuming you’ve already got a bike). Please leave your own beginner cyclist tips in the comments!
Again, this list is by no means comprehensive. Please leave your tips in the comments!
In full Ironman events (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run) you are given five plastic bags at check in. One bag for transition one (swim to bike), one for transition two (bike to run), one morning clothes bag (for clothes and whatever else you may want to keep around before entering the water) and one bag each for about the halfway point on the bike and the run. Each of the special needs bags will be waiting for you with whatever you want to have in it. Here’s what I’ll have in mine…
Bike Special Needs Bag
Run Special Needs Bag
That’s all I can think of for now, and I’m sure I’ll add a few things along the way, but I’m trying to be a bit minimalist about it. You are told that you likely won’t get your special needs bags back, so it’s best not to put anything in them that will be sorely missed.
Check back soon for more race prep!
Sole Dual Layer Performance Socks
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Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis, 2008
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and place an oven rack in the middle.
Place the eggplant on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cooled eggplant, beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add 1/3 cup of olive oil until the mixture is creamy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Place the hummus in a dipping bowl and serve with the cucumber slices. Alternatively, spoon the hummus over the cucumber slices and arrange on a serving platter.
Leading up to Ironman Louisville this year, I have been quite desperate to find something that could keep up with my rate of perspiration. That’s right, I sweat…a TON. I need a pair of glasses that are lightweight, has a great field of vision, minimal or no frames that would allow sweat to pool, lenses that would allow my copious amounts of sweat to run off easily and allows for a boatload of airflow to keep my eyes and brow line cool(ish). The Pivlock V90 Max fits the bill on all accounts.
First, weight; the Pivlock’s are amazingly lightweight. Aside from their weight in hand, the action and fit make them that much more invisible. While the weight of some glasses belies cheap and half-baked manufacturing, the Pivlocks are actually designed with that in mind using what they call the Grilamid TR90 frames, built for flexible, light yet hard core construction.
Next, the lens. Well, as far as traditional frames go, the Pivlocks have none. This means absolutely zero interfering with any part of your periphery. The field of vision goes seamlessly from the through the lens, to over or under the lens (if you can get around the great coverage). The V90 Max’s come with three lenses, bronze mirror, ignitor (rose tinted) and clear. Each of the lenses offers a clear, easy to clean, larger surface and they have a sweat seal hydrocoating that allows sweat to roll off easily. The changing of the lens takes about 10 seconds flat and is super simple yet sturdy.
The shape of the glasses makes them very comfortable an firmly, yet lightly, fitting on your face. They offer a huge amount of coverage that once again, has no frames to distort your field of vision. Even with that much coverage, the airflow is unparalleled in my experience. There is no frame lip to interrupt or stop the airflow over the brow and air flows throughout the entire perimeter of the lens, keeping your face and eye area cooler than any glasses I’ve tried. After a six hour ride I came home and HAD to show my wife the lack of sweat on the lenses!
The one possible detractor for some people may be the size of the V90′s. They probably work best on a medium to large face because of their size. This isn’t to say that they wouldn’t “work” on everyone, that’s a matter of taste and preference.
I highly recommend the Smith Pivlock V90 Max glasses. As long as I can keep these bad boys on my face they’ll be there. On top of that, Smith’s lifetime warranty certainly helps!
OH! I almost forgot!! Take a look at the amazing, removable prescription system that the V90′s offer!
http://cmp.ly/2/w9cl44
After what has seemed like an eternity for many of us die-hard Newton Running fans, the much heralded trail shoe has finally landed in the Newton store for pre-order! I spoke with Sir Isaac a tiny bit today and got some of the skinny on the shoes:
“Closed mesh, PU frame above the EVA for additional support and
protection, gusseted tongue, more supportive strapping, reinforced toe
cap.”
I can’t WAIT to try out these new shoes and get them nice and dirty on any trail I can find! When I do get some on my feet, you can be certain that I will give those of you on the fence about buying some for yourself a detailed rundown. For those of you that can’t wait, click the picture below!
Sole (AMAZING SOCKS, and sandals….)
Smith Pivlock V90 Max Sunglasses
Smith Pivlock V90 Max with Prescription lenses
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Stuffitts Winner @Ironsunflower!!
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Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence
Serves: 4-6
Put the garlic onto a cutting board and sprinkle it with about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Using the side of a large knife, slowly mash the garlic into a paste. Put the garlic paste into a small bowl and blend in 1/2 cup olive oil, parsley, and thyme leaves. Pour half the mixture over the chicken and season it with salt and pepper. Set the chicken aside to marinate while you prepare the other ingredients for grilling.
Heat the grill to medium high. Drizzle half the remaining marinade into the mushrooms and half onto the cut side of the radicchios. Season both with salt and pepper and place them on the grill over indirect heat. Grill until the mushrooms and radicchio are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes; set them aside to cool while you cook the chicken
Put the chicken on the grill and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes per side, or until cooked through and juices run clear. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
To serve, cut the chicken into pieces, cut the mushrooms into quarters, and cut the radicchio into wedges. Gently toss everything together with some fresh watercress and an extra drizzle of olive oil.
I headed out my door this morning at 5:30 AM. At that time, it was 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 85% humidity. My run was to be:
Keep heart rate in zones 1-3 on a rolling course. Allow heart rate to gradually rise to zone 3 as pace builds, but don’t force it up. Duration 1:30:00
As I began, I felt decent if a little tired from waking up at 4:30 AM. I started on my favorite route and by the time I got about 1.25 miles into it I noticed that I was literally pouring sweat. This continued until I got about 27 minutes into my run when I decided to turn back. Up to this point, my sweat rate had been epic and this is considering the fact that I am a heavy sweater to begin with. My heart rate had also been jumping far higher than it should. Basically, my effort was far more than it should have been.
Once I turned around, these things were only compounded by my mental state and the fact that I even found myself walking a couple of hills (not sure if the walking was an effort thing or a screw it thing). Once I got home, it took me ten minutes of standing in a cold shower with my clothes on to get my heart rate under 100 and to get me to a point where I didn’t feel like I was going to overheat. This run officially ranks as #2 on my list of all time worst runs (just behind my first marathon) and is certainly my worst ever workout run (that I can remember, I’ve never walked part of a workout).
This brings me to my question. How do you mentally recover from a bad workout? I’m not worried about the physical part, I don’t have time for that. It the mental thing and the fact that I can’t say, “well, I’ve had worse runs”, because I haven’t had worse runs. So what do you do?
After many months of waiting, those awesomely vented, Swiss-cheese looking helmets you’ve seen by Catlike are finally available in the U.S.! According to the Serotta Bikes Facebook page (Serotta is the official U.S. distributor of Catlike), the first helmets just arrived and are making their way to your local Serotta dealer, competitivecyclist.com or the official Serotta website! I haven’t had the opportunity to slap one on my noggin just yet, but you can be sure that when/if I do, I’ll give you the detailed rundown!
Leave a comment on this post and win a pair of Stuffitts for free! (it takes 2 seconds!!)
Infinit Nutrition (Use code “ironbrandon” for FREE shipping!!)
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This isn’t going to be some long, drawn-out diatribe about what kind of “strike” is best. I just wanted to take a quick second to make an observation.
The buzzword when debating this topic is “footstrike” (see also: foot strike, foot-strike, Fuß strike and mul strejk). At the same time, those doing the debating, or rather stating (of which I too am guilty) speak mainly of the way our feet land on the ground while wearing shoes. That being the case (most of the time) I think that the term “footstrike” is a misnomer.
You see, when wearing just about any shoe (before anyone goes commenting on this, please not that I said JUST ABOUT ANY, which means, not all), the heel is higher that the metatarsal area (of the shoe not the foot). So, essentially, we are running on a wedge. Now, there are varying degrees of “drop” in shoes and there are racing flats which are not flat at all. In all of these shoes, when we try to take pictures and videos and such and analyze the footstrike of the runner, we are limited by several things. One, they are wearing shoes and we cannot see the bottom of their actual foot. Two, the amount of movement that takes place in someone’s footfall in the last couple of millimeters is huge and it is all but impossible to tell how someone’s SHOE will actually land when it is still an inch or so off of the ground. Three, even in high speed video, which Pete from Runblogger.com has done a great job of compiling, you’re largely still looking at feet IN SHOES, and thus we cannot see what the FOOT is doing (though Pete does have some fantastic barefoot videos in slow-mo).
So I propose this, in this eternal debate, full of hard-headed type-A’s (sometimes including yours truly), we try to agree upon something. When the “strike” you happen to be debating is in shoes, call it “shoestrike” (see also: shoe strike, shoe-strike, Schuh-Streik and sko strejk). When speaking of something where you can actually see the FOOT, NOT THE SHOE (yes, this likely means barefoot, which is an entirely different topic), then and only then, should we call it “footstrike”.
New York City Triathlon Results (I’m bib number 4788)
Me on the Official Newton Blog!
Infinit Nutrition (Free shipping with code: ironbrandon)
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Jens Voigt descends the Peyresourde Pass on a loaner bike after a crash shattered his own (Robin Wilmott)
You may remember Jens Voigt from his terrible crash [Video Here] in the 2009 Tour de France which forced him out of the race. Well, on yesterday’s stage it almost happened again. However, broken and bleeding, Voigt pulled it together to stay in the race…on a bike 3 sizes too small!!!
ULTRA RUNNER from Cedar Wright on Vimeo.
Well, I guess it was bound to happen eventually. Somehow, after having recorded about 45 minutes of my show last night, the audio stopped and when I began to play it back, I discovered it was completely unintelligible and irreparable. I will be re-recording the show at 8 PM EST on Wednesday, July 21. So hold tight and I’ll be back soon!
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Courtesy of Food Network Magazine
Serves: 4
Preheat the broiler. Make shallow cuts in the chicken thighs with a sharp knife. Toss the chicken with the lemon juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl.
Pulse 2 tablespoons yogurt, the vegetable oil, onion, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, coriander, cumin, 11/2 teaspoons paprika and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor to make a paste. Toss the chicken in the mixture and let marinate 15 minutes.
Place the chicken on a foil-lined broiler pan. Broil, turning once, until slightly charred and a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees F, 5 to 6 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/4 teaspoon paprika, the cilantro and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Top the chicken with the yogurt sauce and serve with rice, if desired.
Per serving: Calories 237; Fat 9 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 115 mg; Sodium 1,266 mg; Carbohydrate 8 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 30 g
Photograph by Antonis Achilleos
“Running Dark” mark the first of Jamie Freveletti‘s books that I have had the pleasure of reading. The problem with that is that as soon as I finished it (and even while reading) I found myself desperately wanting to know about the “Columbia incident” from Freveletti’s debut novel, “Running from the Devil” (which I am now reading)!
In Running Dark, we begin by accompanying the heroine of the book, Emma Caldridge, as she runs the legendary Comrades ultramarathon in South Africa. From that point we are taken on an adventure involving Somali pirates (though the author notes that the manuscript for this was written before pirates came to so much international focus), United States Congressmen, warlords, back alley power brokers and a mysterious drug that gives people the ability to push themselves to their physical limit.
The momentum in “Running Dark” never stalled and never felt forced. Freveletti sets a good pace for the story while still taking the time to define the characters. Even though several of the players in this novel are holdovers from Running from the Devil, I felt like, even though I had not read the first novel, they were still explained to me in great detail.
I have to admit that because I knew the author is a runner and because the opening pages put us right in the middle of Comrades, I thought there would be much more actual running in the book. However, what followed was a read that was right up my alley. This is a novel slammed full of adventure and intrigue and left me wanting more. I can say that I think everyone would enjoy this book (unless, of course, the scope of your adventurous reading ends with Jane Austen).
Many thanks to TK for the book(s)!
http://cmp.ly/1/v2j28l
Nautica New York City Triathlon
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While I am an admitted fan of Google Maps and an avid Apple supporter, I have to admit that Microsoft really stepped up its game when they created Bing Maps. Now, Bill Gates & Co. have given us an application that will give you the dirt on each and every stage of the 2010 Tour de France.
Not only does this app give you the obvious in the form of pretty satellite pictures of the route, but they go several steps further. You can automatically zoom in to both the beginning and end of each stage which will get you a lot closer than sitting in your living room will! You can also see the results of each stage (information for the app data provided by Podium Café)
To see the app in it’s full, yellow jersey wearing glory, click the link here!
To all those who have made each and every one of my first one hundred episodes possible, thank you.
Newton Running Events Calendar
Norawas de Rarámuri (Friends of the Running People)
Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon on Facebook
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For Immediate Release
Contact: Mark Riedy
mark@trueoverdrive.com
415.302.2923
Lance Armstrong Starts 2010 Tour de France In Specially Designed Giro TT Helmet
New ‘LAX’ helmet designed around Armstrong’s unique body, riding position and 2010 Tour courses by Giro’s Advanced Concepts Group
(Scotts Valley, Calif., July 3rd, 2010)–Giro, the worldwide leader in high-performance protective gear and
equipment for action sports and trusted sponsor to Lance Armstrong for all seven of his record Tour de France
victories, has announced that Armstrong rode today’s Tour de France prologue in a new time trial helmet that was
custom designed around Armstrong’s specific morphology, riding position and the 8.9-kilometer course in
Rotterdam. Code named ‘LAX’, the new helmet will not be sold at retail, but elements of the design will certainly
trickle down to future production time trial helmets.
“Lance always puts 100-percent into the Tour and for this, his last go at it, he asked us to create something ultra special,” said Giro’s Senior Sports Marketing Manager, Chuck Platt. “The LAX was the first major project for our new Advanced Concepts Group and the challenge pushed our team to use new technology and methods in the hope that we could help Lance win his 8th Tour de France.”
The LAX helmet was the subject of a story by Wired Magazine writer Mark McCluskey on the magazine’s website
(http://www.wired.com/playbook/2010/07/armstrong-helmet-exclusive/) today.
Giro went to extreme measures to prepare project LAX for this year’s Tour. Considering the six month development time and Lance’s busy schedule, the Advanced Concepts Group made a laser scan of Armstrong’s torso while tucked in his time trial position, and separately, scanned his head. The data acquired was used to make precision headform and torso models that Giro’s Advanced Concepts Group used to aid development in Armstrong’s absence. The torso model was used in a number of sessions to test as many as 100 prototypes in a variety of wind tunnels.
Giro’s Advanced Concepts Group is based not far from Silicon Valley in the company’s Scotts Valley, California headquarters and includes industrial designers, helmet engineers, product development specialists and test lab staff. The Advanced Concept Group is housed in a new, state of the art facility that encourages innovative design practices and allows for rapid prototyping and on-site testing. The LAX is the first product to come out of the group.
Riding in what he has called his final Tour de France, Armstrong is pursuing a record setting 8th victory and rides for a team sponsored by American electronics retailer RadioShack. The 2,234-mile 2010 Tour de France begins on Saturday, July 3rd in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and ends on Sunday, July 25th in Paris, France. In addition to the race’s Prologue in Rotterdam, the custom LAX helmet will benefit Armstrong in the 52-kilometer individual time trial on the race’s penultimate stage in Bordeaux that many Tour watchers feel could decide the winner of the 93rd running of the lap of France.
Contact Mark Riedy at TRUE Communications for additional information and images of the LAX helmets at
415.302.2923; mark@trueoverdrive.com
About Giro Sport Design
Giro®, based in Scotts Valley, CA, is a worldwide leader in the design, development and marketing of premium,
high-performance protective gear and accessories for action sports and active lifestyles. We are an innovative and
consumer-focused brand, with a mission to create products on the leading edge of inspired design that help you to
look and feel your best.
Thanks so much for visiting my site! My name is Brandon Wood and I am an opera singer living and trying to make it in New York City. This site and podcast follow my adventures on the way to competing in and training for all kinds of endurance events, especially triathlon and running. Click the "About Me" tab for more info!
Who: This contest is open to anyone and everyone in the U.S. and Canada (also APO)! Tell your friends!
What: Stuffitts! I have spoken about these simple yet awesome shoe savers in the past. Click here to read more about them. I cannot say enough how great they are!
When: Starting NOW! This is an ongoing contest that will be every month, or until every person on the planet has nice, fresh smelling shoes!
Why: Because Stuffitts are awesome! The folks at Stuffitts are being SUPER generous and I also want to give you guys something that I think is a great addition to any athletes arsenal!
How: On the last podcast episode post of each month (example: Episode 99 on June 28 HERE) entrants should leave a comment (however long you'd like). On the following week's show (the first show of each month) I will draw, by random number generator, one winner! That's it!
Good luck!
