One foot in front of the other.
For the past few months, I have had the opportunity to use the Suunto T6C Red Arrow. Along with the unit itself, the folks at Suunto were kind enough to let me try their “triathlon pack“, which includes:
Suunto Foot POD
Suunto Road Bike POD
Suunto Cadence POD
Suunto Memory Belt
Suunto Dual Comfort Belt (included with unit)
The first thing that I noticed about the T6C is it’s size. In the past, I’ve had a Garmin FR 305 as well as currently using a Garmin FR 405. The T6C is roughly the same size as the FR 405, but whereas the 405 feels to me like a computer in it’s rigidity, the T6C feels like a sports watch. The band is the same flexible yet durable rubber I’ve become used to on my Timex Ironman (which, as fate would have it, bailed out just before I got the T6C).
The face of the T6C is large enough to not have to (if you’re me) bring it within 2 inches of your fading eyesight. The display has three main lines or fields of display; top, middle and bottom. The middle display field is the primary and largest of the three. The top and bottom lines are significantly smaller, though still plenty visible. There are three buttons on the right side (lap, mode and light) and two on the left (start/stop and view back).
Unlike other units, the T6C’s battery is extremely easy to remove, not that I’ve had to remove it though since the battery has yet to die. It is very lightweight and equipped with ANT+ wireless technology. However, while it is capable of using ANT+ to sync to your computer, there is also an available USB method which, since I do not have their “Movestick“, is my preferred method of syncing. On a side note, I think Garmin really dropped the ball when they went to an ANT+ only sync. There have been several times with my FR 405 where I had trouble syncing with ANT+ and would have given anything for USB capability (see: Garmin FR 305).
I have used four heart rate belts in my time (did I just sound like an old man?) and this belt is by far the most comfortable. Traditionally, HR belts have a flexible plastic front and are about a foot wide until the attach to a soft, elastic strap. This belt is entirely soft and elastic with the exception of the plastic circle right at the front, which is hardly noticeable (note: Garmin has since come out with their own soft style HR belt).
In the past the only kind of foot pod-esque thing I’ve used is the Nike+ system. Since I stopped using that, I’ve used the GPS function on my Garmin FR 305 to tell me distance, pace and such. One of the issues I have with foot pods is calibration. First, I have a quick foot cadence that has the potential to throw things off a bit. Second, mine and everyone else’s foot cadence varies depending on the type of run and the length of a run (i.e. the more tired you get, your stride might become shorter or may stretch out).
The Suunto foot pod is very light and attaches fairly quickly. Calibration was and remains a slight issue, and at some point it actually seems to have gotten whacked out of calibration and had to be redone. The way I figure it, there is up to about a 1-2% margin of error over the course of a ten mile run.
The Suunto Road Bike Pod has probably the coolest method of attachment of any cycling speed I 
have seen. The front skewer IS the speed sensor! All you have to do is remove your own skewer, replace it with the Suunto Road Bike Pod skewer, attach the included magnet to your spoke in the proper place, enter your wheel size and go. That may seem like a few too many steps to be called “simple”, but it truly is and all totaled takes maybe five minutes at the most. Calibration is no issue and with the exception of having to replace the battery once, this has worked flawlessly (after pairing which I will address later).
Since first seeing this, I have discovered that Mavic has an almost identical product to this. If that works as well as this, I imagine it’s also a great idea.
The cadence pod is one of those things that, until you train a ton on the bike and realize that watching your speed is NOT the way to go, you may not see the value in. This cadence pod it meant to attach via zip-ties to the seat tube of your bike, just above the bottom bracket (how far above your BB is of course dependent upon the length of your crankset, mine is 175mm). The huge problem that I ran into is that my frame is “aero” and as a bladed seat tube. This presents two problems; first, the included zip-ties were barely long enough to fit around the right place on my frame. Second, since the back side of the seat tube of my bike is essentially cut to the exact size of my wheel, there is simply NO room, even for the thin zip-ties. After riding for only once, I discovered that dirt and such was building up between my tire and frame and the zip-ties were scraping my tire. Not good.
How did I get around this? Well, since I still had/have my Garmin bikepod (which incidentally contains both the speed and cadence sensor) attached to the non-drive side chainstay, that option was out. the only other option that I could see was to attach it to the underside of my drive side chainstay, essentially putting inside of the chain’s circuit. This worked out fine, though I’m certainly glad I never had my chain come off and either get tangled in the sensor or break the cadence pod itself.
The Memory Belt is probably one of the coolest toys in this bundle. The belt itself is similar to traditional HR belts with a flexible plastic front and elastic strap. What makes the memory belt so cool is that it’s a completely contained unit when it comes to recording data. In other words, let’s say you want to go for a ride or run without your T6C or other compatible unit, the Memory Belt itself will record all of your data for downloading later. According to the Suunto website, it can record for up to 24 hours without stopping. On top of that, the belt can give you real time feedback through the Suunto Monitor, part of the Suunto Training software.
This is my biggest issue with this product. Suunto’s Training Manager (and included Suunto Monitor) software is ONLY PC compatible and I am a Mac guy. According to Suunto’s forums they are “working on” a Mac version, but the software has not, from what I can tell, been updated since October of 2008. Of course, I did get the always present answer of , “you can run Parallels or
something”, when trying to find a solution. So, I did run it with Windows via VMware Fusion, but I felt that to be more trouble than it was worth.
The best solution that I have found and one that Suunto has worked hard on is Movescount.com. Movescount is a FREE web-based “sports community”, but the upload tool and available data from workouts is hugely substantial. While the data is not as entirely in depth as it is in the Training Manager software, it does go much farther than most people will need. Syncing with Movescount is both Mac and PC based and works easily via the Moveslink software.
Out of the box the T6C itself is pretty intuitive in it’s initial setup. I had mine setup with the time, date and personal information (age, height, weight, etc.) inside of ten minutes. The more info you give the T6C, the more useful info it can put out. As with any device like this, it pays to be honest in entering things like fitness level.
Then came the pairing. Pairing, for those of you who may not have ever had to do it is setting up one device to work in conjunction with another. In this case, I had to pair all the pods with my T6C (foot pod, cadence pod, etc.). Pairing all of these things was a seemingly impossible task. Not because of the number of devices, but because they would not pair! I probably spent two hours total getting things to connect to each other. Part of it was a bit of impatience, but part of it was the seemingly unnecessary methods (this pod must be upside down for pairing to occur (??)). All this said, since my initial pairing I have not had any pairing problems even when faced with having to change batteries.
Each of the pods delivered with flying colors in terms of ease of use. As I mentioned above, the foot pod left a bit to be desired in terms of accuracy, as most foot pods/pedometers do. So far as battery life goes, I have only had to change two batteries in the three months (give or take) that I’ve been using the Suunto system. The first was on the Road Bike Pod and the second was on the Memory Belt.
The Memory Belt is quite an amazing tool when it comes to “running naked”, which is to say, training without a constant eye on the clock. With that comes a bit of complexity that can be admittedly frustrating in the middle of a particularly long or difficult workout. The Memory Belt beeps. That is all fine and good as it different beeps denote different status updates. However, on more than one occasion I found myself having to remove the Memory Belt because it would not stop beeping at me. Additionally, different beep and flashing light combinations mean different things. For instance:
You can see where keeping all this straight in your head could be challenging. After a while of dealing with beeps on what seemed like every other workout, I reverted to using the sound-less Dual Comfort Belt and am much happier.
The T6C unit itself measures ascent and descent during training. However, there were several times that I noticed my T6C recording my total ascent in the 25,000 foot neighborhood. Granted, I was on a long ride, but the likelihood of me climbing 25,000 feet in one ride is fairly low. Another feature that I don’t quite get is the fact that whenever the clock is stopped and then restarted, a new lap is started as well. For instance, if I pause to take a sip of water and stop the clock and want to keep track of my true lap time I cannot because upon restarting, the lap timer starts anew. This becomes particularly annoying during swim workouts where I stop and start my timer several times during a workout. To be honest, this may be a feature that I can disable and just have not had the time to look into, so if I find that it is simply a setting, I will update this review.
The on-board memory of the T6C leaves something to be desired. I won’t venture a guess as to the exact amount of workout time and the number of workouts/events that the T6C can hold, but suffice it to say that it is not a lot. This is likely for several reasons, not the least of which is the fact that the T6C is a small device for its capabilities. Also is the weight, which comes in at a not-so-whopping 55 grams. As I mentioned earlier, I have taken to wearing my T6C as my every day watch and even though it has indeed been put through its significant paces, I have yet to change the battery.
This is by far the most significant obstacle to buying a T6C. The T6C unit itself currently retails for $282 on Amazon (Suunto T6C Personal Trainer Heart Rate Monitor
When I began using the T6C I freely admit that I had a slight learning curve coming from using the Garmin Forerunner series. However, along the way I have really come to enjoy my T6C. It is a solid, feature rich device that gives the wearer the flexibility of an every day watch that doesn’t have to be changed out for something else when workout times comes. There is also something to said for not having to worry before every other workout if you’ve remembered to charge the battery enough to make it for the entire time.
If you can get around the price point, the T6C is a great device that goes the extra mile in giving you real time feedback. I see this in my gadget arsenal for a long time to come.
09.17.2010
There is only one footwear brand taking guests on a South Pacific adventure guaranteed to generate water cooler bragging rights in 2011 and that’s Teva® (a division of Deckers Outdoor Corporation, NASDAQGS: DECK). What’s up for grabs? A once in a lifetime opportunity to sail aboard a luxury adventure class 140’ yacht and raft through the spectacular Upper Navua Gorge in Fiji.
Come April 2011, lucky tenants of the Teva Fiji “house-boat” will be flown round trip to Viti Levu Island. The adventure begins with a river trip guided by O.A.R.S. through the remote Upper Navua Gorge, where the black lava rock walls overgrown with cascades of lush ferns are so remarkable that this stretch of river has been hailed “a river of Eden.” Guest will live aboard the 140-foot Tui Tai sailboat and cruise to remote locations only accessible by boat. Guests will snorkel over reefs that are a hundred miles from the closest resort, go on epic hikes off the beaten path and meet local villagers and learn their customs.
“We opened the first Teva House in Vail during the Teva Mountain Games in June,” said Liz Ferrin, Teva Global Branded Content Manager. “The Vail house was a perfect hub where our athletes, artist, Life Agents and contest winners could mix and mingle. It wasn’t hard to decide to do it again for 2011.”
The Teva tribe gathers in, around and on the water so what better location for their second Teva House than returning to the waters of the South Pacific where their 2011 photo shoot took place aboard the Tui Tai.
“Through the Teva House, we’re offering our tribe a chance to escape from their everyday lives and take part in something bigger,” continued Ferrin. “It’s about living better stories that keep us inspired until our next departure.”
Want to escape to Fiji with Teva? Become the one guest selected from the U.S. to hop on board by entering to win at TevaHouse.com. Additional participating regions will go live this Fall: Korea TevaHouse.kr, U.K. TevaHouse.uk, Australia TevaHouse.au, and Netherlands TevaHouse.nl.
For more information on Teva, please contact Fielding Miller at 970-963-4873 ext. 120 or via e-mail at fielding@backbonemedia.net.
09.15.2010
With the introduction of the new Thermal Midlayer (TML) series, SmartWool launches the SmartWool® Layer Up System for Fall 2010. Cold weather outdoor enthusiasts will be able to layer head-to-toe in SmartWool® material, offering the most effective and efficient layering system in complement with breathable, waterproof outerlayers.
SmartWool’s® Next-to-Skin (NTS) Baselayers are the foundation of the SmartWool® Layer Up System. Moving the moisture vapor away from the skin, NTS keeps the breathing process going by allowing the vapor to pass through its fiber out to the Thermal Midlayer. The NTS Baselayer also manages any moisture build-up on the skin, absorbing it into the wool fibers away from the skin. The TML acts as the insulation layer, providing extra warmth without added bulk. The TML is also critical in keeping the layering system breathing; passing the moisture vapor through its Merino wool fibers where the breathable outerlayer can release the moisture vapor to the outside atmosphere. Wearers stay drier, warmer and more comfortable when wearing a complete layering system of Merino wool Baselayers and midlayers.
SmartWool continues improvements to the fit, functionality and finishes of its Next-to-Skin Baselayer line. The increased hem width on the cuff and waist; rolled forward side seams and added underarm panels simply add to the comfort. New fun colors and bright striped patterns plus all the moisture moving benefits of 100% SmartWool® Merino wool fibers, makes this an everyday “must-have” for hours spent playing in the snow. And, all NTS pieces are easy care – machine washable and dryable. Other finishing details and overall designs for both men and women include: chin guard on zippers; contrast neck taping; subtle flat lock stitch detail; and the introduction of seamless shoulders in the midweight collection to reduce chafing.
As the second layer in the system, the new SmartWool® Thermal Midlayers (TML) provide the necessary insulation and aide in the body’s breathability process. The TML continues to move perspiration in its vapor state, transporting it to an outer layer before it condenses into a liquid. A buffer of air is trapped in between the NTS Baselayer and the Thermal Midlayer creating a thermal insulation zone, providing warmth. This keeps the wearer dry, warm and comfortable, so activities can continue. New Thermal Midlayers are available in three weights: TML Light SportKnit, a warm, light midlayer sweater ideal for three-season aerobic and stop and go activities. TML Light is a warm, light, midlayer to help make transitioning through the seasons extraordinarily comfortable. The TML Heavy is the warmest insulator for active pursuits and stop-and-go activities in very cold weather. TML – the SportKnit has a looser weave and allows for more breathability. It’s good for high aerobic days or warmer days. An additional benefit of layering all in Merino, you get the warmest system possible, without bulk giving the wearer maximum mobility. With three weights in both NTS and TML, as well as multiple fabric construction options in the TML users can mix and match for the optimal layering system. The overall benefit here is that users can really fine-tune their dressing system – for their body, their activities and the weather.
For more information visit: http://smartwool.com
Yesterday evening I got the below email from Gabi at Run by Foot Locker:
We are a sponsor of the Foot Locker Five Borough Challenge- basically a race within the race- at the ING NYC Marathon. We choose one runner from each of the five boroughs to run the first 13 miles of the marathon together as a team. This year the theme is teachers/administration/coaches/employees of the Board of Education. I’m reaching out to you to see if you knew anyone that fit the criteria. For more info please visit:
So, do you know someone?
I got the following email from my friend TK last night:
Hello to all my friends in running! I am most likely going to participate in this 10k/5k on September 25th. Proceeds go to the Michael J Fox Foundation to support research to find a cure to Parkinsons Disease. Many of you know this is a cause dear to my heart. I hope some of you will join me. Note the race is a fair distance away — there is transportation provided from Grand Central — near Beacon, NY. It’s $25 for the 10k and $20 for the 5k.
Link to register is below, and if you have questions you can email Jennie directly (tell her I sent you).
I know many of you are training for Fall marathons and/or are competing in the 5th Ave Mile the next day. Nevertheless, I hope you’ll be able to fit in this race too–or at least spread the word among your runner friends, too.
So, let’s help TK and Team Fox! On a side note, if you’re looking for a blog with some fantastic writing and honest wordsmithery (yep, I just made that up), then you MUST check out TK’s site HERE
09.09.2010
Fifteen years have passed since SmartWool introduced its legendary hiking sock and forever changed consumers’ relationships with their feet. Again revolutionizing sock technology, SmartWool is the first to combine graduated compression with Merino wool.
SmartWool Graduated Compression socks offer a 20-30 mmHg-graduated compression rating for: improved circulation, reduction of muscle damage, reduced fatigue and swelling, faster recovery. Offered in two levels of cushioning for multiple sport applications and footwear either Ultra Light, non-cushioned or Light, cushioned. All lengths are over-the-calf, with a mesh vent zone at the top of the foot for maximized ventilation. Combining the performance benefits of graduated compression with all the benefits of SmartWool® wool fibers including temperature regulation, moisture management, odor-free and easy care, these socks give feet the support they need for a hard day of endurance activity and to ensure proper recovery before heading out the next day.
SmartWool’s Graduated Compression socks also offer performance elements found in the PhD sock line as well such as WOW Technology™, an innovative knitting technique that puts more wool where it’s needed the most, in the critical high impact zones, making socks more comfortable with longer lasting wool benefits.
Skiers, runners, cyclists and endurance athlete’s performances have been shown to improve when including graduated compression socks during activity and recovery speed is increased afterword. SmartWool users who go hard can rely on graduated compression to restore energy post activity and meet the next day with replenished get-up-and go. SmartWool’s Graduated Compression socks not only give consumers state of the art performance and comfort they have trusted for the past 15 years but also competitive prices for the PhD Graduated Compression Ultra Light, msrp: $37.95 and the PhD Graduated Compression Light, msrp: $39.95. www.smartwool.com
I can’t wait to try some of this yummy goodness!!
09.15.2010 – (Steamboat Springs, Colo.)
Honey Stinger, the leading manufacturer of honey-based nutritional products, introduces a completely new energy product to the US market – Stinger Waffles. Suggested by Honey Stinger co-owner Lance Armstrong, the new Stinger Waffle provides 160 calories of great-tasting, organic energy.
“The Stinger Waffle is an early example of the positive impact Lance has made in new product development,” states Bill Gamber, Honey Stinger co-founder. “He’s a big fan of the stroopwafels he’s eaten while racing in Europe and suggested that we try making some with honey. As it turns out, they’re delicious.”
The traditional stroopwafel, which originated in the Netherlands over 200 years ago, is a waffle made from two thin layers of baked batter with syrup filling. In the Netherlands and Belgium, stroopwafels are sold in the streets and are popular with European cyclists looking for a quick boost of energy.
Rather than syrup, the Stinger Waffle use organic honey and other organic ingredients, making Stinger Waffles a certified USDA Organic product. Each waffle is wrapped individually for easy transport and retails for $1.39. Stinger Waffles will be available at specialty sporting goods retailers and natural food grocers nationwide on October 15.
About Honey Stinger
Located in Steamboat Springs, Colo., Honey Stinger makes convenient, nutritious and great tasting honey-based foods including energy bars, gels and organic chews. Honey Stinger fuels some of the county’s top cyclists, runners, triathletes and teams. In early 2010, the company welcomed Lance Armstrong to its ownership team. Honey Stinger products are available at specialty sporting goods retailers, natural food grocers and www.honeystinger.com.
If you’re like me and about a babillion others around the world then you are likely a huge fan of SmartWool. If you’re also like me and you like to plan ahead for what can be a quick transition to cold weather, then you’re probably already thinking about keeping yourself warm on your winter runs, rides, hikes and any other time you’ll spending outdoors in the coming months.
With all that said, Steamboat Springs, Colorado based SmartWool has a new lineup that has come from an environment quite a bit more brisk than what many of us see in the winter and stands up to it. The TML (Thermal Midlayer) line from is all the lightweight comfort we expect from SmartWool. On top of that, because of it’s amazing lack of bulk, the TML line can go under just about anything without feeling overwhelming and constrictive.
I have not personally tried these things out yet, but I am itching for the chance to put them through their paces. In speaking with someone from SmartWool, I asked what would be a good setup for the coming frost:
For bottoms: winter running – our new TML Light Stretch-Terry Tights:
Active fit-mid rise
Drawcord waistband
Rear zippered secrity pocket
Lockdown ankle zippers
SmartWool terry back knit
sizes: s-xxl
msrp: $150And as far as tops…I would say our layering system so:
Micro, light or midweight Baselayer top (tee, crews or zip t) and then one of our TML tops – 1/4 zip, crew, or full zip
So there you have it! If you get your hands on this new stuff from SmartWool, throw me a line and let me know what you think!
09.14.2010 – (Boulder, Colo.)
One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Far fewer men have finished an Ironman triathlon. Newton Running co-founder and CEO Jerry Lee can now claim both. Lee, a prostate cancer survivor, completed the Ironman Canada triathlon on August 29, along with the 30 other Team Newton members who together raised over $70,000 towards their goal of $100,000 for the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF).
“Prostate cancer is a frightening disease that is much more common than many people realize,” states Lee. “We had an amazing group of our staff members and athletes who raced in Canada and worked incredibly hard to raise money for an important cause along the way.”
Lee’s inspiration to race Ironman Canada came from Winter Vinecki, a Newton-sponsored, 11-year old triathlete who lost her father to prostate cancer. Vinecki has raised over $150,000 for prostate cancer in honor of her father and last year she challenged Lee to race an Ironman-distance event and raise money for the cause. Two weeks ago, Vinecki was at the Ironman Canada event with Lee and finished the race alongside him.
Newton raised the money through sales of a limited edition PCF shoe, sales of Team Newton VIP entries to the sold-out race, and sponsorship pledges from family and friends of racers.
The remaining stock of limited edition Newton Running PCF racers are now available online here. $25 from the sale of each shoe goes to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
This year at the 2010 Ironman Canada, Newton Running fielded a team in conjunction with Athletes for a Cure that raised money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation. At that race, Newton rolled out a limited edition racing flat that they’ve released for sale to everyone else! when you purchase a pair of these shoes, $25 of the price goes directly to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Prostate cancer survivor and Newton Running CEO Jerry Lee teamed up with Winter Vinecki at the 2010 Ironman Canada to tackle this statistic. Jerry and 30 people on Team Newton Running completed Ironman Canada, raising money for Athletes for a Cure and the Prostate Cancer Foundation. Through these efforts we are 70% toward our goal of raising $100,000 by the end of 2010.
Click on the shoe to order!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
This is my “sum up” article about Ironman Louisville. I want to use it to give me overall review of the race itself but also to make some observations about what I learned along the way. I’ll try to keep it fairly concise and not too rambling!
I came across this article today. It poses the question, some would say statement, about the records set by East German women (namely, Marita Koch) during the period which has since come to light as one replete with doping on the other side of the Wall. Many of the East German medals from this time HAVE been stripped, but a few remain, as so the records set. What do you think?
To give you an idea of the record to which the article refers, here is the video of Marita Koch’s amazing world record in the 400 m. Link to article after the jump.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Continued from: 2010 Ironman Louisville: Race Report Part 2 – Race Day
From the second I entered the water (and when I say the second, I mean right at that instant, not before and not after I began to swim) I got a cramp in an intercostal muscle on my right side just below my pectoral. I took a second and took a few long-ish strokes to stretch out that area. As soon as that cramp subsided, I felt my right quadriceps get a bit tight. From this point forward, I was dealing with some form of a cramp.
The swim itself began ok. I felt that the downstream current which had not been that noticeably present the day before at the practice swim, was about the same. I had worried a bit about this because the area in between Towhead Island and the shore could have caused the usually lazing current into something much more significant. There was quite a bit of people traffic to deal with, though it spread out fairly quickly and after the first half mile or so, I only occasionally came upon another racer.
Once I got to the turn-around point of the swim, which was about 1/3 of the way through, the course headed back downstream. The current did pretty much nothing for me (or anyone else that I noticed) in terms of speed. It was at this point however, that my cramping from earlier began to become a bit more regular. I was able to stave off the quadriceps cramp mainly by straightening my leg as needed. When I got to about the 300 meter to go point, my entire right leg seized. From gluteus, to toes was one big cramp. I compensated by using my left leg a bit more and by putting on the steam with my arms.
Since my right leg was essentially acting as a drag anchor, and due to the fact that my left leg was being worked a bit more, eventually, my left foot cramped up. As I approached the swim exit, I was truly unsure how I was going to get out of the water. As I came to the first volunteer on the steps, I said, “Both my legs are cramped and I can’t walk.” She and another person assisted me out of the river and onto the steps. Fortunately, once I began moving my legs let go enough for me to jog/run into transition.
Once inside the changing tent and with everything else on, I sat down on a chair to put on my shoes. As I did this, BOTH my hip flexors cramped. I immediately sat stark upright in order to stop the cramping. It took a couple of tries, but I did eventually get my shoes on, and headed out the door.
About my mental state at this point; To say I was panicked would be incorrect. I was concerned and knew that something was going on with my body that I had not expected. Unlike Ironman Wisconsin in 2009 when I had simply made MASSIVE nutrition errors, this time I was completely lucid and thinking clearly. I knew that something must be off with my electrolytes and in turn, my hydration. So, my plan was to take in my first hours worth on my Infinit blend in the first thirty minutes. At the same time, I would be taking two bottles from each aid station; at the first station, 2 waters, at the second 1 water, 1 Ironman Perform. I would alternate that pattern as long as I could in an effort to get as many fluids absorbed as I could.
I picked up my bike, ran to the mount line and got on. My very first pedal stroke was met with a quad cramp. To be completely honest, I cannot remember as much of the bike as I would like to because all I could focus on was getting rid of my cramps.
The bike course, is a good one but hard. After the first few miles, the challenges of constant rollers came often. Scattered among the rollers were many hills that were pretty significant and caused the heart rate to rise. The aid stations that I saw were all well manned and had plenty of everything I needed. I did hear later that several of the stations began to run low on water, even to the point of running out, but I didn’t experience this.
My goal for the bike was to maintain a speed of between 22 and 22.5 mph. This did not happen. For the first two bike splits, I held an average speed of barely under 21 mph. Every time I would ask more of my legs, they would cramp. My heart and lungs were feeling fine and were really itching to do some harder racing, but my legs simply would not let them. At about mile 70 of the bike, I began running over scenarios in my head of how to deal with the unrelenting cramps. At this point some part of my body was cramping at all times. Among the places that cramped were:
I’m fairly certain I even remember my eyelid doing a weird flutter/cramp thing at some point.
By the last twenty miles, I was a cramp. I mean that; I WAS a cramp. My energy was being sent fighting against my own body. My speed had dipped drastically to around 17 mph. Also at this time, the heat of the day was beginning to truly set in. The high temperature for the day turned out to be 96° F with 60% humidity. I wish I could blame the heat for what was going on with my body, but I cannot. I’m sure it didn’t help, but it was not the cause of my problems. I fought through the last stretch and after what seemed like forever, I made it to transition.
As soon as I dismounted and handed my bike off, I saw Trevor (@indianabackdoc). He and Kristine (@KGIRLTRIS) had volunteered to catch bikes from racers at the entrance of the second transition. Trevor recalls our conversation like this:
“Brandon, you gotta go man.”
“Dude, I am done.”
“What?!?! No way man. You are doing this!”
” I have cramped since I jumped into the water.”
“Really?!”
“Yeah, I think it’s over.”
“No it’s not, suck it up buttercup. Get your ass moving and finish the race. It’s gametime man, nut up or shutup. It’s go time.”
I hobbled my way into transition and to the changing tent. I found a chair in the tent and sat down. As soon as I did, everything below my waist locked up. I took several deep breaths and tried stretching my legs as much as I could. My legs eventually went from being seized to just cramping constantly (I still don’t know how to accurately define this, but the two are different). A volunteer came over and asked me what he could do to help me get changed. I asked him if he had a phone I could borrow, and he was so kind to bring me his.
I called Danielle is pieces and asked her to have Jeff call me back at that number. Jeff promptly called me. We went over and over and over again what was going on and it made no sense. Had the cramps begun somewhere on the bike or even after pushing hard on the swim it would make sense, but this did not. I was an absolute mess emotionally and mentally. None of what was going on made one ounce of sense. After much discussion and agonizing thought, Jeff advised to pull out. His main concern was that since these cramps were not exercise induced that if I continued, I could wind up in a serious medical emergency. In speaking with Laminator after the fact, he explained that out of control and persistent cramping like that can eventually spread to your diaphragm and then you have a medical emergency for real.
I asked the volunteer with the phone if he could help me to the medical tent as walking wasn’t something I was very good at at that point. He helped me to the tent, reminding me that just because I was going to medical did not mean that my day was over. I was given a cot to lay on and my legs were rubbed out. I was also given ice (truthfully I was not that hot because I was unable to exert myself as hard as I wanted to) and a cold bottle of Ironman Perform. Jeff had told me to get and IV of fluids, but apparently if you do that, they are required to pull you out of the race on the spot, so being hard headed and stubborn and hoping that I would still be able to get up and move, I stuck with ice and drinks.
The medical staff was amazing in asking if I was ok every couple of minutes. I lay there allowing my legs to cramp over and over. To give you an idea what it looked like, imagine being able to see hundreds of bugs crawling under the surface of your skin; that’s what I was seeing. It flt like each and ever muscle fiber was firing off at random non-stop.
As I lay there, many more people in the same shape as I was and worse were being brought into the tent. I eventually gave up my cot for a chair as there were many who needed it more than I did at that point. Sitting there, I began to take a hard mental and emotional look at the events. I will admit that I was at first extremely ashamed and embarrassed. However, that eventually gave way to acceptance and disappointment; not disappointment in myself, but for those (including me) that had given so much to see me have a good race that day.
After a while Trevor, who had been on the phone with Jeff off and on since he saw me come in, came over to the medical tent. We sat and discussed everything and I made the call. I hended Trevor my chip and he turned it in for me. My day was over. My first ever DNF.
To be continued…
Ironman Louisville Race Report Part 1
Ironman Louisville Race Report Part 2
Part 3 coming soon!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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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Thanks so much for visiting my site! My name is Brandon Wood and I am the social media manager and a customer service rep for Newton Running. 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!
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