One foot in front of the other.
Jabra Sport Bluetooth Headphones
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Chrissie Wellington Taking 2012 Away from Ironman Racing
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Las Vegas, NV – January 9, 2012– Jabra, a world leader in creating hands-free communications solutions, announced today a partnership with five-time Ironman World Champion, Craig “Crowie” Alexander, the biggest name in the multi-sport competition world. Jabra has teamed up with the world champion triathlete for a two-year agreement to support and serve as spokesperson for the Company’s recently launched sports product line. Under the new partnership, Alexander will also serve as a consultant for future product development. Alexander will be on-hand at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) with Jabra this week to discuss the new partnership and will be showcasing the new sports category in action at the Pepcom Digital Experience media event at the MGM Grand today, January 9th, from 7-11:00 PM PT.
“I am so happy to be teaming up with a company like Jabra that just gets it and creates awesome, durable products for athletes like myself,” says Alexander, reigning Ironman World Champion. “Between the countless hours of intense training getting ready for my next competition and the crazy travel schedule, Jabra’s products have really helped me stay connected with my friends and family and helped keep me motivated and entertained.”
Through the years, studies* have shown that training while simultaneously listening to music is highly motivating and can increase the degree of effort an individual puts forth. Although listening to music while exercising may not be a revolutionary concept, the Jabra sports category offers a unique set of products that combines durability with fantastic sound to ensure an easy and fun fitness session for athletes across varying levels.
Jabra’s sports category is led by the recently-launched Jabra SPORT, a tough wireless Bluetooth stereo headset that streams music and phone calls. The perfect device for delivering great music for training sessions, workouts, or any other recreation and outdoor activity, the Jabra SPORT features a category-first built-in FM radio, A2DP technology, and powerful bass to help energize workout performance. And with a wind-shielded microphone and US Military Standard Rain, Dust and Shock Resistant certification, exercisers don’t need to hold back during their workouts on account of their headphones. For exercisers who have become accustomed to working out with traditional corded headphones, the Jabra SPORT-Corded offers the same features as the Bluetooth version.
In addition to the new Jabra SPORT products, the Jabra portfolio includes the Jabra CLIPPER stereo headset which provides users with wireless stereo music and calls all with one cool little Bluetooth clip for simple wearing during workouts, and the Jabra ACTIVE which allows exercisers to listen to music and train hard without ever having to adjust their ear buds.
Whether running or biking, Alexander is a fierce competitor who faces varying degrees of athletic challenges that test his strength and stamina. Tough, strong and durable – like the Ironman – Jabra products are light, comfortable and have a secure fit to get you through any challenge, hassle-free. Crisp and clear sound will further ensure you stay focused and motivated until you cross the finish line.
The Jabra SPORT is currently available at Amazon.com, Sprint and T-Mobile. Other products included in Jabra’s sports category are all currently available at BuyJabra.com, Amazon.com and other leading retail outlets. For information on Jabra’s line of Bluetooth headsets and other hands-free devices, visit Jabra.com, like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Jabra.US or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jabra_us.
About Craig Alexander
Hot off his recent victory at the hardest one day endurance event in the world, the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, Alexander has an impressive athletic resume that earns him consideration by many of being one of the greatest male triathletes of all time. Among his many accomplishments, he is the first triathlete to ever win the Ironman 70.3 and Ironman World Championship in the same year, and he is also the oldest male to ever win The Ironman Hawaii. Ironman legend and six-time World Champion Dave Scott proclaims him “the first true men’s champion the sport has seen in years.”
Research Study
British researchers asked survey participants to ride stationary bicycles while listening to music, when the music tempo was slowed, participants pedaling slowed as did their heart rate and distance pedaled. On the other hand, when the tempo increased ten percent, the participants covered more miles in the same period of time, their heart rates rose and they reported enjoying the same music 36 percent more. Researchers concluded that when listening to music, participants received a greater degree of effort and overall affect. Study conducted by the US National Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health, August 2010.
About Jabra
Jabra is the brand of GN Netcom, a subsidiary of GN Store Nord A/S (GN) – listed on NASDAQ OMX. Jabra employs approximately 850 people worldwide and in 2010 produced an annual revenue which amounted to DKK 1,973 million. Jabra is a world leader in the development, manufacturing, and marketing of a broad range of hands-free communications solutions. With a reputation for innovation, reliability, and ease of use that goes back more than two decades, Jabra’s consumer and business divisions produce corded and wireless headsets, plus mobile and in-office speakerphones that empower individuals and businesses through increased freedom of movement, comfort, and functionality.
For further information on the company, please visit www.jabra.com.
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Win a portable solar panel from Brunton!
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Step 1: Click one of the buttons below to donate the amount for the raffle entry you want. It will take you to the donation site. You can enter more then once, just donate the base amount multiplied by the number of entries you want.
Step 2: Click one of the buttons below to send out the tweet for the item you want to be entered to win. It is VERY important that you tweet the proper item so I can see that you are entered in the right contest.
Step 3: I will close the raffles at the following times:
Polar RS300X #1 – 6/10/11 – 8 PM EST
Newton Running package, women’s – 6/10/11 – 11 PM EST
Polar RS300X #2 – 6/11/11 – 9 AM – EST
Brunton Restore – 6/11/11 – Noon EST
Newton Running package, men’s – 6/11/11 – 3 PM EST
Winners will be announced about 30 minutes after each raffle closes. You do not have to be online at the time to win. I will contact each winner on Twitter to let you know that you’ve won. Unfortunately, raffles are only open to those in the US and Canada.
THIS GUY!
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As many of you know, this coming Friday (June 10) at 5 PM EST my marathon live show to raise money for Athletes for a Cure will start! I’ve worked with several brands to arrange for giveaways and raffle items for the show and without any further delay…here they are! (Rules and such to be posted tomorrow, June 7, so check back!)
SwimSpray – I’ll be giving away a boat load of this amazing new product! Invented by a swimmer who was tired of smelling like a pool, SwimSpray eliminates chlorine odor and irritation from hair and skin. Use with your own favorite shampoo, soap, or body wash. Simple. Effective. Natural.
Hydrapak Gelbot – The Gel-Bot delivers two performance essentials, fuel and hydration, in one easy to use sport bottle. This patent-pending design lets you fuel or hydrate with just one hand. Perfect for racing or total gel addicts. All the Gel-Bot components can be taken apart and easily cleaned.
SOLE Signature DK Response footbeds – The Sole Signature Series Dk Response is world-famous ultra runner Dean Karnazes’ signature edition footbed, with added features. Every SOLE Custom Footbed features their orthopedic base layer that molds to your unique foot without losing its supportive shape. SOLE Custom Footbeds are accepted by the American Podiatric Medical Association. Sole donates a portioon of every sale to Karno Kids whose mission is to support, encourage, and motivate youth to get outside and become physically active, and to restore and preserve the environment.
Ryders Eyewear Seeker Sunglasses – All Essential styles within the Adrenaline collection feature Duraflex frames with low-profile, high-strength pinned hinges and polycarbonate lenses. These lenses are shatterproof, optically-correct, scratch-resistant and provide 100% UV protection. All styles have high-performance features such as anti-slip, hydrophilic nose pads and/or temple tips that get more tacky as you sweat so your eyewear always stays in place.
Road ID eCard – It’s a gift card for whatever Road Id strikes your fancy! Need I say more?
Kate’s Real Food Bars – (2, 6-packs!) Kate’s Bars are real food snack bars, hand made in the shadow of the Tetons. Kate’s Bars are created for people who live, play or just want to be outdoors. The flavors and textures of Kate’s Bars are designed to reflect the natural surroundings they were inspired by.
Brunton Restore power storage and solar panel – The most efficient, integrated compact power pack available. Internal battery keeps extra energy at hand, and twin solar panels keep the battery at peak capacity in less time. Ideal for charging personal devices like iPods® and smart phones. Advanced polycrystaline solar technology gathers maximum energy per inch for maximum efficiency. Power storage capacity: 2,200 mAh Output: mini-USB
Primus EtaSolo Stove – Compact, lightweight and low fuel consumption. Eta Solo is based on the award winning Eta technology of our Primus burner and heat exchanger. Its high efficiency rate assures fast boiling times and lower fuel consumption. The Eta Solo is stable in windy conditions, lightweight, and extremely compact. Quick and easy to set up thanks to its robust quick-click locking mechanism.
Polar RS300X – (Raffling off TWO of these!) A smart, intuitive training computer for runners and cross-training athletes, the Polar RS300X wrist heart rate monitor helps you to train at the right intensity with personal training zones. It’s compatible with Polar’s S1 foot pod and G1 GPS sensor (both separately available), enabling you to combine heart rate with speed and distance and truly make sense of your training.
Newton Running Shoes and Gear – We’ll be raffling off TWO gift packages from the one and only Newton Running(one for the ladies, one for the men)! This will include one pair of Newton Running shoes of your choice, a copy of Newton co-founder Danny Abshire’s book (Natural Running: The Simple Path to Stronger, Healthier Running) and some other schwag!
Lake Success, N.Y. (June 1, 2011) – Polar (www.polarusa.com), the leader in heart rate monitoring and fitness assessment technologies, today introduced the RCX5. Building on decades of experience, and a heritage of precision excellence in product design and functionality, the RCX5 combines Polar heart rate tracking accuracy with a slew of new features. Ideal for multisport endurance athletes, the RCX5 can accommodate the needs of today’s triathletes who want the best in training intelligence and tracking capabilities. It will be immediately available in “smart black” and will also be sold in “striking red” later this year.
New accessories for the RCX5 include the G5 GPS sensor – an incredibly lightweight and compact sensor which measures speed/pace and distance and provides an online map view of training – as well as the new WearLink®+ Hybrid transmitter, which provides heart rate data even when underwater. Additionally, an enhanced s3+ stride sensor is compatible with the RCX5.
“Triathlons are one of the fastest-growing sport segments in the United States, and we understand better than anyone in the market that multisport athletes demand data, whether they are training for their first regional event or chasing a lifelong professional pursuit,” said Jeff Padovan, President, Polar USA. “The Polar brand has been an established name among elite athletes for more than 30 years, and we are proud of the loyalty and knowledge we’ve built within the ‘tri’ market specifically. The RCX5 is the realization of everything we’ve been hearing that ‘tri’ users require to get to that next level, packaged in a new, sleek design.”
Sport Profiles: Essential for multisport and triathletes, this feature enables users to quickly switch between sports during training. With just a few button presses, this feature quickly adjusts settings to the current sport. It automatically detects any sensors needed, so that no time or training data is lost between swims, rides or runs. Four sport profiles come pre-loaded into the RCX5, and more can be added based on the user’s preferences.
ZoneOptimizer: Knowing how hard to train can be a challenge and it depends on many factors, including physical and mental state, stress, sleep, and previous training. The brand new ZoneOptimizer feature eliminates guesswork by adjusting personal heart rate zones based on a user’s current physiological condition. It guides training at the right intensity, making every session more effective.
Race Pace: The perfect feature for regulating speed and race strategy, Race Pace allows users to
set a target time for a certain distance, and then displays the current pace/speed, as well as how far ahead or behind the user is from the target.
Training Load: This feature within polarpersonaltrainer.com displays a color-coded graph of a user’s cumulative training load, notifying a person when he or she has recovered enough for the next session, and accurately predicting training developments to prevent overtraining. This data also provides intelligence to modify training sessions as necessary.
polarpersonaltrainer.com: Several upgrades have been incorporated into the free online training journal to support the RCX5 users. Users can now create complete endurance training programs for running and cycling, including warm-up, work and cool-down sessions. The training programs can be easily synched to the RCX5 via the DataLink data transfer unit. After each session, it is easy to track progress online over time.
New RCX5 Compatible Accessories:
G5 GPS sensor: The extremely small G5 GPS sensor measures speed/pace and distance and allows users to see their route on the new map view at polarpersonaltrainer.com after a session. Incredibly light (34g) and worn with a soft, flexible armband, the G5 has an 18-hour battery life and can be recharged via micro USB.
s3+ stride sensor: The s3+ comes with a new, firm shoe attachment which guarantees more accurate speed/pace and distance measurement. This small and lightweight (23g) sensor is shock and water resistant, handling even the most demanding runs. By monitoring running cadence and average stride length, s3+ can help improve running technique. The RCX5 can also calculate your Running Index, which scores a run, based on speed and distance data from the GPS or stride sensor. While cycling, users can get speed, distance and cadence measured by adding Polar cycling sensors using W.I.N.D. technology.
WearLink®+ Hybrid transmitter: The RCX5 provides heart rate data even in water with a comfortable, fabric chest transmitter. It transfers data both in 5 kHz and 2.4 GHz.
Product Sets Available:
RCX5 Bike (MSRP $389.95):
RCX5 training computer
WearLink®+ Hybrid transmitter
CS speed sensor W.I.N.D.
DataLink data transfer unit
Getting Started Guide
RCX5 Run (MSRP $419.95):
RCX5 training computer
WearLink®+ Hybrid transmitter
s3+ stride sensor
DataLink data transfer unit
Getting Started Guide
RCX5 Multi (MSRP $469.95)
RCX5 training computer
WearLink®+ Hybrid transmitter
G5 GPS sensor
DataLink data transfer unit
Getting Started Guide
RCX5 Basic Set (MSRP $349.95) (Available July 2011):
RCX5 training computer
WearLink®+ Hybrid transmitter
DataLink data transfer unit
Getting Started Guide
The RCX5 is also compatible with the existing G3 GPS sensor W.I.N.D. and the s3 stride sensor W.I.N.D. All sensors will be available for purchase as separate accessories.
Back in the day (“the day” being the late 80′s to about 1995) I swam a lot. I was in the water about probably eight or nine workouts a week. With that much pool time, my teammates and I went through practice suits like crazy. Once a suit would tear or become see through, did we throw it away? Of course not! We just got another suit and put the old one over top of it for drag. Often, this resulted in a strange tapestry of four or five different suits, each managing to cover a very important bit of flesh. The unfortunate byproduct of this was that, in any particular workout one would take a look at the people in the pool and think we were a bunch of swimmers who had just been through some sort of odd battle with a swimsuit hungry enemy.
Fortunately, fabrics have been developed today that result in
much higher wear times for swimsuits. My suit of choice for the last year has been the Sonic Spliced square leg from Speedo. This suit is made of Speedo’s Endurance+ fabric and I wanted to see just how much endurance it had.
Endurance+ is a chlorine resistant fabric that is made to dry quickly while retaining its shape and elasticity. The fabric feels much more dense than the traditional swimsuit material. It’s weigh does not, however, contribute to any loss in freedom of movement. I have been swimming in the same suit for a year now and it doesn’t really show any signs of wear at all.
The suit itself is the first of the square leg variety that I’ve worn. In the past I have always been someone who wears either jammers (just above the knee length) of the stereotypical “speedo”. It does take a bit of getting used to but once you’re over the normal on the crotch, low on the leg feel it’s really very comfortable.
I’m not sure when I’ll need a new suit for everyday pool workouts but when I do this one will certainly be at the top of my list.
Click here to visit the Speedo USA website | Click here to buy on Amazon
Alberto Contador gets one step closer to racing the Tour de France
Heat training by Torbjørn Sindballe
American Trail Running Association
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Last night my wife and I were watching the premier of the new season of So you think you can dance. Admittedly, my favorite part of watching any show like that (American Idol, America’s Got Talent, etc.) is getting to take advantage of the massive laugh factor that the preliminary auditions provide. However, in the seasons that I’ve watched the show, coupled with the fact that I am an artist myself, has given me a fairly decent eye to be able to recognize really amazing dancing.
One of the girls auditioning last night, whose name escapes me now, really struck me with the way she danced. Many of the stories that are highlighted on that show and others are stories of loss and hardship and much of the time the dancers featured in those stories, while often incredibly wonderful dancers, have quite an obvious sense of that loss and hardship in the way they dance. The girl I’m speaking of did not.
I can’t remember her story, except that she was on the show last year and just barely missed out on the top twenty dancers (either my memory is going or other things are getting pushed out by the words to nursery rhymes). The thing about her was that when she began to dance, she did so with absolute joy. Her face, her body, everything exuded pure, unadulterated joy and it was uplifting just to watch.
It then occurred to me to keep a closer eye on the dancers that were…well…less than spectacular. With the those that just seemed to be there to be silly, there were those who were bad dancers but still danced with joy. Of course, many of them were much harder to distinguish since emoting is one of the most difficult parts of any performance art form…trust me.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about forcing a smile and how it’s actually not going to get you in a better mood. But I don’t think that smiling and joy are entirely synonymous. I think that a smile can be entirely fake and joy can often be read in the most furrowed brow.
So I guess it comes down to this; when I go out for my long ride tomorrow and my long run on Sunday, the temperatures are supposed to be in the middle 80′s with super high humidity, but I’m going to ride and run with joy. My joy will be in the fact that I am physically able to run. It will be in the faces of my family. It will be that this coming Monday, while it does represent a long weekend for many, is to honor those that have fallen so that I am able to go out and run whenever and wherever I want to. So this weekend, and always, whether it’s smiling or frowning, run with joy.
Staying on top of nutrition during an endurance event is a pretty tricky thing to do. Much of the time we’re called upon to figure out clever ways to carry any number of powders and other odd substances to refill our water bottles. GU Brew is one of those powders and the people at GU Energy Labs decided to do something about it.
Earlier this year I gave you a first glimpse at the new GU Brew electrolyte tablets. These small discs are the latest in GU’s effort to make energy easier for athletes to get to. Each tablet is meant to replenish the electrolytes flushed out of the body thus making it able to actually retain the water we keep throwing down our throats.
The GU Brew tablets are so convenient, period. Having them in the back of my cycling jersey or in a pack on a long ride or hike makes it so easy to drop one in a bottle and not worry about messing with baggies of powder and such.
I am a big fan of a tiny (seriously, very tiny) bit of fizz in drinks during activity. For me it helps to wake up my taste buds and makes a drink that much more refreshing. The lemon-lime flavor that I’ve been using is gentle enough to not run my stomach when I’ve been out for a long time. On top of that, the slight amount of sweetening which comes from stevia, is very gentle and didn’t give me any syrupy aftertaste.
Basically, having these tablets on me means I have about 8 hours of nutrition in something smaller than my cell phone. GU recognizes the fact that water alone can’t get the job of hydration done and in many cases, water can be the energy. These tablets really do a great job of giving you a balanced source of electrolytes (sodium and potassium) to allow your muscles to absorb the water you need.
I highly recommend checking the GU Brew tablets out in any of their flavors; orange, lemon lime and peach tea.
Click here to visit the GU Energy Labs website | Click here to buy on Amazon
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When Christopher McDougall’s book, Born to Run, was released in May of 2009, many would say that it was one of the biggest catalysts in getting an increasing amount of runners back to the basics of running. Along the way the shoe industry at large has taken notice of the minimalist running movement and has really stepped up to the plate (for better or for worse) in offering runners who want “less is more” to be the predominant impetuous for their running.
Probably the most important character in McDougall’s book is the reclusive Tarahumara tribe in Mexico’s Copper Canyon’s. This tribe of indigenous people just happen to be quite a group of ultrarunners and while going on their long runs their shoe of choice is what amounts to a huarache sandal made from a bit of leather and the tread of an old tire. This sandal is very minimalist and includes the most important feature of being a “zero drop” shoe which means there is no difference in height from the heel to the metatarsals. Embracing the spirit of the Tarahumara, GoLite has gone a step further and has built an entire shoe based around their chosen footwear and built the Tara Lite.
Part of GoLite’s BareTech series, the Tara Lite is (perhaps ironically) full of features that aim to make it a front runner in the hybrid world of a shoe with minimal features that provides the protection of a tradition trail running shoe. From the ground up, the rubber on the sole of the Tara Lite is made from their Grip Stick Rubber (GSR) and is formed with their Sticky Gecko sole which puts more than 300 small lugs of different sizes. These lugs are meant to add maximum surface area to the sole for added traction on any surface. The next layer up is a thin layer of soft EVA foam (I’m not entirely sure of the exact durometer of the differing EVA’s on this shoe, but I will update if I manage to find out) which is to add further adaptability and cushioning. Moving up to the third layer from the ground there is a thin layer of harder EVA foam put in place to add further stability and protection to the foot of the runner.
The upper of the Tara Lite is made of a fabric of stretchy-ish “second skin” with the rubber sole of the shoe coming about a third of the way up the back side of
the heel of the shoe as well as over the majority of the toe cap for added protection. The retention system is made up of two hook-and-loop straps, one around the ankle of the shoe and one across the top. The top retention strap is part of a switchback that attaches to an internal thong that mimics the thong on a Tarahumara huarache. The toe box of the Tara Lite is ample and allows the toes to splay naturally as though barefoot.
To be clear, GoLite does not consider the Tara Lite to be a minimalist shoe by traditional minimal standards. First, the weight, which comes in at 11 ounces does fall well outside the lines of “light”. Also, with a midfoot height of 24mm, the Tara Lite does not seek to be a “barefoot shoe” in the vein of Vibram FiveFingers and the like, but rather to offer the wearer a “natural ride with full protection”.
Since I had been eyeing pictures of the Tara Lite for a while before I got my hands on a pair I was not shocked by what I saw when they arrived. However, this is not your traditional shoe in look or feel. Since I’ve never been one to shy away from less than subtly designed shoes, the burnt orange color was quite appealing.
The first thing I noticed upon putting on the Tara Lite was the very secure feeling fit that the thong post offered. To be honest, I was intrigued as to what the thong post would feel like at all and it turns out that it’s not a whole lot different than wearing my favorite pair of flip flops. The upper of the shoe is very roomy almost to the point of feeling big. Fortunately the retention system offers plenty of adjustability that should leave more than enough room for almost any foot. The thong post, which runs through a smal hole in the upper, sits comfortably between your toes and can be moved as close to the wedding of the toes as needed by adjusting the ankle retention strap.
The footbed of the Tara Lite itself offers a bit of customization in that it has a removable portion that runs from just behind the metatarsals forward. For me, the best option was not to change to configuration of the footbed but rather, to remove it altogether. You see, without the footbed in there is already a bit of arch contour to the insole of the shoe. With the footbed in place, no matter the configuration, the arch is far too much for me and adds unwanted and unneeded pressure to the underside of my arch. This seems ironic since the barefoot, and even the huaraches of the Tarahumara lack any arch support at all instead allowing the foot to use its own musculature and connective tissues. Once removed, my foot was much more comfortable and I felt right at home.
The Tara Lite does require socks with, at the very least, an articulated big toe. Fortunately, GoLite included a pair of Tabi socks that offered just that. I also happen to be the proud owner of some Injinji socks which meant that I could wear the shoes for more than one day without having to wash my socks each night.
As a trail running shoe the Tara Lite performed very well and felt very secure on my foot on most terrains. As a road running shoe, while it does work, it’s not
Tara Lite's thong tha thong thong thong
something that I would opt for something else. The reason behind this is because the midfoot flexibility of the shoe is pretty much nil. I would love to see this changed to allow for a more versatile shoe that could be worn on and off road easily.
The stability and traction of this shoe are pretty phenomenal. The Sticky Gecko sole really lives up to its billing and went above and beyond on rocky and uneven surfaces. These were especially fun on some extended rock hopping adventures I threw at them. In terms of being able to really “feel” the ground though, they were a bit lacking. yes, feeling the general contours of the running surface was completely fine, but the finer things tended to go a bit unnoticed. This is thanks largely to the layers of EVA in the sole and the cushioning they provide. This is likely not a deal breaker for most people and it isn’t for me either, I just refer a little bit more ground feedback.
The Tara Lite is a great shoe in GoLite’s move toward offering more options to “natural” runners. The women’s version of the Tara Lite will be out this July and is sure to have some advancements over this first draft. That said, I will certainly be wearing these on some of my favorite trails now that more friendly running weather is here. If you’re looking to get into more natural running and into a shoe that lets your foot act as it should, this is a great way to get out and running.
[box type="info"]Click here to visit the GoLite Footwear website | Click here to buy on Amazon[/box]
[author] [author_image timthumb='on']http://gearist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/ibmonogram.png[/author_image] [author_info]Review by IronBrandon[/author_info] [/author]
Now that most of us have left the super cold winter in the dust, we have all this wonderful daylight to work with! However, along with all this sun will eventually come the scorching summer heat and humidity. To avoid this, if you’re like me, many workouts are shifted to predawn hours to avoid the heat of the day. As always, with any activity when it’s dark outside comes an added necessity of caution.
At its core, the Vis 360 from the folks at Light & Motion is a commuter light, and it has all the accouterments to prove it, but it also functions wonderfully for training rides when the sun sits below the horizon. Coming in at a very light 130 grams, the Vis 360 packs a big light punch in a small package. The front light boasts a 110 lumen white light with powerful amber side lights (hence the 360 part of the name!). The rear light carries four flashing, red taillights. Battery life on the light is dependent upon the setting; high – 2.5 hours, low – 5 hours, flashing 20+ hours. Charging the light is as simple as plugging in your cell phone since the Vis 360 uses a micro-usb plug and can be charged from many cell phone chargers or from any usb device (computer) using the included cable.
Mounting the Vis 360 takes all of 5 minutes, if that. On the front, wearers use the rubber/plastic mounting plat that can be swapped out for a wider disc for split venting on the front of some helmets. On the rear, a velcro mounting plate can be attached either horizontally or vertically depending on the helmet setup. Once the mounting brackets are in place, attaching the lights is as simple as snapping them into place.
I was truly surprised at the weight of the Vis 360. At 130 grams, Light & Motion claims that, “it is
32% lighter than the best selling bar lights on the market”. I haven’t tried every bar light on the market, but this claim sure seems as though it is dead on. However, even with that small amount of weight on your head, you can usually tell that something is up there and it may feel off. I found this not to be the case at all with this lamp. The balance between the front light and the rear light is so well designed that there is effectively no noticeable difference in the balance of the helmet.
Visibility with the light is excellent, though it does take a few times of reaching up to adjust the direction to get it dialed in for your specific preferences. I wore this on both a road bike and a triathlon bike and when in aero position on the tri bike it took a bit of moving of the front mounting plate to get the light right, but that is thanks to the much lower body position while riding. Charging is a breeze and was, for me, as simple as using my phone charger. Big kudos to L&M for really thinking outside the box and going for super easy convenience on that one.
This light is awesome, plain and simple. The visibility it gives you and the visibility it gives you to others is invaluable, especially in more heavily trafficked areas. This is a well thought out light, with excellent run time relative to it’s battery weight. Were it up to me, every athlete whose butt ever hops on a bike saddle should have one.
Click to visit the Light & Motion website | Click to buy on Amazon
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When I first began running in earnest I wore what I had to wear. This included cotton t-shirts (shudder) and shorts made from that basketball short material. Almost always the shorts came to at least the top of my knee and weighed a ton. It took me a while, but I finally came around to actually wanting to show off my über-pale thighs in some shorter running shorts and realizing the freedom of movement that they allow.
The Infinity running short from Pearl Izumi gives it’s wearer the minimal design and light weight but is well thought out and chock full of goodies for runners. The 4 inch inseam, ELITE Transfer Fabric is super light and flows easily with the runner. Underneath lies one of the more important features, the liner. Made from PI’s Minerale fabric, this liner dries 50% faster than other performance polyester liners. This is thanks to the larger surface area of the fabric (on the microscopic level) being able to spread moisture out more and thus, allow it to evaporate more quickly.
The Infinity short also features a zippered back pocket with plenty of room for a phone or mp3 player. The backside of the short features plenty of reflective elements for safety. Rounding out the short is a smooth front waistband for added comfort as well as a stretch drawstring.
For me, it tends to be the small things that stand out. Yes, the Infinity short is a really great run
short. It offers ample movement with the side cutaways and its roomy pocket holds things still instead of bouncing off my butt for an entire run. the thing that most stood out to me in the inside of the waistband. That’s right. Generally, the waistbands of running shorts have that “crinkled” thing going on. This often becomes uncomfortable and can feel insecure after a while. The waistband in the Infinity is smooth. It’s a soft fabric with a completely smooth front side and is incredibly comfortable. I also noticed that the fabric of the waistband picked up the sweat that was pouring down my stomach and back and, rather than transferring it to the body of the short, it moved it to the outside of the waistband where it evaporated.
These are a great offering from a brand that has a reputation for thinking ahead of the game and trying to address the needs of athletes before the athletes even know it.
Click here to visit the Pearl Izumi website | Click here to buy on Amazon
Olympic champion Sammy Wanjiru has passed away. All our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. The world has lost an amazing athlete and true champion.
I think I’ve floated the possibility of this event several times since I got involved in triathlon and it looks like the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) has been on the same wavelength as well. Bloomberg news is reporting that the WTC is in talks with Korff Enterprises, the company that operates the Nautica NYC Triathlon, to bring the 140.6 mile event to New York City.
While the event has been (and continues to be) in the negotiation stage for the better part of seven years, John Korff insists that it’s still a ways off.
The catch to an event of this magnitude being in NYC is, as the article linked below points out, the time factor. Ironman events give competitors 17 hours to complete an event, which would mean a huge amount of the city being blocked off and/or shut down for a big chunk of time. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the 17 hours mark is not a lump amount of time that racers have to complete the course. Races, which typically start at 7 AM, give competitors 2 hours and 20 minutes to complete the 2.4 mile swim portion, until 5:30 PM to complete the 112 mile bike portion and until midnight to complete the marathon portion.
The logistics of a race like this would be a nightmare but if it could be pulled off it is certain to be an epic, marquis event for Ironman.
[Bloomberg.com - Ironman Targets Wall Street Endurance Athletes With NYC Event]
Wouter Weylandt dies in the Giro d’Italia
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Legally Blind woman wins the Flying Pig Marathon!
Triathlete stops, mid-race, to save a life.
Man REALLY gets “natural” and tries to run a marathon…NAKED!
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In an epic show of badassery, Teresa McCoy, 37, of Tampa stopped during the bike leg of the well know St. Anthony’s Triathlon to save a life.
McCoy, who is a nurse by profession noticed a fellow racer being looked at by police officers. She decided that she would pull off the course to see if she could help. The officers, who believed the man to be having a seizure had apparently not taken his pulse. Upon checking, McCoy didn’t feel any signs of life. She immediately began CPR while calling for a defibrillator, which one of the officers had in his truck. Immediately after shocking him, her fellow athlete came to. Having answered the call of duty, McCoy got back on her bike and finished the race!
Teresa McCoy, we salute you!
[St. Petersburg Times - Tampa woman saves man's life, then finishes triathlon]
After kicking Haile Gebrselassie’s (and the current standing) marathon world record squarely in the ass, Geoffrey Mutai as well as the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) were lobbying hard for a new marathon world record. Alas, the B.A.A. has decided to let it go.
The Boston Marathon is not eligible for a world record according to the I.A.A.F because it is a point-to-point course and because of the amount of net elevation loss, regardless of its storied difficulty. For now though, Mutai’s time of 2:03:02 will still allow him to keep the $50,000.00 bonus for the best time of the year (but the year isn’t over?).
I wear Swedish goggles when I swim and I have been for the past twenty years (kind of partial to Malmsten). They’re light, cheap and have a great field of vision. Unfortunately they almost always come with a cheap, rubber strap that breaks after about 3 months of use. My solution? The Speedo Universal Oggle replacement strap.
The Oggle is a silicone tube strap that fits my particular brand of goggles perfectly. There is an adjustable spring barrel that makes adjusting them a very quick and easy process. Having taken a look around the interwebs I’ve seen several people saying that the tube shape of the strap doesn’t fit their particular goggle retention setup. To address this, Speedo also makes the Universal Oggle 2.0, but we have yet to try it out.
There’s really not much one can say for a goggle strap review except that it works. I have just managed to snap my first Oggle and that was at the end of 3+ years of faithful service. The silicone is soft enough to be easily worn, yet offers plenty of strength. I have since bought another and I’m looking forward to buying yet another in 3 or so years.
Click here to visit the Speedo website | Click here to buy on Amazon
There is a time when we find ourselves outdoors and in need of something a bit cooler or a bit warmer or maybe something that can keep our skin protected long after sunscreen has abandoned our pasty hides. Pearl Izumi has come at all of those scenarios head on with this very versatile top.
The Infinity In-R-Cool long sleeve top brings comfort and fit right to the forefront when it’s put on. ELITE transfer fabric combined with In-R-Cool allows the top to act as a second skin. As we know, our body cools itself by evaporating sweat from our skin thus cooling us down. Likewise, the fabric technology in this top allows for the sweat generated to evaporate keeping the body cool, even in a long sleeve top.
For additional cooling the top also includes a Direct-Vent mesh panels running from the base of the neck, down the back and to the bottom of the shirt. An eight inch zipper with an ergonomic pull allows for further, adjustable venting on the chest. The semi form fit makes for a top that moves with the athlete and become hardly noticeable.
Pear Izumi cycling has a series of ads comparing wearing their gear to being naked (see picture at
right). Putting on this top is kind of like that. The fabric is extremely light weight and supple and it really did disappear to my touch shortly after putting it on.
What interested me the most about this top was seeing how it would hold up in warmer weather. One of its biggest selling points is that it offers full UV protection, but along with that comes a price in many tops. The warmest day I’ve been able to run in with the Infinity top was about 73 degrees. Normally in that temperature I am in shorts and a sleeveless top but I wanted to see what the In-R-Cool fabric could do.
The cooling effects of the fabric and design did their jobs very well, keeping me sweaty but comfortable (which I would have been anyway). After opening the zipper to further cool myself, there was a bit of flopping of the collar. I tried to remedy this by tucking the collar under but since the fabric is so supple and silky it wouldn’t stay.
The cooling effects on my arms, which were the most obvious place to pay attention, was significant. The wicking action of the fabric did a great job dissipating heat. The thing I missed most was the air on my skin. I know this sounds like it may be turning into some weir prosaic novel but it’s true. While I fully admit that it is a point of preference, I am one who prefers to be free of sleeves of any kind in warmer weather (PI does make an Infinity In-R-Cool singlet that looks flippin’ awesome).
This top delivers and would be amazing for those with super sensitive skin that needs constant and consistent sun protection. This is a versatile piece that is perfect for transitional seasons and is a welcome addition to my running wardrobe.
Click here to visit the Pearl Izum website | Click here to buy on Amazon
Leave a comment on this episode (142) and be entered to win a FREE pair of Stuffitts!!
Geoffrey Mutai wants his world record
Haile Gebrselassie weighs in on the marathon world record (sort of)
2011 Boston Marathon is not Kara Goucher’s day
Ironman Louisville gets five more years
2011 Ironman World Championship Lottery Results
A closer look at “balance” bracelets, necklaces and the like
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New York Times recap of the 2011 Boston Marathon
Natural running form clinic and symposia
Natural running form clinic in Hampton, Virginia
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Come see me sing with Christopher McDougall and Co. at the Naked Tour!
I am now coaching! If you’re interested, email me at info@ironbrandon.com
Get up to THREE entries to win a Sony NWZ-W252 (pictured) by doing the following:
Entry one: Comment on Episode 140 of the IronBrandon Show [LINK]
Entry two: Have someone else leave a comment and refer your name (that way you BOTH get an entry!)
Entry three: Tweet the following: Listen to the IronBrandon Show 140 and be entered to win a Sony MP3 player! http://goo.gl/p9PCV #IB140
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Prize packages include mountaineering in Ecuador, trekking to Everest Base Camp, and heli skiing in Alaska
BOULDER, COLO. (April 8, 2011) – Exotic locations, breath-taking scenery, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences await three lucky winners in the co-sponsored Sierra Designsand Alaska Mountain Guides ‘A Year of Adventure’ sweepstakes.
Launching on April 8, 2011, the ‘A Year of Adventure’ consumer sweepstakes offers contestants an incredible opportunity to learn mountaineering skills in Ecuador, win a trek to Everest Base Camp, or access untracked powder via helicopter in the Alaska backcountry. Premier guide service Alaska Mountain Guides (AMG) will lead the trips and Sierra Designs will supply apparel and equipment.
“We’re very excited about partnering with Alaska Mountain Guides for our ‘A Year of Adventure’ sweepstakes,” said Sue Timbo, marketing director with Sierra Designs. “AMG hosts some of the most incredible expeditions around the world and we’re looking forward to sharing some of these experiences with our loyal Sierra Designs fans.”
Learn mountaineering skills while experiencing the cultural and environmental diversity of Ecuador with the Mountaineering in Ecuador sweepstakes. This sweeps goes live on April 8 with a winner drawn after the sweepstakes closes at midnight on August 15. Equipment prize pack will include SD Mountain Meteor 3 tent, Arrow Rock 15 sleeping bags, Revival 65 packs, and Mantra Fusion Jackets.
Spend three weeks in Nepal with the Alaska Mountain Guides, trekking through the Himalayan Mountains to spend a night above 17,000 feet at the foot of the world’s tallest peak. The Everest Base Camp sweepstakes launches on August 16 and closes on December 17 with a prizewinner randomly selected and notified the next day. Sierra Designs prize pack will include SD Convert 3 tent, Revival 50 packs, Mantra Fusion jackets, and Fusion Pants.
Win our third and final sweepstakes and you’ll float through untracked powder on seldom-skied peaks in the Alaskan backcountry. The Heli Skiing in Alaska sweeps will start on December 18. Contestants will be able to enter until midnight on April 17, 2012 with a winner drawn the following day. The Heli Skiing prize pack will include Sierra Designs Ministry 40 packs, Gnar down jackets, Mantra Fusion jackets, and Fusion pants.
For more information on the sweepstakes and how to enter, please visithttp://www.sierradesigns.com/ayearofadventure.aspx. Enter once for a chance to win any of these three trips. Each prizewinner will have up to one year to schedule their trip.
About Sierra Designs Founded in 1965, at the beginning of the golden age of backpacking and climbing, Sierra Designs is one of the original brands for the eco-conscious outdoor enthusiast. We have always had a passion to protect where we play, and our tents, sleeping bags, and apparel have been to every corner of the world, from the highest peaks in Tibet to your local greenway around the corner. We model and design our products for high performance adventurers, but make it attainable for you. Sierra Designs’ gear and apparel fits in with your daily life, no matter where it takes you. Visit us online at SierraDesigns.com or see us on Facebook
About Alaska Mountain Guides For 20 years, Alaska Mountain Guides and Climbing School Inc (AMG) has been the premier adventure guide service and climbing school in Alaska. Programs include, exceptional climbing, trekking, skiing, and sea kayaking adventures that visit some of Alaska’s and the Yukon’s most unique and intriguing places. Leading remote wilderness expeditions and treks is our specialty and we employ the best guides and instructors in the business. They are exceptional at helping individuals to learn the best ways to approach a first glacier trek, an initial kayaking trip, or excel on more advanced expeditions. In addition to these programs we also work closely with the International Wilderness Leadership School (IWLS) and Mountain Guides International Inc. (MGI)
Leave a comment HERE to be enterer to win a free pair of Stuffitts!
Natural running clinic in Milwaukee THIS WEEKEND!
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Leave a comment HERE to win a FREE bottle of Vidazorb!
If you’re in the Milwaukee/Madison/Chicago area come meet us for a run this Saturday, March 26 at 10 AM at:
Alterra Coffee
1701 N Lincoln Memorial Dr [Click the address for a map]
Milwaukee, WI 53202
414.223.4551
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Leave a comment HERE to win a FREE bottle of Vidazorb!
Sally Meyerhoff killed in cycling accident
Black Diamond Sprinter headlamp
Kara Goucher declares, “I’m back”
2011 Abu Dhabi International Triathlon Women’s Odds
2011 Abu Dhabi International Triathlon Men’s Odds
2011 Boston Marathon adds a third wave to the start
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Recently I’ve been getting some not so nice comments from a couple of NCAA swimmers. At least, I think it’s more than one, it might just be one. Aside from being dangerously close to violating the NCAA Code of Conduct by harassing me via the comments section of this site, they’ve completely skipped past the real meaning of a couple of swimming posts that I’ve written.
The post in question is the post I wrote in August of 2009 entitled “Life in the Fast Lane”. The point of this lane was not to point out my personal speed in terms of the elite swimming world at-large but rather to make a statement about what my speed is relative to the people against whom I am competing. Now, if I were to go head to head with one of these commenters in the pool I would no doubt get my ass kicked, and I’m ok with that. Of course that assuming they can pull their chlorine addled heads out of their butts long enough to step up on the block. I have no illusions of grandeur about my speed and when I said, “My average 100 meter swim in a race is around 1:05 (+/-)” I realize fully and completely that if held up next to any NCAA swimmers and even most competitive highschool swimmers, that is not so speedy.
All that said, when I hop into the pool where I workout [side note: one of these ass-hats ridiculed me for swimming at a Bally's, which I do because it is a 50 meter pool that is a 30 second walk from my office.], which is FOUR lanes, I am in FACT the fastest person in that pool 99% of the time. I thought that was clear enough in that post, but if not, that is what I meant.
If you line me up in a triathlon, chances are I will be in the top 2% of the swimmers out of the water (30th out of the water overall (including pros) in Ironman Wisconsin, 2009). Moreover, I want to help others be faster and I am not so arrogant as to go to someone’s website that is trying to be encouraging and leave cowardly, anonymous comments.
I’ve been deleting these comments because I don’t really want to engage in a pointless debate with a prepubescent moron who cannot pick up on the real meaning of of an article. Also, the list in the “Fast Lane” post is not meant to be sarcastic, it is real. It may sound sarcastic to people who are fast swimmers, but it is really only meant for those who truly may not know better.
I hope none of you encounter a-holes like these guys. I’ll be on the lookout for their IP addresses and email addresses so I can inform the NCAA and their schools if I need to. If I do, I’ll let you know! It would be a shame for talented swimmers to lose any scholarships and/or positions on their teams.
LEAVE A COMMENT HERE TO BE ENTERED TO WIN A FREE PAIR OF STUFFITTS!
Racers Against Childhood Cancer (RACC)
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Probably one of the biggest complaints of people doing long training swims is good, old-fashioned boredom. I’ve heard more people than I can count wishing for music of some sort, be it from underwater speakers or from some sort of personal player. Some devices out there are essentially waterproof cases for your existing device (Ipod, etc.) but many of use are a bit hesitant to put our expensive, digital companions into water, no matter how impregnable the case claims to be. Other, stand-alone devices are built exclusively to go in the water and use a semi traditional ear bud that is meant to keep water out of your ear. However, often these can lead to water that sneaks by being held in the ear.
The SwiMP3 from FINIS is a personal, water-proof MP3 player that has gone to the next level in with its method of sound delivery. The SwiMP3 uses bone conduction technology rather than more traditional headphones or earbuds. This particular model, the 1G, holds 1 GB of music which equates to about 15 hours (or about 250 songs) worth, so for most of us this will be more than enough. It is compatible with MP3 as well as WMA music files and has an easy drag-n-drop operation and can also be used with Itunes. The SwiMP3 is mounted to your goggle straps with hydrodynamic clips that keep the business end of the SwiMP3 resting firmly against your cheekbones.
I readily admit that I am one of those people who cannot wait to get a new toy out of the box and working. That said, my patience for complicated things is sometimes more short-lived than I’d like. The first thing I wanted to do with the SwiMP3 is get some music on it and see in action what I’d heard about for a while. In all honesty, I expected the music transferring procedure to be complex and annoying, boy was I wrong. Anyone can download and view the instructions [LINK], or you can just follow mine:
That’s it. Really. I was amazed. I digress.
There are no extra parts, except the USB plug cap to the SwiMP3, just the unit itself so there are no more wires to add to your ever growing collection of clutter
(or maybe that’s just me). The USB plug, which takes care of the charging and data transferring is part of the SwiMP3 itself and stays out of the way when in use.
Once I had music on the SwiMP3 and I got a good charge on it (charging happens via USB) I fired it up. Now, I was out of the water at the time, but again, I lack patience when it comes to new toys. With the unit in place and the “speakers” in the right place on my cheekbones I hit play. Right away I was kind of taken aback at the odd feeling that I wasn’t so much hearing the music with my ears as I was hearing it from some oddly and pleasantly ethereal place. The controls on the SwiMP3 are minimalist and consist of a total of four buttons, so operation was simple and straight forward.
My first swim with the SwiMP3 was interesting. In all my years as a swimmer and out of all the miles I’ve logged, none have been with music pumping in my ear, much less my bones. It was a very cool feeling though I do admit that I found myself being lulled into an almost trance like state. While this may be a welcome change for some it was a bit distracting when it came to counting laps and paying attention to sets. With that being said, if I was doing laps with no specific count in mind, this would be perfect, but I was swimming with specific sets and intervals.
Now for the sound quality. I expected to just get the idea of a song as opposed to being able to actually hear everything. I was pleasantly surprised when every word, and phrase and even spoken word on some podcasts that I uploaded were clear and present the whole time. The one exception was only on some particularly aggressive push-off’s that managed to push the “speaker” unit away from my head for a split second.
The SwiMP3 is easy to use, light weight and allows swimmers that have a generally hard time with the boredom of long distance training, going back and forth in a pool an easy and pleasantly audible companion. Should you need it FINIS has a ton of support and how-to’s on their website though the SwiMP3 is so easy to use, if you ever visit the support page I’d be surprised. If you’re in the market for a reliable, in the pool method of entertainment, this is the way to go.
Click here to visit the FINIS website | Click here to buy on Amazon
In less than a month, on March 11, 12 and 13 New York City athletes will get a chance to be attend some amazing natural running clinics right in the Big Apple (as well as a couple dates for those of you in CT and NJ!)! Ok, so I know that I’ve told you about these before and many of you reading this have come to these clinics and learned some great stuff, BUT for those of you that are rolling your eyes and saying, “I’m not a natural/chi/minimalist runner, Brandon”, yes, you are. If you have feet, you’re a natural runner, your shoes and such have just been telling you different for so long that you don’t know it!
These clinics are 100% free and are for ALL, and I do mean ALL runners, no matter what kind of shoes you wear, no matter how fast you are and no matter what you think you know about running, EVERYONE is welcome. This is a fantastic opportunity to get one-on-one attention from renowned natural running expert and SEVEN time World Adventure Racing Champion, Ian Adamson. Here are the details:
New York Running Company- East Side
What: Natural Running Reception & Presentation
Where: 1059 3rd Ave. | New York, NY 10065
Date: Friday, March 11, 2011
Time: 7-9:00 pm
Contact: 212.223.8109 | therunningcompany.net
New York Running Company- Time Warner Center
What: Natural Running Form Clinic
Where: 10 Columbus Circle | 2nd floor ste 210 | New York, NY 10023
(The group will meet at the TWC location and then head over to Central Park for the clinic)
Date: Saturday, March 12, 2011
Time: 8:30-10:15 am
Contact: 212.823.9626 | therunningcompany.net
New York Running Company- Time Warner Center
What: Natural Running Form Clinic
Where: 10 Columbus Circle | 2nd floor ste 210 | New York, NY 10023
(The group will meet at the TWC location and then head over to Central Park for the clinic)
Date: Sunday, March 13, 2011
Time: 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Contact: 212.823.9626 | therunningcompany.net
Greenwich Running Company
What: Natural Running Symposium and Form Clinic
Where: 2 Greenwich Ave | Greenwich, CT 06830
Date: Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Time: 7:00-9:00 pm
Contact: 203.861.7800 | therunningcompany.net
Princeton Running Company
What: Natural Running Symposium and Form Clinic
Where: 108 Nassau St | Princeton, NJ 08542
Date: Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Time: 7:00-9:00 pm
Contact: 609.252.9110 | therunningcompany.net
I got beat to this by a tiny bit by someone else, but I thought I’d share anyway! Here is the former Mrs. James, Sandra Bullock on a visit to the gym accompanied by her Newton Performance Racers (Distancia)!
The Boston Athletic Association announced this morning a new registration procedure as well as new qualifying times. Both of these things will begin with the 2012 and 2013 races.This is in response to the record sell out time of the 2011 race which sold out in 8 hours.
First, the registration process will be a rolling admission whereupon the fastest qualifiers will be allowed entry first. Second, starting with the 2013 race all qualifying times, across both genders will be lowered by five minutes.
My two cents
While I don’t have too much of an opinion on the registration procedure, I think that the time standard change sucks.
I don’t necessarily have a problem with the open time (3:10 changed to 3:05) being lowered, though five minutes will be tough since just getting to 3:10 is tough enough. What I have a problem with (if I offend any women with what comes next, I don’t mean to. It’s nothing against anyone personally) is the RIDICULOUS notion that the women’s open qualifying time of 3:40, which will be 3:35, is somehow equal in its difficulty to the men’s qualifying times. The HALF HOUR time gap was a completely arbitrary number when it was established and is based on NOTHING. This is incredibly infuriating!
One suggestion that was being floated was to make the time difference between the men’s and women’s times the same gap between the respective world records (Men: 2:03:59, Women: 2:15:25). Hell, even make it an even 15 minutes! This is LUDICROUS.
(side note: The BAA website is getting slammed with traffic, so much so that I can’t pull up the story!)
The headline pretty much says it all! The Sir Isaac Guidance Trainer from the awesome folks at Newton Running has been named the Run Shoe of the Year by the UK’s Triathlon 220 Magazine!
The Sir Isaac Guidance Trainer is part of the transitional line up of shoes from Newton. For those looking to become more efficient runners and to move their stride to a more natural, midfoot/forefoot gait, this shoe will certainly get you there. Now, got get some!
Leave a comment HERE to be entered to win a FREE bottle of Vidazorb!
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I’m a bit confused as to what this means in terms of the UCI and racing in general but, apparently Alberto Contador has been cleared of doping allegations by the Spanish Cycling Federation. Backpedaling (pardon the pun) on their recommendation 3 weeks ago that Contador be suspended for a period of one year, they have now rescinded this ruling and a formal announcement is expected tomorrow.
Contador is set to go race in the Tour of Algavre in Portugal. However, the UCI does have a month to make a final decision on Contadors ability to race.
[Tour de France Champion Contador Is Cleared in Doping Case, El Pais Says]
Happy Monday and happy Valentine’s day! Today is the beginning of a very interesting period in my life and I thought I’d take a minute to share some thoughts on where it began this morning and where it may be headed. It does have something to do with running, triathlon and the like so, read on!
Achilles
A few weeks back I mentioned that while out on a run on a day with a lot of ice on the ground I
over-extended my trailing leg and “tweaked” my achilles. Since then I’ve had to kind of knock back the intensity of some of my runs and, to be completely honest, I’ve not run 100% pain free since. I’m not sure that I’d call this a true injury per se, but rather a small stumbling block.
I had a run last Friday where I was feeling my oats a little bit and so I took it out quicker than I have been. I wasn’t in pain while running, but I was aware of the tweak. After my run (about 8.5 miles at about 7:00/mile), as soon as I stopped at the front door of my building and began walking in the hallway, my achilles lit up. P-A-I-N. It seemed that the pain came not really when I put pressure on it but rather when I took it off.
I stretched immediately but couldn’t take too much time since I still had to get to work (yes, I managed to make it out for a pre-dawn run). Throughout the day I forced myself to alter my walking gait so as to avoid any pain. I guess I looked like I was limping a bit but it was a self imposed limp rather than my body NEEDING to limp, so that has to be something.
On Saturday morning I headed out the door for a 2.5 hour brick workout. I had spoken to Coach Jeff the night before and he told me to just do the ride and to forget about the run. So my ride, which was scheduled to be 1.5 hours got upped to 2.5 hours. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to ride outside so this was a welcome change from the monotony of the indoor trainer. Upon getting on the bike my achilles, which had been largely immobilized and set in ice for most of the previous day, was feeling quite tight and sore. I made and effort to gently stretch it out when I could and after about 30 minutes of riding it loosened up and even let me ride some large-ish hills harder than I thought I’d be able to.
When not chasing my daughter and packing/cleaning, the rest of the day was spent, leg elevated and on ice. Sunday’s run was also canceled and we’re now in some odd stasis waiting to see how I feel this week. I don’t have a run scheduled until Wednesday and then I hope my patience and wisdom don’t lose out to ego and pigheadedness. There’s no point in sacrificing an entire season for a few missed runs.
As an aside, and not to go down the technical road; when I was home and able to, I spent the ENTIRE weekend in just socks. I even walked my dogs in just socks on Saturday night. When I was barefoot, I hardly felt anything at all. Today I decided to wear a pair of Newton Gravitas‘ to work since they’re effectively flat and thus far, I’m doing well.
The Subway
I got on the subway this morning (the ever so pleasant downtown 1 train) at my usual stop. The train was not very crowded and I easily got a seat at the end of a row. I tend to go for those seats since that means that I’ll only have one person squeezing in beside me rather than two. The train went from my stop (215th St.) to about 110th St. without incident, or even that much of a crowd. At 110th St. a bunch of people got on the train including one of those people who like to stand IN the doorway and block the door for those trying to get on and off the train even though there is plenty of room to stand elsewhere.
It was this door-standing, super classy individual that started my day off on the wrong foot. This guys elbow was just about level with my ear. Since he was holding onto the rail attached to the seat I was sitting in, this is not out of the ordinary and no big deal. However, as the doors would open, he would lean basically into my seat (yes, I’m aware of the sometimes overstated “American bubble” that we prefer and are spoiled with. That said, I’ve been on a subway in Japan at rush hour and I know what “close” really is). Each time he did this he was coming about 9 inches across where he needed to be and he would push, not very hard but just inconsiderately so, his arm into my head. He did not say, “I’m sorry” or even acknowledge this annoying and obvious invasion of my space.
Now, had this been simply an invasion of my “space” and not an actual instance of me being touched repeatedly in the head by some stranger, I would not really have a problem with it. At about 72nd St. there was a rather aggressive push of my head with this guy’s elbow. So, I put my hand on my head, in between my head and his arm and gently moved his arm away and said, “Excuse me, your arm keeps hitting my head.” I didn’t say this loudly of in any kind of a rude tone. The rest of the conversation went like this:
Douchey McA-hole: Don’t touch me again.
Me: I’m sorry?
Douchey McA-hole: I said, don’t touch me again.
Me: I’m sorry but you’ve been hitting me in the head with your arm for the last forty blocks.
Douchey McA-hole: I’m just trying to let people on and off the train.
Me: Well, you could go stand somewhere where you won’t have to do that and hit me in the head.
Douchey McA-hole: Don’t touch me again.
Me: If you don’t touch me again then we won’t have a problem.
Douchey McA-hole: Don’t touch me again.
Me: Or what?
Douchey McA-hole: *silence*
He got off the train at 59th St. (Columbus Circle) without further incident. I don’t like confrontation, but when I’m put in that situation, with someone literally standing over me (since he was standing and I was sitting) my hackles rise very quickly. However, I did maintain a calm demeanor which was bolstered by the very nice woman next to me who was encouraging me to ignore him since he was clearly “that kind of person”. I just don’t get it. Why do people have to be like that? I was tempted to stand up and just stare at the guy since I had about 20 pounds and 3 inches on him, but I figured that would only serve to exacerbate an already tense situation.
So, Douchey McA-hole, have a happy Monday and I’m not hoping at all that you get dropped like a sack of potatoes by someone with less patience than I have.
Looking forward
Danielle and I are going to Milwaukee this week to sing Mozart’s Così fan tutte with Skylight Opera. Being there will be a nice break from living in New York for a while, though I must admit that I doubt it will instill in me the affection that some feel for this town.
While there I hope to take Gearist TV on tours of SRAM, Saris and Trek Bikes. Gearist is doing well and is further expanding passions of mine that have been emerging for a while. Upon returning from Milwaukee, we will be looking to the future. Our lease is up in October and we are moving. We don’t know where just yet but to us, anywhere is better than here.
The spring and summer will be spent training hard and racing. The biggest race of the season of course, is Ironman Canada. I’m still toying with the idea of doing a 24 hour live podcast to help raise money for Athletes for a Cure (PLEASE CLICK HERE TO DONATE!!). If I do do a live 24 hours show I am certainly going to need people to call in and stop by to keep me awake!
I’ll be touching more on the reasons and desires of our move in the coming months as well as the direction we’re moving in. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers.
Photo: Donald Miralle/Getty Images
This is Kelly Gneiting. He is a sumo wrestler. He currently weighs 410 pounds. He is a marathoner.
In 2008 Gneiting completed the Los Angeles Marathon in 11:52:11. At the time his weight was about the same as it is now, and should have put him in the Guinness Book of World Records. However, the guidelines for this particular record, according to Guinness, say that the entire race must be filmed and that the runner must be weighed immediately before as well as immediately after the race.
The current record stands at 275 pounds, though after searching the Guinness website I don’t seem to be able to find it (if you are able, please send me the link). Training every day, with a long run of 6 miles on Saturdays, Gneiting hopes to complete the 2011 L.A. Marathon on March 20 in somewhere between nine and eleven hours.
I may be late to the party on this bit of news, but here it is! Apolo Anton Ohno, an 8-time Olympic medalist, will be running the 2011 New York City Marathon. His training for the marathon will make him take off the next season of short track speed skating, but he stops short of actually saying that he’s retiring from the sport that made him famous. The official announcement of Ohno’s NYC Marathon ambitions is scheduled for this Friday, February 11.
[Full Story: Apolo Ohno goes from short track to NYC marathon]
Sites like dailymile are great for several reasons. They’re an easy way to track our training. They’re a wonderful place to be part of a large and encouraging community. They also have this great feature that puts your workout summaries on Twitter automatically (if you have that feature enabled). The coinciding tweet gives a link to your workout as well as the first few lines of detail. If it’s a swim workout, the display says something along the lines of, “@IronBrandon swam XXXX meters in XXX Minutes…” followed by a link. When I see this it really makes me wonder just HOW people are swimming.
A small disclaimer before I begin go on a tear about what I think about swim training: I have been a competitive swimmer since I was about 6 years old and am very used to true “workouts” in the pool. Now, that aside, here’s what I think a workout is; just like any other workout, there are sets and cardio work and long steady work and sprint work and tempo work and on and on. I truly hope that I’m reading all this wrong but I don’t think I am. Much of the swim training that I see seems to be people just getting in the pool and swimming laps for as long as they can take it without being bored to death. This is NOT a swim workout.
It’s true that distance training has its place in swimming, especially if you’re training for a specific long distance event. But, if your training is just a bunch of laps and you wonder why you’re not seeing any speed improvements, you’re not going to see any until you begin to mix it up. The irony is that most of us are aware that we cannot just go out and run without doing something with the run. Whether you add in something as simple as a fartlek or you’re doing a complex step-up run, we know to throw different things at our body so we improve. Swimming is no different.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle to a real workout is that many of us don’t have a coach or someone to guide us through a session. Even if you do have a coach, there’s a good chance that they may not be there for your workout and thus the responsibility for pushing yourself has to come from you. You have to be willing to push yourself and to be honest with your times and effort levels. If you cheat, you’re the only one who might truly know, but at the end of the day, your speed and endurance will not progress as they should.
So, where can I find some workouts? There are some great resources online that can give all levels os swimmers a great workout. Here are a few:
So, go swim! Stop just doing laps! Push yourself and get faster. Grab a simple watch and get in the pool, you’ll be amazed what actually WORKING in the pool will do for you.
As I’ve said in the past, we all know someone who has been affected by prostate cancer. Many of us, however, have no idea what affects te proliferation of prostate cancer and what we can do to beat it to the punch.
I came across this site today and it goes into some wonderful detail about prostate health and prevention. From screening to prostatitis and into the side effects of prostate disorders such as erectile dysfunction, this site includes an impressive list of resources and survivor stories.
On a bike, I feel like we often neglect our hands until it’s too late. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found myself shaking my hands out to get some feeling back after having had it vibrated away by the roughness of the road, or just because my gloves were falling apart prematurely.
The Sugoi RS glove sits at the top of the heap in their fingerless cycling glove lineup. Encased in its synthetic leather palm is Sugoi’s V-Control foam, which spans across the entire area of pressure points. The palm contains vent holes that allow air to circulate to help keep sweat under control. The bonded terrycloth thumb gives the rider a quick and easy way to wipe away sweat and also allows for quick evaporation and drying. The RS Glove is also available in a full finger model
In my experience, all the gels and foams and anti-matter that is put in gloves doesn’t mean a thing if it’s placed wrong for the rider. The V-Control foam that Sugoi uses does a great job of vibration dampening, but that’s not what makes the biggest difference for me. What matters is where the padding is. Sugoi has put big, honking patches of V-Control on a large majority of the palm. All hands are different and one glove, even if sized exactly may or may not work for a particular athlete. With this design, I’ve found that my hands are always in ample contact with the padding that I need.
You might be wondering why there are picture in this review of a pair of beat-to-hell gloves; well, those are my own Sugoi RS gloves. The reason I wanted to show them is because they have been sweated on, slipped on, rained on, crashed in, tire changed in, indoor rode with and I’m pretty sure puked on for about a year now. I have never owned a pair of cycling gloves for that long. I could speculate as to the mileage on them, but I can’t begin to think about that, but at peak Ironman training time last summer, they were getting 300-400 miles a week on them. At this point they have tears and holes appearing in various places, but even as I write this, they’re hanging up to dry after last night’s trainer ride and waiting for more.
I know that I’ll have to part ways with my RS gloves pretty soon, but I’m very impressed with their construction and feel. They’ve taken me a very long way and I think they’d be a great choice for someone who likes to wear a glove that has the tools to be worn into the ground.
Gear news and reviews at GEARIST.COM!
Draft Legal age group racing in Florida
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If you’ve ever done a triathlon in the United States chances are, drafting on the bike leg was illegal. In it’s rules USA Triathlon (USAT) takes the time to lay out the rules for drafting and how they are interpreted.
In USAT racing drafting is grouped among the “Position fouls”. Below is the text from that section of the USAT rules [LINK](you can skip to the end for the good part if you want!).
5.10 Position Fouls. In accordance with the Rules as set forth in this section, a participant is not permitted to position his bicycle in the proximity of another moving vehicle so as to benefit from reduced air resistance. While on the cycling course, participants shall not work together to improve performance, efficiency, or position by teamwork or other joint conduct. A variable time penalty shall be imposed for any violation of this section. This section shall not apply to off-road triathlons and duathlons and shall be excluded from enforcement at those events.
a. Drafting. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, while on the cycling course, no participant shall permit his drafting zone to intersect with or remain intersected with the drafting zone of another cyclist or that of a motor vehicle. With respect to a motor vehicle (including authorized race vehicles); it is the athlete’s responsibility to move out of the vehicle’s drafting zone or to continually communicate to the vehicle to move away.
b. Definition of Drafting Zone. The term “drafting zone” shall refer to a rectangular area seven (7) meters long and two (2) meters wide surrounding each bicycle. The longer sides of the zone begin at the leading edge of the front wheel and run backward parallel to the bicycle; the front wheel divides the short side of the zone into two equal parts. With respect to a moving motor vehicle, the “drafting zone” is a rectangular area extending 15 meters to each side of the vehicle and 30 meters behind the vehicle.
c. Right-of -Way. A participant is generally entitled to assume any otherwise proper location on the cycling course provided that the participant arrives in the position first without contacting another participant. When taking a position near another participant, however, a cyclist shall not crowd the other participant and shall allow reasonable space for the other participant to make normal movement without making contact.
d. Blocking. Cyclists must not block or obstruct the progress of another participant.
e. Passing. A participant who approaches another cyclist from the rear or from another unfavorable position bears primary responsibility for avoiding a position foul even if the cyclist being approached alters speed. A participant must not attempt to pass another cyclist unless adequate space is available and the athlete is confident of his/her ability to pass the other cyclist. All passing is to be done to the left of the cyclist being overtaken unless otherwise specified.
f. Position. Except for reasons of safety and when no advantage is gained, all cyclists shall keep to the right of the prescribed course unless passing.
g. Being Overtaken. When the leading edge of the front wheel of one cyclist passes beyond the front wheel of another cyclist, the second cyclist has been “overtaken” within the meaning of these Rules. A cyclist who has been overtaken bears primary responsibility for avoiding a position foul and must immediately move to the rear and out of the drafting zone of the passing cyclist. The overtaken cyclist shall first move completely out of the drafting zone of the other cyclist before attempting to re-pass the other cyclist.
h. Exceptions. A participant may enter the drafting zone without penalty only under the following conditions:
(1) When entering the drafting zone from the rear, closing the gap, and overtaking all within no more than 15 seconds.
(2) When cyclist reduces speed for safety reasons, for course blockage, for an aid station, for an emergency, when entering or exiting a transition area, or when making a turn of 90 degrees or more; or
(3) When USA Triathlon or the Head Referee expressly excludes a section of the bicycle course from the position foul rules because of overly narrow lanes, construction, detours, or a similar reason.
5.10A Position Fouls. Rule for Elites(a) Drafting. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, while on the cycling course, no participant shall permit his drafting zone to intersect with or remain intersected with the drafting zone of another participant or that of a motor vehicle. With respect to a motor vehicle (including authorized race vehicles); it is the athlete’s responsibility to continually communicate to the vehicle to move away.
(b) Definition of Drafting Zone. The term “drafting zone” shall refer to a rectangular area ten (10) meters long and two (2) meters wide surrounding each bicycle. The longer sides of the zone begin at the leading edge of the front wheel and run backward parallel to the bicycle; the front wheel divides the short side of the zone into two equal parts. With respect to a moving motor vehicle, the “drafting zone” is a rectangular area extending one meter to each side of the vehicle and fifteen (15) meters behind the vehicle.
(c) Exceptions. A participant may enter the drafting zone without penalty only pursuant to the following exceptions:
(1) When entering the drafting zone from the rear, closing the gap, and overtaking all within no more than 15 seconds; or
(2) When cyclists reduce speed for safety reasons, for course blockage, for an aid station, for an emergency, when entering or exiting a transition area, or when making a turn of 90 degrees or more.
(d) Position on Course/Right-of-Way. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, a participant is generallyentitled to assume any otherwise proper location on the cycling course provided that the participant arrives in position first without contacting another participant.
(e) Staggered Positioning. All cyclists must assume and maintain a staggered riding position relative to the cyclist directly ahead; no cyclist may maintain a position on the course directly in line with a cyclist directly ahead. This staggered position must be maintained even if the cyclist is outside of the drafting zone and following at a distance of greater than ten (10) meters.
(f) Blocking. Cyclists who have assumed a proper position must not block or obstruct the progress of another participant.
(g) Position and Passing. A participant must not attempt to pass another cyclist unless adequate space is available and he is confident of his ability to overtake and pass the other cyclist. A participant who approaches another cyclist from the rear or from another unfavorable position bears primary responsibility for avoiding a position foul even if the cyclist being approached decreases speed.
(h) Overtaken. When the leading edge of the front wheel of one cyclist passes beyond the front wheel of another cyclist, the second cyclist has been “overtaken” within the meaning of these Rules. A cyclist who has been overtaken bears primary responsibility for avoiding a position foul and must immediately move to the side or to the rear and out of the drafting zone of the passing cyclist. An overtaken cyclist shall first move completely out of the drafting zone before attempting to re-pass another cyclist. In no case, however, shall a participant move into the path of another participant possessing the right-of-way.
PHEW! Now, with all that being said, there is a new race about to break onto the scene that is a DRAFT LEGAL race that IS sanctioned by USAT! This race will take place in Clermont, Florida in March and is the idea of one Mr. Jarrod Shoemaker. Below is a link to an interview he did recently with Slowtwitch discussing the first ever Draft Legal Challenge atClermont.
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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