Stio clothing!

Heritage Family Chiropractic Maximized Living Makeover

Obesity is reaching epidemic proportions. Help overcome the sad reality by resolving to join Heritage Family Chiropractic in their New Year's Weight Loss Challenge Maximized Living Makeover

Heritage isn't only about spinal adjustments.  They want to help people live better lives, eat better and get the best they can out of their bodies.

• Learn how to take advantage of the latest molecular research that has changed out understanding of weight loss and obesity. 
• Learn why fat has a bad rap, what's safe to eat, and what's not. 
• Discover the warning signs for toxicity that can build up and prevent weight loss. 
• Learn how you can get maximum results from your workout plan in just 12 minutes a day.

The event kicks off at 10am, Saturday February 2, 2013, for the Olathe office.
784 N Ridgeview Road
Olathe, KS, 66061.
Maximized Living has offices all over the US and the event is free and you can sign up to attend at any office on Feb 2.

Contact the Heritage Family Chiropractic office for more details!

Upcoming Kansas City Running Events

Featured Race    The Sweetheart Run  Four Mile Run/Walk Charles Wheeler Downtown Airport  Kansas City, MO This Valentine Day weekend event is a fun four mile run where participants team with loved ones or friends to compete for the title of the fastest male, female or coed two person team in Kansas City and individuals compete for age group prizes!!   Everyone is a winner with custom finishers medals and great long sleeve race shirts!  Help support the Head for the Cure Foundation at this great event!    Click here for more information or to sign up.

Upcoming Events  Polar Bear Strut 5K Saturday, January 26 @ 10am Shawnee Mission Park - Shawnee, KS   Support Special Olympics and get a run in at Shawnee Mission Park at the Polar Bear Strut 5K Run/Walk at this annual favorite!  Online registration is closed but you can still sign up in person on race day! Click here for more information Chocolate Rush Half Marathon and 5K Run/Walk Saturday, February 9 @ 8:45am Overland Park Trail at Prairie Life Center at 103rd and Barkley in Overland Park, KS New for 2013 is Chocolate Rush 5K and half marathon on February 9, 2013--just in time for Valentine's Day. It's all about chocolate, chocolate candies and champagne diamonds. Proceeds from the races help to buy playground equipment for The Salvation Army's new homeless shelter in Olathe. Click here for more information or to sign up     Sweetheart Run 5K Run/Walk Saturday, February 16 @ 9am Lawrence, KS  Grab a friend or family member and compete for male, female and coed two person team prizes or run as an individual and compete for age group awards at this fourth annual event, supporting the Head For the Cure Foundation!  Everyone gets a great long sleeve shirt and finishers medal! Click here for more information or to sign up Sweetheart Run 5K Run/Walk  Saturday, February 16 @ 9am Columbia, MO Participants compete for age group awards at this third annual event, supporting the Head For the Cure Foundation, and everyone gets a great long sleeve shirt and finishers medal!  The top ten male, female and coed two person teams also get prizes. Click here for more information or to sign up  Steps for the Chest 5K Run/Walk Sunday, February 24 @ 10am Johnny's Tavern 401 N. 2nd Lawrence, KS Be a part of the fun at this fourth annual event benefiting Breast Cancer Research.  The run is held on the Kaw River Levee and participants will compete for overall and age group awards.  Click here for more information or to sign up  MDA 5K Run/Walk Saturday, March 2 @ 9am Truman Sports Complex - Kansas City, MO Participants will enjoy a course around the Truman Sports complex, and each runner and walker will receive an event t-shirt and the chance to win age group awards. All participants are invited inside the Club Level of Arrowhead Stadium at the conclusion of the race to enjoy vendor booths and entertainment followed by the closing ceremony and walking of a "victory lap" with MDA friends and families Click here for more information or to sign up Shamrock Shuffle 5K Saturday, March 9 Ballard Center in Lawrence, KS More than 500 runners and walkers turned out for the 23rd annual Shamrock Shuffle 5K in 2012 and even more are expected this year!  Save the date for this fun Lawrence tradition (which includes a free breakfast!) and watch for more information at their race site! Martin City Whiskey Run 5K Sunday, March 10 135th St. and Washington St. Kansas City, MO This new 5K run/walk through the streets of Martin City (in South Kansas City) is part of a day long celebration of St. Patrick's Day!  Come for the 5K run/walk and stay for the parade, called "Irishpalooza", following the race.  Save the date for this new event and keep an eye on this web site for more information.

2013 GROUNDHOG RUN 10k RACE RECAP - 1/27/13

Unlike last week's last minute 5k, I did make it to this race...
It was planned ahead, Em ran the 5k, Grandma was watching the kids - so everything was a go from the get go.


You may recall...
... my lofty goals.

1. I was thinking cracking sub-40 was within my grasp, or at least get a sub 7 minute/mile pace.
2. Stay injury free.
3. Don't barf.

I'm happy to say I met 2 of the 3.

Could it be I achieved #1 and #2, but found a trash can for #3?  That might have been a possibility, but a poor gal that had to be carried out on an ambulance gurney beat me to #3.

Could it be I accomplished #1 and #3, but limped off due to #2?  While #2 in the port-a-potties can be debilitating, the older gentleman that need another ambulance gurney for a fall beat me to #2.

So that leaves us with getting a hold of #2 and #3.  That's right, no sub 40 or PR for me.


All was going well into mile 1 and 2...
Sub 6:30 without a dramatic amount of effort, and then I hit mile 3.  My pace was suffering and when I passed the timer at the first loop and confirmed what my Garmin was already telling me, I was at 21:30 and there's no way I was going to hit sub 40.  I was in no condition to negative split.

When mile 4 hit, I was on the ropes.  It was all I could muster to keep 7 min/mile and mile 5 slipped by and mile 6 was holding on for the finish line.

Sadly my Garmin 910XT hit the finish line before the finish line came.  My suspicion is that my footpod adjustment factor wasn't perfect, darn false sense of security.  I would have had a PR if they had made the course to my Garmin calibration factor.  The nerve.

I did manage to peg my heart rate above 170 beats per minute the entire race.  How's that feel?  It sucks.  As I mentioned my legs were jello at mile 4 and my lungs were burning pretty good.  I'm not sure if I will ever be a "fast" runner, but until I'm busting out sub 20 5k's, I think I'll take it more easy on 10k courses.


And the results are in.
44:24:6
21 of 102 in men 35-39.
92 of 1119 runners overall.

In the grand scheme of things, that's not too shabby.  I probably shouldn't complain about not beating a past PR or reaching a very lofty goal, but I'm just too competitive with myself.

Maybe when I get my pro card and can live off of sponsor dollars and winnings... ya right.


Some highlights and lowlights.
If you reached my blog through a google search for the Groundhog Run, I'll share my take on the event from a participant point of view.

Sweet shirt.  They have moved away from the past design of a groundhog that had been their staple and went with a more modern design.  Many wore it for the race and many commented on how nice it was.  Score, and well played.

The race is all in a cave.  No, you won't be cave diving with headlamps.  It's an actual office park underground.  The roads are large enough for two lanes of tractor trailers.  They have ventilation for fumes, it's no elevation changes and it's climate controlled.  Not too shabby of a place to run in January.

They have run this race for 30+ years.  They have a system that seems to work as they sell out most years.  That being said, they tried out a wave system this year which seem to work out well to ease up congestion.  The only issue was the wait time between the 5k and 10k.  They allowed for 2 hours, it in reality, 30 to 45 minutes probably would have worked.  It was a new deal to get more runners through, so you can't really complain.

Port-a-potty lines seemed to have moved quick.  Minus the people that don't notice there is a line and step right in and the next open stall, it went ok.  It really baffles me.  Either people are ignorant, stupid or arrogant.  Help me out line jumpers, which is it?

Parking is down to a science.  They have runners park across a major street in a casino parking lot and bus the runners over.  The whole process takes maybe 10 minutes from parking to entrance drop off.  Plus, with the staggered wave times, the buses were waiting for people rather than people waiting for buses.

There was enough food for everyone!  In years past, the 10k runners were out of luck.  In the past few years, organizers have gotten hip to that problem and provided ample post-race accomodations.

Packet pickup was as smooth as a pickle.  Hosted at a new Gary Gribbles location off of State Line, it was central for the KC running crowd and ample space for runners to get in and get out.

Overall this a well ran running machine.  They sell out and they are finding ways to expand.  Just about everyone uses this race for a gauge of their fitness after the holidays to see where they are at and what they need to work on.

If your biggest fear for running the race is being in a damp dark cave, don't fear, it's not a problem!

Evolution Solution hydration and recovery drink mix review

It's just a simple fact, in a long course triathlon you will not make it in one piece to the finish line without some form of caloric intake. Ok. Maybe that's a little dramatic, but any triathlete with a good head on their shoulders knows enough about the game to at least bring some sort of sports drink on the bike and take some aid station kool aid on the run.

There are a lot of choices when it comes to hydration. There's the standard fare that can be found in your local grocery store that's a viable option, but may not get you to the next level. You could tempt fate and just go with H2O or use sports gels for your calories, but what if the ole gut doesn't appreciate gels? Then what?

Now that it's been established that you NEED more calories and nutrients from your race fluid intake than your average store bought sports drink (or training fluid intake for that matter), lets consider some options. Even if you're not convinced, just go along and assume a valid point has been made.

Evolution Solution (ES) has reached out to have their Infinitize and Refinitize recovery mix tested out and reviewed.

Since late October of 2012, ES has been the primary mix for any training and race wise from the Kansas City North Face 50k to the Operation Jack Half Marathon on December 29, 2012.

If the activity required fluids, ES was on hand for during and after. After extensive and maybe obsessive use, check out the results below.

The first thing any triathlete should do before ingesting anything is to read the ingredients. That's key for Infinitize as they advertise increased mental focus which is due in part to caffeine. While caffeine isn't a bad word and some studies have shown that it could even contribute to performance improvements, the timing of consumption could cause problems. True, caffeine is a diuretic and might prompt an untimely port-a-potty stop, but it could also cause problems for evening training. Say someone rides the trainer after the kids go down at 8pm. How's that going to affect that person after their ride is done at 9pm and they want to shower and get to bed to get up at 6am for work the next day? If there is any level of caffeine sensitivity, most likely there's going to be a lot of staring at the ceiling until the effects wear off. That extra energy is great for AM workouts, but be careful of usage with the PM work.

When Infinitize (IF) and Refinitize (RF) arrives on the doorstep, it will fall in line with other products as far as packaging goes. The RF cannister is substantially larger which is related to needed higher amounts of mix for recovery drink compared to dosing for IF. That shouldn't bother anyone, because who doesn't like bigger and better? The actual packaging is appealing and carries an air of professionalism of large vendors even though ES is a small supplier. The design might even summon images of cutting edge training sessions and podium finishes. Lets be honest, no one wants to get their hydration from a boring cannister that doesn't make people go, "wow, I bet that's the closest thing to rocket fuel you can put into your body".

After ingredients, the next most important issue is taste. Some may interject that cost is king, but if it's cheap and tastes like it costs, triathletes will pay extra. Like most mixes, the colder the better. It will pay dividends to be prepared with ice on hand and not just rush out of the door only using tap water. In the past, it's been a trade secret to mix in a little sports drink to make drinks that cut out sugar more palatable. Yes, it puts more sugar in there, but the body will thank you when you're hot on the ass of a trainer PR and go for swig. By itself, IF can be somewhat tart, but with a little modification that's not a problem. RF comes in chocolate as most recovery mixes do, so just add some skim milk if you like some meat in your drink and chug like any other.

The big question is, does ES deliver? After extensive adaptation of IF and RF as the primary source of hydration and recovery drink for training and races for over 3 months, it would be safe to label the ES lines a success. Using IF for training of upwards of 2 hours of continuous physical exertion has resulted in bonkless sessions and energy to spare. Efforts in each workout ranged from Z2 aerobic work to high intensity BRIK efforts. Sprints, hills, pickups, suicide drills, it didn't matter. Each workout was completed with planned effort and composition with IF as the fuel. The energy component did not result in heart rate spikes, jitters or sugar highs and lows. It was I subtle rise in alertness that carried on after they workout that took the place of sleepiness or grogginess that might be experienced with prolonged or early morning sessions. The only issues that arose were when the drinks were mixed in haste with lukewarm water which results in a less appealing taste, but regardless of the temperature, the drink mix was still effective.

A bonus feature of IF is the ability of the powder to mix well without need the need of specialized shake mixing bottles or some sort of superhuman effort required to shake up the mix. Just toss in the scoops of IF, add water, screw cap on and shake. No clumps, no mess and no wearing out the arms before a workout trying to mix it up.

The recovery side, RF, requires a little more effort as it is similar to most protein and recovery powders that usually require a specialized shake bottle or risk big clumps of chocolate powder floating and sticking in the bottle. As far as the effectiveness, while using RF, post-long runs and high intensity work rarely resulted in any soreness or stiffness in the hours and days after when using RF. Something to realize for the age grouper working a day job with a family and usually burning the candle at both ends, sleep is a luxury that is unfortunately sacrificed. The quality of life is somewhat diminished when one considers the loss of sleep and the effects it has on the mind and body. Stress and illness are right around every corner with age grouper endurance athletes. If sleep is going to be sacrificed, then something needs to be done to boost the immune system to keep it infection free. RF fits that bill if used per dosing instructions. While using RF, colds, flu, and general fatigue were all minimized while on an erratic sleeping pattern. Lifestyle patterns were kept the same during this trial experience, so it stands to reason that RF had at least a part in keeping subjects healthy and muscles revitalized after tough workouts.

Money talks. It speaks to every triathlete. It’s the limiting factor why most triathletes don’t race every weekend and fly to Kona every year for the IM championship. If money didn’t matter, we’d all be “rich”. But, since it does matter, consider the prices for ES. IF goes for $33 for 16 servings on Amazon, $2.06 a serving. GU Brew Roctane (which is more comparable in potency than normal GU Brew) runs around $28 for 12 servings, $2.33 a serving. RF runs $45 for 16 servings, $2.81 a serving, and GU Recovery can be found for $24 for 14 servings, $1.71 per serving. To compare apples to apples (more like chocolate to chocolate since GU Recovery is tropical flavors only), Fluid Recovery chocolate goes for $29 for 16 servings, $1.81. As you can see, RF isn’t as economical as competitors, but it just as serviceable. As for IF, on a limited sampling, it edges competitors in economy and delivers the same punch with sufficient nutritional supplementation and mental focus.

ES offers a solid option for the hydration and recovery game. For those that scour the internet for good deals, ES will be right there with the best. Don’t fear a good deal worrying about quality of the product. ES has been on the MVT table (and in bottles) for more than 3 months and without fail, they products have produced great results.

* Writer’s note - ES supplied IF and RF for this review and in no way influenced the review.

2013 Groundhog Run 10k Preview

The Groundhog Run has been a mainstay in my endurance calendar...
I think since I started running any real distance, I've always ran TGR. They have a 5k and 10k option, it's in a cave, virtually no elevation changes and it's kind of like an official kickoff to my endurance race season.

Last year was my 10k PR at 43:56. This course is the perfect setup to shoot for PR's. It's in climate controlled caves with no effects of weather and is virtually flat. You can't miss and that's why it's either a sellout or pretty darn close to one every year.

So it's good to have goals...
I'd like to get sub 40.
I'd rather no throw up or die trying to do it.
I'd like to say I've devoted time to increase my running speed.

What I can say is that I have consistently logged more winter miles.
While maintaining high zone 2 on long runs, I've been faster without more effort.
I'm on stretching and strength programs for achilles and spine issues.

So there can be no other conclusion but to think that I'm going sub 40.

"The cadet's logic is sound."

In reality back on earth...
I'm going to give it all I have without puking and see how I do.  I won't beat myself up if I do worse than last year.  It's more of a personal challenge to keep improving, but not at the expense of hurting myself or hurling on competitors.

I'm using:

• PowerBar Gel Blasts for pre-race
• Evolution Solution for pre-race (since it's a 10k, if I need fluids, I'll take them on the course)
• Team Wheaties running gear
• Asics Gel 1150's or 1160's
• Garmin 910XT
• KU visor, of course
• Maybe my Burrito sockguy socks

Nothing too mind blowing there.  Running races are nice in the fact they are simple and you don't need your suitcase of gear.

Dinner with Heritage Family Chiropractic

As you know, at least the 10's of you reading the ole blog, I've been hitting the chiropractor...
Ok, maybe hitting is a poor choice of words, but I have been visiting Heritage Family Chiropractic now for around 2 months for twice a week.

The goal is to move past lower back issues plaguing me on the bike and everyday life. It's not debilitating, but it does make a day less "skippy".

What sets Dr Gary's office apart is his personalization of the experience. He's high energy and he has to be in order to interact with the cross-section of people and the literal force that chiropractic adjustments require. He's young and eager to get people well and teach them how to stay well.

A few weeks ago we attended a dinner that his office hosted here in town. It was a short seminar on the Maximized Living view on health and eating at Uncle Buck's restaurant at the Bass Pro Shop here in Olathe. All Max Living offices host the events in their respective locations.

The venue was a very nice family restaurant that frankly, I never knew existed. You learn something new every day. In addition to learning about a new restaurant, we also were educated on some not so well known facts and conclusions about today's food production. My wife came along and has a lot better background in the nutrition side and is also a nurse. So, if anyone could tell fact from fiction, it would be her.

As Dr Gary and his wife, Christa, gave their quick presentation, I kept looking at my wife for a yeah or neigh confirmation on the topics. She saw no real conflicts with what they presented and had no reason to throw the BS flag, and later told me to stop looking over at her and annoying her... or something like that.

What's nice was the fact that Dr Gary realizes people have busy lives and in addition to the subject matter they presented, they wanted to provide a healthy dinner venue and facilitate fellowship between the attendees.  After 20 or so minutes of presentation, Dr Gary and Christa were done talking and we all began eating and casually talking to others at our tables.

It was a nice no-stress and no-pressure event.  They did provide a significantly reduced initial consultation price for those interested, which to my surprise my wife took advantage of.  She has enough reason to check them out for some issues she experiences, and she was satisfied enough to  hit the office for an initial consult.

It was what I would call a success outside of some staffing issues at the restaurant.  I don't think they were prepared for the party Dr Gary was bringing.  In the end everyone was fed and the information was useful in our everyday lives.  It was especially useful to make us feel guilty for eating jelly beans on the way to the dinner.  Mission accomplished.  ;)

Lance vs Oprah

I'm not a diehard Armstrong, cycling or Oprah fan... 
But I thought the two-part "interview" had enough historical importance to watch.

Oprah is one of the single most influential people on tv, but she's no Barbara Walters when it comes to journalistic interviews and frankly, I could care less about the OWN channel. Lets just say I saw this as a PR grab for Winfrey.

As for Lance, the only reason I can surmise for him doing this interview is damage control and a last ditch effort to be eligible to compete in sanctioned events.

But no matter where you stand on Lance, love, hate or indifferent, very few can argue the impact he had on bringing cycling beyond the European stage. Before his 7 ill-gotten titles, the Versus TV network and the like were not clambering to broadcast the Tour de France stage by stage. On the other side, it's not like hoards of people were talking about or much less watching cycling before Lance brought home the yellow jersey in the States.

Yes, cycling had a following, but those fans were the same people riding 80 miles a weekend already. Lance created a following and started a movement that drew non-cyclists off the coach and on to the saddle. Regardless of how he did it, Lance Armstrong enticed the average person in the US to tune in for the month of July and brought cycling to the world stage. Oh ya, he also raised hundreds of millions of dollars for SOME cancer research and as lot of cancer awareness.  Check out a few articles on what Livestrong does with their money. It's not all going to research, but does generally go to a good cause.

That's what intrigued me to watch. It was history unfolding on our tv. One of the most decorated cyclists ever and there he was admitting he cheated.

Now, some parts appeared genuine and some parts looked like crap. Lance was dancing around how he treated his teammates, ICU contributions and how do you end up sueing so many people that you forget who all you sued?

I think this interview was 6 months too early. Armstrong needs to sit down with USADA and negotiate a resolution if he really wants to come clean. Then he knows what he can and cannot say and can avoid being shifty with Oprah. I think the interview did more damage than good.

After watching both parts, here's the sticking points.

If I was diagnosed with cancer, given 50% chance of survival and survived, then I might have taken the needle to maximize every chance I had in life after that.  It's selfish, but not many people get a second chance. Would I want to be Lance Armstrong finishing 105 in the tour or win 7 straight? It's easy to judge when we don't have opportunities like he did. I'd like to say I would have the fortitude to stay clean, but I can't.

I was never a Lance Armstrong die hard fan. I came to realize from reading posts and tweets that I was a fan of the idea. Man survives near death from cancer and wins 7 Tour de France titles with superhuman tenacity and raises millions for cancer. Sounds good. I just glossed over Lance the person. No one is perfect, but it sucks to hear that most every nasty accusation is true to some extent. I'm not going to cry myself to sleep over it, but it was deflating to watch him cop to most of it.

It would be pure "train wreck" curiosity that keeps me paying attention.  Will Lance get his punishment reduced?  Will he detail how he and his team did it?  Will USADA let him back in?  will he lose even more money in court?  Could he possibly face federal charges?  Will he be able to compete in Ironman Triathlon races again?

Inquiring minds want to know.

2013 Battle of the Bean 5k Race Recap 1/19/13

Wish I could report a new 5k PR...

But that would require me to at least run the race.

As I mentioned in the preview, it was a deal for $12. That being said, I knew it would be a strain on the home front to jet out for a 9am race. Kids are up at 7am usually on the weekends and by the time I would have left, the kids would have been in full destruction mode.

As luck would have it, our son who just moved up to a big boy bed decided he was ready to get up at 4am. With no crib to stop him, he graced mommy and daddy repeatedly between 4 and 7am when we finally gave up and started the day. Granted he had filled his diaper to full saturation and that might not be fun to sleep in, but had he been jumping in board with potty training, it wouldn't have been an issue. What a slacker, I tell you.

This last minute 5k wasn't worth pulling in the big IOU's for sticking Em with grumpy rowdy kids.

So, we compromised taking turns running in the glorious almost 60 degree weather here in Kansas City. I think it was a good trade for 10.5 miles outside than a sanctioned 5k PR attempt. There will be other chances like the Groundhog run next weekend.  Plus, it gave me a chance to break out the Garmin 910XT, set it up and test it out!

Hopefully you had good weather in your neck of the woods and got out and enjoyed it. After my 10.5 miles we headed to the back yard to play while I celebrated the end to the great weather day by filling a 5 gallon bucket with dog poo from the back yard.

Enjoy that visual, I know I did.

;)

2013 Battle of the Bean 5k Preview

So, this 5k was sort of last minute...
I happen to catch a Facebook posting a few weeks ago about a discount for a 5k in town.  I believe it was for 12/12/12 so they had the race for $12. In this day and age where 5k's can go for $25 or more, and the travel to get to and from the race takes longer than the race, I don't run many 5k's.
But, for $12 and a race close to home, I'm ok if something comes up or if it works out and I can run it.

It's called the Battle of the Bean.  Team Coffee Bean races Team Cocoa Bean.  I'm not sure what exactly that's all about, but they have separate shirts for each team and you get the shirt according to which side you picked.  I don't really think there's any score keeping, just a fun rivalry?

But, we do have sick kids and a worn out mom at home, so it should be interesting to see how it will play out.


I do have goals...
Basically I performed a run test a few weeks ago and came close to a new PR 5k time. It was previously 21:21 at the Jingle Bell run in 2011 (in an underground cave with no real elevation changes of any kind), but this run test it was 21:27 (almost a year later, so it's nice to see I haven't lost much).  So close to a sub 20 and I want to get sub 20 in an official race.  So, why not.

It's suppose to be in the 50's for the day, so not a freezing winter run.

I'm going with the Team Wheaties running shirt and shorts with Fluid arm warmers.  Don't really need any in-race fluids or nutrition.

Basically I'm looking for a 6:45 min/mile in mile 1, 6:30 and 6:45 or better for mile 3.1.  I'm not sure how realistic that will be, but it's a goal.

Other than a sub 20, I'm don't really have any other goals.  Maybe get my Garmin 910XT set up all the way to use it.  Sadly I've had it for way too long and have yet to get it set up.  Where does the time go?  Maybe I'll find the time on the next trainer ride to sit there and get it going.  The specter of all the new whiz band features is intimidating!

Stay tuned for the recap to see if;
A.  I was able to squeeze the race in.
B.  I got a sub 20.

Lance vs Oprah today... I wonder if PED's were used in the taping?

Day of Reckoning?

Source - http://www.cleveland.com

what to expect at your first Chiropractor visit

So, I wrote about checking out a Chiropractor for back pain I have on the bike...
And I described my condition and also forgot to mention, I have had my bike professionally set up and adjusted several times to find a better position, but it doesn't really change much with my back pain after an hour or so on the Tri bike.

It's been a few weeks now going 2 days a week for adjustments and trying to keep up with the exercises I have to do on my own.  It's a good mixture of adjustments and physical therapy movements.

But, I thought I would describe my initial visit with Heritage Family Chiropractic.

Dr. Gary and his wife, Christa, run the office.  It's a Maximized Living franchise, and they run this branch in Olathe.  As far as I could find, they are the only Maximized Living in Kansas City.

Initially I was brought in by an online coupon to cut the initial consultation cost below 50% and thought, it couldn't hurt to check it out and get a few adjustments.  Normally, the first consultation is $125 and initial visits are around $75.  Unfortunately a lot of insurances aren't on the Chiropractor bandwagon, so they don't help much up front, but they will deduct the "medical necessity" portion from your deductible while you pay it all out of pocket.  So score if you your family makes frequent trips to the hospital and maxes out your co-pays for the year.  You families with little kids know what I mean.

For my first visit, I didn't really know what to expect.  Was it going to be shady?  Was it going to be a little shack with a table?  I was pleased to see that the space is very well maintained, modern and kept up.  This particular Max Living office is newer, so the digs are more fresh as in paint and appeal.

There is ample seating, spaces to "warm up", x-ray room, consult room and two tables for adjustments.

Also notice the sweet kids area!  That has come in handy as I have had to come over with my kids and Christa and Dr. Gary have been great at adapting to having toddlers running around causing chaos.  Dr. Gary even performs pediatric chiropractic services.

The initial visit required around an hours and consisted of;

• Discussion of past injuries.
• Discussion of goals.
• Assessment of outward appearance by Dr. Gary that was him feeling the spine and neck to see if he felt any abnormalities.
• Back stress analyzing using a tool that roles along your spine.  Some dispute the effectiveness of the tool, but without me indicating any issues, it accurately depicted where my issues were and confirmed it.
• We then took about 4 x-rays.  Dr. Gary uses these as his main tool to really see what your spine is doing.

In that initial assessment, Dr. Gary cannot really adjust you yet since he doesn't know what he is dealing with.  He needs to develop the x-rays and see what he has.

But, plan on spending at least an hour for the initial appointment and better to not have kids with you if possible.  Another tip would be to try and hit the office before 5pm.  The bulk of the patients come in after work and the office starts buzzing after 5.

When you go in for adjustments, it won't take nearly as much time and it's pretty efficient once you get on board with the process.

Have a good Wednesday and stay tuned for more reports of my time at Heritage Chiropractic.

Check out Diamondback Fitness

It's not about the doping...

Lance Lance Lance...
What are you doing?  First you didn't dope.  The Feds were on a witch hunt. You didn't test positive.
Now... you're going no holds barred on Oprah?

I know some people out there that are the vocal majority claim to not care or have better things to worry about, but I bet you bottom dollar that a LOT of people will be DVR'ing Oprah.  I know I will be.  Circus side show!


But what about the numbers?
Yes, I have been training... or at least working on the base miles.  I have a 5k signed up for next Sunday.  Not sure if I will be able to fit it in... but then the season starts kicking up with the much anticipated Groundhog Cave run.  Should be a good time to try and set some new PR's!

Meantime, the Kansas City Triathlon sort of went under, with the RD taking the 5150 series to Lawrence for the 5150 Kansas on May 19th.  Now, the original owners of the KC Tri took it back and are having the race on May 19th at Longview Lake.  Confused?  I am.  At least I can rest easy that I already signed up for the 5150 Kansas race, but might have considered the "new" KC Tri had they announced it earlier.  What a mess.  It's getting to be too congested for triathlons around here.


Here's the numbers...
And to prove I'm doing SOMETHING with my "free time", here they are;
BIKING - 60.5 miles
RUNNING - 15.8 miles
SWIMMING - 4.14 miles - too lazy to convert to yards to you all.  ;)
TOTAL MILES - 81
TOTAL TIME - 7:28:55

Not bad considering the demand at work, home and life in general.  I still have yet to find a balance to get back to morning workouts.  I view sleep as a necessity and forgo (or just play sleep through early alarms) AM workouts.  I try and jam some short swims over lunch and runs and rides in the basement after bed time for the kids.  Luckily the weather turned to the 40's and 50's last week so I got outside for all of my runs.  I'm not sure how this will play out for IM training, but right now I'm managing.

Review of @ScheckterEnergy Organic Energy drink

If you’re like a lot of triathletes out there, New Year’s Eve was spent recovering from running around chasing the kids for the holidays and managing some sort of semblance of a training schedule while dashing around visiting family, friends and holiday parties.

How does a busy triathlete ring in the New Year? Not with a bottle of champagne, wine or even a beer, but with a protein shake and energy drink, but of course! What better way to work off the holiday calories and start the new year right than hitting some energy drink and running, biking or swimming into 2013?

But wait, energy drink and health don’t really go together, right? Let’s face it, Red Bull, Monster Energy and the like are loaded with sugar and caffeine and do not really support a healthy lifestyle. You may get that initial sugar buzz, but you will crash. Most respected triathletes would be caught dead before they toted Red Bull on the water bottle or Monster Energy in their hydration belt on the run. Most of you are probably thinking Gatorade, GU Brew or HDX Hydration mix for your workout hydration.

For those of you needing that kick to get going, perhaps not necessarily for your workout, but rather post AM workout, there’s a product to fit your needs. Scheckter’s Organic Energy (SOE) boasts having all the energy you need without all the chemicals you don’t need. They claim they “are dedicated to creating a great tasting energy drink, made with 100% natural, organic and FairTrade ingredients. That means a great tasting energy drink that has no artificial ingredients.”

We’ll be the judge of that!

After trying a few samples over time comparing to your 5 Hour Energy, diet soda or coffee, the results are in, so check out the findings of the triathlon world’s crack team of review scientists.

Hippies have got to love Scheckter’s! Not trying to be rude here, but SOE has placed all over their web site about being organic and a part of the FairTrade system. FairTrade requires companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price). FairTrade supposedly “addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.” What tree-hugger doesn’t love organic ingredients and a system to help the little guys? In seriousness, it’s reassuring to see good faith acts to help those in smaller market shares succeed while providing a product with less harmful chemicals of which we know are harmful or are ignorant about the long term effects. See the photo of the ingredients that SOE uses for their drink.

Tastes great, less filling. SOE won best taste gold in 2011. As far as energy drinks go, it more akin to apple juice or a fruit juice. From the few times trying other energy drinks, SOE doesn't need to be taken like a shot to avoid the anguish of choking down an unfavorable tasting concoction. It was actually ok to sip and not slam all at once. That also allows the energy effect to take hold gradually as opposed to overwhelming your senses. There was also an absence of a strong aftertaste. All in all there was nothing but positive reports about taste when it came to SOE.

Up and down rides only belong on a roller coaster. After trying out the likes of Red Bull (oh those college days were so fun) and 5 Hour Energy, consumers might be leary of that sugar rush, jittery and racing heart condition that ensues. Then, as fast as it comes on, that rush leaves and you are toast. Might as well drag a bed along to crash on after your energy drink has worn off. With Scheckters, it’s not really noticeable when it kicks in. You might even wonder if the “energy” rush will even kick in. But, with a subtle hint of concentration and newfound motivation, SOE has taken hold and propelled you along your way. A few hours after consumption and you are still going strong, maybe not as with much tenacity, but you won’t go limp and need an adrenaline shot to get up from your chair.

What’s the cost? For the sake of a controlled platform for cost comparisons, using Amazon.com, consumers can expect to find a case of 24-8.4 Oz cans of SOE for $2.20 a can. It’s not readily available in the states in stores like Red Bull and others, so you will have to hit a 3rd party site to order. From Amazon you will also find a case of sugar free Red Bull 8.4 Oz cans for $1.50 per can. If you want regular, expect to pay around $4.58 a can. Monster comes in at $1.49 per can for 8.3 Oz cans. Prices do not include shipping. For the same amount of kick and calories, SOE is near competitive or cheaper than it’s rivals in the energy drink biz.

SOE seems to be pretty simple and straightforward on the ingredients. Their site lists 9 main ingredients for those that do not like to guzzle chemistry experiments. But, if you check out Red Bull’s site, they have 6. Monster has 8 ingredients, but has been investigated for deaths related to their drinks (yikes). In the grand scheme, SOE is on the same playing field as far as the list of ingredients. They may use some different, more naturally occurring substances, but they are no more simpler than the next energy brew.

Style points are always a plus. Scheckter Organic Energy has style. Their web site is appealing and their packaging is professional. You get the impression they are a business based on good products and best practices for marketing, rather than a guy shipping stuff from his garage.

SOE might not be the best option for your hydration on your Olympic triathlon, but if you need a boost for a 5 mile TT ride or 5k, it might be your trick. Or, maybe you need a kick to get the work day going after that 4am BRIK workout. If you are in the habit of sucking down pop, diet pop and/or coffee to get you from alarm to bedtime, then SOE might be your friend as well. It’s effects are subtle as not to freak out your executives at a board meeting from your over-jitteriness, but can provide just enough focus to get you to your pillow and wake up the next day to do it all over again.

*Writer’s note, Scheckter provided samples at no cost for this review and in no way influenced this review.

Heritage Chiropractic hosting weight loss workshop

Change your mindset and resolve to lose weight and return to health with Heritage Chiropractic.

Now that you've survived the holidays it's time to take health off the backburner. This event is your chance to reconnect with what works and what hurts when it comes to weight loss. Get out of the habit of making resolutions and turn it into productive resolve that actually gets results. Spots are limited, so please sign-up soon.

RESOLUTIONS TO REVOLUTIONS by Heritage Chiropractic
 
Why do New Year’s resolutions so often fail? We’re here to teach you how to turn temporary wishes into steady resolve. Get the mindset that achieves results at this life-changing workshop.

DATE: 01/14/2013
TIME: 6:30 PM
LOCATION: Heritage Family Chiropractic - 784 N Ridgeview Rd | Olathe, KS 66061

• Define your big why and how it propels you to success
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• Learn about the latest science in Weight Loss

CONTACT THEM TO REGISTER

Heritage Family Chiropractic
784 N Ridgeview Rd | Olathe, KS 66061
913-815-8076
www.heritagefamily-chiropractic.com