Friday, May 31, 2013
Check out Athletic Compression for your triathlon and running compression gear needs!
Thursday, May 30, 2013
2013 Hospital Hill Half Marathon Preview
Dude, I almost forgot I had a race this weekend...
Well, I knew I was running the Hospital Hill Half Marathon, but I'm not really looking at it as an all out race. It always seems to fall the weekend before Ironman 70.3 Kansas. It's always a delima in the fact I have to adjust my goals for the race. It's also a tough race in of itself, so regardless of the HIM the following weekend, I have to adjust expectations for a half marathon.
Historically....
It stood out as my PR race for a long time. When I ran in 2006, conditions were perfect. Cool, no wind, cool temps and low humidity. It was a breeze to get sub 1:50 and it stood as my half PR for a long time. The next two years were scorchers! It wasn't the heat, it was the humidity. Anyone that lives around KC knows that it gets nasty humid in the summer around here. Nothing sucks the life out of you than trying to take in large breathes and feel like you are drinking water out of the air and not getting enough oxygen. Well, that was my excuse for over 2 hours of suffering in 07 and 08. Then in 2009 I started logging time at IM 70.3 KS and excused myself from the full 13.1 miles. In 2010, the HH running race was the day before the HIM, so I opted for the 5k run with the prego wife and kid in a stroller. It was a relaxing humidity fest.
The past two years I went ahead and ran the full 13.1 miles. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's for the rumored sweet compilation of the past three years of medals combining to form one big display that you can buy their wooden frame for. Maybe it's out of tradition. It's just a neat home race that has become a tradition since 2006 for me.
Goals, what goals?
It's a hill fest with close to 800 feet of elevation gain over 13.1 miles. It's not just a clever name. They start in a nice shopping district downtown and then wind through the major hills through the hospital districts - hence Hospital Hill. And, they have an affiliation with the hospitals and fundraising as well, minor details.
As I mentioned, IM 70.3 KS is the following weekend and that is a big A race for my schedule. I want to do well, so I'm not interested in having a huge recovery period or possibly injuring myself going too hard trying to meet an unrealistic time goal.
I've toyed with the idea of using it for a string of temp runs. Perhaps run two miles at HIM goal pace and then walk for 2 minutes for recovery. It's a tall order to restrain yourself from racing the crowd and letting people go by you while you do your own thing. For a lot of runners, this is THEIR big race. They trained all winter and spring for it and it's a big deal. Since 2006 when they only had 1300 half runners, last year they went to 3350 runners. That's a big explosion. That's also a lot of competition out there to fight off the urge to keep pace with.
In the end, I know I wouldn't be competing for AG awards on my best day, so the main goal is to either work tempo or run it race pace, which pets me a little anaerobic. The danger is requiring more time for recovery afterwards. That works well for HIM taper, but you can't go out for high intensity and low volume taper work if your recovery from an aerobic long workout that takes 48 hours or more depending on your conditioning.
It also depends on the weather. Right now there's a possibility for rain, which is not conducive to working intensity and speed when you're wet and possibly cold. It may be a combination of a 3 mile warm up, work 2 mile tempo runs to 11 or 12 miles and recovery run it in. No sprinting like last year to pass up Scotty Tri's at the last half mile.
Stay tuned...
Well, I knew I was running the Hospital Hill Half Marathon, but I'm not really looking at it as an all out race. It always seems to fall the weekend before Ironman 70.3 Kansas. It's always a delima in the fact I have to adjust my goals for the race. It's also a tough race in of itself, so regardless of the HIM the following weekend, I have to adjust expectations for a half marathon.
Historically....
It stood out as my PR race for a long time. When I ran in 2006, conditions were perfect. Cool, no wind, cool temps and low humidity. It was a breeze to get sub 1:50 and it stood as my half PR for a long time. The next two years were scorchers! It wasn't the heat, it was the humidity. Anyone that lives around KC knows that it gets nasty humid in the summer around here. Nothing sucks the life out of you than trying to take in large breathes and feel like you are drinking water out of the air and not getting enough oxygen. Well, that was my excuse for over 2 hours of suffering in 07 and 08. Then in 2009 I started logging time at IM 70.3 KS and excused myself from the full 13.1 miles. In 2010, the HH running race was the day before the HIM, so I opted for the 5k run with the prego wife and kid in a stroller. It was a relaxing humidity fest.
The past two years I went ahead and ran the full 13.1 miles. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's for the rumored sweet compilation of the past three years of medals combining to form one big display that you can buy their wooden frame for. Maybe it's out of tradition. It's just a neat home race that has become a tradition since 2006 for me.
Goals, what goals?
It's a hill fest with close to 800 feet of elevation gain over 13.1 miles. It's not just a clever name. They start in a nice shopping district downtown and then wind through the major hills through the hospital districts - hence Hospital Hill. And, they have an affiliation with the hospitals and fundraising as well, minor details.
As I mentioned, IM 70.3 KS is the following weekend and that is a big A race for my schedule. I want to do well, so I'm not interested in having a huge recovery period or possibly injuring myself going too hard trying to meet an unrealistic time goal.
I've toyed with the idea of using it for a string of temp runs. Perhaps run two miles at HIM goal pace and then walk for 2 minutes for recovery. It's a tall order to restrain yourself from racing the crowd and letting people go by you while you do your own thing. For a lot of runners, this is THEIR big race. They trained all winter and spring for it and it's a big deal. Since 2006 when they only had 1300 half runners, last year they went to 3350 runners. That's a big explosion. That's also a lot of competition out there to fight off the urge to keep pace with.
 |
| Who wants to go fast? I want to go fast...! |
In the end, I know I wouldn't be competing for AG awards on my best day, so the main goal is to either work tempo or run it race pace, which pets me a little anaerobic. The danger is requiring more time for recovery afterwards. That works well for HIM taper, but you can't go out for high intensity and low volume taper work if your recovery from an aerobic long workout that takes 48 hours or more depending on your conditioning.
It also depends on the weather. Right now there's a possibility for rain, which is not conducive to working intensity and speed when you're wet and possibly cold. It may be a combination of a 3 mile warm up, work 2 mile tempo runs to 11 or 12 miles and recovery run it in. No sprinting like last year to pass up Scotty Tri's at the last half mile.
Stay tuned...
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Review of Balega socks by @balega
To run with or without socks is a question that haunts beginner and experienced triathletes. It may even cause nightmares and painful blisters for those brave enough to experiment. There are numerous articles and forum threads dedicated to the idea that eliminating socks in transition will lead to great savings in time trying to put socks on wet feet. Many offer their two cents on what to do to eliminate painful sores and blisters that might result from going sockless.
If you’re crazy or dedicated enough to go without socks to save a few seconds, more power to you. The majority of age groupers shouldn’t have to go through the pain, anguish and anxiety of messing with going sockless since it probably won’t get them a podium spot or overall win. Blisters and days of agony versus saving some seconds in transition, which is better? Then the question arises about what socks work the best. Some socks are better than others when it comes to reducing blisters and foot sores from rubbing shoes. Some are meant more for fashion and others are meant more for function. There are a litany of sock companies out there jockeying to get a hold of your disfigured toenails and smelly feet. Crew, no show, ankle socks, compression socks, padded socks, minimalist socks or toe socks, so many choices.
Balega socks hopes to make your decision a little easier. Maybe they won’t answer which is the best sock for you, but they hope to provide any sock you may need.
From their site, “Our story is as rich and vivid as the country from which we come: South Africa. Balega is a Zulu word which has no literal translation but means ‘to move with speed.’”
They have US and South Africa bases where they are looking to get a toehold in the sock market (pun intended). In doing so, they reached out to us and graciously provided 3 different styles of socks to review.
If you don’t get the right size, you’ll pay the price.
Whether they bunch up from being too large, or don’t cover enough from being too small, runners need socks that fit correctly. Socks, like a lot of other apperal, may vary in size from manufacturer to manufacturer. For this review, we went off the shoes size of men’s 12 / 11 and errored on the side of caution and went with a large size per the sizing chart. Historically medium sizes have been the correct sizing as a multitude of socks lines are larger than they should be for the shoe size they recommend.
Thankfully Balega held true to their sizing chart. The large size fit our feet perfectly. There was ample length above the ankle to reduce shoe friction and avoid toe scrunching to make the sock fit.
Some people are black and white.
And some people want neon orange and pink. Balega offers a variety of styles and colors. They use their trademark logo on the socks, but finding a style and color that fits your personality or race kit shouldn’t be an issue. They don’t offer witty phrases or cute logo’s like some more novelty sock lines, but that’s not what Balega is after.
What do you need?
If you need compression, blister protection, more cushion, lightweight, minimalist, performance, hidden, soft thread for men or women, Balega wants to offer you a solution. There’s no shortage of choices. There’s also no shortage of brick-and-mortar stores that you can shop Balega at. They might not carry all of the lines, but you can find them at most running and multisport stores.
Do they deliver?
We took their cushioned blister resistant, merino enduro and ultra light weight socks for a few runs. From 2 and a half hour long runs to sprint intervals, and including some bike rides, Balega was on our feet. It also needs to be noted, we used the same lubricants from previous workouts for anti-chafing and blister protection. From historical experience and trial and error, along with socks we use a liberal supply of anti-chafing cream. These runs were no different.
After it was all said and done, after sweat had run into the shoes, we stood on the mountaintop blister and sore free. Putting on Balega cushioned blister resistant socks was like sex for the feet. It felt right. It felt good. It felt natural. If you’re the type of triathlete that can’t wait to get home and walk around barefoot, then you’ll be singing a new tune with these socks. You keep them on because you don’t even notice they are still on. This fit and feel so natural, they become a silent partner in crime.
They don’t shed, they don’t snag and there aren’t random threads coming out with wear. Granted, we only tried them out for a few weeks, but with multiple uses and multiple washes, they took the pounding of running and biking shoes.
On the note of biking shoes, with the snug fit, extra cushioned socks pose a problem with cramping toe space. The best bet for a typical bike shoe to sock setup is thin socks. Their ultra light weight socks served the purpose well. They will hold up to a ride and run without blister issues. Do notice that this still requires anti-chafing lubrication for precaution, but they do the job.
Biking, running, it didn’t make a difference for performance.
What’s the damage?
If you head to their site, you can snag some socks directly around the $10 to $13 mark for a pair. Internet savvy shoppers can get them for less, around $6 to $7. That’s pretty much the sweet spot for most any pair of running socks. The playing field is level on price, it then comes down to quality and performance.
Is Balega special?
Well, they’re not Adidas, Nike or Reebok. They don’t have millions of dollars at their disposal for testing and marketing, but their product is equal to the big boys. What does stand apart from other big box manufacturers is two points;
Overall Balega is a great option. We were a little leery when the offer came through, but were pleasantly surprised when we tried them out. These test pairs should serve their purpose well for at least this coming season of training and racing. They have performed admirably enough to be added to the rotation in the sock drawer and not just stuffed in the back to be forgotten unless we moved again.
Stay tuned for a long-range report after the season.
* Writer’s note - Balega shipped three pairs of socks to us for this review. In no way did they influence this review.
If you’re crazy or dedicated enough to go without socks to save a few seconds, more power to you. The majority of age groupers shouldn’t have to go through the pain, anguish and anxiety of messing with going sockless since it probably won’t get them a podium spot or overall win. Blisters and days of agony versus saving some seconds in transition, which is better? Then the question arises about what socks work the best. Some socks are better than others when it comes to reducing blisters and foot sores from rubbing shoes. Some are meant more for fashion and others are meant more for function. There are a litany of sock companies out there jockeying to get a hold of your disfigured toenails and smelly feet. Crew, no show, ankle socks, compression socks, padded socks, minimalist socks or toe socks, so many choices.
Balega socks hopes to make your decision a little easier. Maybe they won’t answer which is the best sock for you, but they hope to provide any sock you may need.
From their site, “Our story is as rich and vivid as the country from which we come: South Africa. Balega is a Zulu word which has no literal translation but means ‘to move with speed.’”
They have US and South Africa bases where they are looking to get a toehold in the sock market (pun intended). In doing so, they reached out to us and graciously provided 3 different styles of socks to review.
If you don’t get the right size, you’ll pay the price.
Whether they bunch up from being too large, or don’t cover enough from being too small, runners need socks that fit correctly. Socks, like a lot of other apperal, may vary in size from manufacturer to manufacturer. For this review, we went off the shoes size of men’s 12 / 11 and errored on the side of caution and went with a large size per the sizing chart. Historically medium sizes have been the correct sizing as a multitude of socks lines are larger than they should be for the shoe size they recommend.
Thankfully Balega held true to their sizing chart. The large size fit our feet perfectly. There was ample length above the ankle to reduce shoe friction and avoid toe scrunching to make the sock fit.
Some people are black and white.
And some people want neon orange and pink. Balega offers a variety of styles and colors. They use their trademark logo on the socks, but finding a style and color that fits your personality or race kit shouldn’t be an issue. They don’t offer witty phrases or cute logo’s like some more novelty sock lines, but that’s not what Balega is after.
What do you need?
If you need compression, blister protection, more cushion, lightweight, minimalist, performance, hidden, soft thread for men or women, Balega wants to offer you a solution. There’s no shortage of choices. There’s also no shortage of brick-and-mortar stores that you can shop Balega at. They might not carry all of the lines, but you can find them at most running and multisport stores.
Do they deliver?
We took their cushioned blister resistant, merino enduro and ultra light weight socks for a few runs. From 2 and a half hour long runs to sprint intervals, and including some bike rides, Balega was on our feet. It also needs to be noted, we used the same lubricants from previous workouts for anti-chafing and blister protection. From historical experience and trial and error, along with socks we use a liberal supply of anti-chafing cream. These runs were no different.
After it was all said and done, after sweat had run into the shoes, we stood on the mountaintop blister and sore free. Putting on Balega cushioned blister resistant socks was like sex for the feet. It felt right. It felt good. It felt natural. If you’re the type of triathlete that can’t wait to get home and walk around barefoot, then you’ll be singing a new tune with these socks. You keep them on because you don’t even notice they are still on. This fit and feel so natural, they become a silent partner in crime.
They don’t shed, they don’t snag and there aren’t random threads coming out with wear. Granted, we only tried them out for a few weeks, but with multiple uses and multiple washes, they took the pounding of running and biking shoes.
On the note of biking shoes, with the snug fit, extra cushioned socks pose a problem with cramping toe space. The best bet for a typical bike shoe to sock setup is thin socks. Their ultra light weight socks served the purpose well. They will hold up to a ride and run without blister issues. Do notice that this still requires anti-chafing lubrication for precaution, but they do the job.
Biking, running, it didn’t make a difference for performance.
If you head to their site, you can snag some socks directly around the $10 to $13 mark for a pair. Internet savvy shoppers can get them for less, around $6 to $7. That’s pretty much the sweet spot for most any pair of running socks. The playing field is level on price, it then comes down to quality and performance.
Is Balega special?
Well, they’re not Adidas, Nike or Reebok. They don’t have millions of dollars at their disposal for testing and marketing, but their product is equal to the big boys. What does stand apart from other big box manufacturers is two points;
- They manufacture their products in Cape Town, South Africa. When someone mentions workout apparel, usually Singapore, Taiwan or some other country comes to mind. They may not have any better or worse working conditions for their plant, but it’s a different location than most would imagine.
- The socks actually are true to the sizing chart. We were a little worried with the large size that they could be too big. No one wants to run in socks where the heel portion is around your achilles and above your ankle because the recommended sizing chart was bogus. Balega was right on. It’s comforting to take some of the fear out of the sizing guessing game when you are ordering online.
Overall Balega is a great option. We were a little leery when the offer came through, but were pleasantly surprised when we tried them out. These test pairs should serve their purpose well for at least this coming season of training and racing. They have performed admirably enough to be added to the rotation in the sock drawer and not just stuffed in the back to be forgotten unless we moved again.
Stay tuned for a long-range report after the season.
* Writer’s note - Balega shipped three pairs of socks to us for this review. In no way did they influence this review.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Sometimes you have to be creative to get your workouts in...
Last big week before IM 70.3 Kansas...
And it was the largest volume week yet, which is good and bad.
Good that I hit pretty much all of my workouts and peaked with volume and intensity for my per-competitive phase for 70.3 Kansas.
Bad in the fact that this will be a smaller week in the grand scheme of things for IM Lake Tahoe.
After an intense bike-run-bike-run-bike session Friday, I was spent. Then, I hit a cross-fit type of workout with Em on Saturday, and then a high Z2 3 hour ride Sunday. Sunday was toast after that. Luckily all that was on the docket was a casual driveway gathering in the cul-de-sac and then bed.
I was and am still feeling the week. It's time to keep intensity and back off of the volume. Keep recovery time short while maintaining the fitness level.
The numbers.
This is the week I had been looking for. It was a delicate game of balancing kids, work, house responsibilities and time management in general.
Some of the intense runs (no, not the GI type of runs, get real) came from dawning a weight vest and running to pick up the kids from daycare. It's a 4.5 mile round trip, but it's always windy and running with a double stroller, even when empty, is a pain. It's a tough workout even at slow speed. Add a headwind and 90 pounds of kids, and you have an high heart rate blood pumping run in 40 minutes. Great afternoon jam session. I highly recommend it. If you don't have access to kids and a stroller, use a tire tied to your waist and run sprints. Then, you might feel the pain.
Here's the run down:
Cycling - 115 miles
Running - 25.5 miles
Swimming - 3.91 miles
Total Time - 13:57 hours
Total Miles - 144 miles
Don't misread that. These weren't miles and time just to train. The objective is to train to race, not train to train. Every workout had a specific goal and reason. Sometimes they didn't get done in the order I would have preferred, but it fit within my schedule as best it could without disrupting my family and other obligations.
Don't get me wrong, I could have spent more time like one guy rode 72ish miles and another rode over 90 yesterday training for the same event. That's great if you have the time, and they will probably kill me on the bike. But, if properly structured, the workout time could be much less with greater results.
More miles don't always equal better results.
But then there's the point that they love to ride and the events are inconsequential compared to the satisfaction they get from going out for long rides. Far be it from me to discourage a good suffer fest on the bike.
Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend and kept the real reason for the holiday in perspective. Tomorrow, we get back to it.
And it was the largest volume week yet, which is good and bad.
Good that I hit pretty much all of my workouts and peaked with volume and intensity for my per-competitive phase for 70.3 Kansas.
Bad in the fact that this will be a smaller week in the grand scheme of things for IM Lake Tahoe.
After an intense bike-run-bike-run-bike session Friday, I was spent. Then, I hit a cross-fit type of workout with Em on Saturday, and then a high Z2 3 hour ride Sunday. Sunday was toast after that. Luckily all that was on the docket was a casual driveway gathering in the cul-de-sac and then bed.
I was and am still feeling the week. It's time to keep intensity and back off of the volume. Keep recovery time short while maintaining the fitness level.
The numbers.
This is the week I had been looking for. It was a delicate game of balancing kids, work, house responsibilities and time management in general.
Some of the intense runs (no, not the GI type of runs, get real) came from dawning a weight vest and running to pick up the kids from daycare. It's a 4.5 mile round trip, but it's always windy and running with a double stroller, even when empty, is a pain. It's a tough workout even at slow speed. Add a headwind and 90 pounds of kids, and you have an high heart rate blood pumping run in 40 minutes. Great afternoon jam session. I highly recommend it. If you don't have access to kids and a stroller, use a tire tied to your waist and run sprints. Then, you might feel the pain.
 |
| At least a couple of people enjoyed the run. |
Cycling - 115 miles
Running - 25.5 miles
Swimming - 3.91 miles
Total Time - 13:57 hours
Total Miles - 144 miles
Don't misread that. These weren't miles and time just to train. The objective is to train to race, not train to train. Every workout had a specific goal and reason. Sometimes they didn't get done in the order I would have preferred, but it fit within my schedule as best it could without disrupting my family and other obligations.
Don't get me wrong, I could have spent more time like one guy rode 72ish miles and another rode over 90 yesterday training for the same event. That's great if you have the time, and they will probably kill me on the bike. But, if properly structured, the workout time could be much less with greater results.
More miles don't always equal better results.
But then there's the point that they love to ride and the events are inconsequential compared to the satisfaction they get from going out for long rides. Far be it from me to discourage a good suffer fest on the bike.
Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend and kept the real reason for the holiday in perspective. Tomorrow, we get back to it.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Garmin 910XT Triathlon GPS Sale! $299.99 just unit and $337.49 with heart rate strap!
If you are living under a rock and don't know, Amazon is having a huge sale on Garmin 910XT!
$299.99 for just the GPS unit, $337.49 with the heart rate strap and $499.99 for the triathlon bundle!
Get on it before supplies run out!
$299.99 for just the GPS unit, $337.49 with the heart rate strap and $499.99 for the triathlon bundle!
Get on it before supplies run out!
Friday, May 24, 2013
Check out SocksAddict for your sock needs!
Thursday, May 23, 2013
USAT Level 1 Coaching Certification Progress
So, when I ventured into the realm of coaching, I decided I needed the USAT cert.
And last weekend I headed to Iowa for the 2 day crash course clinic. I left after work Thursday, drove 3.5 hours to Des Moines. Showed up for class from 7:15am to 5pm Friday and Saturday. Jammed in a CEU class Friday night from 6am to 9pm. Then hit the road Saturday night at 5pm to get home after a 3.5 hour drive and get ready for the 5150 Kansas Triathlon Sunday (that I opted out of due to weather concerns).
Then, I was able to help with kids again Sunday after getting back from the no-go triathlon and basically have been on the run ever since. It's been intense lately, but it's all been good since I'm eating it up.
It was tough being on the road for 3 days and eating properly. At our house we have adjusted our diets to be more mindful of what we are eating (more so than in the past) and it's yielding great results. I opted to pack food for the trip and get more at the store once in Iowa. It's not ideal to have to travel with a cooler and groceries, but it ended up being economical and it's way better than eating out for 3 meals a day.
It was a LOT of coordination to make the clinic happen. I still have to take the final test before any information leaks out of my brain, but I have my sights set on this weekend or early next week.
There was a great deal of information from coaches like Bobby McGee (google him if you don't know - he has coached Olympians) and other coaches from the ITU and age group ranks. Great insight into nutrition, strength training, training and planning for athletes. A lot of ideas and theologies discussed as the USAT way luckily agreed with what I have come to learn with the progression in endurance sports. It was easy to understand and go along with since it blended in with my own beliefs and styles.
I believe this clinic will greatly enhance what I have to offer my clients in the form of training and advice for endurance training and events. It even applies to general fitness training. It also allows me access to great coaches for advice on ideas that I may not have experience on to get their opinion and how to implement those ideas into training and racing.
Huge thank you to my wife for keeping the home front nailed down while I was gone. Working full time and heading up two toddlers on your own is tough work. I get my come-upins when she heads out for a business trip in a few weeks, though. =)
Visit my coaching side at www.SetThePaceTriathlon.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SetThePaceMedia - like us to stay in touch, even if you don't sign up for any services!
Thanks!
And last weekend I headed to Iowa for the 2 day crash course clinic. I left after work Thursday, drove 3.5 hours to Des Moines. Showed up for class from 7:15am to 5pm Friday and Saturday. Jammed in a CEU class Friday night from 6am to 9pm. Then hit the road Saturday night at 5pm to get home after a 3.5 hour drive and get ready for the 5150 Kansas Triathlon Sunday (that I opted out of due to weather concerns).
Then, I was able to help with kids again Sunday after getting back from the no-go triathlon and basically have been on the run ever since. It's been intense lately, but it's all been good since I'm eating it up.
It was tough being on the road for 3 days and eating properly. At our house we have adjusted our diets to be more mindful of what we are eating (more so than in the past) and it's yielding great results. I opted to pack food for the trip and get more at the store once in Iowa. It's not ideal to have to travel with a cooler and groceries, but it ended up being economical and it's way better than eating out for 3 meals a day.
 |
| I packed more food than clothes... |
It was a LOT of coordination to make the clinic happen. I still have to take the final test before any information leaks out of my brain, but I have my sights set on this weekend or early next week.
There was a great deal of information from coaches like Bobby McGee (google him if you don't know - he has coached Olympians) and other coaches from the ITU and age group ranks. Great insight into nutrition, strength training, training and planning for athletes. A lot of ideas and theologies discussed as the USAT way luckily agreed with what I have come to learn with the progression in endurance sports. It was easy to understand and go along with since it blended in with my own beliefs and styles.
I believe this clinic will greatly enhance what I have to offer my clients in the form of training and advice for endurance training and events. It even applies to general fitness training. It also allows me access to great coaches for advice on ideas that I may not have experience on to get their opinion and how to implement those ideas into training and racing.
Huge thank you to my wife for keeping the home front nailed down while I was gone. Working full time and heading up two toddlers on your own is tough work. I get my come-upins when she heads out for a business trip in a few weeks, though. =)
Visit my coaching side at www.SetThePaceTriathlon.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SetThePaceMedia - like us to stay in touch, even if you don't sign up for any services!
Thanks!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
June 2013 Kansas City running races
|
Loose Park
Pavilion, Kansas City, MO
May 27 @ 8
am
A Memorial Day event,
the Amy Thompson Run for Brain Injury will be held May 27, 2013 beginning at 8
am, marking its 26th year! You will have an option of the 8K or 5K run/walk
course in Loose Park and surrounding neighborhoods. In addition to these
certified, chip-timed courses, there will be a 1 mile benefit walk and a Kiddie
Dash. Enjoy food and music after the race. Proceeds from this event fund
programs through the Brain Injury Association of Kansas and Greater Kansas
City.
|
|
Bark
N Blues is a family friendly day of great food, live music, and activities
kicked off with a 5K and 1 mile dog walk. By participating in this event, you
are helping the animal rescue cause. Foster homes for animals are a necessary
part of preparing pets for good, loving homes. Caring for these animals is
costly; Bark N Blues is a day of fun activities to help offset the costs animal
foster homes face. Bring your dog and enjoy the race!
Support
local charities by running or walking in the Jazz in the Woods 5K or 10K. Start
your weekend and the Jazz in the Woods festival with a morning run through
Corporate Woods.
With
personal knowledge of the financial and emotional burden of cancer, the Run 4
Ron foundation works to help those currently fighting against cancer -
especially the uninsured, underinsured, and those using alternative treatments.
Support this cause and enjoy the 5K!
Join
us for a one-of-a-kind country experience. Run the Boots and Daisy Dukes 5K
while your kids participate in the Lil' Critter's Fun Run! Both courses run
through the picturesque Waterfall Park. As a participant you will receive a
shirt, vintage trucker's hat, finisher's medal, free photos, chip timing, and
awards for top finishers; for the kids - a shirt, medal, free pony rides,
petting zoo, and face painting!
A
unique running/biking event, the Dirty Duo is a 6 mile race where teams
alternate biking and running. At each mile, you will encounter a fun obstacle.
To finish the race, you will crawl through a 40-foot mud pit! Kids ages 5-11 can
participate in the Dirty Duo Jr. which is a similar course, but the distance is
one mile.
Bring
your family out to celebrate Father's Day by running or walking in the 5K event.
Proceeds from the event go to three worthy causes - the Kevin Gray Family
Education Fund, the University of Kansas Cancer Center, and the Greater Kansas
City Sports Commission and Foundation.
The
inaugural DEA Fallen Heroes 5K run/walk supports the DEA Survivors Benefit fund
for families of DEA employees and task force officers killed in the line of
duty. Stay around after the race for awards, food, drinks, live DJ, and
more.
Be a
part of this annual event. The run/walk will start at Rockhurst High School.
Project 5 for ALS is an organization dedicated to funding research for a cure
for ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). All proceeds go directly toward research and
none toward administrative costs. Show your support and
participate!
Making
high school athletics safer is the focus of the SAF-K. Run or walk in the Spirit
Race 5K to show your support of this cause. A portion of this year's proceeds
will go to purchasing AED's for athletic trainers to have at all high school
sporting events and practices.
Run/walk
through a 2.5 mile course of 8 inflatable obstacles, slides and other fun
challenges. For children 9 and under there will be a ½ mile mini course with 4
inflatable obstacles. Participants will receive a shirt, finisher's medal, and
post race fun including photos, DJ, face painting, and more inflatables! Wave
starts will begin at 7:30 am; the last wave will be at 1
pm.
Greenwood Freedom 5K -
June 29
Greenwood,
MO
Join
thousands of GLOW Runners for the Glow Run 5K and post race dance party at
Arrowhead Stadium! Awards will be given to the best GLOW MAN, GLOW GIRL, GLOW
MAN DANCE CHAMPION, GLOW GIRL DANCE CHAMPION, and a team award to the GLOW WORM
DANCE CHAMPIONS. Along with event prizes, hundreds of giveaways will be tossed
out during the AFTERGLOW dance party. You will not want to miss this
party!!
|
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
2013 5150 Kansas Olympic Triathlon Race Report - 5/19/13
Before we dive into the nuts and bolts of the race report, lets deviate for a minute...
Life is full of choices. You can choose to work the same job that doesn't inspire you, or you can let your satisfaction supersede your possession driven lifestyle and do something you have a passion for. You can choose to hit the snooze button in the morning and skip an early workout, or you can choose to get going at first alarm.
No, I didn't oversleep and miss the race... but where am I going with this?
Triathletes have a choice to do racing and training. Ultimately the world will still go on if triathlons didn't happen and triathletes didn't "tri". If cops and fire fighters chose to do something else, we would be screwed. I may have chosen to be a triathlon and endurance coach, but life goes on if it doesn't succeed. I have other skills. The point is, I try and not take the triathlon "hobby" so serious that it clouds my judgement.
The matter of choice dictated my race performance Sunday.
The weather was not cooperating.
2:30am started off with a flash and bang. Some nice thunderstorms with hail rolled through KC, but by the time I was in the car to pick a friend up for the race, conditions improved and pavement was drying. It was looking like we may catch a break and race on.
Nothing out of the ordinary for this race morning. I was eager to get the first race in and anxiously looking forward to test my training and diet improvements to see if there were any measurable race day gains.
Well, 6:30am hit and so did another round of light thunderstorms.
Race was suppose to send off with the pros at 7:30am. After a consistent downpour and lightening the RD postponed to 8am start to allow the storm cell to pass.
Then, around 7:45am, the RD chose to eliminate the swim and start the bike time trial with the pros at 8am.
There's the decision point. 5 minutes before the pro start, it was still raining pretty good and standing water on the pavement. Transition was set up, wetsuit was on (I put it on before the swim was cut and left it on to stay warm) and I was ready to race.
Ultimately there were many points to consider and pro's and con's to racing or packing it up. I have no issue with no swim. I started in endurance sports in duathlons, so had it been dry and no swim, I would have been all over it.
But, I decided personally that I did not want to risk a bike wreck, damaging my bike or hurting myself on wet pavement.
Props to the RD for finding a way to salvage a portion of the race. It's always nice to have choices. A lot of people stayed and raced, but a fair amount hit the road.
Ironically I was wondering how the KC Tri on the other side of town was faring. Two races in KC area on the same day... but were they experiencing the same weather? The sites were around 60 miles a part. There's a high probability that the could have had sunny skies. Turns out, they didn't. Their race was cancelled all together. I guess technically 5150 KS won on the finisher count.
Hopefully next year the races are on two different days if they both happen again. That way, if one gets rained out, you can sign up for the other one.
And, in a smart move by the RD's for Jackson County and Midwest Meltdown triathlons..
They offered $15 any or both of their races for those that didn't get to race or got shorted. Just an FYI for any of the racers reading the blog in the KC area.
I've done both triathlons, and Jackson County is the same location as the KC Tri, but different bike route. The Midwest Meltdown is an awesome flat course. It's a PR maker and is contained around a small lake, eliminating a lot of traffic hassles. Both quality events worth considering.
Use RAINYDAYDISCOUNT13 at checkout.
Life is full of choices. You can choose to work the same job that doesn't inspire you, or you can let your satisfaction supersede your possession driven lifestyle and do something you have a passion for. You can choose to hit the snooze button in the morning and skip an early workout, or you can choose to get going at first alarm.
No, I didn't oversleep and miss the race... but where am I going with this?
Triathletes have a choice to do racing and training. Ultimately the world will still go on if triathlons didn't happen and triathletes didn't "tri". If cops and fire fighters chose to do something else, we would be screwed. I may have chosen to be a triathlon and endurance coach, but life goes on if it doesn't succeed. I have other skills. The point is, I try and not take the triathlon "hobby" so serious that it clouds my judgement.
The matter of choice dictated my race performance Sunday.
The weather was not cooperating.
2:30am started off with a flash and bang. Some nice thunderstorms with hail rolled through KC, but by the time I was in the car to pick a friend up for the race, conditions improved and pavement was drying. It was looking like we may catch a break and race on.
Nothing out of the ordinary for this race morning. I was eager to get the first race in and anxiously looking forward to test my training and diet improvements to see if there were any measurable race day gains.
Well, 6:30am hit and so did another round of light thunderstorms.
 |
| View of the rainy lake. It was darker than this came out and the light is from the portable spot lights, not sunshine... sadly. |
Race was suppose to send off with the pros at 7:30am. After a consistent downpour and lightening the RD postponed to 8am start to allow the storm cell to pass.
Then, around 7:45am, the RD chose to eliminate the swim and start the bike time trial with the pros at 8am.
There's the decision point. 5 minutes before the pro start, it was still raining pretty good and standing water on the pavement. Transition was set up, wetsuit was on (I put it on before the swim was cut and left it on to stay warm) and I was ready to race.
Ultimately there were many points to consider and pro's and con's to racing or packing it up. I have no issue with no swim. I started in endurance sports in duathlons, so had it been dry and no swim, I would have been all over it.
But, I decided personally that I did not want to risk a bike wreck, damaging my bike or hurting myself on wet pavement.
Props to the RD for finding a way to salvage a portion of the race. It's always nice to have choices. A lot of people stayed and raced, but a fair amount hit the road.
Ironically I was wondering how the KC Tri on the other side of town was faring. Two races in KC area on the same day... but were they experiencing the same weather? The sites were around 60 miles a part. There's a high probability that the could have had sunny skies. Turns out, they didn't. Their race was cancelled all together. I guess technically 5150 KS won on the finisher count.
Hopefully next year the races are on two different days if they both happen again. That way, if one gets rained out, you can sign up for the other one.
And, in a smart move by the RD's for Jackson County and Midwest Meltdown triathlons..
They offered $15 any or both of their races for those that didn't get to race or got shorted. Just an FYI for any of the racers reading the blog in the KC area.
I've done both triathlons, and Jackson County is the same location as the KC Tri, but different bike route. The Midwest Meltdown is an awesome flat course. It's a PR maker and is contained around a small lake, eliminating a lot of traffic hassles. Both quality events worth considering.
Use RAINYDAYDISCOUNT13 at checkout.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Sandra Billinger from KU Medical Center and her son attempt to walk 570 miles across Kansas
Sandra Billinger, PT, PhD, FAHA,and her son Michael challenge themselves to walk across Kansas starting at the Colorado/Kansas state line (about 2 miles west of Coolidge, Kansas), and trek to the Kansas/Missouri border at KU Medical Center in Kansas City. The two will roughly follow the portion of the American Discovery Trail that cuts across the state. In Kansas, the American Discovery Trail follows the Sante Fe Trail. Dr. Billinger's walk across Kansas starts May 16 with a goal of reaching the eastern state line in 23 days which is an average of about 25 miles per day.
Dr. Billinger’s hope is for Walk Across Kansas to be the "first step" in helping move stroke research forward with the goal of improving recovery from the effects of stroke. Her personal story of a car accident that lead to her eventual recovery and move to Kansas City serves as inspiration for the walk.
The goal for Walk Across Kansas is to raise $50,000 needed to acquire the technology and further work at KU Medical Center. They want to lead this understudied area of research. They aim to understand if and how early mobility/physical activity is beneficial for brain health following stroke. The REACH lab research team is working closely with physicians, nurses, physical therapists and other researchers in this endeavor. As of May 14, 2013, they have raised $9,590.00. The funds raised here will also support the initiation of an early physical activity program for stroke patients at KU Hospital.
Dr. Billinger was recently recognized by the Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy for one of her published studies on stroke and cardiovascular health. She and lab team co-authors received the Golden Synapse Award which recognizes the most outstanding article published in the journal during the 2012 calendar year.
For information on sponsorship opportunities, please email Dr. Billinger (sbillinger at kumc.edu). Walk Across Kansas also has a Facebook page. "Like" them to stay in touch and follow what they're doing.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
REI selling Garmin 910XT for $340 with the HR Strap, $300 without
Word on the street is that REI is have a short sale on Friday, May 17th, 2013 for the Garmin 910XT for their REI Anniversary Sale.
Supposedly the unit will be $340 with the HR Strap, $300 without. They are also having some killer deals on some other items.
Check it out by going to REI.
Supposedly the unit will be $340 with the HR Strap, $300 without. They are also having some killer deals on some other items.
- GoPro HERO3 Black Edition Bundle $399.93 - Includes free battery, chest mount harness and frame mount.
- Garmin Oregon 450t GPS $199.99
- Garmin Forerunner 910XT GPS HRM $339.99
- Suunto Ambit Watch $374.93
- SteriPEN Ultra Water Purifier $69.99
- 25% Off all TimBuk2 Bags 20% Off All Yakima and Thule Racks and More (plus Yakima Rebate)
- 20% Off All Superfeet Insoles
Check it out by going to REI.
2013 Kansas 5150 Olympic Triathlon Preview
There's been a battle brewing in Kansas City's triathlon scene...
The Kansas City 5150 Triathlon from 2012 and a few years went away, sort of. I raced the event, thought it was all good, and looked forward to 2013.
Early in the year, word got out that the RD from the KC 5150 tri was parting ways with the event. That's when I wrote THIS article on Examiner.com. That rubbed some people the wrong way, but at the time it was what thought to be accurate and the only information anyone had.
Flash forward 6 months and it's a little more clear. The Kansas City 5150 Triathlon went away. Instead, the RD went with WTC and the 5150 series and took it to Lawrence, Kansas, on May 19th. Hence, the Kansas 5150 triathlon was born. It's basically Ironman 70.3 Kansas, light. It's the same boat ramp and swim area, same transition at T1, the same bike course (with the turnaround at mile 12) and the same camp ground road run. It came out first and due to early bird restrictions and the need to secure my race season, I signed up early.
Then, around a week or two after the 5150 Kansas announcement, the Kansas City Triathlon was back without it's 5150 connection. Some KC area businessmen bought it up and are running it. Guess what? They made it the same day, May 19. Sounds reasonable to me.
Are you kidding?
I understand event logistics, securing venues and organizing a large scale event, but two large scale triathlons in the same region (Kansas City area) on the same day? Talk about cannibalization. What could have been a major coup for KC triathletes turned into a constant "which race are you doing" conversation.
What's also interesting is that my article stirred up some ill-will directed at yours truly. I know, something I wrote pissed someone off, gasp. Looking back at the article, it all held true except the part where I stated the RD and 5150 parted ways. They stayed together, just parted Longview Lake.
I digress.
What does hold true is a forum comment about the excitement of the events being over which hopefully leads to the KC triathlon stopping it's barrage of emails every day trying to get people to sign up. The KC Tri suggests they have around 1000 racers, and I'm not sure what the KS 5150 boasts. It will all come to light after the final used GU packet is picked up and the finish line is dismantled.
All I know is that I'm gunning for an A race.
I know the course. I know the conditions (could be storms, could be rain, could be dry, could be hot, could be windy). I know the directions to Clinton Lake without having to look at a map, score.
The problem arises when I have to head to Des Moines, IA, for the USAT level 1 coaching certification. The clinic is Friday and Saturday and I don't get out until 5pm Saturday. Race is 7:30am Sunday. It's going to be a short night. Oh what, what are you going to do?
I don't sleep well the night before anyway. It just cuts into my tossing and turning time in bed.
Goals, I need goals...
It's always hard to know what to realistically expect going into the first race of the season. Did I train right over the winter? Did I spend too much time on volume and not enough time on speed? Did I loose fitness? Did I do the right workouts without overtraining? All questions an inquiring mind wants to know.
The KC Tri 5150 last year was a 2:36 affair. I wasn't all that flattered with my 212 of 707 overall and 35 of 90 in my age group. I averaged 19.7 on the bike, which was decent, but I was looking for more. My 7:40's on the run weren't too shabby, but hold room for improvement.
This year has held more consistancy for the long workouts. I've sacrificed some BRICKS and misc shorter workouts here and there, but the long high zone 2 workouts have been a staple.
I missed my half marathon PR by 40ish seconds a few weeks ago, and while I wanted to do better, I knew I wasn't trained up enough at the time to kill the old PR. What's encouraging is the last few long runs have been at a higher pace at the high zone 2 range. My body is adapting to the workload and becoming for effective at speed at the high zone 2. I'm hoping that carries through when I want to push zone 3 to 4 on the run at KS 5150.
I'm crossing my fingers for a 2:25 day or better, but there are so many variables such as a new course, Clinton Lake waves, Lawrence cross winds and heat. We shall see, but I'm looking to leave it all at the lake this Sunday.
Stay tuned for the recap next week and like my coaching site on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SetThePaceMedia.
The Kansas City 5150 Triathlon from 2012 and a few years went away, sort of. I raced the event, thought it was all good, and looked forward to 2013.
Early in the year, word got out that the RD from the KC 5150 tri was parting ways with the event. That's when I wrote THIS article on Examiner.com. That rubbed some people the wrong way, but at the time it was what thought to be accurate and the only information anyone had.
Flash forward 6 months and it's a little more clear. The Kansas City 5150 Triathlon went away. Instead, the RD went with WTC and the 5150 series and took it to Lawrence, Kansas, on May 19th. Hence, the Kansas 5150 triathlon was born. It's basically Ironman 70.3 Kansas, light. It's the same boat ramp and swim area, same transition at T1, the same bike course (with the turnaround at mile 12) and the same camp ground road run. It came out first and due to early bird restrictions and the need to secure my race season, I signed up early.
Then, around a week or two after the 5150 Kansas announcement, the Kansas City Triathlon was back without it's 5150 connection. Some KC area businessmen bought it up and are running it. Guess what? They made it the same day, May 19. Sounds reasonable to me.
Are you kidding?
I understand event logistics, securing venues and organizing a large scale event, but two large scale triathlons in the same region (Kansas City area) on the same day? Talk about cannibalization. What could have been a major coup for KC triathletes turned into a constant "which race are you doing" conversation.
What's also interesting is that my article stirred up some ill-will directed at yours truly. I know, something I wrote pissed someone off, gasp. Looking back at the article, it all held true except the part where I stated the RD and 5150 parted ways. They stayed together, just parted Longview Lake.
I digress.
What does hold true is a forum comment about the excitement of the events being over which hopefully leads to the KC triathlon stopping it's barrage of emails every day trying to get people to sign up. The KC Tri suggests they have around 1000 racers, and I'm not sure what the KS 5150 boasts. It will all come to light after the final used GU packet is picked up and the finish line is dismantled.
All I know is that I'm gunning for an A race.
I know the course. I know the conditions (could be storms, could be rain, could be dry, could be hot, could be windy). I know the directions to Clinton Lake without having to look at a map, score.
The problem arises when I have to head to Des Moines, IA, for the USAT level 1 coaching certification. The clinic is Friday and Saturday and I don't get out until 5pm Saturday. Race is 7:30am Sunday. It's going to be a short night. Oh what, what are you going to do?
I don't sleep well the night before anyway. It just cuts into my tossing and turning time in bed.
Goals, I need goals...
It's always hard to know what to realistically expect going into the first race of the season. Did I train right over the winter? Did I spend too much time on volume and not enough time on speed? Did I loose fitness? Did I do the right workouts without overtraining? All questions an inquiring mind wants to know.
The KC Tri 5150 last year was a 2:36 affair. I wasn't all that flattered with my 212 of 707 overall and 35 of 90 in my age group. I averaged 19.7 on the bike, which was decent, but I was looking for more. My 7:40's on the run weren't too shabby, but hold room for improvement.
This year has held more consistancy for the long workouts. I've sacrificed some BRICKS and misc shorter workouts here and there, but the long high zone 2 workouts have been a staple.
I missed my half marathon PR by 40ish seconds a few weeks ago, and while I wanted to do better, I knew I wasn't trained up enough at the time to kill the old PR. What's encouraging is the last few long runs have been at a higher pace at the high zone 2 range. My body is adapting to the workload and becoming for effective at speed at the high zone 2. I'm hoping that carries through when I want to push zone 3 to 4 on the run at KS 5150.
I'm crossing my fingers for a 2:25 day or better, but there are so many variables such as a new course, Clinton Lake waves, Lawrence cross winds and heat. We shall see, but I'm looking to leave it all at the lake this Sunday.
Stay tuned for the recap next week and like my coaching site on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SetThePaceMedia.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Bulu Box from @BuluBox vitamin and supplement subscription sample box review
Have you ever picked up your race packet and goodie bag and gone through all of those samples? Stash the butt’r, bullfrog and icy-hot sample for later and maybe check out the rest after the race. It’s almost like Christmas for the triathlete. You never know what you will get and sometimes you get a lump of coal, diamond in the rough or nothing at all (with today’s virtual race bags).
If you find yourself jilted by not getting any samples or goodie bag, or wanting more, then there’s an option for you.
Bulu Box (www.BuluBox.com) contacted us to review their novel concept of vitamin and supplement subscription sample box. Basically for $10 per month, you get a sample box shipped to your front door to try out the latest and greatest on the market. When you receive your sample, for the most part the amount of product per shipment exceeds the value of the $10 you paid to get the sample box. Consumers shouldn’t have to worry that they are getting shorted for their money.
When the review sample was peeled open, staring back was a litany of energy supplements in the form of capsules and FRS energy chews, advertisements for deodorants and more. It was reassuring to see items like FRS that is a common player in the energy/nutrition industry for triathlons. We have used them before as a reliable source of supplements.
There might be a little trepidation when it comes to the energy capsules, which seemed to make up a large portion of this shipment. If you come from the stance that the less chemicals you put in your body, the better, these supplements might not be for you. That’s not to say the next shipment may contain more energy or protein bars that may be more appealing. That’s a little of the gamble with Bulu Box.
They do offer exposure to products that most triathletes will never see or experience. You may find that niche company that doesn’t have the horsepower to advertise at a national level, but they can get in with Bulu Box to reach a new customer base. There may be more opportunities to find that little guy amongst the giants that may be just as good, but a little more obscure.
They have 2 options for the Bulu Box. They have the standard Bulu Box that includes a sampling of vitamins and supplements that help in all areas of health. Each box contains 4 to 5 premium samples plus lifestyle extras from time to time. Bulu Box Weight Loss was designed with the specific goal of weight loss in mind. Each box contains 4 to 5 premium weight loss items such as vitamin and supplement samples, fitness gear and healthy eating tools. It’s good to have options, but maybe in the future they could go even further and have the Bulu Box protein bar sampler, recovery powder sampler or energy chews sampler. Maybe a better fit is for consumers to have a little more control over what comes in their monthly sampler box.
For this review, only one sample box was shipped. Unless there’s a sophisticated tracking system, there might be the opportunity for doubling up of samples per month. If you are not interested in a particular sample and get it in another shipment, it might be frustrating to have products you don’t want to use.
In addition to the sample box, they have a entire storefront dedicated to the full size containers or the samples they provide. The theory is that you find a sample you really like, so you order the full size amount through their site. It’s like a try it before you buy it, sample version. They carry some not-so well known brands in addition to items from CLIF Bar, GU and more. It’s not just a wacky supplement site.
Bulu Box is a novel concept. It’s all the fun of samples without the signing up for races. When RD’s are going to virtual race bags to control trash and samples going right into the trash, it’s nice for triathletes to have an option. The pros and cons of the service almost come to a draw for this reviewer. About one third of the samples in this particular shipment were viable options for what we would use on a daily or race basis. There is a higher risk that a sample shipment may be a bust for the subscriber depending on what they want and expect. But, Bulu Box offers a service that’s pretty rare at the moment and there’s also the opportunity to receive products that people have never heard of and didn’t know existed. There may be that rare gem in a shipment that cures that ache or scratches that itch that no other product would. It’s a bit of a gamble, but we appreciate Bulu Box’s efforts and will monitor their maturation into this market to see how they develop and utilize the potential that sits in front of them.
* Writer’s note - Bulu Box supplied a one-shipment sample box for this review and in no way influenced this review.
If you find yourself jilted by not getting any samples or goodie bag, or wanting more, then there’s an option for you.
Bulu Box (www.BuluBox.com) contacted us to review their novel concept of vitamin and supplement subscription sample box. Basically for $10 per month, you get a sample box shipped to your front door to try out the latest and greatest on the market. When you receive your sample, for the most part the amount of product per shipment exceeds the value of the $10 you paid to get the sample box. Consumers shouldn’t have to worry that they are getting shorted for their money.
When the review sample was peeled open, staring back was a litany of energy supplements in the form of capsules and FRS energy chews, advertisements for deodorants and more. It was reassuring to see items like FRS that is a common player in the energy/nutrition industry for triathlons. We have used them before as a reliable source of supplements.
There might be a little trepidation when it comes to the energy capsules, which seemed to make up a large portion of this shipment. If you come from the stance that the less chemicals you put in your body, the better, these supplements might not be for you. That’s not to say the next shipment may contain more energy or protein bars that may be more appealing. That’s a little of the gamble with Bulu Box.
They do offer exposure to products that most triathletes will never see or experience. You may find that niche company that doesn’t have the horsepower to advertise at a national level, but they can get in with Bulu Box to reach a new customer base. There may be more opportunities to find that little guy amongst the giants that may be just as good, but a little more obscure.
For this review, only one sample box was shipped. Unless there’s a sophisticated tracking system, there might be the opportunity for doubling up of samples per month. If you are not interested in a particular sample and get it in another shipment, it might be frustrating to have products you don’t want to use.
Bulu Box is a novel concept. It’s all the fun of samples without the signing up for races. When RD’s are going to virtual race bags to control trash and samples going right into the trash, it’s nice for triathletes to have an option. The pros and cons of the service almost come to a draw for this reviewer. About one third of the samples in this particular shipment were viable options for what we would use on a daily or race basis. There is a higher risk that a sample shipment may be a bust for the subscriber depending on what they want and expect. But, Bulu Box offers a service that’s pretty rare at the moment and there’s also the opportunity to receive products that people have never heard of and didn’t know existed. There may be that rare gem in a shipment that cures that ache or scratches that itch that no other product would. It’s a bit of a gamble, but we appreciate Bulu Box’s efforts and will monitor their maturation into this market to see how they develop and utilize the potential that sits in front of them.
* Writer’s note - Bulu Box supplied a one-shipment sample box for this review and in no way influenced this review.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Feed the Machine endurance nutrition sports store
Monday, May 13, 2013
Ironman triathlon SwimSmart initiative - opinion
So, if you have been reading this ole blog for any length of time, you might have caught on that I'm racing Ironman Lake Tahoe this fall...
It's going to be my first full Ironman race and I'm very much looking forward to the challenge.
I've raced triathlons since 2004, and I've had my fair share of "I don't want to get kicked and beat up at the swim start" moments. As time has gone on and I have gained more confidence, I find myself lining up aggressively to grab the wake of a similar speed swimmer to draft and get in the top third of the swim group.
For the most part, I hold my own. I get swam over, and I swim over people. By swim over, I mean I hit someone I didn't notice, move over and keep swimming. I've had the priviledge of someone just swimming over the top of me without regard and not bothering to make room and play nice.
For a lot of newer triathletes, and some experienced, the swim start is the tip of the anxiety iceberg. Most are wanting to survive and are happy that it's over when they hit T1. Combine that with the daunting task of 140.6 miles of fun, and you are looking at a nail biter.
That's probably a main reason Ironman announced the SwimSmart initiative.
I'm all for safety. I'm all for everyone that races a triathlon finishing and going home, but I'm not so sure about the whole SwimSmart idea.
I'll call out some sections and bring some attention to my thoughts and considerations as I enbarq on my 140.6 mile quest.
From Ironman.com and my comments in bold blue;
IRONMAN pilots alternative swim starts and other enhancements to swim courses at select North America events.
In an effort to improve athlete satisfaction and reduce athlete anxiety during the swim portion of the race, IRONMAN will test different swim race starts and other course enhancements in 2013.
I can also surmise that with the recent swimming deaths in triathlon that have been very publicized lately, Ironman wants to make sure that athletes in their races aren't dieing in their races from lack of race support.
Changes/enhancements for 2013 will include:
Modified Swim Starts at Select Races
IRONMAN will pilot several alternative race starts at select events to further enhance athlete experience and reduce swim anxiety. Three events in 2013 will feature new swim start formats – IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene, IRONMAN Lake Placid and IRONMAN Mont-Tremblant – while two other 2013 events, IRONMAN Lake Tahoe and IRONMAN Florida, will feature modifications in how athletes start their races.
So I'll be experiencing the pilot program at Ironman Lake Tahoe this September.
Pre-Race Swim Warm-Up
North American IRONMAN events will include a pre-race, in-water warm-up whenever possible.
Notice "whenever possible". At Ironman 70.3 Kansas, the marina they start from is not conducive to having an area for warm up. The water near the boat ramp is only accessible through walking over large rocks. There is another boat ramp about a quarter of a mile away, so maybe they'll open this up.
Warm up in the water is very important for my racing. It allows me to get the pre-race jitters out and waste some of the anxiety energy that ultimately causes me to go out too hard in the swim if I cannot burn it off with a warm up swim.
Swim Temperature
Water temperature below 52 degrees Fahrenheit or above 88 degrees Fahrenheit will result in cancellation or shortening of the swim portion of the race. This seems like a no-brainer. Hypothermia is not cool and no one wants to overheat on the swim. That's a pretty solid official addition to the race rules.
Swim Course Additions
Numbered course buoys to assist in positioning of water assets/personnel and provide more accurate communication for locating and rescuing distressed swimmers. That's pretty solid. It'll be nice for swimmers as well to know how many more buoys they have to go through. That seems like a logical and beneficial addition.
Anchored resting rafts to be strategically placed along the swim course (please note that athletes will NOT be disqualified by resting on these floats). Here's where I have some issues. Resting rafts? So now swimmers can plan on breaks during the swim? Isn't the definition of an endurance event being under constant motion? There's been rumblings about long distance endurance events and anyone being able to finish given enough time and breaks. I do believe it diminishes the accomplishment for those that train and respect the course and I have disregard for the people racing Ironman events while juggling tennis balls and dribbling basketballs. Maybe, just maybe Ironman is making their events a little too accessible for anyone with a less than honorable objectives and those improperly prepared to race their events. I'm more in favor of the last point with more rescue craft to pull swimmers out that cannot complete the course. Yes, if they finish, they have raced the 140.6 miles like everyone else, but doesn't take something away from the awe of the Ironman race if everyone can do it and WTC is making it easier for people to do it? Plus, this could be incentive enough for someone that is not ready for an event of this magnitude or give someone the excuse not to train as hard for the swim since they will have rafts to take breaks at. It's a slippery slope that can be easily manipulated to support a lack of preparedness.
Increased professional swim course personnel to enhance the overall athlete experience. Yes please. More WTC people to answer questions, know the course and know what's going on. With 2000 athletes running around, seeing a WTC or race official person is assuring if you are a little uneasy about the whole deal.
Additional rescue boat and personal watercrafts (PWC, kayaks, paddleboards, etc.). This is a little sticky. While I'm all for increased safety, I do have issues with more watercraft running around with thousands of swimmers in the water. I can't tell you how many times I've been in the swim to turn for a breathe and got a mouth full of gas fumes or exhaust fumes. That and the wake created from the absent minded jet ski drivers that come too close to swimmers is distracting as well. There needs to be an enforced buffer distance from the swimmers and watercraft. Obviously, that's off in the case of an emergency, but there's issues that need to be addressed before more boats and kayaks are in the water.
The second phase of the initiative will feature a comprehensive effort to educate athletes about reducing anxiety associated with the swim portion of IRONMAN events, focusing on pre-race screening for potential health issues, pre-race training and race-week preparation. Such efforts will use all IRONMAN media platforms and will include a checklist and on-line videos. Swim-specific educational communications will begin at the end of May. That sounds all good and dandy. But, it's important that anyone considering training and racing any triathlon get checked out by their doctor. Don't let Ironman and WTC do it for you, hit up your doc for regular checkups.
IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene and IRONMAN Lake Placid:
Both IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene and IRONMAN Lake Placid will feature rolling starts in 2013. Athletes will enter the water in a continuous stream through a controlled access point, similar to how running road races are started. An athlete’s times will start when they cross timing mats under the swim arch.
Athletes will be directed to self-seed on race morning based on their projected swim time. Volunteers and staff will be in the staging area with signs and will assist with this process. Self-seeding will not be mandatory, but will be encouraged. At both events, all athletes will have access to a dedicated warm-up area in the water located adjacent to the swim start. Self seeding is a bad idea. The problem arises when you have newer swimmers wanting to have as much time to get through the swim as possible. Ever been to that 5k or marathon where the have pace groups line up and you're suppose to line up with the right group? Have you ever caught walkers and slow joggers that lined up with the 6:30 pace group? Ya, I see this as a major bust. I think you will see a lot of slower swimmers fibbing about their pace and time to get more time to complete the swim. My hunch is you will see faster swimmers contending with those that wanted more time. While I like the rolling start, I think there needs to be a qualification such as proof from a previous triathlon about your swim pace. It can be from a sprint or HIM, but something official that records what someone can realistically swim.
Age-group athletes will begin entering the water at 6:35 a.m. for IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene and 6:30 a.m. for IRONMAN Lake Placid, and will have the two hours and twenty minutes from the time the last athlete enters the water to complete the swim. An athlete’s time does not begin until he or she crosses the timing mat located below the swim arch. All athletes are expected to start by 7:00 a.m. at both venues, thus keeping all other timelines and cutoffs the same. This will ensure that all participants have at least the full 17 hours (subject to intermediate cutoffs) to complete the event.
For 2013, the swim course at IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene will remain the same, while IRONMAN Lake Placid will reverse the swim direction with athletes swimming clockwise.
IRONMAN Mont-Tremblant:
IRONMAN Mont-Tremblant will feature a wave start based on age group. There will be eight waves with each wave entering the water five minutes apart, starting at 6:25 a.m. All athletes will have at least 17 hours to complete the entire event (subject to intermediate cutoffs).)The two hour and twenty minute cutoff for the swim will begin when the final wave has started the swim portion of the event. All of the Half Ironman races I have been in and pretty much every triathlon was based on age group waves. I'm ok with this more so because I'm just used to it. You do have the issue of slower swimmers lining up at the front and impeding progress, but for the most part they play nice and line up according to their expected pace. You do have the thrashing and bumping with the "mass" start, but by going with age groups, it decreases the people per wave instead of thousands of swimmers going at once.
IRONMAN Lake Tahoe and IRONMAN Florida:
IRONMAN Lake Tahoe and IRONMAN Florida will feature a mass start based on self-seeding. Athletes will self-seed into swim start corrals based upon their estimated swim finish time. All athletes will have the traditional 17 hours to complete the entire event (subject to intermediate cutoffs). Like I said with self seeding, I think it's going to be an issue. This will create the opportunity for some to extend the clock for the course to 17 hours and 20 minutes, and some triathletes will need that additional time for whatever reason. So what's to stop them from seeding themselves in the first wave to get a leg up on the clock? It's going to be interesting if it becomes a widespread issue where people improperly seed themselves or if the majority of triathletes can play by the rules. I'm no Ryan Lochte, but I'm efficient enough to get out in the top third of swimmers. Even my slow rear can catch the slow swimmers.
The other IRONMAN events in North America (IRONMAN Texas, IRONMAN Louisville, IRONMAN Wisconsin, IRONMAN Arizona) are scheduled to have the same swim start format as in 2012 which can be found on ironman.com; IRONMAN Canada (with a new venue in 2013) will feature a two-loop swim with an in-water mass start.
In all, I see some good additions and some modifications that leave me scratching my head. Hopefully no one is offended by my comments, but there are certain situations that people are not properly prepared for and giving those people added incentive to be lax in swim preparation is a dangerous proposition.
I hope it all goes smooth. Like I mentioned, every event I have been in was by age group. The wave sizes are reduced compared to a mass start, and we had people lining up at the front that got swam over in the first 25 yards, but it's not been a big deal.
I'll keep this nugget in my head come time for IM Lake Tahoe. It'll be interesting to see if the "walkers" and "joggers" seed themselves early to add time to the clock. Maybe I should, too? :)
It's going to be my first full Ironman race and I'm very much looking forward to the challenge.
I've raced triathlons since 2004, and I've had my fair share of "I don't want to get kicked and beat up at the swim start" moments. As time has gone on and I have gained more confidence, I find myself lining up aggressively to grab the wake of a similar speed swimmer to draft and get in the top third of the swim group.
For the most part, I hold my own. I get swam over, and I swim over people. By swim over, I mean I hit someone I didn't notice, move over and keep swimming. I've had the priviledge of someone just swimming over the top of me without regard and not bothering to make room and play nice.
For a lot of newer triathletes, and some experienced, the swim start is the tip of the anxiety iceberg. Most are wanting to survive and are happy that it's over when they hit T1. Combine that with the daunting task of 140.6 miles of fun, and you are looking at a nail biter.
That's probably a main reason Ironman announced the SwimSmart initiative.
I'll call out some sections and bring some attention to my thoughts and considerations as I enbarq on my 140.6 mile quest.
From Ironman.com and my comments in bold blue;
IRONMAN pilots alternative swim starts and other enhancements to swim courses at select North America events.
In an effort to improve athlete satisfaction and reduce athlete anxiety during the swim portion of the race, IRONMAN will test different swim race starts and other course enhancements in 2013.
I can also surmise that with the recent swimming deaths in triathlon that have been very publicized lately, Ironman wants to make sure that athletes in their races aren't dieing in their races from lack of race support.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Changes/enhancements for 2013 will include:
Modified Swim Starts at Select Races
IRONMAN will pilot several alternative race starts at select events to further enhance athlete experience and reduce swim anxiety. Three events in 2013 will feature new swim start formats – IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene, IRONMAN Lake Placid and IRONMAN Mont-Tremblant – while two other 2013 events, IRONMAN Lake Tahoe and IRONMAN Florida, will feature modifications in how athletes start their races.
So I'll be experiencing the pilot program at Ironman Lake Tahoe this September.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Race Swim Warm-Up
North American IRONMAN events will include a pre-race, in-water warm-up whenever possible.
Notice "whenever possible". At Ironman 70.3 Kansas, the marina they start from is not conducive to having an area for warm up. The water near the boat ramp is only accessible through walking over large rocks. There is another boat ramp about a quarter of a mile away, so maybe they'll open this up.
Warm up in the water is very important for my racing. It allows me to get the pre-race jitters out and waste some of the anxiety energy that ultimately causes me to go out too hard in the swim if I cannot burn it off with a warm up swim.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Swim Temperature
Water temperature below 52 degrees Fahrenheit or above 88 degrees Fahrenheit will result in cancellation or shortening of the swim portion of the race. This seems like a no-brainer. Hypothermia is not cool and no one wants to overheat on the swim. That's a pretty solid official addition to the race rules.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Swim Course Additions
Numbered course buoys to assist in positioning of water assets/personnel and provide more accurate communication for locating and rescuing distressed swimmers. That's pretty solid. It'll be nice for swimmers as well to know how many more buoys they have to go through. That seems like a logical and beneficial addition.
Anchored resting rafts to be strategically placed along the swim course (please note that athletes will NOT be disqualified by resting on these floats). Here's where I have some issues. Resting rafts? So now swimmers can plan on breaks during the swim? Isn't the definition of an endurance event being under constant motion? There's been rumblings about long distance endurance events and anyone being able to finish given enough time and breaks. I do believe it diminishes the accomplishment for those that train and respect the course and I have disregard for the people racing Ironman events while juggling tennis balls and dribbling basketballs. Maybe, just maybe Ironman is making their events a little too accessible for anyone with a less than honorable objectives and those improperly prepared to race their events. I'm more in favor of the last point with more rescue craft to pull swimmers out that cannot complete the course. Yes, if they finish, they have raced the 140.6 miles like everyone else, but doesn't take something away from the awe of the Ironman race if everyone can do it and WTC is making it easier for people to do it? Plus, this could be incentive enough for someone that is not ready for an event of this magnitude or give someone the excuse not to train as hard for the swim since they will have rafts to take breaks at. It's a slippery slope that can be easily manipulated to support a lack of preparedness.
Increased professional swim course personnel to enhance the overall athlete experience. Yes please. More WTC people to answer questions, know the course and know what's going on. With 2000 athletes running around, seeing a WTC or race official person is assuring if you are a little uneasy about the whole deal.
Additional rescue boat and personal watercrafts (PWC, kayaks, paddleboards, etc.). This is a little sticky. While I'm all for increased safety, I do have issues with more watercraft running around with thousands of swimmers in the water. I can't tell you how many times I've been in the swim to turn for a breathe and got a mouth full of gas fumes or exhaust fumes. That and the wake created from the absent minded jet ski drivers that come too close to swimmers is distracting as well. There needs to be an enforced buffer distance from the swimmers and watercraft. Obviously, that's off in the case of an emergency, but there's issues that need to be addressed before more boats and kayaks are in the water.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The second phase of the initiative will feature a comprehensive effort to educate athletes about reducing anxiety associated with the swim portion of IRONMAN events, focusing on pre-race screening for potential health issues, pre-race training and race-week preparation. Such efforts will use all IRONMAN media platforms and will include a checklist and on-line videos. Swim-specific educational communications will begin at the end of May. That sounds all good and dandy. But, it's important that anyone considering training and racing any triathlon get checked out by their doctor. Don't let Ironman and WTC do it for you, hit up your doc for regular checkups.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene and IRONMAN Lake Placid:
Both IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene and IRONMAN Lake Placid will feature rolling starts in 2013. Athletes will enter the water in a continuous stream through a controlled access point, similar to how running road races are started. An athlete’s times will start when they cross timing mats under the swim arch.
Athletes will be directed to self-seed on race morning based on their projected swim time. Volunteers and staff will be in the staging area with signs and will assist with this process. Self-seeding will not be mandatory, but will be encouraged. At both events, all athletes will have access to a dedicated warm-up area in the water located adjacent to the swim start. Self seeding is a bad idea. The problem arises when you have newer swimmers wanting to have as much time to get through the swim as possible. Ever been to that 5k or marathon where the have pace groups line up and you're suppose to line up with the right group? Have you ever caught walkers and slow joggers that lined up with the 6:30 pace group? Ya, I see this as a major bust. I think you will see a lot of slower swimmers fibbing about their pace and time to get more time to complete the swim. My hunch is you will see faster swimmers contending with those that wanted more time. While I like the rolling start, I think there needs to be a qualification such as proof from a previous triathlon about your swim pace. It can be from a sprint or HIM, but something official that records what someone can realistically swim.
Age-group athletes will begin entering the water at 6:35 a.m. for IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene and 6:30 a.m. for IRONMAN Lake Placid, and will have the two hours and twenty minutes from the time the last athlete enters the water to complete the swim. An athlete’s time does not begin until he or she crosses the timing mat located below the swim arch. All athletes are expected to start by 7:00 a.m. at both venues, thus keeping all other timelines and cutoffs the same. This will ensure that all participants have at least the full 17 hours (subject to intermediate cutoffs) to complete the event.
For 2013, the swim course at IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene will remain the same, while IRONMAN Lake Placid will reverse the swim direction with athletes swimming clockwise.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IRONMAN Mont-Tremblant:
IRONMAN Mont-Tremblant will feature a wave start based on age group. There will be eight waves with each wave entering the water five minutes apart, starting at 6:25 a.m. All athletes will have at least 17 hours to complete the entire event (subject to intermediate cutoffs).)The two hour and twenty minute cutoff for the swim will begin when the final wave has started the swim portion of the event. All of the Half Ironman races I have been in and pretty much every triathlon was based on age group waves. I'm ok with this more so because I'm just used to it. You do have the issue of slower swimmers lining up at the front and impeding progress, but for the most part they play nice and line up according to their expected pace. You do have the thrashing and bumping with the "mass" start, but by going with age groups, it decreases the people per wave instead of thousands of swimmers going at once.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IRONMAN Lake Tahoe and IRONMAN Florida:
IRONMAN Lake Tahoe and IRONMAN Florida will feature a mass start based on self-seeding. Athletes will self-seed into swim start corrals based upon their estimated swim finish time. All athletes will have the traditional 17 hours to complete the entire event (subject to intermediate cutoffs). Like I said with self seeding, I think it's going to be an issue. This will create the opportunity for some to extend the clock for the course to 17 hours and 20 minutes, and some triathletes will need that additional time for whatever reason. So what's to stop them from seeding themselves in the first wave to get a leg up on the clock? It's going to be interesting if it becomes a widespread issue where people improperly seed themselves or if the majority of triathletes can play by the rules. I'm no Ryan Lochte, but I'm efficient enough to get out in the top third of swimmers. Even my slow rear can catch the slow swimmers.
The other IRONMAN events in North America (IRONMAN Texas, IRONMAN Louisville, IRONMAN Wisconsin, IRONMAN Arizona) are scheduled to have the same swim start format as in 2012 which can be found on ironman.com; IRONMAN Canada (with a new venue in 2013) will feature a two-loop swim with an in-water mass start.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In all, I see some good additions and some modifications that leave me scratching my head. Hopefully no one is offended by my comments, but there are certain situations that people are not properly prepared for and giving those people added incentive to be lax in swim preparation is a dangerous proposition.
I hope it all goes smooth. Like I mentioned, every event I have been in was by age group. The wave sizes are reduced compared to a mass start, and we had people lining up at the front that got swam over in the first 25 yards, but it's not been a big deal.
I'll keep this nugget in my head come time for IM Lake Tahoe. It'll be interesting to see if the "walkers" and "joggers" seed themselves early to add time to the clock. Maybe I should, too? :)
Friday, May 10, 2013
Kansas City May 2013 race calendar
|
May
Calendar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)