Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Monday, December 23, 2013
Marc Pro Electrical Muscle Stimulator (EMS) review
How do you recovery after workouts and racing triathlons? It doesn’t matter if you are new to triathlons, racing short courses or an experiences ironman athlete of 15 years, you can’t ignore recovery. Sadly, many newer triathletes think that swim, bike and run are the only thing that matters. If you want to keep swimming, biking and running for a long time, then you need to set aside time and funding to properly recover.
You can recover through nutrition, active recover through less intense workouts, watch some tv on the couch, sleep and use products out on the market aimed at easing your sore muscles. From “black box” products that market to cure any ailment to tried and tested recovery shakes and multiple recovery products, there’s something for everyone.
Marc Pro (http://marcpro.com/) approached us about testing their electrical muscle stimulator (EMS). They shipped us a unit right after Ironman Lake Tahoe and we have been playing around with the unit since then until after the Kansas City marathon in mid-October.
Marc Pro suggests that using the Marc Pro after physical activity helps move the related waste and deoxygenated blood away from the fatigued area, promoting recovery without additional muscle fatigue. Read on below for our take on the Marc Pro.
Packaging / Shelf Appeal / Marketing
You probably won’t find a Marc Pro EMS on the shelf at any fitness or health care supply store. The only place to buy a Marc Pro was from their site. So, you won’t see the Marc Pro all packages up to look good sitting on a store shelf.
That being said, when you get your Marc Pro in the mail, it’s very well packaged and doesn’t look like someone packed it in their living room with home printed instruction manuals. It comes across as professionally packaged, organized and well marketed. The brochures and instructional materials are all glossy print with high end graphics and printing quality. When taking into consideration the social media aspect of marketing, Marc Pro is covering their bases. They have an active Facebook and Twitter account as well as a robust library of Youtube videos. You can assure yourself of getting lost on their social media sites.
What’s even more awesome is the carrying case that comes with the unit that stores everything for easy mobility from home to the gym, crossfit pit, indoor trainer sweat shop or wherever you are kicking your butt in training.
Form / Construction
Nothing’s worse than the Beta version of a product or the one-off model that was an extra test model. That’s not the case with Marc Pro. Our unit was brand spanking new with all new packaging, electrodes, cables and manuals.
The actual units are well constructed with durable rubber-based coatings that allow the unit to take a few falls and smacks without damage, not that we dropped or kicked out unit to test it out. When you inspect all of the parts, they are as good as any medical supply materials you might get or see in your doctors or PT office.
The dials, buttons and displays are all solid with no jiggling or wiggling that might be present in lesser constructed items. The display is a little dated in that it’s not the leading edge of digital readings, but it’s not the stone ages, either.
There’s nothing cheap and chincy that we noticed with our Marc Pro unit.
Fashion / Appearance
Marc Pro did their homework when it came to design. From their web site to the cables and the units, they are consistent on colors and create an appealing combination of fit and form. The unit comes across as high end and in no way says, “we cut corners and are cheap”. Cheap is the furthest thought from your mind when you get your hands on a Marc Pro.
But, hopefully you like green, because that’s all the choice you have. Most triathletes like to match their kits, bikes and gear, but hopefully when it comes to recovery and your Marc Pro, you won’t mind the green trim on the bag and green unit when you’re lounging around getting your recovery shock on.
Fit / Function
Marc Pro’s basis for post exercise recovery through EMS is the normalization of tissue through the movement of nourishment and waste. Marc Pro is specifically designed for this particular task. The Marc Pro muscle conditioning device creates adjustable muscle contractions that set off a cascading series of physiologic events. They call this a Muscle Activated Recovery Cascade, or “MARC” for short.
The process begins with the activation of Nitric Oxide (NO), which dilates blood vessels and leads to increased flow delivering more oxygenated blood and nutrients to the area. The lymphatic and venous systems also require and benefit from localized muscle activity. Because of this, using the Marc Pro after physical activity helps move the related waste and deoxygenated blood away from the fatigued area(s). This exchange of nourishment and waste, without stress or fatigue, accelerates the recovery of the muscle.
Now, with all of that technical talk, the question remains if the Marc Pro will help recovery and not create more fatigue in muscles already abused from training and racing.
We tried the Marc Pro on multiple areas in multiple configurations. Upper back, lower back, quadriceps, calves, feet, shoulders, hamstrings and a few other spots. We used the Marc pro immediately after intense to long aerobic workouts. We used the Marc Pro hours after workouts while watching garbage TV lying in bed before nodding off for the night. We used the Marc Pro as prescribed in their instructions for approximately 30 minutes at a time and on occasion more than once per day. To boil it down, we used the Marc Pro EMS five ways to Sunday.
The operation is pretty straight forward. You have color coded cables for right and left control and everything you need to hook it up and zap yourself into recovery. You can be mildly distracted while setting the unit up, and still get it going. Don’t fear, if you mix something up, then you won’t electrocute yourself to death with the Marc Pro. The electrical currents are not strong enough to do that. But, you do need to avoid attaching the electrodes to your head or other regions they clearly outline in the manual. Just to be clear, you can do some damage with the unit of you attach electrodes in the wrong spot.
One issue was getting tangled up in wires. We recommend getting situated in your body position and then attached electrodes. Doing it in reverse order can result in tangling cords, pulling cables out or pulling electrodes off.
Once you are set up and everything is charged and ready, you can choose from a 0.1 setting to a 9.0 setting for signal strength. Say you are working right and left calves at the same time, you can use the separate channels for the Marc Pro to adjust for each leg. As we all know, bodies are not exactly asymmetrical, so one side my perceive the electrical stimulation more strongly than the other at the same setting. This is important because there are times at which the signal is very sharp feeling at higher settings to achieve noticeable muscle contractions. It’s very advantageous to have a unit to adjust strength for each side.
Speaking of electrodes, this is where the age old question of men shaving their bodies comes into play. If you save your body hair and subscribed to No-shave November, then you might be in for a painful electrode removal. The sticky side STICKS. You will need some elbow grease to get the pad off of your skin and if you have hair, it will pull that, too. Surprisingly it doesn’t pull the hair out by bunches, but pulls just enough to wake you up.
They sent several electrode pad replacements for us with our unit, but we found that one set of pads will last a long time. We went a month of once a day at least uses, and didn’t need new pads.
We established that breaking out the Marc Pro, setting up and usage is pretty straight forward, but how did it live up to the recovery claims and non-fatigue in the process?
Well, if you watch their demo videos, you can clearly see that the unit will indeed create strong muscle contractions. Our experience was no different when you start upping the signal strength. At the highest setting, for an average adult male, the Marc Pro can create strong enough contractions in large muscle groups to shake beds and couches. We can’t tell you how many times the wife stated, “can you turn that down, you’re shaking the bed and I can’t read my book”. So, if you are looking for the rough stuff, you might investigate the proper location for your session away from innocent bystanders.
After trying out all areas and all settings, we found that immediately after a high intensity Marc pro session, the muscles directly worked were somewhat fatigued in the sense of a post-sports massage therapy way. Maybe “flushed” would be a better description. If you have had a deep tissue massage, you should notice a difference after all of the junk in your muscles has been pushed into your bloodstream. You might feel a little fuzzy and your muscles should feel a little worked over. Then they push the water to get that crud into your kidneys and out through urine. The Marc Pro EMS experience is very similar.
After 10 to 15 minutes from the end of the session, there is no residual “fatigue” or stress in the muscles and you can go about your business. We even were able to hit high intensity training sessions later the same day without any ill effects.
Was the Marc pro therapy the end-all be-all muscle recovery solution? If you are taking care of yourself to begin with, you might not notice an immediate obvious impact. We say obvious, because though you may not notice a direct positive impact, there will be subtle advantages over time that fatigue from workouts and soreness will be reduced. We did notice mornings after long aerobic workouts were not as filled with sore muscles and limping around the house. Less of that jell-o leg feeling while going up and down steps.
Without conducting studies and measuring workout metrics, it’s hard to put a number or say without a doubt that the Marc Pro resulted in harder and faster workouts. We stayed injury free and were able to function in daily life with less physical stress and fatigue from the part time job that is Ironman training. So, points there. If you cannot get out for a sports or deep tissue massage, it was great to just be at home and throw on the electrodes at any time. You could potentially do it at work or wherever since the unit can hold a charge without needing a plug-in.
Cost
Here’s where you may gasp. You can get a bare-bones EMS unit for maybe $200 on the internet, but the advanced Marc Pro EMS will cost you $650 in one payment or $54 for 12 months. So, if you do want one, at least you have options to afford it over a spread out time period.
The average to beginner triathlete or endurance athlete may not need something of this nature and be able to afford it. Once you get to half to full ironman distance racing, it may make more sense to find ways to stay on top of recovery. For the price of one 60 minute massage per month, you could own a Marc Pro and get a treatment as many times a week as you want.
You get what you pay for. The Marc Pro is medical grade quality and designed with consumers in mind. You don’t have to be a physical therapist or nurse to hook it up and use it, which saves time and money if you can use it from the comfort of your own home. There are ideas to weigh when deciding where to spend your triathlon dollars.
Final thoughts
The Marc Pro EMS is a great addition to the recovery toolbox for long course triathletes. If you can afford one, or can adjust your spending to fund the monthly payments, then you have at your disposal a great tool to keep your muscles flushed and ready for the next workout on a consistent basis. If you cannot afford weekly massages to get that lactic acid and cellular crud buildup out from tough workouts, then the Marc Pro may be a valid solution. Replace one massage a month with a Marc Pro payment, and you are in business.
With the straight forward and simple operation, you won’t need to make an appointment and pay your copays with your PT to get the same treatment. You have medical grade recovery at the comfort of home and at your convenience.
Disclaimer
Writer’s Note - Marc Pro sent us a unit and a return shipping label for this review with no charge and in no way influenced this review.
You can recover through nutrition, active recover through less intense workouts, watch some tv on the couch, sleep and use products out on the market aimed at easing your sore muscles. From “black box” products that market to cure any ailment to tried and tested recovery shakes and multiple recovery products, there’s something for everyone.
Marc Pro (http://marcpro.com/) approached us about testing their electrical muscle stimulator (EMS). They shipped us a unit right after Ironman Lake Tahoe and we have been playing around with the unit since then until after the Kansas City marathon in mid-October.
Marc Pro suggests that using the Marc Pro after physical activity helps move the related waste and deoxygenated blood away from the fatigued area, promoting recovery without additional muscle fatigue. Read on below for our take on the Marc Pro.
Packaging / Shelf Appeal / Marketing
You probably won’t find a Marc Pro EMS on the shelf at any fitness or health care supply store. The only place to buy a Marc Pro was from their site. So, you won’t see the Marc Pro all packages up to look good sitting on a store shelf.
That being said, when you get your Marc Pro in the mail, it’s very well packaged and doesn’t look like someone packed it in their living room with home printed instruction manuals. It comes across as professionally packaged, organized and well marketed. The brochures and instructional materials are all glossy print with high end graphics and printing quality. When taking into consideration the social media aspect of marketing, Marc Pro is covering their bases. They have an active Facebook and Twitter account as well as a robust library of Youtube videos. You can assure yourself of getting lost on their social media sites.
What’s even more awesome is the carrying case that comes with the unit that stores everything for easy mobility from home to the gym, crossfit pit, indoor trainer sweat shop or wherever you are kicking your butt in training.
Form / Construction
Nothing’s worse than the Beta version of a product or the one-off model that was an extra test model. That’s not the case with Marc Pro. Our unit was brand spanking new with all new packaging, electrodes, cables and manuals.
The actual units are well constructed with durable rubber-based coatings that allow the unit to take a few falls and smacks without damage, not that we dropped or kicked out unit to test it out. When you inspect all of the parts, they are as good as any medical supply materials you might get or see in your doctors or PT office.
The dials, buttons and displays are all solid with no jiggling or wiggling that might be present in lesser constructed items. The display is a little dated in that it’s not the leading edge of digital readings, but it’s not the stone ages, either.
There’s nothing cheap and chincy that we noticed with our Marc Pro unit.
Fashion / Appearance
Marc Pro did their homework when it came to design. From their web site to the cables and the units, they are consistent on colors and create an appealing combination of fit and form. The unit comes across as high end and in no way says, “we cut corners and are cheap”. Cheap is the furthest thought from your mind when you get your hands on a Marc Pro.
But, hopefully you like green, because that’s all the choice you have. Most triathletes like to match their kits, bikes and gear, but hopefully when it comes to recovery and your Marc Pro, you won’t mind the green trim on the bag and green unit when you’re lounging around getting your recovery shock on.
Fit / Function
Marc Pro’s basis for post exercise recovery through EMS is the normalization of tissue through the movement of nourishment and waste. Marc Pro is specifically designed for this particular task. The Marc Pro muscle conditioning device creates adjustable muscle contractions that set off a cascading series of physiologic events. They call this a Muscle Activated Recovery Cascade, or “MARC” for short.
The process begins with the activation of Nitric Oxide (NO), which dilates blood vessels and leads to increased flow delivering more oxygenated blood and nutrients to the area. The lymphatic and venous systems also require and benefit from localized muscle activity. Because of this, using the Marc Pro after physical activity helps move the related waste and deoxygenated blood away from the fatigued area(s). This exchange of nourishment and waste, without stress or fatigue, accelerates the recovery of the muscle.
Now, with all of that technical talk, the question remains if the Marc Pro will help recovery and not create more fatigue in muscles already abused from training and racing.
The operation is pretty straight forward. You have color coded cables for right and left control and everything you need to hook it up and zap yourself into recovery. You can be mildly distracted while setting the unit up, and still get it going. Don’t fear, if you mix something up, then you won’t electrocute yourself to death with the Marc Pro. The electrical currents are not strong enough to do that. But, you do need to avoid attaching the electrodes to your head or other regions they clearly outline in the manual. Just to be clear, you can do some damage with the unit of you attach electrodes in the wrong spot.
One issue was getting tangled up in wires. We recommend getting situated in your body position and then attached electrodes. Doing it in reverse order can result in tangling cords, pulling cables out or pulling electrodes off.
Once you are set up and everything is charged and ready, you can choose from a 0.1 setting to a 9.0 setting for signal strength. Say you are working right and left calves at the same time, you can use the separate channels for the Marc Pro to adjust for each leg. As we all know, bodies are not exactly asymmetrical, so one side my perceive the electrical stimulation more strongly than the other at the same setting. This is important because there are times at which the signal is very sharp feeling at higher settings to achieve noticeable muscle contractions. It’s very advantageous to have a unit to adjust strength for each side.
They sent several electrode pad replacements for us with our unit, but we found that one set of pads will last a long time. We went a month of once a day at least uses, and didn’t need new pads.
We established that breaking out the Marc Pro, setting up and usage is pretty straight forward, but how did it live up to the recovery claims and non-fatigue in the process?
Well, if you watch their demo videos, you can clearly see that the unit will indeed create strong muscle contractions. Our experience was no different when you start upping the signal strength. At the highest setting, for an average adult male, the Marc Pro can create strong enough contractions in large muscle groups to shake beds and couches. We can’t tell you how many times the wife stated, “can you turn that down, you’re shaking the bed and I can’t read my book”. So, if you are looking for the rough stuff, you might investigate the proper location for your session away from innocent bystanders.
After trying out all areas and all settings, we found that immediately after a high intensity Marc pro session, the muscles directly worked were somewhat fatigued in the sense of a post-sports massage therapy way. Maybe “flushed” would be a better description. If you have had a deep tissue massage, you should notice a difference after all of the junk in your muscles has been pushed into your bloodstream. You might feel a little fuzzy and your muscles should feel a little worked over. Then they push the water to get that crud into your kidneys and out through urine. The Marc Pro EMS experience is very similar.
After 10 to 15 minutes from the end of the session, there is no residual “fatigue” or stress in the muscles and you can go about your business. We even were able to hit high intensity training sessions later the same day without any ill effects.
Was the Marc pro therapy the end-all be-all muscle recovery solution? If you are taking care of yourself to begin with, you might not notice an immediate obvious impact. We say obvious, because though you may not notice a direct positive impact, there will be subtle advantages over time that fatigue from workouts and soreness will be reduced. We did notice mornings after long aerobic workouts were not as filled with sore muscles and limping around the house. Less of that jell-o leg feeling while going up and down steps.
Without conducting studies and measuring workout metrics, it’s hard to put a number or say without a doubt that the Marc Pro resulted in harder and faster workouts. We stayed injury free and were able to function in daily life with less physical stress and fatigue from the part time job that is Ironman training. So, points there. If you cannot get out for a sports or deep tissue massage, it was great to just be at home and throw on the electrodes at any time. You could potentially do it at work or wherever since the unit can hold a charge without needing a plug-in.
Cost
Here’s where you may gasp. You can get a bare-bones EMS unit for maybe $200 on the internet, but the advanced Marc Pro EMS will cost you $650 in one payment or $54 for 12 months. So, if you do want one, at least you have options to afford it over a spread out time period.
The average to beginner triathlete or endurance athlete may not need something of this nature and be able to afford it. Once you get to half to full ironman distance racing, it may make more sense to find ways to stay on top of recovery. For the price of one 60 minute massage per month, you could own a Marc Pro and get a treatment as many times a week as you want.
You get what you pay for. The Marc Pro is medical grade quality and designed with consumers in mind. You don’t have to be a physical therapist or nurse to hook it up and use it, which saves time and money if you can use it from the comfort of your own home. There are ideas to weigh when deciding where to spend your triathlon dollars.
Final thoughts
The Marc Pro EMS is a great addition to the recovery toolbox for long course triathletes. If you can afford one, or can adjust your spending to fund the monthly payments, then you have at your disposal a great tool to keep your muscles flushed and ready for the next workout on a consistent basis. If you cannot afford weekly massages to get that lactic acid and cellular crud buildup out from tough workouts, then the Marc Pro may be a valid solution. Replace one massage a month with a Marc Pro payment, and you are in business.
With the straight forward and simple operation, you won’t need to make an appointment and pay your copays with your PT to get the same treatment. You have medical grade recovery at the comfort of home and at your convenience.
Disclaimer
Writer’s Note - Marc Pro sent us a unit and a return shipping label for this review with no charge and in no way influenced this review.
Friday, December 20, 2013
January and February 2014 Kansas City area races #Running
|
January 18 @ 9 am
Foo's Fabulous Frozen Custard
Leawood, KS
Pick your team, Team
Coffee or Team Cocoa, and join us at the 3rd annual Battle of the Bean 5K!
All 5K participants will receive a long sleeve t-shirt and custom Battle of
the Bean 5K travel tumbler. Kids ages 8 and under can run in the Jelly
Bean Dash following the 5K. At the finish line, The Roasterie will be
offering up the best coffee and hot chocolate in town to participants in
addition to Christopher Elbow providing chocolates to all participants. The
charity partner for this event is Happy Bottoms who works to provide
diapers to area low-income families. To further help this cause, consider
donating a package of diapers at packet pick up or on race morning.
|
|
January 25 @ 10 am
Shawnee Mission Park, Shawnee, KS
Support Special
Olympics Kansas by participating in the Polar Bear Strut 5K. The course will
take you throughout Shawnee Mission Park. Participants in the 5K will receive
a Polar Plunge knit cap! After the race, join the party at Johnny's where a
$10 donation to Special Olympics Kansas will buy you a chili lunch!
January 26 @ 8 am
Hunt Midwest SubTropolis, Kansas City, MO
The
Children's TLC Groundhog Run 5K, 10K courses are completely underground! With
a consistent temperature of 65 to 68 degrees, the Hunt Midwest SubTropolis is
the ideal venue for runners to compete in this annual winter event! All
finishers will receive a finisher's medal! The event benefits Children's TLC
who provides therapeutic and educational services to children with disabilities.
February 2 @ 9 am
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Come decked out in
your favorite team's gear to kickoff your Superbowl Sunday with a 5K. In
addition to the 5K, there will be a timed, combine-style 40-yard dash.
Participants will get a long-sleeve cotton shirt and finishers will receive a
medal! Kids in the Kid's Fun Run will get a shirt and medal. The charity
partner is First Downs for Down Syndrome which raises funds and awareness of
down syndrome.
February 16 @
9 am
Ritz Charles, Overland Park, KS
This Valentine's Day
weekend team up with your loved ones and run or walk this fun 5K. At the Ritz
Charles in Overland Park, participants can stay warm inside at the pre and
post-race area. There will be individual awards as well as top 5 team awards.
All participants who finish the race will receive a finisher's medal. The
charity partner is the Head for the Cure Foundation - raising funds and
awareness for a cure for brain cancer.
|
Thursday, December 19, 2013
www.Tri4aHandUp.com partner SwimOutlet.com adds Jerrod Shoemaker to fold
SwimOutlet.com has graciously assisted Tri4aHandUp with raffle items and affiliate commissions for charity donations, and now they add Jerrod Shoemaker to their athlete roster.
SwimOutlet.com, the web’s most popular swim shop, has added triathlete Jarrod Shoemaker to its athlete roster for 2014 as an in-house content contributor for such topics as expert guides, product reviews, training tips and other triathlon-related information. Shoemaker was a 2008 Olympian and the top American qualifier for the Beijing Olympics at the trials race. In 2009, he won the Duathlon World Championships consisting of a run-cycle-run and was named USA Triathlon’s Triathlete of the Year in 2012. He also has a keen sense of product development and design for a range of triathlon accessories, having started his own line of personal care products among other things.
Shoemaker will begin contributing with regular features on SwimOutlet.com’s blog and website in January. He will also be featured in newsletters and social media campaigns. SwimOutlet.com has partnered with other athletes in the past including Olympians Mark Gangloff, Tony Azevedo and Garrett-Weber Gale, and is currently partners with U.S. Masters Swimming, Fitter and Faster Swim Tour and USA Synchro, among others.
SwimOutlet.com is the largest online specialty store for aquatics in the United States. The online retail store grew out of a dedication to providing the best goods and services to anyone interested in aquatic activities and sports. SwimOutlet.com has the largest selection for swimming, water polo, fashion, beach and surf! In addition to having an extensive selection and the lowest prices, SwimOutlet.com offers phenomenal customer service and fast shipping.
I posted this news in partnership with SwimOutlet since they have been so awesome with helping me and my fundraising. It's a bit of a plug, but I have no problem helping spread the word about them!
Remember, shop at SwimOutlet.com and 8 percent goes to www.Tri4aHandUp.com charities!
Thanks!
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Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Triathlons are not cheap... middle class problems
I remember back in the good old days when things didn't cost as much...
Yes, I'm keenly aware of everything that goes into producing a triathlon event. Venue rental, equipments, consumables, timing, street closures, security with police and scuba... and a lot more, but its seems like triathlon pricing in Kansas City is sky rocketing. Middle class problems... I know.
The limiter in the past used to be avoiding placing too much strain on the family racing events. Now, it's not breaking the bank. For triathletes, gear alone is a pretty penny. Trust me, I know this after I just got my tri bike out of hawk after some repairs after Ironman Lake Tahoe. I didn't wreck it, but for all that it needed done to be servaciable again, you would have thought so.
As 2013 comes to a close, the 3 major entities producing triathlons in the area are looking to secure racers for their triathlons with early bird discounts. Maybe I'm not effectively recalling what prices have moved to, but early bird is now approaching what regular entry fee was just a few years ago.
Yes, inflation and everyone feeling the economic pinch has created an environment of higher prices, but at times I can't help but feel a little bit of grab-assing for my wallet and money more than what would amount to a generous profit for a race organizer.
Lets face it, they would not put these races on unless they were making money. I don't think you would find an event like a triathlon being supported for fun by someone with deep pockets. I get it. But, everyone makes a big deal about how triathletes are affluent and have money. You can't tell me race directors aren't paying attention to their market segment to reach supply=demand at the best price the market will bear. (I paid attention in econ 101 - sort of) Some years may be slim margins, but you can bet during the good years a good business entity will get theirs. Some triathletes may have more disposable income than they know what to do with, but you can race on a mandated budget and I do. Problem is, race entry is now eating into what I would use to keep my bike in order and supply myself with swim speedos so people don't have to witness my rear end showing through a thread bare swim jammer.
For 2014, I think Em can exhale as I can only really race 3 to 4 races, one of which will be Ironman Chattanooga (which when you race an Ironman race, you know you will have to pay for the privilege, but I'm working with a charity partner that makes it more feasible). The others will probably be Ironman 70.3 Kansas, one local shorter race and maybe a surprise event for www.Tri4ahandUp.com.
I can see raising prices for events with the production value of Ironman events, but they are not providing that experience. It's a local triathlon. Show up, rack your bike, race, get your time, go home. It used to be about the fun of racing events testing my conditioning... now it's going to be about which event will give me the most for my money and can I afford it before early bird pricing is up. I don't need a DJ. I don't need a blow-up finish arch. I don't need banners around the transition fence. I don't need a stage for awards. Mark the turns, keep traffic out of the road and have some sports drink at the aid stations. Simplify and pass the savings on to your racers.
2014 will mark the first year I will end up racing more outside of the Kansas City area for triathlons. Why pay high prices for local races when you can pay a little more for bigger races in new locations? Budget your money and travel cheap, and it's not that much more these days. Yes, I do know that prices for triathlons around the country at times far exceed anything we see here in the midwest, but you don't get mountains or beaches in Kansas or Missouri. Branson ain't Boulder. Lawrence isn't Lake Tahoe (and I LOVE Lawrence). When the prices were more affordable, I could get 3 to 4 local races in that would equal the cost of traveling to a similar distance event around the midwest. Now with the higher prices and somewhat improved experiences, it's made me expand my search for events outside the KC area.
It just kind of sucks. I used to sign up early bird and have 5 to 6 races to ink on the calendar. I've been priced out of the market.
Friday, December 13, 2013
January / February / March 2014 Kansas City 5ks coming up
|
Saturday,
January 18 @ 9 am
Foo's
Fabulous Frozen Custard, Leawood, KS
Pick a side - Team Coffee or Team Cocoa. All 5K participants will receive a long sleeve t-shirt and custom Battle of the Bean 5K tumbler! Following the 5K will be the Jelly Bean Dash for kids! At the finish line The Roasterie will be offering up the best coffee and hot chocolate in town to participants! Christopher Elbow will also be providing chocolates to participants. The charity partner for this event is Happy Bottoms, KC's Diaper Bank. www.battleofthebean5k.com |
|
|
Sunday,
February 2 @ 9 am
Arrowhead
Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Come decked out in your favorite team's gear and kickoff your Superbowl Sunday with a 5K. Boost Physical Therapy and Sports Performance will also be setting up a combine style timed 40yd dash run for all participants. Participants will get a long-sleeve cotton shirt. All those who finish the race will get a finisher's medal. Kid's in the Kid's Fun Run will get a shirt and medal. The charity partner will be announced soon! |
|
|
Sunday,
February 16 @ 9 am
Ritz
Charles, Overland Park, KS
This Valentine's Day weekend team up with your loved ones and run or walk this fun 5K. At the Ritz Charles in Overland Park, participants can stay warm inside at the pre and post-race area. There will be individual awards as well as top 5 team awards. All participants who finish the race will receive a finisher's medal. The charity partner is the Head for the Cure Foundation - raising funds and awareness for a cure for brain cancer. www.kcsweetheartrun.com |
|
|
Saturday,
March 29 @ 9 am
Park
Place, Leawood, KS
The fourth annual Diva Dash 5K is a women's only race where all participants are treated like Divas! Girls 8 and under can run in the Lil' Princess Fun Run where they will receive a shirt and medal. 5K participants will receive a shirt and all who finish will get a finisher's medal. The charity partner for the event is Girls on the Run - an after school program for girls in 3rd-8th grades that focuses on building self esteem and improving health. www.divadash5k.com |
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