Weekend Outlook

Looks to be another solid weekend of training and AWESOMENESS. Dave and Rusty are racing in the Mission Mile in Winston Salem, and Tim G. is competing in the Washington Sprint Triathlon. Others are getting up bright and early for a long run on Saturday, and will later be joining the TAF Half Marathon Training Program. Then, Saturday night features the first "Raleigh Run", which is sure to be a lot of FUN. Good luck if you are racing, and enjoy the weekend! #20

And, since we were hopping / bounding / two-foot jumping around the infield after yasso 800's on Tuesday, the fastest lunge mile was completed in 27min 4sec. This record was set by Geoffrey Gray in August, 2008.

Fitness and Comfort Index

By now, most of you have heard me tear apart the "Fitness and Comfort" index on weather.com. My main issue is that, despite the ridiculous heat and humidity as of late, the index remains at "moderately comfortable". So, I decided to look up how it was calculated... this was all I could find. At first glance, the calculation seems totally legitimate- comfort is related to temperature, precipitation, and humidity. Ok, so how did they come up with "moderate" for a record-breaking day of triple digit temperatures with no less than four warnings in effect? Honestly, I have no idea... but I figured that unless I could suggest a better algorithm, I should keep my mouth shut. So, here goes:

• As temperature rises above 50 degrees, people can expect to see slower times. Cold temperatures can have an adverse effect on performance also. I would recommend replacing the temperature metric with the "perceived temperature" (i.e., windchill for the winter and heat index in the summer). This eliminates the humidity metric, as its already included in the "perceived temperature".
• Precipitation is tricky. When it's cold out, rain is awful. However, when it's ridiculously hot and humid already, the rain is kind of refreshing (so long as there's no lightening). So, I would recommend subtracting some amount from the "perceived temperature score" based upon the % chance of precipitation and the current temperature.

Figure this is pretty simple... basically, a look-up table... even I could program that. Having said that, there are probably numerous flaws in my methodology, but at least it's no longer "moderately comfortable" to exercise in the 100+ degree heat! #20

Robots... redefining monoteny

If we thought running around a track in circles for one hour was bad, imagine this- steering a robot around a 212m indoor track for 11hrs. Yup, some poor grad student got stuck with this job on July 6th, but in the process BROKE THE WALKING RECORD FOR AN UNTETHERED ROBOT. Ok, now that's cool... 14.3miles in 11hrs before recharging (were those Blackberry GU batteries?!?). The team from Cornell also set an 8.7mile PR in the process (more than doubling your weekend long run?!?... now that's impressive... just hope the robot doesn't get injured). #20

Energy Gels

From personal experience, I know that I really, really like some energy gels (although Blackberry GU is not worth losing your keys over, it comes close), and really, really want to spit out others. So, this week, I decided to look at three different energy gels in order to figure out what the difference between them is: PowerGel, GU, and Hammer Gel. To keep it simple, I stuck with comparing the vanilla flavor because (1) all three had it, (2) most retailers stock it, and (3) I like to pretend it's funfetti frosting.

Ingredients:

• Maltodextrin, Fructose, Fruit Juice, Natural Grain Dextrins: sources of sugar
• Sodium Chloride and Sea Salt: sources of sodium
• Sodium Citrate: adds flavor, serves as a preservative, and regulates acidity
• Potassium Chloride: source of potassium
• Calcium Carbonate: source of calcium and/or functions as an antacid
• Leucine, Valine, Isoleucine, Histidine: essential amino acids that help with recovery after exercise (aid in muscle tissue repair, regulate the immune system, etc.) and increases endurance
• Alanine: a non-essential amino acid that helps the body to efficiently use blood sugar as an energy source
• Kola Nut: source of caffeine
• Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate: serve as preservatives
• Citric Acid: a natural preservative; adds sourness
• Fumaric Acid: adds sourness
• Pectin: gelling/thickening agent

Nutritional Analysis:
The PowerGel contained 110 calories (27g carbohydrates), GU had 100 calories (25g carbohydrates), and Hammer Gel weighed in at 90 calories (21g carbohydrates). The PowerGel had the most sodium (200mg compared to 55mg from GU and 20mg from Hammer Gel), while the GU had the most potassium (45mg compared to 20mg from both PowerGel and Hammer Gel). Additionally, both GU and Hammer Gel utilize the "muscle recovery" amino acid blend, and GU packs 100% of your daily value of Vitamin C and E, and 2% of your daily value of calcium. That's pretty much all there is on nutrition... not too exciting.

#20's Thoughts:
I've actually tried all three gels before. The consistency of PowerGel is a bit more liquidy than the other two, making it easier to consume without drinking a whole ton of water. The other ones can leave a "stuck to the roof of your mouth" type feeling if you don't drink enough water and/or are slightly dehydrated mid-workout (but now that I figured out how to drink water while riding a bike...). However, PowerGel contains more sodium, which I can definitely taste. While replacing lost sodium is definitely a plus (this is actually one of the bonuses that PowerBar highlights), I prefer it to be left out of my fruit, frosting, and coffee (aka flavors of most energy gels). That being said, most people don't mind the salt. GU contained the most potassium, which also needs to be replaced (yeah, there are two sides to that sodium-potassium pump). Also, this particular GU gel contains caffeine, which I like (and does have benefits in terms of athletics), but others don't. PowerGel and Hammer Gel also make other gels which contain caffeine (in both 1x and 2x strength), so just make sure you read the label. #20

Footwear for when you're not running

As I was searching for my left sandal the other day, I came to the conclusion that I spend the majority of my day in running sneakers of some variety. I mean, running sneakers for running is an obvious choice, but do I really need to be wearing old sneakers around for the rest of the day? This got me to thinking... runners have made the decision to "retire" a pair of shoes after they have broken down because they don't want to end up injured. Now, I do realize that the amount of force that is absorbed by your bones, muscles, and joints is much less when walking compared to running. That being said, as the majority of us spend more time not running, is it possible to prolong an injury by walking around in broken down sneakers?

Well, I gave up on trying to do the math on this one (if you want, I'll someday post this) when I came across an article on the Runner's World website outlining some footwear options (old running sneakers were not among them). Also found an article on ScienceDaily claiming that women who walk around in high-heels all the time run into trouble when walking in flats... weird! #20

7/24-25 Reports

Haven't had this much FUN training in the 100+ degree heat in a while... ok, never. But seriously, it was an AWESOME weekend:

• On Saturday, a bunch of us participated in the Cup 'n Cone tour. Although Nicole was the official "TAF Queen of the Mountain" and would have been vying for a top 10 spot, her chip did not register (PowerBars don't make good chip holders... but they are delicious and nutritious nonetheless). Keith was the "TAF King of the Mountain", finishing 16th overall (and only 26sec behind the leader). Men's Results, Women's Results
• We survived Sunday's "Farmer's Market Breakfast Run". It was hot, really hot, and there was not a cloud in the sky as we finished up on Centennial Campus Pkwy. But, WE made it, WE MADE it, WE MADE IT... WAHOOO! And, it has now been confirmed... biscuits, waffles, pancakes, etc. are the best way to end a long run!

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of the weekend, and let us know if you raced. With any luck, maybe it will only feel like it's in the mid-90's next week! #20

Cup 'n Cone Tour

Icecream... AWESOME
Cycling... also AWESOME
Awesome + Awesome... WICKED AWESOME!!!

TAF Racing had a great time at the Cup 'n Cone Tour this morning, and we all have the tan lines to prove it (hahaha). Dave, Sean, Keith, Sam, Nicole, Rita, and I rode together along with our friends Jeff and John. We saw Perry and his son out riding, along with Rita's dad. Nicole was "TAF Queen of the Mountain", and I heard Keith blasted up the Lystra hill (don't know who is the official "TAF King of the Mountain"). Despite some difficulties at the "refueling stations" (TAF Dominoes is not such a fun game), we thoroughly enjoyed the sorbet / icecream / frozen custard that they were serving, especially after 50miles in the blazing sun! All and all, it was a great time... WAHOOO! #20

Full Circle...

We just finished giving a tour of the lab, and one of the people asked the following: "I saw these bracelets advertised on TV. They were supposed to help with balancing..." I actually got to say, "I've heard of these! One of my friends was telling me about them the other day, and one of them had actually tried a similar product. So, I decided to look into the technology..." And, being that I was now better informed on "biofield therapies" from last Thursday's blog post, I could actually speak about it in an intelligent manner! In addition to compression therapy, she also asked about barefoot running, and some of the sneakers for them. Again... blog post! Wow, just wow...

Looks to be an AWESOME weekend...

Cup 'n Cone Tour is this Sat. A bunch of us are headed out to Cary and will probably do the 48mile ride. They are timing the climb up Lystra this year for the "King of the Mountain" award (TAF colors are red and white... hmmmmm). Should be fun... I mean, how can you go wrong when Goodberry's is involved (wow, just noticed that the flavor of the day is blackberry... the most awesome energy gel flavor ever... watch out world)?!?

Sunday, per Brian's (and, well, everyone else's) request is the "Farmer's Market Breakfast Run". In fact, I think all long runs would be a lot better if they ended with biscuits, molasses, and pancakes (still working on the routes- one will probably be around 8-8.5miles and another around 14miles). Oh, and in other news, "Locopops day" has moved to Wednesday (wahooo). This is great... I'm never going to have to cook again!!! Don't know if anyone else is doing any races/runs that don't involve food... if you are, GOOD LUCK (and I feel sorry for you). #20

And, because it's World Record Friday and has been ridiculously hot/humid for as long as I can remember (although the "fitness and comfort" index is moderate according to weather.com), the most snow angels ever made at one time (but apparently at multiple venues) is 15,851. This record was set in 2004 by the 60 schools which comprise the London District Catholic School Board (Ontario, Canada).

Center of Gravity

Yup, the location of your belly-button defines what type of activity you will excel at... at least according to researchers at Duke University (this article describes the same study). So, what is it about your belly-button? Basically, it defines your center of gravity. This is different from your height, as two individuals of the same height can have different centers of gravity. In general, people of West African descent have longer legs, and therefore higher centers of gravity (~3cm, or ~3%), compared to people of European descent. Even though the difference may seem small, this "hidden height" produces a significant increase in "land speed" because, as the lead researcher so eloquently states, "locomotion is essentially a continual process of falling forward, and mass that falls from a higher altitude, falls faster." The pool is a different story. Because Europeans have proportionately longer torsos, they are able to create a bigger wave, ergo they are faster swimmers. As it turns out, people of Asian descent have an even larger torso:body height ratio, but their overall height leaves them just short of out-touching the Europeans at the wall. So, I guess the question remains, who is the better triathlete?!? #20

Run Green

Although I love my research on compression stockings, I hate being stuck inside all day in a windowless lab. When the clock on my computer rolls over to 5:00, I leap out of my chair, sending it flying into the robot maze, and out the door I skip. Ahhhh, to be outside running the hills of Umstead. Turns out, just 5min of "green" exercise a day can have a positive effect on mental health. Research on green exercise was popularized by Jules Pretty, and this form of exercise is really popular in England. In addition to its psychological benefits, most of us could stand to spend more time in the sun, as half of the world's population does not get enough Vitamin D. And, as Nicole was reminded by a guy after the run on Monday, green is such a pretty color (yeah, practice has been too normal lately... knew it wouldn't last)! #20

PowerBar Performance vs. Triple Threat

Both the PowerBar Performance and Triple Threat bars are meant for consumption before or during activity. However, the two differ in the type of activity they are targeted for. The Performance bar is a good choice for higher intensity efforts, such as swimming/cycling/running races or training. The Triple Threat bar is meant for more "moderate" efforts, such as skating or snowboarding.

Ingredients (tried to compare similar flavors - chocolate peanut butter):
[I didn't bother with some of the more obvious ingredients (milk, peanuts, salt, etc.) or repeats from last week, as well as all of the vitamins, minerals and the "less than 2% of" ingredients... this would take way too long]

• Cane Juice Syrup - sugar... although a "healthier" alternative to more refined products
• Corn Syrup - not to be confused with "high-fructose corn syrup", this additive is composed mainly of glucose (sugar)
• Inulin (from chicory) - a naturally occurring polysaccharide (carbohydrate) that can be used to replace sugar, flour, or fat
• Vegetable Glycerin - a sweet-tasting, syrupy liquid
• Barley Malt - a natural sweetener made from barley that is mainly comprised of maltose and other, complex carbohydrates
• Alkalized Cocoa - cocoa powder that has been treated with alkali to neutralize acid
• Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil - slightly more stable palm oil that is found in a lot of chocolate coatings... unfortunately, it contains more saturated fat than just normal palm oil
• Rice Bran / Oat Bran- the outer shell of the grain, which is important source of dietary fiber and other minerals
• Whole Oats - the entire oat grain (lowers cholesterol and adds fiber)
• Milled Rice - basically, white rice
• Brown Rice Flour - flour made from brown rice... also gluten-free
• Peanut Flour - flour made from peanuts... adds flavor and protein
• Soy Protein Isolate / Soy Lecithin - soy is generally added to food to increase its protein content... it's also gluten-free

Analysis of Nutrition Info:
The two bars had approximately the same number of calories (220-240 per bar). However, the ratio of fat : protein : carbohydrates differed significantly between the two. The Performance bar essentially employs a 1:2:11 ratio (each bar contains 3-4g of fat, 8-9g of protein, and 44-46g of carbohydrates), while the Triple Threat ratio is closer to 1:1.5:4 ratio (each bar contains 6-9g of fat, 10-11g of protein, and 30-32g of carbohydrates). Additionally, the Performance bars generally have more sodium, but less potassium and dietary fiber than the Triple Threat bars.

#20's Thoughts:
I actually find the formula for the Triple Threat to be a bit weird. I mean, I've always been under the impression that you want to have proportionately greater "simple carbohydrates" to fat/protein pre-race because the former is much easier to break down. I mean, this article recommends 80% of calories from carbs, although I think they are more talking about what you eat the night before versus morning of. I'm also not sure why they are highlighting the whole "more dietary fiber" in the Triple Threat formula... this seems counter-productive to racing. Oh well, I guess the food scientists at PowerBar know more than me. Still, I think I'll stick with my favorite- Chocolate PowerBar Performance (yeah, I like to pretend that I'm eating brownies for breakfast)! #20

Cold Therapy

Being that I have managed to give myself frostbite more than once in recent memory, I decided to look up how best to ice an injury. I came across this article, which basically describes the do's and don'ts of icing and reviews some "ice packs". This article gave similar, slightly more detailed advice. Although I do realize that I may have left the icepack on for a little longer than recommended, frostbite is a bit extreme. I had placed the ice pack directly on my leg... it said "safe for skin" afterall... but this may have been the problem (this article explicitly cautions against doing this, as well as describes some products for cold therapy).

With all of the "dangers" associated with ice packs (I'm just kidding about this... ice packs are fine if used correctly), I decided to look up icy-hot. And, as luck would have it, I found out I have been mis-using it too (turns out swimming and/or running in the heat and humidity with icy-hot is actually not a good idea... who would have known?!?). Guess I just need never to get hurt... but being that I almost just fell of my chair because I was sitting to close to the end, I don't suppose this is going to happen! #20

7/17-18 Weekend Summary

Brian Fowler hit the podium for the second week in a row, finishing 2nd overall in the Summer of Love 10-miler in Wilmington (results). GREAT JOB Brian, especially given the ridiculous heat and humidity! A couple of us headed over to Centennial campus today to watch the criterium... it was crazy fast, and some of our friends on the NC State cycling team did really well in the A race.

Other than that, I don't have any results to report (let us know if you raced). We got in some great training runs this weekend- I love Turkey Creek, I love Turkey Creek, I love Turkey Creek... wahooo! Have a great week everyone. #20

A Quiet Saturday

So, I don't think anyone has raced today... yet (Brian's raced does not start until 6PM). The Half Marathon Training program run went well this morning, and it actually felt nice outside! Saw Brad out in Umstead too... he was "mid-run" (in other words, he had been running for over 2.5hrs by the time we met up with him at 7:30). And, since we were talking about competitive eating contests this morning, I'll leave you with this:

The Weekend Ahead

After winning Tri-Span last weekend, Brian Fowler is jumping right back onto the racing scene, and will be running in the Summer of Love 10-miler on Saturday. Some members of TAF Racing may also head over to Centennial Campus on Sunday to watch the Criterium Race... don't know if anyone was planning on competing in this too. However, after last week's action-packed weekend of blood, sweat, but no tears (see the picture courtesy of the News and Observer), I think that the majority of us are hoping to get in some solid training runs! On that note, the TAF Half Marathon program will be meeting for a run on Saturday morning. Happy running everyone and good luck if your racing! Oh, and the Cameron Village Sidewalk Sale is this weekend... so make sure to stop by TAF! #20

And, in the spirit of the Tour de France and World Record Friday, the greatest distance traveled on a static cycle is 40.69 miles (65.48 km). This record was set by Holden Comeau from the New York Sports Clubs/Cadence Cycling Team in 2008.

Biofield Therapies

At first glance, the iRenew "balancing bracelet" sounds a bit hokey. I must admit, I am a bit skeptical of the As Seen On TV genre of products, especially when they start throwing in bonus offers. However, someone who's opinion I trust mentioned trying one (or a similar product) on last year. While he initially did this in order to get the annoying product rep to stop pestering him, he found that... well... he could actually balance better!

So, I decided to see if there were any studies supporting the claims made by the iRenew bracelet. They mentioned the term "biofield" on their website, and followed it up with a definition from the NIH! Now this caught my attention... the NIH is a fairly reputable institution afterall, and they are quite picky about the research the fund. So I looked into biofield therapy, and found an article summarizing a review of 66 studies. The authors found strong evidence to suggest that biofield therapy reduces pain, and it also may help reduce anxiety and fatigue. Ok, while I might not be sporting an iRenew bracelet anytime soon... biofield compression socks anyone?!? #20

2010K Club

We have our first member of the 2010 kilometer club for the year.
Brad topped the 1246 mile mark last month reaching 1280 miles by the end of June.
The following are individual totals through June (Kirby, Laurel and Perry have not yet reported).

Brad - 1280
Jennifer - 1040
Lisa - 990
Rita - 953
Meghan - 728
Sean - 628
Dave - 610

Dave and I are barely on pace and will need to keep mileage up through the end of the year to earn our stripes. sk

Playmobil, Barbie, and Lego Athletes

Don't ask me why, but the other night at dinner we got talking about toys we had when we were younger, namely Playmobil (aka the "Peg" people... although I was definitely thinking about the Fisher Price Little People, and I think the "Egg" people are Fisher Price Little Tikes), Lego, Barbie, and other action figures. Then, someone said "blog post"... so here goes relating this all to swimming/biking/running.

Turns out, the Playmobil people probably would not have made the best triathletes. Although they do have a gym and a swimming pool for training, there was only a cyclist Playmobil person (no swimmers or runners... and he wasn't even wearing bib #1).

Barbie fared a little better... we had Bicyclin' Barbie in 1995 (this advertisement is not the best quality, but pretty funny), and Olympic Swimmer Barbie made an appearance in 2000. Barbie has also played baseball, basketball, and soccer, as well as made numerous appearances in the Olympics as a downhill skier, gymnast, ice skater, and "athlete". Unfortunately, Barbie has never attempted a marathon, or any other running or track and field event for that matter.

However, of all our childhood toys, Lego has done the best in terms of athletics. The training facilities available to the Lego people are state-of-the-art, placing them leaps and bounds ahead of the competition in the ToyLand rendition of the Tour de France (yeah, there's a whole set). And yes, the Lego people have made it out to a few marathons. #20

PowerBar Sports Drinks

Last week I realized that, although I was poking fun at Energy Drinks, I really had no clue what is in the majority of "sports nutrition" products. On that note, I might try and do a weekly "what is in this?" post, but with a little twist... namely, comparing two products.

For the first (well, second) in this series, we'll look at the difference between PowerBar Endurance and PowerBar Recovery. PowerBar Endurance is meant for consumption during activity, whereas PowerBar Recovery is meant for post-workout. So, (1) what do they contain and (2) what is the difference between the two?

Explanation of Ingredients:

• Maltodextrin, Fructose, Dextrose: these are all sugars... sugar = energy
• Sodium Chloride: salt... electrolyte replacement
• Whey Protein: a dietary protein supplement... in this case, it is used for muscle repair, but it may also have anti-inflammatory and/or anti-cancer properties
• Citric Acid: a common preservative found in a whole bunch of foods
• Sodium Citrate, Magnesium Citrate, Potassium Citrate: mainly used to regulate acidity... although some add a mild, tart flavor, while others have some interesting effects (I am guessing at higher does)
• Calcium Silicate: an anti-caking agent and an antacid (also used in a lot of building materials... weird)
• Natural Flavor: I hate this "ingredient" because you can't go to the grocery store and by a can/jar/bag/etc. of "natural flavor"... and if it's so "natural", why did they have to add it (I don't see sweetness listed as an ingredient for sugar)?!?
• Turmeric Color: a natural, orange-yellow food coloring agent (tumeric itself has many health benefits)
• Annatto Color: a natural, red food coloring agent (may taste slightly peppery)

Analysis of Ingredients + Nutritional Info:
Basically, the only difference in terms of ingredients between the two is the addition of whey protein to the Recovery formula (this adds 3g of protein per serving). From a nutritional perspective, the Recovery formula contains slightly more calories (90 vs. 70 per serving), sodium (250g vs. 190g per serving), and carbohydrates (20g vs. 17g per serving) compared to the Endurance Formula.

#20's Thoughts (just in case you were interested):
Water + Sugar + Electrolytes = your typical sports drink ... + Protein = your typical recovery drink. Oh, and "natural flavors", forgot that one! I wonder why caffeine isn't commonly added to sports drinks (I mean, they do to other "running nutrition" products)? #20

Heart Rate Monitors

For whatever reason, I have been hearing a lot about training with heart rate monitors. Although I do not personally own one, I completely agree with the concept of continuous monitoring. Basically, by constantly monitoring your heart rate during a workout, you can tell what you really need to work on. Also, they promote the idea of "effort-level" training (versus trying to maintain a particular pace), which might be more valuable for exercising in the heat and humidity. Here is a review of some "less expensive" heart rate monitors. #20

7/10-11 Reports

GREAT weekend for TAF Racing:

• Lisa Howell was 3rd in her age group at the Grandfather Mountain Marathon, managing to shave 26min off her time from last year... THAT'S AMAZING!!! Results
  
• Brian Fowler was 1st overall in the Tri Span 10k, running a time of 34:31... TOTAL DOMINATION!!!
• Triangle Tri was AWESOME! James was 1st in his age group by nearly 4min, and Rita was 3rd in her age group, despite dripping blood across the finish. Also of note, Nicole ranked 1st in her age group on the swim, and Keith and I ranked 1st in our age groups on the run. Oyler and Perry had all-around good races, and it was great to have our teammates (Jennifer, Sam, Angela, and Tim) out there cheering. Our training partners (Kari, Stephan, Ed, and members of the NCSU Tri Team) also competed well... GOOD TIMES!!! Open Women, Open Men, AG Women, AG Men

AWESOME JOB everyone and CONGRATS to all those who raced. Enjoy the rest of the day... heard Paul the Octopus picked TAF Racing! #20

Tri Span 10K Report (from Brian)

On facebook I've been counting down to this race for the last week and dubbing it Operation: Mass Destructionism. 34:31 after the start of the race it might as well have been called Operation: TAF Destructionism!!! 1ST PLACE OVERALL IN THE 10K HOMMIES!!! It was a fairly humid start but not too bad all in all. It could have been a lot worse had the sun been out. It looked like it wanted to rain or at least drizzle for a bit which would have been fine by me because about five minutes after we left the house this morning I noticed that I had forgotten to grab a water bottle so I didn't have anything to drink this morning before the race. I didn't really have a problem with feeling thirsty or anything during the race. So now a few notes on the race...

The 5K and 10K start at the same time, so you don't know who is running which race until the 5K runners turn left and the 10K'ers go straight up the entrance ramp to Hwy 421. I was 5th at that point, and the everyone in front of me turned left. Pro: I was in front going onto the bridges (which I trained on quite a bit last year and still remember very vividly). Con: I was in front and didn't have anyone to chase. The first bridge is the longest, and then there is a straightaway by the Battleship. I didn't have a chance to see behind me until after the turnaround on that road... the nearest person was ~40sec behind, and that's about as close as anyone got to me for the rest of the race. I ran the second and third bridges conservatively, making sure that I didn't spend too much energy on the uphill parts to where I wouldn't be able to work the downhills. Home stretch had me passing a few of the 5K runners, and I finished 1st in this particular race for the first time in the five or six times I've ran it!

CONGRATS BRIAN... AWESOME JOB!!!

Triange Tri Report

TAF Racing did TERRIFIC at Triangle Tri. Every time I turned around, I think I ran into someone on the team (Rita, Nicole, James, Keith, Oyler, Perry, and I were racing) or that we train with (Stephan, Ed, Kari, Miles, and lots of NCSU tri-team members were out there too). And thanks Jennifer, Sam, Angela, Tim, Mrs. Beard, the Lewis family, and the Lavin family for coming out and cheering us on! The Gaals were with us there in spirit, as we were reminded by the constant "Marty and Bri of One Step Beyond would like to wish you all good luck" announcements.

Ok, now to the race. To begin with, the "official" water temperature was 90 degrees. I'm not sure if anyone else found this slightly disconcerting... I mean we were swimming in the cooling lake for a nuclear power plant. The swim itself... was... well... that water is gross! We were happy to start, as the bottom of the lake was disgusting and we were all worried about leeches. The water was pretty choppy by the outer buoys, and I tried to forget that we were right by a nuclear power plant as I got a mouthful of water. We heard the fans for the power plant turn on... I think we were all happy to be done the swim! However, this didn't seem to deter James, Keith, and Nicole, as they led their waves out of the water.

Now to the bike. The course was really narrow to begin with... and poor Rita encountered a rider who had decided it was a good idea to come to a complete stop going around a tight turn. Needless to say, the other rider "won", and Rita got knocked down. However, she bounced right back up, and continued racing. The rest of the course was hilly... and although the uphills were less than fun, the downhills rocked... and Oyler, James, Keith, and Nicole killed the bike!

Then came the run, which is where TAF Racing always excels... although, I must admit, that felt like the longest 5K of my life!. All told, everyone finished up amazingly well. Of note, James grabbed 1st in his age group, and Rita (despite dripping blood across the finish line) was 3rd in hers... CONGRATS GUYS!!!

Also, in case anyone is wondering, icey hot can hold up for approximately 350m of swimming!

Racing = Fun!

After weeks of early mornings at the Pullen Park Aquatic Center, rides up grueling hills in the maze of streets behind Ridge Rd., and, well, our normal running schedule... it's finally here- Triangle Tri is this Saturday!!! A whole bunch of us and some of our friends will be racing / volunteering... should be a good time! Others will be headed to Wilmington to compete in the Tri Span 10K/5K, and the TAF Half Marathon Program is also meeting for a training run on Sat. Not sure if anyone else has anything planned for this weekend... GOOD LUCK to anyone racing and HAVE FUN!!! #20

And, for World Record Friday, Michele Santelia set the record for typing the most books backwards in June,2009. He typed 68 books (3,663,324 words, 20,680,060 characters , 24,154 pages, 266,741 paragraphs, 516,498 lines) backwards in their original languages using a computer with four blank keyboards and without looking at the screen. The possibilities for forward-typing with normal keyboards are endless!

IR, UV, and Running

Well friends, I might have shed some light on my inability to trigger automatic doors (and, fear not, I will relate this to running). As some of you know, the door at Food Lion and I are engaged in a constant battle... it doesn't really like to open for me! I noticed that this seems to happen more frequently after workouts, when I am really tired and hungry and just want to get home and "make" dinner. One of my friends mentioned that the doors might be IR-triggered (IR = infrared). So I looked into the relationship between automatic doors and IR, and stumbled across the solution to my problem... apparently, it's what I'm wearing!!! Lighter-colored fabrics do not absorb as much IR-energy as darker-colored fabrics. Additionally, cotton also presents a problem. Being that I normally throw on an old race t-shirt after workouts (and the majority of these are white)... well, I am a VIRTUAL IR NINJA! So, I am thinking of conducting an experiment in the near future: I am going to leave a dark-colored, non-cotton t-shirt in my window (in the sun) during a workout to "charge" before I go grocery shopping... that door at Food Lion doesn't know who it's messing with!

Ok, and now to something a bit more on the topic of IR, UV, and running. Not surprising, it's better to wear lighter-colored, non-cotton fabrics to work out in on hot, sunny days (awesome... scientific-evidence to support the traffic-cone orange shorts / red TAF top look). However,we also need to consider the light at other end of the spectrum- UV (ultra-violet). Skin cancer is the most prevalent cancer in the U.S. So, make sure you are either wearing sunscreen (spf 30 or higher) or clothing with UV-protection (a lot of tech shirts are now made this way). #20

Tour de France

I feel obligated to post something about the Tour de France... and for me, the most confusing thing is keeping track of the "jersey code", so here goes:

• Yellow (general classification): the overall leader
• Green (points classification): the best sprinter (points are awarded for high finishes in a stage and for winning intermediate sprints)
• Red & White Polka Dot (mountain classification): the best hill climber (the "King of the Mountain" is decided by who reaches the top of the mountain first)
• White (young rider classification): the best "young" (under 26) rider
  

There are two other "awards" that are given at the Tour's completion- the best team and the most combative rider. Happy Tour-watching everyone! #20

Feel the Energy

As I watched one of our teammates down his customary pre-race energy drink, I decided that it was time for a blog post on the topic. I know some people swear by them (I have listened to a commercial for a 5-hour energy drink no less than 5 times while writing this)... so what exactly is the magic ingredient?!? I remember reading an article a while back describing what's inside Red Bull - glucose, caffeine, and niacin were the only things I recognized! Turns out, Red Bull also contains a lot of other interesting things, the majority of which have unknown effects. Full Throttle is much of the same, my favorite ingredient being glycerol ester of wood rosin (mmmmm... sounds tasty). Also came across an article describing the "generic formula" for energy drinks.

Ok, so what does all this mean for the runners, swimmers, and cyclists among us? Well, as it turns out, energy drinks may not be the worst choice. Caffeine is known to enhance performance, we need glucose to keep from bonking, and Niacin is good for you. While I might stick with PowerGel, that's mostly because I might be too busy bouncing around after drinking an energy drink to realize the race had started! #20

July 4th Weekend Synopsis

Long weekends are GREAT for racing:

• Total TAF Domination at the Great Raleigh Road Race - Laurel was the 2nd woman, Jennifer was the 3rd woman, Oyler was the 3rd Master's runner, Rita and I were 1st in our age groups, Dave was 2nd in his, and Marty was 3rd in his. We also saw a bunch of our friends and some runners from the TAF Half Marathon Training program out there... AWESOME JOB! Results
• David Kirby was 3rd in his age group at the Firecracker 10K... WAHOOO! Results
• Bobby Mack (TAF Elite) was in the top 25 at the Peachtree Road Race. John Crews also ran well, placing in the top 40 overall... those are some CRAZY fast times! Results
• Sean, Rita, Mr. Beard, and I had fun at the Firecracker 50K.

CONGRATS everyone and hope y'all had a great July 4th!!! #20

July 4th - USA vs Britain

Hope everyone had a great July 4th... go USA!!!

1. Cycling - USA has twice as many top contenders in the 2010 Tour de France as Great Britain
2. Golf - although USA and England have equal numbers of golfers in the top 10, the USA owns 4 of the top 5 positions
3. Running - USA beat Britain in the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country Championships (had to throw that in there because Bobby ran in that race)
4. Soccer (sorry, football) - (1) USA and England tied (yeah, who would have guessed?!) and (2) USA made it equally as far as England before being eliminated
5. Swimming - total USA domination
6. Tennis - the USA men have a top contender for Wimbledon, and the Williams sisters rank high in the women's competition
7. Triathlons - USA has a clear history of domination at Kona

Firecracker 50k Report

Sean, Rita, Mr. Beard, and I had a great time at the Firecracker 50k this morning. It was a great day for a bike ride, and Goodberry's at 10AM is always a plus! We also saw Jennifer out running... can't wait for fireworks this evening. Hope everyone has a great July 4th! #20

Great Raleigh Road Race

TAF Racing stole the show at the Great Raleigh Road Race this morning. After days on end of ridiculous heat and humidity, the weather finally cooperated this morning, and it showed! From the start, it was total TAF domination. Oyler and Laurel worked together for the first bit of the race. Marty and Tim also ran as a duo, Jennifer and Rita were unstoppable, and Dave and I pushed each other up one of the many hills in the middle miles. Joe Miller was also out volunteering... I know his cheering helped me up the hill as we rounded the final corner onto Hillsborough St.

In the end, Laurel and Jennifer finished up as the 2nd and 3rd women respectively. Oyler was 3rd on the Master's side. We also added some age group wins to our column - Rita and I were 1st, Dave was 2nd, and Marty was 3rd. I'm not sure if Tim placed in his age group... he should have because he ran a really good race (did I mention that this was his 4th race in 7 days... that's just insane)! Mark from the TAF Half Marathon Training Program also joined us... it was a GREAT day. CONGRATS everyone, we sure did earn those festive green shirts! #20

Holiday Weekend Races

You know what's great about 3-day weekends (I mean besides the obvious)... you get an extra day to recover!!! On Saturday, TAF Racing will be well represented at the Great Raleigh Road Race (TAF-sponsored event; packet pickup at TAF today from 4:30-6). I'm not sure if anyone was planning on running in the Freedom Run... but it looks to be a good race. And, I believe TAF Racing Elite is headed to GA for the Peachtree Road Race.

The TAF Half Marathon Program is meeting for a training run on Saturday. A few of us were also planning on riding in the Firecracker 50k on Sunday. GOOD LUCK if you're racing, and hope everyone enjoys the weekend. And, because fireworks are the cornerstone of every July 4th celebration, here are some world records on the topic! #20

Because everyone needs a "rest" day

Well, you can't train like a Jedi, superhero, or Rocky everyday, so I thought I'd throw in some "alternative exercises":

• Shake Weights - leading the edge in dynamic inertia technology, this product will have you looking like the Incredible Hulk in just 6min a day!
• Shape-Ups - throw your sneakers aside... the kinetic wedge in these sneakers helps to strengthen your muscles whenever you are walking, or even just standing!
• Power Plate - by capitalizing on the principles of Acceleration Training, all you need to do is stand on this device for 15min a day, 3 times a week to increase strength, flexibility, bone mineral density, range of motion... the list goes on and on!
• Ab Circle Pro - made of gym-quality steel, this treadmill for your abs will help transform your body into one you've always wanted... how can you go wrong with 3-resistance levels on a frictionless track?!?
  
• Vibro Belt - in case the Ab Circle is just too much work... get that 6-pack you've always wanted by doing absolutely nothing!
• Neckline Slimmer - look eternally young... that's all I got

Or, you could just take the day off completely and curl up with your Snuggie (don't worry, they make them for pets too) and watch some TV. I am not sure which of these products I find more absurd... but, what I find disturbing is that it actually looks like you could injure yourself using them if you weren't careful! #20