Ladies – stay tuned to your inboxes for a message from me (drtrirunner at gmail dot com) and a coupon code to go get creative.

Moving on… this is a BOOK REPORT edition of Tried It Tuesday! First step, you should erase the memories of book reports on A Wrinkle in Time, Where the Red Fern Grows, or The Call of the Wild. (<- OK, I actually liked that one…) I’m not going to ask you to make a panorama out of a shoe box or write a “five paragraph essay.” The Distance was a book I devoured in about two days, by choice, and just one of several tri-related book reports to come.

Being on a medical leave of absence from school right now, my have to read list suddenly vanished, and my want to read list is growing shorter and shorter at the rate I’m plowing through books! The Distance by David Mills had been on that want to read list for a long time. The tagline for the book states, “An average Joe’s path to balancing family, work, and triathlon.” Kind of ironic that I read it now, when I don’t have to balance anything, and am doing zero tri training to speak of.

Given the typical audience of my readers, chances are you’ve already done a triathlon (or many) or have at least thought of doing one. Maybe you only considered it for a fraction of a second. Maybe just in hearing your friend talk about his upcoming tri, when your thoughts sounded more like ok buddy you’re nuts. But I bet your mind wandered, even if just temporarily, to maybe I could do that?! Whether you talked yourself out of that thought or promptly went to go register for an Ironman, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy this book!

The Distance is not filled with scientific theories and the biochemistry behind lactate accumulation and anaerobic threshold workouts. You will not find spreadsheets, graphs, or diagrams detailing various training plans, macronutrient breakdowns, or bike handling technique. What you will find, and this was summed up spot-on by another reader of the book, is that “David’s book grabs you and compels you to live out a better story with your life.” (-Brian Boyle, Dallas, GA) That’s a book I can get behind, and a book that I will definitely read again.

And at less than 200 pages, it’s a book you easily could read multiple times. I ended up writing in the margins and highlighting certain sections or quotes. Quite a few were added to the “QUOTES” Word document (original name… huh?), joining the likes of Once a Runner, Running on Faith, Ultramarathon Man, Running on Empty, and Going Long.

Just want to finish with the quote David wrote to me on the inside of the cover. He said, “Erika, Destroy your limitations!” That’s one we can all keep in mind… don’t you think?

Reader Qs:

Any other “must reads” to add to this “want to read list?” I’m actually plowing through it pretty quickly. I will definitely need a good supply before going into the hospital, and for the several weeks following!! What was the best book you read as a kid?

-E

One product in the non-free category I’m sure just about everyone is familiar with: the ROLLER.

Or the massager. Or the massage-roller. There are so many different options on the market now and they’re so widely available, that the question has gone from “What is a foam roller?” to ”What type of roller is the best?” You’d almost have to try them all to know…

… and luckily, I’ve had the opportunity to do pretty much just that. I’ve tried rollers that feel soft, rollers that feel hard, rollers that elicit tears, and rollers that really don’t feel like they’re doing a ⠙⠈⠍⠝ thing. (Side note: It’s somewhat pathetic/amusing the amount of this stuff I have in my house. Some day – when the student loans are paid off – I will dedicate a room to this crazy thing we call exercise. Until then, the QRoo and trainer belong in the living room, and the pull-up bar goes in the kitchen doorway.)

Back on track… BRIEFLY: this is essentially the poor-man’s massage. Using these tools helps stretch muscles and tendons, as well as assists in breaking up scar tissue and soft tissue adhesions (muscle tissue stuck together). Just as with stretching, there is a difference between hurts-so-good and SOB!-that-wasn’t-supposed-to-happen. It’s important to differentiate between a moderate and healthy discomfort, and discomfort that can lead to an injury.

It was difficult to decide how to organize this – from favorite to least favorite? From hard to soft? Most expensive to least expensive? I’m not sure if there’s a method to the madness, but I think I’m going with the “originals” to the newer products. Maybe.

1. Pro-Tec Athletics Foam Roller

• 6″ x 35″ – $29.95**
• 6″ x 18″ – $24.95** – nice for traveling)
• High Density
• Comes with an instruction manual… in case you couldn’t figure it out?
• What I consider the “standard” or “traditional” foam roller – no bells or whistles, but it gets the job done. This is the type of foam roller you will find in most gyms, health clubs, and PT clinics. At first this was all I needed, but now that I use them so frequently, it feels like it’s not doing much. Great if you’re extremely tight or just breaking yourself into rolling.
• From Pro-Tec: “The Pro-Tec foam roller is a great tool for stretching, promoting flexibility and myofascial release! It can help alleviate muscle and soft tissue tightness of the upper and lower back, IT band, hamstring, adductors, upper arm, and much more!”
• Pro-Tec Athletic’s Website

2. Performtex Textured EVA Foam Roller

• Very similar to a traditional foam roller, but with small textured bumps along the whole surface for “added stability and deeper trigger point activation.”
• Just personal opinion – I feel like this gets a bit deeper into my muscles than the standard, non-textured foam roller. Makes sense of course, but you wouldn’t think it would make that much of a difference. It does!!
• 6″ x 36″ – $39.00**
• From Performtex: “Looks badass.” Yes. Yes it does!
• ***As a side note… Performtex makes wonderful kinesio tape. They’re working on putting together “how-to” videos which (I believe!) will be available from their facebook page.
• Performtex’s website.

3. Rumble Roller

• 5″ x 12″ – $44.95**
• 6″ x 31″ – $69.95**
• Not for the faint of heart – the surface of this bad boy will work you over like a physical therapist… with a desire to make you squirm.
• OK – maybe that’s a little intense. I actually have to break into it though, by using a traditional foam roller first, and working into the Rumble Roller next. Either this means I’m super tight (true), or the Rumble Roller gets into deep tissue (also true.)
• Available in “original density” or “extra firm”. I have the original blue, and I’d say it takes a champ to handle the Extra Firm. Consider that a challenge!
• People ask me about this and want to try it out ALL THE TIME. So much so that I had to write my name and phone number on it, in case it “accidentally” walked off.
• Rumble Roller’s Website

4. The Stick

• Available in three different levels of firmness – firm, standard, and flexible.
• Firm: Big stick (30″ – $53.95) , Stiff Stick (24″ – $47.95), and Sprinter Stick (19″ – $34.95)
• Standard: Power Stick (27″ – $47.95), Original Body Stick (24″ – $42.50), Travel Stick (29″ – $27.50)
• Flexible: Flex Stick (26″ – $42.50), Marathon Stick (20″ – $31.95), Hybrid Stick (23″ – $44.95)
• Available at most marathon or big race expos, and online.
• They have a fun “Stick Selector” tool on Products page that helps you pick out which product might be best for you. They told me I’m best suited for the Travel Stick or the Marathon stick. Whattya know… I have both!!
• The Stick’s Website.

5. PVC Pipe.

• If you want to talk about bad ass…
• I don’t know if I can actually/safely recommend this. It hurts like a %!&@#. Be careful of the anterior tib, ITB, and TFL areas.
• But hey… it’s affordable!!**
• No, I’m not BSing you. We have multiple widths and densities of PVC pipe specifically for this purpose in our training room.
• PVC’s Website.

These five different options only scratched the surface. There is a sweet product from Trigger Point Performance Therapy called The Grid that looks like an intermediate version of the Rumble Roller and the Textured EVA Roller. They also have a total Hip & Lower Back Kit that I have been eyeing forever and will be on my Christmas list (Photo at Left). I have never had issues with lower back pain until just a few months ago, and am still trying to figure out the root cause. All I can say is, I feel like I was trampled in Jumanji!!

Reader Qs:

How do YOU roll? Is it a regular part of your routine, or only when you’re feeling particularly tight? What is your favorite recovery tool?

-E

*Ladies (and gentlemen)… take note – that SHOULD be free.
**Prices may vary by retailer.
*** I promise Performtex didn’t ask me to plug their kinesio tape. Working in an athletic training room and working with several Division 1 teams, I’ve used a billion kinds of kinesio tape. I really, truly, 100% un-biasedly like Performtex’s tape the best!!

It’s one thing if you’re an elite runner, and you have a wall room of fame with every shoe you’ve ever run in, every medal you’ve ever won, and race photos from floor to ceiling. (Spirit of a Marathon…? Anyone??) But when you’re a “normal” runner, who goes through 3 to 4 pairs of shoes annually, and has been running since the age of 12, you probably don’t need to hold on to all of them. Yeah… I had a lot of shoes to clear out.

It’s wasn’t like an episode of Hoarders… a bunch of them I’ve donated to shoe reuse programs to get a discount on the new shoes. A particular two pairs had been thrown directly in the trash after mud-runs. One [semi-clean] expired pair is kept for walking, and another [not-as-clean] expired pair is kept for mowing the lawn. Just one pair – my very first ever pair of “real” running shoes – is being kept for memories sake. But all the rest of those still usable / no holes / not suitable for running / but still in decent shape running shoes? Time to move on.

Asics 21??s, a la 2008

Now I really wish I had taken a picture… There were probably 10 pairs of miniature Asics. One pair of New Balance, one pair of Nike, and two different Adidas. All with different colors, from different seasons, and different memories. As I set each pair, with their little $1 or $2 price tag, out on the driveway, I got to take a jog down memory lane…

• my first half marathon
• my first marathon
• my PR marathon – the shoes I FORGOT at home the day before the marathon
• the XC seasons I took All-City
• the XC season that Asics were back-ordered, and I had to get an emergency different brand shoe the day before a meet…
• … which shortly thereafter led to my first stress fracture
• the shoes I was wearing when I found out about my hip fracture, and took that “last fateful run“
• the shoes I was wearing for what will very likely be my last full marathon
• my first triathlon
• Ragnar Relay
• the shoes I ran in when I studied in Spain
• the shoes I ran in all over Puerto Rico

(Out with the old, in with the new. (L) Asics DS Trainer 14… 2009. (R) Asics 2140s I think… 2010.)

Luckily, I have lots of photos to remind me of these [mostly] wonderful moments… so by getting rid of the shoes I’m only sharing a little bit of what I love with someone else. On the second day of the sale, a neighbor lady stopped by who works with Mano a Mano – a non-profit organization that partners with Bolivian communities to improve health and well-being. Of all the shoes that were still left, I was more than happy to donate them to Mano a Mano to help support their mission. (We were also able to give a few winter jackets, and I got to unload TWO pairs of crutches, a walking boot, an air cast, and a wrist splint. Wooohh!!) It made me feel really good at the end of the day to know what we donated was going to be put to good use.

So now that the athletic-shoe stash has gone from 20+ to less than I can count on one hand… what am I running in?

You probably have heard by now – I have Asics tattooed on my heart. (Metaphor mom… don’t worry. No new ink.) Matter of fact… do an Asics search on my blog and you’ll get three full pages of results. For a long time, I ran in the 21xx series. But after becoming a little more efficient, and a little faster, I decided it was a touch too much shoe. I moved over to the DS Trainer, which I loved. And still do! (I mean… you care about something for so long, it’s not like I just have an “off switch” and can forget about you overnight.) But finally – after so many years – I think I’ve found “the one”…

Asics DS Sky Speed

(Not to be confused with the Hyper Speed, which is pretty sweet racing flat.)

The Asics Sky Speed is a neutral shoe, and considered a “race-inspired” training flat. The women’s SS weighs in at 7.9 oz, while the men’s weighs in at 9.8 oz. (Hahaa… big-footed suckas!!) ((Kidding. Totally kidding.))

The Asics DS Sky Speed is in the same family as the DS trainer, and shares many common features. Both the SS and the DST have the Impact Guidance System (I.G.S.®), Guidance Line™, Propulsion Trusstic®, Gender Specific Space Trusstic System®, Biomorphic Fit ® upper, and asymmetrical lacing.

The biggest differences between the two shoes are that while the DST has a touch of support, the SS is neutral. The SS is more flexible. The SS is slightly lighter than the DST (0.6 oz difference for las mujeres, 0.2 oz difference for los hombres). And the upper on the SS is more minimal. (More minimal…? It’s less.) Put simply, the SS is essentially the old (around version 14) DST, without a medial post.

To summarize my thoughts on the Sky Speed: I love it. I love the way it hugs my foot through the midsole. I love the minimal-ness of the upper, because really, what does the upper do for you anyways besides add unnecessary weight? For my style of running, I think it provides just the right “amount of shoe” under my foot.

If you a wide foot, or need an extra-roomy toe box, I would say this shoe is not for you. If you are looking for a shoe as minimal as the NB Minimus, or even the Brooks Green Silence, then I think you’d say the SS is “too much.”

HOWEVER… if you are looking for a comfy, neutral, flexible, light weight trainer (and you like neon), then you have a winner!!

Reader Qs:

• Have you found that one true love – the shoe that has always worked for you, time and time again?
• Do you bounce around from brand to brand? Or have one brand for flats, one for trainers, one for spikes, etc.? Or are you loyal to one brand and one brand only?
• What shoe are you currently running in? What do you think about it?
• I have not tried the Asics Speed Star… but if anyone else has, I would really love to hear your take on it!! How does it compare to the DST or the SS?  (I know… DS Trainer, DS Sky Speed, Hyper Speed, and Speed Star. All very confusing/very clever.)

That’s all I got for you today! I hope everyone is enjoying their summer (except for the 18 readers I have in Australia, 8 in Malaysia, 5 in Singapore, all the rest in the southern hemisphere who are currently enjoying WINTER. Jeeez I love Google Analytics!!) and enjoying life.

-E

p.s. If you’re at all interested in donating, volunteering, or simply learning more about Mano a Mano, please check out their website HERE!

p.s.s. Legal disclaimer!! This post was in no way compensated for, persuaded by, or influenced by Asics America. All reviews and opinions in this post are based on my own experiences with the above mentioned shoes, which were purchased at my own expense.

It has been way too long since the last Tried It Tuesday… and not because there are a lack of products to review!! There are a a handful stacked in the “draft/to finish” pile, including my hands-down favorite ever (so far) running shoe, some compression wear, and more on the hydration. (It’s supposed to be 100° on Thursday – gotta keep those fluids going!)

But on THIS particular Tuesday, the review is in, and we’re talking about Hammer Nutrition Endurolytes Fizz.

While this is not a brand new product (I think they came out ~October, 2010), they’re new to me. What took me so long to try them? Well, it just so happens that there’s a very similar product I happen to like a lot. Rhymes with the word moon, comes in flavors like kola (which others have likened to “armpit”, but I think is delicious. Bigger question – why do you know what armpit tastes like?), is linked right over there (—-> glance page upper right), and was featured in Train On Top Volume 4: Hydration. You know the saying – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – which is why I have been a little hesitant to make the jump when I have something that works so well for me already.

But then there’s that other saying - Never be afraid to try something new. Amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic. – (or something like that… ) so I decided to give them a shot. Below you will find my review on Hammer Nutrition’s Endurolyte Fizz tablets, as well as a comparison between the Endurolytes Fizz and Nuun’s Electrolyte Enhanced Drink Tabs.

According to the Hammer Nutrition blog, the Endurolyte Fizz tabs were one of the products to take the longest from a nice idea to a finished, fully functional hydration/electrolyte choice. Obstacles to overcome were taste, the chemical stability and breakdown, as well as combining everything into a product that gives you a bang for your buck. Regarding the economics, I’ll quote the Hammer Blog so you can see what they had to say:

Endurolytes Fizz is economical as well, with 13 effervescent tablets in each tube—not 10 to 12, like some of the others—at a cost of $6.50 per tube, or 50 cents per tablet. One of the reasons why Endurolytes Fizz costs less is that, unlike other effervescent electrolyte products, it doesn’t contain inconsequential amounts of vitamins or other nutrients, which only serve to increase the price. Instead, you get the full-spectrum electrolytic mineral support that you need, along with adequate amounts of auxiliary nutrients, just like you do with Endurolytes capsules or powder, but without the hefty price tag. Compare Endurolytes Fizz to the competition and you’ll see that you’re saving a lot of money!

Originally available in Grapefruit, Mango, and Lemon-Lime, the Endurolyte Fizz’s also now come in Peach. I’ve had the joy of trying all the different flavors, and according to my personal tastes I would rank them (from best to worst) as follows: Grapefruit > Lemon-Lime > Peach > Mango.

I will admit that I pretty much hate mangos, in any shape or form, so you may want to disregard that last ranking and just try it for yourself! I felt that all of the flavors were subtle – not overwhelming your water bottle or sickly sweet – in what I believe leads to a drink that’s crisp and refreshing, rather than something that tastes like juice. The “fizz” component of Endurolytes Fizz was also pretty mild, which I appreciated because no one likes bubbles up their nose during a 40 minute threshold interval. Each Endurolyte Fizz tablet is said to contain just 10 calories, <1g carbohydrate, a $#!&ton of Vitamin B6 and Maganese, 200mg sodium, 100mg potassium, and 50 mg magnesium. (See nutrition label at left.)

LIKES: I like the subtlety of the fizz and flavor. I like that you get a bonus tablets (13 in Hammer, vs. 12 in Nuun), and I really like the Grapefruit flavor!! I also like that this is a [practically] calorie / carb free product. As I explained in the HYDRATION issue of Train On Top, I like to be able to control the amount of extra energy I need (depending on the length/intensity of the workout) by adding my own magic to the mix.

DISLIKES: There are only four flavors, and I really dislike one of them (coughmangocough). I know Hammer touts the affordability of these little tabs, but at $6.50 a tube (or 50 cents/tablet), I guess I dont’ feel that it’s worth quite that much. (You could by 34.2 bananas at Trader Joe’s for $6.50.) Nor is it any more affordable than “the other” product. That “bonus” tablet doesn’t really seem like a bonus anymore once you realize both products cost $0.50/tab, and the product with 13 tabs instead of 12 costs $0.50 more. Doh!

How about a little Nuun vs. Hammer throw down? Lets look at just the facts:

Nuun flavors: banana, fruit punch, lemon lime, tropical, kona kola, orange, citrus fruit, tri berry, grape, lemon tea, strawberry lemonade
Endurolytes flavors: lemon-lime, peach, grapefruit, mango

Nuun tablets per tube: 12
Endurolytes tablets per tube: 13

Nuun cost per tube / tablet: $6.00 / $0.50
Endurolytes cost per tube / tablet: $6.50 / $0.50

And the less objective measures….

Nuun flavor intensity (scale of 1-10, 10 being highest): 7
Endurolyte flavor intensity (scale of 1-10, 10 being highest): 4

Nuun fizz intensity (scale of 1-10, 10 being highest): 7
Endurolyte fizz intensity (scale of 1-10, 10 being highest): 4

Nuun flavor options: 11 choices. My favorites = Citrus Fruit, followed by Kona Kola. Least favorite = Tri-Berry*
Endurolytes flavor options: 4 choices. My favorite = Grapefruit. My least favorite = Mango
*I have not tried several of Nuun’s new flavors, including Lemon Tea, Grape, Raspberry Lemonade, or Tropical, so can’t give a fair opinion on those. Nor can I be held responsible if you try them and think they taste like “armpit.”

FINAL GRADE: I’d give the Hammer Endurolyte Fizz tablets a B. The three factors bringing the grade down are 1) cost, 2) limited flavor options, and 3) the Mango. Ick.

But the score that really matters (to Hammer at least) is the amount sold. After all, a business is a business and they need to make a profit. Good, solid products typically have no problem selling! It is up to YOU to decide that for yourself, so if you’re curious about these little electrolytning fizzy drink tabs, I’d suggest you give them a try!

Reader Qs:

Have you tried the Endurolyte Fizz tabs? What did you think? Which was your favorite? Do you use electrolyte products like these during your workouts or racing? Do you have a different favorite drink product I haven’t talked about yet? I’m definitely open to other reviews!

Take care amigos,
-E

ME: To be fair, I am a very temperature sensitive person. I either seem to be super hot when no one else is, or freezing and wrapped in a blanket when no one else is. Although when it comes to running in the winter, more often than not all my running buddies will be just fine and I’m borderline frostbite on the extremities.

GEAR: I don’t know what to tell you… I’ve tried everything! (Or so I thought.) Gloves. Mittens. Gloves with a wind-shell mitten on top. Ski mittens that make me look like I’m running with oven mitts. (Hey… I never tried oven mitts! Maybe I gave up too soon.)

One thing that does for sure work is the sweet little invention called “Lil Hotties” … elsewhere known as Hot Hands. They’re mostly used for ice fishing/hunting/etc., but stick a pair inside your mittens and without a doubt your fingers will be toasty. However, each pair is only usable once, meaning it’s not a very cost effective solution to buy a pair for every winter run. (Funny side note – when I was a kid I thought these were made from gun powder. Maybe because my grandpa used them hunting? )

ENTER: Craft Active Mittens

If you’ve never heard an angel sing, put these on and go outside for a run when it’s below zero and the wind is making it feel like -25°. Return home (/to car) and whip off mitten to grab for key. Suddenly, thoughts will be zooming through your mind at a speed faster than you’ve ever run a mile, sounding something like:

Wait. My fingers are bending… [checking to make sure they’re not broken.] I can actually feel the key in my pocket. [Pinches arm to make sure not dreaming. Turns the key and goes inside.] WAIT. Where is the blood rush? And why are they pink!?! [Touches fingers to face to make sure this is not an illusion. No, they’re real. Runs to find wife/husband/children/dog and grabs one of them by the arm.] LOOK!! [Holding up mobile, fully innervated and functioning hands and fingers.] THEY WORK! [Met with stares of confusion. But by this point, you don’t care. You’re already pulling your mittens back on to go out for another mile.]

Or something very similar. I can’t even just chalk this review up to being dramatic – they honestly change my attitude when going out for a run. This has been a long and cold winter here in Minnesota, and truthfully I was becoming a bit of a fair weather runner. Not any more!! Craft’s motto is “Where Athlete Meets Atmosphere” and they definitely provide products that meet that expectation.

[Legal disclosure: Oh wait, I don’t need one. I bought these mittens with mi propio dinero and no one asked me to review them. What now FTC guidelines? ]

I know many of you outside the state of MN are thinking, um, a little late for the warmest ever mitten review, dontcha think? (Only being that you are from outside MN, you might not have “dontcha.”) However, winter is far from over here in our little corner of the North, so I won’t be packing these away just yet. Also, the end of a season is a fantastic time to stock up on gear –winter apparel goes on sale so stores can get their spring lines out. And [unfortunately] it’s not like winter is going to go away for good, so by stocking up at the end of the season you save money AND you’re prepared for that early storm next year.

If you’re a Twin Cities local and are thinking where can I get a pair of those?! Or any other winter items you want to stock up on (Craft? Sugoi? Mizuno? Got it!!) shoot me a comment or an email and I’ll hook you up with a good deal.

drtrirunner [at] gmail [dot] com

Reader Qs:

What do you use for mittens/gloves? (I know there are some of you in tropical conditions (read: 30° +) that have no use for such items. One word: jealousy.) Do you run outside or indoors in the winter, or both? Do you have a cutoff point where it’s just “too cold”?

Be happy, be warm, and catch ya in a couple of days!

-E

Being honest: of all the different Tried It Tuesday’s and product reviews I’ve done in a past… this one is going to be hard to beat in the future. Really hard.

CHICKED APPAREL:

The ladies behind You Got Chicked – Jennifer Martin and Gretchen Heim – are two powerful women. One a Physical Therapist, one an Art Director, both athletes, both very driven, and both very inspiring. The idea all began when one of the ladies’ cousin had to play on a males university team (because there wasn’t a team for women). She was chicking all the guys! One night designs were drawn up at a cabin… and shortly thereafter, You Just Got Chicked was born.

For those of you that are local, so is CHICKED! If your not local, don’t worry! Orders are being shipped all over the country, across the oceans, and empowering ladies all over the world. (I’m not kidding – you can find someone sporting the CHICKED apparel in Barcelona, Mexico City, England, Vancouver and more!) If you do happen to be local to the Twin Cities and want to try any of the items on to decide what you like the best (caution: it will likely be all of the items…) you can find the CHICKED apparel at Gear Running Store in Edina.

Gear Running Store // 4406 France Avenue South // Edina, MN 55410 // 952.926.2645

That’s all the necessary information about the company. My opinion might not be “necessary”, but it’s always nice to see the products on a real person/in use/in real life. How many times have you gotten a present from the UPS man, opened it up, and thought $#!&. That’s not what it looked like online….

Chicking all of MSP airport, Chicago, and Nebraska. Sorry for the cell phone picture – I wasn’t trying to wake up sleepy people on the airplane with my flash!

LS Black

SS White – Men’s

The pants are probably my favorite. If you haven’t met me in real life, you might not know that 87% of my wardrobe consists of “athletic” apparel. (Example: the above airplane photo.. I’m wearing my CHICKED tights, my Green Silence running shoes, my HTFU sweatshirt from back in my Boston days, and have my U of MN athletics backpack as my carry-on.)

LIKES: (I felt the need to tattoo my emotions… “Like” wasn’t strong enough of a word. [That is supposed to be a heart...])

1 // TECH.

Dear Races, I know it is not always within the budget to print on tech material. But I am running out of things to do with all these cotton shirts. That are quite honestly extra large for a “small”…

Sincerely, Dr. T.R.

2 // SIZING. As mentioned above, yes, unisex sizing (and shape) is great for saving money in the budget. But I do actually enjoy clothing that fits my body. XSW should stand for extra small – women’s. Not Extra Short and Wide. The ladies behind CHICKED were very aware of this issue, and I will say that items fit true to size. Currently, pants are printed on NIKE, and shirts are printed on NEW BALANCE, so if you know your size in those brands you’re good. Or again, if you’re local to the Twin Cities, you can try the items on at Gear Running Store to be sure.

3 // The message. If you’ve been here at Dr.TR for a while, you should know I’m all about empowering women. (Please come back for Thoughts on a Thursday this week for a little more on that matter…) The You Just Got Chicked apparel is not just for the elite “panty” running ladies at the front of the pack. “Getting Chicked” means being passed by a stronger woman athlete. “Traditionally” the phrase is referring to passing a guy, but you’re definitely “chicking” other ladies too. And no matter how slow you think you are, there is ALWAYS someone slower. So yes – you will always have “chicked” at least one person.

The CHICKED ladies also donate a portion of their proceeds to the Women’s Funding Network which works with over 165 networks and organizations empowering women around the world. Yep… they’re kinda a big deal.

DISLIKES: (Haha I know… my tattoo skills are mad. You can hire me any time.) There is really nothing negative I have to say. But

1 // No tank tops. YET! (I am one of those either SUPERhot or SUPERcold people, and for working out indoors, I wish I could have the tank tops now. I am also one of those notsopatient people, so I wish I could have the tank tops now. They will be ready for SUMMER for sure.)

2 // What about the señores of the world? Are we just going to leave them out of the fun? (Nope…. see last photo above!)

THE BOTTOM LINE…

I. ❤. This. Stuff. And I hope you do too. You can buy all of their items online (under the BUY GEAR!! tab ) or at Gear Running Store in Edina, MN. Keepin’ it simple with only two options. Oh wait… maybe a 3rd. Keep checkin in here on Dr. TriRunner and you could win your own CHICKED goodies!!

Reader Qs: What do you think of the CHICKED apparel? Anything you’d change? Any styles/cuts of clothes you’d like to see? I know they’d love any and all feedback!

And with that my friends… I am OUT. Ciao.

-E

Trimmer Square Glass Digital Bathroom Scale

Somehow… over the course of moving 4 times in 3 years I went from owning two bathroom scales to zero bathroom scales? I chose the Trimmer _____________ (yeah, that’s a mouthful of a name) for its simplicity: it tells you your weight, down to the two-tenths of a pound. None of this I’ll measure your body fat, water content, store it in my memory and tell you how far you’ve come crap. Just the basics. I also liked it’s glass plate and sleek simple design.

So for the actual review part of the review, it does everything it’s supposed to. CSN, as always, shipped it crazy fast and it was more padded and protected than a hockey goalie’s family jewels. (Oh wait… was that inappropriate?) MEANING… It came in a box. Inside another box. Marked FRAGILE. Filled with packing peanuts and air filled envelops for protection. Appreciated.

The only thing I don’t like about the scale is that BECAUSE it’s so nice and sleek and modern and SEE THROUGH… I stub my toe on in all the freaking time!! I guess it’s a fair trade off.

Stamina Doorway Trainer

Love. It.

Don’t love that I didn’t know the dimensions of my new doorway at my new house, and this doesn’t FIT in my new doorway! So I’ll be doin pull-ups in the kitchen!

This was an IKEA pull-up bar, as in you assemble it yourself. And assemble it myself I did. It took me less than 10 minutes – all the screws and tools were in the box – and I had it together in no time!

Two things I really love about this:

1. You *don’t* screw anything into your door frame. As a renter, this is appreciated because landlords don’t like you drilling all over the place.
2. The “doorway trainer” assists you with four different exercises: pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, and tricep dips. The more things I can cover with one piece of equipment, the better. My living room is turning into a mini-gym.

My friend asked me: “why wouldn’t you just do push ups on the ground?” Well that’s a brilliant question Watson but here’s my issue – no matter how hard I try to correct my form, I always end up with my right arm further forward than my left arm. Sounds like this tiny trivial difference, but it works the muscles in different ways, and I can totally tell a difference! Using the bar forces you to have both arms in line… and hopefully will help me even out mis musculos. (And yes… I will obviously still do push-ups on the floor.)

A big THANK YOU to CSN for providing me with these items!

Reader Qs: What is your favorite at-home workout (if you have one)? Do you shop online? Post-holidays… I definitely have a little extra cash burning in my wallet, and am SO tempted to make a couple of purchases I’ve been eyeing!! Something like THIS necklace, and the accompanying jacket!

See you later alligator! (Wow… where did that come from? 3rd grade?)

-E

Let’s go.

Cryotherapy is the method of reducing pain or swelling with the use of ice or cold temperature. Cryo = involving or producing cold, especially “extreme” cold. From Greek kruos – ‘frost‘. For whatever reason, I think I must like this whole cold therapy concept, because I have tried just about EVERY product out there. This should come as a shock because in my book, the #2 worst feeling in the world (next to #1 – being lonely – haha!!) is being COLD!! Maybe cold therapy is different in that it serves a purpose, whereas standing on Hennepin Ave for an hour in -18° windchill to watch the Holidazzle does not.

Um… anyways. If you wander on over to the search bar on the right and type in the word “ice” you will see that I’ve experimented quite a bit. Actually, I think the search bar looks for “ice” in any part of a word, like nice or twice, so that’s an inaccurate representation. But for proof, there is definitely photo documentation from April 6th, 2008 of frozen corn ice packs. I’ve used frozen peas, a bag of frozen meatballs, frozen… water (ice cubes? really?), the dixie cup method, school lunch ice packs, and the mother of all, the ice bath.

Now, in my experimentation, I have faced two separate problems. 1) the source of kruos and its’ ability to remain cold, and 2) the method of transportation. Referring to the above image, you will see that I attempted the Hair Band method of affixation. While in a static, non-moving position, the Head Band works just fine. However, if you feel the need to move for any reason – run to answer the phone, get up to use the restroom, walking around the kitchen making dinner, etc. – your S.O.L.

Using a hair band or not, most icing is done while sitting down. Well that’s dandy – hopefully you’re elevating too like the doc’ told you. But sometimes the recommendation is to ice, oh, 5 times a day for example. Unless it’s your JOB to do recovery and ice on and off all day, chances are you need to be up and active, regardless of your little “inflammation”. I introduce to you…

ARCTIC EASE

While they don’t claim to give you back muscles like Mr. Lats over here… they provide a cold therapy wrap or pad that accomplishes BOTH of the two stated problems above. They STAY PUT and they STAY COLD! I was going to attempt to put all of my feelings for Arctic Ease into a concise and coherent paragraph, but my passion was just too strong. Thankfully, they did it for me!

Arctic Ease wraps and pads are an incredibly simple but effective alternative to traditional cold therapy. They absorb heat energy from the body to cool the covered area. The absorbed heat is then lost to evaporation, which allows for hours of targeted cold therapy. Arctic Ease is ready to use right out of the package — no refrigeration is necessary. And mobility isn’t limited since Arctic Ease conforms to the affected area without the need for clips or tape. Arctic Ease is reusable, odorless and environmentally friendly.

I wish I were exaggerating. Having a cold therapy fetish is not something I’d recommend you list on your resume. Or your match.com profile. But this stuff is GOOD! I wish I’d thought to take some action shots the several times I’ve used them, but whattya know I was out and about being active! No, not exactly resting or elevating, but icing AND compression in one! Score.

Best of all, you have a chance to try Arctic Ease. The cost? 15 seconds of your time to leave a comment with one of the following:

1. What do you most frequently have to ice? I had to ice my groin/hip flexor after surgery. It wasn’t so much inconvenient as awkward. Definitely not something I’d try on the go with a leaking+melting bag of ice…
2. Go to Arctic Ease’s website, and tell me something cool you learned! Other than what I’m contributing – The optimal temperature for effective cold therapy is above 59° F (15°C).*
3. Tweet this giveaway OR mention it on your blog! You can just link it to http://drtrirunner.com since I think those ityURLs are tacky. Make sure you include @SperlyTriRunner if you’re tweeting so I can see it! (You don’t have to follow me, but you’re more than welcome to if you want!)

If you want more than one chance to win, make sure you comment for each item individually! The giveaway is open until ONE WEEK from right now. (Tuesday November 2nd, 6:50 pm CENTRAL)

And there you have it compadres! After reading my buddy Jaime’s post today… I know where he definitely will not be icing with these! (Please note that this link contains PG13 material.) That kid nearly broke my face from laughing so hard!

I hope everyone has a wonderful week ahead, and if you live in Minnesota (or Chicago I hear?) you haven’t been BLOWN away!! 81 mph wind gusts says the Chicago AP. Psh…. adversity training.

-E

In between packing race bags, packing for ‘outta town, and packing up to-go orders at the restaurant, I’m packing up my life in many little boxes and getting ready to move. If you are fortunate enough to not have been through this process, well, I just hope you like your house. Stay there, and don’t ever leave.

OK… maybe a little dramatic. Despite the chaos that comes with moving, I am pretty dang excited. While I’ll still be in a shared housing situation, it is with only one other lady, and there is so much more space! And a back yard. And a garage. And composting. And best of all… a PORCH!

Not my house.. but one of my favorite in Minneapolis!

One of the things I’ve always looked forward to the most about “growing up” and having my own place one day is decorating. That being said, I was super pumped when CSN Stores contacted me again to review one of their products! They seriously have something of everything – from sweet lights to cookware, and furniture to exercise equipment. You guys might remember.. I reviewed a blender they sent me when my MB bit the bullet, and it’s still running strong!

As a kid… if you came home and found me watching TV, it’d either be House Hunters, or Trauma – Life in the ER. (Tellingly, this was a pretty accurate prediction of my future career choices… medicine -> architecture -> medicine.) Despite my move back to the health-oriented fields, I still have that Martha Stewart gene running strong. That being said, it took me FOREVER and a half to chose something from CSN to review. Finally though I settled on two items that will be awesome in my new house! Look for a review soon to  come!

So, apologies in advance if the next real post from me is not for about a week. I have something scheduled to go up tomorrow about cross training and injury prevention, and I have a READER question to answer with some pretty awesome input from around the blog/tri/running world!

In the mean time, I’m taking a cue from my buddy J.B. and heading out on a CAMPING TRIP with my hombre. I haven’t been camping since the Boundary Waters trips I took as a kid with the fam, so I’m really excited about this! Just a short trip though, and then back to the grind. Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

-E

Gonna let the photos do the talking here – I’m pretty much all talked-out for today. Essentially, I had a less than stellar race today: I couldn’t feel my feet until 15 minutes after the race ended, and I had a T1 that leaves me hoping I won’t be disowned by my family. Or Peace Coffee Racing. Or UMN TRI. So… definitely not my A-game. But I still placed (2nd in my AG), so it’s hard to complain too much. If you want more coverage from this weekend’s action, check these out:

Manitou 2010 Official Results Online

Minnesota Tri News’ Coverage

In terms of a race REVIEW, here’s what’s up: Manitou. Is. Awesome. The course? Awesome. The swag? Awesome. The fans? Awesome. The race organization/management? Awesome. The transition being closed for 1:45 before my wave even entered the water? Not so awesome, but I’ll plan for that next year. Yeah… NEXT YEAR! I’ll be back.

And before I get to the photos, I need to do a several major mad props shoutouts.UMN (University of Minnesota) TRI is really cleaning up this summer. Andrew Turner, David Preston, Cody Stadler, Sam Janicki, Tom Kandiko, Matt Dodds, Matthew Priess, Aaron Barlow, Claire Chandler, Tracy Powell, Megan Brandes, Susanne Gabrielson (reppin’ overseas!), and hey, I’ll throw myself in, Erika Sperl-Imhoff. Look out for these names. We’re comin’ at you.

Another big up to el chico, my boyfriend, who also raced today at Trinona and finished 7th overall (!!) and 3rd in his age group! It makes me nervous to do the same race as you…!

This is an exact copy of my album on facebook. All photo credit goes to my mamacita – I am so happy and thankful you came!! You should be able to click on the image for the full size. Hope you all had a lovely weekend. Ciao!

-E

THE. END.

Until 2011.