Posted by: Joe Nuss
on Jun 29, 2009
By Greg Ryan - CrossFit Durham
Man Maker Basics
The man maker is the epitome of a constantly varied functional movement. The man maker takes the basic push up and adds a variety of progressively challenging elements. The man maker addresses strength, balance, coordination and core stability in one easy to learn movement that can be performed anywhere you can find a set of dumbbells.
Posted by: Joe Nuss
on Jun 28, 2009
Endurance Magazine's Tour de France Viewers Guide 
By Chad Andrews with Contributing Writer JoE Silva
The Ghost of Tours Past?
Posted by: Joe Nuss
on Jun 27, 2009
By Joe Nuss My wife elbowed me in the back about 3a.m. the other night.
"Joe... Joe... wake up. You're talking in your sleep."
"Où sont mes chaussettes?"
Posted by: Joe Nuss
on Jun 26, 2009
Shimano SH-TR70 Bike Shoes: $349.99 - By Cid Cardoso, Jr.
Finding a good fit with a pair of bike shoes is harder than one would think. It's not that there aren't enough options out there. There are numerous brands and over one hundred models to choose from. However, the line between shoes that fit a little on the loose side (thus creating loss of energy during the pull part of the pedal stroke) and a little on the tight side (thus creating pain or numbness on long rides) is very thin. Then there is the fact that bike shoes need a hard sole to improve energy transfer and pushing against a hard sole for countless revolutions and several hours add yet another challenge for bike shoe manufacturers trying to maximize comfort. It is not surprising then that custom bikes shoes, (such as Rocket 7) have appeared in the market. The obstacles with fully custom shoes have been the price (usually $400 and up), the fit process (more like an orthotics fit where a mold of the foot is taken and then sent to the manufacturer) and the wait (which was can be several weeks). Then what if the fit is not perfect? In a clever way to address all of the above, Shimano has introduced semi custom, fully moldable bike shoes. In the triathlon market, this model is the SH-TR70 and it was used by Craig Alexander on his way to his 2008 victory in Kona.
Shimano actually calls their technology "Heat Moldable Custom Fit" and makes it available in several high end shoes. By fully moldable I mean that the upper of the shoe as well as the insole is moldable. Moldable insoles (or foot beds) have been around for quite some time with reasonable success. I personally find that custom orthotics, moldable insoles (made for cycling) or even some standard aftermarket insoles can significantly improve rider comfort, by providing additional arch contour to mostly flat soles. Nevertheless, Shimano's molding of the upper part of the shoe is an industry first, and this is done at the retail environment with minimum wait.
Posted by: Joe Nuss
on Jun 25, 2009
How Radio Host Sheri Lynch Became a Triathlete - Interview by Joe Nuss Nationally syndicated radio show host Sheri Lynch, the on-air partner of Bob Lacey on the Bob & Sheri show, can take the darkest of situations and relate it back with a unique blend of empathy and side-splitting humor. Undoubtedly developed during her own turbulent childhood, her deadpan humor has become drive-time therapy for a nationwide following of Bob & Sheri show listeners. Sheri's ability and willingness to find the humor in the mundane gives her show a coffee-shop atmosphere and makes you feel like you're laughing over lattes with your best friend after a particularly difficult morning getting the kids off to school.
Last year, during the wake of the break-up of her marriage, Sheri decided to tackle her first triathlon, Endurance Magazine's Ramblin' Rose. During our interview, Sheri described that difficult period of her life and how choosing to do the Ramblin' Rose helped change it.
ENDURANCE: Tell us why you chose to do a triathlon.
Posted by: Joe Nuss
on Jun 24, 2009
Dr. Angelina Stevens
I might be the only cyclist still avidly riding my cyclocross bike in the middle of summer. While the season is long over, I can't up the freedom of riding on roads, trails, and dirt all on the same bike! You could call me a fanatic!
Posted by: Joe Nuss
on Jun 23, 2009
Alex M. McDonald, MD Many athletes use caffeine before and during competition with the goal to boost physical performance. Energy Drinks, coffee and other products claiming to pack a punch are heavily marketed toward athletes and non-athletes as performance enhancers. Often these ads and promotions are linked to athletics and extreme sports. As mentioned previously, many of these products are advertised as able to increase endurance, reaction time and concentration. Although energy drinks claim the benefit is due to various herbs and substances, any physical or mental effects are most likely due to the caffeine content. Which begs the question, does caffeine promote athletic performance, particularly endurance athletics?
First off it should be mentioned that caffeine is a drug, not unlike many other controlled substances, and there is potential for serious health consequences with abuse. Significant sources of caffeine include coffee (12-25mg/oz), tea (0-5mg/oz), cola drinks (4-8mg/oz), energy drinks (12-26mg/oz) and chocolate (variable levels). The most notable behavioral effects of caffeine occur after consumption of low to moderate doses (50-300 mg) and include increased alertness, energy, and ability to concentrate. Moderate caffeine consumption rarely leads to health risks. In contrast, higher doses of caffeine induce negative effects such as anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, and tachycardia. These effects are seen primarily in a small group of individuals who are caffeine sensitive. On the other hand, caffeine was considered in one study as a potential drug of abuse and more recently was described as a "model drug of abuse."
Research has found that consumption of moderate levels of caffeine prior to and during exercise is safe and effective. Most studies have found that consuming 3-6 mg of caffeine per kg of body mass has the optimal effect to enhance athletic performance. Consuming more than this level does not seem to result is greater benefit, and may in fact increase the risk of negative side effects. Caffeine's exact effect on the physiologic machinery is not exactly known, however, it is believed to act in the brain and possibly on muscles at a cellular level.
Posted by: Joe Nuss
on Jun 22, 2009
By Brian Beatty
There is no doubt that aerodynamic positioning on the bike decreases wind resistance. Wind tunnel studies have well documented thousands of position and equipment modifications in the attempt to maximize efficiency. In terms of bike positioning, the general basic take away is the flatter one's back, the better.
However, striving for a flat back aero position could end up sacrificing power output in ways that are more detrimental to performance than any gain achieved by decreased drag. The benefits of decreased drag increase as overall speed increases. In most conditions, an average speed of 22-23 mph is needed to begin reaping significant rewards. At professional time trial speeds, this can be a huge advantage, for recreational triathletes it may be of no consequence.
Posted by: Thys Wind
on Jun 18, 2009
Many of you probably already know who Alex McDonald is. Alex moved to NC last year after completing medical school and his full-time gig is now as a professional triathlete for Timex - something most of us can only dream about. Alex is obviously known for being fast (2007 IM Lake Placid winner, 2007 & 2008 Duke Half IM winner, etc.), but he's also a super nice guy. Most age-groupers know Alex as the "fast guy that cheers for everyone as he's winning the race." I received an email from Alex today, and thought I'd share it with you. It gives you an idea of how hard these guys train, how fast they are, what sort of opportunities come their way, and unfortunately what kinds of obstacles they must overcome to stay on top of their game.
After a great start to the season at Ironman California 70.3 I entered 4 week block of very heavy training. I was training 30-35hrs each week, averaging about 20k in the pool, 350 miles on the bike and 60 miles of running. I was certainly tired by the end yet I focused on proper recovery and nutrition before and after every workout and my body responded well to the training stress.
At the beginning of April I then entered a heavy racing block. I began with a local race in North Carolina, the White Lake 1/2 where I had a great race, but a flat tire caused me to miss first place by just 30 seconds. None the less it was a great mental practice to stay calm and continue to move forwards in the face of adversity. A week later I raced at Ironman Florida 70.3 at Disney world which was a great venue. At this race I lost focus for a few minutes at the start of the swim which cost me a few minutes and I was playing catch up all day. Despite the depth of the competition I knew with a better swim I could have had a top ten finish. Lesson learned and I will certainly make sure to avoid such loss of focus in the future. Then 3 weeks later I made the trip to Middlebury CT to race at the inaugural Rev3. My goal race for the first part of the season was Ironman Coeur d'Alene, just 2 weeks later, so I did not give myself much rest prior to this race and entered it more as a learning experience and practice race. However, a week before Rev3 I was training pretty hard and my hip flexor began to cause me some pain while running. I had rested it yet it was still very painful to run. I had diagnosed myself with tendonitis of the hip flexor, but you are never supposed to diagnose yourself, so I went to a sport medicine doctor. My diagnosis was correct and rest was really the only option. As a result Rev3 became a swim and bike race for me and I had decided not to risk further injury by challenging myself on the run course. At the Rev3 I definitely felt the affects if racing 5 half Ironman in just 5 weeks along with heavy training leading up to IM Coeur d'Alene and felt very flat and fatigued during the race, so I treated it as a last heavy training day before I taper for IM Coeur d'Alene.
This past friday, a little over a week before IM Coeur d'Alene I tried running again, having not done so for almost 2 weeks. After a through warm up, I began to jog lightly and immediately the pain returned. At that point I began to worry that I might not be ready to race an Ironman a week later. After a conversation with my massage therapist, my wife (she's a doctor also) and my coach I decided that I would not be racing. A best case scenario would be a sub-par performance and further injury to my hip which would possibly persist for the rest of the season. Instead I decided to focus all my energy on healing and set my sights on Ironman Lake Placid at the end of July. Having trained and race on that course numerous time, including winning the race in 2007 I certainly have some positive memories and energy associated with Lake Placid.
Although this injury is very frustrating and has interrupted my plan for the first half of the season I know that this is the best decision which will allow me to emerge stronger and faster. Please take a look at my website and blog for all the details www.alexmmtri.com
Lastly, I I have been asked to serve on the newly formed Timex Performance Center Advisory Board for the NY Giants new training facility in the Meadowlands in New Jersey. As a professional triathelte, physician and ambassador for the sport this is a tremendous opportunity. A one of the four member advisory board I will collaborate with world class orthopeadists, sport trainers and NY GIant atheltes to bring new ideas to the sports of American Football and endurance sports. Although the board is still in it's infancy and constantly evolving we plan to meet quarterly to develop new and exciting technologies as well as training methodologies. This is an excellent opportunity as an athlete and physician about which I am very excited.
Thank you again for your support and I hope to continue as a contributor to Endurance Magazine.
Alex McDonald
www.alexmmtri.com
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