tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55772169998085433842024-03-13T07:19:22.469-04:00Recover Your StrideJim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.comBlogger688125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-6577326698392457652019-08-29T08:40:00.000-04:002019-08-29T08:40:43.440-04:00Great old video of the 1982 Bix 7 miler This is an old 8mm film of a race I never ran, but of a time when I did. It is great to see Rob DeCastella, Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter and others in fine running form.<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s-wui08Upv8" width="560"></iframe>Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-14411013123964660272018-07-25T11:10:00.002-04:002018-07-25T11:10:25.293-04:00Great vintage documentary on Bill Rodger's and the 1977 Boston MarathonThis is a great find, a 20 minute documentary on Bill Rodger's before, during, and after the 1977 Boston Marathon. There is video of Bill training and hanging out with his GBTC teammates, the ride to Boston with his wife, the wheelchair start, and video of the race. His then wife Ellen, is often featured handing out liquid E.R.G. (remember that?) to Billy and commenting on the race. It is interesting to watch all the cars, cyclists, and people out on the course. I particularly liked seeing all the runners in the underground garage after the race. I remember being ushered there after my first Boston Marathon. This video brings back the old days of running. Unfortunately for Billy. Boston 1977 was a hot day for running.<br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ac9SvCYapI8" width="560"></iframe>Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-70769460760849846762017-02-27T13:22:00.001-05:002017-02-27T13:23:22.133-05:00Navigate your way home using these Vibrating Lechal Smart Navigation and Fitness Tracking Insoles <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KQCn9vIRpsc/WLRuRZfCYXI/AAAAAAAAPGw/5sF2RyrwnRUewX_b0WMOGnxDhqu07fsmACLcB/s1600/Lechal-Smartshoe-insole-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KQCn9vIRpsc/WLRuRZfCYXI/AAAAAAAAPGw/5sF2RyrwnRUewX_b0WMOGnxDhqu07fsmACLcB/s400/Lechal-Smartshoe-insole-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I saw these <a href="http://amzn.to/2lOTxbM">vibrating insoles from Lechal</a> and was immediately amused and intrigued. Now you no longer have to look at your watch to tell you wear to go as you let your insoles guide you instead. They are GPS enabled and vibrate to tell you to turn or change direction. I wonder if they would work on a bike or my ElliptiGO? What about when driving a car? It may be a great idea or an solution to a problem that no one has. Here is <a href="http://www.lechal.com/#1">a link</a> to their website. They are <a href="http://amzn.to/2lOTxbM">sold on Amazon</a>.<br />
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<br />Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-76715629317153723952017-02-09T13:04:00.001-05:002017-02-09T13:04:32.422-05:00The Worst Marathon Ever: RAT POISON AND BRANDY: THE 1904 ST. LOUIS OLYMPIC MARATHONHere is a fun little video on the 1904 Olympic Marathon that is just too crazy to describe without making it into a board game.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-McZaPIRlhNk/WJyur7hmSII/AAAAAAAAPCo/9UIOw0Jc830irNPPL11k2gpywS4nSxBygCLcB/s1600/Marathon_Hicks1904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-McZaPIRlhNk/WJyur7hmSII/AAAAAAAAPCo/9UIOw0Jc830irNPPL11k2gpywS4nSxBygCLcB/s400/Marathon_Hicks1904.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poisoned and a nearly a dead man walking, Tom Hicks is being helped to the finish.</td></tr>
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Here is an article on the race from the Smithsonian: <a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-1904-olympic-marathon-may-have-been-the-strangest-ever-14910747/">The 1904 Olympic Marathon May Have Been the Strangest Ever.</a><br />
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Such a strange Olympic Games. They even had a sack race!<br />
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span>Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-71700331163580370652017-02-02T23:57:00.000-05:002017-02-02T23:57:02.289-05:00The Shin Box Switch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MiOMzbdLkj4/WJQL1KNd6HI/AAAAAAAAPAw/OT9GLpK1KUEn0OebqOvvriEhF2zNdhFPQCLcB/s1600/shinbox.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MiOMzbdLkj4/WJQL1KNd6HI/AAAAAAAAPAw/OT9GLpK1KUEn0OebqOvvriEhF2zNdhFPQCLcB/s400/shinbox.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I had never heard of the shin box until a couple of weeks ago, but I have been playing around with it for my hips multiple times a day since then. It is a pretty basic exercise, but there are tons of variations and progressions you can try. <a href="https://www.johnsonfit.com/blog/exercises-probably-arent-shin-box-switch">Horizon Fitness</a> says:<br />
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<br />The Shin Box Switch covers many bases, including working on hip internal/external rotation, improving the length of the hip flexors, and activating the glute muscles. </blockquote>
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For those who may sit a lot during the day, this could be the key exercise in helping your body counteract the debilitating effects of prolonged sitting. By providing greater flexibility through the hips, the Shin Box Switch can result in less chance of injury and low back pain, as well as better overall movement and function. </blockquote>
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And, from a pure fitness and exercise standpoint, the Shin Box Switch can be valuable in improving your range of motion and making your lower body strength exercises (squats, deadlifts, lunges, etc.) much more efficient.</blockquote>
The funny thing is that I have been looking forward to seeing <a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2016/05/gun-runners-story-about-friends-guns.html">The Gun Runners</a> movie for awhile and it is finally viewable and free on Netflix this month. Half way through the movie, a bunch of elite Kenyan runners are warming up in Iten, Kenya and what are they doing? The Shin Box. They even have a way of using their hand to hold their head in a way I had not seen and that works well for the posture.<br />
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I did purchase a course through <a href="https://www.moveperfect.net/">Move Perfect</a> for a bunch of the progressions that I might need. My hips have kept me for running since my hip surgery in 2011, so I am willing to give this a shot.<br />
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Here is a brief look at the basic shin box. If you are really tight and just starting out, you can lie down. Progressions take you to standing up. I am not there yet.<br />
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<br />Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-38054447616190825602016-10-22T13:23:00.004-04:002016-10-22T16:06:34.313-04:00Frank Shorter: My Marathon:Reflections on a Gold Medal Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Frank Shorter has always been one of my heroes in the running world.<a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2012/09/new-1972-olympic-marathon-video-footage.html"> I watched him win the Olympic Marathon in Munich</a> on our family's television and fretted along with the announcers <a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2012/09/40-years-ago-frank-shorter-won-olympic.html">when an impostor ran into the stadium</a> ahead of him trying to steal his Olympic glory. I started running cross-country the next year when I began high school. I bought the first book written about him, by John Parker of "Once a Runner" fame, in 1973 from Runner's World. I was one of the less than 1000 people who ran in the 1975 Falmouth Road Race <a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2013/03/kings-of-road-by-cameron-stracher.html">which has been described as the start of the road racing running boom</a> along with Frank Shorter in<a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2013/03/growing-up-with-falmouth-road-race.html"> my hometown</a>. I used a quote I found from Frank Shorter in a Sports Illustrated article as <a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2011/03/to-live-up-to-your-potential.html">my high school yearbook quote in 1977</a> and I followed his career though the years.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On his way to winning the 1975 Falmouth Road Race</td></tr>
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I bought a copy of his first autobiography when it first came out it 1984: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Olympic-Gold-Runners-Life-Times/dp/039535403X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=recyoustr-20&linkId=58433caf6fd055b0d9c8b88369eb5424">Olympic Gold: A Runner's Life and Times</a>, so I wasn't too keen to shell out the bucks when a new autobiography from Frank Shorter came out this year, particularly when I started hearing about the many factual mistakes in the book that an editor should have caught and corrected. So I sort of ignored getting a copy of the book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/My-Marathon-Reflections-Gold-Medal/dp/1623367247/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=recyoustr-20&linkId=6c2748d5e44fddd9aeaf8e3ad35c1c67">My Marathon: Reflections of a Gold Medal Life</a> until I noticed that the <a href="http://amzn.to/2eus2Sa">Kindle edition of the book</a> was only $2.99 (compared to the hardcover price of $26 on Amazon). I knew that the book would have new information on the abuse charges that Frank had been recently discussing in relationship to his father and I wanted to hear what Frank had to say so I splurged the small amount of cash needed to buy it and downloaded a copy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y5YEFRCaqS0/WAucame0yPI/AAAAAAAAOtY/qGuEcBWzGf0mdlbkJUBAYk6oUr3MWaF5gCLcB/s1600/IMG_0004_NEW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y5YEFRCaqS0/WAucame0yPI/AAAAAAAAOtY/qGuEcBWzGf0mdlbkJUBAYk6oUr3MWaF5gCLcB/s320/IMG_0004_NEW.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many years ago at Fitness University<br />
in Nashua, NH with Frank<br />
and two of my children.</td></tr>
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I enjoyed reading Frank's new book even though most of his reflections were about stories I was already well aware of (still worth reading again): his Olympic gold medal run, his reflections on Steve Prefontaine, particularly as Frank was the last person to see Pre alive, and <a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2012/12/1976-olympic-marathon-documentary-video.html">his silver medal run in the 1976 Olympics</a> and his wonderment and concerns about the surprise winner Waldemar Cierpinski and the much later confirmations that this runner was doped up by the East German sports machine. The book also touches on other issues that Frank was involved in including the rise of professionalism in the sport and the anti-doping measures that Frank is so tightly tied to. Then there is the hovering story of his abusive father and the effect on Frank and his siblings and how he quietly dealt with this throughout his life and <a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2012/04/frank-shorters-nightmare.html">eventually started opening up to the public about his father</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MtCvIr0-97M/WAucuorAI6I/AAAAAAAAOtc/iuUNnE8wYfUBitYP7dfkpA2ew4LHbciBACLcB/s1600/FShorter.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MtCvIr0-97M/WAucuorAI6I/AAAAAAAAOtc/iuUNnE8wYfUBitYP7dfkpA2ew4LHbciBACLcB/s1600/FShorter.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After a run with Frank in Hollis, NH about 20 years ago.</td></tr>
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Most of the stories here are like a greatest hits of his career. A runner who hasn't lived through the events of Franks life through the books, running magazines, and races that he has run may find the telling of his life interesting and I would say necessary if you are a runner. Those of us from the road running glory days will appreciate the new angle on things, but will also realize that Frank can't write about all the races that he has run that are missing in this book. Probably due to how Frank has compartmentalized his life due to his childhood experiences and his schooling as a lawyer, this book is reflective of the facts and how they all fit together. As much as Frank thought out how he would win the gold medal, and planned and trained for that, in Munich, his writings give an outline of his experiences in races and in transforming running into the sport it is today. On the other hand, Frank doesn't write as much about his feelings, nor does he give much insight into the internal struggles that he may have faced. And this is to be expected.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AXHd8l-Bpus/WAud2ylOneI/AAAAAAAAOto/N4GK9VSMw6wCuDOhCqRx4TjClkP1By6nACLcB/s1600/14797494_1469133683102316_918668879_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AXHd8l-Bpus/WAud2ylOneI/AAAAAAAAOto/N4GK9VSMw6wCuDOhCqRx4TjClkP1By6nACLcB/s320/14797494_1469133683102316_918668879_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My signed copy of The Frank Shorter Story</td></tr>
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I won't write about the many factual mistakes in the book except to relate two that I haven't seen mentioned elsewhere and in particular, these two mistakes refer to my hometown Falmouth Road Race. The section of the book that refers to the running of the <a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2010/08/1975-falmouth-road-race.html">1975 Falmouth Road Race</a> refers to it as the inaugural edition of the race and talked about the cream of the running Boston running community running it along with about 100 citizen racers. The 1975 race was the third running of the race in Falmouth, not the first, and there were about 800 racers. As a fifth grade teacher, I just have a minor quibble about a sentence mentioning Falmouth, "...the Falmouth Road Race in Cape Cod." We say, "On Cape Cod!" There are many other errors in the proofreading of this book that should be corrected, but they are documented elsewhere.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frank signed this for my class a few years ago, then looked<br />
at it, laughed, and rewrote the message in a different way<br />
on another board.</td></tr>
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I do find that as a reader who knows Frank's stories that the new book updates with a new perspective of him that you might not find in older sources. I recall reading years ago about his small town family doctor father and Frank's large family thinking how charming and blessed he was with his upbringing, only to find out later that he dad was a monster and the happy family story was only an illusion. I remember reading about how Frank trained in Taos, New Mexico for the Olympics and reading how his father use to trail behind him in a car with a rifle due to Frank having a run in with some locals, but then reading that story in a different light with the revelations about his dad.<br />
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This book is well worth a read in finding out how a champion athlete trains and thinks and would recommend that you read it particularly while it is now <a href="http://amzn.to/2eaCf5L">selling at Amazon for only $2.99 for the Kindle version</a>.<br />
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I have already started to read another running Kindle version bargain that I also bought and this one was only $1.99: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/First-Ladies-Running-Inspiring-Visionaries-ebook/dp/B013X9F1PS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=KE5N0YV2DE1043HS0CNE&linkCode=ll1&tag=recyoustr-20&linkId=7f14572ceb7def384dd5b3edd970c031">First Ladies of Running: 22 Inspiring Profiles of the Rebels, Rule Breakers, and Visionaries Who Changed the Sport Forever by Amby Burfoot</a>. While I may have grown up running races far behind the greats of running like Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers, I saw more closely the struggle and growth of the first women to break down the barriers that held women back in sports and it is good to read about the history of many of these women that I have met, run with (or behind), and watched as they broke down the barriers holding them back.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Meb-Mortals-Think-Champion-Marathoner-ebook/dp/B00N24PAL0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZG8R76159X2WP49G06MF&linkCode=ll1&tag=recyoustr-20&linkId=d6a79b728bcdd8a876423e4bc537daac">Meb for Mortals</a> is only $2.99 on the Kindle.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/14-Minutes-Running-Legends-Death-ebook/dp/B007NMBRY6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=S1HEKY6NXMA64PX3CBX7&linkCode=ll1&tag=recyoustr-20&linkId=219ad8f791994db96748a784147c5a4e">14 Minutes: A Running Legend's Life and Death and Life</a> Alberto Salazar's autobiography is only $1.99. My <a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2012/05/14-minutes-by-alberto-salazar-book.html">review of that book is here</a>.<br />
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<br />Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-2712036564565557312016-10-01T15:46:00.001-04:002016-10-15T11:56:34.303-04:002016 Tri-State Seacoast Century on an ElliptiGOFor the fourth year in a row, I participated in the Tri-State Seacoast Century, but this year I changed things up. During the <a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2013/09/2013-seacoast-century-tragedy-on-bridge.html">2013</a>, <a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2014/09/2014-seacoast-century-on-eliptigo.html">2014</a>, and <a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2015/10/three-century-rides-on-my-elliptigo.html">2015</a> versions of the event, my goal was to try to go sub 6 hours on my ElliptiGO which meant that I did not stop to eat or drink and only used what little that I carried because I was counting time as elapsed time. This resulted in some really hard core EllitpiGO rides that left me having some pretty interesting final miles. I also realized, I might never break 6 hours on this course with the winds that you get along the coast and the traffic problems that are sometimes encountered. This year, I decided to have some fun and enjoy the ride (or should I say rides) as I wanted to try doing the century ride on both Saturday and on Sunday.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nubble Light house - the halfway point</td></tr>
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For Saturday's ride, I was supposed to ride with Andrew Warby, but he was held up by work and I went solo, although I did see Andrew later out on the course. The early morning start was cold and I was wearing gloves until the first aid station. The wind was similar to last year's ride as it was more in our face going out. I am glad that I wasn't going for time as I was stopped twice at the drawbridge in Portsmouth for about 10 minutes each time both coming and going. I was happy to finally stop at the food and aid station both times and let me tell you that drinking lots more fluids and eating food on a century ride makes the final miles of the century much nicer,<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See, I stopped to sight-see a bit this year!</td></tr>
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Nearing the finish of the ride at about 85 miles, a rider in front of me was taking a left turn. I watched from about 30 feet behind him as he slid down to the ground like he had taken the turn too sharply and slid on some sand, There was no sand, however, and he remained down. I realized quickly, along with the other riders who were behind me, that he was stone cold knocked out. Strangely, I am pretty sure that he didn't even hit his head on the ground. His body was twitching and his eyes were staring and opaque. He was not responding and someone had called 911 and then handed me the phone since I had seen him go down. For about 3 minutes he was completely out and not responding. I was asked to count his breathing (which frustrated me at first until I realized I shouldn't be looking at his mouth, but at his chest). He was a 62 year old male named Tim and he had a medic alert bracelet on that let us know that he had no major health issues. After about 3 minutes, he started stirring a bit. When the ambulance came after about 5 minutes, he was just starting to respond. He told us when we asked him how he felt that he felt great! He could not remember what had happened to him. I left after the ambulance and fire trucks arrived and assume from what others have said that he might have had a heart attack or some other heart issue. The guy behind me said that it looked like he might have been out before he even hit the ground. I hope that he is fine and recovering. <span style="color: red;">Update</span>: I heard back from Tim and we are from the same town, He broke his collarbone and rib, but did not have a heart issue. He thinks it may have been a seizure of some type that blacked him out. Like a true athlete, he said that he was looking forward to getting on a spin bike and riding again.<br />
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Once I finished the course, after following the GPS route map and marks on the road, I realized that I must have missed some circuit somewhere as my mileage was not quite 100 miles. I did miss turning on my GPS a few times, but didn't miss that many miles. Everyone else I talked to seemed to miss hitting 100 miles too!<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u2lowpY2Mg4/V_APSXxw_8I/AAAAAAAAOnU/M7VWByrTneEuVAXcYaRIxq2Tcv9x0LUwACLcB/s1600/Nubble3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u2lowpY2Mg4/V_APSXxw_8I/AAAAAAAAOnU/M7VWByrTneEuVAXcYaRIxq2Tcv9x0LUwACLcB/s400/Nubble3.jpg" width="300" /></a>My biggest fear for Sunday, was that I might sleep in and miss the start, but I got there on time to meet fellow ElliptiGOer Steve Lecours, who I was planning to ride with, I did arrive on time and it was a chilly and windy morning again. Right before starting, I noticed my brakes were a bit off and then noticed my rear wheel nuts were also loose. I attempted to fix things and then Steve and I were off on the initial 17 mile loop through Massachusetts. I felt pretty good, but my ElliptiGO felt tight and I was having a hard time keeping pace with Steve. I chalked it up to the previous day's ride and the fact that I hadn't warmed up yet. At the end of the loop, I stopped to look at my chain and sure enough, I had tightened the rear wheel which had tightened the chain so that there was absolutely no slack in it at all. I loosened things up and hoped for better.<br />
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Steve and I kept a good pace, but I was definitely working very hard to just stay in contact. I wondered if it would be this way all day or even if I could finish. Approaching the Nubble Lighthouse, I finally figured out how I felt. I pretty much felt like you do during a marathon between miles 16-20. I was tired and tightening up, but I could still hold a decent pace. The question was, would I fall apart at this pace and blow up or would I be able to maintain. Fortunately, the answer was that I could maintain. The second half felt better the closer I got to the finish. I never really had any snap or pop in my riding, and tended to lag a bit on the uphills, but at the end of the day, I finished the ride at just about the same average speed as I rode the previous day. That is all thanks to chasing Steve throughout the day, Without him, I would have eased up on so many sections and might have ridden the whole thing about an hour slower.<br />
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It was interesting pushing new barriers and riding two long days in a row, Thanks to the ElliptiGO, you can put in a massive effort one day and return the next to do so again as it does no damage to your joints!Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-57864567779889958062016-09-19T23:25:00.000-04:002016-09-19T23:25:10.701-04:00Boston "Hub on Wheels" riding ElliptiGOs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sunday, I rode the Boston <a href="http://tdhubonwheels.com/">Hub on Wheels</a> cycling event. We started at Government Center, rode up up and back on Storrow Drive then went south before returning to Boston for a fun 40 mile ride. It was a great way to see the city. I rode it with fellow ElliptiGO rider Andrew Warby. We had a lot of comments and questions about our ElliptiGOs before, during, and after the event.<br />
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<br />Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-29588167317063889152016-09-10T13:02:00.000-04:002016-09-11T14:31:14.284-04:001986 Cape Cod Endurance Triathlon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here is a growing archive of anything related to the 1986 Cape Cod Endurance Triathlon. It was the fourth edition of six Ironman distance triathlons held on Cape Cod. Boston Marathon race director Dave McGillivray was the race director of this fantastic race in the pioneering days of triathlon,<br />
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You can read about the first Cape Cod Endurance Triathlon here: <a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2008/03/1983-cape-cod-endurcace-triathlon.html">1983 Cape Cod Endurance Triathlon</a>.<br />
Here is the information on the second race: <a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2012/02/1984-cape-cod-endurance-triathlon.html">1984 Cape Cod Endurance Triathlon</a>.<br />
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The 1986 version of the race was won by Scott Molina in 8:48:43 and Julie Olson in 9:57:09. The event was held Saturday, September 6, 1986. For the second year in a row, the race was the Tri-Fed Ultra-Distance National Championship race.<br />
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I remember how cold the Craigville Beach swim was and I had no wetsuit, but I did double up on swim caps. The newspaper said the water was 67-degrees. Just like the previous three years when I did the race I was thrilled to get out of the water without drowning or getting lost out at sea.</div>
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Because it was a rainy and overcast day, there was lots of traffic out on the 112 mile bike course out to Provincetown and back as people where shopping rather than spending time at the beach. I remember that it took many miles to feel warm again once getting on the bike.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 112 miles getting off the bike hurt and felt good all at the same time.<br />
I guess it is a good sign that most of the bikes are still out on the course!</td></tr>
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I finished in 10:23:42 in 25th place out of 310 athletes.</div>
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It was 3 minutes slower and 5 places more than I did the previous year.</div>
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Here are the splits/not including transitions for the top three males and females.</div>
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<u> swim bike run total</u></div>
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1. Scott Molina 54:25 4:52:23 2:58:38 8:58:43</div>
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2. Marc Suprenant 53:37 4:45:41 3:20:44 9:02:00</div>
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3. Kevin Mackinnon 1:03:43 5:10:49 3:09:40 9:28:46</div>
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1. Julie Olson (11th) 1:05:05 5:17:49 3:26;20 9:57:08</div>
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2. Beth Nelson (17th) 1:26:17 5:21:21 3:19:24 10:10:10</div>
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3. Kristen Evans (24th) 1:11:25 5:25:29 3:26:05 10:22:53</div>
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25th me 1:19:44 5:16:25 3:41:47 10:23:42</div>
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Takeaways (since I don't remember much about this individual race compared to the others I did)</div>
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I thought my slower time by three minutes from the previous year meant I was slowing down as an athlete. This may actually have been a better race due to the conditions. Although I was a runner, I was a better biker when doing triathlons! I think I went out pretty hard on the run this year. I remember passing Colleen Cannon on the run and she was the prerace favorite and one of the best short course triathletes in the world at the time. She did later drop out on the run. I do remember trying to find a bathroom at around 8 miles into the run. Finally, a spectator said that I could use the bathroom in their house. They had a very long driveway through some woods to get to their bathroom. I am sure I lost at least 5 minutes from that detour, but I sure felt better once I started running again!</div>
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From the Pre Race Program</div>
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Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-55878126114539327572016-08-23T12:01:00.001-04:002016-09-02T09:55:09.564-04:002016 Mount Washington Hill Climb on my ElliptiGOSunday, I competed the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MWARBH/?fref=ts">Mount Washington Hill Climb</a> along with two other <a href="http://www.elliptigo.com/">ElliptiGO</a> riders and about 600 cyclists. This was a huge challenge and I am happy that the event is now over. I drove my van up late Saturday night and slept a few hours in it across the street from the start. That allowed me to wake up early to the moon shining down on the start of the Mt. Washington Auto Road.<br />
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I had done the practice ride up Mt. Washington in July and so many things went wrong. It was a good learning experience. The next couple of weeks I was fixing things on my ElliptiGO. First, the bolts on my rear axle were loose and my rear tire was rubbing at times throughout that ride, It drained me physically and I had to stop at 4 1/2 miles to borrow a tool from someone in a car to try to fix it. That only helped a little and I had to walk parts of the way to the top. I realized that this was now a huge undertaking, but I had to fix my ElliptiGO before the race. I first got the axle tightened, but I still was experiencing friction on my rides until I realized I needed a new bottom bracket (I have 19,000 miles on my ElliptiGO). I got that fixed and then I realized I needed new tracks and load wheels. My ElliptiGO rode so much better with these fixes.I was putting in great mileage (up to 250 miles/week), but preparing for the nonstop climb is something different. I was very nervous going into this race.</div>
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The morning of the hill climb, I met up with fellow GOers, Andrew Warby (who I have previously ridden a century with as well as the midnight bike ride from Boston to Hopkinton and back the night before the Boston Marathon this year) and Jim Cremer, who drove out from Iowa just to ride the hill.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew and Jim at the starting line.</td></tr>
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They would be starting in a wave 5 minutes before my start. As you can see it was a beautiful day to ride up the rock pile. When I first started planning this ride, I thought it would be nice to get the ElliptiGO record for climbing Mt.Washington. Only two people had done the ride on an ElliptiGO before and <a href="http://www.elliptigo.com/newtons-revenge/">the record is 1:54:22 by Bryce Whiting during the Newton's Revenge race in 2010</a>. After the practice ride, my new goal was just to get up without dying or walking. The record was still in the back of my mind, however. I did the practice ride in 2:20, with walking-which is not much slower than riding- and while trying to fix my ElliptiGO. I realized I would need to have an average speed of around 4 mph to do this. </div>
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After a short easy section of about 2/10ths of a mile, the climb is nonstop with an average grade of 12%. I tried to get into a rhythm and things were going pretty well. My heart rate was calm enough and I was staying over 4 mph for the first half of the climb. I had to stop once, when a cyclist fell right in front of me, but I was able to get going. He was very apologetic and offered to push me, but I got going on my own. He was not the only cyclist I saw tumble over.</div>
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At 4 1/2 miles, I hit the dirt road section of about one mile. During the practice ride, it was pretty much impossible to ride this section as it was raining and the dirt had the consistency of wet peanut butter. This day it was dry and I was able to power right up it. I did start noticing a grabbing at my back wheel every once in awhile at this point (usually when I shifted into a higher gear) just like during the practice ride, but it would let up if I shifted the angle of my wheels to the ground or shifted to an easier gear.</div>
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I was very pleased to not stop and dismount at any of the really steep grades. Looking up ahead at a wall of road rising in front of me was very unnerving, so I tried not to look and just kept my head down on the steepest climbs. The problem with this course is that there is no place to recover or relax. You can't let up anywhere to catch your breath. When the grade was between 8-12%, I felt my best as I could move up a gear or two and try to get my average speed up.</div>
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Miles take forever when you are going so slow, but eventually I neared the top. The steepest section is the corner right before the finish line. They say the average grade here is 22%, but during the practice ride, my Garmin shows at least one bump at 39%. I went wider around the corner this time and it still registered 37.5%. But, before I got there, I was doing great with my plan of riding all the way to the top without walking.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew Warby nearing the top. <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Photogragh by </span><a href="http://www.joeviger.com/Events/2016MWARBH/" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Joe Viger</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What an awesome <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">photogragh by </span><a href="http://www.joeviger.com/Events/2016MWARBH/" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Joe Viger</a> of Andrew Warby.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim Cremer nearing the top. Epic photogragh by <a href="http://www.joeviger.com/Events/2016MWARBH/">Joe Viger</a>.</td></tr>
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As you can see in this photo, I am almost to the corner, but shortly after this photo was taken, I had to dismount and walk before I got back on again and finished. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">The other side of the above photo. This one by </span><a href="http://www.joeviger.com/Events/2016MWARBH/" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Joe Viger.</a></td></tr>
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I finished the ride in 2:06:17 for an average speed of 3.6 mph. I am the slowest of all five people to have ever ridden up Mt. Washington on an ElliptiGO, so I will go with being the oldest and only ElliptiGO rider from New Hampshire to ride up that beast of a hill. Andrew Warby was the first finisher in 1:56:27 coming close to the record and riding at 3.9 mph. Jim Cremer finished in 2:00:49 before jumping back into his car for the long drive back to Iowa. It was a great day for riding and for the ElliptiGO riders, proving what a versatile machine it is. Here is a video I took of the start and then the final few miles. You can scroll quickly through it to get a feel for the climb. Sorry for the smudge on the camera lens! At 8:00, I lose concentration and almost veer over the side, at 28:00 I go flying by some hikers, and at 36:00 starts the drive to the finish.</div>
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Here is <a href="http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/mobile/mnews/1084605-264/teacher-completes-race-on-elliptical-bike.html">an article on my climb from the Nashua Telegraph.</a></div>
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Here is my Strava map of the climb. </div>
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="405" scrolling="no" src="https://www.strava.com/activities/683130934/embed/a75b91b25f7dcbfe19f2b73f6f4a8abddad946dc" width="590"></iframe><br /></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim and I at the summit. We couldn't find Andrew for the photo. <br />
He was already running all the way down the hill.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am retiring from running and riding up Mt. Washington.<br />
Next time up, I hope to go on the Cog Railway.</td></tr>
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Lessons learned for future riders:<br />
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DON'T!</div>
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If you must, you will need to change your gearing. Talk to Keri at ElliptiGO.</div>
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I used a 130 chainring and a 20T cog, I have an eight speed. Jim and Andrew had 11 speed GOs so their gearing would be different. Jim Cremer says he used a 38 tooth chainring and the stock sprocket on his 11 speed. He used 1st and 2nd gear most of the time, with 3rd and 4th once in a while on the rare brief mini-breaks. Andrew used a 42 tooth chainring. It still allowed him to get some speed on the flats and he kept it on for several months prior to train with it as much as possible. Note, I tried riding on regular roads with my setup, but it was nearly impossible. All of my 8 speeds were too low and unless I was going downhill, I could barely get over 10 mph, no matter how fast I was spinning,<br />
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Make sure your ElliptiGO is ready for the challenge. Mine was not for the practice ride, and even with all the repairs I made, my rear wheel was still off a bit during this ride. I should have had a professional mechanic go over it.</div>
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I did not use a heart rate monitor. I was scared of my heart rate being too high due to the practice ride and also some rides up Pack Monadnock. I think I kept it in an acceptable place the whole ride, so I am happy about that. </div>
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You can never build momentum on this ride, if you don't move, you will stop! </div>
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I think it would be best to lose as much weight as you can before doing this ride. I was no where near my former running weight. My ElliptiGO weighs 42 pounds so that is a disadvantage when compared to cyclists, whose bikes weigh 1/3 to 1/2 of that.</div>
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I found that on my eight speed that in the lowest gear, I could not really get over 4 mph, but you need that gear where it is steep (and that is most of the way). The second lowest gear would keep me around 4 mph. The next higher gears did not get enough use, but when they did, I could go faster. There just wasn't enough time to keep those gears engaged.</div>
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I brought water, but did not drink it while riding. I would have to stop pedaling to drink and that would cause my ElliptiGO to stop or fall over. Drink a lot before your ride. Wear sunscreen, I did not, and got sunburnt a bit.</div>
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You cannot ride an ElliptiGO or bike down the hill. You will need to find a ride down. This is not hard. Jim and I both found rides down the day of the ride.<br />
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Here are three recommendations from Andrew Warby to anyone who wants to attempt the climb in the future:<br />
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1) Gear down to something that will give you a level of resistance you are comfortable with<br />
2) Maintain an even effort<br />
3) Do the practice ride the month prior. It will help you know what to fix.</blockquote>
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I am not sure which is more grueling running or riding up the mountain. They both are intense. <a href="http://www.coolrunning.com/results/96/nh/mtwmen.htm">Twenty years ago I ran up the hill in 1:22:23</a>, which is my best running time.<br />
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Here is the strava file of my practice ride.<br />
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<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="405" scrolling="no" src="https://www.strava.com/activities/644599826/embed/54b8974b2899f1c1219b6b2f3703108523f7cf32" width="590"></iframe><br />
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Check out Travis Pastrana incredible drive up the hill climb road!<br />
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Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-92214078336710306532016-07-08T14:42:00.000-04:002016-07-08T14:42:14.095-04:00Hit Reset: Revolutionary Yoga for Athletes by Erin Taylor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UOjCzsRneb4/V3_yuRqxWCI/AAAAAAAAOSE/iWY5AF3aO8Qszw9dPrUhqcff5772d85CACLcB/s1600/HR_96dpi_400pw_str.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UOjCzsRneb4/V3_yuRqxWCI/AAAAAAAAOSE/iWY5AF3aO8Qszw9dPrUhqcff5772d85CACLcB/s320/HR_96dpi_400pw_str.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
I have only had <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1937715426/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&psc=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=recyoustr-20&linkId=c8e823fe303ad27624b49be701ef2b0a">Hit Reset: Revolutionary Yoga for Athletes</a> by Erin Taylor for a couple weeks now, but I am slowly reading and putting to use some of its exercises. I am not a person to do Yoga as a practice (I have been told that I should) so I am liking this book as as fuses yoga moves with practical advice for using it to correct imbalances and weaknesses in key body areas. It is also a book for athletes and not for people who just practice yoga. I am particularly working on the glutes right now and the book has taught me a new way to think about their recruitment and use. The book is very colorful with loads of photographs and instructions. It can sometimes be hard to find your way due to all the color as it reminds me of magazine layouts, but I am finding the knowledge and information to be both practical and useful.<br />
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<a href="https://www.velopress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/preview_HitReset.pdf">Here</a> is a preview of the book.<br />
<a href="https://hitresetyoga.com/">Here</a> is the book's website.<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/Jasyoga">Here is the JASYOGA Youtube</a> page<br />
Here is a the publisher's information on the book.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: GandhiSans, "Lucida Grande", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">HIT RESET</em> offers athletes new ways to find more speed, power, and endurance.</strong>Yoga coach Erin Taylor’s HIT RESET approach uses yoga to solve the specific problems you face as an athlete. Her revolutionary way to do yoga can improve functional strength, flexibility, muscle recruitment, breathing and focus, core strength, and durability.<br />
<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">HIT RESET</em> starts by defining 10 problems that hold athletes back and the specific yoga solutions that can fix them. Each chapter shows you how your body should work, how to self-diagnose flaws in your movement and functional strength, and how to apply just a few specific yoga poses so you can “hit reset” and get back to peak athletic form. In just a few minutes each day, you can practice the yoga solutions in <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">HIT RESET</em> anytime and anywhere without a mat or studio classes.<br />
Armed with these key, highly effective yoga fixes, you’ll begin a radical redefinition of balance that can make you a healthier, stronger, and more resilient athlete.<br />
<em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">HIT RESET</em> can help you solve:<br />
<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: GandhiSans, "Lucida Grande", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 24px; list-style-position: outside; margin: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Imbalances that lead to injury by redefining balance from head to toe</li>
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<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: GandhiSans, "Lucida Grande", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 24px; list-style-position: outside; margin: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Feeling easily winded with deep breathing exercises</li>
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<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: GandhiSans, "Lucida Grande", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 24px; list-style-position: outside; margin: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Feeling distracted or nervous with focus exercises</li>
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<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: GandhiSans, "Lucida Grande", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 24px; list-style-position: outside; margin: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Poor posture with core activating and strengthening poses</li>
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<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: GandhiSans, "Lucida Grande", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 24px; list-style-position: outside; margin: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sleepy feet and stiff calves for a stronger foundation</li>
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<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: GandhiSans, "Lucida Grande", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 24px; list-style-position: outside; margin: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Knee pain with better form and strength poses</li>
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<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: GandhiSans, "Lucida Grande", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 24px; list-style-position: outside; margin: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Stiff hamstrings and sleepy glutes with activation exercises</li>
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<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: GandhiSans, "Lucida Grande", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 24px; list-style-position: outside; margin: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Unstable hips and IT band problems with hip helpers</li>
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<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-family: GandhiSans, "Lucida Grande", Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 24px; list-style-position: outside; margin: 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Stiff shoulders and sides with opening poses</li>
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Yoga can help you in your sport, but only if your yoga is solving the problems you face as an athlete. <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">HIT RESET</em> offers a yoga revolution for athletes by making yoga work for you. Join the <em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">HIT RESET</em> revolution and you’ll find a no-nonsense approach that will make you a stronger, more resilient athlete.</blockquote>
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=recyoustr-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1937715426&asins=1937715426&linkId=d41097d2c85fa40e5a79ebaa662474a4&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
<br />Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-43712681111847659652016-06-05T23:35:00.001-04:002016-06-05T23:35:09.536-04:00Minimalist Muscle Activation: Crush Structural Imbalances, Find Clarity in Your Movement, and Live Pain-Free and Strong Now and in the Future by Sean Schniederdjan <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AVh9vfzlqpg/V1TuN642LwI/AAAAAAAAOO4/TGJb1cPUgjUX0u3TWfgeosWCLsq_W1LygCLcB/s1600/51JrPLbHn3L._SX312_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AVh9vfzlqpg/V1TuN642LwI/AAAAAAAAOO4/TGJb1cPUgjUX0u3TWfgeosWCLsq_W1LygCLcB/s320/51JrPLbHn3L._SX312_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="201" /></a></div>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Minimalist-Muscle-Activation-Structural-Imbalances-ebook/dp/B01GEZ0CQG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&keywords=minimalist%20muscle%20activation&qid=1465182813&ref_=sr_1_1&s=digital-text&sr=1-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=recyoustr-20&linkId=43ec7987507307cf9209b6a3530c031e">Minimalist Muscle Activation: Crush Structural Imbalances, Find Clarity in Your Movement, and Live Pain-Free and Strong Now and in the Future</a> is a new ebook by Sean Schiederdjan. I just bought my copy last night and took a quick look through it. Sean usually promotes some interesting movements in each of his many books and this one includes some old and new material. What I like is that it is simple, but covers a lot of the body parts that might need work. I am always up for some new ideas, so I look forward to trying out some of Sean's moves.<br />
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As Sean says, you can find hundreds of books on stretching on Amazon, but only three books on muscle activation. I am not sure if I have any books primarily trying to teach muscle activation (I do have 2 cds), although looking at some of these moves, I think it just might be what you are calling what you do. Do not confuse these movements with <a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2012/09/muscle-activation-technique-first.html">Muscle Activation Technique</a>. I did go through many sessions of MAT and it was costly and only benefited me in the short term. MAT involves testing, small movements, and retesting. The movements are done while lying down and you need a practitioner to help you. I think Sean's moves are more about loading and firing your muscles. You might find this an inexpensive way to think about your muscles in a new way, help out some weak muscles or movement problems, or deal with imbalances. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JIqAxmW5Ft0" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=recyoustr-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B01GEZ0CQG&asins=B01GEZ0CQG&linkId=66da9b2d0ec55a30c8cf02fcf7663537&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>
Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-10504904716663270932016-05-29T14:14:00.002-04:002016-05-29T14:14:51.384-04:00Two great stretches for the glutes and the piriformisHere Matt Hsu of <a href="http://uprighthealth.com/">Upright Health</a> demonstrates a glute stretch that hits the spot! Most stretches I do irritate my glutes. This one can hit where I feel real tight without the irritation the next day. The stretch starts a little after the 2:30 mark.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qby3ZsiidMY" width="560"></iframe><br />
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YogaJP starts with a similar glute stretch to the one Matt shows, but this more well-known version irritates my glutes. However, after the glute stretch she goes into a piriformis stretch (about 1:45) that for some reason works for me. I don't know if it helps the hips or low back along with the piriformis, but this one feels good to me too!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KxsDfXBDZec" width="560"></iframe>Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-13383127883626879592016-05-07T11:52:00.000-04:002016-05-07T11:52:18.415-04:00Gun Runners: A Story about Friends, Guns, and Running<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nvR_RW_7q0Y/Vy4LlDUYLMI/AAAAAAAAOKs/2JUthQ-Gbjo4qN0pj1BQYKj_ofpfsXJeQCLcB/s1600/MV5BYzE2OGExMzctODcyMC00MWI2LWIxZmItNjE3MWY0NTg2ZWNmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMzU4MzgwMTU%2540._V1__SX1337_SY829_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nvR_RW_7q0Y/Vy4LlDUYLMI/AAAAAAAAOKs/2JUthQ-Gbjo4qN0pj1BQYKj_ofpfsXJeQCLcB/s320/MV5BYzE2OGExMzctODcyMC00MWI2LWIxZmItNjE3MWY0NTg2ZWNmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMzU4MzgwMTU%2540._V1__SX1337_SY829_.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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This is an interesting new documentary that was played at a Canadian Film Festival over the weekend</div>
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From the <a href="https://www.nfb.ca/film/gun_runners">National Film Board of Canada</a>:</div>
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When it comes to world-class marathon runners, Kenyans are considered the cream of the crop. Particularly those from Kenya’s Rift Valley. These athletes have won marathons in London, New York and Berlin, and have set countless world records. But some of Kenya’s top runners aren’t running for fame and fortune. Some are wanted warriors, running for their lives. For years, Julius Arile and Robert Matanda thrive among the roaming bands of warriors that terrorize the North Kenyan countryside. By the time they reach their mid-twenties, stealing cattle, raiding and running from the police is the only life they know. So when both warriors suddenly disappear from the bush, many of their peers assume they are dead or have been arrested. Instead, they trade in their rifles for sneakers—in the hopes of making it big as professional marathon runners. Years of fleeing from the police have prepared the men for running marathon distances, but do they have what it takes to overcome the corruption, mistrust and jealousy that threaten to derail their careers? Or will they give up on their dreams and return to a life of easy power and money? Told entirely by its central characters, Gun Runners is the American Dream, Kenyan-style.</blockquote>
From the <a href="http://thetfs.ca/2016/05/01/hot-docs-2016-review-gun-runners/">Toronto Film Scene</a>:<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eLDteAhWr0U/Vy4MboWGuyI/AAAAAAAAOKw/eWAqpbNf8X4lhE2TruIi1RXRCRj9vHhmwCKgB/s1600/GunRunners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eLDteAhWr0U/Vy4MboWGuyI/AAAAAAAAOKw/eWAqpbNf8X4lhE2TruIi1RXRCRj9vHhmwCKgB/s320/GunRunners.jpg" width="320" /></a>Gun Runners is an inspiring and incredible story which follows two notorious warriors and former cattle rustlers in Northern Kenya who give up their weapons to run in marathons. As part of a government sponsored program to disarm in conflict heavy regions, these once notorious warriors are given a chance to pursue their dreams of becoming professional marathon runners.<br />
The film follows Matanda and Arile, who are looking to put their violent pasts behind them and pursue a positive path that will benefit the future of their family, livelihood and this conflict ridden region of Kenya. The audience is guided through a linear progression of events and sees Arile enter international marathons, while Matanda gets involved in the political sphere and dreams of working towards policy change.<br />
Anjali Nayar directs a thoughtful and memorable story about leaving violent conflict behind to pursue personal passions. The documentary is set in Kenya’s picturesque Great Rift Valley which is a noted area for international arms trading and marathon running.<br />
Gun Runners gives a face to the complexities and personal struggles in war and conflict, yet becomes an inspiring story of self perseverance in attaining a greater sense of self. </blockquote>
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From Hot Docs<br />
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This touching and poignant film follows two of the most notorious warriors and cattle rustlers in Northern Kenya who trade in their weapons for sneakers, as part of a government-sponsored program, to pursue their dream of becoming professional marathon runners. Filmed over eight years, Matanda and Arile face financial challenges, fierce competition and family pressure as they struggle to put their violent pasts behind them. A lot is at stake for both of them, and the whole world is watching. Set in Kenya's astoundingly beautiful Great Rift Valley, an area famous for both its international arms trade and its champion runners, and told entirely from Matanda's and Arile's points of view, Gun Runners puts a face on a nation's valiant attempts to embrace both tradition and modernity. Lynne Fernie</blockquote>
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Here is an <a href="https://cinemaaxis.com/2016/05/01/hot-docs-2016-gun-runners/">a longer favorable review</a>.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rqBolngP3wU" width="560"></iframe>Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-14278104552276812952016-04-29T09:52:00.001-04:002016-04-29T10:02:07.626-04:00Rollga: Is this the best foam roller ever made?<img src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CfF3qb1UEAEGMX9.jpg" /><br />
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I have so many different kinds of foam rollers, massage sticks and balls for rolling that I could set up my own PT practice!They live all throughout my house in corners and closets and under beds, but I am always curious about new designs and whether there can ever be a better foam roller. A couple of weeks ago, I noticed an interesting and new version of a foam roller called the <a href="http://rollga.com/">Rollga</a>. I "had" to order one to give it a try and I do find it easier and more comfortable to use. It is like having massage balls mixed together with a roller. It does make it easier to target areas like a massage type ball does, without getting squirrely as it can be hard to maintain contact on the muscle you are trying to work on. I also notice that in the depressions of the roller, so much more muscle gets worked on. It feels really good on the quads and lower legs. I am not so sure on the back. I overdid it the first day using it, but that is probably more due to its effectiveness at hitting muscles and I loosened up some that were trying to hold my out-of -whack body together. There are three models: the silver <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rollga-Genesis-Comfortable-PERFECT-Myofascial/dp/B019F2V1BK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1461936549&sr=8-2&keywords=rollga&linkCode=ll1&tag=recyoustr-20&linkId=41037ea0127401b8db9acee56ca5fcfb">Genesis</a> which is a lower priced softer roller, the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rollga-RR1LTB-Roller/dp/B01DYSE27G/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1461936549&sr=8-3&keywords=rollga&linkCode=ll1&tag=recyoustr-20&linkId=f393e0fca0f32955bf31017ab9c1e571">blue ISO model</a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rollga-Comfortable-PERFECT-Massage-Myofascial/dp/B019F42TBY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1461936549&sr=8-1&keywords=rollga&linkCode=ll1&tag=recyoustr-20&linkId=94b699ae6d0d5638123e10bd5a1eac81">the black Pro-series model</a> which has a harder surface. I got the Pro model. There are good discounts currently on the <a href="http://shop.rollga.com/">Rollga website</a>, but they are cheaper on Amazon (plus you get a carrying strap-which costs an extra $1.95 on the website).<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZKp3H5x1HvY" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Rollga has a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9xlxXHrI9Obyl2LxZHxnQw/videos">Youtube channel</a> with videos on how to use the roller on different muscle groups including <a href="https://youtu.be/NAlsrH1ai2k">a video showing a large truck rolling over one</a> and then popping back into shape. Here is their <a href="http://rollga.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Rollga-Zones-Flyer-PDF.pdf">user guide</a> and <a href="http://rollga.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/How-To-Use-Rollga-Guide-PDF.pdf">how-to use-guide</a>.<br />
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What is the best foam roller you have used?<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=recyoustr-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B019F2V1BK&asins=B019F2V1BK&linkId=159b87b23a4f9ebc20522828f690bd74&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=recyoustr-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B01DYSE27G&asins=B01DYSE27G&linkId=b52cd699b95a985ace0b15c95d20e816&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=recyoustr-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B019F42TBY&asins=B019F42TBY&linkId=6580d101091a3eb1f38de25f52489992&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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<br />Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-59827616346581577682016-04-12T22:56:00.000-04:002016-04-12T22:56:09.578-04:00Resistance Band Work for Flexibility and MobilityDespite not looking like a skinny runner, this guy gives some great tips and pointers-along with excellent reasoning.<br />
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This one is suburb for me. I put the band around a bedpost and wrap it around the top of my legs. It really get you working on the glutes and a proper hip hinge.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZcOAQoE81A" width="560"></iframe><br />
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This one is great for my foot. It helps keep my foot for rotating out further than it already does.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pzy289wmsKQ" width="560"></iframe><br />
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I am working on this and still evaluating it for use on my hip joint (due to arthroscopic surgery), but it is a better explanation than other videos I have followed for opening up my tight hip joint.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ngf3qdxZAjk" width="560"></iframe><br />
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This one is a killer for me. I did it one night and felt good, but the next morning my lower back and hip was so tight I could barely put my shoes on. It did seem to target some weak lower back muscles, so I will keep working on this to see how I progress.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g70Jq2NjQwY" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<br />Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-20026979065333020662016-03-19T13:51:00.001-04:002016-03-19T13:51:15.580-04:00Is this your running personality?<br />
The results of this study on runners sounds about right!<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iXFHG5JbK4E/Vu2RGvGqHcI/AAAAAAAAODU/VaaG6NeiJTQzV2PUXWqv2Ffx2mC5_8eDg/s1600/brain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iXFHG5JbK4E/Vu2RGvGqHcI/AAAAAAAAODU/VaaG6NeiJTQzV2PUXWqv2Ffx2mC5_8eDg/s320/brain.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9998px;">"The <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/886159">Cattell 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire</a> showed that the subjects were significantly more intelligent, imaginative, reserved, self-sufficient, sober, shy, and forthright than the general population."</span></blockquote>
<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/886159">The study</a> did come out in 1977. That was the year I ran my first marathon and the results seem somewhat similar to my personality. I wonder if the results would be the same today if they studied today's type of runner? Here is another quote:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9998px;">"Middle-aged runners and joggers either possess or develop high levels of self-sufficiency and imagination and tend toward introversion in their personality makeup. It is not known for sure if these factors are a result of or a casual factor in their habitual exercise pattern."</span></blockquote>
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Does this study ring true for anyone else?<br />
Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-59333526006169396462016-02-09T15:21:00.000-05:002016-02-09T15:21:05.277-05:00Going to be heading up Mt. Washington on my ElliptiGO! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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First off, I was a bit disappointed that there would be no east coast ElliptiGO race this year to get me hyped up and training harder. The previous three New England races were a blast and got me in a competitive mode that I so enjoy and miss! I do understand that it takes a lot of work to put on a quality race and that things did not work out this year, so I had to find a new challenge.<br />
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<a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-2013-new-england-elliptigo-summer.html">2013 ElliptiGO End of Summer Classic</a><br />
<a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2014/08/2014-elliptigo-end-of-summer-classic.html">2014 ElliptiGO End of Summer Classic</a><br />
<a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2015/05/2015-elliptigo-spring-classic-fantastic.html">2015 ElliptiGO Spring Classic</a><br />
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Sure, I will be doing more centuries and trying to break the 6 hour barrier, but that is a different kind of intensity. I could go out to the <a href="http://www.elliptigo.com/world-championships/">Mt. Palomar ElliptiGO World Championships</a> in the fall, but that is way out of my price range (although some year I hope to make it to the race). I started thinking it would be cheaper to do a race in my own back yard of New Hampshire and that would be to ride my ElliptiGO in one of the two bike races up Mt. Washington. Then I saw how incredibly expensive the race entry fees were. Further research showed that one of the two races, <a href="http://newtonsrevenge.com/">Newton's Revenge</a>, would not be held this year, so that left the <a href="http://www.mwarbh.org/">Mt. Washington Hill Climb</a> held on August 20. <a href="http://www.elliptigo.com/newtons-revenge/">Two ElliptiGO riders rode in the Newton's Revenge event in 2010</a> so if I wanted to bite the bullet and try out this race, I thought it best to ask first if I could ride my ElliptiGO before committing to the race and paying for the entry. I was told I would be OK for riding since it had been done before and that they would keep no official records- they also allow tandems and unicycles- with no records, but even better, they added an ElliptiGO category to the race- you can even see it on the entry form. With thanks, I sent in my entry fee and at least one other rider is joining me. I hope to see more this year as I am sure this will be a one-time deal for me and the more the merrier.<br />
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2010 Newton's Revenge results (unofficial ElliptiGO record held by Bryce Whiting):<br />
<table border="1" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Gotham SSm A', 'Gotham SSm B'; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 100%px;"><tbody style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<tr style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><td height="54" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Newton’s Revenge, Mt. Washington, NH</td><td style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">7.6 miles, 4727 ft of gain</td><td style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Male</td><td style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">7/11/2010</td><td style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Bryce Whiting</td><td style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">1:54:22</td></tr>
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ElliptiGO inventor Bryan Pate finished 7 minutes later.<br />
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I have two goals for the race:<br />
1) finish within 20 minutes of my fastest run up the hill (who even knows if this is possible)<br />
2) ride all the way up without stepping down off of my ElliptiGO.<br />
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I have ridden up Pack Monadnock twice now and it has a steeper section than Mt. Washington.<br />
The first time up, I had to put my foot down as I was tired from trying to blast up it as a 10 mile "race"effort on the old Pack Monadnock Road Race course.The next year I made it to the top without putting my foot down, but it was terribly hard to keep moving and balanced on the steeper sections!<br />
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<a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2013/10/attacking-pack-monadnock-on-the.html">2013 first ride up Pack Monadnock</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EfCRuwtFL7Y/VrpARSjJ7_I/AAAAAAAAN80/UWzsUvcwVtk/s1600/New%2BImage2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EfCRuwtFL7Y/VrpARSjJ7_I/AAAAAAAAN80/UWzsUvcwVtk/s400/New%2BImage2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1996 Mt. Washington Road Race 76th place 1:22:23 nearing the summit.</td></tr>
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I have been up the mountain many times before, mostly in the Mt. Washington Road Race. When I was about 10 years old, my family drove to the top and down in our 1962 Chevy 2 wagon that was falling apart. It was quite an achievement for that car.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_aM6PD-c0Tg/VrpJW7yYc7I/AAAAAAAAN9w/5DlvyW0P3u8/s1600/30MtWashingtom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_aM6PD-c0Tg/VrpJW7yYc7I/AAAAAAAAN9w/5DlvyW0P3u8/s400/30MtWashingtom.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me Planning further adventures up the mountain 47 years ago!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WmqyV0V4NGo/Vro-6SHG4LI/AAAAAAAAN8g/jqc3kdMecC4/s1600/33Topof%2BMt.Washington.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WmqyV0V4NGo/Vro-6SHG4LI/AAAAAAAAN8g/jqc3kdMecC4/s400/33Topof%2BMt.Washington.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family trip to the summit in 1969.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pO0AOVHwIUw/Vro-9Xpl6iI/AAAAAAAAN8k/Ojv9jNagcLM/s1600/02Mt.WashingtonRoadway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pO0AOVHwIUw/Vro-9Xpl6iI/AAAAAAAAN8k/Ojv9jNagcLM/s400/02Mt.WashingtonRoadway.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People were astounded that our old 1962 Chevy 2 Wagon made it to the top.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ShcxAY6uHno/Vro-mazGNvI/AAAAAAAAN8Q/MXUY8JatqBs/s1600/35Mt.WashingtonView.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ShcxAY6uHno/Vro-mazGNvI/AAAAAAAAN8Q/MXUY8JatqBs/s400/35Mt.WashingtonView.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But it did!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wtYeocI8kBQ/Vro-pRkMyiI/AAAAAAAAN8U/Jx5xmaE_PZM/s1600/32PresidentialRange.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wtYeocI8kBQ/Vro-pRkMyiI/AAAAAAAAN8U/Jx5xmaE_PZM/s400/32PresidentialRange.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With my mom and siblings.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sTwrOsmFc7A/Vro-sjhjSNI/AAAAAAAAN8Y/oMgG_Nc_Rdg/s1600/29CogRailway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sTwrOsmFc7A/Vro-sjhjSNI/AAAAAAAAN8Y/oMgG_Nc_Rdg/s400/29CogRailway.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cog Railway at the summit.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oyRGAnuHegQ/Vro-wFEeaNI/AAAAAAAAN8c/XI7mrxlIbtI/s1600/34Topof%2BMt.Washington.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oyRGAnuHegQ/Vro-wFEeaNI/AAAAAAAAN8c/XI7mrxlIbtI/s400/34Topof%2BMt.Washington.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summit view.</td></tr>
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<br /><br />I am sure I will have to add some hills to my training and change my gears so I have a lower range for the steep climbing. Who know what it will bring, but it should be fun in its own crazy way!<br />
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My running times at the Mt. Washington Road Race:<br />
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1992 1:32:19<br />
1996 1:22:05<br />
1996 1:22:23<br />
1997 1:33:08<br />
2000 1:33:21<br />
Then I got smart and stopped racing.<br />
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So now I have something to look forward to (or regret).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dq7mkZ4VVQw/VrpHp-u7rgI/AAAAAAAAN9g/hdmf_sAASqU/s1600/PM2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dq7mkZ4VVQw/VrpHp-u7rgI/AAAAAAAAN9g/hdmf_sAASqU/s400/PM2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photos from 2014 trip up Pack Monadnock: From FB post:<br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.4667px; text-align: start;">Made it to the top of Pack</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.4667px; text-align: start;"> </span><span class="highlightNode" style="background-color: rgba(88, 144, 255, 0.14902); border-bottom-color: rgba(88, 144, 255, 0.298039); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.4667px; padding: 0px 1px; text-align: start;">Monadnock</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.4667px; text-align: start;"> on the auto road without dismounting my ElliptiGO (last fall I had to stop and walk a few seconds as I was riding as hard as I could to race 10 miles to the top and was puking up air before the real climb even started). The auto road is 1.3 miles long and gains 788 feet with an average grade of 11.9% and a max grade of 20+% (steeper than Mt. Washington, I have heard which is at 22% max and 12% average). It is a beast, but first I had to ride 30 miles to get there and then 30 back home.</span><br /></td></tr>
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<br />Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-18032849074044962802016-02-07T00:01:00.001-05:002016-02-07T00:01:28.129-05:00Drew Hunter runs a sub 4 minute mile to set a new high school indoor recordHere is the USATF video of the one mile race at the Armory Track in which high school runner Drew Hunter broke the 4 minute mile for the first time and set a new high school indoor record. Alan Webb, the other high schooler who has run sub 4 indoors was the previous record holder. This is also the third fastest high school mile ever run indoors or outdoors behind Alan Webb and Jim Ryun. His mile time was 3:58:25. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KAfHZ6u_oSo" width="560"></iframe>Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-15271891718171510682016-01-12T09:21:00.004-05:002016-01-12T09:21:51.052-05:00In Edinburgh with Garrett Heath: Short documentaryHere is a short documentary on Garrett Heath before and after his race win at the Great Edinburgh XC Challenge. See previous post: <a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2016/01/2016-great-edinburgh-xcountry.html">2016 Great Edinburgh XCountry International Challenge</a>.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cps399jv3zc" width="560"></iframe>Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-66640261348616132852016-01-10T22:37:00.001-05:002016-01-10T22:37:13.458-05:002016 Great Edinburgh XCountry International Challenge<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FKxE2UKeP6w/VpMdXg_uELI/AAAAAAAAN6M/pQRUCjlpGNU/s1600/Edinburgh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FKxE2UKeP6w/VpMdXg_uELI/AAAAAAAAN6M/pQRUCjlpGNU/s320/Edinburgh.jpg" width="320" /></a>For the third year in a row I made sure that I was watching the <a href="http://www.letsrun.com/news/2016/01/garrett-heath-take-another-huge-scalp-beats-mo-farah-2016-great-edinburgh-xcountry-international-challenge/">Great Edinburgh XC race</a> in Scotland on Saturday morning. Number one, it is a great race to watch during the winter season: number two, they always have a top notch runner racing: and number three, the landscape and course is both beautiful and rugged. I fondly recall Edinburgh from my visit there in 1979. Having watched the two previous editions of this race, I knew that Garret Heath owned the course and I was interested to see how he would do against Mo Farah. I had a strong suspicion that he might just get the victory. The men's race was exciting and Garret Heath did pull off the upset for his third win in a row. The previous wins were on a shorter course.<br />
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Here is a video of the last half of the men's race. You can watch full race replays<a href="http://www.usatf.tv/gprofile.php?do=videos&mgroup_event_id=5320&year=2016&mgroup_id=45365&video_id=160130"> here</a>. </div>
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Jae Gruenke at the <a href="http://www.balancedrunner.com/the-great-edinburgh-xcountry-2016-mo-farah-garrett-heath-and-wasted-energy/">Balanced Runner</a> has an interesting discussion about the running form of the top athletes at this race and some slow motion video that she recorded. You can <a href="http://www.balancedrunner.com/the-great-edinburgh-xcountry-2016-mo-farah-garrett-heath-and-wasted-energy/">check it out here</a>. </div>
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Here is her video of the top men:</div>
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A story from the summer involves Garrett's brother Elliot, who is also a top level runner. I noticed on the ElliptiGO Stava mileage board in August that Elliot was posting some massive and hilly rides on an ElliptiGO (must have been injured) He did a couple of weeks of over 250 miles each in August, if I recall, and may have led for most mileage on an ElliptiGO for those weeks. I was already anticipating doing a 300 mile week and I was checking to see if I could maintain my ElliptiGO mileage lead throughout the week. You never know types of massive rides an athlete might do each week and it is usually on the weekend. I got up over 300 miles and had a good lead, but Elliott wasn't posting so I didn't know if he would hook up his computer at the end of the week and beat me. I ended up with 350 miles for an easy lead. Elliot never posted much mileage that week. He never knew I was competing against him! All that I knew was that if I was GOing 350 miles, I did not want to rate second in total miles! </div>
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Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-4546667873139600692016-01-07T15:58:00.000-05:002016-01-07T16:04:53.103-05:0010 Commandments of Lifelong Fitness from Ned OverendOutside Online has a great article on champion cyclist Ned Overend who has been at it for years<br />
<a href="http://www.outsideonline.com/2044136/60-new-25">Ned Overend Is the Champion Cyclist Who Never Grows Old</a>. Definitely read the article for all its wisdom and to hear about all of Ned's accomplishments. Also watch this embedded video where Ned gives his 10 Commandments for Lifelong Fitness. Here they are, but watch to appreciate them better.<br />
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1) Mix it up.</div>
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2) Keep it fun.</div>
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3) Never lose Fitness.</div>
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4) Pay attention to potential injuries.</div>
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5) Recover harder than you train.</div>
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6) Understand the science.</div>
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7) Know you gear.</div>
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8) Stay positive.</div>
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9) Be in control.</div>
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10) Focus on yourself.<br />
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At 60 years old, Ned won the 2014 Fatbike National Championships.<br />
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Here are some interesting quotes for the article:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 28.05px;">Ned has never had a cycling coach. “I don’t like structure,” he says. He doesn’t wear a heart-rate monitor or use a power meter. He relies on what he calls “perceived effort”—essentially going by feel. He does not appear to have a VO2 max that’s off the charts; he just knows how to train smart. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 28.05px;">Ned credits his running coach in high school, Doug Basham, for emphasizing high-intensity, low-volume workout programs. (Besides all his cycling achievements, Ned was a 2:28 marathoner and Ironman triathlete). </span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 28.05px;">“Ned lives what I preach,” says Joe Friel, 72, masters coach and author of Fast After 50. “He’s always been a fan of short workouts with high intensity.” Whittled down, the recipe for success as a geezer is this: 1) Decrease volume and increase intensity. 2) Recover, recover, recover. 3) Don’t stop training, ever; you can retain much of your VO2 max as you age, but once you lose it, it’s a lot harder to get it back. “When you’re 60, you can’t take a month off at the end of the season, have a good time like younger athletes can,” Friel says. “There’s an accelerated loss of fitness. Take Greg LeMond, for example—he just quit. Hung it up. Ned never did that.” </span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 28.05px;">Drum suggests training 10 to 15 hours per week, tops, for athletes over 40. With that recipe, Ned’s at no risk for overtraining syndrome. He pedals hard for an hour and a half, rarely much more, three or four times a week, and does easy rides on off days. In the winter, he mixes in nordic skiing and weight lifting, although the fat-biking season has taken time away from cross-training. “I tried yoga, but I didn’t have the focus for it,” Ned says. “It’s amazing how little discipline I have for simple stretching and strengthening exercises.”</span></blockquote>
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Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-56974821585976982042016-01-03T21:56:00.001-05:002016-01-03T21:56:21.326-05:00Foundation Training BasicsI do variations of The Founder just about daily as it is a great exercise for my hips and lower back and helps my body to learn to move better. Here Foundation Training founder Eric Goodman gives <a href="http://www.theinertia.com/uncategorized/lakey-petersons-back-to-basics-workout-with-dr-eric-goodman/">a brief look at some of the Foundation Training basic moves</a> with professional surfer Lakey Peterson. The second exercise seems more to be for surfers, but directions for the squat, Founder, plank, and the 8-point plank are easy to follow.<br />
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You can find other posts on Foundation training here:<br />
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<a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2012/05/founder-exercise-from-foundation.html">The Founder</a><br />
<a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2013/07/how-to-improve-core-strength-foundation.html">How to Improve Core Strength: Foundation Exercises</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IU22HTM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00IU22HTM&linkCode=as2&tag=recyoustr-20&linkId=C4F73YC7KBMPRDPY" rel="nofollow">Foundation Training 2 DVD Set - Fundamentals and Daily Workouts</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=recyoustr-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00IU22HTM" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1609611004/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1609611004&linkCode=as2&tag=recyoustr-20&linkId=B3IK634PHNJERVGZ" rel="nofollow">Foundation: Redefine Your Core, Conquer Back Pain, and Move with Confidence</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=recyoustr-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1609611004" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-40927349299984966902016-01-01T12:59:00.001-05:002016-01-01T13:26:21.919-05:002015 Year in Review <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wyAeUxb5-mY/Voa64X7-qLI/AAAAAAAAN5A/cuw5Hi2hTKk/s1600/Kenyarunning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wyAeUxb5-mY/Voa64X7-qLI/AAAAAAAAN5A/cuw5Hi2hTKk/s320/Kenyarunning.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After running 4 miles in Kenya!</td></tr>
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The good news about this year is that I started what I hope is a small running comeback at the end of 2015. My heart never strays far from my love for running, but I have developed one rule since my many painful attempts at coming back post hip surgery in 2011. That rule is to not run if it leaves me limping the next day or sore in my hip joint. Over the past two years, I keep making attempts and each attempt would end up with me limping and frustrated. In 2014, I only totaled 88 miles of running and this year the grand total was only 66 miles. I did hit two running goals this year. I ran a 7+ mile run on my old favorite route (I could do it, but ended up limping), but that was to get my mind set to run while I was in Kenya and I did do a 4 mile run through the Kenyan countryside in July. Other than that my running was going nowhere. That is until I came up with a new thought and plan. I wondered what would happen if I ran uphill on the treadmill? So a couple of weeks ago, I tried it out, setting the treadmill at 5% and then running. My stride is shorter and my cadence is slower going uphill and my joints don't take as much of a pounding. I found I could do two to four mile runs like this easily (but slowly) and for the past two weeks I did 1/3 of my mileage total for the year running two double digit weeks (11 miles and 10 miles). I get tight the day after these runs, but not in the hip joint so all is good. I hope to continue this uphill running while increasing the pace and lowering the elevation. I did do a four mile run outdoors last week that I survived according to my rules.<br />
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Who knows where this will lead? Might I do some snowshoe racing this winter, uphill mountain runs, Mt. Washington, regular 5ks? Another reason I am being more successful at this comeback attempt is I am learning which stretches, band distractions, and mobility drills work best on my hip and other misaligned parts of my body and when they work best.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The close finish with Jeff Caron at the Spring Classic</td></tr>
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On the <a href="http://www.elliptigo.com/">ElliptiGO</a> front, I noticed last night that I needed 11 more miles to hit 6000 miles for the year. I just had a tooth extraction and implant under anesthesia earlier in the day, but I hopped on my ElliptiGO (on a trainer) and got those 11 miles in. That is 215 miles less than the previous year, but I did have two bouts with kidney stones and the past month I have been dealing with a tooth infection and those have slowed down some of my riding. I have totaled over 15,000 miles on my ElliptiGO in the 2 1/2 years I have owned it. Can I mention what a great machine it is!<br />
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I rode a total of 350 miles one week in August and did three century rides in September and won <a href="http://recoveryourstride.blogspot.com/2015/05/2015-elliptigo-spring-classic-fantastic.html">the ElliptiGO Spring Classic</a> after having one of the most thrilling battles in all my years of racing! I have now won all three EllitpiGO races in New England over the past three years. It has been mentioned that this year's Spring Classic will have a new location and might be over the 1/2 marathon distance. This year I was also honored by ElliptiGO as one of their Riders of the Month (interview <a href="http://www.elliptigo.com/may-2015-riders-of-the-month/">here</a>). I love my ElliptiGO for allowing me to keep moving, training, and racing even though I can no longer run!<br />
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This year, I hope to have a great race at that new ElliptiGO Spring Classic, hit another 6000 ElliptiGO miles, get under 6 hours on my ElliptiGO for 100 miles, and to see where my running comeback takes me (my goal as of now is just to run over 10 miles/week for as long as I can without any hip problems and see what happens). I hope everyone else had a fulfilling 2015 no matter what your sport and for those fighting injuries: never give up!Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5577216999808543384.post-23784661283627252672015-12-29T16:26:00.002-05:002015-12-29T16:26:37.648-05:00Improving Hip Internal and External Rotation: Hip Mobility from Z-HealthIf you sit a lot or have tight hip compressed hips, you might find that this <a href="http://zhealtheducation.com/episode-133-advanced-hip-mobility/">hip mobility mobilization from Z-Health</a> gives you more space in your hips and help get you out of pain of stiffness. I felt great after doing these the first time through, so they are spot on for me. The movement and rotations make it easier for you to find your tough spots and work on those carefully.<br />
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<br />Jim Hansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350710709762823429noreply@blogger.com0