Category: review

Posted on

Gear Corner – Review of the Polar H7 Heart Rate Sensor with Bluetooth (a.k.a Bluetooth Blues)

I love using Endomondo to track my workouts; that way I only need to carry my Blackberry along on my run (which is nice because it also plays music, and I can even take pictures and/or tweet if I feel like it).  What’s always been missing is heart rate data.  Endomondo has always been able to integrate heart rate data (even if you import from a Garmin), but now that there are Bluetooth HR sensors, it seemed like that might be the way to go.  Just pair the sensor with the smartphone and run.  No problem.

Running Free, one of my favourite retailers for running and triathlon stuff carried one, so I wouldn’t have to pay duty or international shipping fees.  I’ve worked with enough Bluetooth devices to know how finicky they can be.  The entire process can be infuriating, you don’t know which end should be seeking or listening, and you’re never given much to go on as to why devices won’t detect each other, or if they do, they won’t pair.  This device took the cake though; there is no code to enter, no light to indicate what mode it’s in, or even if it’s on.

The instructions merely tell you to wet the appropriate areas, where to put the strap on (just below the chest muscles) and tell you to turn on Bluetooth on your device.  Any trouble connecting and they simply question whether you wet it appropriately.  I tried it with my BlackBerry (Bold 9900) and my (new) iPad and nothing worked.  I contacted Polar to see if they could offer extra steps to take, and they let me know this sensor is only compatible with the iPhone 4S, nothing else.

I checked Running Free’s website and I have to admit the words ‘Compatible With iPhone 4S’ are there right at the bottom of the description box.  Still, I was irked, because the idea of a standard like Bluetooth is to avoid these little proprietary ‘walled gardens’.  I thought ‘ONLY Compatible with…’ would have been the better description for Running Free to use.  I wrote them and told them so, and asked for my money back.  To their credit (and my instore credit) they offered to add $45 to my account; not the full value of the device, which they couldn’t take back.  Which is fair enough – I got to keep it (in case I find a friend with an iPhone 4S who wants a HR sensor) and while the description was a little vague, I can bear a little responsibility for not paying enough attention.  I’m not sure what I’ll spend the money on, but I started trying to build up a wishlist…

While Bluetooth seems to be widely accepted for hands free stuff in cell phones (and my BT keyboard works well with my iPad), I think there’s still a lot of room for improvement in the world of fitness equipment.     Buyer beware…

Posted on

Gear Corner: Garmin Forerunner 910XT Review: Bike, Run, and Quick Release Attachment

This is the long awaited follow up to my review of the Swim portions of the Garmin 910XT.  One caveat: I had paired it with the heart rate monitor belt from previous Garmins; at first I thought the battery needed replacing, but even after that, it seemed to only pick up half my heartbeats (making me think I might be some kind of zombie) until failing to be detected altogether.  I ended up springing for the Premium Heart Rate Monitor (Soft Strap).  The (improved) results reflect that accessory, as opposed to the typical default model.

Navigating the interfaces on all Garmin Forerunners I’ve had has always been a learning curve, but I think it was shorter on this model, and the fact that I seem to remember how to do the things I want with it between uses speaks to the fact that it may be more intuitive than before.

Selecting the sport you are doing falls under ‘Training’, and once selected, the display a goes to appropriate data fields which can be customized.  I like that each sport has 4 different dedicated screens you can scroll through.  If you want to look at different kinds of data, you’re not forced to overcrowd a single screen, or dedicate space to data that isn’t useful to that particular sport (for example, you may want your bike cadence, but that won’t show up when you’re running).

My main screens for biking/running have time, distance and speed/pace (respectively).  I keep heart-rate, cadence on secondary screens which also (by default) have things like elevation, previous lap times, and average speed/pace.

I was able to use the Multisport functionality successfully at Muskoka 5150; the first time I’ve gotten that to work on any previous product.  I had Swim, Bike then Run set up prior to the event, I hit Start at the swim start, and lap at the entry and exit of every transition.  The only disagreement with official race times comes from me not knowing exactly where the chip sensors are on the race site.

As for Garmin Accessories, the 910XT seems to be working well with the cadence sensor, but not the speed sensor.  As long as I’m outdoors, that’s OK, but when I’ve got the bike back on the trainer for the off-season, I’m disappointed that I might have to re-purchase a speed sensor for reasons unknown to me.

I invested in the Quick Release Kit; looking at my wrist while cycling was always a little bit dangerously distracting, and it’s even worse if you want to push buttons to see different data fields.  The quick release kit replaces the original wrist strap – an adapter backing is mounted on the actual electronic hardware (the watch part) that lets you move it from your wrist (a new strap with the other half of the adapter clip) and your bike mount (with a similar adapter clip).  It works great and I was able to check my stats during the ride by simply glancing down, and it moves off and on the wrist in a second.  The only problem, is the installation itself.  The kit comes with everything you need, including tiny watch screwdrivers needed to remove and re-attach the wrist strap, but the parts are so small (and black) that I would recommend the following procedure for installation.

  1. Spend a year studying with a Zen monk
  2. Build a completely white room.  White walls, white floor, bright halogen lights, no holes, vents or air currents. 
  3. Barricade yourself in the room with your Garmin, the kit, and your bike.  Cut off all contact from family, friends and pets.  DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO INTERRUPT YOUR INSTALLATION
  4. Read the instructions enough times that you can repeat them from memory and translate them into any other languages you know.
  5. You are ready to begin.
All kidding aside, I was able to install it successfully, but I do think the stress of it cost me months off my lifespan.
In summary, the 910XT isn’t perfect, but it’s a great improvement over predecessors that weren’t too bad in the first place.  I think it’s the best option for Tri-geeks who love everything recorded and quantified.

Posted on

Alternative Workouts: Gravity Machine

My wife has been taking a Gravity Machine class at Goodlife Fitness, and invited me to give it a try.  I’ve been sorely lacking in any strength training, and I love to try new exercise methods so I gave it a try.




The class started off with a 15 minute session in the Spin studio; most triathletes won’t turn down an opportunity like that, and if you’re in dire need of more cycling work, it’s even more true.  After breaking a sweat and getting the muscles primed up, we were ready to hit the machines.

The instructor, Kim, made sure everybody was getting settled into the machine properly; it’s easy to imagine the sliding mechanism crashing or pinching something if you use it wrong.  It was a small class, so the overall feel was like a semi-private personal training session.  The workout progressed through the body, starting with wide stance squats, then progressing to single-leg squats (which I’ve read is one of the best strength exercises for runners) then moved on to upper body work.

Pulling the cables down to make the slider (along with your body) go up was probably my favourite exercise as it worked the same muscles used on a freestyle swim pull.  The cables give you solid resistance throughout the movement in a way weights can’t, and though there are cable machines in most gyms, I find it hard to get them set up for a complete range of motion, and to be honest, there’s always someone else using the cable setup.  Speaking of complete range of motion, I ended up shortening some of the pulls to avoid the top end of the range; I’ve been advised to not do exercises with weights directly overhead, that range seems to always aggravate old shoulder injuries.  More upper body work followed, with us pulling ourselves on the slider using rows, and bicep curls.

A lot of the exercises had core work thrown in on top in the form of a crunch or glute bridge at the end of the motions, but we had an explicit core workout to end the session, which we did upside-down (though at a very shallow angle).  Hanging like that feels great on your spine, and extension/traction is a common form of treatment for lower back pain, so that was a bonus.

After the session, Kim (having noticed my good form in spinning and my triathlon t-shirt and figuring me for a triathlete of some kind) showed me other exercises they use to work the swimming stroke muscles.  These were shoulder pulls while facing down, but also with an oblique twist to emphasize the core.

While I was skeptical of a machine-based workout, I think I’ll sign up for a few more classes and hope it pays strength dividends into my triathlon racing.  Plus, it’s an opportunity to workout with my wife; the couple that sweats together, stays together.  What strange/new classes have you done?

Posted on

Race Recap: Muskoka 5150

Sunday’s race renewed my faith in Muskoka as a region for triathlon, and re-invigorated my passion for the Olympic distance format.  Getting up at 5AM to make it to the race site was no picnic, especially since the Lightning Kid woke up for a feeding at four, but my wife was enough of a trooper to accompany me to the race while the kids were under the care of their grandmother, aunt and uncle.

Huntsville’s Summit Centre has been the race site for most of the non-70.3 races that the Subaru series has run the past few years (I’ve been coming since 2007, with the exception of 2010), so it there was some deja-vu for me approaching transition.  I got one of the last spots in my age group rack, far from the centre aisle that leads to the exit, but there was still space for me without having to cram and a lot of people were hanging their bikes up front first (by the brakes) which is how I like to do it too – it always makes things more harmonious when everybody (or most people) rack their bikes the same way.  Race kit pickup went smoothly and efficiently and all the volunteers had big friendly smiles.  I’ll talk about the swag at the end.

The Swim

The swim course was about the same as in previous years, just adjusted for length – start in Fairy Lake, head out for a couple of left-hand turns, and back up the river to the Summit Centre dock.  I’m happy to have started on the right side and made a good diagonal toward the buoy for the left turn, I think I got by a few swimmers on the turn, without bludgeoning anyone.

The morning light was a bit dim for sighting, but it was still bright overall.  Sometime on my way up the river, I noticed how sloppy my technique was, but the TYR Hurricane saved my butt.  The river meanders a little bit, and it can mess with your mind to make you think you’re almost finished when you’re not, but by the time I exited the water, I saw 34 minutes on the clock (my Garmin 910XT – first time wearing a device in the water on a race!) and I was very happy.  On review it does say that I swam 1800m rather than the 1500m I should have, but I don’t remember climbing up a dock the way Garmin says I must have…

Swim Stats – Official Time = 34:32; Pace/100m = 2:19; 21st out of 28 in my age group.

Transition 1

I probably waste time here because I always have a hard time putting on my heart-rate monitor and shirt; I can’t bring myself to put them on under the wetsuit.  Still I hustled to my bike, and was more or less efficient otherwise.
Official Time = 2:53

Bike

Here’s where the deja-vu ended.  This course was new and was the nicest ride I can remember having in a race – one of the nicest bike rides I can remember having.  It was my favourite part of the race, and for someone who does the bike portion of triathlon as begrudgingly as I do, that’s saying a lot.  The Muskoka region has always presented a challenge, since you’ll have nasty hills no matter which way you turn.  Still this was the first time riding this countryside that I really got the feeling of ‘rolling hills’ – there were times I felt like I was flying.  It also helped that there was plenty of new road work done recently to smooth things out.  Plenty of climbs to gut out, but enough downhill pay-offs without sudden turns to make you lose momentum.  The route took us South on Brunel road then West on Regional Road 10 to Port Sydney, which I found quite pretty, though I usually can’t spare much attention to that kind of thing while riding.  There was a point where several riders ended up getting held up by car traffic before a climb, and though racers were unhappy, we have to be able to share the road harmoniously with local traffic, right?  At any rate, with 2 gels in my system I ended up finishing nearly 8 minutes earlier than I thought I’d be able to, with my 3rd best bike time/speed ever (the other two occurring on the flat Wasaga course).

Bike Stats – Official Time = 1:22:49; Average Speed = 29km/h; 24th out of 28 in my age category.

Transition 2 

Besides sitting down to switch shoes (it took a lot of energy to get back on my feet again), I don’t think I could have done this much better.
Official Time = 1:14

Run

This course mixed the old with the new – some familiar sights from previous years, including the peak of Brunel Road near Princess Street giving us a big climb toward the end of each 5k lap, and some great variety on the new stuff.  There was a single loop of a track with rubberized ground like competitive runners (i.e. track and field types) use – my Achilles tendons appreciated this very much.  There was a climb past the Waterloo Summit Centre for the Enviroment (I had no idea this existed, but cheers for my alma mater – go Warriors!) and a descent on a trail back to near the swim course which challenged the burgeoning trail runner in me.  I was wearing my Zoots for this run, but that portion made me wonder if my Salomon’s might not have been more appropriate

I found my heart rate to be constantly bumping above my anaerobic threshold, in fact, it was hovering around 90% of max far too much, so I enforced walk breaks and I don’t regret it because I honestly believe it led to a faster overall pace and let me do some pain management.  These heart-rate breaks are also my justification for taking a bathroom break near the track (port-a-john) on the first loop.  On further review, it’s probably what let me really push it toward the end: new Max HR achieved!

I’d wanted a 55 minute time for the run, but in hindsight, I think my pacing estimate was too aggressive as it wasn’t based on a full 10k, never mind coming off the bike.  Thanks to taking the right amount of gels, and good leg strength and fast turnover built through the structured nature of our running group’s program I finished the run with a time I’m happy with – my third best run in an Olympic distance event.  Knowing I cracked the 3 hour mark overall, I crossed the finish line with a smile on my face.

Shark Boy, Me & the Lightning Kid

Run Stats – Official Time = 57:41; Average Pace = 5:47; 21st out of 28 in my age category


OVERALL STATS – OFFICIAL TIME = 2:59:07; 24th out of 28 in my age category; 254 out of 366 participants.

Extras

Post race food included bananas and apples, Sun Chips and Subway sandwiches, which I preferred to the Lasagna served in previous years.  It was easier to eat without a table, and more appropriate at 10AM.
Let’s get to the swag, shall we?  Racers walked away with not one, not two but three bags of stuff.  I appreciate the generosity, but unless you’re really into those cloth-type shopping bags, it seems like there could have been some sharing and more stuff could have been put into a single bag.
The Subaru bag had some of the usual things: deodorant, PowerBar, Race promo cards, Subaru print material, bread (?).
The Muskoka 5i50 bag had the race technical T-shirt.  We also got a hat at the finish, which I’m wearing in the above picture.
TriMuskoka gave a transition mat which could come in handy for any triathlete/duathlete.  My triathlon equipment bag has a built-in mat which I generally use, but I still think it’s a practical gift.
Overall a great event, and I’ll be on the lookout for any 5150 event I can drag myself and/or my family to in the future.
Posted on

Spartan Race Recap

I ran the Sprint Spartan Race the weekend before last.  It’s an experience I won’t forget, but I don’t really mean that in a good way.  The Spartan Race seems to pride itself on toughness, and part of that seems to be to keep race details in the dark, and give racers a surprise.  OK… so you should train yourself for general fitness, and rest assured you’ll be running a lot of hills.  I did the Warrior Dash the year before (I never got around to writing a recap), so this post will draw a lot of comparisons between the two events.

From the pre-race preparation email:
Greetings Spartans,

CLICK HERE to download the BIB LIST. The number on the left of your name is your CHIP number, use the search function in the PDF to search for you name. For Macs, use command+alt+ F to find your info.  Before you arrive at the race, please write this number in Permanent Marker on your Fore-Head ONLY. If you cannot open the PDF we will send an online version tomorrow.

I guess a Spartan doesn’t have a job that he/she has to go to the next day.  I thought this was a joke, but it was repeated later in the email and they were trying to enforce it at registration.  Most pictures I saw from before I raced seemed to show a minority of people who actually had numbers on their face, but at the starting line I was a little surprised to see how many people played along.  I wonder how long it takes to scrub off, though it would become apparent that the ideal Spartan Race demographic has nothing but tons of time to kill.   I just wrote my number on both arms (accidentally backwards on my right) – I’m used to body marking from triathlon.

I was aiming to get to the race parking lot around 2 hours before (they recommend at least an hour), and we managed to be there 90 minutes before my race was supposed to take off.  After waiting in line for a shuttle bus (yellow rocket school bus), the ride there and making it through registration, I had all of 10 minutes to spare.

For a place that caters to both cross-country skiing and mountain biking, Hardwood Hills was not exactly stroller friendly.  Maybe I should have let the $15 spectator fee dissuade me from having my wife and kids along, but we like to do things as a family, and I sure love the moral support.

Like I had said, I had about 10 minutes to get my timing chip and find the starting line.  With some of the requisite pumping up (and spraying with the fire hose), we were off.

I did like the course layout; at the Warrior Dash the year before, mud was the first thing encountered, and it happened right in the beginning before different paces over different terrain could thin people out a little.  Here, we went a good way before encountering obstacles.  I really struggle to remember every obstacle and its order after the fact, so I just tried to put them in table form below.

The mountain bike/cross country ski trails can get narrow, meaning there were bottlenecks at certain junctures.  The only time I really minded this was when one fellow decided to look back and check how his team-mates were doing, right between two trees we all had to run through.  I had some success communicating with racers I wanted to pass:”Coming up on your right/left”.

The trail presented a lot of climbing and descending, and if you do one of these, hill training is the best thing you can do to prepare.  It was a nice, natural environment to be running through.  Anyway, on to the –

Obstacles!

Name Description Comments
Mountain Crawl Up a hill under a camouflage net meant going on all fours If you’ve ever done mountain climbers, this is what they’re for, only here you’ve got to move your arms too!
Culvert Tunnel a Belly crawl through plastic tubing I was too big to really get my knees involved, so more than anything else this meant pulling myself along with my arms
Cargo Net A loose net about 10-12’ high.  Climb up, over and down the other side You swung around a fair bit making falling off a real possiblity.  I got my foot caught just as I had the other on the ground and wanted to leave the obstacle.  I did a jiu-jitsu roll to get free!
Rope Climb Straight up a rope (with no knots) for guys, rope ladders for girls I doubted my upper body strength on this one, and after a quick try, I realized my technique was lacking too.  I did the 20 burpees instead – the only obstacle where I did that.
Kettle Bell Pulley Raise a couple of kettle bells to around 20’ by pulling a rope down. One of their ‘obstacles’ which is more of a straight fitness/exercise station
Mud Pit Barb Wire Get under the barb wire by crawling through the mud Ow.  There were roots to scratch up your knees (see photos).  You couldn’t avoid them because you couldn’t see them.
Mud Pools Without barb wire you still have to wade through hip to chest height mud By the time you get out, you’re carrying another 5 pounds worth of mud in your clothes.  A hallmark of these kinds of races
8’ wall Get over the wall Did it in one jump and pull-up.  Burbathlon came in handy…
12’ wall Guess…. Unless you’re the size of a pro-basket ball player, you need help of other racers (or to cheat by grabbing a foothold along the side of the wall – that was me).
Bag of Cement Carry a bag of cement (20-30lbs, I figure) on you shoulder (or however you choose) about 100m or so This was one of the easier ones for a parent of small children.  There was only one bag, and it never screamed in my ear.
Spear Throw Throw a spear at a large straw dummy.  As long as you make contact, you’ll avoid extra burpees. Lucky they’re lenient on hitting the target.  My throw grazed it lightly.
Wheel Barrow Cart a wheel barrow-like device for 50-100m. Not much to say
Crooked Balance Beam Stay on the narrow, zig-zagging beam or do burpees Proud I didn’t fall off.  Burbathlon came in handy…
Fire Jump Jump over flames 2-3’ high Another jiu-jitsu roll for me – OVER THE FLAMES!  I got an ‘oooh’ from some spectators
Rowing Machines 20 rows on a rowing machine/ergometer Obstacle?  Sure…
Hay Bales Climb over hay bales using the attached netting
Gladiator Gauntlet Two guys with padded staves and a third un-armed (to push or wrestle you?) By this point the race had run longer than I planned and I thought of my wife having to deal with two screaming kids.  This must have given me the crazy eyes, because I barged straight through those guys with body checks.  They managed to take out my friend Rob though (see photo)
Big Ramp The final climb.  There are ropes, but it’s still slippery and steep. Managed to make it on my first try, though I benefited from watching people in front of me.

After all that, I felt pretty proud to have finished.  I had expected to finish in under 45 minutes (since the race was described as being 3 miles+; i.e. something around/over 5km), but in reality it turned out to be over 7km and took me nearly an hour.  Cue the smiles and victory poses.

Shark Boy and I show our muscles

Hulk Hogan has 24″ pythons… I have pyth-nons

The smiles were not to last however.  The rinse off facility was a meagre garden hose (Warrior Dash used a fire hose, and even that doesn’t get much of the mud off) which had yet another slow, long line-up.  After getting some over-priced food ($23 for a personal pizza, and order of fries, and 3 ice-creams) to feed our starving selves, escaping the venue involved spending over 2 hours in line to get onto a school bus back to the parking lot.  When it started to rain, my wife took the baby into shelter, but someone had to stay with the stroller and hold our place in line, so Shark Boy and I risked hypothermia; he was visibly shivering well before we were able to board, and unfortunately, he’s a little too dynamic to stay still under a tent roof with his mother – it takes both of us to manage our kids for any extended amount of time.  I tried to keep us under the umbrella, but there’s only so much that will do.  Fortunately, once some extra buses beyond the paltry 2-3 that had originally been doing the shuttling showed up, the better nature of some of race participants took over.  The people in front of us in line wanted “to make sure the kids got on this bus”.  Back at the parking lot, another long hike back to the car and we were finally in warmer air and on our way home… through weekend cottage country traffic.  My wife later compared the experience to being at the airport with small children; you have no-where to go and you’re penned in so you feel like a hostage, while hearing the kids’ screams of irritation, boredom and discomfort.

Afterwards, I hoped to find my time results online and find a few photos for this post, but every time I found myself, I seemed to be a background player… and as for the results, check this from the post-race follow-up email:

Congratulations on your Epic achievement,

…

Results can be found HERE Please use the search function to search for your name. For some participants you will find the Letters TBA by you name, some of the Data stored on the timing box suffered damage there was a small electrical fire by the finish line, we have sent the drive off to see if we can extract the information in the meantime we will keep you posted. 

…

If you were part of the group that were unable to receive a T-shirt at the end of the race. We apologise sincerely, our final shirt delivery had been held for inspection for Canada Customs for over 3 weeks and despite our best efforts to fly in replacements we were unable to to get the total. HOWEVER it is looking promising that the shirts will be released in the next 48 Hours and when you crossed the finish line you would have given your CHIP Number and Size please confirm your desired Postal adress by CLICKING HERE and we will collate your request with the finish line list and you will receive your T-Shirt.

We would like to apologise as some of you may have experienced line ups at Bag check, showers or the shuttle bus. We would like to Stress how important your experience is to us and we have committed to solve these problems for your next race. 

I had grabbed an extra large T-Shirt (I wear Large) on my way out of the finisher’s area since I couldn’t find a large, and having my fans/family there meant not having to deal with the Bag check.  The basic theme of the event’s problems seems to be that they want as many people showing up as possible (they get admission money for both participants and spectators), but they don’t ensure any reasonable service for all those people.  They either need to cap admissions lower, or spend more on what it takes to get people in and out or wherever they need to be.  I stand by my initial assessment that I got by reading the intro email mentioned at the top of the page: SPARTAN RACE – An event for Morons, by Morons.   I’ll never participate in this event again.

Posted on

Gear Corner: Reviewing the Salomon XT Wings 10-3 Hydration Pack

While running, I’ve most often handled my hydration needs with a belt and large water bottle. I’ve had two different belts (from Running Room and the North Face) both with large bottles in a diagonal holster, both are fairly good products.

Some of the challenges I faced:
1.) Not enough liquid stored: Whether it was for longer efforts, or in hotter weather,or simply because all the colds I seemed to catch this off-season redirect any fluids towards snot/phlegm production – I seem to need more water than a bottle can provide.

2.) Pockets: So many running shorts and pants lack pockets, and though a running belt will usually have space for keys or a wallet, a gear-head like me always has storage needs that are hard to meet. I bring my Blackberry, sometimes an iPod, sometimes even an extra camera (for blogging or whatever). I also need my keys, my work security card when I’m doing lunchtime workouts… it’s always something.

3.) Dynamic motion: I speculated that the sloshing and jostling makes it uncomfortable going over rougher terrain during trail runs and/or Burbathlon. I’d prefer things to be as integrated into the normal shape of my body as possible; a bottle bulging out over my butt can feel unnatural.

After a little research, I selected a Salomon hydration pack; they seemed to get good reviews and I’m already a big fan of their shoes and cross-country ski gear. I selected the XT Wings because it’s more like a vest than a backpack (satisfying criteria #3). It had enough pockets to keep me happy, too.

I bought the Medium size as it was the only one the store had left, and I wanted to ensure a snug fit so that it would really wear more like a vest than a pack.  I bought a Camelbak reservoir to insert into it.

Installed properly, the reservoir hose goes up under the arm with the nozzle secured in the right-hand strap, near the top of the chest.  This makes for easy access; I like my nozzle as it’s sealed when not in use, to get it to open, all it takes is a little bite.  Water doesn’t taste the greatest coming out of the rubber reservoir, but that’s more of a Camelbak problem than a Salomon one.  There’s also the problem that the first sip (from the water in the hose) is cool and refreshing, while the next is warm and tepid (probably because it’s come from the bag being warmed by my back).

I’ve been able to make good use of the pockets storing my Blackberry, keys, camera (and even a tripod!).  That’s just using the front pockets.  If I used the large pouch on the back, I could have a waterproof shell, or goodness knows what else.

My only real beef with the XT Wings 10-3 is that the zipper doesn’t stay completely closed.  My chest seems to be bursting out.  Much as I like doing Superman impressions, I’d rather the darn thing stay closed.  It’s possible that the next size up would have been better, but like I said, I wanted a snug, functional fit.

I don’t regret the purchase, and I’ve gotten good use of it so far.  If I end up going longer (runs or rides) or expanding into more off-road/adventure type events, I’m sure I’ll like having it even more.

Posted on

Race Recap: 5 Peaks at Rattlesnake Point (My first Trail Race)

We can’t help but notice these new upstart obstacle course races with their mud pits and hay bales and whathaveyou. That’s fine. two can play that game. Here’s what we’ve visualized throwing at you: pole vaulting, hang gliding, weaponized anthrax, tickling past the point of being funny, forcible tattooing, landmines, Scrabble with somebody who takes forever and then plays a three letter word, talking about feelings, poison blowdarts, and listening to people overpronunciate foreign words because they visited some place two years ago. Or maybe we’re just going to come at you with the oldest form of athletics: chasing living things through natural spaces.


–from the 5 Peaks pre-race bulletin.

My first entry in the 2012 Race Calendar is in the books!  Plan A was to have the whole family come along, but fate intervened and the Lightning Kid ended up in the emergency room at 4AM.  While that sounds like enough of a catastrophe to not race, he was in good hands with his mother and the staff, and it ended up only being croup (he’s already doing much better), so after I dropped off Shark Boy at his grandmother’s place, I was off to the race(s).

It’s a shame they couldn’t be there, because one of the first things I noticed upon arrival was how family friendly the venue was.  Being a park, there was lots of open space for kids (and dogs, on leashes) to run around in without worrying about cars and traffic.  They had set up a bouncy castle and there were clowns making balloon  animals.

Due to all the extra drama I went through trying to get to the race, I was late getting there.  I missed the kids’ 1k foot race, but had enough time to get my bib attached and run my race kit back to my car.  The race goodies were limited to a small sport bag filled with a ClifShot and ClifBar.  That may seem meagre but I’ll use everything in that bag, and it keeps my post-race clean-up duties to a minimum.  My office is littered with race kit goodies like pamphlets for races that have long come and gone… I can get most of that stuff on the internet.

At the starting line, they organized the racers in waves that would depart whenever the preceding wave had hit the line of the forest (about 150-200m).  Both the Sport Course (5km which I was doing) and the Enduro Course (12.7km) I was still getting myself sorted out when the first two waves were being described and organized, so I didn’t take them, but I figured I’d rather err on the side of caution and be in a later wave.  I heard something along the line of a “26 minute 5k time” and that sounded about right… for a regular 5k on fairly flat roads.  Still I was chomping at the bit by that point, and off I went.

The first part of the race across the field and into the forest felt a lot like a road race.  A crowd of smiling faces, and you take your time while the traffic is still thick.  Then, the Escapment’s rocky terrain asserted itself, and you had to stop sight-seeing and concentrate on what rock or root to step on, or not step on, while making sure that your fellow racers didn’t have the exact same spot at the exact same time in mind as a place to put their own feet.  While that sounds stressful, it was that kind of mental engagement I was looking for in a trail race; headphones are prohibited for safety reasons, and in this case, I could totally see why.

I imagine some people would argue that running should be a chance for them to put their brains on coast for a while and take a break from the demands of work, but unless you’re a secret agent or play video games for a living, I’d argue that this kind of mental stimulation is quite refreshing.  I found it to be a lot of fun.

If you were willing to risk a look up from the terrain, you were rewarded with some nice views, as the Sport  race course seemed to follow a ridge line of the escarpment.  Still, I tried not to waste much time since I was hoping to finish the race as fast as I could, even without any concrete estimates on what my time would be.

One of the many lookouts

According to what I heard on race day, what makes this race unique is the rockiness of the trail.  Often we were leaping across 3 foot gaps between boulders, or clambering over waist high rocks to get to where we were going.  Doing things like box jumps in Burbathlon really helped me get on top of these.  Of course, there were also good old fashioned hills to climb.

I need to find a way to capture ‘steepness’ photographically.

I’d always been mere inches away from a cold the past few weeks, and taking a hydration pack along proved to be a good idea, since I seem to need more than average levels of fluids lately, and I’m always starting short on them.  I’m proud of the effort level I kept up, since I had a kind of light burning in my lungs with my heart rate averaging around 83% (see below) and a finish time of under 30 minutes.

Finisher’s Victory Face

Post race snacks included chocolate chip cookies, bagels, pita, watermelon and banana.  I got a chance to look at and try some Salomon shoes from the demo tent.  The Salomon staff were well informed and it looks like my next pair of shoes (to be bought sooner rather than later) will be a pair of Salomon XR Missions

Here’s my Garmin data from race day:


And, Get Out There Magazine did a video race report that sums the event up quite nicely:

Posted on

Gear Corner: Forerunner 910XT Part 1 (Swim)


After losing my Forerunner 305, I was this close to buying a Bluetooth capable HR strap and using my Blackberry for tracking permanently, but darn it if those Garmin people didn’t hook me back in with the Forerunner 910XT.  After previous models that were called ‘waterproof’ (which in GPS language means “can get drops of water on it” unlike watch language where it means “submersible”), this one can really be used for swimming.  It is in fact, useful as a swim computer.

Once I got to the pool, the first thing I did was turn the watch on, and turn of the GPS.  They’ve made the menus more accessible than previously in my opinion, and GPS has its own menu so I can turn it off for indoor use quickly.  Then, I had to switch modes to ‘Swim’ (from ‘Run’) if I recall; this was found under the Training menu, rather than Settings where I expected it, but I still found that an improvement – it keeps any one menu from getting too dense with choices.  I programmed in a 25m pool, and started swimming.


I was a little pressed for time and stressed besides that, so I opted for a straight swim of 750m.  By the time I had done 100m, I checked the distance tracker and it reported only 50m and I was thinking:”This will never work.”  Still, by the time as I finished up my 30th length, sure enough, the readout showed 750m.


I was really interested to see what the data would show when I synched it, which it does wirelessly through a USB device the size of a thumb drive that you stick into your computer’s port.  The sync happens automatically when you turn the watch back on near the computer, but the small delay before it happens always makes me wonder if I’m doing it right before I notice the transfer has started.  The plugin software doesn’t have much in the way of dialog windows to let you know what’s happening.

Let me preface by saying I have no idea what happened toward the end there.  I do, however, love how it recorded my number of strokes for each length.  I always thought strokes should be counted with both arms but mechanically, it makes more sense for the watch to sense each time my left arm goes around.  The numbers add up, since I’d put my 25m stroke count around 25-26 (counting both left and right), and this workout shows an average of 13 (counting only the left).  It also shows my pace per 100m throughout the workout; might be very interesting during more structured workouts.


The last graph is about efficiency; there’s a metric called SWOLF which wasn’t easy to find the definition for (Google let me down for specifics), but ultimately, the connect.garmin.com websites help buttons defined it as stroke count+time to complete 25m.  I’m really interested in this one, as every time I’ve tried to reduced the number of strokes, I’ve used more power on each stroke to absolutely no effect; though I’m probably completing the 25m in less time.  Playing with SWOLF will let me optimize my swim for energy spent and how fast I can complete the distance.


So far so good for the Garmin Forerunner 910XT.  I should mention that the HR monitor (while waterproof) does not work in the water, which is a shame.  Though meaningful benchmarks for what heart-rate should be while swimming are hard to come by due to the difference the water pressure and cooling make on your cardiovascular system, I wouldn’t mind being able to compare workouts as the season progresses and knowing how my perceived exertion on a workout maps to the relative heart-rate actually produced.


I’ll be reviewing the 910XT’s features for biking and running in future posts.  Stay tuned!  Feel free to take a better look at the data by clicking the image below.

Posted on

Gear Corner: Shoes

I’m going to take a minute to talk about the shoes I run in.  I enjoy running on non-paved surfaces because they seem to be gentler on my Achilles tendons (I generally wear cushioning shoes; I seem to have high arch and supinate while running -cushioning has kept most problems at bay).  I noticed a friend wore Salomon shoes that seemed ideally suited to both the road and the trail (indeed the Salomon XA PRO 3D Ultra are marketed this way).  I’m on my third pair from this series, and I’m very happy; I do 90-95% of my running in these.

For races, I have switched in the last few years to something approaching the idea of a ‘racing flat’ the Zoot Ultraspeed. Being lighter, it’s a little less weight to drag around, and they’re designed for fast transitions at T2, so they just slip on.  Without much cushioning though, I tend not to use them on longer distances, depending on how I think my feet and legs will hold up against the course.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably seeing that Barefoot running is growing in popularity.  This guy makes plenty of arguments that I think hold some water, but I am in favour of cross-training in ways that strengthen my foot and any other supporting players in the run.  So I got a pair of barefoot/minimalist shoes: the Merrell True Glove.

I bought the Merrell’s because they sponsor the Multisport Canada Triathlon Series, they were on sale, and I had concerns about those shoes that look like feet.  What if one of my toes (or other featurs of my foot) is outside the norm?  How would they fit?  I should have been more concerned about the Merrell’s.

I wore them for the first time on a trail near my cottage.  I tried to land mid-foot as is recommended by all the paleo/chi running experts, and have a forward body lean as I ran.  Some problems: people with long legs have a reason to over-stride and heel-strike: it’s the best way to run faster and use your advantage.  Taking shorter strides and having faster leg turnover is hard when your legs are longer, and the second my concentration slipped, I was heel striking again.  I also seemed to be unable to find my mid-foot, when I wasn’t heel striking, I was landing on the balls of my feet as if I was trying to do some kind of ninja-sneak run, and it was murder on my Achilles tendons (especially with all the hills in the area).  Finally, I ended up with blisters on the backs of my heels (I should have taken pictures).

I’m not willing to give up on the barefoot running (as cross-training) yet, and I’ve worn the shoes a couple of times since then.  Once was taking my son to the playground which didn’t involve much running, except when I chased him or carried him for a quick jog from here to there, and the other time was on a treadmill.

I think the treadmill is ideal for playing with the technique.  Right now it’s a little too cold for running with less/no socks and very little insulation/protection on my feet.  Furthermore, the treadmill stays at a constant incline and speed, with no bumps, twists or turns so I can focus on my technique.  Lastly, I find it so boring that I’m guaranteed not to overdo it, and build my barefoot strength slowly.

Posted on

Yoga For Triathletes

This post is going to be a bit of a rave again. I’m going to talk about the Flexible Warrior Yoga for Triathletes DVD series.  I don’t get any compensation for this review, and I purchased these products myself.

You’re already having to fit in time to swim, bike and run. Then there are bricks to consider, and if you’re really good you have some strength cross-training in there. Maybe you even work in transition skills, or emergency bike repair practice (I haven’t done that last one). And now you’re supposed to fit in Yoga?!?!

Yes! And here’s why:

  1. Stretching. You have to do this anyway, you might as well do it through proven, Eastern, thousand year old techniques.
  2. Strength. Done right, a Yoga workout can be a strength workout only more functional than lifting weights or using machines. Holding a pose is more about muscular endurance than raw power and that’s very important to the endurance athlete.
  3. Balance and core. These can be a little weak in endurance athletes so it’s good to shore them up, especially for…
  4. Injury Prevention. When you get injured, you can’t train, so given that Yoga is a low impact form of cross-training, time spent doing it is like an insurance policy. When I get those little aches and pains, I find it really helps to do a little Yoga.
  5. Days off. It can be inclement weather, the aforementioned aches and pains (or even injury) or even just the chaos of everyday life that keeps you from getting outside and working out. When that happens, having a Yoga DVD handy and knowing it will do you some good can take the edge off the disappointment you feel at having to scrap the original workout.

This DVD series is created and hosted by Karen Dubs. Karen has a lot of familiarity with endurance athletes (stemming from, I believe, an affiliation with Spinnervals’ Troy Jacobsen) and it shows in the videos. The people demonstrating are triathletes of a variety of levels, the sequences are designed to address the issues that triathletes have, and she even forgives athlete’s for the tight calves, hamstrings and hips that might keep them from perfect technique. Karen’s instructions are clear in illustrating what’s important to the technique, while her laid-back attitude keeps you from getting frustrated by any mistakes you might make (e.g. “As long as you’re breathing, I’m happy”).

Volume 1 has 3 different workouts or sequences, each lasting 20-25 minutes. They are titled: Energy, Power, and Flexibility. They can be performed in that order if you have about an hour to devote to your Yoga workout, or you can do them separately.

Energy is a sequence that can be used as a full body warm up before the other sequences or even other workouts. It also includes some core work. The beauty of this one is that it can be performed when your muscles and joints are cold, i.e. first thing in the morning. You don’t need a warm up – it is the warm up! I can tell you that it does indeed energize you and makes it easier to start your day.

The Power sequence may be the most challenging; it certainly is for me, especially since I seem to get the least opportunities to practice it – which is a shame, as some of the poses involve technique and balance that need to improve through practice.  You need to be warmed up to perform it, but when you get through, you’ve broken a real sweat and know you’ve had a workout.

I like to use the Flexibility sequence as a post-workout stretch session when I have the time.  This is the reason Power is the least used: I can do Energy first thing in the morning, and Flexibility post-workout, but Power needs its own timeslot to be a workout unto itself.  The Flexibility sequences poses stretch all the important ones for triathletes, notably opening up the hips, elongating the hamstrings and calves.

I also own Volume 2 of the Flexible Warrior series.  I’ve spent less time with it, so I have less to say about it.  This one has shorter sequences, but more of them, with slightly tweaked goals.  Energy is similar to Volume 1’s version (warm-up).  I’ll make you guess which muscles the Core sequences is designed to address.  The Cross-train sequence is for “total body strength, stability, and endurance for upper and lower body”, while the  Balance and Recovery replaces the Volume 1 Flexibility routine, albeit with more technical poses that work on your balance.

If you’re looking for a small sample of how Yoga can help your triathlon training here’s a link to the article that orignally got my attention.  I have that sequence pretty much memorized, and use it as my bare minimum post run/ride stretch routine. There is even a Flexible Warrior YouTube channel. 

An honourable mention goes to Sage Rountree who also does Yoga for Endurance Athletes.