Traffic Signs, NYC

Everyone has a sense of humor, hopefully this will work and keep cyclist safe.

What Will Newton Santa Bring Me...

All I want for gifts are these, Newton Products!

1. TERRA MOMENTUS = MOMENTUM  ALL-TERRAIN TRAINER
2. DISTANCIA = DISTANCE LIGHT WEIGHT NEUTRAL TRAINER 
3. Cozy Cocona Half Zip
4. Apollo Hooded Jacket

365/1

So as a sponsored, very amateur athlete I am going against the grain somewhat, and try training for 365 days, 1 hour each day, it will be referred to as 365/1. I know as an athlete you should give your body time to rest and recoup, as a individual interested and devoted to how health can improve ones mindset, injuries and wellness, how will this change me.

On January 1, 2012 it all starts, I will post where this journal will live as we get closer.
Cheers

Three Running Workouts For The Treadmill

Got to love Triathlete and thank them for this wonderful workout.

Workout No. 1

Warm-up: eight minutes easy followed by 4×20 seconds at 5K pace or slightly faster.

Main set: 12×1 minute, alternating at a 4 percent grade, a 4.5 percent grade and a 5 percent grade.

The interval at 4 percent should be moderate, the effort at 4.5 percent should be moderately hard, and the interval at 5 percent should be hard. Try to run faster with each set of three.

Take one minute of rest in between each interval.

Cool-down: 10 minutes easy.

—Mike Ricci, head coach, University of Colorado at Boulder Triathlon Team

Workout No. 2

“One treadmill session I have a love-hate relationship with is 10×3 minutes at best effort, with three minutes rest between each,” says Ironman world champion Mirinda Carfrae . “It’s kind of boring but quite effective!”

Always remember to properly warm up and warm down before you do this session. A proper warm-up should include some strides on the treadmill.

Workout No. 3

Warm-up: 20 minutes of running. The first five minutes should be easy and can include walking. By minute 10, you should be running the same pace you would during a long run, and by minute 15, you should be running at a moderately fast pace. For the final five minutes of your warm-up, do progressively faster strides that are 15 to 30 seconds long, separated by 15 to 45 seconds of “recovery running” that is done slightly faster than the pace you expect to hold during the main set.

Set No. 1: 3×30- to 45-second hill repeats at a 5 percent, 6 percent and 7 percent grade. These hill repeats should be fast, but not so fast that you can’t finish the workout. Take a 2:15- to 2:30-minute rest, so that each repeat takes three minutes.

Set No. 2: 3×30- to 45-second hill repeats at a 6 percent, 7 percent and 8 percent grade. Slightly increase the pace you’re running, as well. Take a 2:15- to 2:30-minute rest, so that each repeat takes three minutes.

Set No. 3: 3×30- to 45-second hill repeats at a 7 percent, 8 percent and 9 percent grade. Slightly increase the pace you’re running, as well. Take a 2:15- to 2:30-minute rest, so that each repeat takes three minutes.

Cool-down: 10 minutes of easy running.

— Eric Bean, professional triathlete and coach of the Fast Forward Triathlon Pro Development Team

Yard Stash, Tent Storage For Your Gear!

So YardStash is a unique way to store up to two bikes with hooks to hang your gear. This could be great for someone in the city that is storing their bikes in a basement and would like to conceal their little treasures. Even if you are visiting, vacationing, getting ready for a race, set this little baby up and you are good, could also be used as a changing room. $100, pretty good for something this versatile. 


Specs

• Space Saving = 74” long x 30” deep x 65” high, internal hooks to hang gear
• Quick Set-Up = Less than 15 minutes to fully assemble
• Tough = Heavy duty polyester materials, reinforced integrated floor, large zippers
• Weatherproof = UV and weatherproof coating, water shedding design, integrated floor
• Portable = Lightweight (15 lbs) and easy to disassemble. Carrying bag included
• Easy Access = Convenient, full zip front flap
• Affordable = Inexpensive and versatile outdoor storage solution

Assembled Height:	65 inches
Assembled Width:	74 inches
Assembled Depth:	30 inches
Packed Size:	23 inches long x 7 inches high x 7 inches wide
Packed Weight:	15 lbs
Canopy Fabric:	210D Oxford green polyester, weatherproof coated, UV 30+ protection
Floor Fabric:	600D Oxford black polyester
Number of Poles:	11
Internal Gear Hooks:	2
Pole Material:	Fiberglass
Zippers:	Two large zippers with rubber tabs
Seams:	Weatherproofed and sealed

Athletes Wanted: Apply to Become a TrainingPeaks Ambassador

TrainingPeaks is excited to announce that we are putting together our first ever TrainingPeaks Ambassador Program. If you think you have what it takes to be on Team TrainingPeaks, read on!

We’re looking for athlete ambassadors who avidly use our products and wholeheartedly believe in training with TrainingPeaks. Our ambassadors will balance their passion for endurance sports with life, all while influencing those in their community.

We want athletes who are:

• AUTHENTIC AND CREDIBLE. Our ambassadors are more than just athletes; they are the storytellers for our brand. That’s why our ambassadors will be highly motivated, enthusiastic self-starters. We seek individuals who will validate TrainingPeaks through their daily lives, sport, and community.
• PASSIONATE ABOUT TRAINING PROGRAMS. Our ambassadors know when it comes to training, setting a goal and following a training plan or working with a coach is where it’s at.

Sponsorship of our athlete ambassadors will last for one (1) year during which time we ask our athletes to use TrainingPeaks to train for at least five (5) events. We may also collaborate around some or all of the following:

• PRODUCT FEEDBACK. We ask athlete ambassadors to beta test software features and tell us how we can enhance or improve features.
• EDITORIAL CONTENT. We are looking for athlete ambassadors who are also inspirational storytellers (writers or bloggers) and generously offer advice and insight into their training. We will publish and promote your work to others to help motivate and inspire training for endurance athletes. Regular engagement and postings on TrainingPeaks’ social media channels will be required.
• AMBASSADOR PROFILES. Athlete ambassadors may be featured on the TrainingPeaks website, Facebook page, emails, newsletters and blog.
• APPEARANCES. Athlete ambassadors may be asked to participate in TrainingPeaks sponsored events (i.e. race expo, conference, or event) when appropriate, and wear TrainingPeaks gear during your five required events.
• TRAININGPEAKS ADVOCATE. Be a role model and spokesperson with whom TrainingPeaks users and our partners will be proud to be associated.

To apply, click here.  Application deadline is November 30, 2012. 2012 Ambassadors will be announced December 15th. We look forward to reviewing your application!

Better Performance Through Science

Ben Greenfield's non steroidal treatment

-Triglyceride based fish oil caps (like Pharmax) at 4-6 capsules per day, to increase levels of anti-inflammatory fatty acids.

-4000-6000IU Vitamin D per day (stacked with this with fish oil), as a steroid and hormone precursor.

-4 Recoverease after easy workouts, and 6-8 after very difficult workouts (or races), for accelerating muscle repair.

-250mg Natural Calm magnesium 30-60 minutes before bed, for enhancing sleep quality and testosterone.

-8-10 sprays Topical Magnesium sprayed on any area of body that is sore or stiff post-workout, and also sprayed on quads, calves and shoulders pre-race.

-4 Extreme Endurance in morning and 4 in evening, for controlling lactic acid burn during exercise.

-5 Master Amino Pattern (MAP) before easy workouts and 10 before very difficult workouts (or races), to limit lean muscle damage.

-Adaptogenic herb for balancing testosterone:cortisol ratios and also for stress management – I personally do TianChi, taken on an empty stomach mid morning or mid afternoon) and also Millennium Sports Cordygen VO2 (take in morning or 30-60 min before workouts) 

-Co-Enzyme Q10 every day for anti-aging and cardiovascular performance. I take 1-2 Hammer Race Caps per day, or when traveling, will use Energy28 liquid packets.

-MillenniumSports Somnidren GH or Hammer REM caps for better sleep – either of these 30-60 minutes before bed.

-2-4 ProstElan per day for decreasing testosterone conversion to estrogens and enhancing sexual performance.

Killer workout from CrossFit

The CrossFit-Inspired Pyramid Do these as fast as you can, with no rest. 5 Handstand Push-ups 10 Dead Lifts 15 Toes to Bar 20 Box Jumps 25 Kettlebell Swings 30 Wall Balls 25 Kettlebell Swings 20 Box Jumps 15 Toes to Bar 10 Dead Lifts 5 Handstand Push-ups

TRX, Get Stronger & Balanced

The more you use the TRX the more you wonder why did it take so long to get to this point. Every workout you can see something new in yourself, your balance improves, muscles get stronger, then you try another position, BAM, right back to the basics. This is what its all about, finding weak points and making them stronger. 

Benefits

Versatile for All Athletes and Sports

The versatility of the TRX Suspension Trainer^™ allows for hundreds of functional exercises to be combined to create unique and challenging training programs that meet the performance enhancement goals of all athletes and competitive events.

Improved Conditioning

The TRX Suspension Trainer^™ is adjustable for any fitness level and because the mechanics of Suspension Training are based upon three planes of motion, muscles work together in groups to safely build strength, balance, flexibility and core stability in a more efficient manner.

Portable and Effective Workouts

The TRX Suspension Trainer™ is lightweight, portable and easy to set up, so athletes can get a total body workout in the gym, on the field or at home.

Face Plant, Mel Rollison wins Noosa

This sucks, sorry my heart goes out to her. Mel does not even get to break the tape after winning the event. Cheers and Sorry.

SWELL ORGANIC TRIO TEES Mens Clothing Tees Short Sleeve | Swell.com

SWELL ORGANIC TRIO TEES Mens Clothing Tees Short Sleeve | Swell.com

Introducing the new Swell Organics Collection- eco and style- friendly classics that leave the logos and chemicals out of the equation. 3 solid organic tees with tape at inner neck to keep a perfect shape after washing and a heat-sealed inner neck label. Regular fit, 100% organic cotton. Swell.

Swimming with Whales

All for a rush, well check this out!

Muscle Up, Improve Your Upper Body!

CrossFit Gymnastics coach Jeff Tucker shared his expertise at the 2011 Summer Affiliate Gathering in Big Sky, Mont. In this video, he takes athlete Hayley Parlen through a muscle-up progression.

After watching an attempt, he starts Parlen in a progression using low rings. She kneels underneath the rings to use her legs for as much support as is necessary to scale the movement.

Instead of jumping through the muscle-up, Tucker says he wants “a nice, slow movement” to work on positions in a strict muscle-up.

“Think about placement,” he says. “I’m pulling the rings and placing them under the armpit. I’ve got a hollow body and I press.”

Next, he has Parlen work the negative. It brings up a strength issue with the dip for her. More practice in the progression will develop the necessary strength for the movement, he says.

After these progressions with Tucker, Parlen performs her first kipping muscle-up.

She says what helped her was Tucker’s cue to get above the rings as opposed to pushing through the rings at the transition. She also found success through his cue to “keep pulling.”

Subscribe for $25 a year.

Craig Alexander Is Once Again King Of Kona!

Craig Alexander Is Once Again King Of Kona!

If you follow triathlon even remotely, then you know Newton Running pro triathlete, Craig Alexander. You probably also know that twice he had won the Ironman World Championship as well as the Ironman 70.3 World Championship. Well, this past Saturday, on a blisteringly hot day in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, the man affectionately known as “Crowie” grabbed yet another victory from the world’s best triathletes.

The day began with the pro field (greatly reduced thanks to the new Kona qualifying system for pros) starting at 6:30 AM. With former All-American swimmer Andy Potts out of the water ahead of everyone, Craig was in the first pack behind Potts with the majority of the pros in a time of 51:56.

As expected Craig’s transition was without incident and he was soon on the bike. If there were any doubts about how fierce a competitor Craig could be on the bike, they were erased as Craig stayed at or near the point of the spear on the ride out to the town of Hawi. For his part, Crowie proved not only was he a fierce competitor but that he can also throw. down a blistering bike leg by shaving a full thirteen minutes off his previous best bike split in Kona.

Craig left T2 about 4:30 down but quickly made the pass to take the lead. The battle which was expected from Andreas Realert did come, but never in a head-to-head match-up as the triathlon world had predicted. With Craig running his usual fleet-footed and efficient marathon, his lead began to get bigger and bigger after the half marathon. The “Crowie Edition” Newton Distance S’ on his feet were a blur of bright yellow as he tore through the Energy Lab. However, fans everywhere collectively gasped as, with about 2 km to go, Craig pulled up to stretch obvious hamstring cramps. After pulling it back together and bearing what must have been excruciating pain, Craig finally hit the last stretch on Ali’i Drive.

With the crowd going crazy and Craig picking the Australian flag from a spectator, it was pretty clear that he was unaware of just how close he was to history. Those of us watching the live stream and some near the finish were well aware that Crowie was withing seconds of breaking Luc Van Lierde’s fifteen year old course record of 8:04:08. As he approached the finish line and finally got a glimpse of the clock, reality hit Craig. Sprinting the last few meters, he leaped across the finish line and into Ironman history in a course record time of 8:03:56.

With his win, Craig became only the fourth man ever to win three or more Ironman World Championships. He is also the oldest winner of the race at 38 years old and is the first person to ever win both the Ironman 70.3 World Championship and the Ironman World Championship at any time AND the only person to hold both titles in the same year!

The super bright colors of Newton Running were well well represented on the course in Kona as always. We’d like to extend a big congratulations to all the Newton runners who tore up the roads of Kailua-Kona this past weekend!

All of us at Newton Running would like to congratulate Craig on not only being an amazing person, sportsman and father, but for being the embodiment of a true gentleman and athlete. Congrats Craig! Here’s to #4!

Swim: 51:56
T1: 1:56
Bike: 4:24:05
T2: 1:58
Run: 2:44:03

Total: 8:03:56 (New course record)

Specialized Shiv

Specialized is making an amazing bike, yes I want to get sponsored by them,go faster and win more events, that aside, in the end you really can see why this is the premier bike next year to own. Yes Chrissie won on a Cannondale Slice, but look at the differences in the two models, that alone speaks worlds. 


Congratulations Craig Alexander World Champion 70.3 and Kona.

IN RECENT YEARS SPECIALIZED HAS SET THE TRI WORLD ON FIRE. NEVER BEFORE HAS ONE TEAM SO UTTERLY DOMINATED THE SPORT, WITH WORLD TITLES IN IRONMAN, OLYMPIC, SPRINT, AND XTERRA DISTANCES.

WE’RE UPPING THE ANTE AGAIN: INTRODUCING OUR ALL-NEW SHIV. THIS STEALTHY SPEED MACHINE IS ABSOLUTELY NOT UCI-LEGAL, BECAUSE IT’S SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR THE NEEDS OF TRIATHLETES: IT’S MORE AERO THAN THE UCI ALLOWS; THE FIT RANGE IS GREATER THAN PREVIOUSLY POSSIBLE; AND OUR PATENTED FUELSELAGE INTEGRATED HYDRATION SYSTEM IS A STRAIGHT-UP GAME CHANGER.

THREE WORDS SEPARATE SHIV FROM THE REST OF THE INDUSTRY: AERO, FUEL, FIT. IT ALL STARTS WITH ITS FACT IS CARBON FRAME. WE STUDIED AIRFLOW IN EACH AREA OF THE FRAME, SPECIFICALLY CROSSWINDS SINCE THAT'S WHAT TRIATHLETES USUALLY EXPERIENCE ON THE ROAD. THEN WE OPTIMIZED TUBING AND FRAME DESIGN FOR EACH SPECIFIC AIRFLOW PATTERN, RATHER THAN RELYING ON UNIFORM AIRFOILS THROUGHOUT. SINCE WE WEREN’T RESTRICTED BY UCI RULES, WE WERE FREE TO USE ULTRA-DEEP AIRFOIL TUBING WITH ASPECT RATIOS OF UP TO 4:1 AND BEYOND-FASTER THAN THE 3:1 UCI STANDARD.

DEEPER TUBING IS ONLY PART OF THE STORY THOUGH. SINCE TRADITIONAL WATER BOTTLE SETUPS ARE A MAJOR DRAG ON AERODYNAMICS, WE ENGINEERED OUR FUELSELAGE™ RESERVOIR TO HIDE NEATLY INSIDE THE MASSIVE DOWN/HEAD TUBES. THE BENEFITS ARE TWOFOLD: IT MEANS MUCH SAFER AND MORE CONVENIENT FUELING WHILE YOU’RE IN THE AERO BARS. PLUS THROUGH EXTENSIVE WIND TUNNEL TESTING, WE’VE PROVEN IT’S THE MOST AERODYNAMIC BIKE WE’VE EVER MADE—AND MORE AERO THAN ANY OTHER BIKE ON THE MARKET WITH A BOTTLE.

WE’VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE THE FIT OPTIONS FOR A WIDE ARRAY OF RIDERS. THE BIKE IS AVAILABLE IN FIVE FRAME SIZES, AND FEATURES OUR PROPRIETARY SPECIALIZED AERO BARS, CONTROL TOWER FIT SYSTEM, AND FLIPPABLE AIRFOIL SEATPOSTS FOR A HUGE RANGE OF STACK AND REACH ADJUSTMENT.

RATHER THAN MAKING JUST ONE UCI-LEGAL TIME TRIAL BIKE, THAT ALSO HAPPENS TO WORK FOR TRIATHLON—LIKE THE REST OF THE INDUSTRY—WE STEPPED OUTSIDE THE UCI BOX TO CREATE A BIKE EXCLUSIVELY FOR TRIATHLETES. WITHOUT THESE INNOVATION-LIMITING RESTRICTIONS, WE’VE REWRITTEN THE RULEBOOK ON WHAT A TRI BIKE SHOULD BE. THE NEW SHIV IS A TESTAMENT TO OUR UNPARALLELED COMMITMENT TO THE SPORT AND ITS ATHLETES.