Midwest Multisport Life - An Endurance Blog

Midweek Motivation: Thomas Jefferson

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Wed, 22 May 2013 05:49:00 PDT

Motivational words of wisdom from one of the founders of our country.

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Toys in the Attic (Well...)

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Tue, 21 May 2013 06:03:00 PDT

Well...more like squirrels in the gutter. Even though we have leaf covers on our gutters, it's not enough to deter the incredibly aggressive squirrels we have around our home. One has actually chewed through the plastic cover at one end of the gutter and repeatedly removes and throws down a small piece at the other. Irritating.

How to get rid of them? (Besides buying the kids a bb gun? You'll shoot your eye out!) Turns out you can put wire mesh in place of the plastic leaf covers or you can hang moth balls inside. We're going to try moth balls. Little Worker and I will take a walk to the local hardware store today and buy some mothballs, along with some sort of mesh bags to contain them, I'll clean out the nest I'm sure they've built, and...problem solved! (We hope.)

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The Mañana Kid (Training Will Commence Tomorrow)

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Mon, 20 May 2013 03:30:00 PDT

When I was younger, one of the few nicknames I ever had was The Mañana Kid, bestowed to me by a teacher who always laughed at my procrastination. (Why do something today that you can put off until tomorrow?) I feel that way these days in regards to training - I'm sure I'll get started tomorrow!

It's been totally helter-skelter, with no rhyme or reason, just getting out for a run one day, maybe some crosstraining the next, but nothing like a firm plan. Many of my runs have been with the kids completing their Running Club "homework" and with Laima supporting her training for the ZOOMA half in the fall.

Maybe it's simply that I don't have something specific to train for, no race yet in mind. That looks like it's changing soon though, as social media opportunities have come up for both the Spartan Race and the Men's Health Urbanathlon. Both are fun races and the Urbanathlon opportunity actually comes with a training plan -- bonus!

We'll see what happens, but I do know this: training will commence tomorrow.

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Choices, Choices, Choices

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Fri, 17 May 2013 05:53:00 PDT

Some might say we're overscheduled, but it's just a function of being an active, large family.

June 15th has lined up as a day when choices need to be made and family obligations need to be met pretty much from the get-go all the way through the rest of the day.

Here's what our possible day right now looks like:

9:00 AM Munchkin's Soccer Game (his last of the season)

9:00 AM The kids' Lithuanian Heritage Saturday School

9:00 AM Run for Boston 5K

1:00 PM Check in for family camping, Blackwell Forest Preserve

1:00 PM "Toast the Coast at the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival"

4:00 PM Tazer's Soccer Game (his last of the season)

Evening: Family Camping

Obviously we're not going to be able to fit it all in. First to go, probably, will be the kids' Saturday School -- it's the least day of the year for them, so no education will take place anyway. Then, since it's in Michigan and not for the whole family, we won't be heading for the "Toast the Coast at the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival." Bummer, but not altogether a big deal.

The rest is actually doable. I'll take Munchkin to his last soccer game, while Laima heads over to the Run For Boston 5K with Tazer. We'll reconvene for lunch, then go and get set up for camping. After Tazer's last soccer game, we'll go back to the campground and most likely pass out after too many S'mores. It will probably end up being a great day, even though we won't get all of it in as planned.

Do you have days when everything seems to happen at once?

How do you prioritize?

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StrongerRX: Power, Intensity, Strength

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Thu, 16 May 2013 05:09:00 PDT

I was lucky enough to hook up with StrongerRX recently and get some of their gear for a review. With CrossFit becoming more popular, apparel companies are recognizing the need for clothing that can support the dynamic movements, as well as the strains put on both body and gear. StrongerRX started as a vision which was to provide the athletic community with a new breed of performance apparel that provides the latest styles, comfort and reliability; its goal is to deliver superior performance wear.

The Wod Shorts (designed for CrossFit by CrossFitters) combine a cool board short design with a lightweight combination of materials, flex panels, and a secure closure system that has both Velcro and drawstrings for perfect fit. These are great shorts for Crossfit, as they move with you and not against you, seem well-made, and make you feel like a badass at the same time.

The RTG Glove (Black) are designed to follow the contours to your hand, resulting in comfort while also protecting. These CrossFit cloves prevent blisters, calluses, and bloody hands that are the plague of so many. In addition these RTG Gloves for CrossFit reduce hand fatigue, which allows you to focus on the movement at hand, be it Olympic Weightlifting or pull-ups. I certainly appreciated the gloves, especially in my garage gym, where my pull-up bar is cast iron, pretty rough on the hands, but much more comfortable with the RTG Gloves.

Check out the StrongerRX website, like on Facebook, and follow on Twitter.

Disclaimer: I was sent these items for review. All opinions are my own.

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Crosstraining - Garage Gym

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Wed, 15 May 2013 03:57:00 PDT

Laima recently started working again, mostly in the mornings, which was my preferred time to go to CrossFit - it's possible for me to exercise in the afternoons, but it rarely happens. I'm a morning person all the way. I've also had some aches and pains, but ultimately, it's all been excuses to not go. One of the tenets of CrossFit is No Excuses, so yesterday I sucked it up and headed out to my garage gym for a WOD of my devising. I know I want to eventually be able to do an unassisted pull-up, so that was definitely in. I wanted another strength move and some cardio, so somehow or other, I ended up with 3 rounds (didn't want to push too much after the longish layoff) of:

10 - pull-ups
10 - 6' broad jumps
20 American KB Swings
50 jump rope singles

Even that wasn't easy -- I had originally thought of making it 5 rounds, but am glad I took it easier on myself. No reason to get injured by being stupid. Nice to know that I can motivate myself enough to go down the driveway and get a workout in and happy my garage gym (meager a it is) can offer me a kick ass workout. More to come.

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Becoming a Supple Leopard

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Tue, 14 May 2013 05:20:00 PDT

"Our bodies will put up with our

silly movement and lifestyle choices

because they have a freakish amount

of functional tolerance built in."

-- Dr. Kelly Starrett

A leopard doesn't stretch before starting to chase its prey and new studies have shown we shouldn't either (at least static stretching). But most of us are a long way from being supple leopards, able to safely and quickly spring into action. When I read Brian Mackenzie's Power, Speed, Endurance, I knew that, if I wanted to eventually be totally and healthfully fit, I would need to go beyond the endurance training and work on issues that kept popping up. As I've aged, recovery has become harder, in fact, getting started has become harder with the aches, pains, twinges, and other sundry ailments I occasionally suffer from. When I heard that I could get a review copy of Dr. Kelly Starrett's book Becoming a Supple Leopard (Las Vegas, NV: Victory Belt Publishing Inc, 2013), I jumped at the chance. I'm a huge fan of Starrett.

First off, this is not a quick read -- approaching tome-size, this is more textbook than simple instructional manual. Starrett delves into the science behind the material, which, for someone out of school for many, many years, is somewhat a shock. You can either try to grasp what he's saying or accept it at face value, which is pretty much what I had to do -- after so many years of endurance training, I've read quite a bit, and most of his material seems to line up with what I've seen -- the biggest difference is his passion. This is personal for him.

While Starrett does allow that going directly to the mobility chapters at the end of the book will give immediate relief to certain problems, underlying factors may still need to be addressed. If you start at the beginning and work your way through the book, you can create a "master blueprint for creating safe and stable positions for all human movements." This leads to a reduction in injuries, more strength and an ability to move your training forward, beyond simply making your daily living more comfortable.

"We cannot make basic errors in our lifestyles and expect out bodies to be able to absorb the consequences when we are working in a performance-based paradigm."

After reading, and re-reading the beginning of the book, the hard work begins in Chapter 2: Midline Stabilization and Organization (Spinal Mechanics). Completely scary how many of the "incorrect" images are reflective of my current state. While I wanted to jump ahead and work on obvious mobility issues I am already aware of, this is where the bulk of my efforts needs to go. From the images in this chapter, I can see the I suffer from an Overextension Spinal Fault - my back arches forward and my butt sticks out, no doubt the major reasons why I suffer from back pain, along with other lower body maladies. By using the step by step directions that Starrett shares (and illustrates), I'll be able to align my body, from head through rib cage and pelvis down through the legs. Once I get to that point, I'll really start working towards gaining more mobility, hopefully not as a therapeutic act, but as preventative medicine.

If you're young, maybe you don't need this book, though it would be worth getting a head start before you do. If you're middle-aged, buy this book and use it religiously, adding a daily visit to MobilityWOD for extra assistance. It doesn't matter what shape you're in -- as Starrett notes, you can start anywhere and make improvements. Those improvements will add up to you feeling better, making it more likely you'll get up and go.

Disclaimer: I received this book for review purposes, free of charge. All opinions are my own.

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The Long Walk

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:07:00 PDT

When I think of exercise, it usually is running, cycling, or maybe CrossFit, but it wasn't always so. When I was younger, I was an avid walker, and thought nothing of wandering for a few hours. Saturday morning, I woke up stiff, creaky, and not wanting to do much of anything, especially not exercise. But...I was up for walking, so I started off towards the library, with vague plans to meet Laima after 45 minutes or so and get some of her ZOOMA Ambassador stuff done. That never came to pass, but I still enjoyed my walk.

The benefits of walking are many. No special gear is required. According to the Mayo Clinic, regular brisk walking can help you:

"Maintain a healthy weight, Prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, Strengthen your bones, Lift your mood and Improve your balance and coordination."

I'll take that! I ended up walking about an hour and a half and covered nearly 6 miles, and, while the weather was far from perfect, it was a pleasure to be out and about.

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Everybody's Working For The Weeknd

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Fri, 10 May 2013 04:51:00 PDT

We had a great week, eating a fabulous dinner on the rooftop at III Forks Chicago (go if you can, beautiful location and a great atmosphere). Laima went up to Milwaukee and got to meet Olympian Dara Torres! Saturday the kids are headed over to an Aunt and Uncle's while we go to a family wedding (kind of bummed no kids are allowed), which makes it kind of a date weekend for us. Sunday is Mother's day and I'm hoping we get in a trail run before we pick up the kids. Since Laima typically likes the traditional breakfast of bacon and eggs, we may just have to go local so we can get back for that.

Have a great weekend and

Happy Mother's Day!

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The Gift Guide for Active Mothers

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Thu, 09 May 2013 04:35:00 PDT

Mother's Day is upon us, but don't rely on the typical flowers and candy to celebrate; instead, take Mom out for a walk in the woods or a day at the shore. Be active. Of course this is after the flowers and chocolate. :)

Beyond the typical selections, some review items have crossed our threshold recently that would make a great gift for your active mother.

Start her day right with organic tea from Alvita - a selection of more than 40 flavors from Valerian Root (helps her sleep) to Peppermint (after her favorite breakfast) to Licorice Root (helps her breathe on that Mother's Day bike ride) makes it easy for her to find one she likes. Earth-friendly packaging celebrates the other Mother, Nature.

Beyond mere function, the stylish Rakuda backpack mates usefulness and design. The heavy canvas of the pack brings to mind old european hikers, yet the dark leather and silky lining make it luxurious enough for a trip downtown. An inside zippered pocket keeps small items stowed and the voluminous interior carries as much as you can handle without problem. This has become our de facto library bag - the zippered pocket keeps library cards safe and the large pocket carries many, many books. Over the years, this backpack will soften and conform to the wearer, sure to become an old favorite.

The AIRBAC™ patented air support system, seen in the second photo,

made for an incredibly comfortable carry, according to Tazer

For a more sporty look and times, the AIRBAC™ is the only backpack with a patented air support system to help you feel like you’re carrying half the weight. The pack rests comfortably above your waistline to lessen weight load, leading to less stress on the shoulders and less shock to the spine. While this would make for a great backpacks for mom to carry snacks (and hats and hoodies and water bottles and...) on hikes, our son Tazer immediately took possession, so apparently it’s pretty cool looking to 12 year old boys as well. :)

madcapz are fun caps and visors designed for women - a low profile fit women love, an adjustable strap for an easy fit, 100% cotton, and a 2 3/4 inch bill for great sun protection. Add in a choice of over 30 colors, baseball hat or visor, and you can find one that suits her easily. Both Laima and Gaigai liked the vibrant colors and designs.

Whether you get the Mother in your life an active gift or not, the most important thing to do is to show her you love her, preferably by getting her outside. :)

Disclaimer: These items were sent to me free of charge for review purposes, all opinions are my own.

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The Joy of Run-Walk-Run

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Wed, 08 May 2013 06:15:00 PDT

Image from JeffGalloway.com

As I mentioned before, Tazer and Gaigai are training for a June 5K with the help of a YMCA Running Club after school. Part of their "homework" is to run several times a week, always a variation of the Run-Walk-Run method.

"Jeff Galloway's quest for the injury-free marathon training program led him to develop group training programs in 1978, and to author Runner's World articles which have been used by hundreds of thousands of runners of all abilities. His training schedules have inspired the second wave of marathoners who follow the Galloway RUN-WALK-RUN™, low mileage, three-day, suggestions to an over 98% success rate."

I have had a blast training with the kids, since the walk breaks make the running portions so much easier. We run, chatting somewhat, really talk during the walks, and the time flies by, it's a fun way to spend time with them. There's a part of me that wonders whether I should incorporate this into my marathon training, but it's an ego hit to not be tough and run without stopping. We'll see as the time rolls around to start my actual training whether this will become a part of my regimen or if it will drop off when the kids do (maybe they won't!).

Do you incorporate Run-Walk-Run into your training?

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What's Beautiful? (Laima is.)

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Tue, 07 May 2013 04:20:00 PDT

I am so proud that Laima was chosen to be part of Under Armour's "What's Beautiful" campaign (through Fitfluential LLC). As part of "What's Beautiful," they were asked to define an epic goal, no matter what that goal may be, to push past where we've been before. To put a goal out to the world and go after it in a big way.

Laima's epic goal this year is to complete a marathon. Along the way, she's training with CARA to complete the ZOOMA half marathon here in Chicago (and she's an Ambassador for them as well!). What a great way to work towards her epic goal.

The "What's Beautiful" competition is open everyone, so Under Armour asked each of these representatives to create teams of women to work together and support each other. Share your goals and progress, encourage and motivate. Sign up for What's Beautiful and join Laima's What's Beautiful team to reach your goal and help her reach hers!

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How Do You Choose Races?

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Mon, 06 May 2013 03:17:00 PDT

Saturday afternoon, they start trickling in; on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, blog posts...race reports. Though I'm excited for all the finishers, and sometimes excited to get out there myself, I'm sometimes perplexed at how many races some people participate in. It's not easy for me to commit to a race, to plunk hard-earned dollars down for a date in the future that may or may not work for me in terms of family, training, or injury. So how do people do it?

Some people don't have children, so it's easy to see how they have the free time and disposable income to race as often as they like. Some are medal hounds or PR-seekers or are completing a multi-race challenge or something, so I get that as well. What about the rest of us? What calls out to you when choosing a race?

For me, the thought of paying money to run a 5K on streets I can run for free just isn't that interesting; ditto for local trails. I also have 4 children (soccer anyone?) and a wife with training/racing plans of her own. Unless we plan an epic family trip centered around an event (like RV camping for The North Face Endurance Challenge last fall, which was a blast), the race has to be somewhat local, inexpensive, and doable in a morning or so. Not easy if it also has to be unique or interesting enough to make me cough up the dinero.

Not an easy task and for this year....nada. Laima and I are planning a fall marathon, but have not yet committed to one, and I'll be working around her training with the Chicago Area Runners Association for Zooma Chicago this fall (she's an ambassador!!!). I've looked at some local races, but nothing has really caught my eye yet. There's a trail race in Indiana, not far from the family's cottage in Michigan, but it's a bit early for me to race a 10K and I don't want to drive that far for a 5K. A trail half in August beckons, but that's some time off. Our friend is coordinating the Willis Tower stair climb, so that's certainly unique, but 100 stories of stair climbing is a bit daunting. We have the Run for Boston 5K in June, so that's probably where I'll start. Fun and frustrating to plan.

What about you?

How do you choose races?

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Bestowed Giveaway, Happy National Bike Month

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Fri, 03 May 2013 05:17:00 PDT

Bestowed is a box club -- join and get 5+ amazing nutrition and lifestyle products delivered to your door every month - each one hand picked by celebrity nutritionist and author Heather Bauer. Laima is hosting a giveaway over at Women's Endurance Gear for a chance to win a one month sample. Head over and enter!

A happy and safe National Bike Month to you! The weather is up and down still here in the Midwest, but I'm considering pulling out the bikes soon - time for some Bike Maintenance 101.

Bike 101 Video

Have a great weekend!

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#BostonStrong Lace Medallion, All Damn Day

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Thu, 02 May 2013 06:21:00 PDT

As a fundraiser for The One Fund Boston, Saucony created this #BostonStrong Lace Medallion. For every $5 pair of medallions purchased, Saucony will donate 100% of sales to help those most affected by the tragedy in Boston.

Now available for pre-order on the Saucony website.

On a lighter note, now that we've had a hot day and can rest assured that winter is, indeed, probably over (snow in Minneapolis this week!), we can start looking forward to winter and skiing again. :)

All Damn Day video trailer

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Chicago Architecture

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Wed, 01 May 2013 06:34:00 PDT

Since I work at home almost full time, it's pretty much a bother to take the train into the city for work. Occasionally it means a fun lunch out or going to a store that isn't out in the suburbs, but pretty much I'd rather just stay at home, sending the kids off to school and hanging out with Laima. (Now if I could just get a treadmill deck like Miss Zippy to use for a walking desk.)

Pretty much the one saving grace is that I get to fulfill my architecture yen while I'm downtown. Chicago as an amazing collection of buildings, big and small, and it's a pleasure to take walks and stand in awe. A few months ago, I started taking photos (another interest) and sharing them via Instagram. (If you're not following me on Instagram, feel free to do so and I'll follow back).

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Run For Boston 5K

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 04:51:00 PDT

The Run for Boston 5K is a partnership between the Chicago Running Bloggers community and Muddy Monk Trail Running. The goal is to raise funds sponsors so that 100 percent of race entries benefits the Who Says I Can’t Foundation and directly to support the rehabilitation of those who lost limbs as a result of the terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon. We need your help to make this possible. Participate by donating, running, volunteering, or sponsoring this event.

Join in June 15, either in Libertyville, IL at the Independence Grove Forest Preserve or virtually. Use #Chicago4Boston for social media sharing.

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Marathon Training

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 05:08:00 PDT

We haven't quite decided yet which marathon we'll be running this fall, but both the Wineglass in New York and Malibu in California are 160 and 195 days out respectively, so there is plenty of time to start a training program. I've been slacking on my running as of late (CrossFit as well), but plenty of time to fix that. I was quite pleased with the Smart Marathon Training plan I followed for my ultra last year, but am thinking about mixing it up this year.

Most people have heard about the Hansons Marathon Method (Boulder, CO: Velo Press, 2012), which espouses less running of higher quality. Velo Press sent me this book to review, and its philosophy seems to fit with my goals, so it's worth a shot. Based on my typical (slow) pace, I'd follow the Beginner training plan, which lasts 18 weeks, starts at 10 miles per week, adds some speed work, tops out the long run at 16 miles, and has 57 miles as the most miles per week. Doable.

The Hansons identified Lydiard's philosophy of cumulative fatigue (slow buildup via consistent training) as the basis for their plan. Five principles make up their philosophy, each one being equal: mileage, intensity, balance, consistency, recovery.

I'm also thinking about using my Polar FT40 heart rate monitor to add another dimension to my training -- I tend to go hard all the time, thinking (erroneously), that tough = good. With the HRM, I'll be better at pushing when I need to and going easy when that is prescribed.

I haven't quite identified the races I'll be doing as a build up (seems too far away now), but a few nearby have piqued my interest, including a trail 10K in May and a half marathon in Michigan Wine Country in August.

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me for review purposes, free of charge -- all opinions are my own.

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Running Club

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 07:01:00 PDT

The first rule of Running Club is...

Try your best and have fun!

Every year, our family runs the Bonfield Express 5K on Thanksgiving -- it's a local event in our downtown, it benefits a worthy charity, and it's been a good way to introduce our kids to the fun of running. Plus, who doesn't like a new race shirt? :)

This year, the YMCA reached out to the schools to work with the kids to prepare them for a 5K in June, the Commit to Be Fit race (10K option also available). With that, they've started a "Running Club" at school - they work with the kids after school in a variety of ways (Laima is guest speaking today on running gear), and also assign them "homework," a training plan that has them walking/running several days a week. This morning I headed out with Gaigai for a run, such a great way to start our day.

It's great that Tazer and Gaigai have this option, anything that gets them moving and gives them a goal is okay by me.

Does your community do anything to get kids more active?

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Destination Races, Dangers of Obstacle Racing

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 05:34:00 PDT

Laima and I are planning on running the Michigan Wine Trail Half Marathon in August. There are other half marathons in wine countries, and I love the look of the posters that Destination Races designed for their series. Really appealing -- would be fun to run them all in a year as a project, and taste some wine along the way. :)

Laima and I ran the Warrior Dash last year and had a lot of fun. Warrior Dash is probably the easiest of the obstacle races, and we never felt in danger. It was sad to hear about the recent death at a Tough Mudder race, emphasizing that, while these races are meant to be difficult, people still need to know their limits. Outside Magazine has a quiz on the Dangers of Obstacle Racing -- how well can you answer their questions? (I got a 5 out of 9.)

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Prescription Sunglasses

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 07:00:00 PDT

I don't wear prescription glasses, but Laima and The Little Worker do, so I definitely keep an eye out for innovations that could help them. Laima especially has a more difficult time, as The Little Worker has photochromic glasses, while Laima switches back and forth, sometimes wearing contacts with her sunglasses. When ADS Sports Eyewear approached me about sponsoring some posts and having Laima testing out a pair (and ski goggles next winter), I jumped at the chance. Here's what ADS shared with us:

"Prescription Running Sunglasses are now available with new free-form digitally surfaced lenses that give patients the best optics possible in wrapped sports sunglasses, even those with higher than average prescription powers. Free-form surfacing is the most important improvement in lens technology we have ever seen. This is proving to be most significant for athletes who require optical clarity and depth perception to compete safely.

Wrapped sports sunglasses provide better UV protection than the flatter frames that most people wear as everyday eyewear. Until recently, prescription lenses made for these wrapped frames would create a “fishbowl effect” that made these sports prescription lenses almost unusable. The new free-form digital technology fixes this problem by recalculating the prescription at every point on the back of a lens. This provides a clear field of vision throughout the entire lens with absolutely no “fishbowl” distortion. Free-form lenses are custom edged to fit into almost any pair of sunglasses or sports eyewear on the market.

Oakley Prescription Sunglasses use a proprietary free-form design to meet the specific needs of cyclists who only require a small reading area to read their instruments. This customized Oakley progressive design meets the needs of cyclists by adjusting the size of the mid-distance corridor in the lens. This sports-specific progressive design is customizable for three different sports. Golf, fishing and cycling designs are available from Oakley. These lenses have expanded near-vision sections that provide focus for the address of a golf ball, baiting a hook in close, or mid-distance to see biking computers.

ADS Sports Eyewear is optician owned and operated and has specialized in prescription sports eyewear for over 10 years. The ADS Sports Eyewear staff not only understands sports eyewear, they also test and approve products and lens designs before recommending them to anyone. Thousands of sports sunglasses are available on the ADS Sports Eyewear web site, http://www.adseyewear.com/."

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Recommended for Runners

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 06:09:00 PDT

I'm lucky in that interesting products find their way to our doorstep, often useful or educational. Recently I was sent a review copy of a running book and new bike/run socks, both of which are worth taking a look at.

Cameron Stracher's Kings of the Road (New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013) details the rise of the first running boom by following Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, and Alberto Salazar during their ascension. As a runner and history buff, this was a great read, with so many details I had never heard before. Interestingly, even though these men all ran as individuals, they still pushed and aided each other for the good of the sport. As we are now in the middle of the second running boom, I don't see quite the same camaraderie among the running elite. At one point, a group of both men and women trained together in Mammoth Lakes, CA, but it seems like they have mostly gone their separate ways. I wonder if a group of the top guns coalesced into a cohesive, supportive group, we would have more success at the top end of distance running.

Nothing like a good pair of socks to make a good run even better. I'm a big fan of Darn Tough socks, because of their high quality and the fact that they make their products in Vermont (an unconditional lifetime guarantee is nice as well). New this spring is the Light Cushion Run/Bike sock, which is half the wool yarn weight of the company’s Cushion socks. I like that Darn Tough gives a generous amount of sock above the foot -- as a dedicated trail runner, higher socks can be the difference between a comfortable run and scratches on the ankles or gravel in the socks.

Disclaimer: These items were sent to me for review purposes, free of charge. All opinions are my own.

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Can Running and CrossFit Coexist?

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 03:01:00 PDT

4 months ago, when I started my CrossFit Elements classes at CrossFit Amplify, I definitely identified myself as a runner who was trying CrossFit. 3 months of actual practice in, I felt like a CrossFitter who runs. In the last couple of weeks, the pendulum has swung back again.

Amanda wrote a post about running and Crossfit several months ago over at MissZippy -- her take?

"I think you can do both marathon training and CrossFit, as long as you let one take the bigger priority. In my case, of course, marathon training is number one on the list. CrossFit, for me, is a way to gain some muscle, work on weaknesses, and thus enhance my running."

This is my thinking as well right now. There are others (like Coach Mike at my box), who don't believe you need to run to perform well at it, that CrossFit is enough. Coming from a man with a 19:50 5K PR, maybe there is some truth to it.

I decided to put it to the test. I've been going to the box pretty consistently since the New Year, but only run 11 times for a total of 38ish miles. Not what I would consider run training. In previous years, after some good run training over the winter, my PR for a spring mile was 7:22 - yup, not fast, but reasonable.

I headed over to our high school track yesterday, using the jog over as my warmup, as I had done in the past. Hit Garmin, start running, 4 laps later: 7:20. All things considered, pretty happy with that. Still not fast, but felt pretty strong the whole way through -- I think CrossFit has not only strengthened me fitness-wise, but also mentally.

Laima and I are training for a fall marathon, with some tune-up races along the way. I'll definitely ramp up my run training, but will also try to get CrossFit in 2-3 times a week -- not only do I still enjoy the novelty and pushing of the envelope, it definitely has made me stronger, which will only help my running.

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Post-Flood Run and Weekend Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 05:12:00 PDT

The rain has finally abated and a lot of the water has receded -- if you didn't see the photo Laima shared on Women's Endurance Gear, you have to check it out! So much dirt, rocks, branches and more have been moved around that even the sidewalks are like trails today. Still some areas inundated, with one house on my route halfway under water. 36 degrees this morning, but felt warmer, maybe Spring finally will give us a break and stop acting like Winter.

Fun plans this weekend - this afternoon Laima and I are headed for the Planet Bordeaux wine tasting. It'll be on the 99th floor of the Willis Tower, so if the weather cooperates, the views will be spectacular. Dinner will be at Pasteur Vietnamese Restaurant have heard their new location and menu are very good. Saturday is Pinot Days at Navy Pier, followed by lunch at Pizza Rustica, a restaurant that gets high praise both for its food and for its owners' friendliness. Sunday will be a day of recovery... :)

What are your plans for the weekend?

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Vintage Tomorrows: Steampunk

noreply@blogger.com (Kovas Palubinskas) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 05:44:00 PDT

I'm pretty sure the first time I heard about Steampunk was on Barefoot Angie Bee's blog, several years ago. I thought it was a design culture, focused on making things that are a mix of the contemporary and the past (primarily Victorian), but it turns out that steampunk is foremost literary, a sub-genre of science fiction that features steam- powered machinery. I'm not a big sci-fi fan, so it wasn't that appealing from that respect, but I love the clothing and technology that has been designed under its philosophy.

I hadn't thought that much about it until recently, I was offered a review copy of Brian David Johnson and James H. Carriott's Vintage Tomorrows (Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly, 2013). The book is a look at the ways people are looking at their relationship with technology, through the lens of steampunk as a genre, movement, lifestyle, and philosophy. The authors posit that Steampunk is not just about a look, but rather a way of reimagining our world if our forebears had made different choices.

"Steampunk is a bold and wonderful exploration of what it means to have technology knit deeply into our lives. Steampunk is playing out how we want something different from our technologies. It's a device-driven exploration. The steampunk and the makers and the hackers are making stuff. And they want the stuff to be more human. Not separate, but funny, with a history, and human."

With references to Marcel Duchamp, Timothy Leary, Jack Kerouac and a host of many more countercultural lodestones, the book explores how we might look forward by looking back. Multiple interviews across many road trips flesh out their ideas. As a former punk, it's always interesting to me to peek into the ways and means of other alternative cultures. This is not an easy read, not a coffee table book with glossy photos, but a deeply researched look into the intersection of culture, history, technology and play. A companion documentary was made concurrently and looks really interesting from the trailer:

Vintage Tomorrows video trailer

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me free of charge, for review purposes -- all opinions are my own.

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