Vitesse Press Blog

Reasons To Run Outdoors In The Winter

Dick Mansfield — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 13:18:13 +0100

From Starre Vartan and Mother Nature Network:

GET FIT: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE IN SHAPE?

Dick Mansfield — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 00:16:56 +0100

There are five key areas to consider when you are trying to get fit and they aren't all focused on losing weight.

There is not a single definition for physical fitness.

Aerobic exercise seems to be the most important for improving health, followed by strength training and flexibility work.

New guidelines recommend two and a...

Advice for self-publishers: why should anyone care about your book?

Dick Mansfield — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 22:04:34 +0100

"I get a lot of e-mail from writers starting out who want to know whether it’s worth trying to get published by major houses. The odds are poor – only a small fraction of books find a home in mainstream publishing – and the process can be slow and frustrating. We’ve all heard horror stories, both legit (‘‘Why is there a white girl on the cover of my book about a black girl?’’) and suspect (‘‘My editor was a philistine who simply didn...

Could a simple magnesium supplement improve sleep?

Dick Mansfield — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 14:04:24 +0100

Could a simple magnesium supplement improve sleep?
The USDA's Agricultural Research Service says it might:

"Can't sleep? You are not alone. Not being able to sleep, or insomnia, is a common complaint, especially among people older than 50. More than half of all people aged 65 years and older have sleep problems."

"Not surprisingly, lack of sleep is caused mainly by factors that are more common later in life, such as breathing problems, illness and medications. Yet, ...

Nutrition for Century Rides

Dick Mansfield — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 23:31:07 +0100

What you eat on race day (hopefully tried and finessed in training sessions) can make a huge difference in your ability to maintain your pace near the end of your event and recover quickly afterwards. The training for your 100 km ride is the practice ground for you to determine which foods/fluids work best for you before, during ...

Gear Review: Brazos Walking Sticks

Dick Mansfield — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:10:26 +0100

Everyone needs something or someone to lean on for support once in a while. Backcountry explorers are no different, whether it is a pair of telescoping hiking poles or simply a thick stick picked up along the trail. A pole or stick can assist with a wide range of backcountry situations from crossing a beaver dam to des...

Midwest Book Review for It's Not About Winning

Dick Mansfield — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 18:57:09 +0100

***** Worth considering for any coach or father of an athletic child, highly recommended, July 12, 2011
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)

This review is for: It's Not About Winning (Perfect Paperback)
Victory is sweet, but sweetness alone isn't enough to call sustenance. "It's Not About Winning: One Runner's Reflections on Fatherhood, Coaching, and Athletics" is a combination of memoir and coaching guide as he recalls his status as a coach to many young athletes a...

Eat The Green Light Way to a Faster Metabolism

Dick Mansfield — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:10:01 +0100

If you are one of the many people in the battle to fight the bulge you will be pleased to learn that there are actually foods that may help you burn fat. Certain foods have a strong metabolism-boosting impact when eaten. Some of the calories in food you eat are burned off just to digest them, so the net amount of calories is less than the amount contained in th...

For Runners, Soft Ground Can Be Hard on the Body

Dick Mansfield — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 19:24:19 +0100

Hirofumi Tanaka, an exercise physiologist at the University of Texas at Austin, bristles when he sees dirt paths carved out of the grass along paved bicycling or running routes. The paths are created by runners who think softer ground protects them from injuries.

Dr. Tanaka, a runner, once tried it himself. He was reco...

The Athlete's Guide to Recovery

Dick Mansfield — Wed, 18 May 2011 20:04:55 +0100

The Athlete’s Guide to Recovery is the first and only comprehensive exploration of the art and science of athletic rest. Runners, triathletes, and cyclists will gain more fitness from every workout with this new book from Sage Rountree, an expert cycling, triathlon, and running coach and yoga instructor.

Endurance athletes plan their worko...

On running and life (not in that order)

Dick Mansfield — Mon, 16 May 2011 23:24:03 +0100

BCMS teacher and cross-country coach releases memoir

by Charles Wiff (from Spotlight Newspapers)

"Jack Rightmyer didn't know he was writing a book when he started working on a graduation present for his daughter almost a decade ago.

But that's what has come to pass. The Bethlehem Central Middle School English...

Grete Waitz Remembered

Dick Mansfield — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 13:18:10 +0100

The running world, and the world in general, lost a wonderful person the other day with the death of Grete Waitz. She was an inspiration to thousands of young women, as well as men, including this one.

Norwegian Athletics Federation president Svein Arne Hansen said, "Grete is in my eyes one of the greatest Norwegian athletes of all time. Not only through her performances in the sport, but also as a role model for women in sports."
Marathon world record-holder Paula...

"It's Not About Winning" on the way

Dick Mansfield — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:23:53 +0100

We just heard from the printer that our latest book, "It's Not About Winning" has shipped. Jack Rightmyer has written a fine book about his running, his coaching, and his grown children. Initial reviews have praised the book. It's a poignant, funny, advice-filled story from a fine writer who is also a long-time coa...

It's Not About Winning Available to Order

Dick Mansfield — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 11:29:04 +0100

Just in time for spring running and coaching, Jack Rightmyer's new book, "It's Not About Winning", is now available for prepublication orders. Check it out.

Blurbs for new book

Dick Mansfield — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 21:14:11 +0100

We have two more endorsements for our soon-to-be published "It's Not About Winning" by Jack Rightmyer.

"Jack Rightmyer set out to write a modest memoir for his two children, but he accomplished much more. He wrote a little book that's positively bursting with love for sports, running, coaching, family and fatherhood. Every word rings deep and true."

Amby Burfoot

Editor At Large Runner's World Magazine

Safe Springtime Paddling

Dick Mansfield — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 11:46:19 +0100

This is the time of year when many paddlers in the northern U.S. transition start thinking about getting ready for early spring canoe races. It can be a dangerous activity and all paddling organizations have tips for cold weather paddling. Here's what Tom Warner, an experience marathon canoe racer, recently said on the PaddlersConnection email group:

Be aware that the cold water and cold air temperatures (not to mention wind chill) greatly reduce the survival time in ...

Blurb for our new book

Dick Mansfield — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:10:13 +0100

We are getting set for a spring publication of Jack Rightmyer's "It's Not About Winning." Here is a great review quote from Bill Rogers:

“It’s Not About Winning” is a terrific read for all runners. Jack Rightmyer has captured the feeling of those first days and weeks of starting to run which is something not many have written about. It captures the glory and struggles of high school running, and the struggle between kids and parents to understand eac...

Getting exercise on the road

Dick Mansfield — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 00:19:32 +0100

Having just come back from an hour bike ride with the dog alongside, I’ve had a good day of exercise - with several walks during the day and a lot of fresh air. Some days are better than others on the road.

We are traveling in the Southwest with our truck and Airstream. At least, with a relatively flexible schedule and carrying our own food, you can eat healthy and take breaks for walks and stretches. You are not trapped in airports with fast food all around.&nbs...

Thoughts from the road on book publishing

Dick Mansfield — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:17:26 +0100

As as small book publisher, I’ve watched the transition in book production from pasteup to pdfs, book sales from independent stores to Amazon, and the trends in how people, particularly those under 40, get information these days. It’s not often the printed book.

So the sales of the last few books we’ve published have languished -- not because the books were not well-done and packed with good information -- but because much of the information was available on...

Fish or Cut Bait

Dick Mansfield — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 21:31:40 +0100

I subscribe to many blogs with the reader NetNewswire which, every so often, turns one of the listings to a subdued color. That means that the blog has been inactive for a while -- usually a few months. Well, this blog has been that color for some time and it’s time for that to change.

We’ve been traveling for over a month and I guess I could us the lack of wifi as an excuse but I have been blogging on our travels (vtairstreaming.blogspot.com) and my birding...