TRAKKERS Just another WordPress weblog

Avi-Bolt II Review

by: Ryan Oilar

I am really impressed with this shoe! I guess I should start by saying that like most people I’m a little nervous when it comes to change, especially when it comes to equipment or gear, but Avia made a great shoe with the Avia-Bolt II (and it’s on sale!!). It fits like a glove and offers the right amount of cushion, breathe-ability, and performance that athletes expect from their shoes. The shoes are exceptionally light at 8.5oz and for a guy just under 6 foot weighing 175lbs, a traditional “race flat” doesn’t always offer the padding I need for long course racing and my joints can really feel it. The air mesh upper allows for your feet to stay cool when pounding the pavement hard. This feature also allows for some of the weight that would normally be on the top of the shoe to be in the sole and cushioning.

Avia uses a guidance scale which takes into account arch type and pronation. Click here to learn more about this scale. These shoes are a “1″ on the Avia Degree of Guidance.

The black material has some shine to it which looks super awesome while you run, and is reflective in low-light conditions.

The shoe offers Avi-Grip heel and tongue, which at first I thought might rub, but because of the fantastic liner, there are no issues. This grip will allow for…

Categories: Athletes, Product Reviews, Running, Triathlons
Tags: avi-bolt II, avi-bolt III, avia, rev3, ryan oilar, trakkers

1/13/2011

triathlete

GPS Coordinates

Bethlehem, PA

What I learned about nutrition in 2010

by: Chris Garges

Being relatively new to the sport of triathlon (3 years), I always brushed over nutrition as “something I don’t have to worry about”. Heck, I was never taught anything about nutrition by a coach (never had one) and I wasn’t a big sweat loss guy, so it was one less thing to worry about. Sure, as I moved from Sprints to OLY’s and on to the half iron distance I would think about it and have a plan, but my plan was simple….take what’s on the course and carry an energy gel or something for the run. It seemed to get me through ok.

Well, in 2010 I was lucky enough to become a member of Team Trakkers. Team Trakkers had this wonderful nutrition sponsor, First Endurance and this wonderful website that had a wealth of information about nutrition. As I trained harder and longer, and raced harder and longer nutrition was turning into a bigger component than it had prior and now I was paying attention.

Two of the defining characteristics of First Endurance are their commitment to quality products and their persistent research and development to create the best products that work in real life race situations. They use nothing but the best, highest quality products. Their products are Gluten Free and contain no high fructose corn syrup. The three main components I was immediately drawn to were Ultragen (for recovery) and EFS

…

Categories: Athletes, Nutrition, Product Reviews, Running, Swimming, Team, Triathlons

12/30/2010

triathlete

GPS Coordinates

New Albany, OH

Tough Enough

by: Meredith Gordon

I think a lot about whether I’m tough enough for the goals and races I want to achieve.

Last week I had a run test on the schedule. I had already rocked my swim test and done well on my bike test back in November. To me, though, the run test is the most important. I’ve seen a lot of improvement on my run in the last month and I wanted it to shine through during my test. However, it’s been a long time since I’ve done a run test and I’ve not done one without a race or not in warm weather. Thusfar, this has not been a kind winter so I decided to move my test to the treadmill. My goal for some time has to be able to run a race of any kind (except a one mile race) at a sub-7:00 pace. I thought the run test would be a perfect opportunity to give it a try. When I started the test, however, the treadmill seemed to be flying at a 7:30 pace and just six minutes into the test, I began to panic. How in the world was I going to be able to hold this pace or faster for 20 minutes? And just like that, I hit the stop button and data was lost. Crap! I restarted my watch and tried again. This time I made it a whopping two minutes. At

…

Categories: Running, Training

12/23/2010

triathlete

The Jacksonville Bank 1/2 Marathon Race Report

GPS Coordinates

29.5352287,-81.5625000

The Jacksonville Bank 1/2 Marathon Race Report

by: Joel Strickland

This past Sunday, I ran in the final race of the “Tri 2B Tuff Challenge” – the Jacksonville Bank Half Marathon. This was my third half marathon in approximately 75 days. You can read about my prior two races, The Jacksonville Marine Corps Half Marathon and the Outback Distance Classic Half Marathon here and here, respectively.

Coincidentally, while this was my last race for 2010 – this particular race happened to be a do-over of my very first half marathon ever. Way back in 2005, I ran this race with my friends Martin, Laura and Jeff. (Actually, Jeff ran the marathon that day and had a pretty darn impressive debut of 3:39!) I ran that race as unprepared and untrained as you could possibly ever run a half-marathon, and finished with a generally unimpressive 2:16. I recall walking considerably and having to be motivated by other runners to even finish the race.

Fast forward to this year. Entering this race, I’d had two pretty solid efforts in the Tri 2B Tuff Challenge. I had PR’d both races, and was making progress towards beating my personal demon – the two hour half marathon.

Throughout last week, my friend Martin had texted me that was thinking about running as well. On Saturday, he sent me a final text – he was in! So – race strategy changed…I was running with Martin. We’d push each other where

…

Categories: Race Reports, Running

11/29/2010

triathlete

GPS Coordinates

New Albany, OH

Pilgrim’s Progress 4 Miler

by: Meredith Gordon

This might be the first and possibly the last time I will ever get to do a Thanksgiving race in a pair of shorts, no gloves, and a ball cap. Surprisingly warm for Thanksgiving but we also woke up to POURING rain. I did not want to race in the rain. We ate breakfast, packed up dry clothes for after the race and headed out.

We picked up our timing chips, hit the port-a-johns and then the rain stopped. Sweet! We did a little warm up and then we were ready to go. This was our first time doing the Pilgrim’s Progress race having done two of the Thanksgiving races in town. To date, this one ranks high. Ample parking, good swag (more on that in a minute), decent course, and my favorite, a small racing field.

Side note….I had worn a lighter pair of socks because I didn’t want to have heavy wet socks during the race. But, during my warm up my shoes kept “eating my socks” and one pair even wound up only around my toes. So, I decided to do what I’ve never done and what I’ll never do again: race without socks.

I mentioned the swag before. Each entrant got a nice race shirt and a pair of socks in their grab bag. Both of mine fit. YES!!! Then for each age group there were awards which were a $75, $50, and

…

Categories: Race Reports, Running

11/9/2010

triathlete

Nation’s Marathon Training – Week 2: Hopeful

GPS Coordinates

Harrisonburg, VA

Nation’s Marathon Training – Week 2: Hopeful

by: Kati Derrick

Since training two week’s ago was a whopping 9 miles before I threw out my back out doing seemingly nothing you would think that a big 0 mile week would leave me frustrated and downtrodden. Nope – not me! I was laid up for a full week and a half with a bum back. Lower disc issues flaring up after 13 years = not fun, but it also forced me to slow down and relax. I haven’t done much relaxing much in the last few months with some family crisis, home remodeling and PTA projects all swirling around my little head.

I finally gave into the pain and hit the doctor’s office for some drugs. I got some Prednisone to help with the inflammation and some good pain meds to help me sleep. I am finishing up the Prednisone and don’t really need the pain meds any more so I ‘d say that’s progress. (considering I started out unable to stand, I guess anything is progress!!) Which brings me to today, my big post-injury exercise debut!

One whopping mile! I ran a full mile, while pushing my 1 year old nephew in a jogging stroller mind you, with very little pain. I guess I’ll know tomorrow if that was o-k, but I’m hopeful! So today began the new training, although on week three, on the road to the Nation’s Marathon!

The other exciting part of my Nation’s marathon training is that my sister…

Categories: Running
Tags: marathon training, training partners

10/25/2010

triathlete

Nation’s Marathon – Wanna join the group?

GPS Coordinates

Harrisonburg, VA

Nation’s Marathon – Wanna join the group?

by: Kati Derrick

It looks like I have finally decided on my next big race (aside from REV3 Costa Rica – but that one is really just for the sunshine and sea turtles : ) March 26th Mr. CoachKati and I will don our Saucony’s and run through the nation’s capital for a quick 26.2 mile jog.

As a bit of history my first stand alone marathon did. not. go. well. I swore that I would only run 26.2 consecutive miles if I had just finished a 112 mi. bike ride. And yet. I guess it’s like childbirth which I know was a bitch at the time, but 8 and 11 years later seems like magical, wonderful days! So, for some reason I got the marathon bug and started searching for a race that was not to far (um, Costa Rica trip in Feb.!) and one that has similar weather patterns (refer to first marathon hellish Jan. sweatfest). So, the search landed me at the webpage of the Nation’s Marathon in Washington D.C.

Training begins now since I’ve been out of the running game for the summer. The next four weeks are a build period focused on getting 3 runs / week with one of them being speedwork. I am also going to try a new shoe – the Saucony Kinvara’s, which have been highly recommended by my TRAKKERS teammates. I anticipate a couple of weeks to get them (really to get me)

…

Categories: Events, Running
Tags: Nations marathon, Running

10/23/2010

triathlete

GPS Coordinates

Sandusky, OH

Rev3 Cedar Point: Race Report

by: Jamie Bull

Race morning had officially arrived. After a surprisingly good sleep, I was up, hit the bathroom and downed a bottle of EFS and some Clif Shot Bloks.

I decided that the whole day was going to be focused on two main ideas:
Take the whole day one mile at a time
Enjoy every mile of my only first Ironman
Those two mantras would end up driving me for the next 140.6 miles.

Other than a minor pre-dawn freakout in transition area. I was able to keep a pretty level head as I set up my bike, organized my transition area and filled up my nutrition bottles. I was pretty happy and surprised with my attitude. I’ve been a LOT more nervous for a LOT shorter races.
I’m not sure what it was, but I was just ready to race, get out there and start tearing up the course.
Heading over to the swim start and patiently waiting for the gun to go off. Sam was an amazing sherpa and helped me stay cool calm and collected up until the second I had to leave her and dive head first into the water. Just as I was starting to head through the start gate, she handed me her cell phone. It was my mom calling from Connecticut to give me some last minute last minute well wishes. Hearing how proud she was…

10/22/2010

triathlete

GPS Coordinates

Medford, MA

Saucony Kinvara Review

by: Jamie Bull

Last week I got a surprise in the mail, the latest sweet pair of running shoes from Saucony, the Kinvara.

These things are super sweet and I was pumped to get to test them out before the went on sale to the rest of the world.

Ultimately, what makes the Kinvara more than “just another running shoe” is that it is super minimalist but can still be worn for longer road races. It looks like a futuristic version of an ordinary training shoe, but are only .7 oz heavier than my racing shoes.

My Experiments With Minimalist Running Shoes

Before I get into the shoe itself, It probably makes sense to talk a little about my adventures with running shoes over the past year. For the last two seasons I rocked a few pairs of Asics GT-2140’s. It is one of the best selling running shoes out there, I never had any major problems with them. My main irk that I eventually noticed with the 2140’s is that it was physically hard making the transition away from them to any other shoe. During triathlons I also noticed that they can take on a TON of water if I am water over my head (which is the cast in most races). Running with five pound sponges strapped to each foot for 13.1 miles is NOT fun.

The 2140’s were essentially like two big comfy couches for my feet. They felt…

7/30/2010

triathlete

Turf Toe: It’s not just for football players

GPS Coordinates

Chicago, IL

Turf Toe: It’s not just for football players

by: MJ Slikas

Practice what you preach. How many times have I stopped an athlete from pushing on through training when they complain about some sort of pain? And while I know what should be done, why is it that I have such a hard time following my own advice? Because I am invincible. I can tolerate the pain. I can work through it! NOT!

A couple months ago, I started having pain where my big toe meets the rest of the foot – i.e., the first metatarsal. (yes, I watch Grey’s Anatomy) I thought it was just a little thing that would go away. I was wearing some shoes with a toe box that was a little too big for me and decided that was the reason for the pain. I switched the shoes, but the pain didn’t go away. One day, while looking at my feet, I realized how much bigger the first metatarsal joint was on one foot. Then, after a very painful 20 mile run, I decided to seek medical attention.

Diagnosis? Turf Toe. No folks, it’s not just for football players any more. How on earth did I get this? I was asked if I was starting to do “toe running”. Um, no. Are you stopping a lot during runs? Um, no. How it happened, I don’t know, but to get rid of it is going to be a challenge. See, with every step, the toe bends causing…