The location is within the Waters Creek shopping area ( southwest corner of 75 and Bethany Drive).

What’s Inside?

Here are some of the things that caught my attention:

• moderate selection of running clothing
• nice selection of sports nutrition products
• recovery tools
• nice variety of hydration choices
• and of course – shoes

For any road running, this Luke’s location carries all of your major running brands. For trail specific shoes, the selection is minimal (maybe one pair). I am always a bit disappointed but not surprised, yet still hopeful.

The store also has a couple treadmills in a side room where you can really get a good feel for any potential new tread.

Fun Runs

The store will also start a weekly fun run starting Wednesday December 16 at 6 am. From what I understand, it sounds like 4-6 miles in distance. I would give them a call if interested, just to confirm.

Contact Info

Phone: 469.854.6244

Luke’s Locker Website

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

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Here are ten reasons why you don’t want to lace up those running shoes.

1. Less Lazy Boy time.

Running allows less time to vegetate in front of the mind-numbing television and you may miss some of the life-enhancing reality TV shows.

2. Change!

When you start moving that body you will be going against all your old habits of inactivity. Just say ‘No’ to change. It requires too much effort.

3. No more french fries and Big Macs.

These artery clogging and nutritionally deficient foods now cause problems with training, recovery, and racing. Great, now what do you eat?

4. Drink all that damn water during a day!

It seems like you are always sipping on some water throughout the entire day. It’s madness and you pee every two hours.

5. No more sleeping in.

Now you set your alarm to wake up an hour earlier so you can get your run in before the sun comes up. Is that a rooster I hear? Crazy!

6. No more partying till the sun comes up every weekend.

You’re in bed by 10 pm because you have a long run in the morning. Oh fun!

7. Ice baths.

You just get done pummeling yourself during a twenty mile run and then you get home and sit in a tub filled with ice. By choice! Where is the fun in this again?

8. Pay to experience pain.

Just hand over $100 and you can suffer for 26.2 miles. Oh, OK.

9. Dogs, birds, and snake attacks.

Dogs sneaking under fences, crows dive-bombing from nearby trees, and snakes slithering along your route. Can’t you just watch Animal Planet on the Lazy Boy?

10. Conversation killer.

“So what are you doing this weekend?”

“I am racing in a 50 miler.”

END OF CONVERSATION!

Have a great weekend and 4th of July for those in the US!

Be active – Feel the buzz! – What-Ever

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

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Why now?

One of those reasons could be your shoe odometer may be getting a bit high. It may be time for some new wheels!

Recently I felt a couple extra tweaks and I knew I was heading up in overall mileage on the trusty shoes. I normally replace my runners around the 300 mile mark.  How did I pick this number? Well, through the years I have observed when little running tweaks started to pop up. Typically this would occur around 300 miles and when I put on a new pair, the tweaks went away.

There is no hard and fast rule to this. Some runners can go 100-200+ more miles before they change out shoes. You have to find out where your threshold lies.

I decided to perform an mileage audit in my little log book and sure enough I was sitting at 288 miles.

Since I didn’t want to risk further tweaks in the middle of my half marathon block of training, I  retired my current pair and am now lacing up a new shiny pair of Brooks Adrenaline’s.

Since I am more of a mid-foot striker, I really break down that portion of the sole and it was apparent. The inside of my shoe was like a canyon in the mid-foot area. This probably wasn’t helping with shock absorption.

Running in the new shoes yesterday felt nice! Even more importantly, I felt very little of the tweak sensations I had been feeling. I think this was a good decision.

How do you determine when to swap out your shoes? Mileage? Time? When things start to hurt? Phase of the moon?

If you are looking for a new set of tread, check out Running Warehouse which offers an extra 15% for EnduranceBuzz visitors on their already discounted prices for most road and trail shoes. Great service and free two day shipping as well! I have been really happy with them through the years.

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

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Depending on the conditions of the day, a rather simple piece of noggin’ gear can add to the enjoyment of the run. It really can! For example, salty sweat dripping into your eyes throughout a two hour run can be painful and annoying.

Let’s take a look at some of the run gear options that lets you focus on the run, not the elements.

The Traditional Trusty Running Hat

This item is in the oldies but goodies category and can be used in most all conditions. I would look for a hat that is made from technical material for runners or active homo sapiens. Cotton is not a technical material.

The standard running hat can help provide some face/eye/top-of-head shade, a bit of warmth in the cooler months, and absorb sweat so it is not running into your eyes. I will typically use this hat during the mild winter months (I live in the south) or if I would need some sun protection on top of my head.

A company that has some of the best stuff I have used is HeadSweats. Their stuff is high quality and specifically designed for the active lifestyle.

HeadSweats three primary running hats:

• The Race Hat (Includes EB visitor discount at checkout)
• The Go Hat (Includes EB visitor discount at checkout)
• FastSplit Hat

Halo Headband is also big in the industry and makes a technical running hat called their Sport Hat.

The Badwater or other extreme ultra runners may be interested in the Headsweats built in neck protection Protech Collection and Halo Headband’s Solar.

One potential downside to the trusty hat is that it can slow the release of heat from your head which may not matter depending on the conditions of the day or your personal experience.

The Visor

My HeadSweats Visor

The visor started to become a more popular item over the last five years that seemed to begin in the triathlon scene and has started to migrate into the running world. This is my current favorite warm/hot weather running gear for my noggin’.

This item gives you the best of both worlds. You receive some facial shade as well as allowing the heat to escape quickly from the top of your head since there is no fabric providing a canopy. The visor also can be great at soaking up the sweat that would normally work its way to those navigation instruments.

A couple visors worth checking out:

• HeadSweats - The SuperVisor (includes EB visitor discount at checkout)
• Halo Headband - Sport Visor

I have two HeadSweats visors which have been been part of my staple running gear for a number of years.

The Headband

If you want to be minimalists yet keep the sweat out of the eyes, in walks the headband. The headband is alive and well in the running world but these items have come a long way since the 70s with their technical material and sweat soaking or redirecting abilities.

Here are a few options to style in:

• HeadSweats Topless – It uses the same terry-cloth sweat absorbing band as their other products.
• HeadSweats Winter Topless – For the cooler months to keep the ears warm.
• Halo Headbands Halo I – Tie-behind headband.
• Halo Headbands Halo II –  One piece pullover design.

If you are interested in getting away from fabric all-together yet redirect the sweat from your eyes, you can check out the Sweat Gutr. Interesting idea but I haven’t tried it. Plus a guaranteed conversation piece at your next race.

The Beanie

The beanie is noggin’ active wear without the visor. The usage could be for warmth in cooler training months, sweat collecting, and sun protection. For some it may even be a fashion statement.

Some styles to choose from:

• HeadSweats Midcap – A versatile cool weather, breathable beanie. My personal favorite for my southern winters.
• HeadSweats Summit – It seems like a step up in protection versus the Midcap.
• HeadSweats Alpine Reversible – Another active cold weather beanie made from coconut shells.
• Halo Headband PROTEX bandana – Bandana style for warm or cool conditions.
• Halo Headband Skull Caps – Versatile beanie.

My HeadSweats Beanie

I personally have had a HeadSweats Midcap for the last 7-9 years and it still is in great shape. I just need to de-salt it once in a while by tossing it in the laundry.

Going Commando

There are days when noggin’ gear just isn’t needed for your run or race. It may be a short run or conditions are very mild. If that is the case, enjoy the cerebral nakedness. Be free my friend, be free. There are no rules to this game!

As you can see there are some great options that can match up to your preferred style and training/racing climate.

What is your preferred noggin’ wear?

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

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After mentioning the Shoe Wallet as one of the possible ways to carry some form of identification during your training runs, I decided to purchase a couple samples of the product to test out.

My wife was the official field tester for this product. What a sport!

Installation: No problems. Wendy put a house key in the little pocket and was quickly out the door.

Experience: No sensations were observed throughout any run which is a good thing. Wendy didn’t realize it was even on.

Problem: After her second run (each of 3 miles), she took off the Shoe Wallet and noticed that the securing strap was already pulling out of the stitching. We wouldn’t be able to use it again.

Six miles of running caused this product to die. Could this this just be an extremely sour lemon from the batch? Possibly, but six miles doesn’t leave many warm fuzzies.

To carry stuff in your pocket – OK. To use for running – maybe not so much.

Has anyone had any long term running success with this product?

Be active – Feel the buzz!
David – EnduranceBuzZ.com

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In times of great needs like these a voice can often be heard for those willing to listen.  My ear (actually eyes) heard (truthfully read) such a voice (blog post) and it presented me the holy grail of training wisdom. I am so grateful that this insight has been re-released for us all to progress and enjoy our endurance journey here on earth.

Like all teachers of truth from years gone by, this message is not an individualized plan but a thematic message that transcends them all and can be weaved into each individual’s endurance life in a unique way for them.

Many times such philosophical insight is often discarded as useless. What do I do? Tell me the specifics! I want details!

We are presented with what we need to hear, not what we want to hear.

So before you create a new training program, hire a coach, rub BodyGlide on those delicate inner thighs, or strap on that heart rate monitor, make sure to actualize this training plan secret so graciously revealed to us by sagacious endurance athlete Chuckie V.

Click here to enter the quiet reflection room where the secret is revealed!

Be active – Feel the buzz!

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Please replace yours running shoes before they look like this! Argh!

Be active – Feel the buzz!

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Goucher (age: 30) is the top U.S. woman at this year’s Boston marathon and in her marathon debut at the 2008 New York City marathon, she finished on the podium with 3rd place (2:25:53). Goucher competed in the 2008 Olympics in both the 10000m and 5000m. She finished 10th and 9th respectively with times of 30:55 (PB) and 15:49. That is movin!

By looking at the elite start list, she could definitely be in the mix on Monday. It would probably be a slight stretch for her to win but a high placing is definitely possible and in a race of this distance anything can happen.

Her lack of marathon experience is a wild card factor as well. With Boston being her second marathon, I am sure we haven’t seen her fastest mary yet so we really don’t know what she is capable of.

For grins, I put her Olympic 10k time into the McMillan Running Calculator and it spit out a 2:25:05 marathon estimate. Jack Daniels VDOT gives her a little bit under 2:23:00 for a marathon. Interesting from a numbers geek perspective.

In prep for this race her training mileage has been in the 105-110 mileage range according to a recent Boston Herald interview. I wonder what the typical training mileage is for 5k and 10k elite athletes? It would seem like this marathon mileage would be quite a jump up.

Here is an interesting video that follows Goucher during a training run on the Boston course. You get a little glimpse of her character and subtle competitive fire inside. There also is a bit of a surprise towards the end.

(Link to Video if you are unable to see it.)

It is so interesting to see what 7 min/mile looks like for an elite. I would guess I was seeing 10 min/mile. So relaxed and fluid.

Here is another interesting local Boston interview on Goucher and includes video interviews in the upper right corner.

She is coming to Boston to rip it!

We wish her the best on Monday. She will definitely be giving it her best for the day.

We all can’t be elite athletes but most of us can be active in some way that we enjoy.

Find it – do it – feel the buzz!

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To add a bit of clarity to this question, I will highlight some of the main groovy and useful features that many runners may appreciate and also some of the unit’s limitations.

Groovy Features

• 35 Data Fields – You can monitor a whole range of parameters such as calories, distance, elevation, heading, heart rate, heart rate avg, heart rate zone, laps, pace, pace avg, pace zone, speed, speed lap, speed max, stopwatch time, and many other variants of these fields. This should cover most anyone’s training or racing data desires.
• Up to 12 Data Fields Viewable During Your Training/Race – The display screen is called a page. You can configure up to three pages of viewable data fields. Pages are easily rotated through using the up and down button on the Garmin. You can configure one to four data fields per page. Three pages with four data fields per page equals 12 data fields at your finger tips.

Personally I currently only use one page with four data fields (pace, heart rate, distance, and stopwatch time) for training but I did create another page that only has the time-of-day on it.

• Alerts - Configurable Alerts based on time, distance, pace, and heart rate.

- When has 15 minutes passed?

- When has two miles passed?

- I want to run between eight and 10 minute miles.

- I want to run between 130 and 150 bpm.

Variations of all of these concepts can be setup with the Alert functionality.

• Virtual Partner – Turn your run into a bit of a game while racing against/with the Virtual Partner. When using a Quick Workout or a pre-programmed Course, you can watch two little runners (you and the Virtual Partner) heading across your page (screen) while letting you know the distance ahead or behind the Virtual Partner.
• Workout Flavors – Quick, Interval, and Advanced. If you like a little guidance during your workout, these can be helpful features.

Quick workout flavors include distance/time, time/pace, and distance/pace. As noted above you can use the optional Virtual Partner feature with these workouts.

Interval flavors include (dist run / rest time), (dist run / rest dist), (run time / rest time), and (run time / rest dist). You can also state the number of reps and include a warmup and cool down. Anywhere can be a track with this feature!

The Advanced workout feature allows you to create much more complex workouts that have varried distances, time, goals, etc within the same workout.

• History – Of course the Garmin stores all of your workout data and you can view some of the data on the watch or look at all the goodies on your computer.
• Heart Rate Monitor – Do you like to train with pace? Do you like to train with heart rate? Do you like to train with both? You can do it all with the Garmin Forerunner 305. I have been real happy with the heart rate monitor. Just add a bit of water to the chest sensors before putting it on and your are ready to go. It has been very stable for me.
• Continuous Battery life – The specs say 10 hours of use before recharge is required but I ran a 50 mile trail run and the Garmin completed the race with me in a little over 12 hours. It did start beeping at me towards the end stating the battery was low or maybe I was just hallucinating at the time, not sure.

Limiting Features

• Indoors Functionality - Since GPS is used to determine pace, speed, distance, and calories, the Garmin is not ideally suited for indoor use. GPS requires actually physical movement, a treadmill won’t cut it. Of course you can easily use the treadmill display for your workout. Also GPS does not go through structures (buildings, etc) very well or at all. The heart rate and timer functionality will still work though.
• Water Resistance – The specs say you are safe for 30 minutes at one meter in depth. This may not be the best device to use in an adventure race or swimming some laps. I wouldn’t risk extended periods of time submerged in water with this device. Most runners shouldn’t have a problem with this.

As you can see the Garmin Forerunner 305 can do a lot but it does not shine nearly as bright indoors. Depending on your primary desired use, the limitations may or may not be a factor.

Now you have a pretty good idea of what the Garmin Forerunner 305 can and cannot do. Hopefully this helps in your search.

I have been using the 305 for nearly a year and have really enjoyed it. It is a fun and useful tool/toy.

Amazon.com still has one of the best prices around unless you can find it on sale somewhere.

If you know of any other great running features or significant limitations runners should be aware of, please share in the comments section below.

Be active – Feel the buzz!

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Griffin and I Post Boston 2008

A little over a week until the Boston marathon!

For the Ryan Hall groupies (Do they exist in the running world?) out there or those just wanting insight from a top American long distance runner, here are a couple items you may enjoy.

Competitor Radio Interview with Ryan Hall on Boston Marathon

The radio interview is fairly short and has a few interesting moments.

Runner’s World Ryan Hall and Boston Interview

Ryan often provides useful insight that we all may benefit from. Here are some of Hall’s comments that particularly caught my attention from this article. They include relatively funny, useful, and thought provoking.

“18-mile tempo runs close to 5:00 pace on a hilly course at 7,000 feet and a 40k long run in trainers around 5:30 pace or so without feeling like I was waxing myself too bad.”

Maybe it is just me, but this cracks me up. Besides being silly fast for most of us, the use of the word ‘trainers’ for that 40k run at 5:30 pace almost brings me to giggles. Those darn heavy shoes!

“I was always fascinated at Stanford by the fact that we would have a group of eight guys who would train together for every workout and yet when race day came the difference between those eight guys could be as much as a minute, showing that it is not necessarily what you are able to do in practice but was it done at the right effort level. Even though those eight guys were all running the same pace for the workouts, maybe it was only the right pace and the most beneficial pace for two or three of them.”

Running is as much art as it is science. The vast array of variables (training, sleep quality, nutrition, mental state, mental toughness, stress levels, race pacing, etc, etc, etc) that come into play on race day virtually guarantees athletes following the same program will not get the same result. The actual training is really only one of many components for race day execution.

Being aware of some of these variables and managing them within your life, can create some surprising running breakthroughs.

“I try and not think too much about the finish until I get there. The finish will take care of itself the race will not.”

Be present. All you really have is right now. This is very much a lesson for all aspects of life.

If you only think about the end result, you don’t put attention to the critical steps that get you there. If you don’t address the critical steps, you greatly decrease or eliminate the odds of reaching your desired result.

For example:

End result – finish marathon

Critical steps – hydration, nutrition, proper pacing

If you ignore hydration, nutrition, and proper pacing during a marathon, you have greatly compromised your ability to finish.

Can you think of ways this same concept can relate to other aspects of your life?

“I think there is a couple of ways to look at guys stepping up their game. Either be inspired by it or give up. I have always chosen to be inspired.”

So quit your moping and go after it. Whatever it is. It is a choice.

“I believe competition in the purest form is not to challenge each others competency but rather to challenge each other to be the the fullest of who we are.  If we are all the best of who we truly are, then the world would be a very special place.”

The beauty about this statement is it’s not about being the best but the best of who we truly are. The second part of this would be acceptance. Plenty of growth opportunities here.

Hopefully this provides some weekend inspiration to get you out that door, lace up those shoes, carry a form of ID, smile, sweat, move that body, and create the right life for you.

If you have any thoughts or comments about Ryan Hall or his quotes above, please share in the comments link below.

Be active – Feel the buzz!

Related Post: Ryan Hall and the Boston Marathon

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