Our mission is to build joyful community around children and be quickly accepted into public, private and home schools as a free, innovative, celebratory fitness and nutrition program, resonating with the child… and with the child’s family. The goal is for the child to develop the love and habit of moving through space and to carry forward the power of muscular, nutritional and psychological well being.

Finish Line!

The Marathon Kids program (based in Austin, Texas) has positively impacted k-5th grade children for the last 15 years and has helped inspire movement, quality nutrition awareness, and even some gardening skills to over 1,000,000 youth that will shape and help determine this world’s future.

And best of all…it is a FREE program for the youth involved thanks to corporate and private donations.

The Basics of the program:

• Children run/walk 26.2 miles across 6 months and track their progress in the Running Log.
• Children are encouraged to eat 5 servings of fruit/vegetables a day for at least 26.2 days per month and track their progress in the Fuel Log.
• With local non-profit partnerships, the children can be provided tools and resources to start a schoolyard garden.

The program is currently active in nine major city areas within the states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Illinois, and Maryland.

Setup

I arrived in the pre-dawn hours at a local high-school (??) football stadium to setup the track and infield for the hundreds and possibly thousands of little tikes. Imagine multiple 100s of excited children ready to run wild…a funneling system is required to keep the event from turning into a mosh pit.

Where the children/little bulls enter onto the track.

After finishing the run...funneled through the center of the football field

Get Crazy

After about 3.5 hours of setup I transitioned to my pre-determined role for the celebration – the crazy greeter! About 15-20 volunteers held this first impression position so we had to bring our high energy A-game. As children/families arrived in school buses or vehicles with their parents, we welcomed them to the event.

We were given pom-poms and noise makers. Our goal was to make them feel like rock stars as they walked into the stadium to sit in the bleachers prior to running their final 600 meters (Yes the celebration is called the Final Mile but it would get a bit crazy for all involved to manage multiple loops. Final Mile sounds cool…Final 600 Meters is less so.).

Cowbell and pom-pom....oh yeah!

At various times we created narrow human tunnels, made lots of noise, and delivered more high-5s to nearly every child and adult that passed us.

Based on the epic smiles and positive energy flowing like a 4th of July light show, you couldn’t help but feel like you were making some small positive impact in the children and parents lives…at least for the day.

Running of the Bulls

After the brief opening ceremonies, sections of children/parents were escorted to the staging area where they got ready for the final 600 meter run.

Terry Wade (with the feathery personality) - MC and local volunteer organizer

This is where things get interesting. Think of a group of a hundred or so children bursting at the seams, ready to run down that open track. As the previous group finished their run and ran through the finish chute, the next group was released in a burst of high-energy excitement.

Here comes the next group!

The Bling

After crossing the finish line the children received the highly-prized finisher’s medal. I was told that it is so highly desired, that some children will try and double back to receive a second one.

And Then There Were None

After the last child left the stadium, we cleaned-up the entire area within 90 minutes. The Marathon Kids truck and trailer was packed and ready to head back to Austin before hitting the road for yet another Final Mile celebration.

I was tired, dehydrated, and hungry, but smiled all the way home.

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

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Chris McCormack won his second title for the men and Mirinda Carfrae won her first World Ironman Championship.

After swimming 2.4 miles, and biking 112 miles in the heat and humidity of the Hawaiian Island, it is fascinating to watch how the fastest runners are able to maintain an efficient looking running form when the body is in such a fatigued state. Inspiring to watch.

I wasn’t able to find any good running video of Chris McCormack (a fast all-around triathlete) from Hawaii this year, but I did find another great video of Chris and Eneko Llanos (also one of the fastest Ironman runners) competing at the Wildflower half Ironman in 2008.

Check out their form. Words that come to mind are fluid and smooth. Also observe how little vertical movement for both of them.

Chris McCormack and Eneko Llanos at Wildflower Triathlon

(If you can’t see the video, click here.)

Btw, Chris ran a 1:14 for the half mary portion!

Mirinda Carfrae at Hawaii Ironman 2010

Mirinda won Hawaii this year and set a new women’s marathon record of 2:53:42.

Check out her running in the final few miles. She is still screaming along the course. I still sense so much power within her run even though she is nearly nine hours into an ultra event. Crazy cool!

(If you can’t see the video, click here.)

Fun to watch!

What aspects of running form do you notice with these speedy ultra endurance athletes?

I can’t help but think about how improving running efficiency/form can translate across 50 km, 50 miles, or 100 miles. Seems huge.

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

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• Ironman World Championships This Weekend!

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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Plastic is not the only sports bottle option any longer. There is a growing list of companies creating stainless steel sports bottles. If you are looking to reduce your plastic exposure for some or all of your run training and racing, these bottles may be just what you are looking for.

What makes it a sports bottle?

Most stainless steel bottles use a standard screw-top cap that requires you to completely remove the cap in order to drink the fluid inside. For any runner or athlete this is a less than desirable option. So, companies have created stainless steel bottles that include a cap that allows you to simply drink out of it without removing it. Simple enough.

Who makes them?

Here are three four companies that are big players in hydration and have created stainless steel sports bottles of various sizes and unique cap styles.

[Update 7/12/2010 - Amphipod has come out with a fully-loaded run ready stainless steel water bottle called the Amphipod PURErun Handheld (my review). A high quality running bottle.]

1. Nathan – Nathan is a significant player in the running world and included in their portfolio are a 500 ml (~17 oz) and 700 ml (~24 oz) stainless steel sports bottle.

500 ml model:

700 ml model:

Notable Features:

• Made with 18/8 (food grade) stainless steel
• 100% BPA free
• Flip Straw drinking system
• Nice QuickClip system

For a bit more insight, you can look at Nathan’s Steel Bottle FAQ.

Condensation a concern? Nathan also offers a Flip Straw Neoprene Sleeve that can slide over either model.

My family recently purchased a 500 ml model and my wife uses it for all of her neighborhood runs. She carries it in her hand and due to its tapered shape, is very comfortable for her smaller hand. She has been very happy with it. I have yet to use the bottle myself.

For trail running, I would be interested in integrating it with a handheld or waist-pack system.

Close-up of the Flip Straw and QuickClip system:

Since a straw is used for fluid uptake, there is no need to tilt up the bottle to drink. I could see forgetting that especially at first and drinking a bit of air.

The bottle comes with 2 extra straws as well.

Where to purchase?

Amazon.

• Nathan Stainless Steel Sports Bottle 500ml
• Nathan Stainless Steel Sports Bottle 700ml
• Nathan Flip Straw Neoprene Sleeve

2. klean kanteen – klean kanteen created a Sports Cap that fits on their existing stainless steel bottles.

Notable Features:

• The 2.0 version has three times the flow rate as the old version.
• 100% BPA free
• Loop handle

I also own one of the Sports Caps and it seems very durable, is leak-free, and works. You simple open the valve by pulling with your teeth or hand like a more traditional sports bottle and push down to close it.

Where to purchase?

Amazon.

• Klean Kanteen Sport Cap 2.0
• klean kanteen stainless steel water bottles – various

3. Camelbak – Camelbak is probably most well known for their hydration packs but they also have two stainless steel sports bottles  in their line-up which include a 750 ml and 500 ml (insulated) model.

Notable Features:

• 100% BPA free
• bit valve drinking system
• Loop handle
• The 500 ml version is insulated (double walled).
• Both the 750 ml and 500 ml are the same size externally.
• You can insulated the 750 ml version with their Insulated Bottle Sleeve.

I have no personal experience with these bottles but Camelbak is well known for making quality products.

Where to purchase?

Amazon.

• CamelBak Stainless Steel Sports Bottle – 750ml
• CamelBak Insulated Stainless Steel Sports Bottle – 500ml
• CamelBak Insulated Bottle Sleeve – 750ml

4. Botl – Botl creates 16/24/32 oz wide-mouth stainless steel sports water bottles.

Notable Features:

• Comes with both sports cap and loop handle cap.
• 100% BPA free

Where to purchase?

Amazon.

• Botl Wide Mouth 16-Ounce Stainless Steel Water Bottle
• Botl Wide Mouth 24-Ounce Stainless Steel Water Bottle
• Botl Wide Mouth Stainless Steel 32-Ounce Water Bottle

My Thoughts

My initial impressions are that the 500 ml bottles could work for a handheld system and not be too bulky. The 750 ml and greater bottles just seems too big (at least for me). The 500 ml and 750 ml systems seem like they could work for waist-pack systems. I am not sure what the 32 ouncer would be like. Hmm, I think I have some testing ahead of me.

For a timed event like an 8/12/24 hour event, it would seem like any of the bottles would work. I do wonder how the bottle would respond to high heat and extended sun exposure. Would the bottle get too hot to touch? Maybe the sleeves and insulated bottles could help with that.

Have you used a stainless steel water bottle for run training or racing? Please share your experience in the comments link below.

Be active – Feel the buzz!

David – EnduranceBuzz.com

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• Managing Those Running Tweaks

Here are nine different methods I have used when my piriformis tightens up.

1. Tennis ball massage – Lay on top of the tennis ball and allow it to put deep tissue pressure in the tender area by using your body weight. This can be a bit uncomfortable but I try to relax my body as much as I can with a few deep breaths.
2. Foam Roller – Really trying to massage the piriformis area (yes, your butt) daily.
3. Piriformis Stretch – 2-4 times per day.
4. Outward leg lifts – While laying on your side, raise top leg 1-2 ft for 20-30 reps (for 2 sets). Then repeat for other leg.
5. Running form focus – Sometimes my legs start to get lazy and the inside of my knees will rub periodically. I pay attention to my form and make sure my legs remain in alignment (not drooping inwards).
6. Chiropractor – A good crack to make sure the core of my body is in proper alignment.
7. Professional massage – An hour of deep tissue work has produced some amazing results.
8. Reduce mileage and focus on the above seven items.
9. Stop Running – If I am in continual discomfort while running, I will stop running for a couple days and really work on the above items.

How have you handled this pain in the butt issue?

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 (Purchase at Running Warehouse and Submit discount code to include an Endurance Buzz visitor discount at checkout)
• The Go Hat (Purchase at Running Warehouse and Submit discount code to include an Endurance Buzz 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 (Purchase at Running Warehouse and Submit discount code to include an Endurance Buzz 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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The item that I am referring to may or may not be on your list. It is simple sunlight. Yes, I am talking about that bright light in the sky we take for granted most every day. Sunlight or seemingly more importantly, what it produces in our body (vitamin D), seems to be a possible sports performance aid and an element to assist in general health.

I recently ran across a news article called Vitamin D May Allow Olympians To Dominate In 2012. This article refers to an American College of Sports Medicine paper called Athletic Performance and Vitamin D that researched the existing information on the potential benefits of vitamin D and athletic performance.

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble steroid and hormone which is produced by your skin in response to exposure to ultraviolet radiation from natural sunlight. It seems to play an important role in the maintenance of organ systems.

A definition is fine and dandy but what does this mean for you? Let’s see what the article and others mention.

How Can Vitamin D Improve Your Running?

The news article notes that their is evidence that Vitamin D improves athlete reaction time, muscle strength, speed, and endurance. It also mentions that vitamin D helps to prevent stress fractures and other athletic injures. Now this seems like potentially useful information.

It is a bit interesting to also observe that the German elite athletes seemed to be aware of the benefits of vitamin D through UV radiation as early as the 1930s.

Dr. Mercola also commented on this report stating a few interesting and key ideas:

• …whereas both steroids and vitamin D can improve athletic performance, steroids are obviously quite dangerous to your health. Vitamin D on the other hand is not only safe, but also vital for literally hundreds, if not thousands of other health conditions.
• Dr. Cannell’s research shows that vitamin D increases the size and number of Type II (fast twitch) muscle fibers. And most cross-sectional studies show that vitamin D levels are directly associated with musculoskeletal performance in older individuals.

This seems like promising news.

How Does Vitamin D Improve Your Overall Health?

Of even greater importance than running performance (gasp) and substantially more research, vitamin D seems to also have significant overall health benefits. Who doesn’t like a WIN-WIN situation!

Mike Adams from Natural News created a free report (a valid email address required to view – no spam) called The Healing Power of Sunlight and Vitamin D in which Adams interviews a top world authority on the benefits of sunlight and vitamin D.

Here are just a few of benefits of vitamin D mentioned in the article:

• Sufficient vitamin D prevents prostate cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, depression, colon cancer and schizophrenia.
• Your risk of developing serious diseases like diabetes and cancer is reduced 50% – 80% through simple, sensible exposure to natural sunlight 2-3 times each week.
• Osteoporosis is commonly caused by a lack of vitamin D, which greatly impairs calcium absorption.
• “Rickets” is the name of a bone-wasting disease caused by vitamin D deficiency.
• Seasonal Affective Disorder is caused by a melatonin imbalance initiated by lack of exposure to sunlight.

Who doesn’t see the benefits here? It seems like a no-brainer.

I do question that simply sitting in the sun 2-3 times per day reduces or prevents cancer. That Big Mac, cigarette, unmanaged stress, and poor sleep may have something to say about that.

One other interesting statement mentioned is that obese people require twice as much vitamin D because of an impaired ability to utilize it. Hence another reason to get that weight in a healthy range.

The Million Dollar Question – How Much Vitamin D Do You Need?

If you like hard numbers, Dr. Mercola mentions that peak athletic performance will likely occur with vitamin D (25(OH)D – marker in blood) levels around 50 ng/ml. Mercola also recommends an optimal vitamin D range for overall health to be between 50-65 ng/ml based off of scientific studies mentioned in his vitamin D article.

You can determine your current value by getting your 25(OH)D determined by a blood test with your preferred doctor. There also is a vitamin D home based kit from ZRT laboratories.

If you aren’t into exact numbers, get outdoors and enjoy the sun – responsibly! Anyone involved with endurance sports probably are outdoors more than most but it may not necessarily be true in our health club, office bound lifestyles.

The biggest warning it to not get sun burned. There are no health benefits to that painful, crimson glow. Be smart!

Mike Adams also mentioned some natural “internal sunscreens” that can extend your time in the sun include powerful antioxidants such as Astaxanthin, Acai, pomegranates, and blueberries.

Vitamin D Supplementation

If your vitamin D levels are not in the desired range and you aren’t able to fit additional sunlight exposure into your lifestyle, vitamin D3 supplementation may be an option to discuss with your preferred health care professional in order to raise your 25(OH)D value.

Do you supplement with vitamin D3? If so, what has been your experience?

Back To The Basics

The story of sunlight and vitamin D is definitely not complete. Many chapters are yet to be created but it definitely looks like a potential Life Bestseller.

In a world where complexity is often the desire of the day, getting back to the basics can often have some amazing results in your running performance and health.

Back to the basics may include:

• eating minimally processed foods
• drinking clean water
• appropriate training stressors
• adequate sleep/rest
• beneficial exposure to sunlight

Try it, see what happens. You are an experiment of one!

Be active – feel the buzz!

David - EnduranceBuzz.com

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How can you help you body heal faster and more effectively?

While reading Vegetarian Sports Nutrition by D. Enette Larson-Meyer, I came across some ways that may help support your bodies natural processes and keep you running or have you running sooner if you are unable to.

This all revolves around managing the inflammation response.

Larson-Meyer provides the following nutritional items to consider:

• Include Omega-3s in diet daily. Examples include flaxseed oil, ground flaxseed, hemp oil, and walnuts.
• Vitamin D – This would be achieved through adequate sun exposure and/or supplementation.
• Eat those fruits and veggies.
• Fresh herbs. Some examples include green tea, ginger tea, and pesto (yummy!). American running stud-ette Deena Kastor has a nice recipe for homemade pesto on her site.
• Olive oil
• Turmeric
• Basil
• Tomatoes

Larson-Meyer also mentions the supplements glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate as something else that may be worth investigating.

Another often talked about source of Omega-3s are fatty fish such as salmon or a quality fish oil supplement.

I personally have used Hammer Nutrition’s glucosamine/chondroitin product. I used it throughout my Ironman training days. Did it work  for me? Not sure, but I was able to train quite intensely for three years without significant injury. I currently take a fish oil supplement and try to include many of the other items mentioned in the above list within my normal lifestyle.

Dr. Weil provides some nice general tips for an anti-inflammatory diet (nutritional choices):

• Aim for variety.
• Include as much fresh food as possible.
• Minimize your consumption of processed foods and fast food.
• Eat an abundance of fruits and vegetables.

Also check out his useful and informative Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid. It may surprise you a bit.

You can also help yourself by following a few basic lifestyle/training habits:

• Get quality and adequate sleep.
• Appropriate gear for you. (ex: correct running shoes)
• Increase training stress gradually.
• Reduce training stress when your body asks for it. Shhh listen!
• Stretching and massage (either by a person, self, or with various tools available such as foam roller and/or The Stick).
• Hydration

Finally, if you are having continued issues and would like additional insight, seek your preferred professional.

What things have helped you with tweak management?

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

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