Alameda Runners – Get After It!

GU and similar sports nutrition companies are always creating new formulas and flavors to help keep athletes happy.  A good product and strong marketing skills can create a dazzling combination — and GU’s Chocolate Raspberry Roctane flavor is a perfect example of a company doing it just right.

GU launched its chocolate raspberry flavor last month, much to the delight of athletes seeking this flavor. Prior to the launch, GU offered a teaser of the new Roctane flavor, with a surprisingly large number of athletes correctly guessing a chocolate raspberry flavor.

I’m typically not a big fan of anything related to chocolate or coffee energy products, but the added raspberry in this flavor helps offset too much chocolate.  The flavor is sweet but not too sweet to wash down with some water while running or in the saddle for a long time.

Similar to other Roctane-branded gels, the Chocolate Raspberry has a slightly altered formula designed for added nutritional needs.  One packet of GU Chocolate Raspberry includes 100 calories (15 calories from fat), 20g carbs,6 sugar, 90mg sodium, and 50mg of potassium.

The GU Roctane Chocolate Raspberry flavor originally launched last month and seems to be a flavor long overdue. I still prefer the GU Roctane Pineapple or Blueberry Pomegranate, but applaud GU for the Chocolate Raspberry. Even so, I’m going to continue chowing down on the Chocolate Raspberry, because it could easily become one of my favorites.

The Garmin Edge 500 is a fantastic cycle computer that I am happy to own.  The base model Edge 500 is priced around $250.00.  I could not find the base model for $250 in the Bay area.  I wound up buying the full package with the chest strap and cadence sensor from Mike’s Bikes for $350 plus 10% California tax.  I wonder what the state does with all of that money, which is another matter.

When I picked up my Edge, the box was clearly marked “Charge before use”.  I charged it up and was ready to go.  The Edge mounts to a bracket that is mounted onto the handle bar with two rubber bands.  The rubber bands and quarter turn bracket seem pretty flimsy but they have held up for 500-1,000 miles.

After charging and installation, I turned on the Edge 500 and went out for a ride.  I did not read any instructions.  It took me a second to realize that you have to hold the power button down until it turned on.  It is a good thing that holding the power button for startup is common these days.  It takes 30-60 seconds for the GPS to sync with the satellites, push the start button and I was off.  It was useable within 5 minutes of the battery being charged!  The top viewing block reads elapsed time out of the box.  I am old and my eyes are starting to go bad so I did not want to use the main window for elapsed time.    So I read the instructions to change the display windows.  It was not very difficult to configure the Edge to my liking.

The hardest part was trying to decide what to put on the screen.  The screen has options to use up to 8 different items to display.  I opted for 5 items with speed on the big screen on top.

The other four items are heart rate, overall distance, elapsed time and time of day.  I like to know what my heart rate is so I can keep from blowing up on the bike.  It is really easy for me to go out too fast only to later crash and burn at the end of the ride.   I also like the lap setting that beeps every lap.  It is set for a default lap of 5 miles.  The beep lets me know it is time to consume calories.   When I race, I need every reminder I can get.

What I like about the Edge 500:

Configurable screens.  There are three configurable screens that can be selected by the touch of the enter/page/menu button.
When movement is detected, the monitor beeps to let you know if you forgot to start the clock.

More than 40 options to select for the three screens.
The software is minimal, hard to find and harder to use but at least there is software.

Portability – I forgot my running HRM one day and wound up running with the 500 in my pocket.  It worked just fine.

Size – It has a nice small foot print on the bike with a readable screen.

Battery life – I heard a lot of complaints about the battery life but I have used it for about 12 hours before charging and it still had about 70% battery life when I plugged it in.

What I don’t like about the Garmin 500:

The software is absolutely horrible.
The web page for Garmin software is worse than the software.

Things I don’t like about the software:

• It is inconsistent to use.
• I can’t sync both the 405 and the 500 from the same computer.  I can sync them to the my.garmin site but I can’t sync them to social media sites such as Facebook or DailyMile.
• I can’t get a list of data that was recorded on a ride.
• The ride dates fold up into old rides making it difficult to find them.
• No instructions for the software.

The mount is a bit cheesy but I give the mount more positive feedback for being easy to use than I do negative feedback for being flimsy.

Overall, I love the Garmin Edge 500.  When I went out to search for a new cycle computer, my budget was $1,000.  Priced at $400, the fully equipped Edge 500 comes in well below that price limit.  I do not look at other computers with envy.  I am very happy with my decision to buy the 500.   I have the Garmin 405 that I have a well-documented love/hate relationship with.  The good parts of the 405 were far better than the frustrating ones.  I am now looking at Garmin GPS units for my car.  Better software would be nice but I don’t need software on my home computer to remind me when it is time to drink or eat while I am riding my bike.  I take no points away from the Edge 500 because of the software.  I wish the software was better but it is good enough.

Tuesday – I just cleared five items off my desk when I came home to more stuff.  One of my new presents was a box of Honey Stinger Waffles in both vanilla and honey flavor.

By Friday, I already went online and ordered two boxes for myself.  I decided to try a waffle after my morning swim.  I liked it so much; I decided to try another, just to make sure the good taste was not my imagination.

I tried again the next day and brought some to work to hand out as snacks.  The feedback was positive.  At 160 calories, they are a bit much for a snack but much better than a bagel or a donut.  I don’t have any big exercise days scheduled this week for a real good trial for the waffles.

This Saturday is a bike/run/bike day.  Not a good day to really crash and burn but I will try the stinger waffles as my primary source of calories for the five-hour effort.  I bought a couple more boxes to make sure I have enough for next weekend’s hard work out.

I love the taste and they work great for my morning post work out snack.  They have 160 calories including 7 grams of fat and 55mg of sodium.  Most of the calories are from the flour and sugar.  I may have to carry more calories with me to prevent crashing but at least the calories from Honey Stinger waffles will taste great.

Even if local drivers speed and tend to sometimes be reckless, I still consider Alameda one of the best areas to ride a bike in the East Bay. Miles of bike lanes and well-maintained roads can be found across the island, including waterfront trails and pathways that are properly cared for.

It takes significant effort to ensure our roads are looked after, so it’s possible you may have had a recommendation, complaint, or other issue.

Wonder who is looking out for us?

If you’re looking for a local bike advocacy group, look no further than the BikeAlameda group. A group based right here in Alameda, BikeAlameda is focused on advocacy while Team Alameda helps get people active.

The East Bay Bicycle Coalition looks “to promote bicycling as an everyday means of transportation and recreations,” is a great area group that helps riders across the SF East Bay. The group’s blog can be found here.

Of note, the family cycling workshop will take place next Sunday from Otis Elementary School, with a focus on safe riding practices. The seminar is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. and will run until 12:30 p.m., and exact details can be found on the EBBC website.

I’ve worked with BikeAlameda and EBBC in the past, and highly recommend looking into each bike advocacy groups.  Unfortunately, there are no official Alameda running clubs — but a small gathering of East Bay runners can be found on Twitter.

What a small world we live in!

Lance Armstrong and Tyler Hamilton are former USPS cycling teammates, and clearly won’t be exchanging Christmas cards anytime soon.  Not too long ago, Hamilton accused Armstrong of doping and lying about it during a ’60 Minutes’ interview.

Ouch.  I guess being so-called friends is out of the question…

Both guys ran into each other at a local restaurant in Colorado, which Armstrong frequents a few times per week when he’s in town.  It turns out that Outside Magazine and Hamilton were unaware Armstrong would be there, and Armstrong confronted Hamilton by the bar.

Here is what Hamilton said regarding the unexpected meeting in Colorado:

“He wanted to get into it. I was like, ‘Let’s step outside and talk away from the crowd, but he wouldn’t.”

Lance has a much more subdued version of the night’s events: I said, ‘Hey, what’s up? It was certainly awkward for both of us. It was truly uneventful.”

So, Lance and Tyler had an awkward exchange — and Tyler is no longer welcome at the Cache Cache restaurant — I still think Lance should have just walked away. The FBI is now involved and wants to view surveillance tapes from the night in question, because Lance probably should have just tried to avoid any contact at all.

The following is a list of stuff that has been accumulating on Ted’s desk.  A bunch of miscellaneous stuff that is not worth an article or the article is too much work so I have not gotten around to it.  I will start off with things that touch your skin in the order that I pick them up.

Miller Genuine Draft 64 lip balm – I actually like the lip balm.  It has no flavor and does the trick.  I bought some of the beer since they sponsored a race I ran and handed out the cool lip balm.  The beer does not suit my taste but it does help me lower the amount of alcohol I consume.

Aquaphor healing ointment – It is some cool stuff.  A bit of a mixture of Vaseline and Desitin in one package.  When I do long runs in hilly terrain, I get blisters on my toes, so a bit of Aquaphor helps prevent the blisters and it helps lubricate the sore toes after I get them to aid in recovery.  It’s also very good for chaffing from the running shorts after a long run.

Udder Smooth udder cream is a good lotion for massaging sore muscles after a workout.  It has a low odor and a reasonable price.  It is marketed as a lotion but I use it as a massage lotion.

Alpha-Flex pain reliever and massage cream is by far my favorite massage cream/lotion.  It works very well and does not have an icy/hot feel nor does it smell badly.  Unfortunately, it is very expensive.  For the price of a tube of Alpha-Flex, I can go get a professional leg massage.

Ironman muscle rub gel is an okay product that does the trick.  It has a very strong camphor smell to go along with the icy/hot feeling.

Shave Secret-I love shave secret.  I do not follow the instructions that come with the package.  I wash my face, apply the shave secret oil, and then I apply shaving cream and shave.   Sometimes, I apply the shave secret, shave with an electric shaver then shave as normal.

I also switch types of razors and types of shaving cream.  Doing little things like this, double and triple the life of my razors and I get a great shave.  Shave Secret is hard to find and they have competitors that are not quite as good but are similar.

This article is long enough so I will stop at creams and gels.

Event and athlete sponsorship continues to be absolutely vital in the endurance sports community with dedicated fans.  Sponsors have a variety of different purposes, and often are called upon to fund and supply local races and events.

To help highlight the great effort (and expense) that goes into sports sponsorship, Alameda Runners wants to help you become more familiar with companies that are involved.

We recently chatted with Selle Italia (part one and part two) about the company’s bike saddles, the importance of a good saddle, and how the company contributes to the active community. Selle Italia also is greatly involved in sponsoring bike events and pro athletes, offering a quick glimpse into how it contributes:

“Selle Italia sponsors 11 UCI professional teams, a world champion mountain bike rider, the USAT and a huge number of pro individuals and teams around the world. What is more important to me is the huge number of professional athletes that choose to ride S.I. saddles without sponsorship.”

Selle Italia and most major sports companies choose to help sponsor events and athletes — and these partnerships help the sports community prosper.  Companies that push the boundaries and have success with sponsoring events can help build athlete loyalty (very important!) in a tough market.

If there is a company you’d like to see listed, please feel free to e-mail, Tweet, or comment here and recommend a company.

The endurance sports community is a rather tight-knit group of athletes and select companies in a competitive market that still grows. Alameda Runners likes to interview the companies behind products you’re probably already familiar with, and have grown close to a few companies, but always want to reach out to new companies.

I’d like to give kudos to a few different companies that have helped here and over at TrailsEdge.

– Hydrapak – An East Bay company (we especially love the local people) with a focus on hydration storage products. Some initial thoughts and a basic review will be published sometime soon on a Hydrapak product, while we look to learn more about cleaner hydration.

– Specialized – A bike manufacturer giant well known among athletes, it’s great when companies like Specialized want to help. I appreciate when big companies take the time to answer our questions, because it’s obvious Specialized could focus on bigger interviews with publications that have significantly bigger followings. Here is the Specialized Twitter account – (Specialized Twitter)

– Icebreaker – I like when companies I’m not familiar with can step up and help contribute to the community. I’m not familiar with the company — but know three simple things:

1). Icebreaker uses Jam Media Collective for PR representation, and Jam has proven to be a solid PR firm.
2). Review upcoming, but from first glance after ripping open the package, Icebreaker is good quality stuff.
3). Be prepared to spend. Along with Icebreaker’s superior quality comes a higher price tag that will probably scare away many athletes.

– Honey Stinger. I work with GU and Clif on a frequent basis, but it’s nice to show other companies love whenever I can. I recently got in touch (after too long of a time) with the Colorado-based Honey Stinger company, and will have some questions answered for an upcoming series of stories. (Honey Stinger)

– Greenlight Apparel. We previously interviewed Greenlight and learned more about the company’s social efforts overseas. The East Bay-based company also is helping print a few custom tech shirts that we’ll be wearing out and about this summer.

The warmer weather and longer nights helps get more people active, and Alameda Runners hopes to keep introducing companies you may not have worked with. We’re going to mix in the athletic superpowers with smaller niche companies catering to certain outdoor markets.

Lance Armstrong ruled the roads of France every July, seemingly dropping his biggest cycling rivals with ease. The Texan polarized the pro peloton and European race fans with his sometimes brash, cocky attitude that later gave way to a more relaxed, embracing Armstrong.

As his career winded down, Armstrong began to open up to the media on a more frequent basis; unless they asked about doping allegations, which would often earn nothing more than a glaring look of disgust.

The cancer survivor has heard it all before, but former teammate Tyler Hamilton’s interview with 60 Minutes. The timing of the interview comes as the federal government continues to investigate Armstrong to determine if he committed doping violations.

More after the jump. Read more… »

The Selle Italia bike saddle manufacturer is a well known company aimed at racers, enthusiasts and commuters alike.  We posted a quick tidbit from the company yesterday, and will wrap things up today with the full interview from Selle.

Only the expensive and super shiny bikes normally ship with Selle Italia saddles, so an upgrade might be necessary to see the SI logo on your bike. Is the upgrade worth it? Do cyclists need to really focus on the saddle when upgrading?

Sure, a bike saddle is something that we overlook in favor of wheels, tires, and other bike components that receive more attention. Even if many of us seem to overlook the saddles, Selle Italia and other manufacturers want athletes to be aware of progressive effort to make even better saddles.

For example, Selle Italia invests years of research into its increasingly sophisticated products — and is on the forefront of cycling technology — but is often imitated (though never successfully) by competitors.

“A year or more after S.I. introduces a new design or model you will find the most popular S.I. models are copied and offered at lower prices. The copies are similar in shape and style but because they don’t have the development cost nor do they use the same materials, the product is less than satisfactory for the cycling community.”

Don’t think there is a difference from the higher-end saddles and the cheaper, less reliable models? Selle Italia obviously warns riders that they’ll notice a difference between a properly-manufactured saddle and some cheaper knockoff:

“Selle Italia uses a Ryslan and Nylon N6 for the base of the saddle. This allows the saddle base to ‘flex,’ a key component for comfort, whereas the lower priced products use “plastic” that do not flex. The same goes for the foam, cover material and rails. S.I. uses full grain leather or Lorica for high end covers to help the saddle breath and remain cool. Most other companies use a synthetic cover that can build and retain heat making it very uncomfortable for the rider. You can buy less expensive but you can’t buy the quality or ride less expensively.”

Selle Italia also is staying busy in 2011, and hopes to continue making and marketing products for interested athletes. For the rest of 2011, Selle Italia also has something the company hopes bike-riding fans will be happy about.

“Selle Italia is just now shipping a new model of saddle with a single rail – SLR Friction Free MONOLINK. The future of saddles is the Monolink as it reduces friction between the rider’s leg and saddle and allows the rider to increase power to the pedals through a re-design of the base and nose that can’t be achieved with a normal rail. Selle Italia will continue developing the MONOLINK through other models to be introduced in the future.”

If you want to learn more about the unique design of the Selle Italia Monolink, here is a review (published on BikeRadar).

To wrap things up, Selle Italia had this to say about proper saddle sizing:

“Remember, today’s bikes have been designed to provide the rider with the most performance for the energy created by the rider.  The problem is the high pressure tire, deep wall rim and super stiff frame all transmit the road vibrations and shocks to the saddle/rider. Finding the right saddle to do this for a particular rider and bike is time consuming and requires patience. The perfect saddle is out there – the cyclist just has to find it.”

Saddles such as the Selle Italia Monolink are reserved for only a sliver of people riding bikes — but the company urges riders to make sure they’re riding on the appropriate saddle.