Alameda Runners – Get After It!

Team Alameda had a bike ride around Paradise loop posted so I decided to join them.  It was an ice cream ride for them but it was fun.  We started out at the Sports Basement by Crissy Field and headed out to the bridge.  The west side of the Golden Gate Bridge is finally open to bikes!  I have been riding across the bridge for about 10 years and today was the first time I went across without construction equipment on the bridge.  It was nice.  The bridge was foggy and windy all day.  In the morning, the fog horn was sounding.  I like to listen to the fog horn when I cross the bridge.

After we crossed the bridge, we stopped to regroup and shed some wool.  It was 60 degrees Fahrenheit on the bridge and 75 on the Sausalito side of the bridge.  We cruised down to Mikes Bikes for another break and to chat some more then we headed off to Tiburon.  The temperature kept climbing as we went, topping out at 91.  The weather and views were stunning.  I feel so fortunate to live here and be able to go ride my bike in these beautiful areas.  Ride details can be found here.

When the group stopped in Tiburon to get something to eat, I rode on.  I intended to do the Alpine Dam loop but when someone at a stop light yelled out for a guide to the Rodeo Lagoon, I volunteered.  The wind was brutal and my tourist could climb like the wind.  He was also good at descending.  Because of my slowness, I got stuck behind a car and he totally dropped me and missed the turn.  I went looking for him to no avail so I headed back alone.  When I got to the GGB, I ran into Team Alameda at the re-group zone.

We talked for a bit then headed out to Sports Basement.  I ran into my tourist on the bridge.  I felt better, knowing that he did not head up the coast on Route 1.  It is hard to do but I worried all the same.  I asked him why he was on the bridge when he was going back to where he joined me.  He told me he did not know where he was going but it seemed like a good way to go.  I pointed him in the right direction while admiring his attitude.

It was great to get out for a social ride with Team Alameda.  Check out their site and consider joining them for a ride.  If not them, pick another group and go out for a no-drop ride.  It is a good change of pace from running all of the time.

Ride pictures are here.

Shopping for running gear can be aggravating.  There are so many choices that you never know if it is worth the money for that small upgrade.  Several years ago, I was having knee pain from my IT band so I kept buying softer and softer shoes.  The more I spent for the soft shoes, the worse the pain became.  I went to Road Runner Sports to have my feet measured and my gait analyzed.  It turns out; I have high arches and a neutral gait which need additional support and firm cushioning.  It cost a little more for the shoes but they give you three options and you find the one you like best.  I paid about $150 for the first pair of shoes then waited for them to go on sale at Sports Authority and bought 5 pair.

I love Road Runner Sports.  They have great gear that is always of the highest quality.  I went there today (Sunday) to get some shoes for my son.  There were some workers at the shoe area helping customers and a lot of customers sitting around.  I asked a clerk how to buy shoes and I was told to sign in and it will be about a 20 minute wait.  I must be spoiled by being able to go to Sports Basement and try on my own shoes but I don’t like to wait 20 minutes to have a shoe salesman call my name.  Lombardi Sports on Polk Street in SF has store people wait on you and I never have to wait 20 minutes there.  If I do have to wait a long time, they have cool stuff to look at, while I wait.  Road Runner failed my patience test but they are a good store and worth wait if you need a gait analysis.

In the same plaza as Road Runner Sports, there is an REI.  Since I am a triathlete, REI is not really my type of store but I like it there anyway.  We went in looking for running shoes and wound up buying 2 bicycle helmets and some bike gloves.  They had Lance Armstrong Giro helmets on sale for $26 and I just had to buy the matching gloves for $25.  It is a good thing they did not have the cycle kit to match.

The next stop on the shopping trip was the good old Exchange on Coast Guard Island in Alameda.  They are a good consistent store that usually sells all sporting goods at 20% off list.  I bought 2 shirts and 2 pair of running shorts for about $100.  All of this shopping made us hungry so we went to lunch.  We went shopping for running shoes, spent about $250 and came home with no shoes.

My little story took us to a few stores in the San Francisco Bay area.  They are all good stores with their own strengths and weaknesses.

Road Runner Sports – As the name suggests, they are a running store.  They have good customer service and great products.  You usually have to pay list price for stuff.

REI – All around outdoors store.  Cater to high end customers who go to national parks.  They have a pretty good bike selection and a lot of that outdoors survival stuff.  They also have lots of cool lectures and classes.

Lombardi Sports – A great sporting goods store that is surviving on Polk Street.  The area is getting better all of the time as the time as gentrification heads south.  The developers would love to tear that place down and build some condos.

Coast Guard Exchange – No customer service, consistent discounts, quality products and no taxes.  I point this out because there are a lot of discount stores that have good stuff without the brand name for about half of what you would pay at a high end sporting good store.

We all frequently learn about studies that discuss habits and life style choices that either add or remove years from our lives.

The newest study being marketed shouldn’t be a big surprise to any of us: jogging is a healthy activity that extends your life expectancy.

Running helps add 6.2 years to male life expectancy, and 5.6 years to female life expectancy. The research still must be peer-reviewed, but it’s definitely interesting to hear that all those hours of effort and sweat have a positive long-term impact.

“The results of our reasearch allow us to definitively answer the question of whether jogging is good for your healthy,” said Dr. Peter Schnohr, a cardiologist involved in the running research. “We can say with certainty that regular jogging increases longevity. The good news is that you don’t actually need to do that much to reap the benefits.”

If you’re in it to stay healthy, it’s recommended to work towards being breathless, but coherent enough to be aware and have a conversation.

If you are buying a 4gb mp3 player with a camera and tuner for $22, you better bring your sense of humor with you.  I bought my eSport for $30.  I should have gone to Walmart and picked one up for $22 but it was worth extra money to not have to go to Walmart.  I have nothing against Walmart.  It is just the time it takes to get to the store, find the item, then pay for it, do not make it worth the trip to save $8.

Back to the review.  Since I had my sense of humor handy, I decided to get the pink model.  I like the color.  I think it sets my dark running shorts off nicely.

When I plugged the player into my computer, it worked!  It actually started to charge.  To make things better, my Linux Mint operating system recognized it.  I was so shocked my mouse hand went numb!  I opened up a random music folder and dropped the whole thing into the mp3 folder and the player took it.  When I looked at the folder, it contained both mp3 and ogg files.  Ogg is the open source music format.  Since it took the music so easily, I got cocky and drug an avi file over to see what would happen.  To my surprise, all of the music played.  As an added bonus, the Japanese music showed up on the display in Kanji.  The video did not work because I did not resize it.

The music player worked.  The buttons are extremely clunky but navigation is possible.  The player comes with a cheap little speaker that works.  It is kind of neat to clip it onto the back of my bike jersey and listen to poor quality music.  When I am going up the side of a mountain, it is nice to have a tempo to help set a pace.  I don’t really listen to the music but the tempo is there.  I listened to the player through some Bose headphones with satisfactory results.  It was not like listening to the music from a PC with a $200 sound card but the sound was okay.

The video camera works.  With 4gb of available memory, you can record for a while.  The camera works.  It has a flash but I am not sure it does anything.  Half the time when I take a picture, I am not sure if I took the picture or not.  ¾ of the time when I take a picture, I am not sure if I am in the camera mode.  The pictures and video transfer to my computer by drag and drop.

I am currently using it as my car mp3 player.  It has about 6 hours of battery use and still going strong.  When I turn it off and back on, it remembers the track it was playing.  Every time I throw it back into its hole for the trip, it changes the song from the touchy controls that are only sensitive when you don’t want them to do anything.

Pros:

It is cheap
It works!
Very easy file transfer
Plays variable formats, mp3, wav and ogg.  I did not feel like looking for Apple files to drag over.
Lots of memory storage
Expandable memory
Nice colors
Comes with a cool video about a rabbit

Cons:

It is cheap
It is slow
Navigation is frustrating
I can’t figure out where the buttons are located
It is big

Final grade – Pass

It is a $30 mp3 player.  It does what I want and some extra stuff.  It is easy enough to figure out.  I did not read the instructions and managed just fine.  The buttons do not work very well but they get the job done.  I will not cry when it breaks.  I bought a cheap mp3 player so I could sweat all over it and not cry when I get caught out in the rain.  Remember your sense of humor when use something like this.

Now that bicycling season is upon us here in California, it is time for bicycle ideas.  It is the beginning of March so a lot of us are starting to go farther and faster on our bikes.  New riders take heed in what I say.  For you veterans, this is a reminder to do a pre-ride check.

Go say hi to your bike.  While you are there, take a good look at it.  The cob webs should be off by now.  If not, give the bike a bath.  Get some degreaser and clean the chain and sprockets real good.  Use a chain brush or a tooth brush will work.  It is important to keep your chain and sprockets clean because dirt and debris stick to the greasy buildup on your chain and act like sandpaper.  The abrasive action will wear out your chain and sprockets.  You will be amazed at how much it cost to replace your sprockets.  Most casual riders just buy a new bike.  It cost $200 to $300 for the parts and $100 to $200 to have a bike shop install them.  Be nice to your bike.  If you keep it clean and lubricated, it will last a long time and rarely need tuning.

Now that your bike is nice and clean give it a close look and make sure everything is tight.  Make sure your brakes still work and the tires are in good shape.  If you have any doubts about the tires, replace them.  If you look at your tires and think “they look worn but they will be okay” replace them.  Don’t go cheap on the tires.  Get good performance or Continental tires.  I am sure there are other good tires but I have had good luck with these brands.

Learn how to fix flats and replace the tires yourself.  There is nothing wrong with taking your bike to the shop to have the tires changed.  It is good to know how to do basic repairs yourself.  We do strange things on our bikes.  We will drive 100 miles out into the country then ride our bikes another 50 miles farther into the country.  If something happens in a remote place, you could be in for a long walk back to your car.  Be prepared.

I carry a bike pouch under my saddle.  I did an inventory today see what I really carry.  Here is my list of essentials:

• Spare tube – Tubes are easy to replace and I don’t have to mess around with finding the hole and fixing it.  Every now and then, you will stumble across some poor soul with a flat and no spare tube or patch kit.  It is easy to give someone a tube and be on your way.  If you give away your patch kit, you are giving away some insurance.
• Tire levers – Plastic tire levers make it easy to remove and install the tire in the event of a flat.  I like to carry plastic levers because they are flat and do not puncture my spare tube.
• Patch kit – I am currently carrying a small glueless patch kit with 6 patches.  I usually carry a patch kit with glue but I am random when I buy a new kit.  I like to replace the kit every 1-2 years in the event the glue dries out.
• Small tire pump – I have a push-pull style pump that pumps air in both directions.  The pump is good for both Schrader and Presta valves.  A lot of people like co2 pumps but I don’t like the idea of having one or two chances at repairing a flat.
• ID in two pockets – In case I fall, it good for the paramedics to know where to send the bill.  I have about 5 road id tags but decided that it would be better to lose them then keep them in my bag.
• Allen wrenches – 3mm and 5mm.  These are the main tools I need for my bike.  Most clamps and bolts are one of these sizes.
• Roctane gels – 2 packages, in case I need some calories.
• First aid kit – If you fall and get some skin flaps, it is so nice to be able to clean the wound and put a band aide on it.
• $70.25 – It is good to carry some cash in case you want to buy some lunch or cool socks.  I usually carry $20.  I don’t know how I managed to get an odd number in my bag.
• Spare car key
• Safety pin
• 2 twist ties
• 2 zip ties

There are a lot of different opinions on what you need to carry.  You can to a web search for seat bag tire repair kits for more suggestions.  You can buy the stuff from an online retailer or your local bike shop.  I prefer the local bike shops.  A lot of times you can catch someone from the store to tell you about how to stock your pouch.  If the store is crowded, you might catch someone passing by to ask their opinion.  Either way, it is more fun to go look at the items in the store.

When I got home from work to discover a couple of water bottles on my desk for review, I thought to myself “Water bottles, eh”.   I usually get water bottles handed to me at expo’s or triathlons.  They are not really something I give much thought.  I expected to be carrying around a $2.00 water bottle that I would have nothing to say about.  I was wrong.  I was carrying around $15 water bottles that I love.

When I removed the lids to wash the bottles, I noticed a clean smell.  New water bottles always smell like plastic.  After washing, I took my water bottle out for a trial run.  The water did not taste like plastic, quite impressive.  The flow out of the cap was perfect.  Now it was time to take the bottle out for a bike ride.  When I go out for long bike rides, I add an extra 50% concentration for my electrolyte drink in both bottles.

I like to drink my fluids warm which really adds to the plastic leaching into the drink.  I spent more than 5 hours on my bike with no odd flavors to my drinks.  After my bike ride, I threw a half full bottle in my clothes bag, filled up the other bottle then took off for a run.  At the run turn-around, I stopped for a gel pack and drink.  I noticed that I was not dripping water on my shirt before I started drinking water.  The water tends to stick in the bottle before you squeeze.  Nice touch.  When I got back to my car, I found that I did not push the cap closed on the bottle before I threw it into the car.  It did not leak.

The Specialized website for water bottles state that infused silicon dioxide create a barrier to the plastic.  If a waiter tries to sell me infused food, I tell him to take a hike.  If a water bottle is infused, I say it is cool.  I guess there is no way of explaining how I think.  Check out their website.  It is pretty good.  It is not really detailed but I probably would not understand the details anyway.

For some odd reason, this review wound up in the in process queue since last year.  After about a year of use, the Purist bottles are still my preferred water bottles.  I left a purist bottle and a $20 running bottle in the car overnight.  The running bottle had a distinct taste of plastic.  It was very sad for me since the running bottle is my second favorite bottle.  I plan on replacing my water bottle collection, now that I can taste the plastic.  I hope Sports Basement has a sale.

Mike’s Note:  Specialized bikes have become even better in recent years, with the company’s accessories also making huge efforts as of late.

Finis XtreaMP3

An MP3 player that works under water! Finis is not an MP3 player manufacturer. They are a swim equipment manufacturer. That being said, you need to read the instructions to figure out how to work the MP3 player. It is not too hard to operate the MP3 player but it is not intuitive.

I turned on the player, strapped it onto my arm, stuffed the ear buds in and jumped into the pool. I suppose I should have had some faith that it would work. I expected a total failure and I was happily surprised that it worked. It has quality sound under water.

I started swimming laps and immediately noticed a pull on the wires for the ear pieces. I tucked the wires up under the strap for my goggles and that helped for a while. Clips that support the ear piece wires to the goggle strap would be nice.

After a couple of laps, I had to stop and adjust the arm band as it got too tight for an arm that is working. This happened two more times during the swim. A bit of elastic on the arm band could go a long way towards improving the comfort. I am sure that I could figure out a way to attach the player to my goggles but I won’t go through the effort for a loaner.

It is hard to find music to match a swim pace. I swim at about 36 strokes per minute, the music I had was running at about 120 beats per minute. The pace was a bit awkward but it was really nice having music while I swam. After about ¾ of a mile one of the ear buds pulled loose and did not work any more because there was water in my ear. I took the player off and really missed having the music. Something like this MP3 player will be great for long, timed swims and I am not counting laps. The music really helps keep me distracted. I haven’t tried it in the bay yet but I am not too sure about open water swimming with an MP3 player in my ears. I like to be able to hear boats in the water.

This is a demo unit. I wonder if I will buy one when I see it in my local swim shop.

This is a two year old review that wound up in the archives.  I don’t know what happened to the review or demo unit and I have never seen the swim MP3 player in a swim shop.  I might add that I have a lot of swim stuff so I don’t venture into the swim shops very often.

Life is full of choices.  Most people who visit this site are people who choose to go do things.  Sometimes, we need to slow down and think about the consequences of our actions.  Here are two recent examples of my choices.  One good and one bad.  Neither of them are too terribly bad because I am here to talk about it.

Good Decision:
Now that winter is in full force, a lot of runners have to decide if they should run or rest because of illness.  I prefer to rest when I am sick.  I always read about the serious runners who never miss a run no matter what.  They get out and run with a fever of 102 f.  I am not a fan of running when I am really sick.  I mention this because I was not feeling well yesterday and slept for over 12 hours last night.  I got up this morning feeling a bit off but good enough to go for a run.  I got out for a 6-7 mile run with the run club and felt great afterward.

Bad Decision:
I also went out to run a marathon when I was not feeling well.  I knew I was sick, the day before the run.  I trained hard for the marathon and finally showed up for a big race healthy.  I was not healthy but I was not injured either.  At mile 22, I ran out of gas.  When the paramedic tried to check my blood sugar by pricking my finger, he could not get any blood.  I asked him how many times that has happened to him.  He told me it was the first time.  He then proceeded to tell me that my body was shutting down from the extremities in, that was why I could not run or walk any more.  Perhaps, I should have stayed in bed on this day.

I tend to err on the side of “Just do it”.  I knew that I should have stayed in bed on marathon day.  I chose to run and had a predictable race result.  Having your body start its shutdown process is not a good idea.  At least there was a lot of support on the marathon course.

In both cases, I knew what I should do.  My body tells my subconscious what is right or wrong.  Unfortunately, my conscious does not always listen.  Pay attention to your subconscious and rest when you need it.  I want you to come back and read my blog again.  I also like it when you complain about me not writing enough.

The new year is here.  I hope everyone is working on their base training for the next running season.

Upcoming races:
Coyote Hills (Fremont) – 1/28/12.  This is the biggest race of the year for alamedarunners.com.  We will be out in force for our local run.  Come join us, we will be out there rain or shine.  Sign up early because this one sells out.

Oakland Running Festival – 3/25/12.  I will be there leading the 2:15 group again for the half marathon.  Unfortunately, my photographer moved to Pennsylvania so we will not have a nice photo page this year.  I have my training plan here.  If you have any questions about the training plan, send me a message through the contact us link above.

I will be doing other events throughout the year.  These are my big two for the winter.  I will be out taking pictures at some Brazen events and riding my bike all over Northern California in preparation for the triathlon season.

I have been hitting the weights pretty hard in an attempt to build up my strength.  I am always sore from my sessions in the weight room.  It is amazing how quickly you can add weight to your sets in the weight room.  I am getting stronger and the time off from running is letting my legs heal.  It is nice to go out for a run and not be in pain.  I have been sticking with the off season training plan  and adding some P90X sessions in at night to keep things interesting.

Here is a brief on the biggest surprises of the year for me.  Most of the time, new companies squeeze into a niche by doing the same thing as the big guys while specializing in one area.  Sometimes things can be a lot different.  Who would have thought, a company could come out with wool athletic gear?  I forgot where I got the photo of the woman wearing the Icebreaker shirt but the poster credited it to Treehugger.com

Icebreaker wear is my winner of the year for performance clothing.  I wear the run ace running shirt just about anytime an opportunity presents itself.  I love the way it feels.  The material and design make the shirt very nice to wear.  It is so nice to wear the shirt was promoted (demoted?) to an everyday shirt.  The running shorts are nice but they have an oddly shaped pocket that is not convenient for my work access badge so I do no wear them for my lunch time runs.  I inadvertently wound up with the shorts for a yoga session one day and they were immediately converted to yoga shorts.  Running shorts and gym shorts are pretty much designed for forward motion and do not work very well with the stretching activities.  The wool stretches with my activities and does not stick to my legs.  Icebreaker is a bit hard to find and a bit expensive but they make some nice stuff.  I think you can get it at Fleet feet, out in the valley and REI.  If you find it in a store, try it on.

Greenlight Apparel came into view in 2011 by being the official clothing at both the Oakland Marathon and the California International Marathon.  They announced their consumer product line to us at the Oakland Marathon expo back in March.  Their products are comfortable, affordable and produced responsibly.  Because of Greenlight Apparels responsible manufacturing process, I will buy from green light if all things are close.

Injinji toesocks were a pleasant surprise for me this year.  I did not expect the socks to be so comfortable.  It did feel a bit odd having my toes separated by the cloth but I liked it.  It was great running up and down big hills without worrying about getting blisters.  The nice fit around the foot keeps the sock from moving around when you run.  No motion and no bunching mean no blisters.  My favorite socks did wear out rather quickly but that was expected with the way they fit.

Jockey wins the durability contest.  I was surprised to realize how much Jockey wear I own.  They make good stuff without a lot of fanfare and it lasts a long time.  They also know how to make stuff fit.