Product Review: RecoFit Compression Gear

I came upon a new (at least to me) compression company at this past year’s Running Event in Austin called RecoFit.  I’m always curious about new and different types of compression gear so I stopped by their booth to check things out.  The thing that caught my attention was a big sign showing a pair of calf sleeves that come with ice packs to slide into a pocket over the shins post-run.  I am not one who ever has shin splint pains but my anterior tibialis muscles do get sore from time to time, and this seemed like a nice way to help them.  They also had some arm sleeves I was interested in testing so I grabbed them up and got to work.    

Product Review: Altra Superior

You may not know it from all of the reviews I do for a lot of brands, but I’ve taken a strong liking to shoes from Altra.  I reviewed the Instinct over a year ago.  I was one of the first people to have a pair of those shoes, and I love them.  I say love because my original pair is still alive and kicking!  I’ve obviously moved on to new pairs as well as different models, but it’s a testament to Altra that I can still slip into my original ones with well over two thousand miles on them and have them feel as good as new.  Today’s offering from Altra is the Superior, their new performance trail shoe.  Sneak preview…I like it a lot. 

Product Review: Skechers GOrun

I know this is a barefoot site and yes I love and extol the awesomeness of being sans shoe but I also really love shoes.  I’ll clarify by saying I love running shoes.  I could care less about other types of shoes out there but running shoes just have a hold on me.  The majority of my life has been spent making sacrifices on comfort because most shoes are too narrow for my feet and they are too built up in the arch.  Even shoes made in wide sizes don’t really fit my feet because of the toe box shape.  I just told you all of that so that I can try and ease you into the idea of a running shoe made by Skechers called the GOrun.

PACE Labs: An Announcement

For what seems like my entire life I have been involved with the process of making runners better.  Really it has only been about half my life, and I’ve enjoyed all of it.  I’ve had the blessing to coach people on nearly every level of the sport.  I’ve watched beginners begin, pros get better, and lots of everything else in between.  As I’ve grown and learned over the years I’ve developed a passion for the form of running, and that’s what PACE Labs is all about.

For many years I have filmed runners and then sat with them as we broke down the video to learn what they could do better.  Sometimes the goal is to get faster; sometimes we’re trying to overcome an injury, prevent potential injuries, or just see what is happening from step to step for the sake of general information and improvement.  I’ve never done this full time but have always enjoyed it as my passionate hobby.  During that time all I ever heard was, “You should do this full time” or “You should open a place and just do this for people.”  I have always brushed that off and said it was just something I liked doing for people.  I always feared that when I made my joyful passion my job it might change how I feel about it.

On the other hand was always the idea of “loving what you do because you’re doing what you love,” and that intrigued me.  So when some things in my life changed back in May of this year I decided to go for it and see if my passion could also be what I do.  After a lot of thought and searching for options I came up with the idea of opening a gait analysis clinic that focuses on performance improvement and corrective exercise training.  This idea gave me PACE Labs which is a sort of acronym for the things I think PACE focuses on.  Performance, Analysis, Correction, and Endurance are the cornerstones of what PACE is, and it’s what we focus on.  I have put together a network of foot and ankle doctors, kinesiologists, run coaches, and high-end running specialty stores to give everyone who comes to PACE options for the best help in every category possible.

When people come to PACE they get a thorough and in-depth experience that will give them the answers they are looking for, and if we can’t give them the answers then we will direct them to the people who can or go get the answers ourselves.  The world is finally coming to the understanding that running is a complicated sport, and at PACE we are proud to be able to help make it a little less so.

A visit to PACE includes a review of your health and exercise history, current shoe analysis, movement screen, four high speed videos from multiple angles(barefoot walking and running: shod walking and running), a guided review and analysis of your videos,  corrective exercise recommendations with physical walk through of the exercises, copy of the videos, and lastly shoe recommendations.  We also offer one-on-one and group coaching sessions, corrective training, performance training, training plans, and e-coaching and analysis.

One of the things I’ve always hated is that I can’t be everywhere all the time.  That (and this site where I talk to people all over the world) is why I’ve added the distance coaching options to what we do at PACE.  It’s as easy as you filming the videos on your phone or any other camera and then sending me the file for review.  After review I send you the info on what I saw and give you a plan to work out the kinks the same as if you were able to do it in person.  It’s obviously not quite as in-depth a process, but it’s better than a lot of the alternatives, and it’s something  done for the past decade.

I love what I do, and taking the leap to open a place like PACE has been a great experience.  It’s already proven to be a good thing as PACE has already driven many people to PR’s and healthier, happier running, and I’m looking forward to helping as many people as I can.  I hope that you’ll check out PACE Labs, support what we are doing, and let me know what you think.

PACE Labs

2817 Regal Rd Suite 107

Plano, TX 75075

214-997-4210

www.pace-labs.com

Build Mastery of your upper body in the nooks and crannies of the day

Inspired by the 100 consecutive pushups challenge, the following workout can be broken up to be performed during commercial breaks of your favorite shows or during the time-outs of watching your favorite team make a deep run in to the playoffs!

During breaks
1st: 60push ups, 60 bicycle crunches (although alternating sides count each one making a a total of 30 performed on each side)
2nd: 50push ups, 50 bicycle crunches
3rd: 40push ups, 40 bicycle crunches
4th: 30push ups, 30 bicycle crunches
5th: 20push ups, 20 bicycle crunches
you have completed 200 push ups and 200 bicycle crunches!

If you have access to pull up bar, add pull-ups as a 3rd superset on the end of the bicycle crunches in the following decrementing totals:
1st: 12
2nd: 10
3rd: 8
4th: 6
5th: 4
You have now added on 40 pull-ups.

As you build muscular endurance with this regimen see if you can do it all as one “quick” workout. How quickly can you finish? Build towards your own personal record time and HAVE FUN!

The Mythical Mid-Foot Strike

I recently detailed my impressions and recommendations for the “general” foot strike options runners have.  I purposely left off this newly created mid-foot strike.  I left it off because it doesn’t really exist.  You’ll see it listed all over the place in recommendations as the best way to run, but that’s gonna be difficult to do because you just can’t do it.  You might be wondering why it’s become such a popular recommendation when it’s not real, and that’s a fair question.  The problem is that it’s a misinterpretation of foot motion and structure.  I’ll explain. 

Glute Strengthening: Tighten the Booty and Eliminate Back Lower Pain

Many people in the world suffer from lower back pain.  In fact about 50% of all Americans suffer from lower back pain and those same Americans spend at least 50 billion each year to try and get rid of it.  Those are some staggering numbers to consider when lower back pain can often be easily eliminated by strengthening some of the often overlooked muscle groups in the body.

Running Foot Strikes: An Explanation

As a coach there are trends to what I am asked about most.  In years past it’s been how to get faster.  Then it transitioned to what type of shoe is best.  That led to what type of supplements to take and when.  Lately the running world has started to focus on form, and a great debate has sprung up like nothing I’ve experienced in my fifteen years in this industry.  Personally I’m enjoying this great level of focus that is being given to form and mechanics because it’s way overdue.  This sport is not as simple as “put on your shoes and go”.  It’s more complicated than that, and one of the main areas of complication is the idea of foot strike.   What’s right, wrong, or best for a runner to do?  That’s a good question, and I’m gonna answer it, and it’s gonna be a little controversial. 

Product Review: New Balance Minimus Zero Trail

My last review was on the New Balance Minimus Zero Road shoe, and I liked it pretty well.  I figured why not just toss the new Minimus Zero Trail shoe in next, so I am.  I liked the Road shoe for its overall fit and feel, and I was close to feeling the same about the trail until I ran in it.  There are some good things about this shoe, but I think there are some bad things as well.  Keep reading if you want to know what I’m talking about. 

Product Review: New Balance Minimus Road

I was very interested when New Balance announced it was releasing a Minimus line over a year or so ago.  I was very disappointed when they announced the shoes in that line would have a 4mm drop (transition from heel to toe).  I was so disappointed that I chose not to bother purchasing or reviewing them.  They recently released an update to that line with a level platform, or zero drop sole, so I was again interested.  I purchased both the Road and Trail versions of this shoe, and while I will review them both, this one is about the road model or MR00.