Posted on Sep 13, 2015 under Reviews |
Leave Your Phone Behind.
Smartwatches and fitness trackers have become a very popular and trendy products these days. They all have their own unique features, but for the most part, they allow you to receive messages and notifications on your watch without needing to take your phone out (which the watch is almost always connected to). But the problem with smartwatches is that they’re just an accessory to your smartphone, the watch cannot function without the smartphone nearby. So how did Timex address that issue? Well, they added a cellular radio to their newest fitness watch, the Timex IRONMAN One GPS+ watch. They partnered with AT&T to provide cellular data to their new watch to allow you to communicate with others without needing to be connected to your phone. The fitness watch offers a variety of other useful features which I’ll go into detail below. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on Aug 25, 2015 under Race, Reviews |
I had the opportunity to participate in the Color Me Rad run at the Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego, while testing out the new LG Tone Active bluetooth headset. I’ll provide a quick recap of the race with some photos, followed by a more in-depth post about my experience using the headset. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on Aug 18, 2015 under Race |
The Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago Half Marathon is the 2nd race in my TourPass 3-Pack (the first race taking place about a month ago in Seattle). I was supposed to run this same race back in 2012, but life got in the way so I had to defer and run the Rock ‘n’ Roll Brooklyn 10K instead. I wanted to run more destination races this year and the timing worked out to run RnR Chicago. I’ve been to New York City 3 times already and wanted to see how Chicago compared to it, in respect to the city itself, tourist attractions and of course, food! I heard that Chicago weather in July was pretty bad, but we experienced an unusually hot and humid weekend when I visited! Because of that my results were less than ideal: 1:52:21 (8:35 min/mile), age group: 124/807, gender: 682/4877, overall: 1,015/12,075. I had initially planned to run about 1:35, so that was almost 20 minutes slower! But I wasn’t the only one who ran slower than expected, the weather really caused a toll on runners during this race. I guess not all races can be in ideal weather conditions. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on Aug 18, 2015 under health |
As a runner, I’ve always wanted to try other forms of exercise that would help me get stronger and possibly run faster. I’ve only done Pilates once in my life, but heard that it is a good way to strengthen your core muscles, while improving your flexibility which is very important for someone like me that almost never stretches before or after a run.
The one Pilates class I did take was pretty well known, ‘CoreBody Pilates Plus is a 45-minute signature workout that will burn up to 500 calories’. It was interesting how we utilized this one machine to perform all exercises during the session. There was basically a series of pullies and strings that got easier or harder to pull depending on the tension level. I did struggle with some exercises, not because I didn’t have the strength, but because I have poor balance. I usually gauge a workout by the amount of sweat I produce. But since this is a different workout than running or going to the gym, it’s hard to make an apples to apples comparison.
There are many places to address any physical injuries or ailments you may have. For example, there are osteopathy clinics that can help lead you to the path of recovery. Whether you have chronic pain, random sports injuries or some complex back pain, there are clinics and osteopaths that can help you.
Posted on Aug 03, 2015 under health |
Do you know that you can improve your health and longevity by just making a few simple lifestyle changes? That’s one of the most eluding and strangest secrets ever.
In fact, if you are still looking for the fountain of youth, then your quest is futile.
Studies has shown that people who outlive the rest of the populace do so because they follow a simple and easy set of dietary and lifestyle rules.
Therefore, to add years, healthier years, to your lifespan, here are the exact lifestyle habits you need to develop. The keys to a longer and healthier life lie within your hands. Just go for it. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on Aug 03, 2015 under health |
Wrestlers are not just your average athletes. In order to reach the caliber to earn the title of World Champion and Olympic gold medalist, each wrestler must have a substantial amount of guts. If you take a look at the history of many wrestling legends, you’ll see that they have more traits in common than just their physical abilities. Wrestling superstar Dan Gable said, “Gold medals aren’t really made of gold. They’re made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts.” That is exactly what sets these individuals apart from the crowd.
When you’re watching Olympic wrestling matches in person or on your television screen, you probably notice each individual’s moves, skills, and setups. If you scratch the surface and take a closer look at each athlete’s background, you’ll find more than meets the eye. Through the history of Olympic wrestling, many of the champions share some commonalities. You’ll find men who overcame cancer, accidental injuries, dyslexia, bullying, and poverty. You’ll find athletes born into large families, men who worked on farms as children or in shipyards during earlier portions of their lives, and each of these men developed strength and toughness in the process.
Wrestling legends over the years have had much more than strong muscles and quick moves; they have had guts. For more details on the lives of some remarkable US Olympic wrestling legends, take a look at this infographic.
Posted on Jun 28, 2015 under Race |
I seem to always run a short, fun race the week after a tough, long race. This is actually ideal though since I’d rather get the hard one out of the way first so I can enjoy the easier one. The San Diego Fair 5K is a fairly new race that takes place around the Del Mar Fairgrounds, where the San Diego Fair takes place. It’s a little different to run through the fairgrounds before they open so you don’t experience all of the crowds, rides, attractions and deliciously fried foods. One of the perks for running this race is that it acts as a ticket to the fair for the day as well as discounts for others as well as a free entry to the fair another day. So the event website said that there would be timing chips, but we did not get them in our race packet. Most people do take this race as a fun race anyways, but I usually run it pretty hard and would have liked an official race result. But according to my phone, I ran an 18:45 but Endomondo only recorded 2.86 miles! It definitely wasn’t 3.1 miles, although the phone might have missed the part where we ran underneath a bridge, but I’m pretty sure it was still under 3 miles, so no PR this time. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on Jun 28, 2015 under Race |
The last destination race I ran was at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas half marathon, which is definitely a tough act to follow. Fortunately, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle half marathon was just as much fun, although a little different when it came to pre and post-race activities. Most people have enough trouble as it is to fit in some type of workout when traveling, having to run a half marathon is a whole other issue. But I knew I would be able to run it around my average time. The plan was to spend the day in Vancouver and then drive back to Seattle the night before the race. Unfortunately, there was a huge line at the Canada/US border so I didn’t get into Seattle until very late at night. I ended up only get about 3 hours of sleep before the race! Despite that, I was still able to run a pretty decent time. Results: 1:37 (7:24 min/mile), 36/540 age group, 197/4125 males, 234/11071 overall. What was even more impressive was my splits throughout the race: 5K, 23:59 (7:44 min/mile), 10K, 47:06 (7:35 min/mile), 10 mi, 1:15 (7:30). So I was able to run negative splits throughout the race and because of that, was able to pick up the pace later on in the race and have a strong finish. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on Jun 28, 2015 under health |
If you love to travel and you are an avid bicyclist, going on a bike tour can be the perfect vacation. Even if you’re just getting started with bicycling, a cycling adventure can be an unforgettable journey. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a novice, you’ll need to devote 12 weeks to getting in shape for your tour. Preparation will include physical training, eating the right foods to fuel your body, and gathering the equipment and apparel you’ll need.
A typical weekly-training schedule will include four days of bicycling, two days of cross training, and one day of rest. The number of miles you ride during your preparation weeks will depend on the intensity of the tour you’re going on. If you plan to take a moderate tour that consists of riding 30 to 40 miles each day, you’ll have an easier schedule than if you plan to ride 60 to 80 miles per day on your trip. Cross training exercises should include core exercise that strengthen your back, glutes, hip flexors, and abs. Adding some cardio such as swimming and jogging will enhance your aerobic capacity. Be sure to allow your body enough time to fully recover before you set off on your tour. For more information about physical training, dietary needs, gear to pack, hydration, and other pertinent details, take a look at this infographic.
Presented By Bicycle Adventures Bike Tours & Vacations
Posted on Jun 10, 2015 under Race |
This is my 3rd time running the Triton 5K (the same number of years they started hosting this race on a weekend vs Fridays when I was still in school). And unless I decide to move away from San Diego, I don’t see myself not running this race. It’s a great way to support my alma mater and it gives me an excuse to visit the campus. I was hoping for a slightly faster time, but it’s still good nonetheless. Results: 19:48 (6:23 min/mile), 8/167 age group, 77/2,478 overall. You’d think I’d learn to pace myself in this race since it was my 3rd time, but it didn’t happen. Even though I knew I wouldn’t be able to stay with the lead runners, I still tried. Read the rest of this entry »
