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Bettysport caters to athletes on the go
So women, it’s that time of year where less is more when thinking about what to wear outdoors.
And Bettysport, Austin’s only fitness specialty store dedicated solely to women, is here to help you look good doing it. They are locally owned and have two locations — The Domain and Downtown at 12th Street and Lamar Boulevard. They carry 40 brands of gear — ranging from Nike to Adidas by Stella McCartney — perfect for running, marathons/triathlons, swimming, tennis, dance, yoga and pretty much any other activity you can think of.
Price ranges are:
$25-$62 for sports bras (ranging from sizes 32A to 56DDD)
$24-$50 for running shorts
$20-$60 for running tops
$85-$135 for running/technical footwear
$30-$135 for casual footwear
$40-$80 for tri-tanks/tops
$40-$95 for tri-shorts
$29-$64 for skirts
$40-$84 for yoga pants/capris
$20-$60 for yoga tops
$25-$50 for yoga mats
$40-$70 for gym bags
$59-$129 for sports watches
$79-$249 for sunglasses
But surprisingly, clothes are not their specialty - it’s bras. From my conversations with Bettysport co-owner Stephanie, most women are not wearing the right bra while being active. Either they are too small or big, don’t have the right support, or are the wrong material which, in turn, can cause chaffing.
Bettysport is in the process of launching an “Only Balls Should Bounce” campaign to help women who need help with the fit of their bras. So if someone approaches you at Lady Bird Lake with an “Only Balls Should Bounce” Bettysport business card, take it seriously and get some help.
To make sure that doesn’t happen to you, here are some very helpful tips on how to find the right bra:
You want a bra that will prevent damage to breast tissue, keep your body in proper running form, and one that will stay comfortable even through the long runs. The three most important things are support, fit and material.
There are different bras for different activities. Be sure that the support of your bra matches the impact of your activity. High-impact bras are best for running; medium-impact is for cycling; low-impact is for yoga/pilates.
Proper fit is the key! Try on different sizes and styles. Straps and bands should not gape or dig into the skin. The middle of the back band should remain at an even level from back to front. Jump around and clap your hands above your head. The bra should not ride up or twist.
“Performance” fabrics are a must. These materials wick sweat away from the skin, keeping you cooler and preventing chafing. Seamless bras or seams with rolled edges are also nice for preventing chafing.
Prolong the life of your bra. Wash in cold water with a sport wash. Never use fabric softener, and always line dry. Elastic in bras should last for about 75 washings. For most women, this means about a year.
Depending on your cup size, you may need a specialized bra. This means you may need one that is cup-sized (i.e. 34DD) instead of a basic compression style of bra that is sized simply small, medium or large.
Fit and support trump aesthetics. The bra that fits and supports you best may not be the cutest bra. Like running shoes, you must find the one that supports you the best and not just pick a bra based on the way it looks. If looks are important to you, try wearing a black bra — the dark color seems to hide the lines and appearance of the bra better than lighter colors.
For more information on Bettysport, visit their Web site.
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Playing dodgeball with Bobby Bones
Even if you don’t listen to 96.7 KISS FM, you probably recognize the name Bobby Bones.
Between hosting a morning radio show and “Airwaves” on ME Television, one might think there’s not much time for play. But this past Saturday, Bobby, sidekick Lunchbox and producer Carlos took time out of their busy schedules to participate in a dodgeball tournament in celebration of the opening of So High Sports & Fitness Performance Center in San Marcos.
So High Sports is an athlete’s dream gym. Inside you’ll find a regulation basketball/volleyball court, cardio and weight machines, five-lane running track and 20 yards of astroturf. Outside is where the batting cage, putting green with driving cage, tennis/basketball court, football/soccer field and five-lane running track are located. On top of all this, the owner is 1996 Olympic high jump gold medalist Charles Austin.
There was a great turnout for the dodgeball tournament, and the gym was packed when we arrived. Each team was required to have a minimum of five guys and two girls. Bobby’s team by far had the best two girls, Tammy and Tiffany, who turned out to be a vital key to the team’s success. There was no messing around in these games, with some folks taking the rules and the game a bit too seriously, but all in all it was good fun. Teams played best-out-of-three games, with the loser being eliminated from the tournament. It ended up being an all-day affair with the Bobby Bones team winning the whole thing.
“The Bobby Bones Show” is no stranger to tournaments. Throughout the year they host their very own dodgeball, kickball and whiffleball competitions. The next is June 8. To register your team, keep checking www.bobbybones.com or listen to “The Bobby Bones Show” on 96.7 KISS FM weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m.
Check out photos from the day of dodgeball here.
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Update: New Year, New You Challenge
It’s time once again to check in with the four folks taking part in our New Year, New You Challenge.
Trainer Kyle Golden sent in this update:
Joy: Joy’s weight is currently 205. There were a couple of setbacks but she is still committed and still looking forward to meeting her goal. Joy has noticed changes in her waistline and sides. While the scale may not show significant loss, she has noticed changes in her body. She has kept a great journal of her food and is going to work on getting a few more calories in each day. Joy decided she would take on the Danskin Triathlon again this year. (She participated a few years ago.) To help her prepare for the challenge, I have included running and stationary biking segments into her resistance circuit routine. Joy has joined a gym where she can practice her swimming. This is exciting for her and I am thrilled to help her with this challenge.
Sandy: Sandy’s current weight is 218. Sandy also had a couple of setbacks, being out ill a couple of times. She is well now and back into the workout groove. Sandy is continuing to work on her diet and eat the right amounts of foods at the right times and intervals to improve her metabolism. She has done a fantastic job with making healthier diet choices over the past couple of months, and she has a positive attitude and knows she will start dropping the pounds soon. She already says her clothes are much looser and is looking forward to shopping for some new outfits. Sandy and Holly are working a circuit of light to medium resistance with greater reps combined with brief cardio periods between super sets of resistance exercises.
Holly: Holly has had the greatest loss so far and is currently at 197 — that’s 15 pounds! Way to go Holly! Holly was overjoyed to be able to put on a pair of jeans a size smaller for her birthday. Holly has made dramatic changes in her diet and is still working to tweak her diet a little at a time. Having lost 15 pounds she knows it is possible to keep losing more and she is even more driven than when she started this challenge. Holly is also deep into planning her wedding and just chose her dress the other day. She is looking forward to having a fantastic new figure to fit into it. As stated in Sandy’s update, Holly and Sandy are working a circuit of light to medium resistance with greater reps combined with brief cardio periods between super sets of resistance exercises.
Trainer Christina Muller sent in this update on Stuart:
Stuart’s weight is now 238, down from 250 pounds. He was truly excited about getting under 240. Regardless of the weight, he has toned up a lot with his new lean muscle mass. Lately he has been having salads instead of enchiladas. Also he has been drinking whey protein shakes for a healthy, protein driven snack. Protein is essential for muscle tissue growth.
Our training consists of interval training. That means that he switches from strength training to cardiovascular constantly throughout the workout to keep his heart rate up to burn more calories. Fortunately he loves the elliptical. As an added assignment for him, he can ride his newly tuned up bicycle at the Veloway, where there are no cars and the scenery is picturesque.
For the month of April, Kyle and I created a game that whoever drops a minimum 10 pounds gets an extra special gift: a trip to the spa. Massages and self pampering are important for body and mind.
Lastly, I am going to have a sit-down with Stuart to review his goals and create a new strategy to drop 12 more pounds.
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Outlaws take on their first opponent
“Alix, get in there for Monica! Right now!”
This was Coach Bobbie Narlen yelling at me to join the kickoff team in the first game of the season. Earlier, he had told a few of us rookies to be ready, but I didn’t think she meant, you know: ready. I ran onto the field, my mind blank; less in a Zen master way, and more in an unsettling, what-am-I-doing way. After the play, the action of which took place primarily far afield of me, a teammate advised that I ought to have my mouth guard in.
Whoops.
For those of you who read this blog, you’ll have to forgive the abundance of wide-eyed enthusiasm I convey in writing about the Austin Outlaws. I do realize many of you have played football before, or at least watch it, and that even the most rabid fan of the sport and/or the Austin Outlaws might tire of the rookie zeal that I occasionally dribble all over the front of my shirt.
As a spectator of football, I get caught up in what must seem to observers to be unexpected passion. Sitting in a bar, for instance, I appear to be a quiet writerly type, watchful but aloof. Put a Patriots game in front of me, and I’ll be screaming at the television and making empathetic guttural noises when players are hit. I say this to underscore the fact that watching my teammates play is an even more visceral experience. On one Outlaw run down the field that resulted in a touchdown, I realized that I had been unconsciously whooping and leaping through the air.
Houston scored twice in the first quarter. Austin scored late in the second, valiantly overcoming the effects of several penalties. It was an uplifting moment that changed the momentum of the game for a time — so much so that the team had to be reminded at halftime that we were still behind.
The third quarter would see that remedied: Austin scored to tie the game and then again to take the lead 20-14. It certainly seemed that the Austin Outlaws were getting into a rhythm and would be able to hold the Cyclones at bay. But late in the fourth, with fewer than two minutes left to play, the Cyclones made a labored drive that resulted in a touchdown. The score was now 27-20, Cyclones; and only a handful of seconds remained for the Austin Outlaws to do anything about it.
The Outlaws advanced, but it was too little, too late. The game clock ran out and we had lost. The disappointment-mixed-with-disbelief that the loss generated was tempered by how incredibly the Austin Outlaws had played against a formidable opponent.
The Austin Outlaws have another chance to beat the Houston team, at the Austin home field at the Texas School for the Deaf, on May 24. If you are (understandably!) eager to support your team, The Outlaws’ first home game is May 10, against New Orleans. Visit www.austinoutlaws.com or call 512.796.0108 for more details.
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Staying safe around snakes
Something about the way the sunlight did not reach all the way to the rocky ground but rather reflected off a shape — a shape that, however still, was obviously alive — gave my step pause in the bright spring day. I was hiking a trail that runs alongside the spring-fed Pedernales River after some bounding over the sluices and rocky outcroppings of the falls at Pedernales Falls State Park.
“Look at that,” I exclaimed to the friend that followed behind me, myself only just processing what I was seeing.
Two large western diamondback rattlesnakes, stretched each to full length next to a ledge of rock. Silent, unmoving and yet connected, intent … suddenly I realized they were mating. The two rattlesnakes were mating. I stood there breathless for several moments, astounded by the beauty in nature’s inert ferocity. It was as if I was watching an ancient ritual, a union so primeval that a prehistoric mind would instantly have created a myth around the event.
So of course I had to make a joke.
“Crikey!” I said, channeling the accent of that famous vexer of wildlife. “That one’s a jumbo!”
Yet I remained transfixed, with a clear view of the eyes of the nearer of the pair. She looked at me, her triangular head coldly appraising my slightest quiver. My friend moved around them in a wide circle, unsuccessfully seeking a good angle for a photograph. I could see her mate watching the motion.
Chit-chit-chit-chi-chiiit.
Nothing but the tip of a black and white striped tail moved, and when it stopped, there was no evidence that the snakes had altered their position in the slightest. Both of us were well away from the snakes and what I felt was not fear, but a thrilling exuberance. While, for some of you Texans, the sound of a venomous pit viper bestowing its eponymous warning may be commonplace, even routine — to a gal from a state lacking poisonous anything (no venomous snakes, no fire ants, no brown recluses or deadly jellies), it was a rite of passage. For the snakes, it marked a countdown to six or so months from now, when a dozen or more rattlesnake young, equipped with venom from birth, will spill into the Pedernales River habitat.
Of course, snakes can be found on trails and many other locations in Texas, and spring being prime time for snake activity, I decided to ask an expert about how to be safe with snakes. Tom Regner, owner of Town Lake Construction LLC, has specialized in the humane removal of bats, birds, snakes, and many other animals from Austin property since 1993. He was kind enough to speak with me about what home and business owners (and yes, hikers and bikers) can do to prevent encounters with snakes, and what one should do upon encountering a snake.
“Snakes nest in large colonies,” Tom informed me, “and they will get displaced by construction and move to where they weren’t last year. The first thing you’ll want to do is check woodpiles, under decks, and garbage cans to get those areas cleared.”
And if you do find snakes?
“Well, most pest companies don’t do snakes. But you can call the police, and they will help, at least to watch the snake or call a wildlife control company like ourselves. You can’t assume a snake is venomous — there are only four types of venomous snake in Texas.”
That’s plenty for me. What are some good rules for keeping a place snake-free?
“One, prevent a snake problem by removing shelter areas. Two, seal up gaps and cracks in your home or deck. Three, eliminate feeding areas. And four, we’re on call 24/7 to handle any problems.”
What does someone do until you get there?
“Most everyone who gets bit — close to 90 percent — was messing with the snake.”
I take his answer to mean, don’t mess with the snake. What do you do with the snakes you catch?
Tom deadpanned, “We put them in your neighbor’s yard.”
I laugh nervously.
He continues, “We do keep them pretty close. Rattlesnakes, for example, are a territorial species, so we don’t want to put one in another snake’s territory. So we don’t go a long distance and I do have a couple of local drop-offs. The problem is, a lot of the snakes people find get killed. They’re all good snakes, we don’t get into: this one is good, that one is bad. They’re all good, and if you kill them, you’ll have problems with other pests.”
What was the strangest removal you’ve performed?
“A python in a movie theater, a megaplex. The theater had just opened, and the owner had a disgruntled employee leave a 10-foot reticulated python in the theater. We found it within about 10 minutes of getting there. We just got lucky. Although when I was told it was a python, I thought it would be, you know, a smaller one, not like something you would find in the jungle!”
What happened with that snake?
“That one we sold to a pet store. Sometimes with snakes and raccoons and other animals, we’ll contact Austin Wildlife Rescue. It’s a volunteer-based organization, and they’re really great — more people should know about them.”
Town Lake Construction can safely and humanely remove bats, birds, snakes and other animals as well as advise new builders and architects on how to minimize or remove habitats. Tom Regner and his staff can be reached at 444-5955.
Austin Wildlife Rescue can help if you find an injured or orphaned wild animal and maintains a 24-hour hotline for help with wild animals at 472-WILD.
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Come watch the Outlaws
So here we are, the Austin Outlaws, just four practices before the first game of the season; a useful, and by all accounts exceptionally favorable, scrimmage behind us.
I’ve personally recovered from a torn quad, a broken finger, and the repeated aggravation of my floppy ankles. I’ve learned and relearned how to hit, move my feet, take criticism from coaches (even if I remain awkward with praise) and how to incorporate (barely) the addition of workouts and practice into an already hectic life. I’ve learned that anger does not have to be frustrating and self-directed, that it can be as energizing and helpful to performance as a cold sports drink.
There are players on my team I still don’t know well, and some who may care little for what they know of me, and yet already I foster a feeling of ferocious protectiveness towards every one of my teammates who heretofore has been reserved for my scant and tattered family. I do not want to let my fellow players down. And unlike a family of origin, which can sometimes be an endless font of disapproval (mine, anyway), I have a good idea about how not to disappoint my team: listen, watch, work hard, and then work harder.
There’s more to it than that. For someone who has not participated in any team sports for at least a decade (and can report only the slimmest positive experience with them), the challenge of physical improvement is invigorating. When I ran trails, or hiked on mountains and through deserts, my only competitor was myself — a rousing contest, to be sure — but without the ever-present invigoration of matching my potential to someone else’s execution. Lacking, also, the wide-eyed stares and probing questions from my daughter’s classmates when I mention I play women’s semi-professional football.
“You do what?”
They breathlessly throng forward with a look in the eye of, “Is that even possible?”
Everyone wants to know: “Do you (dramatic pause) wear pads?”
“Yes, I wear pads. Full contact.”
“Wow.”
It’s there, in that moment; that an assumption developed even in children as young as 5 or 6, just shrivels up and blows away: boys play football and girls don’t. Because there I am, a living breathing example who can be imagined (hopefully with more grace and power than I actually possess) and used for future refutation. Such as when a schoolyard Schopenhauer insisted to my daughter that she could not possibly like Pokemon cards because she was a girl (albeit, luckily, one capable of finding serious flaws in that line of reasoning).
And if suffering empowerment fatigue is a hallmark of this election year, and you simply can’t stand any more milestones thrown through any more glass ceilings, the Austin Outlaws are simply fun to be a part of. The team is fun to watch. Although I have fun at every practice, you don’t have to take my word for it. Come see the Austin Outlaws play their first game, in Houston, on April 19; or at the first home game on May 10. And bring your daughters.
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Cheers for the water boys
Making the claim that a water boy deserves all the credit in the world draws from varying degrees of accuracy.
Anyone will tell you that hydration is key but, for the most part, the sports world tends to overlook these purveyors of thirst-quenching duties. And many will even draw crushing parallels between a water boy and a towel boy. No sir.
Whether being the subject of bench-warming fodder that may take the form of holding cups, riding the pine, or shagging basketballs, one thing is for certain: water boys don’t get the respect they deserve. And I’m dedicating this blog to the water boys everywhere, because behind every athlete is a water-pouring specialist who wants you to finish strong and stay hydrated.
In particular, the generous and light-footed staff at Run-Tex. We salute those water-cooler-filling champions because without them we’d be really thirsty.
The Run-Tex water boys have one job and that’s to instill a Forest Gump-like mentality in you when it comes to running — oh, and they want to make sure you are satisfied to the very last drop, too. So to that end, there’s free cold water and sometimes Gatorade from countless 10-gallon barrels at two locations on the hike-and-bike trail. Both thirst-quenching stations foster a communal spirit among trail users, acting as a sort of outdoor equivalent to the office cooler.
After recently completing a run around the trail, I made my way to the water coolers and postulated about how awesome it would be to actually meet my maker, well, water maker anyways. So I dropped in at Run-Tex and asked for the water boys.
I met Richard Martinez and Bernard Maniratiba. They both have a penchant for cold water, and certainly aren’t lukewarm when it comes to their job.
“I just love seeing everyone smile when I bring the water,” Maniratiba said.
Upon further review, I asked myself what does it take to be a water boy? I wondered if I could get a Run-Tex water boy T-shirt made because I would totally rock one with pride.
“You look like you could use a new pair of shoes,” Martinez said to me after I asked what he thought about my shoes. “I’ve been doing this forever,” he added. He managed to take one glance at my shoes and tell me everything there is to know about my feet. I felt like asking him if he wanted to do my taxes though I felt that might have been inappropriate. You could tell both he and Maniratiba were artisans of their craft.
I’m not quite sure if the Run-Tex water boys have quite reached legend status yet, but they certainly have redefined delivering water. It’s not far fetched to say that without their water-filling duties in the sweltering heat, I would never make it beyond the shade when considering a run around the lake.
Thanks Run-Tex water boys for keeping Austin hydrated.
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Battle of the energy bars
Anyone who participates in a sport is likely to want a fast source of nutrition, hence the proliferation of energy bars at corner stores, groceries and supplement shops alike. You can order them with custom ingredients online. You can eat them anytime. Here are a few, reviewed, friend of mine.
Clif
My favorite weirdly-abbreviated-geological-formation flavor is, inexplicably, carrot cake. Clif’s Web site says: “Just like eating a slice of Great Aunt Edna’s award-winning carrot cake.”
Uh, not really. It resembles carrot cake about as much as the chalky brown coating on most energy bars could be said to resemble chocolate. Still, the flavor and texture is not unpleasant, which is high praise for an energy bar.
The regular Clif bar is one of the sort of energy source that eschews a chocolate coating for a more homogenous taste and feel — although the carrot cake flavor has little bits of pseudo-icing distributed throughout. The bar is exceptionally dense, and I suspect a suit made of Clif bars would attract bears but repel bullets. Nonetheless, the bland but inoffensive taste, which improves proportionally with hunger levels, combined with its durability and inability to melt in any significant way makes the plain Clif bar an ideal selection for long backpacking trips, especially in the heat of the Texas summer.
Plus, I never get tired of reading the Clif makers’ inspirational business story while stopped for a rest under a live oak. Contains 10g protein, 46g carbs, 4g fiber.
Clif Builders
Clif Builders provides more protein as well as the ubiquitous chocolate coating in a bulked-up version of their popular bar. Clif Builders abandons the “tan lump” aesthetic for a rectangular shape, like nearly every other energy bar on the market. Since the Builders bar will melt, I don’t advise taking it on any long trips, unless you want your hands to look like you’ve been spending too much time with poo-flinging monkeys. In fact, I refrigerate mine (Peanut Butter is my favorite Builders bar, with Cookies ‘n’ Cream a close second) if I plan on taking them out of the house.
The flavor, however, is terrific. Well, OK: it isn’t roast-pheasant-with-demi-glace-terrific, or even chocolate-cake-terrific. But it does taste pretty much like your regular candy bars, and contains lots of chocolate and caramel, with just the slightest hint of chalkiness. Yum. The Peanut Butter flavor has 20g protein, 30g carbs, and 4g protein.
EASAdvantEDGE
This is also a pretty nice-tasting bar. A crisped rice and peanut core sits on a layer of chocolate, with more chocolate drizzled on top. Because of the crisped rice, the EAS bar is much less heavy than either of the Clif bars (neither of which I can eat in one sitting), a definite advantage when it needs to be consumed quickly.
The EASAdvantage (Chocolate Peanut Butter Crisp) has 17g protein, 27g carbs, and 6g fiber, which is a pretty good all-around figure.
Kashi GoLean Chewy and PowerBar Protein Plus
I’m reviewing the Kashi and PowerBar selections together because they are similar in composition. The Kashi flavor I tested (if you can call it that) is peanut butter and chocolate, while the PowerBar version is chocolate peanut butter. The Kashi Bar is a little bit thicker, but narrower, while the PowerBar sticks to the more common slender rectangular shape. Both offer a sort of whipped peanut butter-y filling with a chocolate coating.
It is actually difficult to determine which is more horrible. The Kashi bar is grainy in texture, and the chocolate flavor is weak, as if the person mixing it was having a bout of ennui. A bite of the Kashi bar seems to expand in the mouth, and is so thick that a 5K could be run before you could finish chewing it.
The PowerBar offers a different take on the same vileness. The filling is a little more airy, and the chocolate much more substantive. This is not a good thing. One imagines this very chalky brown choco-disgrace muscling its way into the esophagus, screaming about the need for protein in a sort of energy-bar ‘roid rage. Seriously, there needs to be a choking warning on both of these bars (or at least a gag warning).
The PowerBar has 23g of protein, 39g of carbs, and 1g fiber, while the Kashi has 13g protein, 48g carbs, and 6g fiber. (I guess the Kashi food scientists figure that if you are going to go through the trauma of eating this thing, you may as well eliminate it quickly.) On the basis of being the least disgusting, the Kashi bar muscles its way to next-to-last place in this rating.
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Megan survives boot camp
I made it through the final week of Austin Sports and Social Club’s boot camp but, let me tell you, it was no easy task.
Week four was basically an accumulation of the things I had grown to hate over the previous three weeks. It started off looking pretty good. At 5:30 Monday morning, I stuck my leg outside, as I normally do every morning, to see what the appropriate attire was going to be for the day. And by my leg’s calculation it was approximately 70 degrees, which called for a T-shirt, shorts, and perhaps a light fleece pullover — and I was out the door.
It was the usual Monday routine at Austin High: hills, hills and more hills. But what was about to happen next on the very last hill at the very last peak couldn’t have been timed any more perfect than if I had planned it myself. It was like the calm before the storm: all was quiet then, cue the wind. A few moments later it began to sprinkle and then all hell broke loose. We quickly headed — read: ran — back to Zilker Park in the pouring rain, gusting wind, and a temperature that was quickly and noticeably dropping. By the time we reached our destination the weather was too bad to be out in the open, so we did pushups and other tortuous acts under the Mopac bridge. I was lucky to have brought that pullover because my towel wouldn’t have covered nearly enough of my bare exposed skin without it. That was just Monday, my friends!
Tuesday was off the to the sand volleyball courts, where trainers Marc and Monica took pleasure in every grimace our faces made and every groan and gasp for air that escaped our barely breathing bodies. Thursday was our final day — the best day weather-wise, but the worst day of my life in every other way when it came to boot camp. We ran, we did pushups, and … the Auditorium Shores Suicide with a twist. This time it involved weighted medicine balls and running with them! It was horrible, but I survived.
And, you know what? I’m really glad I did it.
I can definitely see a change in my performance from the first week to now. I’m running faster at the end instead of slowing down, I’m getting in those last few pushups, and I feel great doing it. Well, not at the time, but afterwards I feel really good. And I’ve even signed up for the next boot camp. Call me crazy, but I really do like it.
In all seriousness, I had a great time over the past four weeks and would highly recommend Austin Sports and Social Club’s boot camp to everyone. It would be a great thing to do with co-workers, friends, spouses, or for a little one-on-one time with yourself. If you’re looking for something new and need a push to take you to that next level, then you should definitetly give this a go. Plus you get a T-shirt at the very end!
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Boot camp: Three weeks and counting …
I’ve been playing Kanye West’s “Stronger” in my head to try and get myself through all the running (No walking!) for week three of Austin Sports and Social Club’s Boot Camp.
Corny, I know, but it’s sadly true. Monday we did the usual running from Zilker Park to Austin High to sprint the hill from hell — it has no incline but rather leaps straight up like a pole. We knocked out the normal set of five, but Monica decided to move us back for more distance and throw in three more sets. All the while I was thinking/singing in my head.
Despite the hill and running, I was feeling pretty good about myself. My body felt great and not too sore, I had more energy during the day, and I thought I was finally overcoming the aches and pains of boot camp. That was until Thursday morning rolled around. Thursdays we meet at Auditorium Shores and instead of dividing ourselves into two groups — one working at the bridge steps and the other at the parallel bars — it was all for one and one for all in one big group.
Trainers Marc and Monica do a great job of mixing things up, so we’re not doing the same repetitive things and, in turn, working different areas of our bodies. But something was different today, and not just with everyone being in one big group. Their eyes were glistening, and we soon found out why. I don’t know if there is a name for what we did next, but I’d like to call it the “Auditorium Shores Suicide.”
If you’ve played any sort of sports in junior high, high school or college, you know what a suicide is — a running drill usually done on a field or basketball court where you sprint to one line, run back to the beginning, sprint to the next line, run back to the beginning, and so on and so forth. They’re the worst of the worst things to do and are usually a punishment from the coaches for losing a game, poor performance in practice, or something else that’s really really bad. I don’t know what WE did that was so wrong but we were being punished — maybe for something we did in a former life.
We started at the side of the trail closest to the water and sprinted to the first wall. From there we climbed the wall and did agility drills to the next wall, then push-ups on the wall, agility drills to the last wall, then dips on the wall, and sprinting all the way back to the beginning. We did that three times and then it was back to the wall to do step-ups. Step-ups are just how they sound. You step up the wall with one foot and then back down. Simple sounding enough, but the key word is “sounding.”
After those it was circle time — usually this time is used for some crunches/sit-ups and stretching. More of a cool-down time than anything. However, this particular circle time was used for another torture technique. We separated into groups of two — one standing, one on the ground lying down with legs in the air holding onto the other’s ankles. The one standing shoved the other’s legs to the ground and the one being shoved had to keep their feet from hitting the ground and bring their legs up to the starting position. We did this straight up and down, and then shoving side to side.
The next day I felt like every ounce of muscle and meat had been ripped from my torso … and I loved it! I knew that if I hurt this bad then I was doing something right. Things can only go up from here, and I’m excited to see my progress next week.
For more information on upcoming boot camps, go here for all the details.
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Alix is an Outlaw
Some of you may remember I tried out for the Austin Outlaws on Jan. 12, recently featured in an Austin-American Statesman article as well as this blog.
Unlike the article’s author, I completed tryouts and began attending practice as a team member. In fact, I write this while icing my quad post-practice, which began twinging during the conditioning drills that comprise a large segment of the first few practices. In one version of the “suicide,” we sprint 10 yards and either touch the turf or drop down completely, sprint back, touch, sprint to the 20-yard line, touch, sprint back, sprint to the 30-yard line, touch, sprint back.
Between days, I switch between the fast group, which challenges me but in which I am always the slowest runner, and the next-fastest group, where it is a little easier to keep up. After conditioning, the team is broken up into groups: receivers and quarterbacks, offensive line, defensive line, and defensive backs. It a relief to pick up my water bottle and run across the field towards my coach and the other DBs.
Coach Bobby always has something to tell us before we get started, and I listen attentively, trying, usually unsuccessfully, to memorize the information. What can I say? It’s a lot all at once, and the real challenge is converting brain understanding to physical understanding. It often takes me several tries at a skill before I feel like I’ve even begun to incorporate it into memory.
The DBs are the smallest group, a fact that means I am working with the same people over and over again. This is ideal for me, as I tend to clam up when I feel awkward, and getting to know a small group is much easier.
My friends are, in a word, fascinated. Everyone wants to see me in the uniform, even though I try to tell them that wearing it, I may as well be anyone else. As the Outlaws are a player-supported team, I’m thinking of charging for appearances.
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Boot camp update: Week 2
I have made it halfway through Austin Sports and Social Club’s boot camp — and all I have to say is, “I DIDN’T WALK!”
Probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life by the way.
I may not have been the fastest and I may not have been able to do the most push-ups, but I did not walk — no matter how bad I wanted to or how bad my chest was burning. And for that I am very proud of myself.
However, despite not being the fastest or strongest, I can already see a change in my performance. I have better form, I’m getting in that one last push-/pull-up, and I’m only sore as opposed to crippled like last week. And no matter how well I think I might be doing, trainers Monica and Marc have graciously shown time and time again that there is always room for improvement.
The most memorable day this week was Tuesday, when it felt like 20 degrees below zero. We did our morning run and then it was off to the volleyball courts — correction, SAND volleyball courts — where we had our rear-ends handed to us. Everything was done in the sand — sprinting, agility drills, these lunge-jump switcheroo things, some more sprinting — you get the idea. And to make it even more enjoyable, as the sun came up it only got colder. By the time I made it to the car that morning after it was over, I had to sit and let my hands thaw out for about five minutes before I could even grip the wheel.
Additionally as you may or may not remember, our dieting habits are also being monitored with our weekly food journals and the response back from trainer Marc wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought is was going be. Although, I wasn’t too thrilled when he suggested I forego my morning Sugar-Free Red Bull before boot camp because it was an excessive amount of caffeine when accompanied with my morning coffee at work. He also recommended that I needed to eat more (go figure) starting with three egg whites and a serving of fruit a day for breakfast.
My water consumption was also an issue, and he said I needed to up my water to 10 (8-ounce) glasses a day as opposed to eight, especially on days of boot camp. My bladder didn’t really like that one, but I gave it a good effort.
All in all, I am really glad that I’ve made it this far and am excited about the final two weeks. My husband says that he can already see a change in my body, but I think he’s just being nice.
Stay tuned next week to see if I’m still alive after week three. And, if you think putting your body through torture (like me) sounds like fun, remember there is another boot camp coming up soon. Go to here for all the details.
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Pedaling for a cure
Many people are familiar with distance running events used as fundraising tools for charity — marathons raced to garner donations to AIDS research, for instance, or to benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer, are common seasonal talk around the water cooler.
But few may be as familiar with the notion of long-distance bicycle events completed for the same high purposes. This is a shame, as such events are quite prevalent in Texas, and indeed, are among the best of their class nationwide. The first of these, currently scheduled to take place in mid-April, is the BP MS 150, the BP-sponsored 150-mile bike ride to benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
The two-day event kicks off April 12, when an anticipated mass of nearly 20,000 riders will strike out west from Houston. Over the course of two days, these bicyclists will log the approximately 150 miles back to Austin as they, through their pledges and entry fees, raise money to fight MS. And with over $10 million raised annually, the BP MS 150 is one of the most high-profile events around
As the first of three corporate-sponsored long-distance rides — the other two are the May Sam’s Club MS 150 from Frisco to Fort Worth and the October Bike MS: Valero Bike to the Beach from San Antonio to Corpus Christi — the BP MS 150 marks the start of the big Texas weekender bicycle season. What’s more, it’s actually the largest bike ride of its kind in the country, making it not only a great early-season goal for all the bicycle fanatics out there, but also a chance to take part in a one-of-a-kind event with a truly noble cause at its heart.
Race information and registration are already up. Of course, if you’re not in shape yet, you’ve got your work cut out for you.
Though shooting for 150 miles over two days may be too high a bar for utter neophytes, it’s not an unreachable goal for those who have done some bike work in the past. Assuming your lungs, legs, and — ahem — saddle have all been prepared for the task, what’s left is to prepare yourself for maintaining speeds at longer distances. And the best way to do that is by honing your chops at other, moderate-length bike events.
There are bicycle races in Texas just about every weekend between now and April 12, and many are listed at the Texas Bicycle Racing Association’s Web site. Quite a few are within two hours’ drive or less, with a number of upcoming races scheduled to be held in Katy, Waller, Round Top, Bastrop, Liberty Hill, La Grange, Kerrville and Prairie View. There’s even a ride here in Austin, the 14th Annual Rosedale Ride, scheduled to be held March 29.
Even if you’re not quite up to the task, volunteers are always welcome — last year, more than 3,000 pitched in, and more are always welcome. You can sign up to volunteer here, and more information about both the race and the disease is available at here.
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Cycling gets a little crazy after dark
I used to think that only a David Hasselhoff wannabe who rode around on a talking bike while calling himself Street Hawk the Mustache Maniac could ever be taken seriously as a street-prowling cyclist.
That was until I found Midnight Ridazz of Austin, a loose network of bicycle riders, enthusiasts, rogues and hipsters who have declared the third Tuesday of each month a time to ride the streets of Austin like pseudo-pop icons on a mission to wage war against Class C celebrity stardom.
The multitude of riders gather at 9 p.m. at Don’s Depot on West Sixth Street for a pub crawl/ride and cruise all over the city, raising hell and taking back the streets. Now that’s a traffic jam I’d like to be a part of.
The themed late-night rides celebrate bicycle culture in a uniquely Austin way. In November, for example, participants dressed up as cowboys and Indians. There’s also been a Barbaro-themed ride, where participants dressed up as jockeys, decorated their bikes to like horses, and took part in races.
Rides are usually paced so any reasonably healthy adult with a bike and the ability to ride it can participate.
The idea for Midnight Ridazz comes from Los Angeles and began in February 2004, when cyclists took an impromptu tour of downtown. The idea of taking a monthly late-night group ride to see interesting and unusual aspects of the city spread quickly and grew by word of mouth. And that’s how most people learn about the upcoming themed rides — through word of mouth or online.
On these nights, the streets and the traffic laws belong to the riders, and Austin is the vehicle that these masses drive, using only people power and a sense of righteousness, where the only energy wasted iscaloric.
Why take part in Midnight Ridazz? Why not? Anytime there’s an excuse to dress up in a costume, ride my bike, meet people and own the streets as if I were starring in my own remixed music video of the “Knight Rider” theme song, I’m all over it.
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Megan heads to boot camp
In case you didn’t know, Austin Sports and Social Club is in the boot camp business.
I just finished the first of four weeks — and I am the most sore I’ve ever been. In fact, I’ve had to literally roll out of bed every single morning this week.
Boot camp runs nonstop for an hour three days a week — Monday, Tuesday and Thursday — at 6 a.m. at Zilker Park. On Monday, we met trainers Marc and Monica and, after seeing them, I knew they meant business. They briefly explained to us what to expect and our one and only rule — no walking — then it was straight to running.
The sky is the limit with the type of activities they have us doing, from running up and down hills, stairs — or anything with an incline to push-ups, pull-ups, all sorts of agility drills and more. The hardest part is just pushing yourself beyond what you think you can do — and Marc and Monica help a lot with that, too. They make their way around the group, focusing on each of the participants to make sure our form is correct so we can get the maximum results out of our minimal time together.
In addition to working on our physical fitness, our eating habits are also taken into consideration with daily food journals that we e-mail in every week. This is where I need to work the hardest because I love food — with the exception of anything green, orange, or raw/crunchy. And to add to everything, I made a bet with my husband after my first day of boot camp (while I was still on my newfound wellness high) that I could go a whole month without eating cheese. That means no queso with my chips, no swiss with my turkey, no parmesan with my popcorn, NOTHING! But I can and will do it because with the help of Marc, Monica, and the rest of my fellow boot campers, I am making a life change.
This has quickly turned into way more than a four-week survival quest and I can’t wait to see what happens. I am going to be keeping a weekly blog of my progression so stay tuned for next week.
If you want to more on learn how enroll in the next boot camp session, go here for all the details.
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Some fun south of the border
Despite (or perhaps because of) its dearth of professional sports teams, Austin has its fill of sports nuts. Luckily, the climate and environs are such that nearly any passion can be supported, from rock climbing to hang-gliding and everything in between, with plenty of temperate weather that’s perfect for running, hiking and biking year-round.
There’s just one problem: water. Austin is more or less landlocked, so for open-water sports aficionados, there’s not much to do but to get in a plane (or car, or train) and travel to the nearest surf.
Luckily, Austin’s neighbor to the south is a hotbed of action. I’m talking, of course, about Mexico. Last month, I traveled down to Mexico and Belize to take part in perhaps both the oldest and the newest “extreme” water sports to hit the world’s coasts — scuba diving and kiteboarding.
Scuba has been around since World War II, give or take, and it is based on technologies originally honed for military application. Kiteboarding, meanwhile, is a wholly new pastime with no clear practical application save having fun; in it, daredevils use large, parachute-shaped kites to catch air and propel themselves along the water while skimming atop the waves on a small fiberglass board.
Each sport requires expensive equipment and the training of a watchful master; either can be fatal if attempted by an unsupervised novice.
Though a bit off the beaten track, Tulum in southeastern Mexico offers wonderful diving and kiteboarding. While its big brothers Cancun and Cozumel draw most of the crowds, Tulum offers unbelievable diving in the crystal-clear waters of its caverns (called cenotes in the local parlance), and the sparsely populated beaches and waves of its coastal shores make for an ideal learning ground for the art of controlling the kite.
Belize, for its part, offers some truly world-class diving; the seaward alleys between the islands of Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye are filled with sharks, rays and, at night, phosphorescent bioluminescent fauna (try saying that five times fast); the famous Blue Hole is also a not-to-be-missed natural phenomenon that affords some of the world’s most unforgettable scuba. Want to see a 400-foot sinkhole in the ocean? This is it. Plus, as residents of a native English-speaking country, the Belizean kiteboarding instructors are likely to keep you at ease when you’re just getting your feet wet.
Neither sport is cheap. Expect to pay on the order of $50 per dive, or per hour of kiteboarding lessons, in either locale. But rest assured, they’re worth it. Either sport will afford you a great sporting experience that you’re sure not to soon forget — and one that your buddies back in the Hill Country will be sure to envy for a long, long time.
Permalink | | Categories: Extreme sports
The Limestoner is calling
If you’re like some of us at Austin360.com, you’ve been spending a lot of time in front of the TV this off-season, engrossed by the exploits of the body-contorting supermen and women on shows like “Ninja Warrior,” who manage to navigate seemingly impassible aerial obstacles using nothing more than the strength, precision, and wits that their arms and legs can muster.
While we can all likely remember the amazement we felt watching a daring sibling or friend climb to the top of the neighborhood’s tallest tree, for most of us, it’s likely been quite a while since our last opportunity to watch athletes defy gravity hand-over-hand in person.
Luckily, outdoor enthusiasts here in Austin won’t have to wait much longer. This weekend, our region plays host to the Limestoner at nearby Reimers Ranch Park.
The Limestoner is a rock-climbing competition in which climbers of all skill levels congregate to show off their stuff. Whether focusing on the unroped bouldering routes or the roped ascent division, neophyte competitors and experts alike will take to the cliffs on Saturday to show off some of their best and toughest climbing, all in pursuit of top prizes from internationally known gear manufacturers.
“We’re expecting 50 to 60 competitors this year,” says Tommy Blackwell, one of the event coordinators. “But there’s plenty to do at Limestoner even for people who aren’t in the competition. There will be climbing slideshows, a silent auction, and a Saturday evening dinner. We’re even planning to hold bouldering clinics on Sunday, where nationally renowned climbers and local guide groups will be there to give tips.
“There’s even a separate speed-climbing event in the late afternoon,” Blackwell says. “One year, the winner completed the climb — a 40- to 50-foot climb — in just 12 seconds.” At Limestoner, there is always action to be found.
The costs of participating in the clinics is low, but climbers are expected to bring their own gear. Spectating is free, but all attendees will have to pay Travis County fees to enter. On-site camping for the event begins Friday, and carries on through Sunday. For the latecomers, registration is available at either of the Austin Rock Gym sites, www.ctmrocks.com, or on-site 7:30 to 9 a.m. the day of the event.
“It’s a great event,” says Blackwell. “We’ve got a great relationship with the park, and we’d like to keep doing this for years.”
So clear your calendars, local rock climbers: this weekend, the Limestoner is calling.
Permalink | | Categories: Extreme sports
Will she make it up? It’s up to you
Voting season is upon us and one of our very own needs your help.
Carrie Barrett is competing for a spot on the Team Evotri national triathlon team and has made it to the final round along with three other competitors. What Team Evotri does is shine a light on a select few non-professional athletes to give them the opportunity to train and compete — just like pros — with best-of-the-best resources and equipment. In turn, these members compete in events nationwide, and host camps, races and other training sessions in the name of Team Evotri.
Carrie seems a great candidate for this because she is no stranger to our active community, with numerous triathlons, marathons, and half-Ironmans under her belt. She’s also a member of Gilbert’s Gazelles, T3 Triathlon Team and the former race director of the Thundercloud Subs Turkey Trot.
She’s currently training for the upcoming Arizona Ironman. One of Carrie’s reasons for wanting to become a member of Team Evotri is that she “definitely see(s) this as a way to continue to make Austin shine as one of the fittest and most active cities in the U.S.” But in order to get this far, Carrie has undergone quite the selection process and now needs your vote to cross the finish line.
From now until the stroke of midnight Friday, you can vote for Carrie by sending an email directly to vote@evotri.com. Simply put “CARRIE BARRETT-FINAL ROUND” in the subject line. To find out a little more about Carrie and her mission of becoming the next member of Team Evotri, go here to see her video or visit her very own Web site.
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: Extreme sports
Update: New Year, New You Challenge
The four participants in our New Year, New You Challenge are off and running.
Trainer Christina Muller offered this update on Stuart:
Stuart has lost 6.6 pounds! He was unable to start training until Jan. 8 due to illness, so he accomplished this in just three weeks. He’s on schedule because it’s recommended to only drop 2 pounds a week for health reasons. He has gotten a chef for dinners, we toured the grocery store to learn about label reading and healthy choices, and he and all the participants will be meeting with our nutritionist soon. This is quite an accomplishment, especially since
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Most of the carbs in these bars is in the form of sugar, which effectively “cancels out” the reason to eat them in the first place. You oughtta do a comparison of protein bars with the highest amount of protein vs lowest amount of sugar. Or
... read the full comment by John | Comment on Battle of the energy bars Read Battle of the energy bars
You should try the Detour bars. 30g of protein with about the least amount of sugar I have seen in any energy bar. They actually don’t taste half bad either.
... read the full comment by Chris | Comment on Battle of the energy bars Read Battle of the energy bars
When you’re ready to graduate to the next level try NavySEALConditioningCourse at Zilker Park under the moonlight tower 530am three weeks per month.
... read the full comment by doc | Comment on Megan survives boot camp Read Megan survives boot camp
This was a funny article and Ill be sure to check out the next event. More stuff by this blogger please.
... read the full comment by Jackson | Comment on Cycling gets a little crazy after dark Read Cycling gets a little crazy after dark
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