Home > Get Out!
Just doing my part to Keep Austin Weird
It was a day where collecting sideways stares from your peers garnered respect and mutual appreciation. The more zany, bizarre and weird — the more at home you might have felt since the idea was to be different.
If you’ve ever had the most random urge to run 3.1 miles downtown in an unruly Speedo as passersby marvel at your mullet and pale underbelly that’s never seen the light of day, then the Keep Austin Weird 5K was definitely your type of fun.
Logic would suggest that the Keep Austin Weird Fest was an event I could safely afford to attend, considering I always wanted to run downtown in a urinal cake costume.
It was an opportunity to revel in a collaborative fission of individualism that celebrates the essence of Austin. The rich diversity of costumes, eclectic characters and randomness seemed to flow cohesively as runners spilled into the street at the start line.
The race began at 6 p.m., but calling it a slow jogging parade draws from varying degrees of accuracy since the scorching sun was beating down, baking and punishing all those who weren’t wearing a Speedo, making the run challenging.
It’s safe to say that it was the most entertaining and wacky race since the old reality TV show “Man vs. Animal.” There was a collective of Dr. Seuss characters, a robot did the electric boogie on skates across the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge and a SCUBA diver ran beside me.
As we turned onto Cesar Chavez Street, I had already begun panting like some asthmatic dog and needed water. But in lieu of a water stand I saw an Amy’s Ice Cream stand, of course. So I stopped and fueled up, realizing it was better than water.
The heat and the non-serious nature of the race meant I might finish it in just under one hour, which would be a deplorable feat on any given day. But I could care less.
On the final stretch I saw a man on stilts, people rowing in a cardboard canoe and two women running with walkers.
While music from What Made Milwaukee Famous and Alejandro Escovedo entertained families and racers were looking to cool down, I looked around and realized why I enjoy Austin so much.
How often do you get to take part in an all-musical, all-entertaining, all-weird run of unbridled strangeness? Well, if you call Austin home, more often than you think — and that’s why I love this city.
Click here to view photos from the Keep Austin Weird 5K.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment Categories: Around town
Ready for an adventure?
Terra Firma is hosting the second of five Sprint Adventure Races this Saturday right here in the Austin area at Muleshoe Bend Park.
For those of you who may not know, an adventure race is a combination of two or more events, such as orienteering and navigation, cross-country running, mountain biking, paddling and climbing and related rope skills. In the case of this weekend, it includes a 2- to 3-mile trail run, a 7- to 10-mile mountain bike trek (you can walk your bike if the trail becomes too much to handle), a 30- to 35-minute canoe ride, and a possible mystery event. Examples of past mystery events include zip rides and last week’s ski-walking.
The average Terra Firma Sprint Adventure Race runs approximately two hours long, give or take depending on your experience. Participants will compete in teams of two: coed, male, female, male masters (age 50 and up), and the Clydesdale division (combined weight of 400-plus pounds). There will also be kids’ races for each event. Parents are allowed to participate with their child, and all of the kids’ races are free.
This is a great way to get outdoors with friends and family of all ages and all skill levels — beginner to expert. I am as beginner as beginner can get, and I am really looking forward to a great experience. To participate, sign up online for $85. But hurry because online registration ends at midnight Wednesday. If you miss the deadline, you can sign up the day of the race from 7 to 8:30 a.m. Things get started at 9. This is really going to be a great time. Just remember to bring lots of water!
Required gear list (per team)
2 mountain bikes (only mountain bikes allowed)
2 bicycle helmets (CPSC certified)
Method of carrying water (Camelbaks recommended)
Suggested additional gear (not required, but you may want some of this gear for the events)
Sevylor high-back boat seats (sold at race site) or beach ball
Insect repellant
Hat or cap
Extra CO2 cartridges for inflator
Cycling gloves
Bicycle inflator or mini-pump
Ice chest
Water bottles
Chairs
Spare bicycle tubes
Coolmax top
Bicycle tool kit
Coolmax shorts
Bicycle socks
Paddling gloves
Bicycle shoes
Sunglasses
Bicycle shorts
Tarp
Bicycle jersey
Sunscreen
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Extreme sports
Defend yourself
Sun Dragon Martial Arts and Self Defense is a not-for-profit organization located on East Riverside Drive, next to Thundercloud Subs.
In addition to providing martial arts classes for men, women, and children of all ages, executive director and head instructor Sensei Joy Williamson hosts self-defense instructional classes for all skill levels. I had the opportunity to observe one of the three classes she is hosting over the next few weeks to see what it was like.
Walking in, not having any experience or having been exposed to a martial arts studio/class, it was quite a surprise to see how the students acted when entering. To me, it was like walking into something you’d see on television. Everyone took off their shoes at the door and, prior to entering the locker room, they had to bow toward the instructor. Coming out of the locker room and onto the mat to join the rest of the group, the students had to kneel on the ground till acknowledged by the instructor. When asked a question or given instructions, everyone replied “osu” (pronounced “ooos”), which basically means, “yes” in Japanese. It was quite interesting to observe. I wouldn’t say it was a culture shock, but definitely an eye opener to things I knew nothing about.
The self-defense class was very informative. Even not having physically participated, I feel like I learned a few things by just watching. On this particular day, the agenda was to learn how to safely fall, how to protect yourself from an attacker when on the ground, how to protect yourself from a moving attacker, how to get up without turning your back to the attacker, how to defend yourself if an attacker is on top of you, and which parts of the body to target on the attacker in order to defend yourself.
Over the next couple of Saturdays, the classes will cover defense against an armed attacker and multiple attackers. The class was extremely informative and I highly recommend it. Sun Dragon also partners with other organizations — Girls Scouts, church groups, offices, schools, etc. — to offer custom classes. So if this sounds like something you or a group might enjoy doing, call 416-9735 or go to their Web site.
Click here for photos from the class.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment Categories: The Get Out! crew
Time’s ticking for ‘Amazing Race’
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend auditions for “The Amazing Race” that were sponsored by CBS 42 and took place at RunTex.
For those of you unfamiliar with “The Amazing Race,” teams comprised of two people related by birth, marriage or other accidental acquaintance race against each other using various methods to arrive at destinations worldwide in order to win a large cash prize. It is a reality show inasmuch as the people competing are ostensibly not robots, although some legitimate arguments could be made on that point.
One after the other, as if hoping to be the representative duo selected for Noah’s Ark, eager couples advertised their suitability for a reality game show that in no way represents the actual reality of their lives. I asked several people why they wanted to compete on a show that seems to showcase the disintegration of human relationships in less-than-subtle ways. A sampling:
“Well, we watch the show, so…”
“My partner follows the show.”
“I love ‘The Amazing Race’ and I bribed this hobo to come audition with me!”
Take note, post-graduate psych students: If you want to make the case that watching television influences behavior, you need look no further! So, if watching the show causes people to want to be on the show — even if that means the estrangement of their closest relationships — let’s see what the producers are looking for. Here are some of the questions on the application:
How many times have you been divorced?
What communication issues do you have with your partner that you would want to address on the show?
What is your biggest pet peeve about your partner?
How could the show change the status of your relationship?
What most scares you about traveling?
Do you have any phobias?
Have you been treated for or experienced any mental illness within the last 10 years? Please describe in detail.
Are there any outstanding warrants for your arrest?
How do you blow off steam?
It is nice to know that if I blow off steam by getting arrested while popping Xanax to treat my kinesophobia, there’s no indication this would actually disqualify me. Luckily, most of the people filling out applications at the RunTex seemed fairly normal — or at least as normal as any cross-section of the Austin population.
Couple No. 22, a boyfriend/girlfriend combo I dubbed “The Pretty Kids” declared that they were, in themselves, “amazing”. “And so, like, we’d be perfect for ‘The Amazing Race’,” said the girlfriend while her boyfriend wiped his face with his shirt to show off his abs.
Two women who worked together comprised Couple No. 23. “We don’t know each other all that well, so it will be interesting to see how we handle it,” said one. Her co-worker rejoined with, “I’m pretty sure there’s going to be a catfight.”
I spoke with Dominic and Ron while they were waiting to audition. (They ended up leaving before they were called up, although they planned still to send in an audition video.) I asked Dominic why they wanted to be on the show. He said he and Ron had known each other for 11 years and that Ron, a fan of the show, had asked him to audition. “I didn’t have anything better to do, so here I am.” Ron, himself a radio producer, joked that he didn’t have any friends and didn’t want any, so it wouldn’t matter what happened between them. They possessed a genuine good humor about the whole spectacle that raised my spirits. If they end up on the show, I might even have to watch an episode.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Around town
New ice rink debuts at Northcross Mall
While Northcross Mall has been the center of a good deal of controversy in the past year, thanks to the impending Wal-Mart invasion, less attention has been paid to the other major project at the shopping center: a brand-new ice skating rink! I had a chance to check out the new rink during its grand opening this past Saturday, as well as a little earlier in the morning during freestyle hours.
I only got to skate at the old Northcross rink a few times, but it was sort of a barebones affair. Situated in the center of the mall, it felt more like an obstruction than an addition. Now it sits forgotten amidst the construction of the main mall, while its fancy successor feels much more complete, a full-fledged facility for those looking to hone various ice-based sports instead of simply a good way to spend a few hours on a boring Saturday (though it’s certainly still good for that).
Removed from the potential hustle and bustle of the rest of the mall, the new rink’s most obvious advantage over its predecessor is the convenience of the skate rental center. While the old center was situated downstairs from the main rink, the new one is right by the door, next to one of the numerous entryways onto the ice. On the far side of the rink are boxes and team seating for hockey, as well as locker rooms for changing into pads.
Surprisingly, the rink also has a number of stones ready for those willing to try out that sport of Canadians and kings, curling. Having never curled myself, I picked up one of the many red- and yellow-handled rocks lining the outside of the rink and nearly crushed my toe when I found myself unable to hold it up for very long. I think I gained a newfound respect for anyone willing to devote the effort to sliding something so staggeringly heavy so very gently. The proper markings for both hockey and curling are etched into the ice, and while specific hours for curling aren’t yet designated on Chaparral’s online schedule, all the ingredients are there for an Austin league to start up. I think I’d consider joining myself, actually…
There was plenty of fun to be had at the grand opening, with children and adults alike getting the opportunity to take to the ice. While most of the rink was reserved for everyone to either skate gracefully across or struggle to stand up on, one third was reserved for a variant on broom ball, “stick and puck.” Basically hockey without the pads or the skates, a cadre of enthusiastic kids were scampering around in a mobile clutch around the ball while I watched, with a few minor falls and scrapes here and there amidst all the laughter and cheering.
Earlier in the morning were practice hours for pair skating by older couples, as well as for the younger crowd looking for some practice on a more professional rink than had been previously available at Northcross. Everyone seemed completely at home on the new ice, and without storefronts and wandering shoppers in the background, they seemed a little more graceful as well.
For a full schedule of hockey, freestyle, and general hours at Chaparral Ice, click here.
Permalink | Comments (5) | Post your comment
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.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Gear
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.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Extreme sports
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.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: New Year, New You Challenge
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.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment Categories: The Get Out! crew
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.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment Categories: Safety
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.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: The Get Out! crew
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.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment
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.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment
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!
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment Categories: The Get Out! crew
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.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: The Get Out! crew
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.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: The Get Out! crew
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, agilit
Latest comments
This is really a good article and tell a real story of snakes.it really amazed me.
Ryan
============================
community.widecircles.com
... read the full comment by Ryan | Comment on Staying safe around snakes Read Staying safe around snakes
I live in D.C. and have lived in N.Y. so I never quite understood the caps and shirts which read “Keep Austin Weird”. To me it seems more like a sleepy Mayberry. If you want weird, come to the big cities. You have to pay more to live here, but
... read the full comment by Ellen Hilburn | Comment on Just doing my part to Keep Austin Weird Read Just doing my part to Keep Austin Weird
Hi - thanks for the great write-up! I’d like to clear up a few misconceptions, though.
First of all, the self defense class you witnessed was geared towards karate students, so it looked a little different than a class geared toward those
... read the full comment by Amy | Comment on Defend yourself Read Defend yourself
It seems to be a misconception of many that a protein bar is actually supposed to be balanced to aid in weight loss. Actually all it is supposed to be is an alternative to making shakes or cooking to get the protein you need. Companies advertise that
... read the full comment by Narlenb | Comment on Battle of the energy bars Read Battle of the energy bars
See more recent comments