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Lead Stories: Thursday, August 28, 2008

TFS Follow-up Review:
nuun’s New “kona cola” Flavored Electrolyte Tablets

Posted December 4th, 2007 at 7:54 PM by Paul Petersen

Section: Nutrition, Hydration, Product Reviews

In the expanding world of hydration products, nuun has separated itself from the pack with their quality portable electrolyte tablets. It is dissolves quickly, is sugar-free, is convenient to use, and tends to have a mild, pleasing taste.
(For nuun product details and to read TheFinalSprint.com’s review from earlier this year, please click here).

Since TFS’s review, nuun has added “kona cola” as a new flavor to their existing lineup of lemon-lime, tri-berry, and citrus fruit. Not only does Kona Kola give a new taste, but also offers 40 mg of caffeine for each tablet. This quantity of caffeine is roughly half of the amount found in a cup of coffee, and is more on par with a cup of tea or a serving of cola.
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TFS Review: Camelbak Octane 8+ Hydration Pack

Posted September 27th, 2007 at 7:45 PM by Paul Petersen

Section: Gear & Apparel, Miscellaneous, Nutrition, Hydration, Product Reviews, Special Features, TFS Reviews

It seems that in the world of hydration systems, there is always give-and-take and compromise. The small, light packs may not carry enough water. The bottle-based belt systems require use of hands and often make you stop in your activity during use. The hands-free, bladder-based systems tend to bounce around too much and cause discomfort.

Personally, I tend to gravitate toward the bladder-based hydration systems, such as those made by Camelbak or Ultimate Direction, because I can use them in full stride during my runs. I hate having to stop, pull out a bottle, and then put it back before resuming my run. However, all of the bladder-based hydration systems I had used in the past tended to have a heavy weight, poor center of gravity, and a tendency bounce around. Over the duration of a long road or trail run, this not only proves to be annoying, but can also cause chaffing, discomfort, and alteration of my stride.
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Movie Review: “Showdown”
Five Elite Distance Runners, One Dream

Posted August 22nd, 2007 at 2:35 PM by Lara Johnson

Section: Motivation, Movies, Special Features, TFS Reviews

I have long been intrigued and inspired by those runners who compose the elite category. What is it they possess? What is their training like? What is their motivation? And what happens when these top athletes compete in one grueling race?

In his new film, “Showdown: Five Elite Distance Runners, One Dream,” creator Peter Han uncovers some of these mysteries as he takes viewers on a journey from the living rooms and training runs of 5 elite distance runners to the finish line of the 2007 U.S. Cross Country Championships in Boulder, Colorado.

“Showdown” is a documentary-style film with cinematic appeal. Through personal interviews, race clips, photos, and commentaries, it narrates the preparations of 5 elite men of differing backgrounds: 2-time Olympian Abdi Abdirahman, 2-time Olympian Alan Culpepper, Olympic silver-medalist Meb Keflezighi, high school and university level champion Dathan Ritzenhein, and 10,000 meter champion Jorge Torres.
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Book Review: “Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes” by Monique Ryan

Posted July 19th, 2007 at 12:06 PM by Katie Drummond

Section: Motivation, Books, Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Hydration, Race Prep & Recov, Special Features, TFS Reviews

While the most elite competitive athletes have the luxury of a team of coaches, advisors, and dieticians to consult with on a regular basis, the average endurance athlete preparing for an event isn’t so lucky. That’s where Monique Ryan comes in. A nutrition expert who has worked with professionals for over 20 years, Ryan has recently released an updated version of her book, Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes. The lengthy volume is a thorough, well-researched, and invaluable resource, with specific advice for athletes with a range of dietary needs according to their sport and level of training.

Ryan has divided the book into three segments. Part I has a broader focus, with an outline of general dietary needs, regardless of sport or the intensity of your training regimen. Ryan clearly outlines different macro and micro nutrients necessary for daily living, along with their roles in wellness and the best ways to incorporate them into one’s diet. But the guide doesn’t stop at food – hydration is a key element to prime health and elite performance, and Ryan offers substantive information on the intricacies of maintaining adequate hydration, from the ins and outs of caffeine to the problems associated with alcohol consumption. This section of the book is bolstered by a number of quick and easy-to-read charts and diagrams outlining nutrients, sources, and recommended intake levels, making the science of nutrition easier to digest.

Read the rest of this review at our partner site: HerActiveLife.com

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Book Review: Warwick Ford’s
“Fun on Foot in New England”

Posted July 16th, 2007 at 12:15 PM by Katie Drummond

Section: Motivation, Books, Special Features, TFS Reviews

Whether you’re a first time visitor or you live and breathe Red Sox and clam chowder, “Fun on Foot in New England”, the new guide to running and walking America’s east from guide-writing pro Warwick Ford and his wife, Nola, is an invaluable resource for those seeking diverse areas, both well-known and obscure, to explore in the eastern region.

While Ford is no stranger to the world of running and walking guides, having penned the award-winning “Fun on Foot in America’s Cities”, his new guide offers a more in-depth profile of the region (including Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont) he has called home for more than 10 years. Rather than brief descriptions of common walking and running routes, this detailed resource offers a variety of paths and loops throughout New England, each one outlined with a clear map and step-by-step steering for easy navigation.
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Book Review: “Running with the Buffaloes” by Chris Lear

Posted July 16th, 2007 at 9:00 AM by Paul Petersen

Section: News & Results, Motivation, Books, Cross Country, Track & Field, Special Features, TFS Reviews

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to run for an NCAA cross country powerhouse? Have you ever wanted an inside look into the minds and workouts of a D-I national contender? “Running with the Buffaloes: A Season Inside with Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, and the University of Colorado Men’s Cross-Country Team“, by Chris Lear, brings all of those perspectives, and much much more.

“Running with the Buffaloes” chronicles the 1998 Colorado University cross country season, day-by-day, workout -by-workout, race-by-race. The book takes you through the intense three-month season via an easy-to-read narrative that flows smoothly amidst team activities. Each day of the season fills its own short chapter, which not only makes the book consumable for people with short attention spans (like me), but also makes it hard to put down!
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Book Review: The Vegan Family Cookbook

Posted May 30th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Katie Drummond

Section: Motivation, Books, Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Vegetarianism, Special Features, TFS Reviews

If you’ve ever tried converting a favorite recipe to suit a particular dietary need – from gluten-free to diabetic– you know the challenge of modifying ingredients to make it taste like the “real thing” you and your family have come to know and love.

For longtime chef Brian McCarthy, the transition to a vegan diet 10 years ago meant taking on the task of transforming the mac and cheese, birthday cakes, and turkey dinners he and his family were accustomed to enjoying. McCarthy brings his experience and know how to The Vegan Family Cookbook, a collection of over 400 recipes that offer vegan options for every event, from a speedy dinner to a traditional holiday meal.

The book is divided into 10 sections, each featuring an impressive variety of dishes. The recipes themselves are easy to follow, and McCarthy offers helpful tips on combining different recipes (like homemade breadsticks with marinara sauce) or adding variety by mixing up the ingredients (four different adaptations for his hummus recipe will add flair to this traditional dip). Readers will likely recognize standard fare, like vegan versions of chili, banana bread, and coleslaw, but McCarthy adds more exotic items as well – mushroom and wild rice crepes are far from a “traditional” family dinner, but may soon join pizza and burgers on your family’s list of favorite meals.

Read the rest at our partner site: HerActiveLife.com

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Product Review: Pepsico’s SoBe Life Water

Posted May 29th, 2007 at 1:30 PM by Bridget Sullivan

Section: Nutrition, Hydration, Product Reviews, Special Features, TFS Reviews

As more Americans embrace a healthier lifestyle, the popularity of fizzy beverages continues to wane. Industry insiders even predict that the bottled water industry will overtake carbonated soft drinks within the decade.

This news bodes well for flavored, vitamin-enhanced water makers like PepsiCo. In 2006, PepsiCo introduced SoBe Life Water to the market, a naturally flavored lifestyle water chock full of the vitamin B complex, and antioxidant vitamins C and E. According to the National Cancer Institute, antioxidants like vitamins C and E protect cells from the damage inflicted by free radicals. The cancer fighting agents in SoBe Life Water make it worth the $1.39 price tag.

Designed to help you live a healthier life, SoBe Life Water comes in five tasty and refreshing flavors that our testers found enjoyable: Strawberry Kiwi, Pomengranate Cherry, Blackberry Grape, Orange Tangerine, and Passionfruit Citrus.

Read the rest at our partner site: HerActiveLife.com

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TFS Review: TP Total Package (Ball, Footballer, Block & Quadballer)

Posted May 29th, 2007 at 10:20 AM by Paul Petersen

Section: Gear & Apparel, Miscellaneous, Sports Medicine, Special Features, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, TFS Reviews

These past two seasons have been tough ones for me. Runners’ knee in both knees, lower back pain, SI joint pain, plantar fasciitis, and a groin strain had brought my running to a grind (literally) during 2005 and the first half of 2006. After months of not running, and enduring physical therapy, chiropractic, and massage therapy, I was finally back up and running by September of 2006.

I noticed that deep tissue massage was particularly effective in accelerating healing, but at $40/hr, I could not afford to do it more than once or twice a month. Then I discovered Trigger Point Technologies and their massage products through injury message boards and word of mouth. I figured that the TP Massage set would be good investment, since I could use it every day at no cost after the initial purchase.

If it holds to even half of the claims of the website and of other peoples’ reviews, it would be worth the money by helping to keep me injury-free and feeling good during and after runs (Some of the before mentioned reviews of this self-massage toolset are by Linda Gallo, SNEWS, and active.com). Reviews such as these, plus the product’s informative website, convinced me to shell out the cash to buy it myself and add it to my arsenal of injury-prevention and running maintenance tools.

I have been using the massage tools and techniques faithfully every day now for the last 8 weeks. The tools of the “Total Package” (Pictured above) include the Ball, the Footballer and Block, and the Quadballer.
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TFS Book Review: “The Pump Energy Food” Cookbook

Posted May 28th, 2007 at 5:59 PM by Katie Drummond

Section: Motivation, Books, Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Vegetarianism, Special Features, TFS Reviews

With obesity in America at epidemic proportions, we need fewer restaurants boasting oversized meals heavy on deep fried foods, and more people like Steve and Elena Kapelonis, the owners of The Pump Energy Food restaurants in New York City.

The Pump promotes active and nutritious lifestyles by offering a delicious, healthful menu without using or including any butter, egg yolks, bacon, white bread, mayo, or fried foods. While those lucky enough to live in New York can get their fill of healthy fuel at one of Pump’s five locations, athletes looking for recipes that promote fitness and energy will find their culinary match with “The Pump Energy Food: A Revolutionary Cookbook and Eating Plan to Create the Body of Your Dreams“.

More than just recipes, the book is filled with advice for those who want to lose weight, build muscle, and/or increase energy…
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