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Lead Stories: Saturday, October 11, 2008

Oscar Pistorius Controversy: Letter from Ossur CEO to IAAF President Lamine Diack

Posted December 18th, 2007 at 5:43 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, SoundOFF, Columns, Olympics

The following letter was sent from Ossur President & CEO, Jon Sigurdsson to the President of the IAAF, Mr. Lamine Diack, stating the prosthetic company’s position on the Oscar Pistorius controversy.

The IAAF is expected to announce this week whether Pistorius, a South African double-amputee who runs with the assistance of Ossur-made prosthetics, will be allowed to compete in the able-bodied Olympics and IAAF-sanctioned events.

Dear Mr. Diack,

I would like to commend and continue to support the efforts of the IAAF to make an informed decision on the case of bilateral amputee athlete, Oscar Pistorius.

Oscar - on his two carbon fiber “blades” - has challenged the way we all think of amputees and sport. As the innovation leader in advanced prosthetics, we at Ossur are also scratching our heads as we observe the phenomenon that is Oscar Pistorius. Still, Ossur has never questioned those who push themselves further. Our motto, “Life Without Limitations,” is not an idle phrase. We stand behind it in all our actions, and will support those who, like Oscar, dare to act on their dreams.

For Oscar, that dream is the Olympic stage, but what is at play here will affect all amputee athletes who wish to compete against the able-bodied in any IAAF sanctioned event.
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Technical advancements to setting world records

Posted September 8th, 2007 at 4:15 PM by Jimson Lee

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

I like to go back into history and determine what advancements or other factors led to new world records. For example, did athletes employ a new technique or strategy? Were there advancements in technology, running surface or venue? Consider the following observations:

The Triple Jump vs. Shot Put

If you go back nearly 100 years to 1911, the world record for Triple Jump and Shot Put was 15.52 and 15.54 meters (50′ 11″ & 50′ 11.75″) respectively. Today, they stand at 18.29 & 23.12 meters (60′ 0′ & 75′ 10″) respectively.

How can the comparable world records differ by nearly 16 feet over the last 100 years?

Easy, the shot put technique has undergone 2 major changes in the technical throws, with nearly everyone doing the spin technique similar to a discus thrower. You still have to hop, skip, and jump in the Triple Jump.

The same phenomenon can be seen with the High Jump. In 1978, the last straddler to set the world record was Vladimir Jashtshenko with a jump of 2.34m (7′ 8″) before floppers dominated the event.
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TFS Review: MotionLingo’s Adeo GPS Fitness Trainer

Posted February 12th, 2007 at 10:00 AM by Paul Petersen

Section: Gear & Apparel, Gadgets & Acces., Product Reviews, Special Features, TFS Reviews

MotionLingo’s Adeo has garnered much attention this year as an innovative GPS-based fitness trainer that not only tracks your speed and distance, but also accommodates full integration with any mp3 player.

I have run with many other GPS products, but the Adeo is the first to provide workout feedback via audio messages rather than a visual watch interface. This sounded like a great idea to me right off the bat and I enjoyed putting putting the Adeo to the test.

Product: MotionLingo Adeo Fitness Trainer
Price: $149.95
Rating: Good 7.1/10.0
Pros: Hands-free GPS updates; Works with all mp3 players; Lightweight; Considerably more affordable than other GPS units, Easy to configure workouts and view data; Rapidly-evolving online training log; Affordable cost compared to other fitness GPS units; Multisport support; Excellent, frequently updated software package
Cons: Often takes several minutes to connect with satellites; Unstable, GPS connection could be improved; Small, unresponsive buttons
Overall: The Adeo is a very innovative and exciting concept; one that true audiophiles will want to immediately add to their running rig. However, others may want to wait for the next generation of Adeos (to be released later this spring) because like most first generation products, there are a few issues (i.e. - GPS performance) that could use an upgrade.

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Velocy attempts to revolutionize shoe industry; embraces Forward Gravity

Posted January 24th, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Amanda Black

Section: Gear & Apparel, Running Shoes

Traditional shoe technology focuses on the heel; a concept that has been widely accepted by manufacturers and athletes for more than 50 years. However, architect Daniel Talbott and his team at Oregon-based Velocy have decided to challenge this conventional wisdom with their innovative new line of running shoes.

After spending ten years researching human performance and identifying the factors that help propel the animal kingdoms fastest species, such as the cheetah and ostrich, Talbot invented Velocy’s patent pending “Forward Gravity” shoe technology. Velocy explains:

“Forward Gravity technology is engineered to place emphasis on the forefoot and in doing this, all weight is shifted forward and supported by your leg’s muscular ability during knee flexion. This is the human body’s natural way of absorbing shock.”

Velocy asserts that Forward Gravity will enable runners to run more efficiently and effectively. They also believe that Velocy shoes are capable of helping elite runners run times that are substantially faster than many, current world records.
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Students invent tracking device that “tells” runners when to replace shoes

Posted January 15th, 2007 at 4:00 PM by Kevin McGinn

Section: Gear & Apparel, Running Shoes, Gadgets & Acces., Miscellaneous

How do you know when you have to replace your running shoes? Well … when they “tell” you to, of course. At least, that’s the idea behind the concept called the “Stridekick”.

Todd Peavey and Jim Biggins, MBA students at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, have conceived a product that will allow consumers to track their shoe’s mileage. The Stridekick will be a small, disposable clip that will attach to the shoelaces to track the distance that a particular pair has traveled.

The average shoe should be replaced after about 350-500 miles. [For more information on when to replace your shoes, check out “When to ‘kick’ your old ‘kicks’”]. Stridekick will alert users when they have reached a certain mileage mark (pre-set by the users). Although we recommend that everyone keeps a training log and track their mileages, the Stridekick is very exciting as it will deliver a critical reminder to replace your footwear and prevent injury.
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One of the best concepts of the year: Adeo Fitness Trainer by MotionLingo

Posted November 21st, 2006 at 2:00 PM by Jennifer Lipman

Section: Gear & Apparel, Gadgets & Acces.

Ever dreamed of having your own personal trainer or running coach that would work around your schedule, not cost a fortune and help you reach your goals? Well the concept behind the new Adeo Fitness Companion by Motion Lingo might just bring those dreams into reality.

Motion Lingo is a new and exciting company that specializes in GPS-enabled fitness products. The company’s flagship product is the ADEO (a-dee-oh), a device that’s about the size of the iPod mini and weighs only 2 ounces.

It automatically fades the music from your MP3 player to give you audible and programmed updates and then turns your music back up. These updates keep you motivated and informed on your progress; reporting on your pace, elevation, distance ran, calories burned, lap time and total elapsed time. The Adeo also keeps you updated on the battery status, time of day and your peak pace during the workout. Read the rest of this entry »

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Technological Evolution: Measuring & Planning Routes in the 21st Century

Posted October 11th, 2006 at 4:00 AM by Trish Monks

Section: Running & Training, Gear & Apparel, Miscellaneous

TFS is proud to welcome our newest writer - Trish Monks. She is our first writer from our neighbor across the Atlantic. Although Brits might speak a little differently and make us laugh from time to time - we still love them and we love Trish’s writing. Enjoy!

Back in the olden days, when a string vest was considered suitable race wear and over-pronation didn’t exist, measuring the length of your training routes was fairly torturous stuff. Depending on your preferences, it usually involved fiddling about with a bit of string on a map, driving around your route in a car (tricky if you like a bit of the muddy stuff!), or pushing a trundle wheel ahead of you: not ideal.

These days your options are rather more sophisticated. There are a plethora of gadgets available to take with you on the run, designed to tell you how far you have gone and how fast you are going (I have a Polar S625x which is a fabulous bit of kit - I’ll tell you about it some day!) or, as an alternative, software which can be used as a sort of “virtual” piece of string.

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