By Dr. Rich Cowin

I just had the pleasure of taking my first “test-run” of the new Stinger XLT running shoes.  In this case, the word “pleasure” was an understatement.

Upon opening the box, I was first impressed with the shoe’s very light weight and its attractive style. Being a pronated runner with fairly flat feet, I easily removed the high quality EVA foot beds and inserted my full length custom orthotic devices. For those runners who have normal or high arched feet, this step would probably not be necessary.  I then put on my Road ID and sunglasses and hit the road.

I was amazed that such a light weight shoe could be so supportive and have such wonderful shock absorption, yet be so light, comfortable, and responsive. It was a hot Florida day, yet the breathability was great.  I’m sure that open air mesh vamp helped with that.  Thanks to the excellelent level of cushioning with two of Spira’s WaveSprings in the forefoot and one in the heel, my feet, knees, and lower back felt great. Coming down to the home stretch at the end of my 5K run, I had plenty of energy left, so I decided to turn up the speed as I would in a race.  They responded beautifully.

I found the Stinger XLT’s to be the best of both worlds, a high performance trainer AND an ideal race day shoe for runners like me who need the support of a training shoe , with the lightweight responsive qualities of a racing flat.  Besides that, I loved the way they looked!!  What more can a guy ask for?

WHAT DO WE STAND FOR?

SPIRA ® CREDO: OUR COMMITMENT

Spira ® is committed, first and foremost, to the improvement of the human condition through the development of innovative, life-enhancing products that positively impact the quality of activity of every person on our planet.

We are committed to exceeding expectations through unrelenting passion and enthusiasm.

Our commitment to the customer is paramount, followed closely by our commitment to our employees and our shareholders. There is no room for selfishness.

We are committed to profit and growth as a means to accomplish our other values and objectives.

Great rewards mandate great risks. Making mistakes will be tolerated, even encouraged. Not learning from our mistakes is unpardonable.

Introducing the Spira Stinger XLT Lightweight Performance Runner

You asked for it, we made it.  About three years ago, based on runners’ feedback, we began to develop a lightweight and durable running shoe that could be used both for training and racing. Oh yeah, and it had to be really cool looking!  I am pleased to announce the arrival of the new Stinger XLT.

This shoe is patterned after our original Stinger Racing Flat with its distinctive 2 pod design. The Stinger has been worn by Elite athletes in over 100 major race and marathon victories since 2006. Despite this success, the original Stinger did have some limitations. It was not very durable or supportive. It was a race day only shoe, lasting less than 100 miles. The Stinger garnered remarkable attention for Spira®, but we felt we could improve it.

• The first thing we did was redesign the springs to make them both lighter and more responsive. The new spring design is actually half the weight of previous version, yet still won’t breakdown over the life of the shoe.
• The second task was to make the shoe more supportive. We stiffened up the midsole shank and worked on the upper so that it cradled foot and provided more support.
• The third item we addressed was to make the shoe soft, yet responsive. We accomplished this by using a softer durometer foam or EVA in the midsole. This allows the WaveSprings to do more of the work.
• Finally, we made the outsole far more durable by using carbon rubber strike pads on both the heel and forefoot.

The result is a remarkably responsive performance shoe that should last at least a couple hundred miles, weighs only 9.2 ounces in a men’s size 9 and 7.6 oz in a women’s size 7, and is one of the more unique looking shoes on the market.  I ran a race in the Stinger XLT last weekend and I took off over two minutes from my time in the same race last year!  I expect others will have similar results.

The Stinger XLT will be available June 1.  Please use my discount code, “friendsofandy” to get 20% off your purchase from the Spira online store:  www.spirastore.com.  Thanks for your patience. If you end up with a pair, please let me know what you think!

Best regards,

Andy

Once you have accomplished your goal of finishing your first 5K race, it is time to start thinking about finding another 5K race, but this time, your goal will be to go from point A (starting line) to point B (finishing line) without taking a break.

You don’t have to worry about your time (that will come later). You will need to do enough training to accomplish this task, so your training schedule will look like this:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 25 minutes running plus 10 minutes of walking. The 10 minutes should come in the middle.
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 25 minutes running
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 30 minutes running plus 5 minutes walk. The 5 minutes should come in the middle.
Sunday: 30 minutes running

** This training schedule will be for 3-4 weeks. Each week reduce the time spent walking by 1 minute. At the end of the 4 weeks you should be able to get through the workouts with very little break.

Pace: Run your own pace but this pace has to be progressive.  Start slow and pick up the pace little by little.

Remember: The most important issue when it comes to running is: consistency! If you do the training day after day, week after week, you will see progress, no matter who you are or what your starting point of fitness.

Once you have run a few 5K races and it feels comfortable, then it’s time to start thinking about adjusting your training program to begin focusing on improving your time. We’ll address that in the posts to come.

Have fun and enjoy every mile!

If you are thinking about running your first race, a 5k race might be the perfect distance for first timers.  This is a great way to start running.  It is a short distance and you will really get a lot of enjoyment running this race.  Even if you have never run a race before, a 5k will give you a great sense of accomplishment.

You can start by alternating walking and running.  Little by little, you will be able to run the whole distance without walking or taking a break. For example:

1. Walk for 5 minutes and run for 5 minutes (easy pace).
2. Do this 3 times for a total of 30 minutes.
3. Follow this schedule3 to 4 times a week during at least three weeks prior to running the race.

For your first race experience, the goal is to be able to finish and enjoy it, so don’t worry about time. It might help to choose a race you can do with friends or family and one that is on a course you are familiar with.

During the race, you can alternate walking and jogging as needed, but you might find you have more energy when you’re in the race environment. Don’t be surprised if you are able to run the whole way!  Let me know how you do. You can write me at abarrios@spira.com. I would love to hear from you!

The 115th Boston Marathon will be held in Boston this coming Monday, April 18th. Several years ago Spira made a splash at the Boston Marathon with bright yellow shoes and little bit of controversy. Today we are pulling out the archives and sharing the CNBC Marathon Stunner interview from 2007.

I can’t recall a time in my adult life that I have not been hungry. The evening hours are particularly challenging. There have been many nights; particularly during periods of stress that I was a non-stop binge eater from the time I got home from the office until I fell asleep. Most of the time it was subconscious: I was unaware of the volume of food I was eating. Even during those periods when I could maintain some discipline in my diet, I couldn’t seem to shake the hunger pangs. Running and exercise are probably the only things that kept me from becoming morbidly obese.

I was recently introduced by a friend to Dr. Joel Fuhrman. Dr. Fuhrman has written a series of books called Eat to Live. His premise is that most of our hunger pangs are not true hunger, but rather “toxic” hunger created by our craving for nutrients. These nutrients are virtually eliminated through the processed foods that comprise more and more of our diets. Because we’re not getting the nutrients we need, we keep eating.

Dr Fuhrman advocates that 70% of our diets should be comprised of fresh fruits, legumes and vegetables. These foods tend to pack the most nutrition per calorie. He doesn’t believe it is necessary to eat much, if any, dairy, breads, grains or meat. While initially difficult to follow, over the course of a few months this “toxic” hunger will disappear. He also contends that most of the illness and disease we suffer from are directly related to our diets.

Below is a contrast between the USDA food pyramid and Dr Fuhrman’s food pyramid.

Dr. Fuhrman’s chart list specific recommendations on foods we should be eating.  Below are the top  “Super Foods” and their nutrient score:

I have been following Dr. Fuhrman’s program for about 5 months. It was difficult at first, but I have found that I am not nearly as hungry, particularly at night. I also have more energy and have managed to lose weight without much conscious effort.

For those interested in learning more, here is a link to his website, www.drfuhrman.com.

Here’s to your good health!

Andy

Peter Kemboi of Kenya took the lead at the 24-mile mark and won the fourth Mississippi Blues Marathon today, edging fellow Kenyan Mark Chepses by four seconds.

Kemboi, 36, was timed in 2 hours, 19 minutes, 47 seconds — about a minute off the course record. Chepses finished in 2:19:51 over the hilly, challenging course that started and finished in downtown Jackson.

Kemboi won $4,000 from the $30,000 purse.

The women’s winner was Truphena Tarus, a 26-year-old Kenyan who trains in Marietta, Ga. Tarus, who also won $4,000, was timed in 2:40:18.

The top Mississippi finisher was Rob Oates of Brandon, 16th in 2:53:46.

Todd Hagadone of Fairfax, Va., a former Starkville resident, won the men’s half-marathon with a time of 1:12:46. Sara Phelps of Birmingham (1:35:45) was the top female finisher in the half.

Race organizers said nearly 2,300 runners registered for the marathon and half-marathon events.

Unlike last year, when the temperature was a frigid 17 degrees and there were snow flurries during parts of the race, the weather was much better for running today.

“Today was perfect weather,” said Brian Shelton of Cookeville, Tenn., who was ninth in the marathon.

Article from Clarion Ledger

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20110108/SPORTS/110108004/Kenyan-Peter-Kemboi-claims-Mississippi-Blues-Marathon

What are leg cramps? Leg cramps are muscle spasms anywhere in the leg. They usually occur at night and are sudden, painful, involuntary contractions of the muscles in your leg. In most cases, night leg cramps involve your calf muscles, but muscles in your feet or thighs may cramp as well.
Leg cramps can be caused by overexertion of the muscles, structural disorders (flat feet), standing on concrete, prolonged sitting, inappropriate leg positions while sedentary, or dehydration.

Doctors agree that wearing shoes that provide excellent support and do not put too much strain on any particular part of your legs, back or feet will help reduce the occurrence of leg cramps. People wearing the wrong shoes can end up experiencing these painful spasms know as night cramps.
One customer found out how important a supportive and comfortable shoe can be.

I just bought the Volare 3 sneakers from your store. I am 46 years old, and these are the best sneakers that I have ever owned. For the last few years I have had problems with night cramps in my legs and feet. They were so bad that it would wake me from a sound sleep, jumping out of bed. I tried many medications and saw various doctors. No one knew what to do. I bought your sneakers only because I am a nurse and spend hours on my feet on concrete floors. Well, the sneakers have made my job a lot easier, but my surprise was that since I started wearing the Spira sneakers, my leg cramps have gone away. I guess the cramps were being caused by my shoes. I am very satisfied with these sneakers, so much that I am now buying a second pair for the gym. I hope you guys are around for the rest of my life.

Make sure you have good athletic shoes that give you full support whether you are running, walking or standing for long periods of time. Spira’s Volare incorporates WaveSpringsTM in both the heel and forefoot for incomparable cushioning and energy return. The deflection nature of the WaveSpringTM maintains “like new” performance throughout the life of the product. The single density midsole combines with the plush but supportive upper to provide maximum comfort.

Training and racing decisions are made on a daily basis.  Will I, or can I, work through a certain injury?  Will I try something new in my nutrition regime?  Will I run in race flats or cushioned trainers?  These and many more questions (and ultimately decisions) were made as I prepared for this year’s P.F. Chang’s Rock and Roll Arizona Marathon on January 16, 2011.

Since 2004 when the Rock and Roll AZ Full Marathon came to Phoenix/Scottsdale/Tempe, I have completed every race.  This year marked my 8th consecutive run at the 26.2 miler. I fantasize about being part of an elite fraternity that someday is honored at the starting line at the 2014 or the 2024 event in January for not missing even one race!  I admire my friend and Cross Country asst. coach, Craig Davidson, who has run in every LA Marathon without a miss for 25 years!  I have a long way to go at only eight years, but a guy can dream!

I have been so pleased racing in my Spira Stingers the past two seasons, but never wore them for a full marathon. I did compete in the Ironman Arizona 2009 in the Stinger Elites, but an Ironman Marathon after 112 miles of cycling is not at the same pace as a solo marathon.  I felt this was the year I would try the Stingers for an average pace of 6:51 to be able to finish at or around three hours.  Twice this season, I developed a right calf strain, once on a trail training run in the summer and then again in an Olympic Triathlon in the fall — ironically, coming out of the water!

My last long training run for the 2011 Rock and Roll had me going 13.1 at race pace.  The Spira Stingers felt SO FAST!  However, at mile 9 to 10, my right calf began to tighten a little.  All of my other training runs the last few months have been in my new favorite shoe, the Odyssey!  The tight calf concerned me so I had a talk (rather a text) with another Triathlon training buddy and my physical therapist, Charlie Boeyink, who truly believed I could run the full marathon in the ever so supportive and cushioned Odysseys AND crank out the 6:51 pace needed to finish at three hours.  So, with Ironman Coeur d ‘Alene beckoning this summer and a Kona slot on the line, I felt very good to take my Spira Odysseys to the starting line.

This year is an Ironman year for me, and my “A” race will be the Coeur d’ Alene Ironman in Idaho on June 26, 2011.  With 140.6 miles of swimming, cycling and running on my mind, this year’s Rock and Roll Marathon is yet another test of my endurance base.  My younger triathlete training buddy, Craig Morton, and my fellow ONE Multisport Tri Club team member and good friend, Erik Svans, teamed together to set a three-hour marathon finish.

We decided that a negative split marathon would be icing on the cake and good mental training for Ironman and racing in general.  I felt very good staying at task and coming in at just a little over 6:55 pace for the first half marathon.  My Spira shoes felt fantastic, and I envisioned the Wave Spring Technology propelling me forward toward my goal!  At mile 22, Erik started to drop behind me.  Like Craig in Scottsdale, I encouraged Erik to stay with me.  I ran alone and realized it was going to be close.  This marathon had no time “in the bank.”  I had to run at a 6:51 or faster for miles 23-26 to make it under three hours.  And, I was amazed at how steady and strong I felt.  That was a prize all unto itself!  At mile 25, Erik was back by my side. We kicked it into high gear, excited that we would finish side by side.  We came in at 3:01:39, feeling very strong and satisfied that for all purposes, the day was a major success.

Since I plan on wearing my Spira Stingers for the Ironman in June, along with all my other races this season, it was great to have the Odyssey trainer carry me to a 6:56 average pace on my 3rd best marathon finish ever!

Thank you Spira for the lift!