Monthly Archives: February 2012

Body Glide Liquified Powder – Skin Glide – Review

That is smooth!

Body Glide Skin Glide

New Packaging and Branding

[Update: I talked with Body Glide today and they notified me that Liquified Powder is now called Skin Glide. Body Glide wanted to bring this product under the same branding umbrella and Skin Glide falls a lot more in line with Body Glide than Liquified Powder. I believe this is a good move. There is something to be said for the name of a product being exactly what it is, such as Liquified Powder, but Skin Glide takes advantage of the powerful Body Glide brand. With the new packaging and name, Body Glide also wanted to make sure people understood that Skin Glide not only aids in protection, but in repair as well.]

I love products that can be used for real life problems. About a month ago I headed to the gym during my lunch break to do an interval running workout. As I started to change in the locker room, I realized that I had forgotten my Drymax Socks. I thought about wearing my dress socks but didn’t want them to get all sweaty, so I decided to go sock-less. I thought it would be a deeper foray into the minimalist movement. Instead , I had deep abrasions on the tops of my feet as the fabric from my shoes tore into my skin. If only I could have remembered Body Glide’s saying, “Stops trouble before it starts,” and more importantly actually used body glide.

Body Glide Liquified Powder

My feet weren’t the only problem that Body Glide could help me with. I had recently increased my cycling by a lot (30 minutes a week to three hours). Saddle sores can be a literal pain in the…I think you get the picture. Thank the heavens that I got my hands on some Body Glide Liquified Powder.

Body Glide’s website states that the liquified powder is a “technically advanced cream that transforms into an evenly disbursed, effective, yet dry & protective skin lubricant.” I have the 1.6 oz. tube which costs around $8. The product also comes in small pouches. The liquified powder comes out as a cream or lotion. The truly amazing thing is that as soon as you start to rub the liquified powder into your skin, it absorbs and goes on dry. The greasy film that lotions leave on your skin is non-existent with the liquified powder. Within a handful of seconds you can barely tell that you have put anything on your skin. The liquified powder is ideal for feet, but not limited to that area.

In a short amount of time Body Glide Liquified Powder is becoming a favorite at my house. After my running without socks incident, I used the liquified powder to reduce anymore damage to the tops of my feet. The combination of the powder and actually wearing socks stopped any more friction to the wounded area and became a non issue within days. I should note that you are supposed to avoid contact with open wounds. I also used the liquified powder in the saddle sore area and any discomfort has diminished. My wife and daughter have tried it on their feet when they wear certain shoes that has caused discomfort in the past. They both say it works great as their toes and heels survive much better through the day.

The Bottom Line ~

Although the liquified powder treats the same ailments as other Body Glide products it is definitely different and actually has a slightly different feel on the skin. Body Glide truly provides comfort and what I love best, is that after you finish a hard training session, you can focus on repairing your muscles, rather than wounds due to chafing.

Do you have an experience or comment about this product?
Please help fellow athletes by leaving a comment.

Pearl Izumi Tri Fly III Carbon Review

You Spent How Much on a Pair of Shoes?

Pearl Izumi Tri Fly III Carbon Triathlon Shoe

Shoes for biking are probably the most money that any man spends on shoes.  I would have never thought that something that seems so basic, could be so expensive.  Not all bike shoes are created equal.  There are just as many varieties and technologies out there in biking shoes as there are in any other product.  But, I like to keep things simple.  So, a good biking shoe for triathlon specific races should have:

  • A stiff sole – for effective power transfer
  • Velcro straps – for quick on and off
  • Well-ventilated shoe – so you can easily wear it with or without socks

The Pearl Izumi Tri Fly III has all of those and more.  I have owned these shoes for a year now and have to say that I’m very happy with them.  The sole is exceptionally stiff.  It’s made of unidirectional carbon, and has the stiffest sole of any triathlon shoe Pearl Izumi makes.  I don’t know exactly what unidirectional carbon is, but from using the shoe I know first hand that it’s a stiff shoe.  Also, because it’s made of carbon it’s ultra light – and we know how triathletes are big weight weenies.

Another feature that I really like is that the entire upper part of the shoe is made of mesh.  This lets your feet dry quickly after the swim and makes the shoe exceptionally breathable and comfortable – especially for those riding barefoot.  Be careful though, if you’ll use these shoes during cold weather training, the vents let in cold air.

I like the velcro straps on these shoes, obviously they make it easy to get in and get out.  But I especially like that you only have to do the large strap.  You can easily get your foot in, while leaving the front strap in place.  Also, the large strap is over-sized so that you can easily grab it and make adjustments in mid-ride.  If you’re looking to shave off a few seconds in transition, than this shoe is a must.

The overall size seems to run true and the design of these shoes is spot on.  I really like the white, but it also gets dirty exceptionally easy.  I went for a ride in these on a wet day in Utah, and they got so dirty that I had to sit and scrub them for about an hour.  Even after all that scrubbing, they didn’t come out completely white – so be forewarned about the white color.

The Bottom Line ~

This triathlon shoe from Pearl Izumi meets all the specific needs of a triathlete.  It’s sleek, stylish, and super-stiff (talk about alliteration!)  The Tri Fly III is not easy on the budget, as these bad boys will set you back $180, but if you are tri-geek, then I don’t think there’s a better way to go.  The Pearl Izumi name is known for quality, and on this shoe they didn’t disappoint.

Triathlete Magazine’s Essential Week-by-Week Training Guide Book Review

Triathlon Training Nirvana!

Essential Week by Week Training GuideFor anyone who has ever decided to embark on an endurance event, you inevitably get to the point where you have no idea what you should be doing on a daily basis to train for your event. Many people try to figure it out by themselves and may experience limited success, but as you progress towards longer distances and attempt to be competitive, you must decide to either hire a coach or try to find a legitimate training plan. I have turned toward Triathlete Magazine’s Essential Week-by-Week Training Guide, written by Matt Fitzgerald.

For the abundance of information that is contained in this book it is an absolute steal for $20, fortunately $20 was the list price long ago, you can now purchase the book for a lot less with a little bit of research. If you have a decent library system in the city you live in, you may also be able to find it there, something I have done multiple times until my wife finally bought me the book because she was tired of me running to the library every 3 weeks to renew, or pick up a different copy because my renewals had run out. The book is also available in electronic formats for your e-readers, but I have read that it doesn’t format like it should, so it renders the electronic version useless. I do not have an e-reader and have not been able to personally confirm this to be the case, so be cautious.

There are multiple scheduling tips, basic triathlon information and other helpful items, but the meat of the book is the triathlon training plans. The book is great because it provides 10 levels of training for Sprint, Olympic, Half Iron and Ironman distance triathlons. The book provides a training plan for all levels across all distances. Level one is geared towards the beginner and each plan gets more difficult as you progress towards level 10. The author does a great job of explaining which level would best fit your fitness level, goals and time restraints. I have been able to choose different plans for different times of the year when my work and family demands are increased. It is easy to pick whether you have time for 2 workouts per discipline per week or three. No matter what my circumstances or goals, one of the plans has always worked for me. One of the most comforting feelings a triathlete can have is when they are lined up at the start line and feel completely confident that their training will get them to the finish. This comforting feeling for me began when I started using this training guide.

Triathlon Training guidesIf there is one thing I don’t like about the book it is all the coding involved. As you can see there are codes for each day of the week. Examples of some of the codes are RLI4 (Run Lactate Interval) or CFR5 (Cycling Foundation Ride). You must then turn to the correct page that has the definition of the code to determine the details of what your workout for that day should be.

Triathlon SchedulesOnce you get used to some of the terminology you can find the information more quickly, but you always have to go to the code definitions to find out how many intervals and/or total time. This also makes it a little difficult to get a general idea of what type of training is required during the week. I will typically take the information (see below) and place it in a spreadsheet. It is a little bit of work, but most triathletes have quirks and want to see the information in a manner that fits them best. I just add another tab to my Excel spreadsheet which contains every little bit of training detail for the current year.

Triathlon Training Plan

The Bottom Line ~

This book should be a great resource for triathletes of all levels. If you don’t want to pay a coach and you need a detailed training plan, check out this book. It is well worth the money and you can be confident that Matt Fitzgerald and Triathlete Magazine provides you with a wealth of information and a training plan that is specifically designed for you. Be honest with yourself when choosing your plan and you can’t go wrong.

Do you have an experience or comment about this product?
Please help fellow athletes by leaving a comment.

TriEssential App Review

Checklists and more!

Tri EssentialA few months ago I reviewed an iPhone app called Tri-Checklist and shortly thereafter a buddy told me to check out TriEssential’s iPhone app which includes a checklist and much more. I really like the simplicity of Tri-Checklist. It simply did what it was supposed to without any additions or flare, something the minimalist in me loves. But I also have a creative side and I was excited to check out what TriEssential had to offer.

The TriEssential app is currently free. You must have a WiFi connection when downloading due to the numerous high-resolution photos that come with the app. The app has a different tip for everyday of the year along with a picture. There are also quotes that can help you get through your work day or work out. There are also quick-links to a handful of blogs that can be helpful on your quest to health and/or an Ironman. All these items are very cool and are fun to surf through when you have a few moments to spare, but the real meat of the app are the tools; Time Projector, Race Checklist and PR Keeper.

Triathlon Time ProjectorThe Time Projector is really cool. How many times have you been sitting with your tri-friends talking about what your finish time will be on any given event? And how many of those times have you had to pull out a pencil and try to figure out the ridiculous math and compare pacing to finish time? It is typically too difficult so we give our times in general terms. Well, TriEssential has come to the rescue. You can enter your pace time or final time for each leg, including transitions, and the app will instantly provide you with your final projected finish time. It is awesome.

There are some limitations with the Time Projector. You can only use the time projector for Olympic, Half and Full distance Triathlons. The next triathlon I have signed up for with my buddies is an Olympic but the bike distance is a few miles short of the full Olympic distance. The Time Projector doesn’t allow for any customization. The swim only gives a pace per 100 meters. For over 30 years I have always swam in yards, so I still need to google the correct pace. It can also be a little difficult to get the slider to the exact time that you want. I will slide my finger to the desired pace, but when I remove my finger from the screen it will sometimes bump a few seconds up or down. The only other problem is that the run pace gets maxed out at ten minutes per mile. I can do that for the Olympic and Half Iron distance, but for the Full Ironman, that pace is out of reach. The Time Projector really is great, so don’t let the small limitations prevent you from enjoying this great tool.

Personal Record keeperEvent checklistThe Checklist and Personal Record (PR) Keeper are basic tools that are nice to have at your disposal. The checklist is completely customizable. The default gives you sections for preparation, swim, bike, run and finish. All of the basic items for each section is already loaded into the system and you can also add more of your own and even delete the ones you don’t need. The one thing I wish the TriEssential Checklist had, is the ability to add different race checklists. That way I could have a marathon checklist and a triathlon checklist. This would allow the user to customize a different checklist for every event that they participate in.

I love the PR Keeper. I used to keep all my PR information on my phone’s notepad. It always reminded my of just scratching notes on a yellow pad of paper, rather than having some pride and displaying them nicely. The PR Keeper also allows you to customize the screen for your events. Another nice addition is that it allows you to keep some notes for each event. It is a great little tool to have on hand wherever you go…and it is even more fun when you can update those times.

The Bottom Line ~

This is currently a free app and well worth your time to download. The tools are very helpful although there are a few limitation. The motivation tips, quotes and pictures are incredibly helpful for those days you struggle. The app also allows you to email some of its content to your friends to help motivate them. I really like this app and encourage you to check it out. It adds a lot to your standard checklist app.

Do you have an experience or comment about this product?
Please help fellow athletes by leaving a comment.

Amphipod RunLite Review

I can be a camel!

Amphipod Hydration BeltWhen I started training for my first marathon and took off for my first long run, I realized it would be beneficial to have some sort of fluid to drink. The following week I carried a bottle of Gatorade and quickly realized how annoying it is to carry something in your hands while slogging through mile after mile. The following week I strategically placed a bottle on my route before venturing out, unfortunately a good citizen was out picking up trash that morning and my drink was gone. The following week I decided to run a loop and stop by my car every three miles, unfortunately I jumped in my car and quit after nine miles of a 15 mile run…it was too tempting to stop, whereas if you are seven miles away from your car, you have no choice but to continue. I finally decided to go to my local running store to see what solution they could provide and they introduced me to the Amphipod RunLite hydration gear. Continue reading →