The Frozen 5k- DO IT FOR THE KIDS!

Frozen 5K Run or Walk is next Saturday December 8th at 10am in Laconia, NH.  Proceeds go to benefit the LNH Children’s Christmas Auction. It is put on by Myles Chase of MC Cycle and he has some help from some race veterans who typically do slightly bigger races(think Timberman and Mooseman). We did the race last year and it was really fun and had hot chocolate and live music at the finish line. There was even a costume contest last year and I am expecting that Amber is going to win it this year(definitely the costume contest maybe the race). Come out and join us to make this a holiday tradition!

While you're registering for this race, why not also register for the Winter Wild Championships which you can do here? Look we just helped you plan out your winter race season. You're welcome:)

Win a Two Night Stay at Mount Washington Hotel!

The Winter Wild Championships will again be held at Bretton Woods on March 15, 2014. This year, in addition to the typical raffle prizes well known to all Winter Wild participants, the Omni Resort has generously donated two nights at the Mount Washington Hotel.

That's right. For $45 you get to experience a really fun race, get a lift ticket to downhill ski the rest of the day at Bretton Woods, and will be entered into the running for this pretty grand, grand prize.

Right now you can register for the race here.

Don't Be a Kitten Killer!

I once heard that for every purchase you make online, one kitten is slaughtered. Now of course this doesn't need that you shouldn't do any shopping online(this would lead to an influx of cats and who really likes cats anyway?) but rather should do so judiciously. For instance, in the market for a mail-order bride? I doubt there are many better avenues to purchase one than online. However, there are many things that should and can be bought locally.

Fruits and Vegetables-regardless on where you stand on global warming(you know there is a chance that ALL of the scientists in the world are wrong), locally grown fruits and vegetables are HEALTHIER for you. This is due to the simple fact that they don’t have to travel as far to reach you which means they have likely retained more of their nutrients.  Also if the farmers are local, you are more likely to ensure that what you are consuming is GMO and pesticide-free.

Bikes-I once thought it was a good idea to buy a bike online until it arrived with two different sized wheels, a frame too small for the shortest of Snow White’s friends, and a frame color so bright that it even made Ryan Kelly cringe. It is really easy to find deals on the web for bikes but unfortunately they mostly result in bad deals. A better option? Head up to MC Cycle and Sport in Laconia and talk with Myles Chase the owner and a fellow ultrarunner. He can fit a bike to you (rather than try to fit you to a bike) that works for your body and price range.  Plus, who does the maintenance for a bike bought online?

Running Shoes- For course you can buy shoes online, and I do advise you to if you have a favorite shoe that you know works perfectly.  In fact, buy several just in case they stop making them the way you like them(curse you Nike Lunaracer II). However, if you’re unclear on what shoe is best for you or if you have had an injury that results in a changing of your running gait/mileage, there is no better place than Runner’s Alley in Manchester or Nashua. Their staff is comprised of actual runners and all seem really knowledgeable and have never steered me wrong(other than to suggest that I would look good wearing running shorts in public).

Yoga-Now this one should be obvious but I don’t know how many of my patients have said, oh I do do yoga, I have a video. They then demonstrate the most hideous downward dog pose you can image, putting strain on exactly the joints they should be off-loading. I have absolutely no problem with yoga videos once you have been instructed upon your form and technique in a class. For your body’s sake, it is worth the investment to have a good yoga instructor go through and monitor your form. As I mentioned previously, my two favorite yoga studios are Living Yoga and Quest and while different in type of yoga practiced are very similar in their fastidiousness for correct form. The same notion applies to Cross Fit, Pilates, Tai Chi, karate etc. Make sure you get someone to look at your form before you go and do it on your own.

Rehabilitation- Do not, I repeat do not, go online and buy yourself a product that claims to fix your plantar fasciitis, low back pain, neck pain or any other sort of injury that you may have sustained from likely running, biking or swimming too long or fast with too little training. A HUGE population of people that self-diagnose themselves do so incorrectly which means that you could be buying something that can actually make things worse… Get yourself checked out. Whether you see Dr. O’Connor at ConcordOrthopedics, Amber at the Center for Sports Medicine, or Brett Copeland at Performance Health you can rest assured that you’re in the hands of a health care professional who is also an athlete. You can bring in your products that you purchased at 3 am on the Shopping Channel and they can throw them out for you.

Fun- Some will argue that you can buy fun online, in the form of television shows or games or with social media. Obviously, I am doing just that as I write this blog up. But I’m also dressed in my hiking gear waiting for my ever-late cousin to show up so we can climb Lafayette. That is what online should be used for: the moments between the fun activities, rather than the fun activities themselves. So put down your kindle, close your laptop or shut off your smart phone and go outside and explore, enjoy and have some fun. No seriously. Do it now. That way you can be healthy, happy and maybe even save a few kitten’s lives by not making some impulsive online shopping choices.

See you out there.

And see Amber this Sunday at IRONMAN ARIZONA 7am Pacific Time and track her here. 



PS
We did finally make it up Lafayette and almost down before dark. Here's a picture of me on the Franconia Ridge.

Yoga Studios in Concord

While Amber has been training hard for Ironman Arizona, I have been getting my fill of yoga. As I mentioned before, Concord is an amazing place to train and yoga is a great way to improve your flexibility and balance while helping you to recover. The key is to find the right fit for you. Below are the studios in Concord, almost all of which offer a free first time session. That way you can try one out and see which works best for you. I've starred the two that I like best for my particular body type.


*Living Yoga NH*
120 North Main Street Concord, NH 03301
(603) 226-9642



Sharing Yoga
3 Pleasant St, Concord, NH 03301
603.630.5576



Bikram Yoga
254 N State St, Unit A, Concord, NH 03301
603-415-9642



*QUEST YOGA*
2 1/2 Beacon St Suite 265 Concord, NH 03301
(603) 608-7590



At Om
40 North Main Street, Concord NH 03301
(603) 545.7380



Yoga at the Center for Health Promotion
49 South Main Street Concord, NH 03301
(603) 230-7300



Yoga at the YMCA
15 North State St. Concord, NH 03301
603.228.9622



The Yoga Center
28 S Main St Concord, NH 03301
603-226-0680

Follow Amber this weekend as she races against some of the World's best at Ironman Arizona at ironman.com.

Ironman Arizona 2013-Pro Females

Amber has one more weekend prior to heading out to Tempe Arizone to compete in the 2012 Ironman Arizona. If you recall from last year, Amber had an amazing race. I am not expecting anything less this time around. Based on her solid performances at Poconos and Miami both which involved zero tapering, Amber looks primed for a stellar performance. As always you can follow her at ironman.com.

Last year's race was stacked and this year promises to be just as competitive.

Here's the start list for IM Arizona 2012:
Cave Leanda


Corbin ,Linsey

Kessler, Meredith

Williamson, Kelly

Gross, Sara

Piampiano, Sarah

LaMacchia, Leslie

Smith, Jessica

Homo, Malaika

Shutt, Beth

Schwabenbauer, Kim

Lie, Kristin

Lewis, Cindy

Abraham, Corinne

Wernick, Charisa

van der merwe, Natasha

Bromme, Uli

Young, Erin

Gordon, Jacqui

Weerd, Mirjam

Pekerman, Nina

Morrison, Janelle

Kozulina, Tamara

Deim, Trish

Ferreira, Amber

Vaidyanathan, Anu

Mannweiler, Kathrin


Talk about stacked!   And speaking of stacked, the boys at aR are going for a three-peat at the RI 6 Hour Relay down in Warwick, RI. This year's team doesn't have any studs like Judson Cake, but everyone is solid and could just pull off that elusive 23rd lap: 1)Eric Williams 2)Brian Lavoie 3)Sean Snow 4)Yourself Truly 5)J Massa 6)Rich Lavers
That's this Sunday and should be fun...