Ryan Hall's Blog, page 139

Bear Grylls Creates Survival Challenge To Debut In Los Angeles

Image: facebook.com/RealBearGrylls

A new fitness survival challenge is in the works and it is being developed by IMG in partnership with survival expert Bear Grylls, called the Bear Grylls Survival Challenge (BGSC).

Grylls gained international notoriety for his show Man vs. Wild, which aired from 2006-2011 and followed the UK Chief Scout through some of the world’s most dangerous and remote locations, armed with only his experience. He has completed a number of famed expeditions, including climbing to the summit of Mount Everest (at the age of 23), circumnavigating the British Isles on a jet ski and crossing the Atlantic unassisted in an open rigid inflatable boat.

RELATED: Trail Running Survival Guide

Grylls put adventure expeditions on the map and now athletes in the United States and Europe will have the chance to put their own wiles to the test. The inaugural BGSC will take place in Los Angeles at Blue Cloud Movie Ranch April 28 and 29, 2018. The course will take participants on a 4-mile, off-road journey filled with 18 unique survival scenario challenges. The course will be made up of five environments that athletes will have to navigate: apocalyptic highway, cave complex, deserted village, mountain ascent/descent and snake infested swamp.

“I developed this course with one simple principle in mind: being fit is one thing; but the true test of strength is in survival,” said Bear Grylls in a press release. “This is a natural progression for endurance sport. Seeking to test not just our physical capabilities, but also our mental agility, resourcefulness and never-say-die spirit in real-life survival situations.”

RELATED: Tips On Surviving An Obstacle Course Race

Athletes will be provided with a Bear Grylls Survival Pack with everyday items that can be used on course, and upon completing the race will be awarded a Bear Grylls Survival Score to help them check their rank among other finishers. A finish line festival including music, merchandise and food/drink vendors will cap off the event.

Registration for the first event opens September 2017 at beargryllssurvivalchallenge.com.

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This New Online Primary Care Service Focuses On Runner’s Health

At the end of June, suffering from a sore Achilles, 31-year-old Stephanie Jones sought out advice from a primary care physician. He recommended she take a few weeks off. Jones questioned him about treatment while she rested, wondering about foam rolling and other techniques to speed recovery. But the physician dismissed her inquiries and ignored her knowledge of potential approaches, leaving her frustrated.

Jones’ experience was not unlike that of many other runners, who often lament the fact that there aren’t many physicians who “get” them and their specific needs.

Like Jones, Adam St. Pierre, a 35-year-old endurance coach from Boulder, Colo., has also experienced frustration from the healthcare system, although for different reasons. “Living in Boulder, we have a good network of physicians who understand runners,” he says. “But getting an appointment quickly isn’t easy, so you end up waiting to address the issue.”

St. Pierre, however, has found a modern-day solution to the problem, a recently launched online primary care system called SteadyMD. The best part, he says, is that among the areas of care is one designed just for runners.

The new primary care service, which is just beginning to onboard running patients, is the brainchild of Yarone Goren, COO, and Guy Friedman, CEO. The two launched the site last winter as a boutique service that allows patients to develop long-term, preventative care relationships with physicians who understand their particular needs. Niche platforms include fitness and lifting, functional fitness, strength training and power lifting, LGBTQ, and most recently, running. Triathlon is lined up for the near future.

Leading the running vertical for SteadyMD is Mark Cucuzzella, a family physician and professor at West Viriginia School of Medicine, an elite marathoner, and director of the Natural Running Center. “Mark will serve as a consultant to the site,” says Goren. “Our treating physician is Josh Emdur, a family physician and sub-three-hour marathoner. Both of the doctors understand runners, their lifestyles, goals and needs.”

RELATED: Should I See A Doctor About My Running Injury?

St. Pierre wasn’t suffering from a potential injury when he first connected with SteadyMD, but rather, wanted to establish a baseline of health and consolidate all his medical details in one place. “It was time for me to get all of my basic tests, referrals and information in one place,” he says. “And since I’m a runner, it’s probably a given that I will need a physician in the future, so it’s nice to work with someone who understands the sport.”

In particular, St. Pierre likes the idea that if he does have something amiss, Emdur is less likely to simply say “don’t run” than another physician who isn’t tuned in to the sport. “That’s never what a runner wants to hear,” he says. “I want someone who is going to look at various treatments other than rest.”

The SteadyMD experience begins with an initial, two-way video chat. Patients spend about an hour with their new primary care physician, discussing medical history, family history, diet, exercise and any other pertinent topics. Together, patient and physician can connect through apps and devices so that the physician can see feedback like heart rate, blood sugar, workouts and more. Membership costs $79 per month and requires a 12-month membership. Once in the system, patients can access physicians via text, phone-call appointments, and video chats.

“We keep the number of patients limited so that the physicians can offer them dedicated attention and easy accessibility,” says Goren.

Of course, there will be times when patients will need to see a physician in the flesh. “We look at this as more of a preventative service,” says Goren, “but when a patient needs to see someone in person, we will have a network of local physicians, PTs and the like where we can send them.”

As a coach who works with many of his clients remotely, St. Pierre appreciates and understands this approach. “There are many parallels here, especially with the need for a high-level, back-and-forth commitment,” he says. “So far, it has worked well for me and has been very simple and intuitive. I think it’s a useful model.”

RELATED: 7 Injury Prevention Strategies For Pain-Free Running

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The 10 Weirdest Things We Have Ever Seen On A Run

Sometimes even the most unexpected events can happen on your usual running route. A few runners share the weirdest people, items and occurrences they have seen while on the run.

“My oddest thing was a gentleman breaking out in song to a Whitney Houston favorite. Was he a Whitney fan or just trying to gain attention? Overall, quite the entertainment.” —Erin Lockwood
“On a three-miler around the neighborhood this morning, some tool called out to me asking me to pick him up and take him home. Many girls don’t like tools, but I do, so home with me he came. (And by tool, I mean a literal wrench.)” —Erica Gminski
“I saw a woman vacuuming a horse (yes a horse!) with one of those outdoor vacuum hoses, when I was out on a training run! Not sure if that’s a common grooming practice, but it looked very, very weird.” —Allie Burdick
“Salmon running upstream to spawn. Every year, a group dresses up as salmon and run in the opposite direction during the Bay to Breakers race through San Francisco.” —Christine Yu
“In Upstate New York, I was chased by wild turkeys. They ended up following a cyclist, and I ran in the other direction.” —Hollie Heimer
“The day before Thanksgiving, I ran by a turkey who appeared to be hiding. I’ve seen turkeys before. However, this turkey was alone, behind a fence, and surrounded by brush. He was looking very nervous, eyes darting back and forth. I laughed to myself, imagining he knew the date and was hiding until Friday when no one would want to eat him.” —Adam Roberts
“A man running in a full bulletproof vest and combat boots during a half marathon. And no, he was not a policeman, or in the armed services.” —Caroline Trenary
“In the Australian Outback a few years ago, I was camping with a friend in the middle of nowhere. I got up early to run. About 2 miles in, I realized I was being followed by several black parrots in the distance. If I turned, they would turn. If I slowed down, so did they. I started to get a little nervous when their flock started gaining members, and by the time I got to my turnaround point, there was probably about 30 birds following me back to the campsite. As soon as I crossed whatever invisible line that marked their space, they left me alone, and I finished my run in peace. I later found out that black parrots are notoriously territorial and sometimes vicious toward people and animals that wander into their area.” —Sarah Monk
“I love weird, crazy spectators in costume. It perks me up to see crazy outfits, people on stilts, people shouting at you on megaphones. But what takes the cake was the green Army Man soldier in the Princess Half Marathon this year. He was shouting at us like a drill sergeant, and berated me for taking a picture. It was hilarious and totally fun.” —Cynthia Steele
“A dude running in nothing but shoes and a thong.” —Erika Howder 

 

RELATED: The 5 Worst Smells Encountered While Running

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10 Pieces Of Gear To Stash Your Stuff In On The Run

We can’t be the only ones who are psyched to find these pieces of running gear with unexpected storage for a key, ID, phone or fuel.

RELATED: 6 Places You Should Never Carry A Phone While Running

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Your Allergies May Actually Be Acid Reflux Instead

Allergy sufferers take note: your allergies may actually not be allergies. It actually turns out that more than half of Americans have been misdiagnosed as having asthma and allergies when the real issue is acid reflux.

“One in five people have heartburn and indigestion (also referred to as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD),” notes Dr. Jamie Koufman, director of The Voice Institute of New York and author of Dr. Koufman’s Acid Reflux Diet: With 111 All New Recipes Including Vegan & Gluten-Free. “However, what is more common is respiratory reflux, with symptoms that often include post-nasal drip, throat clearing, and trouble breathing.”

RELATED: How Runners Can Combat Spring Allergies

These symptoms are actually what lead many doctors to misdiagnose acid reflux as allergies, which Koufman explains is due to the fact that many doctors don’t know much about respiratory reflux.

“Often, respiratory refluxers (those who often reflux silently throughout the night) wake up with allergy-like symptoms since there are similarities,” she adds. “Therefore, they never realize the real issue is acid reflux.”

When it comes to treating acid reflux, it is a mistake to think that medicine alone will fix it. This is why Koufman instead advocates for sufferers to adopt a healthy diet and lifestyle to treat symptoms. She notes that staying away from acidic beverages, fatty meats, chocolate, and peppers is part of that diet. Additionally, having your last meal no later than four hours before you lay down to go to sleep can help reduce chances of reflux throughout the night.

So how do you know if what you are experiencing is actually reflux? Paying attention to your body during exercise may actually give you a clue.

RELATED: Runners and GI Issues—An Overview

“Many people suffer from exercise-induced reflux, which often occurs when they start to run. If you have trouble getting air in, this is acid reflux, and if you have trouble getting air out, this is when you suffer from reflux and asthma,” explains Koufman. “Often, after 30 minutes of running many people’s acid reflux improves. To help ensure you don’t have reflux symptoms during your workout, make sure you stay away from acidic beverages—stick to water—and don’t eat a large meal before exercising.”

If you feel like you still need medication, Koufman suggests Zantac or Pepcid to relieve symptoms. If you think you may have been misdiagnosed, check with your doctor.

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Austin Runners Set New Women’s Record For Wonderland Trail

Mallory Brooks (left) and Allison Macsas (right) on the Wonderland Trail.

Yesterday, runners from Austin, Texas, Allison Macsas and Mallory Brooks set off on the Wonderland Trail, leaving the Longmire trailhead at 6 a.m. Today, they arrived at the end of the roughly 93-mile trail that circumnavigates Mount Rainier in Washington in just over 29 hours. Completely unsupported along the way—with a team tracking them only via GPS—they have broken the previous Wonderland Trail women’s unsupported speed record of 31 hours, 11 minutes and 56 seconds set by Candice Burt in 2012.

There of course were obstacles along the way on the single-track trail that has over 22,000 feet of elevation gain and loss. This includes a hard river crossing 64 miles into their journey at South Mowitch, where the bridge has been washed out and the water is waist-deep. Macsas and Brooks successfully crossed the river at 12:04 a.m. in the middle of the night, as reported by Macsas’ fiancé Gabe Steger, who co-founded running tour company Rogue Expeditions with Macsas, and has led the charge in updating the Austin running community about the duo’s progress. Brooks is the founder and race director at Spectrum Trail Racing based in Austin.

Mascas (left) and Brooks (right) relaxing at the finish point. 

Earlier this year, Macsas won the Austin Marathon in 2:48:17, over 10 minutes faster than the second place female. In 2016, the Skechers athlete finished 22nd at the United States Olympic Marathon Trials. Brooks is no stranger to Mount Rainier, as the trail runner summited it, along with Mount Baker, Grand Titan, Mount Whitney and Pico de Orizaba. She coaches runners at both Rogue Running and Pure Austin Fitness. The athletes spent time training at elevation in order to prepare for their Wonderland Trail Fastest Known Time (FKT) attempt.

Brooks and Macsas’s goal was to break 30 hours on the trail as reported by the Austin American-Statesman. They finished with a final time of 29:12:25.

RELATED: 3 of America’s Top Trail Running Towns

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Under Armour CEO Steps Down From Presidential Business Council

Apparel and shoe giant Under Armour is one of three companies that have pulled out of a presidential business council after President Donald Trump failed to issue a stronger response to the violent protests in Charlottesville, Va., over the weekend that left one dead and dozens more injured.

CEO Kevin Plank issued a statement Monday saying: “I love our country and our company and will continue to focus my efforts on inspiring every person that they can do anything through the power of sport which promotes unity, diversity and inclusion.”

His announcement followed a similar move from Kenneth C. Frazier, chief executive of the pharmaceutical company Merck. Brian Krzanich, CEO of Intel, also withdrew from the council late Monday night.

Plank has received criticism in the past for ties to the Trump administration following a television appearance in February where he categorized Trump as “a real asset for this country.” His comment came at the time when many were protesting Trump’s controversial travel ban. Several high-profile Under Armour athletes—most notably NBA star Stephen Curry— criticized Plank’s comments.

More than a week later Plank walked-back his remarks in a full-page ad taken out in the Baltimore Sun, explaining that his comments “did not accurately reflect my intent,” while publicly denouncing the travel ban.

Plank’s move Monday comes two weeks after the company announced $1.1 billion in revenue in the second quarter, adding that they planned to cut 2 percent of its workforce—280 jobs globally.

Here is the full statement from Plank:

“I joined the American Manufacturing Council because I believed it was important for Under Armour to have an active seat at the table and represent our industry. We remain resolute in our potential and ability to improve American manufacturing. However, Under Armour engages in innovation and sports, not politics.

I am appreciative of the opportunity to have served, but have decided to step down from the council. I love our country and our company and will continue to focus my efforts on inspiring every person that they can do anything through the power of sport which promotes unity, diversity and inclusion.”

Trump responded Tuesday morning, slamming the three CEOs via Twitter and writing: “For every CEO that drops out of the Manufacturing Council, I have many to take their place. Grandstanders should note have gone on. JOBS!”

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3 Ways That Running Has Majorly Benefited My Life With A Chronic Illness

Go ahead, call me crazy. You wouldn’t be the first (or the last). But if to be “crazy” is to want a better life, to believe in a better life, and to work for a better life, then I proudly claim “crazy.” Let me back up a bit. I have a chronic illness. I have lived with Crohn’s Disease, an Inflammatory Bowel Disease, since 2001, when I was diagnosed at 13. This was long before I ran for pleasure, or even as part of a fitness routine. In fact, when I was first diagnosed (and even for some time after, until I was stable), I had a doctor’s note to excuse me from certain running requirements in P.E. because of the stress it would place on my body.

So why do I continue to run? And why do I think that you might benefit from pursuing your own running and fitness program? Here are three ways that running has majorly benefited my life with a chronic illness.

Note: Please consult with your personal doctor and specialists before commencing any exercise or fitness programs. This is why running has worked for myself, but my body is my own. Therefore, you must take care to treat your body’s particular circumstances!

Health Benefits

There are a great number of studies that support the health benefits of responsible running. The key is responsible running. That means adding in cross-training, doing yoga, not over-exercising, and fueling properly, among others. Many of us with chronic illnesses have also frequently been put on steroids, which make us increasingly susceptible for osteoporosis. Strength training and weight-bearing exercise is excellent for slowing that process down. Furthermore, cardiovascular fitness, maintaining a healthy weight, and the numerous other results of a proper and responsible program helps your body work more efficiently and in a more balanced manner (hormones and circulatory systems included!). Though many people might fear you will lose weight, training actually helps me with putting on weight through proper nutrition, muscle building, and hunger!

Body Awareness

As a Crohn’s patient, I don’t have the luxury of ignoring my body’s cries for help, from the smallest whimper to the largest wail. As a marathoner, I don’t have the luxury of ignoring my body’s cries for help, either! Marathon training and fitness has taught me to be an incredible listener to my body, from hunger cues to when it is crying wolf. That doesn’t mean that I always interpret those signals perfectly. However I am pretty darn good at it!

Mental Fortitude

Living with a chronic illness is as much a mental game as it is physical, just like the marathon. Few experiences demonstrate just how interconnected the mind and body are like chronic illnesses and marathon training. In both cases, the two must be working in sync for optimal results. When one is off, the other likely follows suit. And yes, if you were wondering, you will reach “walls” in both treatment and races. But the mental toughness that you have developed during your training will help you push through to a winning result. On another note, marathoning in many ways helped me to push past some major fears of my body.

Now, a marathon might not be the answer for everyone. But any physical pursuit that involves that kind of dedication, structure, and just enough boundary-pushing will yield some similar results. So what are you waiting for? Get out there, surprise yourself, and live beyond expectation.

RELATED: Get Tough With These 5 Mental Race Strategies

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About the Author

Susie Lemmer is the blogger behind Suzlyfe , a health, fitness, food, and life blog that focuses on living beyond expectation with a sense of humor and a pause for reflection. A NASM Certified Personal Trainer, 3-time marathoner, yogi, and former competitive horseback rider, she lives with her doctor husband and crazy cat in Chicago.

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Sponsored: A beer, a bet, and a bowtie

Seth and Pete set up an interesting bet before they ran their first Half Marathon together – watch to see how these friends prepare for their first race, who crosses the finish line first, and how they celebrate post-race!

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Combat Injury With This Resistance Band Workout

Resistance bands are among the easiest and cheapest ways to get in a strength workout. Not only is the elastic tubing inexpensive, it’s easy to throw in your car or pack when you travel and can be used just about anywhere.

What’s more, research has shown that resistance band workouts are comparable to traditional weight training in terms of both boosting muscle strength and zapping body fat. In fact, they can allow you to better target certain muscle groups above and beyond what you could do with free weights. This comes in handy for not only improving strength, but also addressing injury rehab and prevention.

RELATED: How To Lateral Squat Walk With A Resistance Band

This workout is tailor-made for runners who are looking to improve muscle- and connective-tissue strength and combat injury.

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