EverymanTri.com

Gear Review: Timex Global Trainer with GPS (Part 3)

Its been awhile since we looked at the Timex Global Trainer. PART 1  looked at getting it out of the box and getting up and running.   PART 2  ooked at setup anf taking the TGT into the pool for a few laps. 

This part 3 will look at the rubber meeting the road, literally.

Bike tracking and metrics measuring is a newer venture for Timex. Combining it with swimming and running into one watch is a bold new front for Timex as well.

Lets jump on the saddle and go over what the TGT can do for you on the bike.

As mentioned before, make sure you have updated the watch firmware or some features may not work properly. Nothing can be more frustrating than trying to troubleshoot issues for two hours only to realize the latest update fixed your problem. This can be said for most any tech workout widget on the market.

Review: Scheckter’s Organic Energy Drink is a natural alternative to boost performance

If you’re like a lot of triathletes out there, New Year’s Eve was spent recovering from running around chasing the kids for the holidays and managing some sort of semblance of a training schedule while dashing around visiting family, friends and holiday parties.

How does a busy triathlete ring in the New Year? Not with a bottle of champagne, wine or even a beer, but with a protein shake and energy drink, but of course! What better way to work off the holiday calories and start the new year right than hitting some energy drink and running, biking or swimming into 2013? But wait, energy drink and health don’t really go together, right?

Review: CLIF Bar a good addition to fruits and veggies you might have for your snacks through a day

Most triathletes are keenly aware of two things.  They are fixated on training; being planning, accomplishing or analyzing.  They are also sensitive about nutrition.  The key is to what degree they are aware of what goes into their bodies.  If you are like the everyday age grouper, you try to keep your diet in check with fruits, veggies and wholesome foods that appear to contain nutritious characteristics. 

But, most triathletes are in the throes of a full time job, kids, spouse, loved ones, families and the gauntlet of the daily demands of life as a productive member of society.  It’s hard to stay on the right path, or at least what you perceive to be the right path if you don’t have time to read the labels and look up ingredient names.  Sometimes you don’t have the time to fix a wholesome meal from scratch.  Sometimes you’re at Timmy’s basketball game and the only option for a meal is the snack shop with hotdogs and hamburgers.

Review: Picky Bars are hit it out of the park in taste, consistency & performance

Have you ever been in a predicament of needing quality grubbefore you bust out a hour long zone 2 ride with 10 x 2:00 zone 4 repeats after work with nothing on hand and no time to stop anywhere?  Maybe you don’t need that fuel, maybe you are superhuman or maybe that type of workout is child’s play for you.  At any rate, you SHOULD eat something before a solid workout.  You’re engine can’t run without fuel.
 
If you’re like many closet triathletes, you head to your cube farm in your polo shirt and kakis in the morning and meticulously plan your day to cram in work, family, friends and a workout.  Raise your hand if you have a lunch bag or cooler that you pack your 6 portioned meals in to get the right protein and carb servings.  Or, maybe you just stash whatever food you could get on the way out of the door to drop kids off and get to work.

Review: How does does swim, bike, run and recover work with EAS?

Swim, bike, run and recover.  Sounds like a simple plan for the average age grouper triathlete.  Figure out your training plan, wake up at the crack of dawn if you have a job and family to get your workouts in, and execute.  But, don’t forget about the most essential part of the plan, recovery.
 
We’re talking about what you put into your body immediately after you work out.  Hopefully it’s not beer and pretzels, or worst yet, diet soda!  In one study , evidence indicated that athletes in heavy training will maintain a higher level of health and performance if they consume a carbohydrate-protein liquid supplement immediately following each workout.  That means less fatigue related injuries and issues if you refuel right after a workout.
 

Can money buy speed? Karbon Speed aero wheels reviewed

Can money buy speed?  That’s what you have to weigh when you fork over 4 figures for a newish-used high end aero wheels (and that’s for at least one wheel, and lets not even talk about the prices for brand new wheels).  Nowadays there are start-up companies producing aero wheels for the tri and cycling industry for lower prices.  What’s for real anymore?  Do you want the look, performance or both?
 
After trying stock race wheels, Zipp 404’s, Zipp 808’s, Zipp 1080’s, Renn 575 discs, Planet X 82/101 sets and more, you tend to get a pretty good feel for legit aero wheels and those trying to get a toehold in the market with lower prices.

How EverymanTri race tests the triathlon gear we review

You get it, you use it for a week or so, you write up your thoughts and move on to the next latest and greatest product.  That’s generally how it goes for product testing and reviews here for EMT and other sites.
 
Have you ever wondered, what happened to those products?  What becomes of the rest of that skin care product or that tri top?
 
Here’s your chance to peek behind the curtain and find out.  Most products are offered up with no conditions of return for the testing and playing.  They are tested, the report is written and the product either goes on a shelf, in the trash for one time use products, or into the rotation for training and racing gear.
 
If it’s good gear, there’s no reason to trash it.  Use it to its full extent and run it into the ground and see what happens.  That’s what’s currently going on with the Skin Strong Slather , BRD Sports achilles brace , and Simple Hydration water bottles .
 
See the links for each to see the initial review of the products.  For the most part, each product testing was a positive experience and the gear was quality and served a valid function and purpose in training and racing.

Gear Review: Timex Global Trainer with GPS (Part 2)

Last time we chatted about the Timex Global Trainer (TGT) was way before Kona and Pete Jacobs taking the pro men’s title.  The hot topic was what was in the box and how it appeals  to that kid at Christmas type of triathlete we all are with new gear.
 
It’s time to go to the next level.  How does this piece of GPS hardware handle the day in and day out demands of weekend warriors to competitive age groupers?
 
Setup
Setup is fairly straight forward, although you might have to do some hunting in the internet to find answers to common problem you might face.  The watch comes with a quick start manual.  If you want the complete soup to nuts of the operational features of the TGT, then you will have to hit up Timex.com for the complete user manual.  You have to be able to view adobe PDF’s and take time to sit down at your computer, but overall it’s less manuals and papers taking up space at your house.

Review: Gatorade G Series Pro Carb Energy Chews hit it the spot

If you don’t eat, you won’t finish.  Sure, you can get by on a sprint triathlon without really taken in any nutrition, but try that on an Olympic, 70.3 or 140.6 course and you could be asking for trouble.
 
Taking this to heart, EMT labs ran to the farthest reaches of the earth, to the Incan ruins, Amazon Jungle and Florida to find products that might help the everyday age grouper make it to the finish line.

Coincidentally, the tester for this nutritional product lives where Gatorade got their pro football start, in Kansas City, Missouri.  Now, Gatorade the sports drink is a staple of triathlons and endurance sports around the globe, but they have thrown their hat into the sports chew world with Gatorade G Series Pro Carb Energy Chews.

Review: SNAP Infusion SUPERCANDY

What’s in you?

Is Gatorade, chocolate milk, GU gel, Cliff shots, Powerbar Gel Blasts or SNAP Infusion SUPERCANDY in you?  Never heard of SNAP infusion?  You’re not alone.
 
Here at the EMT labs, we were hard at work in our energy nutrition test cleanroom when SNAP Infusion gave us a call to try them out.
 
Being one to never shy away from reviewing products short of illegal substances, we jumped at the chance.
 
Let’s be honest, SNAP Infusion is not a household name in the triathlon world, or is it?  Do let us know if you have ever heard of it or tried it and what you think.
 
But, here’s what I think of SNAP Infusion SUPERCANDY.

Gear Review: Timex Global Trainer with GPS (Part 1)

EverymanTri has been granted the privilege of testing out one of the big players in the GPS watch market.  Timex has long been associated with Ironman and the sport of triathlon, but only in the past few years have they dipped their big toe in the GPS market to complete with the likes of Garmin and Polar.
 
EMT Gear reviewer, Ryan Falkenrath , has been shipped a nice shiny new Timex Global Trainer (TGT) triathlon watch to fiddle with.  By fiddling, we mean use it for training in all three sports, run his training plan from the watch and support system, drown in the pool, strap to a speeding bike and bake in the sun of 100 degree runs in Kansas.
 
How will is shape up?  How will is compare to the Garmin 310XT?  Keep reading EMT for installments of the TGT as we put it through the paces.
 
In this introduction, we’ll look at what comes with the watch and rescuing it from the box and firing it up.

Review: Core Power recovery shake is worth a swig

While training for the Jackson County Triathlon that went down this past weekend, I utilized the opportunity to try out a new player on the recovery drink market.
 
Well, that’s not entirely accurate.  New is a relative term since Core Power was originally Athletes Honeymilk.  Through some transformation and what I can only imagine as a large marketing push, birth was given to Core Power.
 
It’s a healthy 11.5 fl ounces with a healthy set of lungs.  You can’t help but notice their website that screams at you with hip designs and a list of pro athletes in their nursery such as Craig Alexander and Tom Danielson.
 
But enough with the glitzy wrapper and big marketing budgets.  Is this stuff worth the deductible to bring it home to your house?
 

Review: HDX Hydration mix is a solid contender in the sports drink market

It was early last Sunday.  It was way too early for anyone with a shred of sanity to be up ready to ride 100 miles.  But, when a friend training for Ironman Louisville begs and pleads on the BT forums for people to suffer with him on his last century ride, how can you say no?  Besides, there was a sweet pint glass up for grabs.
 
It was the Cider Mill Century ride last Sunday and Jon was out for 100 miles on the bike, followed by an hour run.  Forecasters for the Kansas City area were calling for the hottest day of the summer so far, around 108 degrees.  No problem.  Set off at 6:45 in the morning and wrapped up around 2:30 in the afternoon.  It was a leisurely jaunt through the Kansas countryside baking in the afternoon sun in a way only comparable to how an ant my feel subjected to being fried under a magnifying glass.  You’ve seen that mean kid in your neighborhood frying insects on the driveway with a magnifying glass, or you were that kid.  Shame on you.  Everyone riding the Cider Mill Century has a new found respect for that ant.

Review: Simply Hydration is a clever & useful new water bottle

When you’re out running long distances, fluids are a must.  You need to stay hydrated to stave off heat exhaustion, cramps and bonks in general.  Even when the temps are below freezing, you need fluids.
 
It’s easier when you’re on group runs with planned aid stations or running around developed areas with at least water fountains here and there.  Fluids are aplenty and mobile hydration isn’t as much a necessity.
 
But, what if you’re on a lone 18 miler that leads you on long open roads with no water fountains or aid stations to speak of?  What if you race using your special hydration mix that’s more than the standard sports drink?  How do you carry what you need?
 
There are several options for water bottle belts.  Some have small bottles that hook on at various points on the belt.  Some will support a large water bottle situated to minimize bottle movement and chafing.  Some runners even use water bladders in specially designed backpacks for long runs.

Review: Skin Strong Sunscreen for endurance athletes

It’s damn hot out there right now.  If you’re stupid, I mean brave enough to peak out of your door or car long enough to get a workout in the heat and humidity of the summer, hopefully you are taking the proper precautions.
 
For those of us not able to consistently get out of bed in the early morning hours before work to avoid the heat and sun, then you have no option unless you’re getting all of your workouts at the gym or in your pain cave in the basement.  It is heat and sun for you.
 
Hopefully you take the proper precautions.

Review: Headbands aren’t just for girls

It’s hot.  Almost [email protected] hot!  As we approach July and the heat of the summer for most us in the States, you can’t avoid the heat.  Even at 4am, some places are already 80 degrees and 80% humidity.  There’s nothing wrong with a sweat fest workout in the heat, as long as you are prepared.

Sure, you need hydration, sunscreen and eye protection, but what about those rivers of sweat pouring down your face?  Most of us have been there.  Running or riding along (usually isn’t as much of a problem in the pool) and you have to use your jersey or shirt to constantly wipe your face and eyes.  Sometimes it stings your eyes, and other times is covers your sunglasses making it hard to see where you are going.