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Gear Review - Fuel Belt Helium by the T-Shirt Guy

To all my new readers, and old, let me make this as clear as I can. I LOVE NEW STUFF. I not only love getting it, I love testing it, I love bearing it up and my favorite thing is to see how it compares to the other similar products.

So when I recieved my brand spankin' new Fuel Belt Helium belt last week, I was very excited. Ever since I began competing in endurance sports about 5 years ago, I have used a Fuel Belt and have always been impressed with the fit and durability of the products.

When I first heard about the Helium in December from Patrick McCrann of Performance Training Systems and Fuel Belt Training, I was excited and couldn't wait to get one of these new belts. Unfortunately I would have to wait several months until their release in May.

My first Fuel Belt dates back to the winter of 2002 with a product that was little more than a nylon strap with velcro up front. The bottles held 6 oz. of fluid and had flat backs. Although archaic by 2007's standards, it was a cutting edge product that made running long distance by oneself possible without a support crew or stopping to buy drinks at a store.

In January of this year, I was in desperate need of a new belt. My original belt was on the fritz due to countless miles on the road after 4 years. I really wanted to wait to get a Helium, but I knew the release was still a long way off. I travelled to my local running store and picked up the Endurance 4-bottle belt. Immediately I noticed the ergonomic design and the extra padding. Another great feature was the velcro pocket in the back that was the perfect fit for my iPod Mini, an energy gel and my keys. I immediately wondered how the new Helium belt's would be a step up...

Front View: Rear View:
Enter the Helium Collection. The belt is very similar to the Endurance design, but with some noticeable differences. First, the padding on the back and on the front part of the hips is greatly enhanced with small holes to allow better air flow. The bottles (like the Endurance) hold 8 oz. of fluid and are contoured to sit better around the waist. The pocket is removable and has a very smooth zipper and it holds 4-5 energy gels. Fuel Belt really paid attention to details.

Front View:Rear View:Inside View:
I tested it out on Saturday on a 5.5 mile run around the town I grew up in. I felt this was the ideal place because of the short steep uphills and bad road conditions. I found that it sat on the hips and around the waist without moving at all, even during the sprints up the hills at the end of the run. It also felt significantly more comfortable than even the Endurance belt, due to the increased padding. They removed the elastic bands that held the bottles in on previous belts which made it easier to return the bottles to the belt after having a drink.

The one thing I didn't love compared to the Endurance belt was the zipper pocket. I found the velcro one easier to get stuff out of and also the pocket in the rear was a better location than on the side. I do like the option the Helium has to remove the pocket altogether or add a second one to the other side (not included with belt purchase).

With a cost of $39.95 for a 2-bottle belt or $44.95 for a 4-bottle belt, the cost is incredibly reasonable, especially when you factor in the drinks you would purchase at a convenience store on a long, hot day. Comparing to previous Fuel Belts, this is a large step in the right direction.

T-Shirt Guy recommendation: If you don't have a Fuel Belt GET ONE. Of all my running and tri gear, this is right up there with my sneakers or my bike. If you already have an original one, REPLACE IT. You will be shocked by the difference. If you have a newer model (Endurance Belt or one similar), put this on your holiday gift list. You will love the new model even more than you old one.

RATING: 4.5 out of 5 T-Shirts

For more reviews by the T-Shirt Guys click HERE.

Boston marathon Expo Weekend in Review by T-Shirt Guy

After 2 crazy days of Expo life, I have some serious thoughts about it.

(well, not to serious...we don't roll that way on these adventures)

1) The Boston Marathon Fitness and Sports Expo is what could very easily be described as "CHAOS." They cyphon all the runners through the number pick up and dump them off in the far corner. Then, the runners are immediately in the Adidas booth, who is the official apparel sponsor of the Boston Marathon. This causes a massive traffic jam with people trying to get their souvineers and other odds and ends.

2) The Expo was held at Hynes Convention Center right at the finish line. This facility is great for people who are out of town, but a nightmare for locals to get to. There is no parking outside of the overpriced lots and does not have the best set up. The first thing I ran into was a major traffic jam in the area between rooms. This area should have been clear, but they managed to not just put booths in there, they put a couple of booths with food samples. So, not is it only crowded, people are stopping and trying food. BOOO on this

3) Best new product I saw, and I have been talking about it for a long time now, the Fuel Belt Helium Collection. I ran into my friends from the Warrick, RI and got to see the debut of their new line. Looking back to the first Fuel Belt I bought 4 years ago, and even to the new model I bought in January of this year, this new collection is a major step in the evolution of running technology. I also met Vinu, the owner of the company, and amazing triathlete, and had a great conversation with him about the new line and some of the products they added to their collection. They are hoping to have the new Helium collection shipped by the end of April and will retail for $44 (ignore the misprint in Triathlete magazine).

4) The best T-shirt, as it does every year, go to the Bill Rodgers Running Center. As always, they do an amazing job and make this classic looking T that anyone who runs, should purchase and wear with pride (I do want to point out this is an unbiased opinion since it is not a shirt we produce).

5) The best deal was at Oakley. This was the first time they attended the Expo and had a program for trading in old Oakley sunglasses. Gary, the Sports Marketing Manager, let me trade in my old Oakley Half-Jackets for a brand new pair. Even better though was the next day, I brought in my even older Oakley A-Wires and traded them for a pair of their Brand-SPANKING New Oakley Radars. These are S-I-C-K, check them out HERE.

6) Working for Clif Bar is whole lot of fun. I worked on both sides of the booth, Bars and Energy Gels (and Blocks). Not only are people always excited to try the Clif product line, but people really appreciate the quality and taste of the food. The Blocks, although out for a year now, are still new to a lot of people and the Builder Bars taste so good that, people are shocked that they are good for you. I met some great people from all over the world and had some great conversations. I wished everyone luck and imparted any wisdom I could.

I had a great time working at the Expo. I am a little bit over actually walking them...but they truly are a great part of the whole Boston Marathon experience. I will hopefully have some pictures later in the week from the Clif Bar Booth. Thanks to Rich, Susan and Ulandt for allowing me to work with them...It was a great time.

Good luck to all the runners, I will be watching you from the warm confines of my Weymouth office watching on TV. Do what you trained to do and have a great race.

Click HERE for more T-Guy

The Complete Everyman Gear Guide (Part 1) by Everyman Tri

I was recently poking around the internet statistics for this web site and I noticed that a lot of athletes like to read the race reviews I’ve written. In fact, a lot of you seek out both race and product reviews. It seems that you are looking for useful information for making purchasing decisions based on what other athletes, such as me, have written about the products (read triathlon toys) that we use and like.

You are looking for insight and critical reviews of the plethora of products and gear that you’ll need to purchase to be a successful (or dare I suggest) more successful triathlete.

In a blatant attempt to increase readership, and provide you with my staggering wealth of knowledge (read best educated guess) here in the complete Everyman Tri Gear Review Guide in race (read swim, bike, and run) order.

The Swim:

1) Goggles:

You need them. If you are like many Newbie triathletes, and you’ve wondering if you do indeed need swim goggles. I can tell you with a great degree of confidences that yes indeed you do need them. I would go even go so far as to suggest that they are pretty important unless you enjoy getting dirty water in your eyes.

Now some of you may be grateful for that hard-earned bit of advice, but a few of you may be wondering to yourself what kind of goggles does the Everyman Triathlete endorse?  What brand is the best and provides the most bang for my goggle dollar, euro or yen?

What a great question. And I have a great answer which is...the kind that don’t make you look like Aquaman or Aquawomen. You worked so hard to get that triathlete body so don’t spoil it by getting a set of poindexter goggles. Basically as any world class swimmer will tell you, it is not about how well you can see out of the goggles, but how good you look in them.

Triathletes in particular have missed the boat on this all important issue and seem to favor massive goggles that look as if they could be worn on a cross country dirt bike adventure. You’ll notice that any swimmer, who is anybody, always favors the small Swedish style swim goggle. These are the teeny tiny little goggles, with tiny little rubber straps, that have no rubber insulation between your eyes and the plastic goggle lens.

When worn properly, they only leak about half of the time while providing at best a dirty keyhole view of the underwater world. But that’s completely irrelevant as they make any newbie triathlete look like Ian Thorpe, Amanda Beard, or Michael Phelps.

If these names don’t ring a bell for you, you should probably stick with the dirt bike uber goggles and keep reading.

2) The Wetsuit.

Many Newbie triathletes will often ask me if they really need to invest several hundred dollars in a typical triathlon wetsuit. Some will point to the numerous athletes who compete very successfully in their swimsuits.

To answer this question I like to ask another question. Do you enjoy being cold? If the answer to this question is a “yes,” the wetsuit is really unnecessary. If you are the type of person that enjoys a good shiver, or if you really like the sound of chattering teeth, or if you really enjoy the feeling wet goose bumps, or if you relish a heart –stopping plunge in frigid water, you may as well skip to the next item.

On the other hand, if don’t like any of these you may seriously consider purchasing a triathlon wetsuit soon.

Some of you may say “while that may be true Roman, you are forgetting the most important part of wearing a wetsuit, that being the positive buoyancy it provides as well as the hydrodynamic benefits thus making the athlete much faster in the water.” 

“Oh contraire Monsieur,” I say to you in my best Pink Panther accent. Because you are forgetting that any potential hydrodynamic benefits a wetsuit provides are easily lost when you try to remove the damn thing on typical sandy beach with your heart rate pounding just a bit North of 200 BPM.

So now that we can agree that a wetsuit is really handy for anybody who likes being warm, you maybe wondering what type or brand of wetsuit I would recommend. I am of course very eager to try out my new 2XU wetsuit as soon as some of the local snow melts.

However did you know that black is the new black?  That’s right, call me old school but you just can’t go wrong with a black wet suit.

A friend of mine recently raced in a very old school wet suit that included some pretty funky nineties neon colors. I just can’t help but feel that had he purchased a mostly black wetsuit “in the day” he’d not only still be warm today but also stylin’.

3) Swim Cap:

Many race directors seem to still require them so you might as well get used to wearing one. However I still remember my first race when the guy standing in the water next to me at the start solemnly asked "You’re not gonna wear that black swim cap?".

"I was planning on it" I replied a bit confused.

"You don't want to do that," he added with a knowing nod.

"Why" I said a bit wide eyed?

"Because they won't see go down when you drown," he added and swam away.

I looked into the dark murky water where he had been standing and considers this, removed the cap, and threw it to the shore. Only after the race, I realize that I have dark hair.

For swim caps, white is the new black.

Next time I review all the important clothes and gear you’ll need on the bike portion of the triathlon. 

Click HERE for more Everyman Tri.

Garmin 305 Review by Nancy Toby

Testing the Garmin Forerunner 305

My training buddy David kindly let me borrow his Garmin Forerunner 305 ($247 and up) and I tested it out on our local high school track. It's a wrist unit that combines readings for time, position via GPS, and heart rate (with chest strap). I was able to get it up and running quickly with just a few glances through the manual.

I put it on the "running" setting, wore it over to the track, started up the timer and ran a mile (4 laps), walked a quarter mile (1 lap), reversed, ran a mile including three 50-yard pickups, and walked a quarter mile.

Loading the data analysis program onto my computer was seamless and I was able to look at the charts (YAY! CHARTS!) of my workout easily within five minutes:

First impressions:

• Manuals and setup are surprisingly easy and user-friendly.
• The wrist unit feels a bit big and clunky, but I could get used to it.
• There is some 50 feet of play in the position data, even though I ran in the same inner lane every lap.
• Total distance ran a bit high - distances measured around the track ranged from 0.25 miles to 0.28 miles. It probably would work better in straight-line running. It really got mad when I reversed on the track.
• The heart rate meter was a little flaky at times (notice some anomalous readings in the red line, plus it started beeping at me for low heart rate once while walking), although it did find the 3 brief periods of elevated heart rate in the pickups I did in my last 3 running laps (while the pace data was too variable to pick out these increases).
• The pace readings were a little high because the unit was measuring distance about 6% long.

Still, it was fun to play with (I love CHARTS! Even though it seems to auto-calculate the axes to include the anomalous data spikes, and they don't seem to be user-scalable) and I think it would be helpful for heart-rate based training - especially for running on local roads and doing followup post-run data analysis. I also think it would be fun to use during races. There are tons of features that I haven't tried yet - like the virtual running partner to help you pace yourself with, or using it on the bike. I wish it were waterproof enough to use during pool swims or open water swims, too.

I may just buy one for myself as a reward toy for reaching a weight loss goal. But that will have to wait a while until I actually reach said goal, about 25 pounds from now.

Would you like to read more from The Nancinator?  You can find her at Nancy Toby's: Run Big!

Tools of the Trade by Wrenching Winz

Now that we're actually getting into the building of this lovely bicycle, its a good time to talk about tools. Bikes are a simple beast and don't require too many special tools. Every home shop should have a set of 8-19mm metric combination wrenches and the standard equivalent. Also throw in a 6" adjustable (crescent) wrench.

A set of Phillips and flathead screwdrivers are also needed for adjusting trailers, popping out o-rings, cleaning the crud off of pulleys and other things.

Since practically every bike made since 2000 is held together with hex (Allen) keys, a set of wrenches 3-9mm is a requirement. Bonus's points if you have bondus head wrenches.

A set of needle nose, channel locks and standard pliers will help with cable adjustments, bent chainrings, adjusting headsets and keeping stray hands from getting into your beer.

Hammer preferably the ball-peen kind and a mallet also are good anti beer theft devices and help with removing stuck parts, setting crown races and removing headset cups.

Bicycle related tools you'll need include cable and housing cutters - I highly recommend the version by our blue tool maker friends. A spoke wrench - this is the cheapest tool you can buy but alas does the most damage if ye don't know how to use it.

Cone wrenches are thin wrenches used to adjust hubs, a regular wrench won't fit the flats in such a narrow space. Also headset wrenches are larger and thinner for adjusting threaded headsets.

Bottom bracket, cassette remover, chainwhips. Get your mind out of the gutter this is a PG-13 blog! These are used to remove bottom bracket cartridges, bearings, and your cassette stack.

For the truly wrench worthy and gearheads - yours truly - you can throw in a truing stand, dishing tool, headset cup press (mines homemade), bearing cup remover (also homemade), hack saw, pipe cutter, 4th hand tool (the single best tool for adjusting brakes), chain breaker, and a torque wrench.

Lube jobs: You want a tub of white lithium grease (auto parts stores 2 pounds of glorified lard for 2 bucks), chain lube - I recommend ProLink as it lubes and cleans your chain at the same time, light motor oil for inside the cassette hub, a general purpose lube like TriFlow or Finishline for cables, derailuer springs, pivots and other metal on metal moving parts.

Storage can be whatever you want, I use a toolbox so my landlord doesn't get pissed for drilling a tool board into the wall, just make sure their organized and MARKED. Tools, like your favorite beer have a nasty habit of walking off and not returning.

Wrenching Winz has started a home bike build project. If you'd like to catch up with the bike project and his blog, you can find him at Wrenching with Winz!

Tools of the Trade by Wrenching Winz

Now that we're actually getting into the building of this lovely bicycle, its a good time to talk about tools. Bikes are a simple beast and don't require too many special tools. Every home shop should have a set of 8-19mm metric combination wrenches and the standard equivalent. Also throw in a 6" adjustable (crescent) wrench.

A set of Phillips and flathead screwdrivers are also needed for adjusting trailers, popping out o-rings, cleaning the crud off of pulleys and other things.

Since practically every bike made since 2000 is held together with hex (Allen) keys, a set of wrenches 3-9mm is a requirement. Bonus's points if you have bondus head wrenches.

A set of needle nose, channel locks and standard pliers will help with cable adjustments, bent chainrings, adjusting headsets and keeping stray hands from getting into your beer.

Hammer preferably the ball-peen kind and a mallet also are good anti beer theft devices and help with removing stuck parts, setting crown races and removing headset cups.

Bicycle related tools you'll need include cable and housing cutters - I highly recommend the version by our blue tool maker friends. A spoke wrench - this is the cheapest tool you can buy but alas does the most damage if ye don't know how to use it.

Cone wrenches are thin wrenches used to adjust hubs, a regular wrench won't fit the flats in such a narrow space. Also headset wrenches are larger and thinner for adjusting threaded headsets.

Bottom bracket, cassette remover, chainwhips. Get your mind out of the gutter this is a PG-13 blog! These are used to remove bottom bracket cartridges, bearings, and your cassette stack.

For the truly wrench worthy and gearheads - yours truly - you can throw in a truing stand, dishing tool, headset cup press (mines homemade), bearing cup remover (also homemade), hack saw, pipe cutter, 4th hand tool (the single best tool for adjusting brakes), chain breaker, and a torque wrench.

Lube jobs: You want a tub of white lithium grease (auto parts stores 2 pounds of glorified lard for 2 bucks), chain lube - I recommend ProLink as it lubes and cleans your chain at the same time, light motor oil for inside the cassette hub, a general purpose lube like TriFlow or Finishline for cables, derailuer springs, pivots and other metal on metal moving parts.

Storage can be whatever you want, I use a toolbox so my landlord doesn't get pissed for drilling a tool board into the wall, just make sure their organized and MARKED. Tools, like your favorite beer have a nasty habit of walking off and not returning.

Wrenching Winz has started a home bike build project. If you'd like to catch up with the bike project and his blog, you can find him at Wrenching with Winz!

How to FRY and Be Happy by Bolder in Boulder

We can all practice the mechanics of our swim stroke; work to perfect our cadence and speed on the bike; and striding and min/miles on the run – but, if there is only ONE thing we need to ensure we get right in our sport of triathlon -- it’s getting our sun protection plan dialed-in!.

So, I thought we could start some dialogue on what works best, when, by including a review of the three sun protection options I leveraged in my last three races:

Bullfrog:

This is my weapon of choice for Ironman events. It goes on, stays on, is a no-nonsense solution that lets you focus on the race.

Pros:

- SPF45
- suggested to last 8 hours without need to reapply
- waterproof, sweatproof, hypoallergenic
- did not sting eyes

Cons:

- a little on the thick side
- not available everywhere
- doesn't have a bad smell, but not a pleasant smell

Kinesys (Bolder Boulder 10K)

If you are trying to impress your running partner, this is the sunscreen for you. You'll have that baby oil finish, and mango scent that is sure to get you noticed.

NOTE: I followed directions and sprayed into my hands, and applied to my forehead and around eyes. Spray ran into my eyes during last mile of run, and caused my eyes to almost clamp shut. Seriously, if you get this in your eyes, your Ironman day could end there! A word to the wise is generally sufficient.

Pros:

- Official suntan lotion of all Ironman North America events
- Comes in small and large bottles
- Easy spray on
- Feels like baby oil on skin
- Mango scent takes me to the tropics

Cons:

- STINGS LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS IN THE EYES
- only water-resistant, sweat-resistant
- hard to find except in specialty running/athletic stores
- only SPF30


Coppertone Continous Spray

This is my choice for my outdoors high-noon masters classes. The advantage is that it is a continous spray, and you can ask someone to spray it on your back for you. For Longmont, y'all saw my now infamous washed-out silver-gray trisuit, I just sprayed this all over me for the quick sprint event that started at 9am and was all over by 11am and you didn't need the high, thick SPF stuff.

NOTE: There is really no need to see two guys rubbing suntan lotion on each others back in a lockeroom. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Just really no need when a spray will do. If a guy can find a female volunteer, then go for the Kinesys!

Pros:

- Quick, even coverage
- Sprays at any angle, even upside down
- Goes on clear — no rub, no mess
- Waterproof and Ultra-sweatproof, so it won't run into eyes and sting
- Available everywhere

Cons:

- only SPF15
- not really great to spray in enclosed places because of huge vapor cloud breathing issues
- you need to over apply which uses more product cause you can't see, tell where it is going on

Got a favorite or a recommendation? Did I miss something? It's an important element to our sport, so let's sure we get this one -- if nothing more -- right.

Do you want to read more by Bolder? Just visit his blog by clicking HERE.

How to FRY and Be Happy by Bolder in Boulder

We can all practice the mechanics of our swim stroke; work to perfect our cadence and speed on the bike; and striding and min/miles on the run – but, if there is only ONE thing we need to ensure we get right in our sport of triathlon -- it’s getting our sun protection plan dialed-in!.

So, I thought we could start some dialogue on what works best, when, by including a review of the three sun protection options I leveraged in my last three races:

Bullfrog:

This is my weapon of choice for Ironman events. It goes on, stays on, is a no-nonsense solution that lets you focus on the race.

Pros:

- SPF45
- suggested to last 8 hours without need to reapply
- waterproof, sweatproof, hypoallergenic
- did not sting eyes

Cons:

- a little on the thick side
- not available everywhere
- doesn't have a bad smell, but not a pleasant smell

Kinesys (Bolder Boulder 10K)

If you are trying to impress your running partner, this is the sunscreen for you. You'll have that baby oil finish, and mango scent that is sure to get you noticed.

NOTE: I followed directions and sprayed into my hands, and applied to my forehead and around eyes. Spray ran into my eyes during last mile of run, and caused my eyes to almost clamp shut. Seriously, if you get this in your eyes, your Ironman day could end there! A word to the wise is generally sufficient.

Pros:

- Official suntan lotion of all Ironman North America events
- Comes in small and large bottles
- Easy spray on
- Feels like baby oil on skin
- Mango scent takes me to the tropics

Cons:

- STINGS LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS IN THE EYES
- only water-resistant, sweat-resistant
- hard to find except in specialty running/athletic stores
- only SPF30


Coppertone Continous Spray

This is my choice for my outdoors high-noon masters classes. The advantage is that it is a continous spray, and you can ask someone to spray it on your back for you. For Longmont, y'all saw my now infamous washed-out silver-gray trisuit, I just sprayed this all over me for the quick sprint event that started at 9am and was all over by 11am and you didn't need the high, thick SPF stuff.

NOTE: There is really no need to see two guys rubbing suntan lotion on each others back in a lockeroom. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Just really no need when a spray will do. If a guy can find a female volunteer, then go for the Kinesys!

Pros:

- Quick, even coverage
- Sprays at any angle, even upside down
- Goes on clear — no rub, no mess
- Waterproof and Ultra-sweatproof, so it won't run into eyes and sting
- Available everywhere

Cons:

- only SPF15
- not really great to spray in enclosed places because of huge vapor cloud breathing issues
- you need to over apply which uses more product cause you can't see, tell where it is going on

Got a favorite or a recommendation? Did I miss something? It's an important element to our sport, so let's sure we get this one -- if nothing more -- right.

Do you want to read more by Bolder? Just visit his blog by clicking HERE.

How to FRY and Be Happy by Bolder in Boulder

We can all practice the mechanics of our swim stroke; work to perfect our cadence and speed on the bike; and striding and min/miles on the run – but, if there is only ONE thing we need to ensure we get right in our sport of triathlon -- it’s getting our sun protection plan dialed-in!.

So, I thought we could start some dialogue on what works best, when, by including a review of the three sun protection options I leveraged in my last three races:

Bullfrog:

This is my weapon of choice for Ironman events. It goes on, stays on, is a no-nonsense solution that lets you focus on the race.

Pros:

- SPF45
- suggested to last 8 hours without need to reapply
- waterproof, sweatproof, hypoallergenic
- did not sting eyes

Cons:

- a little on the thick side
- not available everywhere
- doesn't have a bad smell, but not a pleasant smell

Kinesys (Bolder Boulder 10K)

If you are trying to impress your running partner, this is the sunscreen for you. You'll have that baby oil finish, and mango scent that is sure to get you noticed.

NOTE: I followed directions and sprayed into my hands, and applied to my forehead and around eyes. Spray ran into my eyes during last mile of run, and caused my eyes to almost clamp shut. Seriously, if you get this in your eyes, your Ironman day could end there! A word to the wise is generally sufficient.

Pros:

- Official suntan lotion of all Ironman North America events
- Comes in small and large bottles
- Easy spray on
- Feels like baby oil on skin
- Mango scent takes me to the tropics

Cons:

- STINGS LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS IN THE EYES
- only water-resistant, sweat-resistant
- hard to find except in specialty running/athletic stores
- only SPF30


Coppertone Continous Spray

This is my choice for my outdoors high-noon masters classes. The advantage is that it is a continous spray, and you can ask someone to spray it on your back for you. For Longmont, y'all saw my now infamous washed-out silver-gray trisuit, I just sprayed this all over me for the quick sprint event that started at 9am and was all over by 11am and you didn't need the high, thick SPF stuff.

NOTE: There is really no need to see two guys rubbing suntan lotion on each others back in a lockeroom. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Just really no need when a spray will do. If a guy can find a female volunteer, then go for the Kinesys!

Pros:

- Quick, even coverage
- Sprays at any angle, even upside down
- Goes on clear — no rub, no mess
- Waterproof and Ultra-sweatproof, so it won't run into eyes and sting
- Available everywhere

Cons:

- only SPF15
- not really great to spray in enclosed places because of huge vapor cloud breathing issues
- you need to over apply which uses more product cause you can't see, tell where it is going on

Got a favorite or a recommendation? Did I miss something? It's an important element to our sport, so let's sure we get this one -- if nothing more -- right.

Do you want to read more by Bolder? Just visit his blog by clicking HERE.

The 30th year by FE-Lady

I am in the process of packing up my office, which doesn't really involve much compared to what some of the classroom teachers have to do today. A little cleaning, going through some notebooks, files, putting cards and games back in cupboards, bookshelves and drawers. Making sure files of the students moving on to other schools are in order. Small stuff.

In years past I have had to move all my belongings either from one classroom to another, or even to a new building site as there was "no room for my self-contained program" where I had been the previous year. So I know what that is like, and it's not fun, but you do what you gotta do. And boy, teachers can collect a LOT of STUFF! There is always some way to use something when it comes to working with children.

And as I pack up my suff and put it away, I realize that some of the materials I use every year have been used for thirty years! Some things just WORK and are tried and true when it comes to doing my job.

I have become quite the minimalist as I have moved through my career-keeping what "works", or interests kids and helps them learn the skills I need to teach them, and have thrown out tons of stuff that has been touted as "new" or "best"-and really wasn't.

It's funny, but I think we do the same thing in our non-working lives also-at least I have.

I mean how many workout "toys" that were marketed as the "answer" have been never-to-be-heard-from again?

Does anyone remember "Heavy Hands"? Weights that one carries while walking or running so that you can "get an upper body workout at the same time you are running?"
Hmmm...I have to admit I had some of these. Maybe they are the cause of my arms being so long now...which doesn't hurt for swimming, but it's hard to buy long sleeved blouses and sweaters that fit!

How about "Inversion Boots"? I had these also! You strapped these babies on your ankles, hoisted yourself up onto a bar, preferably hanging from supports mounted between a doorway, and hung upside-down for a few minutes. I guess it feels good to loosen one's spine like this, and it was great for doing crunches that really hurt...but I don't think they made anyone a faster runner, especially me!

I am sure there are many more products out there that fell by the wayside-some of which I probably had. For awhile.

I still like my swim toys (paddles, fins)-they have changed through the years somewhat, but are tried and true accessories to becoming a better swimmer.

Bikes, helmets, shoes and clothes have all changed to function better for the athlete, and we can be thankful for that.

But some things never change. It's all common sense really. Running and riding hills makes one stronger. Running or riding or swimming long a couple times a week helps endurance. Speedwork can make one faster. Pre and post training/racing hydration and nutrition can make or break your workout or race. Rest is necessary after a hard effort or you risk injury or illness.

Some things are tried and true and stick around because they work.

After 30+ years, I know this.

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