I have a challenge for you courtesy of Dennis Brown, founder of Superfeet, a man I admire and respect for his unrelenting perseverance, honesty and leadership abilities.  The challenge: improve yourself by 1/8th of one percent each week.  If you can do that consistently week after week, in 15 years, the "good" will compound itself until you are twice as good as you are right now! 
 
Baby steps/small changes are the key to forward progress and making change permanent.  Master one thing and make it a habit before you move on to something else.  It is the same philosophy behind our training programs.  You may be able to go out and complete a 5k at the first practice, but chances are good that you will get injured or feel so bad afterwards that you will be discouraged from running again.  Counter that with gradually increasing your speed and distance and suddenly running isn't as hard as you thought it could be.
 
I challenge you to do one thing better today either in your work or home life.  Maybe it is eating something healthy for breakfast, organizing your in-box, streamlining the way you do a task, taking the stairs instead of the elevator or signing up for a fitness class.  The possibilities are endless. 
 
My goal this week (and beyond)?  Read at least one chapter a week from one of the books collecting dust on my nightstand. 

Be Fit,
Steph

Montrail Thermomoldable Sandals:  Many runners rely on supportive shoes and arch support inserts like Superfeet. While these are important tools to provide the foot with support while running, many of these benefits can be undone when most of the non-running day is spent in unsupportive shoes like flip-flops. Last summer, we carried the Molokai and Molokini flip-flops from Montrail, which offer oven-moldable arch support equivalent to that of a good running shoe and insert. After heating these sandals for a few minutes, pressing your feet into them molds the arch to provide customized arch support for your foot. While these sandals were incredibly comfortable, they were a bit clunky and bulkier than a traditional flip-flop.
 
This year's updated Montrail sandal line keeps the great support while improving everything else, from looks to fit. The men's Molokai and women's Molokini are improved in fit and looks, with both noticeably lower-profile and with more modern designs. The fit is now men's- and women's-specific, as opposed to last year's unisex fit which was a little too wide for some womens' feet. In addition to those two flip-flops, the women's Maka slide is light and sleek with a pale green pattern on black.
 
If great support and looks are not enough, the sandals are greener than the Maka's pale green pattern. All Montrail sandals are now made from a minimum of 30% post-consumer recycled rubber. That means that you can spend your time on the beach and around the house comfortable, supported, and helping the environment.

 

Helium Fuel Belt:  We now carry a large selection of products from Fuel Belt including their popular Helium belt and spare bottles.  The Helium features ergonomically placed 3-D ventilated foam pads for ultimate breathability so you stay cool and dry on the run.  The wide-mouthed bottles hold 8oz of your favorite beverage and are shaped to fit into your hand comfortably.  The belt has a Velcro closure that easily adjusts on the run, a removable pocket and loads of reflective trim.  It also comes in cool colors like red, pink and TNT purple 
 
Race Number Belts:  We also have several styles of Fuel Belt's race number belts including ones with loops for energy gels/beans or an asthma inhaler and storage pockets to hold your keys, cash, salt tablets or mp3 player.  A rainbow of colors are available including black, blue, pink and TNT Purple.   

 

Xtenex Shoelaces:  This is one of the coolest products we've seen in awhile.  It is an elastic shoe lace that has a series of knots at consistent length intervals along the entire lace.  Stretch the lace and the knots disappear allowing you to thread the lace through your eyelets.  Release the tension and the knots reappear allowing you to create the perfect amount of tension between each pair of eyelets. 
 
The elastic nature of the laces enhances the fit of your shoes by increasing comfort and performance.  Triathletes use elastic laces to reduce their transition time, but now everyday runners, golfers, diabetics, kids, and anyone looking to make their shoes more comfortable and easier to put on are embracing them.  If you have ever experienced tightness, pressure, numbness or pain on your shoe or have problems with lace migration, you should try these laces.  Never tie your shoes again!

When we got sixty signed copies of John L. Parker's Once a Runner in the store in late December, all sixty were gone within twenty-four hours of arrival.  Given the book's legendary status and seven years without a printing, the only surprise is that it was twenty-four hours and not twelve.  Once a Runner is a book that gets passed around high-school and college teams, read by runner after runner until the pages are falling off the spine.  While Parker's prose is sometimes overly flowery when attempting to be poetic, the characters and humor are real and honest.
 
Telling the story of Quentin Cassidy, a college miler in Florida in the early seventies, Parker manages to capture the feel of the daily grind of training and the despair and elation of racing in a way that no other author has managed.  At the same time, he does not overlook the pranks and buffoonery that occur in any team. Don't worry when your copy is dog-eared and ragged from having been lent out to all of your running friends.  This time, it's back in print for good.

By Jon Durham, CSCS
Owner, Able Body Conditioning LLC
 

So tell me if you know someone who's gone through this cycle: train hard, get injured, call a physical therapist, go through rehab, train hard, get injured, etc. and repeat until surgery becomes non-optional.  Chances are if you're not that person (or on your way there), you most certainly have a friend who has or is going through the above cycle. 
 
So are all endurance runners doomed to become "speed limpers" at some point?  Absolutely not, especially if one takes the time for proper off-discipline training.  By that I mean avoiding simply running to train and making sure you train to run.  This involves well-rounded preparatory work so that you can get the most out of each stride and each minute of training.  Things such as thorough stretching, warm ups, core training, massage when possible and a balanced approach to how training miles are used can help keep you on your feet and off the therapists or surgeons table.  Not only that, but by taking a closer look at how you use or, in many cases, may be wasting valuable training time and effort, some of you will probably make very significant improvements in performance and may set some PRs well past your perceived prime, never mind significantly reducing pain. 
 
I've put together a handout of a few of my favorite preparatory training techniques - stop by the store to pick it up.  You can also get a more thorough explanation of these and many other techniques at the talk I'll be giving on injury prevention for runners at the West Hartford Fleet Feet store on Tuesday, April 14th at 7PM.  Hope to see you there.  If you have any questions before then, feel free to call (860-997-7706) or fill out the contact page on my website (www.FitnessCT.com).
 
Yours in Good Health,
Jon

Glenn at The Center Studio has issued Fleet Feet Friends a challenge.  Purchase a six-session card for $49 (includes 2 Spins, 2 circuit training and 2 strength classes).  If you complete all six classes within 15 days, you can chose to receive your $49 back or double down and get $98 off the purchase of a 50-session pass.  Act fast though, Glenn's only offering this promotion through Midnight Wednesday (April 1) - no fooling!  For more information, call Glenn at 761-1083 or email him at glenn@thecenterstudio.net. 

Our Spikeapalooza Week continues through Saturday, April 4.  All youth track athletes will get a 10% discount (plus earn their usual customer loyalty points) on their trainers and spikes and a cool t-shirt designed by Duncan!  

 
Plus, the team with the highest percentage of athletes buying their trainers or spikes during Spikeapalooza Week will receive a season's supply of Gatorade Endurance.  Hall HS and Simsbury HS are tied for the lead after our Spike Night celebration on Monday, but Ellington, Tolland and Farmington aren't far behind! 

 

If we don't have your spike in stock, we will gladly order the shoe for you and honor your discount when the shoe arrives.  

 

I also want to give a BIG thanks to Saucony and our ever-helping tech rep Todd Swenson for bringing Molly Huddle to Spike Night on Monday and helping to sponsor this fun event.  You Rauc!  :-) 

For more events at the store and around CT, visit our online Calendar.  For details on any event, call the store at 860-233-8077.
  

Wed: April 1; 6-7pm: Injury Assessments by Select Physical Therapy: 

The Blozy's are frequent visitors to the Wed night Injury Assessments.  Eleni helped my dad through a calf injury and reduced my mom's plantar fasciitis pain.  Last time, Stacy counseled me on/thru an IT Band issue and has me back on my Boston Marathon training plan.  If you have pain or a sports injury, come by and meet with the athletic trainers from Select Physical Therapy.  The injury assessment is free and no appointment is necessary.

 

These free clinics will be offered every other Wednesday through the year (next clinic will be Wed, April 15 at 6pm).

 

April 5 - Coach Al's "Run Easier, Run Faster" Workshop
SOLD OUT!!!    

 

 

Colin, our Mizuno Rep, is joining us for our Fun Run next Wednesday, April 8 at 6:30pm.  He is bringing gifts for everyone who runs or walks, and we'll have yummy snacks afterwards (beer and brownies!).  We'll have a few routes to select from ranging from 3-5 miles.  All paces and ages are welcome. 

Tues, April 14; 7-9pm - Foam Rolling, Stretching and Core Training for Injury Prevention 
Join experienced personal trainer and strength coach Jonathan Durham, Owner of Able Body Conditioning, LLC, and learn different training techniques to help lower your risks of getting injured while running.  

 

Jon will address the importance of foam rolling, stretching and core training as they apply to injury prevention and will show you some the most effective techniques he knows for helping you run your healthiest and fastest this upcoming season.

 

For more information about Jon, you can call him at 860-997-7706 or check out his website at www.FitnessCT.com.

April 21 @ 7:00pm - Clean Food Nutrition Talk.

Terry Walters, author of Clean Food and certified holistic health counselor will speak about nutrition for runners and how to maintain health and balance with whole, clean foods.  Topics include health benefits, purchasing tips, storing, cooking ideas and ways to maximize the nutritional value of food.  Bring your cookbook to have it signed!

 

April 22; 6:30pm - Robeks Smoothie Run.

 

Fleet Feet Sports is proud to sponsor the Winding Trails Summer Triathlon Series which hosts a fun sprint triathlon consisting of a ¼ mile swim in Dunning Lake, an 8k trail bike ride and a 5k trail run every Tuesday from June 16 through August 18. 
 
To jump-start the series, we will be hosting a Tri Demo Day on Tuesday, June 9 from 5-7:30pm.  We will have tri-gear available at great prices and try-before-you-buy demo wetsuits from Zoot and trail running shoes from Mizuno, Brooks and Salomon.  You will also have the opportunity to preview the new bike and running courses

 

Joel Matalon will be back on Sunday, June 28 to host another full introductory course on Chi Running & Walking Workshop.  The workshop runs from 1-6pm and will meet at Fleet Feet Sports.  For more details or to RSVP, contact Joel at jmatalon321@gmail.com or 917-860-1450.