Masters Swimming

 

MASTERS SWIMMING AT ASPHALT GREEN

 
Contrary to what you might think, Masters Swimming is not just for master swimmers. In fact it’s for everyone, swimmers of all levels, as I learned last week at Asphalt Green where I trained with the AGUA Masters swim team for week 3 of 52 Weeks of Fitness.

“Masters Swimming is for anyone 18 and over. At Asphalt Green we’re really trying to welcome everyone, from someone who just learned how to swim to former Olympians”, says Jim Wu Head Coach AGUA Masters. “We try to incorporate workouts that will appeal to all levels.” AGUA Masters swim team is dedicated to helping adult swimmers improve their swimming by developing better technique, fitness, and endurance through structured group instruction and training.

The last time I was on a swim team, I think I was 12 or 13. I still swim regularly but recreationally, not very far or particularly fast. I had seen the AGUA Masters team practicing at Asphalt Green where I am a member, their workout written out on the white board, and thought it looked like a fun way to increase both my distance and speed. Read More

 

Winter Layers: Cold Outside Warm Inside

 

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Don’t let a little cold weather stop you from going out for a run or enjoying your other favorite outdoor activities. Winter can be one of the most beautiful seasons to train outside when you have the right gear. We’ve got the layers you need to stay warm, dry, and looking good out there!

 
LEFT COLUMN: TRACKSMITH BRIGHTON BASE LAYER $88; ARC’TERYX ESSENT WARM HIGH-RISE LEGGING $140; NIKE INFINITYRN 4 GORETEX $185; MIDDLE COLUMN: SMITH MOTIVE RUNNING SUNGLASSES $185; THE NORTH FACE WOMEN’S MASHUP INSULATED JACKET $130; SMARTWOOL SMARTLOFT VEST $185; RIGHT COLUMN: HOUDINI 100% LAMBSWOOL TOP HAT $70; CRAFT HYBRID WEATHER GLOVE 39.99; DARN TOUGH WOMENS ELEMENT 2-PACK (1 ANKLE & 1 CREW) MERINO SOCKS $40

 

52 Weeks of Fitness! Tennis Everyone?

 

 

Welcome to Week 1 of 52 Weeks of Fitness! Unlike my usual January marathon of 31 Days of Fitness, with a different sport, workout, or wellness activity every day, I’m stretching it out through the year with one new thing every week. That’s 52 different health and fitness activities in the year to come. We’re kicking it off with tennis. The first major of the year, the Australian Open, starts next week and I’m tuning up my game…

While everyone has been talking about Pickleball, tennis is alive and well, and you’re never too old to learn. Group adult instruction programs and classes like Drill & Play and Cardio Tennis are offered for all levels at almost any tennis club, at many of which you don’t need to be a member to join a class. It’s a fun and social approach to the game, with a non-stop format that makes it a great workout too. Read More

 

The E-Street Bike

 

 

EROY ARC HERO $4999

88 miles estimated range

 

You may have noticed beefed up ebikes around town, looking more like motorcycles than bicycles. Because they have pedals, these battery powered electric motorbikes are considered e-bikes and not motorcycles, and can be powered with either pedal assist or the hand throttle. These new e-motorbikes offer a whole lot of style with added power and stability, but how do you know what to look for if you’re in the market to purchase one?

For some basic info, there are 3 classes of ebikes:

Class 1: Provides assistance only when you pedal up to 20 mph (the max speed allowed in bike lanes)
Class 2: Equipped with a throttle in addition to pedal assistance up to 20 mph.
Class 3: Provides assistance only when you pedal up to 28 mph

We spoke to LAST MILE NY which sells a selection of e-motorbikes — along with other ebikes, scooters, and electric skateboards — who provided a few other things to consider:

Miles on a single charge… or the estimated range is most important thing, not necessarily top speed. As an FYI, the max speed allowed for an ebike is 28 mph, although the limit is 20mph if you’re riding in the bike lane.

After market support… the reason Last Mile carries the brands they do is that it’s really easy to get parts from them and service the bikes. It’s really important to make sure you have components that are up to date and can be replaced if need be. Read More

 

Like Pickleball? Try Padel

 

PADEL HAUS

It’s hard to miss the pickleball craze that has swept the country in the last few years. Nearly everywhere you look, courts have popped up in parks, schoolyards, driveways, and other open spaces. CityPickle took over Wollman Rink in New York City’s Central Park this summer with 14 courts.

But a few weeks ago I was strolling along the waterfront in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and I saw four packed padel courts in Domino Park at a place called Padel Haus. While pickleball may be the fastest growing sport in America with over 36 million participants (Association of Pickleball Professionals), padel is actually the fastest growing sport in the world with over 25 million players (International Federation of Padel).

Padel is like a hybrid of tennis and squash. The sport originated in 1969 in Acapulco, Mexico. Like pickleball, it is played with a paddle, but one that is thicker, perforated, and with a slightly different shape. Unlike pickleball, the ball is not plastic, but a tennis ball. The court is bigger, roughly half the size of a tennis court, and enclosed with glass walls. What makes the sport really fun is you can play the ball off the back wall, adding a new and challenging element to the game. Like pickleball, padel is quick and easy to learn, making it as fun and addictive of a sport to play. Read More

 

Keeping Pace with Kara Goucher

 

 

American long-distance runner, Olympian Kara Goucher is used to running 135 miles a week, but these days it’s about 20 miles, and that’s in a good week. A few years ago, after multiple falls — one of them into oncoming traffic — and a loss of sensation in her left foot, Kara was diagnosed with Repetitive Movement Dystonia, a neurological movement disorder.

ALTRA, Kara’s shoe sponsor, has just released the ALTRA Paradigm 7 in a special colorway, along with a $50,000 donation to Dystonia research. $5 from every pair sold of Kara’s signature “Hope” color edition will benefit the Bachmann-Strauss Fellowship in Dystonia Research, a part of The Michael J. Fox Foundation whose mission is to grow the global base of researchers studying the movement disorder dystonia and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

“I think when I see someone wearing the colorway I’ll probably freak out a little bit” said Kara. “It will be pretty cool to know someone cared enough to buy that color way and their money is going to go to help other people.”

Unafraid of a challenge, Kara is also the author of the recently published book, The Longest Race: Inside the Secret World of Abuse, Doping, and Deception on Nike’s Elite Running Team. Kara was the star witness who brought down Alberto Salazar, the now-disgraced Nike running coach who was the head of an elite team known as the Nike Oregon Project. What seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime, Kara revealed became for her and other female athletes, a culture of misogynistic abuse, and one that pushed the limits of anti-doping rules. Read More

 

The Fly Tri

 

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Swim, bike, run… whether you’re training for a triathlon, or just one of its three sports, this performance gear takes first place with winning style!

 
CLOCKWISE TOP LEFT: AQUASPHERE DEFY.ULTRA SWIM MASK $99. Prepare to go next level with the newest swim mask from Aquasphere. DEFY.Ultra features a revolutionary frameless construction with a single lens, and DuoCurve lens technology for unprecedented panoramic vision in a flyweight package.

GIRO ECLIPSE SPHERICAL HELMET $249. The aerodynamic Giro Eclipse Spherical is a sophisticated, stylish, and lightweight road helmet. It’s crafted with spherical technology powered by MIPS®, to add comfort and an additional layer of protection.

FIZIK TRANSIRO INFINITO R3 TRIATHLON SHOES $299.99. This triathlon cycling shoe features a combination of a Velcro Powerstrap and a Boa® dial for a quick and secure closure, with a R3 full unidirectional carbon outsole for direct power transfer.
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The Tech Pack

 

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An adaptive powered e-bike, smart bike helmet and sunglasses, robotic weight machine… this high tech equipment takes your favorite sports and fitness pursuits to a whole new level.

CLOCKWISE TOP LEFT: COWBOY 4 E-BIKE $3490. Sleek, sophisticated, and fast… every custom detail of the Cowboy 4 is integrated seamlessly into a bespoke design with next level performance to match. With AdaptivePower technology, the bike adjusts power automatically for a smooth ride and an extra boost when needed. See more E-Bikes.

SENA R2X SMART HELMET WITH ALEXA BUILT IN $229. The Sena R2X features integrated speakers and a microphone, with a helmet-to-helmet Mesh Intercom™ system which allows users to communicate with cycling partners — and speak directly to Amazon Alexa. Audio is delivered above the rider’s ears, which allows for awareness of surrounding sounds for safety while you listen to music, check the weather, control smart home devices, and more.

ENGO 1 CYCLING SUNGLASSES $397. Keep your eyes on the road as the ENGO 1 sunglasses integrate real time performance data inside the photochromic lens and into your field of view. Pace, cadence, zone, power, and other metrics — it’s hands-free access to your sports performance data that’s instantly actionable. Deep lens design maximizes visibility and protection, and keeps data just off center so as not to interfere with vision. Glasses are Bluetooth Smart, weigh just 40g, and battery lasts up to 12 hours. Read More

 
 

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