Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Although I’d heard about waterproof music players, it wasn’t till last week at my local pool that I actually saw one, a discreet little player affixed to a bather’s swim cap, and two little earbuds on a short wire, like the tendrils of a young snow pea. Now far be it for me to imitate my fellow swimmers in aquatic fashions, but this little invention truly piqued my interest and sent me in a frantic search through the interwebs for the gadget.

While there are several waterproof MP3 players on the market, two in particular have risen to the top. First up is the uCan from Ubanana. With its yellow and black colour scheme, this product is reminiscent of the Sony Sports Walkman range back when Sony used to run tings. The uCan headset wraps around your ears and neck, and has two earbuds dangling off the sides of the unit. The music player is integrated into the unit. It’s waterproof to a depth of 3m, but because of its simple design, it’s also aimed at runners and cyclists. With a 2GB memory and a price tag of around $145 (£89), you can’t go wrong with the uCan, can you?

Well Speedo, the Sheffield-based swimwear brand, seem to think so, and insist that their Aquabeat can’t be beat. While the name is a bit naff (the word Aqua conjures up, in my mind at least, images of that godawful Scandinavian europop outfit) the product seems to be well designed for its purpose. The player clips on to your goggles and the sound it delivers is crystal clear. Some users find that after a few lengths, water can seep in past the earbud and interrupt the mellifluous experience but others wouldn’t be seen dead in the pool without their Aquabeat. With a 1GB player starting at around  $85 (£55), it’s quite reasonable too.

To give you an idea of what swimming with music might be like, check the video for Smoke City’s ‘Underwater Love’.

Click here to view the embedded video.

They’re not easy to find… the stables are hidden on a dead-end street filled with car mechanics, and the tall concrete walls that line the paddock have been a prized spot for graffiti writers since the days when Mode 2 and Futura used to bomb there.  In fact, the only thing that might alert an unsuspecting visitor is the overriding smell of horse dung that lingers in the air.

Poke your head through the gates of Westway Stables, though, and you’re transported to another world – the sort of scene you’ve seen before in Dynasty or Little House on the Prairie, but probably not in the middle of the endz. Horse heads poking out of their stalls, and young stable hands mucking out the dung like Hercules in King Augeas’ stables, it’s a strange sight as lorries and cars rumble overhead on the A40, oblivious to what lies underneath.

Throughout its long history, Westway Stables has maintained a close bond with the local community. You still get curious schoolchildren wandering in off the street, wanting to feed the horses. And if these stables have survived for years, it’s because more than just precious West London princesses use the facilities. According to one stable hand, you get grown men and women, dyspeptic teenagers, all sorts passing through. With Wormwood Scrubs just 10 minutes away, horse riders can forget all about their troubles and cast their mind back to an altogether simpler time when people lived closer to nature. And what with rising petrol (gas) prices these days and the cost of car insurance, it surely won’t be too long before we’re all getting back on the saddle. Just ask Beth Gibbons from Portishead and she’ll tell you all about white horses…

Click here to view the embedded video.

The course is a little over 3 miles long and comes with 12 obstacles. How you fit 12 obstacles over the span of a mere 3 miles is beyond me, but the fact that they were able to do that means it’s definitely going to be a heartbreaker course. Is there mud involved? Yes. Climbing various ropes and walls? Yes. One of the standout (read: major jaw dropper) obstacles for me was something called the “Buddha’s Burden” – it involves carrying 50 lbs (20lbs for females) of rice for 50 yards to a Buddha. Ouch! I’m hoping to find some sort of zen-like serenity at the end of that part of the course. But, if anything at least it inspires some more strength training / cross training to get ready to be well rounded (physically but not literally physically).

The race will be held on December 4, 2010 in Irvine, CA. Not sure how long the course is expected to take for the confused and possibly unprepared (read: me), but race promoters are playing up the after party, multiple bands and cool bling – a gladiator bracelet – at the end of the course for finishers. Price is a bit of a downside starting at $55 (and that’s the early bird special) but on the upside for those of you who aren’t race hopping this Fall/Winter for your typical half marathon/marathon courses in SoCal, this adventure race looks worthy to be worth your while. A plus: proceeds go to help The Epilepsy Foundation.

For more info and sign up, go here. 
You can also get regular updates and training tips via Facebook.

The Outdoor Swimming Society believes that British swimmers used to have more fun. In the early 1900s Britain had hundreds of outdoor swimming clubs: The New Town Water Rats, The Tadpoles, The Serpentine, The Sheep’s Green Swimmers, The High Gate Diving Club… but outdoor swimming died out as indoor pools came in after the Second World War. 

To advance their cause, the Outdoor Swimming Society, like the Futurists, the Communists, the Vorticists and Dogme 95 before them, have compiled a manifesto:

- We believe swimmers have too long been held in chlorinated captivity. Everyone with a set of bathers should be set free to immerse themselves in nature.
- We support all those keeping lidos open and lakes and rivers clean.
- We promise to enlarge and celebrate the beauty of every day we can by going for a nice outdoor swim.
- We pledge to take our friends with us so they can join.
- We embrace the rejuvenating effects of cold water and undertake to strip and dip wherever we can.

The OSS organize events, amongst them the monthly Full Moon swims, where the members drift downstream under the spectral glow of a full moon. On their website they also post listings of national and international outdoor swimming events. The membership is swelling all the time as people look increasingly to reconnect with nature, and get their kicks for free, so get training and you can join in the fun too.

In the ‘90s, Annabel Chong was one of the most notorious porn stars working—considering that notoriety pretty much comes with the job, that’s a considerable achievement. In 1995, at the age of 22, she’d set a world record by having sex 251 times over a ten-hour period—also scoring a “dubious achievement award” for her efforts from Esquire magazine.  In 1999, Chong became an even bigger sensation due thanks to an intimate, often disturbing documentary about her life, the aptly entitled Sex: The Annabel Chong Story; Sex… made a splash at the Sundance Film Festival and turned into an art-house hit. Chong went on to appear on Jerry Springer, and Chuck Palahniuk (of Fight Club fame) even based a major character on her for his 2008 novel, Snuff.

Then, as porn stars do, Chong dropped out of the spotlight. Seven years ago she officially retired, leaving a haunting message on her website stating that “Annabel Chong is dead…” and she would now live her “new life in peace and relative obscurity.” However, while Chong may be gone, the real woman who inhabited that persona has been making a quiet resurgence in a different kind of endurance test. Chong has fairly recently reappeared under her “real” name, Grace Quek, as a passionate marathon runner. Quek’s passion for running is clear from her Twitter, where she frequently posts about training barefoot, 5Ks, trail running, Crossfit workouts, offering up witty commentary about fitness and sports in frequent updates (“I am also pretty sure that if Prefontaine ran half marathons, he would have probably gotten his death wish at mile 8”). She also now seems willing to acknowledge her former self, in what appears to be a return both triumphant and bittersweet, as a recent Tweet makes abundantly clear. “As for me, my life is simple,” she writes. “I am just a humble runner… Nothing to see here, go check out this other stuff.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The K-Swiss/Kinfolk collaboration also extends to an edited, limited-edition collection of gear, in line with Kinfolk’s passion for the ultimate in handmade, modern and enduring. Custom made and branded with K-Swiss’ ‘66 shield, the project embodies and combines the best of each company’s culture, imbued with the artisanal Japanese quality of Kinfolk with the SoCal flavor of K-Swiss. The bikes were recently unveiled at at Kinfolk’s bar in Tokyo’s Nakameguro nabe, and are currently being showcased in the window of the flagship K-Swiss store in Tokyo. Ten handcrafted bags and fifty hand-dyed indigo scarves from the collaboration also were commissioned—proof that when it comes to sports and innovative design, California and Japan make for good kinfolk, indeed…

4th Generation iPod Shuffle

Some big news in sports technology hit this week when Steve Jobs announced that the next generation iPod Shuffle will be going retro (re-instating buttons). Buttons?! Yes! Anyone who has ever tried running with the third generation iPod Shuffle knows that the delicate, albeit gorgeous, design behind the Apple product is not very sweat-friendly. Disregard the fact that “touch” technology and sweat (water being highly conducive to electricity – think back to middle school science) don’t necessary mix well, making the iPod touch a no-contest for workouts. As far as the third generation iPod Shuffle is concerned (voice commands) I have heard a lot of runners and work-out enthusiasts complain about the delicacy of the earbuds (being placed near one of the larger centers of sweat during a workout – your head).

That being said, the “new” old school shuffle news came out just in time for me and my two-year-old (recently deceased) shuffle that is in dire need of replacement.  I am hoping that this next shuffle will at least be able to endure the years and countless training runs/races my second generation Shuffle had.

Philips Flexible Sports Style Ear-Hook Headphones

More frequently replaced than my iPod gear has been what has carried me through a lot of races…  the earbuds. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has experienced a fumbling race moment where just as you are trying to do your last kick, charge uphill, etc. you find yourself instead trying to hold your equilibrium after post arm yank of earbuds, which are now dangling dangerously near your legs. If you are in the market for earphones, there are a lot of “sports” labeled headphones out there. I’ve roughly sampled about seven or eight headphones over the past few years and my favorite of all-time have been the Philips Flexible Sports Style Ear-Hook Headphones. A few reasons to love these headphones:

1. PRICE – for roughly $10 a pop, you can purchase headphones that with decent quality that can also take a bit of a beating.
2. SIZING – the flexibility of the plastic around the ear hooks just do not budge. One of my biggest gripes about other sports headphones is usually fit (especially the wrap-around the head type) so I found these hook types pretty form fitting and comfortable
3. SWEAT – I sweat a ridiculous amount when I run, especially around my forehead, which usually trickles down near my ears… despite this fact, the Philips headphones have (surprisingly) outlasted other more expensive name-brand iterations.

If you have never completed  a marathon before, or have it checked off your list but are looking to do another, training  groups and clinics are great way to get off the bat with basics/getting back to basics – whichever the case may be. I’ve found group training to be particularly helpful during the rough patches of marathon training and am currently looking for a local group to kick start training for 2011’s LA Marathon.

Coach Bob Hickey, who will be guest speaking for the IE Running Club, sounds like an all around marathon rock star. Not only has he completed a handful of across the country relays, he’s also a Guiness Book of World Records holder for distance running. I don’t know about you, but if someone like this is coaching a walking marathon completion, all previous shame regarding run-walks, etc  have suddenly diminished in my mind.
For more information on meeting times and places for the Inland Empire Road Runner’s club please visit the Road Runners LA Marathon web site.

Look Mum No Hands is one of a new breed of cycle cafes. Here you can get your bike repaired while you grab a cappuccino or one of their fine beers (the home brew is a brand called Slag – and apparently a few too many will turn you into one). They organize film screenings in the evenings, and did we mention the food – the pies come highly recommended, as do the homemade cakes. It goes without saying, there’s secure bike parking in the courtyard, and you can meet other cyclists, browse through copies of Rouleur magazine and plot how to eradicate the evil motorcar from the streets of L0ndon once and for all. Rah-hah-hah-hah-hah.

Come rain, come shine, on waterlogged or frozen pitches, amateur football players across the county – in Liverpool, in Nottingham and Scunthorpe too – assemble every Sunday morning, bleary-eyed from the night before, but unbowed. Their wives hopefully haven’t dyed their socks pink, and the dog hopefully won’t have eaten their boots. They can take out all their unbridled aggression on the opposition, or the referee, or both; and for 90 minutes they can relive their childhood fantasies, of being John Barnes or Paul Gascoigne, or Vinny Jones if they think they’re hard enough.

It’s this romance of Sunday league football that’s the subject of Reality Football by photographer Alan Powdrill. A real labor of love, it has taken him three years to complete. He’s travelled up and down the country taking photos, starting off in Hackney Marshes, East London, with its 85 pitches that make it the biggest football field in Europe. The images are a reminder that the Beautiful Game isn’t about 7-figure salaries, it’s about grit and determination and that unexplainable buzz you get from kicking a football about, and getting covered in mud.

Switch Running Personalities – If you’re an AM runner, try running at lunch or doing a sunset run. Love to run in the evenings? Then try changing things up with a run first thing in the morning. Even if you are running the same path, the time of day makes a huge difference in mood.  Doing the neighborhood vs. treadmill running switch would also yield similar results.

Go off road – There is nothing like changing up the usual run of the mill neighborhood run with a good trail run. If not trail, finding any state or local park to get you off pavement is not only said to be easier on your joints, the air is likely to be fresher as well. Make sure you are prepped for trail running with these tips from Buzz Burell.

Multi-task – I love listening to music when I run, but I have also heard of people who enjoy listening to books on tape, the news, or informative podcasts from time to time. Changing up what you are hearing (especially if you brain is getting some stimulation in addition to your HR) will bring a fresh additive to your daily routine.

When In Doubt, Plan It Out – running for the sake of running isn’t as fun as having a set goal in mind (race or otherwise). Having a goal in place makes way for a training plan. Training plans are usually scheduled in a way to avoid monotony and keep your body guessing. Mixing up your week with long slow runs, tempo speed runs and easy recovery runs. Get started with finding a cool local race on Active.com.

The Rio Hondo Channel is approximately 20 miles in length and its source waters are found in the San Gabriel Mountains.  It is accessible from Irwindale, Whittier Narrows, Pico Rivera and Downey (among others). I happened upon the Rio Hondo one day while trying to loop around the LA River Bike Path route I usually take. The area where the Rio Hondo outlets into the LA River is pretty much a dry bed of concrete, but the path is very clean and the surrounding areas serene (for those of you who are familiar with the areas).  The Rio Hondo is also a part of the revitalization of bike and trail paths supported by the Sierra Club and other organizations contributing to the quaint parks along the river.

I’ve been doing my long runs (15 miles at the moment) for the Ragnar Vegas Ultra Relay along the Rio Hondo as a change of pace from the LA River.  It offers uninterrupted bike paths for a longer stretch than the usual paths I happen to take along the river, and it’s always a good idea to change up the scenary every now and then when you are mentally/physically trying to conquer  15+ miles at once. If you are a local to the area, this is a great route to take for an uninterupted long run (no obligatory rests at stop lights). Watch out for occasional cyclists speeding by you (I usually come across 2-3) and if possible run with a friend during daylight hours.

Elevation gain: 80-100 ft at most, though the hills along the bike path near overpasses are minimal. Difficulty: Easy. The route is mostly flat and either fresh concrete or asphalt line the bike path.

Couch to 5K – Also known as the C25K, this is a very popular ease into your first 5k race 9 week training plan.

10K Novice Training – Hal Higdon is a very well known coach and author of Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide. His site also offers free 10K training schedules (8 weeks long) for “Intermediate” level runners as well as “Advanced” and “Walker”. Pick and choose what works best for you! In addition to the 10K plans there is also a section of various marathon training schedules here.

Runner’s World Smart Coach – A free online and highly costumizable training plan (you have to be a member of the Runner’s World site which only requires an email). I’ve used several instances of Smart Coach programs to train for almost all of my half marathons. Some of the cool features of the customizations include adding a recent race time, how much you run a week (or want to run a week) and what level of intensity you would like to train at. Did I also mention they also have an iPhone app?!

Jeff Galloway’s Marathon Training Schedule – A 32 week plan for runners and walkers to finish their first time marathon. Jeff Galloway is another popular coach, author and inventor of the Galloway method of running (run-walk-run).  I have run a few of my half marathons using the Galloway method and although it is up to personal preference (some runners don’t like the idea of ever walking during a race) despite taking the obligatory walk breaks I’ve seen some good finishing time results (my current half marathon PR was run-walk-run).

No headphones – Street running. I’ll have to admit that I can’t run without music, so for anyone out there like me, just make sure that your volume is set to low so you are able to hear your surroundings. As with most safety rules, it’s important to know what’s going on around you and be aware.

Carry ID – Carrying an photo ID or Road ID bracelet to help people be able to identify you or contact others in case of an emergency.

Phone or Spare Change – I usually hide my cell phone in a fanny pack (don’t judge me, it’s a cool looking fanny pack!) in case of an emergency or I get lost on the road. Google Maps on the iPhone has saved me on more than one occasion. In case you are not privy to handling a cell phone during a sweat fest carrying some extra change to make a call works too.

Don’t Race Cars/Bikes – Having grown up in a over-populated city, I can personally attest to giving cars or bikes or basically anything that is not on foot, the right of way. You never know if the driver or cyclist really sees you (even if they are facing your direction) so rather than risk it, pause, let the pass unless they motion you to do otherwise.

Don’t Run Alone – Whenever possible, it’s always a good idea (street or trail) to run with a friend. If that is not possible, making sure that loved ones are aware of when you are going and the location/length of your route is a good way to go. I usually leave word with someone on when I am heading on and check in when I’m back. It’s also a great way to get a verbal high five post workout from a friend/loved one.

Check out more Safety Rules from Run The Planet, Dummies.com, & Marathon Rookie.

Doc Abrams was a ubiquitous fixture of the community, sparking much debate, a bunch of press and a documentary over the years. I didn’t realize he was a doctor until I read a piece in the LA Weekly about him and his compulsive ways. It seems that he had left his practice last year sometime so he could spend more time reading, and of course, walking. Dude was obsessed.

Abrams traversed 20 to 30 miles of pavement each day and wore out four pairs of shoes each year. He walked swiftly — often hunched over a newspaper — slowing only to shout hellos to friends or give medical advice to those who asked for it.

Plus the guy did 4,000 push-ups a day. So, upon his passing yesterday we at Kspace gently tip our hat to the man that embodied commitment to fitness (well it seems his diet was somewhat flawed) as well being an icon to the California lifestyle. Rest in peace, Doc.

Foursquare – For hardcore social media junkie / runners Foursquare is a good place to track down other runners by simply “checking in” where you run and looking at other runner suggestions for routes and tips on that particular location. Several trails around Griffith Park have tips on Foursquare like this venue here.

Twitter – Using third party Twitter applications like Tweeple.ml is a good way to target local users as well as other running enthusiasts to be able to chat about local running routes and races till the cows come home. Here’s a good basic guide by Mashable on how to effectively use Twitter lists.

Social Site of Your Choice – You don’t have to sign up to runner or workout specific sites like DailyMile.com or IMathlete.com to add yet another social media outlet to the myriad of Facebook and MySpace accounts you already have. Take whichever site you are already actively on and run (pun intended) a few searches for topical forums and reviews on running related topics. Why reinvent the social media circle slash wheel when you can carve our your own running community on your favorite site?

Oddly enough, when I found myself exhausted, confused and ready to throw my running shoes out the window… I recalled that I had a very similar feeling and experience the first time I trained for a marathon.

Could it be possible I had fallen victim (again) to the heinous overtraining demon? Taking a step back and recognizing that I had swept up a plan that was way more than I could chew got me back on track (after a few days off to regroup).

If you are in the middle of training for your first half marathon, marathon, or what have you, be warned of five of these overtraining signs before you find yourself a trampled, injured, frustrated or benched runner due to OTS (OverTraining Syndrome – yup, there’s even an official term with acronym for it!)

Heavy Legs – This is one of the most common complaints and surefire signs that you may be overtraining. Heavy legs (feeling like you have anvils attached to your legs when running) according to running coaches may indicate that you aren’t giving your legs enough recovery time (hence overtraining).

Exhaustion – When I started spending most of my day wondering how early I can get to bed without it being a social embarrassment, a little red flag went off in my head I might have been over doing it. Constant state of fatigue and changes in sleeping pattern also

Decreased Performance – Once I started my ramp up on training after my last race I did a tempo run (hard pace) for 6 miles and barely squeaked by at a pace a full minute and a half slower than relay race pace the weekend before.

Constant Soreness – If you are not following a reasonable training plan, you might find your muscles in a constant state of soreness due to lack of rest.

Lack of Enthusiasm – Dreading your next training run (at any point during the day)? Then you just might be overdoing it.

Here are some good other reads on the dangers of overtraining:

Runner’s World: Classic Signs You’re Overtraining

Lab Reports: Overtraining

The clinic is held outdoors and consists of a two-hour session where your gait will be video-taped/analyzed/critiqued by professional running coaches. In addition to a running analysis, you will also be given a few hands-on “How To” workshops geared towards form and strength training.

Space is limited and the first class in the series will be in session Sunday morning, July 25 at Malibu Bluffs Park. More detailed information can be found here.

All participants must R.S.V.P. and to reserve a spot.  RSVP to blue@malibuintmarathon.com

Price: $69.00
DHP Client Price: $49.00
*SPECIAL for KSPACE READERS: Mention KSPACE when reserving a spot to get the special discounted price for DHP Clients.