Saturday, July 30, 2011

Jack’s Generic Tri Enters Ninth Consecutive Year

On Sunday, July 31st, 2011 at 8:00AM, join 800 athletes at the Texas Ski Ranch in New Braunfels, Texas for the Ninth Annual Jack’s Generic Triathlon presented by Jack and Adam’s Bicycles.

This popular triathlon, with distances of 500 meter swim, 13.8 mile bike and 3 mile run, has seen numerous professional triathletes take part over the years including Michael Lovato, Kelly Williamson, Desiree Ficker, Amy Marsh, Pat Evoe, James Bonney, Andrea Fisher, and Jamie Cleveland. It has been voted best triathlon by Competitor Magazine readers and listed as best “under the radar” triathlon by Triathlete Magazine. Governor Rick Perry has also participated in the triathlon a couple of times.

“Jack’s Generic Tri is a fun and very beginner friendly venue,” explains Race Director, Dan Carroll, of High Five Events. “It’s a challenging but fast course with a rockin’ post race party. Even the governor got on stage and played guitar with the band.”

This year participants will be treated to technical t-shirts, free post-race massage, custom water bottles and swim caps, ice cream, New Belgium beer, a post race meal and much more. In addition, professional timing and photography, as well as a great volunteer crew, make this triathlon a top notch event year in and year out.

Jack’s Generic Tri is the fourth event of the Texas Tri Series (www.texastriseries.com), a six event series of triathlons designed to start with a short sprint triathlon and finish with a half Iron distance. To complete the series a person must participate in or volunteer for each of the events. Every finisher of the series is invited to the Finisher’s Party at the Hyatt in downtown Austin. The final two events of the series are the Austin Tri (www.TheAustinTri.com) in downtown Austin on Labor Day and the Kerrville Tri Festival (www.KerrvilleTri.com) October 1-2 in Kerrville.

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Thursday, July 21, 2011

Viva Le Tour de France!

Le Grand Boucle has been thrilling this year. Favorites lost to crashes, young revelations and unexpected stage winners all leading us to the unsettled business among the GC favorites. I know the staff at the shop will be huddled around the computer just before opening each morning to catch the live action.

If you can't watch it live or even if you do, please join us Friday and Saturday night at the shop from 8:30pm - 10:30pm for our Tour watching parties. Friday's stage includes the iconic climb of L'Alpe d'Huez. 13.8km at an average grade of 7.9%. Ouch. Saturday's stage could be just as dramatic as the riders complete the only Individual Time Trial of this years race. With the general Classification this close going into the last weekend, might we see a race like 1989 when Greg Lemond beat Laurent Fignon by 8 seconds in the Time Trial to claim the Yellow Jersey?

If you're new to this Tour de France thing we thought we would give you the high points of the race and what to watch through the remaining stages.

Yellow Jersey (maillot jaune)- Awarded to the overall winner of the Tour de France. It is worn by the rider who leads the General Classification each day. Currently it is Thomas Voeckler, a Frenchman who carries the dreams of an entire country. The last time a Frenchmen won the race was in 1985 when Bernard Hinault won his 5th Yellow Jersey. The French have suffered seeing their race dominated by Spanish and American riders for over two decades. The drought looks to continue as the pundits don't expect Voeckler to hold onto the jersey when we hit the high mountains today and Friday. Viva la Voeckler!

Green Jersey (maillot vert) - Awarded to the overall winner of the Points category. It is worn by the rider who leads this classification each day. Points are awarded for stage wins and intermediate sprints during the race. The intermediate sprints are races within the race. Think of it as sprinting for the City Limits sign on your friendly group ride. Flatter stages are given more points to encourage racing in what might otherwise be less interesting conditions.
Many a Green Jersey leader has gone on to lose because he couldn't climb the mountains. Currently Mark Cavendish leads this classification. We'll see if he can get over the mountains under his own power or grab onto a car as his rivals have implied he does from time to time. Did you know the color green was chosen because the sponsor of this jersey when it was introduced in 1953 was a lawn mower producer? True.

Polka Dot Jersey (maillot pois) - Awarded to the overall winner of the King of the Mountains classification. It is also worn by the rider who leads this category each day. Points are awarded for crossing designated climbs during the race and extra points are awarded to a racer who wins a stage that finishes at the top of a climb. If we all raced down 360 we could award points to the first several riders to climb to the light at Westlake Drive and extra points to the top finishers at 360 and Bee Caves. Note: If you were thinking about making a run at the tour next year, the mountain stages in the Tour are slightly longer and harder than riding 360.

White Jersey (maillot blanc) - Best Young Rider. In this case under the age of 25. This jersey is awarded to the overall best placed young rider. Andy Shleck is a former winner of the White Jersey in the Tour de France. It remains to be seen if he can trade white for yellow this year.

Hope to see you Friday and Saturday night. Oh, did I mention FREE pizza and beer with exciting cycling on a warm summer night. Perfection!




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Monday, July 18, 2011

Steiner Ride This Sunday

Every Sunday, Jack & Adam's Bicycles hosts a free group ride that is open to all levels of riders. The ride starts at 8:30AM sharp and finishes at the shop with free breakfast tacos. Once a month, however, the ride begins and ends at the Steiner Steakhouse. This month it is on July 24th.


More J&A Steiner Ride Details:
There are three groups during these rides: Advanced, Intermediate, and the No Drop entry level ride. We will roll out of the Steiner Steakhouse parking lot at 8:30 a.m. for two distances of 15 miles and 33 miles. You are welcome to add on if you like. At the end of each ride there are 2 choices of long climbs to go down and back on. Jack Murray of Jack & Adams and Sid Steiner of Steiner Steakhouse will be on hand as 2 of the many shop ride leaders. Post ride, half price brunch will be available courtesy of Steiner Steakhouse. All items on the brunch menu sit between $7 an $15 bucks. So for half off you can eat for $3.50 to $7.50 per person. There will also be live music on the patio that overlooks Lake Travis. If you want, bring your running shoes and do a run after the ride.

We hope to see you this Sunday!

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Friday, July 15, 2011

Team Ride Red Goes the Distance

On Friday, July 8, St. David’s HealthCare, including Heart Hospital of Austin, and the American Heart Association recognized Team Ride Red, an Austin-based team of four women who recently cycled more than 3,000 miles across America to raise awareness of heart disease, the number one killer of women. Their journey was part of the Race Across America (RAAM), one of the most respected and longest-running endurance sports events in the world that serves as a platform to raise awareness of charitable causes. Jack & Adam's Bicycles was a proud sponsor of this great team!

Left to right: Michelle Hays (chief financial officer of Heart Hospital of Austin); Team Ride Red members Carol Pope, Sue Schrader, Susan Farago and Vicki Ford; and Austin City Council member Kathie Tovo, who presented a city proclamation declaring Friday, July 8 as Team Ride Red Day.

Congrats to Team Ride Red!


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Thursday, July 14, 2011

Shop ride Sundays: Going down airport way

Just a reminder that we'll be going south East on Sunday. It's a slightly longer ride for the Advanced group, please bring enough fluids although we will make a stop. Here is the route for the Advanced Ride, Intermediate will be a subset of this.

We'll try to get the Intermediate-fast group with the Advanced group out of town together, to keep people together for safety and to pace the rides more evenly. Feel free to try to keep up, if you can, stop and wait, the Intermediate group will be along to pick-you-up. No drop is scheduled to do Shoal creek.

As always we have a few simple rules. Absolutely no MP3, cellphone headsets in, we all need you to hear and react, the guys in the tour peleton might be able to manage one earphone, but look at the mess they've made this week, and they are pro's; no on aero-bars in the middle of the pack, use your base bars, or get out front and take a long pull; call out road defects, traffic problems etc. and finally, try not to overlap wheels.

There are just a few short hills on the way out of town, and again on the way back, otherwise this should be a fast ride. Vive le tour!
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Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Want a Free Massage?

Participate in a focus group!

You are invited to try a new product, Recovery Pump™, a sports massage system designed for the professional and amateur athlete.

As part of the focus group, you will set up the massage system by following simple instructions for use, and then participate in a treatment session of 30 minutes. After treatment, you will complete a short questionnaire. You will evaluate how easy the system was to use (easy to difficult) and how clear the instructions were. The whole session should take around 35- 40 minutes to complete.

Participants will not be compensated or paid for their participation; however, we will serve refreshments and hope that you will enjoy the opportunity to try Recovery Pump™ and give your opinion on this exciting new system as well as get a relaxing massage.

Who can participate: Healthy individuals above the age of 18. You should not have any illnesses or conditions which would prohibit massage treatment with Recovery Pump™, including: blood clots, heart disease, circulatory disease, skin rashes, redness, swelling, numbness or pain.




WHEN: Friday, July 22
TIME: 7:30PM (before the Tour Party)
WHERE: Jack & Adam's Bicycles


Contact:

Hillary Hanson
RecoveryPump
Hhanson@RecoveryPump.com
512 560 4485


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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Ficker, Cleveland Top Podium at Couples Tri


Ficker, Cleveland Top Podium at Couples Triathlon

Austin, Texas (July 2011) - The 14th edition of Couples Triathlon, held July 10th in Austin, Texas and presented by Jack and Adam’s Bicycles saw former Pro Triathlete Jamie Cleveland and Pro Triathlete Desiree Ficker take the overall wins. Rounding out the top three men were Matthew Russell and Pro James Bonney, with Hollie Kenny and Keri Remil taking the 2nd and 3rd spots for the women. The gold for the overall team went to Jamie Cleveland & Darrel Williams. Hundreds of other participants, spectators, and volunteers filled the venue at Walter E. Long Park for a fun-filled day of swimming, biking and running.

Couples Triathlon is a unique event format where teams of two, whether they be friends, spouses, or family members combine their ages and sign up in the appropriate category. Each person on the team does the entire triathlon, and then their times are combined for the overall results.

With temperatures starting in the upper 70's and partly cloudy skies, the team triathlon went smoothly from beginning to end. Before the gun went off, a male-female signing duo led the crowd with the singing of the National Anthem. From there the 700 finishers, ranging in age from 12 to 73, began the 800 meter open-water swim, then progressed to a beautiful 11 mile bike ride through the Texas Hill Country, and ended with a 5k run. Event producer, Dan Carroll of High Five Events, has received numerous thank you emails and compliments from participants, with one being from Sally Colombo, “Great race today! Very well organized, well supported and great after party! Also, love the new "girl" tech shirts! As always....great job and thank you for all that you do for the tri community!!!"

The event concluded with the fantastic finish line festival, including items from sponsors Jack and Adam's Bicycles, Skeese Greets, TYR, Pure Sport, Honest Tea, Boundless Nutrition, and Clif Bar helped to create the fun atmosphere. Finishers also received free post-race massage from Advanced Rehab, reusable water bottles, tacos from Zocalo, Fat Tire Beer, fresh fruit from Texas Iron Training and ice cream. Chip timing by Run Far Racing Services and professional sports photography by Kreutz Photography, along with all the volunteers, also helped make this year's event a success. The 15th Annual Couples Triathlon is being planned for July 2012.


Check out the video from it HERE.

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Monday, July 11, 2011

PRO-File: Kelly Williamson


After moving to Austin with her husband, Derick, in 2006, lifelong swimmer and Team J&A Triathlete Kelly Williamson began focusing on longer races. "I was a bit sick to my stomach moving to Texas from Colorado, but we became pleasantly surprised with this amazing town."

Kelly tackled her first marathon in 2008, second in 2009, and competed in Ironman Coeur d'Alene in 2010. Her 3rd place time of 9 hours, 39 minutes scored her a spot at the 2010 Ford Ironman World Championship in the quaint town of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, where an impressing performance of 9:36 gave her the 15th spot among the pro women. Also during that year, she took the titles at two 70.3 distance races, Branson and Steelhead. Most recently, the always-smiling Williamson battled heat, hills and wind at the Buffalo Springs Lake 70.3 to take the 1st place slot barely a month after yet another impressive showing at Ironman Texas on May 21st. Apparently for Kelly, heat is her happiness and wind is her friend.

Kelly says she will continue to race for as long as she enjoys it. Her smile and endearing presence are seen at the shop frequently, as she and Derick visit and prepare for their next event. "The training is part of who I am, what I do and what I enjoy," she says. "The competition between myself and others is what drives me." There's no denying the fact that Kelly enjoys training. She smiles from ear to ear whenever she crosses a finish line, and her undying energy is always felt by those around her. Williamson continues to inspire others with her dedication to the sport of triathlon and her positive attitude in life, and offers this: "Appreciate the ability to get up each day and [train]. Let disappointments raise you up and make you stronger. We can thank our competitors who propel us to be better, but ultimately the challenge to be better is always within oneself. See you on the race course!

by: Mike Thompson of Jack & Adam's Bicycles


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Friday, July 8, 2011

World Famous J&A Tour Parties


Mark those calendars for the World Famous Jack & Adam's Bicycles Tour de France watching parties! How can we claim they're world famous, you ask? Well, they've been highlighted on Geraldo, NPR and countless news stations through the years.

The watching starts outside on the big screen at 8:30PM on the following nights:

* Thursday, July 14 - 1st Mountain Stage plus summit finish

* Saturday, July 16 - Summit finish

* Friday, July 22 - Alpe d'Huez

* Saturday, July 23 - individual time trial


Bring a chair or a blanket to sit on. Or you can stand if you want.

There will be free beer and other surprises. So come on out and join the fun!

UPDATE: Come on July 22nd and test out RecoverPump for FREE! Learn more HERE.


(On a side note, the picture on the poster was taken by J&A's Stacy Keese at the 2005 Tour de France.
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Tuesday, July 5, 2011

SALT: What's the Harm?

by Meredith Terranova, Eating and Living Healthy

At least once a week I get asked the question, "Since I need salt during exercise what's wrong with having it in my daily nutrition?" Sodium, and moreover electrolyte balance, in your body particularly during exercise is essential. But, as you read below, just as important is managing and limiting your consumption in your daily nutrition. Our bodies are amazing in their ability to strive for equilibrium so do your best to help create the balance.

In the Texas heat it is easy to think that you can eat plenty of salt because you will sweat it out just walking to your car. But the fact of the matter is that everywhere you turn: whether eating in or eating out there is more than enough salt in your diet. Read below to see what the excess can do, and how to make changes.


Maybe you have been trying to eat less sodium - just a pinch of table salt on your baked potato and a dash on your scrambled eggs. But a pinch here and a dash there can quickly add up to unhealthy levels of sodium. Consider that just one teaspoon of table salt has 2,325 milligrams (mg) of sodium. And it's not just table salt you have to worry about. Many processed and prepared foods already contain lots of sodium.

In fact, if you're like many people, you're getting far more sodium than is recommended (1500-2300mg). The average American is getting in 3000mg per day.
Your body needs some sodium to function properly because it:
  • Helps maintain the right balance of fluids in your body
  • Helps transmit nerve impulses
  • Influences the contraction and relaxation of muscle
Your kidneys naturally balance the amount of sodium stored in your body for optimal health. When your sodium levels are low, your kidneys essentially hold on to the sodium. When sodium levels are high, your kidneys excrete the excess in urine.

But if for some reason your kidneys can't eliminate enough sodium, the sodium starts to accumulate in your blood. Because sodium attracts and holds water, your blood volume increases. Increased blood volume makes your heart work harder to move more blood through your blood vessels, which increases pressure in your arteries. Such diseases as congestive heart failure, cirrhosis and chronic kidney disease can make it hard for your kidneys to keep sodium levels balanced.

Some people's bodies are more sensitive to the effects of sodium than are others. If you're sodium sensitive, you retain sodium more easily, leading to fluid retention and increased blood pressure. The extra sodium can even lead to high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and congestive heart failure.

To help keep your sodium consumption in check, you need to know where the sodium comes from. Here are the main sources of sodium in a typical diet:
  • Processed and prepared foods. The vast majority of dietary sodium comes from eating foods that are processed and prepared. These foods are typically high in salt, which is a combination of sodium and chloride, and in additives that contain sodium. While these ingredients have many practical uses - such as preservation and enhanced taste - they can greatly increase your sodium intake.
  • Natural sources. Some foods naturally contain sodium. These include celery and other vegetables, and dairy products such as milk, meat and shellfish. While they don't have an abundance of sodium, eating these foods does add to your overall sodium intake. For example, 1 cup (237 milliliters) of low-fat milk has about 107 mg of sodium.
  • In the kitchen and at the table. Many recipes call for salt, and many people also salt their food at the table. And many other condiments also contain sodium. One tablespoon (15 milliliters) of soy sauce, for example, has about 1,000 mg of sodium.

Taste alone may not tell you which foods are high in sodium. For example, you may not think a bagel tastes salty, but a typical 4-inch oat-bran bagel has about 532 mg of sodium.

The best way to reduce your sodium is to read food labels. The Nutrition Facts label found on most packaged and processed foods lists the amount of sodium in each serving. It also lists whether the ingredients include salt or sodium-containing compounds, such as:
  • Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
  • Baking soda
  • Baking powder
  • Disodium phosphate
  • Sodium alginate
  • Sodium nitrate or nitrite
Know your labels
Many food packages include sodium-related terms. Here's what they mean:
  • Sodium-free or salt-free. Each serving in this product contains less than 5 mg of sodium.
  • Very low sodium. Each serving contains 35 mg of sodium or less.
  • Low sodium. Each serving contains 140 mg of sodium or less.
  • Reduced or less sodium. The product contains at least 25 percent less sodium than the regular version.
  • Lite or light in sodium. The sodium content has been reduced by at least 50 percent from the regular version.
  • Unsalted or no salt added. No salt is added during processing of a food that normally contains salt. However, some foods with these labels may still be high in sodium.
But watch out - foods labeled "reduced sodium" or "light in sodium" may still contain a lot of salt. If the regular product starts out high in sodium, reducing it by 25 or 50 percent may make little difference. For example, regular canned chicken noodle soup contains about 1,100 mg of sodium per cup, while the reduced-sodium version may still have 820 mg per cup.

The bottom line is to avoid products with more than 200 mg of sodium per serving. And check the Nutrition label closely for the serving size - and consider how many servings you actually eat.

You may or may not be particularly sensitive to the effects of sodium. But most people can benefit from reducing sodium intake.

Here are ways you can cut back on sodium in your diet:

Eat more fresh foods and fewer processed foods. Most fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally low in sodium. Also, fresh meat is lower in sodium than are luncheon meat, bacon, hot dogs, sausage and ham. Buy fresh and frozen poultry or meat that hasn't been injected with a sodium-containing solution. Look on the label or ask your butcher.
  • Remove salt from recipes whenever possible. You can leave out the salt in many recipes, including casseroles, stews and other main dishes that you cook. Baked goods are generally an exception since leaving out the salt could affect the quality and taste. Use cookbooks that focus on lowering risks of high blood pressure and heart disease to help guide you to sparing the salt without spoiling taste or quality.
  • Limit use of sodium-laden condiments. Soy sauce, salad dressings, sauces, dips, ketchup, mustard and relish all contain sodium.Use herbs, spices and other flavorings to enhance foods. Use fresh or dried herbs, spices, zest from citrus fruit, and fruit juices to jazz up your meals. And remember that sea salt has about the same amount
  • Use salt substitutes wisely. Some salt substitutes or light salts contain a mixture of table salt and other compounds. To achieve that familiar salty taste, you may use too much of the substitute - and get too much sodium. Also, many salt substitutes contain potassium chloride. Although potassium can lessen some of the problems from excess sodium, too much potassium can be harmful if you have kidney problems or if you're taking medications for congestive heart failure or high blood pressure that cause potassium retention.
Your taste for salt is acquired, so you can learn to enjoy less. Decrease your use of salt gradually and your taste buds will adjust. After a few weeks of cutting back on salt, you probably won't miss it, and some foods may even taste too salty. Start by using no more than 1/4 teaspoon of added salt daily, and then gradually reduce to no salt add-ons. As you use less salt, your preference for it diminishes, allowing you to enjoy the taste of the food itself, with heart-healthy benefits.
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Friday, July 1, 2011

ACA Cycling Education Classes

If you'd like to feel more comfortable riding your bike out on Austin roads, then check out these classes offered by the Austin Cycling Association.

Cycling Traffic Skills 101 - Classroom.

This fast-paced, three-hour course prepares cyclists for vehicular cycling and is perfect for someone interested in commuting by bicycle, or starting to use a bicycle for recreational purposes. This course will teach you cycling specific traffic laws, and how to ride in traffic or on the trail safely, legally, and confidently. The course also covers bicycle selection and bicycle fit, bicycle safety checks, fixing a flat, on-bike skills, foul weather riding, night riding, and crash avoidance techniques; recommended for everyone age sixteen and up. The classroom session costs $30.

Cycling Traffic Skills 101 - On the Road.

If you would like to ride (or drive) your bicycle in traffic safely, legally, and confidently, this course is for you! Designed for cyclists with an understanding of vehicular cycling principles who have already taken the Traffic Skills 101 Classroom course; this five-hour course includes hands-on bicycle safety checks, a basic bicycle fit, fixing a flat, on-bike drills, and critical crash avoidance techniques. The on-road session costs $30 and the classroom session is a prerequisite and both sessions must be completed in order to receive a nationally-recognized certificate of completion for Traffic Skills 101.


See the Austin Cycling Association website for more details on Cycling Education Classes.




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