Lieto On Armstrong’s Kona Potential: “I Think He Has The Ability To Go Top-Five”
Ironman World Championship runner-up Chris Lieto talked with VeloNews’ Neal Rogers about the twitter time trial, training as a cyclist and exactly how fast he thinks Armstrong can finish at the Ironman World Championships.
Lieto at a recent team camp. Photo: Kurt Hoy
Those who follow Lance Armstrong’s Twitter updates may have noticed his first-ever “Twitter time trial” last week against Ironman triathlete Chris Lieto, held along Kona’s Queen K Highway — the windy stretch of coastal road that serves as the bike leg of the Hawaii Ironman world championships.
The impromptu competition between the two stars of endurance sports started as a tweet from Armstrong to Lieto on the afternoon of February 16, when the seven-time Tour champ wrote, “Just passed @chrislieto going the other way. He was hammerin. Hey Chris, a little TT showdown on the Queen K tomorrow? You, me, and whoever.”
One of the strongest cyclists in triathlon, Lieto promptly replied, “@lancearmstrong see u on the Queen-K! Will have to be after 8am cause I have to swim first. Flying out mid day. Give me a call.”
Later that day Armstrong issued a notice to his near 2.5 million Twitter followers: “Queen K Hwy TT Challenge. Tomorrow 9:30am. Start – Waikeloa Beach Dr to Kukio Nui Dr. 14 miles. Full gas. Take it easy on me @chrislieto.”
The event, which ended up being closer to 11 miles, drew a few dozen spectators and participants.
A video posted online quoted Armstrong saying Lieto had ridden 15 seconds slower than he had; Lieto later posted his time as 18:44; just nine seconds slower than Armstrong. Either way, it was an impressive ride for the triathlete, considering Armstrong has been one of the strongest cyclists against the clock of the past decade. And as Armstrong said, “Who knows, maybe we’ll be having a showdown out here [on the Queen K Highway] in a couple years, with the swim in the front and the run at the end.”
The biggest star of the new Trek/K-Swiss triathlon team, Lieto, who turns 38 this year, is famous for using his bike strength to begin the marathon run with a large advantage. That tactic has never taken him to victory on the sport’s biggest stage, but he’s won three Ironman-distance races, holding the bike-course record at Ironman Canada. He finished ninth in Kona in 2006 and sixth in 2007 (the top American), and last year Lieto posted the fastest bike split — 4:37:33, for an average of 24.22mph — before Australian Craig Alexander finally reeled him in at mile 22 of the run. Lieto finished second, 2:35 behind Alexander, a result that forced those who have questioned Lieto’s bike-heavy strategy to think again.
The Bay Area resident has also done his fair share of bike racing with the amateur team California Giant Berry Farms, playing the role of unknown wildcard at the Mt. Hood Cycling Classic, in 2006 and 2007, and at the Tour of Utah, in 2006 and 2008. At the 2006 Utah race Lieto made it into the day’s breakaway on the final stage, finishing fourth on the climb to Snowbird Resort, just nine seconds behind climbing sensation Phil Zajicek; he finished the race 11th overall, 5:32 behind overall winner Scott Moninger. At Mt. Hood in 2007 Lieto put in a strong performance, finishing fifth on the pivotal 18.5-mile time trial, ahead of two-time national time-trial champion Chris Baldwin. Lieto finished that race seventh overall, 3:08 behind overall winner Nathan O’Neill.
VeloNews managing editor Neal Rogers caught Lieto by phone to ask about how the recent “Twitter time trial” came about, how it felt to be less than 10 seconds slower than a rider who has stood on the Tour de France podium eight times and how Armstrong might fare against today’s Ironman men’s field.
VeloNews: So is there a Trek connection with Armstrong?
Chris Lieto: Yeah, I’ve known Lance a few years, through Trek, we’ve done some wind-tunnel stuff. He invited me out to his house last fall for the Mellow Johnny’s Classic, the mountain-bike race. I did that, and I hung out with him there. I knew he was in Hawaii and I connected with him. I saw him out riding one day, we rode a few times together, and then we passed each other one day — he saw me riding down a hill, and he was riding up — and he twittered right after that. We were planning on doing a good ride together, and then he twittered that. He emailed me, we had an arrival time, he was going first, and I was leaving behind him. We met at 9:30. He opened it up to anyone else that wanted to do the time trial. They just had to leave after us, and it was on the honor system, no cheating, you started your own clock at the start and at the finish. I think he was surprised by how much response he got, and how much banter there was, with the tri community getting in on it. It was pretty funny.
VN: What was the distance?
CL: I’d have to look at my computer. I think it ended up being 11 miles. I don’t remember exactly. The average speed was about 56kph, or about 35mph. We had a tailwind.
VN: And this was part of the Ironman triathlon course?
CL: Yep, it’s part of the Ironman course, probably from mile 85 to 95, or so, somewhere in there.
VN: Armstrong tweeted that you were only 15 seconds behind him.
CL: Yeah, I was actually nine seconds off. He quoted me at 15 seconds in a video that was shot right after we finished. But after I downloaded my computer, my time was a little bit quicker.
VN: That’s pretty fast — Armstrong won a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympics in the time trial, has won several Tour de France time trials, and was third at the Tour last year. Did you expect to be there? Are you pleased with that?
CL: Yeah, obviously I’m pleased to be that close to the best cyclist in the world. It’s great. I didn’t know what it was going to be like, or how I would perform. I didn’t think I would be that close. It was my first hard effort of the year, doing something like that. I haven’t done any max efforts yet, so it was a new experience for the year, to get going again. We’d both had hard weeks of training. The day before I think he rode five hours, I rode five hours, a lot of climbing, intervals, so it was just an unknown. But it was good to just hit it out. It helped with the tailwind, it made it a little bit easier to stay within striking range, or minimize the time gap. I think if it was a headwind maybe it would have been a little different. I think it also shows the bike quality of our new Trek Speed Concept. It equaled it out. We were on the same bike, in similar positions, on similar size frames.
VN: Was there one rider that brought more aerodynamic equipment — wheels, helmet, skinsuit, anything?
CL: No, it’s funny, we talked beforehand, I said okay, no aero helmets, because I didn’t bring mine and he had his. He said okay, and then he showed up and he was in his skinsuit, and I was in my regular jersey and bibs. And I was like “What’s up with the skinsuit?” and then he looked at my wheels and said that I had race wheels on. They’re four-year-old aluminum training wheels, but they have bladed spokes. But I had a 24-count spoke count wheel, and he had a 32-spoke count wheel. He had a skinsuit and I had a jersey and bibs, I had an aluminum rim with less spokes than he had, so it all balanced out.
VN: I’m pretty familiar with Armstrong’s race schedule, and where he should be with his fitness at this time of year. You said that was your first hard effort of the year; what’s your first race of 2010, and where did this sort of effort fit into your training?
CL: My first race of the year is March 15th. His first race was, what, last month? I’m a few months behind the cycling community. My first big race isn’t until June, and then Hawaii in October. I break my year into two halves. There are two half-Ironmans that I will be focusing on, but I haven’t confirmed which ones yet. For me my main focus is October. For Lance it’s the Tour de France in July. I try to get a first half of the season peak in June, and then I take a few weeks off and rebuild and start my focus for October. The big build will be for Kona.
Lieto in his roadie kit.
VN: We’ve seen you race at national-level road races in the past, but not really last year. Will you do that again in 2010? Where are you with your side career as an amateur cyclist?
CL: I’m not really doing anything with the side career. I’m still with the (California Giant Berry Farms) team, I am still part of it. Last year was the first year I didn’t do any stage races, the year before I did Tour of Utah. Last year with my training schedule and my racing schedule, it didn’t fit in. I did a few small local road races. This year will probably be the same. I doubt I’ll show up to any stage races. I think the lead up for me is more specific, what I need to do leading up to a triathlon.
VN: So what’s changed? How has the lead up changed compared to years when you were racing stage races? Does that mean you need to work more on the run, and less on the bike?
CL: It’s the whole balance. Training for triathlon you have to balance all three sports. So going to do a stage race, like say the Tour of Utah, I may prepare differently on my bike leg leading up to it so I can be fit enough on the bike to maintain and to be part of that race. I’m also taking that five- or six-day block and just riding. In the past I would do little runs after the stage was over, just a short run to keep the legs moving. But you take a weeklong block to do a stage race and you’re not getting in the swimming and running. So you have to sacrifice those, and you have to figure out what is the grand effect, and how you manage recovery to make sure you’re still on plan for the ultimate race in your triathlon schedule.
VN: So out in Kona with Lance, training on the Queen K, you must have chatted with him about him returning to triathlon. What kinds of conversations have you had with him about it?
CL: We have chatted a little bit about it. Nothing is definite or set. It’s known that he has an interest in racing triathlon again. He’s made statements that he’ll come and race in the sport of triathlon at some point, in the next year or two, when he’s done with the Tour. I think we may see him at some Ironman events, or half-Ironman events, or something like that.
VN: From what you’ve seen in Armstrong’s comeback, and his rides on the Queen K, what sort of performance do you think he’s capable of in the Hawaii Ironman?
CL: Oh, I mean he’s one of the greatest athletes in the world. Looking at where he is now, after taking the time off, he has the ability to compete in any sport. He has the biking background, I think he has shown he can run and do marathons. He swam in high school, and he did triathlons early on, so he has the ability and the skill sets to do it. I think he’ll be competitive. I think it will be good for the sport.
VN: So what sort of performance is he capable of? I’m looking for a time. Can he go under nine hours?
CL: Oh yeah, he’ll go under nine, for sure. There’s no reason he couldn’t. It’s all about the engine. He’s a very smart guy, so he gets the part about balance, and nutrition … there’s so much more to a triathlon than pure raw power and speed. You’ve got to be patient, and you’ve got to be calculating in your nutrition plan and how you get the fluids in you, and as far as dosing your effort. He’ll know that if he does a 112-mile bike, he’ll need to be reserved to do the marathon. He’s not going to go and kill the bike leg. In the race we did on the Queen K, it was 18km, 10-11 miles, it was short, it’s different, it’s raw power, a different approach. He knows what he’s doing. I think he’ll go sub-nine. I think he’ll be in the mix a little bit. He’ll create some stir. He’ll get some people worried, stressed out about where he is. I think he even has the ability to get top-five.
VN: I would think your position as the strongest cyclist in triathlon, and as someone who can race against pros at national-level stage races, is of great interest to VeloNews.com readers, many of whom are probably stronger cyclists than runners.
CL: It’s all based on the balance of how you go at your race. For me, my strength is my cycling, so I use that to my advantage. I may not run as fast as I could if I just ran a marathon. I could probably go out and run a pretty fast one-off marathon. But trying to put it in after riding 112 miles by yourself, at the front, is much different than riding 112 miles in a group, or not riding at all and just running a fresh marathon. My running is good, it’s just not as good as the guy who won this year. But my cycling is that much better than his. It’s just finding that balance in your dose of effort.
VN: Does that mean, being the strong cyclist you are, and having gotten closer and closer to winning by using the bike as your strength, that you work even harder on the bike, to get out front even more, or do you have to work on the run more? Will you train one more or less than you did last year?
CL: It’s all about balancing the three. I don’t look at it as I need to ride more and get faster on the bike for that extra minute. I have to make sure the bike is as strong, if not stronger, than last year. And I also need to focus on the run, and make sure that it’s better than it was last year. I can’t neglect the cycling aspect and just focus on my running. I focus a lot on my biking and I focus a lot on my running. It seems like my biking is still going well, and it showed well last week with Lance. I think it also shows the cycling community the credibility of the sport of triathlon. It’s not just a bunch of guys out there that can’t make it as cyclists that are out there doing triathlon. There are a lot of guys out there that are really good on a bike. There are a handful of professional triathletes that could compete in the pro ranks on the bike, but they don’t, because we balance all three. And I think it shows with my TT ride against Lance. I won’t go out and beat him, but I’m not that far off.
VN: You might go out and beat him. Nine seconds is not a lot in 11 miles; that’s less than a second a mile. We all know the fallibility of the transitive properties in bike racing results — otherwise known as the virtual race resumé — but who knows, maybe you’re capable of going top-15 in a ProTour time trial.
CL: That would be pretty crazy.
World Record Holder Headlines Half Marathon In New Orleans
Inaugural race features strong fields.
Written By: Sean McKeon
The Inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon and Half Marathon, taking place February 28th in New Orleans, has attracted some of the world’s top distance runners. The men’s half marathon will feature a battle between Kenyan world record holder Sammy Wanjiru and fellow Kenyan Martin Lel, a three-time London Marathon champion. In the women’s race, Ethiopian legend Berhane Adere will square off against New Zealand record holder Kim Smith.
Let’s take a closer look at the runners to watch and what to expect in Sunday’s big half marathon.
2008 Olympic Champion Sammy Wanjiru of Kenya will race the half marathon in New Orleans. Photo: PhotoRun.net
Men’s Half Marathon:
The clear favorite in New Orleans will be Kenyan world record holder Sammy Wanjiru. In 2008 he captured his first Olympic gold medal, battling the Beijing heat to an Olympic marathon record of 2:06:32. He followed up his Olympic victory by setting course records in 2009 at the London (2:05:10, PR) and Chicago (2:05:41) marathons. Wanjiru set the standing half-marathon world record of 58:33 in 2007 in the City-Pier-City Loop in The Hague, The Netherlands. Looking to take down the world record holder is fellow Kenyan Martin Lel. Considered one of the greatest road racers of all time, Lel’s resume includes three London Marathon titles, two New York City Marathon titles, and additional podium finishes at London and Boston. Although his half-marathon PR of 59:56 is well shy of Wanjiru’s record, he undoubtedly presents a serious threat to Wanjiru in New Orleans.
The strongest challenge to a Kenyan 1-2 finish will come from a young runner from Ireland. Irish Olympian Martin Fagan, a product of Providence College, has a personal best of 1:00:57 and is known as a runner willing to take a chance with a fast pace. Considering that the Kenyans are approaching this race as a tune-up for later marathons, Fagan has a legitimate shot at hanging around deep into the race. However, Fagan will have two other serious Kenyan threats to deal with in the Big Easy.
Also in the mix on the men’s side will be former Oregon Duck, and 13:36 5000m runner Shadrack Biwott of Kenya. Biwott will make his half-marathon debut in New Orleans. Also in the hunt will be 2007 Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose Half Marathon champion McDonald Ondara of Kenya. Ondara set his personal best of 1:01:11 in route to his win in San Jose.
Kiwi star Kim Smith will race for the win in New Orleans. Photo: PhotoRun.net
Women’s Half Marathon:
Berhane Adere of Ethiopia has had a long and illustrious career, including world records on the track and marathon wins on the road. Adere won her first of two Chicago Marathon titles in a still personal best 2:20:42. Her half-marathon personal best of 1:08:17 was set in 2001 at the world championships. Although she had top-five finishes at both Chicago and London in 2009, she had a poor showing earlier this year with a 14th-place finish at the Zayed Half Marathon (1:12:50). Adere certainly hopes to show better form in New Orleans.
Adere will have to battle with New Zealand record holder Kim Smith. Smith, another Providence alum, holds the Kiwi records for 3000m (8:35.31), 5000m (14:39.98i), 10,000m (30:35.54) and the half-marathon (1:09:35). With top-10 finishes in the 10,000m at the 2008 Olympics and 2009 World Championships, Smith is used to pushing the pace with the Africans. Her personal best for the half marathon came in the 2009 world half marathon championships, where she placed a strong seventh.
Ehiopian Azalech Maresha will toe the line with confidence, having set a personal best of 2:32:12 at the Mumbai Marathon in January. American marathon champion Ilsa Paulson has a personal best of 2:31:49 for the marathon. Paulson will look to improve upon her time of 1:17:04 from the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Half Marathon this January.
RunNow.com will have coverage all week, including live coverage on race day, from New Orleans.
[sig:SeanMcKeon]
Ask the Penguin: How to Get Started
Dear Penguin
I am a 42 year old female who hasn’t exercised in YEARS but now for some unknown reason I feel the need to be a runner. I am 70 lbs over weight. I want to run, I need to run, however I cannot run for even 5 minutes straight.
I was trying to run for 30 minutes every day. I do a walk/run for that amount of time. Should I run everyday? How long should it take me to get to where I can run for 30 minutes a day?
First off, congratulations on taking control of your life. Start slowly, be patient, and be gentle with yourself. You didn’t get to where you are in a day. It will take time to get to where you want to be. But, it’s worth it.
I always use some kind of run/walk interval. Most days that’s run 4 minutes and walk 2. But, some days I reverse that. Or, I’ll make up some other interval. But, I NEVER run for more than 5 minutes without walking for one.
Most of us do best on 4 days of running/walking per week. After age 40 [and I’m 61 now] it takes about 48 hours to recover from a workout. And keep in mind that the “training effect” happens while you’re resting, not when you’re training!
You should take AT LEAST one day per week completely off. If there are other things that you like to do, like cycling or swimming for example, you can do them.
What would be best would be to strength train and work on flexibility two days per week.
The secret is to take your time.
Waddle on,
John
John “the Penguin” Bingham, Competitor Magazine columnist
Author, The Courage to Start, No Need for Speed, Marathoning for Mortals and Running for Mortals.
Have a question for John? E-mail it to thepenguin@johnbingham.com.
Confessions of a Serial Racer
Michael Wardian in the 2009 Boston Marathon. Photo: Victah Sailer@PhotoRun.
One-of-a-kind Mike Wardian races long, often, and well.
Interview by: Duncan Larkin
Once upon a time, runners were told to take one day off for every mile raced. They were also told that the marathon was an event best raced once a season if not once a year–something to plan and train for with patience and caution.
Those were the old days.
Meet Mike Wardian. Mike runs marathons and ultra marathons nearly every weekend, winning most of them. Wardian, 35, is a two-time Olympic Trials qualifier in the marathon and a three-time U.S. champion in the 100K, 50K, and 50-mile trail events. At the 2008 World 100K Championships, he finished 9th overall and was the top American.
Mike Wardian lives in Arlington, Virginia with his wife, Jennifer, and son, Pierce.
Competitor.com: Why do you choose to run so many marathons and ultra marathons back to back? Why not go with the periodization approach where you get yourself to peak for one specific race?
Mike Wardian: A lot of the races build on themselves. I’m trying to do well in all of them, but they build on themselves and I have the ability to recover pretty quickly, so I’m able to do that where other people don’t have that luxury or don’t feel they have that luxury. I think more people could do it if they wanted to.
Have you always approached racing this way or is this a fairly recent thing in your running career?
I’ve always raced a lot and then I was able to start improving doing it the way that I have been. I’ve kind of hit a pinnacle at the moment, but I’m thinking I can break that barrier of 2:20 [marathon] shortly. I was hoping to do it this past weekend and it didn’t work out. I ran 2:23 in Jacksonville. I’m right around that level. As far as marathons go, I really hope to run sub-2:19 at the National Marathon in a couple weeks. Between then and now, I’ve got a couple races lined up. I’ve got the 50K National Championships and the Lower Potomac Marathon, which I intend to run with my pack on to prepare for the Marathon des Sables.
For me, it works out really well. I like to run and really like to race. It’s what it’s all about. I like to go to the line to see what I can do each and every time. No one cares what you’ve done before; they are there to beat you. You have to be on top of your game each time you go to the line.
So how do you do it? How do you deal with delayed onset muscle soreness and the pounding that the human body takes from running at the speeds you are running at for hours upon hours week after week? Can you share some of your recovery secrets?
I don’t have a lot of secrets. I keep trying to move after the race. I’ve started doing some stuff with compression. I don’t know if it really helps. I’m experimenting. I never feel there is a magic bullet. You’ve always got to keep trying new things and figuring out what works for you. As far as the compression goes, I’m not 100 percent sold on it. I have some compression tights that I put on after the race. I can’t tell, man. They feel so good when they come off. I can’t tell if they have anything to do with recovery. My legs feel pretty good after a race, so maybe I need to push harder.
Moving is the biggest thing, I think. I try to keep moving the next day and just get back into my training, because I usually have something else going on right afterwards. I don’t do the active rest like the Hansons guys [Hansons Brooks Distance Project coaches Keith and Kevin Hanson], or anything like that. I just get back into training and start going at it again, because there are a lot of things I want to accomplish. I don’t have the luxury of taking three weeks off in order to fully recover, I guess. If I have to race tired, I will. That’s part of the game. Usually, when I come to the line, I’m feeling pretty good and ready to go.
Besides ultras and marathons, you are also racing 5Ks and shorter-distance races, correct?
Yeah. I’m actually looking at my accounting from last year for taxes and I ran 44 races last year. It looks like 5K is probably the shortest distance I raced up to the Marathon des Sables in Morocco with 100Ks and 100-milers thrown in there for good measure.
Do you feel that anything you do in terms of hydration or fueling during one race helps you recover for your next one?
That’s a good question. I don’t know. I like to try and keep up with things. I don’t forgo liquids or anything like that. It’s funny. My wife was giving me a hard time, because we had a Kenyan stay with us. And my wife was like, “Joseph, do you eat gels?” And Joseph was like, “I have no time for that!” And that made me wonder. I think I have like three or four [during marathons]. My wife then was like, “How can you have time for gels, but Joseph doesn’t have time for them?” I said, “I don’t know. I guess it’s because he’s running faster than I am.” I think he’s a 2:11 guy.
I won’t turn around and get a water if I miss it, which happened yesterday. I do try to drink early and even within the first two miles and then stay on top of it. I take salt if I need it. And make sure I keep up with my nutrition—especially in ultras, it can get to the point where you are in a debt that you are never going to climb back out of. At least for a while and it’s going to suck while you are in it. I mean, it’s going to suck anyhow, but if you can, delay the point where you’re going to start having to hurt as long as you can. That’s what I like to try and do.
Do you eat different combinations of foods before and after a race to help your recovery?
I’ve done some different things in that regard. In the past, I’ve not eaten dairy leading up to a race. I’ve tried different things. For the most part, I try to eat like I normally do. I’m a vegetarian so I’m not eating meat and having to worry about stuff trying to be digested, I guess. Everything moves pretty quickly through me. I don’t try to do anything special. After a race, I might eat stuff I might not normally eat. I might get an ice cream or something like that just to enjoy the satisfaction of having a good race.
I don’t know if you do this, but I make a deal with myself that if I hold the pace, I can have whatever I want. I’ve definitely made those deals. If you don’t come through on them, you are going to remember that the next time it gets hard. Sometimes I eat stuff that’s not normally in my diet like Pringles after a race for the salt. I think after Western States I had a Slurpee. I can’t tell you the last time I had a Slurpee. It looked good. If it’s a big event and I had a pretty solid result, then I might treat myself to something that’s not in my normal repertoire.
Do you forgo alcohol?
For the most part I do. I’m not a really big drinker in the first place, which is a lot different than when I was younger. I think maybe last year I had 10 or 15 beers. A lot of times after a race, I’ll have a beer just because I’m jacked up on caffeine.
Is that caffeine from the gels you eat?
Yeah. And that’s the other thing I should mention: I don’t drink caffeine or use caffeine except when I’m racing. That works really well for me.
Because you don’t drink caffeine regularly and then have it in a race, do you think that magnifies the effects and improves your performance?
Yeah, I think it does. I think it works really well for me as opposed to someone who drinks it all the time. I don’t think it adversely affects me. It keeps my head more focused so I don’t start daydreaming to what I’m going to do after the race or how nice the wind feels. I’m worried about my pace and how I feel. I’m monitoring where my energy level is, what the best lie of the course is, where I’m trying to go, if I can catch the guy in front of me, and who’s behind me: all the things you have to think about while you are racing.
Has anyone ever approached you asking if they can study how you are able to race so often, so consistently, and yet are still able to remain relatively injury free?
I’ve definitely had people like massage therapists, physical therapists, and active release-type people come to me, because they think if they worked on me then I could be even faster. As far as Tim Noakes or somebody like him hooking me up to a machine, no I haven’t had any requests like that. I’d certainly be interested in being studied. I think that would be pretty cool. But I don’t want to spend $2000 to get a breath test where they hook you up to a machine.
Have you ever had the desire to experiment with a periodization-type plan where you are not racing consistently and instead focused on peaking at the right time?
Yeah. I definitely am considering that. I’ve always had pretty good success with the way I’ve always done things—you know, racing a lot and being able to do really well. If I have to change things, I’m not so illogical that if something is not working, I’m not going to change it. If I’m not going to get the results I want or get where I think I should be, then maybe I have to do something different. I’m not so rigid or ignorant to think that my way is the only way. If I’m not achieving what I want to achieve, it’s within my power to try and change things. Other people have had success doing it that way. It’s something I definitely take seriously. If I don’t get to where I want to be in six months or so, then I definitely think I will make some changes and see how it works out.
Age of Conan’s Alternate Advancement demystified
Filed under: Age of Conan, Expansions, Game mechanics, News items
In an effort to bring interesting new ideas into Age of Conan for players in the higher levels, Funcom has decided to add in an Alternate Advancement system as part of the upcoming Rise of the Godslayer expansion. The idea is that rather than just giving players new levels to play through, they’d like to give people the chance to develop their characters more than ever before. With that said, as with any new system added to an MMO, there is the question of how precisely the new mechanics are going to work when it comes down to it.
Thankfully, the Funcom staff have written up an excellent post about the Alternate Advancement system in Age of Conan for players from levels 20 to 80. The full post over on MMORPG.com offers a solid breakdown of what players can expect — from the use of Prowess, Mastery and Expertise on down to offline achievement points that should keep more casual players in the earning loop. For adventurers who like to call the wild lands of Hyboria home, this is a must-read dev blog, so be sure to pop over there and give it a look.
Age of Conan’s Alternate Advancement demystified originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Last-Minute Tips For Mardi Gras Runners
Are you running the Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon or Half Marathon Sunday? Read This!
Written by: Matt Fitzgerald
If you are participating in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon or Half Marathon this weekend and you have not yet started training, well, I can’t help you. But if you have trained appropriately and would like to know what you can do in the last few days to ensure that you have the best possible experience, know that many of the choices you make between now and the start of your race can either help or hurt your performance. So make the right choices!
Here are some tips that will prevent all of your hard work from going to waste.
Tip #1 – Don’t stop running!
Many runners take days off from running before races. It’s actually best to do a little running each day right up until the race. For mysterious reasons, too much rest after heavy training for an event often causes the body to switch into a sort of “shutdown mode” that leaves the runners feeling flat in their race. Don’t overdo it in your last days of training, but do something.
In fact, not only should you keep running through race week, but you should also do some fast running. Your next-to-last workout before the race should be relatively easy, so you’re not fatigued on race morning, but it should include a dash of speed to prime your nervous system for competition. For example, run three miles easy, then run 6 x 30-second relaxed sprints.
Tip #2 – Get in the zone
Runners typically perform best in races when they are eager and moderately anxious but not too nervous. In the final days before the event, do whatever you need to do to put yourself in this frame of mind. If you need to get more psyched up, watch a motivational running movie such as Pre or Chariots of Fire or listen to energetic music. If you need to calm your nerves, distract yourself by going out to dinner with friends or watching a comedy with your family.
Mental rehearsal, or visualization, is a powerful tool of psychological preparation for a race. It is not a tool you have to save for the night before a race, but there is certainly no better time to use it. After settling into bed, clear your mind and imagine the next morning’s race as vividly as you can. Obviously, you can’t go through the entire course in real time, so focus on critical parts such as the start, challenging hills and so forth.
Imagine moving with impeccable form and feeling strong, but not unrealistically so. Don’t complete your mental rehearsal race miraculously free of fatigue. Instead, see yourself fighting through the fatigue. Your race will be challenging, and if you expect it to be tough you will perform better than if you wishfully think it might be easy.
Tip #3 – Know the course
The fewer surprises you experience during your event, the better you will perform. To minimize surprises, familiarize yourself with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon or Half Marathon course as well as you can before race day. Read the course information, study the course maps, and make special note of where the aid stations and hills will be. If convenient, drive the entire course. This is time well spent.
Tip #4 – Carbo-Load
Research shows that one day of very high carbohydrate intake (4.5 g of carbohydrate per lb of body weight) is sufficient to maximize muscle glycogen stores. But you might as well start two days out for good measure. The best time to start carbo-loading is right after your short, fast workout, when your muscles are most receptive to glucose.
It takes some work to consume 4.5 g of carbs per pound of body weight in a single day. To get there, be sure to consume high-carb foods and beverages at every meal (e.g. oatmeal and orange juice for breakfast, noodle soup for lunch and a rice dish for dinner) and supplement with high-carb beverages such as Ensure between meals.
Tip #5 – Plan a smart pre-race breakfast
Nutrition is more important than sleep on race morning, so it’s important to wake up in plenty of time to consume and digest a high-carb pre-race breakfast. Aim to consume 75-100 grams of carbohydrate three hours before your race start, or at least 50 grams two hours out.
Tip #6 – Stick to your pacing plan
Hopefully you have used the training process to establish an appropriate race time goal and pace target for your race. Having set a smart target, avoid any temptation to abandon it early in the race unless you have very good reason to believe that you are better off running faster or slower. Feeling great in the first several miles of a half marathon or marathon is not a sure indication that you need to speed up. You should feel great in the first part of a marathon or half marathon even if your pace is perfect. You will start feeling tired eventually!
The smart way to pace a marathon or half marathon is to run conservatively through the first half of the race and then adjust your pace as necessary once you’re close enough to the finish to be able to make reliable calculations of the pace you can realistically sustain the rest of the way.
[sgi:MattFitzgerald]
Tucson To Host 2011-12 USAT National Duathlon Festival
Tucson has quickly become established as one of the top triathlon training grounds in the United States and was recently named the Best Place To Live by Triathlete Magazine. While the weather, terrain and location are ideal for training, the lack of bodies of water means that the area hosts very few triathlons. Today, USA Triathlon announced that Tucson will play host to the USAT National Duathlon Festival in 2011 and 2012. With the presence of duathlon, Tucson may have found its place in the multisport racing community.
Tucson is considered the nation's top winter triathlon training city. Photo: Nils Nilsen
The 2011 and 2012 USAT National Duathlon Festival will consist of three duathlons in the Oro Valley (an area north of Tucson) – the Age Group National Championship, a sprint-distance citizen’s race and the off-road Championship.
“The selection of Tucson/Oro Valley to host the 2011 and 2012 USA Triathlon National Duathlon Festival provides the perfect opportunity to prove to world-class athletes and trainers how our community lives up to the title of ‘America’s Winter Training Capital,’” said Vince Trinidad, director of the Tucson Sports division for the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau.
2011-12 USAT National Duathlon Festival Race Distances (run, bike, run)*
Age Group National Championship – 5k, 40k, 5k
Citizen’s Race (sprint distance) – 2.5k, 20k, 2.5k
Off-Road Championship – 3k, 15k, 3k
*Distances are subject to change.
The 2010 event is slated for April 24-25 in Richmond, Va.
Click here to see the complete press release from USAT.
Good Times In The Big Easy
Here’s how to celebrate finishing the Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon or Half Marathon.
Written by: John Mendelsohn
Mention New Orleans, and most people think first of the famous French Quarter, with its unique architecture, great food, and interesting shops. Historic New Orleans walking tours of the Quarter are generally acknowledged as supremely informative and enjoyable. If anything remotely felicitous has happened anywhere in the city, beautiful young women are likely to be on the balconies above the narrow streets displaying their breasts.
The New Orleans’ Original Cocktail Tour typically lasts around three hours, at no time during which you will be compelled to listen to a lounge pianist playing Melancholy Baby. A splendid introduction to the French Quarter, it’s less a pub crawl, though, than a history tour, during which you’ll learn about the French and Spanish in the city, about Mardi Gras and Katrina, and about some of New Orleans’ most celebrated restaurants. Typically, you’ll enjoy a Pimm’s Cup at Napoleon House, a Sazerac at Antoine’s, a Bayou Bash at Sisters, “lemonade” at Tujague’s, and absinthe at Pirate Alley Café. You’ll probably want to take a taxi back to your hotel at tour’s end, or stagger, rather than drive.
Is it a little ghoulish that Grayline offers a tour called Hurricane Katrina – America’s Greatest Catastrophe? Of course it is. Are you highly like to go on it anyway? Of course you are.
Your guide will proudly show you not just the 9th Ward, but other parts of town that suffered woeful devastation. He’ll explain how the search and recovery was conducted, and point with pride to all the rebuilding that’s been done, including homes donated by such celebrities as Brad Pitt. Given the Saints’ recent Super Bowl victory, you can count on his pointing with particular pride to projects financed by quarterback Drew Brees.
There are those who’ll tell you that there’s no better way to explore the city than on an old-fashioned cruiser-style bicycle, with a knowledgeable tour guide leading the way. Confederacy of Cruisers Bike Tours, named in honor of the wildly overrated novel A Confederacy of Dunces, invites you to savor stories of the culture, history, and architecture of a New Orleans less adventurous visitors rarely glimpse as you pedal around the Creole Fauborgs.
No trip to New Orleans is complete without a visit to the endearingly ramshackle Preservation Hall, where jazz of a sort that nearly everyone enjoys — with the possible exception of a few goateed elitists who believe that jazz that isn’t atonal and anarchic isn’t jazz at all, but bourgeois crapola — will seemingly flourish forever. At $10, it might be the best deal in Louisiana. Get there early, as there are only about 70 seats, each less comfortable than the one beside it. Bring neither alcohol nor earplugs. The former isn’t allowed, and the music is delightfully unamplified.
Airboat Adventures is a favorite way for non-aquaphobes of all ages to see the bayous. In the swamplands where moss drapes the trees, alligators cavort in their natural habitat. If the tour leader’s Cajun-inflected drawl is nearly unintelligible, be consoled by the realization that there are still a few of us left with regional accents.
The New Orleans School of Cooking offers day-long classes for students intent on making themselves delicious bowls of jambalaya, shrimp Creole, gumbo, and other favorite local dishes when they get back to the culinary backwaters in which they reside.
Less than 10 minutes from downtown, you can meditate in the tranquility of The Longue Vue House and Gardens, surrounded by eight acres of gardens containing noteworthy fountains.
The electrifying Kermit Ruffins performs every Thursday evening at Vaughan’s Lounge, in an endearingly shabby, but safe neighborhood, where the folks are friendly and the beer cheap. Don’t be surprised — well, be pleasantly surprised, but not shocked into speechlessness — if, halfway through Kermit’s performance, you’re presented with a huge complimentary bowl of red beans and rice. The cover’s only $10.
Known colloquially as “The St. Louis Cathedral”, the gorgeous Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis King of France is the oldest Catholic cathedral in continual use in the United States, and one of New Orleans’ most-visited landmarks, not least because of its convenient location in Jackson Square, which is full, in clement weather, of street performers, artists, and even fortune tellers.
Bloody Marie’s Voodoo Best, which takes one to such noteworthy sites as Marie Laveau’s tomb in St. Louis Cemetery #1, is thought by many to be the city’s best tour of its type, or maybe people are just saying that for fear of a limb falling off.
Don’t go to the Audubon Zoo expecting the San Diego Zoo with a Cajun accent. It’s fairly tiny, but easily navigated, and with some creatures you might not glimpse at bigger zoos. Many animal-lovers cite elephants Jean and Panya, the Komodo dragon, and white tiger brothers King Rex and King Zulu as their favorites. One of the enjoyable interactive displays at the new Audubon Insectarium, inside the historic Custom House, dares you to get on a stationary bike to race a grasshopper. Afterward, you can snack on insects.
If it’s sweltering, duck into the always-chilly Musee Conti Wax Museum. Most of it is dedicated to the history of New Orleans, but there’s also a section devoted to voodoo and black magic that the faint of heart may want to miss.
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The multitalented John Mendelsohn is a writer, graphic artist, and singer/songwriter who lives near New York City. Check out his new song collection, Sorry We’re Open.
Rock Around The Calendar
Photo: Courtesy James Staten
James Staten aims to become the first person to complete 14 Rock ‘n’ Roll events in a single year.
Interview by: Matt Fitzgerald
No one has ever run 14 Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series events in a single year. That’s because there have never been 14 such events in a single year, until this year. In 2010 there is one individual who is known to be planning to complete the full series, which has expanded from 11 events in 2009. That individual is James Staten, 42, of Redwood Shores, Calif., who works in market research.
James started his quest in grand fashion on January 17, setting a new personal best of 3:17 at the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon, his 22nd marathon. We spoke to James as he was getting ready to taper for the second chapter of his adventure: the Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon on February 28.
RunNow.com: So, how long did this whole thing get started?
James Staten: I’ve been casually running for eight or nine years and I got serious in 2003. That’s when I ran my first half marathon. I started out by traveling a lot with my job and getting really frustrated because I never saw any of the cities I went to. So I would just get out of my hotel room, turn left and run. I never ran more than six miles until a friend of mine from work said, “If you like to run you should try a half.” So I ran the San Francisco Kaiser Half Marathon, which happened on Super Bowl Sunday. It just about killed me, because I had been training for six miles and jumping up to 13 was a really stupid idea.
But it was a chance for me to see all of these Team in Training people cheering everyone else on besides me. That got me thinking, “If I ever do this again, or if I do a full, I really ought to do this [Team in Training thing] so I can have this kind of support.” That’s what got me into Team in Training.
If that first half marathon just about killed you, what made you come back for more?
Probably the same thing that a lot of people feel: the incredible feeling when I crossed the finish line. I asked myself, “Do I want to have that feeling again?” Absolutely. “Do I want to have the feeling I had in mile nine through 13? Absolutely not.”
What was your first marathon?
I did the Mayor’s Midnight Sun Marathon in Alaska in 2004. I started as a member with [Team in Training] just like everyone else, then I became a mentor for them, then a captain for them, and now I’m a coach for Team in Training.
A lot of people go through the Team in Training program once, maybe twice, then move on. Why did you choose to stay with and move up in the organization?
A lot of it was because of the social connections I made through the program. I have tons of friends I’ve made through Team in Training. I sort of informally run an alumni group for people who just want to keep running together but can’t do the fundraising thing every single time. And that’s become a really nice feeder network for people to go back into the team.
I lost my mom to cancer, I lost my aunt to cancer, my uncle, and a lot of other people in my family, so it’s a cause that’s very important to me. And I’ve met a lot of people who have suffered with Leukemia through this program and now they’re all personal friends and I raise money for them. I’ve raised $50,000 for the cause thus far.
What was your first Rock ‘n’ Roll event?
My first Rock ‘n’ Roll event was the inaugural San Jose half marathon. I did that just for fun with some friends and really enjoyed the multiple bands and how incredibly well organized it was.
At the time there were only seven Rock ‘n’ Roll events. I thought, “San Jose was great—wouldn’t it be cool to do all of them?” Then it became eight, and then nine, and then 10, and then 11. When it finally got to 14, that became such a greater goal than just doing seven in a year. If I’m the only person who ends up doing them all, then I’ll be the first. I set a big fundraising goal of $10,000 and I’m more than halfway there already.
So, event number one—Arizona—is in the bag. Number two, Mardi Gras, is in a few days. How are you feeling at this point?
I’m feeling pretty good. I just finished my 18-mile run a few minutes ago. Now I just taper.
Is it going to be difficult to juggle all of these events with your job?
My work has been really great. They’ve been very supportive, and as long as I can set up consulting engagements that are close to these cities [in the Rock ‘N’ Roll Series], they’re going to help out with some of the travel costs, which is great. PowerBar is one of my sponsors, and they’ve been great, and I’m trying to get some other corporate sponsors and really spread the word about how to fight blood cancers, how to get in better shape and how to take advantage of these great events.
What are the other biggest challenges associated with this project?
I think the biggest challenge is the number of events. The most events I’ve ever done in a year is eight, and I’ve never done marathons only three weeks apart. That happens in June with San Diego and Seattle. Two weeks after New Orleans is [the Rock ‘N’ Roll] Dallas [Half Marathon], so that’s pretty rapid. Keeping up the training through a whole year, keeping my body injury free, and hopefully keeping the same time through most of these events is the challenge for me.
Are you doing anything special to stay healthy through this process?
I think the key for me to stay healthy is to stay in a high-mileage training mode. I’m a little worried about having dips in my training and then trying to build back up again. I probably should pay more attention to the mileage on my shoes. I’m one of those people who tends to push the limit.
Do you have some friends or fellow Team in Training members that you will be able to run or at least travel with or visit at each of these events?
That’s what’s been so great about all of the friends I’ve made with Team in Training. I’ve got six people from this team coming to New Orleans. There’s four of us all going to Nashville. My company has a very large office in Dallas and I’ve recruited a bunch of my work colleagues to run with me in Dallas. Pretty much at every event we’re going to have a big group. San Diego’s probably going to be our biggest because we’re renting a beach house and there’s about 14 of us coming down.
How can people help you out with your fundraising?
The easiest way is for people to go to my blog, which is at smsjames.blogspot.com. That’s where I’m also chronicling all of my training and all of my events this year.
[sgi:MattFitzgerald]
Running Tops for Women—Science, Fit, and “Feel”
What Finding the Perfect Sports Bra Can Do For You
Written by: Molly Hurford
Being a 34A can have its advantages, at least from an athletic standpoint. No bouncing, jiggling, unbalancing unpleasantness to deal with on those long runs, no awkward stares from men out walking their dogs. But where does that leave the, shall we say, more endowed women athletes?
Just how are our breasts- small and large alike- affected by the way we exercise? And more importantly, how do we prevent the discomfort that comes along with exercise?
Why Wear a Sports Bra?
An anatomy lesson: breasts are essentially just fatty tissue that is held in place by ligaments that go from the skin through fat to muscles underneath the breast – the pecs, if you will. Interestingly enough, humans are the only animals who permanently have breasts, since most animals only develop them in order to breast-feed.
If a woman has large breasts and loses weight through exercise, the fat in the breast tissue may be lost as well, which can lead to the appearance of sagging. Breast tissue on average weighs between 200 and 300 grams, that’s a lot of weight to be bouncing during exercise, and according to studies, this bouncing increases chances of premature sagging because of the stretching of the ligaments, thanks to exercise. The damage, unfortunately, is irreversible.
However, help can come in the form of fabric and elastic- the proper support can be a great place to start! According to Dr. Joanna Scurr, “Breast size and pain caused by exercise can be a real barrier to women doing exercise. There really are women who want to do exercise but who don’t have the bras to cope.”
LaJean Lawson, a sports bra expert, adds, in order to get women to exercise, “The bottom-line point has always been the same: Engineer better bras that enable women of every size to exercise longer and more comfortably, thus maximizing the incredible benefits of exercise.”
To avoid sagging no matter what your bra size, experts agree that a bra is a must. “Sagging won’t cause medical issues for your breasts, but if you are concerned about keeping the ‘perkiness factor’ going as long as possible, wearing a supportive sports bra is probably a good strategy,” Lawson adds.
Finding a Sports Bra
Available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and materials(what does encapsulated mean anyway?) the sports bra is one of the most important pieces of equipment you need. So how does one pick a sports bra?
Bruce Mason of the Australian Institute of Sport has a few ideas about that: “Many women wore old-fashioned bras during sport which provided very little support. The size of a woman’s breast change considerably during life and they need assistance in the shop to measure their correct bust size and get a sports bra that is the right size and shape cup for them. Different sporting activities require different degrees of breast support and a woman needs the right level of support for the activity in which she is involved.”
Before we select a bra, we need to clarify our definitions. There are two types of sports bras on the market today: the compression bra and the encapsulation bra. Those blessed with smaller breasts tend to prefer compression bras, since they simply hold breasts in place by pushing against the chest. However, those more well-endowed may prefer the encapsulated styles, as each breast is separately contained (as with a standard bra) and the design is more “heavy duty.” Recent studies have shown that the encapsulation bra is the best choice for preventing movement and discomfort.
The biggest problem women run into when searching for a sports bra is a mental stumbling block. According to Wendy Hedger, one of the researchers with Scurr, “There’s a social stigma about certain sizes; many women don’t want to be seen as too small or too big and buy a bra that doesn’t fit well in order to be what they consider to be a normal size. Many other women are unaware that they are wearing a badly fitting bra or unknowingly wear the wrong bra size because they are routinely being sold ill-fitting bras.” She adds that women shy away from encapsulation bras because they don’t fit the image of what a sports bra should look like.
Material is important as well. Most women don’t think about the fabric, but it’s an important factor. According to Lawson, “The best fabric blends are synthetics (nylon, polyester) with specially engineered fibers that move moisture away from the body, dry quickly, and discourage bacterial growth.”
Before you wonder why there’s no list of recommended sports bras in this article, consider this: a thorough study conducted at Oregon State University by Lawson suggested that no single bra was pronounced a winner. So, there’s only one way to find the best sports bra for you: try, try and try.
The Quest for the Perfect Bra
Lawson offers a few key suggestions: “For a super athletic 34A, support needs are minimal, but comfort and body-friendliness is everything. For a less athletic 38DD, support and adjustability become very important for comfortable exercise.”
The American Council of Exercise also has key tenants for bra selection. Rule number one is to disregard sizing. Rule number two: “Choose a bra that has good ventilation so sweat won’t be trapped, which increases friction and chaffing.” Naturally, a good bra is comfortable right away, not after being “worn in.”
Perhaps the most helpful tip: do a jump test. The Council suggests that “When trying on a bra, jump around and try to mimic as best you can the activity you’ll be doing while wearing the bra.”
Finding the perfect sports bra takes serious time and energy- it’s a workout in and of itself!
