Product Review: Ryders Hex Photochromic

Welcome to my running environment.  I live in Southern California, and do most of my trail running in the Santa Monica mountains.  While we don't have altitude, we do have a broad spectrum of terrain: gut-busting climbs, technical downhills, rivers, open fields of wildflowers, canopied singletrack, and ridgeline.  More importantly, a single day's trailrun can include all of these, plus the unpradictability of a fog-like marine layer. 

Since I started trail running last year, I have been 'eyewear challenged' because of the ever-changing light conditions.   I tend to look at what others are doing and wearing, and I see that many just take glasses on and off.  I thought there must be a better way. 

Ryders offers a better way.  While interchangable lenses are one way to address varying needs, it is not a practicle solution for environments like mine where light conditions are changing rapidly.  Enter the Photochromic Lens.   Photochromic means "capable of darkening or changing color when exposed to light".  I took the Ryders Hex glasses with the photochromic lens for a test drive on Sunday, when the fog/cloud layer was heavy (see photo).  I knew it would either burn off or I would climb above it, and that light conditions on that day would range from low to very bright.  

My usual complaint (and the problem I was trying to solve) is that I have my glasses on when the trail is exposed and the sun is present, then duck in and out of densly treed sections and lose the much-needed visibility (sure-footedness is not my strong suit).   So I would either wear glasses and stumble through the low-light areas or tuck them away completely and squint through the sunny ones.  Both options are dangerous in their own ways. 

The Hex took great care of me.  I put them on at the trailhead in the morning, when the light was low, and the lenses remained light enough that the nuances of the trail were readily visible.  As expected, the fog burned off for a period of brightness, and then blew back in late in the run. 

The Hex has 'blade' styling and a super-light frame.  (I looked way faster than I actually am.)  Due to my previously-mentioned clutziness, I tugged on these a bit to see how fragile this waif would be, and got solid feedback.  Like all other Ryders eyewear, the Hex lens is a polycarbonate material that is virtually indestructable, and the frame is a highly durable and flexible Swiss-made thermoplastic.  In other words, Lori-proof.

If grip tends to be an issue for you, the Hex is a great option.  The nose pads and temple tips are Hydrophilic, which means stable in water, so they hang onto your sweaty or fog-wetted face, both of which I had on Sunday.  The design has excellent ventilation, so even though it was foggy on the trail, it wasn't foggy inside my glasses. 

The net-net:  I wore the Hex the entire run and forgot they were even on (which to me is the greatest compliment you can give eyewear).   They stayed put, and just rolled with whatever the day served up.   I wish everything in my life would do that.   

The Ryders Photocromic Hex retails for an amazing $69.99 - that's a whole lot of technology for your buck.   

Elite Racer Interview - Ross McMahan

As part of the GORE-TEX® TransRockies Preview, Team EverymanTri caught up with Ross McMahan for an exclusive chat.  Ross was the 2010 GORE-TEX® TransRockies Masters Champion (with partner Ted Russell).  He will be returning for the 2011 race with a new partner, Tim Menoher. 

***

Team EveryManTri:   Why come back to the GORE-TEX® TransRockies Run event? 

Ross:  This will actually be my fourth year doing it, and it’s kind of like a running vacation!  It’s one of the most fun races I’ve ever done, and I’ve done all types of races: adventure races, snowshoe races, mountain bike races, but TransRockies is one of the most fun events I’ve been a part of. 

Team EveryManTri:  What do you love most about the race?

Ross:  Seeing parts of Colorado that most people don’t get to see.  Your only access is by foot, and it’s just beautiful countryside and big mountains.   And then, of course, spending time with other people that are so passionate about the same thing that you are.

Team EveryManTri:  What is the hardest part of the race for you?

Ross:  Probably the recovery between each stage. 

Team EveryManTri:   Tell me how you and your 2011 partner [Tim Menoher] came together. 

Ross:  Tim and I ran at rival colleges twenty-something years ago.  So at the Xterra National Championships six years ago we ran into each other, and we kind of became rivals in the Xterra series.   He won it one year, then I won it the next…he started coming out to train at altitude, and he would stay at our house with my family.  We would do some training weeks together, which turned into a regular guy’s week away – we would go out to Moab for a week, or someplace different.   So TransRockies just seemed like a really fun week of running together. 

Team EveryManTri:  How would you summarize your training for TransRockies, and do you do any cross-training?

Ross:  This year I’ve had to do a lot of non-running training.  I’ve had some injuries, and then Tahoe [where I live] has had record snowfall – we’re just now getting on some of the lower trails and we still can’t even get on some of the upper trails above 7,000 feet.    So it’s really been difficult this year in terms of training outside.  I’ve been doing a lot more weight training this year, and a little biking, some swimming, but I carry Nordic skiing and snowshoeing a lot farther into spring and summer than years past due to the snow conditions. 

Team EveryMan Tri:  Do you have any training tips for people doing TransRockies for the first time?

Ross:  It’s extremely important to practice running downhill.   There’s a lot of uphill, but that’s not what makes your legs sore.  It puts a lot of people out of the race because their quads are just fried after the second day, and you just can’t recover from that.  Do a lot of hill repeats, but run hard on the downhill to get your quads ready for 20,000 feet of downhill pounding, and go easy to recover on the uphill. 

Team EveryManTri:   The race-issued duffle bag has limited space in it.  What gets priority – what can’t you live without?

Ross:  Definitely my ThermaRest!   I take LOTS of socks, and then just a couple pairs of shorts and t-shirts and wash them out after my runs and let them dry.   I bring a camp towel, kind of like what the swimmers use,  because it doesn’t take up a lot of space, and I pack a camp pillow because I sleep better with that.    I bring some gels, but really just to get me through the first aid station.   Once you’re into the race everything is really well-stocked.   The meals are really great too.  And sometimes after your run we are close enough to a town that it’s possible to walk in and get lunch.   I bring a recovery mix too.

Team EveryManTri:  Besides [your teammate] Tim, is there anyone you’re looking forward to visiting with at the campfire?

Ross:  Yea definitely – there are a lot of people that I only see a couple of times a year or only at this event.  It’s good to see Adam Chase every year – he and I were teammates two years ago.  I’m looking forward to seeing [my 2010 partner] Ted Russell too.  Salomon takes a good group of runners out, and a lot of us only see each other at this race. 

Team EveryManTri:   As an endurance athlete, when things really start to hurt, where does your head go?  How do you mentally push past pain?

Ross:  In the TransRockies, you just know you’re going to feel bad somewhere during the race – maybe not every stage, but at some point.   You just have to know that if you keep eating, keep drinking, and keep taking salt tablets, it will eventually get better.    You just expect it.  Everybody’s going to hit a low point. 

Team EveryManTri:   How would your friends describe you?

Ross:  I have no idea!  Depends on which friends you’re talking to!   I guess very self-motivated, typically quiet, and pretty laid back. 

Team EveryManTri:  Who inspires you in running and in life?

Ross:  I think two people.  Susan Bradley Cox  is one.  I spent twelve years in Lexington, Kentucky, and Susan was my triathlon coach there.  She’s I think 75 years old, just inducted into the Triathlon Hall of Fame, along with Dave Scott, in Colorado Springs in January.  I went out to hear the induction because she’s been such a big influence in my life.  A great athlete, and a great person.   Most triathlon people would recognize her name - she's won multiple World Championships and still competes at age 75.  The other person would be Ron Hayes, who is another good friend and training partner of mine from Lexington.  We’ve spent a lot of time on the trails.  He came out and did the TransRockies a couple years ago with a friend of his, and it was great to see him.   Ron is a competitive age group athlete, but he’s been kind of a mentor for me. 

Team EveryManTri:   What is a little-known fact about you?

Ross:   Hmmm.  I guess that I used to be a Bourbon taster for my job. 

Team EveryManTri:    You’ve been very involved in both triathlon and trail racing – which would you call your primary passion?

Ross:   Trail running is my primary passion.   I like the competitiveness of racing in triathlon,  but as I’m getting older, I don’t have the speed that I used to, but my endurance seems to be better.   I can go out on a 20-mile run and, unlike in triathlon where your heart rate is pegged for two or three hours,  it’s just enjoyable.  Also, with the family – I have twin 5 year old boys and an 8 month old son – actually our 8 month old son is named Solomon! – the time aspect of having a full-time job and a family, it’s easy to have your running shoes in the car and just jump out for an hour run compared to trying to train for all three sports. 

Team EveryManTri:   What is your favorite distance, both trail and triathlon?

Ross:  I like the half-marathon distance for trail runs.   But I think the stage race – the format of the TransRockies – is my favorite type of event.    For triathlon, I’ve done half Ironman and Ironman distances, but I really like the Xterra distances. 

Team EveryManTri:   I know you have a super-sporty wife [Sarah McMahan] – tell me more about how you two support each other. 

Ross:  I’m lucky.  She understands that I HAVE to go for a run or get a workout in – it’s a big stress release.  It’s tough, but we take turns.  Some days she’ll have the morning shift of training, and I’ll do the afternoon, or visa versa.  We’ve done relays as a team, and we’ll literally hand off the boys at the exchange point.   This weekend I did my long run and finished just before a 5K race was starting – she handed the kids off to me and jumped in the race 30 seconds before the gun went off.   We just try to make things work out so that we can both get our training in and do events. 

Team EveryManTri:   Any other tips for how you manage to juggle the demands of job, family, and training?

Ross: [laughs]  I don’t know that we do it all as well as we should.  It’s crazy, but it’s fun.  We just do the best that we can. 

***

In 2006 Ross was the Xterra National Champion for the 35-39 age group. In 2008 Ross won the Xterra Fire and Ice award for the fastest combined times from the Xterra Triathlon World Championship and the Xterra Winter World Championship.  He holds numerous course records in Northern California and Nevada.  Ross is a member of the Salomon Trail Running Team, Atlas Snowshoe Team, and an Ambassador for Big Blue Adventure Racing.

Product Review: Ryders Solace



Chumley modeling the Solace


Don't let the good looks fool you.  The very fashionably-styled Ryders Solace is not just another pretty face.  For the last couple of weeks they have been my go-to glasses for daily wear, but when I recently took them out for a long run, they brought their A-game. 

The Ryders Solace falls into the company's Casual/Sport Hybrid category, and I clearly understand why.  It boasts a great-looking frame that makes a more designer than athlete statement when you are out and about town.  I have the tortoise frame with a brown lens which is a great compliment to my summer wardrobe.   Sexy, right?

For me, however, the real test of whether eyewear becomes a 'favorite' or not, is how versatile it is.   To be honest, I figured my running regime would prove too much for this fashionista, and fully expected them to take up permanent residence in my car or purse. 
But much to my surprise, during my first run with them, they:

1. stayed firmly in place - a big deal since I have a narrow face and tend to get the dreaded 'bounce' with many makes.  They are light, and I did not notice any movement at all. 
2. had awesome coverage - I have a long north/south route and get a lot of sun reflecting in the sides when the the glasses don't 'wrap' well.  The Solace protected me from the side-glare.   
3. never fogged up - when I get a good, snug fit with great coverage, the by-product is typically 'foggage'.  I never had to pull the Solace down my nose to clear the lens. 

I felt like I had just been on a date with a super-hot guy and discovered he is also a reputable pediatrician. 

Since I have long hair, a minor but very much appreciated feature is the bridge design.  You can see in the above picture that the bridge has flush rubber pads that keep them in place but do not cause a gnarly tangle when you put them on top of your head  (definitely not cool when you have to recruit friends and strangers to remove sunglasses from your hair).

So.  Bottom Line.  Cost.  This might just be my favorite feature of all. 
This incredibly versitle performance eyewear retails for just $39.99.   Crazy, I know.  Considering most of my sporty friends have a pair of high-end sunglasses for every possible occasion, I am feeling fairly smug about now.  With Ryders you don't need to shell out the equivalent of a car payment for a wardrobe of great eye protection.

Product Review: Hydrapak Gel-Bot

I had just enough time yesterday to squeeze in a 10mi tempo run close to home.  It was seriously hot outside, and if it hadn't been for a blessing of a breeze I would have opted for a night run.  I actually like the heat, but I get a claustrophobic feeling when I'm hot and things are sticking to my body, so I go minimalist.   I had no interest in putting on a hydration backpack, and no place to secure my gels, so it was the perfect day to take my new Gel-Bot on its maiden voyage.

The Hydrapak Gel-Bot is a clever way to carry your water and your gel together.  No stashing, no sticking, no trash, nada.  Genious.

This is how it works.  There is an inner chamber (orange in this picture) that holds the gel.  I fit exactly two GU packets in there.  The inner gel chamber then attaches to the lid, and you fill the bottle with water as you normally would (leaving a little room for the displacement when the gel chamber and lid are put back on).  Voila, you're out the door with all you need in one hand.

When the nozzle is pulled open, you get water only.  To get the gel, just leave the nozzle closed, and give the bottle a squeeze while you suck. 

While not readily apparent in the picture, I should also note that the neck of the bottle has two deep notches making it comfortable to grip for extended periods, even for small (female) hands. 

When I first saw this product, I had two areas of skepticism.  (This is where you can tell I'm a mom).  
1)  I thought that I would put two gels in, and actually only be able to get about 1.5 out, due to chamber inefficiency.  In other words, waste. 
2)  I assumed it would be a hassle to clean properly. 

Hydrapak clearly thought through these issues in their design process, because neither issue proved problematic.  You can see to the left there is a (green) pressure plunger that moves up the chamber as you suck out the gel (much like deodorant, except it is happening automatically).  So when you have eaten all of your gel, the plunger is at the top, you have consumed every last drop of it, and it is a piece of cake to wash up from both sides.   Hallelujah.
 
The Hydrapak Gel-Bot is available in two sizes:  20oz for $13.99, and 24oz for $14.99.

Lori Lyons

Playing at Altitude

In the 2010 GORE-TEX® TransRockies Run, Paul Shippey’s teammate (and fellow Boulder resident) Paul Mandel suffered Acute Mountain Sickness, along with a host of other participants.   Racers got used to falling asleep at night to the background sounds of the mountain wildlife, rushing streams…and vomiting.     But along with a few strong others, Mandel toed the line each and every day, overcoming the practically debilitating headache and nausea that comes with altitude sickness. 

So when Paul and Lori decided to be partners for the 2011 race,  altitude was a big topic of conversation.  Lori does much of her training at sea level, and Paul wanted to make sure she gained enough experience at altitude to hopefully avoid Mandel’s fate.    Each person’s susceptibility to altitude sickness is different, so Lori needed to properly test hers.  Paul wisely advised her to find opportunities to train or race in places that will most closely resemble TransRockies conditions. 

It wasn’t necessarily what Paul had in mind, but Lori convinced him they should gather some friends and give the ToughMudder Colorado race a go.   ToughMudder events are not your typical footrace or mud run.   They are a test of all-round strength, stamina, mental and physical endurance. Each event is a 10-12 mile mud/trail run over uneven, hilly and wet ground peppered with 18-25 military-style obstacles.   And by ‘obstacle’, we mean things like icy swims,  12-foot wall scales, and 10,000 volt electroshock.    While this hardly resembles the TransRockies course, Lori’s rationale was that it is still an endurance test at altitude, and, wildly entertaining as it is, could rightly be considered a form of training. 

At 9am on June 26, Paul and Lori started the 9+ mile course, crossing the summer slopes of Beaver Creek amongst a crowd of high-fiving, highly-revved, and often comically-dressed racers.  They found it more mentally challenging than physically so, because the British Special Forces-designed obstacles are intended to test a variety of fears (e.g. claustrophobia, water, falling) . 

Two and a half hours later they were sitting on the grass near the finish, beer in hand, laughing about the slogging, sliding, shivering and shocking bonanza that proved tremendously fun for participants and spectators alike.   The verdict?  The altitude did not seem to hamper Lori’s ability to compete.   Glasses up – here’s to mixing some serious fun with your serious training.  

Next year, costumes. 

Here. We. Go.

With only eight weeks left until the start of the 2011 GORE-TEX® TransRockies Run, Team EverymanTri is ramping up the mileage.   Paul Shippey and Lori Lyons have teamed up to take part in this world-renowned race, and will be reporting throughout, so that EverymanTri  readers can experience it along with them.  Minus the sore muscles.

Shippey is a GORE-TEX®TransRockies alumnus, a runner and triathlete with ultramarathons and Ironman distances on his racing resume.   Like many other Boulder residents, he thrives on the challenging topography of the area, whether on the trails or on his bike.  Lyons is a long-time marathoner and ‘flatlander’ who turned her interest to trails last year as a result of following the 2010 GORE-TEX®TransRockies event online.  She recently ventured into ultrarunning, after being reinvigorated by the transition from road to trail.  She is based in Los Angeles.

The GORE-TEX® TransRockies Run is a 120-mile, six-day stage race run in teams of two.  From August 21 – August 26, elite and amateur athletes from around the world will traverse the (literally) breathtaking alpine landscape from Buena Vista to Beaver Creek, Colorado, at altitudes over 12,500 feet, facing nearly 25,000 feet of elevation gain.  The race represents the close equivalent of doing a high-altitude trail marathon every day for six days straight.  Physical endurance, mental (and intestinal) fortitude, recovery, terrain,altitude and climate adaptability will be fully tested.    Participants will discover the depth of their reserves. 

So why is a record-number of people, an astounding 200 teams, signing up for this sufferfest?   First of all, let’s face it.  If it were easy, we wouldn’t be interested.  This is the challenge of a lifetime for most, and the emotional reward that comes from finishing such an epic event is, as Shippey can attest to, indescribable.   Secondly, unlike most running races, the participants in the GORE-TEX® TransRockies Run commune for the week in a tent village, and have the opportunity to forge friendships both on the trail and at the campfire.  Thirdly, the GORE-TEX® TransRockies Run is one of the best-supported races, with all aspects of nutrition, accommodations, amenities (including hot showers) and medical needs handled by professional teams.  

Speaking of great support, Team EverymanTri’s sponsors, GORE-TEX®, GU Energy, Ryders Sunglasses, Hydrapak, Road ID and Pearl iZUMi will be contributing to the comfort and success of their race.  In addition to race reporting, Shippey and Lyons will be testing product and posting reviews, from their different perspectives, for the EverymanTri community. 

Lori Lyons