Richard NelsonCOACHES

10k TRAININGTEAMSPAGE 14

7 STEPSToward Improving

Your Race Performance

PAGE 15

+ 6 SURE‑FIRE TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR FITNESS RESOLUTION | PEDAL POWER 2010

TEKTONICS DESIGN GROUP s̓

Innovative Caelifera Bike

PAGE 24

SEAN CUSACKAsks, ʻAre you

ready for aduathlon?ʼ

PAGE 25

ʻTHE GREEK PHYSIQUEʼPAGE 26

HER

5FAVORITEFITNESS

TIPSPAGE 10

NBC 12ʼsTracy Lynn

Exercise enthusiast PEPPER WILSONdemonstrates

indoor routines that can be done at home or in the gym.

Bodybuider Howard Townsend Strives for

JUMPSTART .............................................................................. 5National media relations firm hired to promote Dominion Riverrock; Sports‑Quest promotes Sports for Life outlook and gets Olympic Committee consid‑eration at a town hall meeting; Jay Lenzi named Sports Backers Volunteer ofthe Year; Flying Squirrels at the Diamond; Richmond Raiders: Regional Ama‑teur Talent Tryout for the Pros

BODYSMART ..............................................................................86 Sure‑Fire Tips for Keeping Your Fitness Resolution; Expectations: Ridiculousto Realistic; From Injured to Winner in Record Time

Tracy Lynn: Staying Camera‑Ready is Hard Work ....................10As you probably know, every morning Tracy Lynn gets up earlier than mostof us and heads to the NBC‑12 studios to provide the traffic report so Rich‑monders have a safer, easier commute to work. But what you may not knowis that she stays very active when sheʼs not in front of the camera.

The Clock is Ticking on Your 10K Training ..............................14March 27th is fast approaching, and if you are one of the many Richmondersthat want to participate in this yearʼs Ukropʼs Monument Avenue 10K, itʼstime to start training.

Improve Your Race Performance in 7 Steps ............................15Are you new to the 10k or want to improve your 10k personal record, butkeep hitting a wall? Whether you are a novice jogger or a seasoned runner,there are some simple training tips to help bring down your time.

Winter Workouts ....................................................................16While it may be tempting to go into hibernation mode and avoid outdoorworkouts in the winter months, becoming inactive indoors isnʼt your onlyoption. SBQ asked trainers for indoor ideas and exercises that are accessible,effective and fun.

Pedal Power ............................................................................22How many bicyclists does it take to power a lightbulb? On February 20th,competitors in the second annual Pedal Power event will find out the hardway as they convert their sweat into electrical energy at Endorphin Fitness.

A New Kind of Bike ..................................................................24Expanding beyond their already impressive portfolio of architectural and in‑dustrial designs and fabrications, the innovative forces behind the Richmondcompany Tektonics Design Group are now employing their arsenal of tal‑ents in designing bicycle frames.

Ready for the Challenge of a Duathlon? ..................................25SBQ asked Sean Cusack̶avid cyclist, runner and coach on the Sports Back‑ers Marathon Training Team̶a few questions about the challenging sportof duathlons and how others can get involved.

The Art and Discipline of Creating Your Greek Physique ........26Howard Townsend is a weightlifter who shares some of his knowledge andexperience about bodybuilding and what it means to him.

Mountain Girl ..........................................................................29While most eleven‑year‑old girls were playing with dolls or listening to theJonas Brothers, Hannah Powell was setting goals. She decided on a whimthat she wanted to climb to the top of thirteen different mountains that esti‑mated a height of 13,000 feet or higher̶while she was still 13.

The Calendar ..........................................................................30

SBQnow.com | 3

j a n | febV O L U M E 3 • I S S U E 2 • 2 0 1 0 • N U M B E R 1 2 SBQ

Sports Backers Quarterly: Athletics, Recreation & Healthy Living

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Sports Backers Quarterly: Athletics, Recreation & Healthy Livingis produced six times a year (4 regular issues and two specialevent issues) by Palari Publishing LLP (P.O. Box 9288, Rich-mond, VA, 23227 Phone 804-355-1035), Sports Backers (100Avenue of Champions, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23230 Phone804-285-9495).

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of any text,photograph or illustration without written permission from thepublisher is prohibited. General comments, story suggestions and letters to the editor for

publication consideration should be directed to feedback@SBQnow.com.

SBQ is published by Sports Backers and Palari Publishing LLP

To Advertise in SBQContact

Dave Smitherman 804.355.1035 Officedave@palaribooks.com

orAndrea Randle 804 366-6774 Office

andrea@sbqnow.com

WWW.SBQNOW.COM

Publisher | Executive EditorDave Smitherman

Publisher | Art DirectorTed Randler

Contributing WritersElliot Crane

Tara HermanLeah Husk

Anika ImajoBrian Shelton

Teresa Stadler, MD, FACSMNathan Wood

AdvertisingAndrea Randle

JAN|FEB VOL. 3 ISSUE 2NUMBER 12

SPORTS BACKERS QUARTERLYAthletics, Recreation & Healthy Living

Join our Fan Page on

J U M P S T A R TSPORTS BACKERS QUARTERLY JAN|FEB 2010

SBQnow.com | 5

National media relations firm hired to promote Dominion RiverrockLooking to build on the success of the inaugural DominionRiverrock last May, the Sports Backers and Venture Richmondhave hired public relations and event marketing firm GiantNoise to manage national media relations for the two‑dayevent, which will take place May 14‑15. The festival celebratessports, music and Richmondʼs active river life, and includescompetitions in a variety of athletic disciplines as well as mu‑sical performances, food, exhibits and much more.

Giant Noiseʼs task will be to raise visibility for Dominion River‑rock on a national level. The New York and Austin‑based firmwill use their extensive experience in the field of sports,lifestyle and music events to broaden the reach of the festivaland maximize exposure for the city of Richmond. A team com‑prised of public relations professionals from regional market‑ing organizations selected Giant Noise after interviewingseveral national firms.

“Weʼre excited to partner with Giant Noise for Dominion River‑rock,” said Sports Backers Executive Director Jon Lugbill. “Wechose Giant Noise because of their strong experience in secur‑ing high‑profile press coverage on a national level in the out‑door realm and beyond.”

Plans for the 2010 include the launch of the new DominionRiverrock Web site, development of the festivalʼs music pro‑gram by showcasing bands for two nights, rather than one,and a heavy focus of media efforts on individual sport disci‑plines as well as overall “big picture story” outreach to na‑tional outdoor and mainstream media.

The atmosphere was energetic, playful and positive at the Hilton inShort Pump during a recent Town Hall meeting about sports devel‑opment in Richmond. The event brought in a panel of 8 experts fromvarious related fields. The panel included: Alicia McConnell (USOlympic Committee); Dr. Steven Burton (CEO SportsQuest), JonLugbill (Sports Backers Director); Rich Jeffrey (Special Olympics Vir‑ginia); Tom Yeager (Commissioner of CAA); Dr. Cliff Morris (Cardi‑ology Specialist); Karen Keegan (COO of YMCA); and Steve Criswell(Richmond Revolution Head Coach).

SportsQuest held the meeting to promote learning about sports de‑velopment and how to help bring the Olympic experience to Rich‑

mond. Much of thediscussion centeredaround communityfocus and givingback and less on at‑tracting Olympicglory. At the heart ofthe panelists, ath‑letes and others inattendance was a“Sports for Life” out‑look where all skilllevels are appreci‑

ated and passion is just as valuable as talent. Cardiologist Dr. CliffMorris said that when it comes to fitness, “Your health is yourwealth.” He went on to say that people can show they care “not byworking themselves into the ground, but by taking care of oneʼs selfto be the best they can be.”

COO Karen Keegan of YMCA offered her perspective on how low in‑come families can stay fit and active. Keegan noted that fear was abig barrier that needed to be overcome. She shared her own expe‑rience growing up and playing in the streets of Brooklyn as a testa‑ment that getting outdoors can be safe and cost‑effective whencoupled with imagination that lets kids create their own games fromwhat is around them. BY ELLIOT CRANE

SportsQuest promotes Sports for Lifeoutlook and gets Olympic Committeeconsideration at Town Hall Meeting

6 | SBQnow.com

J U M P S T A R T

It takes thousands of volunteers to pull offall of the events the Sports Backers stageeach year. Even then, there are some volun‑teers that rise above the rest with their hardwork and dedication, often toiling in obscu‑rity to make sure events like the SunTrustRichmond Marathon and Ukropʼs Monu‑ment Avenue 10k come off without a hitch.

For Jay Lenzi, that means working the

graveyard shift setting up the water stopsfor both the marathon and the 10k, makingsure that everything is set for the tens ofthousands of thirsty participants who willtoe the starting line at the crack of dawn. Itʼsa job heʼs performed for both events foryears and the Sports Backers recognizedhim for his hours of tireless work by naminghim the 2009 Volunteer of the Year.

“Jayʼs got one of the most critical posi‑tions on our event committees, but alsoone of the hardest physically,” says MaryMarshall Graeber, the Sports Backers vol‑unteer coordinator. “Heʼs always the firstperson out on the course during the weehours of race morning and often the last onefinished after the event. Weʼre so fortunateto have him involved with the organization!”

Jay Lenzi named Sports Backers Volunteer of the Year

This year will mark the 11th Ukropʼs Monu‑

ment Avenue 10k, and there are some key

dates to keep in mind if you are participat‑

ing or just planning to join the party.

First off, remember that www.sportsback‑

ers.org has all of the information you will

need to get started.

Here are some highlights:

Registration for the event opened on De‑

cember 1, so the first step is to register to

make sure you are signed up for the event.

Signing up by January 31 means your fee is

only $25. (You can also register large groups

using the bulk registration feature.) You can

sign up children for the First Market Mile

Kids Run as well.

Committing to the race by March 1 alsomeans you are eligible to be selected for theAT&T Dash for Cash, in which you get a headstart and race against the field for $2,500.

If you are looking for some structured train‑ing, the YMCA 10k Training Team beginsJanuary 16, so make sure to sign up soon.You can also participate in charities like PutCancer on the Run and Fit for Life.

Packet pickup will be on March 25 and 26 atthe Anthem Health & Fitness Expo (not onrace day).

Then of course the big event is March 27 with

the Kids Run starting at 8 a.m. and the race at

8:30 a.m. Check out the website for more in‑

formation, and get ready for the biggest and

best Ukropʼs Monument Avenue 10k yet!

Key Dates for the Ukropʼs Monument Avenue 10k

The Richmond Flying Squirrels, Class AA affiliate of the San FranciscoGiants, has had several announcements since their initial debut last fall.Along with the arrival of the new team came a facelift for The Diamondwhich included new seats with cup holders and a refurbishment of thesuites. The previous concession stands have also been emptied and totallyredesigned. The big news was of course the choice of a team name. Afterseveral options were bandied about and a contest was held, the FlyingSquirrels won out. Next came the unveiling of a logo and team mascot.And just in time for the holidays, the gift shop opened with lots of mer‑chandise including t‑shirts, hats, and duffle bags. The play season beginson April 8 and a variety of full and partial‑season tickets are now on sale.

Squirrel News

SBQnow.com | 7

Recently, local athletes got to try out for theprofessional indoor football team, the Rich‑mond Raiders, scheduled to play in theAmerican Indoor Football Associationʼs 2010season. With their home games played at theRichmond Coliseum, the new team is beingcoached by former player for the OaklandRaiders and a Super Bowl ring bearer, MikeSiani̶who has taken his teams to the play‑offs in three of his five years during his indoorcoaching career. Chairman and CEO of Gen‑worth Financial Michael D. Fraizer and hiswife Elizabeth joined the Raiderʼs ownershipgroup as local partners through a personalinvestment in the team. The Raiders' firstgame will be the 2010 AIFA‑All Star Game onJanuary 23rd.

Richmond Raidersʼ Tryouts

Most of us will set a NewYearʼs resolution, and only30% will succeed for morethan 6 months. Truth is,most people donʼt actuallyplan on sticking to theirresolution forever.

What can you do tomake real fitness changesthis year? Start with set‑ting a realistic goal withshort‑term, measureableoutcomes. Rather thansaying “This year I will run3 marathons,” tell yourself, “This year I will run2 times a week for 2 months; then 3 times aweek for 2 months....” Instead of “I will eatbetter,” try “I will eat at least 5 fruits and veg‑gies per day.”

Think about untraditional resolutions,like “I will stay out of the medical tent” or “Iwill make all my preventative medical ap‑pointments” (eyes, teeth, etc.).

Consider taking up a sport rather thanexercise. Research from the American Col‑lege of Sports Medicine shows joining asports league or lessons doubles your chanceof success.

Arm yourself with helpful people. Aworkout buddy, a personal trainer, or a groupexercise class will get you out on a dreary day.

Sign up for an athletic even at leastevery 2 months. Some excellent sites onwhich to do this are: Sportsbackers.org;rrrc.org; and richmondtriclub.com. Thiswill give you realistic goals and a concretetime line!

Youʼve made your New Yearʼs fitness resolu‑tion̶now what do you do? According to arecent study by the University of Washington,only 1 in 5 Americans reaches his or her NewYearʼs “better health and wellness” goal. Thegoals so often spoken of over hot cheese hordʼoeuvres and champagne cocktails on NewYearʼs Eve usually involve losing unwantedpounds. How can we increase our odds of suc‑cess when it comes to these popular fitnessresolutions?

1. Donʼt bite off more than you can chew.Start with realistic expectations based on yourfitness level and schedule. Small changes atfirst can result in big changes later. Walking isalways a smart choice for those who aresedentary. Gradually add duration and inten‑sity. If you want to take your fitness level up anotch, add a different workout into yourschedule. If you run, take a yoga class or vice‑versa. Cross training your muscles not only“tricks” them into working harder, but you canavoid plateaus and the possibility of overuseinjuries.

2. Build power in numbers. Accountabilityis a great way to stay on task. Whether it bewith a trainer or a friend or family member, itis important to set a workout time. My clientsare more apt to show up if they have a buddyguilting them into a trip to the gym.

3. Make it a “high priority” item. Just likeany other appointment you have entered inyour book or hand‑held, donʼt blow this oneoff! It is the most important appointment ofthe day.

4. Clean up your act. 70 percent of the resultsthat you see on the scale or in your clothing willcome from your everyday diet. Choose one dayper week that you can eat “cleanly.” Give theguys in lab coats a day off and refrain fromprocessed or pre‑packaged foods that have ashelf life designed for a nuclear fallout bunker.Consume foods that are free of hormones,chemicals and preservatives. Eat things thatgrow from the ground or off a tree. One day ofclean eating may just lead to many more.

5. It should be hard! Working out should bedo‑able, but difficult. This is why we call it“working” out and not “chilling” out. Set tar‑get heart rate goals when doing cardiovascu‑lar exercises and be sure to fatigue yourmuscles when strength training.

6. Donʼt quit because you think you failedagain. If you miss a workout or you got intothe fried foods, do not give up. Brush yourselfoff, chalk it up as a small slip and get back ontrack. Tomorrow is a new day. And a new year.And possibly a new rear!

Leah Husk is a Richmond-based certified personal trainer, group exercise instructor and author of I’m Hungry…A Personal Trainer’s Collection of Good-Food Recipes.

Teresa Stadler, MD, FACSM is Medical Director of Com-monwealth Sports Medicine, Ironman finisher, activemember of Richmond’s athletic community, and mom ofthree small children.

8 | SBQnow.com

B O D Y S M A R T

TRAINING TABLEHappy New Rear!6 Sure-Fire Tips for Keeping Your Fitness Resolution

Uh-Oh!

ASK THE SPORTS MEDICINE PHYSICIANEXPECTATIONS: Ridiculous to Realistic

Rather than saying “This year I will run 3 marathons”

tell yourself, “This year I will run 2 times a week

for 2 months; then 3 times a week

for 2 months...”

BY LEAH HUSK

BY TERESA STADLER

SBQnow.com | 9

The first time I saw a sports med‑icine doctor was in June of 2008.I wanted to become as competi‑tive of a runner as I had oncebeen as a cyclist and had justcommitted to taking my trainingto a new level. I was coming offthree years of relative inactivityafter my collegiate cycling careerand 1½ years of minimal and in‑consistent running after that. Mybody simply couldnʼt handle thework that I actually wanted toput in. I had dabbled in the 50‑60miles per week range earlier thatspring and was aiming to finishmy first 80‑mile week with aneasy 16 miler. I did that run, how‑ever, with a new training partnerthat was stronger and more ex‑perienced than me and, in hind‑sight, got a bit carried away withthe pace. My Achilles startedhurting with a couple of miles togo and continued to hurt in thedays following.

I took a few days off, andthat helped, but it was still wasnʼt100% a week later. I visited thedoctor at Commonwealth SportsMedicine and she prescribed atreatment plan that includedwearing temporary heel insertsto avoid overstretching theAchilles, physical therapy exer‑cises to do at home, and wearingan iontophoresis patch whichuses an electric charge to delivermedicine through the skin. Moreimportantly, we also did somemanual therapy, conducted agait analysis, and got me on theAlter‑G treadmill for my next twoworkouts.

The gait analysis showedthat my form needed some con‑solidation, while having access tothe Alter‑G helped me stay ontrack aerobically and leg‑speed‑wise as I prepared for an upcom‑ing race. The Alter‑G treadmill re‑duces your body weight bycreating a seal around your waistand then inflating so you sort of

“float” above the treadmill. It al‑lowed me to do those two hardruns at 75% body weight whichput much less stress on theAchilles and calf area. Afterwards,I was able to put together a reallysolid block of training, and only 8weeks later, won my first event asa runner, the Patrick Henry HalfMarathon. My time in that 2008marathon was about 11 minutesfaster than what I had run there ayear prior.

This past June I turned andsprained my ankle while trail run‑ning. I had just finished up myspring racing season with a vic‑tory at the Stratford Hills 10k. Mydoctor told me what to do andnot do while caring for it, showedme how to wrap it, and sent meon my way. After 3 days off, Icould run with only minimal

soreness and no tension in theankle. Later in the summer, I wasreally pushing myself as I built mybase for fall racing. I was runningdoubles to increase my mileageand was doing a fair amount ofintensity as well. The day afterone of the Cul de Sac 5k races, Ihad some tenderness in the foot,but I couldnʼt tell if it was bone ortendon. Fortunately it turned outto be nothing.

Five days later, I was able torace the Pony Pasture 5k with noproblem at all. Two weeks afterthat, I experienced more frustra‑tion when my calf got extremelytight while doing strides after myMonday morning recovery run. Itliterally came out of nowhereand showed me that I had reallyfound my current training limits.I was still able to run easy that

week, but was worried that I hadruined my fall season when it wasstill tight even a week later.Thanks to some manual therapyhowever, I was able to get inthree key workouts that follow‑ing week as I prepared for theRock ̒ nʼ Roll Half Marathon in Vir‑ginia Beach.

Three weeks after the calfflared up on me, I would run a PRin the Virginia Beach HalfMarathon. Although I was happywith that performance, I stillknew I could do better. Over thenext ten weeks, I was able tostring together the best andmost consistent training Iʼve everhad as a runner. I knew when Iwoke up the morning of the 2009SunTrust Half Marathon that itwas going to be a great day asthe temperature was perfect forrunning hard. I would run a1:13:41 to finish 7th overall andPR by over 3 minutes, my proud‑est moment yet as a runner.

So if I had a tip for any run‑ner, regardless of ability, it wouldbe to listen to your body. Youʼvegot to push yourself if you wantto improve, and if you really pushyourself, your body is occasion‑ally going to push back. The im‑portant thing is that you catchthose signs early enough so thatthey donʼt become real prob‑lems. Missing a training run, oreven two, wonʼt kill you if itʼs anoccasional occurrence. But miss‑ing a month or two due to amajor injury or having to skip keyworkouts because you keep ig‑noring the minor problems,those sorts of things really killyour momentum and make ithard to improve. To really im‑prove year over year, youʼvegot to build off your past ad‑vances and not go back tosquare one each season. Theonly way you can accomplishthat is with steady, consistent,sub‑maximal training.

FROM INJURED TO WINNER IN RECORD TIME

“Youʼve got to push yourself if you want to

improve, and if you really push yourself,

your body is occasionallygoing to push back. “

BY BRIAN SHELTON

10 | SBQnow.com

“This year willbe my eighthtime running

in the Ukrop’s

Monument Avenue 10k,

and I do eitherthe 8k or the

half marathonduring the SunTrust

RichmondMarathon.”

TracyLynn

SBQnow.com | 11

Iwork out 5 to 6 days a week, 2 days with mytrainer at American Family Fitness doing totalbody weights, 2 days running (outside if the

weather is nice), and the other days doing a combi-nation of weight training/cardio (no running thosedays). I usually work out about 2 hours each day,”says Lynn.

In addition to her workout routine, she partici-pates in the two popu-lar Richmond runningevents. “This year willbe my eighth time run-ning in the Ukrop’sMonument Avenue10k, and I do either theHCA Virginia 8k orthe McDonald’s HalfMarathon during theSunTrust RichmondMarathon,” she says. “I

would do more events if my schedule permitted.”Lynn was born and raised in Richmond and is a

graduate of Varina High School and Liberty Univer-sity, but working out wasn’t something Lynn grew updoing. “I didn’t work out when I was a kid and didn’tstart until my last year in college,” she says. “I hatedworking out and I was mainly a radio geek in school.”

STAYING CAMERA‑READY IS HARD WORKAS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, EVERY MORNING TRACY LYNN GETS UP EAR‑LIER THAN MOST OF US AND HEADS TO THE NBC‑12 STUDIOS TO PRO‑VIDE THE TRAFFIC REPORT SO RICHMONDERS HAVE A SAFER, EASIER

COMMUTE TO WORK. BUT WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS THAT SHE STAYS

VERY ACTIVE WHEN SHEʼS NOT IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA. BY DAVE SMITHERMAN

“I hatedworkingout and I was

mainly a radiogeek inschool.”

Now she is very focused on stay-ing in shape, and part of that is dueto her profession. “Staying motivatedis easy. When I see myself on TVevery day it keeps me motivated tostay in the gym. Television automati-cally adds 10 pounds to everyoneand honestly the camera and lightstend to be very cruel to individuals,not always showing our best fea-tures.”

So she sticks to the basics tomaintain a healthy lifestyle. She fol-lows a dedicated, vigorous workout

routine, eats as healthy as possible,and gets plenty of rest.

“I make sure I stay away fromsweets and junk food with high calo-ries (comfort food), and I stick to lotsof chicken and fish,” says Lynn.

“For carbs I eat sweet potatoes in-stead of regular potatoes and I limitmy sugar and portion size. I only eatout about once a week because a lotof foods served in restaurants have alot of salt which helps the body to re-tain water. And I try to drink a lot ofwater even in the cold weather.”

12 | SBQnow.com

12345

Try something new, especially during the winter. Iʼve rediscovered jump‑ing rope. Itʼs a great cardio workout and burns tons of calories.

Use motivation to stay in shape. For me itʼs seeing myself on television.Find a favorite picture of yourself and use that as your inspiration.

Fight the winter blahs by setting a time to go to the gym and followthrough. Once Iʼm finished, I feel like a new person.

Be especially careful of your diet in winter. I donʼt eat white rice, onlybrown rice. And NO bread (which is very, very difficult).

Join a group. I have trained with coworkers, which helps keep me mo‑tivated. And when I am ready to run the SunTrust Richmond Marathon,I plan on participating in an organized training program. I donʼt think Icould motivate myself to run a full marathon. I need the encouragementof others.

TRACYʼS 5 FAVORITE FITNESS TIPS

Richard NelsonCOACHES

10k TRAININGTEAMSPAGE 14

7 STEPSToward Improving Your Race

Performance PAGE 15

+ 6 SURE‑FIRE TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR FITNESS RESOLUTION | PEDAL POWER 2010

TEKTONICS DESIGN GROUP s̓

Innovative Caelifera Bike

PAGE 24

SEAN CUSACKAsks, ʻAre youready for aduathlon?ʼ

PAGE 25

ʻTHE GREEK PHYSIQUEʼPAGE 26

HER

5FAVORITEFITNESS

TIPSPAGE 10

NBC 12ʼsTracy Lynn

Exercise enthusiast PEPPER WILSONdemonstrates indoor routines that can be done at home or in the gym.

Bodybuider Howard Townsend Strives for GET HOME DELIVERY OF

SBQSUBSCRIBE

ONLINE @

WWW.SBQNOW.COM

14 | SBQnow.com

Join an Established ProgramInstead of training alone, the YMCA andSports Backers have partnered to offer10k Training Teams that can be found atany of the 14 YMCA locations throughoutthe Richmond metro area. The benefitsof training within a team environmentare many, including ex-cellent coaching ad-vice, group motivation,and just having fun.Dan Blankenship isthe head coach for theYMCA 10k trainingteams and says, “Eachyear I see new friend-ships formed. Goingthrough a programlike this helps bringpeople together.”

While the major-ity of runners entering thetraining sessions are at thenovice level, participants alsoinclude walkers and experi-enced runners. “Each trainingteam program is broken downinto 3 unique plans targeting various lev-els of athletic ability and fitness: (1)walkers, (2) novice runners, and (3) in-termediate or more advanced runnerslooking to improve their time,” explainsBlankenship. “Since we started the pro-gram in 2002, we have helped over23,000 people make it across the finishline. With over 3,400 participants in theprogram last year, we only had a handfulthat did not complete the training forone reason or another.”

Training is open to all ages. At thedowntown Y, assistant coach RichardNelson has 8 years of experience train-ing runners from all walks of life andall ages make it across the finish line.“My job is to make sure that each run-ner completes their run,” says Nelson.

“The goal is to keep everybody in thetarget zone; where you are comfortablethe whole way through. That is a suc-cessful run.”

John McCaffery is an excellent ex-ample of being in the zone. At 73, andwith a hip and knee replacement, Mc-

Caffery has a darn good rea-son to be proud of hisrecord. “I always have to say‘Slow down, John’ becausehe is always trying to gofaster than he should,” saysNelson, chuckling. Experi-enced runners like McCaf-fery, often spotted wearing abig elf hat during training,can be of valuable assis-tance to novice runners of-fering words of wisdom andmotivational talk while train-ing. “Participants realize thatwhen you run in a group, it’sso much easier to get to yourgoal because everyone

around is focused on just finishing it,” ex-plains Nelson.

Each training team has their ownprogram geared towards preparing youto race in the 10k. Ed Orokos, assistantcoach to the 10k training team at theShady Grove Y, noticed that in the pastnovice runners often would run about

a half a mile andthen get “gassed.”Because of this,fewer runnerswould return totrain as discour-agement set in. Hedeveloped a pro-gram so that eachrunner was sure torun at least 40 per-cent of the 10k.“The program isvery simple,”Orosko explains.“In five minuteblocks we wouldwalk for severalminutes and then

run. As an example, I had the groupduring the first week walk for four min-utes then run for one minute. This task

would continueuntil we met ourmileage goal forthat Saturday. As theweeks went by wewould increase themileage along withthe walk/run for-mula.” This strategyworked and as a re-sult “most of thegroup ran morethan forty percentof the race, theywere not ‘gassed’and they ended upfinishing the racewith smiles.”

THE CLOCK IS TICKING ON YOUR 10K TRAINING

BY TARA HERMAN

MARCH 27TH IS FAST APPROACHING, AND IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE MANY RICH‑MONDERS THAT WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS YEARʼS UKROPʼS MONUMENT AVENUE

10K, ITʼS TIME START TRAINING.

Blankenship

Orokos

Nelson

WHILE THEMAJORITY

OF RUNNERS ENTERING

THE TRAININGSESSIONS

ARE AT THENOVICE LEVEL, PARTICIPANTSALSO INCLUDE WALKERS ANDEXPERIENCED

RUNNERS.

ORO

KOS

& N

ELSO

NPH

OTO

S: BR

IGH

TRO

OM

SBQnow.com | 15

Improve Your Race Performance in 7 StepsBY NATHAN WOOD

Start Your Own Training TeamStarting your own training team is also a greatway to get prepared to race in the 10k whereyou can also add your own personal flavor toyour goal or mission. Teri Lovelace and MaryDamon are heading up the amateur trainingteam at the Third Presbyterian Church. Theywill run every Saturday with more opportuni-ties to run during the week.

Individually, team members will havethree runs per week for beginners. Oftenthough, members form their own smallergroups for running together during the week.Their goal is to provide fellowship, physical

and spiritualgrowth, as wellas reaching outinto the com-munity. Theyeven strive tobegin each run-ning sessionwith scripturefrom the Bible.“It is so motivat-ing for us to seefolks who neverthought theycould run arace come

across that finish line. It is really a powerful ex-perience that transcends into other aspects oftheir lives.”

Over in the West End at Deep Run HighSchool, Renee Zando, along with some fel-low Wildcats, have organized a 10K trainingteam where the focus will be on raisingmoney for cancer.

“Each one of us in our community hasbeen affected in some way by cancer; stu-dents, staff, parents, and we want to do ourpart,” says Zando. “We want to make it a DeepRun Community-wide effort to show everyonethat we are together and we are here to fightcancer. It is also a lot more fun to train withpeople, especially when you are doing it forsuch a great cause!”

This training team will have 5 days duringthe week available for members to train withtwo different coaches on certain days.

So, whether you’re a walker, novice runner,or in the advanced group, training is an essen-tial part of the 10k experience.

Coaches all over Richmond ensure thatwhen you train, you will not just be training forthe 10K, but you will be training to begin ormaintain a new more invigorating chapter inyour life.

For many it’s not just a temporary experi-ence, it’s a lifestyle change.

Lovelace

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Are you new to the 10k or want to improve your 10k personal record, butkeep hitting a wall? Whether you are a novice jogger or a seasoned runner,there are some simple training tips to help bring down your time.

Set a goal. Before training begins, give yourself a goal time‑‑what do youwant your new personal record to be? This will help you mark out how manymiles you want to be clocking a week. Just remember, everyone has their lim‑its. Listen to your body, it will tell you when youʼve had enough and when itʼstime to really push yourself.

Plan ahead. Like all workouts, miracles do not happen overnight. If youare preparing for a 10K, training should start between eight to twelve weeks inadvance. Keep track of how many miles you want to run a week, and give your‑self a schedule to keep your goal record in sight.

Run daily, with two days off. In preparing for a long run, you will need tostart running daily while giving yourself at least two days to recuperate a week.Some days will be better spent focusing on how far, while others focus on howfast. On long run days, grab a friend and get ready to spend over six miles work‑ing on endurance. On days you are pushing for speed, run for short periods witha pace that will leave you out of breath. With these runs, you are not only train‑ing your body and tightening muscle, but you are teaching your body to toler‑ate pain, so that you can push yourself further when needed. The last type of runyou will be doing during training weeks is a casual jog, no pushing involved.Youʼll still be burning calories with these casual runs, while sending your bodyon a nice vacation.

Study the race course. With race day close at hand, mark down the routeso you know every turn, hill and slope. Doing this will let you know when topush yourself, when you can take it easy, and what is coming up next for you.Depending on your skill level, look to be spending 35 minutes to an hour run‑ning the course.

ON RACE DAYStay hydrated and pace yourself. Youʼll have six miles to run and you will

need all the energy you can get.

Eat smart. The morning of the race keep your meal to electrolyte restoredrinks or light solid food at least two hours before the race. Your last mealshould take place twelve hours beforehand.

Never run full out. Exhaustion will take over, and your time will nevercome down. If you want to push yourself, slowly increase your pace over 100meters until you are just below your limit, hold that pace for a few seconds thenslowly decrease again. Just because you are racing your own clock does notmean you have to run nonstop. If you need a break at a rest station, slow up‑‑have some water, and walk a few meters. Remember from your training, longruns are about endurance not speed. If you use all your energy on the first threemiles, youʼll never make the last.

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WINTERWHILE IT MAY BE TEMPTING TO GO INTO HIBERNATION MODE AND AVOID OUT‑DOOR WORKOUTS IN THE WINTER MONTHS, BECOMING INACTIVE INDOORS ISNʼTYOUR ONLY OPTION. WITH MINIMAL EQUIPMENT AND MAXIMUM INSPIRATION, YOU

CAN DEVELOP A ROUTINE DESIGNED TO MEET YOUR FITNESS GOALS. SBQ ASKED

TRAINERS FOR IDEAS AND EXERCISES THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE, EFFECTIVE AND FUN.Resistance BandRoutineWhitney Styles of the StylesGroup Fitness Network offersthe following regimen.

The resistance band series isa wonderful way to spice upa current workout regimen oran easy way to incorporatesome strength into a homeworkout plan.

A resistance band is es-

sentially like a giant rubberband and can be found atany sporting goods stores oreven superstores, like Targetand Walmart, for just a fewbucks. It’s light, easy to storeand travel with, economical,and a great workout whenused correctly, making it agreat fitness tool for anyonefrom the marathoner to thefitness novice.

Here is a basic resist-

ance band series that can beincorporated to spice up anyhome workout, used as a re-placement for one of yourupper-body strength work-outs, packed away when youhead out of town this winter,or incorporated into yourcardiovascular workout atthe gym.

As, with any workout,warm-up for five to ten min-utes before starting.Styles

Property manager Justin Norris along with model Pepper Wilson take on this issueʼsroutines and trainer tips for easy workouts that can be done at home or in the gym. WORKOUT PHOTOS BY KACY SMITHERMAN.

SBQnow.com | 17

WORK UTS

Shoulder RaisePlace one foot on the middle of theband, hands hold the handles at yourside. Start by raising your arms up, per‑pendicular from your body, until they areshoulder high and palms are facing theground. Continue for 12 to 15 reps.

Bicep CurlStanding with both feet on the re‑sistance band, hands hold the resi‑tance band at the side of your body,palms facing out. With your elbowsat your sides, slowly raise your handsuntil your plams face your shoulders.Continue for 12 to 15 reps.

Tricep PressUsing that same stablizer, turn around, fac‑ing the opposite position from your row.Hold arms straight out from your body,and bend at the elbow 90 degrees. Extendyour arm down and way, until it is com‑pletely straight. You can do this move‑ment by alternating arms, or moving themat the same time. Repeat 12 to 15 reps.

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WINTER WORKOUTS

Squat and PressPart 1: Here is a great way to your legs withan upper‑body strengthening movement.Starting with legs shoulder width apart,squat down. When you squat, think aboutsitting back and down into a chair, makingsure your knees never extend beyond yourtoes. Push up through your heels, until youare back to your standing position.

Part 2: Now, press up with your arms, to thesky. As you press up, think about makingyour arms into goal posts. Elbow should beat 90 degrees in the starting position, palmsfacing out. Gradually press up to the ceilinguntil your thumbs touch one another, aboveyour head. Release back down.

Continue repeating part 1 and part 2 in a se‑ries for 12 to 15 reps.

Resistance Band RowFind a stable object that youcan loop your resistance bandaround. If you are at the gym,a rack in the weight roomwould work fine. If you are athome attaching the band toa sturdy table leg, a banister, or even knotting around adoor knob will work do. At this point, we want to engage your back. Once youhave secured the resistance band, grab the handles and step away a few steps.The further away you step, the harder the movement will become. Squatdown, sitting back into an imaginary chair. At this point your arms are ex‑tended in front of your, thumbs up, palms together. Slowly “row” back, keep‑ing your elbows and arms as close to your sides as possible. Squeeze yourshoulder blades together, hold, and release. Repeat for 12 to 15 reps.

Lunge and Lat Pull DownStep 1: Start by holding the resistance band overyour head, holding the band not at the handles,but in the middle of the band with your handsbetween 8 and 10 inches apart. Now, lunge for‑ward. Take a large step, extending one leg out,and dropping your back leg down nearly to theground. When you lunge, your body should bestraight up, shoulders over your hips, hips in linewith your back legʼs knee.

Step 2: Pull the resistance band, keeping yourarms straight, pulling down behind your headuntil the band touches the back of your neck.Release back up to starting position.

Step 3: Push through your heal, and return backto starting standing position.Repeat 8‑12 times each leg.

To complete the workout, repeat theentire resistance band series three times.To make it a total body workout, add somecardiovascular movements to the resist-ance band strengthening series.

For example, once you complete thefirst set (remember, you are doing three)jump on a cardio machine at the gym for5-10 minutes. If you are at home, jump ropeor do jumping jacks for 2-5 minutes.

BONUS POINTS

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Mix It Up!Routines are made to be broken.When exercise routines grow stale, even the most avid fit-ness enthusiasts struggle with motivation and decliningphysical rewards. According to personal trainer ThomasRobinson, one of the obstacles to maintaining the ben-efits of—and interest in—working out is in continuallyfinding fresh approaches to exercise. “People oftendon’t know how to challenge themselves,” he says,pointing out that creativity is an important compo-

nent to training. Robinson explains that because our

bodies adapt readily to new activities,the same routine ceases to yield no-ticeable results after a period of time.

To avoid this pitfall, Robinsonrecommends practicing muscleconfusion, which he describes as, “aconstant change in work out pro-grams and approaches that donot allow the body to adapt or plateau.”

“Everyone is different,” he says, “but I would suggest sometype of modification in the workout within three weeks, even if it’s justadding an additional set or weight.”

Robinson, who has been certified as a trainer since 2005 and cur-rently works with 25 clients, says he never does the same program twiceand has even worked with other trainers who have grown bored withtheir own workouts.

TRY SOMETHING completely outside

OF YOUR EXERCISECOMFORT ZONE.

Robison with client

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Jennie Meharg, a certifiedpersonal trainer, considersmotivation to be, “the mostdifficult aspect of personaltraining.” “The rest,” she says,“is science.”

In order to trackprogress and remain men-tally engaged in workouts,Meharg instructs her clientsto record their sessions injournals for comparisonwith other sessions in orderto identify small improve-

ments that may otherwise go unnoticed.Like Robinson, Meharg practices muscleconfusion to move beyond the plateausthat everyone experiences.

But for sustained fitness, Mehargalso counsels self-forgiveness when it

comes to natural fluctuations in weightand levels of activity.

“Sometimes you have to step back inorder to step forward again,” she says.

Elizabeth Herlan, a certified in-structor, emphasizes the importance of

finding the right balance betweenworking out for sheer enjoymentand, “being a slave to the gym.”

Herlan recommends not over-doing any one activity. She offersan example from her own experi-ence after years of running, sayingthat she reached a point where shebecame too concerned with cov-ering a certain distance each day. “Itbecame a chore and I just didn’tenjoy it anymore,” she says.

After taking a break from run-ning, she remarks, “Now I’m ready

to run again because Iwant to, not because Ifeel like I have to.”

Taking a breakwhen necessary is notonly okay, accordingto Herlan, but also

helps prevent muscle injury from over-use. On days when going to the gymseems utterly unappealing, she advises,“Just give your body the break it proba-bly needs and then get back on track assoon as possible.”

WINTER WORKOUTS

ROBISON, HERLAN AND MEHARG INTERVIEWS BY ANIKA IMAJO

Balance Your Mind & Body Goals are good for your training success—but realistic expectations are essential.

Herlan Meharg

“SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO STEP BACK IN ORDER TO STEP FORWARD AGAIN.”

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Jim Miller is a family practice and sportsmedicine physician, and an active com-petitor in local, national and interna-tional pool and open-water swimmingevents. He has been coaching and com-peting in pool and open-water swim-ming events for years. He took time outof his busy winter training schedule toanswer a few questions about the sportof swimming.

What makes swimming such a viable fit-ness option, especially this time of year? Winter is a perfect time to get in shapethrough swimming.Swimming is a great op-tion when the coldweather prevents or dis-courages you from pur-suing outdoor fitnessactivities. Swimmingsuccess—that is, theability to feel com-fortable swimminglaps and get a goodworkout—is techniquedriven, so it is best tostart in a swimming pro-gram such as Mastersswimming. Organized swimming pro-grams include emphasis on stroketechnique, regardless of the level ofability. They also provide a social set-ting that is a healthy alternative to win-ter hibernation.

What are some tips for anybody whowants to get into swimming? The best way to start in a swimmingprogram is just to get started. Show up!Find an organized adult swim programor a Masters swimming practice. Intro-duce yourself to the coach at the prac-tice. If you are uncertain about yourability or have things you need to workon, let the coach know. Masterscoaches can work with you on tech-nique. It is far better to learn correcttechnique early than struggle throughwith poor technique and become dis-couraged. Importantly, don't wait untilyou “get in shape” on your own beforejoining an organized swimming group.The swimming program is there to getyou in shape.

What can they expect physically? Swimming is just different. The musclesand techniques used in activities likerunning and biking do not generallytransfer into swimming. Aerobic fitnessdoes transfer, but the muscles used areentirely different, as is the coordination.So expect to feel awkward. Expect to feelsore. It's just part of refining your skillsand getting in shape. The physical bene-fits of swimming are the unique oppor-tunity to train without joint impact andhave equal benefit for the entire body.

Is it beneficial for runnersand bikers looking for al-ternative workouts? Absolutely. The pool al-lows any athlete to get aworkout that will train theupper and lower bodyand the important coremuscles. Swimming alsomixes aerobic and anaer-obic training. The injuredrunner or biker will beable to maintain his or herfitness levels while reha-bilitating injuries.

What are some attainable goals newswimmers can set for themselves?Goal-setting is important for all athletes,but the level of the bar is very individual.I suggest that beginning goals be basedon developing skills first rather thanswimming a certain number of laps. Forexample, a goal may be to learn properbreathing technique—exhaling whileyour face is underwater and inhalingfully during the breathing phase. Similargoals may be to find proper body bal-ance in the water (chest pressed down,hips on the surface), to learn a newstroke, or to feel your core muscles en-gaging when you swim. After those earlyachievements, goals can be set aroundeither a distance swum or an amount oftime spent in the pool.

Do you have any motivation tips/advice(especially for winter months)? While it is cold and bitter outside thepool remains warm and inviting withnew challenges for all athletes. What’s

more, if you join an organized swimminggroup, you'll receive the benefits of com-panionship and camaraderie. Mastersswimming practices aren't all aboutswimming back and forth in the poolwith your head in the water. You will havefellow swimmers doing the same work-out as you and chatting before the prac-tice, between intervals, and afterwards.Boy, can they chat! You will share the ex-perience of a challenging practice to-gether. And you may even share a fewbagels together after practice.

Where to Make a SPLASHThe ACAC Fitness and Wellness Center ofRichmond in Midlothian is the perfect placeto start your winter water activities. While theoutdoor water areas closes in October andwonʼt be open again until April, a 50‑meter in‑door pool plays host to exercise classes,swimming lessons, and of course, lanes forlap swimming. Children are welcome to jointhe Dolphin and Barracuda clubs to practicetheir endurance and perfect their swimmingabilities, while their parents can join the Mas‑ters swimming group and work on their owntechniques. The ACAC also offers clinics tohelp youth and teens enhance their abilitiesand stay in shape. If you arenʼt looking for aclass, do not threat, this eight lane pool willalways have room for those that just want toswim some laps and meditate.

Over in Hanover County, the BurkwoodSwim and Racquet Club suits the aquaticneeds from adult to tot. Their 25‑yard indoorpool offers year‑round swimming courses,aerobic programs, and lap lanes reserved justfor those who need to swim away the coldweather blues. Where Burkwood really shinesis with the Burkwood Aquatic Club. If yourchild is looking to get into competitive swim‑ming, Coach George Massey and his teamhave spent years training medal‑worthyswimmers and continue to train dedicatedswimmers all year. For those not looking tocompete, swimming lessons are offered dur‑ing the winters which range from basic classesto developmental swimming for childrenunder ten. Children between ten years and 13are welcome to join the noncompetitiveschool and work on improving their tech‑nique before they hop on track for competi‑tive swimming.

Water Options A wealth of indoor pools in the region offers year-round swimming opportunities.

Miller

BY NATHAN WOOD

22 | SBQnow.com

P edal Power challenges partici-pants to endure 30 minutes of in-tense pedaling on stationary

bikes set up to generate electricity. Teamsof two, with the encouragement of thetraining staff, will compete to see whocan produce the most watts; with first-,second- and third-place prizes to beawarded in a men’s division and awomen’s division.

In the course of last year’s inauguralevent, the cycling efforts of eight teamsyielded nearly 1,100 watts, powering thefitness facility for the duration of thecompetition. But according to eventfounder and organizer Ethan Seltzer,Pedal Power 2010 will surpass last year’scompetition in both scope and ambi-tion. This year, Seltzer hopes to enlist theparticipation of 10-20 teams that will pro-vide energy to run not only the lightsand stereo, but also two cook tops withwhich local cooks will transform locallygrown produce into brunch.

Seltzer, who describes the event as,“a family-friendly cycling competitionthat really serves to educate the publicabout sustainability,” says he was inspired

to launch Pedal Power a couple of yearsago when he became aware of the Inno-vate or Die contest sponsored by Googleand bike manufacturer Specialized. In-

novate or Die challenged entrants to cre-ate machines that would run exclusivelyon human pedal power.

“I have a personal passion for con-servation and sustainability,” Seltzer ex-plains, emphasizing that he wanted tomake a difference in a way that wouldbe fun, not “preachy.” Thus motivated, hefounded Pedal Power, Inc., which was for-mally designated as a non-profit organi-zation this year. Proceeds from the eventwill be donated to TechReach of CentralVirginia, a non-profit organization thatdonates refurbished computers to peo-ple who cannot afford to buy them andthat promotes a no-landfill, reuse policy.

In this spirit of sustainability, Pedal

Power is also holding a separate contestwhose winner will be announced onevent day. A cargo bike, donated by Mad-sen, will be awarded to the contestant

who has submitted the most compellingvideo explaining why he or she shouldreceive the prize. The idea, Seltzer ex-plains, is to give the bike to someonewho will trade in his or her car for it.“We’re trying to literally take one car offthe street,” he adds.

BY ANIKA IMAJO

HOW MANY BICYCLISTS DOES IT TAKE TO POWER A LIGHTBULB? ON FEBRUARY

20TH, COMPETITORS IN THE SECOND ANNUAL PEDAL POWER EVENT WILL FIND

OUT THE HARD WAY AS THEY CONVERT THEIR SWEAT INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

AT ENDORPHIN FITNESS.

Submissions for the contest, notto exceed three minutes, may bee-mailed to info@pedalpwr.comand more details about PedalPower 2010 may be found athttp://pedalpwr.com/page/

Event-Day-Details.aspx

“A family-friendly cycling competitionthat really serves to educate

the public about sustainability.”

PEDAL POWER

Get Healthy by Eating Right with Ukrop’s.

Full Circle: Only at Ukrop’s.A delicious way to save on natural

and organic products.

We pride ourselves on having delicious, healthy food choices throughout our aisles.

In fact, Ukrop’s won the first Supermarket News Whole Health Enterprise award, which

honors leaders in health and wellness. Along with nutritious food, we have Registered

Dietitians who can help you meet your health and wellness goals. Call (804) 340-3005

or (800) 272-9683 for information or to schedule a nutrition counseling session.

Sarah Boyd, R.D. Ukrop’s Registered Dietitian

Fueled by the efforts of two of thefirm’s partners and bicycling en-thusiasts—Hinmaton Hisler and

Damon Pearson—Tektonics DesignGroup creates customized Trials, moun-tain, and road bike frames, becoming oneof only two bicycle builders in the area.

“In general I feel we try to utilize tothe fullest our own cycling experiencesto inform our product designs,” saysHisler, who designs Trials bike framesunder the company’s Caelifera division.

Caelifera, the suborder of insect towhich the grasshopper belongs, aptlydescribes the look and function of thelong, seatless frames used in observedTrials biking. Trials biking, which enjoyspopularity primarily in Europe, is a formof mountain biking in which the ridersurmounts challenging obstaclesthrough jumping and skillfully execut-

ing balance and control. With its venture into this specializa-

tion, Tektonics Design Group enters afield that is sparsely populated on aglobal scale. According to Hisler, thereare only approximately 20 to 30 compa-nies throughout the world that make Tri-

als bike frames. Hisler adds, “Caelifera has worldwide

recognition as one of the only sources ofcustom Trialssin frames and one of twoaluminum Trialssin frame builders in theUnited States. Caelifera,” he says, “boastsas many international customers as do-mestic customers.”

Notably, Caelifera has been com-missioned to design three Trials bikes tobe used in the Cirque du Soleil’s pro-duction in Orlando, FL, says Hisler, whoworked directly with the rider to createframes suitable to his specific perform-

ance style. Negotiating the business hurdles

present in the industry and the consid-erable expense of key materials, the de-signers are working with a manufacturerin Taiwan to produce their frames and fa-cilitate distribution throughout Europe.

Eventually, they hope to designbikes for mass consumption while con-tinuing in-house production of cus-tomized frames.

24 | SBQnow.com

BY ANIKA IMAJO

A NEW KIND OF BIKEEXPANDING BEYOND THEIR ALREADY IMPRESSIVE PORTFOLIO OF ARCHITECTURAL

AND INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS AND FABRICATIONS, THE INNOVATIVE FORCES BEHIND

THE RICHMOND COMPANY TEKTONICS DESIGN GROUP ARE NOW EMPLOYING

THEIR ARSENAL OF TALENTS IN DESIGNING BICYCLE FRAMES.

Tektonicsʼ other forays into bike devel‑opment include the design and fabrica‑tion of the fitment bike in collaborationwith cycling retailer 3Sports. The fitmentbike prototype (shown here) is fully ad‑justable and can accommodate a range

of geometries from asmall mountain bike toa large road bike. Theframe is adjustable forreal‑world comfort. Awattage meter in thebottom bracket meas‑ures the rider's effi‑ciency. Maintaining the

look of an actual bike, traditional steeltubing comprises the bulk of the designwith custom machined hardware andfittings created in‑house.

Caelifera, the suborder of insect to which the grasshopper belongs, aptly describes

the look and function of the long, seatless frames used in observed Trials biking.

SBQnow.com | 25

How long have you been participating in duathlons? Since 2005. I have done 10 or 11 duathlons in‑cluding races in Maryland, Ohio and NorthCarolina. I would race more if there wereevents available locally.

How/why did you get into it? I bought a bike for cross‑training. Thatspring I heard about the 2005 3SportsDuathlon and signed up. I had not riddena bike consistently since 1982. I washooked immediately.

What are the benefits and challenges of these events?The challenge of a duathlon, like any multi‑sport race, is pacing each segment correctly.It's very easy to hammer the bike segmentand have nothing left for the last run. De‑pending on the length of the event, that lastrun can be very humbling if pacing has notbeen smart. With a 5K or running race, thereis very little "equipment" required. With aduathlon, you introduce a bike, that greatlyincreases some of the logistics. When I arrivedat the race site for my first duathlon, I took mybike out of my car and realized that I had leftmy front wheel in the garage at my home.Luckily I lived close to West Creek. Makingsure you don't forget anything is an addedchallenge.

How do you train?I still use cycling as cross‑training for myrunning unless I am preparing for a spe‑cific duathlon. Therefore my cycling hasnot improved a great deal. It's difficult totrain consistently for a duathlon due to thelack of events. Before 2009, there wereabout 3 duathlons per year in the area.

Last year Richmond Multisports steppedup and added two more to the calendarwhich was great. Hopefully others will fol‑low suit and we can get a number ofduathlons in the area which will fueladded interest and make training for themworthwhile.

What are the benefits of a training team? The Duathlon Training Team providesmany benefits to our athletes. The first isan organized and planned approach totraining. For many of our athletes, thistraining team is their first exposure tomulti‑sport racing. Training for two sportsat the same time is much different thantraining for a marathon or 10K. We have totake the time available for training and fig‑ure out how to use it most effectively. TheDuathlon Training Team also spends alarge amount of time on the rules and finerpoints of multi‑sport racing. There are nu‑merous rules involved in Duathlon thatsomeone new to the sport may not under‑stand. We make sure everyone under‑stands the key rules before race day toavoid penalties or disqualification. We havenumerous clinics during the training pro‑gram. Obviously a huge benefit of anytraining team is the sense of camaraderiethat develops and keeps our athletes mo‑tivated, plus we have a blast!

What do you do nutritionally for training up to and during the event? I don't spend much time worrying about nu‑trition. Leading up to an event I will changemy diet slightly depending on the duration,expected weather and my goals, but it is nota focus for me. I like beer, burgers, fries andpizza too much.

Have you always been into fitness growing up? Is your family active? I was active growing up, we used to ride ourbikes all over Northern Virginia during thespring and summer and play football, etc inthe yard. During college I became very seden‑tary and was not active until I realized howunhealthy I had become at my 39th birthday.Things have changed dramatically over thepast 7 or 8 years. My daughter is co‑captainof the basketball team at St. Gertrude HighSchool and my wife walks for exercise regu‑larly and enjoys the YMCA 10K Training Team.

What do you like about Richmond events?The duathlons produced by Sports Backershave been very different than the otherduathlons I have raced. In my experience,duathlons were always small without muchvibe. Even the Powerman events in NorthCarolina and Ohio were kind of ho‑hum.Sports Backers has taken it to a whole newlevel with the National Duathlon Festival con‑cept. It has become a big event and intro‑duces many more people to the event eachyear. Many more people have been exposedto duathlons thanks to the National DuathlonFestival. Hopefully we can continue this greatevent in some format going forward.

Tips for others who are considering a duathlon event? I won't use the corny̶Just Do It. But youshould. Duathlon is great; there is nothinglike the first time you jump off your bike andrun out of transition. If you've done it, youunderstand. If you haven't done it, try it. Iwon't say you'll like it, but you'll be hooked.Duathlon Training Team is a great way to dipa toe in the multi‑sport pool without havingto swim!

READY FOR THE CHALLENGE OF A DUATHLON?SEAN CUSACK HAS SERVED ON THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE FORTHE MCDONALDʼS ITU WORLD DUATHLON CHAMPIONSHIPSAND USAT DUATHLON NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND HASBEEN NAMED SPORTS BACKERS VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR. HEHAS BEEN A COACH ON THE SPORTS BACKERS MARATHON

TRAINING TEAM FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND RAN THE BOSTON MARATHON IN2008. HE IS AN AVID CYCLIST AND RUNNER. SBQ ASKED SEAN A FEW QUESTIONSABOUT THE CHALLENGING SPORT OF DUATHLONS AND HOW OTHERS CAN GET INVOLVED.

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GREEK PHYT H E A R T A N D D I S C I P L I N E O F

SBQnow.com | 27

HOWARD TOWNSEND IS A

WEIGHTLIFTER WHO IS NEARLY FIN‑ISHED HIS STUDIES AT VCU FOR

CRIMINAL JUSTICE. AFTER SCHOOL

HE HOPES TO TAKE HIS PASSION FOR

WEIGHTLIFTING̶THAT BEGAN AS

PART OF NAVY SEAL PREP TRAIN‑ING̶AND TURN IT INTO A CAREER

AS A PROFESSIONAL BODYBUILDER.LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE A CURIOSITY

ABOUT THE SPORT, BUT MAY NOT BE

SURE HOW TO GET INTO IT OR DE‑CIDE IF ITʼS RIGHT FOR THEM. THE

WINTER MONTHS OFFER THE PER‑FECT OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME RE‑SEARCH ON A POTENTIAL NEW

CHALLENGE. TOWNSEND SHARES

SOME OF HIS KNOWLEDGE AND EX‑PERIENCE ABOUT WEIGHTLIFTING

AND WHAT IT MEANS TO HIM.

SIQUEC R E A T I N G Y O U R

INTERVIEW | PHOTOS BY ELLIOT CRANE

(REMEMBER THAT THIS IS PRESENTED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES. IFYOUʼRE PLANNING TO MAKE A TOTAL CHANGE IN YOUR DIET AND FITNESSROUTINE, CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR AND OTHER EXPERTS TO MAKE SUREITʼS RIGHT FOR YOU.)

28 | SBQnow.com

How did you get into weightlifting?I was in my early teens when I got intothe idea of being a Navy SEAL, and Istarted doing a lot of running and a lotof calisthenics and lots of pushups andclimbing rope and stuff like that. Thatgot my base musculature at a young age.From there I was always athletic and al-ways active in sports. When I was 19years old, I just decided I was going intofitness and bodybuilding and see what Icould do there because I just lovedtraining so much and loved being in thegym. I love the feeling of setting a goalto lift a certain weight and getting thatgoal achieved.

What are the nutritional concerns forsomeone starting out weightlifting?Assuming the goals are to tone, developlean muscle mass and maybe lose somefat tissue, a concern would be to attainan appropriate protein level in the dieton a daily basis. One gram of protein foreach pound of body weight would bethe base line requisite for maintainingmuscle mass. Two grams of protein a dayfor each pound of body weight wouldhelp gain muscle mass.

Keep a moderate to low carbohydrate in-take. You want to keep sugars low in par-ticular. Glucose is the highest on theglycemic index. Your pancreas in re-sponse to sugar will secrete insulin. Thiswill develop fat growth. A diet high insugar is also unhealthy because it cre-ates insulin resistance.

Don’t shy away from healthy fat. Obvi-ously fat is the most efficient way toachieve any energy level as there are 9calories in 1 gram of fat as opposed as 4calories in a gram of carbohydrates orprotein. So going the wrong way with fat

can be very detrimental toattaining any goals. Butgoing the right way can bevery healthy and also helpyou achieve a lean, toned,and muscular physique.

What advice do you havefor beginners and thosewho haven’t worked outin a while?My advice would be to notoverdo it with the training.Don’t neglect your sleep.You need 8 hours of sleep.Nine hours is really ideal.

Don’t neglect your water intake. And nu-trition is really the determining factor onhow far you will be able to go towardsachieving your goals. Training is impor-

tant, but you can only go as far as yourbody will take you. If your immune sys-tem is down because you haven’t sleptand eaten properly, then it’s not going re-pair all the damage you’ve done to mus-cles to grow them bigger and stronger.

What are some of the things that you at-tribute to the success that you’ve had?For me it’s been trial and error. I’ve beenlifting now for almost ten years withweight-resistance training and calisthen-ics. I did SEAL team training in Rich-mond with John McGuire and that waspretty much my starting point. I was 15years old and I’ve done a lot of thingswrong and I’ve learned the hard way viainjuries, poor nutrition, not seeing the re-sults in the time that I should have.

What keeps you going during tiringand painful moments in your workout?Having a sound positive attitude andbeing able to visualize my goal. Imagin-ing that I’m already there and the feelingfor whatever it is that I might be headed

towards whether it’s a bodybuildingcompetition—which is my personalgoal—and getting a contract with amajor supplement company or just hav-ing a body that looks right at home, on abeach or just getting attention that wayand getting confident.

What advice would you give for settingup a weight-training schedule?It always goes back to your goals. If youhave a baseline goal that you are goingto set up--let’s say you want to lose tenpounds and hit a certain number of rep-etitions in the gym on a certain exercise.You should be going to the gym at least3 times a week. I would always recom-mend a baseline of 3 days a week for anhour to an hour and 15 minutes. Other-wise you’re really not going to be put-ting the time that I think is reallynecessary not just to develop thephysique but to get the idea of whatyour doing. I try to get in there 5 to 6days a week. I’m 240 pounds now andmy target weight is 270. I am at about12% body fat. It’s a lifestyle change.

What do you enjoy about the process?I enjoy the process of training. I love theworkout. I feel like it’s something I amvery good at. It is something that hasbeen a constant in my life for nearly 10years. The weight is always there and Isee how many doors have been openedfor me because I lift weights, whether it’sin athletics or socially. I could do secu-

rity at clubs and things like that. Peoplelisten to me a lot more when I talk. Ilove to train. It’s a discipline. It’s an artreally if you think about it. You’re tryingto build this physique that looks like aGreek sculpture. It’s competitive at thesame time and it builds discipline andself-esteem.

SBQnow.com | 29

WHILE MOST ELEVEN‑YEAR‑OLD GIRLS ARE PLAYING WITH DOLLS OR LISTENING TO

THE JONAS BROTHERS, HANNAH POWELL WAS SETTING GOALS. SHE DECIDED ON A

WHIM THAT SHE WANTED TO CLIMB TO THE TOP OF THIRTEEN DIFFERENT MOUNTAINS

THAT ESTIMATED A HEIGHT OF 13,000 FEET OR HIGHER̶WHILE SHE WAS STILL 13.

Ive always loved hiking and the out-doors…and I wanted to spend moretime with my family,” she says. When parents Lisa and Lewis Powell

heard of Hannah’s desire, they hoped itwas a passing fancy, but Hannah re-mained persistent with her goal.

“We in no way wanted to deny Han-nah her dream,” Lisa explains. The familyagreed to the climbs and made plans bycontacting Exum Mountain Guides andRyder-Walker Alpine Adventures. “Wetook every possible precaution,” Lisaadds. “We made sure to always have anexperienced guide. When hiking at theseheights, you can’t go in blindly.”

Hannah, her parents, and littlebrother Luke headed to Telluride, Col-orado that summer to start their climb.

“The days were long,” Lewis says.

“Setting out at dawn, it feels like you’reon a StairMaster physically. You reallyhave to reach down for mental strengthto keep going.”

The terrain was steep, and the airwas dangerously thin. The family oftenexperienced headaches just from the al-titude. There were times when bothHannah and her mother fell whileclimbing, but they never stopped press-ing on. As a reward, Hannah witnessedher first herd of mountain goats andsome of the most spectacular views onthe planet.

In the summer of 2009, Hannahwanted to do more than just make herown dreams come true, she wanted toassist other people. With the support ofher family, Hannah asked friends and rel-atives to help her raise money for char-

ity by pledging funds for her next climb.If she could complete her journey, do-nations would go to four different or-ganizations: St. Catherine’s School, St.Christopher’s School, St. Mary’s Episco-pal Church, and the Powell-Cochrane En-dowment for Economic Education atCollegiate School.

So how did the 8th grader do? In August of 2009, Hannah and her

dad journeyed to Wyoming to conquerthe Grand Teton. At 13,775 feet, the 13-year-old reached her 13th summit.

She succeeded in not only reachingher personal goal, but raising nearly$6,000 for her charities.

So, what is next for Hannah? “I had tons of fun, and want to hike

more, but I’m going to focus on schooland the sports I play for now.”

MOUNTAIN GIRL BY NATHAN WOOD

THE CALENDAR

16-18 Monument City Classic, Girls Volleyball Tournament (GRCC)

J a n u a r y

F e b r u a r y21-27 Davenport Company LLC North American Open (Squash)

27-28 Kicker's Club Invitational (Soccer)

M a r c h5-8 CAA Men's Basketball Tournament (Richmond Coliseum)

6-7 CAA Youth Basketball Tournament (GRCC)

9-13 VHSL Boys & Girls State Basketball Championships (Siegel Center)

12-14 Jefferson Cup Boys Soccer Tournament

19-21 Jefferson Cup Girls Soccer Tournament

25-26 Anthem Health & Fitness Expo/Ukrop's Monument Avenue10k Packet Pickup 27 Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10k

April 24–25, 2010www.duathlonnationals.com

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