Category Archives: Gear + Gadgets

Every now and then, you chance upon a product that is so innovative yet so simple that you mutter to yourself: Why didn’t I think of that?

That’s what I thought when I received a sample of Simply Hydration bottle from ultra marathoner Tin Ferrera.

– 13 oz. Simple Hydration Bottle –

The brainchild of seasoned Ohio based triathlete and marathoner, Brian Hock, Simple Hydration, is an innovative product revolutionizing the way runners, cyclists, triathletes, crossfitters, gym buff or anyone on the go hydrate.  Hock got sick of handhelds and bulky belts during his tri-training and instead of complaining or suffering, he invented this bottle.

The Simple Hydration bottle is a 13 ounce bottle with a unique contoured shape for a great fit.  It is slender in one place, wider in the other, and has a lip on one side to hook on a belt or waist band.  It is easy to grip with one hand, insert in your shirt by your nape, around the waistband of your running shorts or race belt  for a comfortable, bounce-free run.  It just hooks anywhere! It is BPA free, made of LDPE and manufactured in the USA.

– Wear it at your nape! Ultramarathon and distributor Tin Ferrara used this at Bataan Death March Ultramarathon –

It’s so simple, convenient, and light; I loved it.  I preferred to grip it with one hand while on the run rather than clipping it onto my shorts or inserting it in the back of my shirt as I found this to be very uncomfortable.  The spout is a slightly difficult to pull with your teeth, but it does ensure that it doesn’t spill nor open while on the run. While 13 ounces may not be enough for a run above 10k, I found this to be the perfect size because any bigger would be too heavy to lug around.  The solution would be to ensure that you can refill at some point for longer training runs.

[WIN A SIMPLE HYDRATION BOTTLE!]

How to Join

Complete the statement below by posting a comment on this blog post:

“I WANT TO RUN WITH SIMPLE HYDRATION, THE BOTTLE THAT HOOKS ANYWHERE.  I will use my SIMPLE HYDRATION BOTTLE for my ________________.  I like it because ________________.”

Include your Name and Email address

Sample Entry

“I WANT TO RUN WITH SIMPLE HYDRATION, THE BOTTLE THAT HOOKS ANYWHERE.
I will use my SIMPLE HYDRATION BOTTLE for my training run for my first triathlon. I like it because it will keep me hydrated while running and I can hook it anywhere after getting off the bike”
Tin Ferrera/Xtinefer@me.com

Prize

• One runner will win a Simple Hydration Bottle.
• First 20 runners to enter get a P100 discount on the purchase of their SIMPLE HYDRATION bottle. They can claim this at Second Wind Running Store or G-Stop.

Contest Rules
1) Deadline for submission of entries: FEBRUARY 22, 2013, FRIDAY at 11:59 AM.
2) TBR will choose one winner.
3) Only one entry per runner. Submission of more than one entry leads to disqualification.
4) Winner will be announced on this blog post and will be advised via email on how to claim the prize.

[WHERE TO BUY]

Simple Hydration Bottle is available for P850 at the following stores:

• A Runner’s Circle (Roxas Blvd., Cebu City, Legaspi City)
• G-Stop (Greenhills, Alabang Town Center)
• Second Wind Running Store (Ortigas Home Depot, Greenhills, UP Village)
• Sprint Multisports Store (Cagayan De Oro)
• The Brick Multisports Store (Mckinley, Taguig City and Cebu City)

Facebook: www.facebook.com/simplehydration.ph
Twitter: SHBottle_ph
Instagram: simplehydrationph
Website: www.simplehydrationph.com.

UPDATE:

Congratulations to our winner: Alfred Roderick Estefani aka Basura Boy!  You win 1 Simple Hydration bottle because of your answer below:

I WANT TO RUN WITH SIMPLE HYDRATION, THE BOTTLE THAT HOOKS ANYWHERE. I will use my SIMPLE HYDRATION BOTTLE for my training for the upcoming Milo Marathon since I’m planning to run the 42k there. I like it because I’m a minimalist. I run on Vibram Five Fingers, huaraches or even barefoot. For a hydration bottle, it doesn’t get more minimalist than this.

The following runners get P100 off Simple Hydration bottle at Second Wind Running Store or G-Stop:

1. Vince vinceb4@gmail.com
2. Angelica May Pinon einj01@yahoo.com
3. Melissa dela Pena delapena_melissa@yahoo.com
4. Maricar Leyva maricarleyva@yahoo.com
5. Addison ton_optical@yahoo.com
6. Ricky Artigas rickyartigas@gmail.com
7. Tristan John Castro tidgzyum5@yahoo.com
8. Lemuel Mira twnkster@yahoo.com
9. Deanna dhmasunaga@gmail.com
10. Kenneth Rola ken_rhoel@yahoo.com
11. Jay kite10310@yahoo.com
12. Karen May Caliente-Mira karen.caliente@gmail.com
13. John Paul Bello john.bello@tobys.com
14. Rowell Garcia rowell_garcia29@yahoo.com
15. Aaron Kyle akcbrabante@yahoo.com
16. Barbra Nava jbnava@gmail.com
17. Michael Sanchez micosanch@yahoo.com
18. Mark Clint Lura markclintlura@yahoo.com
19. Julius Romero julius_romero@yahoo.com.ph
20. Rosemarie La Torre rosemari_latorre@yahoo.com.ph

Please expect an email from us regarding claiming of your prize.

Some pretty exciting stuff has been happening over at Specialized. I told you about the brand new Specialized concept store over at Pasong Tamo.  Now, they’ve launched the Body Geometry FIT.  I was lucky enough to be one of the first people to try it.

[WHAT IS BODY GEOMETRY FIT OR BG FIT?]

BG FIT (Body Geometry Fit Integration Technology) is a comprehensive fit philosophy created to help cyclists ride faster, longer and in greater comfort, while reducing the chance for injury. Developed after years of working with Dr. Andy Pruitt Ed.D., Director of the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine, it is a comprehensive fit system that creates the perfect marriage between bike and body.

Locally, there are only three certified experts who can give a you a BG FIT: Andy Leuterio, Keshia Fule, and Jami Ramirez.

– BG Fit experts Andy and Keshia –

Check out this video about the Body Geometry FIT…

[MY BODY GEOMETRY FIT]

I arrived in full bike gear ready for my BG FIT with Andy Leuterio who happens to be my tri coach.  Allow me to walk you through the entire process:

1) OPENING INTERVIEW: Coach Andy asked me about my history as an athlete and as a cyclist, my profile as a cyclist, past injuries, and more.

2) 20-STEP FIT ASSESSMENT: I went through a series of very simple tests from measuring my butt using the ass-o-meter (I kid you not!) to measuring my leg length and more.

– Andy and the ass-o-meter. I like the sound of that! –

– My left leg is shorter than my right. Boo! –

Here are some embarrassing facts about my body flaws as gleaned by Coach Andy from my assessment.  Written in his own words:

• Mild to Moderate varus forefoot angulation, with moderate arch height: As the foot “collapses” under load (your “flat feet”) this causes a chain reaction leading to knee “wobble” and possibly the cause of your ITB pains.

• 3-4mm Leg Length Discrepancy: Your right femur is longer than your left. Pedalling biased towards your right leg can make your left reach further down to complete the stroke, and this can also affect your ITB. In some cases, this can also be a cause of unilateral saddle sores.

• Sit bone width of 130mm. Currently “all over” the saddle due to insufficient saddle width.

3) SIDE VIEW ANALYSIS AND FRONT VIEW ANALYSIS: Andy asked me to ride in aero position on the bike and assessed my position.

4) DETAILED EQUIPMENT ADJUSTMENTS:  Coach Andy then made the following adjustments to the bike.  Here he explains each one:

Remedy 1: Replacement of saddle with Oura Pro. Measurement of your ischial tuberosities (the “sit bones”) revealed a width of 130mm, which in turn necessitates a saddle width of 155. This ensures your sit bones are properly supported so you can sit “square” on the saddle. Riders new to such support often experience a “different” feeling as the bottom is now supported on the bone rather than on the fatty part of the buttocks. The benefit is they now won’t feel the need to constantly shift to support their weight.

– Thank you Specialized for this Oura Pro. I know exactly why they call it this.  When I sat on it for the first time, I said: Oooooh-Ra-Ra!  Ultimate comfort! –

– Coach Andy explains sit bones like a doctor! Methinks he needs a lab coat –

Remedy 2: Saddle height and fore/aft optimized for your “short leg”.

– Andy moves my saddle up and forward.  Bike adjustments took most of our time. It was trial and error as I had to ride on the bike to check if each adjustment in the saddle and aerobars were comfortable with me. Good thing Maiqui Dayrit of Fitness First Team and Yurbuds (who incidentally bullied me way back in college!) dropped by for some chit chat –

Remedy 3: Placement of your right cleat further back than the left to effectively “shorten” your right femur and make it approximately the same pedaling length as the left. (the femur moves more along the horizontal plane compared to the tibia)

– Andy adjusts the cleats –

Remedy 4: Blue” BG footbeds with additional varus support compared to the standard 1.5mm support of your current Trivent shoe footbeds. Plus additional 1.5mm varus wedge under your left footbed. Additional foot support places a firm platform to quell the foot collapse so there is no power loss. This helps cure the knee “wobble” (or more technically, your knee tracking in varus) and, thus, ensures no power loss as your leg drives downward. Imagine a piston cleanly tracking up-and-down versus shaking throughout the stroke.

– Andy gave me a new footbed and a wedge underneath the left footbed – 

Other Adjustments: Move your aerobars further back so your elbows form a 100–110 degree angle in aero. This ensures the cockpit provides ample skeletal support so you have no need to stretch out to place your forearms on the aerobar pads.

5) FOLLOW UPS.  I was told I would have to come back after a few weeks to make adjustments.  Coach Andy advised that there is an adjustment period as my body becomes acquainted with the new fit, especially with the saddle. He reminded me to be patient and ride the bike regularly for the next 3 weeks, and to inform him immediately if there is any pain or discomfort not associated with normal rider fatigue.

– After 3.5 hours, we got the BG FIT right! –

[THE VERDICT: ONE WEEK AFTER]

Two words:  Woaaaah baby!

The first few short rides out and on the trainer were adjustment periods.  I felt uncomfortable at times and slightly lowered my seat (with Andy’s approval.)  Today, I rode 75k in Nuvali.  I felt more powerful.  It was much easier for me to pedal faster and harder, I was more comfortable in aero position, and OMG my feet were in heaven because of those footbeds.

I had to temporarily replace the Oura Pro with my old saddle because we’re still waiting for the saddle adapters to come in so I’m looking forward to an even more comfy (and hopefully faster) ride when I use those.

Huge thank you to Joey and Jami Ramirez, Andy Leuterio, Keshia Fule, and Specialized mechanics for the help!

I wanna be like Emelia Fahlin when I grow up!

[DO YOU WANT TO GET A BG FIT DONE?]

Introductory rates for a BG FIT are at P4,000 for Road/MTB and P5,000 for Time Trial/Triathlon bike.  For inquiries and appointments, call Keshia Fule at 0919-860-3241.

[TIPS WHEN GOING FOR YOUR BG FIT]

1. Clear your sched for 4 hours to be safe.  It can vary from person to person depending on how simple or complicated your case may be.  Well, due to all my body flaws, my BG FIT took 3.5 hours.  (3.5 hours that were well worth it for me!)
2. Come in what you normally wear when you ride your bike. Bring your helmet and bike shoes too.  Unless you want wear those into the store too for a complete biker look.  Duh!
3. Bring a small towel. The aircon in that room is super strong, but you may still sweat during the adjustment process.
4. If your bike came with a set of shims and spacers for the cockpit, take those with you.
5. Bring snacks.  No one should go hungry during a BG FIT.

The premier bicycle brand in the world officially opened its doors in the Philippines with the new Specialized Concept Store. Located at La Fuerza Plaza 1 along Pasong Tamo Avenue, it is the first of its kind in the country and was built to provide the full scope of products and services for Specialized customers.

The Specialized Concept Store features a comprehensive lineup of Road, Triathlon, Cyclocross, Mountain Bike, and Hybrid bicycles as well as all of the latest accessories and components.

– Two floors of Specialized bikes and accessories! –

– How can you not fall in love with bikes when you’ve got set ups like this? –


– At the Specialized store opening with my Unilab Active Health teammates Drew Arellano and Javy Olives and Team Fitness First’s Ton Gaitmaitan –

The new store also features a dedicated Service Area, and an exclusive studio for its Body Geometry Fit Integration Technology (FIT). Lead by Dr. Andy Pruitt, the Director of the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine, Body Geometry FIT is the state-of-the-art and scientifically proven method of fitting the bicycle to the rider based on his personal strengths and limiters such as Range of Motion, possible Leg Length Discrepancies (LLD), and riding style, among others.

Body Geometry FIT has been used with great success to help professional athletes like Alberto Contador, Sylvain Chavanel, the Specialized-Lululemon women’s cycling team, and countless amateur athletes and recreational riders who have wanted to enjoy their bikes to the utmost. I’m going for my Body Geometry FIT this coming Thursday and you’ll read more about it here!

– my coach, Andy Leuterio, does the Body Geometry FIT for Specialized –

“We hope that with the opening of this store, all our customers will better appreciate what it means to ride the premier bike brand in the world.”, says ATHLEEMA president Joey Ramirez.

– with triathlete and Specialized distributor, Joey Ramirez –

– with friends Anthony and Maricel Pangilinan and Maiqui Dayrit –

– Fantastic and friendly service team –

Customers who wish to avail of the Body Geometry FIT method can call 0919-8603241 for a reservation.

SPECIALIZED CONCEPT STORE
Units 14 and 15 La Fuerza Plaza 1
2241 Don Chino Roces Avenue, Makati

This Bull’s Eye spotted these two machines at Fitness & Athletics in Bonifacio High Street (beside Riovana) and pretty much left the store praying I’d win the lotto so I could take the two home.

PROFORM LE TOUR DE FRANCE

It’s no wonder that these flew off the shelves at Ironman 70.3 Cebu Expo. For the serious, competitive cyclist, this is a dream come true.

– On the Proform Le Tour de France with Arleen Lindo of Chris Sports –

The Proform Le Tour de France is named such because it allows you to train through the exact route of the Tour de France right in your own home. Choose among the 24 pre-mapped programs (or any route in the world using Google maps), hop on the bike, and the bike will essentially take you through the undulating ascents and descents (yes, it can go on a decline) of the course. All you have to think about is surviving the workout.

It can also connect to Google Maps allowing you to bike through any street all over the globe. It has a power meter and gears, too.

Regular Price: P87,495
Sale Price: P69,995

– Your gears –

– Choose what Stage of Tour de France you want to ride… –

–
– Or choose a route anywhere in the world on Google Maps –

NORDIC TRACK T25.0

This treadmill just blew me away. I’m not a big fan of treaders because I really prefer to run on the road, but, I must admit, this machine can easily change that for me.

– I want! –

The NordicTrack T25.0 has full internet connectivity so it can connect to Google Maps. Do you want to run through the New York City Marathon route? Or Kona? Or Paris?  Just choose a route from anywhere in the world on the 10-inch touchscreen and the NordicTrack will climb or descend (yes, it can go downhill too!) as if you were running on the road itself.

– That’s a sample run through Hawaii roads on the 10-inch screen –

– Left buttons actually allow you to put the treader on a decline too! –

With full web-browsing capabilities on an Android system, you can connect to Facebook or Twitter while running. (Hey, that’s a good thing for all you social media runners out there.)

Regular Price: P176,995
Sale Price: 145,795

Both items are on sale at Fitness & Atheltics in Bonifacio High Street. 0% installment is available for some credit cards.

For inquiries, call Fitness & Athletics 519-1750 or visit their website.

Fitness & Athletics address:

• Active Fun Bdg. (beside Riovana), corner 9th and 28th Sts, Bonifacio Global City, (02) 519-175
• Active Zone, 2/L Ayala Cebu, (032) 520-3644

[BULL’S EYE is a section of TBR where I share products or services I spot and instantly want to share with all of you]