Soooo…. we won! Paula Findlay (the main girl keeping me busy between surf sessions in Australia the last month) took first place in the inaugural International Triathlon Union World Championship Series Race here in Sydney. Our other Canadian racers did very well, even after a NASCAR-worthy crash. Lauren Campbell placed 10th, Cathy Trembley 28th, and Kirsten Sweetland DNF due to bike issues from the crash. Our first race, the Mooloolaba World Cup two weeks ago, turned out to be just a warm-up for the much bigger deal WCS race. Here’s a couple of photos from today’s Sydney race, more to come when I get home and can transfer my camera photos.
Fancy KT job for Lauren post-race
Post Race
Looking forward to getting home and back in the swing of things! I am home on Tuesday and back at work Wednesday–lots of space on the schedule so email me ASAP for an appointment. G’Day!
Sam’s Race Synopsis: So proud of the team!
Check out Alex’s video for the details (and a kangaroo spotting)…
Australia from Alexandra Coates on Vimeo.
Aussies sure know how to have fun in the rain!
p.s. It’s so hard to make it all the way to the slide!
Starting to get settled in, I rented a mountain bike, exchanged some cash, bought a French press (team expense?) and learned to swim like a triathlete. Even got a surf in!
The athletes are feeling healthy even after 3 good training days… Have yet to even bust out any magic tape! We checked out the race course in Mooloolaba this afternoon, should be an exciting week and even better race… Ok 5am practice tomorrow, goodnight!
Kyla Coates on the NormaTech
A few weekends ago Upcountry Fitness hosted a seminar with “Foot Guru” Nancy Myers, CPT and Gait Therapist of EHS Pilates. Each of our professional fitness trainers had his or her gait analyzed. We also learned exercises and cues to help improve the standing and walking habits of our clients.
Nancy began the seminar talking about some of the shoes that have become popular recently: Vibram “five finger”, Nike Frees, MBTs, Sketcher’s “Shape-ups,” and the benefits and supposed benefits associated with each. Her thoughts on orthotics? “Rigid orthotics are like a crutch. Wear them as needed for pain and inflammation control, but if worn 24/7 they will make the foot weaker and can cause problems further up the body. Only by releasing, stabilizing, and then strengthening your feet will you have pain relief and better body mechanics”.
Orthotics range from one-size-fits-all Dr. Scholls (available in drug stores) to expensive custom-fit inserts designed to correct alignment and reduce injuries and pain. Some people, including athletes, couldn’t imagine walking without them.
There have been countless studies showing the efficacy of orthotics in treating and preventing “mechanically induced foot problems.” However, Dr. Nigg of the Human Performance Lab at the University of Calgary has shown that many of these studies did not follow appropriate guidelines— some had no control group and others eliminated participants who stopped using the orthotics rather than count them as negative outcomes.
After a series of studies, Dr. Nigg deduced that while using inserts can reduce the occurrence of injuries, there was no relationship between the biomechanics of the patient and the orthotic that felt the most comfortable for them.
Dr. Nigg also has an interesting theory on flat feet: “Arches are an evolutionary remnant, needed by primates that gripped trees with their feet. Since we don’t do that anymore, we don’t really need an arch.”
His prescription for footwear? Buy whatever shoe feels good. This, as a matter of fact, is what I have been advising clients for years. Go to the store, try on everything: stand, run, and jump in your favorites. And listen to your body.
If you have a lower body injury, follow Nancy’s mantra: “Release, Stabilize, Strengthen.” Sound familiar, Deep Reliefers?
Kolata, Gina. “Close Look at Orthotics Raises a Welter of Doubts.” New York Times January 17, 2011.
Nancy's Foot Kit available soon at the Upcountry Fitness Proshop
Nancy's Foot Kit available soon at the Upcountry Fitness Proshop