FN Magazine - Holiday Guide

FIT NATION / SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

SANTA

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STUFF YOUR TRAINING PARTNER’S COMPRESSION STOCKING WITH THE BEST GEAR OF THE YEAR

RECOVER FASTER A Q&A WITH NAPLES’ PREMIER RECOVERY PRACTITIONER

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 FITNATIONMAG.COM

RECHARGE AND REFUEL FIGHT COLDS AND THE FLU WITH A NUTRIENT-DENSE, EASY-TO-MAKE PUMPKIN STEW

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PLYO FOUR MOVES TO BUILD STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE

TRAIN SMART SHOP SMART HOW YOU SHOP THIS SEASON MATTERS

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CONTENTS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013

20 HOLIDAY BUYER’S GUIDE GIFTS FOR EVERY ATHLETE

features 30 A BODY IN MOTION HEALS THROUGH MOTION Hate to put your feet up and just relax? Good news: You may recover even faster using active recovery.

32 HARD TIMES IN STORE Be nice not naughty this holiday season by shopping locally. Here’s why supporting local sporting retailers matters.

regulars 6 GEAR - What’s in His Gym Bag? The four essential things Florida Bandits sled hockey player Matt Martin needs to heat things up on the ice.

8 GEAR - Fit Tech Not all fitness-tracking gadgets are created equal.Here’s which one you should buy.

10 FUEL - Try This A spicy and nutritious pumpkin stew is the perfect antidote to the season’s chilly and dark days.

12 FUEL - Dine Smart Dietitian Karyn Capozzo checks out Noodles Italian Café and Sushi Bar’s new gluten-free menu.

16 HEALTH – Oxidative Stress Test Get to know the mighty mitochondria.

36 TRAIN - Trending Now With the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill you can run in space—without ever even leaving Southwest Florida.

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38 TRAIN - Monthly Workout

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Develop power, burn serious calories and build strength using plyometrics.

40 Honorable Mentions Athletes doing amazing things in Southwest Florida.

41 Fitbook Scenes from FN’s inaugural Box Battle Competition.

30 ON THE COVER: Marcus Watts, owner of CrossFit Lawless The Fit List (story, p. 20) Photography by Erik Kellar

45 Calendar Races, rides and more upcoming events.

52 By The Numbers A breakdown of what it takes to put on the 2013 Everyone Rides event.

November/December 2013

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‘TIS THE SEASON FIT NATION / SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

PUBLISHER/CEO Stan Dougé

PRODUCTION

FN Media Group

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Alfredo Escobar

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Elliott Palmer

W

MANAGING EDITOR ow, doesn’t time fly by quickly? Can you believe it’s almost a newyear and that the end of 2013 is just a few months away? I can’t. Really, it seems like it was only yesterday that I was mapping out the concept for Fit Nation.

We’ve accomplished a ton this year and sincerely hope all of you were just as productive. We’ve created a local Southwest Florida magazine, added new features to each issue and met a ton of people along the way. Plus we even created a first-of-its kind event with the 2013 Box Battles.

Since the beginning of the year, we’ve grown, we’ve learned, and best of all, we’ve had the opportunity to share more with each of you. Better yet, we’ve laid the groundwork on some exciting, new projects for 2014. We hit the ground running and haven’t looked back since.

We at Fit Nation are taking a moment to reflect on what a terrific year it’s been, and we hope you’ll join us. This is the time to remember those people that contributed to your success and those that helped you make amazing things happen. So, before the holiday’s hustle and bustle kicks in, take the time to acknowledge all the positive, forget the negative, and truly image all the good the future will bring. We’ll do it with you.

A.C. Shilton

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Anne Reed

ONLINE CONTENT MANAGER Dana Leigh Smith

BRAND MANAGER

Leigh Purse-Williams Mason Bellamy

ADVERTISING SALES

(239) 221-8102 ads@fitnationmag.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Karyn Capozzo, Andrew Miranti, Dr. Teresa Sievers, Rebecca Youngblood

One way we’d like to end the year on a positive note is by thanking all our sponsors that helped us make FN Magazine a reality. Without their generous support, our magazine would not be as strong and thriving as it is today.

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

We had a particularly good time working on this issue, which I hope you’ll see reflected in its pages. Flip through our fun Holiday Guide (pg. 20) for the best fitness-inspired gifts. If you strain your shoulders carrying all those heavy shopping bags, flip to our Q&A on active recovery (pg. 30) to feel better fast. And if you want to blast through a quick workout between marathon holiday baking sessions, stop by page 36 where we explore four awesome plyometric exercises.

All that and more are just pages away.

ADVISORY BOARD

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes!

Kendra Sutton Strategic Marketing Consultant, WINK TV; Board, PACE Center for Girls; 2013-14 Lee Chair, Love That Dress!

Glenn Christopher, Samantha Duffy, Erik Kellar, Sharon Mammano Connie Ramos-Williams President and CEO, CONRIC PR & Marketing | Publishing Founder, Southwest Florida Parent & Child Magazine; Advisory Board, Dress for Success Southwest Florida

Derek Carlson CEO and Founder, Derek Carlson Real Estate Group; Realtor, RE/MAX Affinity Lisa Grant Owner and Designer, Design 2000

Stan Dougé Founder and Publisher Fit Nation Magazine

Melissa Waring Bates Owner, Addicted To Fitness

CONNNECT

fitnationmag.com twitter.com/fitnationmag facebook.com/fitnationmag 4

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Patrick Ruff Broker-Associate Realtor, John R. Wood; Board, Naples Pathway Coalition (NPC)

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MATT MARTIN GEAR

Flordia Sled Bandits player Matt Martin shows us the items he always brings to hockey practice by Rebecca Youngblood

P: SHARON MAMMANO

WHAT’S IN HIS GYM BAG?

S

aying that Matt Martin is an elite athlete truly falls short of describing all that he has accomplished. Ten years ago, Martin was in a car accident that broke his lower back and left him without the use of his legs. Because he was an active person prior to his accident, Martin found it challenging while being in a wheelchair to maintain the same level of cardio intensity by just going to the gym.

Last March, after being invited to watch a sled hockey game by athletes he met in a restaurant, Martin decided to give the sport a try. Less than three months after starting, he was selected to go to a USA development camp to train with the USA Paralympic Team. Matt states that, “Being chosen to go to the development camp is one of my biggest accomplishments in the sport. Only 58 people in the U.S. are chosen to go. I was

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selected to go this year as well, but I wanted my slot to give some younger kids the opportunity to train there.”

sled hockey. We use two shorter sticks with spikes at the ends that help propel us forward.”

Currently, Matt plays for The Florida Bandits, a team comprised of Florida’s best sled hockey players. Last season, the Bandits were undefeated at the National Disabled Hockey Festival in the open “A” division. Matt is thankful to be part of a team that has enabled him to meet “friends that have become family.”

“The kind of sled that I use is kind of like a cut out plastic bucket that I sit in to protect my hips with two rails that I strap into. There are blades that are mounted under the bucket and are the only things that touch the ice. It’s like ice skating but sitting on the skates instead of standing.”

ADVOCARE SUPPLEMENTS

NIKE BAUER GLOVES

“I use these products both before and after I get on the ice. I feel like these products give me the best performance, and they help my muscles from getting too sore after a game.”

“These gloves are falling apart because I can’t find any other ones that I like. I’ve had them for a good year. They have great flexibility.”

MOBILITY SPORTS HOCKEY STICK “This company makes adaptive equipment for

SLED

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GO-GO GADGETS GEAR

Can fit-inspired innovations boost fitness and torch fat? Maybe—but only if you know which one is the best for you by Dana Leigh Smith

compare totals. The Endomondo app tracks time and distance via GPS while users sweat, then uses the data to turn workouts into a race against your personal best or a friend’s.

IF YOU’RE TIME-STRAPPED

FIT TECH

Try: BodyMedia Wireless LINK Armband ($149 + $6.95/month for the online activity manager, bodymedia.com) or Jawbone UP ($129, jawbone. com).

Why: These products keep tabs on your calories so you don’t have to worry about taking those extra steps. The BodyMedia Armband, worn by the contestants on NBC’s “The Biggest Loser,” has sensors that count calories burned. It also has an online tool and app to log food intake.

Calories are automatically tallied to let users know how well they are meeting their weight loss goals. The Jawbone Up wristband not only tracks diet, but it also wakes users at the right moment in their sleep cycle, ensuring they feel ready to take on the day. According to a 2013 UC Berkeley study, published in the Journal Nature Communications, the better people sleep, the easier it is to fight cravings for high-calorie foods that can lead to weight gain.

G

adgets, we all have so many! Even so, new innovations keep popping up. While most additions to the tech explosion aim to eliminate the legwork for menial tasks (GPS) or simply serve as time wasters (Candy Crush Saga), some gadgets and apps are actually designed to make us less lazy. FitBit, Nike Fuelband, and other souped-up activity trackers are getting lots of attention, but it’s not clear which of these products (if any) is the answer to our better body prayers.

While some products are rumored to be better than others, no specific tracker is really far-and-away the best. The details of how each product works differ, but they all have one thing in common: they motivate users to move more, and they all work—at least at first.

According to a 2012 study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, pedometers inspire people to up their activity, but the motivation is only temporary. During the first week of the study, volunteers took 1,500 more steps per day, on average, than they did before being monitored. But by the

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second week, volunteers returned to their more sedentary ways. Why? The novelty of tracking their movements simply wore off.

IF YOU’RE FRIENDLY AND OUTGOING

The good news is that it’s possible to stay engaged with an activity tracker if you know which one is best for you. What motivates you may not be what works for your boss or your best friend, but picking a product with features that fit your personality type will ensure that you keep moving past the first week. Consider your strongest traits, review our guide and get moving!

Why: Both FitBit and Teemo have tons of social features perfect for those motivated by comraderie. FitBit allows users to set fitness goals with friends, cheer each other on, and join groups to get advice from people around the world. You’ll get the most out of FitBit by buying one for your BFF too. The Teemo app is designed to help users find time to workout while also having fun with a team of friends— even when users are apart. Players select a “mission” that appeals to them (like climbing Mt. Everest), invite team members to join and then complete short, guided exercises (demonstrated by personal trainers) to work towards their goal.

IF YOU’RE A FIERCE COMPETITOR Try: Nike Fuelband ($149, store.nike.com) or Endomondo Sports Tracker ($4.99 for Pro, standard version is free, endomondo.com).

Why: Whether you’re competing against yourself or a gym buddy, Nike’s product has tons of competitive features to keep you going.

The wristband’s LED display changes from red to yellow to green as you work toward your daily movement goal. It also allows users to compete against friends or professional athletes and

Try: FitBit Zip ($60, fitbit.com) or Teemo ($2, goteemo.com).

GOURD TO THE LAST DROP FUEL

Welcome in the season with a warm and festive curried pumpkin stew from Brooke’s Natural Café by Rebecca Youngblood

TRY THIS

I

t’s fall in Florida, which means it’s time for pumpkin-flavored everything. From pumpkin lattes to pies and pancakes, the bright orange, bulbous gourd is seemingly everywhere. Harder to find, however, are pumpkin-based recipes that won’t make your waistline look, well, pumpkin-esque. Rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, beta-carotene, magnesium and dietary fiber, this fall favorite should be on every athlete’s plate (so long as it’s not served up on a crust and topped with whipped cream).

Brooke Wagenheim of Brooke’s Natural Café in Fort Myers, likes to serve her pumpkin in a savory curried pumpkin stew. The two main ingredients in this recipe, coconut milk and pumpkin, will leave you feeling full while arming you with immune-boosting vitamins. Additionally, the lauric acid found in coconut milk converts into monolaurin in the body–a natural germ-fighting powerhouse that slays viruses and bacteria, perfect for flu season!

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Wagenheim has spent a lifetime exploring flavors and different styles of cooking, reflected in this exotic stew. “My mother used to put red peppers on the electric coils of the stove to roast, and I would marvel at the smells swirling around in the kitchen,” she says. After college, Wagenheim spent eight years studying various culinary techniques in Minneapolis and eventually ended up opening her own restaurant in Tokyo. She now owns an organic café that features healthy comfort food, a juice bar and catering. “I’ve learned to create amazing yet simple combinations of ingredients that not only have delicious, complex flavors, but also are nourishing and even healing to the body.”

Try this stew next time you need a warm, pumpkin pick-me-up—and don’t want it topped with whipped cream.

CURRIED PUMPKIN STEW 2 tablespoons olive oil ¼ cup shallot or yellow onion, diced 3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 jalapeno, chopped 2 teaspoons fresh chopped ginger 2 teaspoons curry powder 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon dried tarragon A pinch of cayenne 3 cups pumpkin peeled, seeded and chopped into small cubes 2 cups coconut milk 1 cup water 1 cup sliced asparagus 1 tablespoon lemon juice salt and pepper to taste 1/3 cup fresh cilantro Heat the oil in a soup pot and sauté the onions, garlic, jalapeno and ginger until the onions are translucent. Add the curry powder, cumin, tarragon, cayenne and pumpkin. Stir well. Add the coconut milk and simmer until the pumpkin is tender. If too much of the liquid evaporates during the cooking process, feel free to add more coconut milk or water. Finish the stew by adding the asparagus, salt, pepper, lemon, and cilantro.

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GLUTTONS FOR GLUTEN-FREE FUEL

Resident dietary expert Karyn Capozzo dishes on Noodles Italian Café and Sushi Bar’s new gluten-free menu by Karyn Capozzo

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luten has hit the spotlight as food enemy number one, launching glutenfree diets to the top spot of the alwaysprecarious (and ever-changing) diet trend tower.

DINE SMART

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley and any processed food that contains these grains. A gluten-free diet is necessary for someone that suffers from celiac disease, but even some folks without celiac disease may have gluten sensitivity.

Because gluten is a common ingredient in many foods, dining out while on a gluten-free diet can be a challenge. Noodles, a Naples hot spot for 21 years, has answered the call with a new, gluten-free menu.

Brothers and co-owners Matt and Seth Berman know making great food starts with fresh ingredients. At Noodles, all food is made-to-order, and chef Seth Berman uses separate cooking areas and utensils to avoid cross-contamination. The result is a truly gluten-free menu that’s safe for even those with celiac disease.

The gluten-free menu starts with the Mushrooms & Brie appetizer. Bite into it and the flavors melt in your mouth. With sun-dried tomatoes and walnuts adding tangy flavor and a subtle crunch, it’s absolutely delicious.

Better yet, the walnuts add omega-3 fatty acids, which help protect your heart. If you’re watching your waistline, you should order this as a starter to share, since Brie is not light on calories. However, a small amount is fine even for calorie-counting dieters.

The Gorgonzola salad is one of several gluten-free salad options. The tomatoes are a great source of lycopene, an antioxidant that, according to a January 2002 report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, can reduce the risk of prostate cancer. For calorie counters, tomatoes are a great, low-calorie option. Since they’re packed with fiber, you’ll feel full quickly, meaning you’ll (hopefully) consume fewer calories.

P: SHARON MAMMANO (4)

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Though the entire gluten-free menu is amazing, the real standout entrée is the Salmon Florentine. Of course the protein and omega-3 fats found in the salmon are fantastic for any health-conscious diner, but

the spinach packs some powerful nutrition as well. Spinach is a great source of vitamin K. We often think of calcium and vitamin D when discussing bone health, but vitamin K is an essential vitamin for bone strength and density too.

Gluten-free pasta lovers have several options at Noodles. The Chicken “Noodles� Piccata resembles the traditional Italian dish with a Noodles flare. Served over gluten-free pasta, this piccata has capers, artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes. Athletes often have slightly suppressed immune systems, especially during intense training times.

Artichokes may help, since they contain antioxidants like vitamin C, quercetin and anthocyanins. Plus, artichokes have 5.4 grams of fiber per cup and just a mere 10 calories!

The Cioppino is a beautiful blend of seafood, fennel and tomatoes all served over gluten-free pasta. The seafood in this dish is a great source of protein, and is both low in fat and saturated fat. Seafood is rich in iron, vitamin A and B-vitamins. Some seafood, like shrimp and squid, are high in cholesterol, but can still be included in a low cholesterol diet, when eaten in moderation.

CHEW ON THIS BEFORE GOING GLUTEN FREE: Blindly deciding to follow a gluten-free diet may actually have a few downsides.

Gluten-free products tend to be higher in calories than their wheat counterparts, making it not an ideal weight-loss diet.

In addition, gluten-free products are usually lower in fiber and are often not fortified with vitamins and minerals. If you decide to follow a gluten-free diet, consult a registered dietitian for food sensitivity testing and to help ensure you are meeting your nutrient needs.

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Every personal trainer, fitness instructor, and group exercise leader chooses exercises for their clients to help them achieve desired results. So how does each professional decide which exercises are most appropriate for each person? An unwavering dedication to mastering that decision-making process is one thing that sets Symmetry apart from many other training facilities.

In order to choose the correct exercises and tailor each exercise to fit the client, we need to have enough information. Exercise should not be chosen based on hot trends or fads. The plan must be based on CURRENT science.

The popularity of an exercise or program does not speak to its legitimacy, safety, or efficiency.

Many factors drive people to become engaged in an activity--how fun it is, how easy or difficult it is, whether or not camaraderie is involved.

While these factors play a role with exercise adherence, the effects of each exercise on the entire body should dictate if it is right for that particular client. In order to understand those effects, trainers should know detailed anatomy (where muscles attach, which joints they cross, which side of the axis they lie) and the physics associated with each exercise.

If a woman wants defined stronger thighs, we may choose a quadriceps (thigh) exercise.

Which exercise? Does it matter? Yes, as we must consider all parts that are affected by the exercise. We can’t look only at the parts we want to change (the thighs);we need to know how the exercise affects the other body parts too. When choosing an exercise, we consider the cartilage on the bone’s ends along withthe ligaments within the joint, such as the ACL, PCL, LCL, and MCL, as well as the other joints that may be affected by the exercise like the hip, ankle, or spine.

Exercise must be sustainable over a lifetime.

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Clients need results they can maintain.

Exercises should not wear parts of us down prematurely while improving other parts.

Almost every squat will challenge the quads, but they don’t all affect the knees in the same way. We cannot rely on the generic rules of yesteryear to tell us which exercises to use.

This is not simply about ‘not letting your knees pass your toes.’ There are plenty of squats where the knees do not pass the toes that are very bad for the knees. A trainer needs to know the detailed anatomy and the physics associated with each exercise. For example, a plié-type squat on your toes (the ballet kind) can place the ACL under stress that isn’t necessary.

Knowing human structure and physics identifies the different effects on the knee that lunge variations (forward, backward, stationary, alternating) can have–although they may all work the quads, they are not all the same on the knees.

The decision making process extends to choosing how each client performs each exercise. How wide should the stance be? How far overhead should a client’s shoulders go?

Knowing detailed structure (not just being able to point to where the bulk of a muscle is) and physics (what kinds of forces and how they work) explains precisely what happens as the elbows go beyond the shoulder in any chest press. This knowledge helps us understand when we can go further back and when we might not want to. It explains why dumbbell flys are one of the most dangerous shoulder exercises. It also explains why flys done on a cable machine in a certain way are perfectly fine. And yes, both exercises work the chest.

Exercises and fitness plans should not be chosen based on how the client looks.

Basketball players are tall. Choosing to play basketball won’t make you tall. Ballerinas are

thin, lean and limber. Those body types have proven to be the best to do ballet. But choosing to do ballet and ballet-like exercises will not necessarily make you look like a ballerina.

While training like a ballerina may make you better at being a ballerina, it is not the best program for your joints. Ballet was never intended to improve joint function and sustainability, just better ballerinas.

Exercises programs should be personalized for each client. The goals may determine the final destination, but how the clients move, and what their bodies can and cannot do, should always dictate the precise path to getting there. When exercises are done in a way that joints are not meant to handle, parts often wear away very slowly. Occasionally something tears, but for the most part the damage is slow and hits late and hard. Incorrect movements performed today ultimately result in decreased quality of life. The cartilage that covers the ends of bones doesn’t have nerves. So if you are performing a squat incorrectly over time, thereby wearing down cartilage, you may not even feel it until the cartilage is gone and you create bone-on-bone friction. That may take years to happen, and it will dramatically affect the later phase of one’s life.

Symmetry exercise specialists understand why it is crucial not to arbitrarily choose exercises, and we expertly guide clients with a dedicated obligation to learn what is truly happening at every location in the body with every movement performed. After all, it is the exercise that strengthens the muscles and gives those muscles better endurance and performance.

Take away the trainer, and the client is left with fads, Google, and peer influence. And take away the properly chosen exercise, and that client will likely never reach their destination.

OXIDATIVE STRESS TEST HEALTH

How much do you know about your mitochondria? by Teresa Sievers, MD

A

s athletes, we’re generally pretty good at looking at the big picture: the PR you want to nail; the chiseled abs you’ve been gunning for; the latest goal you’ve set. But sometimes it’s actually helpful to think small.

Meet the mighty mitochondria, the “power plants” of our cells.

Mitochondria take fat, carbohydrates, protein and other smaller nutrients from our diet, along with the oxygen from the air we breathe, and convert them into energy. This, in essence, is our metabolism. To a large extent, how effectively our bodies convert the food we eat to energy depends on how well our mitochondria function.

Along the way, our cells create waste products. As cells utilize food combined with oxygen, waste products—known as free radicals—are produced. The sum of all waste products combined is known as oxidative stress. Although these waste products are a normal byproduct of a cell’s work, when too much waste is made, or when cells can’t get rid of that waste, problems arise.

The amount of waste in the body depends on how well our mitochondria function. In fact, having high amounts of waste products in the body is one of the main theories of aging.

When inundated with waste, mitochondria don’t function well. A mitochondrion can actually die from these waste products—causing the cell it resides in to also die. Over time, more cells die and less mitochondria are available. As a result, our health declines.

When enough cells in our body die, we die.

But oxidative stress is also the primary cause of many chronic diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, dementia and cancer. The root cause of all of these diseases is mitochondrial dysfunction.

In addition to creating disease states, oxidative stress also affects how we feel.

Sometimes it results in obvious fatigue. In younger and more active people, the effects are often more subtle. For instance, you may not have the same stamina during your typical routine, or recovery time between your workouts may slow. You may also note

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MAKE

T H E OCEAN YOUR YOGA

MAT muscle aches or stiffness that lasts longer than usual.

Worse, oxidative stress sets you up for injury when working out. It can lead to an injury as simple as a sprained ankle, or something more severe, such as rhabdomyolysis—the breakdown of massive amounts of muscle.

It can have long-term health consequences, and can be life threatening. In short, oxidative stress can make you feel tired, sick, fat and old!

COMBATTING EXCESS OXIDATIVE STRESS The amount of waste our bodies makes depends on our diet, lifestyle, the toxins in our environment and our genes. Aside from our genes, and to some extent our environment, which are out of our control, we can control oxidative stress through diet and lifestyle.

Excess calories create excess oxidative stress. Diets rich in vegetables and fruits are good because they have antioxidants; substances that remove waste products. On the other hand, eating excess animal protein and not balancing it with vegetables creates a lot of oxidative stress. For the same amount of calories, you can eat much more volume in vegetables than meat, gaining many more antioxidants. That is why vegetables are considered nutrient-dense.

Lifestyle is another area we can control.

Although we typically think more exercise is better, this is not entirely true. For instance, exercise creates an enormous amount of oxidative stress. Exercise benefits us because it triggers the body’s healthy genes that

combat oxidative stress. However, if you are lacking healthy genes or you bombard yourself by intense exercise, you must eat a diet rich in antioxidants to help offset the oxidative stress.

This generally requires supplementation; otherwise you would need an enormous amount of food, which could result in excess calories. Nutrients that fuel and protect mitochondria include: Co-enzyme Q10, magnesium, D-ribose, L-carnitine and lipoic acid. These supplements allow our mitochondria to work efficiently not only by creating energy, but also by removing the waste products created from that energy production. However, it’s important for the supplements to be varied, since they all have different functions. It’s also important to consult a doctor before beginning a supplement routine.

Good health is largely affected by balancing oxidative stress and the body’s ability to get rid of it. How well we feel and function stems from how well our mitochondria function. Which is a good reminder that peak performance can only be achieved when we pay attention to every single part of our bodies—all the way down to the cellular level.

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10 Good reasons to see

dr. Loan LaM VIsIt our New offIce aND & spa IN NapLes! If an injury or problem from your toes to your legs has you off your feet, call Dr. Loan Lam. She takes the time to fully diagnose foot and ankle issues, and focus on the bigger picture.

Because sub-standard care is something no patient should ever stand for.

NapLes

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Marco IsLaND

40 Heathwood Dr. Suite E Marco Island, FL 34145 (239) 331.7144

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www.MyDrLam.com

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Find inner peace and great style in the Wunder Under Pant ($82, Lululemon), and the Cool Racerback ($48, Lululemon). Throw in a string of fashionable and functional MALA Beads ($55, Naples Yoga Center) for a fun pop of color.

Hair and Makeup by: Aveda Master Stylist / Makeup Artist: Cassidy Dorris Aveda Stylist : Carolynn McQuillin Salon Zen Aveda Mercato and Pebblebrook Center in Naples 239.260.8301 www.zenaveda.com Barber: Andrew (Drew) Cancel 239.823.0545 breezingonthem@gmail.com

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THE FIT

LIST

WE MADE A LIST, WE CHECKED IT TWICE; THESE GIFTS ARE ALL VERY NICE. From your yoga-loving daughter to your CrossFit-obsessed friend, we’ve done the heavy lifting; the most want-worthy gifts of the year are all here. Meaning you can go ahead and relax with that glass of low-fat eggnog—12 ounce curls, anyone?

by Elizabeth Almeroth, Stan Douge, Chelsea Garlock, Anne Reed and A.C. Shilton Photography by Erik Kellar

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LET IT FLOW, LET IT FLOW, LET IT FLOW Even the most ascetic yogi still could use a few new things.

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Kristi Brems is a 29-year-old yoga enthusiast, runner and zumba-lover.

Here she’s wearing a sunshine yellow Flex Keyhole Tank, ($59.00), and the Nova Performance Capri ($98). Both pieces are available at Pure Barre Naples.

THROW IN THE TOWEL

TOTES CHIC

ZIP IT

Power through Bikram with this super absorbent microfiber towel. You’ll never have to worry about your hands slipping during Shirshasana again! To buy: $38, Lululemon Athletica.

The Namaste Yoga Tote is totally this season’s must-have bag. Perfect for slipping over your shoulder as you grab that vegan cookie after a particularly challenging practice, you’ll wonder how you lived so long without it. To buy: $48, Lululemon Athletica.

With crisp temperatures here to stay for a bit, the Nice Asana Jacket will be your constant companion. With smart stripes and a full zipper, it’s the perfect marriage of fashion and function. To buy: $118, Lululemon Athletica.

SAY YOUR PRAYERS Think beautiful thoughts as you meditate with these stunning black agate Yogi Beads.

To buy: $55 and Naples Yoga Center.

BOTTLED UP This bkr glass and silicone bottle is bpa free and has interchangeable silicone sleeves, so you can always match it to your outfit. No more carrying around a bottle that looks like it fell out of a passing hippie’s knapsack! To buy: $32, Pure Barre.

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56 MILES BIKING, 13 MILES RUNNING,

FIVE GOLDEN CHAIN RINGS

Gear up even the most gear-obsessed triathlete in your life.

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Triathlete Jake Hester loves pushing himself to the limit—whether that’s during the finishing stretch of an Ironman or during a chicken wing eating contest. Here he’s wearing the CWX Men’s Ventilator line of triathlon apparel ($85 for the top and $90 for the shorts, available at Fit2Run), which features CWX Kinesio Web, said to improve posture and balance and provide support.

PUT A LID ON IT

DRINK IT IN

WIN AT FOOTSY

With over 17 vents, the Specialized Evade Aero Helmet not only keeps your favorite triathlete cool, the aero design can shave 46 seconds off their 40k time, making you the granter of Christmas Speed Miracles. To Buy: $250 at Naples Cyclery.

On chilly mornings whip up a few mugs of Skratch Labs’ Warm Apples and Cinnamon electrolyte-laden brew. Your biking buddies will be chock full of seasonal cheer in no time. To Buy: $19.50 at Naples Cyclery.

SUCK IT UP

The Moji 360 Foot Massager just might be the best present ever. Featuring two zones for different massage intensities, this massager is the perfect gift for relieving foot pain, revitalizing sore and tired feet, or even helping alleviate the triathlete’s arch nemesis: Plantar fasciitis. To Buy: $39, Fit2Run.

The perfect secret Santa gift for the triathlete in your office, these Balega Hidden Dry Socks feature Drynamix moisture management fibers, which keep feet cool and dry. Seamless toes, ventilation panels, and a deep heel pocket make for a no-slip lasting fit. To Buy: $10, Fit2Run.

Based on the chia mix used by the Tarahumara Natives of Mexico (yep, the premier ultrarunners of the world), Huma gels are truly all natural, meaning no unpronounceable ingredients. Plus, the apples and cinnamon flavor tastes just like apple pie. To Buy: $2.50 each, Run Florida on McGregor.

GET HORIZONTAL Ditch the old stand-up aero bottle and slip this sleek aero hydration system under the tree.

Refillable while riding, the Speedfil Hydration A2 Aerobar Bottle features zero splash technology, which lets your triathlete know that you were thinking of them (and how much you dislike scrubbing that nasty netting from their old aerobottle). To Buy: $59.95, Naples Cyclery.

HAPPY FEET

SEE CLEARLY, NOW That friend with twenty pairs of goggles in their bag, who spends a good ten minutes figuring out which ones fit that days exact conditions?

Make her life easier with TYR’s Remix Switch Kit Goggles. Your pal can quickly interchange her lenses based on light conditions or personal style. To Buy: $25, Fit2Run

SLICK MOVES Nothing says, “I love you” like new skin lubricant. Made from aloe, beeswax, and carnauba, the RunGuard Anti-Chafe Stick will tackle all weather and all distances. Because the only thing that should be rubbed Christmas Day is the turkey. To Buy: $10, Run Florida on McGregor.

HOLY SNAP! Children of the 90s, rejoice! Snap bracelets are back! Nathan Reflex Snap Bands make you visible in the dark while doubling as handy light-sabers for post-dinner battles with your nephews and nieces. To Buy: $10, Fit2Run.

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KETTLE BELLS RING, ARE YOU LIFTING? Need something for that athlete who has it all and does it all?

We’ve got you covered.

You’d never know that local body builder Christine Lerardi just starting going to the gym this year. Now she can be found there regularly, prepping for her next competition. Here she’s pictured in Under Amour’s Printed Fly-By Turtleneck ($59.99, available at Sports Authority).

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SIP-N-SLIDE Slide a flat-when-empty Vapur water bottle in your gym bag and you’ll never have to worry about forgetting your bottle again. Freezes in any shape, is bpa free, and rolls up to almost nothing when empty, leaving no excuse to ever be dehydrated. To buy: $9.99, Sports Authority.

SOCK IT TO ‘EM Locally based sock designer (and CrossFit coach) Lisa Reddish creates fun, fitnessthemed socks for her Lola Gams sock line.

With tons of colors and styles to choose from (including a limited holiday edition) you’ll never wear boring gym socks again. To buy: $20, www.crossfitsock.com.

HIT A HOMER Admit it: half the reason you workout is so you can eat whatever you want afterwards. We get it. But don’t let your training buddy derail their diet on just any junk food. If you’re going to have a donut, you might as well have a great one,

and the Funkadelic donuts at Peace, Love and Little Donuts are pretty hard to beat. To buy: $1.37 each, Peace, Love and Little Donuts.

TEST POSITIVE (IN A GOOD WAY) Wondering if you’ve fueled up enough? Fuel strips take the guesswork out of your nutrition strategy by testing your sweat. Swipe that bead on your brow; wait for results (which show up almost immediately) then refuel accordingly.

Science!

To buy: A starter pack including strips and specially formulated chews will set you back $12, www.fuelstrip.com.

MIND THE GAP Keep your favorite athlete on his or her toes with agility cones. Set up wind sprints or mark off space for form drills. Either way, his or her fitness will improve. To buy: $19.99, Sports Authority.

TUNE OUT The latest Apple iPod allows you to carry all of your tunes while using cordless, Bluetooth enabled headphones. Never detangle your headphones again! To buy: $149, www.apple.com.

GIVE ‘EM LIP Lip balm that is. Serious training sessions out in Florida’s sun call for some serious skin care.

Get pucker-ready with this Athlete Care balm.

To buy: $3.69, Sports Authority.

HAT TRICK Running to Whole Foods with post-gym hair just won’t do. Slap on this distressed military-style cap and hit the juice bar in style. To buy: $20, Pure Barre.

ROLL OUT

Michael Schaeffer is a certified yoga with Love Yoga Center The Triggerinstructor Point Performance roller will in Naples. mixed-level help the athleteHe in also your leads life recover fastervinyasa (and flow yoga classes at lululemon athletica at complain less).Waterside To buy: $40, Naples the Run. sunset Shops andonoccasional yoga classes on Vanderbilt Beach.

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DECK THE WALL BALLS Your box buddies have pushed you all year, say thank you by setting them up with the goods.

Former professional basketball player Marcus Watts now owns CrossFit Lawless, in Estero.

While he loves pushing himself to the next level, he also loves helping others reach their fitness goals. Here he’s wearing the Metal Vent Technical Short Sleeve Tee ($64 at Lululemon).

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AT THE END OF YOUR ROPE?

SHORT AND SWEET

FANCY FOOTWORK

Is there anything worse than trying to workout with a crappy jump rope? Make sure that never happens again with this BODYFIT 9 foot Speed Rope. To Buy: $7.99, Sports Authority.

Complete anything your box throws at you in these comfortable, antimicrobial Xiphos WOD Shorts. Proudly made in the USA, these shorts feature an external waistline pocket perfect for stashing your holiday gift list. To Buy: $54.99, www.xiphosclothing.com.

Stash this super-light, super-versatile slipper in someone’s stocking! Available in three drops for outdoor, indoor, and rope use, you can count on this shoe for great speed and awesome grip.

To Buy: Fit2Run, $120

MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

Facing an extra-long workout? Grab a pair of these socks and let the gradient compression boost your performance or soothe your legs after. To Buy: $55, Fit2Run.

DON’T MAKE A STINK The Metal Vent Tech Short Sleeve Shirt is made with special anti-stank material, called Silverescent®. Perfect for those who tend to forget that they’ve stashed their sweaty WOD outfit in the trunk of their car. To Buy: $64, Lululemon.

Give your hips, glutes, quads and hamstrings some post-workout love in the 110% Transformer Compression Shorts, which have pockets for ice packs! To Buy: $150, Fit2Run.

SNUGGLE WORTHY

GET HUGE

No snow to be seen, but on chilly mornings you can slip the Post Gravity Jacket on and still look cool, er, warm. Thumbholes keep your sleeves in place and the wicking fabric is lightweight and comfortable. To Buy: Lululemon, $128

Pre or post WOD, Muscle Pharm supplements have you covered. There are lots of flavors to choose from, so wrap up a tub and keep the strong workouts going. To Buy: $34.99 and $22.99, Power House Nutrition

CAVE TO YOUR CAVEMAN DESIRES

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE

Start your new year off right with over 120 easy recipes, meal plans, and a wealth of information in Diane Sanfilipo’s book “Practical Paleo.”

To Buy: $23.93, Barnes and Noble.

You don’t need anything fancy to get a killer workout. These Rage Resistance Bands are a perfect example. Pack a set when you travel and you’ll never have an excuse to not get a work out in. To buy: $29.99, Sports Authority.

SOCK BLOCK

ULTIMATE STOCKING STUFFER With the 110% Overdrive Sock Kit, ice and compression delivers relief to your arches, ankles, and legs. You’ll be back on your feet in no time. To Buy: $100, Fit2Run.

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A BODY IN MOTION HEALS THROUGH MOTION

BY ANNE REED

F

For the unfit, rest comes easy: grab some chips, watch a game, put your feet up.

But for fitness fanatics, it can be difficult to build rest into a training regime; to many of us, recovery and rest are practically dirty words.

However, when the principles of recovery are ignored, overuse injuries happen and, all-toooften, rest is forced.

There are two types of recovery: passive recovery and active recovery. In “Going Long: Training for Triathlon’s Ultimate Challenge,” Joe Friel and Gordon Byrn explain how the two types differ. Passive recovery is complete rest, which, for athletes, can be extremely frustrating (and may not even be the best route to take).

Active recovery, on the other hand, instructs athletes to engage in low-intensity exercises to stimulate blood flow to the musculoskeletal system.

Active recovery can be used preventatively, and is generally considered part of a well-rounded training program. Often it includes things like yoga, strength training, core work, stretching, and massage.

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rest. Intensity and rest go hand-in-hand when training. Always have a rest day. Sleep, take a nap. Put your feet up and don’t move. It is very important to make rest a habit so your body will recover and recharge and avoid injury.

WHAT MAKES UP AN IDEAL ACTIVE RECOVERY PROGRAM?

Any active recovery program is tailored to the individual, but ideally a plan should start with rest and nutrition. Higher intensity workouts bring more tears to the body. If you pound your body and increase your training volume then you definitely have to think about other methods of recovery such as massage, electro stimulation, and NormaTec boots, which will help make your recovery time quicker.

The average person who puts in more volume over the weekend should have a day once a month when they fully rest and pamper their body, focusing on active recovery. Recharge, sleep, eat well, rest, go for a massage, get some stretching, hop in the NormaTec boots, use the cold laser. Everyone needs some sort of recovery because you must put rest in your body. It’s the only thing you have. If you keep pushing it and keep pushing it, it is going to break down.

ACHES AND PAINS SEEM TO GO ALONG WITH WORKING OUT. SHOULD AN ATHLETE JUST KEEP ON TRAINING?

But when used to treat an injury, it is important to have a professional directing your active recovery program. A physical therapist or a doctor can use an initial complaint as the starting point for diagnosing a problem. A good example is foot pain, where often what’s causing the pain is something other than the foot. A professional will use a series of tests to get to the root of the problem, but an athlete left to his or her own devices can misdiagnose, mistreat, and risk further injuring him or herself.

FN sat down with Adrienn Balazs, a foreigntrained physical therapist, an endurance athlete and owner of Movadria, a sports recovery and massage therapy studio in Naples, to explain a bit more about active recovery and the different options available to both injured and noninjured athletes.

HOW IMPORTANT IS REST IN PREVENTING AN OVERUSE INJURY?

Many beginners make a common mistake— they think the more they train, the better they will get. But follow professional athletes in any sport and you will see that they train hard, then

If your car has the engine light on, do you just put it in the garage? No. You run to the mechanic. People should think the same way about their bodies. If you have something—a pain, an alert—pay attention, your body is telling you that it needs attention. We must be very alert to our bodies; what is your body telling you?

HOW LONG DOES AN AVERAGE OVERUSE INJURY TAKE TO HEAL? AND FOR HOW LONG AFTER YOU RETURN TO YOUR SPORT SHOULD YOU CONTINUE YOUR ACTIVE RECOVERY PROGRAM?

Every individual is different—even if they have the same exact injury, healing time will vary. What I think is important is finding how to listen to your body, how to speak to your body, figuring out what you need to change. An injury tells you your body is lacking something; muscle balance, nutrition, rest. You have to go find the root, deal with it—then you have healing time. Some athletes heal faster because their bodies are stronger and they are patient and follow directions. People who do not have the positive outlook on their healing, or lack trust in the people helping them, will have a longer recovery process. Many different factors play into how long it will take someone to heal from an injury.

RECOVER WITH AT-HOME MASSAGE

The foam roller, which Drs. Eric Goodman and Peter Park jokingly call “a poor man’s massage” in their book “Foundation,” is a dense foam cylinder that uses your body weight to apply pressure to soft tissue. Users roll back and forth over the foam roller, massaging and relieving tight muscles. When done correctly, a foam roller can help increase blood flow, speeding recovery. Ready to try an at-home massage with your foam roller? Here are five of Goodman and Park’s favorite exercises to try—no massage oil necessary.

CALVES

Also remember that once you are healed, you cannot just go back to your old routine. You should continue the new parts of your training regimen that you started during active recovery (strength training, nutrition, rest), accept that you need those things and use them.

WHAT ARE SOME PREVENTATIVE THINGS ATHLETES CAN DO AT HOME TO BEGIN THEIR OWN ACTIVE RECOVERY PROGRAM?

Start small by eating well, drinking water, stretching, using a foam roller, and going to yoga with friends. Make a schedule and hold yourself accountable or have a friend or partner ask if you did your stretches. Make it a family event—one night a week, play around with stretching. Make it a habit, but build up slowly. Invest in your body by going for a treatment session once a month or every other week. Make a commitment for a month to go to sleep early and sleep longer, or pay attention to your nutrition, or stick to a stretching routine and take notes. Ask yourself, did it make a difference? If you still have some issues, then try something like massage or seeing someone who can help.

WHAT PARTICULAR METHODS DO YOU USE IN YOUR PRACTICE TO ENHANCE ACTIVE RECOVERY?

NormaTec Recovery Boots help to get rid of lactate and other waste that collects in your legs during exercise. The boots reduce swelling in the legs by adding compression, moving fresh blood to the legs and muscles. The fresh blood

gets rid of waste products and refreshes the muscles quickly. NormaTec Recovery Boots cover the entire leg—nothing can copy that, not even massage.

MARC Pro™ Electrical Muscle Stimulation is only used for muscle recovery. It is similar to the NormaTec Recovery Boots in that it helps get rid of waste and stimulates blood flow, but is only used on individual muscles. I use this a lot on gluteal muscles because the NormaTec boots do not cover that area. Sometimes I will combine the NormaTec Boots and MARC™ Pro by placing the muscle stimulation on the upper body while the boots are on the lower body.

Cold Laser Treatments are used to speed up tissue healing. This very strong laser stimulates tissue repair in tendons and ligaments and helps heal micro-tears and damage in soft tissue.

This treatment can be applied after an intense workout to lower risk of adhesions or to reduce inflammation and swelling.

I also use ice and heat therapy, stretching, massage, and foam rolling in recovery sessions.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THE FITNESS ENTHUSIAST WHO DOES NOT TAKE TIME TO BUILD ACTIVE RECOVERY INTO THEIR SCHEDULE?

Start right away. It is better to start now, start slow; ask a professional or hire a coach. Make it a habit; get guidance. Be smart, because if you like what you do, you want to continue it, you don’t want to be sidelined, watching your friends have fun. If you are proactive, and seek assistance from a PT or other professional then you will be successful in your sport for a long time, and you’ll be an example for others and your kids of how to take care of your body. Have fun, work hard, and most importantly, find balance. Start small, be consistent, and it will lead you to success.

Sit with the roller under your left calf with your right leg bent. Lean back with straight arms, supporting your weight with your hands. Flex your left foot and cross your right calf over your left. Now roll up and down from your calf to your ankle for 20 strokes. Next, rotate your bottom leg to the outside and roll the outside of your calf for 20 strokes. Finally, turn your bottom leg in and roll the inside of your calf for 20 strokes. Repeat on the other side.

IT BAND

Lie on your right side with your bottom leg extended and the foam roller under your knee.

Cross your left leg over the bottom leg and put your left foot on the floor, balancing your upper body with your bent right arm. Roll up the side of your thigh to your hipbone and back down to your knee 20 times. Repeat on the other side.

HIP FLEXORS

Lie face down on the floor with the foam roller at the top of your right thigh, legs slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Support your body weight with your hands and forearms. Roll up to the top of your hipbone and down to the top of your thigh 20 times. Repeat on the other side.

PECTORALS

Lie on your stomach with your left arm extended and the foam roller under your armpit at the top of your chest. Roll up and down on your pecs 20 times. Repeat on the other side.

UPPER AND LOWER SPINE

Place the foam roller horizontally under your mid-back and lie down on it. Bring your feet an arm’s length from your butt. Press your palms together a few inches in front of your face, elbows close to touching. Lift your hips off the floor and roll toward the top of your back and then back down to the middle 20 times. For the lower spine, place the roller just above your glutes, and use the same lower body position as used for the upper spine. Raise yourself on bent elbows and roll up to your waist and down 20 times.

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TOUGH TIMES IN STORE AS ONLINE SHOPPING OPTIONS MULTIPLY, LOCAL RETAILERS ARE LEFT FRETTING ABOUT THE FUTURE.

BY A.C. SHILTON

P: A.C. SHILTON (5)

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N

Natalia Sandoval remembers it clearly: A local runner walked into her store wanting a full gait analysis. Sandoval was happy to oblige—service was what her fledgling business, 360 Degree Athlete, was all about. The two spent several hours together, with Sandoval grabbing shoe after shoe for the customer to try. Finally, they found it: the perfect pair.

But the client was gun-shy. At the end of the extensive consultation she told Sandoval, “I’m undecided, I’m not going to do anything today.”

A few weeks later, Sandoval saw the gal at a local race sporting the exact pair of kicks she’d so painstakingly fit to her feet. She hadn’t been back to 360 Degree Athlete; instead she’d bought them online. Sandoval had been “showroomed.”

Showrooming—which is now so commonplace that there’s a Wikipedia entry on the subject—is the practice of checking out a product in a brickand-mortar retailer with no intention of actually buying it. Megastores like Target and BestBuy have been strongly affected by the practice in recent years—but so too have local retailers.

Running and cycling shops, which have notoriously low profit margins, especially struggle to compete.

According to a 2013 Harris Poll report, apparel purchases are the second-most commonly “showroomed” item, behind only electronics.

shoes she bought just the previous day swinging in her hands. “They’re too long,” she says, adding that she thinks her feet might have been swollen when she bought them. “I only wore them for our warm up,” she solemnly promises.

And while that runner may have gotten a slightly better deal on her shoes by not buying from Sandoval, her actions may cost her in the long run.

Egbert reaches over the counter and takes the shoes.

She didn’t bring the box and there are obvious black scuffmarks from the track pockmarking the soles.

Nonetheless, he hands her another slightly smaller pair—free of charge. As she bounces out the door he reminds her to try and bring the box back. Of course, there’s no way to know if he’ll ever see it again or not. The pair of shoes he’s left holding, one of his most popular models in one of the most popular sizes, is now all but unsellable.

Sure, a penny saved may be a penny earned, but if that penny saved puts all of our local running, cycling and sports retailers out of business, have we really earned something good? Here’s a look at who the real winners and losers are in the lowestprice-takes-all retail game.

RUNNING THIS TOWN It’s bright and cool inside the impeccably organized Naples On The Run store. It smells like new rubber soles and the promise of faster times ahead.

Manager Carl Egbert is in the back, re-arranging a few things when a teenage girl pops in.

She’s come straight from track practice, with the

Egbert explains that he’ll probably just have to write these shoes off as a loss, but that’s okay because he likes to support the local high school athlete.

By now, maybe you’re shaking your head, thinking Naples On The Run’s business model is too generous. However, it’s hard to imagine our area having the robust running scene it does

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without the store’s commitment to building the local running community. The tucked away little shop—which is completely intertwined with Gulf Coast Runners—hosts packet pickups for more than a dozen races a year. It supports the Gulf Coast Runner’s Youth Team and scholarship program. It gives discounts to local high school runners and collects shoes for the Guadalupe Center in Immokalee.

But Naples On The Run is hardly an anomaly.

According to the Institute for Local Self Reliance, a non-profit think-tank that advocates for strengthening local economies, small businesses donate twice as much money per employee than their national chain counterparts. Additionally, these businesses donate money within their own communities, whereas national chains are often tied to nationwide corporate initiatives.

Locally and nationally, top athletes often come up through the ranks with the support of their local running store behind them. A great example is marathon phenom Desiree Davila. Nurtured by the Hanson-Brooks Distance Project, an offshoot of Hanson’s Running Shop in Michigan, Davilla represented the United States in the Marathon at the 2012 Olympic Games. While she’s a big-name success story, there are thousands, maybe more, of small-time athletes with big-time dreams leaning on their local running stores.

On a fundamental level, we need local running and biking retailers. We need them for when the puppy gets to our favorite pair of shoes the day before our marathon. We need them because we need a place

to hangout and geek-out with like-minded people.

We need them because they provide a locus around which our group rides and races can orbit.

We also need them, however, for our local economy. A 2002 Economic Impact Analysis conducted by the group Civic Economics traced money spent at both local and national chain booksellers in the same neighborhood in Austin, Texas. For each $100 spent at the local retailer, $45 was injected back into the local economy. For the national bookseller (which was Borders) $100 only translated to $13 staying in the local economy.

While national retailers do pay local salaries, they tend to be the low-level positions. Higher positions, along with things like accounting, marketing and web design, are usually handled at the corporate office. Local retailers, however, rely on a staff of local pros.

“We have a local accountant, on Marco Island,” says Peter Marsh, sales manager and co-owner of Naples Cyclery, “and our web stuff for our Fit & Fuel page is done locally too,” he adds. Naples on the Run also utilizes local bookkeepers and web developers.

The Austin study, which has since been replicated in several markets around the country, showed that one of the local merchants had a $4.1 million annual economic impact on the local community, whereas Borders had only a $.8 million annual economic impact. So while an individual book may have cost slightly more at the local retailer, the return on investment for the community was considerable.

THE ETHICS OF IT ALL Paying more for the common good—isn’t that the antithesis of capitalism? Maybe, but there’s an ethical component here too. When you showroom a store, you’re technically stealing.

“I do consider it stealing,” says Sandoval. “I think people don’t understand that it’s your life; you’re putting everything into it.”

You’d never go to a dermatologist and walk away without paying for the consultation—even if you opted not to buy any of the office’s many wondercreams. Somehow, however, it’s okay to do this to a retail store employee, even though many have spent thousands of their own dollars becoming certified to fit shoes or bikes to customers.

Beyond that, floor models tend to get damaged in the try-on process. While storeowners want you to get a good feel for the shoe you’re buying, every time the sole of that shoe hits the ground, it becomes slightly less sellable.

Add to all of this the fact that many manufacturers offer deep discounts based on volume—benefiting big-box stores that order by the million—and it’s easy to see a day when your local sporting good retailer is an endangered species.

There are, however, some bright spots. A few manufacturers—mostly in the bike industry—have made commitments to supporting independent dealers. Brands like Specialized, Trek and Giant all sell only to local dealers. A Specialized helmet purchased through Specialized’s online retail site is listed at MSRP—never any lower—and shipping isn’t free. Company founder and CEO Mike Sinyard even came out swinging last year against Amazon.com’s Price Check app. The free app allows customers to scan barcodes in store to check prices online—it’s a showrooming customer’s dream come true. In a letter to Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, Sinyard urged retailers to refuse to do business with those companies that utilized Amazon’s new app. “…Who loses in this situation? Certainly not Amazon. And, at least in the short term, not the cycling brands selling through bike shops and Amazon. But what about you?

By buying product from brands that severely undercut you, you are supporting your competition. Why finance your own demise?...”

Peter Marsh, at Naples Cyclery, says that Specialized’s commitment to supporting independent dealers has truly allowed his shop to flourish. “It’s hard for me to carry a product when I know the vendor isn’t standing behind me,” he says.

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Unfortunately for running stores, there’s no one standing behind them. For many years, Brooks Running Shoes was the only shoe company to sell only to specialty running retailers. While you could get Nikes or Adidas at Dick’s or Sports Authority, if you wanted Brooks, you’d have to find a local running store. But that policy has since changed.

Carl Egbert at Naples on the Run says that the company tried to make up for the shift by offering new models a few weeks earlier to local retails and making special, small-store-only colors.

“Brooks is our best seller, two to one,” says Egbert.

“But now that it is there [in big box retailers] there’s competition that didn’t used to be there. It would be nice if they wouldn’t do it, but it’s not that they want to destroy local business, they just want to sell more shoes.”

But when all these factors—the higher vendor pricing, the ability to showroom on your smart phone and the ever rising cost of brick-and-mortar business—combine, it forms a pretty tough tidal wave of competition for local stores to swim against. Somewhere along the line, the current will inevitably tow someone under.

Locally, that person was Sandoval. Her store closed

nine months ago. She’s now back at her old job, working as a branch manager at a bank.

“I’ve always loved running, my father was a marathoner, and I’d always wanted to open a store.

For me, it was about the passion and the love for running. I want to run until I’m 90 and I wanted everyone else to feel like that,” says Sandoval. But it wasn’t to be. She adds, “I put my heart and soul into that store and as much as it hurt to close it, it was what I had to do. Unfortunately, I don’t think that small running shops are going to survive.”

Maybe that’s just the natural order of things, the cost of business evolution; another example of survival of the fittest. Except, ironically it’s not, because without local experts our bikes and our shoes won’t fit at all. Survival of the ill-fitting, perhaps.

And like a blister that forms three miles into a marathon, we’ll technically be able to soldier through without them. Ultimately, though, we’ll be the ones left suffering.

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TREADING LIGHTLY TRAIN

Local therapists use antigravity treadmill to speed recovery by Dana Leigh Smith

TRENDING NOW

T

hose who have gone through rehabilitation after an injury know the road to recovery can be both long and challenging. However, an innovative product—the AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill—originally created for NASA astronauts, promises to help speed the healing process.

How does it work? First, the user slips into a special pair of shorts, complete with a disc around the waist, which seals the anti-gravity chamber closed. After stepping onto the machine and zipping the disc into place, air begins to pump into the sealed-off anti-gravity chamber. Users can select exactly how much air pressure they want to use; the higher the air pressure, the more their body weight is supported.

We asked Niki Varveris, MSPT, DPT, and owner of PhysioFit in Naples, and her client Colleen Kelly, 45, also of Naples, to explain what it’s like to overcome an injury using the AlterG—and how it feels to fly through a workout like a astronaut on the moon—without ever leaving earth.

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HELPING CLIENTS DEFY GRAVITY The new-age treadmill speeds recovery and keeps pain to a minimum, making it a wise rehabilitation method for competitive athletes, weekend warriors, and senior citizens alike, says Varveris. She adds, “Since the client’s weight can be reduced until they don’t feel any pain, patients can continue building strength and endurance while going through recovery. Competitive long distance runners are able to continue training and then go on to complete races when they wouldn’t have otherwise been able to do so without the use of the AlterG.”

THE HIGH-TECH ROAD TO RECOVERY Varveris’ former client Colleen Kelly is a prime example of what the AlterG is capable of. Kelly, a mother of two, is an avid runner and adventure seeker. Although fear never stopped her from summiting active volcanoes or diving with sharks, discovering she had a stress fracture while training for her first iron-distance triathlon shook Kelly to her core. “When I saw the X-ray I burst into tears,” she says, adding “A lot of tears…

I’m not sure how or why, because I was truly hysterical at this point at the thought of my race being in jeopardy.”

Knowing no diagnosis would stop Kelly from participating in her race, her doctor suggested she continue her runs on the AlterG at PhysioFit. “For four weeks I trained on the AlterG—it was otherworldly. If I’d ever had fantasies about bouncing on the moon I’d say I’d done it here,” raves Kelly. When race day arrived Kelly felt better than she ever thought possible. “During the race, the blisters on my feet were killing me, but my shin felt fine. Even after the race, when the rest of my body was sore, my shin didn’t hurt,” said Kelly, who finished the race in an impressive 13 hours and 20 minutes. “I attribute my healing, while keeping my condition, to the AlterG. It truly is a miracle, and one I am very glad I found.”

TAKE YOUR GAME TO THE NEXT LEVEL As competitive athletes we become obsessed with “finding an edge” and shaving seconds off our best times. The same nature that drives us to train at the crack of dawn and push harder than we ever imagined possible, also drives us to improve our performance by consuming the proper nutrition.

An entire industry of sports drinks, gels, chews, and bars have been created to help athletes capitalize on the benefits of adequate carbs, hydration and electrolytes to maximize performance. But the truth is that this multi-billion dollar industry is one giant guessing game. When you are training for a marathon and you pop that gel into your mouth how do you know how much to take? When you chug that sports drink during a CrossFit session aren’t you just hoping you drank what you needed?

Not refueling properly has serious consequences.

Too little fuel can lead to muscle breakdown and poor performance, but too much fuel has consequences too. Just like your car has a finite amount of gas it can hold in its tank before it overflows, your body’s glycogen tank has a maximum capacity as well. If you overfill it, the excess sugars turn into fat. So in the long run you end up carrying around extra

weight that can affect your performance and appearance. More importantly, the blood level of glucose in your body is tightly regulated. If you overload this system with too much sugar at once, your body sets in motion a host of responses that prevents you from fully using your fuel sources because it’s trying to get all the sugar out of your blood stream and into your cells. Once again your performance is compromised.

For a long time the answer was that unless you had regular access to VO2 max testing, blood work, a sports nutritionist and exercise physiologist you were simply out of luck. Take your best guess and hope for the best.

Fortunately, today’s athletes have access to a brand new, inexpensive technology that can precisely tell them their fuel needs. A new company called Fuelstrip, has brought to market a simple test strip that when wiped on your sweat quickly analyzes the sweat and changes colors based on your body’s fuel needs.

“If five people are playing the same game, all five people have different diets, they all have different genetics, they all have different fitness levels, they don’t all need to have the same amount of carbs and electrolytes, said Dr. Bo

Rosenblat, the founder of Fuelstrip. “They need something customized to them. That is where Fuelstrip comes in.”

Fuelstrip has developed a line of nutritional products that are geared to the color of the athlete’s Fuelstrip. For example, if the Fuelstrip turns yellow you need the exact amount of carbs and electrolytes contained in 2 Fuelchews. If the Fuelstrip turns green, you need 3 Fuelchews.

Dr. Rosenblat also stressed that there is so much more the Fuelstrip can be used for.

“Once we have the ability to get a read on an athlete’s metabolic state we can use that information to tailor a workout to maximize fat burning and avoid muscle breakdown.

Additionally, athletes can monitor the effectiveness of their workout and their conditioning levels simply by testing their sweat regularly and seeing if they are able to go longer and further before the Fuelstrip changes color.”

Fuelstrip products are available at www.fuelstrip.com and at many of your local gyms, bike, running, and nutrition stores.

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STRONGER BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS TRAIN

Plyometrics build strength and pack a calorie-walloping punch by Andrew Miranti

At Total Athletic Performance (T.A.P.) of Naples, certified personal trainers Derek Touchette, Dylan Winters and Andrew Miranti use plyos as the power component of their programming. “We will incorporate plyos so that athletes have to convert a strength movement into a power movement,” says trainer Miranti. “For example, as soon as an athlete finishes a set of back squats, they will perform a set of box jumps, making them convert strength to power.

We often ‘super-set’ a strength component with a power component.”

MONTHLY WORKOUT

P

lyometrics, sometimes lovingly referred to as “plyos,” are exercises that require you to exert the maximum amount of force in as short a time as possible. The goal with plyos is to increase both speed and power throughout the body.

Because they torch calories while building muscle, when done correctly, plyos can help athletes of all levels achieve their fitness goals quickly.

SQUAT JUMP

knees, and hips. Drive your arms up towards the sky, reaching tall.

When you land, attempt to absorb the load of the jump by landing with your hips down and back. Activate the glutes and hamstrings so you don’t “ride” the jump too low. Do not let your weight shift backwards as you land.

One of the main benefits to using plyos in your program is that they help stimulate and recruit different types of muscle fibers. They also challenge you to incorporate different muscle groups all in one action.

The T.A.P. trainers warn that while plyos are an excellent addition to your workout, you should make sure you’ve mastered proper squat technique first. Once you’ve got that down, you can jump-start your fitness using these four exercises.

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Beginners should do 2-3 sets of 3-4 reps, while advanced athletes should shoot for 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps.

BOX JUMP Set your feet in an athletic position, as if you are about to squat, with your hands down by your sides. Descend so that your legs are parallel to the ground and then drive up, jumping as high as possible. Make sure to consciously push as hard as you can through your feet, ankles,

Use the same setup for the box jump as you did for the squat jump, but this time set yourself up a comfortable distance away from a sturdy box. Drop your hips, swing your arms from back to front and push your feet evenly off the floor.

of time. When doing high pogo squat jumps, aim to jump as high as possible each time.

Low Pogo Squat Jumps – 2-3 sets of 12-15 seconds, rest 45 seconds between each set.

High Pogo Squat Jumps – 2-3 sets of 8-10 seconds, rest 45 seconds between each set.

DEPTH DROP TO A BOX JUMP Andrew Miranti is a Performance Coach at Total Athletic Performance. He has over 15 years of experience in secondary education and coaching and holds a Performance Enhancing Specialist certification (PES) from NASM. He also holds a Level 1 Sports Performance Certification from USA-W.

Land as softly as you can on the box, and allow your glutes and hamstrings to absorb the force.

This is a complex, multi-joint exercise, so make sure you pick a box height that is comfortable.

Once done with proficiency, you can move up in height.

Perform 2-4 sets of 2-5 reps, allowing full recovery (usually about 90 seconds, or until your heart rate gets back to normal) between sets. Even if you’re feeling great, resist the urge to add on extra sets, as you risk running down your central nervous system.

POGO SQUAT JUMPS

This is the most taxing on the central nervous system and has the highest impact of all these exercises. However, when done properly it can have a really positive effect on power and strength development.

You’ll need two platforms for this exercise—they can be either of equal size or the first (which you’ll start the exercise on) can be slightly shorter.

THREE COMMON PLYO MISTAKES AND HOW TO AVOID THEM: •Don’t let your knees bend inwards during the landing (this may signify weak gluteal muscles or inflexibility issues).

•Never allow your knees to protrude over or past the toes during a landing.

•Always optimize vertical jump height by driving the arms overhead.

This exercise is great for boosting your vertical jump. Start with your feet together and your arms by your side. Launching off the balls of your feet, jump up vertically, while keeping your knees as straight as possible. Repeat quickly.

If done correctly, you should be bouncing like a human pogo stick. While in the air, make sure your toes are pulled up towards your shins, but land back on the balls of your feet—not on your heels. When doing low pogo squat jumps try and do as many as you can in a certain amount

Stand on the smaller box and step off of it and onto the ground. Step heavily, and make sure both feet hit the floor simultaneously, but do not jump. As soon as both feet are on the ground, perform a box jump onto the other box. Make sure to push off equally with both feet. Land with your hips back and down and as quietly as possible.

Because these are high impact and are taxing, do just 2-3 sets with 4-6 reps each, and recover fully—for at least two minutes—between sets.

WORKOUT TO GO Print this and other gym-ready, step-bystep workouts online at fitnationmag.com.

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HONORABLE MENTIONS Local athletes delivering real results

NATHALIE STICKLAND

JOHN REDSHAW

ERIKA ERNDL AND JUSTINE BOWKER In September, T2 Aquatics team members Erika Erndl and Justine Bowker were named to the 2013-2014 USA Swimming National Team. Erndl grabbed her spot in the 100 Butterfly, while Bowker grabbed hers in the 200 IM. The team carries the six top-performing athletes in each event, based on results at several high profile swim meets. With Missy Franklin and Ryan Locthe headlining the team, Erndl and Bowker are in some very prestigious (and fast!) company.

“It’s always a goal; I had bigger goals, like making the World Team, but this was a good goal too,” says the 35-year-old Erndl.

Previously Erndl made the team in 2009 and was on the Pan Am team in 2011.

Bowker was also on the team in 2009, but this is the first time she’s re-made the team since.

“It’s a year-to-year thing, you have to requalify,” she says.

Just a few months ago Stickland of Estero, was sidelined with a pretty serious back injury. “I dislocated a rib, so I was out for a while. For three months I had to do very light weights,” she says. So when the 41-year-old athlete won her division at the first-ever FN Magazine Box Battles competition, she was thrilled.

Stickland, who trains at The Training Box at CrossFit Estero, won her division by running her way to victory. She says that she really pushed through the running sections to make up for the fact that the thrusters were hard for her. “The 45 thrusters were really hard, they were very painful,” she says.

After signing up for CrossFit on her 40th birthday, Stickland signed up for her first competition—the Box Battles—on her 41st birthday. And she says she’ll keep signing up for more competitions. “I think my strength as an athlete is that I’m very resilient. I’m not always the strongest or the fastest but I just keep going.”

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At 49 years old, John Redshaw says that he’s finally in the best shape of his life. While he’s always been an athlete—he played soccer and ran for many years— CrossFit has made him fitter than ever.

“I have abs for the first time in my life,” he says, adding, “I was always a decent runner but CrossFit has really tied it all together for me.”

Redshaw, who trains at Real Fitness, won his master’s division at the first annual FN Magazine Box Battles event. He says that the gym’s tough WODs leading up to the event got him more than ready for the competition. “The daily stuff was just as hard if not harder than what we did at Box Battles, they did an excellent job at preparing us.”

While running and body weight exercises are two of Redshaw’s strengths, he says that a big part of his success just comes from showing up day after day. “With CrossFit if you just show up and do what they tell you, and if you keep showing up, you’re going to get into really good shape.”

Both Bowker and Erndl were standout college swimmers and both say that their swimming has done nothing but improve under T2 coach Paul Yetter’s tutelage.

“When you get to that certain level your coach really matters. Paul’s been great to work with, he’s really developed me into a higher level athlete,” says Erndl.

Currently Erndl is taking a break from swimming and deciding whether she’ll return to try out for the 2016 Olympic team. Bowker however, is all in.

“What’s next for me is to re-qualify for the National Team next year. I’d like to work on my other events and maybe qualify for more than one. The goal is to set me up for a good 2016 trials,” says Bowker.

FITBOOK CROSSFIT BOX BATTLES

P: SAM DUFFY (11)

SEPTEMBER 28-29, 2013 // Lover’s Key State Park Ft Myers, FL

See more photos from this and other fitness events around Southwest Florida at facebook.com/fitnationmag. Tag yourself while you’re there!

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FITBOOK EVENT NAME PARADISE COAST // MONTH INTERNATIONAL DAY, 2013

P: PHOTO CREDIT (XX)

See more photos from this and other fitness events around Southwest Florida at facebook.com/fitnationmag. Tag yourself while you’re there!

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P: SAM DUFFY (9)

LOCATION, CITY SEPTEMBER 22, 2013 // PARADISE COAST - NAPLES, FL

FITBOOK

LOCATION, CITY

MARCO ISLAND TRIATHLON SEPTEMBER 29, 2013 // MARCO ISLAND, FL

P: SAM DUFFY (11)

EVENT NAME // MONTH DAY, 2013

See more photos from this and other fitness events around Southwest Florida at facebook.com/fitnationmag. Tag yourself while you’re there!

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CALENDAR NOVEMBER 1 Sunset and Suds 5K, Naples. naplesnorthrotary.com

16 The Swamp Buggy Mud Blast: 5 Mile Obstacle Run, Naples. eliteevents.org

2 2nd Annual Naples Chill Duathlon, Naples. eliteevents.org

16 Everyone Loves Mr. Raymond 5K, Marco Island gcrunner.org

3 Renaissance 5K for the Kids, Ft Myers. active.com

23 Jolley Be Good 5K, Marco Island. gcrunner. org

9 IMA-Literacy Council Gulf Coast Classic 5K Run, Ft Myers. literacygulfcoast.com/events

28 34th Annual Turkey Trot, Cape Coral. ftmyerstrackclub.com

9 Naples on the Run 10K, Naples. gcrunner.org

28 GCR Turkey Trot, Naples. gcrunner.org

10 Fort Myers Beach Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K, Ft. Myers Beach. fortmyersmarathon.com

28 Gobble Gobble 4 Miler, Naples. gobblegobblefourmiler.com 28 Gobbler 5K, Ft Myers. thegobbler5k.com

11 Wreath Ride, Naples. wreathride.com 11 Midpoint Madness Veteran’s 5K, Ft. Myers. ftmyerstrackclub.com 16 Footloose & Fancy Free 5K, Estero. footsolutions.com/store/estero/events 16 Run or Dye, Ft Myers. runordye.com

DECEMBER 1 Iron Joe Turkey Ride, Naples. naplespathways.org 7 River Run 10K, Ft Myers. ftmyerstrackclub.com 7 Tara’s Jingle Jog 5K, Estero. runsignup.com 8 Everyone Rides, Everyone Runs, Everyone Relax, Ft Myers. everyonerides.org 8 Take Stock in Children Strides for Education 5K, Naples. immokaleefoundation.org 13 HITS Tri Series Camp Weekend, Naples. hitstriathlonseries.com 14 Franklin Templeton Shootout 5K, Naples. franklintempletonshootout.com/5K 14 Last Chance Duathlon and Triathlon, Naples. eliteevents.com 14 Badass Bash, Punta Gorda. Badassbash.com

November/December 2013

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Get to know Damien as he shares videos and stories of set backs and successes while traveling to the most beautiful and remote places of the world as a professional adventure athlete. Damien has lived an enviable life growing up out west in the mountains, tearing up the slopes and traveling the open skies with his adventurous and pioneering family. Damien grew up living, in his words, "the life", but as his ski racing career was hitting on all cylinders he suffered injuries followed by numerous knee surgeries. Not giving up on adventure, he found his way to kiteboarding and became hooked. He has been Slalom World Champion and World Kiteboarder of the Year among dozens of other awards and wins. Damien has also been instrumental in getting Kiteboarding voted into the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

From professional ski racing to piloting planes and fly fish guiding in the Alaskan backcountry, motocross, rock climbing and mountain biking to surfing, kiteboarding and more recent innovations in Kite and Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) foiling, Damien is sure to inspire and entertain all of the dreamers and the doers in the audience.

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BY THE NUMBERS The 2013 Everyone Rides event promises to be bigger than ever. Ever wonder what it takes to put on an event like this? Here it is, by the numbers.

$10

$125,000 $125,000: The amount the event aims to raise for the Boys & Girls Club of Lee County. With just $10,000 the group can buy an all-new technology lab with 15 new computers. With $2,500 the club can purchase all-new physical education equipment.

300 300: The number of gallons of Gatorade racers will suck down—it’s basically enough Gatorade to fill a very sticky hot tub!

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$10 is all the Boys & Girls Club charges a family for a child’s membership. That membership provides upwards of $650 in services annually to each child.

5,000 5,000: The number of cups that will be filled with water or Gatorade throughout the day.

4 400 400: The number of hands-on-deck (that’s 4,000 fingers!). Two hundred volunteers will be out in force making sure everyone has a safe and fun run or ride.

300: The number of breakfast burritos provided

by Moe’s, or nibble on one of 400 rib plates provided by Rib City.

Four: the number of professional cyclists out on course. Look out for Tom Danielson of Garmin-Sharp; Phil Gaimon of Bissell Pro Cycling; Frankie Andreu (former team captain of U.S. Postal Service Cycling Team); and Olympic silver cycling medalist and cycling coach Brian Walton.

WANT TO GET IN ON ALL THE FUN? JOIN EVERYONE RIDES ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2013 IN JET BLUE PARK IN FORT MYERS. FOR MORE INFO, VISIT WWW.EVERYONERIDES.ORG.

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