It goes without saying that I am out in the sun A LOT. I live in Florida, Campy takes me on a walk at least three times a day, I'm a triathlete and well, I just love the outdoors. When I moved to Florida (from Lexington, KY) I was all about getting a tan. Well, now I keep my tan year-round and I don't strive to be any tanner. The teenager years of wanting to be dark are gone for now I care about the health of my skin...as we all should.
One of the struggles with finding the perfect sunscreen as a triathlete/runner is finding something that is tolerable for sweating, isn't sticky and actually lasts throughout a workout. I've tried a lot and I tend to lean toward sprays for they are easy to use and they avoid the cakey feeling I get from rub-on sunscreens. Since most of my sunscreen use is for training (I don't have much free time to "lay out" at the pool or beach) I'm always on the hunt for a great sunscreen that I can use before a bike or run workout - or anytime I am in the sun.
Thanks to Oakley, I found one! And thank you to COOLA!
Coola has been at several of the Oakley Women events and after receiving a free bottle at the Napa retreat, Karel and myself have been religious about using this sunscreen before every training session.
The suncreen does not smell strong and you don't even feel like you are wearing it. The water-resistance lasts for only 40 minutes but in terms of a long bike and run workout (tested 7/7 with a 3.5 hr bike + 30 min run), it does a great job of keeping the skin safe - even in the hot summer heat.
Here's a great guide from Consumer Report (June 2012) on Sunscreen features.
According to Consumer Reports, "experts say it's best to check the ingredient list to make sure that your sunscreen contains avobenzone, Mexoryl SX, titanium dioxide or zinc oxide (these last two are more natural sunscreen ingredients), each of which is a key protective ingredient against UVA rays. Furthermore, only sunscreens that provide broad-spectrum protection with an SPF of 15 or higher will be allowed to claim a reduced risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. Those that do not meet the aforementioned guidelines must warn consumers that the product has not been shown to help prevent skin cancer and early skin aging."
Do you have a favorite sunsceen recommendation?
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While in Napa for the Oakley Women event, Garmin provided all 100 women with a new Garmin 210 to use during the 5K...and to keep! Thank you Garmin!
I am all about technology when it comes to exercise and training but most importantly - you have to be able to know how to use it properly.
Garmin provides FREE Garmin connect which allows you to be the coach of your own body by downloading and analyzing your training data. You don't have to be an Exercise Physiologist to see a summary of your workouts and to track progress of distance, pace, mileage and your notes of perceived exertion.
I am a big fan of multiple screens on watches and computers. For example, on my bike computer is the Garmin Edge 500 and I have 4 "pages" (or screens) set up with various specs for me to look at when I am training. My running watch is the Garmin 405 (not water resistant) which is now the Garmin 410 (water resistant) and I have 3 pages set up.
On the Garmin 210, there is not an auto scroll option so I would suggest this watch for individuals needing a great quality watch, with many functions, but not complicated to use. I often hear of many athletes with expensive technology but only using the basic functions - HR and pace...or many times, just distance and time. If you are going to spend the money, use the technology to its full capacity. If you are wanting something simple, this watch is the way to go as you will still find yourself training smarter.
This watch is water resistant and includes GPS, Heart rate, auto-lap, interval training and calorie consumption. So for a "basic" garmin, this is the one I would recommend. Certainly, if you wantto see your time, your distance, your pace and your HR - this is the watch for you. If you are looking for something more advanced for running, I suggest the 410, 610 or the macdaddy of them all - the 910xt to take your triathlon training to the next level.
Although I love technology, I like to keep things simple. I address what I need, what will I use and what will help me have a quality workout.
Thus, if I can achieve quality within my workout, I am not training harder but rather smarter. Legs are still burning, heart is still beating fast and some days my body screams "I can't" but with technology (like Garmin), I can get in-tune with my body and ultimately, take my training to the next level alongside respect my body with quality training.
I require all my athletes to have a Garmin prior to working with me for I am a firm believer of tracking progress and analyzing data (I do this for my athletes). If you have any questions about Garmin, GPS or bike computers, just send me an email.
What's your favorite piece of technology for your exercise routine?