Fitness

Radical Ridgeline Trail Running

Trail running in Vermont is like dancing through a scenic minefield of roots, rocks, puddles, and fallen trees. It forces you to leap, twist, and scurry in order to keep a smooth line and stay on the ever-winding trail. It’s at once exhilarating and peaceful, and some trails require a level of focus that leaves no room for dwelling on anything in life but the 20 feet of trail before you.

Born to Snowshoe

In 2009 at the age of 70, John Pelton won his age division at the United States Snowshoe Association’s National Championships at Mt. Hood, OR. A modest man, Pelton downplays his achievement noting that he was also the only racer in his division. Nevertheless, his finish time was better than several competitors thirty and forty years his junior.

June 2010 Reader Athlete - Jen Frantz

Age: 36
Residence: Morrisville
Family: Cat, Monster Baby
Occupation: First and second grade teacher
Primary sport: Running

Zuttermeister Chronicles

Let’s start with a recap from last month: I threw my back out while shoveling snow before heading to work. This happened on a Thursday, and by Saturday morning I was at the doctor’s office. Long story short, I was cured by medication, a heating pad, Mineral Ice, and rest. Then I headed to Las Vegas for a business trip.

Reader Athlete August 2009: Karen Allen

Age: 52
Residence: Burlington
Family: Husband, Bill; three adult daughters
Occupation: Lawyer
Primary sport: Running

VS: You recently ran your first marathon, Burlington’s own Vermont City Marathon. How did it go?

Diversify Your (Athletic) Portfolio

How many times have you heard financial experts talk about the importance of asset diversification?

Rock & Race with IROC

A new Northeast Kingdom race series is growing stronger than the dandelions for which its half marathon is named.

Honing Your Heart Rate?

For years and years we’ve been testing people in our Human Performance lab at UVM for all kinds of studies ranging from fluid intake to heat tolerance. One thing that has always plagued me is the accuracy of the maximal heart rate numbers we get. For the most part we don’t really question the data as it’s all carefully collected and monitored.

Ultra Rides: A Long Time in the Saddle

Some of us practically tear a rotator cuff patting ourselves on the back after a particularly long or arduous bike ride. We’re pretty damn proud when we finish a century. But there is a cadre of cyclists for whom 100 miles is a mere spin in the park.

Reader Athlete December 2009: Kate Crawford

Age: 26
Residence: Essex Junction
Family: Husband, Garnet Smith
Occupation: Environmental consultant
Primary sport: Nordic skiing

VS: You grew up in Western Massachusetts. How did you land in Vermont?

May 2010 Reader Athlete - Shane Slayton

Age: 38
Residence: Milton
Family: Sister, Marion; brother, Edison
Occupation: Manufacturing team leader at Husky
Primary sport: Biking

An Insider’s Guide to Great Fall Foliage Hiking, Biking, and Paddling

Tourists from near and far will be filling their gas tanks and driving through Vermont admiring the palette of colors that residents enjoy every autumn. Luckily, readers of Vermont Sports are pluckier than those who need an internal combustion engine to see the sights. They know that some of the best ways to admire the views require muscle, not motors.

Bike Commuting Can Save the World, April 2009 issue

Throughout the 10 years I lived in the Rockies, I rode my bike everywhere—to work, to the grocery store, to meet with friends, to the trailhead, and for hours and hours, just for the fun of it. Neither the rain and snow, nor freezing fog, would stop me. I felt like I could go anywhere, anytime, for little or no cost. Often, cycling was more practical than driving.

Reader Athlete July 2009: Neil Van Dyke

Age: 55
Residence: Stowe
Family: Wife, Carol; three children, Sarah, 22, Forrest, 20, and Lia, 16
Occupation: Owner, Golden Eagle Resort
Primary sport: Hiking and Nordic skiing

Vermont's Best Lift Ticket Deals

These days, buying a lift ticket is like being dealt a hand of cards and deciphering how best to play them. This season at Vermont’s ski areas you’ll come across special ticket deal cards named Magic, X2, Points, Passport, Fanfare, Club, and Express, to name just a few. Purchase one of these cards and you’ll get discounts on lift tickets and possibly other merchandise and services.

Your Four-Legged Friend is a Great Running Partner!

I’ve done a bit of biking in my spare time, and been chased by a few dogs. I have firmly concluded that unlike humans, even old, fat, ugly dogs are fast and will routinely get up to 30 mph without too much sweat. So, no matter who you are or how fast or far you can run, old Mutley there beside you will never get much more than a warm-up when he runs with you.

Toenail Ailments

Toenails are subjected to repeated micro trauma from sport activities that can cause them to become deformed and painful. Court sports, field sports, and running are at the top of the list of sports most likely to be associated with toenail injuries.

INGROWN TOENAILS

Reestablishing the Coming of Age Ritual

Not long ago I had the opportunity to attend a small graduation ceremony at an outdoor education center in North Carolina. It was a rewarding trip for a number of reasons. My prior experience in the south had been limited to nine weeks of infantry training at Fort Benning, GA, back in 1968. Not the ideal setting in which to appreciate the beauty of the natural surroundings.

Ruining Your Vacation Ruins My Day

Without fail, every year a few customers come into the shop, their heads hung and their shoulders slumped, to tell us that they did something that they feel is so stupid they are ashamed to admit what it is.

A Bicycle Named Sofia

Experienced bicycle mechanics, like heart surgeons and great cities such as Rome, for example, are not built in a day. It takes many, many years. Yes, there are schools in places like Portland and Colorado Springs, where in a few short weeks you can earn an official certificate stating that you are a “certified” bicycle mechanic, but you will be far from an “experienced” bicycle mechanic.

Muscles Not Motors Gear Review - March 2010

I just got back from the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show in Salt Lake City, UT, where 40,000 or so outdoor industry types like me converged for a week-long gear summit. By the last day, I was dehydrated from drooling. Here are just three of the items that I found particularly tasty.

GSI OUTDOORS VORTEX HAND CRANKED BLENDER

Rowing in the Green Mountain State

Vermont may not have the Thames or even the Charles River, but that doesn’t mean the state doesn’t have a vibrant rowing scene. How could it not, when Vermont is home to Olympians Dick Dreissigacker, his wife Judy Geer, and her sister Carlie Geer, not to mention Concept2, the Dreissigackers’ company, which manufactures oars and indoor rowing machines.

Cold Season Outdoor Gear

We’ve made the long trip around the sun once again. Before long, Old Man Winter will blanket Vermont in white, and many of us will be out there making the most of it on our skis, boards, snowshoes, bikes, and sleds. Ever year, we stumble on a few items that we feel could make your winter season even more enjoyable, and they are featured here. Have a great winter, and stay warm and dry!

Hope Springs Eternal

Now that we’ve had a hard frost, it’s time for the biannual shoe rotation. Sandals, sneakers, and water mocs that are stuffed into the mud room cubbies get traded for snow boots, winter hiking boots, and Nordic ski boots that are stuffed into the spare bedroom closet.

Skiing Vermont’s Wilderness Areas

Whether it’s the haunted past of Vermont’s Glastenbury Mountain, the challenging steeps of the Bristol Cliffs, or the mature hardwoods of the new Battell Wilderness Area, there is something undeniably special about backcountry skiing in Vermont’s federally designated wilderness areas.

Vermont Ride Center

The Stowe Mountain Bike Club is nothing if not tenacious. Dogged determination has taken them from nearly losing all trail access in Stowe to becoming the hub of an IMBA Ride Center. It’s been a long and bumpy ride, with a number of road blocks along the way.

Lower Latitudes, Higher Altitudes: High-altitude Mountaineering in the Bolivian Andes, Part 2

Editor’s note: Last month the author took us to La Paz, Bolivia, where he and his wife, Kelli, made final arrangements to climb three peaks in the Bolivian Andes. The first was Pequeño Alpamayo. This month, we learn about the second, Huayna Potosi.

Earning Your Turns: A Day of Bike-Supported Skiing Adventure

It’s rare that our trips to the ski hill or trailhead don’t involve a few errands, a visit with friends or family, or a longer drive to a not-so-local spot. This, combined with other realities, such as snowy roads, cold weather, and limited daylight, make it challenging to use our bikes to go skiing.

Denizens of the Dirt: Cyclocross Bikes Move into Roadie Territory

At the beginning of a group ride early this summer, I looked around and realized I was the only one there with a pure road bike. The change seemed to happen overnight; all of a sudden my skinny tires and fancy wheels were passé. It was as if everyone else had adapted to a new environment, and I was left flopping along the ground, using my fins as feet. I was a roadie in a land of cyclocrossers.

Green Racing Project - An Alaskan Localvore

The Green Racing Project arrived in Anchorage, AK, yesterday evening to compete in the 2010 National Cross-Country Ski Championships. Kincaid Park in downtown Anchorage hosts this final week of qualification races for the Vancouver Olympics and Junior World Championships Teams.

The Ice Cream Woman Cometh

Now that July is here and summer is half over, it seems like an appropriate time to remind people about good manners. I don’t mean refraining from flossing in public or turning off cell phones at jazz concerts. I’m talking about good manners as you recreate on Vermont’s roads, trails, and bike paths.

Big Fish Eat Little Fish

The fall is a great time of year to switch your angling tactics to streamers.

Overtraining Syndrome

A friend recently forwarded a newspaper article to me entitled “Streaking.” Recalling a fad that was popular for a few years in the college town in which I grew up, where streaking meant running naked in large groups through town, I opened the link to see if “streaking” was making a comeback.

Gravity and the Bicycle

Somebody asked me recently, “This downhilling, it’s not real biking, is it?” No, it’s not real, just like lift-served skiing isn’t real skiing. Make sure to tell Bode.

Green Racing Project: The Great White Circus Opens in Yellowstone

The ski season is finally here. By “here,” I mean that it’s winter in West Yellowstone, MT. The Green Racing Project has escaped the warmth of November in Vermont to cut the tape on the 2009/2010 cross-country ski racing season in the colder climes of Yellowstone National Park.

Mike Silverman: Dean of the Vermont 50

When Mike Silverman walks into a clothing store, the first thing he does is rub the fabric of a shirt or jacket between his fingers. At the same time, he’s noticing the layout of the sales floor, the colors, the designs, the lighting.

May 2009 Reader Athlete: Pam Clapp

Age: 37
Residence: Waterbury
Family: Husband, Roger; sons Adrian, 6, and Lewis, 4
Occupation: Executive assistant to chairman of Generon International
Primary sport: Running

VS: When did you start running and why?

Stand-Up Paddling

Imagine standing up in a canoe with an extra-long paddle in hand, finding your balance, and paddling away. Anyone who has spent considerable time in a canoe has probably tried this while navigating shallow backwaters, or simply, to stretch out the legs.

Boots and Bindings for the Backcountry

This year’s crop of backcountry boots and bindings is more impressive than ever. On the binding front, most telemark bindings now feature a flip-of-the-switch “tour mode,” offering skiers the same resistance-free uphill performance that AT-skiers have enjoyed for years.

The Other Runner's High

Even if you’re not a runner, chances are you’ve heard of the runner’s high, a state of euphoria that results from a release of endorphins after you’ve been cranking out mile after hard mile. There’s another kind of runner’s high, though; one that’s not about your state of consciousness, but rather about quite literally running high.

Zuttermeister Chronicles: Training for A Back to Back Century Ride - April 2009

This month started out great. I biked nearly 128 miles over 9 days. My total time was 6 hours and 48 minutes, so my average speed was almost 19 miles per hour. Six of the sessions were interval training and three of the sessions were “pyramids.” During the intervals, I consistently downshift to 20th gear.

Training for a Back-to-Back Century Ride - July 2009

For the past five months, in this space, I have reported on my training program for the Prouty Ultimate, two back-to-back century rides on July 10 and 11. I rode my trainer throughout the winter, kept a log of each workout, and gradually increased my speed. I got outside on my bike when the weather turned, and was able to log 220 miles in May.

Eggnog Needs Eggs, Waxless Skis Need Wax

It's that time of year again, when, according to Andy Williams or anyone who has received royalties from a beloved Christmas tune, it is the most wonderful. Many others share that view as well, but when Christmas day is just one day off, wedged between two of the

King of Pain: Gary Kessler is Keeping Bicycle Racing Alive in Vermont

Everybody has an anxiety nightmare. You know, the one where you wake up in the middle of the night, sweating because you dreamed you’re playing the lead role in your high school play and have forgotten your lines. Gary Kessler’s goes something like that, but the stakes are higher in his dream.

Race Organizing and the Lessons We’ve Learned

The summer months so far have seen the successful completion of 10 running races hosted by the Green Racing Project at Craftsbury, and I have to say, organizing races is harder than you might think. We’ve learned a lot being on the other side of the start and finish line; in other words, we’ve made plenty of mistakes this summer as rookie race organizers.

2009 Summer Sports Camp Guide

The Vermont Sports 2009 Summer Camp Guide lists over 30 camps in Vermont that focus on outdoor sports-related activities. Most are the same sports we traditionally cover in our editorial content, such as running, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, climbing, adventure, and outdoor skills. This guide includes a basic description of each camp’s offerings.

Muscles Not Motors Camping Gear Review

Growing up, my family was a camping family. Each summer, we would load up the car and drive no less than an hour away to spend a glorious week roughing it together at a crowded family campground. It would rain a lot, my parents would argue a lot, and my sister and I would be bored stiff a lot. The mosquitoes living in our tent, however, would be as happy as could be. I still love camping to this day, but a few things have changed…

Off Piste in the Adirondacks

Skiing in the High Peaks of New York’s Adirondack Mountains should be on every northeast skier’s to-do list. From the snow-filled gulleys and slide paths of the region’s highest peaks to the gentler backcountry trails of the valleys below, the Dacks are an adventure skier’s paradise.

2010 Summer Sports Camp Guide

The Vermont Sports 2010 Summer Camp Guide lists camps in Vermont that focus on outdoor sports-related activities. Most are the same sports we traditionally cover in our editorial content, such as running, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, climbing, adventure, and outdoor skills. This guide includes a basic description of each camp’s offerings.

Colorful Road Bike Rides

Let’s take a moment to give thanks to carotenoids and anthocyanins. What, you’ve never seen those words before? That’s all right, because you’ve seen them in another way: in the form of yellow, red, and golden leaves in autumn.

18th Annual Holiday Gift Guide

We are pleased to present the Vermont Sports annual Holiday Gift Guide. The goods we recommend on these pages were reviewed by members of the VS editorial staff (Jules Older, Brian Mohr, and Kate Carter) and are their picks for most interesting, impressive, and thoughtful gifts for people who spend time in the outdoors.

Reader Athlete June 2009: Erika Nestor

Age: 43
Residence: Burlington
Family: Partner, David; children Luke, 15; Sam, 12; Zoe, 6
Occupation: Athletic Director for The Field House
Primary sport: Running

Around the State - Miles for a Mission Comes to the Marathon

Burlington, VT—Marathons provide a popular fundraising opportunity for anyone who wants his or her hard work to benefit others. In the case of the Vermont City Marathon and Marathon Relay, held in Burlington on Memorial Day weekend, the high number of relay teams forming in order to raise money for charities has led the organization to create their new Miles for a Mission program.

Don’t Just Go Camping, Get An Education!

No one can argue that Vermont is handcrafted for the ultimate camping experience. Beautiful scenery, lakes, mountains, streams, dirt-roads, and quiet back roads all provide a wonderful natural environment to promote the outdoors. Thus, it is not surprising that there are literally hundreds of camps available in Vermont. The choice is infinite in terms of activity, location, cost, and comfort.

Muscles Not Motors Gear Review - August 2010

Whether you’re a snowboarder or snowshoer, mountain hiker or mountain biker, Nordic skier or Nordic walker, you need gear. Each month, I review, right here, three items that I personally feel are especially cool. Here are my picks for this month.

What’s With the Anaerobic Threshold? 

The term anaerobic threshold is widely used in a number of training environments. Coaches, athletes, trainers, and the like commonly refer to the anaerobic threshold as a focal point to determine the intensity of training. Consequently, much focus has been placed upon accurate measurement of the anaerobic threshold and its interpretation for use in training programs.

2009 Winter Gear

After a cool summer and a relatively early first frost, we have to wonder what Old Man Winter will have in store for us this season. We remember drinking lemonade in our shorts while building a deck at our house in December 2001. We also remember the truly world-class powder skiing we enjoyed back in late October 2005.

Avoiding Common Winter Running Injuries

Runners have to run to keep highly specialized muscles in shape. Spring training starts right now, in the middle of the deep, dark, cold winter. Too many runners take time off from running in winter, and these same folks increase the possibility of injury when the weather finally turns warmer. Running in winter means having a flexible training schedule or better yet, no schedule at all.

Return to the Strenuous Life

Summer weather has finally arrived in the NEK, and with it the return to hard full-time ski training in Craftsbury. The beginning of May marked the return of all six Green Racing Project skiers from last season, while June has brought three recent college graduates, each an All-American at their respective schools, who will be joining the team for the upcoming season.

Plan Now for Statewide Sports Directory

Editor's Commentary

Vacations and Marathons

My wife, Alison, and I are runners. We originally met returning from separate jogs on Burlington’s Rec Path. We are members of a running group that meets every Sunday, and even our dog has a public blog detailing his running log. Last summer, we got married on a partly cloudy afternoon by a giant oak tree at Oakledge Park, by mile-marker 13 of the Vermont City Marathon course.

Cliff Hangers

The cliff was small, maybe 10 feet wide, though it seemed to shrink as I neared the edge. I felt dizzy and terribly heavy, as if gravity pulled harder on me the closer I got to the abyss. I sat down with my feet toward the drop-off, then slowly inched forward. The white-capped waves 500 feet below looked like dotted lines traveling across the deep black water.

Build it and They Will Come: Skiing the Trails of the CCC

Skiers in New England have it good. When it comes to terrain, just one word applies: varied. There are groomers, glades, steep chutes, alpine bowls. In other words, the works.

June 2010 Reader Athlete - Joshua Brown

Age: 42
Residence: Burlington
Family: Wife, Zoe Richards; three children, Silas, 8; Rosalie, 5; Miranda, 7 months
Occupation: Science writer for the University of Vermont
Primary sport: Running and telemark skiing

Muscles Not Motors Gear Review - May 2009

Whether you’re a snowboarder or snowshoer, mountain hiker or mountain biker, Nordic skier or Nordic walker, you need gear. Each month, I review, right here, three items that I personally feel are especially cool. Here are my picks for this month.

Woodstock’s Junior Cycling Team

If you have fond memories of riding your bike as a kid, it’s likely you grew up in a suburban neighborhood with paved streets and enough watchful neighbors to put your parents at ease. Things are a little different in Vermont. Most of the roads are dirt, and the distances between enclaves and homes can be miles, with the routes traversing steep hills and dark woods.

Thank You, Ken Burns

Several years ago, I was intrigued and bewildered to learn about a young documentary filmmaker who was scheduled to present 13 hours of antique, black and white photos of the Civil War on PBS. It sounded about as exciting as watching paint dry, but I watched the first episode and was hooked.

Prouty Proud

Riding 100 miles on my bicycle in one painful sitting is not high on my priority list. As a matter of fact, every time I’ve crawled through the finish of the five century rides I’ve endured over the past five years, I’ve vowed to burn my bicycle and then throw the charred remains under a steamroller.

Hiking With Cats, April 2009 issue

Tim Beaman of Fairfield, VT, admits there aren’t very many things he likes about his cat Cleo. “She’s not friendly. She’s not affectionate. She’s got nothing I normally look for in a cat.” But Cleo does have one thing going for her. She hikes with Beaman and his wife, Sylvia Lazarnick.

Pioneering Health and Fitness Website, Imsuperb.com, Announces Launch

ImSuperb.com Health & Fitness is a premiere service created by certified personal trainers Nick Lynch of Vermont and Mike Veselka of Milwaukee, WI, for the sole purpose of making preventative and progressive health options, such as chiropractic, exercise, and proper nutrition. It is easily accessible to all individuals at a price that all can afford.

Reader Athlete December 2009: Anthony Moccia

Age: 27
Residence: Derby
Family: Wife, Cija, and dog, Tyson
Occupation: Inside rep for Louis Garneau
Primary sport: Cycling and triathlons

VS: Who introduced you to cycling?

May 2010 Reader Athlete - Sarah Perry

Age: 38
Residence: Hyde Park
Family: Husband, Eric; children, Emma, 10; Ada, 6; Barit, 4
Occupation: Farmer, health and wellness products sales, and doula
Primary sport: Running

Wonderful World of Wool

Prized for its naturally insulating, odor-free, breathable, moisture-resistant, and elastic properties, merino wool is fast becoming a clothing staple among dedicated athletes and active outdoors people.

Spring Training Refraining, April 2009 issue

If you work at a bike shop then you’re probably like me: a seriously die hard, hard-core cyclist to the core. And there’s no time of year where this is more apparent than in the late winter/early spring, weeks before your first ride.

Hike, Bike, or Kayak to Celebrate History

Four hundred years ago, Samuel de Champlain became the first European to paddle the Almost Great Lake that now bears his name. This year, both states and the province bordering Lake Champlain are scheduling a variety of events to celebrate the Quadricentennial. While many events fall into the historic or cultural categories, several involve sports and recreation.

Backcountry Skis for 2010

Skis designed with the downhill-oriented skier in mind—lift served and backcountry, telemark or AT—continue to feature ever-widening dimensions, more durable construction, and control-enhancing improvements to the tip, tail, and overall shape of the ski. Several skis in this review feature “rockered” or early-rise tips.

The Winter Olymic Games - Greek or Roman?

I always look forward to, and enjoy, the Winter Olympics. This year was no exception. It was thrilling to watch so many of our sons and daughters of the Green and White Mountains perform and excel on the international stage. While enjoying all of this exciting competition, I was also struck more than ever by the death-defying risks that so many athletes are taking in the pursuit of Olympic gold.

Golf Tourney Benefits Killington Mountain School Athletic Fund

Killington Mountain School, a school consistently ranked among the best five-month ski academies in the country, will host its 24th Annual Golf Tournament on September 24 at Green Mountain National Golf Course in Killington, voted Vermont’s number-one public golf course by Golf Digest.

­Winter Feet

The winter season engenders a youthful spirit in all of us. Well, in the beginning of the season, anyway, before we get tired of the gym and other indoor workouts. If we are outside, the bright sunny winter days in Vermont can provide a much-needed dose of vitamin D. There is increased evidence that vitamin D is needed for good health and prevention of many chronic diseases.

Muscles Not Motors Gear Review - June 2009

Whether you’re a snowboarder or snowshoer, mountain hiker or mountain biker, Nordic skier or Nordic walker, you need gear. Each month, I review, right here, three items that I personally feel are especially cool. Here are my picks for this month.

Training with Kids

Urban legend has it that Bill Koch rollerskied up Mount Greylock pulling his daughter on a mountain bike. With a rope around his waist, Koch double-poled eight miles uphill, towing his 70-pound child. Was this extreme strength-training, childcare duty, or both? Even if the story isn’t true, it illustrates how far some parents will go to get a workout.

Time is of the essence

Reader Athlete March 2010: Heidi Noonan

Age: 45
Residence: Jeffersonville
Family: Husband, Tom; son, Taylor, 15; daughter Erika, 12
Occupation: Physical therapist
Primary sport: Running

VS: What do you enjoy about being a physical therapist?

Off the Map at the Kingdom Trails

About five years ago, the whole world seemed to wake up to the miracle of mountain biking that is the Kingdom Trails. Mountain Bike magazine named the trail network one of the 50 best in America. The International Mountain Biking Association dubbed it “epic.” And the accolades just kept on coming.

Listening to Your Instincts

Exploring pain has been on my agenda for several years. Pain can be a good thing, especially if it is heeded. Too often, we have learned to block pain out, and this is when problems can start to happen. My email in-box is always filled with notes and letters from readers and patients, and I do my best to respond to them all in some way.

Muscles Not Motors Gear Review - November 2009

Whether you’re a snowboarder or snowshoer, mountain hiker or mountain biker, Nordic skier or Nordic walker, you need gear. Each month, I review, right here, three items that I personally feel are especially cool. Here are my picks for this month.

Swix 2 in 1 Split Mitt

Triple Plays

Friday the thirteenth is a day often filled with superstition and, some would say, bad luck. But for New Hampshire climber Alan Cattabriga, Friday, March 13, 2009, was simply a long, hard, and ultimately rewarding day.

Rollerski Biathlon Championship Comes to Vermont

Lack of snow doesn’t keep serious biathletes from practicing their craft in the summer months; they just have to alter their footwear. While some prefer a form of summer biathlon, which requires running instead of skiing, most competitive biathletes race on rollerskis.

Diagnostic Imaging: X-ray, bone scan, MRI, ultrasound. Which test is the right choice to diagnose your problem?

The first Nobel Prize in physics went, in 1901, to a German scientist named Wilhelm Roentgen for his work in the development of the x-ray. He completed his work in 1895, but it was just the beginning of the road for diagnosing illness and injury with the creation of images inside the human body. Diagnosis established with imaging techniques is one of the most important tools in medicine today.

The Dreaded Stress Fracture

Every runner fears a stress fracture. Understanding how this diabolical, disabling injury occurs can help prevent it. The words “stress fracture” are really a misnomer, as the injured bone does not present radiological evidence of a true fracture line. The bone is not really broken or fractured, as in a crushing or severe twisting injury.

Muscles Not Motors October 2009 Gear Review

Whether you’re a snowboarder or snowshoer, mountain hiker or mountain biker, Nordic skier or Nordic walker, you need gear. Each month, I review, right here, three items that I personally feel are especially cool. Here are my picks for this month.

KELTY GUNNISON 2.1 TENT

Exercise Compromises

This might be the winter I don’t ski. I never thought that day would come, but it’s starting to look like it has. A friend had asked me how my first day back on cross-country skis went. “Not good, not good at all,” I said. “My technique stunk, my skis felt slow, and it hurt.

Vermont's Charity Bike Rides, Summer 2010

If you like to ride your bike, then Vermont is the place for you! Many weekends throughout the summer have long-distance, fully supported cycling events that raise money for worthy charities. Here is a summary of this summer’s fundraising rides.

June 5 & 6
TOUR DE KINGDOM
15, 25, 50, 75, 100 miles

Green Mountain Bike Update 2009

If you’re like me, you probably have some sort of miles logged on your bike already, and are looking forward to the upcoming mountain bike season. The Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA) has been busy getting ready for Summer 2009, and there is much to tell.

imsuperb.com Announces Launch

Burlington, Middlebury, Montpelier—Nick Lynch of Middlebury, VT, has launched Imsuperb.com Health & Fitness, a web site service that helps members make healthy diet and exercise choices, and is a source for information about progressive health options, such as chiropractic, exercise, and nutrition.

Muscles Not Motors: Winter Camping Gear Review

I thought I’d throw a curve snowball at you this month and instead of reviewing skis, snowshoes, or warm fuzzy earmuffs, I am reviewing three items that you will need for a less common but nonetheless thrilling winter activity: winter camping. You can leave the bug spray at home.

KELTY APEX FORAKER 15º SLEEPING BAG

Muscles Not Motors Gear Review - June 2010

Whether you’re a snowboarder or snowshoer, mountain hiker or mountain biker, Nordic skier or Nordic walker, you need gear. Each month, I review, right here, three items that I personally feel are especially cool. Here are my picks for this month.

SPECIALIZED AMIRA COMP

Green Gear for Summer, May 2009 Issue, by Brian Mohr & Emily Johnson

It is refreshing to see so many businesses and manufacturers in the outdoor industry finding creative ways to reduce their environmental footprint. While we feel that the most environmentally friendly gear is that which has been previously used, neglected, or otherwise restored, we still occasionally have to buy something new.

Slack Attack!

Before you try slacklining, there’s something you should know: It’s extremely addictive.

As soon as you put one foot on the line, you’ll want to be able to stand on your own.

As soon as you can stand on one foot, you’ll want to be able to stand on two.

As soon as you can stand on two, you’ll want to try to take a few steps.

Snowshoe Racing: The Ultimate Winter Exercise

For most people, snowshoes conjure up an image of a leisurely trek through the woods: quiet and slow. However, a number of athletes are taking snowshoeing to the next level. In the winter, when running shoes become impractical, many are taking to the snow and running in snowshoes races, of which there is no shortage.

Barefoot Running... Is It For You?

Lately I have been fielding a lot of questions about barefoot running. I first became aware of barefoot running with my work at Dartmouth College, when I was faced with a chronically injured member of the cross-country and track team.

Thru-Hiking the Long Trail

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Long Trail. Originally envisioned by James P. Taylor, construction of the ridgeline trail began in 1910. Traversing the Taconic Mountains in southern Vermont and stretching northward along the spine of the Green Mountains, the Long Trail marches relentlessly from the Massachusetts border to the border of Canada.

The Dog Dilemma, April 2009 issue, by John Morton

I love dogs!

Things Change. People Change. Pass the Cheeseballs.

Recently I did something that would make my younger self roll over in his wave. The wave being that of blissful ignorance and youthful exuberance upon which he surfed. After a particularly long and exhausting day at the shop, a nightmare kind of day of trying to make dreams come true, I went home and took a walk with my lovely wife.

The Mountains Majestique

Some landscapes you visit just once in your life. Not because there’s anything inherently wrong with them, but rather because there are simply too many other places to see in the world. But sometimes, a landscape grabs you and calls you to return. Such is my relationship with Quebec’s Gaspesie, a mere stone’s throw (globally speaking) from the Green Mountain State’s borders.

Six Legs are Better Than Two: Tips for Running with your Dog

Enthusiastic about life, my dog, Oscar, celebrates even the small things: the dawning of each new day, the filling of his dog dish, the arrival of a houseguest. But nothing excites him more than sneakers.

An Outdoor Recreation Paradise

Last month, I read Bill McKibben’s new book, Eaarth. It impressed me enough to devote my August column to thoughts stimulated by the book. Under normal circumstances that would have been enough, but recent newspaper headlines and NPR commentaries have kept the book on my mind.

Slip Into Some Winter Traction

In this review of traction devices for winter hiking, we present four products that were designed primarily for use on hard-packed hiking trails with some ice, when snowshoes are not needed to prevent postholing.

Avalanche!

I tried it in class the first day back. My students were into it. I narrated it while we all watched the sweep-second hand on the clock:

crack—”I’m riding it down!”
accelerate
highly focused—ram axes through snow up to elbows—picks grab ice
second avi above me breaks—tons of snow collapse onto me—lifted off mountain—covered by snow
accelerate