SLU Cycling

Is knee pain an issue for you?

If you are a person who loves to participate in sports and other activities that require a lot of physical exertion, you may have experience pain or discomfort in your knee from time to time. This is normal because knee injuries are a very common injury that occurs in sports. The knee has an important role to absorb and distribute the weight of the body during all kinds of movement. Over time, the knee is put under so much stress and strain that it can begin to wear down and cause problems.

Athletes may experience knee problems earlier than most people because of the prolonged amount of time they are performing activities that require jumping, turning and twisting. These movements put a lot of strain on the knee. – Can you relate?

One of the best ways that you can help add some stability for your knee is by finding an elastic knee brace that supports the knee. Elastic knee braces are great because they do not prohibit movement in the knee but still offer stability and protection to the knee, its surrounding knee ligaments and structural components.

You may be concerned that wearing a restrictive knee brace would have a negative influence on your ability to freely move or make special plays during your big game. This does not need to be a concern with most of the knee braces that are available. If you choose a well designed, low profile knee brace like a neoprene knee sleeve, you will still be able to enjoy the game. It is always important to consult your physician if think you may have more significant knee issues…

Elastic knee braces can be found in different materials such as neoprene and drytex. Elastic knee braces are commonly referred to as knee sleeves due to the ease of wearing of them and the way that they fit around the knee snugly but still allow movement. Knee sleeves are often times strapless and can be pulled on your leg without any difficulty at all.

We hope that you are not having any issues with knee pain, but if you are it is time to face the pain you are having. If you are in a position in which you just need some added stability to help remind you not to make painful movements then elastic knee braces can be very helpful. Many people have indicated that these knee sleeves have helped reduce their knee pain after activities of daily living as well.

By: Daniel P. Sims

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If you are interested in mountain biking then you may be wondering exactly how the sport has been developed. What is the history of mountain biking and how did it become so popular?

There are three main things to look at when you look into the history of mountain biking. The first is the people who invented it, the second is where the sport was developed and the third is the equipment and how the bikes were put together.

Why Mountain Biking has Evolved

Mountain bikes were developed in the 1960’s when the people of San Francisco became tired of the hectic lifestyles they were living. So a few people travelled to Marin County in order to escape the hectic life and that is when they really started to take notice of mountain biking. With the different mountain terrain, they soon spotted the potential for mountain bike racing.

Bike races of 3 miles long were held in Fairfax and word soon got around to other bikers. Everyone was looking to break new records and the track was one of the best as it had a 1600 foot downhill slope. As more and more people entered the competition, word spread around and soon it became extremely popular. However, the race ended up being cancelled because of the dangers which it presented.

Despite the race being cancelled, the popularity of mountain biking did not go away. New races were set up and it was in Mount Tamalpais, California where it really picked up again. The bikes were taken to the top of the mountain and then the bikers would race down it. However, as time went on they started riding the bike up the mountain as well as down it. This is when people started to become interested in other areas of mountain biking, not just downhill racing.

Of course mountain bikes did not always look how they do now. It was in California where they started to look like they do today. Changes were made to the bikes in order to make them safer and more comfortable to ride. The brakes in particular had to be updated. Cantilever brakes were used because they were lighter and stronger than the original brakes. The added strength helped to stop the bikes when they were going at fast speeds and also when they were going over difficult terrain.

Another change made to the bikes included extra gears. These helped riders to control the bike better and to help them when they were going over higher areas. Overall mountain bikes have evolved quite a lot since they were first designed. The popularity of mountain biking has increased over the years and it really isn’t difficult to see why.

By: Alison Addy

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When you have had just enough of the rat race and would like to get on your bicycle and get away for a week or two on a long-distance ride, there is a bit you need to consider about choosing routes to take. Perhaps the most important aspect of a long-distance bike riding fundraiser is to choose a safe route, minimize the hill climbs and try to use the prevailing seasonal weather to your advantage. I.e. try to ride with the wind, not against it.

It also makes sense to use routes that are bicycle friendly and have bike lanes and/or shoulders for safety. Of course, this is not always possible, but it makes sense to try to minimize the risk, as much as possible, by stacking the deck in your favor. It should also be noted that each state has its rules about riding on freeways and you must obey these laws, or a State Trooper will pull you over and have you ride potentially hundreds of miles out of your way, easily costing you a day or more out of your schedule.

When choosing routes you must be cognizant of human automobile behavior, and if you are planning on riding through the night to get away from the heat of the day then Friday or Saturday Nights, are out of the question and three-day weekends are not a safe bet either due to increased traffic and drunk drivers. Believe it or not there are often bicycle touring maps available for such long distance rides and most bike shops can be a wealth of information in explaining the safest routes through the state.

One set of maps that I highly recommend are the “BikeCentennial Routes” as they have all sorts of information on them and they will keep you off the most dangerous roads in favor of roads that offer buffers of forgiveness (big shoulders or bike lanes). Have a great cycling get-away!

By: Lance Winslow

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Did you know…

The Central American country of El Salvador has never won an Olympic medal.

The Indian men’s national field hockey team was crowned as the Olympic champions for 1964. The winners were: Syed Ali, Charanjit Singh, Darshan Singh, Shankar Lakshman, Rajendran Christie, Prithipal Singh, Dharam Singh, Gurbux Singh, Udham Singh, Mohinder Lal, Jagjit Singh, Rajinder Singh, Joginder Singh, Haripal Kaushik, Harbinder Singh, Bandu Patil and Victor John Peter.

Said Ahmed Farouck was the best sprinter of Comoros Islands -an ex colony French in Africa- in the 1980s.

Cyprus -a small island in the Mediterranean Sea- has competed in the Winter Olympic Games 8 times ( Lake Placid-1980, Sarajevo-1984, Calgary-1988, Albertville-1992, Lillehammer-1994, Nagano-1998, Salt Lake City-2002 and Turin-2006).

New Zealand won two gold medals at the 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne (Australia).

Letitia Vriesde was the flag bearer of the Surinamese team at the opening ceremony at the Olympics in 2004. Like Anthony Conrad Nesty (Olympic champion), she was one of the most popular sportspeople in Suriname and the Caribbean. She was born on October 5, 1964 in Paramaribo, the capital city of Suriname,an ex Dutch colony in South America. From 1988 to 2004, she won several medals (Pan American Games, World Championships, Central American & Caribbean Games). Letitia won a silver medal in the 800m at the 1995 World Athletics Championship in Gothenburg (Sweden). Certainly, she is a heroine in her country.

Mathias Ntawulikura (Rwanda/ Africa) finished 8th in the 10,000m at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta,USA.

Armenia -former Soviet republic- has had great athletes in the past century: Grant Chaguinian (gymnastics/ Olympic gold medalist, 1952), Albert Azarian (gymnastics/ Olympic gold medalist, 1956, 1960 & 1964), Vladimir Enguibariun (boxing/ Olympic gold medalist, 1956), Armen Nazaryan (wrestling/ Olympic gold medalist, 1996) and Armen Mkchyan (wrestling/ Olympic silver medalist, 1996).

Saudi Arabia has never won a gold Olympic medal.

Angola -African country- sent 39 Olympic athletes to the 1992 Games in Barcelona (Spain). The Angolan contingent participated in seven disciplines: aquatics (3), athletics (6), boxing (1), judo (4), sailing (3), roller hockey (11) and basketball (11).The basketball national team finished 10th at the Barcelona Olympics. Angola -African champion- produced a major surprise in defeating China 79-69…

Austria has many Olympic champions: Herna Bauna (track & field), Gregor Hradetzky (kayak), Christopher Sieber (sailing), Hans Haas (weightlifting), Elisabeth Theurer (equestrian), Peter Seisanbacher (judo) and Franz Andrisek (weightlifting).

North Korea has not won an Olympic medal for volleyball since the 1972 Olympics.

Alleyne Francique finished 4th in the 400m (44.66s) at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. This sprinter is the best sportspeople of Grenada.

Lebanon competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles,USA. Most Lebanese athletes qualified for the Games in athletics, boxing, cycling, fencing, wrestling, shooting, swimming and weightlifting. This Arab country also competed at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Yugoslavia.

The Nigerian men’s national soccer team won the gold medal at the Summer Olympics in 1996. Nigeria defeated Argentina 3-2 in the Olympic final. The Olympic champions were: TeslimFatusi, Daniel Amokachi, Emmanuel Amunike, Tijani Babangida, Celestine Babayaro, Taribo West, Victor Ikpeda, Dosu Joseph, Nwankwo Kanu, Wilson Oruma, Mobi Oparaku, Sunday Oliseh, Jay-Jay Okocha, Garba Nawal, Uche Okechukwu, Kingsley Obiekwu and Abiodun Obafemi.

Bangladesh is an Olympic member since 1980. However, it did not go to the Olympic Games in the USSR.

In the 1990s, Croatia had famous basketball players: Stojan Vrunkovic, Toni Kukoc, Drazen Petrovic, Dino Rada and Franjo Arapovic.

Paraguay sent 10 sportspeople to the Olympic Games in the 1970s.

Taiwan sent 22 sportspersons to the Summer Olympics in 1972. It participated in 10 sports. Archery: Meei-Shya Shue. Track & field: Chin-Lung Chen, Ming-Chih Chen, Chung-Ping Lee, Wen-Ho Soo, Cheng Chi, Chiu-Hsia Lee, Chun Yu Lin and Yu-Chih Wu. Boxing: Chee-Yen Wang. Wrestling: Jine-Shiong Sheu. Judo: Ping-Ho Chang, Chi Hsiang Cheng, Jen-Wuh Juang and Jong She Wang. Weightlifting: Kue Sen Chen. Cycling: Ming Fa Shue. Sailing: Shiu-Hsiung Chen. Shooting:Tao Yuan Wu. Swimming: Tung-Hsiung Hsu, Yue-Yun Hsu and Yue Hwan Lie.

Mauritania competed at the Summer Olympics for the first time at the 1984 Games. This African country sent 4 wrestlers to the Olympics in Los Angeles,USA.

The Kingdom of Bhutan sent 3 sportswomen to the Olympics Games in 1992. They were: Karma Tshomo, Pem Tshering and Namgyal Lhama (archery).

Georgia -ex Soviet republic- is the birthplace of Viktor Saneiev, who won three gold medals at the 1968, 1972 and 1976 Olympics. In 1980, he won the silver medal in the triple jump at the Moscow Olympics. Like Joao Carlos de Oliveira (Brazil), Jonathan Edwards (Great Britain) and Mike Conley (United States), Viktor was one of the best triple jumpers of the 20th century.

Belarus won two silver medals at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway in 1994.

Talata Embalo was the flag bearer of the Bissau Guinean national team at the 1996 Summer Olympics in the United States. Embalo is the best weightlifter of Guinea-Bissau, an ex Portuguese colony in Africa.

Mongolia sent 4 sportswomen to the Olympics in West Germany in 1972.

Obadele Thompson is the greatest Barbadian athlete of the 21st century. From 2000 to 2004, he was one of the best sprinters in the world.

Date of birth: 30/3/ 1976

Place of birth: Saint Michel, Barbados (Caribbean country)

Education: University of Texas

Top performances:

1991: Carifta Games-1st 100m, 3rd 200m

1992:Carifta Games-1st 100m, 2nd 200m

1993: Pan American Junior Championship-3rd 100m, 2nd 200m; Carifta Games-1st 100m, 2nd 200m; Central American & Caribbean Senior Championship-1st 100m

1994:Carifta Games-1st 100m, 1st 200m; World Athletics Cup- 4th 100m

1995: Central American & Caribbean Senior Championship-1st 200m

1996: Olympic Games-12th 100m, 4th 200m

1997: World Athletics Cup- 6th 100m

1998: Central American & Caribbean Games-1st 100m; Commonwealth Games-3rd 100m; World Athletics Cup-1st 100m

1999: World Athletics Championship- 4th 100m, 4th 200m

2000: Olympic Games-3rd 100m, 4th 200m

2004: Olympic Games-7th 100m

By: Alejandro Guevara Onofre

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Ever heard of Randonneuring? Sounds French, doesn’t it? Well, the sport originated in France, but is becoming more and more popular in the United States.

Randonneuring is “long-distance unsupported endurance cycling.” You may have heard of it as “Ultra Long Distance Cycling.”

The joy of this sport is that it is non-competitive. Riders indulge in friendly camraderie, not trying to drive each other into the ground. And because the rides are “unsupported” – the idea is to be self sufficient.

There are many events held for Randonneur riding, but the names of winners are not posted. Rather, the names of the riders who have finished the course are posted in alphabetical order. It’s not about beating anyone, it’s about challenging yourself.

These events consist of rides of 200, 300, 400, 600, and 1000 KM for individual riders. Each of these distances is called a “brevet.” There are probably events being held in your area, even if you’ve never heard of them before. Search the web under “randoneuring” or “ultra long distance cycling” and you’ll find any local clubs.

Now, it’s when road riders want to participate in racers and ultra long distance cycling that they’ll want a custom-built road bike rather than one purchased just off the rack.

It’s not that bikes purchased just off the rack aren’t perfectly serviceable for most riders, but serious athletes – professionals, and those just below the professional level – will certainly want a custom-built bike – one that is precisely fitted to their body. (Customized bikes, and custom-built bikes, are two different things. Customized bikes swap out various pieces for better fitting pieces, whereas custom-built bikes are built to certain specifications from the ground up.)

Triathletes are another group of people who need custom-built bikes. In a triathlon, the participants have to swim, cycle and then run for certain distances. It’s an incredibly grueling sport and so the cycle has to be the lightest, the most sturdiest, and the best fitted piece of equipment they have.

Many bike companies offer customized road bikes, and while they are expensive, they’re not as expensive as they used to be because with new technology always comes lower prices. It’s possible to purchase your customized bike from a local dealer, but for a custom-built bike, most likely you’ll have to go online.

Companies that offer custom-builds include Guru, Waterford, and Titus. Do a search on the web to find them, and they’ll tell you all the information you need to know to get a custom-built bike.

By: Alastair Hamilton

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road bikes

For those who are enthusiastic about paintball they have two primary selections when planning an excursion in paintball. Number one is the Commercial paintball type of field and the second one is the “outlaw” type of paintball field. These two unique variations of paintball fields differ to a great degree and have to be compared before you make a decision as how either one best fits your personal needs and the needs of the other participants.

The Commercial Paintball Field Is An Excellent Method To Try Some of the Paintball Competitions

One of the best ways for a beginner to experience paintball would be the commercial type of paintball field and then come to a conclusion if this type of sport is one that they would be interested in spending time as well as money in playing.

One of the benefits of a commercial paintball field is that you can rent all of the necessary equipment, for instance a marker (paintball gun), mask as well as protection for the eyes, paintball ammunition as well as compressed air. This type of equipment are primary tools needed to play successfully as well as in a safe manner and by renting the equipment for the player who is doing this the first time is an excellent way to find out if this is the type of sport that is something they enjoy or not.

Additionally, the size of commercial fields are typically small and have many bunkers as well as forts so you can keep yourself hidden as well as evade your competition. You will also find that there are referees there to oversee the game and make sure that they rules are followed and everyone plays safely. For a person that has not played paintball, the commercial paintball field is a great way to get to experience the game while not having to make a big financial commitment in equipment.

The “Outlaw” Paintball Field Frequently Needs Teamwork To Defeat An Opponent

Paintball fields known as “Outlaw” are typically informal types of wooded areas where a bunch of friends and colleagues get together to play a game of paintball. There are numerous safety rules of thumb that should be adhered to whenever paintball is played. Some of the general rules to follow is to make sure that the entire group is calibrating and measuring the velocity of each paintball gun with a “chronograph”. Also putting on the needed safety regulated equipment as well as following the other general safety rules.

Paintball is a highly enjoyable game to play as long as everyone in your group realizes as well as follows the primary safety guidelines. These type of “Outlaw” games have been nicknamed “woodsball” amongst paintball enthusiasts. You will find in “woodball” that the terrain is frequently challenging, giving physical challenges such as valleys, trees, hills, shrubs etc. These external types of difficulties add to the total challenge of the game itself, hence making “woodsball” a highly popular field of choice for numerous people who are enthusiastic about paintball.

An Urban Paintball Delight, Tourney Ball Furnsihes Numerous Unique Challenges

There is a third kind of paintball field which is known as Tourney ball field. This smaller sized paintball field has numerous bunkers that are filled with air that are arranged in similar positions on two different sides of the field. What this accomplishes is that each team is faced with an identical mirror image of the competitive field, with each team holding their own side. The tourney ball fields are typically located in areas that are urban and are very well liked alternative to that is “Woodsball. Tourney all has different types of variations; one is that of “speedball” and “hyperball”, these are additionally located almost exclusively in urban areas.

By: Korbin Newlyn

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The Way of St James / El Camino / le Chemin St Jacques is the pilgrimage route to the shrine of St James at Santiago de Compostella in northern Spain.

To set out on the Way to Santiago de Compostella / Saint-Jacques de Compostelle is a spiritual adventure – for on the Camino we may draw on the imprinted energy of the countless pilgrims who have passed this way before us over so many centuries. For the Way of St James has existed for more than a thousand years, and in 1993 the Camino de Santiago was declared a world heritage site.

In fact the Way of St James consists of many pilgrim routes which traverse Europe, to converge in the Pyren

Tags: Camino De Santiago, Santiago De Compostella, Spiritual Adventure