A One-Month (Sponsored) Wired Quest to Run Faster
Wired magazine sent a 5'-8", 190-lb. writer on a "four-week" quest to run a faster mile. What sounded like an intriguing concept for a story was quickly ruined for me by the writer's over-reliance on gadgets — or blatant product placement.
On day one, the author huffs and puffs his way to an 8:20 mile at a local track. After enlisting help from a University of Colorado cross-country coach, he receives a crash course on anaerobic inteval running. Then, with help from a Garmin Forerunner 305 with a GPS unit, heart rate monitor, altimeter, and running-biking computer; a hydraulic compression-and-cooling wrap system for icing his legs; an ultrasonic bone growth stimulator to prevent shin splints; Stanford University's sports rehab center; a Ferno underwater treadmill and something called an Alter-G unit (a sealed plastic container mounted on a treadmill); a pair of ultralight Brooks track spikes; and Pedialyte he is able to cross the line one month later in 6:10.
Wow. Racer X must be drooling all over his Vitaeris 320 hyperbaric chamber. And I thought running faster simply required hitting the track and hammering intervals until you feel like your heart might explode and your legs could fall off while you puke. (Rest. Repeat.) And I guess I harbored a naive belief that part of the beauty of running is its simplicity. Stupid me.
So is it journalism or advertising? I think Wired must practice "journotising." I was surprised the prayer before his final time trial wasn't sponsored by Powerade.
"I am much fitter than I was a month ago, but I'm still disappointed," laments the author/ad copywriter. Me, too.
On day one, the author huffs and puffs his way to an 8:20 mile at a local track. After enlisting help from a University of Colorado cross-country coach, he receives a crash course on anaerobic inteval running. Then, with help from a Garmin Forerunner 305 with a GPS unit, heart rate monitor, altimeter, and running-biking computer; a hydraulic compression-and-cooling wrap system for icing his legs; an ultrasonic bone growth stimulator to prevent shin splints; Stanford University's sports rehab center; a Ferno underwater treadmill and something called an Alter-G unit (a sealed plastic container mounted on a treadmill); a pair of ultralight Brooks track spikes; and Pedialyte he is able to cross the line one month later in 6:10.
Wow. Racer X must be drooling all over his Vitaeris 320 hyperbaric chamber. And I thought running faster simply required hitting the track and hammering intervals until you feel like your heart might explode and your legs could fall off while you puke. (Rest. Repeat.) And I guess I harbored a naive belief that part of the beauty of running is its simplicity. Stupid me.
So is it journalism or advertising? I think Wired must practice "journotising." I was surprised the prayer before his final time trial wasn't sponsored by Powerade.
"I am much fitter than I was a month ago, but I'm still disappointed," laments the author/ad copywriter. Me, too.
Labels: running
posted by John at Thursday, January 04, 2007
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