The Dope

Stony Point Circuit Race

3Sports Guru — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:45:53 +0000

The Stony Point Circuit Race
Presented by
3Sports / Richmond Velo Sport
May 20, 2012
Over $1,400 in Cash & Prizes!
Part of the Virginia Cycling BAR Series
Held Under USA Cycling Permit # “Pending”

Event description: All races are VA Bar races, except Cat 5 men. Promoter reserves the right to combine races based on turnout. No Cat 5 in Masters Race.

Location: The Stony Point Circuit will be run between the medical office parks at Stony Point.

Directions: Stony Point is located in the City of Richmond about 100 miles south of Washington, DC and 115 miles north of Virginia Beach. The venue is directly off of Chippenham Parkway just south of the James river. The address is 9000 Stony Point Parkway Richmond, VA 23235. Use this address for GPS directions. There will be plenty of signs directing you to the venue one you exit from Chippenham Parkway

Course Description: 1.43 miles, closed to traffic, with smooth pavement. There are both right and left turns, a round-a-bout and two up / down hills. This course has everything you could want in a circuit race, its challenging, technical and fast. For a birds eye view of the course check out http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/59928674

Registration: On www.bikereg.com or MAIL 2012 USAC RELEASE FORMS AND CHECKS PAYABLE TO: Richmond Velo Sport c/o Dan Trisic, 10995 Seward Way, Mechanicsville, VA 23116. Entry must be received by Wednesday May,16. Online registration closes at 9 PM May 17. THERE WILL BE A $10 DAY OF REGISTRATION FEE. No late fee for Juniors,Cat 5 men and Cat 4 women. Registration opens at 7:00AM day of race. Registration closes 20 minutes prior to each race. Please use USAC 2012 standard release form. Riders under 18 require parent’s signature to race. VACA BAR winners will sign up under BAR Winners on BikeReg.

Fees: $30 all entries except for juniors $10. Entry fee includes $3 USAC and $1 VACA fees. 2011 BAR Winners eligible for one free entry but must pay the USAC and VACA fees.
Rules: All USAC rules apply. Each racer must present a valid USAC license. One-day license (Cat5 men and Cat4 women only, $10 cash or check) will be available for purchase at time of packet pickup. Promoter reserves the right to cancel or combine events if there are less than 10 riders in an event. Races held rain or shine. Start time are approximate but no race will start ahead of its scheduled time.

Contact: Visit www.richmondvelosport.com or email Ben Johnson – Race Director ben@threesports.com.

Andrew Benford – 3Sports Running Guru

3Sports Guru — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:40:38 +0000

Some of you may have worked with Andrew for running shoes at either of the locations. Not only is he great at his job here at 3Sports, but Andrew has some pretty amazing accomplishments as a runner. Andrew is an aspiring professional distance runner and 2012 Olympic hopeful in the 3000 meter steeplechase. He currently lives and trains in Richmond under his former college coach, Steve Taylor. In the fall of 2010, he helped lead the University of Richmond cross country team to its first NCAA Championship appearance in program history. Later that spring, he achieved Second-Team All-American honors in the 3000 meter steeplechase at the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Running 8:39 at the NCAA East Prelims also qualified him for a spot at the U.S. Track and Field Championships where he placed 15^th.

Growing up in the small town of Ravenswood, West Virginia, Andrew graduated high school with very modest personal bests of 9:30 for 3200 meters and 4:26 for 1600 meters. He was eventually drawn to the University of Richmond by Steve Taylor, a fellow West Virginian. In 5 years under Taylor, he has progressed from a mediocre high school runner to a top 20 steeplechaser in the U.S., and top 15 mountain runner in the world.

In addition to competing at the national level, Andrew also has some international racing experience. He represented the U.S. at the World Junior Mountain Running Championships in 2006, and again in 2009 at the World Mountain Running Championships in Italy, where he was the top U.S. finisher in both races. In addition, he also recently represented the U.S. in Japan by running a leg for the U.S. select team at the Izumo Ekiden Relay Race.

Heading into the upcoming 2012 Olympic trials, Andrew is excited at the chance. At last year’s NCAA Track Championships, he took a nasty spill over the final barrier during the 3000 meter steeplechase semi-final. He went from a secure 4^thplace in his heat to 9^th over the last 75 meters and missed qualifying for finals by one tenth of a second. He says that watching the final and knowing that he should have been out there racing was very difficult, but motivating. Competing in that race, along with the U.S. Championships has given him the confidence in knowing that he is capable of becoming one of the top steeplechasers in the country.

Do You Know Cindy?

3Sports Guru — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 12:28:56 +0000

We thought it might be helpful to give our customers some background information on our employees, so here I go. I grew up in a small town in North Western Pennsylvania in the Alleghany National Forest. It is one of those towns where everybody knows everybody and you can run around the whole city without your parents worrying, as long as you are back in time for dinner. I started playing sports at a young age since my older brother and sister were involved in a lot of activities. My main sports were softball, basketball, and track up until high school. I fell into cross-country by following my friend Kurt to practice because I couldn’t decide on a fall sport. I found out fairly quickly that distance running was my niche and it wasn’t hard to find a beautiful trail to get lost on. Freshman year I made the varsity team and my friends Jessica, Michelle, and I became the area’s triple threat. Two things I remember most about those good old track days are my coach who taught us discipline, humility, and positive sportsmanship and the support of our small town. There were a handful of us that had the possibility of running, throwing, or jumping our way to a state medal and our town saw our potential. We were training on an old cinder track that washed away lanes when it rained, leaving huge potholes hungry for twisted ankles. So our sports boosters raised money to build a new track stadium, getting everyone in the community to lend their expertise. I remember running by and seeing friends’ parents on backhoes and the end result felt like an Olympic Stadium in little Warren, PA. Needless to say we captured multiple state medals that year and that feeling of hometown camaraderie defines team sports for me.
Time flew by and I began visiting colleges and was granted a scholarship to James Madison University. While at JMU I became the ECAC Division 1 Cross Country Champion, ran the steeplechase at the USA National Track and Field Championships, was named to the All-NCAA SE Region Cross Country Team, the All-CAA Cross Country Team, the CAA’s Silver Anniversary Cross Country Team, and was awarded the JMU Sports Leadership Award. Most of this happened within my first few years at JMU and then I became plagued with a nagging injury. I was told I pulled my piriformis muscle, had bursitis in my hip, a tilted pelvis, was anemic, and pretty much anything else you can think of when a doctor goes in the back room to throw darts at a medical board. After a few years, running became a frustrating job that I wanted to leave behind. So consequently after college I decided to take time off and concentrate on work.
On the academic side of JMU, I received a dual degree in biology and psychology. I presented research for teaching children with ADHD at the JMU Psychology Symposium, tutored a child from an abused and neglected home, and had an internship at the MCV Psychiatric Genetics Lab. At MCV my lab researched the SNP’s of four genes associated with schizophrenia using Irish Schizophrenic patient DNA. As a result I became a co-publisher of an article in the Medical Journal of Genetics entitled, “Regulator of G-protein Signaling 4 (RGS4) Gene is Associated with Schizophrenia in Irish High Density Families”. I liked the work well enough that summer that I decided to stay in the science field after graduation by working at an environmental lab in Richmond. After a long stretch of monotonous lab work in a white walled environment, I was ready to break free. I missed the team atmosphere and drive that sports had always provided. I began at 3 Sports almost 4 years ago and enjoy helping athletes, whether it is through gait analysis, giving advice on new technology, or listening in suspense about new personal records.
Unfortunately, my neck, back, and SI joints got worse and I found it hard to move without any pain. I also didn’t sleep much due to muscle spasms and couldn’t run more than 5 minutes without having to stop and walk home. So once again I was relegated to seeing doctor after doctor who told me random diagnoses. I was gluten free for 9 months, wore a back brace at home for 4 months, took muscle relaxers, etc. Finally this past winter we found that all of the problems stem from a rheumatic disease called Akylosing Spondylitis. In AS, the joints between the spinal bones become inflamed due to a haywire immune system. This inflammation makes it hard to move and consequently can affect any part of the body due to the nerve signals leaving the backbone. I can’t really blame the doctors since a wide variety of symptoms make it hard to diagnose and my right SI joint holding that troubled piriformis was the most inflamed. Thankfully, I am now on medication that has turned my life around and since none of my bones are fused my doctor said it’s ok to run. So a week after treatment I ran 40 minutes with a huge smile on my face and without any pain! So I have begun the journey of getting back into shape after taking over 5 years off. Being competitive again seems like a far off dream, but being able to run is a present delight.

Run Like A Girl

3Sports Guru — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 16:34:23 +0000

Women’s Only Running and Walking Event!
Join us and 1000 other women for the third annual Run Like a Girl 8k run or 5k fun run/walk on May 22, 2011! This is a women’s only event focusing on bringing women together,
inspiring and motivating women to approach their lives with zest and grace, while sharing stories of courage. We feel fortunate to have this race as a platform to assist The HERA Foundation in raising funds and awareness to fight ovarian cancer. Celebrate with your mother, sister, daughter, grandmother, niece, or loved one by running or walking the beautiful trails of Pocahontas State Park and rejoicing in life. Run in honor of yourself or create a team and honor a loved one. This year RLaG is bringing an additional challenge to the table. Participants can honor themselves or family members by creating a team and raising funds in their honor. The top
fundraising team and the team with the largest number of members will receive the annual Team Challenge Awards. RLaG and sponsors, 3Sports and Sweeney Insurance Agency challenge you!
What: 8k run and 5k run/walk
When: May 22, 2011
Where: Pocahontas State Park
Why: Support The HERA Women’s Cancer Foundation
Because we value your participation and efforts in raising ovarian cancer awareness, you will receive $5.00 off your entry by using promo code 3SPORTS. This offer is valid through 03.31.11
We have several volunteer opportunities available. Volunteers receive RLaG swag or complimentary entry. Email RLaG if you would like to join our volunteer team.
Registration is available at runlikeagirl8k.com

3Sports Running Company in Short Pump Has MOVED!

3Sports Guru — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 22:51:01 +0000

We have been working hard the past few days to get our new short pump shop up and running. We are relocating 3Sports Running Company to 2231 Old Brick Road behind Whole Foods and across from the Children’s Museum. Stay posted and we will give you updates on the opening. We are crossing our fingers and saying Wednesday morning!

Vote Wayne Goodman!

3Sports Guru — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:44:58 +0000

The Boathouse restaurant and Friends of James River Park are seeking to identify and celebrate Richmond’s “River Heroes.” Nominees can be organizations, companies, groups or individuals of any age who have either improved the condition of the James River in the metropolitan Richmond area, enhanced the use of some aspect of the river, or championed the James River in another compelling way.
River Hero nominations will be accepted Feb 1 – Feb 28. Winners will be announced on Earth Day, April 22. In addition to public recognition, River Heroes will receive awards including a $100 gift certificate to The Boathouse restaurant, a river rafting trip from Riverside Outfitters, and free membership in Friends of the James River Park. Details, eligibility, and nomination forms available online at The Boathouse (www.boathouserichmond.com) and FOJRP (www.jamesriverpark.org).
3Sports will be nominating Wayne Goodman for this, and we hope that if you know Wayne, you will vote for him as well. On 9.18.2010, Wayne was seriously injured while riding his bike. The accident occurred in the grassy area in the top of Forest Hill Park near the parking lot and picnic shelters. He suffered a serious spinal cord injury and has been working his way back since.
Wayne Goodman has volunteered countless hours on the trails building and maintaining the existing trail infrastructure. He was a huge driving force in the layout, creation and building of the North Bank Trail. If you enjoy riding your bike or trail running downtown you have Wayne Goodman to thank for it.

Winter Sale!!!

3Sports Guru — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:55:24 +0000

Bring on the cold. We’ve got you covered with some amazing deals on gear!
Friday, 1.14 – 30% OFF winter apparel and winter accessories, wetsuits and race flats.
Saturday, 1.15 – 40% OFF winter apparel and winter accessories, wetsuits and race flats.
And if that is not enough, check out these bike deals:

YEAR BRAND                MODEL                    SIZE               GROUP               RETAIL/ SALE
2010   ORBEA              ORDU                  54   DURA ACE      $4,500.00/$3,375.00
2010   SPECIALIZED   TARMAC EXPERT 56 (L)           ULTEGRA       $3,600.00/$2,880.00
2010   SPECIALIZED   TARMAC COMP   56 (L)            RIVAL         $2,600.00/$2,080.00
2010   SPECIALIZED   ROUBAIX COMP   54 (M)          RIVAL               $2,600.00/$2,080.00
10/11 SPECIALIZED   CRUX COMP           52 (S)           APEX   $1,850.00/$1,480.00
10/11 SPECIALIZED   CRUX COMP           54 (M)         APEX      $1,850.00/$1,480.00
2010   CERVELO            RS                               56       ULTEGRA   $3,600.00/$3,060.00
2010   CERVELO            P3                               54                 ULTEGRA   $3,600.00/$3,060.00
2010   SANTA CRUZ      SUPERLIGHT        MED    SLX/XT/SRAM $1,900.00/$1,520.00
WHEEL CLOSEOUTS
YEAR BRAND               MODEL   SIZE   TYPE                                        RETAIL/SALE
2010 SHIMANO           DUA ACE CARBON   700C   TUBULAR / SHIMANO   $2,600.00/$1,950.00
2010 REYNOLDS         ASSAULT CARBON   700C   TUBULAR / SHIMANO   $1,550.00/$1,162.50
2010 REYNOLDS         ASSAULT CARBON   700C   TUBULAR / SHIMANO   $1,550.00/$1,162.50
2009 ZIPP                     202 CARBON                7002   TUBULAR / SHIMANO   $2,400.00/$1,800.00

Take Advantage of 3Sports’ Elite or Competition Service Specials to revive your gear this winter!

3Sports Guru — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 13:26:27 +0000

3Sports Elite Service Special – Only $135.00!

The importance of regular bicycle maintenance cannot be overstated. Drivetrains wear out – cables & housing corrode – tires wear down and dry-rot – handlebar tape unravels and framesets get covered with everything from grease and dirt to sweat and energy drinks.

Thus, if you love your bike as much as you – or at least as much as your friends and your significant other think you do – then this is the time to show it! From now until the end of February, 3Sports will bring your bike back to life with our Elite Service for ONLY $135.00 – (Regularly $185.00).

The “Elite Service” is our most comprehensive tune up for bicycles that are used and abused on a daily basis. This service level includes everything listed below:

• New Cables & Housing
• Front Hub Adjustment
• Rear Hub Adjustment
• New Handlebar Tape Or MTB Grips
• Ultrasonic Drivetrain Cleaning
• Wheel Truing (Radial & Lateral)
• Headset Inspection & Adjustment
• Bottom Bracket Inspection & Adjustment
• Frame & Fork Inspection & Cleaning
• Front Derailleur Inspection, Alignment & Adjustment
• Rear Derailleur Inspection, Alignment & Adjustment
• Front Brake Inspection, Alignment & Adjustment
• Rear Brake Inspection, Alignment & Adjustment
• Clean and Lubricate Chain

This is an ideal service to have performed annually at either the end of the season or as part of your pre-season cycling ritual.

* All Sales Final – No Other Discounts Apply – Offer Expires 2.28.11

3Sports Competition Service with Cables, Housing and Handlebar Tape – Only $70

Bring your bike in to us by February 1st for a Competition Service and we will re-cable and rewrap your bike for only $10 more dollars in the process. The Competition Service with cables, and new bar tape housing typically runs $95.00. Bring your bike in to us by the deadline and receive all of this for the price of just a regular Competition Service – $70.00. You will receive your bike back fully inspected, nice and clean with a quiet, well-lubed chain and perfect shifting coupled with smooth, responsive braking. Not to mention you save $25.00!

The “Competition Service” is our most popular tune up. This tune up is for the rider who regularly keeps up with the maintenance of his or her bicycle, and needs the build up of sweat, bugs and energy drink cleaned off their equipment. This service level includes everything listed below:

• Frame & Fork Inspection & Cleaning
• Front Derailleur Inspection, Alignment & Adjustment
• Rear Derailleur Inspection, Alignment & Adjustment
• Front Brake Inspection, Alignment & Adjustment
• Rear Brake Inspection, Alignment & Adjustment
• Clean and Lubricate Chain

Couple the Competition Service with new cables, housing and handlebar tape – something we suggest that you do on a yearly basis and your bike will be dialed for another great season of riding!

This is the minimum service we suggest you have performed annually as part of your preventative maintenance and or care of your beloved equipment.

* All Sales Final – No Other Discounts Apply – Offer Expires 2.28.11

Running Barefoot?

3Sports Guru — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 19:54:34 +0000

Is barefoot running around to stay? Are minimalist shoes just another market trend to bank on another trend? If you ask Vibram, they might say their five finger line is around to stay, considering the fact that they are struggling to keep up with the growing consumer demand for their product. But all this hype begs the question – is it just as simple as throwing off the heavy, cushioned or supportive shoes and embracing the most basic motion of running in bare feet?

No.

Unless you are gifted with an efficient neutral running gait, you have to change your “way” of running. Your running will have to evolve into a forefoot/midfoot oriented foot-strike. Your center of gravity will have to shift from a position just over your hips to a place more forward and over the balls of your feet. Your hip alignment will have to move to a position more parallel to the floor; Bill Bowerman (Donald Sutherland) described it best in the movie, Without Limits. He showed Prefontaine had to align his hips to the place of “deepest penetration.” Without being politically incorrect, he was basically saying that most runners have lazy buttocks and should be tucked in. Your posture has to get straighter, as if a straight line was drawn from your ankles through your hips and up to your skull. However, the line is leaning forward at about 80ish degrees. Along with this comes lining up your feet as if you are running on either side of a highway line. Your arm-swing never crosses past your sternum. You kick up your heels with each stride; your turnover increases. And last but not least, you run as if you are peeling off the road, trail, etc.

Sounds simple. To put it bluntly, it isn’t. Switching to the barefoot/minimalistic/Vibram way of running requires a commitment to time, form, and training. Please keep in mind that running is essentially an experiment of one (someone else said this before me – I just can’t remember who). This new style of running may not work for you.

But if you are willing to give it a shot, here is the basic plan:
• First, do your own research. Read Chi Running and start doing some of the running drills.
• Second, keep running in your current shoes.
• Third, decide if you are going to first try minimalist trainers, Vibrams, or the au natural version.*Note: I personally recommend transitioning to a lighter weight shoe as a supplement to your current running – running in it for a good six months or so along with doing all the drills: butt kicks, high knees, all the drills in Chi Running, etc. The above note would then preview the minimalist experience. Along with the lighter experience you would have been developing a more midfoot oriented stride.
• Fourth, either go barefoot or wear a pair of Vibrams for various intervals just by walking. You should really do this for about 2 months.
• Fifth, start doing all your drills in your bare feet or your Vibrams. *Note: you are still doing a majority of your running in your lighter weight shoes at this point. However, your stride is evolving.
• Sixth, continue doing all your drills but start adding some distance – maybe a .5 mile to mile each time. Again note that you are still doing most of your running in the lighter weight, but still mostly conventional, shoe.
• Seventh, continue doing all the drills but start to amp up your mileage. Maybe you are ready for a couple of miles with your new “feet.”
• Eighth, start replacing some of your shorter runs with your new “feet.” Eventually, you should be able to build up an individual run’s mileage to 5-6 miles. With gradual progression, you could eventually build up to the 1/2 marathon or even marathon distance. But it takes time! Not a few weeks, but months and months-generally about six.

It is entirely up to you whether you can resist the convenient urge to just buy a pair of Vibrams and just hit the streets or trails. Too many have learned the hard way that this just leads to injury. We all know that any introduction to a new sport involves a learning curve. Barefoot/minimalist running is no different.

As I end this ramble, consider a couple of closing points.
• Stay tuned to 3sports; we are going to offer a clinic on all of this in the near future. This clinic would go over the physics of this new running as well as go over many of the necessary drills.
• Second, consider the woman who, at mile 10 of the Shamrock Marathon last March, angrily called her husband and angrily demanded he meet her at mile 13 with her regular shoes. She had been talked into trying Vibrams and had not actually done the proper training. I know this because her next words were “I know, I know. You can tell me you told me so after you bring me my shoes. I know, I know. I never should have tried these five fingers. Now shut up and meet me at mile 13.”

Please be smart about this. You would want this change to be a positive one, not problematic. You would want this aspect of running to enhance your experience, not drive you away from the activity all together.

If you have any questions, I can be reached at christopher_calfee@ccpsnet.net. Don’t hesitate to inquire and/or question.

The New Sunday Group Ride

3Sports Guru — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:59:01 +0000

Looking for an awesome group road ride – you’ve found it!
This new ride will begin at 10am on Sundays. Groups will meet up at 3Sports and at Carytown Bicycle Company. One week the CBC crew will head west, pick up the folks
at 3sports, and then the next week the 3sports people will head east, pick up the CBC riders, and enjoy a ride east of the city. The shops are only 3 miles apart so the traveling group should arrive no later than 10:15. We will exchange
some cell #s with ride regulars to avoid any confusion.
Now for the important part. This is not a group ride where you attack, sprint up hills, or go from 20mph to 30mp just because you want to. The idea is go hard/steady for 3+ hours. In geeky terms it is like this: a zone 2 ride, 140hr, or about 215 watts. Depending on the group, we should average 21-23mph. When you are on the front you should be working harder, when we come to a hill the effort stays the exact same. Anybody attacking on a hill will be
laughed at. Beginners are welcome, in fact encouraged, to draft the whole time.