ISSUE #73 - June 21st, 2019

ONE

NOSTALGIA - Might I interest you in the footage of Charles Barkley's selection in the 1984 NBA Draft when he was introduced like a prize fighter by the announcer, including his nickname (the Round Mound of Rebound) and his weight (300lbs!)?  What if I sweeten the pot with an incredible David Stern mustache, an Auburn highlight-reel dunk fest, fantastic piano background music and this quote about his eating, "I do have a weight problem. I don't eat a lot... Just all the time." The video package is only 4 minutes and well worth it.

TWO

 HEALTH - Twitter is a dangerous place when it comes to health claims and health fads and health studies...and the general level of disinformation and flat out wrong graphics and charts is comical. If only there was someone out there actively trying to police this nonsense...  Introducing, one of my new favorite Twitter follows, Layne Norton, PhD. Layne is a bodybuilder, a coach, a dad and a self professed "crusher of bullshit". On that last note, he has made it his mission to take on all the pseudoscience, marketing claims and old ideas packaged as the "next big thing" in health with a sledgehammer and, more importantly, actual scientific studies. Check out his feed here.

THREE

ENERGY - Ever heard of the guayusa leaf? I hadn't either until I came across it in a fitness article about coffee alternatives. It's a "super leaf" from the Amazon rain forest and of course somebody has turned it into an energy drink and yes, I gave it a shot.  The name of the drink is Runa and it comes in a can just like Red Bull. It's also carbonated and the flavor I bought was berry, although it tastes almost exactly like grapefruit. The drink dubs itself as "clean energy" because the ingredients include a brewed guayusa leaf, organic cane sugar and natural berry flavors. Taste-wise, it certainly could be better. But energy-wise...well...this is my first "guayusa" experience and it definitely gave me a different brain buzz than anything else I've tried for the FF5. Give it a look and I'd be curious to hear what you think if you try it.

FOUR

SWIMMING - As a lifelong swimmer I typically have 3-4 pairs of goggles in my swim bag at all times, each of them in various states of wear-and-tear. Some last 5 years. Some last three or one. But at some point I throw away the most beat-up pair and treat myself to a nice new set of goggles.  That some point is now and my go-to goggle is the Speedo Vanquisher. They're anti-fog and they're mirrored so they have great protection against the sun. The strap is also comfortable and easy to adjust. I've always thought the charcoal/blazing style (mine) looked like the kind of goggles that a T-850 would wear in The Terminator. If you need a new pair this summer, check them out.

FIVE

A QUOTE ON BEING A CHAMPION FROM ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE SWIMMERS:  “To be a champion, I think you have to see the big picture. It's not about winning and losing; it's about every day hard work and thriving on a challenge. It's about embracing the pain that you'll experience at the end of a race and not being afraid." - Summer Sanders, US Olympic Swimming Icon