QUACKERY & RUNNING

good question. i would be interested as well.

walk breaks

Orthotics for anybody who walks into a podiatrist's office with an injury at some point in their running career.

HR Monitors, GPS, Brethe Right, some shoes, fanny packs, water bottle holders, and many others I can't think of right now. Lots of crap out there that people don't need. Don't know if that fits into "quackery" but it's useless stuff.

i agree with all of that, expect the gps. why is a nearly-accurate measuring device considered quackery? the courses we run/race have to measured in some way or another and a yard stick really just doesnt cut it anymore.

I don't think we can trust the general running media esp. RW or RT to give us the real lowdown on some of these products. The reason is because many of these publications carry advertisements for these products.

Here are my personal opinions on these products and practices:

1. PowerBars aren't much better than eating a Snicker's bar or a Little Debbie in terms of increased energy or improved performance. Plus, PowerBars are expensive and taste like shit. We can lump in all the other energy bars with PowerBar. They are simply the products of clever marketing.

2. Breathe Right Strips are bullshit. I've never worn one. They won't make you faster.

3. The same goes for those stupid ass socks Paula Radcliffe wears. Just gimmickry.

4. Gatorade seems like a good product because it falls in between water and sodas. For the price, it isn't bad. I'd rather slug a Gatorade than a Coke or Dasani after a good run.

5. I don't know what the verdict on altitude training is, but I think those tents are bullshit. EPO is cheaper.

You can always tell a bullshit product because the makers of the product will always fall back on the psychological edge these things give when the makers are presented with hard evidence showing their products either don't work or aren't much better than cheaper and more popular products already on the market. In other words, if it makes you think you are faster, then that is all that matters. Ahem. . .bullshit.

LD

Can't agree with the mention of heart rate monitors. Thing is one must know what to do with one for it to be effective. If you are aware, they are a fantastic training aid.

Monty

those awful spiderman CWX tights, or whatever. please, if you need to wear tights to help you run better, you should not be running.

as well as those chopat straps. bottom line, if youre so injured or bioechanically inefficient that you need things like this to prop you up straight, then you should find another sport to take up.

then there are those springy insoles that make you run faster.

those $20 calf stretcher devices--as if people dont have a set of stairs or a curb on which he can stretch?

jog bras--women should just let 'em fly in the wind.

I totally agree on Heart Rate Monitors. Just bullshit you don't need.

Here are some products that I think have been great for running:

1. TECHNICAL FABRICS

CoolMax, Gore-Tex, etc., etc. These things make running worthwhile. You don't need them to run, but they will make you more comfortable.

2. BODY GLIDE

I love this stuff. Great product. I use to get chafed all the time in various locations. BG makes running a whole lot better.

3. DUCT TAPE

This isn't marketed to runners, but it should. Anytime I get a blister, I pop it, drain it, disinfect, and cover with duct tape. Ultrarunners have used it for years.

4. TIMEX WATCHES

They are cheap. They are loaded with functions. They last a long time. I buy a new Ironman watch every two or three years.

I'll stop with this list. I can go on and on. Aside from shoes, these products have improved my running experience the most.

LD

Running Forums. Totally useless.

i agree...especiallywith the timex watches. love'em, i've had my ironman for 6 years. the band has broken a couple dozen times though

Okay, here's my personal quakery ratings based on a 1 to 10 scale. 10 being total quakery.

Powerbars = 3. They digest well, contain a little protein and little fat. Much better than a candy bar and they travel well.

Gatorade = 7. Mostly hype. Sugar-water with salt. Not a bad thing but way over priced.

Breatheright = 6. They're good for sleeping when you have a cold and are having nasal congestion. They're useless for running unless you're under contract... then I can imagine the endorsement money is useful!

Hypoxic tents = 2. If you are an elite level endurance athlete it is mandatory to engage in altitude training. Live high, train low. I'm a believer.

Paula's socks = 4. They're useless while running but are great for airline travel and recovery in general.

The real question should be how much do all these things combined effect your performance level... The answer, of course, is that talent and hard work matter much, much more. The curiosity is in the fact that these things may help just a little bit, and every little bit helps.

I'd like to add to the list of NON-BS products that have made running BETTER.

- Contact lenses: for anyone who needs glasses to see, contact lenses are a god send for runners...especially in the rain and snow.

- Lightweight sun glasses that have those non-slip rubbery nose bridge things in them that keep the glasses in place even when you are sweating like a pig in heat.

- non-cotton thin, lightweight running socks

the list of crap products is way too long to document here.

I agree I love boobies!!!!!!

Sunglasses. I never understood why people wear them running, & they make you look like a retard.

A fanny pack is a necessity in most ultras.

Sorry the original poster said running, not jogging/hiking (ultras) so I was confused.

Luke Duke wrote:I totally agree on Heart Rate Monitors. Just bullshit you don't need.

Simple question... have you ever used one under proper guidance? I'm assuming no.

It never fails to amuse me how many people here are prepared to write off HRMs as a useless toy...

...and how few of those people have ever actually used one with proper guidance.

Oh well, you can lead a horse to water....

Pete, there's no such thing as "proper guidance" with HRM's. HRM tell you what you already know.