Overcoming the Shin Splint Dilemma

I ran competitively on high school and college cross country & track teams setting a few records and winning a few championships.  This year I turned 40 and as I looked in the mirror saw someone who used to enjoy running but hadn’t hit the pavement or a trail for a jaunt in nearly ten years.  So I decided to lace up the shoes and start running again!

Unfortunately, the muscles in my calves and ankles have weakened causing shin splints whenever I try to get a running routine into place.  I could only make it a few blocks before having to stop from overwhelming pain in my ankles or having my calf muscles lock up on me.  Reaching out for advice I was consistently told the only way to stop the pain was to get rest…but that wasn’t going to strengthen my muscles to overcome the problem when I was healed up from having strained them and wanted to go on my next run.

MEDI-DYNE came to my rescue! They saw me tweeting about my shin splint problems and provided me with a PROSTRETCH +PLUS to help with the problem.  I’m pleased to say it has worked!!!

I’ve been using the PROSTRETCH +PLUS for a few weeks now and it has been GREAT!!!  Before using the PROSTRETCH +PLUS, I could barely run a ¼ mile without suffering severe shin pain and having my calf muscles lock up on me.  After using this stretching tool I can now run a 5K again without pain and am training for a 10k race right now.  I’m confident that I can reach my goal of running my first marathon now thanks to incorporating the PROSTRETCH +PLUS into my training routine.

I use the PROSTRETCH +PLUS to stretch out while warming up before a run than post-run I do some exercises on it to help strengthen my leg muscles.  I’ve been hesitant to use weight machines to build up my legs because worried about it causing injury or strain, especially to my Achilles tendon, especially at my age.  This has worked great at strengthening my muscles without putting extra strain on them or bulking them up.  I’ve been very pleased with the PROSTRETCH +PLUS and would recommend it to anyone else suffering from shin splints and weak calves and Achilles tendon issues.

When it first came in the mail the PROSTRETCH +PLUS didn’t look that impressive, just a piece of plastic that rocked, but I’ve had some impressive results from utilizing it on a regular basis.  My wife actually encourage me to start using it after it had been delivered  by commenting that this was the same device her professional physical therapist had her using to strengthen her muscles during her rehab a few years ago from a broken leg.  It is nice to be using what the pros use in the comfort of my own home to overcome my injuries and running challenges.

I had become very frustrated because no one was giving me any good advice on how to overcome my shin splint injuries & problems.  I kept being told to ice and rest my legs to get over the shin splints, but as soon as I’d done that and felt recovered the problem would occur again.  I went through various shoes and compression socks to try and fix the problem, but it only finally it stopped after I started incorporating PROSTRETCH +PLUS into my running warm-up & post workout routine.  Thank you MEDI-DYNE!  I was about to walk away from running again but now this Sunday I’m going to be running a 10k!!!

For more information about the PROSTRETCH +PLUS visit: http://www.medi-dyne.com/

DISCLAIMER:   I was provided with a FREE Prostretch +Plus by Medi-Dyne in exchange for doing a review on the product.  The views and opinions in this post though are my own.

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Be SUPER & Donate to the We Can Be Heroes Campaign

DC COMICS has taken on the challenge of fighting hunger in Africa this year with its WE CAN BE HEROES campaign.  Throughout the year there will be special limited period campaigns themed around a specific DC COMICS super hero to raise money for charities that do relief work in the Horn of Africa.  The first campaign of the year was themed around the dark knight BATMAN.  Now through July 8, 2013 you can make a donation that will support the WE CAN BE HEROES campaign and gets you a tax deduction &  SUPERMAN themed swag in return for your contribution.

Here is a list of perks for donating to the WE CAN BE HEROES campaign:

$10 = 5 Superman digital comic downloads (Superman #22, Supergirl #22, Superboy #22, Action Comics #23 & Superman Unchained #1)

$25 = Superman Unchained #1 print edition with an exclusive We Can Be Heroes variant cover by Jim Lee

$30 = A one year print subscription to your choice of either Action Comics, Batman/Superman or Justice League

$35 = a signed DVD of the animated movie Superman Unbound by its director James Tucker

$45 = an exclusive We Can Be Heroes themed t-shirt featuring Superman

$50 = an exclusive New Era snapback Superman baseball cap

$50 = a special hardcover Superman comic signed by its artist & writer

$75 = a limited edition  24x18 Superman lithograph

And for those people with a little bit more discretionary income to spend check these perks out:

$1,000 = a DC COMICS designed Superman themed kids bedroom

$5,000 = you will be drawn as a character into the storyline of an actual issue of Action Comics – the longest ever running comic book series.

$25,000 = DC COMICS artist extraordinaire Jim Lee will come to your house, or another location of your choice in your home town, and paint a mural for you.

For more information or to contribute:  http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dc-entertainment-we-can-be-heroes-superman-edition?c=home

Proceeds from the WE CAN BE HEROES campaign are being donated to SAVE THE CHILDREN, MERCY CORPS, and THE INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE.

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Leapin Bedbugs - Check out this new family friendly comic book!

Looking at comic books from the perspective of a dad, Scott Rogers felt that modern day superheroes were too violent, depressing and not really relatable to young children.  So he created stories for SHOOTING STAR COMICS ANTHOLOGY, which was a quarterly collection of  comics by independent artists that ran from 2002-2005, which featured the "Bedbug" in several issues. The Bedbug character is a single-father by day and a crime fighting super hero by night.  Rogers had wanted to expand the Bedbug character into a stand-alone comic book series when Shooting Star Comics concluded its run in 2005, but his focus at the time was on his full-time job as a video game designer (God of War, Maximo, Pac-Man World, among others).  Then fate interceded.

In 2012, Rogers became very ill.  He was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma early this year and told he would need to undergo six months of treatment and have to be on disability from work during that time. While undergoing extensive chemotherapy to keep himself occupied and upbeat, Scott worked on writing, drawing and publishing Issue #1 of Bedbug.  He received some assistance from others in the comic industry along the way, such as Erik Burnham (IDW’s Ghostbusters), Chad Jones (Bluewater’s Wrath of the Titans) and Sam Ellis (the lead illustrator for Archer on cable’s FX) in the scripting and artwork for the comic to get it print ready.  Several months later, Rogers has finished his treatments and the first issue of this brand new comic book.  Bedbug #1 is available for purchase now and Scott will be getting an update on his recovery from his doctor in a few weeks.

Bedbug #1 is a 32 page full-color comic packed with character bios, pin-ups and stories - featuring the NEVER-REVEALED ORIGIN ofthe leapin lawman.  Crime won't be sleeping tight once they feel the Bedbug's bite!  If you are a parent interested in a superhero adventure suitable for kids of all-ages look for the Bedbug as he battles the forces of evil in Silicon City; that is when he’s not taking care of his young daughter, Elvira.  

Check out a few preview panels from the comic:

 

Bedbug #1 is priced at $3.99 is available at a select number of specialty comic book retailers in June or you can order a copy online by visiting www.mightybedbug.com.

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Who is the Chosen One? Pringles "Force for Fun" Contest

Pringles teamed up with Star Wars earlier this year to promote a fun contest where aspiring film makers could submit a video that provides a tie-in between the popular snack chip and the movie franchise.  The winner of The Force for Fun Contest receives a $25,000 prize and their video will be featured as a television advertisement or Pringles.  Entries were due in February and Pringles recently released the top 7 selections by their judges from the numerous entries they received. Check these out:

Wookie Mistake 

Sounds Like A Party 

Darth Visits 

The Delectable Weapon

 Don’t Hold Your Breath

Jim vs Vader

 Roommate 

Which one do you like best? Who do you think will be the Chosen One? Pringles has announced it will name the winner at the end of June so we’ll have an answer soon. Good luck to all the finalists and kudos to Pringles for hosting such a great promotion!

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THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE – THE XFILES SEASON 10 TURNED INTO COMIC BOOK SERIES

Have you ever been annoyed when your favorite television show has gone off the air believing there was more story still to be told?  An example of that for me was the tv show JERICHO – the story of survival in a small Midwestern town after a nuclear attack devastates the United States – that aired on CBS for two seasons.  The drama continued for me when I discovered that IDW published a comic book  that continued the JERICHO story arc in print for what would have gone as seasons 3 & 4 on television.  

In fact, taking cancelled television series with fan bases that are clamoring for more stories and turning them into comic book series that show what a new season what have been like in print rather than through video is becoming somewhat of a new trend.  In addition to IDW’s JERICHO, Darkhorse Comics has published BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Seasons 8 & 9, and DC Comics has come out with SMALLVILLE Season 11 which maintains the continuity of the TV series.  Now IDW is debuting THE X FILES: SEASON 10 hitting retailers on Wednesday, June 19, 2013.

This new X FILES comic book will take off telling the tale of Fox Mulder & Dana Scully immediately following the series finale in Season 9 (disregard the two horrible movies that came out).  They no longer are FBI agents and have gone underground leading lives as normal people yet they still can’t seem to avoid the paranormal.  If you were a fan of the show when it was on TV check out this new comic book that will wind up some loose threads from past stories as it also expands upon the timeline with new adventures that stay true to the X FILES that kept so many people glued to the tube each week during its broadcast run.   To keep the comic book true to its roots, IDW has even brought in THE X FILES creator Chris Carter to serve as the comic’s Executive Producer.

 It’s been 11 years since THE X FILES went off the air and if you are like me many of the details of the show have probably faded in your memory.  Don’t worry though, IGN has posted an excellent article that is a great refresher on everything you need to know about THE X FILES before you flip open issue #1 of Season 10.  Check out the IGN post here: http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06/18/the-x-files-season-10-primer#.UcEB2ZkpmEU.twitter

PREVIEWS WORLD has also posted a nice interview with the creative team working on THE X FILES Season 10 that you can read here: http://www.previewsworld.com/Home/1/1/71/977?articleID=135855

Plus check out this preview of the first episode of this new series:

Do you believe? For more information visit IDW Publishing's website: http://www.idwpublishing.com/news/article/2512/

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Fathers Day Weekend: Trials & Triumphs of a Peanut Allergy Dad

Being the daddy of a 4 year old little girl with a severe peanut allergy that's a topic that I throw into the mix when it comes to the things I post about on this blog. I'm honored that the national food allergy advocacy group FARE selected me to be the featured DAD on their special Fathers Day Weekend Blog post this year.  Here's a tidbit from the article:

What advice would you give to other dads with kids who have food allergies?
Speak up! Most people don’t understand the seriousness and complexity of severe food allergies. I have to say that I was clueless myself until our family was impacted. You need to be your child’s most vigilant advocate by educating everyone and being willing to say no to others when it presents a risk to your child. It’s not easy or comfortable having to constantly speak up to a teacher or other parents to require and enforce rules that safeguard your child, but if you don’t do it, no else is likely to stand up for you.

Food allergies don’t make life worse, they just make it different. We actually eat healthier now because we have more of a focus on our diet. Help your family make the best of the situation!

Studies show that moms and dads react differently to food allergies in their families.  In your experience is that the case?
My wife is definitely more active in researching information concerning my daughter’s food allergy than me. She is also more protective when it comes to restricting my daughter’s activities to limit her exposure to potentially dangerous situations. I don’t want my daughter to grow up in fear of her allergy, so I am more open to allowing her to go places and try things, as long as we take precautions to be safe.  I believe my wife and I do a nice job of balancing each other’s tendencies so that my daughter can experience a childhood that is both fun and safe.

To read the full blog post visit:  http://blog.foodallergy.org/2013/06/14/trials-and-triumphs-of-a-peanut-allergy-dad/

Also, here are a few of my past peanut allergy posts from A Geek Daddy:

YES, I AM THAT DAD!!!

BEST PEANUT ALLERGY FRIENDLY TEAMS IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 

THE SCARIEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE

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JOIN THE DADS CLUB!!!

As someone who has worked in the legal system as both a Prosecutor and a Defense Attorney, I can testify that I’ve witnessed firsthand a correlation between the absence of a father in someone’s life and corresponding social and criminal troubles for many people.  Since every kid isn’t as lucky as I’ve been to have a great involved Dad in their like I had – and strive to be with my children – I support the work of the National Fatherhood Initiative.

The National Fatherhood Initiative’s mission is to improve the well-being of children by increasing the proportion of children growing up with involved, responsible, and committed fathers.  They do this by educating and inspiring all American on the important role dads play through research, media appearances, and online tools.  They also work with local, state, and national organizations across the country to reach fathers at their point of need with skill-building resources to help them be the best dads they can be.  The National Fatherhood Initiative also partners with a variety of companies and organizations to raise awareness, create unique programs and to expand interaction and outreach to as many fathers and families as possible to fulfill its mission.

I showed my support by joining their DADS CLUB ™, a fundraiser and outreach effort for The National Fatherhood Initiative.  For a $35 one-time membership fee (They have a special Fathers Day special rate of $20 between now and Sunday) provides you with some Dads Club ™ swag plus a connection the organization resources and other Dads who have joined.  Membership benefits of the Club are:

• Gift from Dove Men Care ™ - a sample of products that help men in carrying for their skin, face and hair;
• Dads Club T-shirt you can proudly sport to show you are a committed Dad;
• Photo Magnet to help hang a favorite family photo on the fridge;
• A 5 pack set of the NFI’s Dad Pocket Guide ™ which is a handy to carry booklet of parenting tips;  Keep one for your family and pass the other 4 along to other dads in the neighborhood;
• A monthly e-mail newsletter featuring tips for dads, member spotlights and special promotions from Dove Men Care ™;
• Twice-weekly Dad Email with practical tips, resources and ideas for dads.

Check out this TIDE & DOWNY television commercial promoting Fathers Day and featuring the National Fatherhood Initiative that is currently airing:

Another way to support the National Fatherhood Initiative is to tweet a message a favorite Fathers Day memory, a parenting tips, or a message of support to NFI between now and June 16^th with the hash tag #Dadsway.  For every tweet with #Dadsway between now and Fathers Day, TIDE & DOWNY will donate a $1 to the National Fatherhood Initiative.

Join the DADS CLUB! It is a great way to honor Fathers Day this year by supporting the goals and programs of the National Fatherhood Initiative. Visit www.fatherhood.org for more information.

Wishing everyone a Happy Fathers Day this weekend!  All the best from my family to yours!

DISCLAIMER:  I purchased a $35 membership in the NFI Dads Club with my own money, was not solicited to write this post, and these are my own opinions in this article. 

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MAN OF STEEL DAY is on WEDNESDAY!!!

UPDATE (6/13/2013):  I had a fun trip with my kids to enjoy MAN OF STEEL DAY at the local comic book store.  We picked up the FREE Superman comic book and some other movie swag plus bought the new Superman Unchained comic and Star Wars #6 for me and an Ice Age one for my son and a My Little Pony for my daughter.  Than we read our comics while enjoying some Superman Ice Cream on the back porch. 

ORIGINAL POST:

Stop by your local comic book store this Wednesday (June 12, 2013) and you can pick up a FREE Superman issue!  To promote the release of the new Superman movie that opens at theaters next weekend, DC Entertainment has declared June 12 as MAN OF STEEL DAY.

People who stop by participating retailers on June 12^th will receive a complimentary comic book; ALL STAR SUPERMAN #1 SPECIAL EDITION by Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly.   The free comic promotion is provided through the generous sponsorship of SEARS.  In addition to the FREE comic book, Warner Brothers will be providing promotional posters and bags for the movie to encourage people to hit theaters starting on Friday to see the new MAN OF STEEL film.  Some comic book stores will also be holding other promotional tie-ins and contests to reward fans who stop in on Wednesday for MAN OF STEEL DAY.  

For those readers who don’t normally frequent comic book shops, Wednesdays are the day of the week when retailers stock new issues on their shelves.  June 12 will feature a brand new Superman title hitting shelves for sale as DC debuts a new series called SUPERMAN UNCHAINED by bestselling comic creators Jim Lee and Scott Snyder.  In addition to SUPERMAN UNCHAINED having extra value in being the very first issue in a new series, the comic will also have a bonus two-sided poster (11”x18”) that can be easily removed for display.

Can’t make it to the comic book store on Wednesday? DC Entertainment has also teamed up with SEARS to make ALL STAR SUPERMAN #1 SPECIAL EDITION available for FREE via online outlets such as  Comixology, iBook/iTunes, and Kindle).  Additionally, they will be having a .99 cent per issue MAN OF STEEL DAY sale making hundreds of Superman comics available all day on these online platforms at this special reduced pricing.

If you can’t wait until Wednesday, here’s a little secret for you … you can download ALL STAR SUPERMAN #1 SPECIAL EDITION as of today (June 9) on the DC Comics web portal for FREE:   http://www.readdcentertainment.com/free-comicsor Comixology! I just downloaded it on Comixology right before posting this blog entry.  Beware there it is also posted at its regular price of on the digital store at $1.99 so you have to look for the FREE version. It also appears to still be $1.99 on iTunes and Kindle right now so if you utilize those platforms you may have to wait a few more days to download it.  The ALL STAR SUPERMAN series focuses on the classic aspects of the Superman mythos starting with his daring rescue of a doomed group of astronauts on the surface of the sun.  All the solar radiation affects Superman in a way no one would have predicted-well no one that is except for Lex Luthor!  ALL STAR SUPERMAN is an award-winning twelve-issue series and this FREE comic is the first one in the story arc.  If you like the first issue, but may not want to buy the rest of the issues, here’s a hint for you too: they made the series into an animated movie and you can stream it on Netflix.  I haven’t seen it yet but have added it to my Instant Queue to watch it online.  Note it is rated PG and recommended for a viewing audience of 12+ - also some of the reviews note that while it is a nice film to watch it is missing some elements from the comic books and not as good as actually reading the print series.

This week should be a great time to be a Superman fan! Enjoy MAN OF STEEL DAY on June 12^thand the movie starting on June 14^th.  I’ve picked up some Superman Ice Cream (peanut allergy safe – that was a superman task in itself) and will be enjoying that with my kids before we take a trip to the local comic book store. So we’re making a fun day out of the whole promotion!  If you have younger kids like me you may also want to check with your local library to see if they are hosting an event on Saturday, June 15.  1,000 libraries across the country will be hosting MAN OF STEEL events courtesy of Random House Publishing.  Children (note the word children) will receive FREE buttons, book marks, and Superman comic books at these library events.

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Battery powered Formula E cars on track to race in 2014

The horsepower, the technology, the curves …  I love cars!  A trip to the Detroit Auto Show is an annually scheduled vacation/sick day from work for me and can’t miss a chance to see some racing when the Grand Prix comes to town.  Yet I have to admit that the Sierra Club member in me is just a little torn that my appreciation of NASCAR, Formula One, and Indy Car racing is a little hypocritical when you look at how polluting and wasteful with fuel these races can be.  So my interest was piqued when I heard of a new electric car racing league scheduled to debut in 2014.

FIA Formula E racing promises to be clean, quiet and fast as this new league brings battery powered cars to race on urban streets in cities across four continents next year.  These new race cars can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 3 seconds, which is a faster acceleration  than NASCAR’s stock cars, and can go as fast as 170 miles per hour.  The technology still has room for improvement as the batteries on these cars while racing only last about 25 minutes, so the league is adapting to make do  despite this pitfall.  Each driver will use 2 cars during the race and be allowed to switch vehicles during pit stops when a battery runs low.  Something race fans will have to get use to though is that these cars run quiet so there is no engine hum from the race track.  The VROOM sound of motor muscle is so tied to the image of an engine’s power this could take some getting use to for a lot of people.  Yet overall a more quiet race environment could make for a more enjoyable experience for fans and make locating races in some areas more amenable to neighbors adjoining the course so there are benefits to quiet running.

The Formula E series is scheduled to race in the downtowns of several cities across the globe in 2014 with events in Rio, Rome, Los Angeles, Bangkok, Beijing, London, Miami, Buenos Aires, and Putrajaya. The league's goal is to have 10 teams each with 2 drivers competing in every race.  They plan to have each race as a 1 day event with practice sessions in morning, qualifying around midday, and an one-hour race later in the afternoon.  The focus of race courses is to have them on the bends and straight-aways of regular streets in major cities.  I really like the vibe that these races present!  

While there are still some challenges facing the league in regard to whether or not they will get off the ground for a 2014 season, Formula E has done an impressive job so far of utilizing electric powered cars, lining up race locations, purchasing vehicles, obtaining sponsorship partners, and developing teams.  If you enjoy auto racing keep an eye out for news and information over the next few months on the progress of Formula E as it races towards its  goal of competing on a world stage next year.

For more information, visit www.formula-e-news.com

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