Ryan "Capt. Complainer" B.'s Profile
Date
9500 N Central Expy
Dallas, TX 75231
Dallas, TX 75231
Spec's Wine Spirits & Finer Food
Categories:
Beer, Wine & Spirits,
Grocery
Neighborhood: Lake Highlands
5400 E Mockingbird Ln
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 821-0909
Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 821-0909
Run On!
Categories:
Trainers,
Sports Wear
Neighborhood: Lower Greenville
[This review is of RunOn's marathon training programs] Get up at 4:30am, Tuesday and Thursday, then at 5:00am on Sundays, all of which are earlier than I would normally get up for work by several hours. Drive across town, run anywhere from one to three hours, much of it in the dark, regardless of how hot or cold it is. Do this for about four months. Oh, and pay someone a couple hundred bucks to do this while you run on city streets.
And then sign up again when the next season starts.
While I may describe RunOn's marathon program with draconian imagery, it isa well-organized, professionally-run program worth the costs (for most runners). For comparison, I was with Dallas Running Club for several seasons (yelp their review which I wrote). You can get the basic set-up of RunOn's program from their website, so let me comment on a few tidbits you won't find inside.
The good: 1) You'll always have a group to run with at or very near your preferred running pace - 100% of the time, on every run, no exceptions. On weekday runs, there may be 40-60 people depending on which store you are running from. On weekends, there may be well over 200 runners doing the same distance you are doing, with several pace groups from 7-8 minute miles and up. 2) A simple schedule that is easy to follow. The schedule provided at the start lists every run you will do with the group, the distance, pace strategy, and start time. 3) Location and routes are consistent. You know you'll start and finish at the same location every time; who will be there to run with you; and generally what the route will be. Many of the routes are recycled, so you become familiar with the course, but not too much they get boring. 4) Every run is slightly different. You may have several six mile weekday runs, but very rarely will you cover the same route. Long weekend runs don't always "loop the lake." Sometimes we head downtown; sometimes we go through Highland Park. 5) They set out water and Powerade about every two miles on the course. IMHO, having someone else plot a route, guide you through it with a map, and knowing there will be hydration along the way is well worth the entry fee.
The not-so-good: While this might not concern some runners, not having a pace group below a 9 minute mile (3:55 marathon) doesn't do me much good (eg, I already am sub-4). RunOn's training is pace group-based. They time you in a short run at the beginning of the season and then place you with other runners. Most class members are training to finish their marathon in more than four hours, and many are training "just to finish." As such, if you are a sub-4 marathoner, then RunOn probably isn't right for you. The issue I have is that they don't disclose this prior to registering. Granted, they do have an "advanced" marathon class, but you have to "qualify" for it with a 3:45. The Catch 22 is that to get to 3:45 for the Advanced Class, you need to train at a fastr pace than was is offered. My point is find out if RunOns offer the pace group you think you'll want to train with prior to signing up. The other downer is that they're squeamish about rain and cold weather. 40 degrees and rain? Cancel it! We will simultaneously melt, slip and fall on water that defies the laws of physics and freezes above 32 degrees! I'm sure major marathons never run in rainy 40-degree weather (ahem, White Rock 2011?!). Finally, talk about communication overload. You signed up to run, not read e-mails. You get marketing e-mails from the RunOn store; reminders about your weekend run even though you have a schedule; updates to the route even though I'm not goig to carry one. Post this info somewhere (heard of Facebook's private groups?) and if I want to see who is lecturing this weekend, I'll go and find out. Other than those things, RunOn's program would be five stars, but I can't conscionably do that while they ask for $200 to lead you through city streets.
And then sign up again when the next season starts.
While I may describe RunOn's marathon program with draconian imagery, it isa well-organized, professionally-run program worth the costs (for most runners). For comparison, I was with Dallas Running Club for several seasons (yelp their review which I wrote). You can get the basic set-up of RunOn's program from their website, so let me comment on a few tidbits you won't find inside.
The good: 1) You'll always have a group to run with at or very near your preferred running pace - 100% of the time, on every run, no exceptions. On weekday runs, there may be 40-60 people depending on which store you are running from. On weekends, there may be well over 200 runners doing the same distance you are doing, with several pace groups from 7-8 minute miles and up. 2) A simple schedule that is easy to follow. The schedule provided at the start lists every run you will do with the group, the distance, pace strategy, and start time. 3) Location and routes are consistent. You know you'll start and finish at the same location every time; who will be there to run with you; and generally what the route will be. Many of the routes are recycled, so you become familiar with the course, but not too much they get boring. 4) Every run is slightly different. You may have several six mile weekday runs, but very rarely will you cover the same route. Long weekend runs don't always "loop the lake." Sometimes we head downtown; sometimes we go through Highland Park. 5) They set out water and Powerade about every two miles on the course. IMHO, having someone else plot a route, guide you through it with a map, and knowing there will be hydration along the way is well worth the entry fee.
The not-so-good: While this might not concern some runners, not having a pace group below a 9 minute mile (3:55 marathon) doesn't do me much good (eg, I already am sub-4). RunOn's training is pace group-based. They time you in a short run at the beginning of the season and then place you with other runners. Most class members are training to finish their marathon in more than four hours, and many are training "just to finish." As such, if you are a sub-4 marathoner, then RunOn probably isn't right for you. The issue I have is that they don't disclose this prior to registering. Granted, they do have an "advanced" marathon class, but you have to "qualify" for it with a 3:45. The Catch 22 is that to get to 3:45 for the Advanced Class, you need to train at a fastr pace than was is offered. My point is find out if RunOns offer the pace group you think you'll want to train with prior to signing up. The other downer is that they're squeamish about rain and cold weather. 40 degrees and rain? Cancel it! We will simultaneously melt, slip and fall on water that defies the laws of physics and freezes above 32 degrees! I'm sure major marathons never run in rainy 40-degree weather (ahem, White Rock 2011?!). Finally, talk about communication overload. You signed up to run, not read e-mails. You get marketing e-mails from the RunOn store; reminders about your weekend run even though you have a schedule; updates to the route even though I'm not goig to carry one. Post this info somewhere (heard of Facebook's private groups?) and if I want to see who is lecturing this weekend, I'll go and find out. Other than those things, RunOn's program would be five stars, but I can't conscionably do that while they ask for $200 to lead you through city streets.
Listed in: Exercise, Training, and Racing…
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 734-7281
(214) 734-7281
Sgt H2O's Aquatic Boot Camp
Category:
Fitness & Instruction
Neighborhoods: Arts District, Downtown
"It's not water aerobics."
No kidding. Take a tough (but typical) land boot camp: A mix of traditional callisthenic and body weight exercises with interval training and strength training ... and then put it under water. Just as Sgt H2O's is not water aerobics, it is neither a typical boot camp.
Yes, I have swum laps. Yes, I have done fitness boot camps. But I have neither previously performed ANY of the their swim drills nor have I done high-intensity plyometric training on the deck of a pool in between 50y sprints. This is some of the highest quality training I have ever done because it is unlike any training I have ever done. (For background, I have completed the Ironman triathlon six times.) Everything is fresh and new. A typical session (if there is such a thing) of H2O's bootcamp is an efficient combination of 25y to 50y lane sprints using different strokes and kicks, with and without fins (not the scuba kind), often while carrying or holding small objects; followed by deep-water treading while holding heavy objects (an Acme brick is heavy in 15' of water); all of which is interspersed with on-deck squats, push-ups, and core work to ensure your muscle are totally fatigued and you're maxing-out your HR. The icing is that you'd then jump back in and do a few more sprints. Sgt H2O has a good collection of youtube videos (look for the "AquaticBootCamp" uploader/channel.)
I want to stress the word "quality" because if I described it as "intense" it may dissuade people from trying it and that is the last thing I'd want to do. People of (almost) any level could still get a quality session without making it hypoxically intense (w/o oxygen). The class is always segmented by ability. While it is not so formal that you do a time trial and then are assigned to a pace group, after the first class you will see who you should be swimming with and you will congregate into one lane. The next cluster of slower or faster swimmers will fill the next lane and so on. As such, the handful of swimmers in each lane are roughly of the same pace, ability and experience (e.g., if you know what a tap on the foot means, you're in the right lane). The constant variation of vertical and horizontal exertion; heavy breathing calisthenics followed closely by holding your breath between strokes during sprints; body weight exercises on-deck and then weightlessness in the water all stack up to something that cannot be replicated anywhere other than a pool. The 1hr class blows by because it is a rapid-fire succession of drills in constantly changing positions and environments. Think about it: By sequencing through different gravitational environments you're pushing yourself in a way you've probably never done before.
If you've done the land boot camps and want something new; if you like to swim but are bored to tears by laps; if aqua aerobics is too easy; if you're a reasonably fit adult looking for a unique cross-training session; if you want to lose weight (or you don't need to lose weight but you want to get stronger in and/or out of the water); then Sgt H2O's got you covered. (Now, if you can't swim, you're probably screwed.) I know what the biggest hurdle is: "OMG Ryan! I have to wear a bathing suit!" Get over it and get out of your head the expectation that everyone looks like Baywatch. Quite the opposite: There is plenty of pasty, soft muffin top flesh to go around. No matter what you think you look like, get an actual *swimming* suit and you'll fit in.
No kidding. Take a tough (but typical) land boot camp: A mix of traditional callisthenic and body weight exercises with interval training and strength training ... and then put it under water. Just as Sgt H2O's is not water aerobics, it is neither a typical boot camp.
Yes, I have swum laps. Yes, I have done fitness boot camps. But I have neither previously performed ANY of the their swim drills nor have I done high-intensity plyometric training on the deck of a pool in between 50y sprints. This is some of the highest quality training I have ever done because it is unlike any training I have ever done. (For background, I have completed the Ironman triathlon six times.) Everything is fresh and new. A typical session (if there is such a thing) of H2O's bootcamp is an efficient combination of 25y to 50y lane sprints using different strokes and kicks, with and without fins (not the scuba kind), often while carrying or holding small objects; followed by deep-water treading while holding heavy objects (an Acme brick is heavy in 15' of water); all of which is interspersed with on-deck squats, push-ups, and core work to ensure your muscle are totally fatigued and you're maxing-out your HR. The icing is that you'd then jump back in and do a few more sprints. Sgt H2O has a good collection of youtube videos (look for the "AquaticBootCamp" uploader/channel.)
I want to stress the word "quality" because if I described it as "intense" it may dissuade people from trying it and that is the last thing I'd want to do. People of (almost) any level could still get a quality session without making it hypoxically intense (w/o oxygen). The class is always segmented by ability. While it is not so formal that you do a time trial and then are assigned to a pace group, after the first class you will see who you should be swimming with and you will congregate into one lane. The next cluster of slower or faster swimmers will fill the next lane and so on. As such, the handful of swimmers in each lane are roughly of the same pace, ability and experience (e.g., if you know what a tap on the foot means, you're in the right lane). The constant variation of vertical and horizontal exertion; heavy breathing calisthenics followed closely by holding your breath between strokes during sprints; body weight exercises on-deck and then weightlessness in the water all stack up to something that cannot be replicated anywhere other than a pool. The 1hr class blows by because it is a rapid-fire succession of drills in constantly changing positions and environments. Think about it: By sequencing through different gravitational environments you're pushing yourself in a way you've probably never done before.
If you've done the land boot camps and want something new; if you like to swim but are bored to tears by laps; if aqua aerobics is too easy; if you're a reasonably fit adult looking for a unique cross-training session; if you want to lose weight (or you don't need to lose weight but you want to get stronger in and/or out of the water); then Sgt H2O's got you covered. (Now, if you can't swim, you're probably screwed.) I know what the biggest hurdle is: "OMG Ryan! I have to wear a bathing suit!" Get over it and get out of your head the expectation that everyone looks like Baywatch. Quite the opposite: There is plenty of pasty, soft muffin top flesh to go around. No matter what you think you look like, get an actual *swimming* suit and you'll fit in.
Listed in: Exercise, Training, and Racing…
GROUPON SCAM: Brazil Brasileiro's December 2011 Groupon described their menu pricing as $18.99 per-person and implies the availability of a full-service bar by stating that the Groupon is "not valid for purchase of alcohol". However, the first sign that things are going downhill is when you hear they don't have a liquor license. Frankly, I don't care why there is no bar service; what matters is that the availability of this service was strongly suggested by the disclaimer; the menu inclusion was taken into account when deciding on whether to purchase the Groupon; yet this service was not provided at time redeeming. It's no different than if they said, "We don't have any meat today."
The more egregious element is when you're presented with the bill: The per-person pricing is actually $24.99. I'm not going to miss $6. I would've spent that on a class of house Brazillian red. The sad thing is that their food was good enough to warrant $24.99. My contention is that I purchased the Groupon on the stated condition that the per-person price was $18.99, not a higher figure. It is no different from purchasing off a printed menu what you thought was an $18.99 steak, but when the bill arrives, the steak is actually $24.99. And therein lies another problem: They don't use menus so we had no way of knowing of the price switch.
Something fishy is going on and simple math offers a plausible explanation. I googled Brazil Brasileiro + Richardson + Groupon and noted that nearly 700 people purchased this Groupon. That is an impressive total given this restaurant's obscure location; not necessarily mainstream fare or service protocol; very high price point for a buffet that amounts to a self-service line of casseroles in steam trays; and a Churrasco offering of paper-thin slices of overly-seasoned and -cooked, oddly-cut meat served by barely intelligible gauchos. It doesn't take a degree from the Hilton College of Restaurant Management at U of H to figure this one out: Management ran some figures and realized they had over-sold the Groupon. They needed to raise their menu prices to remedy the projected shortfall, but only for Groupon diners so as not to alienate existing clientele accustomed to paying $18.99 per-person. Their solution is to require reservations to use the Groupon so the staff knows which price to charge. (They boilerplate disclaimer on Groupon's is to alert your server that you are using a Groupon, but this would be after you've been seated and previewed the menu pricing. Requiring reservations ensures that Groupon users are properly segmented by pricing.) To solidify the segmentation, they removed pricing from their website and eliminated all menus. This fluctuating pricing model is used in many service sectors, such as buying an airline ticket or a night at a hotel: When buyers don't know what everyone else paid for the same service, it's much easier for the seller to manipulate pricing. It's just very off-putting to apply opaque pricing in a dining scenario. Unlike cancelling a hotel reservation when you find a lower price elsewhere, by the time a diner realizes the pricing discrepancy, the product has been consumed and can't be returned.
That's why I am completely OUT on using restaurant Groupon's: Places like Brazil Brasileiro have ruined it not only for patrons wanting to try new places, but for establishments wanting to attract a digital clientelle. Their short-sighted money grab to compensate for poor planning means I will not go back even though I really liked their product. Dining represents a unique opportunity for scams, and Brazil Brasileiro took full advantage of it: You can't stop the sale mid-stream; you can't drop the merchandise and walk out; and you can't return it later. Once you have ordered you are committed to paying whatever bill is presented. What are you going to do? Upon hearing some BS about your Groupon not being accepted (for whatever reason), are you going to say, "Fine, I'll just barf this up and you can have it back"?
The more egregious element is when you're presented with the bill: The per-person pricing is actually $24.99. I'm not going to miss $6. I would've spent that on a class of house Brazillian red. The sad thing is that their food was good enough to warrant $24.99. My contention is that I purchased the Groupon on the stated condition that the per-person price was $18.99, not a higher figure. It is no different from purchasing off a printed menu what you thought was an $18.99 steak, but when the bill arrives, the steak is actually $24.99. And therein lies another problem: They don't use menus so we had no way of knowing of the price switch.
Something fishy is going on and simple math offers a plausible explanation. I googled Brazil Brasileiro + Richardson + Groupon and noted that nearly 700 people purchased this Groupon. That is an impressive total given this restaurant's obscure location; not necessarily mainstream fare or service protocol; very high price point for a buffet that amounts to a self-service line of casseroles in steam trays; and a Churrasco offering of paper-thin slices of overly-seasoned and -cooked, oddly-cut meat served by barely intelligible gauchos. It doesn't take a degree from the Hilton College of Restaurant Management at U of H to figure this one out: Management ran some figures and realized they had over-sold the Groupon. They needed to raise their menu prices to remedy the projected shortfall, but only for Groupon diners so as not to alienate existing clientele accustomed to paying $18.99 per-person. Their solution is to require reservations to use the Groupon so the staff knows which price to charge. (They boilerplate disclaimer on Groupon's is to alert your server that you are using a Groupon, but this would be after you've been seated and previewed the menu pricing. Requiring reservations ensures that Groupon users are properly segmented by pricing.) To solidify the segmentation, they removed pricing from their website and eliminated all menus. This fluctuating pricing model is used in many service sectors, such as buying an airline ticket or a night at a hotel: When buyers don't know what everyone else paid for the same service, it's much easier for the seller to manipulate pricing. It's just very off-putting to apply opaque pricing in a dining scenario. Unlike cancelling a hotel reservation when you find a lower price elsewhere, by the time a diner realizes the pricing discrepancy, the product has been consumed and can't be returned.
That's why I am completely OUT on using restaurant Groupon's: Places like Brazil Brasileiro have ruined it not only for patrons wanting to try new places, but for establishments wanting to attract a digital clientelle. Their short-sighted money grab to compensate for poor planning means I will not go back even though I really liked their product. Dining represents a unique opportunity for scams, and Brazil Brasileiro took full advantage of it: You can't stop the sale mid-stream; you can't drop the merchandise and walk out; and you can't return it later. Once you have ordered you are committed to paying whatever bill is presented. What are you going to do? Upon hearing some BS about your Groupon not being accepted (for whatever reason), are you going to say, "Fine, I'll just barf this up and you can have it back"?
Listed in: Groupon Scams
12700 Park Central Dr Ste 600
Dallas, TX 75251
(214) 368-4030
Dallas, TX 75251
(214) 368-4030
Principal Management Group
Category:
Property Management
Neighborhood: North Dallas
This property management company is total scam. They may single-handedly be the reason the Texas Legislature keeps attempting to enact measures to reign in rogue HOAs. They're a shining example of everything that's wrong with unregulated HOAs. Please, before you buy into a developed community, find out from the HOA if Principal Management Group (d/b/a Associa) manages the property. The HOA Board may create policy, but PMG are the thugs that enforce them.
If the HOA is affiliated with Principal Management Group, do not buy into that development. [EDIT: Actually, don't buy anything with an HOA. You're inviting assaults on your sanctuary.] In fact, if Principal Management Group has ever had a role in managing the property, even if the HOA is contracted with someone new, the previous relationship should leave an odorous stench: Partnering with Principal Management Group indicates that your Board is either so incompetently lazy as to not run a simple Google search for "Principal Management Group scam" (try it!) or they are purposely seeking a shady 3rd party vendor to exploit and violate their members. I don't know which is worse: Sloth or sleeze.
If you piss off your HOA and PMG/Associa runs the day-to-day operations, you will soon march in a parade of misery, haunted by the day the Realtor even showed you the property. The HOA will call for a hit on you (euphemistically, of course) and Principal Management Group is a willing and capable enforcer, partnering with even lower life forms: Tow Truck Companies. You may think you bought the property, but you're really beholden to the whims of a powerful fiefdom.
The only reason I am now writing this review is because my HOA Board dropped Principal Management Group and we now have a different group (judgement withheld for now, but I'm sure they suck too). I have two year's worth of HOA dues made payable to Principal Management Group and nothing to show for it but headaches, hassles, and haranguing. There was no way I'd Yelp them while under contract. I have no doubts I'd wake up with a horse head in my bed.
If the HOA is affiliated with Principal Management Group, do not buy into that development. [EDIT: Actually, don't buy anything with an HOA. You're inviting assaults on your sanctuary.] In fact, if Principal Management Group has ever had a role in managing the property, even if the HOA is contracted with someone new, the previous relationship should leave an odorous stench: Partnering with Principal Management Group indicates that your Board is either so incompetently lazy as to not run a simple Google search for "Principal Management Group scam" (try it!) or they are purposely seeking a shady 3rd party vendor to exploit and violate their members. I don't know which is worse: Sloth or sleeze.
If you piss off your HOA and PMG/Associa runs the day-to-day operations, you will soon march in a parade of misery, haunted by the day the Realtor even showed you the property. The HOA will call for a hit on you (euphemistically, of course) and Principal Management Group is a willing and capable enforcer, partnering with even lower life forms: Tow Truck Companies. You may think you bought the property, but you're really beholden to the whims of a powerful fiefdom.
The only reason I am now writing this review is because my HOA Board dropped Principal Management Group and we now have a different group (judgement withheld for now, but I'm sure they suck too). I have two year's worth of HOA dues made payable to Principal Management Group and nothing to show for it but headaches, hassles, and haranguing. There was no way I'd Yelp them while under contract. I have no doubts I'd wake up with a horse head in my bed.
When greeters and cashiers are first hired and after they have learned to say, "Welcome to Costco. I love you," Lesson #2 should be, "Memberships are not required to buy alcohol." I can't tell you how many times I've gone to Costco - without a membership - to purchase alcohol and greeters/cashiers look at me like a leper when I say, "I'm just here to buy beer." Actually, I can tell you how many times this occurs: Every time. I may as well say, "I'm here to touch children." I'd get the same reaction.
Hey Costco! Newsflash: People know you don't need a membership to buy beer and wine. These are the same people who simply don't need 72oz of mayo or enough toilet paper for Montezuma's army. So keep your membership. I'll just stock up on cases of beer. My liver thanks you.
Hey Costco! Newsflash: People know you don't need a membership to buy beer and wine. These are the same people who simply don't need 72oz of mayo or enough toilet paper for Montezuma's army. So keep your membership. I'll just stock up on cases of beer. My liver thanks you.
1325 Whitlock Ln
Carrollton, TX 75006
(972) 242-0300
Carrollton, TX 75006
(972) 242-0300
Motorcycles Training Center
Category:
Specialty Schools
Neighborhood: Carrollton
I took the "Experienced" rider course since I've been riding for a few years. Why take a course *after* I had experience? I upgraded from a Honda 750cc cruiser to a 900lb, 103ci/1700cc Harley and realized I couldn't muscle a larger bike around. I had the new bike about a week and fortunately was able to find an advanced class at MTC in Bedford (ie, I *chose* to take the course vs. being court-ordered b/c or a ticket). The Basic course can be found on any given Sunday. The Advanced required a bit more scouting.
I'd recommend the Experienced/Advanced course for anyone with riding experience. They're much less than the Basic course. They're much shorter - maybe four hours - and you spend 90% of your time riding. Since you already have your M endorsement on your license, there's very little emphasis on testing and book learnin'. In all, there were about 10 different cone configurations with the emphasis on turning and braking skills. In these drills, I learned I had two very bad habits that I was able to get away with when I had a smaller bike. First, I learned that using the front brake while turning isn't such a hot idea (my Honda had a shoddy drum read brake so I got in a habit of only using the front, even while turning). Next, I realized I had no clue what counter-balancing was. At 200lbs, I didn't need to counter-balance atop a smaller bike (the slightest push on the bars and it would turn). But on a 900lb Hog, that bike wants to stay upright and go straight and I can't muscle-through the gyroscopic effects of the wheels/flywheel. As such, turning requires counter-balancing, which I had to re-learn. So, for my money and time spent, I learned how to correct two really bad habits.
But wait! There's more! In one drill, you practice going into a right-angle turn with an obstacle placed at the apex. The idea is you're making a turn, leaning the bike into it, and half-way through the turn you see something in the road to be avoided. The strategy and drill was fairly simple: Straighten up, then brake. Brake first and your steering is diminished.
I had an "Aha!" moment about a month after taking the course: I'm riding down 75 and take the Royal exit. I'm going to u-turn under 75, so I carry some speed into a left-hand turn. Right around the corner is a line of cars also u-turning that I can't see as I approached the turn. Instinctively I straighten and *then* brake and I easily come to a controlled stop with room to spare. Had I braked first, I very well may have not been able to steer away and would've rolled right up into the rear bumper of a stopped car.
So, the proof is in the pudding: Real-life drills that translated to a real-world situation. A direct translation of what we did in a Bedford parking lot to what I encountered on a 75 access road in rush hour.
I'd recommend the Experienced/Advanced course for anyone with riding experience. They're much less than the Basic course. They're much shorter - maybe four hours - and you spend 90% of your time riding. Since you already have your M endorsement on your license, there's very little emphasis on testing and book learnin'. In all, there were about 10 different cone configurations with the emphasis on turning and braking skills. In these drills, I learned I had two very bad habits that I was able to get away with when I had a smaller bike. First, I learned that using the front brake while turning isn't such a hot idea (my Honda had a shoddy drum read brake so I got in a habit of only using the front, even while turning). Next, I realized I had no clue what counter-balancing was. At 200lbs, I didn't need to counter-balance atop a smaller bike (the slightest push on the bars and it would turn). But on a 900lb Hog, that bike wants to stay upright and go straight and I can't muscle-through the gyroscopic effects of the wheels/flywheel. As such, turning requires counter-balancing, which I had to re-learn. So, for my money and time spent, I learned how to correct two really bad habits.
But wait! There's more! In one drill, you practice going into a right-angle turn with an obstacle placed at the apex. The idea is you're making a turn, leaning the bike into it, and half-way through the turn you see something in the road to be avoided. The strategy and drill was fairly simple: Straighten up, then brake. Brake first and your steering is diminished.
I had an "Aha!" moment about a month after taking the course: I'm riding down 75 and take the Royal exit. I'm going to u-turn under 75, so I carry some speed into a left-hand turn. Right around the corner is a line of cars also u-turning that I can't see as I approached the turn. Instinctively I straighten and *then* brake and I easily come to a controlled stop with room to spare. Had I braked first, I very well may have not been able to steer away and would've rolled right up into the rear bumper of a stopped car.
So, the proof is in the pudding: Real-life drills that translated to a real-world situation. A direct translation of what we did in a Bedford parking lot to what I encountered on a 75 access road in rush hour.
I may lose a few friends over this, and that's too bad because I made many through DRC and the competitive camaraderie was the best part. My update isn't personal, but DRC has changed for the worse. They've gone from my previous review's exuberant 5-stars to a "Meh" 2-star running program. Specifically, I'm talking about their marathon (and half-marathon) programs. The best way to summarize is to say that their pace leaders and "coaches" (ha!) are running Nazis who wear mediocrity like a badge of honor. Without exception, in every distance and pace group I ran with, the pace leader would loudly scold anyone who ran even just a few meters ahead of the group. Dear God, don't even think you can run just a step or two faster than the rest of the group or you'll be berated into slowing down. Telling someone to "slow down" during any point of an hour-plus run on an idyllic Dallas morning is just as asinine as telling someone who has fallen off-pace and struggling in the summer heat to "hurry up." There were occasions when a "coach" would run to the front of the pack (FOP) and physically impede individual or group progress if s/he felt you were "too fast." Seriously: They'll get in front and use arms or bodies to slow everyone down. Imagine circling to the back of the pack (BOP) and pushing a slower runner. Never mind the facts that 1) this is your marathon program that 2) you paid for and 3) are putting in the work for at 4) a God-awful early morning weekend hour. You must run in lock-step with everyone.
Next, they've made up the silliest "rules" that you must run two-by-two. I have never heard of that before. You can Google 'running etiquette' or 'trail use etiquette' and be hard-pressed to find, "You must run two-by-two." (Granted, it's not cool to run several-abreast in a race, but I'm talking about early morning training runs on empty streets.) I doubt the RRCA teaches the fictitious two-abreast, but then again, I doubt these "coaches" are RRCA-certified. Just like the pacing, if you veer even a few inches away from the shoulder of someone on your immediate left or right, you will get yelled at to get back in line. Really? When asked why we run in an awkwardly-packed formation, coaches say it is for our safety. In light of what happened to Lauren Huddleston on the Katy, I don't take a cavalier attitude toward runner's safety. However, it's not really DRC's responsibility to foster a false sense of security when I'm knowingly engaged in an inherently dangerous activity - running in the street. I'm a grown-assed man and you're going to yell at me, telling me *how* to run, and to do so in some contorted formation? For crying out loud, I'm running on public property, a pedestrian right-of-way and your pace leaders and "coaches" intimidate their own members? You might be on a two- to three-hour run and at no point can you take advantage of a nice downhill and open your stride - you might actually pull away! - or enjoy a wide, tree-lined street and move out from directly behind someone. Instead, you'll spend the entire run making micro-adjustments to your pace so you run exactly with everyone else, and you'll constantly stare at the shoes of the person in front, trying to avoid hitting them (and hoping you don't get rolled-up on from behind). That's exactly how I want to spend my 6am Saturdays. You might think that you're using the trails at White Rock as they're designed or that you're engaged in an uncomplicated activity, but really you're at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina.
Finally, and this one is totally a subjective opinion, but it seems that DRC programs have no interest in more experienced runners. They've eliminated all of the "faster" pace groups. "Fast(er)" is a relative concept, but if you're planning on a sub-4 full or sub-2 half, you'll either have no one to run with or have a very small group. Again, this is just based on my experiences and observations, but it seems DRC targets the bucker-listers who just want to run One and Done and have no intent on sticking around the sport and getting faster. This type of group chemistry makes it easy for DRC to enforce their counter-productive policies on people who simply don't know better.
DRC insists on mediocrity from everyone: Instead of encouraging the BOP to work harder (what a novel concept!), they focus their derision on the FOP and dumb-down the effort to the (s)lowest common denominator, enforcing equal outcomes in a competitive sport that is simply not egalitarian. The goal is for everyone to be indistinguishably marginal, yet there will always be a disparity in results based on natural ability, training and effort, and this is starkly documented with posted race results. DRC runs are a microcosm of our society's whacked perspective: Instead of encouraging hard work from the bottom (ie, the BOP), let's shackle the top (ie, the FOP).
Next, they've made up the silliest "rules" that you must run two-by-two. I have never heard of that before. You can Google 'running etiquette' or 'trail use etiquette' and be hard-pressed to find, "You must run two-by-two." (Granted, it's not cool to run several-abreast in a race, but I'm talking about early morning training runs on empty streets.) I doubt the RRCA teaches the fictitious two-abreast, but then again, I doubt these "coaches" are RRCA-certified. Just like the pacing, if you veer even a few inches away from the shoulder of someone on your immediate left or right, you will get yelled at to get back in line. Really? When asked why we run in an awkwardly-packed formation, coaches say it is for our safety. In light of what happened to Lauren Huddleston on the Katy, I don't take a cavalier attitude toward runner's safety. However, it's not really DRC's responsibility to foster a false sense of security when I'm knowingly engaged in an inherently dangerous activity - running in the street. I'm a grown-assed man and you're going to yell at me, telling me *how* to run, and to do so in some contorted formation? For crying out loud, I'm running on public property, a pedestrian right-of-way and your pace leaders and "coaches" intimidate their own members? You might be on a two- to three-hour run and at no point can you take advantage of a nice downhill and open your stride - you might actually pull away! - or enjoy a wide, tree-lined street and move out from directly behind someone. Instead, you'll spend the entire run making micro-adjustments to your pace so you run exactly with everyone else, and you'll constantly stare at the shoes of the person in front, trying to avoid hitting them (and hoping you don't get rolled-up on from behind). That's exactly how I want to spend my 6am Saturdays. You might think that you're using the trails at White Rock as they're designed or that you're engaged in an uncomplicated activity, but really you're at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina.
Finally, and this one is totally a subjective opinion, but it seems that DRC programs have no interest in more experienced runners. They've eliminated all of the "faster" pace groups. "Fast(er)" is a relative concept, but if you're planning on a sub-4 full or sub-2 half, you'll either have no one to run with or have a very small group. Again, this is just based on my experiences and observations, but it seems DRC targets the bucker-listers who just want to run One and Done and have no intent on sticking around the sport and getting faster. This type of group chemistry makes it easy for DRC to enforce their counter-productive policies on people who simply don't know better.
DRC insists on mediocrity from everyone: Instead of encouraging the BOP to work harder (what a novel concept!), they focus their derision on the FOP and dumb-down the effort to the (s)lowest common denominator, enforcing equal outcomes in a competitive sport that is simply not egalitarian. The goal is for everyone to be indistinguishably marginal, yet there will always be a disparity in results based on natural ability, training and effort, and this is starkly documented with posted race results. DRC runs are a microcosm of our society's whacked perspective: Instead of encouraging hard work from the bottom (ie, the BOP), let's shackle the top (ie, the FOP).
Listed in: Exercise, Training, and Racing…
1 Previous Review:
-
12/23/2009
I joined Dallas Running Club in January 2009 to train for a marathon. I chose Dallas Running Club (which is referred to as "DRC") because I was staying with a GF in Dallas on the weekends and needed a place more convenient to train.
Let me clarify one important point: DRC is the running group itself. It has almost 4,000 members. DRC conducts marathon and half-marathon training programs in the Spring and Fall. The Spring program runs 16 weeks from January to April. The Fall program runs approximately 20 weeks from August to December. My review and comments are about DRC in general, but my experience comes from training with them in their Fall and Spring marathon programs (DRC's website details their training program which really aren't relevant in this review).
Has training for a marathon with DRC changed my life? No. But my social circle has expanded to include a great group of 20- and 30-somethings from all backgrounds. Over time, people I met through DRC are about the only people I hang out with. When I don't, it's weird to not hear someone talk about PRs or split or having to go home early to get to bed for an early AM training run. Has DRC made me a faster runner? Not really. Maybe a bit, but more importantly, when I do run, it is in a structured environment with people who are my pace - and my friends. Have I lost weight by running with DRC. No. Food, beer and going out are big players with DRC runners.
I know it can be a bit intimidating to get involved with a new group or people or new sport, especially one where performance is important. You don't know anyone. What if their faster than you? You don't know the course. Had I not already had extensive race credentialing, I too would have been nervous about it. (My GF at the time, who signed up with me, cried before her first group run because we were running late.) Let me dispel some possible misconceptions:
1. "It's all fast runners." Not even close. DRC has around 400 people in our marathon and half marathon training program. I think there may be one or two people - tops - who will finish the marathon under 3 hours. Probably 50% of the marathon group finishes in the 3:00hr to 4:00hr range. The remaining 50% is probably over 4:00hrs. I would venture a guess that the median time for a DRC marathon participant is right at 4:00hrs (ie, half are faster; half are slower). My ratios may be a bit off - not by much - but DRC is absolutely not a group of people whipping around White Rock at 5:00minute miles. The largest training pace groups are in the 10:00 per mile range (+/- 1:00 per mile). Even if you can't run an entire mile, they have pace groups that do "run-walk," which means you run for 3:00minutes, walk for 1:00minute. You may never get to a point in the season where you have to run an entire mile nonstop, but DRC will take the pace you have and get you across a marathon finish or half-marathon finish line. Pace groups go all the way down to ~12:00-14:00 minutes per mile! Regardless of how "slow" you think you are, that pace will include plenty of walking.
2. "It's all marathoners. I don't want to run a full. I just want a half." I *think* there are more half marathon participants than there are full marathon participants. Regardless, there is absolutely no distinction in attitudes between the two. The full and half group get the same respect, training amenities, and coaching attention. There really isn't a distance bias toward the full at all, and no distance snobs either.
3. "It's a bunch of experienced runners." Again, just like it's not all fast people, it's also not a bunch of grizzled veterans. Most (IMHO) are running their first marathon/half-marath on, or at best, are in their first season and may do a couple of races. Granted, there are vets who have finished a handful of races, but for the most part, the First Timer is very, very well-represented - maybe 50%? If that is high, it's not by much.
4. "It's expensive." In reality, it's underpriced in the market. The big running stores in Dallas put on the same marathon training program and charged $250 (?). DRC charges ~$50. You get a year's membership and 4-5 month's worth of organized group training runs. You get a written training plan, pace leaders for all of your runs, well-qualified director(s) and coaches, water and Gatorade along the course, and free entry into a few races at White Rock lake. You'll spend more on nipple tape.
5. "They run at White Rock Lake. That's such a hassle to get to." Yes and no. DRC has one weekday run on Wednesday and one Saturday AM run. If getting to White Rock after work on a Wednesday is inconvenient, don't go. Plenty of people run AM before work. On Saturday, some groups do meet near and run at White Rock Lake. This is nice because there are bathrooms and water fountains. The "faster" groups meet at Mockingbird Station with routes through SMU, Park Cities, Swiss Avenue, Katy Trail, Lakewood, and the M-streets.
DFW Metroplex
Dallas, TX 75287
(972) 533-4027
Dallas, TX 75287
(972) 533-4027
Ssahm BBQ
Categories:
Street Vendors,
Korean,
Ethnic Food
Hell yeah! Ssahm was at the Big Texas Toy Run in December at the Dallas Convention Center. I was so glad to see them because there's just nothing down there while we all sat in the parking lot for hours! I got the spicy pork burrito and guess what? "Spicy" in Korean means "spicy." I loved it: Fresh, flavorful, and yep - hot. Washed it down with some sort of hot tea that was heavenly, like an orange and lemon made sweet love in a bed of jasmine and sweated-out some honey-infused, piping hot green tea babies. Well, that's a heavenly flavor to me.
I rode in the 2011 Toy Run and left from the Dallas start, and it was my third year to ride. Previously I've left from Grapevine and the AAC. This year's was as good as any, and I left with such a good impression about the organization, attendees, the route support and logistics, and most importantly - the "cause." The 2011 version of the Big Texas Toy Run benefited MHMR of Tarrant County and Dallas Metrocare Services. The BTTR is impressive: Even with 50,000 bikes or more, it has no official sponsorship from any source and no one group of motorcyclists organizes and executes this event. It is a cooperative effort of independent clubs and organizations from all walks of the Biking Community. All bikes are welcome - Harleys to sport bikes, choppers to trikes, beat-up commuters to customs. The riders are just as diverse: heavily inked outlaw-types wearing their colors; empty-nesters with a mid-life crisis; 20-somethings with a death wish; even the occasional Harley chick . Regardless, everyone is there for a good time and a good cause.
The Fort Worth route started in Gateway Park; the Dallas route started at the Dallas Convention Center. At the Dallas locale, they had Porta-Potties and a couple of food trucks, which I don't recall from previous years. The route is really straight-forward: Get on I-30 from either embarkation and head to Grand Prairie's Quick Trip Park. My ol' lady and I got to the Dallas start early - too early, really - about 9:30. The ride was to take off at 1pm, so we walked around a giant parking lot on the fringes of downtown, looking at bikes for nearly four hours. Sounds fun, no? Actually, it is, if you like motorcycles, which I do - all kinds. There are some sweet bikes out there and everyone is just standing around shootin' the shit about their rides. The Convention Center venue is OK. The benefits are that parking is virtually inexhaustible and has nearly direct access to I-30. The downside is that there isn't anything down that far south in Downtown, so the food trucks are a necessity.
The 'admission' to the parking lot is $10 and a toy, and the toy was to be dropped off at Quick Trip Park. We left exactly at 1pm. Given that I arrived so early, I was about the 10th person out of the lot, in front of maybe 20,000 bikes. I have no idea how long it took for everyone to get out - maybe an hour - but I got to Quick Trip within maybe 30 minutes, averaging probably 30mph on I-30, dropped off a toy, walked around looking at vendors and buying more of the same biker bling I already have, and walked back to my bike and people were still coming in an hour or so later.
The QT Park venue is fantastic, much better than the Arlington Convention Center. For starters, the food vendors at QT Park are open, selling ballpark fare - and that includes beer. TIP: Bring cash. Lots of cash. Not only for the donation but for beer and 'ritas at the park. The alcohol vendors had "Cash Only" signs up. Probably because the baseball park was closed for the winter they didn't want to mess with the credit card POS for a one-day event. Whatever the reason, just bring some cash, or I'm sure there was an ATM there somewhere (but the ATM may very well be empty in off-season).
Overall, if you have a motorcycle of any kind, you need to do this ride at least once. Bring a cash donation and a toy, get ready to enjoy a short ride with 50,000 of your brothers, and make some kid's Christmas a little brighter.
The Fort Worth route started in Gateway Park; the Dallas route started at the Dallas Convention Center. At the Dallas locale, they had Porta-Potties and a couple of food trucks, which I don't recall from previous years. The route is really straight-forward: Get on I-30 from either embarkation and head to Grand Prairie's Quick Trip Park. My ol' lady and I got to the Dallas start early - too early, really - about 9:30. The ride was to take off at 1pm, so we walked around a giant parking lot on the fringes of downtown, looking at bikes for nearly four hours. Sounds fun, no? Actually, it is, if you like motorcycles, which I do - all kinds. There are some sweet bikes out there and everyone is just standing around shootin' the shit about their rides. The Convention Center venue is OK. The benefits are that parking is virtually inexhaustible and has nearly direct access to I-30. The downside is that there isn't anything down that far south in Downtown, so the food trucks are a necessity.
The 'admission' to the parking lot is $10 and a toy, and the toy was to be dropped off at Quick Trip Park. We left exactly at 1pm. Given that I arrived so early, I was about the 10th person out of the lot, in front of maybe 20,000 bikes. I have no idea how long it took for everyone to get out - maybe an hour - but I got to Quick Trip within maybe 30 minutes, averaging probably 30mph on I-30, dropped off a toy, walked around looking at vendors and buying more of the same biker bling I already have, and walked back to my bike and people were still coming in an hour or so later.
The QT Park venue is fantastic, much better than the Arlington Convention Center. For starters, the food vendors at QT Park are open, selling ballpark fare - and that includes beer. TIP: Bring cash. Lots of cash. Not only for the donation but for beer and 'ritas at the park. The alcohol vendors had "Cash Only" signs up. Probably because the baseball park was closed for the winter they didn't want to mess with the credit card POS for a one-day event. Whatever the reason, just bring some cash, or I'm sure there was an ATM there somewhere (but the ATM may very well be empty in off-season).
Overall, if you have a motorcycle of any kind, you need to do this ride at least once. Bring a cash donation and a toy, get ready to enjoy a short ride with 50,000 of your brothers, and make some kid's Christmas a little brighter.
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Boy was my "Meh" a bit pre-mature. First of all, if you're not a drinker, then don't bother going. Save me parking space (and save your piety for Sunday). But if you imbibe occasionally or frequently, you owe it yourself to head out there on a Saturday night. The best analogy I have is, Imagine if Central Market and Costco had kids. It'd be Specs. It's huge and warehouse-ey like Costco, with vendors giving out samples on weekend nights. But it's totally foodie like Central Market.
And talk about sales. When they promo something, they want it OUT of their store. Think, "handles" of call liquor in the $30 range. Cha-ching. I found myself thinking, "I don't even like Scotch, but OMG! 1.75 liters for that?! I'll take two!" You know, just in case an AARP meeting breaks out at my house.