Susie Perkowitz - Five Benefits of Using a Foam Roller

Susie Perkowitz is an endurance runner and cyclist who trains hard and often has the sore muscles that go along with her training. Like many athletes, she turns to a foam roller to help her increase circulation and speed up the healing process after a particularly strenuous workout. Using a foam roller helps to break down the tight knots of fascia while loosening up soft tissue adhesions. Here are five other benefits of using a foam roller every day.

1.Using a foam roller before your workout helps to warm up and loosen any tight ligaments, muscles, and tendons. This will help to prevent injury during your workouts.

2.After your workout, you can use the foam roller to provide you with a self-myofascial release, encouraging mobility and releasing muscle tension.

3.Foam roller use promotes greater flexibility. Doing a series of stretches helps you to increase your flexibility, resulting in a longer, leaner, stronger body.

4.When you are an endurance athlete, doing the same motions for a long time, using a foam roller can mitigate risk of repetitive-use injury. Using a foam roller on a regular basis will help to loosen tight muscles and promote healing.

5.Using a foam roller to thoroughly stretch your muscles on a regular basis encourages increased blood flow throughout the entire body.

Susie Perkowitz loves the TriggerPoint GRID foam roller, stating “It’s fast, easy, and inexpensive and a great way to increase circulation and speed up the healing process.”

Susie Perkowitz - Traveling Tips - What You Need to Know Before Traveling to Australia

Last fall, Susie Perkowitz spent three weeks in Australia, exploring the landscape, bustling cities, and amazing wildlife. Australia is a vast country with cities from the northern tropics to the central deserts, and chilly southern shores. If you’re planning on taking a trip down under, here are some tips on when to go, where to visit, and how to get around.

When to Go

During their summer months (December to February), the southeastern hubs are sunny and warm. This is the time when most travelers head to Australia. Along with the warm weather, you’ll be faced with peak-season accommodation prices, busy public transportation, and long lines at the big ticket attractions. If you want to avoid the crowds, it’s best to visit during the shoulder-season months of October/November and March/April. If you want to visit the Northern end of Australia, its best to aim for the “dry season” of June to August.

Where to Go

Australia is a vast country of culture, history, and entertainment. Melbourne is a great place for those who like good coffee, live music, and bookshops. If you are looking for great surf beaches, head to Sydney. If you are looking for an isolated city that exudes frontier independence, find your way to Perth. The most memorable places for Susie Perkowitz was Philip Island where visitors are able to witness the Penguin Parade.

Getting Around

Heading out for a drive can be troublesome as there are no big inland towns in Australia. If you are looking for a way to do a quick city-hopping tour, consider flying. If you have a little more time and want to really see the country, you can rent a camper van like Susie Perkowitz and make the scenic drive along the Great Ocean Road or adventure into the Outback.

Susie Perkowitz - Five Podcasts You Need to Hear

Each year, the popularity of podcasts continues to grow. Endurance athlete and international traveler, Susie Perkowitz, has been enjoying the vast selection of content available online for many years. If you are new to podcasts, or are looking to add some new podcasts to your playlist, here are a few that Susie Perkowitz recommends. 

NPR’s Invisibilia
This podcast delves into the invisible forces that control our behavior. This includes your ideas, beliefs, assumptions, and emotions. It takes scientific research and interweaves it with a narrative story. Co-hosts Lulu Miller, Hanna Rosin, and Alix Spiegel will ultimately make you see your life differently. 

The Tim Ferriss Show
Tim Ferriss, author of the popular self-help books, “The 4-Hour Workweek,” “The 4-Hour Body,” and “The 4-Hour Chef,” has taken his knowledge to the radio. His podcasts turn the tables and talks with other people who are filled with fascinating information and amazing accomplishments to share. 

Mojo for Running
This podcast is great for runners. It is full of race reports, training and recovery tips, and reflections on common running issues. It also includes stories and questions from listeners and other helpful tips and advice for runners. 

Who Knew?
Recorded in Charlotte, North Carolina, this comedy podcast features funny commentary, focusing on current events, documentaries, interviews, and everything that happens between. Susie Perkowitz says that it is a great podcast for car rides. 

These are only a few podcasts that are available for you to enjoy. From sports podcasts to serial podcasts, to podcasts that will make you think, there is a podcast out there to suit your tastes and mood.

Susie Perkowitz - Simple Ways for Runners to Boost Their Endurance

Susie Perkowitz is an endurance runner who is always looking for ways to increase her endurance. When talking about increasing your endurance as a runner, this speaks to two different things, increasing the distance that you run, and increasing the speed of which you can cover substantial distances. Here are some training plans that will help you do both.

1.Gradual adaptation is the principle that you build your endurance one step at a time. To utilize this plan, you have to be consistent and patient, and build your endurance up slowly.

2.By cross-training, you run can help you improve your endurance. Focus on running three to four days a week, and spend the other days cross training.  On the days you plan to run, dedicate one day to interval training, one day of tempo training, and complete a long run on the third day.

3.Adding plyometric exercises to your workout can help you increase your leg endurance and quickness. With plyometric, you are focusing on learning to move from a muscle extension to a contraction in an explosive manner, helping to increase power.

4.Running longer tempo runs will help you build your speed and strength by running slightly slower than you would during a 10k race.

Not every runner is the same and sometimes you need to take a different path to reach your goals.Susie Perkowitz utilizes several strategies during her daily workout regime to help improve her endurance.

Susie Perkowitz - Hiking the Grand Canyon in winter

For experienced hikers such as Susie Perkowitz, hiking the Grand Canyon in winter presents an appealing challenge surrounded by the natural beauty of a world wonder. This idea inspires many people to travel to Arizona and immerse themselves in the park, but even experienced hikers need to be fully prepared before they being their adventure into the Grand Canyon.

The hiker’s safety is entirely dependent upon her judgment, experience, preparation, and realistic understanding of her abilities. Because of the uncertainty of the terrain and challenges of the territory, hikers should always have an adequate amount of water, food, and equipment to deal with unexpected circumstances. Hikes can be impacted by weather and natural deterioration, and so the hiker in the Grand Canyon must rely on smarts rather than just physical strength. Aside from food and water, hikers should also carry a first aid kit, map, flashlight and extra batteries, pack, hiking poles, hiking footwear with crampons, a whistle or signal mirror, and warm clothing, preferably waterproof.

Susie Perkowitz and other experienced hikers know that a difficult terrain like the Grand Canyon means they need to know trail conditions before beginning their hike. As some trails are harder to navigate in the winter, a smart hiker plans ahead for the path she decides to take. The Backcountry Information Center can also provide hikers with more information on winter hiking the Grand Canyon, especially if they are new to the area. Experienced hikers may want to try the North Rim hike, which has a destination of 8000 feet, resulting in severe winter conditions that require much heavier protective equipment.

Source: https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/winter-recreation.html

Susie Perkowitz - Katmai National Park and Reserve

Katmai National Park and Reserve in Alaska is a favorite location for many adventurers and tourists like Susie Perkowitz. Established in 1918 to protect the volcano-torn region around Mount Katmai and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, Katmai National Park preserves 9000 years of human history and remains an active volcanic location. It is also home to vital habitats of brown bears and salmon.

Katmai National Park encompasses over 4 million acres of wilderness, and features the world’s largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century. It is home to thousands of brown bears and gives tourists and scientists alike the opportunity to observe this bear species in its natural habitat. The Bristol Bay sockeye salmon spawns within the boundaries of the park, making the park home to one of the most essential salmon runs in the world. With hundreds of miles of untouched land, streams, and rivers, Katmai is a constantly evolving opportunity for science, study, and research.

Susie Perkowitz and other admirers of the wild beauty of Katmai National Park have many activity options to choose from when visiting the park. Sport fishing, boating, hiking, and camping are primary activities available to tourists. Brooks Camp in particular offers some of the best opportunities to bear watch and sport fish. Because it is so vast, Katmai has limited park services within or near its boundaries. Less than six miles of designated and maintained hiking trails exists, and adventurers need to follow the suggested safety guidelines proposed by the park when hiking off trail into the wilderness.

Source: https://www.nps.gov/katm/index.htm

Susie Perkowitz - Injinji Performance Toe Socks

Susie Perkowitz, an endurance runner and cyclist, uses the Injinji Performance Toesocks when she trains or competes in events. Injinji Performance Toesocks are designed with long-distance runners in mind, preventing the toes from blistering and injury. The three key benefits of the Injinji socks are its blister prevention, total foot utilization, and moisture management.
                                                  

Injinji Performance Toesocks are excellent tools for blister prevention, a must for any runner whether running a 5K or an Ultramarathon. Because the sock encapsulates each toe, all the toes are protected, preventing skin friction and thereby blisters and hot spots. Total foot utilization is also a must for runner comfort over long miles. These performance toesocks not only separate each toe but also keep the toes properly aligned and splayed. This combination distributes the runner’s weight evenly and allows the foot to be fully engaged in athletic activity. Moisture management is also a quality associated with the Injinji toesocks, as the construction of the sock means that each toe is protected in sweat-wicking material, keeping the foot drier and less susceptible to blisters.

Endurance runners like Susie Perkowitz turn to the Injinji Performance Toesocks to provide protection and comfort during long training runs and races. Injinji now offers various styles of toesocks (no-show, micro, crew, mini-crew) for different types of running and other exercises, including outdoor, compression, and yoga. Some of the most popular Injinji socks include the Trail 2.0 Midweight as well as the Run 2.0 lightweight and original weight socks. Injinji offers many performance toesocks for athletes’ different needs.

Source: http://www.runbulldogrun.com/gear/socks/injinji-socks-product-review/