Shake, rattle, and roll. Vibram could be bad for ya’ bones.
Vibram Rattles the Bones, Apparently
Barefoot running. The running trend to end all running trends. Bigger than interval training. Bigger than short shorts. Bigger than Jared Leto as Prefontaine. Everyone is doing it, or at least you know someone is doing it. But a study coming out in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (Who gets this publication? Like, 3 people and their moms? Seriously, does this come in the mail?) says running in barefoot-mimicking shoes such as Vibram FiveFingers can increase the risk of foot bone injuries. While also backing up the claim that running in minimalist shoes, or none at all, can help strengthen leg and calf muscles, the stress on the bones was significant – especially for those just breaking into the trend. The conclusion was to ease into it even more gradually than the 10-week transition plan used in the study.
A more comprehensive report on the report can be found at Runner’s World.
U.S. Forest Service Changing Plans in Pisgah
The U.S. Forest Service is revising the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. The service is currently in the “Assessment” phase of the revision and will be collecting data and information on the current state of the forest, including public input at a series of meetings, before moving into the “Planning Period.” The plan was last updated in the mid-1990s, and obviously a lot has happened since then, so public input will be vital to how the Forest Service moves forward. There are a bunch of meetings coming up in March, so make sure you have a stake in the future of the forest by attending and letting your voice be heard. More on the revision and the meeting times, locations, etc. can be found on the Forest Service Website.
Sierra Nevada Crushing It in N.C.
Sierra Nevada’s new brewery on the banks of the French Broad in Mills River, N.C. will be the latest addition to the already renowned beer scene in and around Asheville. The state of the art facility is shaping up nicely according to their blog, with shiny equipment being installed around the clock. This is obviously great news for Asheville, but also for North Carolina and the East Coast in general where the fresh pale ale will flow like wine. Anyway, on their blog they have a pretty good rundown of what it takes to get a major brewery running and the priorities of building the facility from scratch.
