SMARTBEATS X SMARTWATER

We’ve been fans of smartwater ever since we can remember so last month when we had the opportunity to attend 2 events that focused on smartbeats X smartwater (also available on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube), we attended. Simply put, SmartBeats X SmartWater is a first of its kind program designed to enhance holistic wellness through the fusion of music, tech and hydration. This was achieved through their partnership with artists Toro Y Moi, Nosaj Thing, Madeline Kenney, Washed Out and Empress Of. These artists music were powered by the sound technology app Endel. They created soundtracks and soundscapes that are designed to enhance your flow, mental balance, gets you to move or simply connect with friends. We were able to put 2 of these tracks through its paces in our first event where we did a guided meditation with The Big Quiet and smartwater partner, Jesse Israel as well as a workout with the brand’s Creative Director of Wellness and fitness expert (as well as Nike master trainer), Joe Holder which also incorporated the other track.

PHOTO CREDIT | Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for smartwater

The second event, held at Lightbox, was the launch party where we were able to sample all 4 of the tracks, meet the creators of these tracks, re-connect with Joe Holder and Jesse Israel and meeting the founder of Endel through presentations and conversations with the collaborators that were involved. In addition, guests were able to interact with one another while enjoying cocktails (Blood Orange Bourbon Sour and Raspberry Rose Basil Sangria) that were paired with sparkling SmartWater. smartbeat X smartwater includes 2 parts within the project where the A-Side has music artists that are featured as well as the B-Side having the soundscapes that are powered by Endel. A-Side’s soundtrack was produced by Toro Y Moi who created this via collaborations with featured artists that complimented the SmartWater varieties.

• MOVE | Record producer beat maker and DJ, Nosaj Thing makes music gets you pumped, moving and ready to break a sweat. Paired with the Alkaline line for hydration supporting active performance and recovery.

• CONNECT | Alternative R&B and electronica artist, Empress Of provides the perfect backdrop for entertaining and connecting with friends. Paired with sparkling smartwater for delightful hydration while socializing.

• FLOW | Folk artist Madeline Kenney’s classical sound reinforces focus and productivity. Paired with still smartwater for everyday need.

• BALANCE | Washed Out’s chillwave sound promotes mental balance is complemented by smartwater’s antioxidant line for cognitive rejuvenation.

Soundscapes (B-side) enhanced, personalized, sound experiences tailored to key occasions and will partner with Endel, an app technology that generates reactive, personalized sounds. Endel’s tools are able to synthesize location, time, weather and other factors in real time. Whether it’s Yoga, running, meditation and more, the b-side provides the perfect soundtrack for each activity.

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

REEBOK | WOVEN INTO THE FUTURE

Earlier this fall, Reebok announced a new footwear technology called Flexweave - revolutionary shoe upper material that is incredibly versatile, providing a balance of lightness, durability, fit and stability. Reebok partnered with three designers across the world to create bespoke fitness prototypes to showcase this one-of-a-kind material.

The design partnerships within this collective are known as "Woven into the Future" and includes an altitude-training mask from the UK design collective Modla (ENG) that showcases the material’s softness and durability, an “active seat” from Dutch collective Odd Matter (AN) that highlights its flexibility and strength, and GPS-enabled gloves by Joe Doucet x Partners (USA) to display the material’s customization and versatility.

The Flexweave material will first be seen in the FAST Flexweave running shoe, available in February on Reebok.com, and the material was developed through the Reebok Innovation Collective (a division championing the open-sourced pursuit of progression via innovation and partnerships that aims to push the boundaries of invention). These partnerships with the global fitness brand explored the potential of Flexweave and explored its limitless potential to create a unique product that links form and function to create an aesthetic product that utilizes the benefits of the technology while serving a fitness purpose. Flexweave boasts an open figure-8 construction that interlocks unlimited strands of fibers to create a single surface construction that is as strong as it is light. All designers worked with the version of the textile that will appear in the first-generation of Reebok Flexweave footwear, launching in 2018, made from chenille yarn.

JOE DOUCET X PARTNERS -  New York City, United States

As a designer, entrepreneur, inventor and creative director, Joe Doucet is one of the most sought-after creative talents in America. Doucet designed a pair of Reebok Flexweave running gloves, form-fitting to the wearers hand, absorbing sweat as they run and lightweight for maximum comfort. The prototype was designed with the vision of being GPS-enabled, guiding the wearer through their run with flashing LED lights to indicate when to turn left or right.

“My inspiration was to capture the unique qualities of the Flexweave technology through something advantageous to an active lifestyle. The strength, flexibility and multi surface durability of Flexweave led me to the idea of a ‘smart’ running glove with a sleek, stylish silhouette. With the form crafted by Flexweave, the next stage of development would be GPS integration paving the way to a new frontier in wearable technology,” said Doucet.

ODD MATTER -  Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Odd Matter is a design studio driven by curiosity; researching, creating and exploring the world through its materials, processes and concept. The duo created a furniture series of ‘active sitting’ chairs; made through a combination of Reebok Flexweave and malleable EVA foam.

“The Inspiration for the chair came from the Flexweave material itself. Whilst experimenting and playing with the fabric we were very intrigued by its behavior, structure and strength under tension. From there we wanted to create an object that played with that tension, a bit like the string of a bow, something in which the tension and strength is palpable,” said Els Woldhek, Odd Matter.

“Working with the Flexweave was very interesting, for instance when cutting it in different directions you straight away notice the differences between the fibers and the technical properties of the Flexweave. This in turn has made us really curious about everything else that is possible with the technology.”

MODLA – London, England

Co-founded by Jon Fidler and Richard Goddard, Modla is an artistic design house specializing in technological innovation, pushing the creative boundaries of 3D printing and digital 3D design. The pair created an entirely new Reebok Flexweave altitude training mask; 3D printing the valve technology across the nose and mouth, coupled with a Flexweave facial strap to comfortably wrap around the wearer’s face during intense training.

"I do a lot of high intensity training so I’m interested in how such equipment works, functions and can help improve performance. But we also saw the potential in the aesthetic of the Flexweave material, to create something which would blend with the mask and align with the contours of the wearer’s face.

As it happens, the Flexweave material provided even more benefit than just the aesthetic and was amazing to work with. It’s strong and durable, so perfect for a product that will get a lot of wear and tear; while also incredibly lightweight, making it breathable on the face for athletes when training." said Fidler.

“Flexweave is going to a major part of the Reebok DNA moving forward. With this creative and imaginative project, we’ve achieved exactly what we set out to do; demonstrate through collaborations in other fields what Flexweave can truly achieve when put to the ultimate test,” said James Woolard, Global Marketing Director, Reebok Running.

“The Reebok Innovation Collection champions the pursuit of partnerships and innovations that will continue propelling the brand forward in spaces like fitness, fashion and footwear. Flexweave represents a huge step forward in footwear upper technology and brings with it a wave of anticipation and excitement for what the future holds for this brand”.

Reebok has extended the creative experience around Flexweave to its community, setting up an interactive digital experience on the Reebok Innovation Collective website called ‘Create Your Weave’; inviting you to construct your own virtual weave design and share it with friends.

The brand is also working with one of Savile Row’s finest tailors, Huntsman & Sons, to create a bespoke men’s suit made from Flexweave. Designed for Reebok Running ambassador and superstar WR Brandin Cooks, the experimental pursuit will be complete in Spring 2018.

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Missed the Dec Issue of Athleisure Mag? Check out our cover girls EDM DJ duo NERVO.

SOMETHING YOUR SHOULD KNOW | RUGGED MANIAC

Whether you run obstacle competition courses or enjoy watching them on TV, I think we can agree that we're obsessed with this method of fitness that our friends and co-workers tell us about. We found out more about Rugged Maniac, the health benefits and how they compare and differ from other courses that are offered in this space.  

ATHLEISURE MAG: What is Rugged Maniac, how long has it been around and how many races take place a year?

ROB DICKENS: Rugged Maniac was founded in 2010 with its first event in October of that year in MA.  We now produce 30 events across the US and Canada each year.  

AM: What brought you to Rugged Maniac and what is your role there?

RD: Rugged Maniac was founded by my business partner, Brad Scudder (CEO), and I (COO, CMO). We met in law school and we both worked as attorneys for a few years before embarking on this adventure. Brad was doing insurance defense litigation at a small firm in MA, while I was at a large international firm on Wall Street doing finance. We both grew up in rural areas and had spent much of our childhoods playing outside and participating in outdoors sports (skiing for Brad and surfing for me - I'm from coastal NC), so sitting at a desk all day didn't quite feel right. We both wanted to do something more adventurous.
 

I got an email from Brad one day stating that he was leaving the practice of law to organize an obstacle course race in his hometown in rural MA.  I was intrigued and after some discussion I also left law to found Rugged Maniac.  I'm the Chief Operating Officer and the Chief Marketing Officer, which means I manage a large part of the company's operations while also overseeing all advertising, design, and PR.
 
AM: What are the similarities/differences of Rugged Maniac versus other obstacle competition companies?
 
RD: Rugged Maniac is now the third largest OCR in the country behind Tough Mudder and Spartan Race.  Our goal is to get everyone off their couches and outdoors having FUN with friends while being active. Our courses are undoubtedly challenging, but we're not going to shock you with electricity, make you jump in ice water, or punish you for not being able to complete an obstacle.  It's not about being bigger, badder, and faster than those around you. It's about pushing your own limits while helping your friends (and strangers!) over the obstacles.  This philosophy has made us the go-to event for people of all fitness levels, not just hardcore athletes.  We also have more women participants than any other OCR.  In fact, women make up 55% of our participants!
 
Speaking of obstacles, we pack more into our 3-mile course (25) than Spartan Race's 5k (20) and Tough Mudder's normal 12-mile course (20).  We also put a lot of emphasis on the entertainment in our festival.  We have a DJ on the main stage, a comedic emcee entertaining the crowd all day, a mechanical bull, pie-eating contests, dance parties, and plenty of craft beer. You simply don't see as big of a party at any other OCR.
 

As for Warrior Dash, they also focus more on the fun aspect of obstacle course racing, but they provide only 10-12 minor obstacles in a 3-mile course, which just doesn't measure up to what other OCRs offer.  
 
AM: What are the health benefits to training for Rugged Maniac and how long is training for a race of this nature?
 
RD: Rugged Maniac is a 5k (3-mile) off-road run with 25 obstacles, each of which poses a different physical challenge. This means that your training has to include not only running, but climbing, crawling, jumping, and balancing - more of a total body workout than when preparing for a normal 5k or marathon.  How long you have to train depends on (1)  your race goal and (2) your current fitness level.  

If your goal is to win the race (only about 5% of runners have this as a goal), you'll need to be able to run a normal 5k in about 16 minutes AND have the upper body strength necessary to complete The Ringer, Pull Your Weight, and The Warped Wall (see www.rugedmaniac.com/obstacles).  However, the vast majority of our maniacs aren't "in it to win it."  They come with a group of friends in order to have a ton of fun while challenging themselves physically.  It's not about beating everyone else; it's about camaraderie and fun.

So if you fall into this category, you'll likely just want to be able to complete all the obstacles.  For most people, this means working on your upper body strength and balance (The Gauntlet, Frog Hop, and Tipping Point). Again, how long it will take to reach that point will depend on your current abilities.
 

AM: How can training for this race be adopted throughout a person's life?

RD: There are no shortcuts to getting in shape, unfortunately.  It doesn't matter what you're training for, you simply have to make exercising part of your daily (or weekly) routine - no excuses. If you want to be in great shape, you need to work out at least three times a week, with the bulk of that time being spent on cardiovascular activities with some strength training mixed in. You don't need a gym membership; you can get in perfect shape by running and doing cody-weight exercises, like push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, etc.   
 
AM: Are Rugged Maniac courses the same and what's it like creating them?
 
RD: The obstacles at each Rugged Maniac event are largely the same nationwide (as are the obstacles for every other OCR brand). Think of an OCR event as a traveling circus, of sorts.  Everything is packed up and shipped to the next location following each event.  Variety comes from the differences in the venues; some are completely flat, some are on mountain slopes, some are in the desert, some are next to a lake. So the runner experience from event to event can vary quite a bit.  Of course, we add a few new obstacles to our courses each year to keep things interesting (while retiring some older designs).

AM: What other events are produced?
 
RD: Rugged Races, the parent company of Rugged Maniac, also owns and produces The Tour of the Battenkill cycling event in upstate New York; the Costume Dash 5k (Halloween costume run) in Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco; and 16 other 5ks/marathons/half marathons throughout New England under the Loco Races name.  

AM: What should we keep an eye out for within Rugged Races 2018?

RD: We plan to continue acquiring a variety of sports properties throughout 2018 as we grow into one of the country's largest event producers. We have some exciting opportunities in front of us so stay tuned for more announcements!

Read more from the Oct Issue and see Something You Should Know | Rugged Maniac in mag.

TCS NEW YORK MARATHON 2016

We're cheering on all those that are running in today's TCS New York Marathon! If you aren't running or there to cheer on your friend, you can track them here.