Before you head out to the field, you might want to review the basic rules and some of the fun facts behind why you should play from USA Ultimate, the national governing body for the sport of ultimate in the U.S. (see below).

Also don’t forget to tape preventatively for common Ultimate injuries: Knees, shoulders, and wrists can be the first to get sore!

What is Ultimate?

Combining the non-stop movement and athletic endurance of soccer with the aerial passing skills of football, a game of Ultimate is played by two seven-player squads with a high-tech plastic disc on a field similar to football. The object of the game is to score by catching a pass in the opponent’s end zone. A player must stop running while in possession of the disc, but may pivot and pass to any of the other receivers on the field. 

Ultimate is a transition game in which players move quickly from offense to defense on turnovers that occur with a dropped pass, an interception, a pass out of bounds, or when a player is caught holding the disc for more than ten seconds.

Ultimate is governed by Spirit of the Game™, a tradition of sportsmanship that places the responsibility for fair play on the players rather than referees. Ultimate is played in more than 42 countries by hundreds of thousands of men and women, girls and boys.

Why Play Ultimate?

ULTIMATE IS FUN
There is a reason why hundreds of new people begin playing Ultimate each year.  Ultimate is genuinely fun and exciting. The unique flying options of the disc mean that no two throws look alike and the options are limitless. 

It’s relatively new in the world of sports (since 1968) and has been gaining rapidly in popularity ever since. Players of all ages and levels enjoy the unique challenges this sport offers. Once you get started you will be hooked on Ultimate. 

ULTIMATE KEEPS YOU ACTIVE AND HELPS YOU STAY HEALTHY
From the beginner to the elite player, Ultimate is a terrific sport that offers challenges at all levels of play. Ultimate combines athletic skills of running, catching and throwing. Additional skills and athleticism beyond that are left up to the player’s imagination. Many athletes of other sports find the transition to Ultimate both easy and rewarding, as the sport requires many of the same techniques as basketball, soccer and even lacrosse. Whether you play-pick up occasionally at the local park or practice three times a week with your team, playing Ultimate will leave you feeling energized and alive.
 ULTIMATE IS A REAL SPORT
Although Ultimate is sometimes stigmatized as a “tree-hugger” sport, in reality Ultimate is a legitimate sport with a national governing body. Ultimate is a real sport, with official rules, leagues, competitions at all age levels. Ultimate demands extraordinary fitness, endurance and skill; an intellect which understands the physics of the disc and strategies of play; as well as an honest and trusting temperament committed to the Spirit of the Game. Ultimate is a great sport to begin as a child or to start getting into as an adult; due to the sport’s relative newness, the Ultimate family welcomes any player that has an interest. 

ULTIMATE IS EASY TO PICK UP
Ultimate is a great sport for school districts or anyone who is interested in trying something new and different with minimal costs. The equipment needed to play are incredibly few and relatively inexpensive. In addition to a low cost, Ultimate combines athletic skills that children learn through out their physical educations and can be easily applied to the sport of Ultimate. Due to the low cost and the easy transition from other sports, Ultimate is a perfect sport to introduce students.  

ULTIMATE BUILDS CHARACTER
Ultimate develops acceptance of responsibility for one’s own behavior. Participation truly builds character, self-reliance, listening and negotiating skills and leadership qualities due to the sport’s official rules of Spirit of the Game. In addition, more and more top colleges have serious Ultimate teams and playing from a young age may give students a competitive edge when applying to schools.

To find out where to play Ultimate near you, visit the Ultimate Events Calendar.  To read the entire article and learn more about Ultimate, visit the USA Ultimate website.

The most popular KT Tape application requested at the expo was for that nagging knee pain, but we also taped a ton of plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, shin splints, and IT Bands! 

Congratulations to all the athletes who finished the race despite the record cold temperatures- we’ll see you there next year!

If you were a registered participant of the race, click on this link to take the 2011 NATIONAL MARATHON POST RACE SURVEY.

To view the preliminary race results, click here.

To find the Nova Pain and Rehab Clinic nearest you, visit the KT Tape Clinic Locator or visit the Nova Pain and Rehab website.

Friday is here again- what will you be doing this weekend?  We want to know if it includes KT Tape.  Here is a sampling of weekend plans from our KT Tape fans.  Tell us what you’re doing!

“I’m KT Taping my knees tonight and hitting an 8-mile in the morning.” –Mike 

“I’m KT Taping my heels and running the Tokyo Marathon… wish you guys were here promoting your fantastic product!” –Satoshi 

“Soccer (futbol) tournament in Riverside, CA… this weekend for my 13 year old girl…” –Jose 

“I am KT Taping my knee and hitting 7 miels tomorrow, and 13 miles on Sunday!” –Matthew 

“Tapering for Little Rock” –Daniel 

“I will be recovering from my vacation where, ironically, I did a whole bunch of KT TAPING… loved it!” –Joe 

“Performing massages and taping runners at the Disney princess marathon… they really wished you guys were there! LOL” –Desmond 

“Taping up the foot and shin.  Hyannis half marathon Sunday.  8 weeks to Boston.” –Emmett

“Tapin’ my athletes at the Western Athletic Conference swim and dive championships in San Antonio!” –Steve

 “Just taped up my knee and ankle for the Walk for Life tomorrow morning!” -Amanda

Tell us about your weekend plans, and don’t forget to check out KT Tape’s events and instructions pages before you go!

“I am completely and totally in shock! I could hardly move my knee this morning, and have a HUGE run tomorrow. This was recommended after 3 different knee braces didn’t work/support/relieve. WOWOWOWOW. Immediate flexibility and decreased pain. I can think of nothing I want to do more right now than run my A– off! Thank you. A customer for LIFE! ♥” -Colleen

 “I ran last night with the new taping method and my knee felt amazing!  I had no pain! Thank you so so much for all of your help! I really appreciate it.”  -Karen

“1 easy mile yesterday, no pain, 3 easy miles today, still no pain. Thanks @KTTape.” -Nick

 “Oh my gosh my knee has not hurt since I taped it like the picture you sent!  I can straighten and bend it without it hurting, and working all day with it taped, it doesn’t hurt at all…”  -Amanda

 “Well I want to tell my story!! Ran at the Thunder Road Marathon today and I was going in with sore calves from calf pulls.  I saw the vendor there at the expo and he “taped’ me up- well I ran a half marathon with NO calf pain!  LOVE IT!!!”  -Kelly

 “I would like to begin by saying your product is AMAZING.  I have chronic SI joint pain and used it for the first time at the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon.   Normally, I can only run several miles before having to stop and stretch out my back.  Running was always painful for me and thus, I have been avoiding it for several months.  I have run several marathons and thought I would have to give it up, but my husband decided he wanted to try a half.  He signed us up and I figured that I would have to walk the majority of the way because the pain had been so bad recently.  Fit to Run was taping at the expo so I figured I would give it a try.  I am here to say absolutely NO PAIN at all during the run.  While I did not post my best time I was not far off given the fact that I literally did not train at all for this run.  I was only off by 6 minutes. I am a believer in this tape!” -Shelly

 For a full list of injuries and how to tape, visit the KT Tape Instructions Page.

         This avid KT Tape fan was caught running through the Austin Marathon Expo last weekend- with both knees taped!  Free KT Tape and Taping Demos was offered from  both the Hill Country Running Company and the Texas Running Company booths.   Over 25,000 athletes came through the expo  for the race.  Once again, the most popular injury taped for marathon runners at this expo was the knees- either Runner’s Knee or IT Band Pain at the Knee.  Even the purple chicken couldn’t resist being taped for knee support!

In addtion to runners for the Austin Marathon, we also taped a number of younger athletes preparing for a world karate championship.  Their most common injuries were bruising and swelling, so the KT Tapers taped them for stability and edema.

This weekend there will be MORE free KT Taping at the Gasparilla Marathon in Tampa, FL and the Cowtown Marathon in Fort Worth, Texas.  Check out the KT Tape Events Page for details. We’ll see you there!

We had a blast last month at the Walt Disney World Marathon Expo.   Over 60,000 fans visited the expo and we taped non-stop through the whole race weekend!   Here are a few of our favorite taping experiences- including the most unusual and most popular injuries we witnessed…

Favorite Quote from a New Customer: “I have not felt this good in ten years!” –Yoram, after applying KT Tape on his Achilles Tendon for the first time.

 From Pam, Goofy Challenge Finisher:  “I ran the Goofy (39.3 miles within 24 hours) with Plantar Fasciitis and a heel spur… had a WONDERFUL experience and am recovering better than ever because of my KT Tape.  Thank you for the team’s incredible (and hard!) work at the Expo.  You all were wall-to-wall both days.  Grateful.”

 From Andy, a devoted KT Tape user:  “Thanks for running with me and supporting my right ankle throughout the race.  Couldn’t have made it to this point without you!  …I look forward to seeing you all… for sure at next year’s Disney Marathon! (and everytime I look in my gym bag!! LOL ”

 From Mike, a first-time KT Taper:  “I met you this past weekend and you taped up my IT Bands!  I finished my first Marathon and I don’t think I could have done it without your help!”

 From Ron, a frequent KT Taper:  “Thanks for taping my foot both days at Disney. It made a huge difference and I may have not finished the marathon without it. You helped me a lot and a felt like I was getting personalized service which is amazing considering how many people you taped that weekend. You helped a lot of people that weekend. Good job.” From Chelsea, after her first self-application of KT Tape:  “You taped up my dad’s ankles and showed me how to tape my hip yesterday at the Disney running expo.  I just wanted to thank you!  I taped up last night and do not feel any pain in my hip as of yet since the marathon!  My dad also said his ankles and knees feel the best they have after running a long distance!  Thanks for all your help.”

 Most Unusual Injury:  “We met at the DisneyWorld race expo.  I am the girl with the 2 inch sewing needle in her foot.  Just thought I would drop you a note to tell you that the weekend went great.  Got through both the 1/2 and the full marathons without any pain.  Yipee!  Between the KT tape and some acupuncture, it made all the difference between what would have been complete agony and a fun Disney experience.  I will definitely be trying the KT tape again in the future and have already recommended it to some of my running friends.  So, thanks for taping up my toe and foot!  Super grateful!”

 Most Popular Injury Taped at Disney Marathon Expo: 

As many of you guessed, it’s RUNNER’S KNEE!

Happy Valentine’s Day! We are always excited to hear that our customers LOVE KT Tape, so on this Valentine’s Day we decided to share the LOVE and post our customers’ own words:  

I LOVE KT Tape- it helps me so much with my runner’s knee.  I run an average of 20-25 miles a week-  What a difference KT Tape makes.  I’m running in a half marathon every month this year and probably would not be able to do this without the help of the KT Tape.  Thank you so much!  -David T.

Well I want to tell my story!! Ran at the Thunder Road Marathon and I was going in with sore calves from calf pulls. I saw the vendor there at the expo and he KT “taped” me up—I ran a half marathon with NO calf pain!  LOVE IT!!!  -Kelly

I’ve had horrible shin splints since November and I couldn’t train for the Arizona Rock’n’Roll Half Marathon the way I’d wanted to.  It was my first half and I was really worried I would end up walking it.  I saw the KT Tape booth at the expo and figured, what the heck?  Well, after KT Taping I felt better instantly and I was able to run the Half Marathon with NO pain (something I haven’t done in 8 weeks!, and finished 5 min ahead of my goal time.  I LOVE KT TAPE!  -Chrissy S.

I’m a runner who recently fell in LOVE with KT Tape.  My son, an 8 year old competitive gymnast, is in LOVE with it, too.  He calls it “Miracle Tape!”  He recently had a lot of pain in the top of his foot, and after asking about it on the KT Tape facebook page and getting some super advice – I was able to tape his foot with great results. He was back in the gym the next day!  He had no pain during his floor routine and, even I – a diehard KT Tape fan – was surprised when he had no pain on dismounts from rings, highbar, or P-bars!  Thanks so much for helping me get my little gymnast back in the gym! -Jacquelynn L.

I LOVE KT tape.  I had a grade III AC separation, and I tried the general shoulder taping method and it works well.  Thank you, KT Tape rocks!  - Eric L.

Why not join in on the LoveFest- Why do you LOVE KT Tape?

Last month, Dr. Nate Bixby traveled with the Dakota Spirit Cheerleading Team to the JAMFest Cheer Super Nationals in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Dr. Bixby was on hand to keep the girls healthy through the event, and that included taping with KT Tape in the Dakota Spirit team colors!  Rather than allowing injury to detract from their performance or appearance, KT Tape enabled the Dakota Spirit athletes to compete at their best while showing their team spirit- Go Red and Blue!

Dakota Spirit Teams won the both the Enfuego and Magnum National Championship, and were crowned as the Sportsmanship winner.  In the Enfuego they were grand champions for all of level 4!

As a program, Dakota Spirit won JamFest National Philanthropic Contributor of the Year.

In their first year of competition in the Ignite and Fury divisions, Dakota Spirit teams placed 4^th and 3^rd respectively.  And they placed 3^rd in the Blaze and 9^th in the Xplosion competitions.

Congratulations to the Dakota Spirit Team from Sioux Falls, South Dakota! 

To view all of KT Tape’s team colors, visit the KT Tape Store.

Scientists have discovered the fountain of youth—it’s running. Studies continue to find that hitting the roads improves health and well-being. “The biggest benefits come from vigorous exercise like running,” says JoAnn Manson, M.D., chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Here are the latest reasons to lace up.

LOOK AHEAD: People who run more than 35 miles a week are 54 percent less likely to suffer age-related vision loss than those who cover 10 miles a week.

KEEP THE BEAT: Runners who log a weekly run of 10 miles (or more) are 39 percent less likely to use high-blood-pressure meds and 34 percent less likely to need cholesterol meds compared with those who don’t go farther than three miles.

FUNCTION WELL: Men who burn at least 3,000 calories per week (equal to about five hours of running) are 83 percent less likely to have severe erectile dysfunction.

BUILD BONE: Running strengthens bones better than other aerobic activities, say University of Missouri researchers who compared the bone density of runners and cyclists. Sixty-three percent of the cyclists had low density in their spine or hips; only 19 percent of runners did.

THINK FAST: British workers were surveyed on a day they worked out and a day they didn’t. People said they made fewer mistakes, concentrated better, and were more productive on the day they were active.

STAY SHARP: A study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reported that women who were active as teenagers were less likely to develop dementia later in life.

SLEEP TIGHT: Insomniacs fell asleep in 17 minutes on days they ran, compared to 38 minutes on days they didn’t. They also slept for an extra hour on days they exercised.

SNEEZE LESS: People who exercise for an hour a day are 18 percent less likely to suffer upper-respiratory-tract infections than those who are inactive, according to a study from Sweden. Moderate activity boosts immunity.

BREATHE EASY: Researchers had asthmatics do two cardio workouts and one strength session a week. After three months, they reported less wheezing and shortness of breath.

LIVE LONGER: A review of 22 studies found that people who work out 2.5 hours a week are 19 percent less likely to die prematurely than those who don’t exercise. A separate study found that active people have a 50 percent lower risk of premature death.

So there you have it.  And don’t forget to treat ailments like runner’s knee or plantar fasciitis with KT Tape to keep your body in motion and so you can take advantage of all those health benefits.

Stay in the loop with other like-minded fitness folks and become a fan of KT Tape on Facebook.

Active.com, Movescount.com and RunnersWorld.comhave marathon training programs that could work for you, and Competitor.com offers several great training tips.  Click  here to see Active.com’s program, click here to see the Movescount programs, here for RunnersWorld.com, and here for training tips from Competitor.com.  Each are a little different so it’s up to you to see which one would be the best for your needs.

You can also choose to join a local running club that trains specifically for a marathon event.  There are many clubs that meet and train for the sole purpose of getting ready for a marathon.   A lot of marathon sites have training programs you can download as well.

You can also consult your physical therapist, sports med doctor, athletic director or coach for advice in training for a marathon.  Use all the available resources you have to properly get ready for the event in order to perform in top shape and injury free.

Training for a marathon is no smooth road and KT Tape is here to help make it as painless as possible.  Taping running injuries like plantar fasciitis, runner’s knee and ankle sprains are our specialty. Our online kinesiology therapeutic taping instructions make it easy for anyone to tape up and get back to training.

Feel your best as you train and race your marathon with KT Tape.

Happy new year, KT Tapers! I hope the new year has started off on the happiest and healthiest foot possible. I absolutely love this time of year!

Fresh start, new goals, new inspiration, new determination. I probably feel more inspired this time of year than any other.

 So, with the new year comes a new volleyball partner (for me). You guys are the first to officially know that Nicole Branagh and I are officially partnered up for our quest for GOLD in the 2012 London Olympics. I am beyond excited about playing with Nicole and beyond inspired to make our dream of Olympic gold in London come true.

For those of you who don’t know Nicole yet, she is a stud, a sweet heart and a winner. We are determined to be the best of the best … Ever! We’d love your support for the journey I want to wish you all a very happy 2011! Make it great. Make it healthy.

Make it about the important things in life — faith, family, and the pursuit of happiness. There’s so much fun to be had in the pursuit!

Congratulations, Kerri and Nicole!  We are excited to watch your journey to the podium again!

UPDATE: Kerri Walsh announced in March 2011 that she will be reuniting with her former partner, Misty May-Treanor, for the 2012 Olympics Pursuit.  Read here for the whole story.

Should minors run marathons? The topic engenders considerable debate, both among runners and the medical community. When the RT editors discussed the topic, we discovered that two out of six of us had completed a marathon before we were 18 — both more than 25 years ago — and we are still running strong. Arthur Lydiard felt that there was no problem with 12-year-olds running regular 20-mile runs.

But some serious voices disagree. In 2001, The International Marathon Medical Directors Association (IMMDA) issued a position statement that concluded, “It is in the overall best interests of children to make participation in a full marathon an adult activity, reserved only for those 18 years old and older,” citing concerns about overuse injuries, psychological burnout, increased risk of the female athlete triad (disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis) and decreased ability of children to withstand heat stress.

In 2005, however, Dr. William Roberts, Medical Director for the Twin Cities Marathon, published a response to that statement in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, in which he argued it is “difficult to single out long distance running even at the marathon level as a significant risk to long-term health and well-being compared with baseball, ice hockey, soccer, gymnastics, figure skating, and football, or the extreme sports that children and adolescents choose to escape adult supervision.”

Dr. Roberts went on to report, regarding the Twin Cities Marathon, “To date, none of the under-18 entrants have required care in the medical tent at the marathon finish line.” He concluded that while he would not encourage participation of children in marathons, there is no evidence to restrict it either, and proposed 14 guidelines for races, children and their parents. (See runningtimes.com/july08 for the full discussion and guidelines.)

Our medical advisor, Dr. Cathy Fieseler, suggests these simple guidelines:

1. The runner should not be attempting to complete a marathon during or just before his/her competitive season. Just finishing the distance is one thing, but a hard, competitive marathon requires considerable recovery and can sabotage a season or a high school or college career.

2. The idea should come from the kid, not a parent or coach.

3. There should be no pressure; the child should be allowed to drop out of training at any time if it is more than they can or want to handle.

All good advice.  Running a full marathon is no small task and takes a lot of mental and physical preparation.  So regardless of the distance your favorite running youngster is planning to attempt, KT Tape has them covered for any aches or pains they may encounter along the way.