Latest news with #FrankThomas
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Today in Chicago History: ‘Black Sox' acquitted, but ultimately banned for life from baseball
Here's a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on Aug. 2, according to the Tribune's archives. Is an important event missing from this date? Email us. Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago) High temperature: 101 degrees (1991) Low temperature: 51 degrees (1985) Precipitation: 5.63 inches (1885) Snowfall: Trace (2015) 1921: Eight White Sox players had been charged with throwing the World Series. Despite earning the nickname the 'Black Sox,' the men were acquitted by a jury that deliberated just 2 hours and 47 minutes. Chicago White Sox players conspired to throw the 1919 World Series. Here's how the Tribune covered it. A day after their acquittal, however, baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis ruled that the players allegedly involved — Joe Jackson, Eddie Cicotte, Oscar Emil 'Happy' Felsch, Chick Gandil, Frederick William McMullin, Swede Risberg, Buck Weaver and Lefty Williams — would be banned for life from organized baseball. 1990: Chicago White Sox rookie Frank Thomas knocked in the winning run in his first major-league game. The Sox beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 during the opener of a doubleheader at County Stadium. In addition to future Hall of Famer Thomas, the Sox's lineup also included two of their No. 1 draft picks: Alex Fernandez (1990) and Robin Ventura (1988). 2001: Chicago Public Library launched its 'One Book, One Chicago' initiative. The first book on the list: 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee — Mayor Richard M. Daley's favorite. Vintage Chicago Tribune: Pelé, Hamm, Beckham, Rapinoe, Messi and more. When soccer's big names came to play 2009: Brazilian soccer star Marta made her professional debut in the United States with her Los Angeles Sol team, which lost in a match against the Chicago Red Stars at Toyota Park in Bridgeview. Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past. Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Kori Rumore and Marianne Mather at krumore@ and mmather@ Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
White Sox legend Frank Thomas pays tribute to Ryne Sandberg after passing
The post White Sox legend Frank Thomas pays tribute to Ryne Sandberg after passing appeared first on ClutchPoints. The baseball world is mourning the loss of MLB Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, who passed away at 65 after a battle with metastatic prostate cancer. A legend on the field and a class act off it, Sandberg's impact extended far beyond Wrigleyville. Among the many heartfelt tributes pouring in, one of the most emotional came from White Sox icon Frank Thomas. 'RIP Ryno! I just don't know what to say about this,' Frank Thomas wrote on X, formerly Twitter. 'Getting to know you and Margaret on our flights to Cooperstown was always amazing. Teasing me about being my wife's favorite player ever. You were always a class act. You will be missed by my family and so many others!' That mix of admiration and camaraderie defined Sandberg's reputation throughout baseball. Though he made his name with the Cubs, Sandberg transcended rivalries. He was a 10-time All-Star, nine-time Gold Glove winner, seven-time Silver Slugger, and the 1984 National League MVP. The Cubs retired his No. 23 jersey, and in 2005, Cooperstown immortalized the MLB Hall of Famer. But Sandberg's legacy wasn't just about stats. He carried himself with grace, humility, and a quiet strength. Even after his diagnosis in January 2024, he remained a symbol of courage, briefly declaring himself cancer-free before the disease returned later that year. His passing hit home for players, fans, and former teammates alike. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts praised Sandberg's integrity and perseverance, calling him one of the game's finest ambassadors. And now, as the baseball world reflects on his legacy, Sandberg's influence lives on, not just in highlight reels, but in the lives he touched, the respect he earned, and the dignity he embodied. Ryne Sandberg may be gone, but the game he loved will forever echo his number, his name, and his spirit. And as White Sox legend Frank Thomas reminded us, even across rival lines, true greatness leaves a mark that no city can forget. Related: White Sox's young stars are 'playing for a lot more' than themselves Related: MLB rumors: White Sox 'focused on 4 Mets players in Luis Robert Jr. trade talks
New York Times
12-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
From Mark Buehrle to late Bobby Jenks, 2005 White Sox return to Chicago's spotlight: Greenberg
CHICAGO — As Mark Buehrle approached a lectern in the outfield patio of Rate Field, a nearby fan yelled, 'It's not going to be a long speech!' A source close to the situation confirmed it. 'I'm going to make this quick,' Buehrle said. If there's one thing Buehrle was known for during his time with the White Sox, it was efficiency. He threw the pitches his catcher called and didn't waste any time on the mound. He was the king of the two-hour game before the pitch clock. Advertisement On this day, he was only talking because he was getting a statue in the outfield, joining former teammates Paul Konerko and Frank Thomas, among others. The honor came 10 years after he hung it up and eight years after his number was retired by the White Sox, with whom he made 365 regular-season starts and threw 3,283 1/3 innings, with a perfect game, no-hitter, World Series win and a save thrown in for good measure. The statue dedication was the opener of a much-anticipated 20th-anniversary reunion weekend for the 2005 White Sox. For much of the ceremony, as public-address announcer Gene Honda read his accolades, Buehrle looked like he was at a funeral, sitting there in the hot sun with a dour face. For a guy who loved being on the mound, tarp-diving and catching first pitches, he kind of hates attention. It's why he doesn't miss baseball. 'I was literally nervous as can be all day today,' he said later. 'Got three hours of sleep last night. Couldn't eat all day today. Sick to my stomach. All these cameras and mics and people, this is not my comfortable zone.' Even after seeing the statue in person, Buehrle was still processing the honor. 'You don't play the game for any of this,' he said. 'I literally went out there and played just because I love baseball and I love competing. … You never think of a number retirement, a statue. I can't even wrap my head around it, like it just doesn't make sense.' It did if you watched him pitch. Almost all of his teammates stood out on the crowded concourse for the ceremony. These are men in their 40s and 50s who could now blend into a crowd. They took pictures, videos and selfies. And for their manager, that was the most special part of the day. Reunited at Rate Field — Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 12, 2025 'It was a great thing to see his teammates around him,' Ozzie Guillen said. 'They feel the same love, the same respect for each other. They're happy to see each other. I'm not talking about the 2005 championship. I'm talking about friendship.' Buehrle, who isn't the best at keeping in touch, said, 'I haven't talked to a couple of guys in 10 to 12 years, and it was like we didn't even skip a beat. We just start getting on each other, wearing each other out, making fun of each other. I think when you go to battle and you win a World Series with a team, it's like that. You got a special bond with those guys.' Advertisement While everyone was happy for Buehrle and excited to see old friends, the recent death of Bobby Jenks, the cherubic closer with a 100 mph heater, cast a pall over the event. 'Hearing that news, it hit me a little harder than I thought it would,' Buehrle said. 'It's definitely very sad.' Jenks, who died of cancer on July 4 in Portugal, had hoped to make the event. When he started treatment, he told his doctors to clear his schedule for this weekend. But it wasn't meant to be. Jon Garland ordered a Jenks jersey and wore it to Friday's event. 'Bobby was a huge personality. A huge human being,' A.J. Pierzynski said. 'For him not to be here was a huge hole in this whole thing.' After the last out of the 2005 World Series, Pieryznski jumped into Jenks' arms. The image of Jenks pumping his fists is now a memorial graphic at the ballpark. The current team will wear No. 45 patches on their jerseys for the rest of the season. Jenks came up midway through that season when the team needed him most, like a character in a storybook. He was a big kid, a husky man-child, who threw 100 mph with a nasty curveball. For a team that prided itself on playing with a chip on their collective shoulders, Jenks, who had a turbulent life and minor-league career to that point, fit right in. But Guillen thought Jenks' death would have a unifying effect on the team. He wondered how they would react when they are all together and Jenks is mentioned during Saturday's ceremony. 'Losing my boy, losing everybody's guy, that man was special for everyone,' he said. Guillen said he spent a lot of time with his former closer last summer when Jenks was managing an independent-league team in the Chicago area. Baseball (and golf) brought them back together. But Ozzie said he won't miss Jenks because that would mean he forgot about him. 'You never die when people remember you every day,' he said. If that's the case, Bobby Jenks, like Mark Buehrle, Ozzie Guillen and the rest of the 2005 White Sox will live forever.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Thread Performance review: Going from dad bod to Father Figure
As I get older, I can relate much more with the non-Frank Thomas characters in all those Frank Thomas commercials. I'm a dad in my 40s. Fitness is no longer a side effect but something that has to be planned. Gravity appears to have found an extra gear. Things are slower. Weight that comes on, stays on. This was has been on full display the past two NFL seasons. The rigors of coverage lend to stress eating and limited gym time. Factor in Wisconsin winters and right around the Super Bowl is when my weight peaks each year. The theory of my fitness is an easy one. Do I want to feel good in a bad way (powering through a full bag of Doritos and drinking six beers on a Saturday)? Do I want to feel bad in a good way (sore and eating chicken, beans and rice most nights)? I'm never going to live one way without the other for more than a little while, but I can lean toward the latter in long stretches to keep my body from falling into disrepair. Thus, spring turns into a rebuilding mode. This year, I had help. Thread Performance sent along a 30-day Performance Bundle consisting of its Daily Fuel, Edge and Strength supplements -- a combination of proteins and nutrients that, combined with a return to the weights and trails, promised at least a slightly less disappointing body. 2XU sent along some compression tights for running and other workouts as Madison slowly emerged from its winter slumber. The goal was simple. Six days of supplements per week. Six workouts -- three weights, three cardio -- per week for five weeks. All the while, I'd be eating more responsibly, but not cutting out the easiest shortcut to losing my unwanted gut. Giving up beers (and other alcohol) would shed probably 1,000-plus calories from my weekly budget. But this was the home stretch of college basketball season and my desire to crush beers (reasonably and responsibly) while Vanderbilt crashed out of the NCAA Tournament was more appealing than dropping a few extra pounds in that month-plus. I started this journey at 171.5 pounds. My body fat, per a not-especially-reliable scale, was about 23.1 percent. Ideally I'd like to get that down to 160 and 18, but that's more work than I'm willing to put in. For five weeks I'd be happy with a modest drop in either category. I thought about taking a before/after photo here for you, then decided that would be weird. The pack has everything I need for a month of muscle building, fat-shrinking prosperity. Thirty individual packets of Daily Fuel, a vanilla-flavored protein powder (21 grams) with "25 organic superfoods" that promises vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Sixty capsules of Daily Strength, a patented "muscle accelerator blend" called RIPFACTOR that I cannot say without sounding like I'm about to tell you about an upcoming monster truck show (it contains 500 mg of organic beet root powder, as well). Thirty capsules of Daily Edge, which is mostly minerals (iron, zinc, copper) mixed with another beet root base. I... have concerns. But I am also out of shape and lacking motivation. Let's jump in. I'm adding this to my typical morning routine. I start with four glasses of cold water before making coffee. I typically add a scoop of protein powder to that and, three times a week, a scoop of creatine powder. Aside from multivitamins, that's pretty much the scope of my supplement intake. The powder smells appealing. The vanilla is clean and sweet. There's just enough flax to give off a mild granola bar vibe. I mix it with some two percent milk and a little Splenda as well, because despite the fact I have been drinking coffee for the last decade, I am still, decidedly, bad at it. A few slightly concerning bright red dots float to the surface of my coffee foam. Huh. There's a minor grittiness to the taste but ultimately it's sweet and just a little bit like a dessert-style trail mix. That's a compliment. It's a proper vanilla that works well with a regular cup of coffee (in this case, the tail end of a bag of Death Wish). Around 2:30, I slugged back the three capsules of Daily Edge and Strength to accompany my late lunch. The capsules are sealed but still manage to taste the way food at a petting zoo smells. My post-fuel workout went roughly as expected. Slightly energizing while being uniquely bad and simultaneously exhausting since I'm coming off a cold and have barely done anything active the last two weeks. The workout, for reference: shoulder raises curls deadlifts bench press back rows ... with some random stuff thrown in depending on how I'm feeling. Turkish getups? Hate it, but sure. Ball slams? Kettlebell swings? Whatever. I'm just trying to look good (and not screw up my knees/back any more than they already are in the process). Day 2 is a run day -- nothing significant, just a mile because my cardio is a big pile of garbage at this point. I've got my 2X tights on a 45 degree day. These are, well, snug. I'd show you a picture, but again, feels weird. However, they do a solid job keeping me warm and, importantly, helping ward off the calf strains that derail my running progress a couple times per year. Let's talk about that real quick: The compression makes the Light Speed tights a bit difficult to get on, but that's expected. The gold markings look good on the black and there's a small, zippered pocket for a house key or some cash, which is a nice utilitarian touch. The compression does make me feel a bit energized for this run, though that's more a placebo effect than anything. Plus, going from 10 percent ready to work out to 15 is a 50 percent bump, just not in a way anyone really cares about. I'm wearing shorts over them because I would prefer not to subject my neighbors to a full tour of my Hank Hill body. But 2XU does a good job in that department as well -- these are snug, but not entirely form-fitting. I'm also wearing them down over my ankles and socks to cover my heel; I'm not sure if that's how you're supposed to do it, but it's how I've been wearing tights since high school. These did a bang-up job of keeping me warm. Almost too warm; I've got a decent lather going. Importantly, my biggest concern -- reaggravating the calf strain that had me give up running last spring -- didn't play a role. While the tights sagged a bit (possibly by being pushed down by my Wisconsin winter gut (tm)) and there was some minor early discomfort in my left heel and where the bottom of the tights met the top of my foot, things felt pretty good. Er, as good as they could feel as I struggled through a 10 minute mile. I will admit, it did feel like there was an extra spring in my step after I stopped at one mile, walked a bit, then ran the last block home. Though the heaviness in my legs persisted, I do think an unpleasant workout was made a bit better by the tights. Even my post-run stretching felt a bit more rewarding. The real test came two days after. I'm moderately sore but not in a bad way; heavy quads, slightly tight calves but nothing that would stop me from running again. I'm not gonna do that until I get another 40-plus degree day, but it's nice to know. I do think I feel better than I normally would. The Power Recovery tights are a significantly better fit for long-range cardio. My feet are more comfortable thanks to a stirrup leg. The waist doesn't sag as much. The compression around my calves fend off the cramps and strains that ruin my summer attempts to get my mileage up. There's a bit of a concern for other bending/twisting workouts -- churning out burpees with these did bring the sagging issue back to the forefront -- they perform as advertised. These do seem to have more of a positive effect on my performance than the Light Speed. That performance still is not great, but I feel like it's better than it would have been otherwise. That's all I can ask for. OK, back to Thread. While it's unlikely I'm getting much from the supplements 30 hours into the process, I will say this run was better than a late January attempt. I feel terrible, sure, but I'm not outwardly considering collapse as a do a post-run stretch. Progress! But still, these capsules smell terrible. The packaging ensures me I can break them apart and eat them that way if I prefer. I do not. There is one noticeable downside. My arms are cramping throughout my post-run stretch despite being hydrated out the wazoo. Is that a supplement problem or just the fact I'm 41? It's creating a lot of sharp winces that have my daughter concerned. Don't worry sweetheart, dad is just paying for treating his body like the trash can at a minor league baseball game for the past three months. Week 2, with more alternating between runs and lifting and an occasional cross training day, is derailed by a cold. Nothing too bad, but enough to cost me a couple days of work. By the time I'm back at the weights it feels like whatever I gained last week is gone and I'm exhausted again. The hope is this is just the lingering remnants of whatever turned my sinuses into a bog. The good news is the week's runs go longer and faster than I'd planned. Not long or fast, mind you, but better than expected after four days without cardio. Maybe the extra rest helped, but I'd be open to chalking this extra gas tank up to a cleaner diet. The cramping that arrived earlier has quieted to a dull ache (and some signs of tennis elbow). Week 3 sees some fatigue set in. It's also a six workout week -- three runs, two days of weights and one day with some plyometrics and some basic lifting. My legs are tired, but flipping from dead lifts to running two-plus miles without feeling heavy, which is a welcome change. I also drank less this week, dropping my weight down to 167 pounds. My body fat rose slightly, but I don't trust an old Fitbit scale to be accurate there. More importantly, I feel like I look better and, despite the tired arms/legs and general soreness, feel pretty good. By Week 4 I'm down to 166 pounds (but my body fat is up to 24.1 percent. Scale!). The biggest improvement I've seen -- something that hasn't been a part of my normal protein/creatine combo -- has been the recovery in my legs. Normally swapping deadlifts/squats/cross training and runs would leave them heavy and tired. But I was able to get into 5K shape while deadlifting more than I have in a decade (or possibly ever) without feeling too bad. That's extremely helpful, even if it's just a tipping point to keep me from ditching my workout plan three days into the week. Thread's biggest benefit is its recovery. It didn't do the work for me, but it gave me the gas tank to get it done myself. In five weeks I went from not being able to run a mile to knocking out four-plus with minimal issue. That's not especially impressive, but I did it while only running twice per week, on average -- and with leg-tiring dead lifts in between. By the end of five weeks, I've dipped from 171 pounds to 165. Did I get sick almost immediately afterwards, spend a full month battling my own body's unparalleled mucus production and lose a significant chunk of that progress? Absolutely. That meant it took a while to test my Thread Performance outcomes against my typical protein/creatine combo. By June I was back to normal(ish) and back on my schedule. I do feel a noticeable recovery and cardio difference now that I'm off Thread's supplements. Notably, the leg fatigue is back and my cardio isn't responding the way I'd hoped. It's not bad -- again, lots of this is because my body is simply naturally getting worse because time is a thief that robs us all -- but it's undeniably worse. Thus, I think it's a reasonable conclusion that Thread Performance helped me get through my workouts and available for the next one. The 2XU tights, as difficult to get on as they were, were a positive influence that aided in the recovery while serving a utilitarian purpose in a cold spring. If I were serious enough to go through this schedule without drinking, the results would have undoubtedly been better, but I'm still pretty happy with six pounds in five weeks while building up my cardio and strength. Will it work for you? No idea! This is just an anecdotal review of how I felt better working out with these supplements than I do without them. This article originally appeared on For The Win: Thread Performance review: Workouts helped my dad bod
USA Today
24-06-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Thread Performance review: Going from dad bod to Father Figure
As I get older, I can relate much more with the non-Frank Thomas characters in all those Frank Thomas commercials. I'm a dad in my 40s. Fitness is no longer a side effect but something that has to be planned. Gravity appears to have found an extra gear. Things are slower. Weight that comes on, stays on. This was has been on full display the past two NFL seasons. The rigors of coverage lend to stress eating and limited gym time. Factor in Wisconsin winters and right around the Super Bowl is when my weight peaks each year. The theory of my fitness is an easy one. Do I want to feel good in a bad way (powering through a full bag of Doritos and drinking six beers on a Saturday)? Do I want to feel bad in a good way (sore and eating chicken, beans and rice most nights)? I'm never going to live one way without the other for more than a little while, but I can lean toward the latter in long stretches to keep my body from falling into disrepair. Thus, spring turns into a rebuilding mode. This year, I had help. Thread Performance sent along a 30-day Performance Bundle consisting of its Daily Fuel, Edge and Strength supplements -- a combination of proteins and nutrients that, combined with a return to the weights and trails, promised at least a slightly less disappointing body. 2XU sent along some compression tights for running and other workouts as Madison slowly emerged from its winter slumber. The goal was simple. Six days of supplements per week. Six workouts -- three weights, three cardio -- per week for five weeks. All the while, I'd be eating more responsibly, but not cutting out the easiest shortcut to losing my unwanted gut. Giving up beers (and other alcohol) would shed probably 1,000-plus calories from my weekly budget. But this was the home stretch of college basketball season and my desire to crush beers (reasonably and responsibly) while Vanderbilt crashed out of the NCAA Tournament was more appealing than dropping a few extra pounds in that month-plus. I started this journey at 171.5 pounds. My body fat, per a not-especially-reliable scale, was about 23.1 percent. Ideally I'd like to get that down to 160 and 18, but that's more work than I'm willing to put in. For five weeks I'd be happy with a modest drop in either category. I thought about taking a before/after photo here for you, then decided that would be weird. The pack has everything I need for a month of muscle building, fat-shrinking prosperity. Thirty individual packets of Daily Fuel, a vanilla-flavored protein powder (21 grams) with "25 organic superfoods" that promises vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Sixty capsules of Daily Strength, a patented "muscle accelerator blend" called RIPFACTOR that I cannot say without sounding like I'm about to tell you about an upcoming monster truck show (it contains 500 mg of organic beet root powder, as well). Thirty capsules of Daily Edge, which is mostly minerals (iron, zinc, copper) mixed with another beet root base. I... have concerns. But I am also out of shape and lacking motivation. Let's jump in. Daily Fuel (vanilla): B+ I'm adding this to my typical morning routine. I start with four glasses of cold water before making coffee. I typically add a scoop of protein powder to that and, three times a week, a scoop of creatine powder. Aside from multivitamins, that's pretty much the scope of my supplement intake. The powder smells appealing. The vanilla is clean and sweet. There's just enough flax to give off a mild granola bar vibe. I mix it with some two percent milk and a little Splenda as well, because despite the fact I have been drinking coffee for the last decade, I am still, decidedly, bad at it. A few slightly concerning bright red dots float to the surface of my coffee foam. Huh. There's a minor grittiness to the taste but ultimately it's sweet and just a little bit like a dessert-style trail mix. That's a compliment. It's a proper vanilla that works well with a regular cup of coffee (in this case, the tail end of a bag of Death Wish). Around 2:30, I slugged back the three capsules of Daily Edge and Strength to accompany my late lunch. The capsules are sealed but still manage to taste the way food at a petting zoo smells. My post-fuel workout went roughly as expected. Slightly energizing while being uniquely bad and simultaneously exhausting since I'm coming off a cold and have barely done anything active the last two weeks. The workout, for reference: ... with some random stuff thrown in depending on how I'm feeling. Turkish getups? Hate it, but sure. Ball slams? Kettlebell swings? Whatever. I'm just trying to look good (and not screw up my knees/back any more than they already are in the process). Day 2 is a run day -- nothing significant, just a mile because my cardio is a big pile of garbage at this point. I've got my 2X tights on a 45 degree day. These are, well, snug. I'd show you a picture, but again, feels weird. However, they do a solid job keeping me warm and, importantly, helping ward off the calf strains that derail my running progress a couple times per year. Let's talk about that real quick: 2XU Compression Tights: B+ The compression makes the Light Speed tights a bit difficult to get on, but that's expected. The gold markings look good on the black and there's a small, zippered pocket for a house key or some cash, which is a nice utilitarian touch. The compression does make me feel a bit energized for this run, though that's more a placebo effect than anything. Plus, going from 10 percent ready to work out to 15 is a 50 percent bump, just not in a way anyone really cares about. I'm wearing shorts over them because I would prefer not to subject my neighbors to a full tour of my Hank Hill body. But 2XU does a good job in that department as well -- these are snug, but not entirely form-fitting. I'm also wearing them down over my ankles and socks to cover my heel; I'm not sure if that's how you're supposed to do it, but it's how I've been wearing tights since high school. These did a bang-up job of keeping me warm. Almost too warm; I've got a decent lather going. Importantly, my biggest concern -- reaggravating the calf strain that had me give up running last spring -- didn't play a role. While the tights sagged a bit (possibly by being pushed down by my Wisconsin winter gut (tm)) and there was some minor early discomfort in my left heel and where the bottom of the tights met the top of my foot, things felt pretty good. Er, as good as they could feel as I struggled through a 10 minute mile. I will admit, it did feel like there was an extra spring in my step after I stopped at one mile, walked a bit, then ran the last block home. Though the heaviness in my legs persisted, I do think an unpleasant workout was made a bit better by the tights. Even my post-run stretching felt a bit more rewarding. The real test came two days after. I'm moderately sore but not in a bad way; heavy quads, slightly tight calves but nothing that would stop me from running again. I'm not gonna do that until I get another 40-plus degree day, but it's nice to know. I do think I feel better than I normally would. The Power Recovery tights are a significantly better fit for long-range cardio. My feet are more comfortable thanks to a stirrup leg. The waist doesn't sag as much. The compression around my calves fend off the cramps and strains that ruin my summer attempts to get my mileage up. There's a bit of a concern for other bending/twisting workouts -- churning out burpees with these did bring the sagging issue back to the forefront -- they perform as advertised. These do seem to have more of a positive effect on my performance than the Light Speed. That performance still is not great, but I feel like it's better than it would have been otherwise. That's all I can ask for. OK, back to Thread. While it's unlikely I'm getting much from the supplements 30 hours into the process, I will say this run was better than a late January attempt. I feel terrible, sure, but I'm not outwardly considering collapse as a do a post-run stretch. Progress! But still, these capsules smell terrible. The packaging ensures me I can break them apart and eat them that way if I prefer. I do not. There is one noticeable downside. My arms are cramping throughout my post-run stretch despite being hydrated out the wazoo. Is that a supplement problem or just the fact I'm 41? It's creating a lot of sharp winces that have my daughter concerned. Don't worry sweetheart, dad is just paying for treating his body like the trash can at a minor league baseball game for the past three months. Week 2, with more alternating between runs and lifting and an occasional cross training day, is derailed by a cold. Nothing too bad, but enough to cost me a couple days of work. By the time I'm back at the weights it feels like whatever I gained last week is gone and I'm exhausted again. The hope is this is just the lingering remnants of whatever turned my sinuses into a bog. The good news is the week's runs go longer and faster than I'd planned. Not long or fast, mind you, but better than expected after four days without cardio. Maybe the extra rest helped, but I'd be open to chalking this extra gas tank up to a cleaner diet. The cramping that arrived earlier has quieted to a dull ache (and some signs of tennis elbow). Week 3 sees some fatigue set in. It's also a six workout week -- three runs, two days of weights and one day with some plyometrics and some basic lifting. My legs are tired, but flipping from dead lifts to running two-plus miles without feeling heavy, which is a welcome change. I also drank less this week, dropping my weight down to 167 pounds. My body fat rose slightly, but I don't trust an old Fitbit scale to be accurate there. More importantly, I feel like I look better and, despite the tired arms/legs and general soreness, feel pretty good. By Week 4 I'm down to 166 pounds (but my body fat is up to 24.1 percent. Scale!). The biggest improvement I've seen -- something that hasn't been a part of my normal protein/creatine combo -- has been the recovery in my legs. Normally swapping deadlifts/squats/cross training and runs would leave them heavy and tired. But I was able to get into 5K shape while deadlifting more than I have in a decade (or possibly ever) without feeling too bad. That's extremely helpful, even if it's just a tipping point to keep me from ditching my workout plan three days into the week. Thread's biggest benefit is its recovery. It didn't do the work for me, but it gave me the gas tank to get it done myself. In five weeks I went from not being able to run a mile to knocking out four-plus with minimal issue. That's not especially impressive, but I did it while only running twice per week, on average -- and with leg-tiring dead lifts in between. By the end of five weeks, I've dipped from 171 pounds to 165. Did I get sick almost immediately afterwards, spend a full month battling my own body's unparalleled mucus production and lose a significant chunk of that progress? Absolutely. That meant it took a while to test my Thread Performance outcomes against my typical protein/creatine combo. By June I was back to normal(ish) and back on my schedule. I do feel a noticeable recovery and cardio difference now that I'm off Thread's supplements. Notably, the leg fatigue is back and my cardio isn't responding the way I'd hoped. It's not bad -- again, lots of this is because my body is simply naturally getting worse because time is a thief that robs us all -- but it's undeniably worse. Thus, I think it's a reasonable conclusion that Thread Performance helped me get through my workouts and available for the next one. The 2XU tights, as difficult to get on as they were, were a positive influence that aided in the recovery while serving a utilitarian purpose in a cold spring. If I were serious enough to go through this schedule without drinking, the results would have undoubtedly been better, but I'm still pretty happy with six pounds in five weeks while building up my cardio and strength. Will it work for you? No idea! This is just an anecdotal review of how I felt better working out with these supplements than I do without them.
