The Scoreboard 💯

Where the action happens: A spotlight on this week's top sporting moments.

MLS Falls Short in the All-Stars

The MLS All-Stars faced off against the Liga MX All-Stars in Ohio, but they were missing some heavy hitters—namely, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

With these Inter Miami stars absent the game lacked the punch it needed.

Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, also from Inter Miami, did make an appearance, but their presence wasn’t enough to tip the scales.

The match started with promise: German Berterame of Club America scored a beautiful header, thanks to a slick combination from Javairo and Jonathan Dos Santos.

Not to be outdone, Cucho Hernandez quickly tied the game for the MLS All-Stars.

From there, the Liga MX All-Stars took control.

Oussama Idrissi, newly signed by Club America, launched a stunning long-range shot that put Liga MX up 2-1. Tigres academy product Juan Brunetta added a third goal with an assist from Ferrareis. Finally, Monterrey’s Maximiliano Meza sealed the deal with a fourth goal, delivering a crushing 4-1 defeat to the MLS All-Stars.

If Messi and Suarez are part of Inter Miami next year, they might just help the MLS All-Stars get their revenge.

Until then, the memory of this 4-1 drubbing will linger.

The MLS All-Stars will have to regroup and hope their international stars are ready to shine in the next showdown.

The Recovery Room 🔋

Insights and tips for keeping your body game-ready and resilient.

Mastering Your Interval Workout Recovery

Listen up, runners. Rest isn't just a chance to contemplate your life choices while gasping for air. It's a precision tool in your training arsenal.

Tweak those rest periods, and suddenly you're sculpting different physiological systems like a mad scientist.

The amount of rest you take can significantly impact your workout's intensity and the physiological systems you target. Let's break down how different rest periods can be used for specific training goals:

Short rest: building speed and lactate threshold

Goal: Improve your 5K performance
Workout Example: 3 x (4 x 400m) at faster than 5K pace
Rest: 30 seconds between 400m repeats, 1 lap jog between sets

Short rests keep your heart rate elevated and help build lactate threshold.

This type of workout improves your ability to maintain speed when fatigued, which is crucial for shorter race distances like 5K.

When to use: In the month leading up to key 5K races to peak your performance.

Medium Rest: Developing race-specific endurance

Goal: Prepare for an half marathon
Workout Example: 3 x 2 miles at half marathon pace
Rest: 2 minutes between intervals

Medium rests allow you to practice race pace without full recovery.

This builds specific endurance, helping you resist fatigue and maintain pace over longer distances like a half marathon.

When to use: Midway through your training cycle when you need to build endurance and get used to race pace.

Long Rest: Maximizing power and speed

Goal: Build strength for a marathon
Workout Example: 10 x 1-minute hill repeats
Rest: Jog down for 3 minutes (full recovery)

Long rests allow for full recovery between high-intensity efforts.

This type of workout develops power and speed, which is important for hill strength and maintaining fast leg turnover during a marathon.

When to use: During high-volume training weeks when you need to recover fully between efforts but still want to work on speed and power.

Key points to remember:

1. Shorter rests increase overall intensity and are better for improving lactate threshold.

2. Medium rests are ideal for practicing race pace and building specific endurance.

3. Longer rests allow for higher quality efforts, focusing on power and speed.

4. Always warm up properly and listen to your body, adjusting rest as needed.

5. Gradually increase the intensity of both work and rest periods as you progress in your training.

Your rest periods aren't just dead time - they're a crucial tool in your training kit. Short rests build speed and lactate threshold, medium rests develop race-specific endurance, and long rests allow for power development.

Remember, there's no one-size-fits-all approach. Listen to your body, start gradually, and don't be afraid to adjust. The key is matching your rest periods to your racing goals. Get this right, and you'll be amazed at how much your running improves.

Now, lace up those shoes and go make those intervals count!

The Training Ground 🏋️

Your go-to for innovative workouts and strength-building secrets.

The Benefits of Low Intensity Training

If your workouts are more about survival than progress, low heart rate training might be just for you. This isn't your grandma's leisurely stroll - it's a scientifically backed method to supercharge your endurance and heart health without feeling like you've been hit by a truck.

The low-down

Forget pushing yourself to the limit (but just for once).

Low heart rate training is all about finding that sweet spot where your ticker is working hard enough to make gains, but not so hard that you're gasping for air like a fish out of water.

It’s about

• Ditching the "no pain, no gain" mentality
• Keeping your heart rate elevated, but not through the roof
• Reaping the cardiovascular rewards without the risk of overdoing it

Crunch those numbers

Time to dust off that calculator, because we're about to do some heart math:

1. Maximum Heart Rate = 220 - your age

2. Low Heart Rate Training Max = 180 - your age

For example, if you're rocking 50 trips around the sun, aim for about 130 beats per minute during your low-intensity sessions.

Why you should try it:

• Run your usual route with less huffing and puffing

• Lower risk of straining your heart or other injuries

• Your heart and lungs become lean, mean, oxygen-processing machines

The proof?

A 2021 study showed that just two hours a week of this low-intensity magic can boost your endurance in a mere four weeks.

Stick with it for 2-3 months, and you'll be amazed at how much easier your usual workouts become.

Finding your goldilocks zone

The American Heart Association suggests starting around 50% of your max heart rate and working your way up.

Too low, and you might as well be napping.
Too high, and you're back in high-intensity territory-

If you've got a super low resting heart rate, it could mean you're in beast mode shape - or it could signal bradycardia. When in doubt, check it out with your doc.

Your training battle plan

1. Calculate your target rate (180 minus your age)

2. Strap on a heart rate monitor (chest straps are the gold standard)

3. Slow your roll if you're exceeding your target

4. Keep all workouts, even strength training, within your target zone

Example: If you usually crush a 3-mile run, keep the distance but adjust your pace to stay in the zone.

It might feel painfully slow at first, but trust the process!

Prepare for some initial frustration as you learn to pump the brakes and obsessively check your heart rate.

But stick with it and before you know it, you'll be cruising through your workouts with the efficiency of a well-oiled machine, leaving your old, gasping self in the dust.

Give it a few months. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is superhuman endurance.

Now get out there and crush it - at a carefully measured, moderate intensity.

The Fuel Station 🥗

Elevating your game with the best news in nutrition.

You Need to Add Mushrooms to Your Diet

It's time to give mushrooms their moment in the spotlight.

These funky fungi are the secret weapon you never knew your diet needed. Packed with nutrients, low in calories, and versatile as hell, mushrooms are about to become your new best friend in the kitchen.

The mushroom all-star lineup

• Shiitake: The MVP of immune-boosting

• Portobello: The burger substitute that actually satisfies

• Crimini: The flavor bomb your pasta's been missing

• Button (White): The classic that never goes out of style

• Oyster: The texture king of stir-fries

• Enoki: The delicate noodle impersonator

• Beech: The nutty flavor champion

• Maitake: The weight-loss wonder

Pro tip: When mushroom hunting at the grocery store, look for firm, dry specimens without any funky smells. Store 'em in a paper bag in the fridge and they'll last about five days.

Why you should go mad for mushrooms

Forget those pricey supplements - mushrooms are nature's multivitamin. Here's the lowdown:

• Antioxidant arsenal: Loaded with selenium, these bad boys fight off heart disease, cancer, and Father Time himself.

• Beta glucan bonanza: This fiber is your ticket to better cholesterol, a happier heart, and balanced blood sugar. Oyster and shiitake mushrooms are the real MVPs here.

• B vitamin bounty: Riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid - it's alphabet soup for your body, supporting everything from digestion to hormone production.

• Copper crusader: Essential for pumping out those red blood cells and keeping your bones and nerves in fighting shape.

• Potassium powerhouse: A portobello packs as much potassium as a banana, without the monkey business.

How to get your fix

These fungi are culinary chameleons:

• Raw: Slice 'em up for a salad with attitude

• Grilled: Your BBQ's new best friend

• Sautéed or roasted: The secret weapon in soups, sandwiches, and basically everything else

• As a main event: Portobello "steaks" that'll make even carnivores do a double-take

And finally, some recipes to try out:

• Grilled Mushroom Skewers: Marinate, skewer, grill, devour. Repeat.

• Creamy Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms: The appetizer that thinks it's a main course

• Vegan Mushroom Risotto: Creamy, dreamy, and totally plant-based

• Roasted Teriyaki Mushrooms and Soba Noodles: An umami explosion in your mouth

• Italian Roasted Mushrooms and Veggies: A side dish so good, it'll steal the show

• Baked Portobello Mushrooms: The "steak" that vegetarians and meat-eaters can agree on

• Mushroom, Lemon, and Lentil Salad: Light, bright, and oh-so-right

• Mushroom and Garlic Sauté: Five ingredients, infinite deliciousness

So there you have it, folks.

Mushrooms aren't just for pizza toppings anymore.

They're the nutritional powerhouse that'll take your athletic performance (and your taste buds) to the next level.

This Week’s Champion

Alexandre Lacazette leads France to a 3-0 win over the U.S. in Olympic soccer.

France's Alexandre Lacazette stole the show in the 2024 Olympics, leading his team to a 3-0 victory over the U.S.

Lacazette's 61st-minute strike broke the deadlock, igniting the Stade Vélodrome and sending the crowd into a frenzy.

His goal set the tone for the rest of the match, with Michael Olise and Loïc Badé adding to the scoreline. Despite a strong first half from the U.S., Lacazette's leadership and skill proved too much to handle.

Can Lacazette continue to inspire France throughout the tournament?

And will his performance lead them to the gold medal?

Funniest Memes in Play

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