That's Fit

I'm stuck! I've been teaching fitness for almost twenty years., and I often feel like I know all there is to know about body mechanics, weight loss, and fitness equipment. Today though, I'm totally stumped. My socks suck, and I can't seem to find a pair that don't!

I have been running a lot lately, and the only thing that bothers me after mile three is my socks! Ack! They're driving me nuts, and on the verge of giving me blisters. SO! I come to you, my brilliant That's Fit readers for help. Tell me about the socks you love and which ones I shouldn't waste my money on. This fitness pro needs your advice. My feet would like to thank you in advance.

You might remember a while ago when I "went running with Lance Armstrong," courtesy of a Lance Armstrong coaching mix provided by Nike. Don't forget that Lance's mix isn't the only one available -- check out some of the other coaching mixes for yourself!

To further encourage you to get (or stay) fit, Nike is giving away one $100 gift card to a lucky That's Fit reader. You can use that gift card toward any gear at Nike.com or at Nike stores. You can use it to purchase clothing, shoes -- you name it! Unfortunately, it's not good toward the coaching mixes, but they're pretty affordable anyway.

To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment below before 5:00PM Eastern, May 9, telling us about who or what inspires you to get fit. We'll randomly choose one winner amongst the eligible entries and announce the winner on May 12. Some other important details:

• To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us about who or what inspires you to get fit.
• The comment must be left and confirmed before May 9 at 5:00PM EST.
• You may only enter once.
• One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
• One winner will receive a Nike Gift Card valued at $100.
• Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.

Click here for complete Official Rules.

That's right! I went running with the Livestrong legend, and you can too!

Nike+ has created a 40 minute running workout featuring Lance Armstrong, and they generously allowed me to download and review it. And I'll tell you what -- 40 minutes on a treadmill has never gone by so fast. The mix of music included songs by artists like Weezer, Beck, and The All-American Rejects and, more importantly, had Lance Armstrong coaching me through the workout.

I definitely liked the extra motivation -- every time I wanted to slow down, I heard Lance's voice and thought of that scene in Dodgeball where he sees Vince Vaughn in the airport bar and talks to him about quitting:

About 20 years ago, Nike introduced the Air Max Light shoe, which was fairly popular for a while until it was overshadowed by a newer version, the Air Max 90.

Well there are now more than 25 versions of the Air Max, all of them available in various colors for men and women. But, Nike is going back to its Air Max roots with the Nike Air Max Light Retro Running Classic shoes.

A couple of versions, like the ones pictured, are available exclusively through JD Sports. However, there are plenty of other versions from which to choose. Check out the gallery and see which ones you want to collect next!

Samsung came out last year with a phone geared toward the active person, and now they've stepped up their commitment to fitness by teaming up with Adidas.

The SGH-F110 miCoach mobile phone will be released sometime in April as a competitor to the Nike+ system. It is geared heavily toward more fitness-minded folks, implementing features like a beep to let you know when your pace slows and software to monitor your heartrate and distance. A pedometer, MP3 player/FM tuner, and camera will be included as well.

According to the New York Times, the price for the deluxe kit will be around $612 and will include phone, heart monitor, shoe sensor and more. This is quite a bit more than the cost of the Nike+ sport kit, but there is a major difference -- the Nike+ sport kit requires the runner to wear Nikes, while the Samsung/Adidas option fits on a runner's laces, regardless of the brand. This will be an interesting match up, and I can't wait to see who wins the race.

There are all-women's gyms and all-women's sports teams, so why not all-women sporting events? Athletic bigwig Nike has just announced its Women's Marathon in San Francisco in October of this year. What makes it different from a regular marathon? Here are some of the highlights:

• Participants get an official Finisher Necklace designed by Tiffany & Co., as well as a Nike Dri-FIT Finisher T-shirt available in women's sizes.
• The marathon also features a three-day interactive Expotique in Union Square.
  
• The after party consists of fine food and massages, among other fabulous offerings.
  

Interested? You have plenty of time to train -- the race isn't until October 19th. Better sign up soon though -- last year's event was a sell-out. For more details, visit the official website.

I recently came across this commerical from Nike, which starts off with the words "I'm not a runner." Take a look at it:

What do you think? Me, I'm not a fan. It's somewhat funny, yes, but there are more ways to get rid of man boobs than running, and I think that if someone takes up a running routine solely for the purpose of keeping trim, they won't stick to it. If you ask me, not everyone is cut out to be a runner but the commercial seems to say otherwise -- that anyone can take up running to trim down. Do you agree or no?

If you're into music while you're running, chances are you either have, or have at least thought about buying an iPod Nano. (And for good reason -- I love running with mine.) But you might not know that your iPod is capable of doing more than just playing your music. With the Nike + iPod Sport Kit, you can wirelessly transfer data about your run from a chip in your shoes to your Nano -- allowing you to track your progress, hear real-time feedback, and coordinate your playlist so it syncs up with different points in your run.

The problem was, if you don't have the Nike+ shoes made for the Sports Kit, you were out of luck.

Until now. Thanks to the new Shoe Pouch, that can attach to the laces of any pair of shoes (Nike or otherwise), you're now able to use the chip from the Sports Kit no matter what you're wearing. Plus, it's only $7.99 -- awesome!

This is such a fantastic idea, I'm actually shocked that no one thought of it sooner.

When I read about Nike Maxsight contacts today I thought it was especially interesting since I had just read this article on sunglasses versus UV contacts a few days ago. UV contacts are made to filter UV rays, but Nike Maxsight lenses take it one step further and throw a sunglasses-like tint into the lenses so you get all the benefits of wearing polarized shades but without the inconvenience of glasses that can fall off or get in the way during sports or athletic activities.

Available in two colors (grey/green for golf, running, training and amber for sports like tennis, baseball, football, and rugby), Fitsugar has some good pictures of what they look like compared to regular contacts if you're curious. And Nike is offering a free trial so you can see how big of a difference they make before committing -- I for one can't wait to try them!

I'm a pretty simple person. As far as fitness equipment goes, the only things I really use on a regular basis are my running shoes and water bottle. But as someone who's making a bigger commitment to fitness every day, I find myself researching and wanting exercise-related gadgets that the old me wouldn't have dreamed of wasting money on. For example? I find myself buying Lululemon workout gear, despite it being super expensive (Think $100 for a pair of capris. That you wear to the gym.) Once upon a time, I wore a pair of $12 shorts, a t-shirt I borrowed from a friend and my sneakers to the gym. But I figure it's worth it if the motivation to get my money's worth on my workout gear drives me to go to the gym when I'd much rather nap. You can't put a price on healthy living, right?

Anyway, this week, I thought I'd put together a list of gadgets that have caught my eye and might catch yours too.

With warmer weather rapidly approaching and bathing suit season not far behind there has never been a better time to revamp or start a fitness routine. One of the hardest parts of getting fit is getting started. If you've never consistently exercised before you may not even know where to begin. Sure, running around the park like the rest of the folks you see out there every morning can look easy enough, but without the proper training--stretching, pacing, etc.--rushing in can lead to injury and setbacks.

Another difficulty with exercise regimens is to keep up with them once you've started. People complain they get bored doing the same thing every session and inevitably fall off the exercise wagon. If you're going to make the commitment to starting, make the commitment to keep up the good work. It sounds easy enough--"Just do it!" like Nike says, right?--but exercise is as much an experience for your brain as it is for your body.

Having been an avid exerciser for most of my life--I'm now 32 and have been actively committed to exercising since I was 12 years old--people often ask me how I do I got started and how I manage to stay committed. First I tell them about the effects of exercise--it makes me look good and feel great--but that's rarely enough to convince someone to get on the wagon and stay there until he or she has experienced it firsthand.

On days like today, the sidewalks coated with a thin layer of dirty gray slush, I really miss summer and being barefoot in the backyard. But as much as I love the feeling of fresh air on my feet, I don't think the barefoot running trend will ever be for me.

One way I can come close: Nike's new Considered line for 2007. The top shoe in the picture, the Watercat, is a water shoe that claims to offer all the support that Nike is famous for while leaving your foot almost bare, with an exoskeleton type design.

Want another reason to like these shoes? The Considered line is the beginning of a new, sustainability-focused attitude from Nike. While the company definitely has a long way to go before being a truly "green" brand, but it's exciting to see Nike headed in the right direction. Considered products require fewer chemicals in production, create less waste, and even are made intentionally lighter than other athletic shoes to consume less fuel and create less emissions in the shipping process.

At first I thought it was a mistake to include friends, family and thousands of strangers in the stumbling beginnings of my quest towards the new, less-fat me. It means I'm almost constantly admitting that I suck at this -- explaining, in depth, the ways in which I've tried and failed to overcome the physical lethargy that's dominated the past 3 years of my life.

But then Christmas came along, and I got a bunch of cool stuff. Things are looking up.

My family tends to settle on gift-giving themes every year. One year it's "off to college," when Santa brings your first cooking utensils and plastic dorm room accessories; the next it's "expectant parent," when you get "how-to" guides for the novice care-giver, adorable onesies and dude-friendly diaper bags. This year, Mr. Kringle provided me with some awesome tools to further my new-found fitness hobby.

Enter iPod Nano, and accompanying runner's armband from Nike. These are, by far, the coolest runner's gadgets imaginable. Even better, is that mine came pre-loaded with a bunch of music my brother uses to work out -- stuff I would never, ever have chosen myself.

I switched on my new toy as I plodded out the front door, and was immediately blasted with the angry rants of Rage Against the Machine. Within minutes, I was pumped up, rocking out, and kicking that sidewalk's sorry ass! When the singer's last scream fell silent, I was already losing my breath -- but as I slowed to compensate I got serenaded by the most club-tastic dance tunes I've heard since I tended bar in college. The thumping base pratically lifted my feet off the pavement, and I think I spent the next half mile with a smile on my face -- bouncing down the road like some candy-raver at an all night party.

As a side note, a gift I didn't get, but discovered while I was browsing around the internet, is the Nike+iPod Sport Kit. The device allows you insert a chip into your Nike shoes, which communicates with another chip in your iPod -- recording time and distance, and, in turn, playing the tracks you've pre-selected for certain parts of your workout. As in, when you hit mile five and have to dig deep for that extra something, the chip will tell your iPod to play your power track, cranking up the Rocky theme song (or whatever), as you pound through the pain down the final stretch. Awesome!

Attention runners of the world: crank up the jams. Running in silence sucks.

Nike -- the world's leading sports brand and Grammy-Award winning LCD Soundsystem to release the 45:33: Nike+Original Run -- an exclusive and original musical composition that is available today -- November 17.

45:33: Nike+ Original Run is a unique album written specifically for runners although the work will extend to all music fans of all tastes. LCD Soundsystem -- aka James Murphy -- said that "This appealed to me because it was so anathematic to what you're typically asked to do as an artist: make easily digestible lumps of music for albums, or the radio, or whatever. I'd been thinking of the records I love in which people made one "song" that took up the entire LP and realizing that releasing something like this would otherwise be a virtually impossibility for me, I became excited when the Nike+ project came along."

What intrigues me about this release is that Nike, which produces some outstanding athletic products and some rather overpriced products compared to the competition, continues to be involved in projects that highlight the importance of physical exercise. If a partnership with a musician or an electronics company comes along that gets people excited in exercise -- running, jogging, walking or otherwise -- that is a good move for getting people off their duffs and into some kind of regular exercise if possible. Many lives have become so sedentary that any kind of physical exercise should be a welcome retreat from the daily constraints of non-movement.

Today Walt Mossberg -- one of the world's foremost computer journalists -- wrote in The Wall Street Journal about his field test of the new Nike + iPod Sport Kit.

The Sport Kit is an in-sneaker computer that interacts with your iPod, tracking your running workouts and reporting on your speed and distance. But it does so much more than that, and Mossberg's column reports on how cool it is in a straightforward, thoughtful fashion.

Along the way, he explains how you get the darn thing to work, from opening the packages of the various parts to hitting your PowerSong button when your energy is flagging.