FitSugar

Running Gal Gift Guide

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:00:54 -0800

One of the major appeals of running is that you can just lace your sneakers and go. Although it is not a gear heavy sport, I have found a few tempting and helpful pieces that make perfect gifts. Treat the running gal in your life to some sweet holiday presents from this gift guide. You might even find a few pieces to put on your own wish list this year.
Source: Getty

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Gear Review: Nike ACG Wildedge GTX Shoe

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:00:23 -0700

I'm a big fan of Nike's All Condition Gear (ACG) line. If you're into climbing, hiking, or trail running, this shoe line has something for you. When at the Nike store recently, I noticed that my Wildedge approach shoes are now on sale. This shoe, a mixture of a hiking boot and climbing shoe, is now $65, marked down from $110.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Nike's ACG line and to celebrate it, Nike rolled out some pretty cool versions of the Wildedge shoe - a modern twist on the vintage Wildwood shoe that was popular in the '90s. I was immediately drawn to the line because of all the cool colors offered. Most hiking and approach shoes are pretty boring and come in two colors - all-over brown or green. Although I did settle on the ones that have brown and green in them, I think the colors are a lot brighter and flashier than any other hiking shoe I've seen. I also love the fluorescent pink swoosh on the side.

To see how these shoes perform, read more.

Along with being aesthetically pleasing, the Wildedge shoes perform well, and after trekking in them for over six months, I have to say I am a happy customer. The shoes are really lightweight and waterproof, two things that are important to me when backpacking. What I'm most impressed with is the sticky sole, which provides major traction with its .44 sticky rubber, creating a surface that grips onto whatever I'm hiking up. They're also super comfortable - I've hiked in these shoes for hours with no complaints, and even did an hour on the treadmill with them when I accidentally brought the wrong shoes to the gym.

When You're a Pro, What Does Time Off Mean?

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:00:49 -0700

Runner Kara Goucher made her marathon debut a year ago in the Big Apple, but she's skipping the New York Marathon this year. At the Nike Running Summit, she explained she wasn't planning on racing again until Boston because she's doing some planning of a different nature - family planning.

When you're an elite runner, skipping an event doesn't go unnoticed, making it difficult to keep it a secret that you're trying to get pregnant. Kara explained to me in a short but sweet interview that she's "taking a few months off to see what happens in her personal life."

But what does "time off" mean after running 120 miles a week? For Kara it means only running 30 miles a week, a number I would love to have as my hard-core weekly mileage. Although she does admit to getting a little softer now that she's only running a quarter of what she's used to, Kara's relationship with food hasn't changed, since she has always been "a healthy eater." Body fat is an issue for runners, but her attitude is pretty simple: "It is just weight and it will come off." Which is great since this runner, a proclaimed "queen of the 30-minute meal," is spending her newly found free time cooking, mostly Italian, and making sauces from scratch.

To see how Kara answered when I asked her if she could be an elite athlete in another sport, what would it be, just read more.

She admitted that this was a tough question, but that she has always leaned toward tennis. Kara finds the combination of individual strength and one-on-one competition quite compelling. Then there's the fashion side of things: "They wear cool outfits."

Kara's long-term goal: racing in the London Olympics in 2012 and bringing home the gold. Go Kara!

On Our Radar: Nike 2010 Running Collection

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:00:01 -0700

The fitness world may not have a fashion week, but this weekend I previewed some of Nike's 2010 Spring running line, shoes and jackets, at the Nike Running Summit here in San Francisco. At the event, held the day before the 6th annual Nike Women's Marathon, designers explained their two inspiration behind their latest sneakers and running gear: runners and lightweight.

The first concept is fairly self explanatory - they design their gear to complement the motion of running and what runners need. Secondly, they pared everything down to shave off weight leaving the running feeling free and unencumbered.

To learn more about the shoes coming out early next year, keep reading.

Shoe Review: Nike Lunar Glide

FitSugar — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:47:42 -0700

After wearing my new Nike Lunar Glides ($100) around the house to break them in, I took them on all sorts of runs while visiting the East Coast.

These shoes are light - one sneaker is just barely over half a pound (8.75 ounces according to my kitchen scale) - so they are great for traveling as well as running. Nike considers them stability shoes, meaning they help prevent overpronation, rolling too far to the inside of the foot. As one prone to overpronate, I was curious to try these sneakers out, since they rely on "dynamic support" technology rather than a lot of extra bulk to buttress the arch. Learn what I thought of these shoes when you read more.

Not only do I think these running shoes are cute - a hard thing to accomplish in white sneakers - I think they are super comfy to boot. They provide a lot of cushion in the forefoot, so the ball of my foot felt quite cushioned when running. I paid a lot of attention to my stride in these shoes, so much so it's lucky I didn't run into a stop sign. I couldn't feel myself overpronating and I couldn't feel the shoes really correcting my gait. But my knees, feet, and ankles felt great post-run, so I think the Lunar Glide's dynamic support kept my alignment spot on. The toe box is a bit roomier than other Nikes I have worn.

The extra arch support, which you can adjust by tying your shoes tighter, is helpful as is the "bunion" cutout. I ran with these shoes in the rain, on flats, and on a couple of hill workouts, and I loved them. I do think the insole should be a bit beefier, though. If you need motion-control shoes, the Lunar Glide will probably not provide enough support, but for neutral runners whose form wanes as the miles add up, this shoe will work for you. They are also Nike+ compatible and run a bit small, so if you're in between sizes, I would go up a half size.

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Have any of you tried the Nike Lunar Glide? If so, tell me what you think.

Gear Up For the 2009 Nike+ Human Race

FitSugar — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:30:18 -0700

Last year, Nike hosted the world's largest running event - the first Nike+ Human Race had over 780,000 participants. It was such a hit, they're hosting another one on October 24, 2009, with the hope that this year it will be even bigger.

This race gives runners all over the globe the chance to run a 10K together on the same day. If you want to be part of it, there are two ways you can join. Either sign up for one of the runs hosted by Nike in more than 30 cities around the world. Or you can run a 10K wherever you choose - on a treadmill, in the woods, or by the beach. Just track your run with the Nike+ Sports Kit or the Sportband. Then upload your race data to nikeplus.com.

I did this race last year and it felt amazing to know that hundreds of thousands of people were running the 6.2 miles along with me, so I definitely plan on doing it again this year. If you're interested as well, register here, and then start training - you have about two months until race day.

Nike Naked Running Camp?

FitSugar — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 03:30:00 -0700

I've heard of naked yoga and naked biking, but running in the buff? Now that's something new. Check out Nike's latest commercial below to learn all about "natural" running.

All I can think about is how those poor ladies' boobs must be hurting without any support! I have to say though, this commercial has definitely piqued my interest for the latest Nike Free 5.0 running sneaker. I'm all for this lightweight and flexible shoe that supposedly imitates barefoot movement, but I think I'll stick to wearing clothes on my runs.

Online Sale Alert: Calvin Klein, DKNY and Nike

FabSugarUK — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:00:46 -0700

Today is Barack Obama's 48th Birthday. The American President is no doubt celebrating with his wife and children, but his birthday might be cause for you to celebrate too. To mark the occasion, Cdiscount are offering 48% off American branded items between 4pm and 8pm this evening which means pieces by Nike, DKNY and Calvin Klein from as little as £5.

I am a big fan of Calvin Klein Lingerie so will definitely be on the look out for bargains. There is also perfume on offer like this DKNY apple duo for just £15.

The sale is only on between 4pm and 8pm today so you need to be prepared, but I think it's a cute idea. Be sure to let me know if you managed to bag any bargains!

Gear Review: Nike+ Sportband

FitSugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:00:26 -0700

I got my hands on the new Nike+ Sportband ($59) and was so psyched to start tracking my runs with it. Before you get started though, you need to download the Nike+ Sportband Utility software from the website. Then charge the Link (small black piece with the digital screen) by plugging it into your computer's USB port to charge, which takes about two hours.

If you don't have a pair of Nike+ sneakers, you'll need a holder for the sensor that sits on your laces. I use the weather-proof RunAway ($9). Once the sensor is attached to your shoe, plug the Link into the Sportband, and you're all set to go. Just hold down the top button for three seconds and it'll start recording your workout. Press the little side button and you can switch between seeing your time, distance, pace, and calories burned as you run. To end your workout, hold the top button for three seconds. Once your run is complete, the screen will go through the final stats of your run two times through.

To see if I liked the Sportband better than the Nike+ Sports Kit read more.

Using this Sportband is much easier than the Nike+ Sports Kit because you don't have to scroll through your iPod to start, pause, and end your workout. It's also easier to see your stats because the screen is right there on your wrist. If you don't work out with music, or don't own an iPod, then you'll like the Nike+ Sportband because no iPod is needed. I just wish there was a way to look at your recent history on the Sportband, like you can when using the Nike+ Sports Kit. With the Sportband, if you want to compare this run with previous runs, you'll just have to wait until you get home and plug it into your computer. Within minutes, the data of that run is automatically uploaded to the nikerunning.nike.com/nikeplus website, and then you can compare all your workout data online.

Overall, just like the Nike+ Sports Kit, I love how the Sportband offers an easy way to track your runs and your progress. It's twice as expensive as the Sports Kit ($29) though, so if you already own an iPod, you may want to save a little dough and stick with the Sports Kit.

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Nike+ Sportband Gets a New Look

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:30:49 -0700

So you're a running fanatic, and nothing brings you more pleasure than tracking your workouts. If this sounds familiar, then you'll want to get your hands on the latest model of the Nike+ Sportband. It works like the Nike+ Sports Kit, keeping track of your time, distance, pace, and calories burned, but instead of displaying the info on your iPod, it'll display it on the wristband. So it's great if you don't have an iPod or iPhone, or if you prefer running without music.

The latest model has a few upgrades. The screen now has a white background so it's easier to see. Also it has increased water resistance for those rainy days when you refuse to stay inside. It'll be available tomorrow in three colors: gray with an interior pink band, anthracite (dark gray) with a yellow interior band, and black with a red interior band. For $59, you'll be able to keep track of all your walks and runs, which may be just the motivation you need to reach your fitness goals.