Alameda Runners – Get After It!

SALT LAKE CITY– January 30, 2013- From conception to execution, Utah-based entrepreneurs, Amiigo, developed a Bluetooth low-energy fitness device that will take an ordinary workout experience to the next level. Amiigo, a sweat-proof fitness bracelet and shoe-clip, identifies what exercise is being performed, and details your body’s physiological response. Amiigo soared past its initial funding goal on the crowd-funding site, Indiegogo, and is available for preorder now.

“Athletes are always working to enhance and elevate their workout experience. We wanted to develop an easy-to-use device that helps people personalize their workouts, share data, and even compete with friends,” says Dave Scott, co-founder of Amiigo. “Our fitness bracelet and shoe-clip does it all, and we’re confident you’ll work out better and harder with it. Push yourself and be great with Amiigo.”

Full release available after the jump: Read more… »

We had an early season ride with the SFTri club today. It was officially called the “Season, Kick-Off ride”. I just love having the season kick off ride in January. We had a great turnout of close to 60 people at the start area. With that many people, we were stretched out all over the place. It was a lot of fun to be out riding with people with so many different riding levels. The ride leaders did a good job keeping us all herded together and not getting lost. As people started signing up, the leaders started adding more information to the ride log. The weather was perfect and the company was great.

I rode along with some people from the PacWest triathlon club. They told me about their masters swim program at the Mill Valley High School. I may join them for a swim some day but I don’t think they have a lane slow enough for me.

I stopped at Bicycle Odyssey in Sausalito to replenish my supplies and fix a flat. Tony the alleged owner was great. He did not have to be so nice to someone who is spending $40 to replenish a bike pouch. He told me what kind of rim tape to use, removed the packaging and lent me a pump to fill my tire. The CO2 bottles cost $4.00 each and are made of metal that has to be recycled. Regrettably, I did not take any pictures of the inside of the store. I will take some pictures, the next time I visit them. It is a truly awesome bike shop. We get so used to the big box stores, we forget about the cool shops that are run by great people who sell things at competitive prices.

Full blog post available after the jump:

Read more… »

If shopping for energy gels, the majority of athletes immediately think of Clif and GU, and disregard other products available. I understand the reasoning behind this decision, as gels are typically expensive and athletes often are creatures of habit.

If you’re willing to mix things up and give a new product a try, we may have found something of interest for you.

Vitalyte is a company that you may not have heard much about, but it’s a well established company with products ranging from energy gels and electrolyte supplements to chia seed bars. I recently tested out the Raspberry Vitalyte Chia Surge energy gel, and want to share my initial thoughts.

Full review available after the jump:  Read more… »

Trust Oprah. When she ran the Marine Corps Marathon in 1994, she finished with an impressive time of 4:29:15!

LAS VEGAS- January 9, 2013– SOUL Electronics, a global leader in pro and consumer audio manufacturing, teams up with Olympic gold medal winner, Usain Bolt, to develop customizable, in-ear headphones made for the runner by the world’s best runner. Dubbed the “World’s Fastest Man,” Bolt became the inspiration behind the limited edition Run-Free headphones by offering his input and advice into what would make the ideal audio solution for athletes, especially runners.

Full release and my initial thoughts available after the jump: Read more… »

LAS VEGAS – January 9, 2013 – Outdoor Technology, cutting-edge creators of action lifestyle accessories, will soon have you rocking out under your helmet with the release of CHIPS, a wireless drop-in audio system that works universally in all helmets with audio enabled liners. Extreme sport enthusiasts can now listen to their favorite tunes and make calls without taking their helmets off. The patent pending method of delivering wireless audio to helmets is the first of its kind and solves the riddle of how to deliver a tangle free solution to the action sports market. It’s so simple, rock out and speak freely wirelessly starting April 2013 in Chile, Australia and New Zealand and winter 2013 in all other markets for $129.95 MSRP.

Full release available after the jump:  Read more… »

Las Vegas – January 7, 2013 – 4iiii Innovations Inc. announces the release of Viiiiva, the first heart rate monitor (HRM) enabling ANT+ devices to ‘talk’ to an iPhone®/iPod touch® in real-time without awkward adapters. A lightweight, comfortable chest strap HRM, Viiiiva integrates Liiiink technology, an ANT+ to Bluetooth Smart™ bridge, allowing an athlete to monitor heart rate on an iPhone as well as a sport watch. Viiiiva also allows the athlete to adjust settings, review activity summaries and to receive performance feedback from their iPhone or iPod at anytime, anywhere.Viiiiva is available now for $79 at www.4iiii.com and at select retailers.

Full release available after the jump: Read more… »

Recovery is important for athletes looking to heal fast and continue training and racing – but ensuring we give our bodies the right nutrition post-race can be extremely difficult.

Ultimately, trying to figure out how much protein is needed comes down to a math and biology lesson, so I hope you’re prepared!

Very active people need 0.75g of protein per pound of body weight
Moderately active people need 0.6g of protein per pound of body weight
Mildly active people need 0.5g of protein per pound of body weight

So, a person who is moderately active and weighs 170 lbs. should consume around 102g of protein every day – though that number can fluctuate depending on overall activity level.

Ideally, you’ll want to consume something with protein within 10-15 minutes after your workout. I try to drink a little bit of water, and then worry about consuming some carbs and drinking a protein drink.

We’ve had good experience with the products from Athletes HoneyMilk (now Core Power), while Ted also experimented with Accelerade 4:1 and found success.

Expect a short review of the Muscle Milk Cookies ‘N Crème flavor, which I’ll have published sometime in the near future.

Apparently, so many people make it a New Year resolution to get into shape during the winter, shoe retailers and heart rate monitors should expect to see a sales boost.

To aid interested folks seeking a chance to be healthy in 2013, manufacturers are offering product discounts, according to iTrustNews.com.

From the news release:

Digital heart rate monitors are now available to consumers to help men and women seek target heart rate during fitness routines. These monitors have been used for decades by Olympic athletes to improve conditioning. While these devices have decreased in price, the report published online details how price can vary depending on the retailer. Buying from a medical supply company often results in a higher price compared with a broad retailer according to the report.

The time period after Christmas is over and before the first day of February is traditionally a time for restocking for retailers. The new products that are released through the month of January are usually purchased in advance and shipped when released. While the discounts for the first quarter of the year are less than Black Friday, many retailers were found to offer beginning of the year discounts to online shoppers according to the new report.

I’m not surprised – many people talk about getting into shape in the New Year, but most seem to end up stopping within a few weeks.