Fitness

Outdoors July 21, 2012

Getting Fit with Gear Diary!

(image courtesy indulgy) There’s more to life than just electronics, at least some of the time. And here at Gear Diary, we live to serve, so we’re pulling together a new weekly series focused around health, fitness, and the world outside the glowing screens. This week we’re looking at cool running gear, body image, superhuman races, and healthy snacks. Ready? Read on for more! Earlier in the week we showed you how to enter the Badwater Ultramarathon, and now that the race is winding down, here’s an idea of how the competition did: Mike Morton won in 22:52:55! That is…

Health and Fitness, Outdoors July 17, 2012

Are You Tough Enough For Badwater?

(image courtesy rpmbold) The Northeast USA today “issued” an “excessive heat warning”. That can only mean one thing… everyone is complaining about how hot it is outside. Some people thrive on the heat and enjoy running in it. They might want to start prepping now for the ultimate race goal: Badwater. What’s a Badwater, you ask? It is a short 135 mile race through Death Valley. Think of it as a nice afternoon stroll… if your idea of a nice afternoon stroll is taking a walk in or around your oven! It is an easy course. As you can see…

Gear Bits July 12, 2012

Two Weeks Until the Olympics!

(image courtesy London 2012) There are only 15 days until the Summer Olympics! Are you excited yet? Of course, until the opening ceremonies all we have are the trickle of bits and pieces of trivia and news on the coverage, but it’s better than nothing! First of all, NBC and Facebook will be working together to promote the games. Apparently it’s a better deal if you plan to watch through the BBC, since you can stream right from Facebook there, but if you are watching on NBC there will be some synergy at least. Even better, the New York Times…

Gear Bits, Outdoors July 6, 2012

Oscar Pistorius to Compete at the Olympics!

(image courtesy Oscarpistorius.com) Does the name Oscar Pistorius mean anything to you? If you don’t follow track and field or Olympics drama, probably not. He is a gifted sprinter who will be running for South Africa in this summer’s games. He is fast, though probably not fast enough to be a serious threat. Oh, and he’s a double amputee. Because of his “blades” that he uses when running for legs, track and field officials have argued back and forth for several years as to whether it is an unfair advantage for him to compete with able-bodied athletes. Supposedly his legs…

Reviews July 5, 2012

iLuv FitActive Sports Headphones

If you read the site you might recall that I’m married to a woman who doesn’t like headphones and earbuds. Yes, Elana finds earbuds to be quite uncomfortable and, if used for too long, downright painful. There is one exception – well until now just one exception – that is YurBuds. I learned about YurBuds at CES 2011 and while the headphones look kind of funny they are incredibly comfortable – even for Elana. In fact, she tried them on when I got home and then just kept using them. You see, not only are they comfortable but they stay…

Crowdfunding June 21, 2012

Metal Medal Hangers with a Shelf, Kickstart This!

If you participate in any organized sporting events, there’s a good shot you will end up with a medal. Running races generally give out medals for half-marathon and marathon distances, and championships in team sports often also reward players with hardware. Yes, there’s an easy joke here about how these days “everyone gets a medal” but they make great souvenirs to remember athletic experiences. However, once you take one home, how you do you display it? One or two can be hung on a hook, but above that you want a better way to show them off. Enter the Kickstarter…

News & Features June 11, 2012

iPhoning Cyclists, Take a Look at the Wahoo Fitness Blue SC

Here’s a great little gadget if you are a biker AND an iPhone-user. The Wahoo Blue SC from Wahoo Fitness is a speed and cadence sensor for iPhone. The $59.99 gizmo wirelessly connects to your iPhone (or iPad) using Bluetooth 4.0 technology and pairs with cycling apps such as Cyclemeter and Strava. From there, cyclists can monitor critical cycling data from their iOS device. As the release explains Wahoo Fitness’ Blue SC bike speed & cadence completely transforms your iPhone into the ultimate cycling computer. Coupled with the Wahoo Blue SC, the iPhone can provide cyclist with all their critical…

Health and Fitness June 7, 2012

The Singularity Is Coming, and It Says You Run too Slowly!

Runners have all sorts of ways to make themselves run faster. Personally, I like using my Garmin Forerunner, since nothing makes me feel slower than watching my snail’s pace tick off on my wrist. Then I convince myself the Garmin is judging me for being slow, and it makes me push harder. Others use landmarks, like trying to run harder to the nearest tree and then slowing down, etc. Now there’s a way to train harder that ups the geek ante to near-infinite levels. According to Runners World, engineers in Australia have invented “joggobot”, a flying drone that floats ahead…

Editorials June 3, 2012

The Adult Vanquishing of Childhood Monsters

Two weekends ago I ran my first 5k road race. Ever … and at 46 no less. For most folks it is no big deal – a look at what Carly Z has done and my first little 5k seems meaningless. But for me it was a life-changing experience. Why? Well, that requires a little history. I was never ‘small’ or ‘thin’. Like my own kids I was always one of the tallest kids, and in spite of a life-long love of fruit and vegetables (also like my kids) I wouldn’t describe my eating habits growing up as balanced or…

News & Features May 26, 2012

SPIbelt Debuts a New Design for the “American Widow Project”

I love my SPIbelt. It is probably my most-used piece of running gear, and I recommend it enthusiastically to everyone I know. The folks at SPIbelt are constantly pumping out new designs and styles, and their latest ones give a portion of the profits to the American Widow Project. From SPIbelt: The American Widow Project Stars and Stripes SPIbelt™ and SPIband™ The American Widow Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to the new generation of those who have lost the heroes of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. They emphasize healing through sharing stories, tears, and laughter. Military Widow to Military…

News & Features May 25, 2012

Quad Lock Mounting Deluxe System for iPhone 4S, Review and Giveaway

You need the right tool for the right job and the $69.95 Quad Lock Mounting Deluxe System for the iPhone 4 and 4S MIGHT be the right tool for YOU but it sure isn’t the right tool for ME. Here’s why and a chance to win the review sample. From Quadlock: The Quad Lock Deluxe Kit gives you everything you need to mount your iPhone just about anywhere. Mount your iPhone with the Quad Lock Bike Mount PRO while cycling and the Quad Lock Wall Mount in the home, office and car. The Deluxe Kit includes: 1 x Quad Lock…

Gear Bits May 25, 2012

McDonalds Catches the Running Bug

Quick, what’s the first corporate sponsor that might come to mind for a huge distance race? If “McDonalds” didn’t spring to the forefront of your mind, you aren’t alone. However, the folks at Rock n Roll Marathons see some opportunity there, as they have teamed up with the big M to sponsor several of their upcoming races. From the press release: Five markets to feature select McDonald’s menu options San Diego, CA – May 23, 2012 – Competitor Group, Inc. (CGI), the leading media and event resource in the active lifestyle industry, today announced a partnership with McDonald’s USA…

Reviews May 21, 2012

A Second Opinion on the LifeProof Case

At the start of the year, Dan reviewed the LifeProof iPhone case. He loved it. I have had one for a few months, and on paper it is the ideal case for me. But I don’t have the unconditional love for it that Dan did. So will the pros outweigh the cons? Read on for my take, though if you haven’t yet read Dan’s review i suggest you head there for a quick overview of the fundamentals of the case first. As I said, on paper this is the case for me. I run, in all-weather conditions, so having my…

Gear Bits May 17, 2012

Professional Athlete Doesn’t Always Mean Millionaire

Running is not as popular as, say, football or baseball when it comes to spectators. So it isn’t surprising that professional runners don’t have the same earning power. But this article from Runner’s World surprised me with how low compensation can be, even for a talented runner. According to the survey: – Our sport has a very steep pyramid of income opportunities. A select few enjoy a very good living…though even they can fall hard in a short period if performance lags or injuries intervene. – The top variables that affect an athlete’s earnings realization are “world ranking” and “event”….

Health and Fitness May 9, 2012

How Dangerous Is Football?

I played rugby for several years, both in college and post-college. Just about every person who heard I played rugby had the following comment: “Rugby? Isn’t that dangerous?” Yes, rugby is a rough sport, and I can’t deny that (especially with two screws in my knee from a rugby practice-related injury). But I always tell people that I feel rugby is safer than American Football, which has always struck me as a dangerous and chaotic sport. There’s been quite a bit of debate about concussions and football lately, and according to Forbes, even former football player Kurt Warner doesn’t want…

Reviews May 8, 2012

SportsYapper for iPhone Review

Through many events in our lives, we follow a feed. Twitter, Facebook, Google+. Whatever your flavor is, there is a way to share experiences and let people know what is going on. It is often fun to follow Tweets or friends’ status updates during your favorite game, especially during the playoffs. What if there was a service that allowed fans to comment on certain games or follow all current games being played? SportsYapper promises to do just that. The app for talking sports! SportsYapper is the place to chat with friends and fans while you’re watching the game, and discuss…

News & Features May 3, 2012

Mother’s Day is Almost Here, and You Know that Mom Loves Her Gear!

Still debating what you should get the woman who loved you first for Mother’s Day? Look no further; we are here to help … Eers PCS-150 Eers PCS-150 are “high-end headphones with a special twist”. Carly reviewed these amazing headphones and loved them. The music-loving parent will too. Here’s what they offer… Custom-fitted earphones in only 4 Minutes! Single driver, dynamic speaker Single button in-line microphone compatible with all mobile devices Crisp, detailed sound Excellent Frequency response with hard driving bass Safe and Comfortable SonoFit™ Fitting Process. Custom-fitted shape creates Sound Isolation “Acoustic Seal” Secure fit so earphones do not…

Reviews April 25, 2012

Nike+ Fuelband Review; ‘The Out-Of-Shape Geek’s Dream Fitness Motivator

It’s been few weeks since the release of the Nike+ Fuelband and, until last week, I had been unable to get my hands on one. This is probably the first fitness related gadget I have ever bought and, besides the super geek-esque Back to the Future style LED’s on it, I was excited to have something that would motivate me to get back in shape. I’ve had the FUEL for a week now and have worn it almost every day during my routine activities. Unfortunately I have not been able to take a jog or “officially” work out with…

News & Features April 25, 2012

Striiv Fitness Motivating Pedometer Gets Smart, Gets Social

Back in January Judie and I found ourselves in an unplanned competition of sorts. Judie was using the FitBit fitness device and I was using the Striiv Smart Pedometer. The devices could not have been more different. The FitBit was black and the Striiv white. The FitBit clipped to your cloths and has a small LED readout to let you know what was what. The Striiv has a large, touchscreen face reminiscent of a tiny smartphone. The FitBit had a USB dock that, when the device was synced to your computer, tracked your progress and even offered the ability to…

Editorials April 23, 2012

Rock ‘n Roll Marathon’s New “Mascot” Proves to Be Divisive

I have run a few Rock n Roll sponsored races, and I don’t view them with the same enmity that some runners do. Yes, they are big, commercial parties, but they also (mostly) organize well-done races. I gave them a pass on their disastrous Rock n Roll Las Vegas race; they really ran that into the ground, but a few months later at Rock n Roll DC, I was extremely impressed with how smoothly everything went. However, I really have to question their judgment with their new Facebook mascot/campaign. As you can tell from the graphic above, their new campaign…

News & Features April 20, 2012

Boston’s Fenway Park Celebrates 100 Years of Baseball Traditions

Even as the world was still reeling from the sinking of the ‘unsinkable’ Titanic, a new era dawned in Boston, and in sports history. On April 20, 1912 Fenway Park opened to the public with a capacity of 35,000 seats … and the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Highlanders in an extra-innings thriller to launch the storied baseball stadium. At this point, Fenway Park is the oldest professional baseball stadium. Chicago’s Wrigley Field is the only other ‘classic’ park remaining. It is also one of the most famous venues in all of sports, with many legendary moments transpiring…

« 1 … 17 18 19 20 21 … 24 »