This post contains affiliate links, which provides me a small percentage of sales made through the link. The review in this post was unpaid, and no product was provided to me for this review. A couple of months ago, I got a Fitbit Charge HR ($128.95 on Amazon). Even though I'm already very active, what I found is monitoring my steps has made me even more active. For instance, while Sunday is my usual rest day, I found the desire to get out and hit 10,000 steps has made me work in a late afternoon walk with the dog; which is never a bad thing. It's also led to interesting conversations in the house, like "why are you just walking around the room in a circle?" "Cause I'm 200 steps away from 10,000 and I want to get there before I get to bed!" One of the new features Fitbit released this summer was a new set of Adventure challenges that allows you to take a virtual hike around Yellowstone National Park. With steps of 15k, 24k, or 42k you can unlock beautiful photos like the … [Read more...]
The Importance of Good Socks to Avoiding Blisters
Last week while running, a piece of sand got into my low profile sock. Unlike the clam, it did not generate a pearl in my shoe, but rather a painful blister. It was a good reminder for me that just as the right shoes are important, so are the right socks. I've been distance running in some regular old cotton socks before, and at the end of the run the bottom of my feet looked like hamburger. So what should you look for in a good sock? Look for material that wicks away moisture. Generally, this means trying to avoid 100% cotton socks. Wool or synthetic blends are best. From there, look for socks that are designed to protect your high impact areas. Most stores that carry hiking goods (like Mast General Store or Half Moon Outfitters) will carry good blister prevention running/exercise socks in addition to the traditional heavier hiking socks. I really like SmartWool Running Socks, as they're 100% wool and are designed with wicking mesh zones. Also since they're 100% wool, … [Read more...]
What Type of Shoes Should I Exercise In?
The picture above shows all the different types of shoes I exercise in. My wife calls me a diva because I have so many shoes, each for a different purpose. I have a pair of running shoes for when I run on the street, a pair of trail shoes for when I run the trails, a pair of cross training shoes for general exercise...you get the idea. Each shoe you see here was designed with a specific exercise in mind - running, basketball, cross training, weight lifting, etc. The reason I have so many shoes is because I learned very early on that the right shoes are important. When I first decided to try and start running, I went running in an old pair of basketball sneakers I had. Within a couple of weeks of running, my knee hurt so bad I swore I had torn an ACL (I hadn't. Just inflamed). Last year, when I was trying to get my friends to come running with me, one of them showed up in basketball shoes, and within the first quarter mile his feet were killing him. In both cases, it's … [Read more...]
