MapMyRun.com - New and Improved

New and Improved...
I guess the adsense on their site is finally paying off, MapMyRun is improved, with training logs, race and events, running news and two ways to upload your data, .gpx, and gmap-pedometers. I started using this site off and on for the past two years and felt it very cool web 2.0. The only part that they need to add is data from all watches. I don't use a GPS but a Polar watch then I manully plug my route in to see if it matches my Polar foot pod, and it's usually close. The interface is much more robust and it seems to run a little faster. MapMyRun uses Google Maps so you can show distance, markers and elevation on the map, plug in your time and it kicks out stats.
"MapMyRun.com provides people of all athletic ability easy-to-use, comprehensive web-based tools to get healthy and train more effectively as an individual or group.

These interactive tools include:

Easy to use graphical route mapping tool!
Workout calculators enabling users to calculate key statistics such as pace, calories burned, etc.
A new Training Log to track daily workouts and follow your training progress
Collaboration features that allows users to share their workouts with others.
I-framing, co-branding, and syndication tools are enabling organizations like Team in Training and VeloNews to share this site with it's user"

Hey Kevin Callahan, "Idea Guy" I have some cool ideas that could work with MapMyRun, give me a call, in the meantime, Check them out!MapMyRun

Slackline: Balance is the key

Image courtesy of Mammut
Improve your core, by improving your balance, Indoboard has a great product, but you are limited, to a point, staying indoors. Slacklining is just like tight-roping, you string webbing between two objects, crank it tight and start to walk. Now I say that like it is easy, this takes concentration and determination. Hey we all can try the yoga class, or some new form of pilates, but it all comes down to finding your core. You get slacklining down and can do it like chewing gum and walking and you will start to see your fitness improve.
Now get to it! Slackline Gear

SnowSports Interactive: Tracking on the Slopes

Well it looks like technology is starting to catch on, we have seen theme parks, Legoland in Billund, Denmark, where they use RFID to track kids around the park. "Parents can pay 3 euros for a day’s rental of a tag for their child. Legoland attaches the Bluesoft AeroScout T2 tag, about 1.5 inches by 2.5 inches, to the child’s wrist by means of a disposable wristband. That tag is then registered to the parents’ mobile phone number.

The park will be able to constantly track that tag anywhere in the park. The Bluesoft AeroScout system uses a minimum of three location receivers and Bluesoft’s own AeroScout software to triangulate a tag’s position by recording the time of arrival of a single tag transmission at several receivers and using time difference of arrival (TDOA) algorithms to determine location. Parents wanting to locate their child will send a text message from their mobile phone and receive an automated response telling them the location, within 10 feet, of their child. The process takes between 10 and 20 seconds, according to Bluesoft."

So when more companies like SnowSport Interactive get into the game with no more than an idea, you know things are looking up. Now when you go to their site, very one demential, and lacking any real explanation of the product, but hey you have to give them credit for getting it going. For the Flaik Ski School the explanation says "Enables the real time location of students, instructors and other key school personnel." This would be cool if opened up too all that would like to purchase the device, very much like LegoLand. Then when skiing with all your friends and family if one would like to take the Double Diamond and the others the blue route, well then it would be easy via a cell phone to track where they are at, better yet use google earth and a smart phone and then you have a really interactive experience.
Check it out! SnowSport Interactive

INDO Boards, Balance Yourself

This is one of the best products, low technology that is available to the fitness market. Trainers, Jiu-Jitsu, snowboarder's, skiers, sailors, triathletes and anyone who wants to increase there core balance and fitness need a Indo Balance Board. I tried one a couple years back in Ski Barn and thought it was great. Finally after a couple years I am getting one, I tried the easy way out using an old skateboard deck and a PVC pipe but I feel quality is worth the price.
"Using the Indo Board for fun or as a serious workout helps develop balance, coordination, and increased leg strength, while enhancing the all important core fitness. It also improves motor skills making the Indo Board a great cross training tool!" If you have the $148 after shipping get one this is a must have in your fitness routine.
Check it out! INDO BOARD

Implant to keep track of high blood pressure

Implanted into your wrist for 24/7 monitoring of your blood pressure to reduce the risk of a heart attack and stroke. It is the size of a grain of rice and sits next to the artery in the wrist, and monitors the change in pressure.
The trouble with test today is people get nervous when they see a doctor so when hooked up to the original cuff their pressure goes up a syndrome called "whitecoat hypertention". Also how often does one check their blood pressure even if they have had a stroke or heart attack. "Implanting a monitor that runs 24 hours a day could give a much more accurate reading. It will help doctors decide whether some patients need more drugs or whether they actually need less." This could be the start of people really being able to track statistics about their own health.
check it out! Chip-in-a-Wrist

SportCount: Lap Counting Device

Now if you are a triathlete or competitive swimmer you know the long hours and laps that you put in at the pool. If you are like me then you have always looked for a better solution to counting laps (having your buddy at the end of the pool with a lap board does not help). A couple years ago I found these goggles, the Inview that displayed lap count and time elapsed on their lenses so swimmers can track their progress. That was pretty cool for an invention, still has not hit the market, why not they would sell like hot cakes!
So along comes SmartCount and things are looking up for swimmers. The SmartCount fits on your index finger (or any finger you chose) and with your thumb can click off the laps, not only that it also keeps track of your splits. Give timing statistics, displays split times and lap numbers, recall fastest, slowest and average lap times, and of course total laps swum. From the look of the website they are back ordered, check them out! SmartCount

Water Sheer: Sulis, Personal Purification System

YUM!!
Since the LifeStraw was first reported on, many have tried to get into the space of water purification in third world countries, but none seem to have what it took until now, WaterSheer is a new product that is a simple as putting it into a bottle and drinking. Like the LifeStraw (the name implies what to do), you fill a bottle and place the Sulis over the top and drink.
Product Advantages
• Compact.
• Lightweight.
• Easy to operate.
• Low cost and efficient.
• Durable, long shelf life and service life.
• Treats most ground and fresh water sources.
The Sulis System consists of a durable and reusable unit with a long shelf and service life. Supplied as a personal kit. Simple, Check it out! WaterSheer

Octane: Energizing Gel for your skin!

Panex Ginseng is another wonderful naturally found root that is being added to everything. Now I am curios about Octane, mostly because I am a marketers wet dream. That being said Ginseng is highly prized for its tonic action on the sexual function. Ginseng, which literally translated means "man root," enhances both the stimulatory and inhibitory process of the central nervous system, thus improving the adaptability of the nervous responses. Now we are going to rub this all over our body, this should really increase all sensors on the skin, I'm in! Here is what Octane says to do:
Octane at Use
The best times to try Octane™ are:
a. At work / school. A perfect aid to surviving long hours. Also, in the early mornings, if you have trouble getting out of bed. It's the point where you know you have to get out of bed but can't because you'd like to sleep a little longer!
b. After exercising. Could be in a gym or could be after a walk around the block. It's especially nice after any time you sweat.
c. Immediately after a warm shower
d. Any time you feel drowsy
e. Any time you feel excessively warm

Octane 4 Zones

1. Face and Head especially around eyes
2. Behind Ears
3. Behind Neck
4. Chest and Shoulders
Check it out! Octane

Run Away: Shoe Adaptor for the Ipod Sports kit

Well as I said when the Nike+iPod Sports Kits came out that Nike+iPod missed the boat and should not excluded the masses not wearing Nike shoes. Funny thing is that when I wear my Mizuno I have on Performance socks and a slew of other product related garb on. My point is that they should not have cared about who's shoe it was going in, rather that millions were using it. So Run Away came up with a great solution at a even better price, $7.99! Here is how it works RunAway™ features the easiest installation and de-installation experience offered in the market. With their unique twist and lock pivoting mechanism, all you need to do is to slip it under your shoelaces, twist the unit 45 degrees till you hear a click sound, then you are ready for run! It even has a built in flight safety mechanism. With flight safety as an impeding public concern, wireless devices are not really welcomed while you travel. RunAway™ allows you to refrain from digging into your shoe to disable your transmitter. Forgot to bring a pen to disable it? No problem, RunAway™ features a finger friendly power button at the back of the unit so even the fattest finger can disable it with ease! As an added benefit, you can also use this button to prolong the battery life of the sensor!
Check it out! Run Away

Eolos: Breathe Better

All I can say is WOW this product from Eolos is great, I felt a change right off the bat. This product is weights for your lungs. I took 2 breaths with it right away and it felt like I had run a mile.

"The tried and tested Eolos training regimen is 30 breaths twice per day. Each session takes around 3 minutes and can be completed virtually anywhere.
Eolos = 30 x 2
Results are measurable in a little as 3 weeks, with almost full training benefits accrued within 6 weeks."

The device is small and easy to use, it fits into your mouth like a snorkel, sticks out about 3 inches and just twist the knob at the end of the device to increase/decrease resistance and breathe. It's that simple. I can't wait to introduce this into my regular training, why spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars with other devices that only get in your way. This is great and am surprised that more people are not using the Eolos as part of their training.
Check it out! Eolos

DefenseBand: Stay Protected

This is a low end solution to protect oneself. I got to have the DefenseBand tried out on me a couple years ago, I was doing Jiu Jitsu (Gracie) and while rolling around on the mat I hear this ripping sound then my buddies twist his hands, applies some pressure then "TAP, TAP". When he released I asked him what that was and he told me, the DefenseBand. I did not go out right away and buy it, 2 years later and countless hours on the road running got me thinking, we spend all this money to track our fitness and listen to music along the way, but what about ourselves! I do a little Jiu Jitsu and wish I had time to do it full time, job, training and family, something has to give. I can protect myself I feel but with the DefenseBand, it is that little extra security that will give you all the confidence to be able to defend yourself.
The DefenseBand is a velcro strap that attaches to your watch, it has a loop in the strap that allows you to get your fingers through the strap and use it to control your attacker.
Check it out! DefenseBand

RFID-Active Billboards

This is a great idea too bad it takes MINI to put this together. Now I understand that there have been a couple companies to do this type of RFID messaging, but how cool would this be to lets say USAT or the NYRR for the New York City Marathon to band together and get this done for races. Imagine running through a course and be able to look up and see your splits, because the chip on your ankle is capturing the data, ChampionChip timing system.

The NYC Triathlon and Accenture have it so that you can track an athlete coming and going from a transition area, the send and receive antennas are cast in thin tartan mats. These antenna mats are placed at the finish line and other timing locations. They are connected to a Yellow Box at the side of the road, containing electronics and batteries. Each time an athlete wearing a ChampionChip crosses the mats, the chip gets energized and sends out its ID-number. This number and corresponding time are then stored in the Yellow Box and transferred to a timing computer for further processing. If you signed up with Accenture before the race then you can have data sent to your support teams phone/email for update on your progress, after the race log into Accentures website and see your splits and final time.
Now since this is possible the next best thing would signs set along the course and be able to see your splits, have this spread out throughout the course and you have a pretty spectacular viewing event. People that don't know anything about Marathons / triathlons / bike races can see how fast the pro's really are!
Another add on would be to have text messaging / motivational messages sent from your friends / support teams phone / email (granted you gave them your code) to signs along the course. What a way to pick up the pace. Just my thoughts, but remember you read it here first.

Revolution Health your Personal Health Record Company

Personal Health Records are starting to take off, most will find excuses not to use one, but after you get over entering your information you will be surprised that you ever got along without one. A PHR is place online that you can store all types of health related information. Now some PHR will be offered by your provider which means if you work changes their health insurance copy you loose all your records (Does anyone see a business here). PHR are the thing of 2007 and will, in my opinion be one of the most dominating sector moving forward. A PHR that is not tied to your Health Insurance is the way to go, early adaptors will have no problem signing up and entering all there health related information, other it will take time. Once done you will have it all in one place, prescriptions, health trackers, drug information, etc..
There are a couple of different ways to go. The one that I feel has some great weight behind it and was started by Steve Case (AOL Steve Case) is Revolution Health, the design is well thought out, it is visually appealing and has a ton of money invested. Read Steve's thoughts.
Then you have companies like MediVault which will let you store the information on a Pen Drive, Disk, or something like that, leaving you with your PHR in the palm of your hand, able to bring it with you where ever your travels may take you. The online PHR let you print out sections, history, questions that you might find useful for your doctor to know about. Here is a little excerpt from Revolution Health:
RevolutionHealth.com: your health home page.

We’re creating a resource you can rely on. A place you can go to learn about all of the aspects of your health, from sources you can trust. Of course, we want to be the place you turn to when you have a symptom you are concerned about. But RevolutionHealth.com shouldn’t just be a place you visit when you’re sick – we want it to be a place you visit regularly to stay healthy. Indeed, we think there has been too much focus on treating ailments, and not enough focus on prevention and wellness. So you’ll find more than 100 fun, easy to use tools to help you and your family get and stay healthy. (Yes, I said fun – why does health care always have to be so boring?)

But perhaps more than anything else, RevolutionHealth.com is a community, where you’ll find support and insight from people who have been where you are. For example, if you or someone in your family is battling cancer, you can connect with others who are living through that experience. You’ll learn what worked—or didn’t work—for them. Or, you can set personal healthy living goals, and we’ll connect you with people like you, who have set similar goals. It’s a unique, dynamic community we’ll all build together.

And From MediVault:
MediVault is preloaded with software which allows for the owner to accurately describe the conditions and symptoms they are feeling. Then they can either print out the file to hand to the doctor or simply hand them MediVault. After the visit the doctor may provide you (the owner) with scans, a report, tests, or prescriptions. Those files are then emailed or faxed, by you or the doctor, to the MediVault facility where they are uploaded to your secure digital patient folder.

Next time you connect your MediVault to a PC or Kiosk location it will automatically connect to your care file and load the latest documents to the portable MediVault drive. When you attend the next doctor’s visit, MediVault will be able to provide all the latest information about your updated plan of care in full or summary format. Taking an active role in your healthcare ensures the best care! MediVault can help make that possible. Doctors agree!

The only thing that I can say is go with it!

Nike Speed + Watch without the iPod

Wow, this could be cool, Nike+ made a mistake by leaking their new watch that links with the footpod or Nike + sensor, opps! This is good because in most races you are not allowed to have iPod or any MP3 player. The site had no price but did give a little info, it takes the data from the sensor and converts it for display on the watch, distance, calories and time. Has the ability to link via USB to a computer. Knowing Nike the watch will deliver great performance, but not sure how they plan to compete with Suunto or Polar USA both who have spent countless hours and millions of dollars to be the leaders in the Sports Watch market.
Special thanks too Travis Hudson, for capturing a screen shot of the watch and posting it. Podophile

Kinetic by Kurt: One Great Trainer

All companies claim to have the best trainers, so how does one decided? Well you search, test, ask tons of questions, read blogs, reviews and in the end ask avid cyclist which one they use. Now there are many different features one can buy in a trainer, but sometimes the simplest is the best. KINETIC by Kurt is smooth, easy to set up and here is the most important part, does not leak!!! The Road Machine is the one that I have, it is great, almost better than ridding on the road, the 6.25 lb flywheel is tough yet smooth. I was using a IC Elite for a while and I thought that was a great workout, well nothing can prepare you like the KINETIC by Kurt. I am sure others have a great pitch to, but word of mouth and being the first in the business counts for something and in my book it really is the best.
Features include:
-6.25 lb flywheel for realistic coast down
-Powertap calibrated resistance unit
-Sealed fluid chamber with magnetically coupled driveshaft
-Thermodynamically neutral silicone resistance fluid
-Consistent resistance at multiple temperatures
-80 cooling fins to dissipate heat
-Lowest operating temperature of any fluid trainer
-Smooth, quiet resistance from 5-3000 watts
-Approved for tandem use
-Guaranteed not to leak
-2 1/8” roller reduces tire wear
-Unconditional Lifetime Warranty
-Crash replacement policy for a lifetime of use
-Compatible with all bikes with 16" - 29" diameter wheels

Check it out!
KINETIC by Kurt