What more does a gal need in… running shoes?

Check out the Aetrex z591w runner.

It features…

• a Aeromax mesh upper with TPU Structured Logo
• Sky midsole for soft, long-lasting cushioning
• Web Suspension Footbridge for reinforcement and support
• PRS Midsole Technology for pressure relief
• supportive cushioning for medium and high arch feet
• 2 removable layers for fitting flexibility
• semi-curved, snug rearfoot and forefoot freedom

Okay, so I’m not sure I understand what all that means, but it sure sounds comfortable.

Aetrex is all about foot comfort. In 2002, they launched the iStep, an innovative foot scanning technology used by retail and medical communities to help consumers identify their arch type, shoe size and pressure points (known in the pedorthic industry as the “3 Essentials”) and to custom select the ideal footwear and orthotics for their feet.

Healthbolt’s got one pair of the Women’s Aetrex z591w Runner to give away.

All you need to do is leave a comment by 23rd December telling us why you need a new pair of running shoes and they could just end up as yours.

This one is for US and Canadian residents.

The winners will be announced on 24th December and sent an email with the subject heading ‘Healthbolt Giveaway Winner’ with instructions on how to claim their prize.

And don’t forget it’s ‘every day a giveaway’ this month at Healthbolt.

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Jim

who has won the ChiWalking DVD and Book

and

   Suganthi

who has won the ChiRunning DVD and Book

Congratulations Jim and Suganthi. You should be receiving an email shortly with directions on how and where to provide your mailing address.

As for the rest of us, we can discover more about the ChiWalking and ChiRunning programs by checking out these two trailers – ChiWalking and ChiRunning – and the website for more information and resources.

And don’t forget, ‘every day is a giveaway’ this month at Healthbolt.

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Me, I’m a walker.

Whenever the weather’s good, I head for the beach, the park, or the forest to walk for an hour or two. I have no technique – I simply put one foot in front of the other. I thought that’s all I needed to do to get fit and healthy.

But having spent a little time reading up about ChiWalking, I’m starting to change my mind. Walking should be much more than simply one foot in front of the other.

ChiWalking is a unique program that utilizes the principles and orientation as Yoga, Pilates, and T’ai Chi to help people work with core muscles, integrate the mind and body, and focuse on overall and long term performance and well-being.

Now, I haven’t had a chance to try out the ChiWalking program but I’m seriously thinking about it.

And you can too if you enter in for a chance to win either a ChiWalking Book and DVD or a ChiRunning Book and DVD. Healthbolt has one of each to give away.

The ChiWalking Book and DVD offers a ‘menu’ of 12 different types of walks to choose from, each of which acts to improve a specific aspect of your mind-body health. Other topics covered include to how to develop a personalized walking program, hiking, diet, treadmill workouts, pre-walk loosening exercises, post-walk stretches and great tips for maintaining a continual freshness in your walking regimen.

The ChiRunning Book and DVD that looks at how to run properly and prevent the pain and injury often associated with running. You’ll be given instruction on race training, trail running, interval training, and endurance running as well as diet and nutrition for peak performance.

So back to my original question – are you a walker or a runner? Which Book and DVD do you want?

Leave a comment with your answer before 15th December and you might just come away a winner.

It’s only open to US Residents.

The winners will be announced on 16th December and sent an email with the subject heading ‘Healthbolt Giveaway Winner’ with instructions on how to claim their prize.

And don’t forget it’s ‘everyday a giveaway’ this month at Healthbolt.

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Need something to keep you going?

Then you’re in the right place.

Healthbolt’s got a one month supply of the award winning Detour Runner Bar to giveaway.

Made from all natural ingredients, the Runner Bar contains whey protein and MicroLactin®, a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory derived from milk proteins that has been reported to improve joint health and function. Plus they come in three different flavors – peanut butter, lemon yogurt, and chocolate chip cookie.

Sound like what you or the runner in your life needs?

Want to try the Detour Runner bar?

All you have to do is leave a comment before 11th December 2008 on which flavor you’d choose and why to be in the draw.

This one, I’m afraid, is only open to US Residents.

The winner will be announced on 12th December and sent an email with the subject heading ‘Healthbolt Giveaway Winner’ with instructions on how to claim their prize.

And don’t forget it’s ‘everyday a giveaway’ this month at Healthbolt.

Click on the package to find all the great prizes in Healthbolt’s 31 Days of Giveaways.

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He is a man on the move.

Last year he was in the British band, The Zimmers, who made their way up the charts with a remake of the old Pete Townsend song ‘My Generation’. Nothing unique there, except that the band was made up of a group of pensioners with a combined age of over 3000 years. The youngest was 64. The oldest was 99. And they were great.

Just in case you missed it….

Well, it seems that Buster has moved on to bigger and better things. He signed on as an ‘agony uncle’ for men’s magazine FHM, offering guidance to a younger generation.

And he is running marathons. Just last week he ran a half marathon in 5 hours and 13 minutes. Now he has his sights set on the 26 kilometer London Marathon.

At a 101, he hopes the be the world’s oldest competitive runner.

This is one man who obviously doesn’t believe that age should hold you back.

Just goes to show what exercising the brain and the body will do.

Go Buster! We are keeping our fingers crossed for you.

You can watch a video about Buster’s marathon efforts here.

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The side stitch is awful. Here’s how to get rid of it – and never get another one.

1. Warm up, smarty. Side stitches are caused by different factors, but having cold, tense muscles doesn’t help. You don’t have to stretch before a workout (I know, crazy), but you should at least do some push-ups or jumping jacks or jog up and down the stairs a few times before setting out to strut your fine self. Puff up that chest a wee bit.

2. Drink water. Often, a side stitch is caused by dehydration. Flush those organs with some fluids, baby! Drink at least one large glass of water before you hit the road (or the track).

3. Breathe right! Side stitches can be brought on by what basically amounts to your internal organs slapping around. But stitches can also be caused by improper breathing technique. Make sure that you take deep, quality breaths at regular intervals. Beyond this, you’ll want to be sure you squeeze out every last bit of air when fighting a side stitch. Slow down a bit. Don’t lean forward so much. Relax and let your breathing and your body synchronize. Loosen your hips, bend your knees, and open your chest. Breathe plenty of air in, and then make sure you squiiiiiish it completely out before sucking down another gulp. The more you run, the easier this will get. (Breathing through your nose can help, too.)

4. Don’t gorge and run. This should go without saying, but avoid anything excessively caloric or fatty right before a run. Go with something that contains complex carbohydrates, like a few big bites of aforementioned honey’s left-over stir fry, a quality granola bar, or a handful of almonds. Do not, for example, eat deep-fried pizza before attempting a run.

Slice Photo (Flickr CC)

5. Don’t try to be such a rock star. When starting an exercise program, the temptation is to push it. Start slow. There’s nothing embarrassing about only jogging an easy mile or having to stop to catch your breath every few blocks. What’s embarrassing is doing nothing at all.

Source

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Tangerine by Potion Factory is an iTunes extension with a sweet twist. It analyzes BPM and intensity of your music for you so you can spend more time listening and less time pointing and clicking. It does cost $25, but you can try it for 15 days first.

An iPod holder that places it squarely between two of my favorite things? It brings a tear this gadget-geek’s eye. Gracie’s Gear POWER POUCH accessories are designed by women for women, and for the entire year of 2007, 50% of all proceeds form Gracie’s Gear sales will be donated to The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke and the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation.

Marware releases you from Nike’s tyranny! Run free! Or at least run for $9.95 instead of having to drop $80 on a pair of Nike+ kicks so you can use your iPod Nano as a trainer.

Podrunner (iTunes Link) More BPM goodness. Running about an hour each in length. Free, and tailor made for listening to during your workout. No coaching or voice-overs, though. If you’re looking for nicely paced high-intensity music, this is the podcast to turn to. It’s almost worth looking into just for some of the song descriptions: 155 BPM – “…and in this tempo we all pray in unity for the same thing”, 170 BPM – “If this don’t make yo booty move, yo booty must be dead!”, 150 BPM – “Cruise control for your sneakers”

Imojo combines old-an-busted with new-hotness to give you a traditional sweat-band that coddles your iPod while you get fit. Oh yeah and they’re packing “fierce good looks” (I swear), which is really important to me when I work out. Cause I look so cool, red-faced and out of breath.

Swimmam has to be one of the coolest iPod products around. These guys completely waterproof your ‘pod from the inside out so you can use it while your pulling laps at the pool. That’s right, no bulky plastic cases, just what looks like your normal iPod, except it likes to get wet. Shuffles only, and they ain’t going for chump change. It costs $250, but you get a brand new water-proofed shuffle, along with all the standard accessories, and a set of Swimman waterproof headphones. You can also buy the ‘phones separately for $100 or send them your own shuffle and have them do their moisture magic for $75.

Healthbolt.net is not affiliated with any of the companies listed above.

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They have a massive selection and they’re running a second pair for 50% off sale all weekend. Go get some kicks.

And, yes, that’s a giant Roadrunner sculpture. Wait, though, it’s much cooler than you think. It’s made of trash.

WTF, indeed, sir.

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They don’t have to be expensive, but they do have to meet the needs of your feet. Be kind to your flippers, and keep the following list of tips in mind next time you’re shopping…

• Seams irritate toes or bony areas of the feet. If you must have a seam, make sure you take a moment to adjust it before you slip into that shoe. Many times discomfort from a poorly located seam will dissipate or be something that you can “get used to”. Do not be fooled, it’s still rubbing your foot wrong, which will lead to injury and discomfort later. Adjust it immediately while you still can, man! Do it now!
• The arch, toe area and heel should fit close to the skin but not enough to stretch and not loose enough to hang off any part of the foot.
• As we age, the fat pads on the bottom of our feet deteriorate. Look for socks that are thick and cushioned to taste.
• Double-layere socks can offer blister protection. The two layers slide against each other leaving the layer against your skin stationary.
• A high needle count (high density) wicks more moisture and provides more cushion, and they usually last longer.

Socks are offered in all kinds of materials these days, here’s a quick primer I found at Dick’s Sporting Goods: (I have no affiliation with Dick’s.)

Cotton Blends

• A cotton blend sock (60% or less cotton content) offers the soft, comfortable feel of cotton with athletic performance.
• These sock are usually blended with nylon, acrylic or rayon. These supplemental materials enhance wickability, maintain loft, and/or reduce friction

CoolMax®

• This lightweight moisture transport material uses a four-channel fiber engineered to move moisture and speed evaporation of perpiration.
• CoolMax® is lightweight, quick drying and it offers great “wicking” action, making it the perfect material for racing and warm weather running.

Lycra® Spandex

• Spandex helps a fabric stretch more to accomodate the different shapes of different wearers.
• It not only provides enhanced stretching capability, but provides comfort as well.

Acrylic

• A man made synthetic fiber, acrylic combines softness with lightweight, quick-drying properties.
• Durable and versatile, acrylic is the main fiber used many of the most popular sock brands.

Wool

• The original natural fiber, wool offers great wicking action while retaining its cushioning properties.
• Aside from managing moisture and insulating the foot, wool also holds its shape better than other materials.
• Today, many manufacturers use merino wool, a fine grade wool that offers a softer, non-itchy feel against the skin.

Remember, if you buy some nice socks, don’t lose your investment! You can safety pin them together, use a wash bag or do a ’sock only’ load to try and prevent them from getting lost in the shuffle.

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When you’re home, kick off your shoes and stay a while. I have a bad habit of always wearing shoes. Why is this bad? It weakens your feet. They get used to all that cushy support that limits their range of motion during walking. Stronger feet means better balance, less injuries overall and quicker healing should you manage to end up with a bum flipper.

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