Runners Lounge

FREE STUFF! Giveaway: New Balance Lightweight Trainers

What a treat this week to have New Balance back in the sponsor seat for this week's giveaway!  New Balance continues to be a great partner, bringing their knowledge and product to runners in the Lounge. 

Shane Downey, National Product Trainer took some time out his schedule to sit down with me to talk about the technical specs of lightweight trainers and what runners should think about and look for when choosing a lightweight trainer for their running shoe line up.   Even after all these years of running and buying shoes, I learned many new things to think about when I buy my next pair of shoes.

I f you are considering buying a pair of trainers, this podcast is for you.   Download it and take it with you on your next run.

And in the podcast, Shane mentioned the Wear Test program.   Here is the link if you would like to learn more.

Download New balance lightweight trainer podcast

And in celebration of lightweight trainers, New Balance is also giving away a pair of their new 904 Lightweight Trainer.   To be eligible, all you need to do is drop by the forum and leave some advice on the question of the week:

What is your secret to successful running?

Tell us what you do to make your running better, faster, easier or just consistently good? What have you found to be the secret to enjoying your running? What is the little nugget of running wisdom that you found that you hope everyone knows about running?

Winner will be announced on August 10th.

Looking for more tips from New Balance - check out the past podcasts from Shane:

Choosing Summer Gear

2009 Fall Line Up

FREE Stuff Giveaway + Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Socks...But Were Afraid to Ask

Nothing is so sweet as a great running store. 

Last week we invited runners to name their favorite running store and explain what they appreciated about that retailer.  We realize more than ever how many running retailers are tremendously dedicated to runners and running in their communities.   The winners of gift certificates to their favorite store are Milanorunner, and Melanie1300.  Thank you to everyone for the wonderful testimonials you shared.

This Week's FREE Stuff Giveaway: WRIGHTSOCK

How do quality, name-brand running socks differ from each other?

What goes into the design and construction of great socks?

What mistake do runners make in selecting socks?

Why is it the smallest, lightest weight, and least expensive running gear we wear means so much to us?

The running socks questions just keep coming...

Recently I sat down with Tom Weber, Director of Sales and Marketing, at WRIGHTSOCK.  Without promoting his brand, Tom took the time to explain some interesting facts that go into designing and making running socks.  He made sense out of fabrics, construction, fit, and why some socks do and don’t provide comfort.  We invite you to listen to the podcast and then go to the forum to leave a comment or question about running socks.

Download Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Socks

Loungers who leave a comment or question related to running socks in this forum will receive a free pair of WRIGHTSOCKS, courtesy of our partners at WRIGHTSOCK, while the supply lasts.

Please leave your comment then email your Runners' Lounge Profile Name, first and last name, mailing address, gender, and shoe size to:

info@runnerslounge.com

Why is it we don’t ask these questions about shirts and underwear?

FREE Stuff Giveaway: Your local running store

Ahhh.  Running's lessons learned by other runners! 

Those might be the most useful tips we can pick up short of our own trial and error.  Last week we asked runners to tell us about their one or two lessons we've learned about running “the hard way."   Plus runners shared how they learned them and how would they advise others learn their running lessons in a not-so-hard way.

There is an abundance of great advice from gear, to what we put in our mouths, to the mind games we put ourselves through.  Spending a few minutes taking in their collection of lessons learned might benefit us all and keep us from learning the hard way ourselves.

And this week's winner is Arkansas Girl, who has won a Cool Tee from SportHill.  Thank you to SportHill and to everyone who participated for sharing insight to keep us less injured and able to make the most of our running enjoyment and success.

This week's FREE Stuff Giveaway Topic: Your local running store

As the Online Community for Running, Runners' Lounge champions running at the community level--among your friends, in your neighborhoods, and in your town.  At the heart of running in the community is the local running store, and this week's winner will enjoy a gift certificate to your local or favorite running store, arranged by your friends here at the Lounge.

So we'd like to hear your expertise by answering the question:

What is it you enjoy the most about your local running store? Maybe it's the merchandise selection, the help, the owner, the look, the feel, or even the smell?  What is it you get from your favorite running store that makes it special.  Tell us about your best experiences and yes--please name names!  We want to know about your running store that rocks!

Go to the Lounge Forum and leave your response in become eligible!

All Loungers who contribute to the Giveaway Topic from July 20 - 25 will be eligible to win a a gift certificate to your local or favorite running store, arranged directly by Runners' Lounge.  The winner will be selected and announced on July 27th. 

Best of running to everyone!

FREE Stuff Giveaway: SportHill running apparel

Drink green smoothies...

yoga...

run without a watch...

run with a friend...

volunteer at races...

These are just some of the helpful non-running ways runners shared about how to enhance their running in last week’s Giveaway Forum with your ideas of one more non-running way to enhance your running.  Thank you to everyone! There’s a lot of collective running wisdom in your tips. 

This week’s winner of a shirt from our friends at One More Mile is Jackie who also has a great blog, The Demented Mom Runs.  Before you go checking out her blog, be sure to leave your ideas to this week's forum.

This week's Giveaway Partner: SportHill

We’re thrilled to continue partnering with SportHill, a premier designer of performance clothing for runners. What sets SportHill’s line of apparel apart from the rest is its “temperature-tuned clothing” constructed from unique fabrics designed for zones of comfort. 

With warm weather running and racing here, SportHill is offering its Cool Lite Tee, a top that feels and looks great on any body!

This week's Giveaway Topic: Your running expertise

While most of us aren’t coaches, we all have some areas about running that we’ve come to figure out very well.  After we’ve spent some time struggling, we turn out pretty knowledgeable, especially those lessons learned the hard way—like about soreness, speed work, certain injuries, running long, proper shoes, hydration.  So we'd like to hear your expertise by answering the question:

What are one or two lessons you’ve learned about running “the hard way” that you’d like to share?  How did you learn them and how would you advise others learn your running lessons in a not-so-hard way?

Go to the Lounge and leave your response in the Forum to become eligible!

All Loungers who contribute to the Giveaway Topic from July 13 - 18 will be eligible to win a free Cool Lite Tee from SportHill. Runners’ Lounge will select and announce the winner on July 20th.

Best of running to everyone!

FREE STUFF Giveaway: One More Mile

A mid-year running check-up is good for all of us. 

Last week we invited runners to take stock of what's going on in their running and to discuss it with others in the forum.  Congratulations to three runners, Abigail, Dan, and Laura, for sharing their look back and look ahead.  They're each receiving an autographed copy of Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life, a book of insights and inspiration by Amby Burfoot, Editor-at-Large of Runners' World magazine.

Our next FREE STUFF Giveaway Partner: One More Mile!

One More Mile is a business born from a runners need. They didn't like having to pay so much money for running apparel and it seemed difficult to find basic, everyday running clothes. They wanted exercise clothes to do the job, that is, to wick sweat, to be of good quality, and to be comfortable.

And they know most runners want clothes that is fun to wear.  As they say on their site, "We’re running and walking  for the joy and fun of it so why shouldn’t our clothes express this?"  Stop by their site and check out the shirts, gear and running accessories.  All of great quality and great fun! 

And to share the fun, One More Mile is generously giving away a running T-Shirt to a lucky Loungers!

Everyone can become eligible to win

Since Runners’ Lounge is dedicated to sharing useful resources, simply contribute advice or a tip to this week's Giveaway Question. Your advice can be something you have tried, learned along the way, something you have read, a link to a great post (yours or someone else’s), or a link to others’ advice on another running site.

This week's Giveaway Topic:

One More Way...

In the spirit of "One More Mile," we're inviting runners to contribute One More Way...  Finish the statement about one more way you can enhance your running besides running.  It doesn't have to be about more mileage or more effort.  It might be about nutrition, rest, strength, lifestyle--or maybe stopping something that's not working. We'll all be grateful for "one more way" to achieve more success and enjoyment from running.

Go to the Lounge and leave your response in the Forum to become eligible! 

All Loungers who contribute to the Giveaway Topic from July 6 - 11 will be eligible to win a free Running T Shirt of their choice from One More Mile. Runners’ Lounge will select and announce the winner on July 13th.

So do yourself a favor: Go to the Lounge and leave your tip today in the forum to become eligible!  Runners’ Lounge will compile all the responses in a combined article for all Loungers to enjoy.

Our next FREE STUFF Giveaway Partner: One More Mile!

One More Mile is a business born from a runners need. They didn't like having to pay so much money for running apparel and it seemed difficult to find basic, everyday running clothes. They wanted exercise clothes to do the job, that is, to wick sweat, to be of good quality, and to be comfortable.

And they know most runners want clothes that is fun to wear.  As they say on their site, "We’re running and walking  for the joy and fun of it so why shouldn’t our clothes express this?"  Stop by their site and check out the shirts, gear and running accessories.  All of great quality and great fun! 

And to share the fun, One More Mile is generously giving away a running T-Shirt to a lucky Loungers!

Everyone can become eligible to win

Since Runners’ Lounge is dedicated to sharing useful resources, simply contribute advice or a tip to this week's Giveaway Question. Your advice can be something you have tried, learned along the way, something you have read, a link to a great post (yours or someone else’s), or a link to others’ advice on another running site.

This week's Giveaway Topic:

In the spirit of "One More Mile," we're inviting runners to contribute One More Way...  Finish the statement about one more way you can enhance your running besides running.  It doesn't have to be about more mileage or more effort.  It might be about nutrition, rest, strength, lifestyle--or maybe stopping something that's not working. We'll all be grateful for "one more way" to achieve more success and enjoyment from running.

All Loungers who contribute to the Giveaway Topic from July 6 - 11 will be eligible to win a free Running T Shirt of their choice from One More Mile. Runners’ Lounge will select and announce the winner on July 13th.

So do yourself a favor: Go to the Lounge and leave your tip today in the forum to become eligible!  Runners’ Lounge will compile all the responses in a combined article for all Loungers to enjoy.

FREE STUFF Giveaway: Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life

It’s not often that Amy and I get to give away exactly what runners are asking for.  But today we’re announcing the winners of the Mix My Granola Giveaway. 

Since there are no wrong granola mixes, ingredients of every kind and in every combination imaginable were were suggested.  And thanks for the added touch of some very creative names.  We'd love to get our hands and mouths on every mix you suggested.  This week's winners are Amy and Joel.  Please let us know when you try a mix that works for your fitness and your palate.

We want to thank Mix My Granola again for their sponsorship and support. What great pioneers in customized taste and nutrition!

This week's Giveaway Item: The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life

One of our favorite books is The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life.  Long after you've read endless training tips, racing techniques, and guidance to run better, this book takes an inward look at where we find meaning in running. Written by Amby Burfoot, a highly-successful runner and Senior Editor at Runner's World magazine, the book frames other ways we can seek and find greatness and meaning in our running.  Every runner ought to have this book on their night stand.

So we're giving away three copies of The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life autographed by the author.

This Week's Giveaway Topic:

This week marks the half-way mark of 2009, so we invite everyone to share how they're coming along with their running resolutions they made in January.   

• What progress have you made on your fitness?  On your running performance? 
• Have you made some new running friends?
• Are you enjoying running more?
• Have you nailed some goals?
• What unfinished business do you still have the remainder of this year?
• What are you most looking forward to in the second half of 2009?

We'd love to hear how your doing half way through 2009!

And to recognize your look back and look ahead, all Loungers who respond to the Giveaway Question between June 29 - July 4 will be eligible to win.  Runners’ Lounge will select and announce the winner on July 6th.  Simply go to the Lounge Forum to share your running progress update and also what you're learning along the way.  Your response can be as short as a sentence and as long as a blog post or story.

Leave your response today to become eligible!

FREE STUFF! Giveaway: Mix My Granola

Summer is a tough time for me to be good with my snacks.  The kids are home on summer vacation and there are more snacks in my house.  So our trips to the grocery store are a battle for me and for them to pick healthy snacks as well as ones they will enjoy and actually eat.  And with more time at the pool and picnics, I find more reasons to slip in special treats.  Looking back over the last few weeks, we have gone through Doritoes, special ice creams, Summer Oreos (oh my!), and many of grandma's cookies.   So, my last trip to the store, I started looking for just the right mix of ingrediants to make a healthy granola as an alternative to these junk food treats.  But, in the rush of the trip, I just didn't have the time to pick out a set of healthy ingrediants.

So imagine my delight later that day finding a site that specializes in customized granola.  Mixmygranola.com allows you to customize your own organic, all natural granola mix from more than fifty ingredients such as goji berries, chia seeds, almonds and organic soy beans. They even have recently added new Enhancers, like caffeine, acai powder, and pomegranate powder.  The site provides nutritional information on all the ingrediants and the final mix and ships it right to your home.  It's a dream come true for me - I get a healthy snack, exactly the way I want, and without tracking down all the ingredients in the store.

I thought this concept was so cool that I reached out to them to learn more about the founders, their idea and their product.  They have had many mentions from well known media like the Food Network, Glamour, and Womens Health but were excited to do a podcast with the Lounge and tell their story.   Take Matt, one of the founders of mixmygranola, on your next run and learn about him, the company and what they want you to see in their product.

Download Mix My Granola

Mix My Granola wants to share their product with runners to have you see the difference the right food can make with your running.  They are offering two $20 gift certificates for our lucky winners this week.   To be eligible, you have a unique and enjoyable task - go to the www.mixmygranola.com site and ceate a customized Runners' Lounge Half Marathon Mix or a Runners' Lounge Marathon Mix in celebration of our two 20 week series focused on Half Marathons and Marathons.

After you have the ingredients determined, stop by the Runners' Lounge forum and tell us:

• what is in your mix,
• why/how you choose the ingrediants,  and
• the name.   

We will choose one mix as the signature Runners' Lounge Half Marathon mix and one as the Runners' Lounge Marathon mix and Mix My Granola will feature the mix on their website for other runners to enjoy.   Winners will be announced on Monday, June 29th.  How cool is that?!?!?

So get mixing and pick out something for yourself as well - your running will thank you for it!

Great Tips For Summer and A Winner

Thanks to all the runners who stopped by the forum and told us about their must have summer gear and tips.   There are over 50 great tips on how to weather the summer temperatures and humidity.   A few of the must-have's listed were:

• Wicking shirt and tank tops
• Running skirts and dresses
• Sunglasses
• Visors and Hats and headbands
• Sunscreen and BodyGlide
• Hydration Belts, Bottles and Backs (favs include Nathan, Amphipod, Camelback, Ultimate Direction)
• Thin Running Sock

Post run tips include:

• Popsicle post runs

• Shower that you turn down the water cooler and cooler so cool down gradually and don't sweat as much after

• Peppermint oil body soap to cool you down

• Cool fruit salad

• Jump in the pool

And congratulations to our lucky winner, baldmanrunning, for being our randomly selected winner of the New Balance Burnout Tee!  Don't forget to stop by this week's giveaway for a great contest and giveaway sponsored by mixmygranola.com.

FREE STUFF! Giveaway: New Balance Burnout Tee

Bring on summer!  Whether we are ready or not, summer is just a few days away.  I while I am still mentally preparing for all those hot, humid, sweaty runs I know I need to get my summer gear ready now.

It's not that I don't have lots of wicking shirts, it's just that many of them have obtained quite a...oh how would I say it.... a personality.  A stinky, dingy personality.  I know it is time for a refresh of my running gear - especially my shirts.

As I was thinking about a few changes, I had the opportunity to catch up with our friend Shane Downey from New Balance.  Shane joined us on a podcast a few months ago to talk about buying running shoes as well as what to expect from New Balance's fall line.   He has so much knowledge and passion for running gear, that it made sense to talk to him again about what to look for in summer running gear.  

If you are looking to refresh or build your summer running gear, listen to the tips he provides - it will help you make the right decisions around what's best for you and your running.

Download New Balance summer gear tips Podcast

And being the generous group they are at New Balance, they also agreed to provide a shirt to one lucky winner.  The Burnout Tee has all the great features you are looking for in a running shirt.  It has UV protection, provides ultimate breathability and even odor resistance.  

To become eligible to win this shirt, just drop by the question of the week and share your advice:

What is your must-have summer gear that gets you through or helps you refresh after all the hot, sticky, sweaty summer runs?

One lucky winner will be announced Monday, June 22.

 

FREE STUFF Giveaway: Running From The Devil

In addition to my passion for running, I have an addiction to reading.  There is nothing as satisfying as hanging out in my favorite comfy chair after a long run as a way to relax and let my mind play in another world.   When I received a note about previewing Jamie Freveletti's novel, Running From the Devil - let's just say I didn't hesitate to sign up for the offer.  

It has all the things a running/reading addict wants:  it is written by a runner and the main character is also a runner.  There are just not enough books out there that fulfill those two dimensions.   In this novel, a plane is hijacked and crash-lands outside Bogotá, Colombia.  Emma Caldridge, a biochemist for a cosmetics company who is on a covert personal mission, is thrown from the wreckage. Shaken but unhurt, she watches as guerrillas take the rest of the surviving passengers hostage.  An elite marathon runner, Emma silently trails the guerrillas and their captives, using her athletic prowess and scientific knowledge to stay alive.  (For more about the book from Jamie, check out her video on YouTube.)

I love a good thriller and wasn't disappointed.   I sat down after the last tuck in of the evening and didn't stop reading until I was at the back cover.  I couldn't stop!  Who needs sleep when you have a great book to read?!?!  But don't just take my word for it, IndieBound (Independent BookSellers) have made it there notable pick for May or check out other reviews.

So imagine my delight when Jamie Freveletti was available for a quick chat and interview.   I caught up with her last week to find out more about her running, her writing, and advice to other running writers.   Take this podcast with you on your next run to hear more about her and the book.  (You can also follow her on Twitter at http://www.tiwtter.com/jamiefreveletti.)

Download Interview with Jamie Freveletti

She also balances being a mom with her other running and writing pursuits which made a perfect giveaway for this week's theme, Salute to Running Moms.   She has provided four copies of her book (which goes on sale Tuesday, May 5th) to giveaway.     To be eligible, just drop by the forum and finish any of this week's thoughts:

Running makes a great mom even better because...

The most common "mom" thing I think about while running...

My best advice to a running mom...

Running and motherhood are a lot alike...

Congratulations to the winner of the SportHill shorts - DistanceRunner!  Thank you to SportHill for their continued partnership and thank you to everyone who took the time to stop by the forum and drop off advice on finding time to run.