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Lead Stories: Saturday, July 19, 2008

TFS Podcast 122
Adam Goucher:
Operation Olympic Gold

Posted January 24th, 2008 at 7:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Episode 122 of The Final Sprint Podcast features my interview with world-class distance runner Adam Goucher; whose long list of accomplishments include being a two-time U.S. Outdoor 5,000m champion (’99, ’00); 2000 USA 12km and 4km XC champion; 2006 USA 4 km XC Champ; 2007 USA Cross Country runner-up; 1998 NCAA 5,000m Outdoor champion; 1998 NCAA XC champion and 2-time NCAA 3,000 Indoor champion (’97, ’98).

In the interview Adam talks about his recent ankle surgery and the subsequent (and ongoing) recovery, his plans for competing at the marathon distance after the Olympic season, his victory over Kara in their Nike challenge, the excitement and challenges of the 5,000 and 10,000 meter runs at the Olympic Trials and his specific focus on the 5k.

Download the podcast to hear Adam discuss these topics, as well as, the role of faith in his religiously-eclectic training group, coach Alberto Salazar’s recovery, and much more!

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Host: Adam Jacobs | Guest: Adam Goucher
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt, Darnell Perkins
File Size: 13.1 MB | Length: 19:09 MIN

Episode Sponsored By: Nike +

Long Live Running!
Nike Plus will improve the way you run. Get feedback from your iPod on pace, time, distance and calories burned.

Log into Nikeplus.com to track your progress,
set goals and challenge friends.

Interested in featuring The Final Sprint Podcast on your site, blog or My Space page? Click here to learn how!

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TFS Review: Garmin Forerunner 50

Posted January 22nd, 2008 at 12:30 PM by Paul Petersen

Section: Gear & Apparel, Gadgets & Acces., Product Reviews, TFS Reviews

Product: Garmin Forerunner 50
Prices: $200 (watch + HR monitor + food pod + USB ANT stick), $90-$100 (for other combinations without food pod OR without HR monitor)
Rating: Good 7.4/10.0
Pros: Easy-to-use watch interface. Less expensive than most of its competitors. Can purchase components “piecemeal”. Reliable HR monitor. Fairly accurate foot pod. PC upload with USB ANT Stick is VERY fast and easy. Work with free desktop software (Garmin Training Center) and/or free online community (Garmin Connect).
Cons: Fewer features than its competitors. Watch displays only two measurements at a time. Can find more advanced Garmin 305 units at comparable prices.
Overall: Compared to its peers (Suunto Running Pack, Polar RS800sd), the Garmin Forerunner 50 is a less expensive, relatively “no-frills” fitness device. The fact that it has fewer features than its competitors makes it a bit easier to use and also less expensive. All-around performance was solid.

When I think “Garmin“, I automatically think “GPS“. For this reason, I was a little surprised to find about Garmin’s latest fitness monitor, the Forerunner 50. It measures speed and distance NOT by GPS, but rather by a foot pod, similar to the Nike + iPod Sport Kit, Suunto Running Pack, and Polar RS800sd. This is a deviation in how most people perceive Garmin, but they are well-respected in general for all of their products. Would the Forerunner 50 follow suit?

Design - 7 - Out of the box, the Forerunner 50 consists of a sports monitoring watch, a USB ANT stick, a heart rate monitor (optional), and a foot pod (optional).
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Nike+ rids itself of the iPod with new Nike Speed+

Posted January 17th, 2007 at 6:52 PM by Doug Berger

Section: Gear & Apparel, Gadgets & Acces.

If you’re an avid runner, then the Nike+iPod system certainly caught your attention and you may even be a user. Well, what if you could take the iPod out of the picture? Nothing officially has been announced yet, but a visitor to the Nike Store Europe website snapped a screenshot of a new Nike product called Nike Speed+, just before it was removed form the site. Luckily, our sister site Gadgetell picked up on the news.

The wrist-watch can will be able to wirelessly receive distance, pace, and other data from the same old Nike+ sensor that came with your Nike+iPod kit - minus the iPod part, of course. The device will also give users the option to upload the data it captures to nikeplus.com probably for charts and graphs of your pace and such. It is unknown if there will be an accessory for receiving audio updates.
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TFS Re-Launch Contest #3:
Nike+iPod Sporkit +

Posted December 20th, 2006 at 7:00 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Announcements, Gear & Apparel, Gadgets & Acces., Resources, Special Features, Sweepstakes

Thanks for your great responses to the second contest in The Final Sprint’s Re-Launch Celebration. The lucky winners of the Adeo GPS Fitness Trainers have been notified. For those of you who missed out, don’t worry because we’ll be giving away a few more next week.

For our third contest, The Final Sprint is going to continue helping you improve you performance by giving away a . . . Nike+iPod Sportkit!!! Don’t have Nike + shoes? No problem! The winner will also receive a RunAway AnyShoe so you can use the Sporkit with your favorite shoes, regardless of the brand. The Sporkit offers audio updates of your pace, distance, time and will also help you track and plot your results online.

TO ENTER: All you have to do is comment on this post with a few of your favorite workout songs.
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Runners Log Over 1 Million Miles with Nike + iPod

Posted October 25th, 2006 at 4:00 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: Gear & Apparel, Gadgets & Acces., Miscellaneous

PRESS RELEASE: Over 1 million miles — equivalent to circling the world more than 40 times — have been logged by Nike+ runners in just 10 weeks since Nike and Apple changed running forever with the retail launch of the Nike + iPod experience.

Almost 8,000 people logged runs yesterday on nikeplus.com—including an almost eight-mile run in New York, two and a half miles in Boston, five miles in Boulder, two miles in Miami, six miles in Nashville, four miles in Phoenix, three miles in Seattle and two miles in Peoria. Top times so far: 27 minutes and 43 seconds for a 10k run, and 13 minutes, 47 seconds for a 5k. The farthest total distance: more than 600 miles. Read the rest of this entry »

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TFS Review: Marware Sportsuit Sensor +

Posted October 13th, 2006 at 3:28 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Gear & Apparel, Gadgets & Acces., Product Reviews, Special Features, TFS Reviews

Excited about the new Nike+iPod alliance - but unwilling to part with your favorite pair of non-Nike shoes? Fear not - because Marware has come to the rescue with their Sportsuit Sensor +

Product: Marware Sportsuit Sensor +
Price: $9.99
Rating: Excellent 8.55/10.0
Pros: Securely protects Nike+ iPod wireless sensor, durable, lightweight and inexpensive
Cons: Not waterproof
Overall: Marware’s Sportsuit Sensor + is a terrific adapter for runners who want the benefits of the new Nike+iPod Sport Kit, but don’t want to spend the extra cash on Nike+ Ready shoes. For only $9.99 it is an investment you won’t regret and we highly recommend it.

Performance - 9 - After using the Sportsuit Sensor + on several training runs and feeling quite confident in it’s performance, I decided to use it during a recent half-marathon. Once again - I was very impressed. Throughout the 13.1 miles I never had to adjust it, nor did it ever cause me any discomfort. As a matter of fact, it is so lightweight that I basically forgot I was even wearing it. Read the rest of this entry »

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WIRELESS RUN TRACKER: The One Service That Every Runner Needs

Posted October 7th, 2006 at 7:10 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Gear & Apparel, Gadgets & Acces., Miscellaneous

Wish that you could have all the advantages of a Nike+iPod Sportkit +, Garmin Forerunner, MP3 player, Google maps and even your cell phone with you on your run? Well now . . . YOU CAN with a “Wireless Run Tracker”-enabled mobile phone.

Runner’s World, Bones in Motion (an application development company) and various cell phone companies have teamed up to create “Wireless Run Tracker” - a service that will make runners of all levels and abilities, gadget lovers and technology enthusiasts all go wild.

For a fee of only $9.99 a month (added to your cell phone bill) you can use your GPS enabled cell phones on Verizon Wireless, Nextel and Sprint services to track/measure your runs, find/share routes, help you to avoid getting lost and see real-time information on your phone’s screen.

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TFS Review: Leading Example Coaching’s Running Log Software

Posted September 23rd, 2006 at 5:00 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Running & Training, Gear & Apparel, Miscellaneous, Product Reviews, Special Features, TFS Reviews

Check out our review of Leading Example’s Running Log Software. You can also try it for yourself and let us know what you think. They offer a free trial download (although that version will not contain many of the features that are available in the full version).

Product: Leading Example Coaching’s Running Log Software
Price: $9.99
Rating: Average 6.1/10.0
Pros: Good for beginners, training log, mileage/pace calculations, progress graphs, shoe tracker, goal setter
Cons: Cannot calculate calories burned, insufficient for advanced runners, incompatible with portable mileage trackers, incompatible with Google Pedometer, design flaws
Overall: L.E.’s Running Software can be helpful and is certainly more effective than a mere paper training book or journal. However, this product is not worth the money for advanced and very competitive runners.

Performance - 5.75 The software is capable of tracking your mileage, graphing your progress and also allows you to set goals. One feature I particularly like is that it allows you to accurately track how many miles you have put on your running shoes. Wondering why this is important? Then check out: When to ‘Kick’ Your Old ‘Kicks’)

L.E. asserts, “Whether you’re a serious runner or a weekend jogger. This fantastic Running Log will help you.” However, after reviewing this product I believe that most serious runners and exercise enthusiasts would likely be disappointed.

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AVAILABLE THIS WEEK: Marware’s Sportsuit Sensor +

Posted August 29th, 2006 at 10:32 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Gear & Apparel, Running Shoes, Gadgets & Acces., Motivation, Music

The time has finally arrived . . . Marware’s Sportsuit Sensor+ for the iPod nano are being released on Thursday, August 31st.

For all of us who refuse to give up on our favorite non-Nike running shoes, this case will now make the Nike sensor compatible. Forget about those old fashioned pedometers or the extremely overpriced Garmin devices. The Sportsuit and the Nike+iPod Sport Kit will together only cost you about $40! ($9.95 for the Sportsuit and $29.95 for the Sport Kit)

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Complement your Nike + iPod with Sportsuit Sensor+

Posted August 11th, 2006 at 7:53 PM by Doug Berger

Section: Gear & Apparel, Gadgets & Acces., Motivation, Music

So you love to exercise and want to pick up on that Nike + iPod trend, right? What if you don’t have the right kind of shoes that fit the Nike sensor? Fear no longer because Marware has just launched a case that will allow you to strap on the same old sensor on your favorite shoes. The device has a Velcro strap that folds around your shoe laces for a secure fit while you’re bolting down the street/track. Preorder a Sportsuit Sensor+ on DrBott.com for just $9.95.

Read [DrBott]

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