I'm probably violating some sort of man code here by talking about christmas shopping before Thanksgiving, but hey I work for the station that made Oprah a star right? I rarely watched, but I do know that her annual 'Favorite Things' show was always one of her most popular. So in the spirit of the mighty Ms. Winfrey, I'm offering up a few of the gift ideas that have caught my attention this year.
I'll admit I got the idea for this entry after being called to duty at the last minute a week ago as a model for the Fleet Feet Sports fashion show. The store puts on the show to showcase some of the latest in running clothing and gear, and it has become quite popular. Last year they filled up one of the Second City theater's stages. This year they doubled it, by holding two shows. Store owner Dave Zimmer did a nice job as emcee explaining what's new this year.
They dressed me in Adidas, including shoes, running pants, shirt and jacket. I actually own a pair of the running pants already, and like them a lot. They are loose fitting, warm, and look good. But the jacket was what really got my attention. Bright yellow, it's sure to get the attention of drivers, who in turn will be much more likely to avoid you! It's also light, durable, and comes with an attached hood. I haven't worn a running jacket with a hood for years, but I have definitely had runs in weather when I wished I had some protection for my head. I really like it.
The jacket that stole the show, however, was the Nike Vapor Flash. Talk about visibility. Most jackets and clothing have a few stripts of reflective materal attached. With the Vapor Flash, the entire jacket is made of reflective material. And to prove it, everyone got a flashlight on their way into the show. At one point, they turned off the house lights, and everyone directed their flashlight at the stage where the models wore Vapor Flash Jackets. It was like they were lightbulbs. i wold definitely feel safe running at night in this jacket. Here's a link: http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/?l=shop,pdp,ctr-inline/cid-1/pid-416205
And speaking of Nike, I also really like the design of their GPS watch. Nike didn't invent the GPS running watch, but they have definitely improved the design. These slick watches are lightweight, stylish, and dependable. During a race earlier this summer, my Garmin watch was acting up, and virtually useless, while my friend's Nike watch worked flawlessly. I became sold on it that day.
If you are buying a gift for the runner who already has everything, I've got the idea for you. I'm one of those runners whose running gear takes up more space in his closet than his work clothes. Yeah, I probably need to get rid of some of it! But the folks at Sugoi found something I didn't have, and definitely want to hold on to. Before last week, I'd never tried leg warmers. I either wore running pants or shorts. But there are days when you it's a little too warm for pants, but a little too cold for shorts. Those are the days when the leg warmers are the perfect compromise. They keep your legs warm, but not restricted like they can sometimes feel in running pants. They could also serve an an 'under layer' for some of these extreme cold days we know are coming in January and February. Here's a link: http://www.sugoi.com/usa/run.html
So those are some of my favorites this year. Good luck with the shopping!
See You on the roads........
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