Lifetime Fitness Triathlon and Expo this weekend!

Gear and Training will be at the Lifetime Triathlon Expo this Friday, 7/9 from 10 am-8 pm at the Minneapolis Convention Center! Come and check out the gear we'll have there to purchase, which will include items from K-Swiss, Skins Compression, and Thorlos socks.

Matt Reed, the accomplished elite triathlete (he'll be one of the pros racing in the Lifetime Tri), will be at our booth to meet fans and answer questions...he's sure to be an inspiration for your athletic endeavors!

And whether you are participating in the race or are there to cheer on others as a spectator, be there on Saturday, 7/10, as the race kicks off at 7 am at Lake Nokomis!

Gear and Training
"Attacking Life and Sport Since 2001"

Gear and Training to be at Grandma's Marathon

Come and check us out this Thursday and Friday (6/17 & 6/18) at the Expo for Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, MN! The race on Saturday is a world-class event, attracting elite athletes from all over the planet, first-time marathoners and everyone in between!

We will be featuring Skins Compression products along with Thorlos socks-buy one pair of socks, get one 1/2 off!

Gear and Training
"Attacking Life and Sport Since 2001"

Gear and Training to be at Hy-Vee Triathlon this weekend

Come and check out Gear and Training at the Hy-Vee Triathlon in West Des Moines, IA this weekend! It's sure to be an awesome race and we are excited to be there.

"Attacking Life and Sport Since 2001"

Season to push yourself

All around me, I have been watching and hearing about friends, colleagues, and customers getting out and racing their first events of the year (or of their life). From 1/2 marathons to sprint tri's to trail races and beyond, it has become another season of hearing personal stories of triumph, determination, and discipline.

To me, it's always really cool to hear about someone who has pushed themself and reached their goals. It also seems that along the way, things are learned that are lessons in the old adage "getting there is half the fun"-you learn new things about yourself and your body, your mental determination, when you are in the midst of training. You listen to your body and respond to its signals that maybe you need to change this tempo run up a little or maybe you need a rest day after all, and that the actual training process is to be enjoyed (as painful as it may be some days) as much as crossing the finish line at the end. Your motivations can vary as well. I know some amazing athletes who raise money to help fight cancer and have raised tens of thousands of dollars over the past several years and continue to have new PR's in their races, and others who have always dreamed of accomplishing a race on foot and have now crossed that finish line and reached a personal goal.

In a short while, I am embarking on training for a marathon that is about 4 months away-I have been cross-training the past few months and taking a break from daily running. I have to admit, I am a little "am I up for this?" at the moment. Now comes the time to mentally switch gears and start to enjoy the process. After all, getting there is half the fun.



Aimee Bone
Gear and Training
"Attacking Life and Sport Since 2001"

CW-X Conditioning Wear: Running Press Release

CW-X CONDITIONING WEAR’S CONTINUED SUPPORT OF RUNNING PAYS DIVIDENDS


NEW YORK, N.Y. (Mar. 31, 2010) – The running market was where CW-X was launched and pioneered, and it continues to be the driving force behind the brand, critical to the success of Wacoal Sports Science Corp.’s CW-X Conditioning Wear line of tights, tops, shorts, sport bras, and socks (www.cw-x.com). The company’s patented Kinesio Support Web featuring kinesio taping is credited with improving the performance of runners everywhere.
CW-X strengthens its ties to the running market by partnering with the running specialty retail channel, supporting running media – both print and online – and participating in major marathons and road running event expos around the U.S.
In the near future, CW-X will appear at expos for the Boston Marathon (April 19), the MORE/Fitness Marathon in New York (April 25), the Chicago Marathon (October 10), Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. (October 31), New York Marathon (November 7), and the Disney Marathon (January 9, 2011). The brand is also a charter sponsor of The Running Event trade show for specialty running retailers, and a supporting member of the Independent Running Retailers Association (IRRA).
CW-X running ads will appear on RunnersWorld.com, Fitness.com and MapMyRun.com from April through October – an expected reach of over 5 million runners. CW-X running print ads appear in Runner’s World eight months in 2010, as well as Fitness and Shape for another six. Additionally, there are CW-X running ads in several regional running and race publications.
CW-X sponsors the U.S. Mountain Running Team, the Fire Department of New York Track Club, and myriad individual runners who compete in and hold world records in everything from ultra distance races to track sprints.
“We launched the brand in the running category in late 2002 – it’s how most people heard of us,” said John L.A. Wilson, president and COO of the WSSC.
“Our marketing emphasis on the running category makes sense for us strategically, and besides, most of here at the company are runners, some of whom have competed at the national and international level.”
Wilson continues, “The word must be getting out about the brand – we’re seeing more and more CW-X pass by as we monitor various races.”
About Wacoal Sports Science and CW-X
Wacoal Sports Science has been issued numerous patents for CW-X technology – over 50 worldwide. CW-X has been extensively tested and proven in competition by Olympics medalists, cyclists in the Tour de France, and climbers on two separate and successful Mt. Everest expeditions.

K-Swiss Signs Ironman 70.3 Champion Mirinda Carfrae

K●SWISS SIGNS IRONMAN 70.3 CHAMPION MIRINDA CARFRAE

(Westlake Village, CA) March 24, 2010 -- Iconic footwear and sportswear brand K●Swiss

is proud to announce its sponsorship of professional triathlete Mirinda Carfrae. Under the multi-year deal, Carfrae will represent K●Swiss footwear and apparel. Carfrae’s first race as part of K●Swiss’ roster is at the Rohto Ironman 70.3 California in Oceanside on March 27, 2010, where she will be defending her 2009 title. She also currently holds the run course record with1:20:22.

The 28-year-old Australian, who now resides in Santa Monica, Calif., has been a force since her first triathlon in 2000. Carfrae’s titles include10 Ironman 70.3 first place wins and the 2007 Ironman 70.3 World Champion first place title, the same year she was named Triathlete magazine’s “Ironman 70.3 Triathlete of the Year.” She broke the Kona run course record with a 2:56:51 at the 2009 Ford Ironman World Championships and placed 2^nd amongst the world class women’s field attempting to conquer the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run in Kona, Hawaii.

“Anyone who saw Mirinda set the marathon course record at Kona last year will understand why we would be so excited to have her on our roster,” said K●Swiss Sports Marketing Director, Erik Vervloet. “She brings a competitive fire and toughness to our brand that is unrivaled by any athlete. With Mirinda, we truly have an athlete who’s going to bring the effort and passion to everything she does. There is no quit in her! Never has been, never will be! We can’t wait to see what the future will hold for Mirinda and K•Swiss.”

“I'm so excited to be teaming up with K●Swiss running shoes and apparel, a company truly committed to making the very best products on the market which enables us as athletes to do what we do best... RACE!” said Carfrae. “I can't wait to get out there and see how fast we can go in 2010 and beyond.”

New Shoes

Running is a big part of my life.

Official "training" for a marathon I enjoy doing in June started several weeks ago. To kick off this training season, I opted to try a new pair of shoes from a brand I've not worn before.

I've been a pretty devoted fan of Asics and New Balance shoes over the years, and since Gear and Training carries an extensive line of K-Swiss shoes, I thought I'd give the brand a try.

I did a little research and decided on the K-Ona Running Shoe-there were quite a few positive reviews about the shoe and I was also pleased to see that it has garnered a lot of attention for being worn by elite athletes at various Ironman races and marathons, and I figured that if it's good enough for that caliber of athletic prowess, then it's more than good enough for me.

So far I love these shoes. My basic feedback so far is that I really like how lightweight they are, but my feet still feel like they have good support. The Flow Cool System™ provides excellent ventilation, and they make me feel fast on my feet. I have logged 60+ miles in them so far, and not one blister or lingering discomfort has been had in "breaking in" a new pair of shoes.

I am excited to see how they perform as the mileage increases over the coming weeks and months and I confident I will be psyched to lace them up on the morning of my big race.

Aimee Bone
Gear and Training
"Attacking Life and Sport Since 2001"

Vancouver Winter Olympics

The Olympics are well under way and I always get inspired and excited to soak them in (Winter and Summer alike), and this time around is no exception. For two weeks I allow myself to be a bit of a TV junkie as I cram in as much of the games as I can (I spend as much time as I can logging in miles on my treadmill so I don't feel like a total couch potato). Over the past several days, I have seen some amazing, inspiring, thrilling moments in winter sports and have studied the athletes in pre or post-event interviews.

From the excitement and disbelief in seeing American snowboarder Seth Westcott come from behind and pull an amazing feat in defending his gold medal, to the emotionally charged performance of pairs skaters Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo of China in their 18-year quest to add a gold medal to their list of achievements, to the overwhelmingly exhilerating gold medal performances of mogul skiiers Alexandre Bilodeau of Canada (not to mention his amazing brother, Frederic, who inspires him to be not only a stellar athlete but to be a good person all around) and Hannah Kearney of the US. And who can deny how victorious US skater J.R. Celski's bronze finish in the Short Track Speed Skating was a mere 6 months after sustaining serious injury during the Olympic Trials that narrowly missed being a fatal outcome?

Of course there are many other inspiring stories and performances and moments that are unforgettable. That's part of the wonder of the Games; the backstories and years of perseverance and dedication of these athletes is truly inspiring.

Recently, I was out enjoying some cross country skiing in nearly-perfect conditions and got to thinking about the unbelievable skill, fierce dedication, relentless discipline, and countless other things that it takes to be an Olympic athlete. It's easy to let your thoughts drift about what it must be like to be in top physical shape and have the skill level to compete with the best in the world. I am a novice, mediocre skiier at best , but it's something I really enjoy and it's a good workout. I accept the fact that I will never be in the league of super-athlete, but I can push myself to make my form a little better, or to get to the top of a hill a little faster, or to simply take in the fresh snowfall and the tracks that I'm creating in the snow. Or all of the above.

Enjoy these next special couple weeks of being a spectator to some of the most amazing athletes in the world and their mind-blowing talent, and even if you are, like me, a far cry from being an Olympic-level athlete, you can still get outdoors and push yourself to be your best.

And enjoy your surroundings.

Aimee Bone
Gear and Training
"Attacking Life and Sport Since 2001"