CEP, the premium compression technology company we all know and love, has just expanded its lineup to include recovery-specific compression pieces. Here’s the lowdown:

Recovery+ Socks

CEP Recovery+ Pro Sock

If you’ve been longing – dare we say, yearning – for a recovery-focused sock from CEP, then rejoice! The CEP Recovery+ Pro Socks (view Women’s) use graduated compression to increase blood flow to muscles post-workout, helping you recover more quickly. They’re different than the Progressive+ Socks due to having consistent gradation over the calf muscle, since their is no increased demand on this muscle post-run.

To experience the greatest recovery benefits from these socks, put them on within one to two hours after exercising, and leave them on for at least six hours. It’s okay to take a break post-workout to shower up and refuel, since Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) typically takes several hours to develop. The sock is constructed of a breathable knit for a comfortable all-day wearing experience.

The Recovery+ Pro Knee High Open Toe (view Women’s) gives you the benefit of the recovery-specific design while letting your tootsies hang out. They’re a great choice if you want to wear a compression sock and sandal at the same time, of if you just like letting your feet breathe easier.

RxOrtho+ Braces

We also brought in a few new braces designed to stabilize and protect common injury areas for runners. We stock the RxOrtho+ Knee Brace (shown below) for stabilization and support of the knee joint, the RxOrtho+ Ankle Brace (shown below) for the support and treatment of mild ankle injuries, and the RxOrtho Achilles Brace (not pictured) to support and treat injury and discomfort in the Achilles tendon.

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CEP Progressive+ Run Sock 2.0, Night Run Sock and Night Calf Sleeves

CEP has just introduced several new products designed for compression during exercise.

Progressive+ Run Sock 2.0

Reach for the CEP Progressive+ Run Sock 2.0 (view Women’s) when you feel like your muscles need a little extra support on a run. This sock has graduated compression from the ankle to the knee, but the compression gradient remains consistent over the entire calf muscle. It’s even lighter than its predecessor. A thicker knit over the Achilles provides increased cushioning, and the terry structure of the knit helps to stimulate blood flow. The seamline across the toes is very flat to eliminate hot spots, and the hydrophile finish on these socks wicks moisture to prevent chafing and blisters. We have the sock in Black and White, along with the Progressive+ Night Run Socks (view Women’s) shown above in Neon Green.

Progressive+ Calf Sleeves

We already carry the CEP Progressive+ Calf Sleeves, but we also brought in the Progressive+ Night Calf Sleeves (view Women’s) for an added bit of safety. In addition to the brilliant neon color, a reflective thread is woven in for increased visibility. Read more…

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If you’re a student athlete or school coach, 2013 is your year to get GPS-connected for improved training performance. Garmin’s going to help you do it with a $50 rebate offer on top-selling models. Until October 31, 2013, this leading GPS running watch maker is offering student athletes and school coaches a $50 mail-in rebate for the Forerunner 210 and Forerunner 610.

How do you get the rebate? All you have to do is purchase an eligible model from us and send in the Garmin Mail-In Rebate Form along with the product UPC barcode and copies of your receipt and student/school ID. It’s that simple to get a little extra cash in your pocket.

Rebate Model Rundown

Forerunner 210: The 210 is one of Garmin’s most affordable, easy-to-use GPS watches. It’s available on its own, with a heart rate monitor, or with a heart rate monitor and foot pod bundle. Big features include:

• GPS with HotFix to sync up with the satellite quickly
• Live pace and distance data with totals when your finish your run
• Custom Interval Training for speed work
• 1,000-Lap memory
• Ability to compare and analyze data with Garmin Connect and Garmin Training Center

Forerunner 610: In addition to all the features of the 210, the Forerunner 610 adds these key features:

• Touchscreen interface that works when wet or when wearing gloves
• Vibration alerts for time, distance, and run/walk breaks
• Virtual Racer to compete against previous course PR’s
• Virtual Partner feature to train alongside a digital person
• Auto Pause stops/starts timer for you based on speed
• Wireless data transfer to your computer with included ANT+ Stick

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Garmin is known as a top name in fitness technology – and now you can wear some of that technology on your wrist for free! The Garmin Forerunner 10 is simple-to-use GPS run watch with all the core features runners need to train and race.

This contest is closed.  Congratulations to Cheryl C. in Florida and Francis F. in Georgia, winners of our Luck o’ the Garmin Giveaway! Thank you to everyone who entered!

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You don’t have to be a gearhead to jump – or run – into the world of heart rate monitors. Today’s market offers a great selection of sleek and simple monitors that are easy to operate.

Why Buy a Heart Rate Monitor?

Incorporating heart rate training gives you more control over your workouts and can be a clutch training tool when it comes to making fitness gains and breaking through plateaus. A heart rate monitor can help you make sure you’re hitting your target heart rate during a workout, or staying in a lower heart rate zone on an active recovery day. You can also use a heart rate monitor to work intervals of higher and lower intensity exertion.

Whether your running goals are fitness or race-performance related, a heart rate monitor can enhance your training. These nifty little gadgets are a much more precise way to keep track of your efforts than ‘perceived exertion,’ giving you the power to manipulate your workouts to achieve your goals.

Our Popular Models

If simple is your style, here are a few of our favorite basic heart rate monitors:

Timex Easy Trainer

The Timex Easy Trainer offers a no-frills approach to heart rate training. All you need to do is secure the included heart rate monitor strap around your chest and press the red ‘On/Off’ button, and you’re on your way. The large, easy-to-read display helps you keep track of your heart rate on your run, even in the dark thanks to the INDIGLO® night light. After your run, the Workout Review feature recalls activity time along with average and peak heart rates.

Polar FT4

The Polar FT4 provides heart rate information, as well as an estimate of calories burned during a workout. This heart rate monitor also has a coded heart rate transmission, so it will correctly pick up your own heart rate even if your training partner is wearing a heart rate monitor as well. You can even set heart-rate-based target zones with visual and audible alarms, and choose from eight languages to display. Read more…

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Stumbling more than you're running? Brooks' blog has suggestions to get back on track.

If you’re having trouble sticking with your running resolutions, check out this blog from Brooks on How to Reboot Your Running Resolutions. They offer up some fixes and suggestions for common training hurdles like sickness, exhaustion, and not being able to find enough time to get in all your mileage.

We’ve found a couple types of products are particularly helpful for people who are working on a training or race goal in 2013. The most obvious one is a GPS watch or heart rate monitor. After all, you can’t improve if you don’t measure how you’re doing. We’re also big proponents of massage and running injury prevention products, especially for more entry level runners who are working hard toward a goal.

For those of you who made running resolutions, how are they going? What other stumbling blocks have gotten in your way? Let us know and we’ll try to offer some creative solutions.

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A decade ago, GPS sounded like something only the FBI or CIA would have access to. Now even your mom has it. And just maybe, she’s a runner who uses GPS to manage and track her workouts. With brands like Garmin and Soleus offering GPS running watches that won’t break the bank, it’s easier than ever for runners to step out into the brave new world of training tech.

There are plenty of GPS models that have it all. They can track your speed/distance, tell you how many calories you’ve burned, track your progress over time, do your laundry…okay, maybe not that last one, but you get the idea. We love these fully loaded models, but they might be a little overwhelming for those making their first foray into the world of GPS.

A few key players in the GPS market are also recognizing this challenge and responding with streamlined, simple-to-use GPS models with lighter price tags than some of their beefier counterparts.

If 2013 is your year to get techie, check out the Garmin Forerunner 10 Small / Garmin Forerunner 10 Regular. Another good option is the Soleus GPS Fit 1.0 Watch. These models are easy to operate, and being able to accurately track the distance and pace of your workouts can help you improve your performance over time.

Do you use GPS to guide your training and track your progress?

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Ever wonder how the dry, cold days this time of year impact your hydration levels? After all, breathing in the dry air causes us to lose more water through our lungs, and it’s really easy for many runners not to drink enough when temperatures drop.

Several of us here at RW were just talking by the watercooler the other day (as we diligently hydrated) about how it’s tough to get excited about drinking even room temp beverages this time of year. Hot water with a bit of lemon seemed to be a crowd favorite.

Hydration in cold weather doesn’t get nearly as much discussion as the importance of hydrating when the mercury rises, but Skratch Labs, makers of Skratch Labs Exercise Hydration Drink Mix, has a fantastic recent blog article on how the human body compensates for cold temps. They also provide some strategies for staying warm and properly hydrated when you’re running in a winter wonderland.

Exercising in the Cold of Winter by Allen Lim

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All the running gearheads around the RW offices (which we’ll admit, is most of us) are getting stoked, because new spring run gear is starting to trickle in to our warehouse. There’s a lot more to come in the next few months, and we can’t wait to share it with you. Here are just a few of the new arrivals that we’re really excited about right now…

Jelly Belly Extreme Sport Beans: Assorted & Pomegranate

Give us a reason to eat jelly beans – any reason – and we’re pretty much on board. Extreme Sport Beans, from the geniuses who make Jelly Belly® jelly beans, give us reasons to eat these tasty little bites during a workout. Fuel your run with carbs, electrolytes and vitamins B1, B2, B3 and C. B vitamins help your body burn carbs and fat, and vitamin C is a potent antioxidant. The Extreme version of these beans also packs 50mg of caffeine to help keep you going through long training sessions. We now have two new flavors: Assorted and Pomegranate. Yum.

Nike+ SportWatch GPS

If you’re ready to kick up your training a notch, then the Nike+ SportWatch GPS is a great place to start. The watch comes with the Nike+ sensor foot pod and everything you need to get started so you can monitor your training progress. Measure your pace and distance, and track your progress over time as you work toward your next goal. You can even get involved in the Nike+ online community to compete with your friends and get inspired by the running accomplishments of other athletes.

But wait a minute, we hear you saying, I think I’ve seen this watch before. You’re right, this is not a new model from Nike. But what is new is the fancy white color, which looks pretty dang futuristic. In fact, we think the watch’s sleek design looks so good that you’ll want to wear it even when you aren’t running.

New Minimal Options from Brooks and Mizuno

This season we’re excited to see some zero drop shoes that offer a bit of protection from the road. A couple newbies that caught our eye are brand new models from Brooks and Mizuno. Brooks introduced the Brooks PureDrift as the lightest member of the PureProject family. Its flexible midsole gives your feet a bit of padding from the ground, while maintaining an excellent feel for the running surface. The shoe can have a 4mm offset or zero drop with insole removed.

From Mizuno, we’re pumped about the Mizuno Wave Evo Levitas, which boasts low weight, a low stack height and an invitation to get your runner’s high on. The zero drop platform and wide forefoot combine to offer an excellent shoe for a mid-to-forefoot strike. Mizuno uses their Wave technology in the forefoot midsole to provide cushioning on ground contact. The colors are great, and we couldn’t help but fall for the incredibly breathable open mesh upper of this shoe.

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Endurance runners rejoice! Technically 2013 is the ‘Year of the Snake,’ but we think it will be the ‘Year of the Drink’ (ok, they don’t quite rhyme – just roll with us here). The days of clunky, awkward hydration packs and non-ergonomic water bottles are thankfully behind us, and this year, runners are going to take notice.

Many top brands in hydration (Salomon, Camelbak, Nathan, UltrAspire, Ultimate Direction and others) will be releasing svelte, low profile hydration packs that offer plenty of room to carry fluid, and pockets aplenty for all your other nutrition and accessory storage needs. We’re also going to see some pretty cool innovations in the realm of handhelds.

If you test drive one of the streamlined packs, like the CamelBak Marathoner Vest or the Salomon Advanced Skin S-Lab 5 Set Pack that we already have in stock, you’ll see that the game is changing – and fast. Many of these packs are more of a vest-pack hybrid that stays securely in place while you run, and won’t chafe or jostle. The packs are designed to move with you, instead of against you, so you can focus on running.

But packs aren’t the only things getting a rethink. Salomon is rolling out a new handheld worth a look. The Sense Hydro S-Lab Set Gloves put hydration in your hand but don’t require the whole “held” part of the equation. These gloves strap up to 500ml to the palm of each hand, giving you easy access to your hydration without the risk of hand cramping.

This will be the year that many more runners transition from their Stone Age, oversized hydration packs and cumbersome bottles to sleeker models that keep them prepared and unhindered. And it’s also going to be the year for many other runners to try out a pack, belt or handheld for the first time. Hydration products in 2013 will be all about adding to the quality of your run, instead of just giving you a way to lug around some liquid. It’s like adding the perfect cape to your superhero costume…it just makes your run that much better.

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