by Running Dad | Mar 7, 2017 | Equipment / Gadgets, Featured, Running Product Reviews
I enjoy the solitude and sounds of the run. The sound of my feet greeting the road. My rhythmic breathing. The birds chirping. The rustle of the leaves as a skunk approaches my path. The car engine behind me that doesn’t care that I have the right-of-way through the intersection. I prefer to hear these things in time to react accordingly. I am not a fan of skunk-stink or tire tracks on my back. So I keep my ears free of obstruction. No earbuds while running for this guy. (more…)
by Running Dad | Jan 17, 2017 | Equipment / Gadgets, Featured, Gear, Running in the Dark, Running Product Reviews
Be safe. Be seen. Those are my two biggest concerns when I go running in the dark. With a full time job and kids in multiple sports, early morning or late evenings/nights are sometimes the only option for getting in my training runs. I have used a headlamp to light my way until I found Knuckle Lights. (more…)
by Running Dad | Oct 14, 2015 | Equipment / Gadgets, Running Product Reviews
I am a sucker for high tech gadgets and good advertising. That’s probably why I got into graphic design. You can sell a product solely on the advertising campaign and how it portrays the product. When an advertisement popped up on my Facebook feed for a heart rate monitor built into a running hat, complete with phrases like:
- Smart hat
- Biometric Measurements
- Heart rate – aerospace level
- Calories consumption – aerospace level
- Cadence / steps measurement – aerospace level
How could I resist? If I’m going to take my running to the next level, it might as well be the aerospace level. (more…)
by Running Dad | Jun 7, 2015 | Equipment / Gadgets
I am a runner. I like to be moving around. When I sit for any extended period, I start to hurt. My legs, back, and especially my right foot (plantar fasciitis) bother me every time I get up from my office chair. As a graphic designer, I am stuck behind my desk for the majority of my work day. In the evenings, after soccer, baseball, or basketball practice, I am usually reclined with one or both of my boys draped over me or crowding me off the couch in some fashion. So limiting the time that I am sedentary helps to ease some of those aches and pains.
I recently talked my employer into purchasing two standup desks for our graphics department. I can honestly say that it has helped immensely with reducing the everyday aches and pains that come from being a runner in training — and closing in on forty years old **gasp**.
I had done some research on the adjustable height desks and picked out the brand Varidesk. They looked sturdy and well put together. They also had a pretty high price tag, ranging from $275 to $400 . With a printout in hand, I approached my manager with the benefits of a standing desk. There are a lot of studies you can find on the internet about the health and productivity benefits of working at a standing desk versus sitting all day. I’ll focus on my personal assessment of the Varidesk and how it has worked for me.
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by Running Dad | Feb 8, 2015 | Equipment / Gadgets, Running in the Dark
Out of all of my reflective gear, this one gets the most use. I usually try several different products before I settle on one I like, but this vest has been a piece of gear that I use for every low-to-no-light run. I bought this vest and never looked at any others. (more…)
by Running Dad | Feb 6, 2015 | Equipment / Gadgets
I love my treadmill. I don’t know what I would do without it during the cold winter months when the temperatures drop and the days grow short. But it is easy to get bored running on the “dreadmill” if all you have to look at is the wall in front of you, or the treadmill’s digital display showing how far you have gone; a reminder of how far you still have to go. I have added different gadgets to keep my mind as busy as my body as I workout. (more…)
