Tested: future gear
Runners are always on the lookout for the next big thing, and at E3 in Los Angeles this week we got a peek at the cutting edge in home-training software, for those you like to work-out no more than three feet from the sofa
Nike+ Kinect Training You know the people at Nike mean business. So when they help develop a training programme for the Kinect, it’s not going to be a game. Nike + Kinect Training gives you a personalised workout plan tailored to your body and needs, with real-time feedback and a Nike trainer to tell you where you’re going right, and steer you gently when you’re doing it all wrong. It’s based on the training programmes they develop for elite athletes – serious stuff.
Available: later this year
Wii Fit U Wii Fit has been a hugely popular venture for Nintendo; at E3 the company announced plans to bring it and the balance board to the new Wii console. It’s got all the things you loved about Wii Fit, and brings some new exercises in too – including a killer luge exercise that fools you into working your core muscles. Also on the way is the Fit Meter pedometer, which will measure your day’s activity.
Available: later this year
Just Dance 4 Although it’s not intended primarily as a workout tool, the level of effort you exert while flailing around your living room means Just Dance has become one.
The fourth instalment coming up has 40 new tracks to get you off the sofa and moving. The upcoming Wii U version has a “puppet master” mode, which allows a fifth player to control the choreography in real time, and there’s also an upgraded “Just Sweat” mode that tracks calories and offers you new workout sessions and personalised programmes.
Available: October 2012
Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013 The Your Shape series has been around a while, but the new version is promising to bring things to "a new level". That's a tall order when there's such fierce competition coming. But Your Shape 2013 will have more than 125 different workouts and 215 moves to help you reach your fitness goals, while it tracks, motivates and generally nudges you down the path to a healthier you. Available: TBC – Ciara O'Brien
On Twitter and Facebook, we asked you what your guilty post-run snack is
Louise Ahern: "HB Swirl with dark chocolate."
Kenneth Broni:"I usually just nab dinner after my post-work treadmill session. Today, a lovely spaghetti bolognese with chorizo."
John Condon: "For the Cork Marathon on Monday I heard someone being motivated by the promise of crisps, beer and garlic chips topped with cheese."
Murray Nolan:"Rehydrating . . . with a beer."
Run and Jump:"I saved an Easter egg for post-marathon a week after Easter. Harder than the 26 miles but worth it."
Enda Lynch:"A 99."
Medals of honour: Chafing
What: Ouch. Ouch. Ooh. Eurgh. Even those who have run shorter distances will know the nastiness of chafing.
The longer the distance, the more likely you are to be afflicted, and pretty much anyone who has trained for a marathon (and triathletes and cyclists) will have experienced those red, raw, sometimes bloody patches.
How: Chafing is caused by clothing – cotton is especially bad – rubbing against skin. Badly fitted bras cause problems for women; while too many men know the horror of the chafed nipple.
It can also be caused by skin rubbing on skin, so the inner thighs or under the arms can get it.
Fix it:Wear breathable, moisture-wicking clothing, or Lycra is pretty good. Most importantly on long runs, go nuts on sensitive areas with Vaseline or similar anti-chafing products.
Sometimes you can feel a bit “squishy” heading out for a run, but it’s worth it.
Great Race Galway, 10km, June 17th
Unless you’re perched on the back of a racehorse, you won’t get many chances to get around Ballybrit. The Great Race Galway starts and ends with a lap of the racecourse, and in between heads out into the countryside but promises a “grandstand finish”.
When you finish, people might even throw their hats in the air in celebration. Entry is €20-€24. greatrace.ie
Plan ahead:The Dingle half and full marathons, September 1st. Dinglemarathon.ie
