Christmas Toys: Part two

Our editor Kevin Mackinnon has more great Ironman product suggestions to put under the tree this season

Sure, it's getting late in the Christmas game, but with 11 days to go before the big day (10 shopping days, for any brave souls out there), we have lots of suggestions that are sure to warm the heart of any triathletes you have to take care of this holiday season.

Here at Ironman.com we want to make sure we avoid becoming too commercial during this festive season, which is why we're focusing on absolutely critical training tools in this update. In other words ... if you're an athlete and you don't find any of these under the tree on the 25th, feel free to purchase one yourself - we'll vouch for you when it comes to defend the purchase as "completely necessary for your training next year."

We’ll start with an always helpful training tool – especially if you live in colder climates: a treadmill. Right now you can get a great deal on the Ironman Legacy Treadmill through Costco. (http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11165308&whse=&topnav=&browse=) For just under $1,400 you get a folding treadmill that even has a seven inch LCD TV screen built in so you, or your Ironman spouse, can watch your favorite show or Ironman DVD during your workout. Don’t worry about sweating on the screen – there’s a built in fan to keep you cool. Also included are OneTouch speed and incline buttons, remote handlebar controls and an oversized 20 x 60 inch running surface. A large 3.0 horsepower motor powers the running surface up to 10 mph and the incline can be adjusted up to 10 per cent. The two-stage shock design that lowers the deck slowly from the fold up position provides added safety while the front transport wheels allow for easy storage. In addition to all the great features, it looks great, offers proven performance, is rugged and durable, and is easy to store.

There isn’t a triathlete out there who won’t appreciate one of Tanita’s Ironman Innerscan Body Composition Monitors as a present this year. Calling them a scale is a crime, actually – these body composition devices provide a level of high-performance fitness monitoring that you almost have to see to believe. The Ironman in your life will be thrilled that they can examine their total body composition at home! Weight, Body Fat and Body Water percentage, Muscle Mass, Bone Mass, Basal Metabolic Rate, Metabolic Age, Visceral Fat and Physique Rating can all be monitored by simply stepping on these amazing scales. You can order one at www.thecompetitiveedge.com

The key to an Ironman’s heart? Help them go faster. You’ll help shave some time off their swim next season if you wrap a blue seventy: Helix and put it under the tree. Formerly known as Ironman Triathlon Wetsuits, blue seventy offers top-of-the-line suits that prominently feature the Ironman name. Anyone who ever swam in the company’s “Stealth” will love the “Helix.”

The anatomically designed back and shoulder panels, made with a special stretch neoprene, offer much more comfort and flexibility through the upper torso and shoulders. The new collar is much more comfortable then that found on the Stealth, and that comfort is enhanced by the new reversed quick exit Aquablock zip. While the reverse zip is harder to get into before you start swimming, it is noticeably quicker to get out of when exiting the water, and makes for a much more comfortable closure at the neck.

blue seventy has played around with the thickness and material of the suit, too. There’s more rubber in the torso and legs to get you higher in the water, and they’ve used a proprietary RST (Reactive Stretch Technology) neoprene that features a blend of Nano Metal SCS coating, high buoyancy rubber and water phobic, high-stretch jersey material to reduce drag and provide more flexibility. The bottom line? This is a gift that will keep giving as it saves your Ironman a few seconds next season.

If you’re looking for a bike accessory sure to please, think about the Look KeO Ironman Pedals (www.lookcyclesusa.com). These handmade carbon fiber pedals weigh just 230 grams, and have lots of adjustments to ensure proper and efficient pedaling technique. There’s lots of cornering clearance, which is a nice safety option, too. Look started the clipless pedal craze more than 20 years ago, and they remain a leader in innovative design to this day.

Here’s a present for any new Ironman parents you know: a B.O.B Ironman Stroller (www.bobgear.com), which are specifically designed for the Ironman parent who is serious about their running training, but don’t want to leave junior behind. The strollers are lightweight, have smooth treaded tires for lower rolling resistance and feature 16 inch quick release wheels (as opposed to the 20 inch wheels usually associated with running strollers) and an easy-folding design for improved portability.

At a shade over 20 pounds these are the lightest strollers in the BOB line, but somehow manage to provide a suspension system that provides three inches of travel to minimize bounce and vibration, with a stiff suspension that maximizes maneuverability and response. The B.O.B. Ironman Stroller comes in “high visibility Ironman yellow,” which, besides being my favorite color, is also very visible!

Ironman athletes are always on the hunt for a training edge, and the revolutionary POWERbreathe (www.powerbreathe.com) device has been proven to reduce breathlessness and improve athletic performance.

Using the drug free POWERbreathe regime of 30 breaths, twice a day (that’s less than 5 minutes training) can rapidly increase your breathing strength, power and endurance leading to improved exercise performance.

Laboratory studies have shown that POWERbreathe:
· Increases muscle strength by up to 45% helping to stabilise, rotate and control the upper body.
· Improves rowing time trail performance by up to 1.9%. That gives a winning margin of 60m in a 2000m rowing race!
· Improves cycling performance by up to 4.5%. That slashes almost 3 minutes off a 40km cycling time trial!
· Accelerates recovery during repeated sprints by up to 7%.

Even just writing all that in a card will make any Ironman athlete happy!

Finally, let’s not forget one of the most critical bits of bike gear – the helmet. There are three different models available in the Ironman Helmets (www.ironmanhelmets.us) line up right now, including the Extreme, Pro and Kona Elite. All three are lightweight and provide outstanding protection and also feature patented Reflectek™ technology, which makes the helmets reflect any light source up to 200 yards away. The mid-level Pro helmet is outstanding in its own right, featuring excellent aerodynamics and protection in a lightweight package. The Kona Elite takes things one step further by adding lots of ventilation to the aerodynamic package. You won’t go wrong if this ends up as a present this season – you’re not only providing required training and racing equipment, you’re providing some of the best!