2009 Christmas Toys: Part 1

The first in our series of Ironman Christmas present suggestions

It's time for our annual gift to all Ironman and 70.3 spouses and significant others! In this, the first of our multi-story Christmas Toys series, we offer some gift ideas sure to bring a huge grin to the face of the Ironman in your life this holiday. Today we outline the oh-so-relaxing Ironman Inversion Tables, Timex's impressive Ironman Race Trainer, our favorite running shoes (the K-Swiss K-Ona) and the CompuTrainer Real Course Videos, which you can pick up for half price until Christmas.

Timex Ironman Race Trainer

The only down-side with putting this present under the tree this Christmas is that you're going to see even less of your Ironman athlete once he or she slaps it on their wrist. The Timex Ironman Race Trainer includes just about every Ironman's wish-list of features: it's a heart rate monitor that's slim and comfortable on the wrist, has a 50-lap stopwatch and a timer for interval workouts and alarms to ensure you're training in the right heart rate zone. While all that is great, the Ironman Race Trainer sets itself apart from other systems because all it takes is a few button clicks to download all of your training information (for up to 10 workouts) to your own on-line Training Peaks training log that's been specially designed for Timex. Once you wirelessly transfer the workout data to your computer through the included Timex Xchanger, you can monitor and track your progress in just about every way you can imagine.

To read our review of the Timex Ironman Race Trainer, click here http://ironman.com/events/ironman/worldchampionship/kona2009/kevin-mackinnon-reviews-the-new-ironman-race-trainer-from-timex

To find out more about the Timex Ironman Race Trainer, go to www.timexironman.com

Ironman Inversion Tables

Now here's a brilliant present any Ironman-significant other could get: an Ironman Inversion table. This is the one present you can give that you might actually gain more benefits from than your Ironman- or Ironman 70.3-loving spouse. Inversion benefits include:

• reduces back stress by relieving pressure on vertebrae discs and ligaments

• reduces fatigue, stress and relaxes the overall body

• promotes stimulation of blood circulation to relieve stiff muscles

• helps reduce the effect of aging due to gravity

• increases body flexibility to improve athletic performance

• relieves lower back aches due to sitting or standing

Whether you compete over 70.3 or 140.6 miles or don't compete at all, you'll still enjoy spending some time on an Ironman Inversion table to give your back a break. Not only will it provide some much-needed relief, it will improve your posture, too. This January there will even be a new model that includes Infrared Heat Therapy for even more therapeutic value.

While the Ironman in your family will love the chance to spend some time just stretching their overworked backs, those after a a super abdominal workout will love the fact that the Ironman Inversion Table also doubles as the ultimate in abdominal workout machines – working on it isolates each section of the abdominal muscles.

The Ironman Inversion Tables have an extra wide tubular steel frame for additional weight support, a memory-foam vinyl covered backrest with a removable lumbar pillow, foam covered, extra long safety handles and tough, rubber non-skid floor stabilizers and ergonomically molded ankle cushions to hold ankles securely and comfortably. The table supports people up to 350 pounds and the height adjustment allows for athletes up to 6' 6”.

Put it all together and you have a training and recovery tool that will help athletes get back into the game faster and everyone else happy for some wonderful back therapy.

We'll have a more extensive review of the Ironman Inversion Table in the new year here on Ironman.com

You can find an Ironman Inversion Table at: Wal-Mart, amazon.com, overstock.com, sam's.com. Sears.com or target.com, costco.com.

K-Swiss K-Ona Ironman Shoe

What better way to celebrate the fact that you're an Ironman than to proudly wear the official Ironman shoe – the K-Ona from K-Swiss. We've raved about this shoe a few times here on Ironman.com, so we're quite confident that the Ironman in your life will be every bit as thrilled as we would be if we found a pair of these M-dot logo'd shoes under the tree.

Worn by Ironman champions including Chris Lieto, Andreas Raelert, Luke McKenzie, Belinda Granger and Terenzo Bozzone, the K-Ona weighs in at just nine ounces, making this an ultra-light shoe that still manages to provide more than enough support and cushioning for an Ironman event. Thanks to the seamless upper made with a super-comfortable and breathable mesh fabric, your Ironman athlete was probably one of the many who bought a pair at an Ironman race this year and used them a day or two later to run a marathon.

This is a shoe that feels great to run in for virtually any race or training distance. The bottom line is that K-Swiss has nailed this Ironman- and triathlon-specific shoe and you can jump on the bandwagon by picking up a pair for the Ironman in your household.

For more information on the K-Swiss shoes, go to www.k-swiss.com

CompuTrainer Real Course Videos

Don't miss the Real Course Video Sale that's going on until Christmas Day!

We all know that there's nothing like a CompuTrainer for indoor bike workouts. In addition to the amazing technology that allows you to keep track of your power output, heart rate and your pedaling efficiency, the new CompuTrainer Real Course Videos allow you to actually preview race courses. You'll get a real feel for what you'll experience during the race thanks to this amazing technology that makes indoor training a lot more fun.

There are 12 interactive Real Course Videos available and, until Christmas, they're on sale for just $49.95 each.

Buy one for your true triathlete love, or all twelve as gifts for your favorite “drummers drumming.” 
Choose from any of the available Ironman® courses:

• World Championship, Kona,  Hawaii

• Arizona

• Lake Placid

• UK

• Canada

• Coeur d’Alene

• Louisville

• Wisconsin

• Australia

• St. George

• 70.3 St. Croix

To Order Click Here