Calling all single women! Are you looking for a place to vacation where you can find a hunk man who’s well paid, physically fit and family oriented? Do you want your vacation to be centered on a special event? Should it be something fun for you and all of your desperate gal pals, as well as inexpensive? Well, here’s the place for you: Anchorage, Alaska.

Anchorage, Alaska is known for its disproportionate ratio of single men to single women. No one is totally sure why. It’s the cold weather and wild animals. However, for some reason, women aren’t attracted to the area. Yet, the Alaskans make-up for this situation by creating events that attracts a lot of people. One of them is the Mayor’s Marathon race.

The Mayor’s Marathon race is held each summer in Anchorage. It’s a popular race because the path isn’t too challenging. Also, this race is one that qualifies runners for the world-famous Boston Marathon. The Mayor’s Marathon is also known for giving out great prizes as well as tours. Yes. That’s right ladies. So don’t forget to pack a pair of Uggs to replace your Nikes . This marathon understands the needs of its participants. Runners can sign up to tour the local area, which will acquaint them with locals. It’s a great way to find Mr. Right now.

OK, even if you sign up to participate in this race and don’t meet anyone, it will still make for a great vacation. The Mayor’s Marathon offers participants a chance to run a fun and relatively easy marathon with all of the perks of a bigger and more difficult one. Plus, it’s held in an area famous for its natural beauty and clean air. What more could you want?

If this sounds like a marathon for you, visit their Web site. Check out the site and find out more reasons why you’ll want to run this race.

I’m a Pisces. OK. There, I admitted it. I hate to tell anyone that I’m this sign because so many contradicting qualities are attached to it. Often, I hear how sweet, spiritual and loving my sign is (usually from other Pisces.) But then, I read astrological books, and they state people born under my sign are prone to be drug addicts, prostitutes and any human entity given to excess. It’s a confusing, messy situation that contributes to my desire to skip over certain sections of the newspaper and head straight for the comics. For this reason, I am always happy to read about another Pisces who is living a decent life, like retired, professional athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee was born on March 3. She is popular for her current record in the heptathlon and prior records in the long jump. Although she ran during a period of time in which track and field athletes were pumping their bodies with performance enhancing drugs, she always steered away from them. Jackie was a strong proponent for staying drug free and doing other things to build up one’s athleticism. This fact has maintained her reputation as a legitimate athlete through the years.

The other thing I like about Jackie Joyner-Kersee is that she used her fame to help others. Yes, she hooked up with Nike and enjoyed the publicity that went with that partnership. However, in the meanwhile, she started a few foundations to help others. In 1988, she started the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation in order to help struggling youth, adults and families. Later, she followed it up with a combined effort to start Athletes for Hope. Both of these organizations touch the lives of hundreds of people. And why? Because one lady, a Pisces, decided to turn her dream into something that expands outside of her personal realm. It’s enough to make another Pisces, me, proud. Jackie is a great example of how an athlete can use their fame for good, and what a Pisces can do in her life.

Nevada Zappos.com employees got together to collect new kids shoes for the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation . We collected 400 pairs of new shoes with the help of Nike , Zappos Outlets , and of course our amazing Zapponians . Below is a picture of the shoes with Jeff and Stephanie from the NCCF and Tony and Alfred . In addition to picking up the shoes the NCCF presented Zappos with a plaque thanking us for the donation. You can read more about Zappos’ community involvement here .

One of the best marathons in the world is the London Marathon. Find out about its origins and upcoming scheduled run.

Chris Brasher was the kind of man who didn’t look the part. His glasses were big and thick. His smile was crooked and slightly curled. And, his legs weren’t the kind that would ever be pictured on the cover of a box of Wheaties. Yet, none of these things stopped him from doing great things and creating one of the best marathons in the world.

It all started years after a stint as an under-rated runner and long career in journalism. Brasher had just come back from New York and running in the famed Boston Marathon when an idea hit him. He decided it would be great to bring the same type of marathon over to his home territory of London. So, with the help of an old running mate, Brasher brought to life the popular London Marathon. And in 1981, his dream came to life.

You may be wondering by now what makes the London Marathon so special. Well, it’s one of the best marathons in the world for three reasons: the trail, the runners and the money. Here’s a break down of each:

THE TRAIL

The London Marathon trail is a historic one that follows along the River Thames (south side and north side). It’s a trail that allows the runner to see a variety of landmarks such as the Tower of London, Clipper Ship and Cutty Sark. As a result, the runners in this marathon not only get to stimulate their bodies, but also their brains which serves for great memories and, at minimum, interesting bar room chatter.

THE RUNNERS
The London marathon is a run that attracts a variety of people. Some folk are locals and other foreigners. However, they all get together for at least one common reason, which is to tackle the London Marathon. The fun part of it all is to see the different groups dressed in humorous customs in an effort to push their separate agendas or stand apart from other runners. It makes for a very festive day and also gives spectators (along with the media) something to catch on camera.

THE MONEY
No, the type of money most people gather for in the London Marathon is not prize money. It’s actually in an effort to raise money for charity. Although the figures aren’t firm, it is estimated that, since its origin, the London Marathon has raised over 300 million for charity. It’s a number that keeps rising each year and the main reason for certain people to join in on the run. It also gives major athletes a chance to raise awareness about their specific cause and help out their fellow man.

So, are you ready to put on your Nike’ s yet? The next London Marathon is scheduled for April 26, 2009. If you go to the Website for the London Marathon at
http://www.london-marathon.co.uk , you can get details right now. It’s not too late to sign up. Remember, it’ll be one of the best marathons you’ve ever run.

Sources:

http://www.times-olympics.co.uk/historyheroes/stgbo08.html

For a young shoe, the sneaker has a rich history. While the first rubber-soled shoes appeared in the mid-1800s, it was not until nearly the end of the 19th century that sneakers as we understand them today began to appear. These, made by the Goodyear rubber company, were canvas and rubber creations that were soon branded as Keds .

Keds became the first athletic shoes to be mass-marketed in the early 1900s and earned the shoe style the name “sneakers” thanks to the imagination of an advertising executive who noticed how little sound the shoes made. During this time period, many other sneaker brands we know today emerged including Converse and Adidas .

Sneakers don’t become an actual fashion statement until the 1950s, when they became the emblem of rebellious teens, cute cheerleaders and James Dean. Because the shoes made from canvas and rubber were relatively cheap at this time, sneakers were a fairly easy status symbol for teens to obtain.

While sneakers were becoming a part of fashion, they were also doing a great deal of their development thanks to science, and efforts to produce better athletes by building better shoes. The emergence of the Nike brand and its marketing campaigns featuring the successful athletes who chose the shoe were a major part of this.

By the 80s, new shoe technologies were constantly being promoted including air soles and high tech support systems and materials that made the shoes lighter, more comfortable and provided both greater bounce and traction to athletes. The diversification of sneaker styles also accelerated at this time, with a wide variety of shoes designed for specific sports as well as a broader variety of shoes specifically for the fashion conscious. Many of the classic sneakers from the 1980s are valuable collectors items today.

Today, sneaker technology continues to improve as style continues to vary. Retro-styles harking back both to the 1950s and 1980s are popular, as are new, sleek high-tech basketball shoes, and more flexible sneakers intended for yoga but highly comfortable for walking. Limited edition sneaker releases are also common and has helped grow the collector’s market. Additionally, shoe endorsements from both athletes and pop stars continue to keep athletic shoes from of mind for a wide range of costumers.

Finally, while sneakers remain a distinctly casual fashion choice, today they can often be seen worn with suits or even tuxedos. Leather and patent leather sneakers even exist for suchoccasions , combining casual style with elegant materials for an edgy look.

Since high-heel, wedge sneakers have never really caught on, despite being produced periodically, sneakers at formal occasions have remained largely, but not entirely, the province of men. As flat shoes for formal events become increasingly acceptable and common for women, we can probably expect to see the sneaker increasingly paired with dresses.

Ever since humans learned to walk, some form of shoe has been essential. Initially, it was a lot about basic protection from the elements. Shoes made from animal skins were developed at first and through the centuries, other types of shoes have been made, incorporating a variety of methods and materials. In more modern times, the discovery of human-made materials have advanced the manufacture of shoes.

Hiking as Recreation

As people began to have more leisure time, and as it became possible to wander farther from home, hiking became more and more popular. Now it is not uncommon to see people enjoying hiking – at different levels of difficulty – for recreation. One of my favorite activities is hiking, and I’m not alone.

Millions of people every year use hiking as a way to connect with nature. I think this is especially true as we become an increasingly urban society. There is definitely a strong desire to get back to our roots in nature. And through the change in the status of hiking, the evolution of hiking shoes has taken place. Originally, people thought of hiking footwear in terms of boots. Bulky, padding-stuffed, stiff boots. These boots were thickly insulated in order to keep in warmth. Additionally, they were large. I look at pictures of my dad’s first pair of hiking boots and I can hardly believe how clunky they were. And you had to break them in. If you didn’t – well, hiking just didn’t maintain the moniker of “recreational activity.”

From Hiking Boots to Hiking Shoes

As technology pervades every aspect of life, hiking boots have necessarily been affected. Like microchips and consumer electronics, hiking boots have shrunk in size.

Today’s hiking boot is really more of a hiking shoe. The modern hiking shoe, as we know it, started evolving during the 1980s. Nike decided to take on the challenge of casual hikers. Until this point, hiking boots were reserved mainly for the hard core outdoorspeople. But what about those who liked to go for the occasional hike? Many of them didn’t want expensive and over-done hiking boots. So, Nike designed a trail shoe that was meant for light hiking.

Now, there are many companies that make hiking shoes. And these hiking shoes have taken advantage of technology to become smaller and sleeker,hile at the same time becoming sturdier. Technological advances have allowed for things like Gore-Tex , which helps protect the feet from water, as well as advances that have led to cushioning in hiking shoes, allowing for a more comfortable hike. And some hiking shoes are made with special technology that lets the shoe to change shape along with the foot. Advances in chemistry have led to more durable materials and research has led to tread that grips better than ever.And you can’t forget the technology that has led to breathable mesh materials that add to comfort while maintaining needed insulating effects.

Thanks to technology, we have more choices than ever for when we decide to commune with nature, and we need the proper footwear to do so.

Ever since Jeff Spicoli sported those Vans checkerboard shoes in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, footwear has played cameo roles in pop culture. Probably even before that, but my general frame of reference starts with 80’s movies.

Continuing with the movie theme, shoes were featured in two early Chevy Chase films, National Lampoon’s Vacation and Fletch. In Vacation, Cousin Eddie bought Clark a shiny new pair of white patent leather shoes with a buckle. When presented with these pimp-inspired shoes, all Clark could say is: “Eddie..you shouldn’t have..you REALLY shouldn’t have.” In Chase’s other film, Fletch (this author’s favorite movie), Chevy is often times seen with a pair of classic LA Lakers inspired Converse Weapons. Moving from the big screen to the small screen, Carrie Bradshaw in Sex in the City is often heard talking about her shoe fetish, especially her love for Manolo Blanik shoes.

Besides movies and television, shoes have also played bit parts, or in some cases been spotlighted, in music and in real life dramas. Run DMCs early success was due in part to their ode to their sneakers in “My Adidas”. In fact, adidas probably owes most of their early success to Run DMC, as they not only had songs about their shoes, but the guys in the group were pretty much outfitted from head to toe in their product.

In 1994, the OJ Simpson case was everywhere in the national headlines. One of the most incriminating pieces of evidence that the prosecution had were the shoe footprints found near the crime scene. It was discovered that these footprints were tied to a pair of size 12 Bruno Magli shoes. OJ just happened to be photographed a year earlier with those exact shoes. Coincidence, maybe?

There are of course lots of other iconic shoes/brands that have attained lofty status. Nike owes much of its success on their Michael Jordan inspired Air Jordan series. And where would British Knights be without Derrick Coleman endorsing their shoes? Well..maybe that one wasn’t too memorable. But you get the idea?.