Sweet on your feet - The Ryka MC2 Walk

I can't remember who it was one time that told me they weren't built for speed, but to go slow and steady. Well, that's me.

I've done a few 10K races - running part and walking part. Honestly, the running is kind of like torture. Unlike some of my friends who love to run, I'd just as soon skip that part. I'm like the Little Engine that Could - I just chug along.

A few months ago, I got an email from Parent Bloggers Network asking if I'd be interested in reviewing some fitness gear. Little did I know what little gem would be showing up on my doorstep - some awesome shoes from Ryka.

Behold, the mighty MC2 Walk. Ain't it purty?





















Ryka makes all of their gear specifically for women. And while I've always been kind of a shoe snob - mostly due to design issues and my pesky achilles tendon that seems to rub on 99.9% of the shoes that I try - I was eager to try the MC2 Walk. I already had a few of their shirts that I loved, so why wouldn't I love the shoes too?

Well, I have to admit that at first I put them on...and I didn't like them so much. I believe the predominant thought running through my head was OUCH. So I wore them around the house a few hours and - well - I started to like them. Really like them. Like skipping around the house like them. Like finally having to take them off because athletic shoes don't really go with my pajamas. That's how much I liked them.

It does take a little getting used to if you're used to either running shoes or cross-trainers like I am - the fit is definitely snugger but it gives great support. The MC2 Walk fits your heel so you don't get that pesky slippage - which would probably help women with narrow heels that have such a hard time finding athletic shoes that fit. Ryka calls that "True Motion Control" - and they really deliver. It offers great stability, especially when walking outside where they handle rough sidewalks and uneven pavement like a champ.

As I mentioned earlier, one of my biggest problems with athletic shoes is that my achilles tendon tends to rub on most athetic shoes out there. The MC2 Walk's upper heel isn't cut down as low as my old shoes, but I found that as long as I wore good quality socks that weren't cut too low that I didn't have that problem. The only time I had an issue with the MC2 Walk rubbing my heel was when I stupidly put on a pair of extra-low cut socks - and it wasn't the shoe that left a teeny blister, it was the elastic on the sock. Color me happy! I had one pair of the "swoosh" shoes that I ended up giving away because no matter what I did, the stupid things rubbed my heels raw.

Overall, I was very pleased with my MC2 Walk shoes - inside on the treadmill, outside on the street, and running errands, they held up to the abuse that I regularly dish out to my footwear. I'm hoping that once I run these into the ground, I'll find a different model of Ryka shoes to try since they have a really good selection for walking and running.

Now through the end of October, register with Ryka's Good for Your Sole campaign and you have the chance of winning some awesome gear - Ryka is giving away 50 pairs of shoes and 50 performance tees every single day plus they are donating one pair of shoes for every pair given away to the Women's Sports Foundation for distribution across the country to women in health and wellness programs. How cool is that?

It’s been a while that I haven’t been watching a children’s program that didn’t involve Megazords or some kind of ninja bunny rabbits, so when I was offered the chance to review the new DVD athleticBaby: Soccer! I jumped at the chance.

athleticBaby: Soccer! is the latest addition to the family of athleticBaby DVD’s. Created by a fitness-minded mother of three children, the series is designed to inspire kids to get out there and get active. I figured it would be perfect for a kid like Monkey Man, who is obsessed with all things sports.

I hate to admit it, but the video was totally not what I expected. I thought it would be more instructional and give ideas of how to work with your child to learn some soccer fundamentals. Well, that’s not what you get. But what you do get is a video full of movement, color, and some great music. The only real “instructional” part is a segment where the song talks about how you can’t use your hands in soccer – and it’s done in a really cute manner.

I loved that kids of all ages from toddlers to teenagers were featured – and it was an excellent mix of boys and girls throughout the video. The kids are shown playing independently as well as in groups, with lots of happy smiles and groupings that seemed to encourage teamwork.

The music, created by Eddie Coker, far surpasses the typical insipid “kiddie music”. Monkey Man gave the music two enthusiastic thumbs up and was bopping around the family room each time we watched the video. Even my husband Joey, who normally would rather put cottonballs in his ears than listen to one more kiddie song, thought that the music was exceptionally good.

After we watched it, we discussed what we liked and didn’t like about the video. Monkey Man really liked the music and said he liked watching the kids play soccer, with his favorite part being a segment where they have a dog dressed up in clothes that plays with soccer balls. What he didn’t like were the attempts to review colors and numbers – “It’s too much like Circle Time, and I don’t like Circle Time.” So obviously that part is not a big hit with the 5-year old crowd that doesn’t like Circle Time.

Joey and I both enjoyed the music, but agreed that the video was probably better suited for two- or three-year-olds rather than a five-year-old like Monkey Man. He enjoyed it a lot, but was more impressed by the music than inspired to get out one of his ten zillion soccer balls and play around with it. I think toddlers would definitely have a great response to this video and get swept up in the movement and music in the manner intended by the creator.

Overall, I give this a thumbs-up for the toddler crowd…older kids will like it, but I don’t think they will appreciate it like the younger kids could. The video is well-produced, the music is great, and the concept is very smart.

Check it out! athleticBaby products are available at their website, on Amazon, and at select retailers nationwide.