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Fitness

10 more presents for the fitness freak in your life

Lay off the selection boxes.

BURNING MORE CALORIES running around looking for something for the fitness freak in your life than he or she himself would on an average weekend?

Fear not. We’ve 10 more suggestions to bail you out here…

Garmin Edge 500

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You’re not a proper cyclist until you have shaved your legs, completed a 100-mile ride, crashed hard and owned one of these bike computers. They are a simply stunning piece of equipment and though they’ll set you back around €190 they’ll last forever and allow you track your progress better than most other gadgets and apps on the market. They come in blue and black and are just the cutest things ever.

Castelli Gabba rain jacket/jersey

There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad preparation and with one of these, you need not worry about the latter.

They are the weapon of choice of many of the world’s top riders and with good reason; they’re breathable, warm, waterproof, windproof and possibly bombproof but we’re not willing to risk that.

They don’t come cheap (€150 or so) but you will not regret paying this money after that first blizzard.

Camelback Classic 2-litre hydration pack

Easy to drink from, lightweight, durable, cheap (€35), easy to clean. This is pretty much all you need if you plan on doing any adventure race or climb any mountain in Ireland.
Cateye Strava Slim Wireless Computer

Cheaper than the Garmin but with less functions, this is the option for the not-so-serious cyclist but still a super choice. It will tell you the vitals like speed, average speed, maximum speed, distance, time – but not your heart rate. Still, that’s a pretty good deal for €50 or so.

Weather warrior phone protector

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Sadly, another little gizmo to make your life a bit easier when the rain pours down. Forget the sandwich bag as a means of keeping your phone dry, this is far, far better and will not leak. It’s a perfect stocking filler at €15.

Timex Ironman GPS Run Trainer

For the runner in your lie this is a popularly priced GPS wrist top computer and heart monitor (€200) that interacts with the Training Peaks on line training log and coaching software.

A foam roller

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The technical term for foam rolling is self-myofascial release, the function of which is to lengthen and elongate muscles as well as release tightness. When used often and correctly, the foam roller can help runners avoid many sport-related injuries.

It’s not a replacement for proper stretching, warming up or cooling down, but can be used as a tool to limit soreness and tightness through increased blood flow and flexibility.

If you can’t afford a deep tissue massage, you might consider this very popular and beneficial self-massage option.

Self-massage? Say no more….

Oakley Jawbones

There’s a real love/hate war ongoing with these but we can’t speak highly enough of them. Why? They’re stylish, sit nice and tight on the face, they’ve a clever lens replacement mechanism and last forever and ever. Did we say they’re stylish?
Asics Gel-Pursue

Like the Garmin for cyclists, you are not a runner until you’re the owner of a kick-ass pair of Asics. These are a great shoe for putting in lots of miles. They’re deeply cushioned, seriously comfortable and last forever. You’ll fork out around €120 for a pair.

Camelbak Forge Mug

Camelbak’s ingenious new thermos is double-walled and vacuum-sealed to keep your triple-shot latte hot for nearly five hours. The self-sealing, leak-proof cap depresses with a push of a button, which translates to easy—and safe—sipping on the go.

Exercise of the week: Barbell curls for those Christmas guns

Try this awesome chicken noodle soup to combat the winter blues