I am always well prepared for Christmas. I always have all of my shopping done by the 15th of December. I then spend one day, listening to Christmas music and sipping hot chocolate while wrapping all of my gifts.

I don’t sweat the big gifts, but I always sweat the little stuff. Christmas Eve is always the same thing every year, I don’t have anything for anyone's stockings! So it is off to Target and Walmart I go, buying the same old stuff year after year - art supplies, pencils, gel pens, black permanent markers, ITune gift cards, movie gift cards, candy, shaving cream, toothbrushes, toothpaste, golf balls, tennis balls, a CD… Well, those are really great ideas, but I want something different this year. This year I am planning ahead and here are some items that I think would make really great, unique stocking stuffers!

Yoga shoes aren’t just for yoga. Great for dorm life for my college girls - these feel like slippers but are more stylish with a comfy rubber sole for traction.



Sports sandals. Another great for dorm life and you are sure to find a pair bearing a color of any chosen school.


Inserts – Everyone on my list is going to have less tired legs this year with the extra cushioning and support these insoles provide.


Pink Ribbon Socks for the girls on my list .


Second Skin Racer Socks – You won’t believe how these socks feel like a second skin yet they are not constricting. These sock have right – left technology. A right foot sock and a left foot sock, clearly marked R or L. At $9.99 a pair, okay a little high, but these socks are something special that they will love and probably won’t buy for themselves, well maybe after they feel how great they feel.

And lastly, we all have one of those people on our list - gee I can't buy you anything! Purchase online a New Balance Tampa gift card and let them chose whatever they want.

Oh yeah and don’t forget the free lanyard with every order, it is a great stocking stuffer for those of us who never seem to be able to find our keys!

Drop a comment to me and share with others the kind of stuff you stuff your stockings with!!!

- Michele

In the December issue of Runner’s World there is a inspiring article called “Heroes of 2006” .
Runner’s World picked nine athletes whose achievements surpassed the everyday running heroes. Read the article you will see why these nine people will inspire others to become heroes themselves.

One of these heroes touched my heart. Since New Balance is a proud sponsor of the Komen Race for the Cure I was particularly interested in this part of the article. There is no doubt an awareness about breast cancer that many of us do not know – men can get breast cancer. There were 1,720 men diagnosed with breast cancer this year and 420 will die in 2006. Though rare, men do get breast cancer.

Mark Goldstein, was one of those men. Goldstein underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. Being a runner, he was drawn to the Race for the Cure series. At that time the race was for women only. He registered as M. Goldstein and ran the race. He loved the race so much that he signed up for every Race for the Cure event that he could find. By 2006 he ran a total of 163 races in the series. Mr. Goldstein has been cancer free for 18 years.

For more information about Men With Breast Cancer, go to the Komen Foundation website.

-Michele

A couple of weeks ago we launched a unique Shop By Size search facility to help our customers find products easier and faster.

Yesterday, a customer wrote in with a fantastic suggestion! I'll paraphrase... "this feature should also include some type of width filtering capability".

That's a super idea and so this morning we've released an upgrade to our Shop By Size facility that allows customers to only see footwear in a desired width.

Here's a screen shot:

During the holiday season we would like to thank you for shopping with us by giving you a free gift.

At this time we are giving a New Balance lanyard. It is a great way to carry your keys or identification while working out or during activities. It is on a Jacquard black and red "new balance" logo strap with a detachable key clip. A $6.00 value, free with all shipments - while supplies last. This would make a great stocking stuffer.

With our free UPS Ground shipping and low prices everyday, why bother shopping the malls?
We will ship all of your New Balance holiday shopping
to your doorstep, so shop early and visit us today for big savings and receive your free gift.
- Michele

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our customers and readers.

We are so thankful for your patronage. Today we would like to thank you by giving you an extra 10% off your order. When you check out, enter thankful into the code discount box, you will receive 10% off your entire order.

May you all be blessed with a wonderful day!

- Michele

We are offering free UPS ground shipping throughout the holiday season, now until December 31, 2006.
This a great savings for your holiday shopping. Best of all, you do not need a code, to buy a certain amount or to buy a certain product, our shipping is free for all products at any price.

- Michele

New Balance Basketball NBZips are here.

BB8025BK

BB8025WN

Three men are attempting one of the greatest feats in running history, not for fame or glory but to raise awareness for the 1.2 billion people who don't have clean water.

The ONE Campaign that brings attention to the issues that affect millions in developing countries by using celebrity endorsements, will be documenting the 4,000 mi run across the Sahara desert.

They will run 50 mi/day for 80 days. Whew! Learn more and support the cause.

- Q

We have been receiving new and updated models daily at New Balance Tampa. So check in often or just click on our Latest Style page and you can view the newest models available.

- Michele

Have you seen Runner's World Shoe Lab. Really fun to play around with!

Hope that you all noticed that we just received some new NB Zip models. Here they are!

Women's Running:

Women's W8505ST

Women's W8505WG

We just added the Search By Size feature to the site Saturday evening and it's already one of our top 25 pages viewed this week.

It's really simple to use too. Choose a gender:


Look for your size:


Pick a desired category, you'll see that the system will show you the number of products that match your size and gender:


Results will begin to appear:

Check out the new search button on our blog. Now you can search our blog for the most current news about New Balance Tampa and New Balance products.

It is located on the right hand corner of our blog.

- Michele

Some people enjoy all the new technology and fashion of upcoming sneakers, with the side snaps and mp3 players built into the laces (just kidding).

But if Old School style is right down your alley, you need to check out New Balance Classics website that not only introduces you to the designers who think up these beauties, but also the shoes themselves.

It's a nice retro website with some throwback graffitti in the background.
Hope you enjoy.

-Q

You wear them all the time, they might even be on your feet right now as you read this but did you ever wonder how your New Balance shoes were made?

Did you know that there is a number of New Balance models that are being manufactured in USA?

Did you know that over 27 components go in a New Balance running shoe? That's 54 parts a pair!

Well, I found a cool video that tell you all about the New Balance shoe technology, starting with the designers, right to the factory workers.

Check it out here at Webcastgroup.com. Click on "Click to View" button, then click on How New Balance shoes are made.

- Q

Hey guys! I completed 8 miles last week! It was a great achievement, but also an eye opening experience. I definately was not hydrated enough to run that far and I hadn't eaten very well that day, so my body was not
happy after the run. I realized that I need to have more water handy when running, and I need to be nourished enough before I run.

If you guys have any tips for what to eat before I run, then please let me know. In other events, I ran in the cold the other night and it was definately harder to breathe. My current goal is to keep up with my long distance run but also to start getting used to running in the cold since the run is in the middle of winter. If you have tips for how to deal with the cold, I would love to know. That's all for now. Take care and I'll talk to ya soon!

Running the race,
Daniel

Click here for other entries in Daniel's Race Journal