If you're a trail runner, you're probably acquainted with the stone gouge or bruise, the result of landing on rock or debris just when you're hitting your stride.  All the force of landing is concentrated into a tiny spot, and the effect is painfully annoying at best, and workout-disrupting at worst.  A long route over rocky trails or randomly graveled roads can leave you feeling quite tender in the sole for days afterward.

That's where Rockstop saves the day.  It's shock distribution plate that spreads out that high-force concentrated pressure over the entire sole, protecting you from all things rough and rocky you might encounter.

Use our SEARCH feature here (upper right corner of the home page), and type in ROCK STOP.  You'll get a list of all the models we carry that include Rock Stop technology.

Here's one of our most popular in this category:  the 874 for men and women.

You've probably heard of the Breast Cancer 3-day events taking place in cities around the US, but if you've got a couple of minutes, it's really worth learning a little bit more.

These events are like a personal/spiritual intensive, with the energy of a giant party and the bonding potential of the sleepover and summer camp all rolled into one.  During each event, participants cover 60 miles on foot over the course of 3 days, supported by an army of volunteers and the organizational might of major corporate sponsors.  Food, beverages, encouragement, medical support and abundant rest areas are provided along the way.  Overnights are at amazingly well-equipped "camps" where you can get a hot shower, hot meals, tons of camaraderie and even entertainment, then doze off in a cute little two-person tent.



Official Shoe of the 2008 3-Day

New Balance is one of the most prominent national sponsors of the Breast Cancer 3-Day, now for the 4th consecutive year. And, we're delighted to say that our 844 walking shoe has been named the Official Shoe of this year's event.  The 844 is engineered specifically for this type of long distance walking, and is part of our Lace Up for the Cure Apparel & Footwear Collection.  Each item in this collection of performance gear features a pink ribbon, the universal symbol of breast cancer awareness.

You can find lots more info about the events, the cities where you can participate, teams, fundraising and many inspiring stories at The3Day.org.

There's lots of buzz lately about the Elements 576 collection, New Balance's limited-edition line of sneakers honoring the basis of the universe according to Chinese Taoism.  Three of the five essential Taoist elements are highlighted by 576:  Earth, Wood and Water.

The Earth model, white with a brown sediment-inspired trim and stitching, hit the streets on April 1, 2008.  Wood appeared on May1, in a black and green design with a peel leather effect that brings to mind leaves and bark.  Next up is the meditative Water, floating out on June 1 in a blue-white color scheme – you'll love this very chill transparent rubber outsole with a blue water-bubble pattern.

Contact us directly to get your own piece of timeless theory combined with new design and technology.

Whether you're in charge of mapping out a new route for your next fundraising run, or you just want to set up your own personal set of distance loops, check out this cool mapping feature at Run.com.  Though still in the beta stage, this could

It's a Google-powered setup that lets you trace a running route, note things like scenic views or rest stops along the way, as well as chart distances.  For now, you can save your own maps, and eventually you'll be able to publish to Run.com to share with others. 

The mapping feature at Run.com works for any location, but here's the link to the Tampa routing page.

The 902 may very well be the Holy Grail of running shoes – a light 10.1 ounces with support that's even better than most midweight shoes.  Who says so?  Outside Magazine, for one.  The editors at Outside gave New Balance 902 their coveted Gear of the Year designation, with kudos for the many high-tech features and a universal thumbs-up from the field testers:

"Every tester was impressed with the 902's support-to-weight ratio … "To have a lightweight trainer with this much cushioning is astounding," said one tester."

"You can slam the downhills with abandon," noted one tester, "but it won't bog you down on the flats."

Stumped as to what makes the perfect graduation gift for a college-bound kid?

How about a pair of smart New Balance shoes?  These are perfect for taking on the distances between classes, the concrete floors and the long hours on foot, plus they're a natural with campus casual style.

Recently spotted at UT:

Sturdy walk-anywhere sandals like the Men's New Balance 415 and 425, and Women's New Balance 992, and untiring walkers like the Men's 749 and Women's 926.

If you're not sure of the exact style or size to choose, a New Balance Tampa E-Gift Card is ideal.  Especially good if you've waited till the last second to pick out a gift, since we'll email your grad the card pronto!  Your fave collegiate can use the card on anything in our store, for shoes to accessories, all with the ease of online ordering if they choose.