VITAband is a medical identification bracelet that gives first responders access to critical contact and medical information in the event of an emergency AND gives access to “touch-and-go” payment at the same time- all right on your wrist. With contactless payment technology built right in, you can literally buy what you need while working out and never worry about carrying cash.

“Barefoot Running” and “Forefoot Strike” seem to be the key words for runners in 2009. In the last months an increasing number of articles has appeared on newspapers, blogs, forums with a common central theme: traditional running shoes promote a non-ideal running form and running barefoot is what we were created for. At the same time we are seeing more and more Brands launching and promoting shoes that promise to improve your running style, either by creating a barefoot feeling or by promoting midfoot and forefoot strike.

RunKeeper is an iPhone application that enables you to use the built-in GPS in your iPhone 3G to track all of your outdoor fitness activities, including duration, distance, pace, speed, elevation, calories burned, and path traveled on a map. You can store all of your historical activities on the RunKeeper website and share them with your friends!

The better news? It is available in two versions: a free version (fully functional) and a pro version with advanced functionality.

Brooks announced the upcoming launch of the Green Silence racing flat shoe, constructed with less than half (48 percent) as many parts as comparable shoes. More than 75 percent of the 26 components have been recycled by consumers.

Outdoor aficionados are familiar with GORE and its technologies: Gore-Tex, Gore-Tex XCR, Wind Stopper… In the next future, we will start seeing even more Gore, as the Newark (Delaware) based company has announced its intention to make footwear a key focus.