Have you heard? WalkJogRun.net made TIME magazine's 50 Best Websites of 2010! How cool is that? We'd like to say a big thank you to all of you. Your support is invaluable. Really, we mean it!

Here are the good words they said about us:

"Stuck in a running rut? Walk Jog Run utilizes Google Maps and community involvement to map out the best routes in your area. Just input your address and user-generated routes will appear, handily mapped out and measured by distance, speed and calories burned. It's perfect for adventurous types or travelers who want to exercise while sightseeing. And there's no need to carry an open laptop on your jaunt -- Walk Jog Run also offers a companion iPhone app."

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2012721_2012908_2012904,00.html#ixzz0xei0kUC4 We've listed the full list below so you can see the fellow websites listed on the TIME's Top 50 Websites list. We've included their Twitter handles for you to check them out on there as well.

Full List

Music & Video

• Vimeo - @vimeo
• Movieclips - @movieclips
• Grooveshark -@Grooveshark
• MOG -@mogdotcom
• Labuat

Sports

• Sports-Reference -@sports_ref
• Rotoworld -@Rotoworld
• Yardbarker -@yardbarker
• Total Pro Sports -@TotalProSports
• Citizen Sports

Family & Kids

• Design Mom -@designmom
• Serious Eats -@seriouseats
• Babble -@BabbleEditors
• Etsy -@Etsy
• Sesame Street -@sesamestreet

News & Info

• Guardian -@gaurdiannews
• The Onion -@TheOnion
• The Daily Beast -@TheDailyBeast
• National Geographic -@Natgeosociety
• WikiLeaks -@wikileaks

Financial & Productivity

• Mint -@mint
• Wikinvest -@wikinvest
• StockMapper
• Springpad -@springpad
• Wakerupper -@wakerupper

Shopping & Travel

• Groupon - @Groupon
• Gilt Groupe -@GiltGroupe
• Rent the Runway -@RentTheRunway
• Stay -@staydotcom
• SeatGuru -@SeatGuru

Health & Fitness

• Keas
• Mayo Clinic - @MayoClinic
• Walk Jog Run - @WalkJogRun
• Exercise TV - @ExerciseTV
• Fit by Fun

Social Media

• Gowalla - @Gowalla
• Foodspotting - @Foodspotting
• LinkedIn - @linkedIn
• StockTwits - @StockTwits
• Tumblr - @Tumblr

Games

• Kongregate - @Kongregate
• Cactus Squid
• Pogo - @Pogo_Games
• Newgrounds - @Newgrounds
• Games.com - @gamesdotcom

Education

• Livemocha - @livemocha
• Chegg - @Chegg
• MIT OpenCourseWare - @MITOCW
• Read Print -@ReadPrint
• TED - @TED_Tweets

Find Running Routes at WalkJogRun  |  Check out the WalkJogRun iPhone App

I wanted to share a support response I just sent to one of the users of our iPhone/iPad app WalkJogRun Running Routes.

>Ok having difficulties. Sometimes my location is updated automatically and > sometimes it isn't. Also I purchased a training program today but now it > doesn't show up. Please help. Thanks.

The change in behavior of apps going into the background in iOS4 can be confusing to users since it leads to an inconsistent launch state. It's a really useful feature but if one time they open the app and they see a splash screen and the next they see where they were last time they opened it, it takes some getting used to.

Specifically for our app we use the launch time to find the user's initial location for route finding so we're clearly going to have to add a new "find me" button for the next release!

Here's what I wrote about the launch issue:

If you launch the app and it is already started, it's the new iOS operating system of the phone - it saves the app when you close it at the last point so if you reopen it before it needs the memory again it will start from where you left off which could also be the issue you mentioned.

To close WalkJogRun so it finds you next time

1. Launch WalkJogRun
2. Close WalkJogRun
3. Double press the "home" button (located at the bottom of the phone)
4. You should see a list of recently opened apps including WalkJogRun at the bottom of the screen
5. Press and hold the WalkJogRun icon until it starts to shake
6. Hit the red X to close WalkJogRun

This set of steps will remove it from the "recent" list so it launches from start again instead of a quickstart. Incidentally, this could be the issue you're having with the training plan not showing up. You may find that after you do these steps the program shows up. If not, go to training plans > find a training plan and repurchase. Apple knows you already paid for it so you won't be charged twice and it should tell you so. If not it means the original purchase didn't go through and you weren't charged.

I *believe* that's the issue Maya is having here but troubleshooting by email is always tricky. The other potential issue is that our app automatically jumps to the map once it has found you with a level of accuracy < 100 meters and she may be experiencing changes in signal. Here's what I wrote about that approach:

The location depends on the phone's ability to find you so if you are somewhere with a weak cell phone signal, no line of site to the GPS satellites and not on wifi you'll certainly experience problems. On the initial screen where it tries to locate you try to wait until it shows you an accuracy of around 200 meters. If it doesn't automatically start the app you can touch the screen - it's waiting to see if the accuracy drops below 100 meters but if you're happy with what you see you can dive in.

If you have any trouble with the iPhone app or the iPad version please don't hesitate to go to the about screen in the app and hit contact the developers to send us a note about your problem. Sometimes it's us, sometimes it's the phone but we'll always get back to you.

Find Running Routes at WalkJogRun  |  Check out the WalkJogRun iPhone App

I guess it's been some time since I blogged about running but I've been running silently for the last year until the birth of our two beautiful daughters Madison and Reese on July 12th.

Last year I ran a PR for the Chicago marathon of 3:48:56 after building to a monthly mileage of 170 miles in August. After the marathon my training became sporadic in the fall and winter peaking to just 67 miles in February.

I trained with Chicago Endurance Sports in the spring for a half marathon but the impending arrival of the twins left my motivation flagging so it took me a while after the training plan finished to get into a race and finish it. I ended up running the Soldier Field 10 miler as my race for the spring season but ran 14 miles as part of my training so I certainly had the distance covered, albeit at a training pace.

The issue I faced in the spring was knowing that I had sleepless nights ahead of me, my training would invariably suffer and with mediocre races ahead of me my competitive soul gave up trying. Part of me was just tired already with worry and planning for the arrival of the babies, part of me was tired from training for the last 4 years for marathons but the biggest component was definitely the "why bother" attitude that I wouldn't be getting satisfactory race results or PRs anytime soon. After the 10 mile race on May 29th I ran just 26 miles the next two weeks and then gave up altogether.

On June 21st I hired Briana, our WalkJogRun staff writer for my consulting business. Briana once wrote that I inspired her to run her first half marathon and, this year, will be running her first marathon in Chicago on 10.10.10 after watching me run last year. Having her sit across the desk from me each day talking about running: long runs, diet, injury and training schedules ignited my own desire to run again.

The twin girls were born July 12th, healthy and perfect for the most part. Okay, perfect in every way but I'm looking forward to the days when they sleep through the night so I don't wake up at 6:30 feeling sleep deprived.

This week Briana's inspiration finally broke through and I brought 3 days worth of running gear to the office. Monday was my first day and I put in a fun 3 mile loop at lunch around the neighborhood surrounding my office and then stretched and showered at the gym before heading back to the office. Tuesday was a brutal reminder that 3 miles is no mean feat for the undertrained and some light stretching gave me the relief I needed.

Today is day 2 of my comeback and I'm happy to say I'm looking forward to it. I'm still tired, but not too tired to run 3 miles. Fitting it in on my lunch hour (technically 1:15) means I only forego my lunch routine of checking emails, facebook and twitter before diving back into work. The other nice part is that it is predictable. Running first thing in the morning after a sleep deprived night takes more motivation than I can muster right now and is subject to outside influences I can't control. At lunch I have full control over whether I run or not so it's easier to fit in consistently, or at least that's my goal :-)

So a big thanks to Briana who has been my inspiration to start running again, not to mention that she's doing a phenomenal job in her new role as Associate at Adam Howitt Consulting. That's why I plan on cheering her along and you should too in Chicago on the morning of 10.10.10.

Have you ever run into the why bother mentality? Have babies or other hiccups interrupted your running career? Let us know what got you moving again (if anything!). If you're still on hiatus, head over to WalkJogRun and plot your first comeback run and don't look back.

Find Running Routes at WalkJogRun  |  Check out the WalkJogRun iPhone App

There's an running map for that! WalkJogRun has teamed up with Coach Jenny Hadfield to present version 3 of our iPhone application WalkJogRun Routes.

Do I have to be a runner?

Whether you've never run before or on your 10th marathon, these plans will help you achieve your goals and get fit.

• Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced training plans
• 5k training plans, 10k training plans, half marathon training plans and full marathon training plans
• Walk, Walk+Run, Run+Walk, Run plans
• An absolute beginner plan "Run your first 5k" for those of you still recovering from the holidays!

How does it work?

• Find the training plan to match your experience and race goals under the new Training section
• Purchase the plan - prices range from 99 cents for 5k and 10k programs to $9.99 US for a 20 week marathon training plan
• Receive a notification each morning with your training goal, training tip for the day and a link to help you find a route in your neighborhood

We hope these plans help you become the runner you want to be in 2010.

Available today in the app store today!

Download WalkJogRun Routes

Find Running Routes at WalkJogRun  |  Check out the WalkJogRun iPhone App

I recently answered a question on Yahoo Answers where someone wanted to know why the treadmill shows different calories burned than their Nike+:

"My Nike plus shows I went a farther distance and burned more calories than the treadmill? I entered my height and weight on both the treadmill and Nike + the Nike plus shows I ran 1/4 more 1/3 more calories burned"

The Trouble with Treadmills

This isn't uncommon. In fact if you tried 3 treadmills by different manufacturers I'm sure you'd find 3 different calories reported! Treadmills use your weight and the distance you travel and a formula to calculate the calories burned but these are are averages across the population of the world. The percentage of body fat and your metabolism play a part in reality.

Some calculations include estimates of "after burn" effect of running where your body continues to burn calories at an accelerated rate after you finish working out. How many? It depends on how fast you were running and can depend on the time of the day. So all in all, it's really pretty complicated just for treadmills!

Are Your Legs the Nike+ Average Length?

The Nike+ uses your weight and what it believes was the distance you ran but as you pointed out the nike+ showed a further distance than the treadmill. The Nike+ calculates distance based on your cadence (how often your foot strikes) multiplied by your average stride length. It uses an average stride length until you calibrate it so unless you have an average stride length, you're unlikely to get an accurate report of your distance.

Add to that the complexity of treadmills altering your typical stride and the fact that motors and drive units on treadmills age and don't accurately reflect the distance traveled you've got another mess!

Calibrate

The first thing I recommend is calibrating the Nike+ to make sure your stride length is accurately estimated. I blogged about my own experiences Calibrating the iPod Nano Sport Kit/Nike+ so you might try that.

Once you calibrate you'll get a more accurate distance estimate but you're still going to be stuck with different calculations of calories.

Getting it Right

The scientific way to measure calories burned during exercise is to measure heat generated by the body during exercise and combine that with the oxygen coming into and leaving the body and the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body.

The bottom line is that wherever you go, calories burned during exercise is less than scientific. At WalkJogRun.net we calculate calories burned by the mapped distance and your weight in pounds:

calories burned = distance in km * weight in kg * 1.036 where 1.036 represents a weighting factor for running

In the ballpark

Science aside, running and walking the same distance in your body burns approximately the same number of calories (unless you're an elite runner) so don't worry about taking your time! A 3 mile run for a 200 pound man or woman will burn around 450 calories whereas a 150 pound man or woman would burn around 350.

So next time you head out for a run and see your preferred running gadget tell you how many calories you burned, hesitate before equating that with another chocolate bar ;-)

Find Running Routes at WalkJogRun  |  Check out the WalkJogRun iPhone App

The following inspirational story is from Angela, one of our WalkJogRun fans, who made a lifestyle change to help her lose 100 pounds in just one year:

Here's an amazing before and after comparison.

We'd love to hear how WalkJogRun has helped you make a lifestyle change! Please comment below or send your story to briana@walkjogrun.net. We look forward to reading your stories!

If you haven't used WalkJogRun, give it a shot and you could be our next biggest loser!

Find Running Routes at WalkJogRun  |  Check out the WalkJogRun iPhone App

The holidays took more of a toll on my training than I had anticipated.

First, the traveling was hard to deal with. On Christmas Eve I worked out in the morning in a gym with more people on treadmills at one time than I had ever seen. I knew the house I'd be visiting that night would be full of unhealthy foods, so my training session in the morning helped me make better choices that night. I snacked on oranges and drank a lot of water before a big meal of ham, potatoes, vegetables, sparkling wine, and bread. Whew, that's a lot of food!

I packed my running gear anticipating doing a run on my hosts' treadmill Christmas morning. Much to my dismay, this did not happen! The morning of opening presents, playing with new presents, and then preparing to head to the next family gathering took too much time.

The second culprit of my derailment was all the good food and drinks! I come from an Italian family, so holiday dinners are usually filled with pastas and wine. My family is good about offering vegetables and salads, but I must admit, it's hard to eat these when there's good (less-healthy) food galore!

Finally, I had to work the day after. This was a day-long process of getting up early and driving from the suburbs to the city, so there was no time to work out in the morning. Then I went straight from the eight-hour work day back to my hometown to hang out with my family. I spent the night eating McDonald's and drinking Fat Tire. Good stuff.

My holiday recap:

• Runs missed: 3
• Cookies eaten: 147
• Glasses of spirits consumed: Enough to make a happy Briana happier!

I really did approach the holidays with the mindset that I can overcome temptations of all things unhealthy. As you may relate to, I see my family about four times a year, so I don't feel bad letting all my cares loose and enjoying my time with them. My training came second for a mere three days of about 60 previous days. Moreover, I didn't eat as bad as I make it sound, but I did eat things I don't eat as part of my daily diet. Thus, I don't feel that bad going off track. I just have to be very diligent until my race!

I still have two weeks until my half, and you can bet I'll be training every one of these days!

If you find yourself stuck without a treadmill don't forget that WalkJogRun allows you to find routes created by locals in over 200 countries around the world so you can always find a running route that is safe and well thought out!

Find Running Routes at WalkJogRun  |  Check out the WalkJogRun iPhone App

Are you worried about going off track during the holidays? Me too! Below are "rules" that I follow when going to parties in general, and do so more strictly during the holidays.

1. Drink water! This is my golden rule I follow any time I know I'll be faced with a lot of food and spirits. Drink a glass or two before you leave for the party and again before a big meal. Water helps you to feel full, and therefore you'll eat less!
2. Eat breakfast. We all know that eating breakfast is the way to go when trying to lose weight or eat healthier. Eating breakfast will jump start your metabolism and help you feel full.
3. Drink clear spirits over dark-colored ones. Dark alcohols like red wine and bourbon are made from acetone, fusel oil and tannins, which are present in much higher quantities among darker liquors than lighter ones. They are also believed to cause the headache part of hangovers. No good if you have to do a long run the next day!
4. Eat the sugar cookie. Choose low-calorie cookies like frosting-less sugar and gingerbread cookies about the size of a lipstick.
5. Don't deprive yourself. Remember that the holidays come once a year and they're full of foods you wouldn't normally eat. Enjoy these foods -not the usual chips and dip- using portion control.
6. Get a visitor's pass. If you're traveling for the holidays, check out a local gym and get a visitor's pass to help you stay on track with your training.

2010 is just around the corner, and WalkJogRun has some more surprises in store for you to help you keep on track, or even pledge to start the new year with a healthy kick. I hope my two cents will help you feel better about indulging for the holidays!

Find Running Routes at WalkJogRun  |  Check out the WalkJogRun iPhone App

The Brooks Nightlife Jacket is one of the greatest purchases I've made for my runninng wardrobe.

First, the 360 degree of candle power retroreflectivity will help ensure your visiblity when exercising outdoors in low-light conditions. It's availalbe in both neon yellow, which I have, and black with neon yellow accents. Now that the sun sets at about 3:30pm here, I get good use out of this!

The zipper zips high, but unlike some jackets I own, I cannot feel the zipper rub against my neck as it's covered by a fleece cover.

Inside pockets hold money and an mp3 player with a hole for headphone cord. The chest pocket is the perfect size for my iPhone, so I wear this on my extreme long runs when I feel a phone may be necessary.

Drawstrings at the hip allow the user to make it as snug or as loose as possible. However, the only con of this jacket is what to do with the hanging strings once they've been pulled tight so they're not hitting your legs with each step.

The vents in the back and underarms allow for great breathability. It's also good in a variety of temperatures , good from 35-65 deggrees, depending on what you layer underneath. It's made of Brooks Shelter AireplexII 100% Polyester Microfiber with Teflon DWR. I've worn this in 30 degree weather with a long sleeve shirt and it was almost too hot! It's also wind and water resistant, so this is my go-to jacket for bad weather.

What's a great purchase you've made for your wardrobe?

Find Running Routes at WalkJogRun  |  Check out the WalkJogRun iPhone App

In November I celebrated my one year anniversary with WalkJogRun. What a year it's been! This time last year I was only running to stay in shape. The most I'd run was two miles. Writing the newsletters and talking to our users got me focused on training for races. This, and having Adam as a coworker has pushed me further!

At some point during this last year, specifically training and running my first half, I realized that running is me. It's my hobby, my therapy, and a social experience. I'm grateful that Adam and Jeff gave me this opportunity to work with WalkJogRun. It's truly been a life-changing experience!

This last year of running has helped me make a vast amount of lifestyle changes. I've taken my training a little more seriously by doing most of the cross training planned; I've changed my eating habits and eat foods that give me energy and help me recover; I run in -10 degree weather (!); I change my shoes every three or so months; I wear comfortable shoes and cut down my use of stilettos to save my feet, and my running wardrobe is now probably worth more than my every-day clothes!

My running has also greatly improved. I ran my first 10k in June I finished in 57 minutes. In October I finished the Nike Human Race 10K in 49 minutes, placing me at ~3900 of 128,000 US runners.

I've also inspired four people I know to run regularly and/or to run their first races. This makes me feel

Races I did in 2009:

• Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K in Chicago, IL
• Legs 8K in Madison, WI
• Run for the Zoo 10K in Chicago, IL
• Madison Mini Marathon in Madison, WI
• Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K in Milwaukee,WI
• Nike+ Human Race 10K in Chicago, IL
• Tyranena Beer Run Half Marathon in Lake Mills, WI

Whoa, when I list them all, I guess I ran more than I thought!

Planned for 2010:

• Los Angeles 13.1 Series
• New York City 13.1 Series
• Crazy Legs in Madison, WI
• Chicago 13.1 Series
• Madison Mini Marathon in Madison, WI
• **Chicago Marathon

Yes, I plan on running my first marathon next year! This is all due to my experienece watching Adam run it this year. He suggested that if I trained hard enough, I could qualify for Boston. Hmmmm...

WalkJogRun has also come a long way in one year. Some of the things we've done:

• Released our iPhone app
• Had our first booth at a race expo
• Site redesign

We have so much in store for you in the months to come! I don't want to give anything away, so stay tuned!

How was your year? And, for those of you who remember us this time last year, do you like the improvements we've made? Have any suggestions?

Find Running Routes at WalkJogRun  |  Check out the WalkJogRun iPhone App