You CAN be a runner
If you've ever thought about trying a 5K, 10K or even a half-marathon, then start with your shoes. A free gait analysis, in which an expert runner watches you jog and determines the best type of shoes for your running style and form, is available at any Niketown or Road Runner Sports; local stores also may offer them.
To avoid injuries (like blood blisters under your toenails), fit is key. "Your shoes shouldn't pinch or feel uncomfortable," says Stacey Lei Krauss, a Nike Elite instructor who is based in San Francisco. "Be sure to break them in slowly, and log at least 50 milesin new shoes before wearing them in a race."
Ready to run? Beginners should have short-term goals. "I tell my clients to begin with a 12-minute run," Krauss says. "This means run straight out your door for six minutes and then six minutes right back -- and that's pretty much your first mile. It's a huge milestone for a lot of people, and it's very attainable."
Stick with that routine for a week and then increase your run by one minute each week. "Before you know it, you're up to 3 miles, and you've almost run a 5K," Krauss says.
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To prevent varicose veins, eat your greens
Here's something even Popeye didn't know: Eating your spinach might help prevent varicose veins, those enlarged blue veins that afflict 5% to 30% of adults, especially women.
So say French researchers who compared healthy and varicose veins. They concluded that adequate vitamin K is needed to help activate a key protein that blocks the calcification and cell proliferation that can lead to vein distortions and disease.
Best sources of vitamin K: Swiss chard, kale, parsley, Brussels sprouts, spinach and broccoli.
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Are you missing a job benefit?
0nly 20% of employees sign up for a company health-care Flexible Spending Account (FSA), and fewer use dependent care accounts, according to a recent survey by Mercer, a human-resources consulting firm.
What a missed opportunity! FSAs let you use pretax dollars to pay certain expenses, so you can reduce your overall yearly cost by 20% to 40%, says Mercer's Jennifer Calhoun. Tips:
Bone up on eligible expenses. Ask your benefits department for a complete list to help estimate how much you'll spend in 2008. Medical co-pays and deductibles are easy to tally. But did you know that sunscreen, contact lens solution and over-the-counter drugs are covered? Or, if both parents work, a child-care FSA can pay a babysitter and summer camp.
Learn the dates. The IRS now allows a grace period through March 15, 2009 to rack up eligible expenses. However, not all companies have adopted this change, so check with your benefits department.
Know about FSAs vs. HSAs. If you have high-deductible insurance, you may be offered an HSA (Health Savings Account) that lets you set aside tax-free money to pay medical bills. But the IRS won't allow you to use both an HSA and an FSA for medical expenses, says John Asencio, of Sibson Consulting. Solution: Use an FSA for dental and eye-care bills. Ask human resources for a fuller explanation of FSAs and HSAs.
Contributing Editor Walecia Konrad is an award-winning consumer writer.
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Cellphones for kids have parent-friendly features
Just because the littlest members of the family might not be able to remember their own home phone number doesn't mean they can't have their own cellphone. Several new carriers sell simple cellphones for tots as young as 5.
-- Firefly Mobile (fireflymobile.com) offers a small phone that has just five keys, including two for making direct calls to Mom and Dad. Its kid-sized glowPhone is available in black or pink, with a color screen, and starts at $49.99.
-- Finally, tweens might enjoy Kajeet (kajeet.com), a contract-free carrier that offers cool, slim, prepaid cellphones starting at $49.99. Kids can learn the value of a dollar as they add minutes themselves.
-- The Disney service that was described in the print version oF USA WEEKEND was terminated after our press date. Their Web site states "Disney Mobile has announced that it will cease its wireless operations as of December 31, 2007." They've included details and information about transferring service on their site. (disneymobile.go.com)
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Plan now to beat the Thanksgiving rush
Heading to Grandmother's house for Thanksgiving? Plan ahead for the year's busiest travel time.
Timing: Leave on Tuesday or on Thanksgiving morning, and avoid Wednesday, which is invariably the heaviest travel day of the year. On your return, travel on Saturday or Monday, not Sunday.
Flying: Book a non-stop flight, because connections increase your chances of delays. And take the first flight of the day. Statistically, it is more likely to arrive on time.
Book a non-stop flight, because connections increase your chances of delays.
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Check in earlier than usual, because crowds and overbookings are inevitable. To avoid getting stuck at a TSA security checkpoint, check out its website for average airport wait times (waittime.tsa.dhs.gov). And take a carry-on bag to avoid luggage delays.
Driving: Get an E-ZPass transponder or a similar device to zip through tollbooths. Rental car companies like Hertz offer them for a few dollars a day plus tolls. And GPS can help you navigate secondary roads and avoid highway congestion. Avis and Budget offer the Where2 navigation system, which can warn you of traffic jams and weather delays.
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