The University of Washington’s Katie Follett, Cross-Country All-American, got interviewed by Flotrack as she completed a workout on the school’s Alter-G treadmill.

An Alter-G treadmill allows you to run as if you weigh only a fraction of your actual body weight. This innovative piece of technology has allowed injury-prone runners or runners looking to up their mileage to get in more miles without the pounding and stress on the body. Only a handful of universities in the nation have access to Alter-G’s, as well as a few professional athletes. They are expensive pieces of equipment but have proven to be very worthwhile.

Follett placed 19th at last year’s NCAA DI Cross-Country Championships, making her Washington’s first All-American since 2001. This year, she is running 5th for her team–not because she is having a rough season but because her team has gotten that good.

This weekend, #1-ranked Washington faces #2 Oregon in the West Region Championships. Both teams should easily take the top 2 automatic team spots for the NCAA Championships. The question is, will the Washington Lady Huskies sweep the top 5 spots like they did a couple weeks ago at PAC-10’s?

Listen to what Follett has to say:

Filed under: College Athletics, Cross Country, Running, Sports A-Z, Student-Athlete, Technology, Track & Field by anngaff
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November 10, 2008 - LG Phone: Most electronics-makers slap a pink paint job and some floral prints onto their products and then try to pass them off as a gadget for the fairer sex.

LG has just come up with a girl-centric compact phone, the LX600 Lotus, and according to Wired, it doesn’t completely suck (if you ignore the fact that the crammed keys make it difficult to dial, text or navigate  — even if you’re blessed with dainty digits). Available from Sprint.

Sparks: On the fashion front, sparks will fly at Wet Seal as American Idol season six winner Jordin Sparks has designed a line of clothing exclusively for the retailer.

The collection, appropriately named ‘Sparks’, will begin with an assortment of holiday dresses - in sizes XS to XL - delivering to stores just in time for Thanksgiving. The collection will later include casual apparel and accessories. Each piece will reflect Sparks’ youthful sense of style.

Better known for her big voice than her sense of style, it will be interesting to see what Sparks’ collection looks like. As of this post, we couldn’t find any photos of the pieces. Thoughts?

Filed under: Electronics, Entertainment, Fashion, Music, Reviews, Technology by jane
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September 16, 2008 - Just because we’re Pretty Tough doesn’t mean we can’t also be Pretty Smart.  For those of us whose laptop is the ultimate accessory, HP has announced that they’ve teamed with world-renowned designer Vivienne Tam to create a special edition notebook.

Vivienne Tam and HP unveiled the design of the new must-have digital clutch on the catwalk last week at Tam’s fashion show during New York’s Fashion Week. U.S. Open champion Serena Williams was spotted in the front row and we’d love to know what she thought!

The HP Vivienne Tam Special Edition notebook represents the first time a computer company has partnered with a globally renowned designer to create a notebook PC that offers all the style and power needed for a delightful technology experience. Tam also worked with HP to design the notebook’s accessories and packaging.

Specially designed for women on the go (that would be us) the computer is gleaming red and bursting with pink and purple peony flowers. Tam explains that she chose peonies because they are the most beautiful flowers and have many layers of unfolding blossoms — much like the layers of a busy woman’s life.

First, it was Panasonic touting a computer that was “Pretty Tough” but we think this one fits the bill even better.  I’d put in on my Christmas list but it won’t be available until Spring 2009.

Filed under: Fashion, Technology by jane
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