This past weekend was Self Magazine's Workout in the Park event in SF.  Skimble was on site to join the fun, taking part in sweat-inducing outdoor fitness classes such as Masala Bhangra, Cardio Tai Box and laBLAST with ABC's Dancing with the Stars' dancer and choreographer, Louis Van Amstel.  The momentum was unstoppable with a field of strong, inspired women making high-impact moves for Breast Cancer!  Here are a series of heart-warming pics from the day's fit events:

What a beautiful day to get out and work out at Crissy Fields!

There was even a guest appearance by the lovely Alison Sweeney, host of NBS' The Biggest Loser and author of The Mommy Diet...perhaps you remember her from her role in Days of our Lives?! :)

It's 2010 and I'm sure you're just aching to craft up some new year's resolutions for yourself.  Year after year, health & fitness are often found on the top of most lists.  This year at Skimble, we have a few new year's resolutions in mind:

With them, we're letting you know how commited we are to inspiring active lifestyles wherever life takes us in 2010 and beyond.  Join us for the ride!

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Creations inspired by Monina's beautifully designed New Year's Resolution Generator.

The 2009/2010 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is (very likely) coming to a city near you!  It's a pretty epic world tour and here's a quick preview of what's in store:

In addition, these are inspiring images captured in the 2009 Film Award Winners from 277 entries from 28 countries:

Beyond The Summits

Natural World: Snow Leopard - Beyond The Myth

Mont-Blanc Speed Flying

Kranked - Revolve

So whether you're an armchair adventurer or an über-adrenalin outdoor junkie, add this event to your social calendar!  Here's a list of popular screening locations:

Toronto, Ontario - March 26, 27, 28, 2010
Alpine Club of Canada - Toronto Section
info2010@TorontoBanffFilmFest.com

Salt Lake City, UT - February 22, 23, 24, 2010
University of Utah

Boulder, CO - March 2, 3, 2010
REI Boulder 303-583-9970

San Francisco, CA - March 10, 11, 2010
REI San Francisco 415-934-1938

New York, NY - March 8, 9, 2010
Chestnut Mountain Productions 215-923-9161

Ann Arbor, MI - April 11, 2010
U of Michigan Outdoor Adventure
734-764-3967 jstawski@umich.edu

Chicago, IL - April 20, 21, 2010
The Field Museum 312-665-7400

The Banff Mountain Film Festival is sponsored by National Geographic, The North Face, Deuter, Outdoor Research, Polartec, Three Cups of Tea, MSR, Fernie Mountain Resort, Petzl, World Expeditions, and Mountain Hardware.  They're giving away prizes at the events and online contests including a chance to win a 15-day trip for two to Peru - woah!  Good luck.

The Halloween countdown continues and Skimble knows just what's racing through your mind!  You're dying to know the answer to this pressing question:

How am I gonna survive Halloween?

Well, whether you're up in the mountains or creepy crawlin' around the city,  these are the essentials for a unforgettably active Halloween:

1) Stay Hydrated

Go with a black Klean Kanteen or an orange REI Nalgene bottle and fill it with some Orange Gatorade Drink Mix!

You'll stay hydrated all night long and be doing some serious good for the environment in the long run!

2) Light up the Night

If you're partying in the bushes, be sure to bring your Halloween-worthy light source.  Get the Princeton Tec Apex Extreme LED Headlamp or the Black Diamond Orbit Lantern.  They're both super bright, black and orange...and amazing!

3) Keep out the Creeps

Wrap yourself in an Arc'Teryx Jacket such as the Men's Arc'Teryx Beta AR Jacket or Women's Arc'Teryx Epsilon SV Hoody Jacket.

These Arc'Teryx jackets will warm you up and make you look great on Halloween night.  What's more is that they will definitely keep you performing up in the mountains!

4) Be the First-Aid

Now, are you or your buddies prone to Halloween mishaps?  Come prepared to party and patch-up with this essential Adventure Medical UltraLight First-Aid Kit.

5) Regenerate with Treats

Try our favorites: Clif Kid Organic Spooky Smores ZBar, Clif Kid Organic Twisted Fruit, Clif Shot Bloks

6) Protect Yourself

We know how you roll so as the night progresses we recommend you take some extra precautionary measures: helmet, ice axe, and rescue rope

7) Pack it Up!

All these survival pieces will easily fit into the rugged Mountain Hardware Splitter Pack:

8) Kayak out of Trouble

Rumor has it that zombies and goblins loathe water.  Paddle your way out of harms way in this:

9) Know What Shat That...

When you've finally found your way back on safe ground, stay alert and in the know...about what shat that:

And when you've figured out it's something grizzly...

10) Hug it out!? No, Spray it out.

Skimblers: be active, be safe and survive Halloween!

October is well underway and you may have seen the leaves changing color.  First things first: get inspired to be active!

Let's consider some fun and unique ways to be nimble:

Curious about Yoga, Pilates, and the secrets of the downward facing dog?  Why not try a beginner's class like Mae K recently did.  Then, head into the backcountry and track your hikes like Sarah I and Emma C.  Perhaps you're living the climber lifestyle?  Check out some vertical adventures including friends bouldering in Yosemite National Park and Mike P’s hard sport ascents!  If you can't get 'out there', unleash your active self locally at the gym and achieve goals just like Ken H, Sophia B, and George S have.  Tantek C and Gian F have also been active in their cities and Stella M recently enjoyed a bike ride around Central Park in NYC.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/megantroyer/183739888/

Need a bit more inspiration to loosen up your sweat glands?  Why not train for the Big Sur Half Marathon like Minji W and Wayne J or go running along the streets of San Francisco like Paul M?  Maybe crossing that glorious finish line isn't your thing.  You could get busy by with kickball games like Ariana V or canoeing like Alea T.  Perhaps lying on the beach in Hawaii, climbing with an ocean view, and learning to surf is your watery calling?  Sounds exactly what Joyce K and Maria L are stoked to do next month!



After all these activities, you'll probably want to refuel and what better way than to grab some Clif Shot Bloks and plan your next active trip.  Whatever you do, track it on Skimble.  You'll get a bunch of activity points that will surely impress your friends ;p