There is no shortage of health and fitness apps these days, and that shouldn't come as any surprise, given that fitness based competitions like 5k's to Marathons and Bike Races to Paddle events seem to be popping up everywhere with participation in the 10's of millions.  But, which one is really the right app to use.  Some are only available on iPhone or Android, some are free and some are not, and some only track one activity type while others include nearly 30 trackable activities.  I personally haven't tested them all, so I'm not the expert on the subject, but I did do some research and here is what I found as it relates to Pedal, Paddle, Pack.

With the shear volume of apps available, you will likely be able to find a free app that will work just fine.  So, no paid apps here.  Also, I like the idea of being able to share your fitness achievements, regardless of how big or small they are, with other individuals.  I believe, the additional support of fellow users helps keep you motivated and helps keep you on track with your goals.  So, with that being said, apps need to be on multiple mobile platforms and be able to post to social media.  And lastly, its important to be able to track anything from a bike ride, to a canoe trip, to a fitness run. 

Here's what we found:  At around 30 million users each, these three apps seem to be outpacing much of the competition.   RunKeeper, Endomondo, and Runtastic all are feature-rich apps that enable GPS tracking, distance, speed monitoring, caloric output, and activity history. You can use them just for running or in multiple other sports, including cycling, hiking, skiing, and swimming.  Once your workout is complete, the data can be synced to your account on their websites to keep track of your vital stats.  And, if you want to stir up a little competition between friends? Post your results to Facebook and Twitter!  Or create a course, event, or competition online to challenge others in your area. 

I'm sure there are other apps out there that likely perform just as well as these three, but 100,000,000 users seem to have established the front runners.

"It is health that is real wealth, not gold and silver."  Mahatma Gandhi

On this 51st day of Winter, Central Wisconsin is again experiencing sub-zero temperatures.  For those keeping track, this is day 34 of 51 that we have been in the negatives.  This is in stark contrast to the 4 days in which we saw temperatures above freezing.  If you were to look at this winter as a whole, the average day starts at -4 and only reaches a high of +15.  These temperatures have even the most die hard Winter enthusiast wanting Spring, and who can blame them.  I like to think of myself as a hardy soul that can handle most any weather conditions, but I have to admit that my mind, as of late, has wandered towards sunnier, warmer days in a canoe or kayak.  And, as I think about tossing the canoe on my car and heading to my favorite body of water, I also have to think about how canoeing may change in the near future. 

This year will be the end of an era of sorts for the canoe industry.  PolyOne Corporation, the sole manufacturer of Royalex, has announced that it will stop production of the material in April 2014.   Royalex has been in use since the early 1970's and has always maintained a strong presence in the  canoe market, offering a durable and relatively inexpensive option to materials like Kevlar, Carbon Fiber, and Cedar Strips.  So what's next for the canoe industry? 

Many canoe manufacturers are working hard to procure enough Royalex sheet stock to complete their 2014 product offering, but most assume there will be none available for 2015 boats.  Since the July 2013 announcement from PolyOne Corp, a number of manufacturers have been researching alternative materials that will fill the void in the entry level and whitewater segments of their business.  Some small manufacturers will likely face some hard business decisions in the coming year, and the industry in general will need to give this a lot of thought, but much like the birth of Royalex as an alternative to Aluminum in the 70's, a product will come along to take its place.  We only need to look back as early as 2005 to observe a similar instance in the watersport industry, when Clark Form, the single supplier of surfboard blanks closed.  This crisis ended with the development of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) surfboards.  So, don't put a fork in the canoe industry just yet, because as we know "Necessity if the Mother of all Invention".

"The crisis of today, is the joke of tomorrow."  - H.G. Wells