August was a great month for MapMyFitness. Our new Community Forums are becoming a discussion destination for runners, walkers, cyclists and other fitness enthusiasts from all over the world. August also saw the MapMyFitness community grow to over 200,000 registered members. MapMyFitness is officially one of the fastest-growing fitness communities on the Web. Thanks to all of you for helping spread the word!

Help us improve:
Fill out our Member Survey for 500 MapMyPoints

Last month, we asked some members to step up and become moderators for our forums. We had some amazing replies to our call to action and you will begin to see some of your fellow MapMyFitness users leading the charge in the forums over the next couple of weeks. We're always looking for more people to get involved, so if you are interested in becoming a moderator, or if you have feedback regarding our categories or topics, please drop us a note.

Here's a quick update on some of the other new and exciting things going on at MapMyFitness:

• MapMyPoints -- This month we have 93 members who have accumulated enough points to earn valuable gift certificates and discounts from our partner Backcountry.com -- Backcountry.com is where you can find high end gear for hard core outdoor enthusiasts! We will be sending out email notifications to the 93 members, so keep your eye on your inbox!
  Learn more about how you can earn more MapMyPoints!.
• Discussion of the Month Contest! -- To help get our new community forums going, we are sponsoring a discussion of the month contest. The person who creates the most interesting and/or active discussion thread will receive a free piece of MapMyFitness gear (hat, T-shirt, etc.). The Discussion Topic of the Month for August is "Getting Faster" by monte48! Congrats!
• 2007 Member Survey -- In order to improve MapMyFitness Web sites, prepare for 2008, and understand who are members are, we've put together a comprehensive survey. We need your feedback to improve our sites and add new features. As an added bonus, you'll receive 500 MapMyPoints when you fill out the MapMyFitness Member Survey for us!
• Improved GPS Integration -- We've added optimization to better support the uploading of large GPX tracks. Members with large GPX routes should now see a great improvement in upload times. We've also added the ability to upload ZIP-compressed GPX files to speed up the process even more. For Garmin GPS members, we've released a preview of a new Web-based import tool. If you train with a Forerunner or Edge, we think that this new feature will improve your experience considerably. For more information or questions on this, visit the Garmin GPS Web Upload thread in our forums.
• Copy Workouts -- You can now copy or clone your workout activities. This will save you the time, as you won't have to re-enter the same activities from scratch repeatedly.

We've once again found some great contributors for this month's newsletter. If you would like to submit an article or story to be included for our upcoming newsletters, please contact us with your proposed topic.

Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy this issue of the MapMyFitness Newsletter!

PRODUCT REVIEWS: MEN & WOMENS TECHNICAL T-SHIRTS

From Kevin Fonger
A MapMyFitness Team Member

Looking for a good technical T-shirt? For any active person who sweats while working out, cotton no longer cuts it. Cotton becomes damp, heavy, and clings to your body. New man-made performance fabrics have been designed to solve this problem.

Check out the comparison of performance t-shirts for both men and women. Compare the products on cost, fit, and features.

RUNNING PARTNER TO THE RESCUE

From Sara Hodges Myers (a.k.a Beanhowser)
A MapMyRun.com Contributing User

I just finished a hard eight-miler with my running partner of four years, Janya. Like most running partners, she keeps me on track, pushes me beyond my limits, and puts up with my complaining while we tackle the unavoidable foothills of Colorado. Other than running; however, we never hang out—even though we live only two miles from each other. Read More...

GET READY FOR WORLD RUN DAY 2007

From World Run Day
A MapMyRun.com Partner

World Run Day, November 11, 2007, is an annual day for running celebrated worldwide. Started in 1999 as a small Internet-based running event, the event asked runners world-wide to join together, city-by-city, to celebrate running. About 100 interested runners joined in different parts of the world. Last year, nearly 5,000 runners celebrated the event. By running on the day (in a race, on your own training route, or even a treadmill), you are automatically interconnected with a network of runners honoring the day. It was designed to celebrate and promote the health benefits of running. Read More...

Come participate in the BBBS of NYC Race for the Kids sponsored by RBC Dain Rauscher-- part of Nickelodeon's Worldwide Day of Play! It is a day that celebrates the magic of mentoring and the importance of healthy eating, exercise, and play. By participating in the race, you will help BBBS of NYC bring one-to-one adult mentoring to more of New York City's children in need, expanding their horizons and enriching their futures. Worldwide Day of Play is part of Nickelodeon's effort to encourage kids to go outside and be active. Race for the Kids sponsored by RBC Dain Rauscher is proud to share in the goal of promoting healthy lifestyles to today's youth. The annual 5k Run/Walk in Riverside Park is benefiting the mentoring agency, Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC.

Spotlight City: Washington, DC Washington, DC isn't just a city filled with politicians, lawyers, and historical buildings. It boasts some of the most beautiful trails and parks in the east coast. Dotted with low-rise structures, DC is not as congested as many other cities of its size. The city is also surrounded by lush greenery. Good trail areas include the newly created Crescent Trail stretching from Bethesda, MD to the C&O Canal Tow Path. The Mall in the heart of Washington, DC is always a popular walking and running destination, as you literally are framed by the Capitol Building and the Lincoln Memorial. Just outside of DC you have Rock Creek, Dupont Fort, and the scenic trails of the Teddy Roosevelt Island. Highlighted Events & Routes around DC: Marine Corps Marathon Indian Head 100 DC Bridges + Teddy Roosevelt Island Rock Creek Park Capitol - Crescent Trail Ride C&0 20 Miler Capitol Mall / Basin

Featured Partner: Graceful Edge is the fun and sassy website for the hip and adventurous woman. Through its free emails and website, Graceful Edge shares the latest in cool gear, active apparel and awesome experiences for a wide range of activities – running, hiking, biking, alpine sports, yoga and many more. Graceful Edge was created to spread the fun and enthusiasm for living an active life. Women are constantly bombarded with messages that link physical activity with weight loss and appearance. Graceful Edge is the fresh alternative. In recent years, there’s been a tremendous increase in fabulous products, services and activities specifically designed for active women, but rarely do you find resources that spread the word about these offerings. Graceful Edge is the place to get the scoop on all the great items that up the fun factor. And along the way, inspire other women to incorporate physical activity and enthusiasm for the outdoors into their regular routine. Check out Graceful Edge today and be sure to sign up!