Last call for Health magazine fitness awards: deadline June 10

The deadline for submitting nominations for equipment, gear, apparel and accessories for the second-annual fitness awards by Health magazine is this week.

Categories include:
>> Equipment — treadmill, weight system, elliptical trainer, stationary bike
>> Gear — heart rate monitor, pedometer, mat, watch, bag, hydration system/water bottle, portable music system, reflective device, fuel (bars, gels, beverage)
>> Apparel — bra/bra top, pants, shorts, jacket, top, socks
>> Videos/DVDs — yoga, pilates, cardio, strength
>> Footwear — walking shoe, running shoe, cross-trainer, trail runner/walker
>> Most Innovative — Each of the above five categories also include a division for most innovative.

Different this year is the addition of a lower and upper price tier in the equipment area (treadmills, weight systems, ellipticals and stationary bikes), while a few additional sub-categories have been added to the large gear category, such as pedometers, reflective devices and portable music systems. The magazine has said that newly released products receive extra attention and preference but all are welcome to submit entries.

Entry forms, due June 10, are at www.health.com/awardsforms/fitness. They can be mailed to: Health Magazine, Best of Fitness Awards 2006, 2100 Lakeshore Drive, Birmingham, AL 35209. Or they can be emailed to fitness_awards@timeinc.com.

Last year’s winners were showcased in the January issue of the magazine, which has 6 million readers (see SNEWS® story, Dec. 17, 2004, “Health magazine’s ‘fitness awards’ reap large national audience”). In the first edition of the awards, Life Fitness nabbed three of the five equipment awards — weight system, bike and treadmill — while Vision Fitness took the top spot for ellipticals. The category’s judge named the new Concept2 Indoor Rower as the “most innovative.”

According to special projects editor Lisa Delaney, Health magazine readers are very responsive to products and guidance by the magazine. She started receiving entries in early spring after the first awards appeared in the magazine. For that go-round, the magazine partnered with The Super Show and the SGMA for promotion, presentations and awards. This year, it hasn’t decided how it will proceed, she told SNEWS®.

Nevertheless, SGMA Vice President Gregg Hartley sent a promotional email in late April to SGMA members and others, contacting about 300 companies, he said.  

Winners, who will be notified in July, will be featured in the January/February 2006 issue of Health magazine and earn the right to display Health’s “Best of Fitness” seal on promotional materials and product packaging. In addition, winners will be promoted via Health’s public relations efforts.

In other categories, winners included Polar, Jansport, Bell, Julbo, Amphipod, Crescent Moon, Keen, Saucony, Asics, Avia, Montrail, Nike, Brooks, New Balance, Sof Sole, adidas, Champion, PowerBar and Gatorade. Winners are selected by one judge in each category in consultation with magazine editors.