Call me old-fashioned, but when running the Chicago half marathon last Sunday, I was in the small minority of athletes not to have some elite performance device fastened to my head, my wrist - hey, even my feet. The Nike + iPod Sport Kit seems a thing of the past when compared to one of Garmin Forerunner GPS enabled sports watches. By tracking distance and calculating pace, heart rate and calories burned, the Forerunner 405CX gives you everything you need to train for a thirteen mile race. After a run, this sleek device wirelessly sends the data to your PC so you can track your progress and chart a training regime. Or if you’re feeling competitive, race against the Forerunner Virtual Partner. Though these watches come at a hefty price, it seems that some serious runners will buy whatever it takes to keep pace at mile eleven.

Zoot Sports socks are another item hot off the runners’ market. These knee-high, snug-fitting socks are aimed at increasing oxygen flow to the muscles while also keeping them intact, the idea being greater efficiency and endurance. A 2007 study by the College of Sports Medicine contested the in-race benefits, but suggested that they might speed recovery after a strenuous race. And for the injury prone, these socks might be worth the investment.

Elsewhere on the fitness front, the Dutch cargo bike has been popping up on streets, and not just in the morning and evening rush hours. Shoppers, parents, and the occasional ex-frat boy are slowly but surely ditching their four wheelers for these authentic Dutch bikes from De Fietsfabriek USA (translated as "the bike factory"). Two years of living in the Netherlands inspired Jon Lind to share his love for Dutch bicycle culture with Chicago.

Ranging from one to three thousand dollars, these bikes include unique cargo boxes that can sit above the handle bars of a two-wheeler like a basket or wedge between two front wheels like a wheelbarrow. You can cart children, groceries, even a keg (though I’ve yet to see the latter). The fenders and enclosed chain ring are also ideal for commuting on dirty city streets. Lind attributes the popularity of his bikes, in part, to a growing interest in healthy living: "Some like it because they don’t have to worry about going to the gym. Some like it because it allows them to have that local, sustainable lifestyle." Currently, Lind is in the process of developing his own specialty bikes. The limo bike is the "ultimate in day-care transport" and can carry up to ten children.

Of course, you don't always have to hit the road to stay healthy. Chicagoans now have a handful of frozen yogurt shops that even fitness freaks can stop feeling guilty about. Founded in South Korea in 2002, Red Mango is known for its all natural, 90-calorie/serving frozen yogurt. The chain opened shop in the San Francisco Bay area in 2007, but is just catching on in Chicago. It seems that even during a recession people are not willing to part with small indulgences, and with plenty of fresh fruit to top off a sundae, Red Mango in Lincoln Park takes advantage of a health-conscious crowd.

Offered in four flavors - Original, Green Tea, Pomegranate, and Tangomonium - the yogurt somehow masks protein, calcium, and live and active cultures beneath its creamy, delicious goodness. Another frozen yogurt retail concept, this time from Canada, also opened a location in the loop. Yogen Früz will blend their frozen yogurt with your favorite fruit, resulting in a sweet, velvety consistency. Just two blocks from my office, I can vouch for the strawberry-banana blend.