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By ANNA FIORENTINO, Staff Writer Monday, September 25, 2006

Recreational runner Neil Chivington lets a computer set his stride on the trail. Marathon runner Blaine Moore would rather keep his pace to the sound of nature.

Both runners have helped redefine the image of the immobile computer user. They've done it by tuning into a fitness podcast. (A podcast is a method of publishing video or audio files over the Internet, on programs such as iTunes, for playback on mobile devices such as an iPod).

In a country equally fixated on weight and technology, it's no surprise that these fitness and workout podcasts, ranging from MP3 mixes to video talk shows to step-by-step audio workouts, have begun to proliferate.

While no one seems to have quantified the number of fitness podcast users, 6 percent of computer users have downloaded podcasts, according to Nielsen Analytics, a media and entertainment research company. Just a year ago, that number was 1 percent, Nielsen reported.

"The incredible popularity of podcasting is the latest demonstration of consumers' willingness to take control of their media expertise," said Larry Gerbrandt in a press release, general manager and senior vice president of Nielsen. "While essentially still in nascent form, podcasts offer free audio and video content that is inexpensive to create, easy to access and on a portable platform that has already reached mass distribution. This exciting new medium has only just begun to stretch its legs."

Stretch, run, pump or ride, it seems there is a fitness podcast for everyone: be it MARINA's High-nrg Fitness Audio Workout Center, the first online workout to offer combinations of MP3 audio workouts for power walking, body sculpting, weight loss and relaxation; the humorous "Mr. Fitness and the Fat Guy," or one dedicated to the method of Pilates called "Beyond the Movement." There are even personal trainer podcasts, hosted by real personal trainers who guide users through step-by-step workouts at home or the gym.

These fitness podcasts range from freebees to $20 a for month for often twice-weekly programs.

Chivington, of Pittston, doesn't pay a dime to listen to his electronic beats, steadying his level of exertion with something called Podrunner, or a non-stop, high-energy dance music mix podcast created for fast workouts and runs.

"The music plays at a particular beat per minute," Chivington said. "It tends to be mostly instrumental."

Moore, on the other hand, is a serious runner in training who tunes into his choice podcast off the trail: the popular weekly show called "Phedippidations."

The one-hour podcast, with a following of about 1,200, features the observations and advice of Massachusetts-based marathon runner Steve "Runner" Walker, who records his show during his weekly runs via a mini microphone taped to his chest.

"A show like mine can reveal personal thoughts, opinions and observations of a middle-of-the-pack slightly asthmatic marathoner," said Walker. "I don't believe my podcast, or any podcast, could ever replace a personal trainer, although I do believe it can complement the personal advice and attention that athletes gain from their personal trainers."

Walker's comment alludes to a controversy that has festered in the workout world since podcasting made its debut.

Shelby Turcotte, a Maine resident and graduate student at California University, in Pennslyvania, studying exercise science and performance enhancement, is among those on the "no" side in the debate about the safety and benefits of fitness podcasting.

"Internet programs are fine for people with a background in exercise," said Turcotte. "The problem with the programs are they are generic in nature and aren't tailored to meet the specific needs of the person in question."

A handful of area personal trainers echoed his sentiment.

"Today's lifestyle is fast; people just want to find an easy way out of exercising," said Heather Norris, a personal trainer at Portland Athletic Club in Falmouth. "They are so focused on screens, clients forget to look in the mirror to see if they're training correctly. I've also seen people try to watch others working out in the gym and try to do the same thing just by watching. They can easily get hurt doing that."

Still, she doubts that personal trainers will lose a significant number of clients to these low-cost, no-hassle fitness podcasts because they lack that invaluable one-on-one, in-person component offered from a real-life trainer.

And it's arguable whether a computer can offer those same perks, even though some fitness podcasts offer customizable features.

Walker said he started his podcasts "to make a connection with kindred spirits: like-minded runners who have a real passion for our sport, and to inspire (if I can) anyone who never thought they could run a race or a marathon."

The personal connection he seeks to establish with his listeners seems to be strong - at least for Moore, the marathoner-in-training.

"Steve has a good sense of humor and is a great producer," said Moore, who placed 12th of the 500 entrants in Portland Trails' 10k race Sept. 17.

Staff Writer Anna Fiorentino can be contacted at 791-6330 or at: