The Temperature is Dropping...

But the holiday spirit is rising. Whatever may be your holiday of choice, remember one thing. It is not about the giving of gifts; it is about the giving of ourselves. Make sure you slow your busy life and spend some time with the people who mean the most to you. Maybe even think about spending some time with people who don't have others. Check out Volunteer Match to browse some interesting opportunities.

That being said, we know people still love to give (and receive). And in our minds, there is not much better than the gift of Atayne! We also know that not everyone needs a new performance top or t-shirt.

To help get your creative juices flowing, in the next two weeks we will be sending out ideas for gifts from other companies concerned with doing more than padding their profits, i.e. helping the environment and people too. We will also be sending ideas on the best ways to give without just giving more stuff.

We are sure many of you are planning on running your local turkey trot this Thanksgiving (well, at least our U.S. based friends). What a great way to burn a few calories before you chow down later in the day.

For this year's race, try something new. Instead of relying on fluids supplied by the race in disposable containers, BYOV (bring your own vessel). Whether you prefer a belt, handheld, or pack, there are many options to bring your own. Not only will you avoid delays at the aid stations, you will help prevent a lot of waste from going into landfills.

If you don't think landfill waste is a major environmental problem, check out the movie Trashed. It's one of our favorites.

For 16 year olds Phil Carlitz and Andrew Hudis, the answer is a bit longer than one would suspect. Many teenage boys might answer that question with a response that includes friends, beach, and Guitar Hero. Phil and Andrew have a much different story. The duo from Pennsylvania spent the summer of 2009 overseeing a marathon near the border of Thailand and Myanmar.

During a global community service trip to the area the prior summer, Phil and Andrew met the Karen Hill Tribe. This minority group has been persecuted by Myanmar's dictatorial government and forced to flee into Thailand where many are trapped in refugee camps, with little hope of an education, a job, or a future. The two were moved by the circumstances they witnessed Karen teens facing and decided to do something about it.

The two concocted an idea, the Rustic Pathways Tribe-to-Tribe Marathon. They returned to the region this past summer hoping for a few dozen runners in their inaugural event. Instead 500 showed from all around the world and the event raised over $10,000. As Andrew said, "In a country where a shirt costs 60 cents and you can eat for a quarter, that money goes pretty far. We are putting 25 teenage refugees through high school."

The young duo has committed to the event for a decade and hope to be able to raise $250,000 annually. We just wonder if they get a curfew extension for event planning meetings.

Juan Mann thinks so. His sole mission in life is to reach out and hug a stranger to brighten up their lives. Now where did an idea like this start? In Juan's own words:

"I'd been living in London when my world turned upside down and I'd had to come home. By the time my plane landed back in Sydney, all I had left was a carry on bag full of clothes and a world of troubles....Standing there in the arrivals terminal, watching other passengers meeting their waiting friends and family, with open arms and smiling faces, hugging and laughing together, I wanted someone out there to be waiting for me. To be happy to see me. To smile at me. To hug me. So I got some cardboard and a marker and made a sign. I found the busiest pedestrian intersection in the city and held that sign aloft, with the words ‘Free Hugs' on both sides."

This story takes some interesting twists and we recommend you check out this video to see how it ends.

Whether you go out and start your own Free Hugs campaign or not, we ask you to remember one thing. One simple gesture, good or bad, can have a tremendous impact on someone's day.

It is official; Atayne has made a presence at the Olympics! Our good friend Blaine with Run to Win, is certain that the Ancient Olympic Athletes would have competed in Atayne. Since there is no historical record of it, he recreated the scene on a recent trip to Greece.

And if you happen to be one of the lucky ones running the 2010 Boston Marathon, check out Blaine's training program.

All this talk of overseas travel got us thinking, why not organize an off-the-beaten path Atayne style adventure! What does that mean? Picture this...mountain biking through Upper Patagonia's inspiring natural beauty, trekking through the heart of the Andes, and rafting the mighty El Manso River. It's the perfect getaway for both the naturalist and adventure seeker all wrapped up in a socially and environmentally responsible package. If you're interested in joining in the fun or finding out more, drop a line to adventure@atayne.com.

It appears that we may have stumped the readers of Atayne 360 as no one submitted the right answer to the question, "Why is going yellow, the new going green?" The answer to this question could be found in a tweet about an article titled, The Car that Uses Urine to Save the Planet.

On to this month's question, if you pick up two aluminum cans on your next run, walk, or hike and recycle them, how much energy are you helping to save?

Remember, all answers can be found on our website, Facebook page, or Twitter feed.

To join in the fun, email your answer to adventure@atayne.com. To be entered into the drawing for the $25 gift certificate, your answer must be received by Monday, November 30. Just think, that $25 could go toward some great holiday gifts!