Week 4 - gagets galore!

Ok so as i promised here is some news from the world of "run more, then run some more, then workout and run some more" training schedule.

 It has been exactly 3 weeks completed to the day as of yesterday, and i must say my cardio is improving as well as my endurance. I must admit i am slowly but surely becoming more and more addicted to running, AND all the gadgets that come with it.

Yes that's right, if you're a techno-geek like i am, the more flashing lights, LED's, bells, buzzers, whistles and GPS's you can get your hands on the better, especially if they can all be on you while you run!! So far in my quest to run a half marathon (or 3), i have utilized my already well used IPOD and IPhone 4. First new addition was the Nike+ GPS watch... Ok so this thing does EVERYTHING you might need to track if you run... Distance, GPS route mapping, speed, pace, average pace, lap counter, split time, calories burned, wireless connection to a heart rate monitor, running motivators and reminders, and believe it or not - tells the time! That's right it does it all! What more can a guy want?? I am so glad you asked :) Nike has come out with a new gadget that is simply a must have for ANYONE who would like to know how many calories they burn daily. Now i am not talking a simple "free in the box of Special K cereal" type of pedometer here, I'm talking a wrist band that has built in a 3 axis accelerometer with live calorie count (converted into some weird Nike+ points thingy), that you wear on your wrist. It has built in USB that you connect to, program and report to the Nike+ website daily. You set goals, etc, etc, etc... Damn just look yourself k?



http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/?l=shop,fuelband&sitesrc=glfl_fuelband

COOL RIGHT?!?!?!

OK so why do i need one after getting the watch? Not to mention the absolute need now for a heart rate monitor to that connects via blue tooth to said watch ;) Well here's the deal. You ever do the whole BMI thing to figure out your daily caloric needs? Well the BMI is BS! It's based on some weird non muscly body type thing, where if you've ever worked out in your life, and are not an absolute cubicle working, couch potato living, not athletic type person EVER, then their comparison chart says you are grotesquely over weight regardless of muscle mass... SO this clever little bugger will track your every move (except for bike riding, flying and sleeping), and tell you your caloric base - EVERY DAY you wear it! So if you're like me, where you track your food, your workouts, your runs, your calories, your EVERYTHING, then this sucker is the thing you need...

So why does Nike have to sell it for $150?! Damn the watch was $200, the phone was stupid priced, the ipod wasn't cheap. Add water belt $53, good running shoes $150, running clothes $250 (I'm not talking multiple sets either - I'm talking ONE shirt, short, jacket combo), and other odds and sods, and I'm going to need a sponsor just to run comfortably!! Add to this BS i will need triathlon shorts, shirt, kayak gloves, and a good pair of cross country runners - just to pull off the Tough Mudder in June! Seriously not going to be able to afford half of this - even if the paintball season is spectacular.

Anyway, i digress... The basics still exist - i walk out the door and i run, and run, and run some more. I also workout - which is suffering truthfully, because i just don't have the juice to get a good quality workout in with all the running. I am hoping as this progresses i get more energy to ramp up the gym aspect of this training regime.

That's it for now, maybe i'll see you on the track. And hey, if you feel like sponsoring a nobody - i am very interested in spending other peoples money ;)