There are many ways to log your workouts online and though I've played around, I've been a RunningAHEAD guy for some time. RunningAHEAD works for me but - until now - I've never pushed it because we all have our quirks.
Members of RunningAHEAD have been whining about Garmin integration for - seemingly - years, and I've never joined the bandwagon, simply because EVERY Garmin upload tool I've seen (including Garmin's) sucks. They've been pitifully slow. So slow I stopped using them. Keep in mind, I NEVER run without my Garmin, but it was just easier and simpler to upload the workouts manually.
Meanwhile over at RA, people have been asking for it forever, and even though there were a few posts about beta tests, I didn't pay them any attention. Wow - sometimes I love being wrong.
RunningAHEAD now has Garmin integration. It's seamless, simple and as fast as you'd expect it to be (I uploaded my last three workouts in about five seconds).
If you have a Garmin and you record your running online, run - don't walk - to RunningAHEAD.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Diabetics and Needle Fears...
Erika lets the cat out of the bag on a not so well kept secret: diabetics don't get used to needles. Jerry explains with visual aids.
As for me, I've got two thoughts on needles:
1. I fear the ones I don't do myself, meaning the A1C bloodwork. I stare at the clock on the wall or the guy getting stuck in the next chair. I never look at my own arm.
2. RE: all the self-inflicted pricks, I've come to the conclusion that if you hit a nerve it hurts. If you don't, it doesn't. Problem is, there's no way to know without doing it. So I just ask myself one question, ala Dirty Harry, "Do I feel lucky today?"
Well do you, punk?
As for me, I've got two thoughts on needles:
1. I fear the ones I don't do myself, meaning the A1C bloodwork. I stare at the clock on the wall or the guy getting stuck in the next chair. I never look at my own arm.
2. RE: all the self-inflicted pricks, I've come to the conclusion that if you hit a nerve it hurts. If you don't, it doesn't. Problem is, there's no way to know without doing it. So I just ask myself one question, ala Dirty Harry, "Do I feel lucky today?"
Well do you, punk?
Monday, February 23, 2009
Never Limit Where Running Can Take You - Bart Yasso
The title of this post is what running legend Bart Yasso inscribed in my copy of his book when I met him at yesterday's Ugly Mudder race in Reading.
Ironically, where running had taken me yesterday was to that very race.
I'd run the mudder in 2007 and was one of the people to run the abbreviated course in 2008.
With last year's course mistake and what I thought was a particularly bad shirt, I'd planned on not running the Mudder again this year. And then on Friday an e-mail came saying that Bart Yasso would be signing free autographs at this year's race. I sent a quick e-mail to the race director confirming there were a couple extra shirts available and decided to make the Mudder my plan.
Unlike other years, though, I wasn't even a little tapered for the race. I'd done a hard interval workout on Thursday and went out for a medium longish nine miles on Saturday. The plan called for a marathon pace-ish workout for Sunday and a good trail race can serve that purpose.
All in all, it worked out well. I met Bart and let me tell you - What a jerk!! Kidding...!!! Everyone who's ever met Bart will tell you he's a class act and he was no different with me. I didn't banter with him for more than a few moments, but I could've. He was approachable, energetic and kind. (Incidentally, I read the book when it first came out. It's a winner and you should buy it.)
On to the race... 30 minutes before race time, my blood sugar was 108. Perfect for watching TV. A bit low for seven miles up and down a mountain. I took off my pump and had 35 grams of carbs (I used Clif Blocks that the race provided. I had gel with me, but with the race 30 minutes a way, I opted for something a bit slower.)
At the starting line, I saw a guy wearing an insulin pump and introduced myself. Mike's been diabetic for 45 years (since age 3!) and we had a good conversation. Look forward to talking to him again.
I tried to go out fairly hard in the race, knowing that it's a ton of single-track. Even so, if I had to do it over again, I would've somehow put 15-20 extra people behind me before the course slowed down.
I dressed fairly thinly given the weather, though it worked out well: CWX tights, Inov-8 shoes, Inov-8 hat and Inov-8 shirt (the last two won in an Inov-8 promotion last month!), and Nike gloves. Though I was afraid I'd get cold, in the end I think I dressed perfect.
The course was faster than other years, but that being said - it's a lot of slippery leaves and five inch rocks, soooo.. it certainly wasn't ideal. Unlike 2007, though, I didn't fall (yay, Inov-8!), so there was that.
In the end, I came in 132 out of 707, 40th out of 161 in my age group, in a time of 1:06:13. All in all, a good improvement from two years ago. My blood sugar at the end was 118. Perfect. And to make things more perfect, the shirt's pretty good this year, too.
I'm mighty sore from the rocks today, but need to recover quick. The next two weeks of marathon training are fairly intense and it's over the next month or so I'll figure out how legit. my chances for a good spring marathon are.
Ironically, where running had taken me yesterday was to that very race.
I'd run the mudder in 2007 and was one of the people to run the abbreviated course in 2008.
With last year's course mistake and what I thought was a particularly bad shirt, I'd planned on not running the Mudder again this year. And then on Friday an e-mail came saying that Bart Yasso would be signing free autographs at this year's race. I sent a quick e-mail to the race director confirming there were a couple extra shirts available and decided to make the Mudder my plan.
Unlike other years, though, I wasn't even a little tapered for the race. I'd done a hard interval workout on Thursday and went out for a medium longish nine miles on Saturday. The plan called for a marathon pace-ish workout for Sunday and a good trail race can serve that purpose.
All in all, it worked out well. I met Bart and let me tell you - What a jerk!! Kidding...!!! Everyone who's ever met Bart will tell you he's a class act and he was no different with me. I didn't banter with him for more than a few moments, but I could've. He was approachable, energetic and kind. (Incidentally, I read the book when it first came out. It's a winner and you should buy it.)
On to the race... 30 minutes before race time, my blood sugar was 108. Perfect for watching TV. A bit low for seven miles up and down a mountain. I took off my pump and had 35 grams of carbs (I used Clif Blocks that the race provided. I had gel with me, but with the race 30 minutes a way, I opted for something a bit slower.)
At the starting line, I saw a guy wearing an insulin pump and introduced myself. Mike's been diabetic for 45 years (since age 3!) and we had a good conversation. Look forward to talking to him again.
I tried to go out fairly hard in the race, knowing that it's a ton of single-track. Even so, if I had to do it over again, I would've somehow put 15-20 extra people behind me before the course slowed down.
I dressed fairly thinly given the weather, though it worked out well: CWX tights, Inov-8 shoes, Inov-8 hat and Inov-8 shirt (the last two won in an Inov-8 promotion last month!), and Nike gloves. Though I was afraid I'd get cold, in the end I think I dressed perfect.
The course was faster than other years, but that being said - it's a lot of slippery leaves and five inch rocks, soooo.. it certainly wasn't ideal. Unlike 2007, though, I didn't fall (yay, Inov-8!), so there was that.
In the end, I came in 132 out of 707, 40th out of 161 in my age group, in a time of 1:06:13. All in all, a good improvement from two years ago. My blood sugar at the end was 118. Perfect. And to make things more perfect, the shirt's pretty good this year, too.
I'm mighty sore from the rocks today, but need to recover quick. The next two weeks of marathon training are fairly intense and it's over the next month or so I'll figure out how legit. my chances for a good spring marathon are.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
A Little Bit of Everything...
Titles like that really aren't very SEO friendly, but such is the buffet that is my life.
Europe, Part II - I'm home. It was a great trip. Though London's a little different than a US city, and Manchester's more different, Edinburgh was very different enough to know I really went someplace I hadn't been before. The architecture of the castle coupled with the experience of running up Arthur's seat were very cool, indeed, and I was grateful for the opportunity to go.
When you travel for business, there's always this nagging feeling: is what I'm doing worth the company dollar? Is the tradeshow worthwhile? Is there enough to learn and enough to teach? This time, I can easily say it was, so it was a success. Our UK team is doing a dynamite job and it's fun to watch them grow in experience.
Running-wise, I managed 3 runs throughout the week, which isn't great. After getting back on US time, I did bang out a nice 14 miler, but - as I knew going into this - this isn't the best time of year for me to be marathon training. But still, it's early in the season and I'm not going to make any decisions yet. I'm just going to keep looking at what the program has laid out and banging out the miles when I can. Then, later in March or early April, I'll get honest with myself.
Diabetes-wise, I'm fine. I had sporadic control throughout the trip - a five hour time change is a good way to through the basal rates out of whack and foreign foods don't help - but I'm back to standard, normal life and things have glided right back to control.
And now? It's busy time: I've got a ton of work to do to get ready for the spring tradeshow season. My next trip will be a short one to Chicago in 5 or 6 weeks and most days have healthy miles planned for the lunch hour.
If you'd like to see pics from the Europe trip, there's an album in my Facebook account. If you can't see it, you're not my friend. If you want to be, just search and add. I'm not selective.
Europe, Part II - I'm home. It was a great trip. Though London's a little different than a US city, and Manchester's more different, Edinburgh was very different enough to know I really went someplace I hadn't been before. The architecture of the castle coupled with the experience of running up Arthur's seat were very cool, indeed, and I was grateful for the opportunity to go.
When you travel for business, there's always this nagging feeling: is what I'm doing worth the company dollar? Is the tradeshow worthwhile? Is there enough to learn and enough to teach? This time, I can easily say it was, so it was a success. Our UK team is doing a dynamite job and it's fun to watch them grow in experience.
Running-wise, I managed 3 runs throughout the week, which isn't great. After getting back on US time, I did bang out a nice 14 miler, but - as I knew going into this - this isn't the best time of year for me to be marathon training. But still, it's early in the season and I'm not going to make any decisions yet. I'm just going to keep looking at what the program has laid out and banging out the miles when I can. Then, later in March or early April, I'll get honest with myself.
Diabetes-wise, I'm fine. I had sporadic control throughout the trip - a five hour time change is a good way to through the basal rates out of whack and foreign foods don't help - but I'm back to standard, normal life and things have glided right back to control.
And now? It's busy time: I've got a ton of work to do to get ready for the spring tradeshow season. My next trip will be a short one to Chicago in 5 or 6 weeks and most days have healthy miles planned for the lunch hour.
If you'd like to see pics from the Europe trip, there's an album in my Facebook account. If you can't see it, you're not my friend. If you want to be, just search and add. I'm not selective.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Of Scotland, London and More...
It's a shame I'm a bad blogger, because I have a lot to say. In the past week, I've run up this mountain in Edinburgh and twice have run by Princess Di's house in London. I've learned that while London still doesn't thrill me, I'm a certified fan of Scotland. I bought a very touristy Scotland shirt and will wear it with pride.
Alas, I'm not a millionaire playboy, so what that also means is that I'm traveling for business, which means:
1) I get up early in the mornings to run.
2) I work all day. This week, it's here.
3) The team and I visit awesome restaurants and rustic pubs all night.
That's why it's 12:30am right now and I've got no time for this sort of thing. However, of all my trips to the UK, this has been my favorite and - for once - I've taken pictures. Here's hoping I have time to get them uploaded upon my return.
Alas, I'm not a millionaire playboy, so what that also means is that I'm traveling for business, which means:
1) I get up early in the mornings to run.
2) I work all day. This week, it's here.
3) The team and I visit awesome restaurants and rustic pubs all night.
That's why it's 12:30am right now and I've got no time for this sort of thing. However, of all my trips to the UK, this has been my favorite and - for once - I've taken pictures. Here's hoping I have time to get them uploaded upon my return.
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