Apr 28: the amazing Google Maps Pedometer

Check me out! I am back like I never left, filling up cyberspace with my relevance! BEHOLD!

Okay, relax.

Anyway, on my latest viddie I briefly mentioned the Google Maps pedometer as a very cool resource, and I thought I'd chat a little more about that today.

I first discovered this application through my mom, who found out from a fitness and nutrition counsellor she was working with at the time. This was the first and so far only time my mother has ever told me about something on the Internet. Mostly she just plays Bejeweled, and hey, who can blame her.

I don't think Google has actually leveraged this technology and branded it; there are a bunch of different apps out there that, I think, are just hacks of the Google Maps technology with some kind of fancypants javascript or, I don't know... AJAX or whatever people use to program cool stuff with these days. So, as far as I can tell, there's not one definitive pedometer map. I like this one because it has a feature that draws the route automatically for runners or cyclists (including curves in streets), which is neat, plus you can get Google to look up the elevations on your route too. You can also program it to count your calories, however reliable such things are.

So basically you just enter your address into the application, the way you would with Google Maps (or you can just zoom in to find it - it starts at a wide view of the US). You click the "Start recording" button on the left navigation panel, then double click the starting point on your map. Trace out your route by double clicking spots along the map. There's a counter on the left navigation panel that tracks your distance as you enter the route, which you can set at either kilometres or miles.

Here's my route for the 10k run on Sunday:

Apr 26: weekly results viddie, featuring LOLA!

Hello faithful handful!

I had a lazy day with the Miaouw today. Had planned to do a run tonight but... didn't. Oh well. I made a new video for you anyway.

My thoughts are consumed with the Sporting Life 10k run next weekend. I'm nervous that I'm gonna suck out loud. I mean, I know, I know, it doesn't matter what my time is, at least I'm doing it, blah blah justificationcakes. I know that whatever happens this year will just be a starting point to measure my progress against in years to come. I think it's a good idea to think of it that way, as a multi-year plan, looking forward to sustaining an active lifestyle instead of just adopting it for a short period of time in an effort to lose weight.

I don't know if I'll ever get used to running outside (I always feel like I'm hurrying somewhere, like I'm late and panicky, instead of just settling into a rhythm, like I do on the treadmill), but I'll commit to doing at least this one run every year, and trying to improve my time. I may never try to run for a longer distance, who knows, but I will definitely continue to run after next weekend. I like the challenge, and I like pushing myself to better my numbers every week. For awhile I was running at 5 mph (which, who are we kidding, has technically got to be classified as a jog). Lately I push it up to 5.5 mph and see how long I can sustain that speed. Then when I run at "just" 5 mph, I feel like I can go for a lot longer before I need to rest.

I've decided that a time of 80 minutes next Sunday would be outstanding, but I would be happy with 85. If I come in past 90, I will have suffered out there. I did run 5 miles (8 km) in one hour on the treadmill, a week and a half ago. I don't know if I can do that kind of time running outside. We shall see. Fun! Well, thinking about it now is fun, and reflecting on it when it's over will be. I don't expect the run itself will be too, too fun. I think it will be something to endure and to feel powerful and accomplished about as soon as it's over.

Apr 23: Happy news!

Hey gang,

I just found out that my Miaouw is coming to Toronto tomorrow night, and will be here in town for my 10k! I can't tell you what his support means to me. He's been trying to figure out a way to be here for it, because he knows what a big deal it is for me, but I'd resigned myself to it just not being in the cards, as far as his work schedule this time of year is concerned.

But he made it happen, cuz he's the best.

Hopefully this means there'll be some video footage we can put together and post on YouTube so y'all can share in the triumph as well.

Apr 23: The Prodigal Returns (with new viddie!)

Ummm... hello?

Anybody still here??

Let me just dust off the keyboard and wipe away the cobwebs. Sorry I've been gone so long! Not sure exactly what happened there. A bit of laziness, a bit of diminished focus and engagement in the process, a lack of faith that people are still reading this... stuff like that.

But I do know from some of you that people are still reading (THANKS, you're the best) and wondering how I'm doing, and even looking to this blog to kick-start your own focus and engagement in the process, which kinda blows my mind. I LOVE US!!!

So, I took a few days off the eating right thing, and I took about a week off of the regular exercise business. Went up about 2.5 pounds. Frickin jeez, you know? It takes like, a month to lose that weight and it comes back on in a week. Gah. But actually, as of yesterday morning, I had managed to get the extra pounds offa me again, so maybe it was just a lot of water hanging around from all the salty badness. I will do an official weigh-in video this weekend, but yesterday morning my weight was 151.5.

Okay, I will blog more this week, about important and/or random topics. It's 4:45 in the a.m. right now so... what the eff am I doing up? Answer: I went to bed at 9 because I was fried and now my sleep schedule's all mucky. Added bonus: rambly blog.