Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Who Wants to go to Nashville???

I was marveling the other day at how much technology has improved since the last time I seriously trained for a marathon. Back in '99, I just ran around this subdivision near my apartment. Miles and miles I would run up and down the same streets. I would run in all kinds of conditions: Cold, Rain, Wind, Punishing Heat... even Hail! I was a dedicated runner. And I was bound and determined to keep my expenses low because I was also a poor runner. :-)

Well, I suffered because of it. I really beat my body up - I lost several toe nails and experienced numerous blisters because I made a poor choice on shoes. I would go long distances without water... and tried to push my body even further each time without water. I even messed up my knee because I was an idiot a few weeks before the marathon - I played "broom ball" on an ice rink. And there were the "issues" I had wearing cotton t-shirts... let's just say there was nary a dry stitch, and there were plenty of bloody moments. (Think about it) Thank God for Vasoline!

In 2007, things have changed significantly. Everything I wear is breathable and wicks sweat away. I have been properly fitted with good running shoes. I have padded socks, too. I run with a GPS strapped to my wrist that keeps track of my distance and pace, and I can upload that to my computer after each run. And I run with an iPod. In 1999, the iPod didn't even exist. Sometimes I feel like "The Terminator" out running. And yes, I suffer from co-dependency. I just CAN'T run without this stuff.

I also train a lot at the gym. LA Fitness has been my little "home-away-from-home" when it comes to training during adverse conditions. I remember the weekend we had ice and snow on the ground here in Dallas, and there I was pounding out 6 miles watching the Mavs and listening to "Black Betty" by Ram Jam on my iPod.

Now I just found the latest little "technological feat:" I can see the course before I even run it. There is a website called raceroute.com, and you can plug in your upcoming race to see the actual route. How cool is that? It even comes with elevation images and a full map of what to expect.

Anyway, if you're interested in seeing what I'll be running (albeit, 13.1 miles instead of the full marathon) in Nashville, just click here. It's pretty cool to see this course, and others, from the comfort of your computer.

But even though technology has come this far, there still is one thing that hasn't changed: Vasoline. It is a constant friend to the runner, and so far there hasn't been any "incidents" as in prior years.

This is your 30-second commercial for the day. ha!

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