Salad! Salad! Salad!

So I got a GREAT email today from Peter (the race director of 8 Tuff Miles). He's been keeping close tabs on my training via my blog and has sent along some really good tips and provided some good incentive for me. I've reported how although I feel good pretty much up to this point about getting back into the running, food has been really difficult for me. I just love the stuff that's not good for me and really struggle sometimes to not eat too much of it!

Peter's STRONG recommendation: Salad. He keeps telling me I need to eat lots and lots of fresh salad as this will not only help me lose some weight but give me good fuel for running and getting back into shape. I figure he is the expert on the race, and I do like salad, so I'm gonna start eating it a lot! I stopped tonight at the store and got a few bags of fresh salad, some FAT FREE dressing, and a container of blue cheese crumbles which I just recently have really begun to enjoy. So Peter, the above picture is for you!! Not only will salad for lunch be good for me, but I'll probably save some money as well. I tend to go out quite a bit as I like to get out of the office for awhile - but I can always do that w/ a packed lunch too. I'll keep you all updated on how the meal plan goes!

So tonight was my first night of running at the YMCA in Naperville. Back to my old friend the treadmill. I definetely don't want to do soley treadmill running leading up to the race - but it was pretty darn cold out tonight and I figure I'm paying for the Y so I should probably start going. Also, this was a great chance to recalibrate my ipod.

A few things always crack me up about the Y/health clubs. One is the naked guys walking around in the locker room. I mean honestly, there is no reason for it. First off, guys just don't (in my eyes) look good naked. Even most women and probably even the gay men I know would agree that the female body is much more attractive to the eye than a naked, hairy guy. But more than that, it's just like why? Obviously you need to change, shower, etc. - All exceptionally good reasons for stripping down to the birthday suit. But how hard is it to slip a towel around your waist before and after doing these things?? It seems there is always at least one guy in the locker room he feels the need to towel himself off or simply stand there holding a several minute conversation w/ a (usually clothed) locker room compadre. Seriously, this phenomenon happens in every locker room in the country. And not to be stereotypical, but it's usally the old dudes.

Another funny thing is they always have that bright green "cologne/aftershave" stuff on the counters. People must use this stuff because the locker room usually reaks of it, but I don't know where it comes from. Do the health clubs of this world raid my grandpa's closest on a regular basis? Do they have some central supply of bright green, strong-smelling, weirdly labeled liquid bottles in a warehouse somewhere? Don't even get me started on the plastic combs floating in the cylinder of Smurf-blue liquid...

Back to the running. I jumped on the treadmill and ran a quick 1/4 mile to calibrate the ipod before starting into my true workout. After about 1/2 mile at a pretty good pace (the nice thing about the treadmill is that it should help me work on consistency a bit - although, according to Peter I really just need to focus on enjoying the run! Good advice.) I checked the ipod and by golly, it was right on the money within about a hundreth of a mile. Not bad for $29 - I actually bought the kit for Ashley today as she has been pretty interested and she was really excited to get it started. Not that Nike OR Apple needs any more $$ or customers, but this little thing is great, really fun, and incredibly motivating. In fact, when I finished running today, Paula Radcliffe, who WON the NYC Marathon on Sunday, came on to say I had run my fastest mile yet! Sure they are dumb little recordings but the voice feedback in combination w/ your own chosen music and the ability to immediately see a graph of your run is all really cool.

I was feeling great for about a mile, but into the second mile I really started feeling it. I was sweating a lot more since it as warmer inside and I actually stopped to walk after about a mile and a half. I walked at a quick pace, grabbed a drink, and then ran one more mile (explains the dip in the above graph). So overall not a really long run but it definetely will take some getting used to the treadmill. I weighed myself before and after the run using the same scale and I actually lost over a pound of weight in water/sweat which was interesting to think you can actually sweat out that much (obviously, it's not "real" weight loss, althogh I think I've lost 5 lbs or so since starting). I checked in at the desk on my way out to see if I got any free personaly training or anything for signing up again w/ the Y, but apparently its just an "orientation" to show you how to work all the machines and everything. The personal training they do offer is $40 a session! Forget that. I have Brian and Brett and now Peter who is keeping an eye on me.

Stopped at the store on the way home to pick up the salad and some other healthy stuff or lunch included apples, grapes, gatorade, etc. Also picked up a dozen red roses for Ashley as I think lately I haven't really been doing all I can to show her how much I love her. Presented her these along w/ the new ipod running kit and she seemed to be pretty pleased. And no, I didn't make it out for a run as I had hoped last night. Ashley and I got to talking about some stuff that needed talking about and sometimes there are just more important things. She and the rest of my family and friends are always my number 1.

All right, this entries probably getting a bit long for one day! Check out the update below for a few interesting Virgin Island weblinks. Also, I hadn't mentioned it yet, but you may notice the small little Google Ads on the lower right-hand side of the blog page when you scroll down. These are part of the google "Adsense" program. In theory, if enough people clicked on these, I'd make some money. Technically I do make a VERY small amount of money each time one is clicked - but they don't pay out till you make over $100. Anyway, I basically just wanted to know and understand how the program works after reading a really interesting article in the paper about some senior citizens who started websites and are now brining in hundreds of thousands a year solely form Google Adsense Ads. It's not that easy to get rich though! I can't click on the ads myself, and I can't instruct people to click on them or they kick you off!! But if you see something you are genuinely interested in, click it and I'll make some dough! Since I think there are about 4 people reading this blog on a daily basis, I think it will be until I'm a senior before I break the $100 mark!! Later.