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Running for Geeks 463

Posted by michael from the up-in-the-morning-with-the-rising-sun dept.
ptorrone writes "It's certainly possible to geek out while you run and there are in fact running geeks. I started a new resource for geeks who like to jog, or who like me, are training to run a marathon. This month's features: Getting the right shoes and socks using technology, the Garmin Forerunner 201 GPS watch (also using the XML files for mapping), using the iPod/iTunes, with audiobooks as a training aid and lastly videos and photos of the 'Geek Gym' as well as the portable version for checking email, RSS feeds and IRC on the go as well as at home while exercising." If you're having trouble getting motivated, there are people who can help.
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Running for Geeks

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  • Can't Run, but Can Bike (Score:5, Interesting)

    by ackthpt ( 218170 ) * on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:06PM (#8804328) Homepage Journal
    I had to give up on running a couple years back due to a chronic knee problem. No problem finding other things to geek out in, though, such as bicycling, which is my current passion. I've got a cycling computer which has temp, cadence, heartrate, etc. and tracks it for later download to my computer (it's a Cyclosport HAC4) With advances in bicycle construction technology and cycling computers it's a natural to explore and push limits beyond the sweat.
    • I bike as well most often due to problems with one of my knees.

      What I have found though is that rollerblading works very well and it does not have the same negative impact on my knee(s) that running/jogging does so if you are looking to try and alternative...
      • You're absolutely right.

        A few years ago my right knee got into a shape that pretty much made it impossible for me to jog anymore.

        On a doctor's advice, I took up swimming and cycling and I've never looked back. In the summer I bike to work and back (a total of about 13 km/day) and in the winter when the cold, snow and ice make biking pretty hard for my asthma I go swimming indoors instead.

        I know it's a personal thing, but I never realized before that jogging was damn boring compared to cycling and swim

    • i used to bike, but then an accident broke the brake handle and I haven't gotten around to fixing it. (let's just say then when biking on a city street, watch for people opening their driver side door)

      i tried jogging in addition to biking, except I get winded very easily. i guess it's a case of different muscles (ie, the heart) working at a higher capacity it's not used to working at.

      now that it's getting warmer out I might try jogging again at a local park. maybe i'll try something like pacing myself

      • Re:Can't Run, but Can Bike (Score:4, Insightful)

        by ackthpt ( 218170 ) * on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:21PM (#8804525) Homepage Journal
        used to bike, but then an accident broke the brake handle and I haven't gotten around to fixing it. (let's just say then when biking on a city street, watch for people opening their driver side door)

        A healthy dose of paranoia while cycling or running is called for. I try to pass parked cars at a distance greater than a door should take. Not much help where bike lates are 3 feet wide and people park in them (then drivers honk and bitch about you being in the road, even though cyclists have the same rights and responsibilites as automobile drivers.)

        • I tried to do the same, but not all streets have those fancy bike lanes, and it was one of them where I got hit.

          But as you said, even when in those lanes, a lot of drivers ignore them in roadway bends, near intersections (eg, when they're turning), and when parallel parking. Busses are a real b*tch (at bends and bus stops), and I used to submit complaints to the transit agency, who always responded by saying they'll put a plainclothes officer on the bus to observe the driver. Never got responses to the r
    • I can run but after 8 years of running in the Army, I'm sick of it. I love to ride my bike though. Great exercise.
    • Have any geeks out there tried the geekiest bikes: the recumbent [recumbentcyclistnews.com]
      • I have tried them, but I recommend them only if an upright bike poses comfort problems. The recumbant bike makes you less visible on roads and is less efficient for climbing hills.
        • I'm all for biking, but I really get pissed at the bikers in Davis, CA. The town has as many bikes as people, and there are always loads of bikes on the road. Wonderful... except...

          Quite a few of those bikers are college kids who didn't grow up biking and don't realize that you're not supposed to whip through intersections ignoring car traffic. Bikers have rights, yes, but they also have responsibilities. A car driver has to watch for them, but if they cross in the middle of a street, tearing through a

  • Lo Tech Version (Score:5, Funny)

    by Gothmolly ( 148874 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:07PM (#8804340)
    Go to running store or good sports store
    Buy shoes
    Place shoes on feet
    Run, during run observe surroundings, smile at people, collect your thoughts for the day, enjoy self

    C'mon guys, give your brain a rest from the constant barrage of electronika, no wonder so many kids have so-called ADD.

    • Re:Lo Tech Version (Score:4, Informative)

      by ackthpt ( 218170 ) * on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:11PM (#8804402) Homepage Journal
      Run, during run observe surroundings, smile at people, collect your thoughts for the day, enjoy self

      Learn to Run before you do so. To my painful chagrin I learned muscles will develop (from a non-runner) to the needed capacity to run 10K within a couple months, but tendons take years. If you've never run before, start short, keep it to less than 2 miles for the first year.

      I tore something called T-bands in both my legs the first time I ran 10K. I had the runners high (endophins) and didn't feel a thing until hours later.

      • Re:Lo Tech Version (Score:3, Interesting)

        by stevesliva ( 648202 )

        If you've never run before, start short, keep it to less than 2 miles for the first year.

        YMMV... that seems way, way too cautious. Maybe if you're middle aged and have been completely sedentary for decades you'd need to be so cautious, but as a moderately active 20-something who gets a day job and realizes babysitting a CRT M-F and occasional weekend activity doesn't maintain good fitness, going less than two miles barely gets your heart rate up for any significant period. I certainly haven't trained f

        • Re:Lo Tech Version (Score:4, Informative)

          by ackthpt ( 218170 ) * on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:29PM (#8804627) Homepage Journal
          YMMV

          Indeed. However I've been fairly active for years, but not as a runner. Tennis, mountain biking, road biking, swimming and many long hikes (including Yosemite's Half Dome [dragonswest.com]), but running is high impact. My physician , a runner, indicated many beginning runners will encounter the same problems I had, because they try to go too far, too soon. As I mentioned, I had the runners high and felt no pain while slowly tearing up my legs. Hours later I could hardly walk and had to stop everything for 3 months. I started running again, but only short distances, but my knee was too much of a problem to keep doing it and mountain biking during the same period.

        • Re:Lo Tech Version (Score:4, Funny)

          by gnu-generation-one ( 717590 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @02:04PM (#8805843) Homepage
          "If you've never run before, start short, keep it to less than 2 miles for the first year."

          Sounds cautious alright -- I know runners who go 2 miles in just one day...
        • He is talking about protecting tendons, that is why he is suggesting short runs initialy. to which I wholeheartedely agree...

          Do something else to raise your heart reate, but running should be always approached with caution and information.
      • It is called the IT band (short for iliotobial), and you were unusually unfortunate to have that severe of a problem from a 10K. Is your form attrotious?

        I am 26, I did my first marathon at 23, and I started running when I was 14, but I took 18-21 off from running (and got pretty fat). you should be able to safely work up to 5 mile runs in 6 months, but don't run every day, 4 or 5 times a week will be more than enough for the first year. I would run no more than 25 miles a week for the first year or 2 th

    • Re:Lo Tech Version (Score:3, Insightful)

      by dr_dank ( 472072 )
      In this case, as the parent points out, less is more. I couldn't imagine running carrying more weight than I need to. Besides, getting away from tech for a little while will do wonders to help clear your head.

    • Re:Lo Tech Version (Score:5, Interesting)

      by bwy ( 726112 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:56PM (#8804975)
      What is more, I see folks spending hundreds of dollars on fitness gear before it is really justified.

      I mean, come on, some guy who has never ran in his life spends all this money on gear before he even goes out running for the first time. Or cycling. Or anything. This isn't limited to geek gear though. You'll see guys who "run" 13 minute miles with a couple hundred dollars worth of Nike gear on.

      Personally I believe that you put your money where your mouth is, or however the cliche should be worded for this. In other words, grab a good pair of shoes like you said, put on some old shorts and a T-Shirt, and if you're still running after 2 months, consider buying the geek gear if you think you really need it and you think it may help motivate you.

      It takes more to motivate someone long term to get healthy than an iPod, or a wedding they want to look good for, etc. It has to become part of your life, part of your routine, and something you enjoy. Personally, I don't see what it is so hard for people. I mean, sit in an office cube all day. Go home. Decide to do something other than sit at a PC or TV for hours. Go to gym/running/etc. Look better and feel better. Repeat. If you're lucky you'll even quit LOOKING like a geek and maybe get a girlfriend to match!

      • Re:Lo Tech Version (Score:5, Insightful)

        by Hiro Antagonist ( 310179 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @02:36PM (#8806317) Journal
        Thank you! Shoes are important, but you don't need the rest of the schwag.

        Running shoes can get expensive, and are worth what you pay for them -- my quarterly Mizunos run about $80 a pair, and if I run in cheaper shoes, I get shinsplints and knee-pain from hell. Other people, like my boss, are lucky -- he can run in anything without having leg problems, and he's ten years older than I am. But shoes are worth spending money on, just to protect your joints.

        As a note for beginners, make sure that you go to a *running* store to purchase your shoes -- not a Big 5 or a Foot Locker. The guys and gals at places like Sacramento's Fleet Feet are all runners themselves, and keep up on the latest in training techniques and technology, whereas the guys at Foot Locker are usually high-school students making minimum wage. A running store will suggest shoes, watch your form, and help you select form-correcting footwear.

        So, shoes are important. But don't go out and buy hundred-dollar running outfits, and an iPod, and a heartrate-tracking watch, and all kinds of other crap that looks cool. All you need is a good pair of shoes, some old sweats, and some self-discipline. When you start running, it'll be hard, and you won't get far, but your endurance and distance will slowly creep up on you, and one day you'll realize that someone replaced your gut with a washboard, and that you can run four or five miles without dropping dead afterwards...hell, you'll feel refreshed.

        • Re:Lo Tech Version (Score:3, Insightful)

          by bwy ( 726112 )
          I agree about the running stores- some here in FL actually video you on a treadmill so they can check your pronation and prescribe the right shoe. And heck, what is 100 bucks for a pair of shoes when that is literally *all you need* to run? Try saying the same thing about most other sports.
  • I don't care how big of a geek you are, one of the healthiest part of jogging is getting away from my RSS reader and e-mail, and just get my head in order.

    Strap on some running shoes and shorts, and enjoy some nature.

  • Geeks who like to run? (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    Who are you really, and how did you get in here? Geeks run only when chased...
    • That's not true. I guy in my local gym explained to me a perfectly good geek work out (assuming you are a male geek):

      1. Go to a large park where people roller blade
      2. Find must beautiful woman roller blading
      3. Attempt to follow her on foot

      He termed this the "hare and hound" workout.

      John.

  • Chair races (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:07PM (#8804347)
    I would be interested in any technology that helps me train for my office chair races each day. I stopped running and walking years ago, now I simply roll. Its the future of america i tell ya.

  • Just Disconnect! (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:08PM (#8804352)
    Why the need for RSS news feeds, email etc...

    The great part about outdoor activity is ditching the electronic leash.

  • mapping GPS while running/biking/hiking. (Score:4, Informative)

    by garcia ( 6573 ) * on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:08PM (#8804353)
    Basically on topic in regards to XML files from GPSs.

    You can map (easily) your GPS tracks via GPS Visualizer [gpsvisualizer.com]. Just upload the XML from your GPS and set the maps up the way you want. It's pretty good for small areas (and can be for even large ones if you fool w/it correctly.

    I routinely use the site for mapping out geocaches that I am planning on doing. It does require SVG so you might want to nab that if your browser doesn't already support it.
  • Ru nnin gforG eeks? R un nung fo rGe eks? I'm not sure I understand. Sir, you're speaking gibberish!
  • Do you just get used to the earphone wires swinging all over the place and the iPod case rubbing a hole through your hip?

    I just started jogging as my exercise regimen (I'd like to be able to finish a marathon before I turn 30) and have come to the conclusion that the Greeks had it right. All this gear is just getting in the way.
    • the ipod mini is on my arm (see site) and the wires are usually tucked in my shirt, it's never been a problem and the benefits of listening to audiobooks / science magazines have really helped me keep up the miles, i'm aiming for 5/6 miles a day during the week and some 10 mile runs on weekends, so far so good. cheers, pt
      • How about the mini-HD skipping from jogging? Honestly, this is the only reason I haven't switched from solid-state media to the iPod yet. I don't want to shell out the cash for a nice iPod for jogging, only to find out I was smashing the disk heads with every bounce and rendered the unit dead in a year.

        Also, I'm a geocacher [geocaching.com] and used to have a Garmin eTrex [garmin.com] GPS. I found that it cut out WAY too often and therefore was inaccurate with distance calculations. Since switching to the Magellan Meridian Platinu [magellangps.com]

        • my mini has never skipped, i've used 2-3 ipods over the last couple years and if you wear them on your arm (that's what i do) i don't think they'll ever skip. i have worn them on my waist, while i've never had a skip on that either, i suspect that would be the way it might if you have a lot of jarring motion. cheers, ot. as far as the gps goes, the garmin forerunner 201 uses WAAS so that means it is accurate within 3 meters, i've found it to be one of the most accurate gps units i've used, and i currently u
          • WAAS doesn't mean much if the antenna craps out in moderate cloud/tree cover (Garmin uses a patch antenna vs. the Magellan quadrifilar helix). Magellan uses WAAS too, but it just doesn't lose signal as often as the eTrex did (or at all) and worked indoors!

            Oh, and offtopic, why the sour puss in all the pics on your site? If I had the coin to shell out on all those neat gadgets, I'd at least have a smirk. ;-)

  • Getting the right shoes and socks using technology, the Garmin Forerunner 201 GPS watch (also using the XML files for mapping), using the iPod/iTunes...

    geek status confirmed
  • Running, marathon, never heard of that... Then again I havn't fully understood that whole fresh air/sunlight thing... *goes back to programming*
  • As a recent newly found running geek, I really dig this. I started running In January, and went from a fairly soft 250 down to my current almost lean 215 (I've been eating properly too, 190 lbs of lean muslce/bone etc)... The thing that makes it easier than anything is the Ipod. I put that thing in, and I'm good to go - the biggest fear is dropping it - read any Ipod forums and find horror stories of people who's carrying cases have broken, and their expensive toys have fallen onto the road and under moving

  • Heartrate Monitor (Score:5, Informative)

    by kongjie ( 639414 ) <kongjie@ma c . com> on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:15PM (#8804441)
    I'm surprised that a geek listing info about running doesn't mention the value of a heart rate monitor [polar.fi]. One of the reasons I used to have problems sticking to a running/jogging program is that, unbeknowst to me, I was running way too fast!

    I tried to exercise at what I thought was a reasonable speed, but I would inevitably get winded, give up and lose initiative. But then my girlfriend got me a monitor for my birthday and after using it I realized that my heart rate was WAY too high. Use of the monitor validated that even at slow speeds I was getting heart-healthy exercise. It also allows me to see my progress as my cardiovascular system improves and I am able to exercise harder and longer and still stay in my ideal zone. It's a great tool.

    • Re:Heartrate Monitor (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Gkeeper80 ( 71079 )
      Heart rate is really important to getting a good aerobic workout. I've been running for almost a year now, and a lot of the people I run with use heart rate monitors, so when my mom wanted to get in shape I got her one. It's really helped her to stay motivated because she knows when she's hitting the sweet spot without hurting herself and regretting it later. She recently join a gym call Curves for full figured women and they have their participents use excersize machines for 30 second intervals, then swi

  • Awesome (Score:4, Informative)

    by stoolpigeon ( 454276 ) <bittercode@gmail> on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:15PM (#8804448) Homepage Journal
    Running was a big part of my life- but a mixture of fatherhood, getting into I.T. and gaining weight got me out of the groove.

    In february I went on the Hacker's Diet [fourmilab.ch] and got running again. The running has gotten much better as I have lost weight. The biggest help tech has been was replacing my radio with an mp3 player. I picked up a Nomad MuVo NX and it is awesome. No commercials, no sucky songs and it is a quarter of the size of my old radio.

    The loneliness of the long distance runner is much nicer with my tunes.

    I am currently working on developing a full featured 'running log' for the palm os. Once I get it past the initial design stage I intend to GPL it and put is up on source forge. Any other geek runners interested? Is there something already out there I've missed (that is open)?

  • I didn't have much to get motivated by: I bought a pedometer, noticed that it was a cute little digital gadget and then ran out to collect some data to play with on it.
    • > I didn't have much to get motivated by: I bought a pedometer

      Wow, how many pedophiles do you find on a normal run?!?
    • A pedometer is a good way to get a baseline of your current activity with the idea of increasing your activity in a gradual way. It's how I got back into exercise. It's also quite cheap...a good pedometer will only set you back from $5 to $20 US. You don't need a really good one if all you are doing is counting steps.

      The US Government and a few other non-profit organizations has gotten a site together called America On The Move, where you can keep a step log and get some really good basic info about getti

  • Don't forget... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by WaterTroll ( 761727 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:17PM (#8804473)
    ...to strength train. Jogging is great for cardiovascular endurance but strength training has several other health benefits. You don't have to be a heavy bodybuilder or powerlifter to benefit. Even twice a week is excellent. Many people believe that jogging burns calories. It does but very little compared to a regular, fairly moderate weight training, as your body's overall metabolism shoots up during the process of rebuilding the muscle fiber (please don't nail me on the precise medical wording, ok!). It greatly prevents ostereoperosis(sp?), among many other benefits, and also is effective in eliminating the risks (newly found research, check CNN) involved with the non-genetic diabetes type. You can't exactly mix the extremes of both weight lifting and cardiovascular endurance very well, but moderate amount of both for someone concerned about their own health and well-being is an excellent lifestyle choice. Exercise like jogging releases neurotrophins and promotes healthy neuron function/growth (if someone could elaborate on that specifically i'd appreciate it)

    • strength training (Score:5, Informative)

      by tuxette ( 731067 ) * <tuxette.gmail@com> on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:45PM (#8804830) Homepage Journal
      Strength training is especially important for us geek gals out there.

      Women lose bone mass at a greater rate than men, so weight training is especially crucial. Typically, after age 35, women lose 1.2% per year, whereas men lose 0.2% per year. For optimal bone remodeling to occur, significant resistance must be used. Ideally, this means progressing beyond the light weights used in group fitness classes.

      Additionally, the increase in lean mass associated with weight training strongly correlates with a faster metabolism. This means that women will burn more calories twenty-four hours a day, not just during or immediately following the exercise sessions. If you consider that a pound of fat contains roughly 3,500 kcals, exercise alone is not the most efficient mechanism to reduce that fat. However, generating significant metabolically active tissue (muscle) will cause an increase in the basal metabolic rate, thus burning off those excess calories more efficiently!

      Source: http://www.deepsquatter.com/strength/archives/lady lift3.htm [deepsquatter.com]

      • For optimal bone remodeling to occur, significant resistance must be used.

        Good point. Everyone should go at a pace they are comfortable with, but what is sort of annoying these days is a lot of women (atleast from my experience) have this fear of bulking up, which in our society is somewhat socially "abnormal". The truth is that they do not produce enough testosterone, so they aren't going to see exactly the same results as a male would. So they'll do something like 30 reps at a low weight, and show no

    • Re:Don't forget... (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Abcd1234 ( 188840 )
      Well, you're partly right about calorie burning. Building muscle creates the infrastructure necessary to burn calories. But it's the cardiovascular exercise (ie, 30-40 minutes *in your target heart rate!*) that actually burns the calories. The key thing to realize is that it's the muscles that do the burning... so, more muscle == more calories burned.

      Everything else you said is bang on, though. Resistance training is an important key to good health.

  • Advice from a marathoner (Score:3, Insightful)

    by zandermander ( 563602 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:18PM (#8804491)
    Look, I'm (almost) as geeky as anyone else on /. but one of the most wonderful things about running is that it strips you down to your soul.

    When you run as much as I do (up to 140 miles per week), you quickly learn that everything has weight and carrying even a few extra ounces (be they on your back in the form of a camel-back, strapped to your arm in the form of a GPS/MP3/gizmo-du-jour or in the form of fat in your belly) becomes a very heavy burden after enough miles.

    Don't be like people who go "camping" in their big-ass RVs complete with satellite TV. One has to question why they even left home. When you go out to run, leave everything behind in both a physical and metaphysical sense. Enjoy the scenery, enjoy the air, enjoy feeling the fire in your lungs and being alive.

    Try leaving everything at home except your shorts, socks, shoes and a watch (and a key to get back in).

    When you leave it all behind, you might be surprised with what you find within.

  • Running geek (Score:5, Insightful)

    by jfengel ( 409917 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:19PM (#8804498) Homepage Journal
    The great thing about running is that it requires so little preparation. No tires to pump, no pool to drive to, no weights to buy. Just you and your shoes.

    I come home and can be out the door, ready to run, in five minutes.

    I permit myself one bit of tech: a walkman. In the current case, and actual Walkman-brand walkman, but I'm going to replace it with an MP3-type player. Since I only listen to books on tape, which sound just fine at 32 Kbps, you can fit an awful lot of stuff on an inexpensive player. Perfect for three-hour-long LSD runs. (LSD=Long Slow Distance).
    • First, I'm not sure how you can be ready to run in 5 minutes. 5 minutes to change, sure. but what about the 5-10 minutes of stretching and warmup? You do stretch and warmup properly, don't you?

      Now, cycling... *that's* convenient. You don't need to worry as much about prep, as it's not nearly as hard on your body (particularly your joints), and you can go a lot further. Yes, I'm trying to start a flamewar. ;)

  • Wow! (Score:5, Interesting)

    by dasmegabyte ( 267018 ) <das@OHNOWHATSTHISdasmegabyte.org> on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:19PM (#8804504) Homepage Journal
    Holy shit! This is such a great idea, I can't believe it was posted to slashdot!

    I'm not a serious runner, but I do have a fairly geeky workout. I have shoes tailored to my feet from roadrunnersports.com, a pretty serious ride computer on my bike, and I used to record my workouts on a PocketPC (I stopped when I reached a "stasis" point, when I adjustment my workout to the point that my lifting and endurance graphs intersected).

    It's great to see somebody bucking the stereotypes that claims all geeks are fat and lazy. A lot of us are outdoorsy types in better shape than our peers.

  • Running? (not a troll) (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Strange Ranger ( 454494 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:19PM (#8804506)
    Does anybody else reading this think of running as something you do only when something is chasing you?

    [Disclaimer:except for 10 winter pounds that will be gone soon I'm fairly fit]
    For me running is painful on my feet and back. Strangely, it always makes me feel like I need to go "#2" on the toilet. Also, it's more boring than folding laundry. So I mtn. bike, do wilderness hikes, swim a bit, etc. Roller blading I can do pretty well! But I can't stop on them. Not much fun using a bridge abutment as a braking device.

    Does anybody have any other ideas for cardiovascular excercise for the warmer outdoor season? Or how to make running less awful?

    Does vigorous running make anybody else feel like they have to poop? What's up with that??
    • Watch your posture when you run. The typical geek hunched shoulders posture will make your back hurt. Good posture will help build your back muscles and make it easier to breathe.

      As for the pooping thing - I think any really good exercise will get your bowels moving. The rhythm of running does seem to have that effect on a lot of people.

  • The best way to get your running shoes... (Score:5, Informative)

    by localman ( 111171 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:19PM (#8804507) Homepage
    ...is to order them from Zappos.com [zappos.com] :) Shameless plug, I know... but how else are you going to buy shoes from geeks?

    The system runs on FreeBSD, Linux, Apache, MySQL and is written in perl. The warehouse of over half a million shoes is completely computer sorted by unique barcodes on each box and shelf. The whole system for which was designed and implemented inhouse by our small team (thee coders, at the time). We offer free shipping and free return shipping so there's no risk, and we respond faster than any other online retailer.

    Okay. I'll shut up now.

    Sorry -- it seemed on topic and I love my job :)

  • Audiobooks/exercising ultimate in geek efficiency (Score:3, Interesting)

    by yebb ( 142883 ) * on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:23PM (#8804557)
    I do this all the time. There are so many things I'd like to read, but don't have time.
    If I put the audiobook on my Nomad Muvo2 4GB, and run/bike it makes the time fly by. I also feel as though I'm not wasting my time. I'm increasing my knowledge (listening to informative audiobooks) while I'm exercising.
    I highly recommend this.

  • Mountain Biking with a GPS (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Like2Byte ( 542992 ) <Like2Byte@yah3.14159oo.com minus pi> on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:24PM (#8804564) Homepage

    I've been moutain biking with my Garmin eTrex Vista [garmin.com] for a couple of years now. The best way to create trail maps with your GPS is to bike after the leaves have fallen to get good reception. I upload my tracks to TopoMap 4.0. (Worst. UI. Ever.) Get a GPS with plenty of memory!

    The experience is fun and challenging.

    Set your GPS to collect current position every 1 sec if biking and every 5 seconds if walking/running. You can get going pretty fast on a mountain bike and long collection intervals make the track on your map seem jagged.

    There are helmet cams you can buy from pricepoint [pricepoint.com] for about $200.00(US) as well as lighting systems to light your way in the dark.

  • I always thought... (Score:4, Informative)

    by auferstehung ( 150494 ) <tod.und.auferstehung bei gmail.com> on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:24PM (#8804566)
    the Hash House Harriers [gthhh.com] was the ultimate resource for geeks who like to jog.

  • Getting Started (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Patrick Lewis ( 30844 ) * on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:25PM (#8804587)
    If anyone is interested in starting to run, I found the Couch-to-5k Running Plan [coolrunning.com] to be quite helpful. I was pretty out of shape when I began using it, but it starts out really easy, and over 9 weeks you ramp up until you can run a full 30 minutes.

    No affiliation, just someone who has used it in the past. I know there will be those who say "Just Do It (TM)", but for me, it helped to have a bit more structure than that.

  • Cross-training! (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Telcontar ( 819 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:28PM (#8804616) Homepage
    Keep in mind that whatever sport you practice, try to do so only every other day. In the days in between, do something different (e.g. swimming, biking, roller blading) in order to recover from the strain put on your muscles and tendons.
    Different sports will use different parts of your muscles and enhance your ability in other disciplines. Also, have at least one rest day per week! Even pushing just once beyond this will have you tired and lacking energy, a signal that your body needs to run its "weekly cron jobs" :-)

  • Why jog when you can bike ? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by ballpoint ( 192660 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:30PM (#8804635)
    I don't understand why people choose to jog instead of bike.

    The advantages of biking:

    • infinitely much easier on your feet, knees and back.
    • you can spend much more power, and you have more flexibility in choosing a suitable power level
    • you can cover a larger area so it's less boring
    • more flexibility in duration. Biking 8 hours a day is no problem for an untrained person, but running is.
    • you can carry some luggage easily (iPod, phone, gps, book to read while pausing, drinks)
    • you don't need to wear silly clothing (although you certainly can)
    • a modern bike is way more interesting technically than running shoes.
    Disadvantages:
    • need a bike
    • bike can break down underway
    • I was and am a biker, but you'll never get your heart rate up as high as you do when you run. I can force myself up to about 140 bpm on the bike and up to 175 bpm on the treadmill.

    • Anecdote (Score:2, Interesting)

      by StrawberryFrog ( 67065 )
      I know a nubmer of people who have been injured on a bicycle, some severely. I don't know anyone who has been injured while running.

    • Re:Why jog when you can bike ? (Score:5, Interesting)

      by pclminion ( 145572 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:46PM (#8804836)
      Jogging? What's that? I'm a runner. infinitely much easier on your feet, knees and back.

      If I wanted something easy on me, I'd have chosen knitting.

      you can spend much more power, and you have more flexibility in choosing a suitable power level

      With the aid of a bunch of equipment...

      you can cover a larger area so it's less boring

      You don't know how to "get into" things. Running is a frame of mind, not a mode of transportation.

      more flexibility in duration. Biking 8 hours a day is no problem for an untrained person, but running is.

      Why do you insist on measuring the value in terms of distance travelled and time spent? And a runner can slow to a walk if he/she is tired.

      you can carry some luggage easily (iPod, phone, gps, book to read while pausing, drinks)

      God, none of that crap belongs on me when I'm running. Sounds like you need a whole bunch of shit to prevent yourself from being bored while performing your "hobby."

      you don't need to wear silly clothing (although you certainly can)

      Folks, it doesn't get much dorkier than being concerned with what your clothing looks like. Especially when you're performing an activity that causes you to sweat. "Hey, at least my sweat-soaked shirt is stylin'..." Sheesh.

      a modern bike is way more interesting technically than running shoes.

      Sounds like you bike because somebody told you it'd be good for your health. Everything you've said seems to imply you don't even enjoy doing it -- complaining about exertion, relief from boredom, physical discomfort, etc...

      Feel free to bike, and tell others to bike, but don't compare what you do to what a runner does. It's cliche to say it, but if you have to ask why we run, there's nothing we can possibly say that will ever explain it to you.

    • I don't understand why people choose to jog instead of bike.

      Because they want to? :o)

      In addition, if you bike, you're using a tool to help you. When you're running, it's you and the road and nothing else to help you. The sense of achievement is more.

      True, you can go further and longer on a bike, but it's still not really the same.

      Personally I prefer running because it gets me fitter quicker than cycling on a bike ever could.

    • To Each His Own (Score:4, Informative)

      by stoolpigeon ( 454276 ) <bittercode@gmail> on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:52PM (#8804910) Homepage Journal
      but here is my answer to your question:

      The advantages of running:
      • Running gets you a higher amount of aerobic benefit in a shorter period of time
      • You can do it in smaller area
      • running shoes are way more affordable than a good bike
      • running does not require a helmet
      • you can run anywhere
      • if you go on vacation- just bring your shoes and you are good to go
      Disadvantages:
      • you have to be very careful to avoid injury
      • the high impact is too much for some people
      I think it is good for people to do something- I don't care what it is as long as they like it. I have never found running to be boring. I love it and find biking to be boring.

    • Why bike when you can drive? (Score:4, Funny)

      by CausticPuppy ( 82139 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @01:15PM (#8805207)
      I don't understand why people choose to bike instead of drive.

      The advantages of driving:

      • infinitely much easier on your crotch
      • you can spend much more power, and you have more flexibility in choosing a suitable power level (controlled by your right foot)
      • you can cover a larger area so it's less boring
      • more flexibility in duration. Driving 18 hours a day is no problem for an untrained person, but biking is.
      • you can carry lots of luggage easily (iPod, phone, gps, book to read while pausing, drinks, beer keg, television, tent, bike)
      • you don't need to wear silly clothing (although you certainly can, and I do)
      • a modern automobile is way more interesting technically than bicycles.


      Disadvantages:
      • Need a car
      • Car can break down underway... it helps to have a spare bike on the roof


      (yes I do prefer biking over jogging, but now I have to actually start looking at bikes. I'm not sure what I want yet)


  • What is this obsession with creating an entire web page with no capitalization? The use of lowercase for design reasons should have been something that died with the dot-com era.

    Or perhaps after all that exercise he's just too tired to use the SHIFT key. ;-)

  • I tend to enjoy swimming more than running because if much lower impact on your joints so you don't end up with knee problems if you don't buy new shoes every 9 months. Plus swimming is a great aerobic workout that builds muscle as well.

    Of course this means you have to actually get into a swimsuit and go out in public which probably scares the crap out of most slashdotters. But if you can get yourself out there you can bet on seeing some sweet swim chicks in lyrca! ;)

  • iPods (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Rank Amateur ( 38275 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:35PM (#8804703)
    Unless you like the sounds of raw automobile metal crushing against human bone, nix the iPod (even for audiobooks, the author's favorite). iPods are okay for running on tracks, treadmills, and in the woods, of course. But if your running on a street with any amount of traffic, you'll need full hearing capacity to be sensitive to cars -- especially in this age of ultra-quiet engines, like those in Lexuses and gas-electric hybrids.

    Road running is one of the most dangerous sports in the country, because it's one of the
    few sports accomplished in an evironment in which cars outnumber people. More seasoned runners die of car accidents than heart attacks. All runners can attest to scary close calls with cars.

    Your best bet is to consider running a time for meditation, which it is very conducive to -- if you're on the road for 2 1/2 hours, with no tv, no radio, no net, it frees the mind to expore places that you wouldn't go to otherwise. That, combined with the long-distance runner's high, is why P. Diddy, while prepping for the NY marathon, commented that "At 17 miles, you talk to the angels."

    • Re:iPods (Score:3, Informative)

      by ptorrone ( 638660 ) *
      i run on 27 miles of car free paved trails in seattle, wa (the burke-gilman). it's on my site. cheers, pt.
  • geeks only run when being chased.
  • I'm doing the Couch to 5K plan from the Cool Running site. It's designed to get you from amoebic blob to able to run a 5K race in 9 weeks. I'm repeating a week because my schedule stopped me from running two of the three days I was supposed to last week, but I've already made huge strides (no pun intended).

    Coolrunning.com [coolrunning.com]
    Couch to 5K Plan [coolrunning.com]

    Once you finish the 5K plan, there are programs to help you improve your 5K run times, move on to a 10K, half marathon, marathon, and 50k race. The people on the f

  • A few suggestions (Score:5, Informative)

    by agslashdot ( 574098 ) <sundararaman,krishnan&gmail,com> on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:44PM (#8804818)
    From your site - "I try and run/bike/workout for at least 30 to 45 minutes a day"

    I began just like you did and made rapid progress, but then plateaued. Here's what works for me now -

    a.Skip every other day. The muscles need atleast 24 hours to repair. By working them every day, you are overtaxing them. You will plateau, it is a certainity - ask any fitness specialist or your doctor.

    b. When you do run/bike/workout, up the intensity and/or duration. Rather than 30 minutes, shoot for 1 hour, then 2.

    c. Best to invest in an elliptical [precor.com] .Since your feet don't touch the ground on an elliptical, you don't bust your knees. At the same time you build rock-hard legs. Plus, you get to vary the intensity on an elliptical by changing the resistance & the incline - very effective.

    d. Audio books [teach12.com] are a great way to learn something while chugging away on an elliptical. I have loaded up on about 50 hours of philosophy - Locke, Kant, Hume, Hobbes, Machiavelli, Marx, and yes, the usual suspects - Socrates, Plato & Aristotle. As geeks, we are constantly upgrading "tech skills" ( Perl, Java, C++, C# etc. ) while neglecting "life-skills". A sound foundation in philosophy comes in handy like nothing else. Even if you don't care for the subject, you learn things like argumentation, dialectic, persuasion theories, burden of rejoinder...essential skills for making your point when you talk to anybody.

    Best elliptical scores so far, at different levels -

    3 hours, 19 miles, 2400 calories

    1 hour, 7 miles, 950 calories

    0.5 hour, 450 calories

    Good luck, and watch that caffeine !



    They can outsource me, but can they outrun me? [projectoutsourced.com]:)

  • Been Running A Very Long Time (Score:4, Interesting)

    by ChuckDivine ( 221595 ) * <charles.j.divine@gmail.com> on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:48PM (#8804855) Homepage

    I got into running into 1974 for health reasons. I was 28 and wanted to lose a few pounds around my middle.

    It worked like a charm. In less than two years I went from a very flabby 155 to a very trim 139. I later on went up into the 140s. Yes, my build is very thin. Most men should not try to get down to my weight unless they're much shorter than I (still about 5'10").

    You don't need to be a marathoner to get real benefits from running. In fact some people claim that running a marathon can actually be bad for your health. I finished the DC area Marine Corps Marathon in 1996 -- and wound up sick in bed with the flu a little over a week later. But running 36 miles/week (6 days of running 6 miles a day) can be very good for you.

    I will give some suggestions:

    • First, get a good physical exam before you start.
    • Buy two pair of good shoes and alternate each day. Retire shoes when each pair hits 500 miles.
    • Do some weight training. I have to work on keeping my upper body strength up.
    • Eat properly. Go easy on the junk food. Yes, I still eat some, but it seems I eat a good deal less than most people.
    • Get enough sleep. At least 6 to 8 hours per night. Both your mind and body will thank you.
    • Try swimming -- if you're body breaks down, swimming can replace running. I spent 40 minutes in the pool this morning because the weather here is lousy.

    You may not like running after giving it a try. It may also be bad for your joints. If this happens, quit running -- but try something else. I might have to quit running when I'm 85 -- but I'll still be able to swim.

    When I started running all those portable techie toys weren't available. How did I cope with the boredom? Well, to be honest about, sexual fantasies really helped. Just thinking about the woman I was dating at the time certainly helped pass the time. Other kinds of thinking also help pass the time.

    You might try joining a running club. Some of them are pretty good. They help provide friends with the same interest -- and companionship for long runs.

    Today I look forward to my daily run/swim.

  • Running is a great way to get a lot of fitness benefits in relatively short sessions. I run several times per week because I enjoy it. But don't overlook simply walking more as a way of starting to build your fitness base. Running is quicker, of course, but it has its downsides, whereas walking has no downsides. Running and walking can also be used together, since you can walk on your "off" days and get the benefits of exercise while your body recovers.

    Current fitness guidelines specify 1/2 hour per d

  • Running motivation (Score:4, Funny)

    by cybermace5 ( 446439 ) <g.ryan@macetech.com> on Thursday April 08, 2004 @12:51PM (#8804902) Homepage Journal
    You may wonder how, exactly, lugging all this expensive gear helps anyone get a useful workout.

    You'll understand when you see a geek rocket past you, sweating and puffing and running at a tremendous rate of speed, with several muggers in hot pursuit.

    A cheaper motivational method: tape a hundred-dollar-bill to your back and jog through the bad part of town! The locals will swear they're in Pamplona.

  • And I thought I had too many running gadgets (Score:3, Funny)

    by ehiris ( 214677 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @01:11PM (#8805152) Homepage
    I need that GPS to complete my arsenal.

    Seriously, I used to have my heart rate monitor on all the time I ran. After I broke my habbit of running regularly I was setting my goals way too high based on the heart monitor's readings and that in turn made me quit alltogether.

    I suggest you go running on a warm day in parks during peak hours. All the ass and tight tops with hooters popping out you'll see will make you forget about how fast you run. MP3 player is still usefull though. It's not like the hot chicks will want to stop in their track to talk to you but you'll have an excuse for why you didn't talk to them.

  • Don't listen to music ... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Titusdot Groan ( 468949 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @01:41PM (#8805540) Journal
    ... unless you are running paths. It's not recommended by any serious runner. You don't realize how much you depend on your hearing for navigating traffic filled streets until you don't have it.

    The number of runners who die every because they can't hear the cars coming and automatically step out in front of one ...

  • Hey! Coincidence! My new Forerunner 201... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by exp(pi*sqrt(163)) ( 613870 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @01:50PM (#8805694) Journal
    I tested out my new Garmin Forerunner 201 this morning.

    My feeling is that the technology isn't 100% there yet. The device logs your position every few seconds and these can be viewed as a map or uploaded to the PC. But at three positions the GPS tracking had clearly failed. For them to be correct I would have had to have dropped 2,500 feet and travelled at 80mph. I don't mind the hardware failing to track accurately because it's easy to fix in software. But with all the experience of this stuff Garmin have they didn't think to filter the data and they provide no way to manually delete the bad data points. Luckily you can export the data to XML and I can write my own code to clear the data up. But it's kinda disappointing because without writing my own code the total distance it thinks I've run is likely to be way off. And their logbook software looks like it was written by a junior developer over 3 or 4 lazy afternoons. Not being able to delete erroneous points is just so dumb. And yet clearly, in order to get a GPS device to work at all, they must have at least some developers who know what they are doing.

    So overall I have mixed feelings about the device.

    BTW Anyone know what CPU these devices have? I was trying to disassemble the firmware (which you can download in apparently unencrypted, uncompressed form) but I can't tell which disassembler to use. Doesn't look like an ARM. What else might be used on a device like this? Atmel AVR? Something else?

  • How good am I? Percentile data? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by exp(pi*sqrt(163)) ( 613870 ) on Thursday April 08, 2004 @02:02PM (#8805807) Journal
    I'd like to know how good I am at running. The only way I know to assess that is to compare with other people. Are there published percentile running speeds so that I can tell what percentage of the population I run faster than for any given distance?

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