Starling Fitness: Daily writings on Fitness, Diet, and Health

It has gotten to that time of the year when I run on the treadmill again. Utah only has about three months of good running weather. Most of the time, it’s either too hot or too cold to run, so I am eternally grateful for the treadmill. Jank over at the Complete Running Network has some tips to beat the heat.

• Tips for Beating the Heat » Complete Running Network

Here is quick rundown of his tips, but he gives you far more details on his entry.

• Move the runs to the ends of the day
• Hydrate
• It’s cool in the shade
• Cross-Train
• Psychology
• Clothing
• Don’t Chafe
• Race
• Take it easy
• Cut it short
• Wear sunscreen

I just hide from the sun and run indoors on the treadmill while watching my Starling Fitness DVDs on the television. They fool me into thinking I’m running outdoors until the heat blows over and I can run out in the real outdoors.

This is EXACTLY how it feels to run with the Nike+. It’s one of the main reasons I don’t own an iPhone, because I can’t give up that little voice in my head.

I am addicted. Beginning workout…
I’ve collected footsteps before dawn, seen places I never knew existed, run to the moon and back. Current pace is 6.5…
I’ve been a rabbit for the neighborhood dogs, Halfway point… obeyed the voice in my head, let the music carry me when I couldn’t.
I’ve raced against yesterday, let the world be my witness, measured myself in meters, kilometers, and finally character.
I’ve plugged into a higher purpose, left this world and come back changed. Workout completed…
Run like you’ve never run before.

Of course, sometimes, THIS is exactly what it feels like to run with the Nike+.

God, I hope they make the iPhone work with the Nike+ soon!

With the recent release of the iPhone, I was tempted to dump my iPod Nano in favor of the shiny toy. Since the iPhone doesn’t work with the Nike+ (I FINALLY have an answer to that question), I thought that maybe I should switch to a REAL workout wrist computer like the ones available from Polar.

After reviewing their website and all the documentation, however, I am unconvinced it would be a proper replacement. The biggest advantage of the Nike+ system are the online challenges. You can challenge a friend who also has a Nike+ or join the many challenges against people in your own fitness level.

The Polar watches track MUCH more than the Nike+ system: Heart Rate, altitude, bicycling, and much more. Their computer system allows you to track this information, graph it out, and even upload it online, but there is no mention of any ability to compete with other Polar watch owners. I know the runners who use Polar outnumber the Nike+ owners, but Polar has no way of you contacting and competing with people of your same caliber.

It’s a huge loss for Polar, if you ask me. Their products are superior to the Nike+ system. If only they understood the competitive incentive of trouncing someone, they would allow me to compete.

Yet another reason to skip buying the iPhone and just stick with my iPod Nano. It looks like Apple is leaving Nike+ in the background. I hope Nike picks up the pace and keeps Nike+ alive with or without Apple.

If you would like to join a Nike+ Challenge, Starling Fitness sponsors several levels of challenges:

• Level 1: 0-10 miles a week
• Level 2: 10-20 miles a week
• Level 3: 20-30 miles a week
• Level 4: 30-40 miles a week
• Level 5: 40-50 miles a week
• Level 6: 50-60 miles a week

If you have a Nike+iPod, you can sign up for the weekly challenges here:

• Support Forums : Starling Fitness Weekly Challenge …

Telll me what level you would like to start at when you sign up and come run with us!

It looks like the folks at the University of Udine are working on making exergaming more interactive. They are using an accelerometer and a heart rate monitor to affect gameplay:

• HCI Lab – University of Udine – Projects

You can see how the game works here:

It looks like a simplistic version of breakout, which typically isn’t a very exciting game. What I would like to see is DDR with a heart rate monitor. The dance steps increase or decrease depending on customizable heart rates. Why hasn’t Konami done this?

Via: Video game follows your movements, adapts to your heart rate – Engadget

Great story from a runner about running:

• Quadrathon: Thoughts of a child…

Daddy has a sore foot and his son wants to know why:

“because Daddy has an owie on his toe”

“why?”

“because Daddy tried new running socks and then made his toe sore”

“toe sore? I like running”

“You do, (the window opens for me to turn the table I think) why?”

He contemplates this for a second and answers…“because I can”.

Next time you’re slugging away through a workout, remember that not everyone can run. You’re very lucky that your legs still work, even if they feel like they aren’t working as well as they should. Enjoy your ability to run. You might not be able to do it in the future.

Every day, when I run outside, I see this red chair. When I see it, I know I don’t have much further to go. Any second now, the little guy in my iPod Nike+ is going to say, “400 Meters To Go!” Soon I will be finished with my run and I can stretch.

What do you see when you exercise?

What do you think about when you’re exercising?

Have you created any comforting thoughts or attached meaning to anything you see?

Sometimes running, walking or riding your bike around the same area ends up creating a map in my mind. When I drive past my old neighborhood in West Jordan, I see places where I had run too hard or maybe places that always felt good to run by because it was a nice stretch of flat road or maybe the air smelled like fried chicken.

Right now, the weather is perfect for running outdoors, so I have been taking advantage of it as much as I can. When I run outside, I end up seeing my neighborhood in a whole different light.

Street View on Google Maps is a new feature that allows you to see an image of the street on the map. Jason Kottke has been fantasizing about the future of Street View here:

• I’m sure this functionality is coming, but when using the new… (kottke.org)

I’m sure this functionality is coming, but when using the new Street View feature in combination with driving directions on Google Maps, I want a play button that drives me from the starting point to my destination, showing me the street-level view along the way.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could just set up the computer in front of your treadmill and tell it to map out a route and a speed and you could pretend you’re running around the streets of New York? That’s why I started filming my Starling Fitness Walking DVDs so I could do just that. I’m perfectly willing to pass the torch to Google if they are able to pick it up.

For more information about Street View, watch this video:

When you hike outdoors, you may encounter poison oak, which is a plant that will give you an oozing and itchy rash. Wendy Bumgardener at About.com has a tutorial on how to recognize and avoid poison oak

• Is it Poison Oak?

Here is a link to a slideshow of poison oak prepared by Wendy:

• Oak Shaped Leaves – Poison Oak Photos – Is It Poison Oak or Not

Here is a link to all the photos on Flickr tagged with the words poison oak:

• Flickr: Photos tagged with poisonoak

Hiking is great exercise and you should never avoid it because of something like poison oak. With a little preparation and knowledge, you’re sure to be safe from poisonous plants and hike risk-free.

I wanted to hate this video. I wanted to just brush off the whole collection of fitness videos from this modeling agency, but this is the BEST explanation of the workout that I did on the treadmill during my Trekking classes at the gym.

It’s REALLY hard to describe the side step thing on the treadmill. This video shows you exactly how to do it. I LOVE to workout on my treadmill and I feel strangely uncomfortable agreeing with every word she says.

One note: You should do the side step thing for half the time facing one direction and half the time facing the other direction so that you’ll get a workout on both legs evenly. She didn’t mention that in the video, but that’s what we did in my trekking class.

You can see more exercise videos (as well as weird fashion stuff) here:

• Ford Models Media on YouTube

It’s a surprising leap for a modeling agency to start creating media. I know it promotes their models, but they are creating some good work here. I’m interested to see how this works…

Being physically fit has its advantages. Being able to hike Yosemite Park and snap a ton of photos is one of them:

• Busy being born: May 2007 Archives

Yosemite Park was one of Ansel Adams’ favorite photography sites and he has numerous photos of Half Dome. Seeing the same mountain from someone with a different eye is so refreshing.

Next time you’re exercising and you feel bored with your routine, remember why you keep in shape. Being able to hike Yosemite Park is one of those benefits.

Via: Two-Heel Drive: May 2007 Archives