The evil Mount Trashmore conquered with the aid of music!

Yesterday we ran approximately 4.2 miles on the track. Today another 2.5 miles around Mount Trashmore. I love going there, however there are a few negative aspects such as; too many people, people not paying attention to where they are going or considering those around them, and the sneaky inclines!

I did surprisingly well today and actually ran the best that I have so far. Unfortunately my shins and calves were killing me throughout the run and still are! That's all part of getting back into things and I know they'll improve eventually once my body has been reconditioned to deal with the running impact.

I recently purchased a new Ipod Nano since my other one died. I decided to also give the Nike+ a shot. I didn't buy the shoes or anything, I just bought the sensor and then there are lots of companies out there that sell special pouches that you can attach to your own shoes. They readings are pretty accurate once you have calibrated them to your motion. I also think that even though you can say that it's just a gadget, I strongly believe it's a great tool to motivate and also to track your overall progress. I'm really enjoying it so far and I'm currently trying to settle on a decent running play list. I highly recommend going for the sensor pouch and sensor combination because it's about $80 cheaper than getting a pair of new Nike shoes when you already have a decent pair (or even prefer a different brand). I got the sensor starter pack for $28 and a pouch for about $4 from Amazon.com. Then I created a Nike+ account on their website and synced my Ipod with it so I could use it on my next run.

The Nike+ sensor basically records the vibrations from your foot when you hit the ground. It's only been off a tiny bit which is fine for me. If I wanted anything more I'd probably look into getting a GPS training device. Once you've completed your workout head to your computer, plug your Ipod in and Itunes then syncs to your Nike+ account and records the progress of your runs with great visual tools (graphs! Oh my!). You can also set up challenges and goals for yourself. Another great thing about it is that it can also be used for Walking.