Running gadgets.

I've been looking forward to today's Take it and Run Thursday at Runners' Lounge, thinking that writing about a specific topic is just what I need to shake the blogger's block.

So, off I went to the RL site this morning and the topic is running technology tips -- how to select, buy and use your favorite gadgets.

Sigh.

I am not a gadget girl. I have no Garmin. No heart rate monitor. No Nike plus, no ipod, no iphone, no ianything. I do have a Nike sport watch that my brother and his (now) wife gave me in 2004. It has tons of features! I can't tell you about them, of course, because I only use the basic timer. But I can tell you that it is slick. Slick like 2004, but slick nevertheless!

So you may wonder how I know the length of my runs. Do I kick it totally old-school with paper maps and a ruler? Well, no. I'm not that out of touch. I visit that gmaps site to compute the distance of my routes and I actually really like it.

And I keep track my runs using the most awesome website: Running Ahead. Back in the day, I tracked my runs on CoolRunning but then they were purchased by some other company and everything changed for the worse so I moved all of my data over to Running Ahead. It is the best. And, since it is a website, it counts as technology. Running technology that has helped improve my running. So that's my tip: Go to Running Ahead. The service rocks!

Speaking of running, I had a speedy workout last night. I tried something a little different this time: Warmed up and ran at a moderate pace for 2 miles, then ran 1 x 800 @ 7:30 pace, 2 x 400 @ 7:24 pace, 4 x 200 @ 7:00, 6:54, 6:48, 6:42 pace. I cooled down for a half mile. Since I tend to start out too fast when I race, I'm trying to start my speedwork slower and increase my speed so I'm running the fastest at the end.

I'm all about yoga tonight.

Have a great day, everyone!

~ Felice