EXERCISE JOURNALS

Whenever a dieter writes down what they eat, along with the item’s calorie count, they soon learn that keeping a food journal improves their chances of being successful.  This has been proven time and time again.  Not often does a dieter want to over-consume and then have to record their over-indulgence for others to see.  Even if they are the only one that looks at the log, it has nearly the same result.  The majority of dieters will ordinarily adhere to their weight-loss diet just so they don’t have to disclose their momentary weaknesses.

The same can be said for runners, swimmers, bikers or workout enthusiasts.  If you have to record your workouts for a group of peers to view, you will typically work out harder, even longer. Intentionally missing a scheduled workout may suggest to others that you are a slacker.  Perish the thought, right?  After all, you’re no longer the only one that knows of your lackadaisical choice not to swim, bike, run, or whatever it is that you do for exercise.  You’ll find yourself wanting to exercise just to have something to write down.

Dailymile, an online social network of people that choose to share their healthy lifestyle with others, is a perfect example.

Web address: http://www.dailymile.com/

Dailymile operates on a similar concept as Facebook.  Because Dailymile is somewhat comparable to Facebook, a Dailymile member can invite fellow exercise enthusiasts to be their Dailymile friends, thereby forming their own smaller group within the main group.  You can keep your postings relatively private or you can post your workouts for the entire world to see.  It’s your choice!

As a member of Dailymile, you can also post your upcoming events, past events, create your very own run or bike routes, including a Google map of the route, create a personal profile with or without photos, and you can even comment on other people’s post and they can comment on yours.  It’s a motivational tool like I’ve never seen before.

Members of Dailymile, by the way, are from all over the world, not just the United States.  Being a worldwide network is one of the things that separate Dailymile from other online exercise journals.

New signees are never asked to divulge any personal information such as home address, birthdate, etc., so your personal information, on-line security, and threat of ID theft are never an issue.  You have the option of listing your location, such as city and state.  Some members don’t, most do.

And for you biking enthusiasts, I highly recommend logging your miles with bikejournal.com. http://www.bikejournal.com/index.asp

Looking back, I can happily claim that since I’ve been keeping these two journals up-to-date, my discipline training has more than doubled, even tripled.  And I’m much happier and fitter for it!

NEW RUNNING SHOES AND NEW RUNNING COURSE

Today was the first morning that Janet and I parked our truck at Publix Market on Sheridan Street for our weekend long run/walk along Hollywood Beach’s boardwalk.

Arriving at the Publix strip mall at 4:50 AM, we were predictably greeted by friendly, early-morning Publix employees, not the creepy degenerates and late-night party goers that frequent Hollywood Beach’s bandshell area where we used to park.

It was a welcome relief to feel relatively safe and secure when parking our vehicle in the dark of night. And never once did we smell the putrid odor of human urine.

Janet liked parking at Publix much better than the Johnson Street bandshell. I did as well!

Because Janet was testing out her new Nike running shoes, we agreed to maintain a walk pace no faster than 4 mph. We also agreed to not run, just walk.

The no running idea was not just for Janet's sake, though.  Walking only was agreed upon to prevent my spinal stenosis from worsening. We both would prefer to mix it up by running and walking, but nearly every time I attempt to run I can count on my lower back aching for the remainder of the day – and sometimes into the next day. It’s not worth the faster time.

Regarding Janet’s new shoes, she still ended up with a couple of small blisters at the end of our eight-mile walk. She reasons that it was the socks and not the shoes.

Going against her better instinct, she wore a brand new pair of unwashed socks with the new shoes. Not a good idea, for anyone. Another factor that may have generated blisters was that the new socks that she did wear were thinner than her traditional running socks (pictured). Next run or walk, you can bet that she will be wearing her older, thicker running socks.

Janet will eventually find the right combination. She must! We have too many running/walking events coming up for her to be held back by agonizing blisters.

And what breakfast nook did we choose directly after our muggy morning walk? None other than Bagel Palace in Pembroke Pines, a neighborhood eatery that we've been going to for many years! The waitress was friendly, prompt, and she delivered us exactly what we ordered. The food portions were much larger than what you get on the boardwalk and the coffee cups always full. And the total cost of our breakfast, including tip, was half of what we would have paid at the rip-off Broadwalk Café or most other boardwalk restaurants.

We did miss having breakfast with our friends, though. But everyone needs to understand that Janet must report to work nearly every Sunday afternoon, typically between 1 and 2 PM.  And it’s because of her work schedule that we do not have the time to wait around for everyone to complete their individual runs, take a dip in the ocean, shower off and change shirts, put additional money in the parking meters, and then come together as a group inside a boardwalk restaurant. The situation is what it is.

In summary, monetarily speaking, by parking at Publix and eating at Bagel Palace we spent $20.00 less than what we would have spent had we parked at the bandshell and eaten breakfast at a boardwalk cafe.  To us, that's a significant savings.

We're pleased with our decision to no longer park on the beach.   

LIFE’S LITTLE OBSTACLES!

I need to vent!

Earlier this morning, right around 6:30 a.m., I was sympathetically advised by the benevolent gate guard, who I quickly learned was a contracted guard with Wackenhut, that no longer will I be allowed to ride my road bike into CB Smith Park until 8:00 a.m. Riding my bike into the park before the summer-camp traffic and the Memorial Hospital West employee traffic arrives, which assuredly makes riding in the park dangerous to your health, is strictly prohibited. They would prefer that I ride my speedy bike on the local streets where kamikaze, dysfunctional, oblivious drivers are common place. If it’s all the same, thanks but no thanks, I’ll wait ‘till eight in the morning and take my chances inside the park.

I don’t know what’s worse to contend with, though, the multitudes of crazed mothers (literal definition) who are dropping off their kids at day camp or the Memorial Hospital employees who must park their vehicles in the park due to lack of employee parking across the street on hospital grounds.

Grading which ones are the worse drivers, I would call it a draw. Both groups of people typically have their cell phones plastered to their ears giving last minute instructions to their spouses, any kids they purposely left behind, or their house pets. Yes, I said “house pets.” Trust me; many house pets are brighter than their owners, at least the ones I’m seeing entering and leaving the park with fire and brimstone in their eyes. They could easily be mistaken for amateur race car drivers on steroids.

According to the compassionate gate guard, there is absolutely no reason or reasons why road bikers should not be allowed in the vacant park before the motor-carriage onslaught. And dusk is a perfect time to bike, much better than later in the day when the sun’s rays and high heat melt even the strongest biker.

About the only possible danger in the park at that early hour are stray possums or raccoons scrounging for their morning vittles.

Despite the illogical idiocy of the park’s operating hours, I wasn’t going to allow their stupidity to ruin my biking plans or day. More determined than ever, I rode back to the park at 8 a.m. and managed to get in 12.20 miles before any noticeable signs of melting or before I became county-park road kill. I even survived playing dodge car with numerous park-going moms, pops, and outwardly disgruntled Memorial Hospital employees.

And now for the Hollywood Beach parking debacle!

Unwilling to be financially assaulted by the City of Hollywood and their new fivefold price increase, Janet and I have concluded that we no longer will park at the Johnson Street band shell or in any of Hollywood’s parking lots or garages. The band shell area stinks of urine, anyway. So parking elsewhere will be no big loss. Not only does the area stink of urine, but often we have been apprehensive regarding the vagrants and drunks that pass out and sleep in the doorways and adjoining alleyways.

Just when we concluded that we would give up our Sunday long runs, Janet came up with a brilliant thought. She tags it as one of her better light bulb moments!

Recalling where we regularly parked during the era when we used to run on Fort Lauderdale’s ocean boardwalk, Janet and I went to the computer, opened up Bing Maps, selected a bird's eye view of the Hollywood/Dania Beach area and quickly spotted a safe and convenient place to park, a Publix Market not but 1.3 miles from the beach’s attractive boardwalk. And I’m betting that there are no vagrants, drunks or putrid smelling urine in Publix Market’s parking lot. And if one doesn’t wish to park at Publix, one block closer to the beach is a Walgreen’s Drug Store on the same side of Sheridan Street as Publix.

Problem solved and we get to keep what monies we would have placed inside Hollywood’s gluttonous master meters.

Now all we have to do is determine where we wish to eat breakfast immediately after our Sunday boardwalk runs.