Half way there.............

Yesterday I ran half a marathon! 13.2 miles in 2 hours and 35 minutes and burnt 2000 calories ........

So to put this into perspective that's the equivalent of:

• Running from Towcester to Milton Keynes City centre to do a spot of shopping
• Running whilst watching the film 'The Sound of Music' although would not like to run in a nuns outfit!
• Burning off the calories of eating 100 Jelly Babies, eating the heads first obviously
• Running 52 times around a football pitch, less dull than watching a match I would say!
• Running whilst watching 7 episodes back to back of 'Friends'......'how you doin'..........
• Burning off the calories of two 'Big Mac' Meals yeuch!!!!

This time I ran with podcasts playing rather than 2+ hours of continuous music, so if anyone has any good books I could listen to or any interesting/funny etc podcasts they can think of the please let me know!

Just because I can't do anything without sneaking a little photograph in, google 'Nun running' here it is........ Nun running.... she does look remarkably happy about it! :)

Keeping me 'Appy' running - Give us a CHEER!!!!!

Okay, so I use two lots of timekeeping/distance tracking devices.... maybe its an OCD, but I need to know at all times how I am doing.... its just my thing!

Firstly I have a great little Garmin watch which has my heart rate monitor paired to it so I can see how much I am pushing myself and at a glance, distance and pace, this is great but I found an 'app' I love more!

The Nike running app I think is fantastic, its a motivator as well as a tracker and I NEED the motivation sometimes.  Okay yes the app is American and the lady (or man should you wish) who talks in my ear can some times be a little annoying, but she is positive and lets me know how I am doing.

So what features do I most like from this little app:

1. You can connect it to its online 'mummy' app at www.nikeplus.nike.com which gives you sooooo much info, stats and targets which is motivating in itself, how far you have run in total, average run, how many weeks you have been running, plus your all time records.  Obviously it maps all your individual runs via GPS with splits etc.  Your iphone will automatically sync when you get home to your computer.

2. Whilst you are running you plug your headphones in and the nice American lady will tell you how you are doing, i.e. distance and your pace per mile, I set mine to tell me every half mile but you can change this, plus it syncs any playlist you want to listen to so at a touch of a button at the start of running it sorts music out for you too!  You can set it to a certain distance per run, okay today I am going to run 11 miles, she counts you up to half way then tells you how far you have left, just before you finish she will tell you 'You are nearly at your target, keep going!' then at the end you get a random sports personality congratulating you on how you have done ~ cheesy I know but its instant gratification for a long hard run!

3. I have my app set up to sync mine with Facebook, which when you then start a run it automatically add it in to my status.  Then whenever someone 'comments' or 'likes' my status and I am out running I get a cheer and clapping in my ear!!! how great, what a lovely thing to hear that someone is rooting for you (albeit in the comfort of their homes, probably sat on the sofa, but I try and dismiss this thought!!)  So when I am in the middle of the countryside, on my 8,9,10 etc mile I can randomly get a cheer and it pushes me on! ~ you can even 'like' then 'unlike' and 'like' again just to give me more!! lol : )

So before everyone starts thinking I am suddenly employed by Nike PR! I shall leave you to download this little app, try it out for yourself and see if you like it!  Tell me what you think?

And remember if you ever see this posted on my Facebook, 'LIKE' the status, give me a cheer, keep me running!! :)