Once Again, I Spend Money on This Little Hobby
...once again I struggle to not berate myself.
Months ago I knew of the Nike + iPod sport kit. I have been reading about it on this blog since last April. I have been seriously thinking about buying it ever since I learned this amazing piece of technology was only $29.99. THIRTY DOLLARS.
For those link avoidant, this kit works with Nike shoes and an iPod or iPhone. You put the sensor in your shoes and you carry your music machine with you. The sensor keeps track of your speed, distance, etc and transmits it to your electronic gadget (let's just say phone, bc I am using my iPhone). Then you sync your phone up in iTunes and it tracks your runs for you. It tells you how many calories you burned, how far you went, how fast you went. You can set it up to coordinate with an exercise playlist, and put in verbal encouragement for yourself (Almost there! Keep going! 10 more seconds!). It stores the data. You get a free account on the Nike website and track yourself.
I don't have Nike shoes so I would never have thought of it... but you then just purchase a little separate pouch that you put on your shoe to hold the sensor itself.
The scrapbooker whose blog I have been reading is a big fan. She spent 4 months just running on a treadmill and listening to music. She got in shape. When spring hit, she got one of these and started tracking her runs.
At that point, she moved from someone trying to lose weight, to an athlete.
I feel like I am making a sales pitch here to explain why I just dropped $40 on the kit and on a pouch plus shipping at Amazon.
I've been thinking about it for a little while now. I've been especially considering it since I knew I would run in the WINTER.
FYI, I went running today. It's cold but the snow is mostly off the sidewalks by now. It was gray and nasty out. There was nothing about the outdoors to inspire me.
Except I wanted to get off the couch and move my ass. Except I wanted fresh air. I wanted to feel better.
I began by doing a nice long stretch warm up in the comfort of my bedroom with a cheesy set of songs from like 1993 playing on the speakers. I got my heart to beat, I sweated a little, I moaned and groaned while I stretched out all my aches and kinks. I then drove 10-15 minutes to a small park with a small loop near my house. It was too cold to stretch there so I got out of my car, shivering, set my phone up, took off my coat (was wearing a windbreaker under it), started walking.
Too soon, I started jogging. I was cold!
I would just like to mention that I was running on concrete. Frozen concrete. In Times Ago, that would have led to terrible shin splints.
This time, it did not. I jogged (or ran, I say RAN because I am trying to motivate myself, here) as long as I could and then stopped to walk. I mostly walk when there is a slight incline, bc going up even a tiny hill will still give me shin pain. I set a place to start running again, but I was still cold so I started up sooner.
Basically I made 2 loops. I did 2 loops the last time I came to this park, but I walked a lot more bc it was waaaaay warmer. I also jogged slower, with a shorter stride.
How do I know I pushed myself? Bc I am in pain tonight. Tonight at the school library, I really wanted to work on this presentation for my job interview next week, but all I can think about is how my whole back is aching, my shoulders and neck, my upper arms. One giant muscle ache.
But I don't have any data. I have no idea how far I ran. Based on how long I was out there (not long at all) I might have gone a very slow mile. Hey a mile would be good. But I can't judge the distance at all. I don't KNOW I ran faster, I am guessing by how my body feels. I don;t KNOW how much time I spent running vs walking and if it really was more time. I am guessing.
I used to use the timer on my phone to do sprints but man it is a pain in the ass to switch back and forth from the iPod function to the timer function. And I do not want to set up playlists. I still like to decide what motivates me songwise at the time. I also kind of like the surprise of not knowing what is next. Unfortunately, that also means I have to constantly skip songs or replay them. It means I cannot use the Adidas running gloves I got for Christmas bc then I have to take one off to work the iPod and the timer.
I remember when I struggled over buying these shoes. I worried I would buy them, use them once or twice, give up, and then have a very expensive pair of shoes I really didn't need hanging around. I would wear them, but I would not USE them as the tool they are intended to be.
I bought the shoes and the purchase motivated me. I dropped MONEY on these babies. Serious coin. I needed to justify my purchase.
Every time I went out and ran in any way, I recalculated a cost-per-use. I was trying to get it down to $5 or so per use. At least under $10 per use.
Today I realized I have lost track of how many times I have gone running in these shoes.
Yes. It is not every day, and there was a stretch of snowy weather when I skipped almost a month and thought, well that's the end of that, it was once again a fall weather hobby. Then I went out in the bad weather and I realized... it's not so bad to be running in the rain. In the snow. When it's cold. When the sky is gray. When everything is dreary and muddy and cold, I still enjoy being outside and moving some distance.
I did look on ebay. There was a possibility of purchasing said kit for under $20. Then I calculated, and I thought, ok, then I have to pay shipping. Then I STILL have to buy the pouch separately and pay to ship it. The pouch, I would not buy on ebay. I cannot trust an ebay seller to tell me what I need to know to make sure I get the correct one, bc I don't know enough about what works with my shoes and the kit. I would want to buy the exact pouch that I have read about on this blog, that is explained well and shown well.
So I worked it out and the price difference between buying both things on ebay with free super saver shipping, and the cost of buying the 2 items on ebay even at a discount, plus shipping, was about $5.
Have I established myself as a person who does not impulse buy or have a shopping problem? Perhaps that is the wrong impression. Bc I went to Bath & Body Works yesterday to exchange a Christmas gift and they were having a super sale. So I dropped $10 there. And I went to the movies this week, a matinee but still. $8. Then I went out to eat at IHOP. I am not a crazy spending woman, but it all adds up. It's not like this is the ONLY purchase I have made recently. I go for long periods without spending any money except needed expenses and then I nickel and dime myself to death.
And then they are trying to get me to buy my graduation pictures, and they are $7.95 EACH. Which I have not bought. Yet. And then I bought 2 games for my iPhone. They are $2.99 here or $3.99 there, or $1.29 for a new song to run to.
So I go back and forth. I am not in a position to just buy myself any damn thing I want. But on the other hand, running is so good for me. And I have proven to myself that it is something I will continue to do. I want to continue it. I want to be running non stop by spring. I am not going to run some marathon any time soon, but I want to keep myself going. I want to keep trying. I want to keep getting myself off the couch and out the door. I want to enjoy my heart speeding up and breaking a sweat.
Well I bought it now. Even if I return it, I am out the shipping.
You know where these thoughts come from. MY MOTHER. My mother says that I am spoiled. Yes, I am spoiled. I get any damn thing I want. I never just LIVE WITH THINGS they way they are, even when it would be better if I did. I am always deciding I want MORE and then deciding to get more, and I really don't deserve any of it.
I need a running icon. Someday.
Months ago I knew of the Nike + iPod sport kit. I have been reading about it on this blog since last April. I have been seriously thinking about buying it ever since I learned this amazing piece of technology was only $29.99. THIRTY DOLLARS.
For those link avoidant, this kit works with Nike shoes and an iPod or iPhone. You put the sensor in your shoes and you carry your music machine with you. The sensor keeps track of your speed, distance, etc and transmits it to your electronic gadget (let's just say phone, bc I am using my iPhone). Then you sync your phone up in iTunes and it tracks your runs for you. It tells you how many calories you burned, how far you went, how fast you went. You can set it up to coordinate with an exercise playlist, and put in verbal encouragement for yourself (Almost there! Keep going! 10 more seconds!). It stores the data. You get a free account on the Nike website and track yourself.
I don't have Nike shoes so I would never have thought of it... but you then just purchase a little separate pouch that you put on your shoe to hold the sensor itself.
The scrapbooker whose blog I have been reading is a big fan. She spent 4 months just running on a treadmill and listening to music. She got in shape. When spring hit, she got one of these and started tracking her runs.
At that point, she moved from someone trying to lose weight, to an athlete.
I feel like I am making a sales pitch here to explain why I just dropped $40 on the kit and on a pouch plus shipping at Amazon.
I've been thinking about it for a little while now. I've been especially considering it since I knew I would run in the WINTER.
FYI, I went running today. It's cold but the snow is mostly off the sidewalks by now. It was gray and nasty out. There was nothing about the outdoors to inspire me.
Except I wanted to get off the couch and move my ass. Except I wanted fresh air. I wanted to feel better.
I began by doing a nice long stretch warm up in the comfort of my bedroom with a cheesy set of songs from like 1993 playing on the speakers. I got my heart to beat, I sweated a little, I moaned and groaned while I stretched out all my aches and kinks. I then drove 10-15 minutes to a small park with a small loop near my house. It was too cold to stretch there so I got out of my car, shivering, set my phone up, took off my coat (was wearing a windbreaker under it), started walking.
Too soon, I started jogging. I was cold!
I would just like to mention that I was running on concrete. Frozen concrete. In Times Ago, that would have led to terrible shin splints.
This time, it did not. I jogged (or ran, I say RAN because I am trying to motivate myself, here) as long as I could and then stopped to walk. I mostly walk when there is a slight incline, bc going up even a tiny hill will still give me shin pain. I set a place to start running again, but I was still cold so I started up sooner.
Basically I made 2 loops. I did 2 loops the last time I came to this park, but I walked a lot more bc it was waaaaay warmer. I also jogged slower, with a shorter stride.
How do I know I pushed myself? Bc I am in pain tonight. Tonight at the school library, I really wanted to work on this presentation for my job interview next week, but all I can think about is how my whole back is aching, my shoulders and neck, my upper arms. One giant muscle ache.
But I don't have any data. I have no idea how far I ran. Based on how long I was out there (not long at all) I might have gone a very slow mile. Hey a mile would be good. But I can't judge the distance at all. I don't KNOW I ran faster, I am guessing by how my body feels. I don;t KNOW how much time I spent running vs walking and if it really was more time. I am guessing.
I used to use the timer on my phone to do sprints but man it is a pain in the ass to switch back and forth from the iPod function to the timer function. And I do not want to set up playlists. I still like to decide what motivates me songwise at the time. I also kind of like the surprise of not knowing what is next. Unfortunately, that also means I have to constantly skip songs or replay them. It means I cannot use the Adidas running gloves I got for Christmas bc then I have to take one off to work the iPod and the timer.
I remember when I struggled over buying these shoes. I worried I would buy them, use them once or twice, give up, and then have a very expensive pair of shoes I really didn't need hanging around. I would wear them, but I would not USE them as the tool they are intended to be.
I bought the shoes and the purchase motivated me. I dropped MONEY on these babies. Serious coin. I needed to justify my purchase.
Every time I went out and ran in any way, I recalculated a cost-per-use. I was trying to get it down to $5 or so per use. At least under $10 per use.
Today I realized I have lost track of how many times I have gone running in these shoes.
Yes. It is not every day, and there was a stretch of snowy weather when I skipped almost a month and thought, well that's the end of that, it was once again a fall weather hobby. Then I went out in the bad weather and I realized... it's not so bad to be running in the rain. In the snow. When it's cold. When the sky is gray. When everything is dreary and muddy and cold, I still enjoy being outside and moving some distance.
I did look on ebay. There was a possibility of purchasing said kit for under $20. Then I calculated, and I thought, ok, then I have to pay shipping. Then I STILL have to buy the pouch separately and pay to ship it. The pouch, I would not buy on ebay. I cannot trust an ebay seller to tell me what I need to know to make sure I get the correct one, bc I don't know enough about what works with my shoes and the kit. I would want to buy the exact pouch that I have read about on this blog, that is explained well and shown well.
So I worked it out and the price difference between buying both things on ebay with free super saver shipping, and the cost of buying the 2 items on ebay even at a discount, plus shipping, was about $5.
Have I established myself as a person who does not impulse buy or have a shopping problem? Perhaps that is the wrong impression. Bc I went to Bath & Body Works yesterday to exchange a Christmas gift and they were having a super sale. So I dropped $10 there. And I went to the movies this week, a matinee but still. $8. Then I went out to eat at IHOP. I am not a crazy spending woman, but it all adds up. It's not like this is the ONLY purchase I have made recently. I go for long periods without spending any money except needed expenses and then I nickel and dime myself to death.
And then they are trying to get me to buy my graduation pictures, and they are $7.95 EACH. Which I have not bought. Yet. And then I bought 2 games for my iPhone. They are $2.99 here or $3.99 there, or $1.29 for a new song to run to.
So I go back and forth. I am not in a position to just buy myself any damn thing I want. But on the other hand, running is so good for me. And I have proven to myself that it is something I will continue to do. I want to continue it. I want to be running non stop by spring. I am not going to run some marathon any time soon, but I want to keep myself going. I want to keep trying. I want to keep getting myself off the couch and out the door. I want to enjoy my heart speeding up and breaking a sweat.
Well I bought it now. Even if I return it, I am out the shipping.
You know where these thoughts come from. MY MOTHER. My mother says that I am spoiled. Yes, I am spoiled. I get any damn thing I want. I never just LIVE WITH THINGS they way they are, even when it would be better if I did. I am always deciding I want MORE and then deciding to get more, and I really don't deserve any of it.
I need a running icon. Someday.