Hey Look... A Post!!

Took ten seconds to grab my son so we could cross the finish line together at my first 1/2 marathon this past weekend.

Man that was fun. I ran my first 1/2 marathon and did it in under two hours; 1:55:46 to be precise. I really like being out with a huge group of people just running.

However... Runners are nuts. If I ever quit my job I'm opening a running store. I started running, I bought some good running shoes and began to train. To me running needs shoes, clothing and a water bottle - a watch if you're interested in timing. Apparently I missed a memo or something because the people around me were decked out like a Star Trek landing party. I've never seen so many techno gizmos or ways to take in nourishment.

For example: I wear a watch. It's a good watch that gets used for everything from running to scuba diving to daily life. It tells time and has a stopwatch. ooooh. Apparently that's not good enough. Apparently even your running wrist computer needs to be "connected".

Another example: I have a water bottle. I carry it in a little pouch clipped around my waist. The only thing that fits in the pouch is the bottle. Any bike or sport bottle will do. All it has to do is carry water or gatorade. Again Not Good Enough. No, apparently if you want to be taken seriously you need a fuel belt. These let you carry water, electrolyte solution, protein drink and something called "recovery fuel" for your run. All in individual (and tiny) containers. I wonder if it's internet connected.

I actually saw these things - and many many many other expensive toys - being used this weekend. And not just by elite runners. By novices like me, by absolute beginners.

Remember when you were a kids and you'd run all day long? You'd run to the store, to your friends house, to the pool, to the park. You name a location and you and your friends probably ran or rode a bike there. All fueled by... candy. I could probably make a fortune marketing "endurance chews" that were simply re-packaged skittles that we ate as kids.

Gotta run (and get "connected")