A quick post for a lazy Sunday

This is going to be a quick post, namely because I just started watching Lost on Netflix and am seriously addicted. I just finished episode 4 of season one and all I can do is keep wondering "what did Kate do?? And Locke is a brilliant character.

First off, wanted to give a shoutout to my buddy Bill from MIT. The Marion Star, one of the papers I work for, ran a nice article about him. I'm also excited for my college friend Theresa, who is going to be starting the Couch to 5K program and blogging about it.

I had a great run yesterday, despite my Garmin dying a mile into it. Well, great for 9 miles, anyway. Ran next to a fellow journalist for the first leg and then on the way back ended up running with a really cool older guy named Bill who had all kinds of stories. The people in my pace team are all really wonderful!

The temperature was in the high 20s, which felt like spring compared to last week. (continued)

Getting started: Couch to 5K

I actually had two people ask me about getting started this week, so I wanted to give a shout out to the Couch to 5K program (C25K).

It worked for me (mind you, I was 40 lbs heavier at the time) and I highly recommend it, and it sure beats the elliptical for cardio. Tips:

Be nice to your feet -- get a good pair of running shoes. They don't have to be expensive at this point, but designed for running.

You don't need an expensive Garmin but you'll probably want at least a cheap sports watch.

Pick out a race when you start the program and register early. That's an incentive to complete it. When picking out a race, pick a midsize one, so you won't get lost in the crowd or be one of so few that there actually is a risk of finishing last. Also, pick one that says "run/walk" so there's no way you will finish last. And always go for the ones that give you technical or tek or tech shirts instead of the normal cotton ones, they're way better. (continued)