Monday, November 17, 2003
Running Man De Groodt
Posted by marlof in "ARTICLE" @ 06:00 AM
Our community member Brian De Groodt is committed to a cause. He is going to run a marathon, the Mardi Gras Marathon that is being held on February 29, 2004 in New Orleans. And what does a running geek do? He uses a Pocket PC to help him achieve his goal.
"Basically I keep an old 3635 around that goes into my gym bag. Had it for a long time and just saved it during my upgrades. It's actually nice to have a separate unit that you don't have to worry about getting banged and scratched or sweaty hands etc. In any case, I've used MySportTraining for the last 18 or so months now. While I only added the running regimen to the program, it's been incredibly helpful to show total miles run, tracking days when I didn't feel good (or felt real good) which gives me a mark in time to go back to if something isn't feeling right, reducing my per mile pace (from an original marathon pace of 11:30 to a current 9:12) and even though I never intended this, since I've started using the program I've gone from 225lbs to around a current 185lbs (6'1"). I use an Excel spreadsheet to track out my food. One of the problems with this type training is that you get so hungry you can overcompensate by binging, so the Excel spreadsheet on my PPC has about 1500 different foods and their caloric value. I could go on, but the point is I'm trying to make the Kona Ironman by 40 (7 years away) and data is an incredibly essential element to a solid training program/goal. I don't think I could do it very well without my PPC. In fact, a lot of what professionals get in the way of expensive coaches and support staff is in my old trusty 3635 and costs me about nothing."
It looks like Brian sure knows what he's doing. Although running a marathon in itself is a remarkable cause, Brian has added something to the mix that made me bring this under your attention. In running this marathon, Brian is trying to raise money to donate to the Whitman Walker clinic of Washington DC, helping those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. So all of his energy is not just spent on himself, along the way he's trying to help others who are in desperate need of this help. In my opinion that is worth our support. In his words: he's doing the running, will you do the donating?
"Basically I keep an old 3635 around that goes into my gym bag. Had it for a long time and just saved it during my upgrades. It's actually nice to have a separate unit that you don't have to worry about getting banged and scratched or sweaty hands etc. In any case, I've used MySportTraining for the last 18 or so months now. While I only added the running regimen to the program, it's been incredibly helpful to show total miles run, tracking days when I didn't feel good (or felt real good) which gives me a mark in time to go back to if something isn't feeling right, reducing my per mile pace (from an original marathon pace of 11:30 to a current 9:12) and even though I never intended this, since I've started using the program I've gone from 225lbs to around a current 185lbs (6'1"). I use an Excel spreadsheet to track out my food. One of the problems with this type training is that you get so hungry you can overcompensate by binging, so the Excel spreadsheet on my PPC has about 1500 different foods and their caloric value. I could go on, but the point is I'm trying to make the Kona Ironman by 40 (7 years away) and data is an incredibly essential element to a solid training program/goal. I don't think I could do it very well without my PPC. In fact, a lot of what professionals get in the way of expensive coaches and support staff is in my old trusty 3635 and costs me about nothing."
It looks like Brian sure knows what he's doing. Although running a marathon in itself is a remarkable cause, Brian has added something to the mix that made me bring this under your attention. In running this marathon, Brian is trying to raise money to donate to the Whitman Walker clinic of Washington DC, helping those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. So all of his energy is not just spent on himself, along the way he's trying to help others who are in desperate need of this help. In my opinion that is worth our support. In his words: he's doing the running, will you do the donating?
