Podcast Experiment Number 1

If you look down my blog page to the lower right hand side, you will see a feed button that takes you to my test podcast. Don't get excited - I say nothing interesting (kind of a "test, test, test 1-2-3" kind of file).

But if I have done this right you should be able to click that link and find the Podbean site where I have my podcast files. From there you can subscribe to the RSS feed.

I still don't understand it all, but here is what I did:

1. Made audio file with my iRiver.
2. Downloaded said file using the iRiver Manager, moving the mpeg file to my hard drive.
3. Converted the file to mpg using Audacity. This creates the 128 bit stream so I don't sound like Mickey Mouse.
4. Upload the file to Podbean.
5. Publish via Podbean.

Now to get the link on my blog I created an account in Feedburner. There I publish my RSS feed from Podbean and was able to create the button and link that resides on my blog.

Whew! Still more playing to do but this has all been kinds of fun.

Outside of the technical stuff, I have been working on the format and content for the podshow. What do you think of a run cast to discuss running topics where the topics would be more about the female, non-competitive runner (since I happen to know something about that), working mom type of thing. I may include conversations while running with my daughter, or maybe interviews with some of the mom's I meet when they drop their kids off at school and then go for a run. I thought I would include an interesting quote of the day with some commentary, and then maybe discuss other blogs and podcasts.

Target time for podcast would be about 15 min. The name of the podcast is simply "Running Adventures." It was shorter than my full blog name.

Anyway, tell me if you think this would be of interest to anyone! :-) I am open to your ideas!

It Won't Be Long Now

That is what I need to keep telling myself. I did my PT today - and the foot continues to improve in different ways. The calf muscles are looser, the tendon is not as tight, and the exercises not as tough to do.

But I miss running! Tomorrow is the Outback 12K and I wish I could be there.

It won't be much longer and I will be out there. The orthotics should come in next week, a few days to break them in and then I can begin running again. In the meanwhile, best of luck to Maddy at the Outback 12K!!! She will have to run for the both of us! :-)

Meanwhile, I will plow on with the elliptical. You know, I don't really like the elliptical...I like it less than the treadmill. I did manage to make it a little more interesting on Thursday. I tuned in my iPod to a 133 bpm Podrunner mix and used that to help keep my pace up.

Podcasting update: I now have my iRiver and have downloaded Audacity. I am still reading up on podcasting but this looks like it will be fun. I will probably be ready to take it out on a test "run" about the time I can begin running again. When I was in college (and also for a couple of years afterwards, part time) I worked at an AM radio station as a DJ and really enjoyed it - so I am looking forward to experimenting with the podcast world.

Countdown to next run: ~ 1 week

Back from the Big Easy

Yup, our little weekend trip was a road trip to New Orleans during the height of Carnival (which culminates in Fat Tuesday - or Mardi Gras).

We saw two parades - a smaller one and then one of the bigger ones (Isis and Bacchus). At last count my daughters had counted over 200 strings of beads acquired during the trip. Along with beads we also got stuffed animals, frisbees, and cups. And no, we did not have to do anything "unfamily-like" to get beads. We stayed away from Bourbon Street and found some very family friendly places!

In relationship to my training I did a couple of things:
- ate horribly (they fry everything there)
- played with my new toy - an iRiver iFP-780

With regard to Thing 1, I have some major exercising to lose the excesses of the trip. And I can't run yet (more on that later). Now Thing 2 was pretty cool. I am toying with the idea of podcasting - at least, run casting. I do such good thinking when I run, I would like to capture some of that. And with 128 Mb, although I can't load up much music (I have the ipod anyway) I can record up to 7 hours of voice - plenty of time for whatever. Who knows, if it turns out to be half interesting, maybe I can report in to Nigel, Terry, Adam or Steve Runner :-). I am also thinking of doing some work related podcasts so maybe I can get my company to front some of the cash my effort.

I took it with me and recorded aspects of our trip, including some of the parades and driving in the truck (we took our camper and "camped" in a friend's front yard). Now I have some audio files to play with, not to mention an audio record of our trip. Pretty cool. It is still pretty lo tech. I will definitely need a microphone. And today, I also received my book "Podcasting for Dummies".

More to come I am sure....

Foot update: Today I was back with my physical therapist (PT). She noted that my heel has much more movement in it (it is supposed to move a bit, and it hardly moved when I came in). I am making great progress. However....she doesn't want me to run until my orthotics come in - probably in around a week.

So I continue the PT with workouts on the elliptical. Today I went out with my daughter for her running...I rode the scooter (you know, those Razor things?). I discovered more muscles I don't use that much...and found that it does not work well on uneven sidewalks. But we still got our running talk in together in our two laps around the block. Very cool!

It's Who You've Become

(Sunset at Paynes Prairie Preserve near Gainesville, FL)

This morning I was talking with my husband about life in general and some lessons we have learned over the years. One was the idea I talked about in my blog entry about what the definition of success is (found here). I boiled it down to the simple phrase:

"It's not what you've done, it's who you've become."

It is not the accomplishments, it is who you have become as a person in the process of reaching them. It's not all the problems, it's who you have become when working through them.

So what does this have to do with running? Everything, since I think this lesson was driven home to me through my marathon training. I became a new person through my training for the marathon. I now know I can set goals that are out of my current, comfortable reach and achieve them. I can do it with anything in my life. Becoming a marathoner has given me the confidence to pursue anything in life, no matter how far fetched!

So the thought for today is to look back and see who you have become through your own running adventures (and otherwise)! Ponder it on your long run this week!

Thursday Casting - Foot Impressions

Where DID the week go? I can't believe I have not blogged since Saturday. Of course, I am still on hiatus from my running, but the workouts and physical therapy (PT) have been going well. Here is what I have been up to this week. On all days I am working on my PT exercise and stretching assignments as well:

Sunday: 30 min on elliptical
Monday: Rest day, PT appointment
Tuesday: 30 min on elliptical and strength training
Wednesday: 30 min on elliptical and stretches
Thursday: PT appointment - got casted for my orthotics. Plan to do 30 min elliptical and strength training later this afternoon.

The PT is going well. That combined with taking ibuprophen 3 times a day has given me more pain free moments. The exercises are getting easier as time goes on. When it is over, I am going to miss those foot and calf massages! The ultrasound therapy feels pretty good too.

This weekend we are going to be out of town so I won't get another training day until next Tuesday - but I will still do my PT stuff, so all is not lost :-)

Today I spoke with my physical therapist about my "condition." One of my legs (my right, unaffected leg) is 1 cm shorter than the other one. I have been wearing heel lifts provided by my chiropractor to address this. She confirmed that my flat feet are causing my feet to overpronate when walking (or running) so the shoes and inserts I have been using have been the right ones (running shoes with lots of support and nice stiff inserts with arch supports). The custom orthotics will help. Today they made a "cast" of my feet. In a couple of weeks I will have my new orthotics - for my running and work shoes.

Many of my PT exercises have been focused on strengthening my ankles. This will help take some of the pressure off my plantar fascia - thus helping me feel better and stay better.

So progress is being made...but I am still counting down to the day when I can start running again, even if its just with my daughter around the block. They tell me I should still be ok to run the Winter Park Road race on March 24th.