Getting fit (again)

I've decided to get back into shape. Not just because its January and that's what everyone does, but because for too long now I've been thinking I've had enough of being unfit, when I used to be exceptionally fit.

For the first time ever, I've turned to modern technology to help me. My mobile phone now has an app installed called Runkeeper, which so far seems pretty good. It uses the GPS chip that features in modern phones to track your route, speed, elevation, and then knowing your weight, age and gender it works out all sorts of stats such as your average walking/running speed, approx calories burned etc and you get a nice map of your route when you're done.

Was out today after work, along the beach, and I decided to mix a bit of running with my walking. Far too quickly I was out of breath. Rapidly breathing the freezing air was making my throat and upper chest really hurt, and for a moment I thought, I don't like this. Then I remembered when I was a kid, running full sprint for the fun of it and having the same sensation in my throat and upper chest but buzzing all the same. I realised that the uncomfortable/unpleasant feeling when we exert ourselves is as much a learned sensation, a perception, as it is a real one.

This piece of software I've installed on my phone will, I hope, do a good job of keeping me motivated. I might have came in quite worn out from my earlier walk/run, but I'm already keen to get out again to see if I can improve on any of the collection of stats it collects

Anyway, just thought I'd share that with you all

 

Good luck in your quest to get fitter CL. My fitness is not what is was 5 years ago . Used to play football 3 times a week and ride my mountain bike round the Pennines @ the weekends. Family commitments and my eye condition changed this but I still ride 10 miles to work every week day and my job is a physical one too. It keeps me in fairly good shape, just gotta watch what I eat

 

I learnt something new tonight. I tried loads to get my phone to use GPS to work out where I was (I knew where I was, but I wanted the new fancy software to track my progress again). Try as I might, I couldn't get it to pick up a GPS signal.

Did some research when I got back in, and here's what I learned.

GPS needs a clear line of sight to at least 3 GPS satellites in order to know where you are, and 4 to work out your altitude too. Tall buildings can obscure the view, but round here that's not really an issue. But, the GPS hardware needs to know exactly what point in the sky the signal originates from. Here's the clever bit. If the GPS system has been running recently, it keeps a database of where in the sky the satellites will be, and then it is just a simple case of calculating how long its been since it last saw the signal, and how much you've moved since then, so it can quickly find the signal. If, for example, you'd switched your phone off for a while, then moved about, then switched it back on in a new location several hours later, then the GPS hardware has no idea where it is, and therefore no idea where the satellites should be, so it has to scan the entire sky, which apparently can take a whole 15 minutes or more, hence my phone not picking up GPS until after I'd given up, had a walk anyway, and then set off back home.

Clever stuff I reckon.

 

Jesus Christ what's your special subject boring the moo poo out of people!?

 

Do you know I actually found that quite useful clueless, new to my "Android" I do have a sat nav, but would prefer to use my phone in future ,as I have to charge the sat nav in use, load it with the info etc, my phone is always with me, so I will turn my gps back on so its ready to use immediately.

 

pam be aware the GPS will use a lot of battery life

 

Thanks Kaz , best turn it off until i plan an excursion into foreign parts "Swansea"

 

Aw, leave the boy alone, I just like knowing there's clever people about even if I can't understand a word of it!

 

pamsdish or worse Llanelli

 

clueless Good on you ! i am killing myself slowing with a treadmill and a rowing machine

 

Wheres that ??

 

I take there is no signal when its cloudy then?

One thing I have learnt to do CL, and that is to walk with music going on in my ear.
One fast and then one slow piece to walk to the beat. Thus you do not puff yourself out too quickly and you give yourself a good workout too. Even the cardiologist had to agree this was the right thing to do.

 

I use viewranger and another program for hiking but gps is hit snd miss in the mountains. A couple of trips to Edale and Wetton brought missed results, both in the Peak District. In edale I couldnt lock on in the valley. Wetton worked fine despite being in the valley. Gps motivated me in 2011, last year was a washout snd with a hairy dog not good for walking in.

 

Hello Hydro Long time no see. How are you?

I don't think Jesus Christ's specialist subject could have been boring the moo poo out of people, he seems to have established a sizeable audience spanning two millenia. I'd say he's done alright. Not really the work of a boring person me thinks.