So Much Technology

It hit me this morning, after my ride, that I'm using way to much technology to tell me I'm slow.  I know I'm slow, but I still feel this need to measure and quantify that slowness.  Here's  why I decided I'm way too "connected."

I got up this morning and put on my cycling clothes, went downstairs and grabbed my Garmin Forerunner 305.  I then proceeded out to the garage and got ready to ride.  I turned my Garmin on and had to wait about 60 seconds while it acquired the satellites so it knew where I was and could track my movements.

I then rode my bike (only 6.22 miles but that's another (short)story).

When I got home, I pulled out the laptop and my Garmin connector and commenced to uploading my ride to various sites.

When I first connected the Garmin, Training Center opened and automatically imported my ride data.  It has a map of the ride as well as my speed and timing and elevation profile.

Next I opened my internet browser, went to my favorites and opened My Daily Mile.  This was one of the first sites I found when I started training 2 1/2 years ago and I have been uploading everything there since.  This site definitely has my most complete workout history.

Next I went back to my favorites and opened My Fitness Pal.  This site is great for counting calories consumed as well as calories burned.  I selected my activity (bike riding 12-14 mph) and entered my time of 29 minutes and its magic calculator said I had burned 740 calories.  Not bad for a quick, early morning work out.

After that I fired up and logged into the Plus 3 Network site,  This was a site that Fatty turned me on to last year while we were raising funds for World Bicycle Relief.  I love the site because through its sponsors I can help others by doing nothing more than logging my activities.  So far I've earned them $15.75.  Sure its not much in and of itself, but it was donated for my doing nothing more than uploading my workouts.  Everyone really should be doing this!

The next site I went to to log in what I had done was Map My Ride.  I had been using this off and on to track my rides, but that was more so before I got the Garmin.  I did find out a couple of people I follow on the web use this site, so I have been uploading my activities here as well.

Lastly I log into Garmin Connect and upload my activity there.  I'm not really sharing the data here with anyone, it serves more as a back up.

I have also gotten a new phone and downloaded the Map My Ride and Strava apps to it to use in case I happen to ride without my Garmin.

That makes 6 different places that the details of my slow rides are preserved.  Each one has its one or two unique features or reasons I use it, but what it really boils down to for me is a bit of accountability.  By putting my rides out there, I am showing the world how often, long and hard I am riding.  It gives me just a little more motivation to actually get out there and ride somewhere that day and that helps.