I have been trying to research proper training techniques and get advice from all of my runner friends. I am going all in and trying to be as much of a runner as I can. I got the Gu gel, the Body Glide (for chaffing), but I needed the shoes. I am pretty sure that the last time I had someone actually help me purchase shoes, a la Al Bundy, was when I was a toddler. I purchased all of my previous pairs from places like Dick’s where I would find a cool looking shoe and they would bring it out in my size. For the race, I decided to go to Road Runner Sports in Falls Church.

So many people only post bad experiences on there internet. I wanted to write about what a great experience I had there. They have those systems that examines how you stand, videos how you run, and recommends shoes. The guy that helped me out was named Rich. Rich was knowledgeable and super nice. Their evaluation consists of a couple devices hooked up to a computer, and a brief questionnaire about pain issues and how you run. We determined that I put a lot of weight on my right foot, and that I have a mildly fallen arch on that foot. We also determined that I run some like a pigeon and my right foot is longer than the left. By this point I feel like a freak of nature, but he assured me that I was not Quasimodo. He was lying, but that is beside the point.

The last step of the evaluation involved Rich custom fitting an insole to my foot. At this point I felt really bad for him. Not only was he answering all of my dumb questions, but now he had a handful and faceful of my nasty feet. This might be a scam on their part. They make you feel guilty so that you will by the insole. Regardless, it takes a patient man to handle another man’s foot.

The system determined that I needed a shoe for stability. Rich brought out 4 pairs of shoes, ASICS, Saucony, Brooks and I think Nike. I tried on each pair with and without the custom insoles. I ran up and down the aisle to get a feel. I eventually decided on the Brooks because it was really light and felt comfortable.

At one point early on, a coworker asked Rich if he wanted his break. He declined, but never made me feel like I was cutting into his break or made me feel rushed. He offered to look up information about the race I was running, and offered advice on preparation. I joined their VIP program, so they rang a bell and all of the employees clapped. It is cheesey, but they make you feel welcome there.

I thoroughly recommend Road Runner Sports.

We were paying $160/month for cable internet and a relatively basic cable package. We didn’t have any special movie or sports packages. Our hardware consisted of 1 HD DVR and 1 regular DVR. I have spoken to a few people about their cable bills and I still have not been able to quite figure out how were were paying so much money.

I did quite a bit of research, to determine what the best option would be for us to cut the cord. I read reviews on the Boxee and Roku devices and I tried some different desktop software applications, like the Boxee software and Hulu Desktop. In the end I decided that one of those pre-made devices would limit what I wanted to do. Getting a nettop, and running some different applications, was the way to go. We purchased a Acer AspireRevo off of Amazon.

Our HTPC setup consists of a HDTV antenna connected to our television and to the computer. The computer is running Windows 7, with Windows Media Center, so we can DVR over-the-air content. We watch streaming content through the Hulu Desktop app, Boxee software, Netflix and internet browser. Some people might be annoyed with needing to jump between so many applications, but it doesn’t really bother us. When I say that it doesn’t bother us, I mean that it doesn’t bother me, and my wife tolerates it.

To control the system, we have a mini-keyboard with touch pad. The distance from the TV is not an issue, but the remote is unable to wake Windows from sleep mode, and it occasionally loses its connection. Both instance require me to walk across the room and fiddle with the computer.

I used to watch a lot of TV. In retrospect, most of it was garbage. I don’t miss watching Pawn Stars. Every show that my wife and I enjoy, we are able to watch online, either through Hulu, the browser (Conan on teamcoco.com) or by download a torrent (I didn’t say that). I am a big sports fan and I have not missed any game since the switch. I have been able to watch games either over-the-air, or through ESPN3 or other streaming websites (I didn’t say that). The only draw back is the lack of HD quality on occasion. An added bonus to our set up is the availability of other content. I can listen to Pandora or the latest Nerdist podcast through the Boxee software.

We went from paying $160/month, to paying $39.99/month (with a 2 year contract) for internet and $10 for Netflix. We are saving $110/month and aren’t looking back. And by not looking back I mean, I am not looking back and my wife is tolerating it.

Note: Eventually I plan to post my nettop research because I had a difficult time finding good information and comparisons of the different options.

To the Kevin Fay that wanted to buy this domain…no dice.