May 14 2012

Blog features

I’ve been working on several features of my new blog, and things are progressing quite nicely (though there’s still a lot of work to be done). Firstly, I’ve added a custom menu bar at the top of the postings section (right below the image banner). Right now it links to the home page of my blog, a posting about me (which isn’t there yet), links to the charities and groups that I actively support, and some of my current projects and affiliations. As soon as I have some type of short bio blurb about myself, I’ll link it to the “About me” menu. Until then, I urge you to check out some of the amazing groups under the “Charities” submenu.

Secondly, I’ve ported over all of the random quotations that I had on my previous blogging software. They are currently displayed in the section between the category listing and the calendar. I’m sure that I will continue to add quotes as time goes on, and as I find ones that strike me. If you have any recommendations, be sure to drop me a line in the comments section. 🙂

Thirdly, with the tagging feature of WP, I really need to go back and add tags to all of my previous posts. That will take quite a while to do, but I think that it will really be worth it. It will force me to further categorise my posts, and will help me find trends in my writings. Overall, a good goal, I think.

I think that’s about it for now, but hopefully I will be able to work on those three things more over the course of the week and this upcoming weekend.

Cheers,
Zach

May 13 2012

Brooks Ghost 4 running shoes make the difference for me

Though I have been aggressively running for the past two years or so, I’ve always used generic “running” shoes (Adidas, Nike, et cetera) from a standard department store. Yesterday, I made the plunge and visited a local store that specialises in running gear. After talking with one of the specialists for about 45 minutes or so, and trying on seven or eight pairs of shoes, I decided to go with the Brooks Ghost 4:

Brooks Ghost 4 running shoe

According to the representative at the store, I didn’t need any type of corrective shoe, as he said my form was fine–no signs of overpronation or supination. Therefore, I went with a neutral shoe, and ultimately decided on the Brooks Ghost 4 due to its structure. Some of the other shoes were very nice as well, but the Ghost 4 seemed to have the most support in the areas that I want; namely, the heel, around the ankle, and along the sides of the arch. Further, they provided a slight elevation in the back, which forced me to keep a generally form instead of starting to slouch.

Today was the first full run during which I wore my new shoes, and the difference was unbelievable! Firstly, I ran 14.5 km (~9 miles) instead of my usual 13 km (~8 miles). Secondly, I did so at a slightly faster pace than normal (about 0.2 kmh [0.12 mph] faster). Thirdly, and most importantly, I felt no pain during or after the run! Generally, my ankles and knees hurt throughout the last 25-30% of the run, and for several hours thereafter. Today, I felt refreshed and had the usual endorphin rush, without the pain that usually accompanies those two positive aspects of running.

So my run from today was:

Distance: 14.5 km (~9 miles)
Duration: 66’25”
Pace: 13 kmh (~8.1 mph) (steady)

Only time will tell how these shoes hold up, and whether or not they continue to provide the outstanding support throughout the critical areas. Overall, though, I couldn’t be happier with the shoes! I encourage any of you that are starting to get serious about running to go to a local running shop, and try on a bunch of shoes. Though the Brooks Ghost 4 shoes work wonderfully for me, they may not be the right shoe for you. Try them on until you find the one that is just right.

Cheers,
Zach

May 12 2012

New banners

I was looking through the images provided with the new default theme here, and thought that it might be better to replace them with my own images. I chose a bunch of photos that I’ve taken over the past years, cropped them to the necessary 1000×288 dimensions, and uploaded them. I love that they can be “randomly” (inasmuch as that is actually possible with a computer choosing from an array) displayed whenever a different page is accessed. Anyway, I think it’s cool that the theme allows for easy customisation of the header images, even if the 1000×288 restricts me from using some of my favourites. With a few, I just had to get a little creative with cropping. 🙂

If you want to see all of the ones that are currently available, I’ve linked them below (simply click on them for the full 1000×288 version):

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Cheers,
Zach