2006 in Review

I'm getting ready to start a new running log for 2007, and thought I would look at 2006 to see how things totalled through today. It looks like I ran a total of 600.38 miles, over the course of about eight months solid running. I took just over a month off for the World Cup, and have been a hobbling wreck since the marathon (which has been well documented in past posts and doesn't need rehashing). My average speed for the year was 9.06 minutes per mile, which includes the whopper 11.222 average I logged during the marathon. My best race was the August Half Marathon, which came in at 1:48 for an 8.27 minute average. Good times.
I just unofficially checked my drinking log with my Do-It-yourself Liver Biopsy, and estimate that between the World Cup, turning thirty, my parents vacation, and the general state-of-affairs in Germany, I consumed 5 Billion units of alcohol. I'll try and increase that in 2007.
Which brings me to the Ipod + Nike.
I understand there are those of you out there that now own this device. I understand, also, that there are certain "Challenges" being given, certain proverbial gauntlets being thrown down. I can not say how much this thrills me, and I look forward to the many smaller races we are going to be running, in addition to the "Big One".
For those of you who don't know, the Nike + Ipod is the new running gizmo that the geniuses at Apple have designed. Microsoft tried to do something similar, but they were working exclusively with a group of Libyans who were only using used pinball machine parts. (No, Julie, you can't right-click with it. Why would you want to? Do you right click a toaster? A martini?)
It consists of a sensor, which is placed in or near the shoe, and a receiver that inserts into the iPod. It has a variety of settings that let you keep track of calories, distance, time, etc. It allows you to set goals, and it will tellyou if you beat them or not. Best of all, besides being an amazingly accurate pedometer, it automatically uploads your information onto a Nike Website every time you plug in your iPod. AND, from this very website you can track and challenge the progress of your friends...SO, hypothetically speaking, if I was in a different country than you four, we could still schedule a race between ourselves. Say a 5K some Saturday. Or, if someone is totally mad, they could set up a race to be the first one to 300 miles. Hypothetically speaking. Of course.