Side projects and running

Yesterday I started work on a new Android project, to pass some time and to create something which I, and hopefully others, will find useful. It's going to be an editor for GPS files which allows you to create, edit and share routes, using gpx (GPS exchange format) files. With the help of a friend, it's already made good progress in to something really lacking in features and polish, but still usable.

The image above is a screenshot showing what's implemented so far. Routes can be drawn by tapping the touch-screen to add a new waypoint and altered by dragging-and-dropping existing waypoints. Something I may also implement, if I can find out an elegant way to do it, is selecting points by a long press and then giving the option to, say, delete it.

Right now we're working through a to-do list and turning this into something which may eventually end up on the Android Market. Just after starting it, though, I'll be putting it on hold for a few days while I go off to stay with family on the other side of the country. Hopefully the weather stays reasonable, because I'll be taking my hiking boots, running shoes and, maybe, bike. It'll be great to just chill out, explore new places, and unwind for a few days.

I'm almost halfway there in my 100 mile challenge; I've covered 47.5 miles so far in the past 13 days. I've been running so much lately that I'm not racking up the miles as fast as I would be if I were cycling. My running is certainly improving though; both in speed and endurance. My technique is beginning to get more consistent as well, which is helping me to pace myself.

C#, Surface and Running

Since my last post I've taken up running. I've bought new shoes, fought through some hiking blisters and learned that I need to smarten up and pace myself. Running never really appealed to me before, but that was largely because I sucked at it. I'd put on any pair of trainers and head out without any consideration for progression and form. It was really an oversight on my part, because I've had experience with weightlifting which taught me to put an emphasis on proper form and planned workouts aimed at making progress.

I wish I was there again...

I'm addressing all of these issues now though and for the past week have been starting to carefully build up a base of fitness. Walking and cycling over the past few weeks has improved my fitness but I still need to ease my body into this, especially as running is more of an "impact" sport than cycling. My running trainers are comfortable and provide just as much support as I need, being flat footed. I've not yet ran over 2 miles in a single session, instead focusing on starting small and building my distance up slowly. After this post is finished I'll be heading out for another, while there is a break in the rain.

I'm a week into my 100 mile challenge and I've already covered 29 miles. Feels good.

In my fourth year of university I'll be undertaking a solo project which accounts for a significant part of my degree. Although I'm still discussing and arranging the details, I'm most likely going to be working with Microsoft Surface, Microsoft's touch-screen tabletop computing system. It's a technology completely new to me and I'm excited about working with it.

Of course, that means learning to develop for it, which also requires me to learn C# (C sharp), a language I've got no experience with. So far I've had no difficulty with it; it's so alike to other languages that I've used before. It has some small details though which I really like.

One of these is "Properties". Properties provide easy encapsulation without the need to explicitly call accessor and mutator methods. Whereas encapsulation in Java requires that for a private variable foo you create and use methods getFoo and setFoo, C# allows you to do the following:

public class Nyan

{

    private int foo;

    public int Foo

    {

        get { return foo; }

        set { foo = value; }

    }

}

Although the definition is similar to that in Java, it means you can access foo through the Foo property, like so:

x = Nyan.Foo;

Nyan.Foo = 15;

It's a minor detail, but it's an idea I really like.

The weather has it in for me

Port Glasgow, looking across the Clyde

I just walked five miles, most of it in the rain, to reach my goal of 50 miles, a week early! As I sit in my room looking out of the window, an hour after arriving home, I cannot see a cloud in the sky. This has been a common occurrence lately, with the bad weather coinciding with my decisions to go for a walk.

The recent rain has taken it's toll in the areas I walk, with tracks submerged under muddy water or slippery. Even when it isn't raining, my hiking boots are still getting soaked. I've not been mountain biking lately as a result; not because I dislike riding in the rain, I really don't mind it, but I cannot really be bothered to clean my bike afterwards. Hopefully things dry up again soon and I can head back out into the hills by bicycle.

With a week still to go, I've reached the goal I set myself of walking 50 miles (exercise; not including walking to/from work, shops etc.) in a month. It was an enjoyable challenge and motivated me to head out into the hills more. The exercise certainly helped me, and it's encouraged me to get back into mountain biking as well.

Carrying on from the previous challenge, I'm going to set myself another. Starting tomorrow, I'm setting myself the goal of walking, running and mountain biking 100 miles in a month (finishing on September 17th). As before, this won't include commuting. I'm really going to have to rely on my bike to rack up mileage this time around.

Really, 100 miles in a month is nothing. Heck, two years ago I'd cycle that in a week! I'll get back there, sooner or later...

33/50

Looking across the Clyde, from the Greenock Cut

Since I set my goal of walking 50 miles in a month, I've walked almost 33. I've got over 2 weeks to go, so I see myself reaching this goal easily. Were it not for foot ailments which set me back a bit last week, I'd be very close to finishing already. It's not all bad though; a short break from walking gave me the chance to get back into mountain biking. My strength in the saddle is slowly increasing; I'll be sprinting up hills again in a couple of months!

Yesterday I walked the Greenock Cut, an aqueduct which runs around the hills behind Greenock. It was a good 8 mile hike and it stayed dry for most of the walk. I've lost count of how many times I've been around the cut (either by foot or bike), but yesterday was possibly the first time I did the entire walk clockwise. It was pleasant; from a distance, Greenock looks quite agreeable. Part of the trail overlooks what was my high school. It's hard to believe it's been 5 years since I finished there - time has fair flown by.

The weather forecast looks quite reasonable tomorrow and I'm hoping to get a walk in on my lunch break. I've been walking around Kelvin Park quite a bit this summer and it's amazing how quiet it gets on wet or overcast days. I've seen it going from packed on a sunny day, with not an unoccupied bench in sight, to completely empty the next; just because of a light shower.

Tomorrow will be the start of my remaining three weeks at work. It's been an interesting summer, although I'm already getting a taste of adventure for my short break afterwards. I'm planning a couple of camping trips and breaks away. Arran will definitely be visited, just so I can finally hike Goat Fell and get it off my to-do list. Depending on what else is in the area, I may camp in the glen and do something the next day as well. Inspired by something I was reading earlier, wild camping with a couple of Munros in the Crianlarich area is also a possibility. I have three weeks to decide...