(As a follow up to Tim Wasson's 'An Apple a Day' fitness plan, I thought I'd share my experience on how the Nike+ iPod kit helped me lose weight.)

It's high noon in Los Angeles on a late May Sunday. But this isn't your typical Sunday. You see, I'm about to finish my first ever marathon. As I make my way toward the finish line, I hear the roar of thousands of spectators cheering me on. For those who have yet to experience this, I tell them that there's no other feeling like it -- one where thousands of people, who know nothing about you, are willing you to finish the final meters of a 26.2 mile race. As I make my way toward finish line, I think of everything that led up to this moment, and how much running has changed my life.

But I don't think I'd have made it this far had it not been for the Nike+ iPod kit; for by changing the running experience, it's also changed my feelings about running.

In a review of Nike+iPod today, Mike Vella of BusinessWeek gives the combination a good review saying the unit is easy-to-use and accurate, despite it's lack of a heart rate monitor. Me, I'm not in love with the idea of a glorified pedometer. If you can't use it on a bike and it assumes your strides are consistent and it doesn't work with my 5G Video iPod, it's not the right equipment for me. I'm still waiting for something more along the lines of an iPod+Garmin combo with real maps, real GPS, and all. With a nice virtual personal trainer and customizable workouts. That's not too much to ask for, is it? Especially with, say, an iPhone with built-in GPS so that there's nothing to stick into or onto your shoes. Besides, I prefer New Balance which I could use with the optional Marware shoe adapter.

According to Wired News, the iPod + the Nike sports kit == Big Trouble if you're a spy. A University of Washington reports that "tech-savvy stalkers, thieves and corporations" can possibly track your movements when using the Nike/iPod kit.

The iPod/Nike mashup allows you to track your training progress with a special pair of Nike sneakers that transmits workout data to your iPod nano. The RFID device in the shoes essentially turns your sneakers into a portable radio station, transmitting your location as well as your jogging stats.

The signal can be picked up up to 60 feet away and can apparently be tracked by any Nike+iPod receiver. Since your sneaks give out a unique ID, your signal can be differentiated from other people and you alone can be targeted for surveillance.

In other news, fluoridated water allows mind control of the masses.