Not a runner? You can run 8 miles if you pay for it.

Last Saturday I ran more than eight miles.

Oh and I haven't even gone for a light jog in the past six weeks. Too sick, too busy, too cold, too hot, too busy, too sick. You name it.

And as I walked to the start line, adding up the excuses in my head, all I could say to my running buddies is: "I am SO not prepared for this."
Squished between about 7,000 people, the start gun sounded at 10:30 p.m. If the distance wasn't enough to throw me off, the timing was. Yes, I was doing a $75 midnight run to the Tower of Terror at Disney World in Orlando, Fla. First, off, I don't even like the Tower of Terror, a ride that consists of free falling in a "fright elevator."

But apart from my rusty legs getting cramped up in the last two miles, I found the Fall night air to be refreshing and Disney's over-the-top scenery to be a nice distraction from the beat of my gasping breaths. Plus, that race slapped me awake and threw me out of my running slump. I started working runs into my busy schedule again this week. Seems scheduling a race can pump some motivation into you, agrees Runner's World, which offers other Fall tips to get back on top of your training.

Still, my post-race runner's high wasn't enough to get me on this:

Bicycle! Bicycle! I want to ride my... Ouch!

I bike to school, and I don't wear a helmet. And to be truthful, body armor might be more effective. Bicyclists seem to rack up more injuries than other athletes as a whole, according to the New York Times.

And helmets may not always offer the perfect help- results of a 2007 study found when "cyclists skipped wearing helmets, drivers yielded more of the road to them while passing; if the cyclists did don their helmets, the drivers tended to crowd dangerously close."

Physical injuries have grown more severe and frequent. Chest injuries have shot up 15 percent in the past decade according to data collected by doctors at a trauma center in Denver, CO. Abdominal injuries have tripled and the average age of the injured rider moved to 30-years-old from 25-years-old. But experts remain unsure as to what is the main root of this rise in injuries. Of course the skills of surrounding drivers and bicyclists themselves factor in, but so does the surrounding community's population of commuting bikers. Check out this blog for safe and fashionable tips for your bike commute.

Google sharpens the mind?

The birth of personal computers may have tacked hours on to the time we spend sitting on our butts, but it seems searching the Internet can sharpen the mind, if not the waistline. Using search engines can stimulate "key brain regions", and might "ward off dementia and slow cognitive decline," according to National Geographic.

Though doing the crossword puzzle has a similar affect on the brain, Google-ing is less likely to bore given the Internet's expansive nature, researchers say. To discover Internet surfing spawns an increase in brain activity, researchers roped in 22 volunteers, ages 55 to 78. Participants surfed the Web for one hour every day. Half of the volunteers were Internet savvy, while the others claimed to be newbies.

After two weeks, scientists saw a jump in brain activity and a notable increase in those volunteers who initially used the Internet infrequently. So... maybe sitting in front of the computer isn't so unhealthy. Just be sure to get outside in the fresh air once in a while. To learn a bit more about the brain, give your own mind a workout with National Geographic's quiz.

Barefoot running may mean fewer injuries

At a two-mile run in my hometown last Friday, one runner stood apart in style. While fellow athletes walked around post-race in cushy running shoes, Chris stood rehydrating with nothing more than sock-like booties covering his soles.

"At 40, I’m running faster than I ever did before,” said Chris, who has run on and off for about 20 years. He began going barefoot in July 2009.

More and more people seem to be running barefoot. Though the running shoe is a popular piece of American style, some runners are arguing that a shoeless lifestyle promotes an injury free one. Some supportive research points to the low rate of knee and hip injuries in cultures that frequently lack shoes. Blogger David Sypniewski offers a post touting this point of view and other informative tips on baring your sole.

For a quick introduction for how your style changes when you switch to bare feet, tune into to insight from an instigator of the trend, Christopher McDougall who authored "Born to Run."

Flying Frisbees: New sports can lead to unexpected joys

After hitting the books for five hours, I got ready to take an unwilling break Wednesday afternoon to play Ultimate Frisbee.

By the way, Frisbee is NOT my forte.

But I'd promised a friend to fill in if there was an empty spot on her co-ed, seven-player team. And on Wednesday, "That's so fetch," (team name) needed one more female player to avoid forfeiting the match. So, surly and hating school, I tromped to the field wishing I was about to play a sport where I could actually release all of my frustration effectively... some type of non-contact sport like yoga or rock climbing. Knowing my team would be flattened by the opposition sunk my spirits. After all, winning equals fun, and it didn't look like we would be pulling for a "W".

Sure enough, we lost 2 to 7. Plus, I felt like I was going to have a heat stroke when I stumbled off the field. But, unexpectedly, playing Frisbee rewarded me with a fantastic and rejuvenating study break.

At the start of the game, our team filtered onto the field, we spoke positively of plans, passing, and wins. People introduced themselves to me and we began running around like a herd of animals tossing the disc teammate to teammate. My disgruntlement soon morphed into gratefulness that my teammates included the newbie in their Frisbee passing. I happily dove for the Frisbee, rolled in the grass and sent wobbly, short passes to my teammates.

Moral of the story: Quantity of skills doesn't determine the quality of your workout. So get out there and try a new team sport. Exercising with people can make exercise "feel less like an obligation and more like a pleasure," insists an article from North Shore Medical Center. In no time, you could be looking like this:

Energy Bars: healthy fuel or cavity-causing?

I once read about a long-distance runner who stuffed avocado and mashed potatoes into a plastic tube, squeezing it into her mouth when she needed a fuel boost on the trail. You're not alone if this grosses you out.

Still, less than palatable provisions may be a better choice when compared to your average energy bar.

Energy bars, experts say, could be causing the recent upswing in dental decay. While products such as the Clif bar only carry about 21 grams of sugar, the texture of the bar causes morsels to stick fast between your teeth. The sugar can cling to crevices between teeth until brushed or flossed away.

"The more sticky it is, the more caramel it has, the more chocolate it has, the more dried fruit it has, the more the potential is there for them to linger in your mouth," Dr. Vidya Sankar, oral medicine clinic director at the University of Texas' dental school, told running.about.com. But brushing and flossing soon after eating an energy bar can protect against decay, he added.

One of my favorites, PowerBar's PRIA in Mint Chocolate Cookie, is pretty sticky but only has 9 grams of sugar. Many energy bar producers offer reduced sugar versions, but your best friend might be the old floss and toothbrush.

Should I exercise if sick? Tebow did.

As I sat down to watch college football on Saturday night with a box of tissues and Vick's Vapor Rub, I was full of self-pity and solitude, watching the Florida Gators game alone because of a head cold.

And then I heard our starting quarterback, Tim Tebow, also had chest congestion.

So, let's see. Tebow's tearing it up on the field with flu-like symptoms while I'm stuck on the couch with the sniffles. That got me to thinking, how do you find the energy to exercise when you're up to your nose in phlegm? Or is it actually healthier to be a coughing couch potato?

Some players took IVs before the game, which can counter dehydration, both from being sick and athletic performance. Side note: Pressures on the University of Florida's baller football team and your personal fitness regime are different, so be sure to take it easy on yourself if you're feeling too sick to sweat.

Next time you find your immune system takes a slap, use Prevention's "neck check". If your congestion is above the neck and you have symptoms such as a runny nose and sore throat, grab that towel and hit the gym. Cardiovascular exercise can help to clear those sinuses, and upping your circulation can counter that feeling of sluggish pity. I know my roommate's tired of hearing, "Waaah, I'm sick.. (sniff)." But be considerate! Use anti-bacterial solution so you leave behind your sweat and not your germs on the gym equipment.

Rule of thumb: If you're feeling a fever, don't even try. You're running a temperature, not the treadmill. Just tuck yourself under the covers and have some soup or more cowbell (see video below for pop culture reference.)