Photo: Caitlinator, Flickr

We talked recently about the eScale (a pricey little gadget that lets you monitor your weight on the Internet), and CafeMom is talking about using the Internet to track the steps you're taking on your walks and runs.

BeWell Miles offers a free "Map Your Route" feature that allows you to plug in your zip code, landmark, city or full address for a quickly-generated map of your area. Click on your starting point (a pink marker will appear) and keep clicking along your course until you reach your finish line. The whole time you're clicking, you'll see an updated total miles counter in the bottom left corner. Play around until you find the perfect path, and then get yourself out for a workout.

When you're done plotting, you can save your work, and you can even make it public. Might be a good way to motivate friends to pound the pavement -- map out a journey and invite them to check it out.

Or better yet, work out directions that have you meeting a buddy at a mutual destination. Fitness friends can make workouts a whole lot more fun.