You might think you're a great solo runner, and maybe you are. But when it comes to training for a specific event -- a 5K, a 10K, a marathon -- you really should consider joining a running group. It's a good source of support and motivation, and anything that keeps you going when all you want to do is sink into your couch is a good thing. Besides, it's National Running Day, so the more the merrier.

It's not hard to find the perfect running group, and Gadgetwise writer Danielle Belopotosky from The New York Times has made it even easier -- she did some digging and turned up these great discoveries.

• Road Runners Club of America -- Kristen mentioned this club earlier today. Just filter by state for classes, training schedules and a message board where you can locate running partners.
• Meetup -- search by country and zip code, and you'll find walking clubs, beginner runners groups, even triathlon groups. If you've already got a group of runners, this site can help you organize and plan meetings.
• Online groups -- Belopotsky found several sites that offer online running groups, virtual trainers and training partners. The most comprehensive of her finds are RunnersWorld, NikePlus, CoolRunning and DailyMile -- it's kind of like Twitter. You can also search Facebook for running groups.
• Charity programs -- if you're running in a charity event, like Team in Training or Team for Kids, you'll likely have access to a training program that takes you right up to race day.
• Local gyms -- ask the experts at your gym about running clubs they offer.

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On my closet door hangs a little black dress (typical, I know) that I hope fits me by my wedding anniversary in July. My major motivation for weight loss is intrinsic -- good health, achieving my goals, feeling good -- but I can't downplay the fact that I'm excited about squeezing into that slinky dress.

Weight loss, I think, is it's own motivator. As diet improves and the weight comes off, you just feel better. Energy levels improve, exercise becomes easier and you don't have to work so hard just to go through the daily process of living.

But external motivators have their place too. Looking in the mirror and liking what you see, well, that's a powerful feeling. We told you about WeightView last year, a service that lets you see yourself up to 50 pounds skinnier in just 48 hours. WeightView has gotten so popular that in January, it was the most active weight loss application on the popular social networking site Facebook.


How to lose 192 pounds in 7 seconds from PastaQueen on Vimeo.

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Like me, you've probably wasted more of your life sitting on Facebook than you'd like to admit. It's addictive and thrilling and such a complete waste of time, but that's OK because it's harmless, right?

Um, think again.

New reports are showing that Facebook is bad for your health -- in fact, it can raise your risk of cancer! Studies aside, think of it this way: If, say, you took all the time you spent snooping on your ex's profile or playing Facebook Scrabble or incessantly updating your profile and used that time to lift weights, go for a run, do yoga or even cook a healthy meal, think about how fit you'd be right now! It boggles the mind.

I'm not saying you should quit Facebook cold turkey, but you should consider giving up some Facebook time for something a bit more physically healthy. Myself, I refuse to get on the computer until I've gone for a run or at least done some sit-ups, and it works pretty well.

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My Facebook (FB) life exploded over the last month as past and current acquaintances came out of the woodwork and we're all 'electronic friends' again. Some are extremely active FBers, others could care less and hardly log on. I haven't become a full-blown FB addict, but I'm undeniably spiraling downward.

I soak up the nostalgia of reconnecting with old friends and LOL at the lightning fast sarcastic banter with close friends I don't see nearly enough. But what I really like about Facebook is when my fellow FBers wrap their diet and fitness plans in their daily status. "Off to the gym to lift, then it's sushi time." "I really need my Pilates today." "I promise not to carbo-load at lunch." Those status reports inspire my workouts, my eating, my hydration.

Is it just me or does your social networking hub motivate you toward healthier goals? Guessing it might, you're already hanging around That's Fit.

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Do social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook put youth in "mental risk?" At least one London-based psychiatrist thinks so. Dr. Himanshu Tyagi thinks kids who have grown up with the internet and who frequent social networking sites may have a skewed view of how true social interaction works. He warns that kids involved with social networking may place less value on their real lives and that this can lead to impulsive behavior.

Of social networking sites, Tyagi says "It's a world where everything moves fast and changes all the time, where relationships are quickly disposed at the click of a mouse, where you can delete your profile if you don't like it, and swap an unacceptable identity in the blink of an eye for one that is more acceptable."

Other experts disagree. While most concur that overuse of social networking sites can be harmful, some experts like psychologist Graham Jones feel that moderate use is perfectly healthy. In Jones' opinion, many people who use social networking sites tend to be quite social in their real lives as well. Their online presence is just an extension of their real-life social behavior.

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Recently, my son's fourth grade class had been learning about bullying. They've had several continuing lessons on the subject and I think it's a great thing. There are kid-drawn posters all over the school describing exactly what bullying is such as name calling, trying to make another kid feel bad, ganging up on one kid, and being intimidating. It's good for the kids to get specific examples so they know when they're being bullied and also so they know if they are being a bully themselves. I know that my son has fallen on both sides of the spectrum. He used to go to an after-school program where one kid in particular bullied him mercilessly. On the other hand, I've seen him interact with kids on sports teams and at the park and he can be a bit of a bully himself by being bossy and demanding -- but he doesn't realize it until I point it out so he can learn. I think that's the case for most kids when they're young. Sometimes they're bullied and sometimes they become the bully themselves. It's a natural part of learning how to behave socially. And it's up to teachers and parents to help kids learn and to make sure things don't get out of control. But sometimes, like in the case of Billy Wolfe, they do get out of control.

Bethany recently wrote about the case on ParentDish. Billy is a 16-year-old that's been dealing with extreme bullying since he was 12. He's been beaten up (they even have video of it), he's received mean phone calls, and there's even a Facebook site titled "Everyone that hates Billy Wolfe." His parents are finally fed up with the situation and they're suing one of the kids that has been bullying him and they may decide to sue the school district as well.

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What if your insurance premiums reflected the things you wrote on social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, or LiveJournal? Or worse: what if an insurer denied coverage altogether because of your blog? That is the situation a New Jersey court will be deciding on in regards to a pair of girls with eating disorders.

The concept being debated is whether or not these online expressions should be available for review by insurance companies. A class action lawsuit was brought against one insurer for not picking up the claim to treat anorexia and bulimia for two teenagers. The companies say that things posted online, diaries and even emails should be fair game.

How do these things relate to health insurance anyway? Well, these two cases are references a mental illness. For coverage to be extended, the illnesses have to be biologically based -- not peer pressured or externally influenced. A girl's MySpace, for example, may be able to give them an idea on how "biological" their daughter's bulimia is. However the parents don't think that is fair. People have been saying to be careful about what you put online. It is a situation like this which makes you understand what they were referring to.

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MySpace, Facebook, cell phones, chat rooms, text messaging, instant messaging, the Internet at large -- today's parents of teens have a lot of issues to deal with that previous generations never needed to. It can be scary trying to draw appropriate boundaries while still giving your teen room to breathe. Social networking sites like MySpace have long drawn criticism for being a playground for inappropriate behavior and putting kids at risk for sexual solicitation or harassment.

A new study of just over 1,588 10 to 15-year-olds found that, while 25% of these kinds of incidents do happen on social networking sites, the risk is far higher in chat rooms and during text messaging. The study's author believes that this means we should concentrate less on the format of the technology and more on empowering kids to use these new high-tech playgrounds appropriately.

But some are poking holes in her theory, saying that the kids she polled were too young. Facebook and MySpace don't allow kids under 13 and 14 to join, so it's possible that many children in her study have yet to be exposed to this sort of thing.

All I have to say is that I'm glad that I have a few years before this becomes an issue at our house! What do you parents of teens think?

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For any parent out there who has seen any of those To Catch a Predator shows about adults posing as teenagers online in order to make friends and more with unsuspecting kids, this news may be a bit unsettling. Apparently, teens contacted online by total strangers aren't overly concerned about the people attempting to chat with them, and don't question their motives.

According to the report, 44% of teenagers who have posted a profile or pictures of themselves online at social networking sites like facebook and myspace have been contacted by someone they don't know, compared with only 6% of those who do not have profiles. Furthermore, most of those kids aren't worried about why they're being contacted.

I know that when I was a teenager there was no way I would have been allowed to post any information about myself online, and I also think that I would have been freaked out if a total stranger stopped by to say hello. I suppose times do change though and now that these networking sites are the norm, kids are probably more used to making contacts with strangers online. Hopefully, they're being savy about it as well.

What do you parents out there think about your kids making 'friends' with strangers online?

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Who out there has become a Facebook 'addict'? It's tough for many to not go overboard adding photos and searching out friends from high school and earlier. I think it's fun to see what everyone is up to and have the chance to send quick notes to say hello.

But quick notes don't equal a real, lasting friendship and the study reported on here discusses how those who use social networking sites and 'collect' dozens upon dozens of friends, will likely not be able to forge any true relationships with the friends they make on the site.

A real friend is someone who will be there for you physically and emotionally when you're in need. They'll make you laugh and keep you company when you're feeling lonely. The people you meet on Facebook you may never even see face-to-face, so if you're joining these kind of sites in the hopes of making new friends, it may be a better idea to join a local recreational sports team or hobby group.

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