Friday Favorites: Running Edition!

Here's what I'm loving this week- all running inspired for my upcoming race on Sunday!! My brother helped me change my flight to early tomorrow morning from rdu instead of clt so I could be at my house when my passport card came so now I'm completely, 100% ready for this race! I'm just taking it easy tonight so I thought I would share some of the things that are going to get me through those 13.1 miles on Sunday!

 

Nike Racer Women's Tank Tops

 

 

Ok so it wasn't until this past summer I felt completely comfortable running in a tank outside but these are the best! I am a sweater when I run (I know, gross but I blame my genes… haha) but these never feel heavy or make me feel gross like many other running tops/tanks I've tried over the past few years! I love them! I love it even more when I can find some cute ones on sale at the Nike outlets too haha! These are great with compression capris or my running skirts so they are perfect for any running occasion!

Nike Lunarelite +2

These shoes are my bffs when I run.  I've been wearing these shoes for nearly 3 years now (uhh not the same pair, duh) and I love all the fun colors! I'm currently wearing my yellow ones but they are on their last few races so I have my orange ones ready and waiting once I am done with Detroit! I like to have 2 pairs of shoes going at the same time so when it's time to switch, there's no new shoe break-in period! These shoes are a godsend for my feet and ooooh I love them! 

Lock Laces

Well, if you know anything about me you know how much I hate shoe laces and having to untie/re-tie them whenever I run.  Well, I learned about these during one of my past races (I think PHM2013?) and they are amazing! These laces are kind of elasticized and provide a bit of compression on the tops of your feet.  I love how much more secure my feet feel in my shoes with these new laces.  I'm not going to lie, I was a little intimidated when I first got these, trying to figure out how to lace my shoes (ugh I hate doing that!) but with the little youtube instructional video, it wasn't that hard and they look and feel great on my shoes! I have the black ones on my current yellow/grey lunar elites and I have the red ones on my orange lunar elites (go hokies!). Love them!

Gu Energy

OK, so I know I'm not supposed to "love" this stuff but it really just keeps me going in these long races! They taste horrendous but over the years I've gotten the talent where I can suck those little packets down without even having to taste it/touch my tongue so I'm good to go every 45 minutes! I usually take one every 45 mins but whenever I am at a water station so I can chug some water after since they always make me thirsty! My favorite flavors are the lemon sublime and the tri-berry.  I love that the tri-berry has caffeine so I try to save that one for the second half of my race to push me through the end! PS the espresso option is pretty tasty too as well as the orange one!!! I usually love the Gu Chomps but lately I've been all about my Gu Energy gels!

SparkleSkirts

So I am totally a girl when I run and I love running in these oh so comfortable running skirts! I love how there are so many pockets that I don't need to wear my running belt/spibelt to hold my phone  and there are great pockets in the compression shorts underneath that I can put some kleenex and my chapstick and Gu packets! Not to mention, they are super cute! I will be sporting the beautiful red option below this weekend, I can't wait! Hoping it brings me luck for another PR!

Sweaty Bands

I discovered these bad boys when I did my first Princess HM back in 2011.  I love them and they keep all my hair out of my face when I run, especially after sweating through the first few miles! They are way cute as well- I picked up a couple of the PHM13 special edition ones and I love the glitters ones but my favorite has to be my Greek/sorority letters one! They don't slide or slip off my hair when I run and that is the most important thing!

 Eminem

I feel like his music got me through a lot of my tough training runs.  Maybe I just have an excess of his songs on my playlist since I will be running in Detroit and all but still.  Love it.  My brother once ran into him in Panera once and ever since I want to "run into him" every damn time I go to Detroit to "visit my brother" haha but seriously. Lose Yourself is my jam for this race!

(ps. that bridge you see in the beginning of the video- yeah that's the Ambassador Bridge into Windsor, Canada and I'll be running on it Sunday morning!!!) 

Best of Playlist Wednesday!

Well, I'm getting really close to my race and it just dawned on me during my run this past Sunday morning that I haven't updated my running playlist since JULY! How insane is that? I am definitely going to need help with some suggestions for new additions before I leave on the 17th for my race! I desperately need to update and any suggestions in the genres of Calvin Harris or Jay-Z/Eminem would be greatly appreciated!

Also, it literally hit me when I was driving home from work that I'm running the Detroit International Half Marathon in ELEVEN DAYS. Ohhh, no big deal… I don't even know what I'm going to wear! Crazy!

In lieu of new songs to share, because let's be real, there haven't been new additions to the playlist in nearly 2.5 months so I thought why not do a 'best of' post! Here are some of my favorites that I can't seem to get rid of off my playlist and will definitely get me through this last week and half before my big race:

• Lose Yourself- Eminem
• Does this song really need any explanation? "Success is my only motherf-ing option, failure's not."
• Heaven is a Place on Earth- Belinda Carlisle
• This song has literally been on my running playlist since I ran my first half marathon back in 2011! Love it and love the 80s!
• Forever- Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne & Eminem
• Ahhh another favorite that's been on my playlist since 2010! I think I fell in love with Drake and all his emotions back when I first heard this song so I love running to this one!
• American Boy (feat. Kanye West)- Estelle
• I just love how damn catchy this song is! I tend to sing aloud when I run and this is definitely a fun song that I just love!
• DJ Got Us Fallin' In Love (feat. Pitbull)- Usher
• ummm, this song takes me back to things from fall 2010 but I try to ignore those silly thoughts and just enjoy my Ursher and upbeat music! This song never fails to get me going during a run!
• Hold It Against Me- Britney Spears
• OK, say what you want about Britney but this song is pure genius. I mean "You feel like paradise, and I need a vacation tonight"-- lyrical amazingness. I love having Britney on my playlist but this has definitely been a staple since her last album came out! 
• Feel so Close- Calvin Harris
• I am pretttty obsessed with Calvin Harris. His music is one of my favorites for my running playlists but this song is definitely one of my favorites!
• I'm Real (feat. Ja Rule) [Murder Remix featuring Ja Rule]- J.Lo feat. Ja Rule
• I don't care what people think about Ja Rule. I've been obsessed with this song since I was 15 and I love having this song on my running playlist! 
• What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)- Kelly Clarkson
• This song really needs no explanation! It is just a great song to keep me motivated and encourages me to keep pushing through whatever negative thoughts and feelings and accomplish my goal.
• Glamorous (Feat. Ludacris)- Fergie
• Well, this is just for fun! I love Ludacris so this is mainly for his portion in this song but I love how ridiculous it is too!
• Mowtown Philly- Boyz II Men
• Every time I hear this song, without a doubt I think of that one episode of Full House where Stephanie messed up in her dance recital to this song. This is another one I love to sing out loud when I run and always get funny looks haha!
• We Found Love (feat. Calvin Harris)- Rihanna
• Oh Calvin Harris, you musical genius! I'm not a huge Riri fan but I love this song. 
• Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell Williams)- Daft Punk 
• OK, so this song is a newer addition from this past spring/early summer but I'm pretty obsessed with this song and anything with Pharrell so it's an overall winner in my eyes!
• Only Girl (In the World)- Rihanna
• Again, not the biggest Riri fan but there's just something about this song that it never left my running playlist since October 2010! So catchy to sing along with as well!
• Sweet Nothing (feat. Florence Welch)- Calvin Harris
• Ok, I swear, last Calvin Harris song.  Florence Welch just has the most amazing voice and totally makes this song amazing and addictive. I can't help but singing along whenever I hear it so you can imagine how I am when I hear it on my running playlist!

 

Playlist Wednesday!

SO this week was the start of my Detroit International HM training! My body is definitely feeling it and my shins/ITBS are killing me on my left side but hopefully using my foam roller and The Stick will help my sore muscles.  I am working with my 5 mile base so hopefully that I have my endurance down, I can work on my speed.  Detroit is a long ways away so I know I have plenty of time!

Here is what I'm loving on my playlist this week! 

• Heartless- Kanye West
• I have been on an old school Kanye binge lately and I am LOVING his 808s & Heartbreak album from 2008! 3 songs from that album are on this week's playlist especially thanks to my Ursher pandora station for bringing those songs back into my life! This one is definitely one that I have to be in the mood to listen to when I run but once I'm in the groove, this is perfect.
• Amazing (feat. Young Jeezy)- Kanye West
• This is another great Kanye song but I have to be in the perfect running mood for me not to skip/shuffle this song!
• Love Lockdown- Kanye West
• Again, another Kanye favorite of mine! Definitely check this one out- it was probably my favorite on his 808s & Heartbreak album.  I definitely needed this one during my 5+mile run last night!
• Aint it Funny- JLo & Ja Rule
• Ahhhhhh I wish so bad Ja Rule didn't play with guns and paid his taxes so he could make pure gold music like this song with J.Lo again. I love this song- definitely from JLo's sassier time in life and sometimes, I think this song is like perfect for the stage of life I'm going through.  Early 2000s JLo really spoke to me and still to this day I have the majority of her first music album on my running playlist (these remixes too!).
• Hips Don't Lie feat. Wyclef Jean- Shakira
• This one definitely takes me back to college when my bff drunkenly serenaded me after one too many margaritas at our favorite Mexican restaurant! Seriously, we had fun in college. Haha ANYways- I love this song on my running playlist- I know all the words so it's not uncommon to hear me singing this during a particularly long run!

proof these playlists are doing their job-- stats from my very first training run last night for the Detroit International Half Marathon

What are you listening to this week??

Wednesday Playlist!

So I've been back and running more consistently the past couple weeks and I start my Detroit International Half Marathon training plan next week (look out for a post coming with my training plan) sooo I really need to get my playlist updated with some more/new songs.  I updated my old playlist over the weekend to add some of the new songs I downloaded but I'm still hoping to make some changes in the next few weeks! Here are some of my new (&old) favorites this week:

• Little Black Dress- Sara Bareilles
• love love love this song! One of my girlfriends told me about Sara Bareilles' new album streaming on iTunes last week and told me about this song so I naturally became obsessed and now have it on repeat! Love it for building my speed up on my runs!
• Remember the Name (feat. Styles of Beyond)- Fort Minor
• So I heard this on Pandora for the past few weeks and I have been meaning to download it and finally did over the weekend! I know this isn't technically a "new" song but it is to me- perfect beat for running and keeping me going during my longer runs!
• Can't Hold Us (feat. Ray Dalton)-Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
• AH I love this song.  I've just recently discovered Macklemore (I'm behind on the times, right???) but I am obsessed. I love this song to run to and it really just keeps me motivated and my spirits up during a longer run because after the first 45 minutes, I am always ready to quit.  Usually once I get through 60 minutes, the time/distance doesn't seem overwhelming but that sliver of time between 45 minutes and 60minutes is always the hardest for me for any run/race, etc.
• Fantasy (Remix)- Mariah Carey & ODB
• This has literally been a staple in my life since I was what, 9-10 years old? MC's Daydream album was the first tape I ever got (didn't start getting cds until I was 16) and I played it so much that the tape eventually wouldn't play. I think I still have the old tape case in my old bedroom at my parents' house! So this remix- it's pretty much amazing. I love the remix especially because it includes some classic 90s rap and parts of one of my all time favorite songs! Definitely add it to your playlist- your running/workout life will never be the same!
• The Fear [Explicit]- Lily Allen
• Oooh another older song! I just love the beat of this song.  It's a nice break from my rap/r&b heavy playlist.  I love the femininity of this song and Lily Allen has an amazing voice! Definitely check out the link and see if it's something that would mesh well with your playlists!

What are your favorite songs of the moment??

Wine Wednesday…Ooops I mean, Playlist Wednesday!

Hah, it's been a couple weeks since I've done a Playlist Wednesday post but I haven't really had a good run since July 3rd (only power walking with Rusty. I decided that no matter how sick/upset my stomach was or how exhausted I was- today was the day I break out of my running slump and that was all thanks to some of my favorite songs on my old running playlist from June (BTW I desperately need to update my playlist so look out for some hopefully new tunes next week). Oh yeah, I miss Wine Wednesdays with my girlfriends. Being a serious adult is no fun sometimes..

• Bulletproof- La Roux
• I am literally obsessed with this song. It's always a great song whenever you just need to be like 'screw you, I'm better than this' with an old bf or some db you've been dating. I've had this on my running playlist since Summer 2010 and I'm sure it'll be on it for a while longer too!
• Tonight I'm Getting Over You Remix- Carly Rae Jepsen ft. Nicki Minaj
• Ahhh, definitely check this one out- my new obsession! I love this Carly Rae Jepson's voice and this song is so catchy! As much as I don't want to admit it, I really like the remix with Nicki Minaj so much better than the original version!
• Between Me and You- Ja Rule ft. Christina Milian
• Do I really need to re-explain my love of Ja Rule and his 'music' ??? Seriously. 
• Hot In Herre- Nelly
• oh this is a throwback from Summer 2002 but it is totally appropriate this week and WHO doesn't love Nelly? Crazy people I'm sure.
• My Place ft. Jaheim- Nelly
• another addition from my Ursher Pandora addiction! I love all these old songs!
• Kisses Down Low- Kelly Rowland
• This song is so dirty but I really was able to get in a groove when I was running and this song came on! If you like r&b for running like me, then put this on your playlist asap!

What are you listening to this week??

Playlist Wednesday!

Here are the songs I'm into this week for all my runs:

• I Love It (feat. Charli XCX)- Icona Pop
• OK so you probs know this song from that GD annoying commercial on tv (I don't even remember what it was for even) but it's so catchy when I run! It just makes me want to let loose and just run without holding back and have fun in life! 
• Drinking from the Bottle (feat. Tinie Tempah)- Calvin Harris
• This one is super catchy! I had a block of Calvin Harris play straight on my iPod during my 5K this past Saturday and I fell in love.  I really love this song for running and just life in general. Listen to it, love it.
• Young, Wild & Free (feat. Bruno Mars)- Snoop Dog & Wiz Khalifa
• I'm not sure if I've featured this song on here before but it's so ridiculous.  This song is promoting a lot of things I don't approve of (other than the alcohol because let's be honest, I highly support alcohol consumption in a legal and responsible manner) but I still enjoy it's catchiness!
• Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)- Jay-Z
• Love this song.  I am pretty sure it's a re-make of an older song but it just gives me a feel-good feeling haha! Not super descriptive but definitely check out the link and tell me what you think! I love this song! AND I love JayZ, who doesn't??
• So Bad- Eminem
• I love this Eminem song! I keep hearing it on my Usher Pandora station and all week I've been obsessed with it to the point of rapping along hahaha! I mean, you don't listen to Eminem for clean lyrics or PC words/phrases but I love him and I love this song! Listen to it, love it!!

What are you listening to this week??

Playlist Wednesday (a day late!)

OK so I am FINALLY getting back into running after almost a month of injury and infections and viruses.  Let's be honest, my body was not too happy with the way I treated it in April (90+ miles, 3 PR races, etc.).  I started back with short 30-45 minute treadmill runs so I can get my heart rate up and slowly build my endurance back up! I have some exciting races planned for this summer and fall and I want to be on the top of my game when those races arrive!

Without further ado, here is the return of Playlist Wednesday (a day late since my life this week is OOC) and the highlight of what I'm listening to this week:

• Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell Williams)- Daft Punk
• This song was found on a fluke when I was perusing the iTunes Top Singles list the other day! I love it and I'm always down for anything with Pharrell! It's a new addition to my running playlist so I still need to hear it a few more times to figure out my groove with the beat and running!
• No Church In the Wild (feat. Frank Ocean & The-Dream)- Jay-Z & Kanye West
• Sooo, I was delirious one night and totally downloaded The Great Gatsby soundtrack in the middle of the night a few weeks ago. This song is in a lot of the previews (and a commercial too I think?) but it's great if you like rap songs when you run! I love the beat to this and its like OTP Jay&Kanye are reunited once again!
• A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)- Fergie, Q-Tip, & GoonRock
• This too is from The Great Gatsby soundtrack I downloaded a few weeks ago in an insomniac rage. I love this song! It's so true, a little party  never killed anybody! Every time I hear this when I run, I just want to have a dance party and drink champagne!
• Feel This Moment (feat. Christina Aguilera)- Pitbull
• Now, let me just say for the record, I do not listen to Pitbull recreationally but I heard this song on the radio couple weeks ago and it's so freaking perfect for running! I love the upbeat parts of the song that it just makes me want to sprint during those parts! Maybe it'll be my speedwork song?? PS Christina sounds so AMAZING in this song!!
• 22- Taylor Swift
• I know I'll regret this later but it is so damn catchy! I love singing along with the chorus when I run haha! Sometimes, I do wish I could act like I'm 22 again!

What's your favorite running/workout song this week??

Playlist Friday??

So, you probably were wondering what happened to this week's Playlist Wednesday? WELL, yesterday was my mom's birthday so I was hanging out with my family all evening when I got home from work so the post never made it up and work has been wearing me out this week! But good news, this week's playlist is here now! GET EXCITED! This week's playlist is inspired by my half marathon PR this past Sunday and here are my favorite 13 songs from my Divas Half Marathon playlist!

• I Do Not Hook Up- Kelly Clarkson
• Clearly I love this song for so many reasons! Kelly Clarkson's song just make me feel so empowered haha, I love it!
• Independent Women Part 1- Destiny's Child
• Again, this song makes me feel invincible! I loved hearing this during my race and gave me that extra pick-me-up after the dreaded nosebleed that slowed me down so much!
• Come Clean- Hilary Duff
• OK every time I hear this song I think of everyone's favorite MTV show of the early 2000s (any Laguna Beach lovers like me??!) and I always sing it out loud! My half marathon was no exception! 
• Let's Go (feat. Ne-Yo)- Calvin Harris
• Again, anything Calvin Harris always makes me speed up in my running intervals and this song seriously helped me so much during my HM.  I was hoping to hear the Elie Goulding& Calvin Harris song but if you can imagine, that song never came on during my run! UGH why did I add so many songs to my playlist??!
• Fighter- Christina Aguilera
• This song always got me going when I was in law school and before finals so I thought this would be a great addition to my HM playlist and it was! What a great life decision adding this song was! It made me literally fight through the pain of blisters on the bottoms of my feet and keep going to the finish!
• Dirrty- Christina Aguilera feat. Redman
• Haha, I have no words for this song other than unlike my other rap songs, this video needs you to verify your age before it will let you watch haahah
• Encore- Eminem
• Eminem is hands down the best for any running playlist!
• Cupid Chokehold- Gym Class Heroes
• I was OBSESSED with this song back in 2006 and I love that I remembered to add it to my playlist!
• Your Body- Christina Aguilera 
• Now, this is a new one of hers. Relatively new- came out about 6-7 mos ago but it's so freaking catchy and Christina is sounding AMAZING again!
• What's Luv- Fat Joe ft Ashanti
• What ever happened to Fat Joe? Didn't he lose a lot of weight?? I love Ashanti in this one- and I love how sassy she is in Army Wives this season!
• Tik Tok- Ke$ha
• Ke$ha Ke$ha Ke$ha, what a hot mess. And I love it. Who wouldn't love hearing &subsequently singing all the nonsensical lyrics??! "Woke up feeling like p.diddy.." haha amazing.
• Dirty Dancing- NKOTB
• OK, I just have to say 2 things: DONNIE. WAHLBERG. Please do yourself a favor and click on the link, watch the video, and oogle at that beautiful old man that I love.  I will always remember him as my first crush EVER in LIFE when I was tiny and I never forgot him.  He's like been the backbone of getting NKOTB back together in 2008 for one of the best cds ever (The Block-- this song was on that cd) and even now with their new cd and all of it's amazingness. And he's so beautiful even for an old man. Love him.
• One Moment in Time- Whitney Houston
• Last but not least, I just feel the need to share how much I love this song.  I find it so inspirational when I run even though it's not super upbeat. Listen to the lyrics (it was written/performed for the 1988 Summer Olympics)- it really does help me during my races and forces me to realize that this is my time to run the best time possible and to give everything I have for that race! 

 

Enjoy!

Divas Half Marathon N. Myrtle Beach Preview!

Soooo I technically should be sleeping since my mom is (lonng story) picking up Rusty in a few hours on their way back to Danville so I don't have to board him this weekend but I choose to blog and do my nails instead! I already ate a few handfuls of cheez-its and a mini Luna Bar I found when I was unpacking my bags from Florida (um. yeah, Florida as in 2 months ago..).  I skipped dinner (and lunch come to think of it) since I was so busy today! I ended up staying at work a little later than usual so I could get all my work done so it wouldn't fall onto someone else while I am gone and then picking up Rusty from daycare took forever since I was right smack in the middle of Greensboro rush hour traffic!

I finally "finished" packing minus a few things after I get ready in the morning! I am going to try and get in a quick 30 min run before I pack the car and head to Myrtle Beach.  I am pretty excited to just be at the beach! I am so pale for an Indian person it is no laughing matter! OH and I have a half marathon on Sunday, NBD. Actually, I'm pretty relaxed about this race and know that I just need to keep up with my intervals and I just re-did my running playlist so hopefully I can get a MAJOR PR. <-- that is all I am going to say about that because I do not want to jinx anything!

I know I overpacked but OH WELL. I'm driving so I don't have to worry about excess luggage!
Look out for some sporadic posts and this weekend, the Sunday recipe will be replaced by another food-related experience just because I won't get back in town until pretty late and lets be honest, I am looking forward to a computer free weekend! I'll still have my iPad and my smartphone so I'll have some surprises posted throughout the weekend!

I really am going to miss this cutiepie while I'm gone!!!



I'll leave this post with a new favorite quote I received from Runner's World Quote of the Day emails. I love the message that runners come in all shapes and sizes but all that matters at the end of the day is the drive and passion a person has for running! I'm not the runner I used to be back in 2011 but I'm slowly getting back to that place but this just makes me think that all that is important is maintaining the passion for running that I've held onto for the past (nearly) 4 years!



Anyone have exciting plans for the weekend? Who's racing this weekend and where?

Playlist Wednesday- 10K Edition!

Better late than never right? I've had a few emotionally draining days and on top of all of that, my allergies have been so bad I can hardly breathe/keep my eyes open! I swear, pollen is the worst… ANYways, onto the playlist for today!

Because of my 10K PR this past weekend, I'm expanding today's playlist to my top 10 songs from my 10K playlist! A lot of these songs got me through the 10K when I was so hot and I felt like I couldn't breathe because of all of the pollen in Danville. This list clearly has no theme and really is just a hodgepodge of some great songs for running!

• Pursuit of Happiness (Extended Steve Aoki Remix) (feat. MGMT & Ratatat)- Kid Cudi
• found this on the Pavement Runner's Thursday playlist post a few weeks back and I was instantly hooked.  It is a remix of Kid Cudi's song that came out a few years ago.  I loved the original version and never realized that this remixed existed until last week. Granted, there is some bad language but what rap song doesn't? Love the message of this song too, especially when I do my long runs!
• I Need Your Love (feat. Ellie Goulding)- Calvin Harris
• I just watched the video of this song (seriously, click the link- aren't  Ellie & Calvin the cutest thing ever together?? I want them to be dating in real life) and it's pretty much amazing.  I fell in love with/became obsessed with Calvin Harris the past month or so with his newest cd and I may or may not have downloaded his entire cd from iTunes in an insomnia, delirious state the other night...
• Chris Cox Megamix- Britney Spears
• Amazing. This remix was originally on Britney's greatest hits: my prerogative cd back in 2004.  I love love love remixes and this is the perfect mix of all of my favorite Britney songs.  I love how they even made Britney's song Everytime upbeat and a perfect inclusion to the entire remix.
• Run Away- Real McCoy
• I've always had a thing for 90s music and this song has been in my iTunes for probably close to 10 years but I just recently added it to my playlist for my hill runs last week and for the 10K on the weekend too.  It's so cheesy and perfect for running if you take the literal meaning of the lyrics.  So catchy and I seriously sing this one out loud when I run. 
• Labels of Love- Fergie
• OK, so don't get me wrong, I am NO fan of the Black Eyed Peas (the group or the vegetable) and I generally can't stand Fergie (ugh she's married to Leo from All My Children!!!) but I heard this song from the Sex and the City movie soundtrack back in 2008 and it's so fun.  
• Glamorous (Feat. Ludacris)- Fergie
• Again, no fan of Fergie but I love anything with Luda and the lyrics to this hot mess of a song are so catchy.  It helped me to learn how to spell glamorous too.
• I'm Real (feat. Ja Rule)- Jennifer Lopez
• I love Ja Rule.  I often wonder whatever happened to him but I saw that he's in jail for not paying taxes so that sucks. It's like dude, pay your taxes so you can make more glorious songs like this and J Lo won't have to collaborate with Pitbull anymore.  This song has a great beat, the lyrics are fun to sing (J Lo's part).
• Waiting for Tonight- Jennifer Lopez
• This gem from 1999 was I think Jennifer Lopez' first single after she did the Selena movie and it was totally my jam fall of 8th grade.  I remember dancing to this during my 8th grade homecoming dance and loving it! haha I sing it so loud when I drive so I figured it was time to add it to the running playlist and what a great move that was!!
• Remix (I Like The)- New Kids on the Block
• mmmmmm Donnie Wahlberg. ummm ok yeah about the song.. it's so freaking catchy! I love how upbeat the song is for the ENTIRE song.  So many songs these days are upbeat but have a slower part but this song keeps the tempo the entire 3+ minutes and 
• Feel So Close- Calvin Harris
• This is a recent addition to my running playlist but was the first Calvin Harris song I ever downloaded (I think) and it's been the perfect pick me up in the middle of my runs when my shins start hurting and I just want to crawl into a ball and cry. Seriously, download Calvin Harris' cd 18 Months.

 

What are your favorite workout/running songs this week? What are your thoughts on Calvin Harris?

Playlist Wednesday- 04/03 Edition!

 OK, so here are my favorites for this week, and they are very much 80s & 90s! 

• Heaven is a Place On Earth- Belinda Carlisle
• OK so this is technically 80s but this, a gem for running! You may not feel like heaven is a place on earth during a long run but it's pretty amazing and so upbeat I love having this playing for my long runs!
• Be My Lover- La Bouche
• This is a perfect song for the beginning of a run/workout.  It's consistently upbeat and so catchy that I find myself singing along while I run haha!
• Another Night- Real McCoy
• Again, another one of my favorites! This has been on my driving playlists since I was in college and on my running playlists since I started to run in 2009. The cheesy, stereotypical 90s lyrics are the best.
• Barbie Girl- Aqua
• What can I really say to do this song justice?? I love the fake barbie-ken interactions and whenever I hear this song I automatically picture like a barbie doll and a ken doll singing! A great way to get your mind off how many miles you've run so far!
• Tell It To My Heart- Taylor Dayne
• LOVE LOVE LOVE. 

 

Do you love the 80s and 90s as much as I do? What are some of your favorite 80s and 90s songs?? 

Month in Review: March 2013

Here are my stats for March! Having a monthly recap of my workouts is a great way to keep track of my overall progress and for me to stay accountable!
I am a creature of habit so all of my activities are either running or walking. Generally, I walk my dog anywhere from 1-1.4 miles a day and I like to run 3-4 times a week.  The last week of March was particularly rough for me with all of my muscle spasms (and back spasms that decided to enter my life again last night) but I did get a last run last night on the 31st!
Here you go:






I'm really proud of myself for sticking with running and training for all of my April races, especially after the Princess HM in February. See, I have a habit of taking a week or two off after a half marathon but not this time! My last big race was May 2012 so I wanted to do things differently this time.

The last week of February was solely dedicated to 3 recovery runs from my Galloway Plan from the Princess.  I did the experienced runner to finish plan and luckily it included the recovery runs so I felt like I had to complete them in order to fully finish the training plan. I'm big on finishing thing that you start so there was no way I wouldn't not finish the plan.

The first full week of March was great- I felt strong and was riding on a high from the Princess.  I actually started my training plan for the Divas HM this week  for the next 8 weeks (4 more left!!).  My plan goes 5 miles on T/Th and then on the weekends I alternate a long run and a 5 mi run.  For the long runs, I started off with a strong 8 miles (11:33mm pace).

In the second week, I had 2 great 5+ mile runs and a 5K race. This was the week I had the horrendous incident with my iPod nano.  You see, my older brother is pretty great and supportive of my running endeavors (as is the rest of my family since I'm the only one who runs/is active) and he got me this great watch holder when I got the iPod nano 6th Gen back in 2010:



































WELL--I began having iPod problems (the volume randomly going down and wouldn't stay up, randomly turning off- all during runs) and after much research, I found out that it was sweat/moisture getting inside the iPod.  I couldn't get the iPod out of the watch until a nice lady working at Target helped me out (after I promised she wouldn't be liable if anything happened to the iPod).  Well, on my second run that week (and first run in a YEAR without the watch holder), I had the iPod clipped on my shirt and it got caught and fell off, onto the ground.  Not only was it really scratched but the screen was completely cracked.  I was so upset since I had the Shamrock 5K that weekend so I was extra careful when I ran the 5K.  The highlight of March occured this week because I PR-ed my 5K time!

The third week was OK- with all the frustration about my iPod, I only had 2 runs.  I told my brother about what happened to my iPod and I was trying to figure out what to do at this point since Apple re-designed the nano again last fall and wouldn't fit in my watch.  My brother VERY GENEROUSLY found a brand new version of my exact orange, 8GB, 6th Gen iPod Nano.  He bought it for me!!! It finally came within the week and it took me a while to set it up and get my playlists back on there as well.  I couldn't quite figure out how to get it back in the watch but when I ran this week I had it in the pocket in my compression capri pants so there would be no chance of it getting caught AND i slipped the headphone wire inside my dri-fit shirt so that helped as well!!  I had a big deal long run this week-- TEN MILES! My first double digit run since my half marathon and I felt great (11:24mm pace).

Finally, the fourth week was pretty much a bust after being sidelined with muscle strain/spasms.  Everyone told me to rest my body and that I was pushing myself too hard (how else will I improve unless I push myself out of my comfort though??) so I rested.  6 whole days. Honestly, it was the worst because I felt heavy and bloated (did I mention I drink 100+oz of water/day?) and had no activity other than very short walks with Rusty in the mornings and evenings. In the meantime, I finally got the new iPod updated and into the watch and it looks great!



































I took a chance and wanted to finish March strong so I did a 6 mile run on the 31st (last night) and I felt so great afterwards (especially about that 11:05 mm pace)! Well, that was short-lived because while I was washing my hair later that night, my back started spasming and the pain was unbearable.  All night I couldn't sleep or get comfortable but the 3 ibuprofen helped some.  I'm feeling better but still pretty stiff.  I'm looking into getting a foam roller and using that for stretching (I don't stretch before/after my runs- a big no-no!).  Hopefully this will help all the pain!

Ultimately, it was a great month for me running and really just maintaining my activity level.  It's so easy to get lethargic after a big race but I'm glad I didn't fall into that trap this time around! It's always helpful to have upcoming races to stay in shape for and I think that also motivated me to maintain my running.  Here are my upcoming races for April:

• April 6- Gate City 8K in Greensboro, NC (my first 8K ever, a guaranteed PR!)
• April 13- Bridge to Bridge 10K in Danville, VA (hoping to PR here so I can use it for placement in future half marathons in the fall/winter)
• April 28- Divas Half Marathon in N. Myrtle Beach, SC (this will be my 5th {&hopefully a PR}, but the first for my BFF- can't wait to run at the beach with my BFF!)
   

 How do you keep yourself motivated after a big race? If you're not into running, how do you stay motivated to stay on track of your health and fitness goals? What do you have in store for April??

Playlist Wednesday!

First Playlist Wednesday, yesssss!  I'm really excited to share what I've been listening too as I train for my 5th half marathon! I'm looking to change some things up (I have a mix of anywhere from the 80s, 90s, and current Top 40) for this race too so give me any suggestions yall have too!

Soo, here is this week's edition of my top 5 running songs of the week:

• Sweet Nothing (feat. Florence Welch)-Calvin Harris
• I.LOVE.THIS. That Calvin Harris, he knows what he's doing! I love the upbeat tempo of this song and the lyrics are so catchy I find myself literally singing out loud while I run!
• Forever- Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne & Eminem
• OK, so I know this song is forever old (um.. 4yrs?) but I just love the rap beat and always keeps me going when I want to stop.  I especially love Eminem's rap at the end, I always rap it out loud while I run and sprint during that part of the song!
• Here's a fun fact= this was my first favorite Drake song that I first heard on that silly Sprite commercial back in 2010 hahahha
• Bulletproof- La Roux
• I love this song.  I originally added it to my playlist back in 2010 after a nasty breakup and the beat and lyrics were perfect for my emotions at the time and putting that all into my running.  Sometimes when certain songs have connotations with memories I'd like to forget, I usually never voluntarily listen to it ever again (i.e. jason mraz& colbie callait's lucky or colbie callait's bubbly) but this one, I love it for running!
• I Wanna Dance With Somebody- Whitney Houston
• I think this is my favorite song for running, hands down.  It always gets me going at the beginning of my runs and even if I'm in the middle of a boring treadmill run, it's perfect.  This was the very first song I added to my very first running playlist back in 2009.
• Don't Stop Believing- Journey
• Does this one really need an explanation? This is the best for all those double digit long runs (10+ miles) and for all my race playlists!

OK so I clearly enjoy a wide range of musical stylings for my running playlist! Do you like any of these songs? Which are your favorites for running or working out?