Treadmill Buddies

I work at the front desk at a gym. I greet members as they come in, whether they say "hi" back or not is a different story....it's cool though. My theory is it never hurts to check that my voice STILL sounds the same when I say "Hi, how's it going?"... a lot could change in the 30 seconds since I last said it.

Maybe because I'm familiar with the faces of members that come into the gym that's made me a bolder person in treadmill land? Or members aren't afraid to approach me when they are working out because at some point they've seen me working? All that I'm saying is I might have a slight advantage over the "Average Joe" in doing what I'm about to suggest.


I'm getting ahead of my self though.

Do you realize you're in an exclusive group? If you are reading this and have a blog of your own...you're a "running blogger." Of the thousands/hundreds/handful that enter races...the majority of them don't go home and write about it. They upload a photo on Facebook (on a good day) and that's it. Through blogging I've connected with people that I absolutely WOULD NOT have brushed toes with at any race. Even if we lived in the same area we just do not have similar paces. And it's AWESOME.

I've touched on this before, but if you ever have to do a run on a gym treadmill....
there's a whole nother community just WAITING for you to tap into it. True there are some people that you probably won't learn much from...the magazine readers, the people that don't bother with workout clothes they are going so slowly on the treadmill, or that girl that drinks from a 2 liter bottle of soda while working out.

However, after a few months of working at the gym, I learned that some of the runners in treadmill land actually know each other. They say "hi" in passing...and catch up on races they each are training for. The gym I go to now is probably the 5th I've gone to regularly in the course of my life....and the first where I've taken the time to get to know people around me. More than likely if you work out at the same time, you're going to see the same people. And more than likely, even if you like to jam out to iTunes or stay in a "private zone" talking to someone for half a mile or mile will make your run go by a LOT faster. Even knowing the person next to you is reason to keep going if you want to quit. A "we're in this together" mentality that you only get with a running buddy.

I'm not sure how many treadmill buddies I have, but for sure four.

• Buddy 1: A co-worker
• Buddy 2: A guy who has run marathons but now sticks to halvsies.

• Buddy 3: A girl who has her sites set on Boston. She's run a sub-four hour marathon, but currently has a few overuse injuries (runner's knee and ITBS) and is not training to BQ this year.
• Buddy 4: A recovering smoker who now runs regularly.
  

[The crazy part is Buddy 2 and Buddy 3 are actually engaged. I had no clue since they never go to the gym together. I met them each individually and somehow they figured out they both talked to me when they were at the gym. They are both really nice, fast, and fans of me, so if that doesn't scream a future of happiness I don't know what does! ]

A lot of people loatheeee the dreadmill, but if you are forced to take your workout inside to a gym...I'd say it's worth it to strike up conversation with anyone who looks like they might be training for a race. Or getting back into working out. I do a lot of runs at the gym. If I'm there 4 days a week...even being able to run next to someone I know ONE of those times switches things up. It's nice because it's not a set meeting time, just a pleasant surprise. And pace doesn't matter whatsoever.

The other night I had planned on doing a 2 mile run. I saw Buddy 4 who was in the middle of a 5 mile run. He said "I'm dying right now"..and I told him I'd run 3 miles, since we'd finish about the same time. We talked for about a mile.

Simple right? Really beneficial. And not something to be scared of. Unlike this commercial.

Ready, Set, Shuffle

Not too long ago I posted the long run playlist I used when training for my last half. When I posted it I gave a disclaimer that I'm weird and I like running to more "chill" songs until the end of a long run. On shorter runs I do NOT run to slow/chill songs. I'm overdue for a post about these faster songs. So here are some, my taste is pretty eclectic. Don't be fooled that this list starts with 3 country songs. Most of the songs are Pop or Hip-hop. Ready, set, shuffle.

Rain is a Good Thing-- Luke Bryan

This is the song I'm currently OBSESSED with. I actually hate rain but this is so funny. Even if you don't like country music, one listen has got to be entertaining. Rain makes corn ;)

Water-- Brad Paisley

This is another hilarious song. My real musical taste could probably be summed up with: Silly.

Here Comes Summer-- Locash Cowboys

Summer is my favorite season HANDS DOWN. I spend the rest of the year looking forward to it and counting down the months, so any song about summer I love.

Nothing on You-- B.o.B. ft. Bruno Mars

(The Beautiful Girls song) Hellooooo, if you are a single guy and DON'T have this song on your iTunes. One question: WHY? It's a way to get on a girl's good side without even trying if you play it crusing around in your car. Actually, maybe this is player music? I donno. But I love it. I also love...

Airplanes---B.oB. ft. Hayley Williams

"Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars? I could really use a wish right now." I've decided I have a thing for songs about airplanes....

MIA--Paper Planes
I'm a huge fan of this song. Such a huge fan that I'm surprised I haven't already mentioned it on this blog.

Watching Airplanes--Gary Allen

Flying and airports are two of my favorite things. Back in the day (which was rarely a Wednesday) I flew a lot as a consultant. Enough to get upgraded to first class on Northwest Airlines. Last of the mohicians, since Northwest is now Delta. LAME.

Eenie Meanie--Justin Bieber ft. Sean Kingston
One of the things I really like about Justin Bieber is he features well-known artists in his songs. That's more than a LOT of young artists can say they have done.

OMG--Usher
Oh Myyy Oh My Gosh This song is amazing. Glad Usher's back.

In My Head--Jason Derulo

This song is kind of dirty. But if you're okay with that it's good to run to.

How Low Can You Go--Ludacris ft. Too Short
This is slightly silly, which is why I like it. And it's Ludacris.

Say Ahh-- Trey Songz

I recently learned this guy is from VA. Grew up in Fredricksburg. Thank you hotel TV in Kentucky with limited channels.

Carry Out-- Timbaland ft. JT
I guess "Carry Out" had a better ring to it than "Doggie Bag."

Bedrock--Young Money
When I first heard this song I had two thoughts.
1) I LOVE the Flinstones!
2) Did the writers of that cartoon mean to be perverted?
One year I'm going to be Wilma for Halloween. It's pretty crazy I still haven't right?

Your Love is My Drug-- Ke$ha
I've downloaded her entire CD. Tik Tik will probably always be my favorite, partially because of this:



She has so many great songs to run to!

Solo-- IYAZ
Much better than "Replay" which I wouldn't want my iPod to be stuck replaying.

Tie Me Down-- New Boyz ft. Ray J
Ray-J is Back!!!!!! Maybe that's only exciting to me and a few of my friends, but I about flipped when I heard this song. It's been a long time coming.

Sexy Can I?-- Ray J
Our joke was that this song didn't get nearly enough airtime (which it didn't). And once it gets stuck in your head it's hard to get out. So we'd try to get it stuck in each others heads. For me, the entertainment value of this song is enough to stick it on any playlist. It's probably going on my next long run playlist.

Ain't Back Yet-- Kenny Chesney
His new single which I downloaded right after it was released. His concert is the best country one I've been to hands down.

Day 'N Nite (Crooker's Remix)-- Kid Cudi
This is where some of my "not so current" songs begin. I don't think this one could ever get old for me. Dancing. Running. Whatever.

Tootsie Roll-- 69 Boyz
1994! "Cotton candy sweet to go let me see that Tootsie Roll." I actually run to this kind of a lot. It's a classic.

Hotel Room Service-- Pit Bull
HILARIOUS.

Ignition(Remix)-- R Kelly
Another Hotel Song. Toot Toot Beep Beep!

Boom Boom Boom Boom-- Venga Boys
The energy this song starts out with really can be a good pick me up if you are getting tired on a run.

Whatever You Like-- T.I.
This is a song people always seem to go crazy about if I'm out dancing. I don't blame them. I also like running to it.

Please Don't Stop the Music--Rhianna
I'll be honest, I like her older stuff better

Umbrella-- Rhianna ft. Jay-Z
I recently learned Jay-Z was named after the JMZ green line of the New York Subway. So cool!

That Was a Crazy Game of Poker--O.A.R.
O.A.R. is my favorite band. This is one of their most well-known songs. I like it, and at around 8 minutes it also can do wonders at making a mile of your run pass by.

American Pie-- Don McLean
Same idea as Crazy Game of Poker. This song is long and provides a distraction for a mile. (If you can handle it as it does get repetitive.)

Ticks-- Brad Paisley
You know he's married to Kimberly Williams the actress in Father of the Bride? If you've never listened to this you should it's really funny/clever. I discovered it was a good workout song when an instructor played it during a cycling class I took in college.

It's a Great Day to Be Alive-- Travis Tritt
I dare you to be in a bad mood running and listening to this song. It's near impossible.

Like a Boss-- The Lonely Island
This one is real short but still worth adding to any playlist. And "eat a bagel" classifies it as a running song.

Move Bitch-- Ludacris
Good for getting out aggression.

Get Back-- Ludacris
And this is THE SONG to listen to if you've had a bad day. Luda even says "I'm having a bad day, don't make me take it out on you."

Baby By Me-- 50 Cent
What playlist is complete without 50? This is one of his newer songs.

So as you can see I run to a wide array of songs. Really if something amuses me or makes me laugh there's a good bet it will instantly be added to a running playlist.

Start Spreading the News...

If there are 3 things I love, it's running, Hi5's and Yankee Baseball. Tonight I managed to combine them all. (The Yankee fans in my family can be traced back to my great-grandfather, so I'm definitely not a bandwagoner.) After a dinner with my soon-to-be housemates, I decided to take a late evening trip to the gym and get in 2 miles.

I figured I might as well celebrate the fact that I can run again. 2 miles in 18:52, not too shabby. (9:26 min/mi). Little did I know, I'd be celebrating Thames walkoff homerun right as I completed my workout. The timing of that couldn't have been better! I think it's safe to start Spreading the News...that...

I'll Be Back!
I'm feeling less and less rusty. This run didn't take as much effort as it would have two weeks ago. My goal for this week is to go on a 4 mile "long" run. The idea I have floating around my brain is to increase my weekly long runs by a mile each week (if possible.) I'm not training for anything yet, just wanting to get back to a point where 8 mile runs are comfortable. Or to only add another mile on to my long runs when I can do it at 10min/mi pace. But, one way or another I'll be back.

Last Friday I ran a 5k on the treadmill in 29:56 (which is a 9:39 min/mi pace). Wowzers. I can still do that/do that again?! I surprised myself. [Sigh...I had external motivation. There was a cocky boy on the treadmill next to me. He squirts me with cleaner when he cleans off his machine. And is mildly flirtateous. I wanted to out run him. So I did. He only ran a mile and a half.]

One thing I really like about the treadmills is that you do end up running next to people you never would if jogging outside. I've met two different marathoners at my gym and they always talk to me if our paths cross in the treadmill section. It's fun to be able to discuss upcoming races and they've given me advice on dealing with the hip/IT band injury.

Tonight the tables were turned, and I met a dad who joined the gym 2 days ago. As I was finishing he told me

"That was impressive."

Um. Relative comment sir.

[Please click photo to fully appreciate what was captured.]


I told him it was awesome that he was getting back into working out and I didn't use to be able to do that. I'm just coming back from an overuse injury. I literally was in my own running/Yankee world so I hadn't so much as looked at the distance or pace on his treadmill.

Lately my loss of endurance has been on my mind. I've had to turn down long race invitations, even a 10 miler bib that was free :-/ I didn't even think about what I'm able to do now being seen as impressive by someone who never works out. That was a good reality check.

And I do think this injury has made me even hungrier to improve. Which is cool.

3k Race Report

Okay, so this race report was a looooooong time coming. I ran the 3k almost 2 weeks ago. There’s not a whole lot to say about my experience from start to finish. I jogged the whole thing on minimal sleep. There were hills. There were no mile markers. My pace was 10:05.

However, the race in and of itself is worth its own race report. Spring Hill Elementary put on the race as fundraiser for the school and an effort to encourage physical fitness. From what I understand during recess students had the opportunity to “train” for the 3k by completing laps with their class.

I remember when I was in 4^th grade there was a running initiative at my elementary school to run the number of miles that it would take to get to Atlanta, GA for the '96 Olympics. I felt so ripped off when I discovered there was no chance to win a trip to the Olympics. Like what was the point in running the distance as a school if I wasn’t going? Talk about pouring salt into an open wound. Every day I was reminded a vacation to the Olympics wasn’t in the budget of my fam, the annoying boy who had a crush on me WAS going, and I was one of the slowest kids in the class. I didn’t play sports as a kid… I took Ballet…so really I wanted nothing more than to play on the playground, but couldn’t because our teacher made us run everyday while her lazy ass watched us. This was actually something we discussed every day. Our teacher acted like running was so fun, but never did it with us.

The fact that the Spring Hill Fun Run/Walk was supposed to be a family affair was the first thing that caught my attention. Obesity in America is a topic that’s always harped on, and I really think the only way we are going to combat this is if families [and teachers] and friends exercise together. I know if I were in Elementary school I would have wanted my parents to participate with me….and maybe that alone is motivation for everyone involved to get to the point where they can run 1.86 miles.

Not everyone ran the 3k. I saw a few people running with strollers at a brisk pace and was really impressed at their level of fitness. It seemed like a lot of people used a run/walk “Galloway method...” And then some people walked the whole thing. Either way, getting up and exercising before 9am on a Sunday is a great accomplishment. At least in my world.

We were all at the starting line behind a string. It was dropped without much of a fanfare, so most people started making a comment along the lines of “Whoa, it’s started.” Even when a big deal is made out of the start of a race, I still at times have that reaction. So, no biggie. I just quickly turned on my watch timer and started jogging.

Now, in most races I think it’s tempting to start too fast and if I’m not careful I’ll find myself trying to start at a pace that I can’t maintain the whole time because someone around me is. But, I don’t think anything compares to starting a race with a bunch of boys ages 8-10. A lot of them had no concept of pacing themselves…so I went from concern that they would run me over, to amusement as I kept on jogging and they walked around turn number 1. Amateurs.

I will say beating some young boys somehow made up for the fact that I wasn’t a good runner in elementary school. Sweet revenge if you will. Please overlook the fact that I’m 24 and many of them had a single digit age. [Because I am.] ;)

The post race festivities were really cute. Everyone hung out around the playground. There were water bottles, bagels from Panera, apples, and (though I dislike them) Chewy granola bars. There was a high school band playing….this one kid did a keyboard mash up of just about every song that’s well known or has been popular in the past year. I think he wrote it himself. It was really impressive.

I’d be interested in participating in another event like this. It’s the exact opposite of a big, huge, long race…but very fun in its own way.

3 Miles. YeeHaw!

Well, I hope everyone had a nice weekend. I spent mine in Lexington, KY for my younger sister's graduation from college. It was an 8 hour car ride each way...(on the way back we were loaded down with all of her stuff)...and I was bored...so this happened:

(No homo.) The kids I babysit actually learned the rap part to Baby first. Then I of course HAD to. We cruise around town like this. I was happy to learn it's just as fun on a road trip. I think my family was impressed. Maybe just concerned, IDK.
Other note-worthy items from (Lexington) Kentucky.

• The bouncer at the bar we went to was wearing a white dress shirt, black dress pants, and Suspenders.
  

• The liquor stores there are called Liquor Barns

• A friend jokingly asked me if I ran into John Calipari or John Wall (from the UK Basketball team). It would have been amazing to say "Sup Cuz?" to DeMarcus Cousins...or challenge the boys to a game of HORSE, but that didn't happen. We did, however, see a Justin Bieber look alike at dinner on Saturday.
  

I didn't get a chance to run until I got back on Monday night. I just did 2 miles around the neighborhood....and actually walked on two uphills (oopsies). I was pretty achy and wiped out from all the riding in the car and decided "something is better than nothing, I'll push myself tomorrow."

Tonight I ran 3 miles on the treadmill in 29:52! That's the first time I've done 3 miles without stopping since the Shamrock Half. I'm getting to the point now where I have to push myself past what's comfortable. It's been so long since I've been able to do that, there's a slight temptation to be lazy, BUT, I want to be back bad enough that I'm sticking to it.

I really don't think there is anyway I'll be ready for a half marathon the first weekend in June. (The mileage increase would be a lot more than 10% per week. And it's not like I just didn't run, I've been hurt) Meaning my next [long] race will most-likely be the Virginia Beach Rock n' Roll Half on September 5th. Geez that's a long way awayyyy. But--- that allows plenty of time to PR in the 5k and 10k distances and work on getting faster. I'm thrilled to be running Advil free and that I have soreness that has nothing to do with an injury.

Also, a friend who ran a half marathon in 2:02:31 Sunday wants to start running together. Um..."Here is my ass, feel free to start kicking it." I'm pretty excited about this! My goal for 2010 is still 2:10:00, whether I hit it or not, we'll see...

LOVE it.

A few things:

• I went on a 3 mile run Monday
• I saw OK Go Last Night!
• I had a shitty day today...but...
  
• I went on a 2.25 mile run tonight, and am no longer upset :)
  

If you missed my post about how I prepared for the 3k I ran Sunday, I could summarize by saying "I didn't." So I was fairly happy with a pace of 10:05 min/mi on a hilly course, but knew I was capable of faster.

Monday night I ran 2 miles on the treadmill in 19:26 (that's a 9:43 min/mi pace). The 3k split was 18:20 (a 9:51 min/mi pace). HELL YES! I knew I could hit 9:50 min/mi. So what if it was on a treadmill and a day after my race. I haven't been pushing my pace as hard as I had been before the Shamrock Half Marathon so it's a relief to know I can hit those times and feel good doing it.

After taking a short walk break I cranked out another mile in 9:30 exactly. Soon I want to do a 3 mile run without stopping.

And I think this is coming because tonight I ran 2.25 miles around the neighborhood. I did this in either 22:19 or 23:19... that's sad I don't remember. (It's just been one of those days.) Either way my pace could have been as fast as 9:55 min/mi or as slow as 10:20 min/mi. I'm thrilled with either, and the best part about it is that I felt GREAT! I don't know if it's because I took 2 days off of running. Or am finally healing. Or needed a run like no other. But I have to say the hardest part about this overuse injury has been the days where I just mentally need a long run, but physically couldn't go for one.

I'm not the same person when I'm unable to run. The shirt picture is kind of a joke, but I realize myself being a million times happier when training for a race. It's slightly stressful. Slightly a downer of a time commitment. But overall when I'm training the sky just seems a little bluer, I can't stop smiling, and I have an overwhelming amount of positive energy. Oh-- and I can eat whatever I want without feeling guilty. Basically this is me:



I realize this is the movie---but, I think I've actually seen just about every episode of The Brady Bunch. [Oddly,] Peter was always my favorite because he was funny. Greg was a lot hotter though. Duh. He was so groovy.

The Fun Run race report is still coming. And Julie is hosting a giveaway because she has reached 100 followers! She's from Minnesota (a state that I love)...and trust me when I say I only post links to giveaways I truly want to win. On top of tons of running gear she's giving away The Blindside!!!

What NOT to Do Before A Race...

So.... I have to say, I probably did just about everything you shouldn't do before a race, even if it was only the Spring Hill Fun Run 3k...

1) I had sushi for dinner. I guess the rice in the rolls could count as carb loading, but I doubt raw seafood is your best bet before a run in heat/humidity the next AM.

2) The evening began with a pounding of a Miller Lite and ended with a Solo cup full of Gin Bucket. Spaced in between were a Mojito and glass of Riesling. Before big races I usually have one beer to calm the nerves. If the race isn't long, I generally avoid alcohol. This time around I went with pretending I wasn't getting up early to run like everyone else I was hanging out with. Denial.

3) Walked around in a pair of 3" heels (to break them in) the night before a race. (They went with my brown dress.)


4) Oh and danced in 3" heels...at the house warming party I went to.
Side Note: Break Your Heart-- is a one-two punch of a download ;) It's great for dance parties---and running.

5) Went to bed after 2 AM. Bringing my hours of sleep to a grand total of: 5.5.

6) Ate part of a chocolate egg before the race.

Disclaimers: I did make sure to drink Powerade Zero, stretch, and take Advil before the race. I think I had the mentality that I knew I wasn't trying for my absolute fastest time, so all I had to do was run the whole thing.

Does anyone ever rebel at themselves or running? I think I've been so pissed I haven't been able to train I was very "whatever" about the 3k. I knew I wouldn't be sprinting so did just about everything I wouldn't normally do before a race because....I. COULD. (Usually I'll eat food that I know sits well, even if it's not my favorite. Make sure I'm not dehydrated. And go to bed early.)

My goal was to run the 3k in under a 10 min/mi pace. I finished the race in 18:46.. that's a 10:05/mi pace. This was a good test of how fast I could run a hilly 3k, not how fast I could cover the distance. Could I have pushed it harder? Probably. But, all things considered I'm quite happy. I was shooting for the 9:50/mi ballpark, so I came close. This race served two purposes for me:

1) Made me realize how much I love races and want to get back out there. BAD. A 5k will be in my near future.
2) Mentally made up for the sour note that was the Monument Ave 10k. No one likes to have a bad race. The 2010 Monument Ave 10k was the worst I've felt in a race (thus far). As of today it's no longer my most recent race and is truly behind me :)

As silly as it sounds, I'm proud of myself for running the whole thing. I'm not really in "auto pilot mode" anymore. And I hate hills. The majority of the race was not flat. A lot of people seemed to take walk breaks, which the more people I see walking, the greater the temptation to walk becomes for me. And I didn't give in.

Also, I've ran the past four days...Oopsies?!

Thursday Night I ran 3 miles on the treadmill-- 2 in 19:46. A 1/2 mile in 4:31. A 1/4 mile in 2:13. A 1/4 mile in 2:08.

Friday I ran 2 miles on the treadmill. The first mile was in 9:15. I then did a 1/2 mile in 4:30ish. And two 1/4 miles in 2:16 and 2:12.

Saturday-- I went for a run outside. I probably ran about 1.75 miles. Not quite 2. I was excited to try out a new jogging trail!

Then today I did the race. 8.5 miles in 4 days isn't a ton, but it's an improvement that I felt up to that. I'm still foam rolling and icing.

Here I am after the race with the kids I baby-sit. My "trainer" is the little one in front. Stay tuned for the race report!