So it's been a little while since my last blog, and I figured I would give you all an update with a little bit of a twist. Instead of chatting about mileage, I wanted to give you a peek inside my playlist and thought behind it....
Running without music is no longer an option. There comes a point between mile 5 and 10 when you get a little bored, and don't want to hear the voice inside your legs saying please stop and take a rest on that bench over there.... I'm no music guru, in fact, I have an interesting range of genres that I enjoy listening to. In my opinion, you need to have a playlist that keeps you running, but happy at the same time. You need upbeat songs, but ones that send a positive message! Running for some people is a way for them to forget about the bad and let it all go! For me, everything that I haven't had a chance to think about comes to mind when I'm out on a nice long run. The good, the bad, and the ugly, I like to hash it all out in my brain and find resolutions. For this to be successful, I need a GREAT playlist playing in the background. It's like a full fledged scene from a play!
Enough about why I listen to music, here is a little glimpse into what I have on mine:
Coming Home: Diddy
Calabria 2007 (must be the Club Mix): Enur
Stereo Love: Edward Maya
Angel: Akon
As She's Walking Away: Zac Brown Band
Ok, so this is not my full playlist, just a peek, but I think you all get the point. Now you would think that I am constantly changing this, making it different for every run, but this is actually not the case. Something about listening to the same songs and the same messages over and over again makes me feel good. I know how long I have been running, and approximately how far based on what song I'm listening to. I also know how close I am to finishing based on how many times my playlist runs through. Ok, that's the part Eric thinks I am crazy for, he just doesn't understand why I would listen to a 40 minute playlist 3 times through instead of making one long enough to last my entire run. I honestly can't explain myself, but it works for me!
You have to do what works for you! What makes you happy? What keeps you motivated? What helps you forget your bad day, or think more about it?
I'll leave you all with this, since I think it's the best song lyrics I've heard in a while, and truly something to live (or run ...) by:
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
63.
Had the best weather yet for a long run this past Saturday. 35 degrees and sunny!
It was a challenging 11 mile route with some lengthy hills smack dab in the middle. I plan all of my long runs on MapMyRun.com and write down the street names on a small piece of paper, just in case I take a wrong turn! Unfortunately, mapping them on this website leaves room for some unexpected terrain...
Despite the hills, I kept my 9.5 minute mile pace and didn't stop once! It definitely helped having Eric on the run with me. He is training for a half marathon and stayed two steps behind me the entire time, making sure I didn't stop to take any naps in the snow banks. Now if only he can follow me during the actual marathon...
I am definitely feeling my legs today! They feel great, a little bit of pain in my hips and shins, but I'll be ready to get back to the gym and hit the treadmill on Tuesday.
Whenever the runs get hard, I keep in mind why I am doing this in the first place. I am running for myself, to accomplish a goal, to prove to myself that I can do something of this magnitude, but more importantly, I am doing this to raise awareness of Special Olympics Athletes. As you read my blog, and follow my journey, please keep in mind my fundraising page, and my overall mission of this marathon!
Elisabeth's Marathon Fundraising page
Mention it to friends, family, and potential donors! I really appreciate any and all of the help to reach my goal of raising $5,000.
I will have details of my fundraising event and how to purchase tickets later this week, so stay tuned!!!
Thanks to you all for continuing to follow my blog, and for all of the love and support I have received so far.
It was a challenging 11 mile route with some lengthy hills smack dab in the middle. I plan all of my long runs on MapMyRun.com and write down the street names on a small piece of paper, just in case I take a wrong turn! Unfortunately, mapping them on this website leaves room for some unexpected terrain...
Despite the hills, I kept my 9.5 minute mile pace and didn't stop once! It definitely helped having Eric on the run with me. He is training for a half marathon and stayed two steps behind me the entire time, making sure I didn't stop to take any naps in the snow banks. Now if only he can follow me during the actual marathon...
I am definitely feeling my legs today! They feel great, a little bit of pain in my hips and shins, but I'll be ready to get back to the gym and hit the treadmill on Tuesday.
Whenever the runs get hard, I keep in mind why I am doing this in the first place. I am running for myself, to accomplish a goal, to prove to myself that I can do something of this magnitude, but more importantly, I am doing this to raise awareness of Special Olympics Athletes. As you read my blog, and follow my journey, please keep in mind my fundraising page, and my overall mission of this marathon!
Elisabeth's Marathon Fundraising page
Mention it to friends, family, and potential donors! I really appreciate any and all of the help to reach my goal of raising $5,000.
I will have details of my fundraising event and how to purchase tickets later this week, so stay tuned!!!
Thanks to you all for continuing to follow my blog, and for all of the love and support I have received so far.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
67! The Great Cookie Race
67 days left and still going strong!
The training gets easier during the midweek "short" runs and then harder every long run. It's a great feeling to be able to run 4 and 5 miles during the weekdays as if it is 1 or 2, and I have noticed a major change in my breathing! I am also able to do a lot more than before. Some nights I will complete a 60 minute cardio class at the gym and then hit the treadmill for my run.
I had an odd schedule the past few days, went away for the weekend, and didn't exactly follow my running regimen. The beginning of this week came fast, but I was right back into the training since I am now realizing that I can't take a couple days off here and there. Yesterday was a great 4 mile run, my body felt NO PAIN and my breathing was right on.
Tonight I did a 60 minute cardio class and then 2.5 miles on the treadmill. I probably should have run 1 or 2 more miles, but today at work I purchased 5 boxes of girl scout cookies from a coworker and could only envision the green thin mint box sitting in my car waiting to be ripped open and eaten! Talking about exercise and cookies reminds me of a great childhood story. My family used to go to Smugglers' Notch to go skiing every year when we were young. On a couple of occasions, my siblings and I were part of "The Cookie Race", which from the name you can pretty much tell what it's all about. Ski down the hill, in and out of a few obstacles, and get a giant cookie at the end. MY KIND OF RACE. So if you're thinking what I'm thinking, I need to find someone to hold a really big, and preferably warm, giant chocolate chip cookie at the end of my marathon. A glass of milk might be nice too, although I am not too sure that's what I will want to drink after my 26.2 miles....
On a more serious note, I have my 11 mile run this weekend. Definitely feeling a little nervous that I am not ready, but also excited to test out how I feel on a run of this length. Tomorrow and Friday will be VERY important days to stretch and hydrate. I am shooting to get a 5 mile run in tomorrow, teach my 60 minute cardio class, and then probably rest on Friday before the big run on Saturday.
Words of encouragement are greatly appreciated! And please don't forget about my marathon fundraising page: Elisabeth's Marathon Fundraising Page!!!
So many of you have already given to the organization and in support of my efforts, and I am extremely grateful for the continued support!
The training gets easier during the midweek "short" runs and then harder every long run. It's a great feeling to be able to run 4 and 5 miles during the weekdays as if it is 1 or 2, and I have noticed a major change in my breathing! I am also able to do a lot more than before. Some nights I will complete a 60 minute cardio class at the gym and then hit the treadmill for my run.
I had an odd schedule the past few days, went away for the weekend, and didn't exactly follow my running regimen. The beginning of this week came fast, but I was right back into the training since I am now realizing that I can't take a couple days off here and there. Yesterday was a great 4 mile run, my body felt NO PAIN and my breathing was right on.
Tonight I did a 60 minute cardio class and then 2.5 miles on the treadmill. I probably should have run 1 or 2 more miles, but today at work I purchased 5 boxes of girl scout cookies from a coworker and could only envision the green thin mint box sitting in my car waiting to be ripped open and eaten! Talking about exercise and cookies reminds me of a great childhood story. My family used to go to Smugglers' Notch to go skiing every year when we were young. On a couple of occasions, my siblings and I were part of "The Cookie Race", which from the name you can pretty much tell what it's all about. Ski down the hill, in and out of a few obstacles, and get a giant cookie at the end. MY KIND OF RACE. So if you're thinking what I'm thinking, I need to find someone to hold a really big, and preferably warm, giant chocolate chip cookie at the end of my marathon. A glass of milk might be nice too, although I am not too sure that's what I will want to drink after my 26.2 miles....
On a more serious note, I have my 11 mile run this weekend. Definitely feeling a little nervous that I am not ready, but also excited to test out how I feel on a run of this length. Tomorrow and Friday will be VERY important days to stretch and hydrate. I am shooting to get a 5 mile run in tomorrow, teach my 60 minute cardio class, and then probably rest on Friday before the big run on Saturday.
Words of encouragement are greatly appreciated! And please don't forget about my marathon fundraising page: Elisabeth's Marathon Fundraising Page!!!
So many of you have already given to the organization and in support of my efforts, and I am extremely grateful for the continued support!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
78.
Brrrr!
Today I did my long run for the week. 8 mile loop outside! Finished in a little under 80 minutes, so pretty consistent with my 9-10 minute mile pace. IT FEELS GOOD to have another long run checked off the training schedule!
You can check out today's route here:
http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/27674568
Not going to lie, today was pretty challenging. I felt awful until after the 3rd mile mark when I was able to get my pace set and my legs stopped hurting (for the most part!). Not really sure what was going on with my body today but I think it was a combination of not drinking enough water on Friday/Saturday and the cold weather.
Still recovering and tomorrow will definitely be a rest day, not a bad way to begin the week! I also realized that I need to seriously consider Yoga once a week, as my calf and hip muscles are extremely tight and consistently sore.
Time for some rest, ice, and relaxation before the week begins tomorrow!
Today I did my long run for the week. 8 mile loop outside! Finished in a little under 80 minutes, so pretty consistent with my 9-10 minute mile pace. IT FEELS GOOD to have another long run checked off the training schedule!
You can check out today's route here:
http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/27674568
Not going to lie, today was pretty challenging. I felt awful until after the 3rd mile mark when I was able to get my pace set and my legs stopped hurting (for the most part!). Not really sure what was going on with my body today but I think it was a combination of not drinking enough water on Friday/Saturday and the cold weather.
Still recovering and tomorrow will definitely be a rest day, not a bad way to begin the week! I also realized that I need to seriously consider Yoga once a week, as my calf and hip muscles are extremely tight and consistently sore.
Time for some rest, ice, and relaxation before the week begins tomorrow!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
81.
81 days until the race.
Today was a somewhat "easy" training day, although after being snowed in and working from my couch all day; it was hard to leave my nice warm apartment!
3 miles of hills on the treadmill followed by 60 minutes of my cardio class.
Weighed in before and after my run, 1 lb difference and therefore drinking lots of water to make up for it!
Oh yes, for those of you who don't know, I teach a cardio class on Thursdays at 5:30pm at Allaire Fitness in Woonsocket, RI. I never ask any of the participants to do anything I can't do myself, and therefore, I do the entire class with them!
Boston Marathon website:
http://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon.aspx
Today was a somewhat "easy" training day, although after being snowed in and working from my couch all day; it was hard to leave my nice warm apartment!
3 miles of hills on the treadmill followed by 60 minutes of my cardio class.
Weighed in before and after my run, 1 lb difference and therefore drinking lots of water to make up for it!
Oh yes, for those of you who don't know, I teach a cardio class on Thursdays at 5:30pm at Allaire Fitness in Woonsocket, RI. I never ask any of the participants to do anything I can't do myself, and therefore, I do the entire class with them!
Boston Marathon website:
http://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon.aspx
Welcome & 81.
Hi Everyone. Thanks so much for visiting my blog. I feel like I have been telling everyone about this great opportunity that I was given, and what better way to share this experience than to open up about it in a blog.
As you may already notice from the title of this first blog, I am 81 days out from running the 2011 Boston Marathon (insert "oh my gosh" face here). The purpose of this blog is to bring you all into my world of training and preparation for this huge day in my life. On this page, I will give you the good, the bad, and the ugly of my marathon training experience. Routes, mileage, cross training, nutrition/diet, etc. etc.
I encourage all of you to save this page as a "favorite" and continue to check-in to see what my status is, and I also highly encourage all of you to comment and reach out whenever you'd like.
On another note, besides being a personal goal, I am running this marathon to raise money and awareness for an organization that I hold near and dear to my heart (and I also happen to work there), Special Olympics. I have made a promise to Special Olympics Massachusetts that I would raise a minimum of $5,000 in the midst of training for this marathon. Please send my blog link out for friends to see and make them aware of what a great organization I am running for.
There is so much work left to do for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities, and every penny counts towards the goal of bettering the quality of their lives through health and sports!
You can visit my personal fundraising page here:
Elisabeth's Marathon Fundraising Page!
If you want to see where your well-spent money is going, you can take a look at SOMA here:
www.specialolympicsMA.org
I am also in the process of planning a fundraising event at a local restaurant in RI. The date of this event is Saturday, March 26th at 8:30 pm. More details to follow with how you can purchase tickets once the details are solidified.
Thanks very much to those who have already been so encouraging of this goal of mine, and thanks to those who are reading this now! I couldn't do any of this without the love and support of friends and family.
Looking forward to sharing this experience with you all!
As you may already notice from the title of this first blog, I am 81 days out from running the 2011 Boston Marathon (insert "oh my gosh" face here). The purpose of this blog is to bring you all into my world of training and preparation for this huge day in my life. On this page, I will give you the good, the bad, and the ugly of my marathon training experience. Routes, mileage, cross training, nutrition/diet, etc. etc.
I encourage all of you to save this page as a "favorite" and continue to check-in to see what my status is, and I also highly encourage all of you to comment and reach out whenever you'd like.
On another note, besides being a personal goal, I am running this marathon to raise money and awareness for an organization that I hold near and dear to my heart (and I also happen to work there), Special Olympics. I have made a promise to Special Olympics Massachusetts that I would raise a minimum of $5,000 in the midst of training for this marathon. Please send my blog link out for friends to see and make them aware of what a great organization I am running for.
There is so much work left to do for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities, and every penny counts towards the goal of bettering the quality of their lives through health and sports!
You can visit my personal fundraising page here:
Elisabeth's Marathon Fundraising Page!
If you want to see where your well-spent money is going, you can take a look at SOMA here:
www.specialolympicsMA.org
I am also in the process of planning a fundraising event at a local restaurant in RI. The date of this event is Saturday, March 26th at 8:30 pm. More details to follow with how you can purchase tickets once the details are solidified.
Thanks very much to those who have already been so encouraging of this goal of mine, and thanks to those who are reading this now! I couldn't do any of this without the love and support of friends and family.
Looking forward to sharing this experience with you all!
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