Miles to Go

One week.

That's how long I have until I officially start training for the St Jude Marathon!

My Spring Training has gone well. I am up to 5 miles...After I run 6 this weekend, I'll be good to go!

The picture to the left is of my footwear of choice: Adidas SuperNovas. My pair is not pretty in pink--they are lime green and grey, which would actually be my preference even though you are NOT supposed to choose running shoes based on their colors. To prove that I did not pick the SuperNovas because of their colors, my first pair was an ugly red and black combo. I looked like a UGA fan.

I am convinced that running in the summer is the absolute worst. Last Tuesday, it was scorching outside and I drank 96 oz of water during the day at work to prepare my body to run. I usually wait until after dinner when the sun is about to go down, but on this particular day I decided to run after work at 5:30. Big mistake. I couldn't finish the 3-mile run, I felt like I was going to puke all evening, and I ended up going to bed at 8pm with pruney fingers because I was so exhausted and dehydrated. Ridiculous.

What I find to be most motivating for a run is the MUSIC. I can run a race without music, but I can not train without it! Here is my current training playlist, entitled "SuperNovas of Fire:"

1. Smellin' Coffee (Chris Rice) - A weird selection I know, but I find it to be a great peppy starter. Some great lyrics to start with: "My heart is racin/wakin up to your smile/It's a good morning, good morning/Every little breath, every heartbeat/is a gift of love that you give to me..."
   
2. 4 Minutes (Madonna & JT) - They may not realize it, but they actually have four minutes AND four seconds to save the world! (My favorite is when JT says "Madooooona"...I like to pretend he's saying "Jesse Faaaaris!")
   
3. Slam (Toby Mac) - This song makes me feel intense--it's a great one to finish off the first mile. One of my quirks during is this song is to shake out my arms and hands when chorus kicks up.
   
4. Errtime (Nelly) - "Break it down, break it down for me...don't run outta gas girl!"
5. Where Are We Running (Lenny Kravitz) - This one was on my very first playlist I made on my first iPod for my first half marathon--Awww...I'm actually pretty sick of it (It was within the first mile on the playlist and I trained with it every training day of every half marathon--whew!), but when Lenny reminds me to "keep the skin tight and the booty in the air," I just find it motivating. Because that is very important.
   
6. Since U Been Gone (Kelly Clarkson) - Brings back memories of rockin' out in French train stations with Leslie. Sometimes I think Nick is thinking of this song while I'm out on my runs and he gets some personal time. :)
   
7. Going the Distance (Cake) - This was the original opening song for that first playlist mentioned above. And I am always "reluctantly crouched at the starting line" although I am not so sure I am "going for speed," being the tortoise that I am.
   
8. Stronger (Kanye West) - I'm not sure if I want to be Kanye's black Kate Moss tonight, but I am definitely into going faster, stronger, and all of those other adjectives he uses that have nothing to do with his verses.
9. Black or White (Michael Jackson) - The guitar riff in this song makes me feel happy...I have no idea why! Racial diversity makes everyone happy, I guess.
   
10. Stars (Switchfoot) - Another good driving guitar riff to keep my company on those lonely runs.
    
11. Exodus (Bethany Dillon) - The undercurrent of this song keeps me going, but if I'm having a good run I like to think about the words describing God's provision and faithfulness.
12. Toxic (Britney Spears) - What better to think about after dwelling on God's goodness than Britney's toxicity, eh?
13. Hey Ya! (Outkast) - One of the best running songs EVER...I always pick up my pace during this song. I also shake my arms and hands out during "shake it like a Polaroid picture."
    
14. A Little Less Conversation (Elvis Presley, the Ocean's Eleven version) - Good suggestion, Mr. Presley.
15. Let's Get It Started (Black Eyed Peas) - Even though I got it started several miles ago, it's always great to be reminded that the beat keeps running, running, and running, running...well, you get the picture.
16. Times Like These (Foo Fighters) - Perfect amount of intensity and themes of legacy.
17. We Will Rock You (Queen) - Another one of the greatest running songs of all time.
18. Sing A Song (Third Day) - I always get a second or third wind during yhe "Holy, holy, holyyyyy" parts.
19. Rest In You (Waterdeep) - This song annoys my husband, but I love the words, especially because I zone out and do some partially conscious daydreaming while I run.
    
20. Lose Yourself (Eminem) - I have a love/hate relationship with this song--on one hand: Yes, I only get one shot and I don't want to blow this opportunity, but stop reminding me how frickin exhausted I am Eminem! Geez!

I'll cut it off there, though I currently have thirteen more songs that keep me going. The playlist ends with Jim Fife yelling "Touchdooooooown Auuuuuuuuburn!" Yessss.

Other tools I find crucial to a good run:

A good fruity gum that holds its flavor. When I'm super tired and dragging, I chew on the gum and think to myself "Look, if you have enough energy to chew and run at the same time, then you can definitely finish this mile." Kooky, I know, but it works!

This little pouch holds my Nike+ sensor so I can velcro it onto my running shoes of choice. (This is not the exact brand that I own--mine is smaller and cuter, but I couldn't find a picture of it.) I used to put the sensor in a plastic sandwich baggie and thread it under my laces, but this way is a little less...ghetto.

I have been in love with Camelbaks waterbottles since they came out with them two years ago. I just bought this latest version with the "safe plastic." It's awesome because I can throw it in my bag in the morning and not have to worry about it leaking. Something about the design makes me drink more water, too...

I ran with iPod earbuds for years, but no more, my friends. I bought these Sennheiser PMX 70 Sport Earphones with some birthday money last year (Thanks, Mom!), and now I wouldn't think of running without them. They are comfortable and I don't mess with them even once while I'm running. (That used to be a quarter mile ritual--shoving the earbuds further into my apparently abnormal-shaped ear cavities.) They produce great sound, too.

One superstition that I must note is that I do NOT use these items during non-running, as a rule of thumb. If the song pops up on shuffle while I'm jamming in the office, I skip it. I save that specific flavor of Trident for running only. I do not wear my running shoes unless I'm...well, you get the picture. (Concessions are made upon necessity, such as wearing running shoes once in a blue moon on a biz trip b/c they are the only non-dressy shoes I brought.) The Camelbak is the only true exception--it is used all hours of the day and night!

Now that you have my tried and true running tools, you should try them out yourself! Anyone want to run the St Jude with me? Anyone? For those interested, I'm using Hal Higdon's schedule, which can be found here.