Monday Muse: Halloween Edition

Boo!

Got out for a wonderful 10-miler yesterday, despite being naughty the night before after work, (I challenge you to work 12 hours in a restaurant and NOT imbibe promptly after your shift is over.) being naughtier the following morning at a friend's brunch, (Who says "No" to a mimosa or a Belgian waffle the size of your face? That's just rude.) and still being stuffy from last week's cold.

What did suck a little bit is that it felt like it took half the run to settle into a groove. Between trying to keep the boogers at bay with my sleeve, shaking out the stiffness and soreness in my feet from the previous days' labor, and trying to ignore the fact that my tape job for my plantar fasciitis was already coming loose, it was challenging to say the least to get my head into the run. Once again, my iPod, set to random, comes to the rescue. I know a lot of people out there are purists about the sport, and I'm sure I'd still be inclined to run without music blowing out my eardrums, but I probably wouldn't be nearly as quick (that's a relative term) as I am now.

If I could ever meet anyone of the musicians who frequent my playlist, I'd thank them for making me the runner I am.

Especially these guys:

 

One of the best songs to come on at the end of a solid run, making you kick it in.

Seven days 'til I get to see them up close and personal from the nosebleeds. Whatever, it's my first Foo concert and I am BEYOND excited. My last big concert was Green Day's "American Idiot" tour and before that... I don't know, Aerosmith's "Nine Lives" tour, maybe? Let's just say this rockin' Mama doesn't get her rock on as much as she'd like to anymore, and now lives vicariously through the musicians she listens to. Not saying I'd leave my husband for Dave Grohl (he's totally married with adorable kids, anyway) but I will scream like a school girl next Monday night.

And on Halloween, what other group do you think I'd honor than the band that dresses up the most for their videos? "Walk," "Everlong," "Big Me," "Learn to Fly," .... these guys sure love their drag, and I love them.

Take-away Wednesday

I learned a quick lesson this week:

Shut my mouth and step away from the keyboard before I start bitching. It's too easy to just open the laptop and vent away from behind the cloud of pseudo-anonymity that is the internet. Not to say that releasing stress and anxiety is something we shouldn't do, but I know my emotions weren't constructive.

If I had waited until AFTER spin class to post about it, I would have happily reported that I had nearly 20 people in my class. That they were working HARD and I knew I had to put my real spin legs to keep up. That all my batteries for the mic were dead and I still managed to rally the troops, drill after drill.

I felt silly after I left class last night. That's not to say that my complaints weren't warranted, but sometimes I think I just need to sit back and allow the mood to pass without over-thinking everything- or needing to put everything into text for me to sit and read (and re-read), getting more and more agitated as I go over all the things in my head that are bugging me at any given moment.

The Halloween mix I'd been pondering did not get made yesterday, but I figure next week wouldn't be too late for a themed class being the day after Halloween. Besides, I'm sure some of the parents in my class would have already broken into their kids' stashes. I would. I'm a sucker for Twix and Milky Way. That's why I'm taking my girl to a kid-geared party in the park instead of trick-or-treating.

Anyway, two of the then-major, now-minor annoyances that have gotten under my skin have been resolved this week: The run I missed was made up for on Monday, and the class I had been dreading turned out to be rockin'. That just leaves one thing... the pot of chicken curry I made last night that got left out on the stove and now must be thrown away. No worries, I don't feel the need to vent about that now.

QOTD: How do you cope when you start to feel like you're getting all worked up for nothing?

Tuesday Night Spin

I'm recycling a playlist from 4 weeks ago because I'm lazy. I was going to do a Halloween-themed ride but I don't know... when I'm only ever "playing" to an audience of 4-6 people, I feel like it's a waste of effort. Maybe I'll go check out some others' playlists online and see if I get inspired.

The problem is, I'm still struggling to get people to come back from week to week. I don't know if it's the time - 6:45 PM - or the location, or a combination of both (thanks to Atlanta rush-hour... which is more like a rush-3-hour), but attendance is still inconsistent and I kind of feel silly up there, saying motivational things to such a small class and they're just looking at me like we're the only ones here... just shut up and play your music and then we can all go home.

Well, maybe it's my own head and insecurities that say those things. But I wonder, am I really serving a purpose?

I do know that when I was just taking classes and I carved out a time slot in my schedule for a specific date and time, I was annoyed when the instructor would cancel or have some sub in at the last minute who is normally a Zumba instructor or something and she's just gonna put on her dance tunes and make something up on the fly. No thank you. You all know how I feel about Gaga and Kesha (that's right, it's an "S" people, a dollar sign is not a friggin letter).

So needless to say, I don't want to do that to anyone who does specifically go to the gym on Tuesday evening for a spin class. But I'm not gonna lie - sometimes, especially right after a very low-attendance class, I just want to call out. I figure, they won't miss me much.

I wonder how other instructors have overcome this hurdle? I knew I was facing a challenge when I was told the Tuesday night class had not had a regular instructor for at least a year; that they were planning on doing away with it all together until I showed up asking to take it over. I think one of the issues is that members at this particular location are just locked into their own worlds, unwilling to break out of their usual routines and try something new. I can't tell you how many people I see just walking - no, STROLLING - on the treadmills while watching tv and clacking away at their mobile devices. I want to run over there yelling, "You can walk and talk all you want outside, you're in a GYM now! Get your butt in my class and do a REAL workout!!" But... I'm pretty sure that would get me fired.

Well, if nothing else I guess I should just hop over to amazon.com and check out some tunes to put me in a better mood. Screw everyone else, I am going to have a great class tonight.

Monday Morning Muse

Alright, I've hung my head and felt sorry for myself for a good 24 hours. A number of factors played a roll in yesterdays' meltdown blog entry:

The fundraising issue for one. I officially hang up my hat to try again next year on 10/30, provided I don't get some sort of miracle donation. I'll keep pushing people for this last week (the money does still go toward research to find a cure for Crohn's and colitis) and maybe try to find a few celebrities to email, but I'm pretty sure I'll have to just swallow my pride and deal with the fact that I can't do this particular race.

Work. I work with great people in the restaurant, but when it comes to the higher ups there's just no support. I understand they have all of Mr. T's stuff to deal with and Captain Planet board meetings and important decisions to make like whether we use black or white linen (apparently this is a big deal- and a good story for the T.I.P.S. section), but when it comes to the lowly restaurant staff needing something, we feel kind of snubbed. I guess the trade-off is that while they come downstairs to show off their stripes and having big shot business people out to lunch, their phones and emails are blowing up 24/7, whereas when I'm done with my shift, I'm done with my shift. Still, it's frustrating to be looked down upon, and downright insulting that they won't give any of our charities the time of day.

The run. I'm sure some of my other running mamas can identify with that crushing feeling of defeat when you get yourself psyched up for a good run only to have plans change. In my case, I knew I needed to give the day to the hubs because he wanted/needed time to work on his car. I figured I could nail down someone who'd watch the little bit but my babysitters were unavailable and the neighbors whose girl I watch once a week were helping someone move. So I had one of those, Where is everyone when I need them??? moments.

But I had to get out there. I had to stop moping and make something of my day so I did what I like to call an OCD-housecleaning - complete with shining faucets and Pledging tables and bookshelves - and did manage to make it out with the daughter for 5.5 miles through twisty, hilly Freedom and Candler Parks. It was murder on the ankles and arms though, tilting the stroller back every 50 yards to take sharp corners while trying to maintain balance and keep the wheels of the jogger on the path. Definitely need a new place to run when I have the daughter with me. This particular path starts 20 minutes from where I live, by car, but I think the drive would be worth it.

Today, though, it will be me and the 'mill. A few of the mama bloggers have been debating the topic recently, but my sentiment about the treadmill has always been the same: You do what you gotta do to do the run. Especially when you have to knock out some serious mileage. As much as I'd love to push a stroller for an hour and a half, I think my daughter would get bored to tears, so really, when I run on the TM I'm doing it for her.

For me, getting through a long run requires just one thing: good music. I like music that makes me feel like I'm in an action movie, being chased through an urban jungle, doing some crafty parkour shit.

One of my favorite songs to run to:

Don't actually know what movie they used this song in. Doesn't look very action-packed at all, actually, but there are lots of dramatic looks exchanged so I'm sure something dark and scary is going on.

Sunday Antifunday

Confession:

I don't think I'm going to Vegas.

I just can't raise the money in time, and I feel like crap for it. I fail at fundraising. Both companies I work for can't/don't/won't support fundraising endeavors because they're corporate. I'd love to host something like a cycle-a-thon but the gym won't have it. It's against the rules to sell anything in the restaurant, and I can tell guests about the race if they ask, but could get fired if I imply I'm seeking donations.

But I'm still over $2000 short and there's just no way I'll raise the money in time for the November 16th deadline.

I feel defeated, and I feel like shit. I don't even want to run the other race I'm training for, because it means nothing compared to the one I was trying to do.

Look up there ^

Don't forget to check out the "T.I.P.S." section of this blog, which deals with whatever restaurant-related issues are on my mind at whatever given moment. The topic changes weekly, so check it out and speak your mind!

stompin' in jack-o-lantern's weather

It took until the 20th of October to get here, but I finally ran what felt like a real autumn run this morning. Like, cold enough to start with gloves and a long-sleeved technical shirt zipped up to my chin. Brisk enough to have goosebumps and shiver a bit for the first couple miles. Windy enough to turn my shirt into a handkerchief (don't cringe- you know you wipe your nose on your sleeve and I won't believe you if you deny it).

I love it!

Of course, I chuckle a little when I see myself decked out for a run when it's 45° because at the same temperature, had I never moved from New York down south, I'd still be in shorts and a t-shirt. I remember celebrating "warm fronts" in the winter time that would take us up out of the single digits and into the 20's. But whatever, I'm getting out there and I'll continue to do so. One thing I didn't do often enough last winter was run outdoors. Without a fall or winter race to train for I didn't care about running more than 5 miles at a time, which, at 40 minutes on the treadmill, is nothing. I was just trying to maintain my fitness and didn't need to prove anything by clocking miles on pavement.

This year, though, I am just loving getting out there. Trail, sidewalk, gravel or road, I don't care. In the woods, I can soak in the scenery and run for miles without noticing the passage of time or distance. On the street, I get the satisfaction of breezing by rush-hour traffic and feeling speedy as I race down the hill back into my neighborhood at the end of my route. Wherever I am, this weather pushes me to go as fast as my legs and my lungs will let me.

What's your favorite fall run?

Team Challenge Update

I'm taking a break from my regular posts because I'm focusing hard on fundraising like crazy. I have my go-to playlist that I usually pull out once a month when my brain is too fried to come up with something new, so I can spend naptime giving an update on my Team Challenge and Half Marathon training progress.


First, the running:
All I can say is, WOW. I don't think I've ever done back-to-back 7+ mile runs on consecutive days and not been sore but this time around, something has changed. I don't know if I've finally been broken in from previous marathons (or marathon weekends at work), but my legs feel hardier than ever and I'm running 8-minute miles, no sweat. Except for the gnats. If you live in the south, you know what I'm talking about. Those f*****s are e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e. Ugh! And the stinkbugs!

My longest run to date for the season is 9 miles in 1:15. With the cooler temps I haven't even felt the need to take water or anything else with me on a run. I'm even contemplating not bothering with gels or blocks at all and just relying on the hydration stations along the course when I run Atlanta and Vegas. I suppose I do have the ridiculously hot and humid summer to thank - I don't break a sweat until I'm well into my run.

Anyone else out there skipping race nutrition? At what point is your cut-off that determines if you consume calories or rely in liquids alone?

Part Two, the fundraising:
It's a little scary, being responsible to bring in so much for an organization. The idea seems so great and noble initially, until you realize you need to fully commit to the team and say, "If I don't raise the money, I'll make up the difference." Most fundraisers that include travel and racing have this stipulation, which I understand. I knew this wasn't going to be a free trip or a free run. But I have a long way to go: $2180, to be exact.

Yikes :-O

So I need some help. If there's a chance that you're one of the bigger bloggers out there whom I love and admire, All I need you to do is share a link- either to my blog or my fundraising page. I'm asking everyone to consider even a small donation but if you simply can't do it, it would help so much if you at least shared my mission - to raise money to find a cure for Crohn's disease and colitis and to fund support and education for patients.

Cuz you see, I had a moment (well, the moment lasted 4 days, to be exact) when I panicked and thought, "I can't do this!" I felt aweful. I've taken in $520 of my friends' and family's hard-earned money already -- and it seemed like it was all going to be for nothing. We had to make the ultimate decision to fully commit or not, and I thought there was no way I could possibly meet my goal.

But then I thought about my friends in the hospital, or going to the doctor every other week. People waiting for medication and treatment, or simply waiting to get sick enough that the hospital can't turn them away for being uninsured. I thought about a 2-yr-old who can't comprehend why he can't eat without his entire body hurting. I thought about what a punk I'd be if I gave up now.

I have faith that I can do this.

http://www.active.com/donate/GA11TCVEGAS/ga11vegasJRaby

Thank you.

Take-away Wednesday

If there's one thing I learned from running, waiting tables and now, chasing a toddler, is that my body is begging for fuel and if I don't give it the right stuff, I'm bound to crash and burn. When that happens, it's even uglier than the nastiest person I could imagine serving. I'm pretty sure there have been several confrontations that may have been avoided had I been properly nourished. In fact, we all need the right fuel to function properly. I've waited on a number of people who started off quite cranky, picking apart everything about me, the table, the restaurant and the menu, but as soon as they get a few bites in them they morph back into a tolerable individual who may actually leave a tip. Food = Success.

Sometimes, the need for calories strikes before I've had a chance to contemplate a nutritious meal and I find myself downing whipped cream in a desperate attempt to fill my stomach as quickly as possible. Not healthy.

In the past few weeks I've ramped up my running game and just to make things more interesting, starting working out in the morning. My legs have held up to the sudden jump to 30 miles per week for the most part, except when I forget to do things like, oh, EAT. The morning routine transitions all too quickly into the afternoon rush of trying to get Alexis down for a nap followed by having to get ready for work. Before I know it, I'm at the restaurant stuffing my face with dinner rolls and old fries. That's an appealing image, right? (Actually, it's hilarious. If it's the end of the night and there's a pan of hot rolls that we know won't sell, we're all in the kitchen, devouring the fluffy white bits of bread like we're freakin' orphans - except we dive for the food BEFORE it hits the trash can. We're not THAT desperate to eat, I don't think.)

Heading into last week, I felt a little off and I knew the food issue was to blame. Naturally, I don't want to fill up with just junk every time the tummy grumbles, so sometimes I'll skip a snack thinking, "I don't need that crap." Truth is, I need something. I found this out after running six miles on Sunday, seven on Monday, and then taught spin class Tuesday night. My legs felt like lead. I'm sure my face frightened my class because I was trying to suppress the grimace with an overly-toothy grin. I felt weak and choppy and I was cursing myself that I'd only brought water to class. That night, I ate like it was my first and last meal, ever.

For a quick reality check, I jumped over to a website with a decent calorie intake calculator. I entered in my basic stats and exercise level and came back with a somewhat surprising number: 2317.

Woot! Ben & Jerry's, here I come!

Ok, it's more like almond milk, oatmeal, bananas, peanut butter, and Power Bars, here I come.

Actually, last week's bonk inspired some yummy food discoveries. I made a turkey chili by simmering ground turkey, onion and yellow bell pepper in canned enchilada sauce (a tasty and inexpensive short-cut when you don't have equipment to puree your own tomatoes with seasoning and spices). For a late lunch that I brought with me to work, I filled wheat tortillas with mixed greens, some of the chili mix, and topped it with a little cheese.

I also discovered these little nuggets of joy:

So yummy. So friggin addictive. Pretty cheap at Target!

This week's take-away: Feed yourselves right! A bonk is the first clue that you need to evaluate your nutritional intake. But just like you wouldn't put regular fuel in a car that only takes premium, don't put just any crap in your belly. For me, that's easy. I ask myself, "Would I let Alexis eat this?" If not, I don't eat it, either. Another thing to make sure of is that you can read the ingredient list. If your food shares an ingredient with, say, hair gel -- I saw this once, I forget the food but the ingredient was propylene glycol, which is in a couple of my hair products -- you would probably do well to pass it up.

Bon Appetite!

Tuesday Night Spin - Isolation

A quick word about isolation exercises:

These are generally contraindicated. A lot of drills people have come up with over the years are not something you'd see a cyclist doing on the road, so why would we do them indoors? However, riding indoors means we also don't face all the same conditions as riding outside - no wind, no turns, no downhills - so certain exercises can help challenge the body in ways that only sitting or standing can not.

Here are my own rules when it comes to isolation:

*Hands on the handlebars! You wouldn't take them off your bike if you were on the road, so don't do it in class! I've heard instructors tell their class to stand up to climb, but then alternate putting either arm behind their backs or worse, letting go entirely. Not safe. You shouldn't be leaning on the handlebars, but if you put every last ounce of your weight over your knees in an awkward position, you're asking for trouble.

*Isolation exercises should still mimic a normal riding position and serve some sort of function. Hovering over the saddle and staying really low is something a rider might do in strong headwinds. Focusing on pulling up on the hamstrings is a way to train the legs to have a more efficient pedal stroke. When eliminating the bounce of riding to isolate the quads, this also trains the legs to pedal more effectively rather than using the whole body to bounce up and down. The more you move your whole body, the more energy you take away from your legs.

*Don't do it if it hurts. I always tell my riders - especially noobs - that if you feel any kind of strain or pain in your hips and knees, just sit and ride. If you were riding your bike out on the road, you would naturally settle into the most comfortable riding position, anyway. These are just exercises to mix up the routine but ultimately, if you're not ready to try them, it's okay to "sit it out" so to speak... just keep working, of course!

This is one of my favorite playlists and it includes a mix of hills, runs, hamstring and quad drills. I've got a little something from every decade starting in the 1960's and working up to today. Have fun!

"Rock of the Ages"
1. warm up - flat road, optional individual leg-warm/up 30s each - "Light My Fire" The Doors
2. seated run - add a gear, quick cadence, work up to 70% effort - "I Wanna Be Sedated" Ramones
3. 3 position climb - add a gear start in pos. 1, stand in pos. 2 on the bridge, add a gear in pos. 3 on the chorus. Back to pos. 1, leave the resistance on and repeat the cycle (should be heavy by the end!) - "Livin on a Prayer" Bon Jovi
4. flat recovery/run - recovery pace for the verse, pick it up and run on the chorus - "Basket Case" Green Day
5. isolation - light to medium resistance - sit and run at 70% for the verses, stand in pos. 3 for the chorus chorus; try to eliminate all bouncing so that ONLY the legs are moving - "Dance, Dance" Fallout Boy
6. climb to the max - started seated at med. resistance, adding a gear every 30-45s. until you have to stand (don't drop below 60rpm - once you can't maintain that cadence, you can stand) - "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" Cage the Elephant
7. recovery/endurance run - 1st minute is recovery on a flat road, then add a gear back in and pick up the pace to 80%/top of your aerobic zone. Hold this pace as you add a hair of resistance at 1-min. intervals - "Whole Lotta Love" Led Zepplin
8. rolling hills/seated climb - alternated seated run at light resistance on the verse, add a couple gears and run in pos. 3 at med. resistance on the chorus ("Laaaay-laaaa") - when the music slows for the super-long outro, take it to heavy resistance and climb it out 'til the end - "Layla" Derek and the Dominos
9. recovery/run - flat road, recover for 1st minute, then pick up the pace and run on the chorus, take it up to 90% this time - "Rebel Yell" Billy Idol
10. hovers - medium resistance: start in pos. 1, transition to pos. 3 on the bridge, then take it back and hover over the saddle (work those Hammies!) on the chorus - "Mysterious Ways" U2
11. last hill - keep it at med. resistance, sit and climb, add a few gears to make it steep and stand up to charge up the hill on each music break (when the music picks up) - "Seven Nation Army" White Stripes
12. run it out - flat road, recover for a minute then pick the pace back up to 80%. Take it to an all-out sprint on the chorus - "Walk" Foo Fighters
13. Recover and stretch! - "Everlong (Live)" Foo Fighters

Monday Morning Muse

Today's female-to-male ratio while running? Something like 8:1. Go ladies! I think this calls for some chick rock.

Sunday Funday

Well, actually, these are pics from the weekend, mostly from around the Bed & Breakfast we stayed at in Auburn, AL. We traveled to go to a BBQ hosted by an auto tuning company for its vendors and customers (go man stuff!) but it turned out to be a nice reprieve for us, too. I encourage people to get out of their comfort zone when exercising, but who knew that getting out of your TIME zone could be beneficial, too! We were on central time while our bodies were still on east coast, so we were waking up at 7:00 AM without an alarm and actually going to bed at a reasonable hour. That turned out to be the perfect formula for a good run first thing in the morning on Saturday.

The back yard of the B&B, which made me feel like I was Grammy's house.

Coffee, check. Runner's World, check. Perfect start!

The house feels a little like a time warp.

Obligatory macro + water feature shot.

APR's slogan. Mine, too.

Such a gorgeous weekend.

Take-away Wednesday

In this week's Team Challenge newsletter, our chapter leader attached a letter written by one of our teammates who's been in and out of the hospital due to the advanced stage of her Crohn's disease. I told you about her- the "I'm gonna crawl across the f******g finish line" girl.

Well this letter... I'll just say I should have had tissues nearby.

She spoke of the pain and isolation of Crohn's disease, especially in the condition she's in. Without insurance, the hospital had to go the cheap route and send her home with an IV and pain meds until they could drain absences in her intestines and give her a course of antibiotics. Then, she learned they could not perform her surgery knowing that she would be unable to pay. She has to write letters and beg any hospital or pharmaceutical company that will hear her case to consider treating her so that her disease does not advance to the point of no return. Through all of this, she's been pushing onward with her fundraising and getting to Las Vegas. She says she wants to "stick it" to Crohn's at the finish line to prove that it won't hold her back.

The most poignant part of her letter was when she shared how much love and support she received from relative strangers - those of us in Team Challenge. People she didn't know a month ago helped collect her mail, arrange care for her cat, and sat and spent time with her in the hospital. It made me proud to be a part of something so special, and even more determined to reach my fundraising goal.

Please help spread the word about Team Challenge and the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. Find the link on the right side of this page and consider a small donation. Your money will go toward helping researchers find a cure for this debilitating and painful disease, as well as provide support for people like my teammate who struggle to receive the care she so desperately needs.

Tuesday Night Spin - Cruise control

We're definitely not talking about just cruising along in spin class. Today's drills are all about consistency. Just like your car maintains a steady speed through hills and flats when you set it to cruise control, we will be doing the same thing for several of tonight's drills. On the bike, this translates to holding the same steady pedal stroke over flat roads, up hills, in the seat and out of the saddle.

One great way to challenge yourself on the bike is to try to go the same speed even as you add resistance. We're not talking about climbing the Great Wall here, just adding a hair of resistance at a time and pushing your body to keep the same cadence. With monitors, this is easy. Just keep that number at 60 rpm or above - if you're going much slower because the resistance is too heavy, you'll lose cardio benefits and possibly damage your bike. Since the bikes in my room don't have monitors, it's my responsibility as an instructor to set the example of how fast or slow to go and provide the right tunes to give people something to pedal to.

Another challenge is to pick up the pace to a fast run that is at the edge of your aerobic zone. The goal here is to get out of your comfort zone: Your legs should ache a little and should be breathing hard but able to answer a question. At the top end of your aerobic zone, you can hold this faster pace for at least 3-5 minutes if you had to, but if you feel like you could keep going all day you're not going fast enough! If you're panting and gasping for air and your legs are on fire, then you're anaerobic and you need to back off the pace.

As always, you are the best judge of how hard you are working. Adding a couple drills like these to your cardio routine will certainly help you improve endurance as well as blast calories (and, let's face it, that's what a lot of us are out to do!)

10/4 - Cruise Control
1. warm up - flat road; pedal with both legs for first 2 minutes, right leg (leave other on the pedal, just focus on using one leg at a time) for 30s, left for 30s, then pedal evenly 'til end - "Ants Marching" Dave Matthews Band
2. warm up cont'd - 3 position run, add a gear, start in pos 1 on verse, pos 2 for the bridge, and pos 3 for the chorus; on last run through, add one more gear - "Let's Get it Started" Black Eyed Peas
3. cruise #1, run - keep whatever resistance you've added on, find the edge of your aerobic zone and try to stay their for the duration of the song - "Block Rockin Beats" Chemical Brothers
4. cruise #2, climb - add another gear and slow it down, when you stand on the chorus add a couple gears to keep the same cadence, take it off when you sit - "When I'm Gone" 3 Doors Down
5. jumps - back it off to light to med resistance, jump on an 8 count, then 4, then 2 - "A Little Less 16 Candles..." Fallout Boy
6. cruise #3, run - start at a flat road, find a pace that feels about 70% of your max effort (this should feel kinda easy to start, that's the point), every minute add a gear, it WILL get harder, TRY not to slow down! Stand for the last minute to keep up a strong pace - "Climbatize" Prodigy
7. cruise #4, climb - keep the resistance where it's at, start in pos 1 for the verse, pos 3 for the chorus; when you stand and run, add a gear then take it off when you sit (again, maintaining cadence) - "Ready to Go" Republica
8. recovery! - flat road, flush it out - "Here it Goes Again" OK Go
9. cruise #5, heavy climb - heavy resistance that you can still sit and pedal smoothly through (keep at 60 rpm), breathe deep and climb it out; this is kind of a meditative song so try to let go of all your thoughts and tension and just climb - "Purify" Balligomingo
10. standing runs w/ recovery - light resistance, pos 1 verse, pos 2 bridge, stand and run in pos 3 - "Like a Pill" Pink
11. jumps - light resistance, 8/4/2 - "Do You Want To" Franz Ferdinand
12. run it out - flat road (+ for control), sprints on chorus - "The Pretender" Foo Fighters
13. cool down - "Beyond" Balligomingo

total time ~ 56 minutes

2-for-1: Sunday Funday / Monday Morning Muse

Sunday...

We've been working on "Thomas Puzzle" for a while - she can now assemble most of this 24-piece puzzle by herself!

I often run on S-bucks, but will ultimately seek caffeination anywhere I have a coupon for. Today, that was Einstein's. I had to force myself to endure their Autumn Roast and pumpkin bagel w/ pumpkin cream cheese. Oh darn!

After a coffee-fueled 6.5 miles came even more indulgence in the form of a charcuterie plate (as well as pumpkin ravioli and Georgia Mtn Trout). We went to the fantastic Local Three here in Atlanta. I want to eat here for the rest of my life work here.

Crayons and disposable menus, filed under: How to Keep a Toddler Happy In a Restaurant. To my absolutely astonishment, she actually drew the heart on the right. For real. My TWO-year-old did that!

 Not a shabby day at all, if I might say so myself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday....
Whatever tears at us, whatever holds us down... and if nothing can been done we'll make the best of what's around.

Great song to have come on in the earlier part of this morning's 7-miler. Nothing like some old DMB to put a little pep in my step. Say what you want about white kids in their beanies with their acoustic guitars in the middle of the park, no one will ever ruin this band for me.