Monday Motivation: Sometimes, it's gonna suck.

Doesn't sound very motivating, I know.

But it's true, and I discovered this on my run yesterday. All in all, it was a great run, and I was excited to knock out a 10-miler to get myself back into distance training mode. But the humidity was killer, the hills seemed to stretch on forever, and the rocky, gravelly portions of trail seems to be taunting my ankles as I could feel the uneven surface try to roll my foot one way or another.



Going into the run, I thought, "Yeah, this is going to be a tough one."

During the run, I knew, "This is gonna suck."

Three-quarters of the way there, I almost cried out, "God-DAMN this really sucks."

Then, I was finish. And I realized it all wasn't that terrible.

Why am I writing about this? Because unlike other posts out there that will tell you out to wrestle with your inner doubt and come up on top and make the most of your workout, yesterday's run had nothing to do with doubt, fear, or uncertainty. I know me and I know my abilities and some runs are just going to be hard, whether or not I want them to be. My kind-of-sucky 10-miler was simply a lesson in patience and mental fortitude, because there was no room for error when it came to my pace or footing. I had to simply put on foot in front of the other, pay attention, not get antsy and charge up the hills to wipe myself out, and not pay attention to mile splits.

Whether it's a tough run or a tough day workout, sometimes you have to dig in and plow through, even knowing there won't be any euphoric "runner's high" or other reward to look forward to at the end. There will be days when, unlike what we've been told by inspiring Pinterest boards, the workout is NOT going to make us less stressed, less cranky, and definitely not less sore.

But to be frank, if I only decided to go through each day on a guarantee that it would be a perfect one, well, I'd never get out of bed.

So find a way to embrace the hard days. Know that it's gonna suck, and be OK with that. I think I have some really crappy runs to thank for some of the more fantastic ones I've had!

What was your best, worst run/workout?

One of my best worst runs was the Sunrise 8K in Simpsonville, SC. It was a hot morning, even for starting right at 6:00AM and I think I had to stop twice as my stomach tried to turn itself inside out after running too hard up a series of hills.

Me trying to wave my sister off to stop her from taking this picture.

I Want To Be a Streaker

No, not like this:

I can't keep up with Frank the Tank, anyway.
[screen shot from "Old School"]

But like this:

This:

[source]

And definitely this:

fire, optional.

Allison over at http://runningthroughredlights.com came up with the brilliant idea to hold a Fit Streak, for which participants will simply do at least 20-30 minutes of ANY type of fitness activity, every day. What I love about this is that it can be for everyone. I, for one, can't run every day. I admit it, I just can't. My problem stems from the fact that if I run on too many consecutive days, my left foot tries to torch itself or detach from my body completely so that I don't kill it any more than I already have. That's plantar fasciitis for you. But I can manage the discomfort, or even go pain-free several days in a row if I make sure that I follow my running days with non-running ones, or that I avoid long runs on days after extremely busy restaurant shifts.

So Fit Streak it is. Truthfully, I do something every day anyway, and if I want to be lazy about it I can count walking the dogs :-D

But I won't be lazy. In fact, I will take the initiative to try to add MORE variety to my routine. Right now I pretty much run, spin, lift, repeat. And even with lifting, I sometimes don't even bother with that because I count plate-carrying at work or lugging the vacuum around the house as resistance. For the next month, however, I want to do more, and this Fit Streak is just the push I need to do it.

So follow Allison (@_allisonpierce_), myself (@ConcreteNCoffee) and any other Fit Streakers on Twitter (#FitStreak) and join in the conversation. Who knows? Maybe you'll get some new workout ideas, or inspire more people to join the streak!

Have you already joined the #FitStreak? What was your workout for Day One? I did my usual hills & fartleks on the treadmill. And I'm vacuuming my house in a few minutes... which I still think kind of counts, but I won't count it by itself as a fitness activity ;-)

Conversations With My Pre-Fitness Self

Something I missed while working this weekend: This video. Have you seen it? Of course you have, over four million people have viewed it so far.

This guy had me cracking up. We can obviously say our younger selves were pretty ridiculous. That isn't bad, it's just to say that there are many goofy/silly/stupid things I did as a kid, as I'm sure you did too. But then I think back to that less-inhibited self, and I imagine she'd look at me right now and also think I'm also pretty ridiculous.

I mean, let's start with the fact that I run long distances for fun. I used to dread meets in Cross Country and Track & Field. Now I actually pay to run in an event.

The vegetables I used to pick off my plate and hide in the napkin on my lap- I actually buy them, cook them, and eat them, without being threatened with a grounding or no dessert. Hell, I've even PLANTED some veggies to have something a little more local!

bell peppers, per the Little Miss' request

garden peas and wax beans, if I can manage not to kill them.

When I was younger I thought I'd be a cool grown up who stays up late and goes to concerts, movies, and awesome restaurants all the time. I stay up late, but it's because I can't wind down immediately after work. It didn't take me too long to realize all that other stuff costs too much money.

I vaguely recall proclaiming that I would shoot myself if I ever owned a pair of mom jeans. Then, the tapered leg came back into fashion via the Skinny Jean. And I have two pairs.

These are just a few things that have changed about my tastes and habits over the years. While my childhood self probably wouldn't have ever believed I'd give up sports of a lifestyle of drinking and lethargy, that unhealthy, lethargic self wouldn't have believed I'd ever turn around and get back into shape and then some. All of my PR's and more insane ambitious races have taken place well into adulthood, when the younger me used to dread hard workouts.

Me then:

I know, I don't look too bad. Wait for it....

Pasty, no clavicle definition, and good lord I needed better bras. It still gets better...

Before Instagram, there were disposable cameras. And double chins.

(These photos have been brought to you courtesy of cheese, gelato shops, beer, Nutella, and Kinderschokolade.)

Me now:

even with watermarks all over my face, still a nicer picture, I think!
(I still run on beer, though)

I'd like to think that if given the chance, I'd lay everything out for my younger, unfit self to prepare her for the life she had ahead of her. But then again... wouldn't that alter how things actually turned out? If I recall nothing else from how I was as a child and teenager, I know I was painfully stubborn. I think if the older me showed up to read me the riot act back then, I'd have rebelled even further!


Let's say I could just tell myself one thing- I think it would be not to waste the gift of fitness. It took me a long time to realize that I could ever enjoy running, let alone get kind of good at it. I think if I had pushed myself harder earlier on, knowing I could then better capitalized on the fitness gains that seemed to come naturally from pregnancy and early parenthood (yay extra blood cells!), I might be even faster now.

But, I have time, so I'm not going to obsess over what was or what could have been. I'm pretty damned proud of myself. And if you've gone through any fitness transformation - no matter how large or small - you should be, too. It can be very easy to sit around, regretting not making certain decisions or changes sooner, but you can't see what's in store for you if you're only ever looking in the rear view mirror.

Head up. Eyes forward. Just. Keep. Pushing.

If you could take a trip back to the past, what age would you visit yourself at, and what would you tell yourself?

Are We There Yet? Half-way, At Least??

June and the beginning of July can be a bit of a whirlwind for many parents. School has just let out, so schedules have to get shifted and shuffled to accommodate child care needs. There's day camps, pool trips, and of course, vacations, because what parent wants to ruin their child's life by not giving them a cool vacation to brag about come September? While I don't have to worry about all this stuff just yet, my own work schedule and travels in the past month have left me a little wiped out, so I can begin to empathize with parents who not only have more children, but kids who are older and not easily appeased by Dora and Goldfish.

Fortunately, after the 4th, though, there seems to be a bit of a wind down. The advertising wizards of every major clothing retailer begin reminding us mid-month that the hot days and "Moooooom, I'm booooooored!"'s will soon give way to milder weather and a quiet house between 8:00AM and 3:00PM.

In 40 more days.

For me, I've had my girl at my side - except for her vacations up to the grandparents' house - since the beginning. While I'm used to multitasking, this summer I've noticed a decline in my productivity. I'm barely keeping up with vacuuming and dishes, and forget about getting clothing out of the baskets. If it's dirty, it's in a basket. Clean? In a basket. Personally, it's been a good day as long as I've worked out and remembered to move three dishes from the sink to the dishwasher. Maybe I'll wash a dirty pot or baking sheet. I might go crazy and dust a shelf.

It's clean enough, if you ask me!

Now, I'm looking at my calendar and realizing that if I am to begin training for my late October marathon, I need to get back on a regular running schedule... oh, next week. To reach my goal (3:30 or faster), I need to actually do some real running, too. I've skated by on 2-3 runs a week and doing everything else on the bike. This go around, I want to see if I can actually run like a real, live runner.With my 10K PR, I feel like I want to capitalize on whatever running gains I've miraculously accomplished by actually trying to train and not just hopping on a treadmill once every few weeks to sprint along to a Foo Fighters album.

We've gotten through a month of trips and festivities, now we have to get through this job change and soon, the start of preschool. I feel like all running plans should have a sub-schedule for parents! But at the very least, I'll be even better prepared when my girl's in school and I not only have to balance my running plans with my own responsibilities, but her life and activities too.

Most importantly, as my daughter gets older and sees the many hats that mommy wears, I hope she'll strive to be active, but also know when to let things go at the end of the day. If we learn nothing else from summer vacations, it should be that we can't possibly get everything done. Ever. And it's OK if we don't even pretend to want to try ;)

[source]

How are you surviving summer, so far?

If you have kids, are they home or at day camp?

Peachtree Road Race Report

At the risk of sounding like one of those runners, I have to admit that I didn't really go into today too worried about what my 10K performance was going to be. I didn't care if I PR'd, but I knew I'd run a respectable time because one of my usual routes is a hilly 6.5 on many of the same roads of the course. But I have to say that the race still isn't exactly a cakewalk, either!

For starters, it was warm. Not too warm. But it was muggy. Very muggy. My shirt was sticking to the back after just a few minutes of warming up.

Also, there are a lot of people. 57,754 finishers, to be exact. You can run your heart out on a daily basis but unless you ask your buddies on a training run to sandwich you in between their shoulders, step on your heels, and cut you off only to stop short before peeling off to a water station, nothing can really prepare you for race day conditions. I think that's part of the excitement and fun. Or torture, depending on how claustrophobic you are.

The morning started off peaceful enough. I work just blocks from the start line so I was able to sneak into the garage before they started road closures and hang out on the patio with my coffee and Clif "Z" bar while checking all the Twitter and FB updates for the race. While I did not shut my brain off in time to get more than 4 hours of sleep, I felt good having just been able to relax before the start.

Around 6:30AM I started to do a brisk walk toward the start area, where you could see runners filing in from both directions, depending on which transit station they got off at to get to the start. The funny thing about mass transit in a city that loves its cars is that you're surrounded by people who are suddenly foreigners in their own city. Everyone is turning around and doubling back to make sure they're going the right way, even though they've been there before.

A welcome site: hundreds of port-a-johns lining the road on the approach to the corrals. Very little wait and plenty of toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Nothing, and I repeat nothing is worse than when you have to do your business before a race and you can't clean up properly. Nothing.

By 7:00 it was time for the first five corrals to line up and get ready for the 7:30 start. You could spot plenty of pros, but many nervous faces. Something I strangely enjoy is the nervous shifting back and forth, jumping up and down, and retying of the sneakers that we all seem to do before the gun goes off. Some of us are unified in excitement. Others, in terror.

I held my camera up over my head to get this shot. The boys behind me look thrilled.

Toward the front of the massive crowd in corral A (first of the "regular" corrals behind the seeded and subseeded runners), we stood beneath the massive flag they fly over the starting line every year. Even for someone like me, who isn't exactly the most enthusiastic patriot, I can't help but feel a strong love and appreciation for our country. Politics aside, there we were, tens of thousands of us, just looking forward to a run. We had mp3 players, sweat-wicking gear and cool sunglasses. Some of the runners were in costume. We all had something to look forward to, from the finish line and beyond. None of us have to worry about war or famine or washing and wearing just one outfit day after day after day. We are SO, SO lucky.

With that exact thought in my head, the flags went down and we were off. Bumping and nudging, hopping and darting around each other so we could each find a space to settle into our stride. It took me at least a mile, I want to say, to hit my mark and feel like I was holding my pace comfortably without stepping on someone or having another runner breathing down my neck.

The course had it's usual fun and obstacles. Depending on whether you wanted to have someone throw T-shirts, confetti or Lord knows what else on you, you had to position yourself strategically. I am not one who does this race for the freebies, so I tried to stay more toward the middle, but I still almost got trampled when I had to stop short for something like ten people cutting me off to grab t-shirts and dinner coupons!

One thing I had forgotten about this race was the fake finish line. That's right. This is a shot of runners along the last stretch of the race, about to get their photo snapped at what looks like the end, but is really about 500 yards from the actual finish. You can't really see from this picture, but they are just ecstatic about this. So was I. Hopefully, my true emotions won't actually be reflected in my race photos :-D

When I finally reached the REAL finish line, I did my best to keep moving to get around people who stopped dead in their tracks, visibly wrestling with the pros and cons of throwing up on the street as their stomachs began to heave. Not the most attractive visual of the conclusion of a race, but that's what it was. It was climbing up into the 80's with 1billion% humidity. Here are some nice post-race shots, however, away from all the vomiting.

The Finishers Field

No blood, but definitely sweat, which brought on some tears.

 I made my way quickly to the water tables and then off to the side to fumble with my belongings, trying not to drop things from my dripping fingers as sweat began to sting my eyes and blur my vision. I dropped a Nuun tab in my bottle and chugged it in about 32 seconds. I then retrieved the coveted race T-shirt, a simple, cotton T but with a design created by a local artist and then voted on by the runners. It's as big of a badge of honor as any race medal.

Following the race, getting back to wherever you start is always tricky. Peachtree Rd. remains blocked for several hours as the last runners finish and then cleanup commences. Most people follow the course back to the nearest train station, which allows for a more amusing glimpse of what we might have missed while running.

The sign behind the stage reads "Fur Bus". I did not stop to ask why. I love that the couple in front is about to make out and likely drunk at 9 in the morning.

The whole time, I had a vague idea of my time and pace, but didn't fret much over finding out how I did, since I already suspected I ran better than last year. My stopwatch didn't start even though I thought I hit the button, and I knew my chip time was close to the clock time, which I was happy enough with. Having started my day with just the Clif bar plus a handful of Cheerios, my thoughts shifted to other priorities.

Fortunately, the hubby thought I ran hard enough, regardless of time, to warrant treats for both of us.

Poor kid was forced to eat pizza, too. Just because Mommy ran - it's a rough life.

While stuffing my face I could no longer resist the urge to check online to see if official race times had been posted. Upon finally viewing my chip time, you bet I poured myself a little bit more of that beer.

7:16min/mile pace? What???

Time to start training to try to get into the sub-seeded group!

Hope you all have a happy and safe Fourth of July!

Tuesday Night Spin - Happy Fourth!

Before we get to the new playlist, some mundane details about my life :)

This weekend, the regret of having bought a mattress online without actually trying it - a problem that has amounted to about 6 months of poor sleep - finally caught up with my husband in the form of me completely refusing to allow him to spoon with me. We had gone to the biggest moneypit ever Ikea the previous week to test out some new beds, but with the intention of waiting to see how we weathered a few months of preschool before making a purchase. Yet come Sunday, the hubby decided to work his way out of the doghouse and give me a new mattress to sleep on that very night:

easier to sleep on than it is to pronounce

It's a good thing I sometimes live in blissful ignorance of the state of our bank account, as it turns out we were better able than I had thought to spring for the new mattress. Get it? Spring? Oh.... sorry, couldn't resist. I'm really glad we/he went for it, even if I wasn't sure we should spend the money. Sleep is so important. I've been reading a lot of articles about it lately, like this one from the Huffington Post. While I sometimes joke that I pride myself on my ability to go on 5 hours of sleep, several nights in a row, it's really nothing to brag about.

Today I started of pretty well-rested and well-fed. I had my usual bowl of cereal with Silk Vanilla Almond, but I've been working on shrinking the amount of cereal and increasing the amount of fruit on my plate. I think this is easier in the summertime, when ripe, juicy, too-sweet-to-be-good-for-you fruit is in abundance just about everywhere.

I needed to make sure we both started off on full tummies because I hate when we set out on our morning trips only to wind up starving and eating cookies or froyo by 11:00AM. While I did have to cave and let her have samples at Whole Foods as we were there looking for MSM and chia seeds*, I managed to tame the beasts in both of our bellies to get us home to eat the food in our fridge.

*I've been reading a lot of bloggers proclaiming the benefits of chia and decided that for $13, I'd grab a bag of it and start throwing handfuls of the stuff on my cereal and in my yogurt to see what all the fuss is about. Of course, I don't really pay attention to my mental or physical state other than to double-check that my eyes are open and I have a pulse, so we'll see.

From the best web know-it-alls ever, wikipedia:

In a one-ounce (28 g) sample, dried chia seeds contain 9% of the Daily Value for protein (4g), 13% fat (9g) (57% of which is ALA) [<- that's alpha linolenic acid, or "good" fat] and 42% dietary fiber (11g), based on a daily intake of 2000 calories. The seeds also contain the essential minerals phosphorus, manganese, calcium, potassium and sodium in amounts comparable to other edible seeds, such as flax or sesame.

I'm thinking chia seeds in conjunction with the MSM and base-chain proteins I already take for muscle and joint maintenance and repair, I should be more than good to go as I get ready to start on my fall marathon training cycle.

Do you do the chia?

Switching gears now - HA! Gears! I'm on a roll today... how about some spinning music? Amazon.com had a bunch of new music for $.25/single so I figured it was time to load up on some fresh songs. All of my playlists from June through September definitely keep with a summer theme, but this one I made a little more party-worthy with the Fourth of July in mind. I couldn't find any sufficiently rockin' patriotic songs, though. I considered Hendrix's "Star Spangled Banner" but it doesn't lend itself very well to any cycling drill, really. Maybe I'll just keep it for my own listening pleasure.

Blister in the Sun - 4th of July Mix

1. "The Sound of Sunshine" Micheal Franti - Warm up, flat road, alternate lead legs.
2. "Party Rock Anthem" LMFAO - Add a gear, do some moderate spin-ups on the chorus, going up about 10 rpm from your warm-up pace on each run.
3. "Sweet Emotion" Aerosmith - Add another gear and start your first hill in the seat. About a minute in, add another gear and take it up to position 3, keeping a strong cadence. Alternate 1 min. aggressive climb with 30s. seated recovery.
4. "Beverly Hills" Weezer - One more gear, getting to that "pedaling in the mud" point. Sit and climb on the verse, take it up to 3 and try to pick it up on the chorus.
5. "Block Rockin' Beats" Chemical Brother - Flat road, recover 30s. Take it back up to a moderate pace (75% effort) for 30s. then gradually add a hair of resistance back in every 10s until you reach the max you can maintain your cadence at. Hold it there for 1 min. Recover + repeat.
6. "Wild Ones" Flo Rida feat. Sia - Sustained run, light resistance (1-2 gears up from your flat road) to start. First run from the start through the 1st verse, recover on the chorus. Add a gear and do the second run in position 3.
7. "Sunshine" Matisyahu - Jumps at light resistance: 45s on each count, 8/4/2, cycling through twice. Try 1-counts at the end if you're feeling extra jumpy :)
8. "We Are Young" Fun. feat. Janelle Monae - Add resistance to start at medium resistance or higher. Add another gear every min. of the song, or until you're fighting to keep going at 60rpm, or until you reach your max resistance you can pedal smoothly at. Stand if you wish.
9. "Blister in the Sun" Violent Femmes - Flat road flush out. Recover!
10. "Mercy" Duffy - Add 3-4 gears, keeping a relatively easy cadence. Before each chorus transition to position 3, then slide your rear back over your saddle to "hover", focusing on using those hamstrings to draw your knees up toward your chest.
11. "Uprising" Muse - Last aggressive climb. Keep your resistance where it's at to start. Add a gear and climb in position 3 on the chorus, picking it up any amount that you can. Take it off when you sit for the verse. Add 2 gears for the 2nd chorus, 3 for the 3rd, etc. Even if you can't pick up the pace, don't slow down!
12. "Bright Lights" Matchbox 20 - Take it back to medium resistance as we start our down climb. Start in position 3, then take a gear off and pick up the pace in the seat for each chorus until back at a flat road. Spin it out to the finish!
13. "Starlight" Muse - Cool down
14. "I'm Yours" Jason Mraz - Stretch

Happy 4th to everyone! Hope you get in some good races, runs and/or rides!

Peachtree Road Race Expo

The 10K is one of those tricky distances that is just on the verge of what I can run full-out. I'd like to say I've done plenty of hot-weather running to get ready for this particular run, but my 6-miler last week was just TOO hot to do anything close to my usual pace. Since this is the only race I've run at this specific distance and it's with 55,000 other people, I'm really not looking for a PR. It's really just about getting to run in such an energetic crowd, suffering in the sweltering humidity together.

[source]

Race Day Forcast:

[source]

Not too shabby, considering the triple digits we saw this weekend. I don't think we'll have to worry about storms until later in the day, which will suck for fireworks but won't bother me so long as I can run without getting struck by lightning!

The fun and somewhat ironic thing about this race is that it's so huge - it boasts being the largest 10K in the world - that you'll spend far more time at the Health and Fitness Expo than actually running the race itself.

So many runners participate in this event that ALL of the big vendors are there with freebies and great discounts, and you have two full days to get there to pick up your number and check everything out. I usually go to expos with a tight clutch on my wallet, unwilling to spend money on anything except maybe if I can find a booth with a "Five for $5" goo/gel/bar sale. This time, however, I had a feeling I might go ahead and purchase one or two things for myself.

Of the free items, I snagged some "Food Should Taste Good" brand chips, mini Larabars, a single-serving of Cascadian Farms granola, a free water bottle with the purchase of two tubes of Nuun ($10 = 24 drinks = $0.42/drink, which is pretty sweet, I think), and an insulated lunch bag that used to be a water bottle.

Other than the Nuun, I did spend money on just one more thing...

Come to me, my pretties!

Yes, I finally, finally, finally have my Wave Rider 15's!

I have been perpetually putting off the purchase (say that five times fast) until today, when I saw them on a sale table, practically lit from the heavens above, and possibly with a choir of angels hiding underneath the tablecloth beckoning to me. A vendor was selling used shoes - shoes that were worn once by the buyers and then returned because of ill fit or the wrong size. The only way you could tell these shoes had been worn at all was by seeing the evidence of a little dirt or grit from the pavement on the bottoms of the soles. And honestly, I feel awkward in sneakers when they're pristine, just-out-of-the-box white, so their "used" status would not bother me at all.

And they were $50.00.

That's right, $50.00!

I win at being a cheap-a$$ :-D

Which races do you think have the best expos?

Are you running the Peachtree or have you in the past? This is my second, and I hope to become a PTRR streaker.

Have you ever scored a wicked deal on running or fitness apparel? Where?

Day Five - It's Gettin' Hot in Here...

Monday, June 18th

First travel-free day!!!

We slept in, and did not plan on doing anything until 11:00AM, at the earliest. This girl is learning quick about proper hotel behavior: Stay in comfortable clothes (anything with an elastic waistband will do) for as long as possible, bypass all the fruit and oatmeal for the brightest, most sugary cereal that Mom never buys, and how to recline in bed to watch TV without spilling a drink down your shirt.

But our leisure was short-lived.

To avoid any shock or concern, let me first state that nothing happened in OUR room. I had left her for a moment to get ice for the cooler. As I walked down the hall, I noticed one of the rooms, which had its door propped open as the housekeepers were moving through, was a bit smoky. No big deal, I thought. The housekeepers seemed to smoke while they work. Well, that is a big deal, as the people running this place clearly didn't give a shit. That's what I get for $63 a night, I figure. Anyway, I get the ice, come back, and notice that I wasn't really smelling cigarette smoke. Pass by the same room again and now the haze is so thick I can't see through to the window. As I bolt back to my room the alarms go off, scaring the living daylights out of my child, who was just trying to eat an apple and watch Elmo's World.

Have you ever been asked, "What would you grab if you could only grab two things (one for each hand) before escaping a fire?" I'll tell you what: Your kid and her favorite stuffed animal. In hindsight, I might have also wanted to grab my purse and her shoes, but I wouldn't have been able to move my car to go elsewhere if I wanted to.

At first, the firefighters seemed to almost mill about apathetically, and I saw one guy take a giant fan off a truck to bring in to exhaust the smoke, I assumed. Suddenly, a few more trucks showed up and they actually moved with a sense of urgency to get in gear and run inside, telling the guests and staff that had just been waiting downstairs in the lobby. The smoke was upstairs, after all, and everyone was under the impression that it was going to be quickly controlled. At this point, there were eight trucks. A bit excessive? Probably, but they had to get up on the roof as a fire had actually ignited in the ceiling and started to spread upward.

Moments after the burst in activity, the receptionist came out and told some of us the firefighters had given her the impression that they were going to have to close. Fortunately, there was a hotel next door. As in, they shared a parking lot. After smacking myself in the forehead for not going with this second hotel to begin with (online, it was $20 a night more), I trudged over to check us in. They were willing to give us a bargain, considering our circumstances.

They also gave us cookies.

Yes, I shared. A little.

After about a two-hour wait for hotel #1 to get the all clear for guests to return, we went back to round up our things. They assured us we could actually remain there if we wanted to, that the firefighters said the building was clear. Uh, no thanks. They were at least kind enough not to charge a cancellation fee.

Finally it was time to run!

I took the Little Miss to a lovely park where I had once clocked easy miles as I first started out running again. This place has miles of winding paths over mostly flat terrain, with enough bumps and dips to make you work but not kill the legs. It was perfect for me when I was a noob runner, and great today with extra cargo to push. We got in between three and four miles before she was chompin' at the bit to get out.

As I watched her play, I mused about how with the passage of time and - of course - having a child, my perspective of my home town has changed quite a bit. Places where I used to sit to be left alone in my thoughts, or perhaps have a run-in with a love interest so he could see just how deep and profound I was, sitting there all alone in my thoughts, are now only significant if they have bars to climb, slides to zip down, and sandboxes to dive into. And of course, they have to be stroller-accessible.

So for kicks, following our afternoon in the park I took her to the old cafe, where I used to work and would write on my days off, mostly waiting to be seen writing so someone could come over and ask me what I was writing about. This was back in the day when I walked around with a tattered spiral notebook and a Bic pen... not a laptop. The cafe, which used to pay me $5/hour under the table, has actually come a long way from the crappy sandwiches I used to throw together for people. And we enjoyed a nice pesto chicken panini with spinach and tomato. I would have snapped a pic of this because it looked and tasted awesome, but I was trying to keep someone from making it snow by opening all of the sugar packets.

Tomorrow: One more stop at one of my favorite places on this too-brief of a journey home.

I did not, for the record, type this entry while at a coffee shop. I am curious to know if any of you are guilty of this?

National Running Day: Make it a Family Affair

Happy National Running Day! Hopefully this isn't the *only* day you try to get out there for a run, but just like "bike to work day" or "walk your dog day" (I'm sure it exists somewhere), I like that we have a day to recognize how awesome we are.

Shared this from Runners World on my Facebook Page and think it's appropriate for today.

We will pack up the jogger and take it to the park for an easy four miles with a playground stop. As you know, I've been gently encouraging my daughter to get in the running spirit by bribing her with pretty sneakers and promises of play time if she rides patiently for a few miles at a time.

What's great is that she is starting to show a good bit of excitement. Granted, 2-year-olds are excited about everything from Legos to peanut butter, I like that she sees someone round the corner quickly in front of our house and exclaims, "Look Mommy! A RUNNER!"

So I think National Running Day is about more than just logging our own miles. We should find a way to involve someone else in our addiction the fun. Whether you get your kids to run around the block with you or partner up with someone who's newer to the sport, find a way to share your enthusiasm. It's bound to be contagious.

In fact, I think it is especially important to get your kids involved in today as well as your regular activities any other day. As it stands, circumstances are not stacked in our favor when it comes to encouraging our kids to be active, what with extra curricular activities and PE often being the first things that are cut when a district's budget starts to get a little tight. Some schools, in an effort to save on labor expenses by shortening the school day have eliminated recess. Recess!

I know it's hard between work, chores, homework, and other responsibilities to find time to be active as a family, but even just once a week will have an impact on how your child embraces physical activity. Kind of like eating vegetables: If they're on the plate from day one, the child will not expect a substitution. If daily activity is a part of your family's routine from the get-go, your child will hopefully learn to look forward to it on a regular basis and eventually embark on his own journey to learn a sport and develop a talent. I was fortunate to have been raised with the opportunity to participate in martial arts, cross country, and track and field. If not for that experience early on, I don't think I would have gravitated back to the field of health and fitness after my years spent being not-so healthy or fit!

What are your running plans for National Running Day?

How does your family get fit together?

Tuesday Night Spin - The "In or Out" Debate

I have a certain brother-in-law who likes to make fun of my spin classes. I don't take it personally, after all, you are just sitting there. On a bike. Not going anywhere. I can see how this would seem less than appealing. I do try to make it feel like we're doing something, though. The fans are on full-blast,  the music is energetic and loud, and we do jumps, bumps, and aggressive attacks on a hill. We're still not actually moving, but we're not doing nothing, either.

But there are two distinct camps of people: the gym rats and the outdoor types. I feel like I kind of straddle the line, but honestly, I will work out wherever it is convenient, which more often than not tends to be the gym. Go ahead and call me a woose, but I don't like doing tempo runs at 7:30min/mile while pushing a 15-lb. jogging stroller with a 34-lb toddler. I have no problem with the treadmill, but other people would rather stab themselves in the foot than be stuck on a piece of cardio equipment.

Of those two camps, there are certainly subgroups. Among the gym-goers, you have your sweat junkies (here), meatheads, socialites, loungers, and readers. Of the outdoorsy types, you have your purists, elitists, split-obsessed, tech geeks, and yappers.

Whether you're unplugged or wired up, on the bike or on the road, a quiet solo runner or talking your running partner's ears off as he huffs and puffs up a hill and plots your death once you reach the top, all that really matters is that you're actually working.

None of THIS:

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And DEFINITELY none of this, especially in my class:

Seriously, I will kick your a$$ out. [source]

Some people need to gauge their effort by the speed at which they pass through the surrounding scenery, but if you are forced to take your workout indoors, here are a few tips:

• Get a heart rate monitor. Active.com has a good target heart rate calculator that can help you determine what general range you ought to be working in. This is especially important when engaging in a cardiovascular routine for the first time, so that you can learn to gauge your effort by feel as you see how hard your heart works at different intensities. If you are more accustomed to higher intensity, but are unsure how to replace your usual tempo run with a bike workout, a HR monitor can help you make sure you're working just as hard as you would be on the road.
• Mix it up. If you always run outdoors but weather or injury has forced you indoors, challenge yourself with something totally different. A lot of the time when we focus exclusively on one sport, we let other aspects of fitness go, like building strength (for us runners, especially in the upper body). Lifting will build and maintain muscle which, especially after an injury, is important to prevent further injury, sustain a higher metabolism, maintain bone density and simply help you discover other strengths you might have otherwise ignored.
• Make your cardiovascular workout part of a circuit. A lot of people can't tolerate being on one piece of machinery for more than a few minutes before dying of boredom. So alternate 3-5 minutes resistance followed by 3-5 minutes of intense (85-90% HRMax) cardio. I like to do 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps each focusing on two muscle groups at a time followed by a few 1/4-mile repeats (with equal recovery). If you use music, just alternate activities for each song.

Other people simply love the gym and can't stand taking their workouts outdoors without the stimulation of music or television. While it's easier to initiate a fitness routine with multimedia distractions, it's also important to get outside, to train our bodies to work by feel, and not just the monitor on a piece of equipment.

• Plan ahead. If you live in a location where you might not enjoy moving outdoors, pick a park ahead of time and plan your excursion for a day when you have plenty of time to get there and back without rushing or stress.
• If you've done most of your cardio on the 'mill, bike, or elliptical, start with easy-to-moderate effort runs, especially if you want to take your workout to the trails. Your muscles will take time to adjust to the change in terrain, so it's a great opportunity to find a running partner and simply take in the scenery to start.
• Get creative. Most parks have playgrounds, which you already know I use to do resistance when running with my daughter. Circuits can be done just as easily outdoors as in the gym, so pick a distance to run to, stop and find something to do an exercise on, then run to the next stop and do something different. Can't find something to climb on or hang from? Push-ups, planks, squats and lunges are great, too.

We are creatures of routine and habit. Anything that shakes up our predictable schedules can easily throw us for a loop. But with a little thought, you can maintain and improve your fitness just about anywhere. Just remember, even the "best" workouts and modalities out there are useless if you don't actually push yourself.

What different or challenging workout did you try that you thought you'd hate, but wound up enjoying?
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And now, how about some music to sit and go nowhere to?

Tuesday Night Spin: Long Road to Nowhere
1. "The Power is On" The Go! Team - Warm up, flat road, alternate lead leg 1x each side.
2. "Magic Carpet Ride" Steppenwolf - Add a gear, start seated in position 1 for one min, take it up to 2 for one min, then out to 3 for third minute w/ an additional gear. Have a seat and repeat the cycle, 30s. each position.
3. "Drive In Drive Out" Dave Matthews Band - Add one more gear to get on your first hill. Climbing moderately, take it out to position 3 and push a little harder each chorus.
4. "Shut Up and Drive" Rihanna - Take a few gears off, back to light resistance (make sure you still feel like you're pushing some to maintain momentum). On the beat for the verse, spin ups @ double time on the chorus.
5. "Right Here, Right Now" Fatboy Slim - Add at least 3 gears back on, taking it up to medium-to-heavy resistance (pedaling in the mud). Find the beat and hold your cadence on a steady climb. Position 1 for the first half, take it up to 3 with one more gear for the second half.
6. "Cupid Shuffle" Cupid - Light resistance, not flat road resistance - keep something under those feet! Choreographed "shuffle", alternating from pos. 1 to 2 to 3, each cycle shorter than the previous: 30s/20s/10s/5s, finishing with changing every 4 beats.
7. "Ride" - The Vines - Flat road "flush out", ride fast with optional spin up on the chorus.
8. "Like a Pill" - Pink - Add 2-3 gears back on for runs in position 3 on the chorus.
9. "Turn the Page" Metallica version - Heavy long climb, starting seated @ medium resistance, adding a gear each chorus 'til we need to stand, then another gear or two in position 3 if we can. Keep the pedal strokes smooth and at 60rpm.
10. "Dog Days Are Over" Florence and the Machine - Take a couple gears off from your highest resistance. Working our way back down the hill in position 3 on the verse, taking a gear off and trying to pick up the pace a little in position 1 for each chorus until we're back to light resistance.
11. "Stop" Matchbox 20 - Light resistance, run it out to the finish.
12. "Somewhere Only We Know" Keane - Flat road cool down.
13. "Traffic in the Sky" Jack Johnson - Stretch.
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Lovely Blog Award!

While "Concrete And Coffee" has been up for a while, it's only been in the past few months that I've been posting seriously and attempting to expand my reach in the fitness community and to those looking for (mostly) healthy living tips, inspiration, and a most importantly, a laugh. :)

And I have to say, it's hard! I feel like there are definitely days that I spend as much time trying to blog, tweet, post to the book of faces and network about all things relevant to running and fitness as I actually spend running and keeping fit!

So I am completely flattered and honored that Marcia of Marcia's Healthy Slice nominated CNC as One Lovely Blog! You should go check her blog out: She always has lots of interesting health and nutrition tidbits to share and is just a generally nice, sweet person!


The Rules:
* Post the award logo and picture on your blog and link back to the person who nominated you.
* Tell seven things about yourself.
* Nominate up to 15 additional bloggers whom you think deserve the award.
* Post a comment on the blog of each nominee to tell them they have been nominated!

First, seven things...

1. Despite his reputation as a serial engager/husband, my celebrity crush is Ryan Reynolds.

And hello, he's run a marathon!

2. I have never broken a bone, except for maybe a toe, which is unconfirmed.


3. I did break just about every rule in some way or another (except for smoking) while pregnant.

You did what???

4. If calories and sugar were of no consequence, I'd eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch all the time.

5. It takes precisely 13.4oz of coffee administered within 15-30 minutes of waking up for me to function as a normal, amicable human being.

6. I have yet to watch an episode of "Parenthood" without crying.

7. Don't tell my sister, but after scoffing at her Alec Baldwin obsession, I've watched enough "30 Rock" that I'm finally starting to get it.


[source]

Next, my blog nominations:

Jen - Who trains like a mother and chases a toddler, too.

Katie - She got to meet Chrissie Wellington!

Beth - Duh.

Mel - Mom of TWO toddlers and Stroller Strides instructor. A Jedi of a fit mom, in my book.

Amanda - She runs, bikes, coaches, and got to run with Joan Benoit Samuelson!

Pavement Runner - I can't find a first name for him. I guess he likes it that way. I can tell you that his race photos are very similar to that of the "ridiculously photogenic guy."

Monica - She just did the Reach the Beach relay and has me itching to run one now, too.

Heather - Another "duh". This tough chicka is just awesome.

Kelly  - Wellness coach and contributor to runningrunners.net. Also a mom of two little ones!

I'd love to nominate like a million other blogs, and even people who don't "blog" regularly but who work hard and inspire others, but the Little Miss is starting to yell at me to "Stop typing, Mommy!" So that's my cue to wrap this up.

Got something to say about running, fitness, or life? Have a story to share about your own progression from flab to fab? Keep writing. While I initially starting posting more often because I got the notion in my head that I could eventually train and blog from home instead of wait tables, I think it's having to balance a physically active job while remaining physically active that is something a lot of you can identify with. Would I love to receive free samples of Nutella to review and give away? Absolutely! But even when I reach the point of getting free products, I probably still won't be able to quit my day (and night) job. And right now, I wouldn't necessarily want to. It's what makes me tough and reminds me to constantly aim for that sense of balance.

Do you have a blog people should be reading, or follow a blog I should follow too?