This is who I really am.

This week's Music Monday is 100 Million Miles by Monster Magnet. This is one of my favorite running songs. It's really been my mantra for the last few races I have run. I just finished up the MRTC Road Race Series. This year has been a lot harder because I have been dealing with more pain and injuries. This song reminds me that I just have to keep pushing and that when I am done running I can rest and recuperate. I also love the steady beat of the drums. On a easier run I sync each step with each beat. On my harder days I sync my right foot to each beat. That means a lot of turnover! The song is not about running but the chorus and drum beat make it a perfect running song. "Hey, there ain't no pain! 100 million miles away!" Enjoy!

This week's Music Monday is "Bleed It Out" by Linkin Park. While I'm not a big Linkin Park fan, I really love this song. It's one of my favorite songs on my workout and running playlists. When this song comes on during a workout or a run I get a little extra adrenaline going. For me it's about going really hard and putting everything you've got into what your doing. It's not particularly fast or heavy but the clapping and the chanting chorus of "I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away" give it a ton of energy. This is really great for my speed workouts. That's when I tend to go "harder". That's when I put the most work in. If you know me as a runner you know I'm hell bent on getting faster every day. Right now I'm working really hard in the gym with workouts from my trainer/pal Kate, so if you see me at the gym clapping and chanting to myself you know what song I'm listening to - "G...

This week's Music Monday is my playlist from my most recent race, the Celebrate Munford 5K. This is something that I've wanted to do for a while. I mention in these posts from time to time about songs being on a playlist. I thought I would write about my playlist for my most recent 5K. I am starting this post a few days before the race. I am giving the details of why and how I chose these songs. After the race I will go back and finish the post with how the songs affected me. When I make a playlist for a race like this I try to do a few things: have a song to warm up with, songs that push me to run harder, and a song for how I feel once I have finished the race. The songs build up from "slower" to "insane". Here goes: 1. "Where Are You" - Our Lady Peace I chose this song to warm up with. Most times I'll go with a song that has a lot of "swagger". Something that kinda conveys a sense of confidence. Usually a rap song like the W...

I have three routes that I usually run. I have a one mile loop around the YMCA that I use the most. I have a loop around my neighborhood that I use when I can't get to the Y. But my favorite is an out and back from the Y. I use this out and back when I want to go for a long run or if I really need to make myself run. The route starts at the end of the parking lot of the Y and goes towards Navy Road. I cross over Navy Road to Veteran's Parkway and out to Navy Lake. Depending on how many miles I plan to run I know where to turn around and come back. All the way out to Navy Lake is 5 miles but I also use it for shorter distances. Days like yesterday is why I like that route so much. Yesterday was one of those days that I wanted to run at least 5 miles or more but I was really tired. I knew if I ran the loop at the Y I would be tempted to quit early. It's easy to talk yourself into shortening your run when you are running a loop because you keep coming back to your startin...

This week's Music Monday is "Warrior" by Disturbed. I picked this song for a few reasons. This weekend my wife came to me with an idea her best friend from college came up with: she wanted to do the Warrior Dash . I had thought about doing it before but never really got too serious about it. We decided we wanted to do it and signed the three of us up. While I was at it, it was time to register for the MRTC Road Race Series . I talked Staci into doing it again this year. We did it last year and had lots of fun. The award you get for finishing all ten races in the series is the "Road Warrior". I will be going for my third "Road Warrior" trophy. Another reason I picked this song is because I am starting a new battle with my weight. I really haven't been trying lately. I let myself go when I was dealing with my tendinitis. I couldn't run for a couple months and I really didn't do the things I needed to do that I could have been doing. I...

I finally got the chance to run for the first time in over two months. And it was AWESOME! I got the "all clear" on Friday but somehow waited until Monday to get out and run. Going in, I had a little bit of fear. Really just little silly worries: will the knee be ok, will I get shin splints, will I remember how to run, will I be terribly slow, will I have to - gulp - walk. Monday afternoon was the perfect time to get that first run. I couldn't think of any better way to get going than my favorite running weather: hot-as-balls! The temperature had to have been over 90. I know a lot of people don't like running when it's that hot but I love it. It really make me pay more attention to my body and how efficient I am. As I was getting ready to go outside my kids asked where I was going. Of course they all wanted to go but the girls just can't make it but my son can ride his bike right along with me. Those are some of my favorite runs wh...

This week's Music Monday is "Open Your Eyes" by Guano Apes. This song helped pick me up today (Tuesday) during my workout when I was in need of a kick in the ass. I wasn't struggling with my workout. I was struggling with my focus. I have been really bummed about the way my knee has been and starting to really get down because I can't do what I want, RUN. This song really gives me that reminder to stop being negative. Open my eyes and beat that feeling. I am not completely shutdown. I can still do other stuff. Just gotta keep myself focused. Open your eyes,open your mind  Proud like a god don't pretend to be blind Trapped in yourself, break out instead Beat the machine that works in your head The funny thing is that after this song played another awesome song came on. Hole's "Be a Man" came on. There is something about Courtney Love screaming "BE A MAN!" that makes me work harder. Enjoy!

This week's Music Monday is "This Time" by Depswa. This is so very much a song that I can relate to. It's one that every time I hear it my blood begins to boil. My fists clinch. My teeth grind. This is a song about me. The psychological battle within is the hardest to win. We often know the way to win but we constantly let our "mental demons" get the best of us. I know how to lose the extra weight I am carrying right now. I just keep losing these little mental battles with myself. But THIS TIME I've finally had enough! THIS TIME I'm ready to fight! Everyone has these battles. They can be about anything in your life, not just weight loss. So if you keep losing these same mental or emotional battles with yourself I suggest you clinch your fist and say: This time, I think you'll finally see This time, I will not break This time, I'm smart enough to know There is only so much I'll take This time, I'm gonna make change This ti...

This week's Music Monday is "Superstar II" by Saliva. Lately I have been really struggling with this whole "not running" thing. I finally went to the doctor in March and was diagnosed with tendinitis. The doctor told me I could do whatever I want....as long as it doesn't inflame the knee. In other words: no running. For two months. I thought it wouldn't be that hard. I could still lift weights as long as I wasn't using my knee. This was actually a bonus because I HATE doing walking lunges. (If you've ever seen my do walking lunges, then drop and do four push ups, it is one push up for each letter of the four letter word I want to scream out loud.) I also had found pool running  as a way to "run". I knew what I could and couldn't do, now it was time to do those things that were allowed. I came up with a plan and thought it was a good one. Not quite. The plan: MWF - Pool running. 1+ hour in the pool running and swimming. Tu...

This week's Music Monday is "Fire It Up" by Thousand Foot Krutch. This song is the ULTIMATE "get fired up" song. It is always at the beginning of my playlist for a race, especially a 5K. It's a really good song to get your blood pumping for a great workout. I thought of this song after reading a blog of an old friend . She is blogging about her journey to a better self. She has a great story for why she is on her journey and recently wrote a post about her fire within. It was one that really shows her fire for getting where she wants to be. Check her blog out. Everything I've read has been great. I haven't seen her in years but judging from her blog it looks like she is in a good place. This song should definitely be in YOUR workout playlist. Listen to the lyrics and try to not get fired up! I've got a bad case of turning it up It's getting cold in here so fire it up Enjoy!

This week's Music Monday is "Adrenaline" by Bush. This is another one of my favorite running songs. Especially right now. This morning I was having a really hard time finding the right song for this week. Sure enough this was the first song on my iPod when I started running. It's funny how these things happen. Music is so important to me and I don't really think it is ever an accident. I posted this song a few weeks ago because it just kept coming on during my runs when I really needed it....and it has three more times since I posted it. Like, literally right when I needed it. If you are friends with me on Facebook, now you know why I have "my music" listed as my religion. This song instantly became this week's song because lately with my knee issues I have had trouble getting started because I never know for sure how my body will react. Today I said "F- it, whatever I need to do to get 6 miles in I'm gonna do it!" How can you ...

Positive thoughts = Negative splits. I saw this on the back of a guy's race t-shirt while waiting in line to get on a ride at Disney World a couple years ago. I thought it was a perfect saying for runners. Negative splits for runners is when you run each increment of your run (I go by miles) at a faster pace than the previous. In other words, if you run a 9:00 on your first mile, an 8:30 on your second, and an 8:00 on your third, than you had negative splits.  When I run I tend to get stronger every mile. I have heard people say the opposite, that they get slower because they get tired. Part of it is physical. You have to train yourself to get stronger physically. But by keeping your thoughts positive you give yourself a better chance of getting stronger with each mile. Instead of thinking "I'm too tired, I can't do this" you need to remind yourself that "I'm strong, I can do this" You...

This week's Music Monday is "Get Up" by Breaking Point. I have quite a few friends that are starting or have already been working towards new goals. Some have been working on losing weight. Some are just starting. Some are getting back to exercise after getting away from it for a while. Some are getting ready to run distances they have never run: 5k, half marathons and marathons. I even know someone that is working on writing a book. And another that is starting a new job. So right now I am excited for a lot of people. And I KNOW every single one of them is going to do great, because well.....I don't surround myself with losers! This song is from my collection of songs that always seems to make it onto whatever playlist I make for a new goal. This song is about getting knocked down and getting back up. It's a great motivating song. Another one of those songs that really gets my blood pumping whenever I hear it. In fact I am sure it will come on my iPod whil...

This week's Music Monday is three songs from Bush's latest album The Sea of Memories. Lately I have been having trouble writing in this blog. I've pretty much only written my Music Monday posts and the non music ones (as well as the music ones) that I did write were crap. So this morning as I was trying to decide on a song to use and trying to write one about running I could only draw a blank (or crappy sentences). So I did what I usually do when I am stuck: I turned on my ipod. I picked this album to play while I sat there trying to come up with something good to write. Then it finally hit me! (8 hours later) I decided to do something I really have wanted to do for a while: give you a few songs and let you decide what you think/feel. These three songs have very special meanings for me. I won't discuss them because one of my favorite things about listening to songs that Gavin Rossdale has written is that there is not always a clear meaning. There are a lot of hi...

This week's Music Monday is "Where Are You?" by Our Lady Peace. Last week's Music Monday was a song I used to blow off steam for how I had been feeling recently. I would put in a "good" week working out and then go on an eating binge all weekend. That went on for a couple weeks until I was finally too frustrated to write anything positive on Monday. So I decided to go with a song that I was using to call myself out for not really putting in a good effort in anything. I felt like I was "faking" a lot of things. Three things happened after I posted that song. First, I really got that off of my chest. It was something I had been feeling for a few weeks but had kinda kept to myself. Next thing was a guy that I have gotten to know pretty well at the gym gave me some advice: If your not happy with the where you are, get back to the where you were before. So from there I decided to get back to the same attitude I had before. I had fallen into a pit...

This week's Music Monday is "Fake It" by Seether. Good god, you're comin' up with reasons Good god, you're draggin' it out And good god, it's the changin' of the seasons I feel so raped, so follow me down and just Fake it, if you're out of direction Fake it, if you don't belong, yeah Fake it, if you feel like affection Whoa, YOU'RE SUCH A FUCKIN' HYPOCRITE Enjoy!

This week's Music Monday is "Kick Ass" by Egypt Central. It is a song that I really love to listen to while I work out. The song has a lot of energy and it well.....it kicks ass! If you listen to music while you exercise you NEED this song on your music player. Plus, you gotta give some love to some Memphis boys. Conquer the weakness Work through the pain I can't be defeated I will remain I will not quit Enough said! Enjoy!

Lately I have been having trouble getting my running confidence back. My confidence, mojo, swagger, whatever you want to call it, it's gone.......or should I say it was . After my marathon in early December I really didn't have time to do much in the gym. I spent the first week relaxing and licking my wounds. I got about four good days in then it was time to travel for Christmas. Then there was a very busy work week between Christmas and New Year's. By the time I got started on my half marathon training I was out of shape. Terribly out of shape and it started affecting my confidence. My pants were tight and I felt like a fat slob. So I did what I do best: I jumped into a training program that would kick my ass! I started using every resource I have to find good workouts to get in better shape quickly. I started the advanced half marathon training program and found a few core and cardio workouts to use. But my biggest problem has been getting myself back into my runn...

This week's Music Monday is "All In The Suit That You Wear" by Stone Temple Pilots. I really wanted to find a motivating song for this week for all of the people that started a New Year's resolution. I thought of this song last week during one of my runs at a time when I was questioning my effort and trying to decide if I was motivated enough. This song came on while these questions were puzzling me. At the EXACT perfect time. The opening lyrics kinda sum up what we go through at times. Those positive thoughts and motivations that we need to get us through sometimes get pushed down because we lose confidence in ourselves and hold ourselves back. Hey you, someone said you were lost out there In the grip, trying to strangle us all down here In the meantime, are you ever gonna set us free Hey you, will we ever get out of here? The "suit that you wear", to me, is the mindset and attitude that you take into a situation. Most of the time when we struggl...

Last week I had one of those moments I tend to write about in this very blog. Lately I have been trying to get motivated to write more. I just haven't had the time or the creativity to get anything written. The same goes for my exercise/eating habits. I haven't had time to get to the gym and I can tell that I have been putting back food like I am a competitive eater - at every meal. The moment that I had was while I was doing a tempo run. If you do not know what a tempo run is, it is a run where you run the first 1/3 of your run at an easy pace, gradually speed up until you are pushing it your hardest (not a sprint) at 2/3 of your run, then gradually slowing down until you end at your slow pace. I was in a place of self doubt. I probably put on about 10 pounds since my marathon a month ago. A tempo run is not terribly hard if you are in good running shape. But for me on this day it was absolutely brutal. I could feel the extra weight dr...