Thursday, July 5, 2007

Training Favorites

Well, marathon training has officially begun. My training plan covers 16 weeks, and I am still trying to wrap my head around the 4 month daily commitment that I have made. I am very much a creature of habit, and I love a good routine. I've already found a few things that I really enjoy in my training.

1. Cereal and fresh fruit. I get my runs in at 5:00 each morning, and I come home from the gym ravenous. I love the summer season - there are so many fresh fruits to choose from. My favorite breakfast now is either Cheerios or Rice Chex with blueberries, sliced strawberries, and a sliced nectarine. It is a little bit of fruit overload, but I love it. On my drive to work , I get some protein in with a slice of cheese toast and my electrolyte boost with a Powerade/water mixture.

2. Wilco's "Sky Blue Sky". This is absolutely the best cd to run to. There aren't many albums I enjoy from start to finish, and I normally favor a playlist over an album, but there is just something about this cd. One of the things I really enjoy about Wilco is the progression in their songs - they usually start out slowly, build to a crescendo, and then settle back down. This is perfect for running - just enough to keep me interested, but not enough to wear me out. Also, it is a great record to sing a long to. Some of my favorite tracks: "Side with the Seeds," "Hate It Here," "Shake It Off," "You Are My Face," "Impossible Germany," and "Walken." (Megan - I don't think you are a big Wilco fan, but I think you would really like this cd.)

3. Being sore. There is something very satisfying about being sore. I love getting to work and feeling my glutes and hamstring muscles stretch as I get up and down from my office chair.

4. Phedippidations. This is a running podcast that I am practically obsessed with. It is produced by a guy named Steve in Oxford, Mass. He has completed 15 marathons (including 6 Bostons...wow!) and produces a weekly podcast about all things running. I look forward to every Thursday when a new episode is released! It can be found in the iTunes Podcast directory.

2 comments:

DRU said...

I'm so proud of your running regime -- and even more proud that you spelled "crescendo" correctly. :)

Anonymous said...

Enjoy your training. It may seem like a long time to commit, but it will go fast and you will see your body and mind adapt quickly. And thanks for the music tip - I am currently loving KT Tunstall.