My Favorite Things

A simple list of some of things that are making me happy at the moment:

1. Helmets for doggies. I saw a dog get hit by a car on Saturday as I was taking Emma for a walk. It was the most horrifying thing I have ever seen. Thankfully, the dog is ok - but, I am going to make Emma wear a helmet at all times now. (Picture courtesy of dachshundlove.blogspot.com)

















2. My Emma. Seeing that dog get hit really made me love and appreciate her more. I want to protect her and give her the best life that we can.











3. Making "mix tapes" on www.mixwit.com. I can listen to the smooth sounds of Michael Buble to my heart's content while at work.

4. Hearing my Flying Pig race report on Steve Runner's Phedippidations podcast - it was a dream come true to be featured on my favorite podcast ever - thanks Steve!

5. Celebrating three years of marriage with Chad this Wednesday!

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.