Running Muse

Photo from Mural Blog


I was a serious multitasker today! I went to 9:30AM eye doctor appointment wearing my running clothes and with a gym bag packed with something to change into for post-run strength training.

My eye doctor's office is literally right next door to my gym so I hate going there and NOT taking advantage of being two feet from the gym. But I knew I needed to get a 7 mile run in today and not just strength train.

So after finally getting a pair of contacts that allow me to see semi-decently, I dropped off my bag in a gym locker and took off for a nice, easy 7 miles.

The goal according to the training plan? 7 miles at a 10:43 pace. The problem? I downloaded some new music last night. New music always puts a spring in my step. Especially because I finally got around to downloading some Muse songs. Who knew that Muse was so good to run to? My new favorites are "Uprising", "Super Massive Black Hole", and "Knights of Cydonia".

Also, this weekend is the LiveJournal Runners Club Virtual Race. 5K or 10K, your choice, report your distance and time.



I think subconsciously I didn't want my time to be a personal worst. However, I also didn't look at my watch until the very end so I had no idea how fast I was going. All I knew is that it felt good, the sun was shining, my new tunes were motivating, and I was enjoying the cool air.

Which means that instead of running at a 10:43 pace I ran at a 9:42 pace. And based on that my 10K time was 1:00:16. Hard to believe that a year ago I struggled to get my 10K time under an hour and now I'm coming thisclose during training runs.

After my run I returned to the gym locker room and changed into dry workout clothes. I put in 30 minutes of fairly lackadaisical strength training. I really wasn't feeling it. Oh well. It's still some pretty impressive multitasking!

And just so you know that we're not experiencing some kind of winter heat wave or anything, here's some proof that, yes, things here are still covered in snow:


Click to see larger

Nothing like Snowman Rakehands to greet you when you come home from working out (that's in our neighbors backyard, FYI).



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Activity Route: -- Elev. Avg: 627 ft Location: Forest Park, IL Elev. Gain: +0 ft Date: 02/13/10 Up/Downhill: [+39/-39] Time: 10:22 AM Difficulty: 2.9 / 5.0   Weather: A Few Clouds   27 F temp; 50% humidity   27 F heat index; winds NW 9 Performance Distance: 7.04 miles Time: 1:08:20 Speed: 6.2 mph Pace: 9' 42 /mi Calories: 839 Map   Elevation (ft)   Pace (min/mile)   Splits Mile Pace (min/mile) Speed (mph) Elevation Gain actual +/- avg actual +/- avg 1 9' 36 -0' 06 6.2 +0.1 -3 ft 2 9' 43 +0' 01 6.2 -0.0 -9 ft 3 9' 19 -0' 23 6.4 +0.2 +6 ft 4 9' 48 +0' 06 6.1 -0.1 +7 ft 5 10' 14 +0' 32 5.9 -0.3 -13 ft 6 10' 16 +0' 34 5.8 -0.3 +9 ft end 10' 00 +0' 18 6.0 -0.2 +3 ft Versus average of 9' 42 min/mile

Posted from bimactive.com

This One Goes to Eleven

Did you know that a LifeFitness Cross-trainer elliptical can go up to at least 11 miles per hour?

I didn't either.

Until last night.

Remember last week how I could barely keep the elliptical above 6 MPH the entire time I was on it? Last night i could barely keep it BELOW 6 MPH. Heck, for most of those 30 minutes I could barely keep it below 7 MPH.

I think it was the music. I downloaded a new song last night. I've never even seen Slumdog Millionaire but I heard "Mausam & Escape" (a song from the soundtrack) on Sound Opinions last week and I really liked it. Something about new music always puts a spring in my step when I'm doing cardio.

What about you? Do you get energized by new music or do you prefer tried-and-true favorites?

Speedwork Playlist

Okay, don't really click there. Just scroll down


Kristen (who, by the way, has the most awesome blog title ever) asked to see the playlist that powered me through my speedwork on Wednesday evening. And since when my readers ask I like to deliver, here it is. Some of them may seem like odd choices for running music, but I find they get me in the mood.

Warm-Up:

Come What May - Moulin Rouge Soundtrack
Into the Ocean - Blue October
Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz

First Speed Mile:

Thnks Fr Th Mmrs - Fall Out Boy
Somebody Told Me - The Killers
U + Ur Hand - Pink

Half-mile recovery jog:

In My Memory - DJ Tiesto (I ended up skipping most of this because I didn't realize how quickly I would be done with the first speed mile when I put the playlist together. Hence, most of this recovery jog was done to U + Ur Hand.)

Second Speed Mile:

Misery Business - Paramore
The Pretender - Foo Fighters
Make Your Mama Proud - Fastball

Half-mile recovery jog:

Easy Lover - Phil Collins

Third Speed Mile:

Shake It - Metro Station
Crush Crush Crush - Paramore
See You Again - Miley Cyrus

Half-mile recovery jog and cool down:

Vogue - Madonna
If I Am - Nine Days
This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race - Fall Out Boy
Face Down - The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Fake It - Seether

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Last night at Pilates I felt very weak. And afterward I felt sort of light-headed and brain-dead. I thought about skipping my 30 minutes on the elliptical, but since I had already skipped both Pilates and cardio on Tuesday I felt bad about skipping the elliptical again. So, I got on. I ended up feeling better after getting it done than I did before I started. I'm not sure if the weakness and light-headedness was from skipping a workout this week or from working so hard at the speedwork the night before.

I have an 8 mile run scheduled for this weekend. I'm still trying to figure out when I'm going to get it in. I'll probably end up doing it Sunday sometime. Hopefully I can squeeze it in outside and not be stuck on the treadmill.

Music to my feet?

Photo from PS Graphix

Tonight was my "easy" 2 mile run at an 11:02 minute/mile pace. As usual, it had to be done on the treadmill since it's still snowing!

So, I got home from work, changed into running gear, strapped on my iPod, and headed down to the basement. I did a 4 and a half minute warm-up walk and then launched into running with the treadmill set at 5.4 miles per hour. After about .7 miles, I punched it up to 5.5 mph.

Tonight felt good! I felt as though I could have run at that speed for quite awhile. Perhaps I could have gone even faster.

I credit my iPod. I don't always run with it when I run on the treadmill, typically preferring to watch a DVD instead. But I've found that good music really helps when it comes to the 'mill. Tonight definitely proved that.

Here's what I listened to:

"Come What May" - Moulin Rouge soundtrack (warm-up walk)
"Animal" - Nickleback
"Easy Lover" - Phil Collins
"See You Again" - Miley Cyrus
"Misery Business" - Paramour
"Crush Crush Crush" - Paramour
"Shake It" - Metro Station

If only all my runs could be like tonight.

Stay tuned for Wednesday when I attempt intervals on the treadmill!