A Change of Plans

You can follow my sporadic blogging at Running Towards Wellness or on Twitter @runismymantra

Music Monday is Back

I went for a run today. You may think this is a regular event since not running makes me all squirrely like, well in the last few weeks I've only been walking to and from the rehab hospital to the train. The running will come back when I have time to carve out the time.

Darn You Miley Cyrus

I didn't even get through my whole running list - so that's good - I won't have to add a whole lot more songs - maybe mix them up better or something. I love running in Philadelphia - the weather is so amazing - it's almost the end of November and it is the equivalent to local September day for me. The miles went by easier than they did last year or so I thought - in the end I am pretty sure I didn't beat my Victoria time - I had some knee strain, serious back pain (note to self getting adjusted the day before you sit for 12 hours and then try and run 24 hours after that - is a REALLY stupid and painful idea). I seemed to have finished with only a blister on the bottom of the toe next to the baby toe on my left foot.

I have lots I want to say about Philadelphia but right now my brain is a little slow. Yay for calorie burns that turn you senseless. The point I wanted to get at is I had Miley Cyrus' The Climb is on my playlist. At Mile 10-11 it came on and I just about broke down crying there - yes it's the hormones and the stress but at that time it was the great message - it isn't about the win or lose it is about the journey - that itself makes you who you are each time you cross the finish line.

Have You Ever

Sung along to a song over and over and then in the middle of writing a paper realized that the lyrics were actually profound?

Happiness hit her like a train on a track
Coming towards her stuck still no turning back
She hid around corners and she hid under beds /
She killed it with kisses and from it she fled /
With every bubble she sank with a drink /
And washed it away down the kitchen sink.

The dog days are over
The dog days are done
The horses are comin' so you better run

Run fast for your mother; run fast for your father /
Run for your children all your sisters and brothers /
Leave all your love and your longing behind.
You can't carry it with you / if you want to survive

The dog days are over /
The dog days are done /
Can you hear the horses/
'Cause here they come ... Florence and the Machine - Dog Days Are Over

I leave my personal life for the most part off this blog for long and complex reasons but I will say that I started running for a lot of the same reasons people pick up exercise. It is a daily act of exorcism of all that we have or want to leave behind so that we can run freer in our present and future life. So run because with each step those days are further behind you.

An iTunes Monster Has Been Created

I was initially fearful of the process, crazy I know but I don't really like technology - anyways not the point - I purchased the large portion of my running list and some others and not some of the below - one that I added when I realized that I LOVE it and I haven't become of sick of it, and hopefully I can pace myself because I might listen to it long enough to make myself sick:



PS Check out the actually music video it's really well Florence esque

Apologies

I have been very tardy and will likely continue to be very tardy for a while as I am in school, working full time and training pretty continuously since Houston is coming and apparently a few other marathons too...

But so I don't completely ignore you - my song list for Philly:

· One Step at a Time - Jordin Sparks
· Broken Glass - Annie Lennox
· Circus – Britney Spears
· Toxic - Britney Spears
· Stronger - Christina Aguilera
· Ain’t No Man – Christina Aguilera
· Not Afraid - Eminem
· Lose Yourself - Eminem
· Eye of The Tiger - Survivor - I am running the home of Rocky
· Settlin' - Sugarland
· Last Name – Carrie Underwood
· Undo It - Carrie Underwood
· Need Somebody - Kings of Leon
· Playboy - Candy Coated Killahz
· Release Me - Agnes
· The Climb - Miley Cyrus
· The Pretender - Foo Fighters
· Universal Mind Control - Common
· Bleed it Out – Linkin Park
· What I've Done – Linkin Park
· Faint - Linkin Park
· Survivor - Destiny's Child
· SOS - Rihanna
· Don't Stop the Music – Rihanna
· Shut Up - BEP
· Pump It – Black Eye Peas
· Into the Rush – Aly and Aj
· Life is a Highway – Tom Cochrane
· Life in the Fast Lane – The Eagles
· Burn it to the Ground - Nickelback
· Stronger – Kanye West
· American Boy - Kanye West/Estelle
· Take it Off (faster good beat) – Kesha
· When Love Takes Over – Kelly Rowland
· Man Eater – Nelly Furtado
· Just Wanna Dance – Whitney Houston
· Hot and Cold – Katy Perry
· Pink
· This Ain’t a Scene – Fall Out Boy
· Just Dance – Fall Out Boy

My Apologies

I have fallen of the face of the Earth - I was sick for a while, busy with work and school... I haven't been able to blog from work like I usually do. I will try to be better. I will let you know how the training has been going. I have started doing yoga again. I normally resist yoga when I'm a little squidgy in places - because somehow having to bend and bind around your Beyonce like booty is not like running in a what is effectively a mini skirt in pouring rain and wind. Yes the later should be more uncomfortable but I digress. I have had problems in the past with plantar fascititis and snapping hip syndrome (which apparently is only a dancer's injury - oh bless my weird body) and the Runner's World insistence on core stability has me back at yoga.

So lessons learned:

1. Yoga - I recommend it - I found that my core class is really good for me on my rest day. I have done some of an advanced Hatha class per my teacher's suggestion that I challenge myself. Too much challenge. I (and possibly you) are training for a race not a better shoulder stand or what have you. I will definitely keep this one up and I might up my yoga in the summer when I normally decrease my mileage because of the damn heat.

2. Diet - Being GF/DF and well let's face it S Reduced is challenging - my health in general has been really challenging to the point where this might be the last racing year for a while. I am finding that I am still very immune compromised and my acupuncturist can't seem to tell me more than the specialists - they know my body isn't happy, they just don't know why. Acupuncturist says it's heat in my liver and kidneys and the Immunologist just shrugs his shoulders - apparently my body is upset but what is causing it is anyone's guess. Sweet.

3. Persistence - find joy in the little victories and acknowledge when you've set the challenge too high.