Music Monday

The kids are back to school and I feel like I can get back to a "normal" schedule. I like having them home & the flexibility it gives me with my early morning workouts. That only gets me so far & then I need to get back to a more rigid routine. Especially with this cold winter weather.

On Monday's I teach a cardio class at 6 a.m. Then I head back home, get the kids off to school & head back to the Y with only (baby) Carmen. Carmen has swim lessons at 10 so my time is limited. I've been running 3-4 miles on the treadmill then some weight lifting, if time permits. I admit, weight lifting is one of my least favorite things to do so if I don't have time, then I cut it out. That is exactly what happened today. That is also due to my triathlon preparations which insist on me get in the pool, so I swam while Carmen was having her lesson.

Mentally I knew I wanted to run 3 miles. The more I thought of it though I didn't want to "just run" 3 miles. I used to do speed or interval workouts. I call it speed, but I think technically they are interval. So when I hopped on the treadmill I made up what I wanted to accomplish. I did my walk warm up of 5 minutes, then started to run. I did a 1 mile running warm up (I mention this in my video...my walk warm up & run warm up are not the same thing. That is if I warm up at all....a whole other subject) Then for the next 3 miles I ran:

1/2 mile at a 8 minute pace.
1/4 mile at a 7:30 minute pace.
1/4 mile at a 7 minute pace.

When I was done I did a cool down run for 1/2 mile. I felt awesome the whole time. I seriously don't mean this to be a brag at all, but it wasn't really hard. It kept me moving. It was challenging in several ways, but hard....nope. I felt great. What was hard was moving back down in speed. Once I get to a certain speed I like to stay there, especially if I really get in the zone. I watched the ticker and moved my speed up & down like I was suppose to. It was also hard when a certain song came on and I hit that zone. It happened right throughout an 8 minute pace. I wanted to take off and really go. I made myself stay where I was suppose.

This plays into the whole music factor. I LOVE music! I listen to it during 99% of my runs. Yes, sometimes I go without. It's habit though. When I run outside I do not put headphones on. I either have my touch which plays out loud or if I have my nano then I wrap the ear buds around my top and hear the music as it dangles by my head. This is extremely important since I mostly run during pre-dawn hours when my only light is the street lights and sometimes the moon. For safety reasons I really need to be aware of my surroundings during these runs. Sometimes I run and don't even really hear the music. I zone out usually in think mode and it's just white noise. When I run indoors I put earphones in. Mostly out of respect of a potential neighbor who might be close enough to hear my music. Mind you, I don't think I play anything offensive, but others might not like my music & I'm respectful of that. Plus if I am indoors there is likely a lot of other noise to distract me so I need the ear buds in to help drown that out.

While music is largely a motivation factor for me, it is always changing. While a certain song may move me during one run, it might not on another. If I hit just the right song and really hit that running zone I'm guilty of taking off and letting the music move me. Sometimes it happens perfectly when I want/need it to. Other times not. Oooooh I *hate* it when that perfect awesome songs comes on and I'm trying to warm up. I'm trying hard to let my music motivate me no matter what. For instance today: that perfect song came on while at a slower tempo. I still let that song move & speak to me, but resisted that urge to take off & let it determine my pace. Of course, you know what came on when I had to pick up my pace ....yep, a slower song. (Although the other song wasn't fast, it just moved me. I have no idea if you know what I mean when I say a song moved me. That will need to be a separate post.)

So because it was Music Monday I let my playlist go on shuffle. I did not allow myself to skip whatever came up or go looking for just that right song. What came up is what I was "stuck" with and I stuck with my running plan no matter what. My RUN playlist has 350 songs and is 20.5 hours long. Plenty to choose from. I never know what's going to come up. I have such a wide variety of taste & a lot of things motivate/move me when I think of running. Not everything is fast & loud.

Here is my playlist for today.  If I could find the same song/version on youtube I linked it.

All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name - Don Marsh
This is the Day the Lord Hath Made - Bill Gaither Trio
 No, Not One/What a Friend We Have In Jesus - VBS
I Love You Lord - Don Marsh
1, 2, 3, 4 - Plain White T's
La Bamba - Los Lobos
Kokomo - Beach Boys
God You Reign - Lincoln Brewster
Sing - Carpenters
I Want You to Want Me - Cheap Trick
Welcome to the Jungle - Guns N Roses
Major Dad - TV Tunes
Wake Me Up Before You Go Go - Wham

Here in my video entry for the day.  Purposely keeping these short!!


I went a little long on the entry day. Since I am trying new things and have a lot of new followers I am doing a little more explaining. I hope to shorten it more in the future.