Beat the Heat (& Yurbuds winner)

RUNNING...

Well, folks, it's unofficially summer here in the Boston area.  Yesterday's high was 92 degrees and at 8:00 this morning we were already at 85.  Sweeeeet.  By the time I was getting ready to head out for a run, I had already broken a sweat multiple times doing simple tasks like making coffee and dropping my girls off at school.  This one was not going to be pretty.  My neighbor stopped me as I was heading off and said, "I hate to tell you this, Rebecca, but you should have been doing this about 3 hours ago."  "I know, I know", I replied.  But 3 hours ago I was asleep and then from 7-9 I'm on "mom" duty so, it was 9:00 or bust.  There is no sugar coating it...running in this heat is rough.  The air is thick as molasses and, personally, my legs tend to feel like they weigh about 50 lbs each.  These are the days when it's better to leave the watch at home.  And for those of you who run with music, it might be time to heavy up on those playlists because on a day like today, I find that I need all the extra motivation I can get.  Music is a no-brainer in this situation.  Fortunately for all of us, I have dug up some fantastic gems over the past couple days.  I realize all of you may not run with music, but I'm assuming you do something that requires you to beat the heat, so hopefully these inspire you for whatever that 'something' is.  These are not necessarily fresh off the press, but they are worth a listen if you are so inclined.  The heat is on, baby.  Enjoy.

...AND MUSIC

Listen to these:


Kid Astray - Easily Led Astray - EP




Tame Impala - Lonerism



White Arrows - Dry Land Is Not a Myth
 



The Boxer Rebellion - Promises




Fitz & the Tantrums - More Than Just a Dream



...AND

*CONGRATULATIONS* to 'deucedeuce', the winner of the Yurbuds giveaway.  Thanks to all of you for entering.  

Race Report: Johnny Kelley Half (with a twist)

RUNNING...

Locky & I smiling for the camera.

Several weeks ago, my sister-in-law and I signed up to run the Johnny Kelley Half Marathon over Memorial Day week-end.  She's a competitive runner and tends to fly through these races at paces I can't hold very comfortably.  I have been dealing with the aforementioned pain in my foot due to plantar fasciitis so I wasn't going to be breaking any records.  Thus, I suggested we run 'naked' (no watches) and just cruise it together, which she was totally up for.  As race day approached, my foot was getting worse and I began to doubt whether I would be able to pull off a half, even at 'cruising' speed.  I let my sister-in-law know that it wasn't looking good and that I would most likely have to bail which she completely understood.  The week before the race I started an intensive pain management plan and with the time off, the meds, and the stretching, by race day my pain was minimal.  Naturally, as any runner would, I began to think the race was, once again, a possibility.  I checked in with the doctor who told me that while it wouldn't help, running on plantar fasciitis does not make it worse.  One check in the "yes" box with that response. I then emailed my coach and gave him the low down.  I assumed would say "no" because the past couple weeks have been a bit rough from a training perspective.  But he surprised me by letting me know he understood my desire to run, particularly since I already paid and did not want to throw away the $50 reg fee.  In so many words, he basically said if I felt up for it, I should go for it.  Another check in the "yes" box.  There was only one check in the "no" box at this point and the "yes"s kept adding up...

• I wanted to hang and run with my sister-in-law as we always have a good time catching up while we're out on the road.  
• I wanted to be outside after spending the previous 48 hours inside watching the rain.  
• And, if I'm being totally honest here, I simply wanted to run.  

As you can imagine, the "yes" list won out over the single "no".  Sunday morning we got up around 6:30 and headed off to the race.  We got about 5 minutes away from the house when I realized I had forgotten my iPod.  GASP!!

WHAT?? NO MUSIC??

I asked my sister-in-law, who tends to run a sub 1:30 half, what her game plan was because if she was going to follow her usual routine of 'crushing it', then I needed to turn around and grab my music.  But, she claimed she didn't care about her time and was still happy to just chat and cruise.  We got to the race, grabbed our numbers, lined up and off we went.  As we always do when we run together, we jumped right into conversation.  We tend to have a plethora of subjects because we don't see each other very often but we share several similar interests including but not limited to, our children (her 3 and my 2; ages 11,9,8,7 & 6),

Katharine, Elizabeth, Rosie, Will & Grace

our love of running, our addiction to coffee, and our dread of packing (which we both do a lot of).  We ran 'comfortably fast' (her probably a bit more comfortable than me) through the entire race, chatting the whole time, much to the chagrin of the runners in front of us.  Before we knew it, we were running down the home stretch.  We crossed the line together at 1:35 and change; a time that we were both very pleased with.  We grabbed some snacks from the post-race table (really good selection), we posed for a photo with other runners; all of us holding the Muscle Milk drinks that we then enjoyed, and we stretched while we listened to "The Moonlighters" rock out to Pink Floyd and Zeppelin for a bit (that was awesome).  Then we grabbed coffees (given) and headed home...continuing to chat for another 45 minutes, savoring this last chunk of time before we jumped back into the chaos of our wild and crazy families.  Later that day, out of curiosity, I checked coolrunning to see what our official times and places were.  Turns out, her results were up but they had missed me completely.  My name wasn't even on the list.  It's as if I hadn't run.  I laughed and took it as a sign.  Because, in the end, it really didn't matter.  We ran for the fun of it and we didn't need numbers to tell us we had been successful with our plan.

...AND MUSIC

Listen to this:
The Mess - Kid Astray  


OH, AND...
Don't forget to enter the YURBUDS giveaway.  The winner will be picked this Friday.  Hurry. Go.

LISTEN UP: YURBUDS GIVEAWAY

RUNNING... (as always, scroll right on down to the bottom to skip my story & simply enter the giveaway)

I have been a runner in some way, shape or form since I was about 10 years old.  Even way back then I listened to music when I ran.  I spent a ridiculous and painstaking amount of time making mix tapes on my stereo's double cassette player.  When I ran, I carried the classic Sony walkman which likely weighed about 4 pounds and had the sound quality of a fuzzy tin can.

Original Sony Walkman (wow)

I used that puppy all the way through college, toting it to all of my cross country and track meets and continuing to make tapes for running even when CDs were starting their takeover (man, I'm old).  In all of those years, I could NEVER find a pair of headphones that worked.  The biggest issue for me has always been fit, as my ears are the size of a toddler's.  The standard headphones that came with my walkman (see above) wouldn't sit in my ear.  I would have to buy the bigger ones that sat on top of my ears and then I would have to replace them every year because the foam covers would get ruined by sweat, rain and basic overuse.  My head is also relatively small, so I'm sure I looked super cool running down the street in those bad boys.  My quest for the perfect pair of headphones has gone on for what feels like FOREVER.  Sure, all the new styles and shapes have gotten notably better, but they still don't work as well for me as I'd like them to.  The earbuds fall out, the behind the ear hooks aren't tight enough, the huge rock star ones are so big I wouldn't hear a mac truck if drove up behind me.  Seriously, I have tried them all (no really, all of them).

The land of misfit headphones

Enter YURBUDS.  Imagine my excitement when I found a pair of headphones that fit well, were sweatproof, had fantastic sound and looked cool.  No joke.  ALL of those things.  They are specifically designed for athletes by athletes.  The Yurbuds'  twistLock technology guarantees that they won't fall out.  And they don't.  Once they are sitting snuggly in the ear, they are so comfortable that I barely notice they are in there.  Personally, I like to wear the Inspire for women series because they are specifically designed for those of us with smaller ears.  But they have a ton of other choices in terms of size and fit, so there is no way you won't find a pair that works for you.  I LOVE these headphones and I think you will, too.  Want to try them?

YURBUDS - Signature Series - Lamichael James

The good folks over at Yurbuds have donated a pair of their new Signature Series-Lamichael James earphones to giveaway to one lucky RWM reader.  These earphones are just...awesome.  They are sleek-looking, with premium sound, and have reflective and tangle-resistant chords among so many other things.  To win these headphones along with a Yurbuds tech t-shirt (mens or womens) just comment below.  Give us anything from "YES, I WANT THOSE" to your favorite running song to why you do or don't love running with music.  

Bonus entries are the same as always:

~ Like YURBUDS on Facebook

~ Follow YURBUDS on Twitter

~ Like RWM on Facebook

~ Follow RWM on Twitter

* If you already do any or all of the above just let me know which ones so I can give you the extra entries.  

** Please note: contest is for US residents only.  Winner will be chosen by random.org on Friday, May 31st. Retail value of the Yurbuds earphones in this contest is $59.99.  Good luck.

...AND MUSIC

Listen to this:

Spark - Fitz & the Tantrums  

"A Few of My Favorite Things"

RUNNING...

The hills are alive.....

My girls are obssessed with the movie The Sound of Music at the moment.  They know every song by heart and often sing and act them out with each other and their friends.  I have to admit that this was one of my all time favorites when I was little, so I am more than thrilled that they love it as much as I did.  I often find myself singing along with them (yes, I still know all the words by heart) and sneaking peaks when they are watching as I just...can't...resist.  Julie Andrews is simply that good.  CJB will back me up on this.  Yesterday I got some good news...sort of.  I went to the doctor to discuss next steps in regards to my current foot injury.  What I thought was a rupture is merely a strain; standard plantar fasciitis.  --> insert huge sigh of relief here <-- He informed me that if it had torn, I would have felt the snap and heard a "pop".   Sounds insanely unpleasant.  He sent me off with a night splint, some prescription anti-inflammatories, some stretches to do religiously and a handshake.  I skipped out of the office, not too unlike Julie Andrews skipping through the hills of Austria.  Sure, it's going to set me back a bit, but I'm not totally down for the count which is what I was assuming he would tell me.  Oh, to be a runner and appreciate the little injuries and how much easier they are to overcome than the big ones.  'Raindrops on roses' are great.  They are.  So are 'whiskers on kittens'.  But, running is what I like to do 'when the dog bites' or 'the bee stings'.  Running is my 'spoonful of sugar'. Oh, wait, that's Mary Poppins (also played by Julie Andrews).  Seriously, though, running, among other things, is up there on the list of "My Favorite Things".  My husband knows this.  My kids know it.  My friends know it.  And when I'm running down the street, singing out loud and shaking my head to the beat of my music, I'm guessing the people who are passing me in their cars know it, too.  I have other 'favorite things'.  Lots of them.  My family & friends.  Love them.  My job.  Awesome.  Music.  I dig it.  Coffee.  I can't live without it.   Running related favorites...I have those, too.  Oiselle (attire), NUUN (hydration), & Yurbuds (headphones) to name a select few.  I could keep going but there is really no need.  You get the point.  Fortunately, when 'I'm feeling sad' I have a lot to fall back on.  That Maria...she may have been a problem, but she was on to something.  When I think of all of my favorites...well, then I don't feel....so...bad.  Cheesy.  I know.  But true.

....AND MUSIC 

Listen to this:
Hey Na Na - Galactic feat. David Shaw& Maggie Koerner   *

* From one of my favorite people, C. Hughes. Thx for sharing.

Time & Patience & More Time

RUNNING...

Runners tend to be impatient when it comes to dealing with injuries.  I have been a runner for 20+ years and I have dealt with my fair share of injuries.  Stress fractures, heel spurs, tendinitis, blah, blah, blah.  There is no need to go into the details as it's really not all that interesting.  And likely, if you are a runner, you have dealt with your fair share of them, too.  There are a lucky few out there who can run until the cows come home and their bodies hold up (damn you!).  Then there are the unfortunate crew out there who just look at a body part and then wake up with a soreness there the next day (so sorry if you are in this camp).  I fall somewhere on the middle of this spectrum.  Could be worse.  But it still kind of sucks.  Just being honest.  On Friday my doctor called to tell me that my recent MRI showed that I have a tear in my plantar fascia, the thick connective tissue that supports the arch on the bottom of the foot.  For weeks I had been worried that I was dealing with a stress fracture, and I was hugely relieved to learn that this was not the case.  That said, the only difference, really, in terms of recovery is that the tear will likely take less time to heal than a break would.  When this injury surfaced to the level that I could no longer ignore it, which was about a month ago, I stupidly continued to run on it as I waited to hear the diagnoses.  I have been training with a coach since March and we have been working to hit a specific time in the 5K.  I have been busting my butt on the road and on the track and at this point I am so close I can almost taste it.  Which is why I have been so reluctant to put everything on hold.  Understandable, right?  This past Saturday I got my wake up call.  I raced and my foot hurt.  A lot.  I felt all together off.  My time was terrible.  And I knew that I could no longer push through it.  The gig was up.  I dropped a lot of these... (quietly, to myself)

And then I told myself that it was officially time to stop and deal.  I could no longer pretend that nothing was wrong.  My body was talking and I needed to listen.  And to be patient.  Time heals all wounds.  Time and stretching and icing and physical therapy and...well...and not running in this case.  I have overcome all my other past injuries and I'm still running, so this one shouldn't be any different.  I have time.  I will do my best to be patient.  Good things will come.  Maybe even better things.

...AND MUSIC

Listen to this:

Roll Forever - White Arrows   

Pros & Cons (& NUUN Winner)

RUNNING...

A group of LHS runners after their victory on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the LHS girls won the Middlesex League title at the ML-12 Championship meet; one of the last and biggest meets of the season.  A handful of ladies will continue to train for the class meet next week, but the majority of them are officially done with spring track.  I have to say, it's very bittersweet to be done as I'm not quite ready for it to end.  For yesterday's practice, our distance squad ran into town and got frozen yogurt to treat ourselves and celebrate the outcome of our meet.  As we were all sitting around enjoying our delicious concoctions (it was one of those places where you make your own cup and you can go nuts with the toppings), I figured it would be a good time to recap the season and discuss the pros and cons.  I asked the girls to be honest with me and tell me what worked and what didn't work, what they would like to add next year, what they want to take out, etc.  Here's how our conversation played out:

Coach: Okay girls, let's hear it.  What was your favorite part of the season?
Runner 1: Definitely, the scavenger hunt!! 
--> for one practice, the girls had to run around the town and find a bunch of ridiculous running-related items.
Runners 2 & 3: Oh yeah, that was the best.
Runner 4: I think we did too much hill work
Coach: Hmmm.  Okay.  But, we only did, a total of 3 hill workouts, right?
-->several nods and un-huhs from around the room
Runner 4: True, I just hate hills.
Coach: Oh. Right. But there's not much we can do about that. (lots of laughs here)
Runner 5: I wish we'd played more games...like Assassin and Mafia.  
Runner 6: Yeah, more games would have been good.
Coach: Umm, I have no idea what those are, but sure.  We are a little limited on time with such a short season, but I will make a note that more games are in order.  What else?  Other likes?  Dislikes?  
Runners 4 & 5:  OMG, remember that sun hat that Coach B was wearing at the Woburn meet?  And didn't he have have on Bermuda shorts with it?  That outfit was AMAZING. (everyone agreed with this one and there were lots of giggles) 
Coach: Okay girls, any other RUNNING related stuff?  Other things you wish we'd done?  Other things you missed from last season?
Runner 5: I wish we'd had a D-Squad team dinner during the season.
Runner 7: Wait, we can still do that.  I can totally have that at my house.  When should we do it?

At this point, I gave up.  I clearly was not going to get the feedback I was seeking out.  I told them to email me or grab me to chat one on one if they thought of something after the fact.  And then...well, then I showed the girls my newly pedicured toes (midnight blue).  We talked about their upcoming prom and what they were wearing.  We made fun of CC who likes to kiss her biceps and tell everyone how strong she is.  We discussed their new routine of kissing an m & m before they race for good luck.  There was no more talk about running or racing, tempo runs or track workouts.  And what I realized right then was that all that stuff that we had just discussed...the games, the funny outfits, the team dinners...those are what make spring track so worth it for these girls.  It's one of the main reasons they come to practice every day for three months.  Sure, they like to run.  Most of them like to compete and a lot of them want to make it all the way to the state meet in June.  But, for the most part, they just want to have fun with their friends.  In some ways, their sport is a release from all the stress of their academic day; it's a place to be free and just do what they love.  How great is that?  As a coach, the two most important things that I can do for my runners is to help them improve and to make sure they are having fun.  If both of those things are happening then I am doing my job.  After this conversation, I got the feeling that things went pretty well this spring.  And as for next year...GAME ON!

...AND MUSIC

Listen to this:
Stompa - Serena Ryder  


OH, AND ONE MORE THING...
Congratulations to @RunAndRepeat; winner of the NUUN Summer Sampler.  Enjoy!!

Deep Thoughts

RUNNING....

For Mother's Day, I got a new bike from L.L. Bean (awesome), a Smoothie cookbook (also, awesome),  and....drum roll....I got to get up at 7:30 and drive to Waltham, MA to get an MRI done on my left foot.  Not awesome.  For weeks, I have been fighting with my good buddies; yes, you know them, the sweet, smart running Angel and the sly, not-so-smart, running Devil.  In this case, the debate hasn't been whether or not I should run, but whether or not I should find out what the issue is at all.  On the days when the pain is less and I can get my run in somewhat comfortably, I tend to decide it's not worth knowing and that I should just ice it, take IBs and "watch it".  On the days when my foot is throbbing and it hurts to even put on shoes, well, on those days I usually decide it's time to find out what the problem is.  After about a month of this back and forth, I finally called my doctor.  I knew she would tell me two things: 1. stop running and 2. yes, we do need to figure it out.  I guess I needed to be forced to make a decision and the doctor was the one to do it.  In the end, I knew I wouldn't fight the doctor's orders.  Okay, maybe I fought the "stop running" part...just a little.  Okay, maybe a little more than that.  So stubborn we runners are.  Many of you have had an MRI.  Basically, you lie in an enclosed "space capsule-like" machine for about 45 minutes while the technicians take pictures of the area in question.  Good times.  For those of you, like me, who have had one done to figure out a running-related issue, the MRI is likely the end of a long road of uncertainty, pain and frustration and, hopefully, the start on a new road to recovery.  Saddle up.  Yesterday, as I was laying like a mummy in the MRI machine, I had some deep (and um, not so deep) thoughts that I thought I would share today as I wait for the results.  Here's a little sampling of what was swirling through my head.

DEEP THOUGHTS by REBECCA TRACHSEL (while in the MRI machine)

1. Holy crap, this thing is loud.  It sounds like a freakin' jack hammer is next to me.  On both sides.  I don't know how those guys who work on the roads deal with this noise day in and day out.  I have a whole new respect for them.  

2. What the hell am I going to do with myself if I can't go running?  Wait, I did just get a new bike.  I can bike.  But, it's not the same.  I know... I can focus on core work and get more Yoga in.  I've been meaning to do both of those.  Or maybe I can just chill and enjoy some time off.  Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha (this lasted for a while).  

3. I am going straight to Starbucks after this and getting myself a soy mocha.  It's freakin' Mother's Day. I deserve the treat.  Hell, I might even go nuts and get a grande.  

4. Hmmm, I wonder if I can squeeze in one or two more runs in before I get the results.  What I don't know can't hurt me, right?  Right.

5. I mean, it still could be nothing.   Maybe it's nothing.  Maybe I am overreacting.  Maybe I should have just taken a few weeks off and it would have healed itself.  Is it too late to get out of this thing?

-------------  LONG PAUSE HERE (because, clearly, it was too late) -----------

6. Well....at least the new Vampire Weekend album is coming out this week.

To be continued....

...AND MUSIC

Listen to this:

In Ruins - Fol Chen  

Note: Heard this yesterday at my daughter's dance recital.  No joke.  I pulled out my phone and "Shazam"ed it.  I got few looks but it was worth it.  

AND...don't forget to enter the NUUN Giveaway for a chance to win a Summer Sampler 3 Pack. Yum.

Perspective

RUNNING...

per·spec·tive
\pər-ˈspek-tiv\
a: the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance 
ie. trying to maintain my perspective

As I sit and type, I am icing my left foot.  My heel, to be specific.  I have already taken Advil this morning.  I also took it before bed last night after having iced for about 20 minutes while watching Madmen.  I do this routine 2-3 times a day, seven days a week.  Some days it hurts more than others.  If I have been on my feet for four hours at a track meet, even if I didn't run that day, it throbs.  Other days, I sigh with relief because I barely notice it.  Those don't happen as often lately.  In early April, I ran a 5 miler in racing flats - thin, lightweight shoes that provide very little support but make me feel like I'm flying (I'm sure it's mostly mental, but whatever works.)  I don't know if this injury had been sitting at the surface for weeks or months or whether it was fresh out of the bag that day but for some reason, after that particular race, it decided to make itself known.  I have a full racing schedule from now until this end of this year.  I have a coach that I work with almost every day and together we have set specific goals for this year in these races.  And, let's be honest, I need to get out there most days for my sanity, alone.  Even my kids know this.  The MRI is scheduled for Sunday.  I am scared, pissed, hopeful, eager to know, eager not to know, and lots of other things.  I go through this emotional range every day.  As I sit and type, my dad, who is 70 years old, is having his hip replaced.  He is literally in surgery at this very moment.  This is his other hip, the first one having already been replaced.  For weeks, my dad has limped around with shooting pain through his leg.  It hurt him to get out of bed.  It hurt him to sit down.  Some days were worse than others, but none of them were good.  Before he took my girls to Disney World this past April, he had his doctor give him a cortisone shot in his hip.  Ibuprofen wasn't strong enough to get him through five days of Disney with his 4 grandkids, ages 6-10.  And nothing was keeping him from going on that trip.  NOTHING.  He was scared, pissed, hopeful, eager for a new hip,  eager to be pain free and lots of other things.  When I talked to him last night he was in an incredibly good mood.  He couldn't wait to get into surgery.  He'll be down for the count, physically, for about 4 weeks.  This is my worst nightmare.  He could care less.  He wants to feel good again.  My dad is not a runner.  He is a 70 year old man who wants to sit down on the front porch and hang out with his family without wincing in pain.  Makes perfect sense.  And puts it all in perspective.  Thank you, dad.

...AND MUSIC

Youth - Daughter *  (Spend some time with this one. It's a slow build to awesomeness.)

* Bonus: download this song for free on Itunes at the moment.  Thank you Sounds the Matter.

Spring Fever

RUNNING...

TOP 5 REASONS TO GO RUNNING IN SPRING

(among so many others)

Tulips along my route in Medford, MA

1. THE WEATHER -  Whether you run or not, it doesn't get any better than this.  The days are longer, they tend to be warm (but not too hot) and the humidity hasn't set in yet.  Even when it's raining, it's warm enough that it doesn't matter.  You can get away with 1...ONE...O-N-E...yes, only one layer for the first time in months.  This tends to make you feel lighter and sometimes faster.  I like both of those things.

2. THE SCENERY - May flowers, baby.  And trees and bushes and...you get the idea. Everything is in full bloom.  Trees are green and lush and flowers are all over the place.  Allergies be damned, it's still incredible.

3. THE COMPANY - After being inside for 4 or 5 months of winter, most of us can not get outside fast enough.  I have friends who will only run when conditions are perfect (ie. 55 degrees, dry and partly cloudy).  Fortunately, we get a lot of those days in spring.  I can drag my fare weather running buddies out with me and I can probably even get them out more than once.  I can also get out with my kids.  I can get out with my high school track team.  Even non-runners will go running with me in the spring.  The running community is in full force (and significantly bigger).

4. THE MUSIC - New season, new music, new motivation.  Music always sounds better in the spring.  It's not being muffled by a wool hat or freezing gusts of wind.  You can finally take your hands out to turn up the volume on your listening device without having your fingers go numb.  And, thankfully, just when the winter playlists were starting to get old, a plethora of fresh, new albums are launched for our listening pleasure. (see below)

5. THE ICED COFFEE - Enough said.

Have you gone running outside yet this spring?  Grab a friend, throw on a t-shirt and shorts (we're all pale, don't sweat it), download some new music; whatever...just GO!

...AND MUSIC

Listen to these:

Cayucas - Bigfoot   
(RWM May album of the month.  Brilliant)


Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Mosquito



Deep Purple - Now What    
(No joke. Remember "Hush" from 1978? Go listen.)



Cold War Kids - Dear Miss Lonelyhearts  



Deerhunter - Monomania   
(out May 7)


Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City  
(out May 14)