2024: A YEAR IN REVIEW

Dear RWM Readers,

Well, it was a hell of a year.  Lots of great moments.  So many amazing memories.  And so much incredible music.  I won't bore you with the details.  Let's just say I'm so grateful that I get to share my two biggest passions with you - running and music - as well as a lot of the other crazy that goes on in my life. I'm kind of floored that this blog is still rolling since I started it back in 2011.  Life has changed so much since then and I suppose RWM has evolved along with it.  In so many ways it keeps me grounded to stick with it and if I'm being honest, it's a lot of fun to thread the year together as it unfurls.  So, for reading these stories and for following along with all of my adventures and mishaps, thank you.  I hope that they are relatable in some way or, at the very least, they make you laugh.  Ultimately, that's the goal.  Connection.  Yes.  But also humor.  Because life is short and laughing makes it better.  Here's to another year behind us, no matter how it played out.  Making it through is an accomplishment in an of itself.  So let's be proud.  Cheers to all of us.  And I will look forward to being with you again in 2025.  Rock on!

All the best,

RUNNING WITH MUSIC 2024

JANUARY

 

LEX GIRLS TIED FOR MIDDLESEX LEAGUE CHAMPS

#LEXGO

SONG:BONFIRE - LAANDS

ALBUM:TERRIBLE NEWS - MIDDLE KIDS

FEBRUARY

IT WAS AN INTENSE MONTH. I GOT A NEW TATTOO. 

TURNS OUT I NEEDED THAT 41 MAGIC WITH ME AT ALL TIMES.

#always41 

SONG:STILL GETTING IT DONE - GHOST OF VROOM

ALBUM:TROLL - ELLIPHANT

MARCH

LEX TRACK & FIELD SHINED AT INDOOR NATIONALS

SONG:CUTTING EDGE-CAIN CULTO

ALBUM:MEET ME IN THE BLUE-GERD

APRIL

BOSTON MARATHON w/ MAGGIE. GOOD, BAD & VERY UGLY 

SONG:JOYRIDE - COLEMAN HELL

ALBUM:THE ROT - ABBY SAGE

MAY

SHORT & MUCH NEEDED GETAWAY TO BERMUDA

SONG:OUR TIME IS NOW - NONONO

ALBUM:MIDDLE KIDS - FAITH CRISIS PT 1

JUNE

 48 HOURS WITH CB IN CINCY

#runlove

SONG:ALL A MYSTERY - PHANTOGRAM

ALBUM:ONLY GOD WAS ABOVE US - VAMPIRE WEEKEND

JULY

RAN A 5K WITH ROSIE & GRACE

(Grace made me cut her out of the photo)

SONG:HOLD ON - KYGO, EMMIT FENN

ALBUM:VISITOR - UNTIL THE RIBBON BREAKS

AUGUST

#SUMMERMODE

SONG:CLOSE TO YOU - GRACIE ABRAMS

ALBUM:I LOVE YOU SO F***ING MUCH - GLASS ANIMALS

SEPTEMBER

GRACE'S FIRST DAY OF SENIOR YEAR

#sniff

SONG:DEATH VALLEY HIGH - ORVILLE PECK

ALBUM:ILLUMINATOR - GIFT

OCTOBER

HARTFORD MARATHON

#34

SONG:LATE NOTES - SAVOIR ADORE

ALBUM:MEMORY OF A DAY - PHANTOGRAM

NOVEMBER

ROSIE'S 1ST HALF MARATHON

SONG:DESERT EAGLE - GENEVIEVE STOKES

ALBUM:TENDER - FLUX

DECEMBER

BACK ON THE SLOPES WITH JEFF

#fullcircle

SONG:AM I? - JOY OLADOKUN

ALBUM:DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY - ALICE IVY

LISTEN TO THIS: RWM 2024 MUSIC OF THE MONTH 

2024 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE & WINTER GIVEAWAY

"Holidays are about creating cherished memories with loved ones & finding magic in the simplest moments."

~ Jeremiah Say 

Not to sound cliché but, yes, here we are again.  Another year is behind us.  And what can I say about 2024?  It was epic.  Some very high highs.  And some very low lows.  But as always, we made it through.  Looking back, there is a lot to celebrate.  And so much to be grateful for.  First, and foremost, our health.  Despite some broken bones and a few torn ligaments, no need to go into detail on these but, thankfully, everyone is back in one piece and doing what they love again.  Praise be.  Rosie finished her first year at Boulder with flying colors back in May and headed back out for her second year in August after working at my favorite coffee shop all summer.  I swear I had nothing to do with this.  Grace wrapped up her junior year at WHS and promptly began her college search.  At this point, her applications are now officially out and the waiting game has begun.  Side note, next fall Jeff and I will empty nesters and I'm not happy about it.  Just putting that out there now.  I'll probably be talking about this a lot next year.  But I digress.  I added three marathons to my run resume this year.  Boston in April.  That was an absolutely beautiful blowout.  The Old Colony Marathon, which I did about a month later just to get the shitty taste of the Boston experience out of my mouth.  Thankfully, that worked.  And then Hartford, CT this past October, which was wonderful.  As it is every year, coaching at LHS has been an absolute joy and the Lex girls track and cross country teams exceeded expectations across the board.  Both teams are young and in the process of building something that people will undoubtedly begin to notice.  Again, I'll probably be talking about this a lot more next year as well.  I began a partnership with Six Minute Mile, mainly as their resident DJ, adding a weekly song to their Friday newsletter.  But also writing product reviews for things like headphones and running shoes.  They are such a cool group of dudes and I'm so pumped that I get to work with them each week.  Beyond that, I spent a lot of quality time training and racing with my Whirlaway teammates, sharing coffee with friends and family, soaking up my girls as much as possible (which is stupidly hard to do at ages 18 and 20) and trying to appreciate all the little things in life like good music and lazy Sunday afternoons.  All in, I can't complain.  Let's move on, shall we?  The gift guide and the giveaway are really what we're here for.  I get it.  For the past couple months I've been seeking out gifts for my annual guide and goodies to add to my winter giveaway.  Below you'll find the items I am most excited about and that I feel are worth sharing.  You'll see some repeat items from last year or new items by the same company.  And that's obviously because I either love said items or love the company they come from.  And why wouldn't I suggest items that I love?  Hopefully you'll find something for your friend, runner, aunt, cousin, teammate, coach or even yourself on this list.  Check them all out and then head down and enter the RWM WINTER GIVEAWAY!  So many goodies in this one.  Ok, that's it from me.  Merry, merry!

********** RWM HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE **********

Ororo Daybreak Women's Colorblock Heated Anorak - Yes, an Ororo product is on the list again.  And for as long as I'm posting this gift guide, they likely always will be.  Because they make really cool, high quality, HEATED clothing.  I really shouldn't have to say much more than this.  If you run cold, literally or physically or both, or you live in a colder climate an Ororo jacket is life changing.  Stay warm while you're skiing, coaching, playing hockey, walking the dog, doing absolutely nothing.  You don't need a reason to want to be warm.  I get it.  We all do.

Retail price:$189.99

The Feathers Fuel Bag by Sewn By Infa - When you go to a race you inevitably pack a bag full of gels, fluids, bars, etc.  Basically anything that you might want to eat before, during and/or after a race.  And how nice to have them all in one place, right?  The Feathers Fuel bag was inspired by legendary sports nutritionist, Meghann Featherstone.  She touts high carbs for healthy running and fuels with bagels and graham crackers among many other things.  Sewn By Infa owner, Courtney, took this concept and ran.  Pun intended.  Give this bag to the runner in your life who throws 100 things in their bag but always has a hard time finding what they need because they are scattered all over the place.  Grab one for yourself, too.  Because who doesn't need this?

Retail Price:$40

Handmade Mugs by Noble Pine Designs - Picture yourself sitting by the fire with a hot cup of coffee in a handmade mug given to you by your bestie.  Please and thank you.  These mugs are beautiful and each one is unique.  Mountain scenes, winter forests, snowy foxes.  There are so many to choose from and owner, Lily Noble, has something for everyone.  They are both dishwasher and microwave safe which is wonderful.  Support a small-batch, local pottery artist this season and give someone a gift that warms the heart and soul.  Coffee?  Tea?  Hot Chocolate?  Yes.  Fill it up.

Retail Price:$40-$60 

Paradis Sport Natural Fiber Bikini - Paradis undies were on my list last year.  They make it back on again this year with their incredible new line of natural fiber bikinis.  The company, owned by two amazing, badass women, just launched these babies in four new, Alaska inspired colors.  They are hands down the most comfortable under layer I've ever worn for running and beyond.  They're high performance and moisture-wicking and made with soft, lightweight, breathable fabric.   These just feel so good on.  The active woman in your life really shouldn't live without a three pack of these in her wardrobe.  

Retail price:$105 (but currently on sale for $89 as of 12/6)

Landgrove Coffee - Holiday Blend - If you are going to gift coffee, and I always do, make sure it's the best coffee.  And Landgrove coffee, in my humble opinion, is the best coffee.  Depending on the blend, the beans are organic, small batch, fair trade and/or purchased direct.  They are roasted by the Binninger family out in Troy, Idaho.  And yes, they are all involved in the process.  Here's a thought....grab some as a gift and get yourself a monthly subscription so this amazing coffee is delivered straight to your door.  You're welcome.

Retail price: $17/lb

Fuelgoods Limited Edition Holiday Box - Similar to Ororo, the Fuel Goods Runnerbox gift boxes will probably always be on my list.  Because it is truly the perfect gift.  I mean, it's a box full of hand picked, running related products tested but the owners themselves, all of whom are athletes and only want the best to go out to their customers.  You can give one box or a subscription of monthly boxes to the runner in your life and they will love you more than they already do, which is probably a lot.  Okay, fine.  Gifts don't buy us love.  But snacks might?

Retail Value: $91 (but currently on sale for $45 as of 12/6)

How to Run the Perfect Race by Matt Fitzgerald & Think Like A Runner by Jeff Horotwitz - Because who doesn't love a good book?  And if you're a runner, why wouldn't you want to know how to run a perfect race or to think like a runner?  Seriously, both Fitzgerald and Horowitz are acclaimed authors and so incredibly knowledgable about all things running.  I have read both and I can't recommend them enough for you or the runner in your life.  That's right, my friends, at 49 I'm still trying to learn how to run a perfect race.  

Retail Value:$14.40 & $19.95 at Amazon.com

❄️❄️❄️❄️ RWM WINTER GIVEAWAY ❄️❄️❄️❄️

And then last, but definitely not least, the annual RWM WINTER GIVEAWAY!  I love giving away products that I have tried myself and thus completely stand by and that are designed by companies that I believe in and want to support.  Trust me when I tell you that you will be the favorite aunt, sister, daughter, friend if you win this baby and share it with someone you love.  That said, I won't say a word if you want to keep it all for yourself.  You've earned it, dammit.  As I did last year, I'm going to hold this giveaway over at RWM on Instagram as it's easier to keep track of all the entries in one place.  All you have to do to enter is "like" the post.  Yep, that's it.  You can receive a bonus entry for each individual company that you follow in addition to your "like" entry.  Huge thanks to all of the companies that contributed to this amazing giveaway.  The vest will be shipped directly from Ororo.  The undies will be shipped directly from Paradis Sport.  The Fuel Goods Runnerbox will be shipped directly from Fuel Goods.  Everything else comes from me.  Retail value of this prize package is over $500.00. US residents only for this one.  Good luck! Winner will be chosen by random.org on 12/13.

Winter Giveaway Details:

1 Ororo Heated Vest (choose Quilted or Classic style)

2 lbs of Landgrove Coffee

1 Landgrove Coffee Trucker hat

1 copy of How to Run the Perfect Race by Matt Fitzgerald

1 copy of Think Like A Runner by Jeff Horowitz

1 3 Pack of Paradis Natural Fiber Bikinis

1 Fuel Goods Runnerbox Holiday Gift Box

1 Noble Pine Designs Heart mug

1 Sewn By Infa coupon for 25% off any item

Listen to this:

Narcisc0 - Rina Mushanga

Rina Mushonga · Narcisc0

RACE REVIEW:THANKSGIVING DAY CLASSIC

"Mothers and daughters together are a powerful force to be reckoned with."

~ Melia Keeton Digby

Over the summer, my daughter, Rosie, trained for her first half marathon.  This is huge because when she was younger, and she's only 20, so basically for most of her life, she has admittedly hated running.  Back in June when she told me she wanted to do this and asked me to write her a plan I was both shocked and thrilled.  Not that I showed it.  I was like, yea sure.  Sounds cool.  Happy to help.  Whatevs.  About two weeks before her race in September she started to have pain in her foot and shortly thereafter was diagnosed with a stress fracture in her metatarsal.  Sadly, there would be no race for her.  Needless to say she was devastated.  She had dedicated so much time and energy to train through the brutally hot summer and she'd really wanted to see it all come together.  As we all would.  But, such is the sport, right?  And the body calls the shots even when we don't like it.  Fast forward to October.  Rosie had slowly been starting to run again and immediately got the bug to race when she could string a few miles together.  I know, shocker.  I told her I was running a half on Thanksgiving and suggested she join me for the 5K that was happening at the same time.  To which she responded, Mom, can I just do the half with you?  Ummm.  Maybe??  I said.  I wrote up a very cautious plan for her to try and follow over the course of the next few weeks and then we agreed to decide on whether or not to give it a shot the weekend before the race.  Which brings us to this race review.  That's right, my friends.  Rosie and I did a half together on Thanksgiving day. Her first.  Maybe of many.  With me.  I never thought it would happen but always hoped it would.  Here's how it played out.  I'm going to lean heavily on my pics to share this one so bear with me.

Wednesday night, Rosie and I laid out all of our race gear on the two twin beds in the extra room in our rental.  Music was playing and she was checking everything off her list.  I was like a pig in clover dancing around the room.  She told me she was "nerve-cited" about the race.  This is now my new favorite word.

Thursday morning we woke up at 4:45 because we needed to leave for the race at 5:30.  I was trying hard to wake up with shitty rental house coffee.  Clearly it had not kicked yet at this point.  But, I swear I was also excited.  It was pitch black outside and honestly felt like the middle of the night so getting fired up was tricky.  I was doing my best.

My pre-race meal is eight graham crackers.  But, I had forgotten to buy them the day before.  So, instead I had 100 of the mini Teddy Grahams that we'd bought at the airport which is the equivalent amount of carbs.  Yes, one hundred.  It was kind of ridiculous.

We got to the start with no issues, parked and jogged over to grab our numbers.  One of the best lines of the day was from Rosie who said, this is nuts, the freaking stars are still out.  We both thought that was hilarious.

We got a quick pre-race photo, hugged and made a plan to meet up at the finish. There might have been some tears.  I was getting ready to run a half with my daughter for the first time.  So, yea.  I was kind of out of my mind in the best way.

All right, so the gun went off and I started flying down the street.  But why is it so dark, you ask?  And that's a great question because if you look down at the rest of our race pics it was clearly bright and sunny while we were running. It's dark because I wasn't paying attention and didn't realize until about a half mile in that I had started with the 5k runners which was going off 10 minutes earlier than the half.  I looked up and saw a sign that said half marathon to the left but no one was going left.  This is when I realized that this was because there were no half marathoners with me.  I took my headphones out and asked a volunteer to be sure.  Nope, he said.  They haven't started yet, you need to get back to the line pronto.  Not a bad warmup up tho?  Well played.  I sprinted back to start, legitimately laughing out loud at myself.  I'm sure the 5k runners were like, what is this moron doing?  Why would she turn around and go back?  Also great questions. Both of them.  I barely made it in time to slide back into the start corral.  Literally, 1 min and 27 seconds and bam, we were off.  Not my best. 

Usually I put my phone on 'Do Not Disturb' when I race but I'd forgotten to do it so shortly after I got started the verbal text messages started coming in through my headphones.  The first one was a reminder to take my trash out.  Super helpful given I was down in FL and could not, in fact, deal with my trash back up in Boston.  The second was a text from my daughter, Grace, who told our family group chat that she'd accidentally worn two different shoes to the airport.  I immediately burst out laughing.  The image of her tired and out of it walking through the airport with two different shoes on was too much. I laughed for a while at this one. Which probably looked pretty funny to spectators.  The third was a message from my girl, Ali, to my lady gang from up North saying Happy Thanksgiving and sending love to everyone.  That made me smile.  There were a bunch more but you get the gist.  It's hard to stay focused and run a steady effort when random messages are popping up through my music every couple miles.  Fortunately, as you can see by my jazz hands above, I was not taking this race too seriously.  For the record, I was trying to give a wave to the photographer here.  Clearly I forgot that you really only use one hand to say hello.  

In general my legs felt heavy and my body was pretty flat overall.  Just no zip in the drive.  I guess I'm still recovering from Hartford and, well, honestly I just didn't really care that much.  That said, it was still a good, solid push.  And to be honest, this is kind of a fun way to race because the pressure was totally off for a change.  I just wasn't concerned about my overall time or place and was really out there to get a run in and spend the morning with my daughter.

After the race we took about 1000 photos (obvs she picked the ones I was allowed to use for this post) and then we stopped for coffee before heading back to the fam.  I didn't get a photo of us hugging after she finished, but we did and it was beautiful.  From hating running to giving it a shot to a stress fracture to getting back on the horse post-injury to running her first successful half marathon.  All in a matter of about five months.  I was just so happy for her and so proud of what she'd accomplished.  And that's pretty much the whole story.  This one goes down as one of my all time fav race experiences.  Oh, and did I mention that this was the 41st running of this particular event?  You can’t make this stuff up.  I can not wait to do it again.  All of it.  She now claims the Boston marathon is on her bucket list.  Bring it.  You and me, Rosie.  LFG.

Listen to this:

All We Need (Deep Inside) - AYYBO

AYYBO · All We Need (Deep Inside)