Going GAGA for Running

A guest post by fellow writer & runner, Spencer Blohm:

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you know that Lady Gaga is releasing an album soon. Artpop is set to be released Nov. 11, so in celebration of that, Rebecca has been kind enough to let me put together a running playlist for you that spans Gaga’s career to help you power through your next run.


Do What U Want: With lyrics like “Write what you want/Say what you want about me/If you’re wondering/Know that I’m not sorry” this song provides a bit of an self-confidence boost as you hit the pavement. Her third single off Artpop clocks in at 99 bpm it’s the perfect song for those of you looking to hit a 5:12 minute mile.


Teeth: The pounding beat of this song off The Fame Monster serves as the perfect setting for any run. With a bpm of 99, you’ll have to run at double the pace of the song to get a mile time of 5:48.


Applause: Her first single off Artpop serves as her answer to “Jock Jams” with lyrics like “Give me the thing that I love/ Put your hands up, make em touch”. The upbeat lyrics make the song a perfect track to start your workout and clock in at an 11-minute mile.


Beautiful, Dirty, Rich: This jam off her debut album, The Fame, serves as the perfect track for a slower day. With a bpm of 120, the song is the perfect tempo for a slow 13-minute mile or serves as the ideal track for a power walk or elliptical session.


Telephone: This megahit featuring another pop diva, Beyoncé, is guaranteed to get you up and moving, even if it’s just dancing. Clocking in a 122 bpm, the song is a nice warm-up track for a slower first mile, or a rapid dancing session.


Speechless: This power ballad off of her sophomore album, The Fame Monster, is a great choice for those of us looking at clocking in at around 10 minutes a mile. It’s powerful piano led beats can be doubled for a bpm of 73, an ideal bpm for a mile time of 10:24.


Bad Romance: Bring your workout to a close with Gaga’s trademark song. At 119 bpm, it’ll give you a 13:06 mile time which is perfect for a cool down jog or a quick walking pace if you prefer to cool down that way.


About the Author: 
Spencer Blohm is a freelance entertainment, music, fashion, and lifestyle blogger for SatelliteStarInternet. When not working, he can be found pounding the pavement in Chicago’s north side or working on creating the perfect running playlist.

---> Many thanks to Spencer for his contribution.  Always a pleasure.

Keep On Running

"As every runner knows, running is about more than just putting one foot in front of the other; it is about our lifestyle and who we are." 

- Joan Benoit Samuelson

I have been running in some way, shape or form since I was 10.  I didn't catch the marathon bug until after my kids were born.  Boston had always been on my bucket list so I ran the Baystate marathon in Lowell (great race) to qualify and then the next year I checked Boston off the list.  That was back in 2007.  Fun fact...when I ran my first marathon, I was the co-owner of small women's accessories company called Laurie Weber.  We designed belts and handbags that were carried in hundreds of retail stores across the country.  It was the hardest I'd worked.  Ever.  I ran on the side, as a stress reliever, often with my partner-in-crime/best friend who owned the company with me.  Then I had a second kid, she got married and had her first of three and, in a nutshell, life got a bit too complicated for trade shows and road trips.  So, we closed our doors and moved on.  But the running never stopped.  When my girls were little, particularly my younger one who claims she's never getting married and wants to live with me forever (no joke), they would cry and hold on to my legs if I told them I was headed out for a run.  The melt down would be twice as fun if I was leaving them with a sitter versus their dad or a family member.  Oh man, the guilt.  It was heavy and hard to shake.  And yet I kept running and racing because I was hooked and once I got over the guilt of ditching my kids, it made me feel like supermom which benefitted all of us.  As the girls got older, they started to understand or, more realistically, accept that mom needed to run.  For the first few marathons and even for some of the shorter races, they would come and watch.  Unless there was face painting or a petting zoo at the end of the race (thank you Greenstride), they would likely be cold and/or painfully bored by the end, usually chomping at the bit to go home.  Fast forward seven years, seven marathons, a handful of halves, and more 5Ks than I can count.  My girls are 8 and 6.  They have their own agenda.  They both play soccer on the week-ends and their social lives are busier than mine.  My husband and I have to divide and conquer and rarely do they come to my races simply because we can't make it work.  It's okay.  I still do it and they, my husband included, all seem to "get it".  Case in point, my older daughter recently did a cartwheel and landed on my foot, stood up and gasped as she asked if I was okay.  "Yep, totally fine", I told her.  "Thank goodness", she said.  "I would NOT want to be the one who kept mom from running.  That would be really bad."  We both laughed.  Today I am a high school girls running coach.  I am a relatively competitive runner myself.  I blog about running.  I am an ambassador for Oiselle, a women's running apparel company.  Running is at the epicenter of all that I do.  And there is not a day that goes by where I don't think about how lucky I am that this is the case.  Over the years, I have wondered how my running and running-related activities will impact my children in the long run.  I have struggled with the balance of running and family and have made every effort to keep them in check, which is not easy. Now, if my kids are bummed that I'm leaving for a race, they basically give it to me straight.  And if they're okay with it, they give me a hug and wish me good luck.  We're figuring it out together as we go.  This past week-end, I raced in a local 5K.  It was a disappointing performance for me, but there was no time to dwell on it.  That same day, my older daughter had played like a rock star in her soccer game. She was thrilled.  The focus was all on her that day -  as it should have been.  But here's the kicker.  The next morning, I sat down at my desk and found the following note on my keyboard from my 6 year old:

Translation: i love you mom (keep on running)

I smiled.  Okay, fine, I might have gotten a little teary.  But, I was also floored.  Somehow she knew.  We didn't talk about it, but she had sensed that I was bummed after my race.  And she also knows how important running is to me.  To have your six year old encourage you to stick with something you love...there's nothing better.  Turns out my running is having a positive impact on them in more ways than I ever could have imagined.

Listen to this:
Thunder Clatter - Wild Cub  

Every Day is the Day

So, yesterday, I took on #3 of my November "to-do" list and ran the first of three shorter, local races I have on the books for this month.  After having run a marathon in October, I have been looking forward to racing a 5K.  There is nothing like gearing up for a race knowing that I will be done in about 20 minutes versus 3+ hours.  It was a cloudy, chilly day, one of the few we've had all fall (which is nuts, but I'll take it).  I warmed up with a friend/fellow coach and he very generously lent me his ear as I vented about some frustrating issues I'm currently dealing with at work.  I have a few things I'm working through and this is about the third time in a week that I have bounced my thoughts off of him.  As I'm writing this I'm realizing I should buy him lunch or a beer or both.  Anyway, this race, in particular, is always fun because it's held in Lexington, which is where I coach, and I get to see a lot of my runners who typically volunteer before, during, and/or after the race.  It's a treat to hang out with my girls without the pressure of practice or a race looming over their heads.  I also get to catch up with some of the parents, many of whom run the race themselves, while their daughters cheer them on, which is really cool.  At the start, I was feeling good.  I  had infused myself with as much 'high school girl energy' as possible and as a result was feeling quite bubbly.  So, off we went.  As I pushed myself through these 3 short miles, I was reminded why I like the longer, slower marathon distance in comparison to the all out sprint of the 5K.  Grass is always greener, right?  In the end, the race was, um, fine.  I ran most of it with the same friend I had vented to earlier and then, well, then I just kind of lost my drive as he pushed on to the finish.  It was a hilly course and by the start of mile 3 my legs were toast.  But, that wasn't what took me down in the end.  It was my mind.  I wanted to push.  I did.  But at the same time, I didn't.  Don't you just love running??  My time was okay.  Not my worst, but far from my best.  Like a "over a minute" far.  Post race I hung out and chatted with friends, other runners, and parents which put me back in a good mood.  Then I headed off to cool down on my own.  As I shuffled along, my head swirled with many thoughts including but not limited to:

~ that was fun.

~ that kind of sucked.

~ where has my speed gone?

~ well, I did just run a marathon 3 weeks ago.

~ but I should be able to crush a 5K after a marathon, right??

~ maybe I still need more time to recover.

~ clearly I need more track work.

~ why do I even do this?  

~ because I love it.

~ but I kind of hate it, too.

~ get a grip, Rebecca.

This morning, I got an email from my friend and fellow runner, Robin A.  She had forwarded a list from the another mother runner site titled '10 Things I Wish Weren't True About Running'.  Her timing was impeccable.  When I read it, I felt as though it was written specifically for me; particularly the quote at the top of this post.  It is so hard to see eye to eye with running.  Every day is different.  Every race is different.  Some days are harder than others.  Some days I just...don't...get it.  And yet still, EVERY DAY IS THE DAY.  And so I run.

Listen to this:

Easy to Love - The Jezabels  

New Month, New "To-Do"s, New Music

 

There's nothing like starting a new month the day after Halloween.  Seriously, who thought of that??  Super fun to get my kids out of bed today after they'd been hopped up on sugar all night.  'Tis the price we pay.  Moving on.  November happens to be another big one.  Big for my high school cross country team because they will run in the most important races of their season this month.  Big for family as we all gather for Thanksgiving after not having seen each other since the summer.  And big for my daughter, Rosie, who turns 9 at the end of the month. WHAT??  Yes, I am in shock.  It's also kind of big from a seasonal perspective as the temps will begin to drop and we'll likely start to see some snow.  It's the relative calm before the holiday storm that follows in December.  Never a dull moment, folks.  Here's what I have on my November "to-do" list:

1. Get out the hats and gloves.
2. See my high school XC team through their final weeks of the season; taking them first to Divisionals (11/9) and then, hopefully, on to States (11/16).
3. Run some fun, SHORT, local races with friends.
4. Mentally prepare myself for my daughter's birthday party which will be happening in my basement and involves nine 8 year old girls, ice cream sundaes and nail polish.
5. Enjoy a relaxing Thanksgiving break with my family, eating a lot of food, and watching a stupid amount of football at my parents' house on Martha's Vineyard.
6. Bid farewell to the aforementioned house that our family has enjoyed for over 10 years, as it was recently sold. (sniffle)
7. Start the Christmas lists. (deep breaths)
8. Read "Where'd you Go, Bernadette" by Maria Semple (I'm halfway through, it's hilarious)
9. Watch my daughter perform in her 3rd grade play as a 'person' from the American colonial past.
10. And the easy one, listen to some good music.

Happy November, everyone.  Here's to another great month.

MUSIC PICKS

SONG:
Here Comes the Night Time - Arcade Fire*  

* Note: Arcade Fire's new album, REFLEKTOR, is epic and deserves your time and attention.

ALBUM:


Sleigh Bells - Bitter Rivals





OH, AND.....

TRICK OR TREAT YURBUDS WINNER: Congrats to Lindsay D, who won herself a new pair or orange INSPIRES for women.  Rock on, Linsday!