THE 35 of '14

Today I'm psyched to hand the reigns over to my friend and fellow runner/mother/music lover, Nicole Mare Devine.  Not only has Nicole made several contributions to RWM, but she always keeps me in her music loop which is consistently rich in color, texture and flavor.  She recently reached out and asked me if I'd posted a BEST OF 2014 music list, as she was curious what my favorites had been for the year.  I pointed her toward my Soundtrack of 2014 post, which highlights my monthly picks for both songs and albums.  Naturally, I wanted to know what her selections were for the year and asked her if she'd be willing to share.  Unsurprisingly, she had a long list of 'go-to's, Lana Del Ray and BANKS being her clear favorites.  Knowing full well that she is the playlist master and makes one for just about any occasion, I requested that she put one together so we could have more to chew on as we start off the new year.  Thankfully, she was happy to oblige.  If you read this blog or follow the music selections on a regular basis, you'll notice that there is quite a bit of crossover (ie. Sir Sly, Dan Croll, & MØ).  This is because a) we have very similar taste in music and b) I often use her suggestions for my daily songs.  But, that said, she definitely has a style all her own and I happen to really dig it.  I think you will, too.  In her own words:

As a huge fan of music and consistent playlist creator, I'll listen to almost anything at least once, always trying to keep my lists as enjoyable and fresh for myself as time will allow. I also try my best to build a list of my favorite songs that were released as either singles or on albums during each particular year. My friend Rebecca has given me the privelege of sharing some of my 2014 favorites here with you on her site today. The list is a bit wide ranging in genres, but it definitely sums up my year in review of music. I hope you'll find something unexpectedly "new for you" on here that catches your ear, and maybe will end up on a list of yours as well!

by Nicole Devine

Broken Bells – After the Disco

St. Vincent – Digital Witness

Painted Palms – Spinning Signs

Ernest Ellis – Shine Like Me

Mr Little Jeans – Good Mistake

MØ – The Sea

Snowmine – Rome

Lana Del Rey – West Coast - Rob Orton Mix

SOHN – Artifice

Ed Sheeran – Sing

Last of the Light Brigade – Stimulator

Martin Solveig – Blow - Radio Edit

Mac Demarco – Salad Days

Caribou – Can't Do Without You

Banks – Beggin For Thread

Jack White – Lazaretto

Interpol – All The Rage Back Home

The War On Drugs – Red Eyes

Spoon – Outlier

Foo Fighters – Something From Nothing

TV On The Radio – Happy Idiot

Sir Sly – Gold

Iggy Azalea – Fancy

Saint Motel – My Type

Benjamin Booker – Always Waiting

Bear In Heaven – Autumn

Oliver $ – Pushing On

Shakey Graves – The Perfect Parts

Kiesza – Hideaway

Clean Bandit – Rather Be (feat. Jess Glynne)

Ariana Grande – Problem

Dan Croll – From Nowhere

Jungle – Time

Route 94 – My Love

Vance Joy – Riptide
&

Listen to this: (Nicole's Favorite)

West Coast - Lana Del Ray - Rob Orton Mix

STILL COLD

"Running is a four weather sport."

~ Author Unknown

A long way down, indeed.

Well folks, here we are again.  Deep in the belly of the beast.  The beast being winter, of course.  Temps dropped below zero in Boston last week; something that hasn't happened in eons.  It seems as though every time winter rolls around I find myself asking, how the HELL did I make it through the last one without completely losing it?  And after the 2013/14 winter specifically, which I found particularly rough from a running standpoint,  I vaguely remember claiming that I would never train for a spring marathon again.  You can go ahead and laugh.  I did.  Yes, winter running can be brutal.  But, it can be a bitch in the summer, too.  And it can really suck in a torrential downpour.  And it's never fun in 100% humidity.  Need I go on?  Turns out, it can be kind of awesome in all of these ridiculous conditions, too.  Maybe for different reasons (think badass status), but still.  Bottom line, if you're a runner, you're gonna run.  Last week, I knew Thursday was going to be the killer day in terms of temps and windchill, so I made a point to run outside Monday through Wednesday to avoid too much time on the dreadmill.  Wednesday morning it was a balmy 11℉ and I found myself, yet again, going through all the reasons it might be too cold to be running outside.  'Might' being the key word here.  That's the thing, though.  It wasn't too cold.  If it was, I wouldn't have gone.  I was literally laughing out loud at how stupidly cold I was, but I was still out there and I was fine.  And, next winter, I'll be out there again.  It will still be cold and I will still be laughing.  What I'm realizing is that, at least for me, there's some fun to be had in ranting and/or raving about the ridiculousness of  it all.  If we can't find the humor in it, what's the point?  This year, I have pledged to myself, and now to you, that I will embrace the winter; the good, the bad and the ugly.  It's only already January (glass half full).  We have a mere 2 months to go, give or take.  We got this.

YOU KNOW IT'S COLD OUT WHEN...

(but, not too cold)

~ You can't feel your fingers for the first 15 minutes of the run and this doesn't phase you in the least.
~ You're convinced you're running 8 min miles.  You're watch says 10.  You assume it's broken.
~ When the sun finally comes out you find yourself crying tears of joy.
~ There are no other signs of life outside.  No birds.  No squirrels.  Nada.
~ You see mirages of coffee on the street and you try to touch them.
~ You see a driver mouth the words OMG as she passes you.  (I smiled and waved)
~ You have brief moment, mid run, when you don't know where you are or what you're doing.
~ The wind blows and you hear yourself screaming obscenities that you didn't know you knew in a volume that you didn't know you were capable of.
~ You can't feel any of your nagging injuries because your legs are numb.  Bonus.
~ When you get home your biceps are sore because you've been squeezing your core for the past 45 minutes.
and finally...
~ Later in the day, when you go back outside for your non-running activities, your first thought is, how the hell did I run in this?  And then you smile, because you did.

Listen to this:
FUNN - Cash + David  

RWR: MEET LAUREN AKA FLESHMAN FLYER

"In 2015 I’m going to take chances. When challenges happen, I’m going to dig in faster. I’m not going to wait for time."

~ Lauren Fleshman

Today, I am extremely fired up to feature the fabulous Lauren Fleshman for my RUNNERSWHOROCK series.  It has been a while since my last interview and I guarantee this one will be worth the wait.  Lauren is most well known for her role as a professional track and field athlete and more specifically for her killer 5000M performances ie. 2006 and 2010 US Champion and 7th in the world in 2011, to name a few (click for more, there's lots).  But she's also known for her role as the creator and owner of Picky Bars, a company that makes insanely tasty performance and real food bars, her partnership with Oiselle, the women's apparel company that she currently runs for, and for being a wife and mom who can play the guitar and carry a tune.  How she finds the time to fit it all in, I have no idea.  Yet, somehow she pulls it off with grace and style.  I had the good fortune of meeting Lauren a couple times last year.  Her energy is incessant and always positive and her smile is infectious.  You just want to be around this cat.  She has big plans for 2015 and I, personally, can not wait to see her take chances as she prepares to fly.  I could keep going, but you've heard enough from me.  Meet Lauren, a runner who rocks.

RWR: LAUREN FLESHMAN

Name: Lauren Fleshman
Where you're from: Southern California, Canyon Country
Where you reside now: Bend, Oregon
Age (if you're ok sharing): 33
Occupation: Sportshuman, Writer, Picky Bars CMO,
Blog/website: asklaurenfleshman.com, column in Runner's World is "The Fast Life"

What do you love most about running? 
I love that running gives me a storyline within the greater storyline of my life. It's a relationship, an adventure novel, and it's been going for 20 years through adolescence, college, the lost early 20's, marriage, motherhood, etc.  Even though there are injuries and breaks, the storyline picks back up over and over again.

What do you love most about music?
The undeniable connection to something deep inside us as human beings, the way it can literally effect your physiology.

Out on the trail with Sally Bergesen of Oiselle

Lauren's Favorites:
Band (current, all time or both): Currently Alt J, All time Joni Mitchell
Album (current, all time or both): Joni Mitchell, 'Blue'
Race venue: USA: Stanford Track, International: London Crystal Palace Track
Music venue: WOW hall in Eugene
Race distance: 5k
Show you've seen live? Swell Season after the movie Once came out
Ice cream flavor: banana brownie which is almost never available, in which case mocha almond crunch.

THIS OR THAT:
Sweet or salty? Sweet
Live or recorded? Recorded
Coffee or tea? Coffee
Summer or winter? Summer





MORE MUSIC INFO:

Resemblance? I think so.

Which band or artist would you go see tonight if you could? 
Joni Mitchell

Which band or artist (wait...but no longer alive or playing together) would you go see tonight if you could? 
Rolling Stones

Which band or artist would you like to have dinner with tonight if you could? 
Joni Mitchell

Which band or artist would you like to be playing alongside you during your next race (or long run)? 
Vampire Weekend

Cutting it w/ husband, Jessie Thomas

Top 5 Songs for running, dancing or both?
Breathing Under Water - Metric
Five Seconds - Twin Shadow
Holocene - Bon Iver
Good Feeling - Avicii remix
Fade Into You (Jesse and my song) - Mazzy Star


Last 5 Songs you listened to today?
Breathing Under Water - Metric
Every Other Freckle - Alt J
Rise - Eddy Vedder 
Your Hand in Mine - Explosions in the Sky
Wait for the Moment - Vulfpack

"Here’s to a 2015 full of taking chances, working with time, and adapting to our reality in style." 

~ Fleshman Flyer

Go get 'em, Lauren!

THIS IS THE YEAR I

2015 (just in case)

I've never been one to make new year's resolutions.  Not because I think it's a bad idea.  I just tend to resolve to do something or not do something on a weekly basis, so I don't see making resolutions on January 1st as much different.  But, yesterday, as I was plodding along on my first longish run of the year, I gave the whole concept a little more thought.  A new year is, indeed, a big deal. Perhaps I should make some specific resolutions for 2015.  I ran for about an hour and a half, so I thought about it a lot.  Maybe a little too much.  When I got home, there was something about the the idea of it that wasn't working for me.  I looked up the meaning of "resolve" in the dictionary.  The first meaning is to settle or find a solution for something.  Okay, sure.  That makes sense.  But, it makes me think that I'm making resolutions so I can fix something.  I'm not wild about the way that sounds.  The next meaning is to decide firmly on a course of action.  Definitely better.  But it still doesn't capture the essence of the process to me.  A few hours later I was on Twitter and stumbled on Oiselle's 'Fast Friday' question from last week:

 "This is the year I ______."  (fill in the blank)

YES.  What an upbeat, positive way to spin it, don't you think?  It's not so much about the resolution, but about me and the year I want to have.  The possibilities are endless.  There is nothing to fix and no course of action to dictate.  I can add and change and add again.  It's my year and here's what I will do.  Giddy up.

2015 #theyeari

~ Push my body a little further than it's gone before.  I work hard.  Always have.  Over the past few years, I've seen my hard work come to fruition in ways I didn't think were possible.  So, I've decided, with my coach's guidance, to give a little bit more this year; to see if my body will let me take it there.  And to see what I have left to give.  I'm really freakin' fired up.
~ Ask for help.  From my husband, from my coach, from my family, from my friends.  I often hesitate to do this and more often than not they are all ready and willing.
~ Be more patient with my kids.  No need to explain this one.
~ Stop sweating the small stuff.  In the long run, it's not worth it and it doesn't do anyone any good.
~ Eat less food from a box and/or bag.  I have a major weakness for crackers and/or chip items.  Basically, anything that's a vehicle for salt.
~ Do more planks.  The core could use a little more attention this year.
~ Be more present.  Spend less time on my phone, computer, etc.  I can hear my friend KH laughing from afar.  I do tend to text and compute often.  But, for the record, this blog post has taken me forever to write because I've been putting my family and all of their needs and goings on before it.  And that's a good thing.  Baby steps.
~ Work to be a better and more confident coach.  Every year I take a step in this direction.  But, there is still so much to learn and so many people to learn from, including the athletes themselves.  I want this for me, sure, but more for my runners so I can take them where I know they want to go.
~ Go see more live music.  Music makes me feel happy and alive.  Enough said.
~ Try to pay someone a compliment every single day.  Cheesy, I know.  But, I recently saw the impact that a quick compliment had on a kid up at Cannon Mountain.  He is training to be an instructor for the Adaptive Sports program and his teacher came over to tell him that he'd done an awesome job so far.  A huge ear to ear grin spread across his face.  I'm sure his day was made after that.  I didn't even know him and I was psyched for him.  So, I congratulated him, too, and then headed off in a really good mood.  Just imagine that ripple effect.
~ Embrace my age and defy it.  I'm turning 40 on February 12.  But, age is just a number.  Bring it on.
~ Slow the hell down.  I find myself rushing often.  My girls and I rush to get ready for school.  I rush around the grocery store, I rush home so I can get a run in, I rush around town to get my errands done.  You get the picture.  Sometimes, it's necessary.  Often, it's not and once and a while, a few minor changes can be made so the process takes less time.  This one might take a while.

New year.  My year.  I will.  Let's ride.

Listen to this:
Until You Find Me - TeamMate