One unexpected bonus from my trip overseas was that I came back quite a bit fitter than I was before I left. Walking seven or eight hours with a backpack following you about all day will do that for you I guess! Climbing billions of stairs doesn’t hurt either. Although my calves would beg to differ.
Since coming home I’ve been running quite a bit and the other day a friend and I registered for a run in September. It’s only 5 k’s but we figured we do a few of these and maybe attempt an 8 or 10k one later on in the year. I’ve always been more of a sprinter so adjusting to this long distance stuff has been a bit of a struggle, but I have noticed a great improvement in the last couple of months. I can run 5 k’s on the treadmill without any problems but yesterday morning I got in my car and measured out a 5k run along the boringly straight dirt roads around my place. Good god, it’s a hell of a different ask! I ran 2.5 k’s without a problem but the trek back home was pretty miserable, and punctuated by a few bouts of walking, which pissed me off a little. Still, it’s good to know where I’m at now, and I’m sure I’ll get better the more I do it.
I need some good running music though, preferably stuff with a consistent beat that I can run to as I have problems maintaining a steady rhythm sometimes – I tend to start at a good pace, but somehow end up running too fast and tiring myself out. So what do you listen to when you’re running or working out? I need all the help I can get!
Here are some totally unrelated tracks to warm your winter morning – although most of you reading this are probably enjoying gorgeous summer weather at the moment and if you are, permit me to say that there’s a tiny part of me hidden deep inside that hates you, just a little bit.
Set In Stone – Catfish Haven Great toe-tapping soul sound from Chicago.
Northern Lights – Bowerbirds Gorgeous folk from latest release Upper Air.
Little Bear – Guillemots English indie outfit. Love the strings in this one.
Garden – One For The Team Indie rock from eight track EP Build A Garden.
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July 12, 2009 at 2:13 am
mjrc
i know exactly what you mean about needing a good, strong beat to keep you going! i’m not sure i could exercise without my music blaring–it’s very motivational.
so, lately i’ve been listening to, in no particular order: amanda palmer “leeds united” and “guitar hero”, the joy formidable “cradle”, frisbee “yes impossible”, fanfarlo “luna”, jarvis cocker “pilchard” dan black “i love life” and just about any ben folds five song.
hope you find something in there to help!
July 12, 2009 at 7:57 pm
itallstarted
An excellent start! I’ve tracked down most of those and am adding them to my playlist for my run tomorrow arvo. Thanks Marcy!
July 13, 2009 at 11:48 am
mjrc
glad to be of service!
enjoy your run. i ate so much this weekend that i feel like i’ve gone up a whole size, so i’ll be running hard tomorrow to try to make up for it!
July 14, 2009 at 6:18 pm
itallstarted
I know how you feel – this cold winter weather always makes me want to eat hot salty fatty comfort food and, while I’m doing pretty well on my quest to resist such temptations, it’s not easy!
July 17, 2009 at 2:21 am
Rick
Kudos to you for getting out there, and registering for a 5K! Your first 5K is a real accomplishment, so stick to your guns ’cause it will be worth it.
Couple of thoughts:
1. Running on a treadmill is easier than on a road for a number of reasons, but one is that the motor on the treadmill is helping you out. You have to add a 1-2% incline to compensate.
2. I don’t generally run with music, one reason being I can never get any earbud to stay in my ear. But, when I have tried it, I really like LCD soundsystem because their music is distracting and funky. They recently released a ~45 minute mix track, called something appropriate like 45:33, that gets me through about 4 miles. There’s also a guy name Steve Boyette who puts together these mixes for running, mostly techno, that he publishes at his “podrunner” site. You can pick out a pace that works for you (beats/minute) and use it to help challenge yourself to run faster.
Good luck!
July 17, 2009 at 9:36 am
John at Hella Sound
You’ll get to a point where you don’t want to run on a treadmill anymore. It might not seem like it now, but it’ll happen, and it’s a great feeling. Running outside is different; you have to get acclimated to wind, hills (up & down–they’re both tough) and you also have to set your own pace–something the treadmill does for you.
Congrats on your entry! You’re gonna rock it out.
I’d welcome you to check out our music, but please don’t post the mp3 on your site! We’re a wee little company, after all, just trying to to get by
It’s http://www.HellaSound.com, and we create music *specifically* for running.
When I was in your spot (measuring distances by car) I went out and got a Nike+ for my Nano. That thing has completely changed my running, and it’s dirt cheap all things considered.
Good luck to you!
July 17, 2009 at 10:17 pm
itallstarted
Rick – thanks for the advice and the encouragement! I’ve been running on an incline instinctively, just because I feel like I’m working harder that way, so good to know I’ve got that part right. Your tip about Steve Boyette is fantastic, it never would’ve occured to me that something like that existed!
John – yes, pace setting seems to be my biggest problem at the moment, and running on a particularly windy morning last week was none too pleasant! Thanks for the link, I’ll be sure to check it out, and I shall also be researching the Nike+ as well. Cheers!
July 18, 2009 at 1:21 am
Linda
I experienced the same thing after our China trip. We walked a lot every day, and I could feel myself toning back up. I was determined to keep it up when I came back home. I don’t run, but I used to be a fairly good hiker. I found a two-mile trail near our house that has a one good, steep incline (and a similar downhill on the other side) and several smaller hills, and even though it is mid-summer here I can do it in an hour if I get up early and just go before I start anything else. I started three weeks ago, and I could feel it working from the third day. I also would much rather be doing my walking outside than on a treadmill. No machine at the gym that I know of exercises the muscles you use going downhill.
July 18, 2009 at 1:13 pm
itallstarted
That’s one of the downfalls of exercising around here – it’s flat as, no hills for miles! Just long straight boring dirt roads. Hiking is great fun, sounds like you have a good plan.
July 20, 2009 at 1:05 pm
A Free Man
You know what I’ve always liked for exercise? The Trainspotting soundtrack – a lot of good sort of numbing tracks on that one.
July 20, 2009 at 6:32 pm
itallstarted
I wouldn’t have automatically thought of the Trainspotting soundtrack for exercise, but I like the idea!
I’ve found this week that Girl Talk seems to be working for me at the moment, so that’s another one to add to the list.
July 23, 2009 at 10:46 am
Movoodoo
Congrats on the running….started about 10 weeks ago myself. Started the program called Couch to 5k. Highly recommend the Nike+ to get a good idea of pace/distance- also makes it invaluable to log your runs (just plug it in to computer). nice music by the way Catfish Haven has a great sound.
July 23, 2009 at 9:06 pm
itallstarted
Thanks Movoodoo! Have been looking into the Nike+, it looks like a pretty nifty little gadget – will be hunting for one over the weekend I reckon. Good luck with your running also!
September 20, 2009 at 10:57 am
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