So Much Better Than a Chain Letter

I won something! Well, not really, but I was nominated for a Leibster Award, which means that someone other than friends or family reads my blog. I don’t know who Liebster is but I’ll take it. WHODATHUNKIT?

Thank you Darilyn at Time To Just Get Moving for nominating me. Now what? Darilyn asked me 10 questions about my running & fitness, and I answered them below. I then nominated 10 more bloggers that I love, to do the same. It’s like a CHAIN LETTER, but you don’t have to buy stamps.

What is really does is bring bloggers, who have small-ish followings, into your life. Who knows, you may pick up a great running tip, a yummy recipe to try, or a pants-peeing laugh. (You might want to go to the bathroom before reading them, just in case.)

Here are the questions that Darilyn asked me:

1.  Favorite piece of fitness/exercise gear and why?

This is actually a very hard question. I love ALL THE THINGS. Right now, I’m totally in love with my foam roller and The Stick. They should be required for any athlete over 40, because we need just that much more lovin’ on our sore muscles. And, I’m sitting on a baseball right now, wiggling it over a tight upper hamstring. You’re welcome.

My BFF’s

2.  Do you like to workout in the morning, at lunch, or in the evening? 

I prefer the morning, but most mornings my husband gets dibs on the exercise time, otherwise he’d never see the kids due to his work schedule. So most of the time I end up doing it right after work (but before kid pickup at aftercare) or after my husband gets home at around 6:45 PM. Never at lunch, as I teach 1st grade and I need every spare second of my lunch hour to prep. Plus, 1st graders are just unsensored enough to be like, “Ew, you stink Mrs. B.”

3.  What is the goal that you want to reach by the end of 2014?

I’m hoping to get a PR in the long-awaited New York Marathon in November, and I’d like to complete my first Olympic distance triathlon this summer.

4.  What is your go-to post-workout snack?

I will stuff my face with fig newtons from Nature’s Bakery like it’s my job. If I have some chocolate soy milk to go with that I’m in heaven.

5.  What has been your hardest training moment so far?

Fitting in a Ragnar Relay race about 7 weeks before my second marathon was way harder than I ever thought. It was so hot and quite challenging. Oh, and there’s the complete and utter lack of sleep for 36 hours. When I was done, I felt like I had run a marathon, and I had to recover accordingly, instead of jumping back into the marathon training schedule. Also, the open-water panic attack was a glorious moment in my training history.

6.  How do you find time to fit in training?

I don’t find the time, I have to MAKE the time, or else it won’t happen. I look ahead each week, see what are work and family commitments are, then schedule around it. I still can’t believe I’ve pulled off marathon training twice. I also just accept that something’s got to fall off the priority list. For me, it’s usually housekeeping. My house is a pit during peak training weeks.

7.  How do you train in extreme weather (cold, heat, rain, wind, etc)?

I dress appropriately, and then I think, “Suck it up, Buttercup. You GET to run today.”

8.  How do you respond to people who ask you “Why” (i.e. why on earth would you sign up for that event?!)?

I give them a genuine smile, mention how much I love [said event], and ask them if they want to come run with me. They may not say yes right away, but there’ve been a few people, months later, who mention to me, “I just signed up for a 5k!”

9.  What are you top 3 workout songs?

Oh, this is a Very Serious Question. I have so many favorites, it would be like picking a child – next to impossible. This answer would change with any given training cycle, but here are 3 songs of which I never tire:

• Run by Vampire Weekend
• All These Things That I’ve Done by the Killers
• Keep the Car Running by Arcade Fire

10. What has been your favorite event so far?

That Ragnar Relay DC race I mentioned was effing awesome. Totally worth the heat exhaustion.

(Followed a close second by the Philadelphia Marathon and the New York Mini 10K)

Here are the 10 blogs I nominate for this award. Please do check them out:

• Tina at Fuel Your Future With Tina
• Bethany at I Love Them Most When They’re Sleeping
• Terri at See Jain Run
• Meryl at My Bit Of Earth
• Athena at Fitness and Feta
• Lorraine at Run Wifey Run
• Renee at Cutie Booty Cakes
• Gina at Running to the Kitchen
• Kristin at Mrs. Miller’s Miles
• Nicole at Mom On the Move2

See? Best Chain Letter Ever. 

Here are my questions for you, bloggers:

1. What is a fitness item you’ve splurged on, and was it worth it?
2. What do you think about when you run/workout?
3. What is your cool-down routine?
4. What has been your favorite race to date?
5. What are you looking forward to, fitness-wise, in 2014?
6. What is your favorite sports bra?
7. How do you fuel before a race?
8. What is your biggest fitness worry?
9. Top 3 workout songs? (Note that I will totally judge you by your answer…jk.)
10. What is your proudest fitness accomplishment?

Here are the rules for getting a Leibster Award:

1.  You must link back to the person who nominated you.
2.  You must answer the 10 questions posed to you by the person who nominated you.
3.  You must pick 10 bloggers to be nominated for the award who have a small following.
4.  You must create 10 questions for your nominees.
5.  You must go to their blogs and notify your nominees.

 

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