Tag Archives: running

The Treasures in Our Pockets

18th January 2016

I hate the cold. I despise it. My body despises it. As a measure of precaution, I live in the South, where we list our wintry sixty degree days as a perk. So this morning, when I checked the weather to find it felt like a balmy 20 degrees out, I went to work from the comfort of my down comforter.

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As the hours passed and the guilt rose, I got up the courage to head to the closet and pick out as many layers as possible, determined to keep my word to myself to lace up for five miles.

At the back of my closet, I stumbled upon the Better Sweater. A few winters ago, I saved up to buy this cozy little vest. While its name should ring full of blissful adventures, over the years it has become my last ditch resort for keeping warm on a chilly morning run. I zipped it up, put my hands in its fuzzy pockets and found a single stick of chapstick.

As a kid, I would hide little trinkets in the pockets of my winter coats. Barbie shoes, a dollar, a 25¢ ring, it didn’t matter the value, but more the reminder. It was as if some brilliant figure from the past had sent treasures into the future to say “I don’t care how miserable it is out there, look at these awesome things we used to have!” Those Barbie shoes had been gone a year, so naturally this was a sign of something good to come. The treasures were my way of reminding myself that it wasn’t going to be all doom and gloom for the next four months.

In this scenario chapstick is grown up treasure, until it isn’t. Chapstick means I probably I went for a run, my nose tried to fall off and I couldn’t feel my face for three days. This is what we have to look forward to, Better Sweater, Chapstick and I, no noses and sore faces.

I begrudgingly laced up my shoes, zipped up the Better Sweater, took one last deep breath and zipped out the door.

I’m home now, five miles faster, and while my nose did try to fall off, the Chapstick was a true treasure. It’s a reminder that when you get your butt out the door, the miles aren’t nearly as bad as you make them out to be. As an extra perk, Chapstick does soothe red lips and sore noses miraculously fast, and I don’t know how it does it.

Next time your brain tries to trick you into thinking treasures are for suckers, remember someone in your past put them there for a reason. Oh and Spring, you can come any time now.

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How I’m surviving Serial Season Two

13th December 2015

There was a time when I was one of those focused runners who could run sans music or distraction of any kind. During the past few years, that dedication has slowly slipped away and the headphones find their way into my pack far more often than I like to admit. The “you’re not training for a race, just stop and take a break to take pictures” habit has also worked its way into my running routine, but I digress.

Headphones started as a means for talking on the phone to pass the time, progressed to Nike’s Spotify playlists, and for the past few months, have settled on podcasting.

Call it a funk, or a cure to one, but having someone feed stories into my headphones almost makes running feel like the by-product.

It wasn’t until this afternoon, two miles into a run, when the first episode of Serial Season Two came to an abrupt end and I was reminded of this terrible truth:

One story. Told week by week.

I jumped on the Serial bandwagon late. This translates to: I had the luxury of listening to every episode at my heart’s content. Unless someone hold my patience hostage, reality suggests that waiting for a full season of stories is not likely.

In the event that you also find yourself in the same Sarah Koenig, week by week void, here are a few of my other favorites to help you fill the time.

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Invisibilia

“The invisible forces that control human behavior, ideas, beliefs, assumptions and emotions.”

This series had me rushing out the door and adding miles just to race to the next episode. If you’re not quite sold, start with episode three, “How to Become Batman.” You’ll be brainstorming DIY superhuman skill tests before the 59 minutes are up.

The Lively Show

“Add a little extra intention to your everyday.”

Jess sucked me in with her exclusive on Young House Love earlier this year. Her topics are simple, yet leave you feeling like you can conquer the world.

The EntreLeadership Podcast 

“Grow yourself, your team and your profits.”

Don’t let the business-y focus of this one scare you. These guys know how to tell great stories and they dig into the personal histories of some of business’ best known leaders in a truly valuable way. Episode #115 with Walt Disney World Resort’s former Executive Vice President of Operations Lee Cockerell is a personal favorite.

What have I missed? Any other favorites out there? Preferably anything that plays into binge listening, my sneakers thank you in advance.

Exploring the Atlanta BeltLine

25th August 2015

Every August in Atlanta, without fail, we are granted one week where mother nature decides she’ll pretend fall isn’t two months away, giving us a heavenly taste of cool mornings, crisp breezes and an excuse to wear white jeans with boots before it becomes socially unacceptable. Then it’s back to ninety degree, ninety percent humidity days until October.

That week happens to be this week. ?

Dragon Army Deck

The view from our Dragon Army deck

I’m soaking up every second between working from our Dragon Army deck that overlooks Piedmont Park (we are spoiled over here) and getting over to the Atlanta BeltLine for evening classes and runs without suffering from heat exhaustion.

If you haven’t heard of the Atlanta BeltLine, you might be living under a sad, less colorful, sun deprived rock somewhere. Seriously, take a break and head there now. The murals alone are worth your Instagram feed.

Sunset from the Eastside trail // A look from the golf course along the Northside trail

Sunset from the Eastside trail // A look from the golf course along the Northside trail

With the near weekly new additions at Ponce City Market and a new restaurant or apartment popping up just as frequently, it’s nearly impossible to miss the buzz around one of Atlanta’s best urban development projects.

Aside from all of the eating (of which I could write a dozen posts), the Atlanta BeltLine is also home to some of the best workouts in the city.

Situated next door to each other and just before the Ponce de Leon Avenue bridge, both Urban Body Studios and The Training Room ATL offer a myriad of classes from yoga, to pilates, TRX and even CrossFit style circuit training.

If running the trail isn’t your thing, but you’re still looking for a cardio fill, check out Urban Body Studio’s Urban Explosion or one of the many daily classes at The Training Room ATL. With both, you’ll find a sixty minute sweat session packed with jumping lunges, medicine balls, pull ups and box jumps. The Training Room ATL rounds out each circuit with sprints out to the BeltLine in quick succession, keeping you both inside and out during the full routine.

The Training Room ATL

A look inside The Training Room ATL

If you’re on the lookout for something a little more mellow, King of Pops offers a free yoga in the park session each Tuesday in the Historic Forth Ward park. I have yet to make it out to this one personally, but have heard nothing but great things from friends who’ve become regulars. Free yoga outdoors with hundreds of new friends? Yes, please. One can only hope there’s a chocolate sea salt pop waiting at the finish, as that would be delightful.

KOP Yoga

Image via #KOPYoga

If you’re like me and a good old walk/run is usually your best bet for getting beyond the gates of Piedmont Park, then take advantage of the Atlanta BeltLine Race Series which will hit its stride ?over the next few months. Both the Southeast 8K and the Eastside 10K are great races for exploring our city and always have the best Atlanta themed t-shirts at the finish line. Because, let’s be honest, I’m not the only one who judges the quality of a race by the public wearability of the free t-shirt.

Exploring the city can seem like a daunting task for the everyday, even more so when that city is your hometown. Luckily, with little gems like these, it’s easy to slide into a routine that’s anything but with endless possibilities to explore.

Not convinced? Check out Eventbrite for even more ideas to get started. Then go send a quick message to Mother Nature begging her to let this “cold front” last more than 72 hours.

A special thanks to Eventbrite for the inspiration for today’s post. While all thoughts, ideas and opinions expressed within this post are my own, you can count me in for some of their events this fall. If you are planning an even, be sure to check out Eventbrite’s event management page for all the info and tools you need to host an event of your own.