Monday, August 30, 2010

Fit-Pic: Pro at the Port-A-Potty

Before I even post this picture, I have one thing I absolutely have to write: Matty Reed, I'm sorry. This is definitely not the way I hoped to snap a picture of you at Sunday's Chicago Triathlon, but it seemed to be my only option at the time between my inability to set up my camera as you were jogging toward the swim start and my reluctance to interrupt you with your race just minutes away. In no way is the intention of this photo to be utterly embarrassing, which it probably seems like it is. But of all the pros running down to the swim start who I saw as I walked north to retreive my gear, you were on the only one I recognized. 

So folks, here it is: the photo of Matty Reed that I will probably regret posting later. I guess the heat has a way of messing with my judgment calls. And my memory--I had a great caption planned but forgot Reed's comment about the hot toilet before I had even grabbed my gear. That's where you come in: Get creative, use your imagination, and click the comments section to share your caption creation.

Sorry Matty, I know this isn't the best backdrop for a pre-race photo. So here's one more to make up for it:

Shuffle to the swim start to defend my title.


Friday, August 27, 2010

The Daily Feed: Sites We're Searching 8/27

It's easy for me to say I spent way too much time online reading stories, websites and news feeds. But it's all for good reason...either I'm picking up tips for training, stirring ideas for articles or catching up with the world. And lately I've been finding way too many likable links through Facebook. Yes, it's true. That little page suggestion box does actually provide some good information...as do my friends. Here's what I'm digging today:
  • Runners, check out the latest installment on Master the Shift. I'm officially obsessed with Josh Cox's playlist, and know how desperately I need it for some inspiration to update my own.
  • With that said, the cycling section is just as awesome this week. Learn how to fix a flat with a little help from Lance Armstrong. Doesn't get any better than Mr. Cycling himself.
  • I'm still coming to grips with the ski season being right around the corner--I wish I could get the best of both worlds with perpetual summer and winter when I want it. I'm a sucker for vintage videos, especially skiing ones like this one from Keystone. Rumor has it that some ski areas might see snow this weekend...not enough for skiing but enough to get hopeful for the season ahead.
  • Not that you necessarily want to keep tabs on what I'll be doing this weekend, but here's one darn cool event that will keep me busy on Saturday. And it's along Chicago's Lake Michigan shoreline.
Have a link that you'd like to share? Post it in the comments below. I love sharing news!

Update as of Aug. 31: Josh Cox's playlist and Lance's fix a flat from Master the Shift were posted on August 26. If your Facebook acts as oddly as mine does, you'll have to click the above links, then scroll down to read the articles. Be sure to act fast, the content could disappear in the next week or so.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

The Baby Band Wagon

Paula Radcliffe and Kara Goucher may be nearing the end of their pregnancies--hard to believe but both are due before September is out--but now it looks like another speedy marathoner is hopping aboard the baby train. If you didn't read the Runner's World exclusive news, can you guess who it is?
  • She trains in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., with other running phenoms like Ryan Hall, Josh Cox and Meb Keflezighi.
  • She runs in ASICS.
  • One of her favorite Chicago restaurants is Bin 36, according to an interview Liz had with her last year. 
  • She has an Olympic bronze medal to her name. 
  • She shares recipes and training advice in monthly columns in Competitor magazine.
Did you figure it out yet? The answer is Deena Kastor, Mammoth Track Club member, Chicago Marathon (2005) and London Marathon (2006) champion, two-time Olympics qualifier. And earlier today Runner's World had the exclusive news that she'd be pulling out of this year's New York City Marathon--where her and Meb would be the ones to watch--because of her growing baby bump. Well, not quite, because Kastor told RW that she doesn't even look pregnant yet. Kastor is three months along in her pregnancy and already halted her tough workouts. But have no fear...you'll still catch her in the Big Apple race weekend, just not toeing the line.

Question is: boy, girl, surprise? Between Kara, Paula and Deena, you almost have to hope that their newborns are not all boys, and eventual runners. Then there would really be a contest to follow come the 2032 Olympics, give or take.


Photo grabbed from thomas_sly at flickr.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Let Go My Egg-O

I flip out over food recalls--last time it was peanut butter. This time it's the incredible, edible egg, the protein-packed powerhouse that's a staple in many athletes' diets (not so much my own until recently), wreaking havoc with a breakout of salmonella. At first I wasn't concerned because I'm guilty of buying eggs to then sit past expiration in the fridge, but the FDA warning I read scared me into submission. Not only did the recall affect Midwest states including my own, but my current carton falls on the brand list and in the expiration date range. Uh oh, I hope that's not why I've been feeling funky this week.

The FDA lists the products in danger in this release and states that Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa, where the contaminated eggs come from are voluntarily recalling its bad eggs. You don't have to worry if you're buying eggs whose carton labels differ from these, or if your eggs don't come from distribution centers in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Iowa. Yet, if you're unsure about your egg purchase harming your health, contact eggsafety.org.

So what do you do if the whites, yolks or a combo are your go-to breakfast or mid-day snack? Fortunately there are still other ways to enjoy those eggs and their benefits.
  • Phil's Fresh Eggs. Based out of Forreston, Ill., you'll find these cage-free, better-tasting (they claim) eggs on Midwest store shelves.
  • Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. Try the cage-free variety available on these stores' shelves in the dairy section.
  • Farmers market fresh. I don't know if all local farmers markets have egg vendors but I could have sworn I've seen on at Saturday's Division Street market or the Green City Market. You'll be getting your eggs straight from the source, almost as good as having a hen in your backyard.
  • Liquid eggs. Appealing: no shells to crack. Unappealing: pouring concentrated egg from a carton. But if need the protein source, these different brands won't make your omelet taste any different. Or at least my tastebuds haven't noticed.
  • Tofu. Not an egg at all, but this protein-packer can embody the consistency of scrambled eggs (thanks Amy's for showing me that trick with your Tofu Scramble). Add some seasoning, maybe some hot sauce or cheese, and some veggies, and you're set.
Thank goodness the egg recall isn't a nation wide epidemic and a few switches to the shopping list can keep them in my meal arsenal. I've just become accustomed to scrambling them with manchego cheese to recover after Yoga Sculpt, or customizing my Trader Joe's veggie fried rice. My body likes it too. Eggs have so many good-for-you benefits: amino acids, choline, healthy fats, protein. And especially at breakfast. Check out this list to read more. Those eggs are pretty incredible all right...as long as they're salmonella free.

Photo grabbed from chelsey.baldock at flickr.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Fit-Q: What do you crave most after a workout?

Workout to eat, eat to workout. No matter how you cut it, look at those two activities like that and you can't help but set yourself up for disaster in one part of the cycle anyway. Splurge on a decadent dinner and you know you'll have to sweat it off later. Bust out a run or ride, and you can't reach for the food fast enough to refuel. The problem, though, is that sometimes it's not the right food to feed the tank--your cravings set in and instead of recovering with a glass of chocolate milk, you're reaching for the chocolate cake.

I know I'm guilty of it. Just look at the burrito I shoved into my mouth after riding 100 miles, or know that my post-ride pit stop is almost always Culvers (Dairy Queen and Kopps have stepped in on occasion). I'll eat all the bananas, watermelon, PB sandwiches and good-for-you snacks at the rest stops, but as the miles wind down, my food cravings kick up. If my body took a poll, ice cream would be crowned king of the cravings and salty taking a close second. Then there are the stragglers that creep into my craving brain--chocolate milk, nachos, Jamba Juice, beef jerky (my friend started that one after we looked like salt sticks after 100 miles), burger and fries. But surely, I'm not the only one yearning for these normally nutritional no-nos. Tell us what you're itching for after your tough training sessions.


Monday, August 16, 2010

The Daily Feed: Sites We're Searching 8/16

It's only Monday, but I'm already looking forward to next weekend to redeem myself on the bike. Let's just say that Saturday was a struggle and not just because of those darn roads. I wallowed in self pity for a while but know that's not going to get me anywhere. And when cruising around on some of my favorite sites, and finding a few new favorites, it turns out I'm not the only one who's been struggling. Here's what's been catching my eye--the good, the bad and the feel-betters:
  • Professional triathletes have bad days too. Just read about Joanna Zeiger's recent race--it'll make you laugh, especially if you've had some of her thoughts while out on the race course like me.
  • When you train, train, train, sometimes you just need to tell yourself to slow down and take some time off. Relief set in for me when I stumbled upon this off season report.
  • Happy race reports? Don't worry this isn't all depressing. You'll find greener pastures if you read this pro report from Ironman Lake Placid or this Steelhead 70.3 age-grouper report.
  • The triathlon season might feel like it's winding to a close but if you're like most of us, you've probably avoided buying most of the gear essentials until now. Check out the must-haves to buy courtesy of Fleet Feet Sports Chicago, whose owner Dave Zimmer was up early Sunday morning to give WGN the low-down.
  • Free running advice from elites and their coaches? Yes way! You have to watch Terrence Mahon's, who coaches Ryan Hall, Deena Kastor and Josh Cox to name a few, drills for strengthening your run. Brought to you by Nissan's Master the Shift, there's a collection of tips along the right sidebar.
  • Why am I wasting the day away indoors? With no clouds in the sky, the sun in full force, and the temps finally cooling to a more bearable level, I should be outside. I need more days like today, please cooperate weather!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Darn Wisconsin Roads

Remember last weekend's Fit-Pic? That gravelly, torn up mess of a road along the Ironman Wisconsin bike course? One week later, one return trip to Madison to ride that loop that departs from Verona's Fireman's Park, and that ripped-up road is still there. Not only that but it looked to be just as rough riding as it was last Saturday when the road was fresh from its midnight maintenance left unfinished.

Here's to hoping that road--and the other loose gravel spots along the route--are fixed before race day. I figured within a week there would at least be a layer of asphalt would be laid over the gravel. But no. You could almost say the roads were worse--in some spots anyway. Gravel, potholes, dirt-road tendencies and the like.

If you're planning to ride part of the Ironman Wisconsin course before race day--or if it's your usual weekend loop--here are the spots on the Verona loop where you'll need to brace yourself. That is, if you ride uber cautiously like me.

Valley Road: This road was ripped up--I think in an effort to be repaved for IMWI--on Friday, August 6. One week later and it's still looking as it did on August 7: a rough mess. You can ride it--others passed me doing so as I walked, and eventually carried, my bike--but it's rough and slow. And the gravel pieces are large enough to kick up and lodge themselves between your wheel and fork, causing the wheel to lock--happened to me. Best bet: Bypass Valley Road by continuing down Route 69. Turn right at the second road you see, which runs parallel to Valley Road. At the second stop sign, turn right and you'll get a longer stretch of Sugar River Road and link back up to the course.


County Route-G: In comparison to the other road blunders, this one is like a blip in the system. There's a stretch that's been recently repaved--hence the warning for no center line that you'll see if your eyes are wandering off the road--but it still needs a bit of retouching. In addition to painting the center line, you'll encounter a few bumps in the road. Nothing major but enough to keep an unsteady-in-aero cyclist from staying tucked.

Witte Road: Depending on how the wind is blowing, you can really start cruising on County Route-S's straightaway before making the left onto Witte. And usually, after the turn you gather your momentum for the rollers that follow. This time around you might want to proceed with caution as this road looks more like a crushed limestone trail than a paver. You won't have to get off your bike (I'm scared of the downhills and even I stayed on) but you might want to ride the brake. The good part is Witte does even out eventually and you can fly down the next batch of hills.

Stagecoach Road: After passing through Cross Plains, Stagecoach is just begging to be repaved. The unfortunate part is that I doubt it will be before race day--this year anyway. The warning to this road is that its quite rigid, not like the riding over train tracks bumps but similar to those highway strips for cars intended to make you slow down. Bad description, I know, but just hold on if you're feeling unsteady on your bike.

Shady Oak Lane: Forgive me now if I'm labeling this road incorrectly, I never notice the street signs when I'm out riding. All I can tell you is that you're going to find more loose gravel spots after climbing and descending the three major hills on the Verona loop, and I can only guess as to finding them on what is Shady Oak Lane. You're almost back to Verona, you've survived the major climbs and you've gathered some speed again. But you can gather too much or a few road sections could toss some accessories, or you, off your bike. They're only two feet wide tops and stretch across the road--three or four of them but I never remember the count by the time I finish riding--but something blew through this week to turn these normally negotiable patches into slightly scarier zones. Big potholes that you can't see until you're on top of them can toss a flask or water bottle or two, and bigger rocks to tilt you off balance or mess with your wheels.

Yeah, I know some of these road hazards don't sound that bad. But if you've seen me on my bike before (lucky for me I deleted the picture my mom snapped of me rolling down a hill into transition at my first race on my tri bike) or knew about all of my road boo-boos, you'd understand my hesitance when it comes to taking these far-from-ideal roads. On the bright side, there's an awesome patch of freshly paved road to take you straight into Cross Plains. But now I have to hope that those rough patches start to follow suit, especially on race day.

Photo grabbed from randomduck at flickr

Note: Here's a little warning that I'm asking for forgiveness for in advance. Around the 30-days-before-Ironman mark--and even before since friends have used me as the answering machine this summer--I start to over consume Ironman information. In turn, a lot of it might appear on Fit-Ink. Just want to tell you know before you start thinking this is turning into a race-only, all about Wisconsin, totally triathlon site. Not the case. It might get a little unbalanced, but I promise it won't be forever.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

The One Month Countdown

First it was T minus 363 days--the morning last September where I stood in the volunteer line at Monona Terrace in Madison, Wis., to get my credit card swiped and receive my permission slip to register for the 2010 Ironman Wisconsin. Now the countdown stands at 30 days before I'll be adding the final race-morning touches to my bike, rising way earlier than I do for any other race and floating in Lake Monona until the cannon booms at 7 a.m. on September 12. Scary that only 30 days are left, and even scarier that only about half of those--tops--are reserved for the last of the hard-core training.

I've been quite reserved when it comes to talking about my race schedule here on Fit-Ink. Not for any reason in particular but in part because I'm not big on sharing all of my workout with the world. I feel bad enough for the friends who inevitably end up hearing about it for lack of anything else I can talk about (if you're training for an Ironman, it's a challenge, in my opinion, to focus on other stuff). And well, sometimes I cringe at some of the people who post every single workout and every single reaction to said workout on their Facebook or their Twitter, or both. I'm biased: if it's a pro, I'll eat it up. After all, there might be a helpful hint to my own training. Other than that, I have to stop reading the updates that start looking like Training Peaks entries.

I know I make plenty of right, wrong and so-so actions when it comes to my hours (or lack of) in the pool/lake, on the saddle or pavement pounding and I'm not sure I want to become the laughing stock of the blogosphere overnight. And this time around with Ironman, I've learned fast that everyone has a different way to train. Not that I was surprised the first time but on any given weekend I'll have a friend who wants to ride a century followed by a short run, another friend who's busting out 20-mile bike, 6-mile run bricks, and another who continues to say training has started but the collective group wonders how that person will reach the finish line. Who is it that said that one plan doesn't suit all?

Anyway, with 30 days left before this Ironman showdown, there's definitely some prepping to still be done. And not necessarily the good kind--some items should have been figured out months ago. You think I would have learned that the first time I did this two years ago, but no. I still have to:
  • Figure out my nutrition on the bike. I've been drinking Hammer Nutrition's Perpetuem during longer races against the better judgment of my stomach, but it just didn't seem to cut it at the Steelhead 70.3. I blame my bonking on the run largely on lack of proper fuel on the bike. Or running out. Goal: hope that a new drink fits the bill.
  • Get bike tuned. I've put this off all season--bad me, I know--but it needs more that a little TLC before this 140.6-mile race. Only problem is that last time I took it to the shop, it messed up my week of workouts (I had to beg to surrender it for less than a week), and cost more than $300 to fix a chain, cassette, tape, wires and more.
  • Pack my bags. This was a disaster last time and I really should have followed the advice from the countless blogs I read about laying out all your gear before packing it and taking pictures so you could easily do it over and over again. Nope, instead I spent forever packing, brought enough triathlon gear to last me a week, and didn't use half of what I toted into my hotel room--and then had to tote out by myself the day after the race when I really didn't want to carry anything.
  • Select race day clothing. You'd think this would be easy. After all, everyone urges you to train like it's dress rehearsal for race day. I must have earmuffs and blinders on when I'm supposed to hear and listen to that statement because I don't wear my race day outfit as often as I should, and I forget that 40 miles in that outfit isn't the same as 112 miles plus a marathon when we're talking chafing. Goal: find a pair of shorts in my arsenal that cancel any rubbing and burning. Enough said.
  • Figure out how I'm going to survive this marathon. Yes, I know after I get off the bike, a time check will tell me if I can walk the entire 26.2 if need be. The question is: do I really want that to happen? Of course not. But when you have your slowest run split ever in a half Ironman, know you've avoided running for a multitude of reasons, and have resorted to walking in every running race this year but a 5K, you start to wonder what's going on.
  • Swim a mile, or two, or three. Usually, you'll find me swimming in the lake at least three times a week. That was last summer, the summer before and the summer before that. I don't know what it is this year, but I cannot drag myself into the water. It's almost like I'm afraid to go outside and bake in the sun unless I'm on my bike. And my pool swims? I'm the queen bee of the 10-minutes and she's out--15 if I'm really feeling good. In fact, I should be making my way to the water right now instead of typing this.
  • Ride the bike course. This is one thing I've actually handled well this time around. Scared to tackle the hills in year one, it was only with a month left before race day that I started making weekend drives to Madison to check out the course and know it's twists, turns and climbs before thrown out there on race day. I've already ridden the course twice with No. 3 on its way--and that's including the times I had to bail because of work commitments that crept up at the last minute (ahem, June's mid-week Vision Quest ride).
Sure, 30 days might seem like plenty of time to work out these kinks--go running, force myself into the pool for an hour or more, practice properly. But after 333 days, that final 30--or 29 being that it's already later in the day--really isn't a heck of a lot. I guess I have my work cut out for me. To the finish line or bust!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Not So Fit-Food: Fat Meals from the 50 States

I still remember the images of odd food combos I saw when I first visited This Is Why You're Fat last year after Liz shared the link. Not clearly, mind you, as I most definitely couldn't name the bacon-wrapped, deep-fried, Krispy Kreme-covered concoctions I was looking at or pin-point exactly which foods were most cringe-worthy (hmm, maybe all of them?). After a while, they all start to look the same: a stomach ache, heart attack, gastrointestinal disaster in the making.

The Chicago Tribune brought back those noshing nightmares with a feature on the 50 Fattiest Foods Across the Nation--in pictures--from Health.com. The slideshow doesn't exactly offer the type of treats you'd want to add to your list of "Must Dos" when you're driving through or visiting. Would you really want to add 25 fat grams--thanks South Dakota Fry Bread--to your system when you're sitting in the car all day? I didn't think so. In fact, after reading some of the descriptions and fat gram counts, you might be writing a mental note to steer clear of A, B and C when you're in X, Y or Z.

If you ever want to be turned off from gorging on a meal you know you probably shouldn't be eating, check out the first few slides. They'll either gross you out or leave you running for a nearby state with a more favorable fat food. My top five on the gross-o-meter? Alabama's bacon-wrapped meatloaf--I don't even want to know the fat and sodium counts. Alaska's Eskimo Ice Cream--I love ice cream but when the ingredients include reindeer fat, caribou, moose and seal oil, I'd definitely take a pass. Michigan's BLT Sammich--let's just say I'm shocked my home state concocted this number; I'm sweating just looking at it. Arizona's Quadruple Bypass burger--I saw this once on the Travel Channel; seeing it again only makes my stomach churn. Oregon's Redonkadonk--it's an awesome name for a sandwich, but there's enough meat (burger, bacon, Spam) for at least two.

There are a few bright sides to the state selections. I shouldn't be saying this but if you want reassurance for your supper splurge, view slides 30 through 50, where the meals aren't as appalling and include a healthy (maybe not the correct word choice there) assortment of items. Plus you've probably already eaten a few of these items, either sharing with a friend, gorging on your own, or sacrificing the fatty part to create a more health-conscious meal. Now for the not-so-bads. Idaho's baked potato--it's the state's starch that gets dressed with heavy dressings and loads of bacon bits, but can be pared down and nutrient boosted with broccoli, low-fat cheese, vegetarian chili and more. Maine's lobster roll--if I lived in New England I think my cholesterol would be through the roof because I'd eat these at least once a week. But it wouldn't be the mayo that would be the belly-buster--I hate the stuff and go for minimally dressed wherever possible--just the naturally high cholesterol in the shellfish. Washington's Crab Louis Salad--again, if you leave the dressing off, this salad is packed with protein, good fat in the olives, and vitamin-packed greens. Pennsylvania's Philly Cheese Steak--I know it's not even remotely healthy (hello cheese sauce) but how can you not try one of these when you're in the city of brotherly love? Massachusetts' chocolate chip cookie--I was slightly surprised to see this on the list, and while I know no dessert is ever great, I figured this eat-one-and-be-done treat would be an OK option. South Carolina's turducken--this has become an institution at my house for Thanksgiving and like the description says, they're not all artery-cloggers.

What would you eat, if anything, off this list? What would leave you running for the next state?

Photo grabbed from cajungrocer.com.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Fit-Pic: Paving the Way to Ironman Wisconsin


What triathlete doesn't like smooth pavement to ride? Unless you're an Xterra off-road triathlete, I think I can safely say not many. And this triathlete (me) writing this post was definitely in for a surprise come Saturday morning. I wasn't alone. Anyone who went out to ride the Verona loop of the Ironman Wisconsin course was in for a surprise Saturday morning: The road was ripped up. And we're not talking just a few patches of loose gravel--that was later along the course--but we're talking about an entire road, Valley Road if my map skills are working correctly this morning, crunched into tiny rocks. Not tiny enough to ride over comfortably either, in my opinion. I started pedaling, taking it slow and steady, but after one too many rocks kicked up from the road and stuck to my fork, I decided I'd be better off walking. Front wheel locking up on a rickety ride? No, thank you. As it happened, I had to shake the rocks out twice after the mile-plus slog. Beware to anyone planning to ride the Ironman route, but hopefully it will be fixed before next weekend.

Let's just call this a literal interpretation of what I titled this post: paving the way to Ironman Wisconsin. At least we know the road should be smooth come September 12. But for all of us who were up in Madison to ride the course for a big-game training day, it was a little un-Earthing, especially when you learn that it was fine the day before. Doesn't WI DOT or the local road authority know that all the cyclists come out on weekends and Sunday night would be better for our schedules? Or at least give us a Road Closed sign and a detour without having to find it on our own.

Friday, August 6, 2010

A Lollapalooza 2010 Playlist

Admittedly, I've been a little too focused on training (and organizing training excursions) for my Ironman race, selecting and attending races, working and recuperating to pay much attention to the pop culture happenings flooding Chicago this summer.

Transformers 3 filming on Michigan Avenue? I've seen the warnings about street closings, read the headlines in the news and viewed one too many pictures from the scene. But I have yet to see it with my own two eyes.

The celebrities coming to Chicago to run in the Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon or participate in its festivities? Missed that too--for the most part anyway--because I was in Michigan over the weekend. Sure, I squeezed in an interview with Josh Cox before I left town (thanks Josh and interview to come soon), but forget seeing Maria Menounos or Five for Fighting at the post-race concert, wins by Patrick Rizzo and Tera Moody, and Al Roker, Kelly Killoren Bensimon and Giuliana Rancic on the course.

So before another happening in the Windy City comes and goes, I'm finally paying attention to its pre-event pandemonium and don't want to miss out. That and well, Lollapalooza, running from August 6 through 8 in Grant Park, really is the talk of the town. My first reminder came on Tuesday while driving up Lake Shore Drive and seeing the assemblage of tents in the park. My second reminder came this morning when the Red Eye contained the weekend's artist line-up. And when I saw who was coming, I immediately thought running playlist.

Who doesn't like an array of new songs to spice up the running mix? If you heard mine with some selections hailing from fifth grade favorites (I kid you not), you might think my answer to this question would be "not me." But on the contrary, it just takes a really good song to make it onto my hardly unchanged from 2006 playlist. I confess: That's partially because I fear I'll never find select songs again if I remove them from the list. I won't miss many of them though if I do some updating from this year's Lollapalooza artists; some are already playlist favorites that I don't dare part with. We're talking Arcade Fire, Green Day and Empire of the Sun, which has a one-hit wonder that I've been loving since it carried me up a tough hill at Grandma's Marathon. Others--mainly Lady Gaga--might float your boat more than my own.  Here's what I'd be listening to:
  • Phoenix: 1901
  • Phoenix: Lisztomania
  • Arcade Fire: Keep the Car Running
  • Arcade Fire: Rebellion (Lies)
  • Neon Trees: Animal
  • Green Day: Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
  • Green Day: Know Your Enemy
  • Green Day: anything off the Dookie album (like Welcome to Paradise and She)
  • The Strokes: Last Nite
  • Empire of the Sun: Walking on a Dream
  • Lady Gaga: Alejandro
  • Lady Gaga: Poker Face
There's no order to the above songs, but their beats will liven up a playlist for your next long run--and if you're attending Lolla, you may just hear them live this weekend. Do you have any favorites from Lollapalooza that you're listening to? Too bad The Killers performed last year, or they would have made my list, too.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Where Social Media and Sport Collide

Need to run but can't motivate yourself to get out the door and go alone? Want to meet a few runners, maybe even potential partners? Like the chance of winning cool prizes to keep you fueled and geared up for your next run--or have a lucky streak any time you enter a contest? Set the alarm early Saturday morning, beat the heat, lace up your shoes and finish your run before the Saturday line-up at Lollapalooza starts (sorry, but that's all the news here in Chicago this weekend).

But this isn't just any 7 a.m. run we're talking about. Not only is this a TweetUp run, but it's a training run for the Chicago area Team World Vision runners that will meet at North Avenue Beach and traverse the Lakefront. And to make things even better, runner Josh Cox will be in attendance, bringing giveaways from K-Swiss and PowerBar, two of his sponsors. It's safe to say that Josh likes hanging with Team World Vision when he's in town--that's where I first met him back in April and when we met again, he mentioned a TWV buddy was racing Steelhead just as I was last Saturday--and for good reason. Josh was part of the Team World Vision contingent that ran South Africa's Comrades Marathon in May. Now rather than bust out another long run on the Lakefront alone--Josh logged marathon-distance and longer runs when he trained for the 56-mile race--he'd prefer to share his miles with the rest of Chicago. It gets boring running alone anyway, right?

All paces and all distances are welcome to attend the TweetUp--the more the merrier. Just think: then your run will be done for the day.

Follow Josh on Twitter or like him on Facebook for more details, especially as they unfold in the morning. Or if you're like me and have to miss the run--I'll be on my way to Madison for a long bike ride--check out the tweets and flip through the September issue of Runner's World for some Cox candy. Photo grabbed from TweetUp.

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