My top 10 running songs, including Eminem and Dixie Chicks

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[Click image for source]

[Click image for source]

My friend, Katharine, texted me the other day and said, “Quick—favorite running songs.” I named off a few and then started to think about a longer list. If you’re interested and need some motivational music, here’s my top 10 list:

  1. Eminem, “‘Til I Collapse” - When Eminem yells at me to not give up, not give in, I listen.
  2. Pat Benetar, “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” - This is what I want to tell running. Go ahead, running. Hit me with your best shot.
  3. Jay-Z, “99 Problems” - It’s true; I may have 99 problem some days, but a b*tch certainly isn’t one.
  4. Fall Out Boy, “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark” - I normally wouldn’t include such a new song, but when this songs hits the chorus and they chant, “Light ‘em up, up, up, light ‘em up, up, up,” it instantly makes me run just a little faster.
  5. Blink 182, “All the Small Things” – Really, almost any Blink 182 song will fit here, but this is a classic.
  6. Dixie Chicks, “Ready to Run” - There is not quicker way to get me to reminisce about high school cross country than to play “Ready to Run.” I’m gonna be ready this time (ready this time).
  7. Cake, “The Distance” and “I Will Survive” - While we’re talking about high school, these were my high school track songs. “The Distance” is obvious—”Reluctantly crouched at the starting line … ” The second, “I Will Survive,” was my anthem during sprint workouts from a really, really tough coach. (I still cringe when I hear the song—but run a little harder.)
  8. Petey Pablo, “Raise Up” - And to polish off high school, this is my Beach Week (Senior Week, whatever) song and it always pumps me up. Good memories and a good beat—can’t go wrong.
  9. Ludacris, “Move, B*tch” - Yes, please. Move.
  10. Carrie Underwood, “Blown Away” - Like the Fall Out Boy song, Carrie’s “Blown Away” is pretty new, but I play it on repeat any time it comes on my iPod. She’s angry, it’s loud, and I love it.

I’m always looking for songs to add to my playlist, as well. What are you favorite running songs? 

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65 Books You Need To Read In Your 20s, via Buzzfeed

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[Click image to go to Buzzfeed's post] [Click image to go to Buzzfeed's post]

I saw this post on Buzzfeed and I’ve read … one. Yes, one. I read Tina Fey‘s Bossypants and definitely agree that it should be included. Unfortunately, I have no opinion on the other 64 books. I’ve started a few of them (The Namesake, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius) but never finished them. (If I’m not into a book, I don’t see the point in finishing it.) I’m also sad that my favorite book, The Great Gatsby, wasn’t included.

I have 10 months left in my 20s, but I can’t read 64 books. I want to know—which ones should I read? How many of the 65 have you read?

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Angelina Jolie’s mastectomy: Would you make the same choice?

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Photo credit: Gage Skidmore

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore

This morning, Angelina Jolie published an op-ed in the The York Times sharing that she chose to have a double mastectomy after learning that she carries the BRCA1 gene. Her doctors estimate an 87% risk of developing breast cancer and a 50% risk of developing ovarian cancer. (She notes that the chances are different for every woman.)

I’m Team Jen, but, as someone with a strong family history of breast cancer, I have to commend Jolie for making an incredibly difficult decision for herself and her loved ones. The op-ed is fact-based, well-written, and concise.

Both of my maternal aunts have battled breast cancer; one took it on twice. There is a very palpable fear in our family. Each woman, myself included, wonders if/when she’ll be diagnosed. One aunt did undergo genetic testing and does not have either BRCA gene, which means that my mom, her identical twin, doesn’t, either. While there’s some relief in that, there’s still that terrifying thought that we could still receive that phone call.

Knowing what devastation breast cancer can cause, if I knew that having a mastectomy would (likely) prevent it, I would definitely consider it. As much as we associate breasts with femininity and womanhood, I’d prefer the mastectomy to chemo, radiation, hair loss, sickness, fear of death, etc.

Jolie does note the financial aspect of genetic testing. To test for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes is costly, and those are funds that a majority of women simply don’t have. Hopefully, that will change with increased awareness and more women will have access to testing, should they choose.

Dr. Lauren Streicher wrote a response to Jolie’s op-ed for Everyday Health. I liked this quote from her: “Trust me, it is much easier to talk about strategies to decrease or eliminate the risk of cancer than to tell someone they already have it.”

5 life lessons learned from Mom

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Growing up, I always thought that my mom was really nice, but she was a mom—moms were supposed to be nice. Now, as an adult, I see my mom as a person and realize what a remarkably kind person she is. She’s also funny, wise, interesting, and has taught me many life lessons. In honor of Mother’s Day, here are a few:

  1. There is nothing wrong with buying generic. I cringe thinking about all of the times that I grocery shopped with my mom was I was younger and insisted that we only buy the brand name products. I was so sure that they tasted better than their generic counterparts. Now, as a bill-paying adult (who clips coupons, just like Mom!), I know that it’s all the same.
  2. Stop to help the little guy. Once, when driving into town, my mom spotted a turtle in the middle of a busy street. Rather than just assume that he was a goner, Mom pulled over, stopped traffic, and moved him off to the grass. Turtle population: +1, thanks to her.
  3. Don’t disregard the thank-you note. As children, my siblings and I always had to write thank-you notes when people gave us gifts. As much as I love technology, a handwritten note is still a lovely thing to receive.
  4. Don’t just talk; take action. When I was in high school, my neighbor’s house burnt to the ground in a horrible fire. Fortunately, no one was home, but they lost everything. My mom immediately sprang into action and started raising money from everyone in the neighborhood. I don’t know how much it was, but I imagine that gesture was priceless to the home owners.
  5. Respect—and reach out to—your elders. Mom used to work in a nursing home and has a natural way with the elderly. She has invited widowed neighbors to dinner and stopped by their places on Thanksgiving. She will happily listen to anyone tell his/her life story.

Thank you, Mom, and happy Mother’s Day!

Mom buttoning me into my dress on my wedding day

Mom buttoning me into my dress on my wedding day

Plans for my next half marathon

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Photo: Mitchell Leff, philadelphiamarathon.com

Photo: Mitchell Leff, philadelphiamarathon.com

Yes, I plan to run another half marathon. Yes, I beat myself up a little over the last one, but that doesn’t mean that I’m done. Oh no—I’m just getting started, kids.

In my recap of the Pittsburgh half marathon, I mentioned that I was making plans for my next half marathon. Here’s what I’m thinking:

Me and Dianne after the Charm City Run Sole of the City 10K

Me and Dianne after the Charm City Run Sole of the City 10K

  • Add in strength training/stretching: I fully admit to be a big slacker when it comes to strength training and stretching. I’m going to actually go to yoga on Thursdays at lunch (company perk!) and strength train at least once each week.
  • Run hills! Baltimore is a fairly flat city and maybe I seek flatter runs when I train, but I can’t always do that. I occasionally need to take on the hills.
  • Sign up for my next half soon: I’m looking at the Baltimore half marathon in October or the Philly half in November. I ran Baltimore last year and Steve did Philly. I liked BMore, but the Philly course was nice. BMore was awesome weather and Philly was very cold. Decisions, decisions.
  • Remember why I love running: I do. I’ve been running since I was 14 and, even when I take breaks, I always come back to it. Running has taught me so much and gives me an amazing community.

A few friends, like Katharine and Jess, are getting back into running and it makes me so happy. I also think of Dianne, who loves to run so  much but has battled a nagging IT injury and can’t take on longer distances right now. And there’s Steve, who is the most passionate runner who I know. He’s currently dealing with a bum hip flexor but ran through it in the half—and is now working with a professional trainer to bounce back and be even better.

And, when I get really angry/frustrated/tired, I think of Ali. I’ve never met Ali in real life, but I’ve read her blog for years. (I like to think that if we lived in the same city, we’d be friends.) Ali has Crohn’s disease, which I understand so much from dealing with my own digestive woes. Ali has been really, really, really sick for awhile now and can’t run. She’s missed races and endless morning runs in Central Park, but she still posts Thankful Things Thursdays. I know what it’s like to be so sick that you can’t leave the house, so when I’m out on a run, I try to just be thankful that I can.

Now, tell me—are you training for a race? What are your training plans?

 

You don’t have to finish everything that you start

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Yes. I never finish books that I don’t like. Waste of time. Too many good ones waiting!

Celebrating Steve’s birthday at Wit & Wisdom Tavern in Baltimore’s Harbor East

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Steve and I were recently invited to check out Michael Mina’s Wit & Wisdom Tavern in Baltimore’s Harbor East. The dinner fell on Steve’s birthday, and I think it was a pretty awesome way to celebrate.

Check out the photos below and click through for my full review: http://exm.nr/ZIrO9C.

What/where I’ve been writing

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I’ve been writing a lot recently, which makes me happy. In case you missed the memo via my Tumblr name, I like to write. Here are a few recent posts/articles:

BMoreMedia

CBS Baltimore

Baltimore Food Examiner

Mistakes from the Pittsburgh half marathon

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I won’t lie—I’m disappointed in my Pittsburgh half marathon performance. Yes, I’m definitely happy that I broke two hours, but I really wanted to beat my last time and my overall race experience was poor. 

Everything went well leading up to the race. Steve and I got to Pittsburgh with no issues, met up with friends, went to the expo, got lunch, checked into the hotel (shout out to the Wyndham Grand—really nice!), and went about our normal pre-race prep. I was asleep by 9pm and only woke once during the night.

At 5am, I felt full of energy, my stomach was happy, and I was nervous but excited. I felt really confident that I could beat my previous time of 1:56:34.

We headed out to get into our corrals at about 6:45am … and that’s where the problems started.

Apparently the corrals were closing at 6:45am—for real. A guard literally put a gate up when I tried to get into my space, corral C, and said that Cs had to go to D. Steve had to get all the way up to the elite corral a few blocks up, so he yelled, “I love you” and sprinted away.

(If you’re not a runner, corrals are basically a way to put people who think they’ll run similar times together. Corral C was for people who thought they’d run around a 2-hour half. B was for people who would run a 1:50 half. You can’t move up a corral, so I planned to get to the front of corral C.) 

Mistake #1: Not getting to the corrals in time. Being in corral D meant that I spent my first mile weaving around people who were walking or running a slower pace than me. 

Mistake #2: Going out way, WAY too fast. Because I was so concerned with getting stuck behind people, I kept about a 7:55 pace for most of my first mile. I finished Mile 1 in 8:07—far too fast and a pace that I couldn’t keep.

Mistake #3: Not slowing down enough after that first mile. My next few miles were between 8:20-8:40 pace. To beat my PR (personal record), I had to keep average pace under 8:50. I could have slowed down and recovered a little.

Mistake #4: My outfit. I wear almost the same thing every race, but because I was running for Komen for the Cure, I decided to wear my short-sleeve Under Armour Komen shirt over my normal tank. I also wear a Spi-belt, which is a small belt that holds my chapstick and Honey Stingers (energy chews). Because of the layers, my shirts and belt kept riding up. I also almost always just wear a tank because I get hot—and, sure enough, I was roasting a few miles in.

Mistake #5: Letting my physical condition impact me mentally. By about mile 9, my legs were so heavy and I was feeling extreme fatigue. My pace was slowing to about 9:10-9:20 and I realized that if I didn’t kick it into high gear, I wouldn’t beat my PR. I did some quick math and realized that if I could do sub-10 minute miles, I could still finish in under two hours. I gave in and walked a little. 

Mistake #6: Not charging my iPod enough. I swear that I did, but the damn thing died at mile 10. A 5K without music after 10 miles is torture.

So, like I said, this race was a bit of a disappointment for me. All of these things came together and I just couldn’t hang, physically and mentally. Every step felt so difficult, especially considering that the course had a lot of long, gradual hills. There was a hill at the end that almost made me cry, but if I cried, I would go even slower and I wasn’t ready to give up that sub-2 hour time.

At the end of the day, I still finished 13.1 miles, placed 3,913 out of 14K runners, and have a pretty sweet medal to show for it. Plus, you’re supposed to learn from mistakes, right? So I’ll be back soon with my plans for my next half … 

Last run before the Pittsburgh half marathon

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I just did my last run pre-Pittsburgh half-marathon run, a short two miles without my Garmin (which makes me feel naked). This is my second half marathon and first big out-of-town race. I’m a little nervous; I know that I can run the distance and the pace that I want (sub 8:50-min miles), but so much will depend on the weather, how I feel, etc.

When I get tired, I have two tactics:

1. Listen to Eminem’s “Till I Collapse”
2. Remember how much Steve has raised for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (which I hope keeps rising until Sunday)!

Running shoes or heels—no in between

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I only wear two kinds of shoes: heels and running shoes. Nothing in between.

Be nice

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One of my absolute favorite sayings.

My First Vlog!

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Reblogged from From A to Pink:

Hello lovely readers! Hope your day is going swimmingly.

Alright... here goes nothing! Ahem, introducing my first vlog! (It took an embarrassing number of tries to record one that didn't make me feel like a total fool. So be kind ;) )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WncOxJWMa8

Click here for Steve's fundraising page and here to ask a question on yesterday's post. Thanks for watching and supporting and being overall wonderful people!

Read more… 14 more words

May is Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month! Check out Katharine's blog to learn how you can help.

I Wrote: The Best New Restaurants That Opened In Baltimore « CBS Baltimore

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I wrote about the best new restaurants that opened in 2012 for WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore, including Birroteca, The Fork & Wrench, Shiso Tavern, Langermann’s on Light, and The Food Market. What’s your favorite?

I Wrote: The Best New Restaurants That Opened In Baltimore « CBS Baltimore

Happy holidays from the Becks!

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Happy holidays from the Becks! (@smbeck01)

quarter life coe: an act of migration

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quarterlifecoe:

Well guys, it’s official, we got some news this week… we’re moving to San Francisco!

A hard earned promotion and a goal, 5-years in the making, achieved; David got a new role on his team (and a mandate to be Westward bound by the first of the year…but let’s not think about logistics just…

quarter life coe: an act of migration