Birds of a Feather Flock Together

There I was, sitting in my office last week, minding my own business, when I see the email come pop up on my screen.

 I gasped. Then screamed.Then sat there with my mouth open in disbelief.

Was this for real?! 

Oiselle (pronounced wah-zell) is French for "bird". It is an amazing women's running apparel company that does more than make stylish yet practical running duds --- Oiselle was founded on the basic premise that running is more than a sport. It is a life philosophy that has the power to strengthen runners not just as athletes, but as people, teammates, leaders and women. 

 

Here I am after the Newport Marathon this year, decked out in Oiselle gear:

High-10 Shimmel

Distance Shorts

Arm Warmers 

The Oiselle Volée Team (Volée is French for "flock" and is pronounced Vo-lay") is a versatile group of fast women with different backgrounds, accomplishments and goals. They strive to run with all their strength, heart and talent. It's women who have a tenacious desire to compete and train hard, while living the Oiselle philosophy. The women who represent them are resilient, inspiring runners whose healthy, pure love of the run can't be ignored. 

The team manifesto is simple, yet powerful. 

 

When word got out in June out that applications were being accepted for the 2013-2014 team, I didn't think twice about applying. It'd be the highlight of my running career to associate myself with such powerful and amazing women (including Haute Volée pro runners Lauren Fleshman and Kate Grace -- say whaaat?!)

 

It's more than just a racing team. It's a flock. 

 

And now, as of August 1st 2013, it's more than just a flock. It's MY flock.

I am incredibly honored to be a part of the team...sometimes I still don't believe it's real! I can't wait to connect with all of my new teammates.  

Oiselle, thank you from the bottom of my heart for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to let my wings spread wide - I am so ready to fly! 

The Renegade of (Running) Funk

Sometimes, in life, you get into funks. 

 Not this kind of funk though - this is the good kind.

Funks can reach all levels of life and can sometimes be interpreted as burn-out. Whether it's a dead-end job or a writer's block or a weight loss plateau, we've all gotten into ruts of some form. Things aren't what they used to be, you no longer see progress, and fun activities no longer seem fun. 

It also can take it's toll on running.

I had been battling the running funk for a few weeks. Maybe it was the summer heat, or maybe it was borderline burnout. I tried new playlists. I tried running with no music at all. I tried running with friends. I tried bartering with myself (if you can run this entire route at goal pace, we can have Yogurtology later!) but nothing seemed to be working. 

And let's be honest, I had that frozen yogurt anyway. To drown my sorrows, of course.

 EAT ALL THE TOPPINGS! 

So, I did the unthinkable: I took a week off.

*GASP*

Yes. It's true.

Every run I was embarking on just wasn't fun anymore. I was stopping every few miles, pausing my Garmin, trying to re-energize myself. I was taking unnecessarily long water breaks. I was late going out the door and having to cut runs short. I started making excuses.

 I needed to do some serious re-focusing. 

I've been on a routine training schedule since March, and that doesn't include the multitude of half marathons that came before that. I also delved into another round of marathon training immediately after the Newport Marathon.

I haven't had a "break" in what seems like an eternity.

So, for 7 days, I did nothing. Not one trip to the gym, not one lacing-up of the Brooks. 

Nothing.

I wasn't sure what to expect. I was definitely antsy, but nothing like the taper tantrums of marathons past. I wasn't as hungry and ate meals much more similar to my peers instead of Michael Phelps. I didn't have nearly as much stinky laundry piling up. I didn't have to set my alarm for 4:45 AM.

By the end of my time off, I missed running. Missing something means you want it, so it was the exact feeling I wanted to achieve.  

And guess what? My first run back, I hit negative splits and felt great doing it.

And didn't even have to bribe myself with frozen yogurt.

Moral of this post -- don't be afraid to give yourself a break. Sometimes, not only do you deserve it, but you also need it.

 

The Manner of Giving is Worth More Than the Gift

29 Random Acts of Kindness for My 29th Birthday

Typically when my birthday comes around, I'm the first one to plan a huge bash for myself, buy myself a brand new outfit, and take advantage of the entire month of May by using my birthday as an excuse to do whatever I wanted...and more importantly, EAT whatever I wanted.
Raw cookie dough for breakfast? It's my birth month, you can't judge me.

For my birthday this year, I decided to do something a little different.

I love seeing people smile. Even more so, I love being the reason people are smiling. 
I've come to realize that making people happy is one of my core missions as a human being.

I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate my birthday this year than to act on that! 

 
So, I completed 29 Random Acts of Kindness for my 29th birthday!

Here's a list of everything I did: 

 1. I Volunteered at Habitat for Humanity
Not only did they trust me with a caulking gun, but they trusted me to climb a ladder and caulk the soffit on the roof. I was so excited for this job that I may or may not have mentioned to them that I am the biggest klutz in the world and tend to be accident-prone.

 
 Luckily I finished without any incidents. 
I am, however, still finding caulking underneath my fingernails. 


2. I Crashed a Baby Registry
I jumped on the Babies R Us website, searched the registry, picked one at random, and bought them something off of their wish list.

Congratulations to the Thompson family in York, PA! I hope your new baby enjoys the sound machine. 

 3. I Left Money in a Purse at the Thrift Store
I wrapped cash in a little note that said something along the lines of Today is my birthday and I'm paying it forward - enjoy this cash and have a great day!
I put the cash in a random purse that was for sale and walked away. Adrenaline rush!!
I really want to go back to the thrift store and see if someone bought that purse yet. 

4. I Bought Someone's Clothes at the Thrift Store 
I went up to the counter, handed them cash, and explained to them that I'd like to help pay for the next person's items. I also asked that if there was any cash left over afterwards to please use it for the next person, and so on and so forth. 
I jetted out of there, but looked back just in time to see the next person go to the counter. 
I think I pulled a muscle I smiled so hard. 

5. I Cleaned Up My Neighbor's Yard 
My neighbor is trying to sell his house and his landscaping is typically immaculate. Our properties are lined with jungle-like tropical foliage, and some large palm frawns had started to gather on his lawn. I picked them up and moved them to our brush pile for him. 

6. I Left Cash at the Gas Pump
Sometimes filling up can make you cringe. Hopefully this made someone cringe a little less. 

7. I Sent a Nice Greeting Card to a Random Address 
 I picked up the phone book (you know, those antique books you have stacked in your garage holding up a wobbly work bench), flipped to a random page, closed my eyes, and put my finger on an address. Hope it brightens your day, Ms. J. Moody! 

8. I Brought In My Neighbor's Trash Can
If you leave them out there for too long, the city will ticket you. Ain't nobody got time for that.

9. I Left Money at a Vending Machine
I taped a dollar bill to the machine - enjoy a cold one on me, random stranger! 

  10. I Left Quarters at the Laundromat 
Nobody likes doing laundry. Hopefully this made it a little less daunting.

 20. I Left Inspirational Notes on Car Doors 
Who doesn't love a little surprise inspiration?!

 

12. I Returned Grocery Carts at Target...and Publix..and CVS...and Home Depot
Some people are lazy, it's a fact of life. I took some of the carts people left out in the parking lot and put them back in the cart return. 

13. I Left a Publix Gift Card...In Publix
I stuck it in next to the baby formula with a note that it was a legitimate gift card and to please use it. I hope some new mommy out there got a little relief!

14. I Bought the Person's Order Behind Me at the Dunkin Donuts Drive Through 
Have a great day, Ms. Medium Iced Mocha with 2 Donuts!


15. I Was a Meter Fairy
Parking tickets downtown are the worst. Hopefully I saved this car from having a bad day. 


16. I Took Plastic Bags to the Dog Park
There's nothing worse than getting to the dog park and realizing they're out of poop bags. These spare bags should save some dog mom or dad out there from being "that owner". 

17. I Donated Designer Clothes To a Shelter
I have a closet full of clothes that I rarely wear, some of it brand new with tags still attached. 
I took a bag full of brand new items, some of them designer, and dropped them off at a shelter. 
I hope whoever ends up with that Burberry shirt wears it with pride! 


18. I Took Balloons to the Children's Hospital 
I wasn't certain what to expect, as I didn't have a particular patient to visit. They didn't let me in to see individual patients, but I was allowed to give them to the nursing supervisor to give out to kids who may need a little extra pick me up. 

She was so excited, and then told me about this great charity event of sorts called 10,000 Balloons, which is part of the Monday Morning series led by Yazmany Arboleda. They've taken to the streets of Nairobi, Bangalore, and Yamaguchi so far, giving away balloons to the citizens of those cities that need a little extra hope. Talk about being right up my alley!

  More photos:
Nairobi, Kenya
 Yamaguchi, Japan
 Bangalore, India

The next one will take place in Kabul, Afghanistan. 
I, of course, bought a balloon for the next release in Kabul.
Balloon number 3,821 to be exact.
 And now my photo is on their virtual mural, too! 

19. I Took More Balloons to a Local Rehab / Assisted Living Facility
 I had to leave them with an attending nurse in the activities area, but got lucky and was able to peek behind me as she passed them out. It was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. I wanted to hug all of them.

20. I Took Even More Balloons to Kids Playing in the Park
Balloons are so magical, especially when you're a child. I loved watching their eyes light up as I bent down next to them and asked if they wanted a balloon. It was like Christmas morning. I might turn this into a weekly ritual. It was so simple and easy and just plain wondeful.

21. I Handed Out Cold Bottled Waters

I took a cooler full of water and walked around downtown. There was a group of older women who were practicing what looked to be a "Gangnam Style" dance routine/flash mob. No lie. And they were awesome.
I left waters for all of them-it was so hot out, and they were breakin a sweat!

22. I Left a Very (Very) Generous Tip for my Server

I've been in their shoes, and I know what they go through every day. Hopefully that made their shift go by a little faster. 

23. I Bought a Stranger a Drink

I looked around the restaurant and spotted a woman with a very delicious looking Strawberry Daquiri. I told the server I wanted to pay for it, and to not tell her who bought it.
I just loved watching her look around to try and find out who ordered it. 
Another pull-a-muscle-smiling moment. 

24. I Left a Bus Pass at the Station 

I bought a bus pass, good for all day unlimited rides, and taped it to the side of the bus stop.

25. I Left Cookies, Cold Water and a Thank You Note for the Mailwoman

The houses in my neighborhood don't have mailboxes on the street- they're all attached to the sides of the houses. Which means the mail people have to walk from house to house, lugging the mail. I can't imagine how hot it must be for them in the Florida summers.

26. I Was a Human Pooper Scooper

There is a great grassy park area on my street where people tend to sometimes not pick up after their dogs. I cleaned up their messes.
I decided against a photo op here. You're welcome.

27. I Painted Over Graffiti Downtown

I actually had a hard time finding some to paint over, which is a good thing!

Before                                    After

28. I Left Coupons Behind 

I'm good at clipping them but not so good at using them. Hopefully someone will take advantage of these!

29. I Left a Few Dollars at a Redbox

Hopefully it made someone's night-in a little more exciting!

It was a fantastic day full of giving back and paying it forward and making people smile, and hands down the absolute best birthday I have ever had. 

The Bare Necessities -AKA The First World Crap I Can't Live Without

Sometimes I think back to around April of 2010 when I first started running -- back when I didn't have a clue about all the fancy stuff like Thorlo socks and Body Glide and Garmin watches. How did I ever survive?! 

Jump ahead three years, and some people (ahem, Prateek) may have the audacity to suggest that I have turned into a running snob. 

That is totally false only partially true.

There are certain things I do that get me in a groove. If I don't experience those things or have those things at my disposal, I get a little thrown off my game.

I am also really superstitious. For example, those PR pants I wore at the Sarasota Half Marathon? They will now only be making appearances when speed is completely necessary - like on the track or a long tempo run with friends where I don't want to be embarrassingly slow. 

Once a garment has proven itself worthy, it goes into a special pile in the closet.

Laugh all you want, it totally works!

Here's a list of things I can't seem to live without lately:

Beware-- this is a glimpse into my inner psyche. 

You've been warned.

• I never do any sort of workout, whether it be weights at the gym or going to yoga or doing a 20 mile long run, without my Hanuman necklace. He's the Hindu deity of strength and perseverance, and he comes with me everywhere.

• My hair has to be in a braid. I have resorted to the fact that my hair is way too long to leave in a simple ponytail, because it whips my face in the wind and gets in my mouth and eyes and makes me wish I had no hair at all. You don't want me going Britney circa 2007 on y'all, right?

• A picture of my dad in my arm band. Everyone has a hero, I just so happen to have a picture of mine and keep it with me on every run. I like thinking of him being with me in a physical sense.

• A cup of coffee and peanut butter toast before every workout. I'll add nutella if I'm feeling feisty that morning. 

• A playlist full of fist-pump worthy EDM...well, 99% of the time. I've recently started doing my long runs with friends, but every other time during the week when I'm on a solo training run my earbuds are blasting to the likes of Benny Bennassi, Nero, and Tiesto. If you ever see me randomly flail my fist like I'm punching the air, don't worry. It's not epilepsy. I'm just in the moment. Let me be. 

• My Forerunner 405.  I can say with almost complete certainty that this watch is why I crossed the threshold of speed this year during my half marathon crazed winter. Every once in a while it's nice to do a run without it, but beyond that, you'll have to pry it out of my cold dead fingers. Plus, it's green and it matches my shoes. Which brings me to my next necessity. And next sore subject.
  
• My Saucony Hurricane 13's. I've been in the Hurricane since the 11 came out. It's the first "real" running shoe I ever purchased specifically for my foot/gait type, and we've put many miles on the road together. The 13's are what carried me through this year of speed so far, and as I previously mentioned, I am very superstitious and don't want to switch to the next version because this one is so awesome and want to buy like 3 more pairs. Sadly, I can't find these shoes ANYWHERE online. And I consider myself a fantastic google-r. Even sadder? Saucony changed the style and fit of this shoe pretty drastically beginning with the 14's, and the reviews are not positive.

We've had a wonderful history together, but it might be time to break up with Saucony. I've been having major anxiety over it. I haven't lost sleep yet, but I'm sure that part is coming.

I've almost been talked into the Brooks Trance or Adrenaline. If you have feedback on either of these, I welcome your comments with open arms.

• Last but certainly not least, I love having a Dri Fit Nike hat. I like the Dri-Fit because I can't even feel it on my head, but sadly can only wear the ones in the men's section because my head is gargantuan compared to most women. Otherwise I stick to Sweaty Bands. (They really don't slip!) I would almost rather not run than run without something holding back the hair and perspiration from my face. Almost. 

Other than that, I am very simple. 

 My list really isn't THAT bad.... right?!

Wow, I look like a total running diva.

Of course, at the end of the day, if I didn't have my music or my watch or my hat or whatever else in the world I feel like I can't life without on a day to day basis...I would still run. 

Because that's what runners do.

Run Naked - It Adds Color To Your Cheeks

Running naked is extremely liberating.

And by naked, of course, I mean without a Garmin and without headphones and without any other electronic devices.

What did you THINK I meant?! 

I woke up this morning feeling very discombobulated. I had a total mismatched outfit on and looked like a hobo, my Garmin wasn't charged, my arm strap for my iPhone was breaking apart, I couldn't find my lucky necklace, the coffee I made tasted terrible, blah blah blah, bring out the baby violin and play me a ballad.

I'd like to hear Tchaikovsky's Serenade Melancolique, please.

I watched the minutes tick by on the clock and got so fed up that I just ran out the door with nothing but my house key. 

About a half mile in I started to panic --  how far am I supposed to go today? how fast am I going right now? how do I know what time it is so I know when to head back? what if I pass a pack of people and they totally judge my outfit and think I'm a loser?  OMG what if someone attacks me and I don't have my phone to call anyone?! This could be it. My life is over.

The fear started to wear off, and for the next few minutes I started to notice things about running that I had never realized: 

1. I sound like a Clydesdale when I run. Which is no surprise, because it's the same when I walk. I have a heavy heel strike and the word "tip toe" is not in my vocabulary.
2. I breathe very awkwardly. People ask me for tips on breathing methods sometimes, and I never know what to say because I always just kind of....well....do it.  If a fish out of water made a sound, as it were gasping for the sea, that is what I would sound like. Similar to dying, but a little more deep belly, and less wheezy. I was very thrown off by the sound of my own breath, and shiver at the thought of what the runners near me are hearing by the end of my races.
3. Besides my deep belly panting and my heavy feet, there is not much else making noise at 5 o'clock in the morning along my route. It is quiet and eerily peaceful. Every once in a while I heard a Pelican dive bomb into the Bay or would hear some bugs chirping, or hear the wind rustle through the palm trees. The sound of silence was a refreshing change. 

Most importantly, this run reminded me of why I even starting running in the first place. 

Back then, it wasn't about if my outfit matched, or if I had cute shorts that made my butt look good, or what my current pace was, or what my splits were, or the particular order my songs were listed on my playlist based on the terrain/elevation gain I was likely experiencing at that very point in my run. (Yes, I do that. Sometimes.)

Running back then was just about how it made me feel. 

It was oversized T shirts and shorts that were two sizes too big and 5 year old gym shoes from Target. 

I first fell in love with running with no Garmin, no music, no clue or care in the world as to what my splits were, while looking like a hobo. 

I think I re-fell in love with it this morning.

Y'all..... take a chance and run naked sometime. It's unbelievable for the soul. 

You're The Inspiration

Ok, I promise, this is the last Chicago reference. 

For this week.

 

At the Nike Women's Marathon last year, I was golden until about the 21st mile. 

Then my body started breaking down - everything hurt from my feet to my head and I was mentally exhausted. I had to find inspiration from wherever I could and hang onto it for dear life.

I even slapped myself in the face around the 23rd mile to snap myself back into reality. True story.

I'm not expecting it to get any easier this year in Chicago, so I'm preparing my inspiration in advance, so that I don't have slap marks on my face in my finish line photos.

My playlist has been updated with over 3 hours worth of "power songs", including these few current favorites that everyone should download ASAP:

Besides a good techno track, I like to carry a few images with me on my journey for extra inspiration that I stick in my armband.

 

 Of course, a photo of my dad.

 I'm also including an image of the Hindu deity Hanuman, who is a symbol of strength and perseverance.....

...along with a symbol of the Holy Trinity. 

One other very important item that I will have my sights on after the race is over is some Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza.

Now that's what I call inspiration! 

And let's not forget the bling:

If you want to watch the runners, head over to NBC 5 Chicagoat nbcchicago.com  - they are providing live online coverage on race day!

There will be elites like Liliya Shobukhova and Wesley Korir, and then there will be me and 40,000 other runners.

I'm in the first wave start at 7:30 AM CST, but probably won't make it to the starting line until about 7:45.  Estimate a 9 min/mile pace

Bib number 12780 if you want to keep an eye out!

I may have on ugly throw-away clothes.

Don't judge.

If I see a camera, I promise to make a goofy face at you. 

A fellow running friend once shared this with me before my very first race: