Podcast virgin no more

This morning I discovered something I probably should have discovered a while ago: podcasts. I knew they existed and were popular, but not necessarily what exactly they were. It turns out it's like listening to chapters of a book on tape...for free. The Netflix of books on tape, if you will.

I'm a big fan of things like Investigation Discovery, crime "whodunnit" shows, and horror movies. I'm fairly surprised that, based on my Netflix and Google search histories, I haven't yet been investigated by the authorities. It's just all so fascinating!

I'd been hearing about this podcast called Serial and wondering what the big deal was. When I found out it's a nonfiction murder mystery, I already knew what had to be done.

My bus rides to-and-from work are about to get interesting.

So far it's pretty enthralling. The only thing that's hanging me up, though, is that some of the information is quite detailed (the crime scene, for instance), and I can't see it! HelLO...visual learner over here. I even Googled images of the scene.




I'm also excited to announce that it's 50 degrees and sunny here in central NC, while just south of DC where I moved from seven years ago?

Cloud barf.

It's not a ton of snow, but as anyone in northern VA knows, even the smallest snowfall means PANIC! and everyone forgets how to drive. To not have to be dealing with that today? Priceless.

Are there any other podcasts I should check out?

Back to the running posts

This weekend I was browsing iTunes and came across a Greatest Hits jackpot.

$5.99 for 16 songs. Hell to the yeah.

It looks like for today's run I'm takin it back to high school (and maybe even middle school?).

Speaking of running, training has been interesting. Since we're focusing on getting faster, I've been running faster than normal 3- and 4- milers exclusively so far, beginning runs with agility work, and finishing them with stretching and ab work. For example, 8 25-second planks with 10-second breaks in between. I just have to keep telling myself that it's making me better.

The cracks and pops I experience in my body after getting out of bed in the morning are epic.

Since I'm going for a certain pace per mile when I'm running, I've decided to dig out and use my Garmin 305 again. Runkeeper's GPS has been gypping me probably a tenth of a mile for each actual mile that I run and that's just not gonna work. I realized that the 305 isn't bluetooth compatible and I don't own a personal computer, so uploading workouts to track my progress becomes slightly obnoxious. And so, I've been pining over the Garmin 220. It's not even almost in the budget.  I've been having an internal struggle of want vs. need. Being a responsible adult is ruining my LIFE!

Drama queen? What's that mean?

...and it's purple!

What running/biking/swimming/general distance tracking app do you use? Have you ever had an issue with it not crediting you with all your mileage?

I'm considering blaming RunKeeper for my not reaching my distance goal for 2014 by 5 miles. But then I decided instead to just not set one for 2015 and move on. Problem solved!

99%

So, nagging question: Wouldn't it make more sense to refer to birth control as conception block?



This deep, burning question has been plaguing me for weeks. My brain. I can't.


In other news, spring race training has once again begun. I've decided, for financial and sanity reasons, that two half marathons a year—one in the spring and one in the fall—is a good plan for me.

Because my spring race is on a trail that used to be a railroad, it's pretty flat; a good chance to attempt a PR once again. I had originally planned on creating a plan from different plans (read: winging it) as I usually do, but then I was asked by a friend if I wanted to try to train for a PR. He's super smart and has coached track and, well, I've got nothing to lose. You know what Einstein said about "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result," right? So, my training is officially in his hands (not Einstein's).

Einstein wore tidy whities.

One thing I really need to work on (and I never thought I'd say this) is my nutrition during training. Specifically, eating enough calories and protein. Apparently a couple servings of peanut butter a day isn't enough protein. The world is a cruel place!

I love to eat. Food is my BFF. And yet, apparently, I've been doing it an injustice by not consuming enough of it. I'd make that my resolution for the new year, but I don't do resolutions because what happens looks a little something like this:

Womp.

Did you make a resolution for 2014 that you stuck to?