Tag Archives: motivational music monday

Motivational Music Monday… and stuff

May is a busy month in this house. This past week we’ve celebrated a birthday and Mother’s Day (and we still have an anniversary coming up). We also did a happy dance when the child returned home from Hawaii. AJ is the one buried in the sand (his father did his laundry, 😀 ).

The day before AJ came home was James’s birthday. I bought him… (notice I said him, not us)… I bought him a nice dinner and dessert on his birthday, and when AJ got home, we celebrated properly.

It’s Sunday night, so I’m on day 12 of The Whole 30. All of my cravings stopped on day 6. I wasn’t even tempted with cake or naughtiness even with all the celebrations going on. I will admit, as I hate cooking, I’m a bit tired of spending time in the kitchen, but again, it’s all in the planning. I made enough food on Thursday and Friday to last me the weekend, and the boys were on their own. Mostly. I’ll always share my veggies and chili. (#spottedtheGroot)

I also did my long run today. It went well. I felt strong and full of energy. At mile 4, I ate a few too many raisins (portion control matters) and my stomach cramped up; however, as I was doing an out-and-back, I had no choice but to power through. Sometimes not having a choice is a good thing. I also had the trail mostly to myself. Nice.

Although… sometimes being on the trail alone can wreak havoc with the imagination. I wore my hydration pack, kept hearing the sloshing of water, and thought someone or someTHING was stalking me as it sounded like the bushes rustling. I don’t have a clue what bedded down in this huge patch of grass the previous night, but I’m glad it was gone (the grass is actually as high as my hips). The blades were clearly flattened right smack in the middle:

A successful week in eating and a successful week in running (with even some cycling thrown in for good measure), so now on to Motivational Music Monday by 50 in 50 Marathon Quest.

Tonight (Mother’s Day), U2 are here in concert, so James opted to pay tribute to them. I’m not a big U2 fan, so I’ll pass on playing a U2 song. I will, however, follow suit with the title. “It’s A Beautiful Day” has helped me pick up my step during many a long run… and it’s Michael Bublé. It just doesn’t get any better than that.

Hoping all y’all have a happy week!!

Mind-Numbing

34 Replies

Having to be on a bike trainer is painfully mind-numbing. I use one on XT days and because I need to build up for that 50-mile bike ride I want to accomplish this summer, you know, to celebrate turning the big 5-0 (nope, still can’t put those two numbers together… don’t want to, don’t have to). Donna over at Running To Travel just confirmed that cycling makes one a better runner as well. As I won’t be able to hit the trail on my bike until about July when it stops raining, I have to settle for the trainer right now (and as I said, it… is… mind-numbing):

Going for a bike ride in the great outdoors, however, is quite stimulating:

This, unfortunately, is mind-numbing:

But this is quite stimulating:

And this is positively stimulating:

Kinda stimulating too (and possibly a little cute?):

Mind-numbingly stimulating:

I think you get where I’m coming from.

AND… the song I’ve chosen for this week’s MMM is stimulating. This post, however, is fantastically mind-numbing.

Anyway… on to the music… I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard that the drummer (Rick Allen) from Def Leppard had been in a serious car accident and had lost an arm. Okay, in reality, I don’t really remember what I was doing… it was the ’80s after all, but I do remember being devastated when I heard the news, thinking Def Leppard was done and/or would never be the same again. But they came back… and with a vengeance I might add, bigger and better than before. I do actually remember seeing the following video and being awestruck, which was after that fateful accident. Rick had learned how to adapt and improvise and succeed regardless of what life dealt him… and for that, he will forever be someone I admire.

This song has always been and will always be a mainstay on my workout playlists…

Race season is about to begin for me, with Sunday (09 April) being race #1 of 2017. It’s going to be a fun little party with nothing but 12’s for miles and miles. It is Seattle’s one and only Seahawks 12K Run At The Landing! I’ll be running the 5K while James is running the 12K. Okay, I won’t lie… I’m really hoping that a couple of the Seahawks football players come out to cheer us on. OMG… that’s when all time goals go out the window… “Seahawk spotted at aid-station 6K in the 12K… I’m there!!! Doesn’t matter that I’m 0.1 miles from the finish line of the 5K!!!”

Hope you’re having a fantastical weekend!! And for those of you racing (including my father-in-law Alan in the UK), I wish you a happy and healthy finish!!

March Sadness… and a song

31 Replies

I know a lot of people don’t follow March Madness and the college basketball championship tournament, but I do, and I have to say, I am gutted. The team I had winning it all was eliminated last night. Xavier beat the hell out of U of A, and to be honest, I think they had Arizona seeded wrong as a #2. Regardless, I won’t babble on about it. My only hope now to stay in first place on my bracket and win all the money is to have Gonzaga lose next week and for me to get all my other picks spot on. There’s always a chance…

One of my water app plants is growing up quite nicely. I thought I had killed him as I wasn’t getting any alerts one day, realized it late in the evening, and found him quite sad and thirsty. But I managed to save him, level him up, and he got quite cute, which really is the only reason I’m sharing. He’s cute. And who doesn’t want to share cuteness with others?!

I went out for a nice little run last night, you know, because I’m training for a race and all. I’m not exactly a heavy hitter when it comes to my stats, but every once in awhile I will check to see if I have any fun numbers. I kind of got excited with my max pace number from last night. That is actually the fastest I’ve ever run. Sometimes stats can be similar to positive reinforcement. So, yes! Yay! I’m getting there! Now if I could just sustain that particular pace for, oh, say, 13 miles, I’d be super happy. (Oh, and I climbed a little mountain too… to some of you that have followed me for awhile, that’s the elevation profile for Mo-Fo Hill.)

On to a song…

James told me he was going to post “Victorious” for Motivational Music Monday. I said, “Oh, you mean Duran Duran?!” No. Panic at the Disco.

After processing that for awhile and me thinking about Duran Duran’s Victorious song, I realized the song isn’t called Victorious… It’s called Notorious!!

Okay, well, it rhymes. And it’s Duran Duran. Notorious. Eighties. You get the picture.

Hope you have a happy and healthy weekend! Any fun plans, races, happenings?

Shape of You

32 Replies

James has posted his weekly update and MMM song over at 50 in 50 Marathon Quest, so it’s time for me to follow suit.

Ed Sheeran… know this guy? He’s tearing up the charts worldwide right now. He recently released his latest album, ÷ (Divide), and in the UK, he currently occupies 9 of the top 10 spots on the Billboard Top 100. I’m not quite sure how they configure this… maybe it’s the top downloads for the week, and as his album was just released, that would make sense. Regardless, the number one song in the world is “Shape Of You.”

Have you heard it yet? Probably, yes. Overplayed? Definitely, yes. A great tune? Without a doubt. It’s also my song choice of the week.

While the song itself has nothing to do with shapes or sizes of bodies, the words “I’m in love with the shape of you” are powerful… especially in this day and age of Photoshop and body shaming. Which makes me love the song all the more.

Are you enjoying Ed Sheeran’s new album?
Do you think “Shape Of You” is overplayed?
What’s your favorite song this week?

Oh No! I’m Late!!

31 Replies

… for Motivational Music Monday, that is! Sheesh, what were you thinking?!

But first, a small update…

Snow… it won’t stop. This happened last Monday:

And this happened the Monday before that:

I’m really kind of done with winter. Even our red-tailed hawk at work has been none too impressed… she’s looking a bit cranky these days:

However… cold weather and all, James kicked ass at his race last weekend; the sun even came out for a couple of hours while he ran (he was so lucky to have sun)! It seems I barely had enough time to get to the finish line before he crossed. I see him work incredibly hard to get his speed up, and while he didn’t PR, he was close to it. He’s not convinced he’ll PR in Reno because of the course and elevation (Reno is where our next big race is), but I disagree with him. I think he has a good chance in spite of the course and elevation.

Okay… now onto MMM…

Are you familiar with Erasure? They aren’t as big in the US as they have been in the UK. I was surprised to learn that from 1986 to 2007, they achieved 24 consecutive top 40 hits in the UK. As well, 34 of their 45 singles and EPs have made the UK Top 40, with 17 of them climbing into the top 10 in the UK. The only song of theirs to chart in France was “Oh L’Amour.” To date, they have sold over 25 million albums worldwide.

All that being said, I am familiar with only two of their songs, the following being my favorite. This is one that has stood the test of time for me, so it ranks way up there. It has a constant beat so it’s super great to run to. If you don’t know it, take a listen. You may have just found your new favorite song to run to.

So tell me…

Have you heard of Erasure?
If so, what’s your favorite song by them?
Do you have a favorite song this week that James needs to add to his MMM list?

We’re heading to a new area for long-run Sunday and hoping to meet up with a fellow blogger. I will let you know how/if that goes. Regardless… we’re going to have new territory and a new trail to explore. I’m actually looking forward to it, because it won’t be snowing!! Happy Sunday my friends!

En Vogue

43 Replies

Way back when, late ’80s/early ’90s, I lived in the University of Arizona district in Tucson. I walked everywhere. To and from work, I walked. Restaurants, stores, I walked. Even in the midst of the summer heat (one time in 117 degrees F), I walked. And I never went anywhere without my Walkman (for cassette tapes) or my Discman (for CDs). I was always plugged into music and had favorite groups I would listen to over and over again. En Vogue was one of those groups.

For #FlashbackFriday and for #MotivationalMusicMonday over at 50 in 50 Marathon Quest, I present to you En Vogue… Free Your Mind! An inspiring song, especially with all the separation that’s going on in our country now. It’s also great to get up and move to!

And just for extra fun, Hold On… the first hit from their debut album.

Oh, I can’t stop there! Giving Him Something He Can Feel just makes me smile!

And last but not least, Yesterday. You had to own the album to actually know they did it, but this song showcases their true talent.

Saturday morning, James and I are headed to the Lake Sammamish Half-Marathon. He’s running, and I’m sitting out this time… for once I get to be the cheerleader! Yayyy! It’s supposed to snow again (boooo)… so be sure to wish him good luck! He’s going to need to run really really fast just to stay warm! (Please wear your Hoka’s, hunny… you don’t own YakTrax).

Have a fantastical weekend!!

I Can’t Drive… 55!

54 Replies

This is my bestie from high school, Sheryl (on the right, 1985).

This is also my bestie from high school, Mindy (on the right, 1987… no giggling at the funny old pictures).

We were as close as sisters and were always there for each other no matter what. And the trouble we used to get in… well, that’s a story for another day.

Sheryls wedding, 1987

Graduation, Baby! 1985

Anyway, just before our senior year of high school started, Sheryl’s dad won a car. Not just any car, but a 1985 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z and the very first one to come off the line. The license plate read CAR-001.

It had a factory stereo in it that could blast the ice off the windows. Turn up that bass! Which we did… often. You could hear Sheryl coming from a block away.

One day we decided to go test just how sporty this little car actually was. We went across the river to the backroads of rural Graham County, Arizona, where we had miles upon miles of empty road with all kinds of hills and twists and turns. Sheryl managed to exceed 80 mph on one stretch… keeping in mind that this was back in the day when the legal speed limit on every major highway was only 55 mph, so hitting 80+ was a big deal. If we would have been caught, Sheryl surely would’ve had her license revoked.

Needless to say, Sheryl acquired many speeding tickets during the next couple of years. It’s a really good thing her brother was a cop.

The following was a song we would crank up in that sporty little car of hers with the kick-ass stereo whenever we would cruise the backroads because it was oh-so-true. This is also my pick for James’s Motivational Music Monday this week. After all these years, it still gets the blood and the heart pumping.

Sadly, Sheryl died in 2012. However, 30+ years later, Mindy and I are still in touch.

AJ, Me, Mindy, 2013

MMM is Back!

31 Replies

With the all the cold weather and busyness of the season, it appears that I’m suffering a bit from writer’s block. My mind has gone completely blank when it comes to writing pretty much anything, including emails, but hopefully it’s just a short-term condition.

However, it seems that James is working on getting past his bout of writer’s block. He’s just recently posted an update and even a Motivational Music Monday song over at 50 in 50 Marathon Quest. Okay… well… as it’s the week before Christmas, it’s actually a Christmas song, but still, he’s getting revved and ready for the New Year.

And you know me… I tend to follow suit with MMM. As we just watched the fabulous TV special put on by Michael Bublé, I have a need to hear some caroling/serenading from the great MB! First up is a song from his album, Christmas, a classic performed by him and The Puppini Sisters (who sound quite a bit like The Andrews Sisters):

But I can’t stop there! My favorite song from the Christmas album is actually MB’s version of Santa Baby (Santa Buddy). Love the way he adjusts the words just a smidge (Santa Buddy, fill my stocking with Canucks tix, for kicks…):

I hope everyone is enjoying a very happy holiday season!

By the way, I was informed by my husband earlier, “You better hurry up and get things done today! It’s the shortest day of the year you know…” (Take a minute to process that… I’ll wait.)

Happy Winter Solstice!

I Can’t Feel My Face

52 Replies

So, I had dental surgery last Tuesday. One of my wisdom teeth was starting to grow directly into the nerve root of my upper back molar, causing me a significant amount of pain. I was hoping that the antibiotics the dentist gave me would clear up the pain and that surgery could wait until after the Route 66 Half, but I wasn’t infected, so there was no pain relief from the antibiotics, and something had to give. Which just so happened to be my back molar.

Now, most people get to be asleep when they have dental surgery. Not me. I have been to 3 different oral surgeons, all of whom couldn’t find a vein on me (my veins roll). One of them even turned me away and said “oh hell no,” he wasn’t doing surgery without me being asleep. Drama, drama, drama. Anyway, I stayed awake, they eventually got the tooth out, and now no more pain other than regular postop. Yay!

Moving on…

AJ had his official birthday party with friends last weekend. Thankfully my mouth pain behaved so I could deal with 6 very loud boys with no problem.

3… 2… 1… DAB!

Then this happened:

Ohhh yeahhhhh! My wonderful hubby made sure I had the brand new MB CD to relax to that very same evening! I’m biased, but I give the album two thumbs up! Not keen on his Beach Boys remake… I think he slowed it down way too much, but hey, you can’t be perfect all the time, can you!

Other than that, I’ve been pretty much recouping! I missed Motivational Music Monday last week, and apparently so did James! James was having problems with his site showing up in the reader, so Music Monday turned into Music Happy Hour Friday! He picked a silly obnoxious song as he was drinking pumpkin beer (that’s just wrong on so many levels), but if you’re curious as to what was making him get down and boogie, go check it out.

As for me, I’m choosing a song and dedicating it to all the dentists and oral surgeons out there. This song has also been on my playlist for my last 4 races. Love it! Enjoy your Weeknd (ha! see what I did there?)!!

It’s almost Halloween! Are the spiders and ghosts in place?? Are you dressing up to hand out candy? If so, what’re you going to be? And stay tuned… now that I’m feeling better, I’m about to go explore a spooky trail with my GoPro to see where it takes me…

Never A Dull Bling

The trials and tribulations of a 40-something novice runner

Tag Archives: motivational music monday

Motivational Music Monday… and stuff

Hoping all y’all have a happy week!!

Mind-Numbing

March Sadness… and a song

Shape of You

Oh No! I’m Late!!

En Vogue

I Can’t Drive… 55!

MMM is Back!

I Can’t Feel My Face

Hoping all y’all have a happy week!!

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: