By the time this past month came to a close, I was pretty sure I lived in a frozen wasteland. It was only two years ago that I was running in shorts and a t-shirt on Valentine’s Day. Alas, my skin very rarely saw the light of day this year, and the halogen lamps of the indoor track weren’t exactly sending any vitamin D my way. However, I was still pleased with my training during the snowy, windy, icy month that wouldn’t let up. I stuck to my training plan, and I’m feeling really good about my upcoming races, including the Hawkeye 50K in just a week. I managed to get some bike trainer time in once again, and my strength-training remained consistent.
I have been surprised at how much I’ve recently enjoyed listening to podcasts while running around the track as well. I’ve never quite found a pair of headphones that fit my ears and didn’t feel like they were either ready to fall out, or enter my brain like an alien parasite. It’s a fine line, right? However, I’ve been making due and enjoying the variety it adds to my runs. I still won’t run with headphones in while I’m outdoors, but I’m a tad safer running in circles indoors, so I call it a win-win(-win).
Tuesday morning runs begin with my weekly dose of Ira Glass and This American Life. I’m a bit of an NPR junkie as it is, so this one was a no brainer, but the tone of the show also has a very calm, even tempo to it, which is great for pacing. By the time the episode is over, I’m usually about 6 miles in to my run, so I’m ready to feed my running addiction further.
Ultrarunnerpodcast is a fantastic addition to my weekly routine. The guys over there do a fantastic job of not only providing daily running and ultrarunning updates on their website, but they bring in some fantastic athletes for very down-to-earth and enjoyable interviews. I love hearing from other runners about the races they’ve run, their tips and tricks, and learning about the history of the sport, and this podcast is compiling a fantastic audio history of our sport. If you haven’t already checked it out, I highly recommend you do!
Credit: ultrarunnerpodcast.com
From there, the rest of my podcast week is a mix between NPR Education reports, Dan Savage’s Savage Lovecast, UT-Austin’s “15-Minute History” series, “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me” (yes, I’m incredibly saddened by the news that Carl Kasell is retiring!), and any other recommendations that happen to come my way. I’m a very goal-oriented individual and enjoy feeling like I’m accomplishing something, and this new podcast trend ultimately leaves me feeling like I’m learning something while completing a quality workout. I’d certainly call that a win :)
Photo Credit: NPR
Do you enjoy any similar additions to your workout routine, especially during the winter months when we find ourselves indoors more often? Do you have any podcast recommendations for me? I hope everyone had a fantastic February and is getting excited for the spring thaw, and the upcoming race season!
