Run like the wind bulls eye!

[Katie Little]

Omg! Motivation memes totally appropriately timed because on today’s run I ran right past a SKUNK!!!!!

I maintained a 13:30 pace up the hill in my neighborhood!!! I’ve never run up hill that fast in my life!!

 

[Katie Little]

 

[Katie Little]

Training Update Week – 29
Total miles ran – 4.5
Month to date – 12.8
Year to date – 101.73 – WHA?!?!!!
Life Time – 386.96

Planned work outs:
Sunday - 30 min easy run - Done
Monday – 30 min core or upper body workout- Nope
Tuesday - 30 min easy run - Nope
Wednesday – 30 min easy run - Done
Thursday- 30 min core or upper body workout- Nope
Friday - 30 min easy run - Done
Saturday - Yoga Fix – Nope

Things I learned this week:

I’ve been having some stomach issues all week. I think I may be lactose intolerant.. which sucks so much – you don’t even know (well maybe you do..). So I’ve been following the ultimate portion fix plan very closely and I had accidently cut out all dairy. On Sunday night I ate a small cup of ice cream.. and oh man. My stomach hurt worse than that time I ended up in the ER. So a sleepless night Sunday lead to no work out Monday. Tuesday, I was still sore and kind of upset that my streak had ended. I threw a little pity party and almost rage quit it all.

Wednesday, I snapped to my senses and got back on track. The only reason I added in the 30 min core or upper body workouts was because I wanted to see how long I could keep up the everyday thing, so skipping Thursday was planned. I and only wanted to focus on the running (and yoga).

Saturday, I was really looking forward to yoga before bed – It’s the perfect end to my week and I really enjoy that end of the night routine! We went to a cook out for my husband’s job and had to leave an hour in because my stupid self ate 3 yellow containers worth of mac and cheese! To be fair, I haven’t been diagnosed with anything and this stomach pain isn’t a new thing for me. It may seem like it’s obviously lactose intolerance when I’m typing it out all nice and pretty in a time line; however, it wasn’t so obvious in the moment. I mean my husbands the one who made the mac and cheese – I’ve eaten it 1000 times before with no issues.

So cutting out dairy and I guess I need to make a drs appointment...

Other than that, the runs I did get in, I very much enjoyed! I’ve been waiting until later and later in the afternoon so that I can avoid the heat; however, after the skunk incident, I’ll be trying to run around 7:30 or 8 when the suns mostly set; however, there’s ambient light. It’ll be hotter and I definitely won’t be able to take Baker James with me for a while because the pavement is still too hot, but if it saves me from getting sprayed by a skunk, then #WorthIt.

Also just a Fun fact: When I was 7 or 8 my aunt rescued a skunk. Its sack had been removed and he was the sweetest little guy! I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for them and have wanted one as pet ever since. I’m honestly very surprised and happy that when I saw him, I ran away. I don’t think any of my friends or family would have been surprised if I had tried to stop and take a picture or something crazy like that. I’ guess what I’m trying to say, is I’m just glad that instinctually my love of all fluffy animals did not cloud my common sense.

Got my training plan for the Lynchburg 5k, VA 4 miler and Richmond Half Marathon this week. Eeeeep!!!

I’m changing how I look at the plan! I’m only aloud to look ahead to the next 4 weeks. Once those 4 weeks are over, I’ll look at the next 4. I think I get overwhelmed because I have a tendency to look too far ahead and get so stressed out about the 6 miles I have to run in 6 weeks that I struggle through the 2 miles I’m running today. Billy’s plans are great for this because about 4 weeks is what fits on a single page. So I just took a screen shot of the first page and I won’t open the actual plan again until 9/8.

I’m going to start using a M-Su week. That’s how Billy writes my plans and how everything shows up on Strava and Garmin so it’ll just make it easier. The only issue is that I update the journal before I run on Sundays so I may end up doing a 2-part post. The 1st being this normal one that I update every week and the 2nd just confirming that I finished my run that day. I update this on my lunch break at work and often times it takes the full hour. I just don’t want to take that time away from husband and puppy time on Sunday evenings, otherwise I would just wait and do it all at once.

Lord of the Rings
I’m torn here. I’m not loving the book so I’m losing the motivation this was supposed to provide. I’m also not struggling with motivation any more (well.. not on the same level as before) so I don’t think I need a special book that I only get to listen to while I run.. In fact, I’ve really just been enjoying getting lost in my music so. But also.. I did commit to reading this book and I want to finish. Last time I listened it was getting interesting and I was warned that it started slow. So I think I’m going to finish the book, but it’s not tied to running anymore. If I want to listen to it while I run, great. If I want to listen to it while I do dishes, that’s fine too. I didn’t listen at all this week.


Plan for week 30:

Wednesday – 2 miles easy or 34:34 whichever comes first.
Friday – 3 miles easy or 51:50 whichever comes first.
Saturday – 21 day fix yoga
Sunday - 2 miles easy or 34:34 whichever comes first.


Race Day Count Down:

27 - days till Lynchburg 5k
55 - days till the VA 4 miler
104 - days till Richmond Half Marathon
203 - days till Princess Half Marathon

 

[Katie Little]

Y'all I'm strugglin' and I'm trying something new so I thought I'd share.

Struggle bus first - that way we end on the positive! I've been cutting dairy out of my diet due to the lactose intolerance suspicions. I must have eaten a lot of dairy before, because I'm having withdraws. My head hurts right between my eyes and it's hurt like this for 3 days now. I know it's withdraws because, I've been eating a Babybel cheese once a day when I get to my tipping point. About 10 mins later my headache will ease up.. but an hour later my stomach hurts worse than my head ever did! I've also been eating super unhealthy because I feel miserable so no time to cook, so I feel even extra miserable. When I've quit soda in the past, these type of headaches usually last a week. SOOOoo I'm hoping that I only have a couple more days left.

Now on to the exciting thing. As I mentioned in my last update, I am only looking 5 weeks a head in my training plan. So after today's run, I counted how many workouts there are in the next 5 weeks. There are 21!!! So each day as I go back to look at the run in Strava, I am counting up my runs Just like I did for 21 day fix EX. 1/21, 2/21, 3/21 and so forth. So mentally, I'm splitting my plan into 3 phases of 21 work outs - Mathematically, it may not always be 21 but it'll be around there. I've never completed a perfect training cycle; however, I have completed 21 workouts without skipping one. So if I split it up into 3 and I have perfect phases, then in the end, I'll have a perfect cycle! I am aware that I over complicated that; however, I wanted to share my little mind game here, because I think that it will really work for me.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I hope things get better on the dairy front.

When I first started running, I convinced myself that the only way I could finish the half was a perfect training cycle. That mindset caused me to start way too fast, resulting in a shin splint like pain, and nearly ended my running career less than 1 mile into my first race. Stubbornness, slowing down, and a refusal to quit salvaged that race for me.

I've never completed a perfect training cycle either. Honestly, I'm not even sure it is actually possible to complete a perfect training cycle. During my life as a runner, I have ran 5 finish or be utterly devastated races. The 2012 Disneyland and Wine & Dine Half Marathons which were both necessary to the Coast to Coast, the 2017 Star Wars Half Marathons at Disneyland and Disney World which were both necessary to earning the Kessel Run medal, and the 2019 Walt Disney World Marathon. Even though I ran that first marathon as part of Dopey, I would have pulled out of any of the earlier 3 races if I felt they presented a serious hurdle to finishing the marathon. And none of those training cycles were perfect. In fact 2012 and 2019 both saw me coming down with a bad cold that I was still recovering from when I left for the race after circumstances in both years caused me to miss at least one weeks' worth of training runs. Only the 2017 Kessel Run training came close to a perfect training cycle and even then I missed some runs. At one point during marathon training, I was so depressed and frustrated that I briefly entertained thoughts of giving up the marathon goal altogether for 5-10 minutes before realizing I had spent too much money on registering to simply quit.

None of this is to say that you should not work towards a perfect training cycle. Rather I share this as a reminder that if something happens to derail your pursuit of a perfect training cycle, you are still very capable of having a wonderfully awesome and successful race. Consistency over the balance of plan will help counterbalance those few skipped runs when something gets in the way.

 

[KevM]

Struggle bus first - that way we end on the positive! I've been cutting dairy out of my diet due to the lactose intolerance suspicions. I must have eaten a lot of dairy before, because I'm having withdraws. My head hurts right between my eyes and it's hurt like this for 3 days now. I know it's withdraws because, I've been eating a Babybel cheese once a day when I get to my tipping point. About 10 mins later my headache will ease up.. but an hour later my stomach hurts worse than my head ever did! I've also been eating super unhealthy because I feel miserable so no time to cook, so I feel even extra miserable. When I've quit soda in the past, these type of headaches usually last a week. SOOOoo I'm hoping that I only have a couple more days left.

Welcome to the world of non-dairy. I’m not lactose intolerance, mine is an allergy called eosinophilic esophagitis. I’ve been dairy free for about 5 1/2 years now. If you have any questions about diary substitutes or anything I’m happy to give my thoughts.

 

[Katie Little]

Welcome to the world of non-dairy. I’m not lactose intolerance, mine is an allergy called eosinophilic esophagitis. I’ve been dairy free for about 5 1/2 years now. If you have any questions about diary substitutes or anything I’m happy to give my thoughts.

Thanks! I actually do kind of have a question.. What doctor do I go to for this? My primary care Dr? an Allergist? is there a gut specialist or something like that?? And if there is do I need a recommendation? I'm 99.9% sure that is the issue because cutting out dairy has helped and eating dairy pretty much kills me., but I'd like to know the why? Like why for 28 years have I been completely fine but now all of a sudden the cheese has plotted it's revenge? And I know that only a Dr can answer that, I just don't know what Dr to go to.

 

[KevM]

I would start with your primary care doctor. From there, I think going to an allergist would be the next move to get tested (although, the first time I got an allergy test for diary it came back as a false negative). After that, I’m not sure For lactose intolerance. I see a gastroenterologist, but I’m not sure if that would be the way for you to go.

 

[Katie Little]

Training Update Week – 30
Total miles ran – 4.48 (today’s run not included)
Month to date – 17.28
Year to date – 106.21
Life Time – 391.44

Planned work outs:
Wednesday – 2 miles easy or 34:34 - 1.8 miles
Friday – 3 miles easy or 51:50 – Done on Saturday – 2.68 miles
Saturday – 21 day fix yoga – Done on Friday
Sunday - 2 miles easy or 34:34 - TBD

Things I learned this week:

I know what I said about moving runs around, but I feel like the Friday and Saturday swap was different. I wasn’t trying to get out of working out on Friday, I simply ran out of time, so the 30 min yoga routine was a much more reasonable at 11pm than an hour long run. Especially considering my increasing fear of the wild life in my neighborhood.

I did walk away with a lesson that on Fridays, I’m going to have to get my run done first thing. We do dinner with my parents every Friday night and it’s always a whole ordeal. It’s 8 or 9 when they leave or when we get home. The late night combined with the heavy-ish dinner we usually have, never sets me up for success.

Waking up early is hard due to my late night on Thursdays, so I’m just going to have to run in the heat and get over it. Obviously I’ll be safe about it, but lately I’ve been picky about the temperature. I am training for a race in Orlando FL! Hopefully it will not be so hot and humid in Feb; however, it’s FL and you never know right? So running in the heat now my help pre-pare me for race day.

Saturdays run was hard. It was hot and when I finished the time, I had only gone 2.68 miles. I don’t mind being a couple tenths away from the target. Given the heat and the new hilly route, I’m expecting to slow down some; however, being nearly half a mile off of the target is a hard pill to swallow.

Lord of the Rings
Haven’t listened yet.

Plan for week 31:
Wednesday – 2 miles easy or 34:34
Friday – 4 miles or 1:09:07
Saturday – Yoga Fix
Sunday - 2 miles easy or 34:34
Plan for week 32: - I’m going to the beach! So just incase I don’t update the journal this Sunday (I probably will though), I wanted to include my plan.

Wednesday – 2 miles easy or 34:34
Friday – 5 miles or 1:26:24
Saturday – Yoga Fix
Sunday - 2 miles easy or 34:34

Race Day Count Down:

20 - days till Lynchburg 5k
48 - days till the VA 4 miler
97 - days till Richmond Half Marathon
196 - days till Princess Half Marathon

 

[Katie Little]

Sunday run done! 2 miles in 34:34! I’d say that’s how you hit a target!!!

 

[Katie Little]

Training Update Week – 31
Total miles ran this week -9.38 (this includes last Sunday’s run and today’s)
Month to date – 26.66
Year to date – 106.21
Life Time – 391.44

Please forgive the departure of my usual format. The below is my recap sent to coach Billy. I’m on vacation and typing all of this from my phone so didn’t feel like making my usual weekly journal entry.

Wednesday’s run was pretty uneventful. It was overcast and breezy when I started but less than a tenth of a mile in the breeze disappeared and it turned muggy. The sun came out on my last loop of the neighborhood and I think I got a little too hot. All in all, it was 1.87 miles in 34:42.

Friday’s run was definitely too hot, but I had no choice there. I had a dentist appointment early and then I had to be at work at 4p so that put me running in the hottest part of the day. I almost swapped and did yoga on Friday and ran Saturday; however, I decided that that would probably have resulted in a skipped run since Saturday was or first day at the beach and running 2 miles after a 6 hour car ride probably isn’t ideal. I only did 3.6 miles in the allotted 1 hour and 9 mins. I was glad to be done though. The last 20 mins were brutal.

Saturday’s yoga. Nothing to add here except I definitely made the right choice by running Friday. It was really hard to hit play and commit to that 30 mins. I know for a fact I wouldn’t have ran. Also, there was a major storm that blew through last night so just thankful I made the hard/right choice on Friday. I’m loving my new and improved “just do it” mentally.

Sunday/Today.. man I thought about sending my recap email so many times today with an explanation of why I wasn’t planning on running today. 1) I have all the salt from the air in my sinuses right now so my face literally hurts. 2) my calf’s HATE me right now!! I guess the sand is giving me more of a work out than I anticipated. I’m stiff and so inflexible and they are just sore. 3) the storm kept us up last night and I woke up too early but too excited to go back to sleep.4) It’s too hot for any reasonable person to run. 5) because of the storm there were HUGE and deep puddles of water in the road. I would have had to run in the middle of a pretty busy road to avoid them. I just kept listing reasons and I thought “surly Billy will understand. Surely he wouldn’t want me to run in these conditions. Surely he’d tell me to take a rest day and it’s not that big of a deal because I did go for a could longer walks on the beach today.” But for some reason I didn’t send that email... I don’t know what you would have said, but I think part of me knew that if I skipped the first run of this vacation, I’d skip the other 2 as well. And then say I take the week, well Saturday when we get back home what’s to stop me from skipping my yoga.. and then next Sunday is the day after a travel day and a long week, why should I run then?? I think I felt the repercussions of missing that first run of the trip and I sucked it up, put my running shoes on and out the door I went. So glad I did too! I have such beautiful surroundings right now. I finished 1.92 miles in 34:38.

And now for a couple cute pictures of the puppies on the beach!

 

[Katie Little]

Y’all. I’m sun burnt. My back hurts from sleeping on the worst bed ever. That little bit of sinus drainage I talked about turned into a full sinus infection which I just can’t seem to get over. It’s 85 degrees with a feels like temp of 95.. I have 5 miles or 1:26:24 on the calendar for today. I have a goal of taking a vacation and not skipping a run and I’m literally today away from meeting that goal.

So I’m telling you this now just as 1 more anchor to really make sure I get it done. I’ll be running around 7pm ET and will update y’all once it’s done.

Thanks for the extra push of accountability!

 

[Katie Little]

Done!

 

[Katie Little]

Training Update Week – 32
Total miles ran – 8.4
Month to date – 25.68
Year to date – 114.61
Life Time – 399.84

Plan for week 32:
Wednesday – 2 miles easy or 34:34 -- Done
Friday – 5 miles or 1:26:24 -- Done
Saturday – Yoga Fix – Not so much.
Sunday - 2 miles easy or 34:34 -- Done

Things I learned this week:

So let’s talk about the skipped work out first. Saturday I woke up and couldn’t move. My back was killing me.. I couldn’t bend over which made packing up a car hard. Also turns out a 5 hour car ride, not so good for a bad back. So I got home took a hot bath, laid flat on my back. It didn’t help. Still couldn’t really move. So no yoga. I did attempt to do 1 sun salutation and I could only lean forward like 2 inches before the pain was too bad.
That did teach me something about myself. Usually if I skip a workout I shouldn’t have, I know in the moment and I feel very guilty about it. I’ve skipped maybe a total of 3 workouts that I didn’t feel guilty about and this was one of them. I think my instincts are better than I’d like to admit sometimes.
There is a difference between Coppertone sport and Coppertone. Coppertone sport doesn’t burn my eyes; however, Coppertone works a little better against sunburn.
Being at the beach is the best thing ever.
If your Beach House has a neon light, don’t turn it on. Drunk people will try to come into your house at 11pm because they think you are an ice cream shop.. Shout out to the Oak Island police department, my husband hadn’t even gotten off the phone with 911 before we saw the first cop driving down the strip. They had caught the guy and came back to talk to us within 10 mins. SIDE NOTE: We didn’t know that he thought we were an ice cream shop when we called 911. All we know is that someone tried to get into our house and ran away when they heard our dogs barking.
I learned that deer can swim. We were walking our dogs on the beach at 8am when we saw a deer up ahead. Our dogs started barking at him and he turned and walked towards the dunes/road. Then out of nowhere, he turned back around, ran straight into the ocean got past where the waves were breaking and swam parallel to the shore until we couldn’t see him anymore. Of course, I was gutted. I thought my dog had scared a deer into committing suicide so we looked it up. Apparently deer are very strong swimmers and can swim a mile at a time. Can you imagine a scenario where you are on vacation. You’ve rented a boat from Joes Boat Shack and your cruising along in the ocean and out of nowhere you hit a deer?!?!
Not really a lesson learned, but I found a cast iron mickey mouse bank in an antique shop on Friday. It’s really cool. I’ll post a pic in a bit.
Fridays run was probably the worst/hardest. I was tired, my back had started hurting a little on Thursday. It was our last day at the beach and the hottest. The discomfort of staying at someone else house was getting to me. It was hard to get going and about a mile into my run I realized that my burger at lunch had cheese on it (I had that realization because my stomach was literally revolting against me). It was rough and I averaged a pace of 19:30..
Today’s run on the other hand was by far one of my best runs in a while. The weather was perfect, I got a great nights sleep in my own bed last night and man did that make a difference. Today was the first time that I stopped because I had hit the required distance and not the required time. Average pace was 16:50

Lord of the Rings
Finished it. Final thoughts, it was a great story in the end. There were way to many details in the book though. Instead of adding to the story they made it hard to follow. I may listen again one day. Now that I know the story is worth paying attention to all those details, I can see it being better the 2nd go around but it’ll be a while before I tackle that book again, let alone read any of the others.
That said, any book or podcast recommendations for me while I run? I’m not really picky I like most things.

Plan for week 33:
Wednesday – 2.75 miles easy or 47:31
Friday – Yoga Fix
Saturday – Lynchburg 5k
Sunday - 2.75 miles easy or 47:31

Race Day Count Down:

6 - days till Lynchburg 5k
34 - days till the VA 4 miler
83 - days till Richmond Half Marathon
182 - days till Princess Half Marathon

 

[Katie Little]

 

[Katie Little]

Lynchburg 5k plan!
The plan is pretty simple. I’m going to run the first 2.11 miles easy. The last mile will be a time trial where I run at 95% effort and try my best to keep it as even as possible. Due to nature of a “time trial” I’m really trying not to set any goals and just do my best. Not having expectations is very hard for me so. For now, I’m going to say I’ll be happy with anything less than 14 mins for that last mile. I feel like that’s a pretty generous window. It still allows me to have a “goal” but it’s not very much of a stretch considering I was faster than that last time. But if I’m over 14 mins then it’s not a big deal - that’s just where I am. I genuinely mean the first part of that sentence and am lying through my teeth about the last part (I will be less than okay if my TT is more than 14 mins..) but if I’m hoping if I say it enough, it’ll start to be true.
Tech logistics - I’m going to start Strava separately from my Garmin. Then I’ll start my Garmin for the first 2.11 miles, stop it and start a new activity for the time trail. This way on I’ll have the 5k saved on Strava as a whole race, but I’ll be able to separate the time trail mile out on Garmin and get a better view of that data on it’s own.
One thing I did for the 5 miler that I really didn’t talk about, was create a playlist just for that race. I carefully crafted the songs to match how I wanted to feel at each mile and it worked pretty well so I’ll be doing that again. So here’s what I have.
Mile 1 – I want to make sure I start slow and easy. So I’m going to put some slower tempo songs here.
Go the distance – Roger Bart 3:14
7 Rings – Arianna Grande 6:12
All Night – Big Boi 10:13
Day One – Mathew West 13:42
Disco Miniature Golfing Queen – Laura Dickinson 14:57
Footloose – Blake Shelton (don’t tell Kenny Loggins) – 18:35

Mile 2 – I like the fun and light vibes so far so I’m going to keep with that theme. Since the first mile will be over, I’m feeling good about my ability to keep it easy. Think it’s safe to pump up the music tempo a little bit.

Crazy in love – Beyonce – 22:34
Goin’ back to Hogwarts - the space tour cast (Starkid) – 30:21
Heave Away – The Fables – 33:06
1, 2, 3, 4 – Alan Doyle – 36:08

Mile 3 – I need it fast paced and cheerful. I need to get lost in the music and not think about what my feet are doing.
Clap your hands – Leo Soul - 39:24
Love on top – Beyonce – 43:51
Say Geronimo (Dance Mix) – Prairie Grass - 47:31
Good to be alive – Andy Grammer 50:40
Good to be alive – Andy Grammer 53:49
Good to be alive – Andy Grammer 56:58 – Hopefully I’ll finish during the first time; however, this is my finish line song so I don’t mind listening to it 3 times in a row for it to continue being my finish line song. I’m weird – I know. It’s just become a thing.

 

[FFigawi]

That said, any book or podcast recommendations for me while I run? I’m not really picky I like most things.

Check out Binge Mode. They have done two great deep dives into Harry Potter and Game of Thrones.

 

[Andie16]

I’m impressed that you were able to listen to LOTR while running! I’ve learned that my attention fades in and out a lot while running (sometimes I’m noticing my surroundings, focusing on my pace or lost in thought), so actual books don’t work for me. I enjoy podcasts and depending on my mood either listen to inspirational running podcasts or fluffy entertainment content. I like I’ll Have Another Podcast for running content, or I browse around to see what other podcasts have had a guest I’m interested in. On the light side, I watch a couple of reality tv shows and like to listen to podcasts that recap them. Often I don’t have time to watch the latest episode, so I’ll find the motivation to get outside and run so I can listen to the recap ☺.

I totally have Good to be Alive on my race playlist and think it’s a great pick for a finish line song - I think I probably got the idea from one of your prior posts!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

Did you finish all of Lord of the Rings or just Fellowship of the Ring?

I once heard someone complain about how they really liked the movie version of Fellowship of the Ring but felt like it ended too abruptly. I said that's exactly how the book ended since it was part one and they replied "It's based off a book?!?!"

I love the book, but it takes commitment to read.

Hopefully I’ll finish during the first time; however, this is my finish line song so I don’t mind listening to it 3 times in a row for it to continue being my finish line song. I’m weird – I know. It’s just become a thing.

I will try to set my finish line song for certain races, namely Star Wars. I may or may not have set it up to play The Throne Room from the original Star Wars movie as I crossed the finish line and received my medal. So you're not the only one who attempts finish line songs.

 

[Katie Little]

Check out Binge Mode. They have done two great deep dives into Harry Potter and Game of Thrones.

Added! I've never read or watched Game of Thrones - Should I add that to the list too?? I tend to be weary of things that are "too popular."

I’m impressed that you were able to listen to LOTR while running! I’ve learned that my attention fades in and out a lot while running (sometimes I’m noticing my surroundings, focusing on my pace or lost in thought), so actual books don’t work for me. I enjoy podcasts and depending on my mood either listen to inspirational running podcasts or fluffy entertainment content. I like I’ll Have Another Podcast for running content, or I browse around to see what other podcasts have had a guest I’m interested in. On the light side, I watch a couple of reality tv shows and like to listen to podcasts that recap them. Often I don’t have time to watch the latest episode, so I’ll find the motivation to get outside and run so I can listen to the recap ☺.

I totally have Good to be Alive on my race playlist and think it’s a great pick for a finish line song - I think I probably got the idea from one of your prior posts!

I love listening to books while I run because it usually pulls my focus away from the not so fun parts of running; however, this book was not a good one to listen to while running. I think that's why I struggled to get into it so much.

It really is a great song right?! Like the up beat tempo but also the lyrics.. and the WOO HOOS.. I can't describe a finish line better than that song does!

Did you finish all of Lord of the Rings or just Fellowship of the Ring?

I once heard someone complain about how they really liked the movie version of Fellowship of the Ring but felt like it ended too abruptly. I said that's exactly how the book ended since it was part one and they replied "It's based off a book?!?!"

I love the book, but it takes commitment to read.

I will try to set my finish line song for certain races, namely Star Wars. I may or may not have set it up to play The Throne Room from the original Star Wars movie as I crossed the finish line and received my medal. So you're not the only one who attempts finish line songs.

I actually started with the hobbit because people warned me that it was an easier read. I think if I do read or listen to the actual LOTRs stories, it won't be happening while I running. It will be when it's the only thing I have to focus on.

That's soo funny!! I love it! The one and only race that my finish line song wasn't "Good to be Alive" was the Victory at Yorktown 10k. I decided to listen to Hamilton that race due to the location/theme of the play. It felt appropriate. So I can definitely appreciate the Throne Room song for Star Wars.

Also fun fact - I think that's one of my favorite running memories. As I was running past Surrender Field, the Battle of Yorktown song came on and it was like I had planned it that way (I definitely hadn't). It was also the half way point of that race and IDK if I would have finished if it wasn't for that moment.