Week 6 Complete!

I had a pink champagne Sunday Brunch to celebrate. 

Now, I can run 6 miles in 1 hour. I never thought I would be able to do that.

I never thought I would enjoy it. 

But it's great!

Particularly in New York City, where every run can be  tour of the city.

Below are images from the Flower District Run I did last week:

Can you believe it's February in NYC?

This is where the 99c stores and street vendors get their junk from.

This run was fueled by 

SMOD is an awesome young hip hop trio from Mali.

They have so much energy and color. Their album came out 1 year ago, and I am excited for what else will come from them.

SMOD + Tinariwen makes for a pretty awesome soundtrack in NYC's urban jungle

1 more month to go!

Strawberries and Cream in Winter

Thanks Superbowl. A Giants win and new playlist material:

If only she moved like this Sunday

(At least her dancers did)

I can't believe she wasn't on my playlist to begin with!!

A work out like that, deserves a sweet treat. Although this is about training for a race, I am cook. I cannot help but post about food sometimes.  Eating well is important to success.

Fruit is refreshing and vitamin-packed; I use it as a mid-day pick up snack.

Make your tasteless winter berries better with this recipe, high in antioxidants, vitamins, hydration and natural sweetener honey with Vanilla Berries + Winter Fruit with Honey Goat Cheese Whip . Goat cheese can be enjoyed by lactose-free and lactose loving people alike and its natural sharpness compliment the fruit. It is a healthier alternative to whipped cream.

 Not a goat cheese fan? Here are some other options:

Ice cream

Yogurt

Milk

Coconut Cream

Nuts

Vanilla Berries + Winter Fruit with Honey Goat Cheese Whip

Berries:

-1 Pint, Strawberries

-1 Pint, Blueberries

-1 Mandarin Orange, peeled slices removed from membrane

-1c. Pineapple chunks, preferably fresh

-1 Pint, Raspberries

-2 Vanilla Beans, scraped

-1/4tsp. ground cinnamon (or to taste)

-1/4tsp. Sea Salt

-Unfiltered Honey, to taste (go local for best flavors) OR maple syrup, to taste

Toss all ingredients together. Let stand 10 minutes. Strain, jar, and refrigerate.

Goat Cheese Whip:

-8oz. soft, plain Goat Cheese, brought to room temperature

-2tbsp. (or to taste) Honey

-Splash, orange juice

-2tsp. Crushed Pink peppercorn (or more!)

-Salt, to taste

Crumble goat cheese into bowl. Add Honey and orange juice. With electric mixer, beat until soft.

Fold in pink peppercorns and salt

Place desired amount on top of a bowl of vanilla berries and enjoy! 

New Shoes.

Hot hot hot

I can't believe it is February. In 1 month, I run my 1st 5K.

New(ish) Playlist:

Calabria 2008 feat. Natasja

Galang 3:35  M.I.A.

Fireworks 6:51  Animal Collective

El Machete 9:54  Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra Liberation Afro Beat, Vol. 1

Chores 4:30 Animal Collective 

Wahrane 4:28 Khaled

I Fought the Law 2:42 The Clash

Braya 4:47  Khaled

Drunken Lullabies 3:51  Flogging Molly

Ring Of Fire 3:52  Social Distortion

Musicawi Silt (Live At The Jazz Cafe, London) 9:30 Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra

Bamboo Banga 4:58 M.I.A.

Paper Planes 3:25 M.I.A. Kala

Gold Digger f. Jamie Foxx 3:28

Mango Pickle Down River 3:54  M.I.A.

Lonely Bmore 2:20 Ninjasonik

Jimmy 3:29 M.I.A.

See More Thong 4:00 Ninjasonik

Dakan 2:49 Smod

Sbabi 4:05 Khaled

The Seed (2.0) 4:28 The Roots

Pon de Replay 4:09 Rihanna

Problèmes Dans Ma Tête 3:52  Smod

Candyman 3:14  Christina Aguilera

Pump It 3:35  Black Eyed Peas

Nedetado 3:04 Smod

Rollout (My Business) 4:57  Ludacris

Reviens DJarabi 3:13   Smod

For Reverend Green 6:35   Animal Collective

Gittin Some Wop 1:31   Ninjasonik

Bastard More 2:19 Ninjasonik

Fenkoro 3:44 Smod

Hey Mama 3:35  Black Eyed Peas

Dirt Off Your Shoulder 4:05 Jay-Z

Move Bitch 4:31    Ludacris

Lucious Naked Eyes 3:29 Ninjasonik  

Drop It Like It's Hot 4:32 Snoop Dogg & Pharrell Williams

Gasolina 3:13 Daddy Yankee Barrio Fino (Bonus Tracks)

Derek 3:01 Animal Collective

Les Dirigeants Africains 3:59    Smod

Ragda 3:51    Khaled

CA Chante 3:04 Smod

TijiDJa 3:46 Smod

Mauvais Sang 6:14 Khaled

Simbala 3:03 Smod

Ambola 3:10 Smod Smod

N.E.S.T.A. (Never Ever Submit To Authority) 7:18 Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra

Ne M'En Voulez Pas 4:58 Khaled

J'ai Pas Peur Du Micro (Featuring Keny Arkana) 3:22 Smod

Fitri Waleya 5:14 Smod Smod

Dirt And Blood 8:56 Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra

Battle Of The Species 6:29 Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra

Uprising 7:25        Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra

Ki Kounti 4:39 Khaled Cairo To Casablanca World 3

Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) 5:13 The Arcade Fire

El Ghati 4:08 Khaled

Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles) 4:50 The Arcade Fire

Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) 4:48 The Arcade Fire

Olympia, Wa 3:31    Rancid

Roots Radicals 2:48 Rancid

Ruby Soho 2:37 Rancid

Listed M.I.A. 2:23 Rancid

Junkie Man 3:05 Rancid

Bo Diddley Is A Lover 2:36 Bo Diddley

Crazy 2:58 Gnarls Barkley

____

First major music change up in 4 years. 

Still looking for someone to suggest some awesome upbeats....

Hitting the bike for a bit of cross training and joint relief from this weather

It's COOOLLLLLDDDD outside

(Trucking through week 4....)

Change Up!

Hello!


Moving on to Week #3 with a 4m. warm up and this playlist.....



Paper Planes 3:25 M.I.A.
Lo Que Paso, Paso 3:31 Daddy Yankee
The Seed (2.0) 4:28 The Roots
Dirt Off Your Shoulder 4:05 Jay-Z
Big Dick Skit 2:13 Ninjasonik
Gasolina 3:13 Daddy Yankee
Drop It Like It's Hot 4:32 Snoop Dogg & Pharrell Williams
Just That Dude 3:16 Ninjasonik
Rollout (My Business) 4:57 Ludacris
Galang 3:35 M.I.A. Galang 
Pump It 3:35 Black Eyed Peas
Jimmy 3:29 M.I.A.

Reviens DJarabi 3:13 Smod

Gittin Some Wop 1:31 Ninjasonik
Tight Pants (Rap Remix) 3:27 Ninjasonik
Move Bitch 4:31 Ludacris
Drunken Lullabies 3:51 Flogging Molly
Chores 4:30 Animal Collective

Dakan 2:49 Smod

I Fought the Law 2:42 The Clash
Holla For A Dolla 3:32 Ninjasonik
Mango Pickle Down River 3:54 M.I.A. Feat. The Wilcannia Mob
Internet Bitch 3:56 Ninjasonik
Derek 3:01 Animal Collective Strawberry Jam
Shimmy Shimmy 3:05 Ninjasonik

CA Chante 3:04 Smod

See More Thong 4:00 Ninjasonik
Bamboo Banga 4:58 M.I.A.
Lonely Bmore 2:20 Ninjasonik
Stop Baltimore 3:27 Ninjasonik
G'Legda'Maker 3:01 Ninjasonik
Outro 2:41 Ninjasonik
Bastard More 2:19 Ninjasonik
Fireworks 6:51 Animal Collective
Me And Mariah 4:04 Ninjasonik
Gold Digger f. Jamie Foxx 3:28 Kanye West

Hey Mama 3:35 Black Eyed Peas

Lucious Naked Eyes 3:29 Ninjasonik
Sippin 2:43 Ninjasonik
Can't Go For Dat 2:13 Ninjasonik
Ring Of Fire 3:52 Social Distortion
For Reverend Green 6:35 Animal Collective
With The K Not The C 2:36 Ninjasonik

I've listened to this mix since 2010, with minor variations and updates.

Be the first to add song/change my playlist and you WIN a delicious, refreshing DRINK OF YOUR CHOICE at the bar of your choice. On me.

It is your chance to cash in on that one cocktail you always thought was too expensive.....

[This blog entry, unofficially brought to you by Ninjasonik]

#1

1) Welcome!

Thank you for coming. I am opening this blog to track my training to running a (half) marathon. I never envisioned myself running a marathon, many of you probably are surprised by this goal as well. It has nothing to do with horses. But what the hell, why not? Without horses in NYC, I needed some physical activity. Slowly, running has become it.

But that's not why I am going to awake at an ungodly hour to run 13 miles...

2) In December, Anna Noller, my high school classmate, died.  And  this year--this month in fact--marks the 2nd anniversary of Dante Fugazzotto's death. Like both of these friends, I too have struggled with mental demons and prescription drugs. These two were souls I could open up to about those types of things.

Running has become a source of solace and soothing, a therapy of sorts. Ridiculous considering the timed mile run of Middle School was a source high anxiety for me. So I am running to commemorate Anna and Dante in particular and all my friends and people I don't know who have had their share of therapists and the like.


BUT. I NEED HELP!!!! Lots of it. Because RUNNING IS BORINGGGGG. I am so bored by running on a treadmill I go nuts. And it's winter in NYC so I am spending a lot of time with that damned machine. I NEED MUSIC.

LOTS OF MUSIC. 

Pop. Indie Pop. Reggae. Rock. Indie Rock. 90's Rock. Indonesian Rock. Dance Hall. Reggaeton. Afrobeat. Afro-Brazilian Beat. Highlife. Punk. Ska. Remixes.

Most of you, my friends, are very musically inclined and have only led me right so I entrust you to make my playlists.

ANYTHING THAT WILL KEEP ME MOVING AND ENGAGED. 


SO. PLEASE POST MUSIC to this blog to keep me occupied for miles.

Thank you.

Keep trucking!