Why I Run, a Playlist & My 2012 Race Goal Revealed!

Ah running, an addiction to some, a chore to others...

I love looking at other people's playlists to get some inspiration, so I thought I'd start off by posting the one I used for today's run. Granted, I like to listen to really cheesy and/or misogynistic songs when I run, but it's generally whatever has a good beat and can keep me pumped. I've learned to stop being embarrassed by the girly pop songs I listen to when I run. A song's rhythm really gets to me a lot, so I make sure they inspire me in some way before they make it to my play list. I busted out 4.7 miles at a 8:30 pace, which might not be that impressive for some, but given that I've just gotten back into the whole running thing over the past few weeks, I was quite pleased. This is what kept me going:

1. Hold it against me ~ Britney Spears

2. Firework ~ Katy Perry

3. Spotlight ~ Selena Gomez

4. Tonight (I'm F**in' You) ~ Enrique Iglesias (feat. Ludacris)

5. I Gotta Feeling ~ Black Eyed Peas

6. Higher ~ Taio Cruz (feat. Travie McCoy)

7. Shots ~ LMFAO

8. Take it Off ~ Ke$ha

9. She Wolf ~ Shakira

10. Imma Be ~ Black Eyed Peas

11. Dynamite ~ Taio Cruz

and a 5 minute cooldown to:

12. Nothing on You ~ B.o.B (feat. Bruno Mars)

13. Just the Way you are ~ Bruno Mars

One of the last things I ever thought that I'd be was a runner. If you'd told me as a teen that I'd be running a 10k by the time I was 22 with very little training (thank you, raw diet!), I would have laughed at you... and then probably gotten upset that you could be such a liar. Yep, I'll confess: I was the girl who couldn't run those laps around the soccer field during PE, whether I was too out of shape, tired, lazy, unmotivated, self-loathing, or some combination of those things. Tennis, I could play. Volleyball, I adored. Heck, I could really throw a discus, but any type of endurance running? You could count me out.

I don't know what changed. I think a big part of it was that my dad underwent bypass surgery a couple years ago, and he'd always been a jogger. For as long as I can remember (and still today), he runs at least 10k every week, and I know he always wished his daughters would join him, but we never did. After that surgery, which was conveniently just before I moved back to DC, I figured it was time to do something about that. Every Thanksgiving, my dad runs the YMCA 10K Turkey Chase, and I was determined to join him. After a couple months pounding on the treadmill 2-3 times a week, I clocked in my first race with him at about 52 minutes. (Seriously, a raw diet can do miracles for your capacity to exercise!)

Ever since that race, I found a new appreciation for running, and I make sure I do it a least a couple times a week now. As part of my 2011 goals, I want to complete at least eight 10k runs, but my biggest goal yet is about to be revealed! I'm making it official: My sister/best friend for life is getting married next summer and I'm going to be her maid of honour! Eeeee! Anyhoo, instead of doing the stereotypical bachelorette party thing, we decided that we will be subbing men in small underwear and lots of drinking for...

EEEEE! AWESOME! I KNOW!!!!!

You see, my sister and I have a long history with Disney. Yep, I'm a full-fledged granola-munchin' eco-holic Disney lover, oxymoron? Sue me. I grew up with some pretty fantastic Disney car ride singalongs, sister Disney cartoon marathons aside, and well, I wanted to be a pretty, pretty princess (I'm secretly a mermaid, you know). On top of that, every time I'd visit my sister when she lived in Paris, we would go to Eurodisney together. (Hey, I have the excuse that being French, I'm allowed to do non-French things when I'm there). We even spent the first day of 2008 together at Eurodisney:

With her wedding coming up, we decided that we wanted to do something super special... We'd talked about this 1/2 marathon in the past, but with her wedding coming, my sis is motivated to get in super shape, and I, well, it's Disney World, there's the word Princess in it, and I thought it might be time to up my running game. Plus, the idea of doing that together really makes me happy! Whether it's my dad, or my sis, I love running with the people I love! Knowing I get to do this with her before her wedding, it makes me all emotional just thinking about it! I can't wait, and Viviane, if you're reading this: I ♥ you!

Have a good run!