Happy #MusicMonday folks! A trending topic on Twitter, I periodically share my current playlist. I'm gearing up for two big races in March - One being the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach (March 21) and Richmond VA's Monument Avenue 10K (March 27). What did I get myself into? Definitely in the mind set by running 5+ miles per day and watching what I eat and drink! Can't do it without good music blasting from my iPod. Here's my current playlist:

You've probably heard a couple of friends and maybe even said this yourself: 

Huge snow storm blanketed the mid-atlantic and northeast states this past weekend. I had the lovely pleasure spending my weekend in Washington, DC where we got over 16" of snow. Thank God our hotel had an awesome fitness center and spa. Shout out to VIDA FITNESS, you have a beautiful facility. Check them out and follow them on Twitter.

We're into the heart of the holiday season and you know what that means - company and family/friends holiday parties, more sweets and treats, and of course good times and memories. The only bad part is spending less time at the gym working all the holiday foods off. 

Pre Race:

It's Tuesday, but I wanted to release my latest playlist for Music Monday, a weekly trend on Twitter. A lot of remixes and mash-ups get me running longer and definitely gets my heart rate up. 

The gym got the best of me yesterday and I am paying the consequences today.  Concisely, I got sick.  I knew I should have stayed away, but my love for working out and my continued training for my November 14 half marathon race forced me to hit the gym.

I was on Twitter the other day and I wanted to ask my followers a question: “Do you find your workouts to be different according to the change of season/weather?”

I’m mad, sad, and angry and most of all STRESSED out! Whether it is your job, school, or relationships we all have those moments of frustration. Take your anger out by exercising. The reason why I run and work out five to six times a week is that I am stressed! Just kidding. It’s not 100% of the reason. There are some days though when I just want to punch someone in the face, but I can’t and it’s just sickly wrong. So, what do you do to relieve the pain - stress? The first thing that comes to mind (well besides venting to your best friend) is to exercise!

It’s Music Monday on Twitter everyone. I decided to bring back my new exercise playlist. I get a lot of hits and I am excited to share with you new music that will get you running the extra mile and get the juices pumping on your next workout:

Saturday October 3, 2009 was the Richmond, Virginia Capitol Ten Miler. Over 600 local runners came out to the first city event.  It was unusually warm 93% humidity for October and my mistake for wearing a long sleeve Nike technical shirt. No worries, it wasn't going to phase me. 

Recently, I injured my back over the Labor Day weekend, which prevented me from lifting and running. I went to the ER with a friend and got my blood work and x-rays done and I was prescribed Flexerill, a strong IBUProfen. I went crazy; we all know being laid up because of injury is not fun. I usually work out five to six times per day and not being able to run at all for at least a week drove me insane. So what could I do, besides take it easy?

I posted a blog on Wednesday illustrating the dangers and negative effects of energy drinks like Red Bull, Amp, Monster, and so forth.  Yesterday, the Richmond Times Dispatch wrote an article on trainers discouraging athletes from consuming energy drinks.  The easy read article proved right on target when it came to the response from teens and college aged students claiming the reason of consuming energy drinks was because they are “tired” – either from partying all night or studying.

I was thinking about this week's ThinkFastMoveFaster.com's poll and an article I read in the July 2009 issue of Runners World on sports drinks and water.  It got me thinking; do athletes and runners alike really give a damn about what drinks they consume?

When it comes to working out and my background being an endurance and long distance runner - Consistency is key to maintaining your fitness.

Sad - but true to say, we are in the dog days of summer, but as runners nothing can prevent us from running outside in the heat and breathing in that "canal" (Gotta love running through downtown Richmond, VA) - I mean fresh air.

Yesterday, I was on Yahoo Answers for about an hour and half and yet again I noticed more members asking the same questions: