Runners Survey – My Favorite Things

We made it to Friday!  I wanted to take the time to FINALLY answer this fun runners survey since being tagged by Wendy from Taking the Long Way Home way back in June!

Funny story, back in my high school days, I used to LOVE filling out personal surveys on Myspace and sharing with my friends.  Apparently that was the fun thing to do in the early 2000’s?!  Or was that just me?  Anyway, I hope this helps you learn a little bit more about me and my running habits!

[bctt tweet=”Running Survey – so fun to fill out! #sweatpink #runchat”]

Runners Survey – My Favorite Things

Location: Trail, Road, or Indoors?

Trail!!!  I am absolutely in love with the trail.  The fresh air, the peace, the soft surfaces, the varied terrain, the amazing scenery.  I’m obsessed with finding new trails to run.  If you’re ever looking for a trail in Philly, check out my quick guide to running trails!  Running the 1/2 Sauer 1/2 Kraut Half Marathon was an amazing trail race, even though it was hot as heck!  I’d love to do that race again.

I don’t really like training on asphalt since it can be pretty hard on the body, but I do enjoy a good road race.  The Philly 10K and Cherry Blossom Runs were really fun in that regard – despite all the bobbing and weaving!

Treadmill?  Only as a last resort.  I never feel fully comfortable when I run on the treadmill.  It’s crazy to think that my running journey started on the treadmill – now I can barely stand it!

Time of Day: Morning, Noon, or Evening?

I take advantage of all times of the day when I can.  The morning is great because you can get your run out-of-the-way early and have the rest of the day to do what you want!  I love Saturday morning runs.  This week I had my first 5:30 am run before work now that my schedule has changed.  I liked it and plan to do it more often!

Running at noon is a great option during the week when I’m at work.  At my old job, we had a running trail right outside, so it was very convenient to knock out a short run then had back to work.

I’ve really grown to enjoy running in the evenings.  The multiple heat waves we’ve had this summer have been unbearable, so I have had a couple of 8 pm and 9 pm runs to help take the edge off.

Long story short: morning is ideal, and noon and evening runs can come in handy.

Weather: Sunshine, Mild, Hot?

My perfect weather is most definitely cloudy with low humidity and temperatures around 55-60 degrees.  Still warm enough to wear shorts!

I would much rather run in the winter than in the summer.  I warm up (and get sweaty) easily, so I’m always a fan of cooler weather over the heat and sunshine!

But you can find me running in any weather.  I get a kick out of being the only one “crazy” enough to be running in the snow or in the rain.  You really can run year-round!

Fueling: Before, After, During?

I have developed some pretty good fueling strategies over the years.  It takes trial and error to learn what works for you, as it’s important to have just the right amount of protein and carbs.  I recently wrote a guest post about fueling that goes into more detail with lots of specific suggestions.

Before:

Before a race, I eat toast or an English muffin with strawberry preserves an hour before I set out to leave for a race.  That gives my body plenty of time to get adjusted.  I also do my best to hydrate several days leading up the race – though I may indulge in a beer (or 2) on occasion.

Before a regular training run, I don’t think too much about fueling except to avoid eating JUNK and making sure that I’m properly hydrated.

During:

I only use fuel during a run if the distance is 6 miles or longer.  I haven’t been taking as much as I usually do, which is usually 2 Clif Shotbloks every 3 miles.  They have a variety of flavors and go down easily.  If it’s really hot or I’m going on a long run, I’ll bring my Nathan Sureshot handheld water bottle. I tend to sip water every mile, more frequently if the humidity is oppressive!

After:

I really like chocolate milk after runs, but I never have chocolate milk in the house.  Oops.  Sometimes I’ll get a Clif bar with a good amount of carbs and protein.  Recovering after a hard workout is so important.  I know I need to do a better job at recovery meals/snacks – what would you suggest?  

Accessories: Music, Watch, More?

90 degrees. It was 90 degrees outside and I ran 6 miles in the blazing sun with about 2 miles of shade, but I did it! How do you survive this hot weather? Carry water to sip every mile or half mile if needed. Slow down and even walk a bit if you have to…I did! Give yourself landmarks to get to, like a light pole, to stay focused. You can do it! Now on to stretching and rolling. Be safe out there, and know you’re stronger than you think! #sweatpink #mondaymotivation #runhappy #girlsgonesporty #cityfitgirls #cityfitgirlsambassador

A photo posted by Janelle (@runwithnoregrets) on Aug 3, 2015 at 1:37pm PDT

I wish I could say that I’m the person who goes out completely “naked” with no electronics to enjoy the pure “being” of running…but nope!

When I first started running, I used the Runkeeper app on my phone to track my runs.  A couple of Christmases ago, I received a Nike+ training watch, and I’ve been using that ever since!

When it comes to music, I usually listen to Pandora.  I’ve mentioned my love for the Kid Cudi station.  I also love Missy Elliott.  Whatever is popular right now, I don’t listen to it.  I’m at least 5 years behind on Top 40 music.  Music works as a distraction for me while on a run.  I’ve also started to listen to blogging-related podcasts like Smart Passive Income and Become a Problogger, so I get good advice while running!

I’m actually starting to think I need to buy a belt  to run with.  Somehow I lost the one I had by Nathan.  I’ve heard that the FlipBelt is good, so I may try it out – what do you recommend?

Rewards: Food, Wine, or?

After a long run on the weekend, having a big breakfast is my typical reward, followed by a few hours of sleep!  It really doesn’t get any better than that!

Type of Run: Long Run, Tempo, Intervals, Hill Repeats, or Recovery/Easy?

My favorite types of runs are definitely long runs, intervals, and hill repeats!

Long Runs are great – I feel a huge sense of accomplishment after each run.  It’s such a physically and mentally taxing exercise.  It’s a great time to get away and be alone in my thoughts.  If I run with another person, it’s a great opportunity to catch up on things.

Intervals have been a lot of fun, even though they are super challenging!  Coach Kristy will sometimes give me intervals where I have to run a speedy pace.

I did a lot of hill repeats earlier in the year when I was gearing up for the Cherry Blossom Run.  Sometimes I felt like I was doing them wrong, or that they weren’t making a difference in my training – but I know they definitely helped!  I haven’t done any hill work in a while, but it’s definitely a good way to go!

This was a lot of fun!  Share some of your answers in the comments below!

I’m linking up with Life in Leggings for Friday Favorites and Jill Conyers for Fitness Friday!!

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