A happy run and a colorful lunch

Guess whose hip held up for a 20-minute run today??

This girl’s!

A 20-minute run might not sound like much to you fitness fanatics, but it was huge for me!  After hurting my hip last fall, then my back, then my hip again, I wasn’t sure when or if I would ever run again.  On Tuesday, I was finishing up my workout when the Eminem song “‘Till I Collapse” came on (don’t judge), and I had the urge to test out my hip with a slow jog.  I listened to the song twice and jogged at a 5.0 on the treadmill.  I felt like I could go forever but knew I shouldn’t push it so I made myself stop after 8 minutes.

On Wednesday, I went to the chiropractor and he said that my hip didn’t feel any worse after the run, but he didn’t want me to try running again until Friday.

Can you tell how excited and happy I was to run again today?  I’ve never been a huge runner, but I have always enjoyed the freedom of being able to run if I want to.

During my run today, I was thinking about quitting around 13 minutes in, then that song came on again.  I know, I know.  But it got me going and was the perfect tempo.  At about 18:30 my body began to tire, and I knew I needed to wrap it up.  Two hourse later I am definitely sore, but I hope that stretching and icing my muscles will give me the opportunity to try it out again on Monday.

On the food front, this is what my lunch has been looking like lately.  This particular photo had more “likes” and comments on Instagram than any other photo I have posted recently so I thought I should share it with you.  Going clockwise from the top, you’ll see collard chips (just like kale chips but made with collard greens), an orange, vanilla So Delicious yogurt topped with hemp hearts, Mary’s Gone Crackers Sticks & Twigs (curry flavor), hummus with Sriracha, grape tomatoes, and mini bell peppers in the middle.

I find that when I have ingredients like this on hand, a colorful and delicious lunch is quick and easy to put together.

Okay, here’s your question for today: What is your favorite workout song?  The one that picks you up when you’re ready to quit?  Leave your answer below and I’ll put together a workout list for us!

Have a great Friday!

  • Amanda April 13, 2012 at 4:04 pm

    Funny…my favorite is an Eminem song and I always tell people not to judge too. “Lose Yourself” for me, after the intro, the song has a good pace. I am not a fast runner. I’m barely a runner at all, but this keeps me going and it is long…that helps keep me going to the end.

    Second one is, “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield.

    And I LOVE your lunch!

    • inspiredrd April 13, 2012 at 4:09 pm

      Thanks Amanda! “Lose Yourself” is a good one, I have that on my playlist too. Never thought to add the Natasha Bedingfield one, maybe I should!

  • Angela DeSoto April 13, 2012 at 4:21 pm

    With my last half marathon I intentionally put 2 Eminem songs (clean versions) in my racing mix right where I knew I’d need it most; the 7th and 8th miles. They definitely helped me get over my hump. And then it was back to really great worship music :).

    • inspiredrd April 13, 2012 at 5:56 pm

      Love it Angela! I did something similar when I was supposed to run the Turkey Trot a few years ago (I threw out my neck two days before the race). I put together a playlist with specific songs at specific times when I knew I would need a pick-me-up.

  • soozwebby April 13, 2012 at 4:25 pm

    One song that never fails to give my jogging legs a burst of energy is “Home” by Marc Broussard. Check it out; you will NOT be disappointed!

    • inspiredrd April 13, 2012 at 5:55 pm

      I’ll check it out, thanks Sus!

  • Leah Smith April 13, 2012 at 4:51 pm

    I so relate to this post! I was able to jog 3 miles today without my knees bothering me. So relieved, seeing as I am doing a 5k race in one week. Great news about your hip!
    On another note, do you eat those mini bell peppers just like that? I have those too but always cut them and remove the tiny bit of seeds. Just curious…
    Oh, and my fav workout song…or two…Shut this Down, Let the Light In by Bob Schneider, and I Surrender by Cadence.

    • inspiredrd April 13, 2012 at 5:57 pm

      Hey Leah, that’s great news about your knees! I do eat the bell peppers up to the stem, they haven’t had any seeds in them lately.

  • Rita April 13, 2012 at 5:33 pm

    I like Kelly Clarkson Stronger

    • inspiredrd April 13, 2012 at 5:55 pm

      Good one!

  • Jessie April 13, 2012 at 5:48 pm

    Um, Justin Timberlake’s “Rock Your Body” says the little baptist girl.

    🙂

    • inspiredrd April 13, 2012 at 5:55 pm

      Haha love it!

  • teri@managedmacros April 14, 2012 at 5:10 am

    Crazy by Pit Bull!!! LOVE HIM!! Your lunch photo IS beautiful…look at all those colors! A PERFECT meal! Congrats on your comeback run!!

    • inspiredrd April 14, 2012 at 2:05 pm

      Thanks Teri! I have been trying to eat as colorfully as possible lately.

  • Diane April 14, 2012 at 5:51 am

    Alysa,
    My pick up song is Easy by Rascal Flatts. Just the idea of “making something look easy” boosts my motivation! Love reading your blog and tweets. Diane

    • inspiredrd April 14, 2012 at 2:05 pm

      Great idea Diane! Will definitely check that song out. Thanks for the comment 🙂

  • Krista April 14, 2012 at 1:31 pm

    “Hey Soul Sister” by Train always got my legs moving. Great beat!

    • inspiredrd April 14, 2012 at 2:06 pm

      Good one Krista, I think I have that one on my playlist too.

  • Shannon @Aries_Mommy April 14, 2012 at 2:27 pm

    So I am not the only one who listens to Eminem while running? Kelly Clarkson Stronger gets me moving too.

  • Angel April 14, 2012 at 9:00 pm

    Killers- All These Things That I’ve Done, Linkin Park- What I’ve Done…such good driving beats.

    I can’t wait to see the playlist you put together. Maybe you and Jeff can make playlists to share on a semi-regular basis. Pretty please?

  • TheBigO621 April 15, 2012 at 11:00 am

    It’s impossible to pick just one – it really depends on how much real motivation I need…and really, all my workout mixes need a reboot (I really just need to rearrange them into something new and/or mix the artists – I’ve got a lot of playlists as albums).

    Most recently, I’ve really started with a bang to the workout mix to get me started; once that first couple of minutes goes by, it’s so easy to just keep on going. 🙂
    Favorite songs right now:
    Bring It (Snakes on a Plane) – Cobra Starship
    Guilty Pleasure – Cobra Starship
    Burning Up – Glee Cast
    Satisfaction – Benny Benassi Mix
    Whyyouwannabringmedown – Kelly Clarkson
    Everytime We Touch – Cascada

    and I’ll be honest: Ke$ha, 3Oh!3, and LMFAO make it on the workout playlist, too. It’s the beat, I tell you! 😛

  • Becca - Our Crazy Boys April 15, 2012 at 2:43 pm

    Till I Collapse is my no fail running song. I always need it to be #3 or 4 on my playlist 🙂

  • JenCoen April 16, 2012 at 9:32 am

    How awesome is this!! I’m on the ‘no run’ list right now (shins) but when I run, my pump song is “Lose Yourself” by Eminem. Followed closely by “Bring Me To Life” by Evanescence.

    Sidenote… that lunch looks amazing! Definitely working that in my meal planning this next week!!

  • Kelly sanchez April 16, 2012 at 12:54 pm

    This is not a song I listen to any other time, I actually came across it because my twenty year old and I share iTunes on our desktop.
    Ice Cubes ” you can do it, put your back in to it”. The rhythm is perfect and lyrics quite appropriate (as long as children are not present).