I know must of us saw this survey on Hungry Runner Girl a few weeks ago, and I’ve wanted to share a blog post with my responses. Today was one of those days when I didn’t have much else to say, so I figured it would be a good day to share my answers!
1. Would you rather run along a beach path or on a mountain trail? I love running on the beach, but I have never run along a mountain trail! So I can’t really give a fair answer. Although I would definitely be nervous about things like major hills and wild animals on the mountain trail.
2. If you could choose the flavor of gatorade at your next race’s aid stations, what would it be? I really only like lemon-lime gatorade. Fruit punch is ok too, but I would definitely spill it all over myself and then have red stains on my running clothes.
3. If I gave you a $100 gift card to a running store, what would be the first thing that you would purchase with it? I would try to buy as many things as possible with it, so maybe try to find a bunch of items that are on sale? I wouldn’t want to spend it all on one item (which is what happens when I go into Lululemon with a gift card).
4. Do you prefer to follow a training plan or wake up and decide then how far and how fast you want to run? I love following a plan, but I am working on being more flexible about my training. I have been running with no plan for 3 months now!
5. Would you rather start your run with the uphill and end on the downhill or start your run with the downhill and end with the uphill? I like starting on the uphill since I will be going slow anyway. And by the end of my run the last thing I want to do is run up a hill.
6. When you can’t run, what type of cross-training do you choose to do? If I had my way I would take spin classes, but my hips don’t like spinning (I think because of the seated position and using my quads). I learned to sort of enjoy swimming when I took a few weeks off of running last March, and it wasn’t so bad!
7. What is your preference—> Out and back, point to point or loop runs? I like loop runs but once in a while its nice to do an out and back- mentally, you can think about just getting to the halfway point and then you know you can turn around!
8. If you could recommend ANY running related item to a new runner, it would be a—? Probably a foam roller. I wish I knew about them when I started running!
9. Do you ever see any wild animals while out on your runs? Yep! Lately I see deer all the time, and sometimes foxes.
10. Ever gotten lost while out on a run? A few times, but not super lost, just confused for a few minute and maybe had to add on an extra mile. I’ve never had to call anyone to come find me or anything like that! I also run with my phone, so I can look up a map of how to get home.
11. If you could have one meal waiting and ready for you each time you got home from a run for the next 30 days… what would that meal be? Oh wow, that’s a tough one. Since I run in the morning it would have to be some kind of breakfast. Probably some kind of eggs with bacon but I would also want something elaborate like waffles that I would never make for myself!
12. Capris or shorts… what do you run in most often? Short from about March through November. I may wear capris for a week or two but I find that with the crazy Baltimore weather I usually go straight from shorts to tights and back again.
13. At what mile (or how many minutes) into your run does your body start to feel like it is warming up and ready to go? It usually takes me just over a mile, or about 10 minutes. Sometimes two miles.
14. What do you do with your key when you run? Almost all of my running shorts and tights have a little pocket with a zipper, so I stick it in there!
15. If you could relive any race that you have done in the past, which one what it be? I don’t know if I would want to relive any of my marathons because they are so long! So I would probably pick a shorter race. It would be fun to go back in time and experience my first race ever (Baltimore half-marathon 2007) again!
16. What type of run is your least favorite type of run? I would have to say some type of speed work involving longer intervals, like mile repeats. Notice I NEVER run mile repeats??? I think I did them twice during my marathon training last year, but I tend to avoid them. I should probably get over that.
17. What has been your biggest motivation lately to get out the door to get your run on? The fact that I CAN run, and that I know I feel a million times better after I start the day with a run.
18. When you go for a run, do you leave right from your front door or do you drive somewhere to start? I leave right from home, although I am thinking about checking out some trails that I would have to drive to!
19. When running in daylight—> are sunglasses a must or an annoyance? A must, especially on these humid summer days otherwise I get bugs in my eyes!
20. When you get tired, what keeps you from quitting? What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger😃
YOUR TURN! Pick some of the questions above and answer them in the comments, or share your answers in a blog post!
I’m linking up with April, Patty, and Erica for Tuesdays on the Run! And their topic today is “social shares” so here are my social media sites for you to follow if you’re interested!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Runningoutowine
Instagram: https://instagram.com/runningoutofwine/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/runningoutofwine1
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/runningoutwine/
I have this survey in my drafts waiting to go maybe for next week! I think it’s a great one for us to fill out and share. I should totally be wearing sunglasses to keep the bugs out too. Lately they are flying in my face all the time – it’s so gross.
The bugs are so awful. The sunglasses help, but I feel like I need something to cover my entire face.
I’d choose the beach over mountain, definitely a short race to relive, least favorite run is probably a longer tempo with not much distractions. Or – mile repeats. Speed work is just tough and intimidates me! Also it takes me anywhere between 1-3 miles to feel warmed up, unless it’s hot and humid and then things just get worse!
Yea I think when its hot and humid it does get harder the longer you run! Long tempos can be tough too, but usually I can lock into a pace and just go with it. And I guess because the pace isn’t super fast it doesn’t feel as bad.
Fun survey! I hadn’t seen this one, but it’s always great to learn more about the bloggers I follow!
Agreed! I thought this was a good collection of questions!
Totally all about the beach runs! And I’m with you, it usually takes me about 10-15 minutes to warm up into my run. And I’m all about the shorts. I’ll even run in shorts with compression socks in the winter if I can get away with it. But this past winter I was pretty much always in tights.
If I could run in shorts year round I would. I really don’t like running tights! But these winters leave us no other choice.
You know how I feel about speedwork! Blegh. Just so much movement, and all at once? It is rude.
So rude! But I think its the things we don’t like doing that end up making us stronger. Maybe.
Fun survey! I may have to do this one later. I’m with you on the speed work – i am not a fan!
Speed work can be so tough! But at least it usually goes by pretty quickly.
As much as I love the beach it’s so hard running on the sand. I would prefer the boardwalk. I also like trail running but I have to be more cautious bc I’m afraid of tripping over roots. I wish I could stick to a training plan but w more crazy work schedule it is hard so I just get it in when I can.
When I run on the beach I like running on the hard sand right by the water. Loose sand would be really tough to run on!
Sunglasses are always a must when I’m outside. I even need them on cloudy days because there’s just enough sunlight to make me need them.
I think now that I am used to sunglasses it feels really weird to run without them!
Fun survey! I would love to get $100 to go shopping…I could use some more Feetures socks, more shorts, and headbands!
I would also love $100 to go shopping for running clothes!! Im sure I could find plenty of things to buy with it:)
Oh how fun! I hate mile repeats too. Last week was the first time I’ve ever done them! I did them at the track and it was easier to wrap my mind around them because I had a water bottle waiting for me after each mile. And I love out and back. I’ll run way longer if I pick an out and back route!
I actually hated doing miles on the track…I prefer finding a flat stretch of road with no lights. But I haven’t found anything like that near my new house so I guess I will be off to the track when the time comes for that workout!
Definitely shorts for me – I wear shorts as long as it’s more than 45 degrees!
I LOVE my foam roller and am so glad that I found it, although I wish I knew how to use it more effectively, I watch all the Youtube tutorials and read blog posts but it’s tough to figure out if I’m manipulating it correctly to get the full benefits.
The foam roller should definitely come with better instructions! Im sure you still get the benefits from it. I know my local running store offers foam rolling classes- maybe you could look into something like that!
Wow, I never thought to check on that – I’ll have to look into it!
Great survey! I actually love mile repeats.
Thats awesome that you love mile repeats! I wish I liked them more, I know they are very beneficial!
Fun survey! Definitely shorts for me unless it’s below 35. I hate short intervals and prefer mile repeats, because there are so many repeats for doing 400s! Too much accelerating and then recovering for me.
Thats true about mile repeats! At least there are only a few compared to lots of 400s:)
These are so great, Lisa! I agree with you on so many of these, like the gift card, the Gatorade (um, hadn’t really ever thought about spilling it because that is definitely something I would do – ha!), starting on a hill and swimming. I’ve NEVER run on the beach; isn’t that crazy? I have run on a trail with hills, but not truly a “mountain trail,” I don’t think; for someone as klutzy as I am, it has always gone really well! Thanks so much for sharing these; I love getting to know more about you!
You should definitely run on the beach if you ever get the chance! I love just running alongside the ocean and getting lost in my thoughts!
I am pretty klutzy too, so not sure how I would do on a mountain trail!
I’m loving this survey! I agree with the foam roller- it has been a life saver for me!
I know, I feel like a foam roller should come with every runner’s first pair of running shoes!
I’m the exact same way with following a plan! I love having one, but I haven’t followed one or made my own for a while. I’ll probably eventually go back, but I actually think it’s helping me to not having things planned ahead of time, so that I don’t overanalyze things, especially the times where it’s best to back off a bit. I do plan workouts out in my head the day or so before though.
Mile repeats..yeah I don’t like those either! I probably run in shorts more because of the weather here, but I love running in capris, so I probably wear those when I should really be wearing shorts in parts of the fall and winter ha. And I take at least two miles to warm-up, even though I do a dynamic warmup before heading out the door.
Sounds like we are in the same place with training plans! I usually just decide the night before what kind of workout I will do.
I would rather wear capris than tights, but I feel like we never have weather thats cool enough for them but not so cold that I need tights!
Great answers!
I love the little zip pockets, that’s where I keep my key.
The foam rollers with the ridges hurt! I guess I am wimpy I like the smooth ones. Swimming is a great activity. I stayed in the pool while injured and it really helped me, but I don’t have regular access to a pool at my gym, so sadly it’s not an option now.
I grew going to Fullerton Elem. and Parkville Jr. High, but I live in VA now.
The foam rollers with ridges are pretty brutal, but I have slowly built up to being able to handle them!
The pool is great for cross-training while injured!
Good to meet another blogger from MD!
Great little survey! Running mountain trails are the absolute best! We are going on two different vacations this summer where we plan to run new trails in the Sierras every day!
Sounds like so much fun!
Isn’t this survey so fun?! I put it on my blog last week. I love reading everyone’s answers. Good one about the foam roller! That is a perfect suggestion for a new runner. 🙂
If only it didnt take most runners so long to learn about them!
Thanks for sharing this! I am planning to do it. 🙂
I am with you- I would look for items on sale if I got a GC to a running store!
Gotta get the most out of that gift card, right?:) Looking forward to reading your answers!
I hadn’t seen that survey but I really like it! And we have the same taste in lemon-lime gatorade. They seem to never offer it at races around here though! Thanks for linking up with us!
I rarely see lemon-lime gatorade at races either! Well, actually I don’t usually reach for the gatorade because I never know if I will like the flavor:)
19) – I wear sunglasses at the minute as the flies can be really bad here at this time of year. But when I wear the sunglasses I can’t see them, so end up swallowing all of them instead. One or the other I guess…
Ah its like you can’t win with the bugs, right? Not sure which is worse, eyes or mouth.
Great minds think alike – I answered these questions for my post tomorrow 🙂 Loved reading your answers and agree about not reliving a marathon even though that is what I picked for my answer!
Looking forward to reading your answers!!
I love this! I’m so with you on hating mile repeats. But I think I hate long tempos even more! And I see lots of chipmunks on my runs. They’re so adorable scurrying about!
I can usually get into the zone with tempo runs, but mile repeats are just so fast for what feels like so long!