Sunday, August 26, 2012

My New Training Buddy-Podcasts!

Some people swear by having a training or workout 'buddy', someone to hold them accountable either by meeting up with them or just talking about your workouts. I think it's even more common now to have virtual workout buddies. Through blogs, instagram, twitter, daily mile, etc. we can keep tabs on each other, but better yet-we can motivate each other!

Honestly, for the most part I enjoy my workout time as just that-mine. I like a good class once in a while but I've never met up with a friend for them or made running dates. I'm not against them, I just generally like to have those few precious hours each week to myself. Sometimes it's for blowing off steam, sometimes for quiet reflection, sometimes for thinking through a tough decision...and now sometimes even for learning!

I'm a voracious reader, I have magazines and books all over my house on all sorts of subjects-parenting, food, exercise, fashion, green living. I used to be one of those that read while walking on the treadmill (I know, I know!) but now that I run it doesn't work as well. In steps the podcast. I feel like I'm always the last person to get on board with technology trends and I know podcasts have been around for-ever, but I never thought I'd want to listen to people talk while I worked out. I was so wrong.

If you find the right one(s) it's kind of like watching tv with your eyes closed! You can really get into the subject, get 5 miles in and not really remember doing it! To me, that is priceless!


I totally went into this run doubting myself. I've never run 5 miles outside before and for me, outdoor and treadmill runs are two different beasts! I decided to run until my Garmin beeped for the mile marker and then walk counting my right foot falls 100 times, then run again until the beep. This actually worked brilliantly for me and I had a decent overall pace even with the walks. Week 3 of half marathon training in the books!

What also helped was listening to a podcast about running. I was really in the zone! So, without further ado-here are my new favorites (I use the stitcher app on my phone to play them).

  • Another Mother Runner -these chicks will be your new BFFs, great running talk with some side notes of the struggles (and hilarity) of motherhood. Oh-and they have super cute tops too!
  • Jillian Michaels-her abs face have made me buy so many magazines that I figured, why not? And I wasn't disappointed. With topics anywhere from losing weight to food additives to grieving a loss it turned out to be more life-coachy than I expected, but she's still very knowledgeable and I always learn something. 
  • Balanced Bites-any Paleo-ites out there probably know all about this site and the new Practical Paleo book. I don't spend a lot of time not he site itself (yet!) but I do like to listen. I crack up every time because somehow these two remind me of the NPR skits that used to be on Saturday Night Live, but only in the best way! Serious science alert here though, you may feel like you've been at a college class when you're done but the info is great. And wouldn't you have liked to be able to work out while in classes in college, what a great way to avoid the Freshman Fifteen?
I still love a good playlist full of high powered man-bashing songs (that's what the hubs calls them!) but this is good for a change up and just one more way for me to multi-task. Hey-I bet there is someone podcasting about that... 

What do you do to pass the time during your workout?

4 comments:

  1. I listen to podcasts in the garden, car, doing dishes, laundry... I just discovered a new one, wrote an email to hosts of my favorite because they are thinking of cutting back from weekly to monthly, and my other favorite host is coming back from vacation this week! Sometimes I have to listen in 2x to get them all in.

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    1. Oh my, I'm already like that with blogs-I'll be in trouble if I get like that with podcasts too!!

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  2. I've been meaning to try listening to some Podcasts during my runs (which have been lacking lately), I'll check these out!

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    1. I was SO surpirsed at how well it helps pass the time!!

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