Saturday Playlist Party!

Happy Saturday morning!  Hope you are all set to have a fantastic weekend!  I get to work today then get ready just in case this hurricane/tropical storm actually makes it to us.  I just really hope it doesn't mess up my plans to run tomorrow morning!

This morning I wanted to share something special with you....my running playlist!  I hope you will do the same!  I am a music fanatic and I love listening to new things in pretty much every genre.  While I have finally gotten to the point where I can run without music for a while, I am in love with my new Plantronics headphones so I pretty much always have something playing! (Missed reading the review? Find it here!)

headphones? always!

So here is the question...do you listen to music while you run?  If so, what is on your playlist at the moment?

I have music ADD so my playlist is constantly changing.  I pay for Spotify premium so I can listen to my playlists while I run without killing my data. Possibly the best money I spend all month.  i mean eating is important, but music probably comes in right up there with groceries!

I have just started to build my Fall 2015 playlist and I am so excited about it!

It is only about an hour and a half long as I am writing this, but it will grow almost daily until I get bored with it and start a new playlist.  This is why I love Spotify so much!

In case you don't have time to puruse the whole thing, I wanted to share the top five on there that I thing you need to go listen to right this very moment:

1) Lucy - Adam Lambert ft. Brian May (the guitar and vocals make my heart happy and my feet fast)
2) Alive Tonight - Grace Potter (if you run after dark you need to have this song on your playlist)
3) Sons & Daughters - The American Spirit (soft but compelling)
4) Our Own House - MisterWives (catchy times a million. I end up singing this in my head all day at work)
5) Chandelier - Twisted Measure (this is a cover of the Sia song that is just incredible)


Did I name a song you are loving too or did I help you find a new favorite?  What songs am I missing?

If you write a blog post about your favorite playlist I would LOVE to have you join the LinkUp below!  If you don't write a post, leave a comment with some must listen songs.  This playlist needs to grow!

An InLinkz Link-up

Monday Morning Coffee Talk

Hi guys! happy Monday morning! I am actually probably one of the few people happy that Monday is here because it is actually my day off after seven days of work!

Today I am linking up with some great bloggers to talk about my very favorite thing. The reason I wake up in the morning.

COFFEE!

I think about 90 % of my selfies and snapchats include a cup of coffee so this is right up my ally!

If you are a coffee lover and aren't already following the blog hop, here is a link to Train With Bain who got us all started!

If you are not a coffee lover, please tell me your secret! How do you manage to function throughout the day?

Because coffee is such an integral part of my daily ability to function, I can't afford to buy it at a shop every day, but I like to really enjoy it when I do go out!  Therefore, I split this post up into two parts: my coffee habits at home and when I am out and about!

Home
My at home coffee routine is pretty basic. I don't usually use fancy coffee and I am currently working my way through some Folgers.  If I am going to get nicer coffee, I do love love love Tully's.  It's not a more common brand, but it is really good coffee that doesn't totally break the bank.

My coffee mug game is where the real fun comes in

My favorite to go coffee mug is this super cute ceramic one from Lilly Pulitzer in Lobstah Roll.  You can't be sad when you have this cup full of coffee with you.

 2) My current favorite at home coffee mug (Fact: I have a lot and they tend to change pretty frequently when I find an awesome new mug!) is this one with the little cows on it.  It is not very big so I need a lot of refills!

Orlando Coffee


For a city as big as Orlando, there doesn't seem to be much of a coffee scene from what I have found so far.  That said, there are two places that I think every coffee lover needs to go when they come to visit!

First Watch.  In addition to having amazing breakfast and juice, their plain ol coffee is out of control good.  I legitimately wanted to sit there all day and just drink coffee.  They do sell the beans as well, so that is probably a little less weird.  Either way, I highly recommend it.

 Lineage in the East End Market in Winter Park is a cute little coffee bar that makes really great espresso drinks.  They are not overly sweet or complicated and the goodness of the espresso is given its own chance to shine.  I have not personally tried it, but I have been told that their cold brew coffee is to die for.  If you are looking for a quality cup of coffee I can not recommend them enough.

Well now that I am dreaming of all the coffee goodness I don't currently have, I am going to pass you along to the next blogger joining the link up!  Go check out Marcie's coffee post and enjoy a cup while you read!

Are you a coffee lover? What is your favorite kind?  Do you make it at home or buy it while you are out? Do you have a favorite mug?!

Friday Five: Running Tips

 Happy Friday! Once again I am linking up with Mar on the Run, You Signed Up for What?, and Eat Pray Run DC for the Friday Five link up.  If you haven't checked it out already you should...it's a great way to discover new blogs about running and fitness :) 

This week we are talking about running tips. If you are reading this and are anything like me, the idea of starting running is/was a weird and scary thing.  You mean people just run...for fun?  Where do I go? How do I start? 

That said, I want to gear this post towards those who are new to running or are looking to start!

1) Get fitted for running shoes.  Running is a great way to totally wear out your body in all the best, endorphin producing ways.  It can also be a real pain in the...everywhere.  Save yourself from the stuff that is 100% avoidable by going to a running store and having a professional help you out.  This will honestly pay of over and over and keep you from hating running because everything hurts.

2) It's going to hurt.  At least a little.  But then it gets way better. I know I said shoes help, and they do.  But if you are really wanting to push your body you have to go outside your comfort zone.  I know when I first started I didn't believe people that told me about runners' highs and all that nonsense.  I got to the part where it hurt and I was tired and quit. (Basically I am lazy yall.) One day I pushed past that and realized that after a certain point it gets better, then it actually starts to feel good.  Even now I often whine my way through the first mile or two. But now I know that running feels good after my body gets going.

3) Find your people.  A supportive group is so valuable when you are getting started (or when you are keeping going!) and it makes the experience so much better.  I used to live in a really small town and a lot of my running "people" were online.  That's awesome!  Check out blogs and Twitter chats.  Social media is an amazing resource and just tons of fun! If you live in a bigger town, join running groups. Meetup.com is great and a lot of running stores have Couch to 5K type programs where you can go run with other people that are just getting started too!

4) Ask questions.  As a general rule, all the runners I have met are really cool people and love to talk about running.  You asking a question might make their day.  Mostly because we love seeing other people get started...and it's not everyday that someone willing sits through our talks about heel striking, GU, and what we use to prevent chafing.  Fun right?  All jokes aside, if you are experiencing something there is a good chance another runner has been in your shoes.  Ask away.  If people you know in person don't know the answer, go to Twitter! Hashtags like #bibchat and #runchat are super popular and a lot of other runners will see your question...and usually offer up great advice!

5) Have fun!  With all the advice and tips like these that you will find on the internet it can feel even more overwhelming.  Don't worry about being the fastest or being able to run far.  Just go out and enjoy it :)

Are you a new runner with questions? Check out the rest of the blogs linking up or ask here!
Experienced runner with tips that I left out? Share with me!

Hope you all have a great Friday! The weekend is just around the corner!

If we were having coffee

I always plan to join the Ultimate Coffee Date link-up. I write it on every calendar I own... but somehow I still forget. Today I am remembering!

If we were having coffee, I would want to know how your week was. Like how it really was. As I get older I am learning that we so often pretend things are going well when they really aren't... and I am learning how important and amazing it is to have friends you can share your truths with.

If we were having coffee, I would ask you what your goals are. I used to hate setting goals and sharing them. It took me a long time to realize that your friends want to cheer you on. They are not going to laugh at your goals.

If we were having coffee, I would share with you that January was a big struggle for me on a lot of fronts. It was not the start I wanted to the year, and I'm still really not quite where I want to be but I think I am getting closer.

If we were having coffee, I would talk to you about work/life balance to see if maybe you have got a better handle on it than me. Lately I feel like I have been spending so much time at work that I am either out of time or energy or both by the time it I can focus on my personal life. I would tell you how much of a toll this has been taking on me. I would tell you that lately work has been hiving me more and more to do and that I am feeling overwhelmed. I would tell you that way too often I bring that stress home with me and I become less fun to be around. I have a lot of thought about this whole situation that I would share with you.

If we were having coffee, I would ask you for book recommendations! I am aiming to read more this year and my to-read list has lots of room for growth.

If we were having coffee, I would invite you to come to yoga class with me... then we could grab more coffee after!


I hope you have a wonderful weekend!