Renovating Kaeti

I spent way too many hours trying to find research on exercise motivation today. Specifically, how goals and a little competition can help fuel a person’s fitness endeavors. Le sigh. Sometimes, no matter how much of an Internet detective I think I am, Google just can’t give me what I need.

But, there’s a silver lining. My search-engine failure gave me the idea for today’s Friday Favorites! So without further ado, Here’s a list of some of the motivators that keep me going, and help me push past inertia:

1. New workout clothes or shoes. This normally wouldn’t be No. 1 on my list of motivators, but it’s on my mind because all the running and sporting-goods stores are clearing out last year’s clothes to make room for the new season, and we all know that means sales! Having new threads always gives me a boost, especially when I know that I only paid a small fraction of what those Mizuno running capris normally cost.
2. Putting on workout clothes. When I first started running, one of my friends gave me an invaluable piece of advice about getting my butt out the door on a daily basis. When I come home from a long day, tired and cranky and craving chocolate more than a run, the very first thing I do is put on my running clothes. Once I have my clothes and shoes on, I usually think, “Well I’m dressed, so I may as well…” Seriously, this has worked more times than I can count.
3. Community support. When my running program started ambling a bit, I jumped online and joined a running clinic through the Running Room. Having the built-in support of a running club has helped me keep my training on track. And while the real-life running partners have been amazing, I also love the help and support that comes with online running forums and blogs (see links on the right).
4. A little friendly competition. Whether it’s the person running next to me at the gym, or the person I’ve just got to pass before the finish line, a little competition will definitely give me an extra push. I especially like competing against my own times. The key here is to not get too carried away, and to make sure you’re not forgetting fitness for the fleeting pleasure of total domination. Ahem.
5. Booking an event. Once you get that race registration in, there’s no turning back (well, I guess there could be, but then you’d be a total wimp going back on an important commitment to yourself). My first event? The 100 percent Irish for a Day 5K on March 15. I hope this means there’ll be beer afterward. Which brings me to No. 6…
6. Beer. No, I’m only kidding. But it is Friday, which means I’m off to go embrace my adopted Irish heritage pursue a lifestyle of health and happiness!

In all seriousness, I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend and stays motivated — even in this oh-so-dreary month of February.

Because it’s Friday — and I can barely get my butt out of bed, let alone write a coherent blog entry — I’m happy to announce the inaugural “Friday Favorites” column. Every week on Friday, I’ll post a list of some things that are awesome. Because who doesn’t like lists and awesomeness??

This week, I’m reliving my glory days of the 90s and offering my current tracklist of favorite workout jamz. With one caveat: I only strap on my iPod when I’m forced to run inside because of late days at the office — or because the wind chill dips to 40 below (gotta love Minnesota). When I run outside, I leave the music at home for safety reasons (ladies, you can find more running safety tips here).

Here are some of the songs that keep me motivated:

1. Pump It by The Black Eyed Peas — I realize that I’m probably embarrassing myself by admitting that I like this song (strictly for exercise purposes, of course), but it makes a great warm-up tune.
2. Bottle Rocket by The Go! Team — The peppy, fast-paced beat makes this a perfect song for the beginning of my run (those first 15 minutes are always the hardest for me).
3. Babymaker by Dance Band —Dance Band is a local Minneapolis group that is exactly what their name denotes. This song must be effective because when I listen to it, I always want to “shake my babymaker.”
4. Lucky Star by Dizzee Rascal — This song is perfect for tempo runs. I like to match my pace to the beat.
5. Hey Ya by Outkast — Another guilty pleasure song. It’s just so catchy!
6. SexyBack by Justin Timberlake — You won’t catch me listening to JT outside of the gym, but I’m not ashamed to admit that I have a total soft spot for his music. This song was on my very first workout mix last summer because, well … I’m bringing healthy back? Haha. Wow, I’m lame.
7. Bam by Atmosphere — This track from longtime independent hip-hop artist Atmosphere always comes on right when I’m getting restless or distracted. It also reminds me to check in with my body and evaluate form, pace, etc.
8. Queen B–ch by David Bowie — I’m usually starting to enjoy my run by this point, so I tend to put some of my favorites on the back end of my mix. You can never go wrong with Bowie.
9. Da Doo Run Run by The Ronettes — I have a thing for this 60s girl-pop group, and the song has the word “run” in it.
10. Any number of songs by Mates of State, Balkan Beat Box, M.I.A., The Kinks, Supergrass, Basement Jaxx, Kanye West, etc. — My only criterion is that the music have a strong, fast beat.

Got any suggestions to spice up my jams? I usually get sick of a mix after about a week and have to shake it up; I think my mind adapts to the music, much like my body adapts to a stale fitness routine.

In other news, last night I tried out a fantastic recipe for beet burgers that I found at The Jew and the Carrot. The recipe is from Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables (Gibbs Smith, 2006). They were fantastic — despite it looking like someone had been horribly maimed in our kitchen (beets may help keep blood pressure down, but they definitely make a mess). The recipe made more food than anticipated, so I’ll be finding creative ways to deal with leftover beet batter for the next week (beet quiche? beet couscous? frozen beet Popsicles?). I’ll be sure to keep you posted on whatever culinary atrocities I come up with.