Yup!  I lovelovelove this kind of stuff!

Rae tagged me in the latest runner-bloggerer whaddyawannaknowaboutme craze storming the interwebs.  Always happy to oblige and share my most deeply held secret agent Black Dog Stuff – alright maybe not really all THAT secret agent-like – here goes.  Hang on, this is gonna get good.  Okay, maybe not so much.  Humor me.

1.  Trails, Roads, or Dreadmills?

I think you can pretty much figure out which of those I DON’T like.  Unless you have your snout buried in a bowl of Moose Tracks.  Then you’re excused.  I’m pretty much a 98% road girl, as there isn’t much in the way of trails in this particular corner of the hemisphere.  But the other 2% of the time…

2.  Fave time to run? 

I am ALL about the post work run.  ALL. ABOUT.  I’m already headed to work at the butt crack of dawn, so even if I could pull off the whole I-have-plenty-of-energy/oxygen-this-early-in-the-friggin-morning kind of excitement level, it won’t happen.  EVER.

3. Sunshine, Mild, Hot?

Really?  SOUTH FLORIDA.  Like I have a choice.  But I DO have a kicking view.

4. Fuel – Before, After, During

Hmmm….depends.  If it’s a weekend run, typically brekkie of the best kind.  Which basically equates to a yummylicious egg and cheese sammie served in bed by the hubby.  Yes boys, he IS that guy.  It’s a high bar.  Work on it.

During – only on runs typically more than 7 miles.  Started with the Honey Stinger Chews, but as it’s a project getting them out of the bag, I’ve switched to Sport Beans.  Not really sold on either of them, but I think it’s just me.  I just don’t seem to get any kind of energy blast from anything.  And Gu?  Yeah….not so much.  Definitely not a fan of the whole gel thing.

5.  Accessories

I HATE carrying anything when I run.  The mandatory requirement is my ipod.  That’s it.  Probably a bonehead move, but I rarely take my phone.  I feel like it’s an invasion of Black Dog Time.  (And you don’t want no part of that!)  I also strap on an ancient Road ID ankle strap, and occasionally, the ever annoying water belt for anything over 8 miles or so.  I have enough parks in my general vicinity that I can usually hit up the semi-decent water fountains.  And as I have the world’s greatest hubs, and I always tell him my route, he’ll even show up out of nowhere with a cold Gatorade in hand on those days the temps – and mileage – start hitting the higher end of my tolerable range.  Like I said – THAT guy. ❤

6.  Rewards

Really?  REALLY?

7.  Type of run – tempo/intervals/LSD

Seeing as my knees haven’t tolerated speed in a LONG time, I’ve pretty much been confined to LSD runs.  I don’t mind them so much, and every so often I was able to throw in a couple of tempo days.  But boy, do I miss some interval work.  And if you tell that to my high school cross-country coach, I’ll say I had too many margaritas, made with really crappy tequila, cracked myself in the head with the empty bottle once I’d realized my fox paws, and had NO idea what I was talking about.  So let’s just not make me have to kick you, okay?  Good.

So there you have it.  Everything you always wanted to know about Black Dog Running but were afraid to ask.  I’ll bet your life is now all kinds of awesomeness, isn’t it?  I know.  We’re awesome like that.

Enjoy the ride.

Let’s hear it!  Tell me your deepest, darkest running secrets.  Everyone think that water bottle is filled with actual water?  Chocolate chip cookies your fave run snack?  Rock out to MC Hammer?  IT’S OKAY!  You’re among friends.  We won’t tell anyone.  Not even Coach Roberts.  Swear!