A rhyming title!
I’ve been in weird, hazy funk this week.
I don’t know if it’s the lack of running miles, the lack of sweating in general or the fact that instead of gunning for 8 hours of sleep a night, I’m cutting back on my shut-eye in favor of extra hours at the office. It’s a really good taper strategy, I know!
It’s just the usual stress, anxiety and “no time, there’s never any time” stuff that’s getting me worked up, and when my alarm went off at the blissfully late hour of 6:30 this morning, I took one look at the still-dark sky and just about threw my beeping phone out the window.
But that would’ve sucked. I can’t really buy a new phone right now. And then I would have missed getting a “Good morning, Auntie Ali” text from this little nudist:
So I “slept in” because today is a rest day, and made it to the office before 8 AM.
The great news is that I’m filled with Remicade today!
I got doped up for the first time at the Mount Sinai infusion suite yesterday and I’m a big fan. It was so much more efficient than my last hospital. My appointment was at 11:30, and by 11:32 I was semi-painlessly hooked up to my IV and already fighting through the Benadryl powers so I could get work done instead of giving in to the Remicade nap.
And yet, at 2:30 PM, the nurse was shaking me to wake up.
Benadryl, you win again.
So a big high five for Mount Sinai. My doctor even stopped in to check on me and see how I was doing, and I had to hold back from kissing him because I was so happy. My last doctor couldn’t even remember my name. He certainly didn’t “just pop in” to chat about my insides.
Last night I was invited to join the nice ladies at Lululemon’s Madison Avenue store, where I got to try stuff on and then give feedback about the products. The group I was with went for a run, but I didn’t want to run after getting Remicade, so I went to Central Park and cheered them on.
Then we reconvened at the store for snacks (they had carrots and hummus — I wanted steak and brownies, but I don’t think that’s Lululemon’s style…bummer) and to talk about how the store can better extend its reach in the local community.
Translation: I got a free jacket in exchange for a 3-hour chat session.
But even with a sweet new zip-up in my possession, I still woke up this morning feeling “meh.” I’m a writer, and that’s as descriptive as I can get with words today.
My go-to, foolproof method for cheering myself up is, in turn, cheering up someone else.
I’m not going to give you my jacket, because I like to think I earned it with my excessive clapping and sheer enthusiasm toward standing in Central Park — in the dark — while other people got to run and I did not.
But how about a little something else?
I will be completely honest: When I was at Lululemon last night, I felt weirdly guilty. I didn’t have any brilliant ideas for community outreach and I didn’t even participate in the group run. So why should I get the fun stuff?
What’s more fun, I think, is giving back.
I wouldn’t have been at Lululemon if i didn’t have this blog, and you people are the ones reading it and thus, you rule the world. Basically. For that, I thank you. Thank you for reading, thank you for your comments, thank you for the feedback, encouragement, motivation and openness. Love you.
So from my wallet to yours, how about a Lululemon gift card? The gift card is a $50 value and is good in stores, online and at the Lululemon outlet stores.
I want you to have it.
Buy yourself something nice…like a new sock. (Because let’s be honest, $50 isn’t going to cover your new marathon outfit from this store, but it can certainly go toward it!)
HOW TO ENTER: Answer ONE of the following questions in a comment. Multiple responses from the same person still only gets you one entry. So just keep it simple. Enter once. Answer one question or all of them, but one entry per person. Make sense? Wonderful.
- Tell me something that makes you happy every day.
- Tell me your favorite way to carb up before a big race.
- Share your favorite “I’m going to plow through that finish line” sweat song. (In other words, your race day playlist must-have.)
I’ll pick a winner Monday at 9 AM, so check back then so see if you’ll be headed to Lululemon with a couple extra bucks in the near future.
(Oh and Tyler, you should probably figure out how to read and type right now, because you are naked and need some clothes. Enter the giveaway. Get hooked up.)
Good luck and have a great weekend!
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.
741 Responses
I usually carb up with dumb things like froyo. I’m running a half this weekend and plan on carbing up responsibly with a nice sandwich.
My cat, Tiggy, makes me happy every day! He was the runt of the litter, so at 5 years old he still looks a lot like a kitten and he still does “kitten things”. Makes me laugh every single day!
my favorite way to carb up before a big race is… ICE CREAM! Weird, but true. Tried it once and had a good race so I’m hooked. Can’t wait to hear your NYCM recap. You’ll do great!
My plow through the finish line song: Till I collapse by Eminem. An ‘oldie’ but def a sweaty goody!
My pup makes me happy every day!
My 2 month-old baby boy’s growing bum…he was born 6 weeks early (thought because I have active UC) and I am so happy and grateful he’s here and healthy.
I carb up with peanut butter & crackers at night & coffee & banana the morning of a race.
My playlist must-have is “I Can Transform Ya” by Chris Brown. I love the grinding/industrial background, and I translate the not-so-relevant lyrics in my mind to mean essentially that I have the power to transform myself through the force of my will.
And that is an adorable jacket! I once took a trip to Portland almost exclusively so I could finally go to a Lululemon store. 🙂
Something that makes me smile every day: my fat 12-pound cat. Even though he gets me up WAY earlier than I would on my own, he’s a great cuddler and makes a good substitute on the nights when hubby has to work late.
My little kitty Winston makes me happy every day! He lives with my parents but he is my phone background and I always smile when I see him 🙂 He also likes to send me texts and photos of himself from my mom’s phone (weird right? How does he do that?!?!) to tell me that he misses me which brightens up even the darkest of days.
What makes me happy everyday:The girlfriends….our black lab, Sami and our yellow (blondie) lab, Jessi. They never seem to have a bad day and are always happy to see me!
“Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis always makes me pick up the pace even in spite of the urge to stop and dance it out.
Something that makes me happy every day is knowing that even my bad days aren’t so bad, which I think comes from working w the population I work w as a social worker in Chicago
Favorite pre race meal is definitely whole wheat pasta with veggies and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies!
My absolute favorite song to listen to at the end of a race is Sinnerman by Nina Simone & Felix Da Housecat. The beat is unreal and it helps me kick into that high gear and sprint it out for the last few minutes. Works everytime!!
Love your new jacket, BTW! =)
lately, running in crunchy leaves has made me the happiest person ever
My dog makes me happy every day… and I’ve been know to murder late race hills to the tune of “Shake Ya Tailfeather” and Katy Perry’s “Firework” 🙂
You’re super nice for hosting this giveaway, and I love your new jacket! Lucky girl!
I’ve been known to sing the Iowa Hawkeye Fight song to power me through the finish.
Good Feeling by Flo Rida!
All I do it win by DJ Khaled!
FINISH LINE SONG: I have two answers. One of my favorite all time power-through songs (for running finishes, or cleaning, or attempting to be a human) is “Baba O’Riley” by The Who. The intro just makes me feel all tingly and then I start moving.
But then I realized this was not a totally honest answer. At the end of my 10k today, I kept hitting the next button on my shuffle until I found one song: “Die Young” by Ke$ha. No shame. Well, a little shame. But it is the best pop song!
I have to say I am not a happy camper without a cup of coffee! And who doesn’t love “Like a G6” while running?
Candy corn makes me extremely happy. My taste buds have been silently kicking me throughout the month of October for never eating candy corn until this fall! Love grabbing a handful after my run 🙂 Good luck in the NYCM!!! You will rock it!
Coffee makes me happy every single day. What a delicious beverage.
That Lululemon jacket looks super cute on you – good choice!
Share your favorite “I’m going to plow through that finish line” sweat song. (In other words, your race day playlist must-have.)
At Baltimore this year, “My Body” by Young the Giant magically came on my iPod and that pushed me to a brand spanking new PR 😀 I highly recommend it!!
Cookies make me happy and I like to use the “I need to carbo load” excuse to eat them even if I’m not racing.
Ali you are awesome. Something that makes me happy everyday is chocolate hands down:)
Puppy dog kisses make me happy every day! Thanks for the giveaway…
Having family around makes me happy. Thanks for hosting a giveaway!
be alive pretty much just makes me happy. and the fact that I have so much wonderful stuff to look forward to everyday!
I love when good friends come over and bring pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. They’re half gone now and Simon didn’t eat anymore!
My favorite pump up song right now is This Kiss by Carly Rae Jepsen- it totally makes me run faster!!
Seeing smiles on my boys faces. That makes me happy every day!
My favorite song at the end of a run is “Run” by Flo-rida
My dogs and hubby make me happy every day.
My fave bust it out to the finish line song is “Animal” by Nickelback.
Favorite way to carb load is with my hubby’s homemade spaghetti, meatballs and garlic bread – yum!
A picture (or even better in person) puppy will make me cheer up every time, no questions asked.
My beautiful rescue mutt Turkey makes me happy every single day. Carb up with pasta, red sauce and some chicken, and lots of garlic bread! Glad the new docs and nurses are A++.
Best Carboload is homeade mac and cheese!!!
Carb up? Any sort of baked good in the history of the world!
Candy corn makes me happy every day…and, yes, I mean every day because I am THAT person who stocks up on one million bags two days after Halloween.
Music makes me happy every day, too. When I need an extra big push, my go-to jams are:
1. “You Can Do It” by No Doubt because Gwen Stefani is badass;
2. “More” by Usher because, in my dreams, my husband dances just as well as he does; and,
3. “Bulletproof” by La Roux. Period.
P.S. Ali that is an awesome/super flattering jacket!
I think “Bulletproof” is the reason I didn’t hop right off the treadmill again the day I started running.
Pasta and bread- you can never go wrong with that!
My finish line song is “Firework” by Katy Perry. I took two years off from running when I had my twins (now 20 months) and “Firework” really motivated me to keep pushing myself when I started running again. Now it’s my finish line song and a must during every run I do 🙂
Long runs chased with Ben and Jerry’s or Vogel’s bacon chocolate bar make me glad I spent 4 years becoming a Registered Dietitian.
Wisconsin Mac ‘n Cheese from Noodles & Co. – my favorite carb-loading meal!
When I was in Philly, the song that would get me going was “Eye of the Tiger” – as I ran up the art museum steps ala Rocky. Even though I recently moved, the song always gets me fired up!
My dog makes me happy every day
For my second marathon I listened to the soundtrack of “Matilda, the Musical” on loop beforehand, so I was rocking out to “Bruce” as I approached the finish. And still do. Not your typical “pump it up” song, but I love it!
(Matilda is coming from the West End to Broadway next year…I’d totally recommend it!)
Carbing up before a big race: I make big, fluffy pancakes for brunch and then pasta for dinner and I snack on pretzels throughout the day! I love carbs before a race like cookie monster loves his cookies 🙂
Something(s) that makes me happy every day: coffee and my wife!
My favorite “I’m going to plow through that finish line” sweat song currently – cause let’s face it, it changes weekly – is “My Body” by Young the Giant. PERFECT to speed up and sprint to the finish!
OK Go’s Here It Goes AGain is THE BEST for when you’re feeling low during a Race!
I love to carb up with Trader Joe’s honey whole wheat pretzel sticks!
tons of pasta and lots of bread!
My favorite pre-race carb is pizza. Specifically gluten-free pizza with chicken and spinach. (But let’s be honest. Pizza is also something that could, and often does, make me happy most days!)
My secret song on my playlist that I always look forward to is Jump Around by House of Pain.
And would it count to say that carbs make me happy every day? 😉 I lived without carbs for so long I may or may not be making up for so long.
An oldie but a goodie: The Thong Song. Booyah.
My new cinnamon hazelnut coffee makes me happy everyday!
There’s really no better way to carb up for a race than to eat lots of pasta!
The thing that makes me happy every day is sweating! I am so lucky to be able to teach fitness classes and sharing a passion of working out and changing lives with my studio and clients- Zumba, Hip hop yoga and bootcamps are what make me smile every day! I <3 Sweat!
At the moment my roommate’s book on Icelandic sheepdogs makes me happy everyday! The pictures of the dogs are the most adorable I’ve ever seen. I can’t wait until I get my stitches removed and I can exercise again…
Something that makes me happy every single day? That my stress fractured heel is (supposedly) healing and getting me closer to running again! (Also the Golden Retriever puppy Lucy that lives across the street. Her owner takes her for about 4 walks a day and I will sprint across my apartment on crutches to catch a glimpse.) I had to give up on 2 half marathons and CIM this winter because of the fracture but I’m REALLY hoping I can run come January. Lulu clothes are much more flattering than a swim cap, ill-fitting swimsuit and goggles I’ve been wearing as of late to stay in shape.
My fave playlist songs? Jezabels “Sahara Mahala” and The Veronicas “Untouched”. Totally weird I know but it makes me want to SPRINT.
My nephew makes me happy every day. About 90% of the photos on my phone are of him (the rest are sunset and frozen yogurt pics). He always put a smile on my face.
Egg bagels! 🙂
thing that makes me happy every day: getting to eat fresh croissants and bread whenever I want!
My Must have race song? “Hear Me Now” by Hollywood Undead! Seriously, give it a try sometime! 🙂
I recently changed my commute home and now drive past a doggie daycare place. I get to look at all the cute puppies while stuck at the light – always makes me smile no matter what type of day I’ve had! (oh goodness I need a dog…)
My pump up song is always Justin Timberlake’s Sexy Back haha
thanks for the giveaway!
My nephew and niece make me happy everyday!
My race-day playlist must-have is Lady Gaga’s “Edge of Glory.” That song played as I crossed the finish line during my first 5K, and it’s been my last-mile you-can-do-this song ever since. I swear I run faster when it comes on.
my daughter e makes me happy every day. she’s kind of like my tyler. she makes me so happy. even when she doesn’t sleep… like last night. 🙂
My favorite carb-loading method involves lots of yummy Italian food. 🙂
One thing that makes me happy everyday is taking the time to enjoy my morning cup of coffee 🙂
Something that always makes me happy is my fur baby Alfie! He is the sweetest Golden Retriever you will ever meet 🙂 (I may be biased).. But no matter what, he always has a huge smile to greet me when I walk through my door! There is nothing better than taking him for a walk in the beach to put a smile on my face 🙂
favorite ways to carb up: indian food and naan, nyc pizza, monster cookies (google these babies), hot fudge sundae(s). not necessarily in this order.
things that make me happy everyday: skyping w my friends back home, eating ice cream, hearing aussie accents, and being told that they (aussies) love my “accent”. (what accent?:) )
Dj Khalid win win. (can I?? ) and chop me up by Justin timber lake… Good songs!! And my son and pancakes make me happy 🙂
My husband makes me happy every day! My favorite way to carb-up is candy, specifically sour punch straws (I have a steel stomach). My favorite songs are kind of cliche–Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” and Gym Class Heros “Fighter.” Love the naked Tyler pic, how adorable!!!!
Looking out my bedroom window and seeing the water everyday when I wake up makes me happy!! I was born and raised in Illinois and now I love living on the water in Florida : )
Bello Giardino (71st and Columbus) was my go-to for carb loading during my NYCM training last year – they won the 5 borough meatball contest – perfect pairing for the 5 borough race? I think so…
Many things make me happy everyday…a morning run through central park watching feeling the energy of the others who also get the beauty of waking up this way. Or, a nighttime run to end my day on a calm and serene note as I loop through the middle of this great city with lights aglow from the vantage point of the reservoir. Yet, I also feel extremely happy just walking down the street completely in my own world yet surrounded by so much energy and solitude at the same time. This city makes me happy.
I love Shinedown’s “Diamond Eyes”
carbing up for me pre-race ALWAYS involves a few slices of sweet potato “fries” (just sliced up then baked in the oven) dipped in peanut butter. never fails. ran some great races off that fuel!
My favorite race day song: Run Like Hell from Pink Floyd’s “The Wall Live 1980.”
Sunshine makes me happy every day! Walking outside during lunch brightens my whole day. Starbucks also helps 🙂
This only goes for autumn, but I love trying to catch falling leaves on my runs. I got two today!
All time favorite race song on my playlist is Eminem “lose yourself”- its got a great beat!!! Good luck!!
Tom Petty’s American Girl gets me to crank through anything
My favorite way to carb up the night before a long run or race is with banana pancakes. A stack of them. Preferably in bed.
I must have 50-cent “In da club” on my iPod when I run a race!
My favorite song on my playlist right now is ‘Safe and Sound’ by Capital Cities, also ‘Die Young’ by KeSha and ‘I Will Wait’ by Mumford & Sons 🙂
Good luck in the marathon and have a good taper – best carbo load for me before my half was Donuts!!!! 🙂
Love the new jacket! Right now running around the parks in Boston with the fall foliage is making me very happy. And I love catbs…pasta and bread are my go to pre-race/long run carb loading foods!
This beautiful life makes me happy every day! It’s amazing how easy it is to get wrapped up in minutia and lose sight of the beauty and good of people and the world. Best carb= gatorade. Drink a 32 oz next Saturday before NYC tops off your carbs without filling you up. Good running song- St Elmo’s Fire by John Parr. You have to embrace the glory of the 80s…
Pizza, pizza and more pizza is how I carb load!
Final countdown.
We are the champions.
Chariots of fire.
For those about to rock.
Paradise city
Rocky theme sing.
Coffee makes me happy everyday. And my kids. I’m pretty easy to please. 😉
My rescue cat, Ed, makes me happy every day for sure! He’s obsessed with sneakers and likes to lay on them to, uh, warm them up for me?
I love lulu – thanks for an awesome giveaway. And great jacket, too!!
I’m thinking you will totally understand me on this one — My 4 nieces and 1 nephew make me happy everyday. When I get a phone call from them or see picture they colored my heart melts! My husband and I don’t have kids of our own but I’m pretty sure being an aunt is one of the best jobs in the world!
My plow-through to the finish line song is, appropriately, Push It by Salt -n- Pepa.
You are just too too cool and sweet 🙂 Things making me happy: FALL in NYC! Best time of the year here, hands down. I will be eating pizza tonight as I do the night before any races I’ve ever done (even if its only 5 miles like tomorrows 🙂 )
Coffee! Such a perfect way to start the day and it makes me very happy every day to do so.
Things that make me happy every day: cool fall weather (lately), afternoon runs, my smiling students, my hilarious husband, countdowns until my winter vacation and home cooked meals.
question #2: because I am a sprinter, I do not need to carb load. But what I do eat prior to a track meet, is oatmeal, fruit, and an energy gel.
Coffee makes me happy every morning, especially peppermint mocha!
It may sound corny but I am happy everyday because I have an awesome family and job I love.
We run the night – Pitbull and Havana Brown
Veggie sushi is my carb of choice!
One thing that makes me happy every day? Being a chronic pain sufferer, some days it’s just being able to hop out of bed and not having pain be the first thing on my mind, others it’s knowing that I am still able to walk, and most days, run! Never take your health for granted!!!! 🙂
I need my daily diet coke.
Til I Collapse by Eminem. It’s always on repeat in the last mile or so of a race.
My favorite song to get me going is Pat Benetar’s All Fired Up, she rocks and so does the song! Does that show my age?
My happiness source is a tie between my poodle/running pal and morning coffee with my handsome husband.
Running and puppies (my puppy especially) make me happy everyday! I carbo-load with pasta, rice, and candy. Or nutella on white bread. Currently, the race song is Carly Rae Jepsen “Call Me Maybe.” I know. Don’t judge.
My I’m-going-to-plow-through-that-finish-line sweat song is…”Footloose.” People always laugh at me about that b/c otherwise I’m a solid T.I./Flo-Rida pop-rap runner, but Footloose is my jam.
My dog, Ozzie, makes me happy everyday!!!
Trail running in the snow makes me happy!!
Per marathon dinner is always chocolate chip pancakes! Best carb loading I know of.
I recently moved to San Francisco, and though I miss NYC dearly, the moment when the fog lifts and the sun comes out makes me so happy that all I want to do is frolic outside with a stupid grin in my face.
Whoa, whoa, whoaaaaa!!!! That jacket is amazing!!!
And my must-have, always needed, race song is “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen… How could you not get pumped up hearing them sing and chant, “Don’t stop me now, I’m having such a good time.
I’m having a ball, don’t stop me now…I’m traveling at the speed of lightttttttttttttttttt!”
Cheesy but ‘pound the alarm’ by nicki Minaj is kicking my butt at the end of my workouts! And feeling healthy is making me happy everyday- no more morning sickness- thank goodness!
Calling my parents to check in after a long day at work makes me happy every day!
PIZZA is my favorite way to carb it up before a race or long run! Though I haven’t been racing or running long lately, and am still enjoying it weekly… 🙂
There are so many little things that make me happy every day! Just off the top of my head: peanut butter straight from the jar (yes, I eat PB straight from the jar everyday!), seeing my Chicago Marathon chip still on my shoe, coming home to my tiny studio apartment and knowing that it is only mine, bubbly water and breakfast.
My dogs and spinning are the lights of my life!!!! Both make me so happy and feel so blessed.
I love to eat sweet potatoes to carb up!
Well its silly…but my dog makes me happy every single day. Unconditional love!
Waking up next to my boyfriend makes me smile every morning, no matter how early it may be.
Something that makes me happy everyday: my cat.
I refuse to carb load with anything but pancakes!!!
This isn’t really running related but your Tyler pics resonate with me. I have a new grandbaby – two weeks old yesterday. My son sends me Good morning Grandma and Good night Grandma pictures/texts on my smart phone everyday. He makes me so happy! I am way too YOUNG to be a Grandma of course, but he is as cute as he can be and makes me smile no matter what else is going on in my life. It reminds me so much of your Tyler posts. Babies rock! Thanks for asking. =)
My first sip of coffee makes me happy everyday
Oh man so many entries! And something that makes me smile every day is running with my sweet pup. The look on his face when he’s out running with me just makes my heart swell. Though he often slows me down with his constant pee breaks, I’m never happier than when I have him beside me. I’m the happiest girl in Boston when I’m with him 🙂
Best-ever finish line song is Pretty Girl Rock. It gets me through the last torturous ending of every run! =)
Currently my playlist must-have is “Miracle” by the Maccabeats…I have no idea why…I’m not Jewish and it’s not Hanukkah, but every time I hear that song during my long runs I smile and immediately feel stronger. Gearing up to run MCM tomorrow!!
Believe it or not, my morning commute makes me happy. I drive 30-45 minutes each way, over a hill/mountain. And my morning commute? GORGEOUS. I drive through a gorgeous fog bank before summiting the mountain and getting an opportunity to view the fog slowly receding from the mountain tops, redwoods poking out through the clouds, and the rising sun highlighting everything with golden beams.
My neon green french press coffee pot always makes me happy!
I always spend so much time on the perfect playlist, yet at the end of the race Im usually so focused on finishing, I tune the music out. That being said, I love Bruce Springsteen & Born to Run is always on my playlist.
Smiles from my sons make me happy every day!
•Tell me something that makes you happy every day.
What makes me happy every day – are my kids – they are alternately a laugh riot, and sweet as pie. If one is cranky, the other is usually the exact opposite. It’s the best time of day to go home from work & be with the whole family.
Lately I have been eating pumpkin spice bagel thins with peanut butter. Delicious.
My favorite finish line or amp up songs are “My Chick Bad” by Luda and Nikki Minaj or “Jai Ho!” Whenever I hear them during a run, my energy picks up and I feel myself running fasting. Also, I think of the SYTYCD dances when I hear them which doesn’t hurt 🙂
Every day when I get home from work our dogs are so excited to see me and it always cheers me up! They are the best dogs in the world! You know better than anybody I never used to be a dog person (remember Bear?? And the Levine’s dog who attacked you??) but Cooper and Vega are awesome and they always know how to cheer me up!
My favorite carbo-loading items are pizza, and lots of it, with some mozzarella sticks. Or some pasta with alfredo sauce and garlic cheese bread. YUMMY!!!
I love carbing up with pizza the night before a race. Little things make me happy everyday…I try to appreciate them.
Currently my happy thing I my run, I had been burned out and skipping runs regularly but now that I’m back, it just makes me happy all day again.
Sounds ridiculous to some, I’m sure, but being an orchestral musician, nothing pumps me more than hitting that last mile blaring “Summon the Heroes” by John Williams.
I’m definitely not the only one saying this….but my dog makes me the happiest every day! Even though Greta wakes me up every morning by sitting next to my bed and staring at me until I get up to take her outside (she’s a 90 pound German Shepherd so her face is right at my level then!). But, I completely adore her!
My Run Through Go To song is a Nickleback song (Sorry) lol Animal 🙂
THERE IS NO LULULEMON IN FRANCE ! … Sorry, I digitally screamed but I’ll have to share that. Can you imagine ? Lululemon, please, come to France. We (I) need you !
I should have a prize only for that 😉
I’m a sucker for sweet potatoes as carbs.
My (almost) three month old son makes me happy everyday. I had no idea I could love someone this much before he came along!
Before a race, I love to enjoy carbs in the form of bread/bagels and candy. Good (aka homemade or bakery made) bread or bagels make me happy, and few handfuls of Sugar Babies or Jelly Belly Beans will only help my performance, right?
Being able to wake up and get out of bed makes me happy everyday! Knowing that I made it through another day and having another one to enjoy.
My finish song is Club Can’t Handle Me by Flo Rida. I dont know why, but I have never gotten sick of that song in the past two or so years that it’s been out. I don’t even normally like that kind of music!
My little kitty cats make me happy every day.
Favorite finish line song-Defying gravity from wicked. Works every time.
Something that makes me happy every day: the New York Public Library. It’s the only way I can support my reading habits and my postgrad budget!
My must have song is “Everlong” by the Foo Fighters. The beat helps me keep a steady pace and the line ” you’ve gotta promise not to stop when I say when” helps not give up during a run … especially if it is a bad run
Something that makes me happy every day: right now it would be the beauty of the fall weather!
To be well and pain-free again – popped a hip flexor muscle last weekend and have not been able to run/jog/workout since then. It’ll make life more bearable for everyone around me.
Cocoa Almond Butter from Trader Joes – best way to carb up AND makes me happy every day 🙂
My go to finish line song- the theme to “Tale Spin”.
Try not to dance like an idiot while running when you hear it.
Spin it, let’s begin it
Bear’n grin it when you’re in it
You can win it in a minute
When you spin it, spin it, spin it
So spin it
TALE SPIN!
My morning cup of coffee makes me happy every day lol
there are a lot of people responding to this. wow. ahhm, my POWER THROUGH THE FINISH LINE song, lately, is Santigold’s L.E.S. Artistes. I don’t know why, but it makes me want to run through the woods really really fast.
Totally corny, but waking up next to my boyfriend. Even if he’s snoring away :).
Tuna and pasta!! I thought I was the only crazy person who loved this dish as my carb load the night before a race, BUT I recently finished A Life Without Limits (Chrissie Wellinton’s book) and found out Chrissie eats the same dish that I do! I may not be an ironman world champ, but proud to say I eat like one! 🙂
“September” by Earth, Wind and Fire is at the start of every one of my running playlists. Something about it just gets me all jazzed to run. And sometimes I do a funny run-dance to it when no one’s around.
New favourite running song = Enrique Iglesias- Finally Found You!! I am obsessed with it and it came on my ipod at the end of my first half last weekend!
Kelly Clarkson’s “stronger” got me through the last five miles of my first half!
Having breakfast while watching the news and checking email/ Facebook/ blogs/ etc, with my dogs, one on each side of me. Ok, well that’s something I thoroughly enjoy, but what literally makes me happy is sweating through an intense workout- running, krav, crossfit, whatever makes me push myself hard. I so intensely need that on so many levels. Getting that is what makes and keeps me happy.
My daughter everyday makes me HAPPY!!!
The thing that makes me happy each day is to wake up healthy, with a roof over my head, and to be able to run b/c I can!!
Coffee makes me happy every day. But what makes me even happier are the smiles that come with it – it never ceases to amaze me how surprised people are when you are warm and friendly; and how once they get over the surprise, they just reflect it back at you. So maybe it’s smiling that makes me happy every day. 🙂
Reading your blog makes me happy because I admire your honesty. We all. Have good and bad days thank you for sharing within. To carb load I love to eat 16 handled with cookie dough topping Andy like to listen to ravers in the uk to get me pumped up on race day
is it horrible if I say food makes me happy everyday? yeah- I’ve never been the skinny girl for a reason!
my dog makes me happy every day! i would say my boyfriend but, well, my dog doesn’t ever argue with me.
My 18 month old daughter makes me happy every day. And chocolate chip bagels are my favorite way to carbo load before a long run!
Maybe not happy every day, but today two of my girls (I coach a high school XC team) made States! Which is twice as many runners as my school has ever sent! So I’m happy for them– and for running teams everywhere that push us faster times than we could ever run on our own.
Seeing people showing kindness & consideration towards elderly individuals makes me really happy!
Playlist must have: Eminem’s Lose Yourself. It just works.
Pigeon pose makes me really happy. So does the library. Yay!
I carb up for a race (or let’s face it, sometimes a Tuesday) with either pasta or pizza. I love carbs!
My race day plow through the finish line song is – I run for Life by Melissa Ethridge! I run for my mom who passed away from Breast Cancer two years ago and was my running/walking buddy
Running makes me happy every day! ALSO Punching in A Dream, good for Great, Biloxi Parish, Here Comes My man really anything by gaslight are my songs!
I make a mean breaded chicken dish, it can be time consuming to make but it’s become my go to meal the night before a race, I like to have lots of sides with it like couscous and sweet potato and broccoli. And since most of my big races have been in the fall I like to follow dinner with some sort of apple dessert.. Pie is a great pre race meal in and of itself!
Chocolate makes me happy.
cuddling with my hubby on the couch….especially when he plays with my hair 🙂
I eat two brown rice sushi rolls and a bowl of cereal the night before a race. Sounds weird, but it works!
My song is “Fighter” by Christina Aguilera!
Race day playlist must have: currently give me everything by I think pitbull and others??? I lloovvveee it 🙂
I love having homemade spaghetti and meatballs (vegetarian that is – with delicious mushrooms, breadcrumbs, and tofu) before a race! Sounds maybe not so delicious, but it is!
Love the jacket! I love waking up to my son (still can’t believe he’s mine) and a cup of coffee 😉
My morning coffee, exercising, and talking to loved ones make me happy every day!
My favorite thing to do every day is taking yoga at CorePower Yoga. Loove it.
And does cookie eating count as carb loading?
What makes me happy every day is my job working with sweeties like your Tyler! I am sooo not a morning person, but even getting up early to work, once I get there, I can’t help but perk up and be happy! Babies make my heart so full!
I love my walk home from class. On days that I’m so busy, it’s the one time of the day that I get to be outside and have some time to enjoy it.
535 responses! Yowza! What makes me happy every day? Eating something sweet!
i’m running nycm next week and my favorite running song is ’til i collapse by eminem. it makes me run faster every time! definitely going to need that at mile 22.
Lots of oatmeal
Right now, the song that powers me up is “Hello,” from ‘The Book of Mormon.’ If you don’t know it, you should. Especially the punchline in the song. Cracks me up mid-run EVERY SINGLE TIME.
My dogs excited to see me every morning and afternoon make me happy everyday!
I am happy everyday drinking my breakfast smoothy and reading running blogs.
Also when my third period class leaves my room because they are cra-cra 🙂
(I am a teacher, btw)
My carbo load meal is pasta w/red sauce, my plow thru thf inish song is VIVA LA VIDA, by Coldplay!
Tyler is a DOLL!
My students make me happy everyday!
My awesome and adorable dog Lola makes me
Happy every day… Also a Starbucks latte!!!
🙂
Sweating makes me happy!!!
Pizza is my favorite night before race carbo loading food.
Song – Magic – B.o.B
My dog Lambeau (Lam-boe) makes me day every. single. day. Our quiet walks in the morning, fun church bell chimed entranced afternoon walks, and quiet dark evening walks always make me love him more. Plus his stubborn/loving spirit?! Yea. I love my dog.
*my* day!
I carb up with cliff bars! I know it’s strange, but I love the holiday flavors!
My one year old makes me happy everyday. She has an amazing smile!
Leaving work everyday makes me happy!! Probably not the right attitude!!
This probably completely dates me (hello, child of the 80s), but my Push to the Finish Line song is Break My Stride by (evidently, though I never knew this) Matthew Wilder. I don’t listen to music when I run, so that’s just me singing it loudly in my head.
Favorite way to carbo-load is whole wheat pasta with parmesan turkey meatballs and sauce….and extra cheese on top of course 🙂
pizza used to be my cargo loading fave, but lately i’m digging potatoes (not literally…ha!)
and my songs are oh so embarrassing…. stronger by kelly clarkson and florida’s good feeling….. love your blog… i’m aunt ali too 🙂
Bike commuting to work makes me happy every single day!
My two dogs that always manage to find their way into my bed every night make me happy when I wake up in the morning!
And my race playlist must have is “Turn All the Lights On” by T-Pain. Although it always makes me want to dance, which is a small problem when running 🙂
Best finish line song: “Raise your glass” by Pink! Never gets old…
laughing with my husband makes me happy every day!
My husband makes me happy everyday (gushy, sorry!) , I don’t have any particular pre-race carb fest, I enjoy everything all the time!, and my MUST song that pushes me is Christina’s “Still Drrty”
Every day, I am so happy that I get to work with animals. There is always at least one cute puppy to squeeze, and nothing beats that!
Diet Coke makes me happy, all day, every day!
Lately I Cry is a great running song for me. Weird,right? But it works.
My favorite way to carb-load before a race is to buy a loaf of rosemary olive oil bread from Wegmans and eat it the few days prior. I just love that bread.
What makes me happy everyday is my job… I love teaching music to kiddos everyday!
My favorite running song is “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz. I know it’s a little old but I just can get enough of it! I joke about finding a runner and blasting it from my car as they run by just to give them a little extra motivation.
My (small, ok sometimes big) handful of Peanut M&Ms makes me happy every day.
lasagna before a race obvi…
I’m not going to lie, my favorite way to carb up before a long run is this buffalo chicken pizza I get at my parent’s house. So good! Makes my stomach not so happy for about an hour or so in the morning, but SO worth it!
I love pb and banana and coffee before a race!
My sweet 3 year old daughter makes me smile every single day!
I love to hear “Til I Collapse” by Eminem when I’m prepping for a big race! 🙂 I love the Ironman video that is played to this song.
So I’m toe-ing the line of my first marathon on Sunday!! Basically I’ve been carb loading all week because I’ve read that it’s more efficient than major carb loading the night before and easier on the stomach. It’s kind of awesome b/c I don’t really eat a ton of carbs even though I love pasta and breads. So this week I have been indulging with one carb-y item every day. So. Awesome. Bagels, pasta, muffins. hello! 🙂
Pasta! Preferably fettuccine alfredo from Olive Garden … though any pasta will do!
I loved listening to “Empire State of Mind” during the final mile of the NYC marathon last year!! Definitely a must on my running playlist.
A big cup of coffee in the morning, especially if it is flavored with pumpkin or toffee, makes me happy EVERY DAY!
My favorite “plow through the finish line” song is a tie between “Til I Collapse” by Eminem and “Who Says” by Selena Gomez–depending on the mood!!! 🙂
Being off work on a Friday is making me pretty happy right now!
I have Crohn’s and found your blog thru another website. I read the whole thing in a couple days like it was a novel. I’ve recently started running, and my first real race is the St Jude Marathon Relay. Anyhow your blog has really inspired me. So something that makes me happy every day is my family and my job. Really doesn’t get any better than helping kids with cancer get better!! Favorite carb has to be pasta. Kinda boring, but good. And my favorite race song have to have is “Party Rock Anthem”!!! Hope I win!!!
my current “plow through the finish line” song is katy perry’s “part of me”. so cliche, yet so awesome. when i cross that finish line, it’s mine, and no one will ever take that finish away from me (unless i turn out like lance armstrong. too soon?)
It’s not everyday, but have you ever been high fived by a little kiddie wrapped up in burn dressings? BEST THING EVER.
Coffee is definitely a contender as well.
I wake up happy every day because I wake up next to my significant other. He is WONDERFUL. He manages to support and encourage me while still making me laugh and also giving me a hard time and making sure I am not expecting wonderfullness. He is not a traditional romantic but he is always thoughtful and caring. Three cheers for him!!
Something that makes me happy is a dance party in my car on my long commute. It makes my day start off on a fun note. I carbo load with pasta with awesome tomato sauce (wegmans brand if I can get it!!)
preparing to carb up for my FIRST marathon (nyc) next week and a steady diet of pasta dinners the few days before worked for my half-marathons….pasta to include spicy italian sausage, zucchini, and lots of melted cheese with a side of bread. good luck on your carb loading (and marathon)
My PUPPIES make me happy every day. While they are no longer “puppies” (5 years and 1 year old) they will always be little sweet babies in my eyes!
And PIZZA is my favorite carb before a race!
I always have pasta/salmon before a race! Weird combo but it works!! Given my lululemon obsession i could reallllly use this gift card!
I carb up with pasta from my favorite Italian take out place. Which I’ll be doing tonight since I have a race tomorrow!!!
what consistently makes me happy everyday – food! sounds silly but really, i appreciate delicious food. particularly in the company of good people.
thanks for setting up this giveaway, by the way! i’ve always wanted something from lulu but can’t work myself up to shell out for it…
Girl Talk usually helps me power through when I’m tired! When I get tired I get song-ADD and end up skipping to the next one every 30 seconds anyway.
Nut butter makes me happy every day. I became a peanut butter addict while working and going to college, and then in recent years, branched out into all the hippie nut butters like almond, cashew, and sunflower.
I eat some every day. And they have healthy fats and protein so I never feel guilty. (Plus they taste great with chocolate. Always a win.)
I recently moved out of a shared apartment and into my own studio in Brooklyn. Having my own space for the first time ever makes me happy every day!
My favorite plow through the finish line song is “Run this Town” by Jay Z.
A small portion of the lyrics-
“Victory’s within the mile
Almost there, don’t give up now
Only thing that’s on my mind
Is who’s gonna run this town tonight”
You should see my dog. He makes me happy every day and if you saw him, you would think so too. 😀
And coffee. And the fact that I have the opportunity to help change the world for the better each day that I wake up. 🙂
Anything from the Rocky IV soundtrack will get me over the finish line. In light of the fact I’m not boxing some super huge Russian guy, finishing a race seems easy…..and oh-so-patriotic. 🙂
My dog seriously makes me happy everyday! No matter what’s going on his cute little face always puts me in a good mood!
I’m very happy to say that I have a long list of things that make me happy every day. Well, actually I have several lists. I recently started a gratitude journal and love it so much that I don’t always make it to the journal – I just write down things that I’m grateful for all the time all over the place! My teenage daughters firmly believe I’m insane. That makes me smile too 🙂
This is going to sound weird, but I’m pretty sure nachos from my favorite Mexican restaurant are the key to my race day success. Both half marathons I ran with them as a part of my diet have been amazing. The one without it…eh not so much. I mean, it’s all the food groups, right? What better way to carb load 😉
My friends make me happy every day!
My go to running song is The House that Heaven Built by the Japandroids. Anything from the Japandroids will get you going, though. Thanks for the contest!
my mp3 player has a funny sense of humor and has switched to eye of the tiger randomly a few times when I’m dragging as I near the finish line… Always gives me a kick in the butt.
really feller, is this a trick question. Sweating makes me happy every day, :), no really, it does.
Glad you finally found a doctor who cares!
The one thing I can always count on to make me happy every day is my boyfriend Stephen. I know it probably sounds silly to say my happiness depends on a guy, but no matter how bad my day, he can always make me smile!
It’s the little things that make me happy everyday…a hot cup of green tea, a hug from my boys, getting to rub my dorky dog’s furry belly, and of course a sweaty, empowering run!
I absolutely love your blog!
My prerace food is a slice of thin crust pizza the night before.
No matter my mood, my dogs get me laughing at least once every day. My goal in life is to be as happy about the little things as they are.
What makes me happy every day?
Reading blogs like this one that make me feel like part of a community.
Drinking my morning cup of joe makes me happy….everyday! 🙂
Embarrassingly enough…the song getting me through my workouts right now is “want you back” by cheryl lloyd. I don’t care if it’s for teenagers!
There’s something wonderful about warm oatmeal mixed with pumpkin. I’m eating it all week to prepare for my first half marathon!
Since I know you like puppies, my “one thing that makes me happy everyday” is my dog. Every morning I get him out of his kennel and we climb back in bed together. He snuggles, and then brings me his rope for tug of war. But since I’m tired, I just hold one end, while he bites the other end and bounces up and down on my bed. It’s hilarious every time.
One thing that makes me happy every day is the picture board I have up in my room at school with photos of all of my friends, family and other important people in my life. It inspires me to keep working hard and pushing through, even when I’m dog-tired and just want to quit. I feel grateful every time I look at the board because there are so many wonderful people in my life.
My favorite “I’m going to plow through that finish line” sweat song is Rihanna WE FOUND LOVE. One year later, it’s still going strong on my ipod!
Favorite running song? Let’s be honest who doesn’t need a little Carly Rae? “Call Me Maybe” has it’s own playlist for my runs 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Counting my blessings every day makes me happy. From being able to wake up to my sweet husband, to having a good job (and a car to get me there), to the nightly chats with my bestie (aka Mom) and all the swell things in between, I can’t help but smile. God has blessed me beyond measure and the joy I feel in side is amazing!
The one thing that makes me happy every day is waking up to my four cats running across the bed to wake me up to feed them.
The ability to start fresh every day and accomplish anything, makes me happy! I recently chipped my growth plate, and for me to be completely healed and able to run more than a skip, hop, jump, makes my day. Also, I can’t help the fact that pumpkin spice lattes do make my day a little happier 🙂
The ability to work from home is making me SO incredibly happy lately!!!
Something that makes me happy every day? The smiles i get from my cat and my husband when I get home from work in the evening 🙂
Well everyday this week the crunchy fall leaves have made me weirdly happy! I love the sound my puppy make running through them too!! We went for a trail run and it was JUST what I needed to remind me what a blessing it is to be able to run!
I’m loving the tone of your blog lately! I’m glad you’re finally on the mend.
Something that makes me happy every day is my dog, Friday. She is absolutely perfect and the best dog EVER (sorry other pups). She never fails to make me smile. 🙂
Don’t Stop Believing – Glee Cast
My best long run ever came the morning after I ate basically a whole package of chocolate-covered toffee… all kinds of the worst kinds of carbs. But I’ll take any excuse I can get to eat a ton of candy.
Hahahahah new sock? I love it.
I don’t do race-day playlists: my favorite finish-line “song” is the sound of my own footsteps and breath.
The best song to literally plow through a finish line to is “All I do is Win” by DJ Khaled. I make sure it’s playing for every single race I finish. Because all you do is win when you cross that finish line! duh.
I am not happy without coffee. But also the fact that my 5 year old still wants to hold my hand some days makes me happy. Ill take it for as long as I can…even though I fear I **could** be turning him into a mama’s boy….
Best carbing up is pizza and a cupcake!
The way my 4 year old’s hands wrap around my neck when she is hugging me….that makes me smile every single day.
I carb up with sweet potatoes and in the morning with fruit/bananas. Proof positive that you don’t have to eat breads, grains or beans to run!!! If you buy just one thing at Lululemon for the winter get the Run Swiftly Tech LS. I tried it on and then dreamed about it for a couple of weeks before finally buying it. It was worth every penny and I have a hard time not wearing it everyday!! I need more!!!
Getting to spend time with my husband and my adorable cat makes me happy every day…even better = when all of us are hanging out together!
Being able to lead an active life after two reconstructive hip surgeries (at the ages of 23 and 24) makes me happy and grateful each day!
I definitely power through to the finish line with I’m a Survivor by Destiny’s Child!
I’m a crazy cat lady so my cat who wakes me up to make sure I’m not late to work and greets me at the door every evening makes me happy everyday. And my pump up song? That’s New Radical’s You Get What You Give. Yeah 90’s jams!!
What makes me happy is knowing that despite the tough times in my past I legitimately wake up super happy to be alive and do what I do each and every day – and I feel so grateful for that happiness.
And the song is Not Afraid by Eminem – always a must have for my race playlist.
LOVE that store! Just got one here in Indy.
Something that makes me happy everyday: Strong black coffee and a hot shower.
Must have song on playlist: Teenage Wasteland.
Carbo loading: pancakes!
My favorite way to carbo-load is with some ice cream and cookies. That’s okay, right? If you’re looking for some kind of pasta, I guess any pasta with fresh mozarella cheese works, too.
Wearing pink makes me happy everyday. 🙂 I have some shade of pink on just about every day — it may be a little weird, but as long as I don’t over do it, it’s okay.
BTW, Tyler is adorable. My sister sends me text photos of my nephews. That makes me happy, but that’s not everyday.
I have to have “kiss the bottle” by jawbreaker on all of my running playlists.
Go To Finish Line Song: Jock Jams Megamix (the best!)
I love eating lunch with my friends at school 🙂
My favorite way to carbo load for a race the day before is a bagel in the morning after my short shakeout run and then lots of pasta and garlic bread for an early dinner 🙂 I take full advantage.
First of all, you totally deserve to be included in Lululemon community outreach! Even though you don’t think you have any great ideas. I hate to break it to you, but YOU’RE community!! 😀
Everyday I get to wake up to a happy golden retriever named Cody. He puts a smile on my face, even though he would rather sleep in in the morning and lets out these major sighs because he wants to go back to bed. I love him!!
LOVE LULULEMON!
My never fail song when I need to power through those last hard bits of a long run is the song “Beast” by Tech N9ne. It’s all about the “I’M A BEAST!” line. LOL!
1) you rule.
2) current run song is “T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)” by will.i.am. I have terrible taste in music. 🙂
3) Tyler is awesome.
PYT by Michael Jackson. Although sometimes it makes me dance rather than run, which I guess is ineffective. But I LOVE IT.
Running makes me happy…and I’m so excited that I will be running my first NYCM in just 9 days!! I will be carb loading by eating PHO with my family in Chinatown. Not my normal pre-run meal but it’s not everyday I get to visit NYC with the fam 🙂
My newest most favoritist running song is “Fighter” by Gym Class Heros. Do it!
Happy Everyday: My Boxer puppy Bailey (and by puppy I mean 4yrs old)– partially because no matter what I do or if I’m happy or sad she is always so ecstatic to see me
PreRace Carb: sweet potatoes or a side of bread with bland dinner. My stomach is so touchy when it comes to running long so I eat whatever is not going to effect me in the next 24 hrs
Race day playlist must-have: Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen and Veronica by the cast of Glee (don’t know why, the beat is awesome!!)
Thanks for being such a great sharer! My favorite pre-race meal is spaghetti and meatballs…plus garlic bread…plus brownies. Mouth.is.watering.
The fact that I get to wear scrubs to work everyday makes me happy! And my favorite song that I end every race playlist with is “Tonight Tonight” by Hot Chelle Rae… I don’t know why but it pumps me up!! Have a great weekend!
the best way to carb up is with pasta, and at least one loaf of bread. maybe two.
Dude favorite song right now is Macklemore “Gold”. But I’m not really a race day music-er.
Lulu!!!
My dog makes me happy every day! Even though my landlord suddenly decided we are no longer allowed to have her in the apt ( after originally allowing us to have her) which is forcing us to move right in the middle of my midterms and maybe a hurricane? She is 100% worth it. She gives me unrequited love every day and I am very grateful for her!
My favorite way to carb up before a big race is to cook a giant pot of pasta and invite friends over for dinner. Eat, drink, and be merry!
The only down side to that is that I have to shoo every one home by 10pm so I can get some sleep!
I love carbing up for a race at Trattoria Spaghetto in the West Village, It’s a checkerboard table cloth kinda place that let’s me make my very own at least a box of pasta dish (angel hair with pesto and mushrooms ..and whatever other veggies i’m in the mood for). Check it out, delish!
I’d have to say any song that involves Pitbull is going to be on my marathon playlist…and let’s be honest, almost every song has Pitbull in it anyway 🙂
What makes me happy every day is knowing that I have great people in my life that love and need me.
Would love to win this! Dying to shop at Lulu but BROKE! 🙁
Whole wheat everything bagels for carbing up! This is why we can never ever leave NYC…
What makes me happy everyday is knowing that I have a healthy pair of legs, a strong set of lungs and a body that carries me through a great workout!! Also, your blog makes me happy 🙂
My go-to race day music is Taylor Swift, obviously. I have a half marathon next weekend and her new album, Red, will most likely consume most of my playlist 😉
Thanks for the giveaway! The “Wonderful to see you!” hug from my husband after work makes me happy every day!
I like the song “I can transform you” as my plow through the finish song. Thanks for your thoughtfulness. I like your new jacket.
Hearing my kids laugh – super cheesy I know but you have to be in a good mood when you hear them giggling together (much better than hearing them whine, that’s for sure).
Being 34 weeks pregnant and still able to run makes me very happy! (Also, knowing that this belly will soon be a baby girl in my arms!)
My favorite carb pre-run of the moment is toast. (Ezekiel bread’s cinnamon raisin to be exact.)
Play-list must-have has got to be MaryMary “Shackles”…it reminds me of a certain time in my life and aways makes me feet feel lighter.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Carbing up… definitely making my own spaghetti dinner at home that I eat at around 2:30 in the afternoon, primarly so I can fully digest and so I can have a second smaller portion around 7pm and a supercarby Pop-Tart for dessert. The
Plain and simple, getting up and running every day makes my day a million times better. Running = happy.
Seeing pictures or videos of my niece! (equally as cute as Tyler!) She lives in India so I have only met her once, so I keep a picture of her on the lock screen of my iPhone so I see her every time I look at my phone! (P.S. being an aunt is the best thing ever!)
And awesome giveaway! 🙂
What makes me happy is my daily run. Everyday my feet carry me on the road is another day to smile. There are so many people in the world who are incapable of participating In a sport I take for granted. So every day I throw my sneakers on and hit the pavement I remind myself how blessed I am and how every step I take is for someone who can’t. I couldn’t be more happy to represent them on the road.
Something that makes me happy every day is my dog – each morning he wakes me up by stretching out and putting his paws on me and doing the biggest cutest yawn. Oh, and he’s only 12 pounds, which makes it even cuter 🙂
Favorite sweat song? For some reason, anything and everything by Flo Rida
Anything chocolate always makes me happy!
Lady Gaga’s song “Telephone” always helps me push through a work out!
Dessert makes me happy every day. Because I have it every day.
Best carbs for me= pretzels, simple pasta, and bananas.
And my must-have song race song is Defying Gravity from Wicked.
Don Omar & Lucenzo – Danza Kuduro!!!
OMGosh. Tyler really does get cuter ever day!
Meant to comment yesterday but I just wanna say hell yeah you deserve a vacation! You vacation the crap out of Mexico and get a nice tan. You really do deserve it. I’ll be in NYC next weekend visiting a friend and I’m hoping she’ll let me escape for a bit to watch the marathon. I’ll keep my eyes out for you 🙂 GOODLUCK!
As for marathon ass-kickin’ music, here were my favorites when I ran Hartford a few weeks ago:
– Gangnam Style… clearly a necessity. Was really hard not to break into the dance!
– Pound the Alarm by Niki Minaj
– Empire State of Mind by JayZ – makes me feel badass and is appropriate for your race!
– Bitch by Meredith Brooks – I can’t be the ONLY one who still loves this song?
– Too Close by Alex Clare
– High Voltage by Linkin Park (embarassing…)
– Harder to Breathe by Maroon5
Waking up and remembering I now live in the greatest city in the world makes me happy every day!
pictures of puppies make me happy, with no fail ! i subscribe to several puppy pages on instagram just to make me happy. my finish song is always Steve Aoki’s Turbulence, which ill prob be playing once im nearing that 0.5 mile mark at NYCM!
My ridiculous cats and their antics make me happy every day.
They would love for me to win this giveaway so they would have new expensive clothes to shed on. They are as*holes and I adore them.
What makes me happy right now is my Akron Marathon jacket. I love it and want to wear it everywhere, just like you said about your new one. But mine is purple. Putting it on makes me totally happy and ready to run, which is good because with the weather we are getting this weekend I’m going to be wearing it.
My sweet, six and a half year old beagle, Mele, makes me happy every day!
Great jacket – what a fun event!
My favorite sweat song is “Remember the Name” by Fort Minor. I also really like the Linkin Park/Jay Z mashups. I’m going to have to look up some of the songs others mentioned…I’m always looking for new songs!
Thanks for a great giveaway! The thing(s) that make me happy every day is/are when my almost four year old twins tell me “good mowning mommy”. I love their still sleep, unable to say r’s, tiny voices.
No matter how bad my day is my daughter always makes me happy!
My favorite finish line song (if I had to pick only one) is Mika’s “We Are Golden.” It’s always the first song I put on my race playlists
My doggie daughter Riley makes me happy every single day!
Something that makes me happy everyday are my 2 puppies, a golden retriever and a newfoundland. 🙂
My husband makes me happy everyday! Knowing that I always have his support throughout having Crohn’s Disease! 🙂
Seeing pictures of my adorable niece cheers me up everyday!! So does coffee.
carbing up = pizza!!!
Pizza, brownies and bagels…all make me happy and are are perfect pre-race carbs (for this carbo-holic!!!).
Coffee!!! Makes me happy everyday!:)
Chocolate is something that makes me happy everyday! And right now pumpkin & chocolate makes me even happier 🙂
Iced coffee makes me happy every single day.
I think it’s awesome you’re giving away some of your Lulu! Lately my carb loading has consisted of candy corns. Currently eating them before MCM on Sunday 🙂
My pump it up song that I got as a free download on Amazon a few weeks ago is We Come Running by Youngblood Hawke. I’m pretty sure its about race morning.
“Under a pale blue sky
You never felt so cold
Another sleepless night
How could you ever let go
How do you recognize
The dirty face of gold
Behind that crooked line
Where you never knew you’d go
“Headed for the open door
Tell me what you’re waiting for
Look across the great divide
Soon they’re gunna hear
The sound, the sound, the sound
When we come running
Never go where we belong
Echoes in the dead of dawn
Soon they’re gunna know
The sound, the sound, the sound
When we come running”
plow through song = a lot of britney spears. i fully admit that i am a complete music snob (indie music only, psht…i annoy even myself), but something about britney spears’ “womanizer” helps kick me into high gear without fail.
Carbing up is the best! I (like many many others) love a big pasta dinner.
LOVE lululemon! And my must-have on my play list is Kanye West’s Stronger. 🙂
Plough through songs change all the time, no? But I think my top two are “Save the World” by Swedish House Mafia or “Feel So Close” by Calvin Harris. They make me feel like a superhero so close to the finish line 😉
As sappy as it sounds, my husband makes me happy every day!
I am very indiscriminate when it comes to carbs. I love them all. And thus I eat them all. All the time, not just before a big race. Come to think of it, carbs also make me happy every day.
My favourite running music lately is Billy Talent. Punk rock/pop punk is great for pumping you up!
My friends make me happy everyday. Even though I’m going through a bit of a rough patch, they’ve been great!
My favorite push-through-it song is Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” but I love Fatboy Slim’s “Rockafeller Skank” for getting me going.
every day happy thing is PUPPIES!!!! i’m glad you love them as much as I do. seeing my puppy and his kisses make me happiest!
my favorite way to carb load is definitely pasta and maybe some beer…that’s balanced, right??
Pasta with lots of veggies!!!
Something that makes me happy everyday right now is going outside and seeing all the pretty colors of the leaves 🙂
EVERY DAY HAPPY THING: Oatmeal and peanut butter aka breakfast everyday!!
FAVORITE CARB: Bagels.
FINISH LINE SWEAT SONG: This is a new one for me, but I ran the BAA half marathon 3 weeks ago and finished to Good Old War’s ‘Better Weather’ and it was such a light, carefree way to bound across the finish that I’m planning on using it for my second half marathon this month (ON SUNDAY!!)
Well monday night my bf and I returned from a day at the beach…yes here.. in NYC…in october..it was amazing and our beach fever turned into lets make clams tonight which turned into a giant bowl-giant bowl of pasta and clams with bread and beer… wont say we were marathon prepping..because we just got out of hand with beach love buuut the next day I did run because I felt with all those extra carbs rolling around I had better make good use of them 😉
good luck on the marathon I’m sure you will do well and be great !
Hudson, my little puppy waking me up everyday at 5:30 AM by licking my face somehow makes me really happy! Also, my favorite race jam is “Lose Yourself” by Eminem
Love the jacket and paying it forward.
Songs:
Champion by Kanye
Titanium by David Guetta/Sia
Wild Ones by Flo Rida/Sia
My morning cup of coffee always puts a smile on my face. Thanks for hosting such a great giveaway, Ali!
Something that CAN make me happy every day is hearing a great song (like Another Day in Paradise by Phil Collins) with the sun shining. That can make me happy even when I am driving to a not so happy place, work!
A few songs that will get me to the finish are Crazy Train by Ozzy Osborne, Stronger by Kanye West, and any Bruce Springsteen song.
My kids make me happy every day!
My new go to running song, especially at the end of runs…Is “Dog days are over” by Florence and the Machine. That and Pitbull “Back in Time”
My play running list must have right now is Taylor Swift’s We Are Never Getting Back Together.
What makes me happy every single day is waking up with my little awesome beagle cuddling me. I had surgery earlier this year, and we missed out on six weeks (SIX WHOLE WEEKS) of cuddles, and it’s like he’s making up for lost time. Here’s us: https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/340739_677857606390_796877044_o.jpg
To carb up, there’s an italian restaurant down the street that I always go to. My mom’s first race is tomorrow (Rugged Maniac KC), so we’ll be going there for her!
Finally, the song on my playlist that gets me through? “Walk” by Foo Fighters.
<3 !
My favorite way to carb load before a race is by drinking beer (and lots of water afterwards!)
My cat makes me smile every single day.
What makes me happy every day THIS week is that I successfully completed my first marathon last Sunday!
This sounds so sappy but I love waking up to my boyfriend next to me each day. We recently moved in together after 7 years of dating and it’s rediculious how happy it makes me!
Waking up and seeing my dog Max makes me smile every morning! The best thing about Max is that he finds happiness in everyday small things. What a joy!
The running song that’s been pushing me to keep running on my long runs lately has been Blackwind by Patrick Watson! 🙂
Best song that I listened to 3 times in my last half marathon: Ellie Goulding’s Anything Could Happen. Because anything could happen!!!!
Happy: being able to walk to work.
Playlist: this sounds bizarre but the baywatch theme song. I loved the show as a kid (odd I know) and for my first half I did on the jersey shore earlier this year I threw it on my playlist for fun. It came on at mile 12.75 as I ran the boardwalk to the finish. It was awesome and still makes me happy.
Carbs: penne alla vodka and garlic bread
Yay, for Lululemon and free stuff! Alicia Keys – Girl on Fire is my current favorite must-have playlist song!
I’m an elementary and middle school counselor- so all the funny little kids I get to hang out with totally make my day!
I am happy everyday that I made the decision to move to Chicago and go back to school for Elementary Education. I still love and miss NY, but this is where I’m supposed to be right now.
My best pump-me-up running jam is Remember The Name by Fort Minor – the beat is perfect for when I’m really in the groove!
A big warm bowl of pasta and meat sauce! Nothing is more comforting, and because I’m “carbo-loading” it’s totally healthy, right? 😉
My 2 dogs, Irwin and Vanilla, make me happy everyday!! I can always count on them to cheer me up!
Love, love, love the spaghetti dinner at our local Italian restaurant to carb load. I’ve eaten it before every race 1/2 mary or longer and I know my stomach will be happy with it. Let’s face it, the carb loading can be fun but you don’t want to worry about it angering your tummy!
Talking to my sister makes me happy everyday!
riding my bike to yoga makes me happy every day!
Great Jacket!!!
Top running song on my ipod right now is Dog Days Are Over by Florence + The Machine.
one thing that makes me happy every day – my bed. Its insanely comfortable & I love it.
and well coffee – coffee makes me happy too.
love this giveaway!
Thanks for having this giveaway!
A few race-day playlist must-haves:
Arcade Fire: Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
Gwen Stefani: What You Waiting For?
Pit Bull: International Love
My puppy. My puppy makes me happy every single day regardless of how crappy my day was!
My dog, Sawyer, makes me happy everyday. Seriously, he is the best.
I love getting picture texts of my baby nephew!
My miniature schnauzer makes me happy every single day.
The must have song on my race playlist right now is “State of Grace” from Taylor Swift’s new album. No shame.
Knowing my family and friends are healthy makes me happy. Everyday.
Apparently I need to check out some Eminem tunes! ‘Til then, my playlist would be sadly lacking if it didn’t include TRAIN – 50 Ways to Say Goodbye.
It’s FUNNY, high energy without sounding confusing, and it’s got those great 80’s crescendos for women like me who run hardest when remembering what great shape I was in then, lol!
Everyday happiness is now coming from the act of posting Halloween-themed youtube songs to my sister’s FB page. We are very VERY different people, and this is her favorite day of the year – a big deal. I do this every day this month, and feel a little closer to her, after years of feeling so far apart. (Awwwww…. yeah.)
A run with my dog makes me happy every day!
My puppy!
WOW! So many comments. Everyone wants to win 🙂 My puppies make me happy every single day. They follow me to the door and watch me leave and go crazy when I come home. Best goodbye and welcome ever!
I will admit it… I am a SUCKER for cheesy teeny-bopper pop songs. So give me some Justin Beiber or Miley Cyrus…and watch me plow through that finish line!! Who wouldn’t want to crush the last part of a race while rocking out to “Party in the USA”?!?!
My boyfriend works crazy hours, and is up and out the door by the time I get up (around 6:30 most days), so what makes me happy every day is the coffee he leaves me in the morning. It might be more that coffee makes me happy every day…
No matter what kind of mood I am in, my three year old cracks me up everyday. It is a fun, and tiring, age. Every day is a party.
That jacket is prettttttty fabulous!
What makes me happy everyday: Going for an early run and making it back before anyone else has woken up. (you know so I can dance around the apartment, all sweaty and first pumping my run success!)
Tyler is so cute!
Puppies!! Puppies make me happy everyday!!
A great workout and peanut butter make me happy everyday.
My favorite end of race song is “I made it” (so cliche huh?) By cash money heroes
But there is nothing more amazing and motivating than finishing a 50k, after spending 7.5 hrs in the woods, hand in hand with your 4 year old. That is enough to push anyone through the finishline; song or not.
I am not a huge country fan, but lately when I hear Miranda Lambert’s “Fastest Girl in Town” I break into a grin and speed up a little. I am doing NYC too. If I saw you would it be weird to say hi and introduce myself? Good luck!
I love waking up next to my husband and starting our mornings with a coffee date! Makes me happy every day 🙂
My cat Binx makes me extra happy everyday and also twitter. Because I’m that cool.
I light a good smelling candle the second I wake up and drink my coffee in the quiet house every morning. This makes me so happy everyday.
Having my dog (Jackson) wake me up every morning is a great way to start the day!
Gett a good walk with my two dogs makes me happy every day – even better – getting to run with them!
My baby girl makes me happy every day! No matter what kind of a mood I’m in it is impossible not to melt when she smiles (also I think her and Tyler would totally be BFF)
What makes me happy everyday is when my boyfriend comes home from work (lame? romantic?)
Favorite get me to the finish line song (No music for the actual moment – didn’t you teach me that?) = Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.” It also makes me want to leap, but I typically refrain so as to avoid falling flat on my face…
I live on the 18th floor in a high rise in Old Town in Chicago, and have a pretty awesome view of the lakefront path and Lake Michigan. Waking up every morning to the most amazing view (preferably while drinking coffee on the couch in flannel PJs) makes me happy EVERY.SINGLE.DAY!
Wow, awesome giveaway! So many things make me smile every day. I would say that my little chiclets are the number one reason.
In my last race, Rihanna’s “Shut Up and Drive” came on right before the finish and it gave me a good boost, so I think it’s going to be my go-to finish song from now on.
sunrises on the water during my morning runs make me happy 🙂
Dark chocolate makes me happy EVERY day. How could it not?
Cobra Starship, Snakes On a Plane. Best song for pushing through a hard workout. Never fails.
A giant plate of gluten free spaghetti is my favorite way to carbo load!
My race day playlist must-have? A little Stevie Wonder — Signed, Sealed Delivered. The band was playing it as I made the turn into Central Park during my first marathon (NY, clearly).
“Here I ammmm baby!”…yes. I AM finally here.
Nice moment. 🙂
Something that makes me happy every day: knowing that my couch is waiting for me after work. (Oh, and that in the morning, after being lazy at night, I can run and be fit and whatever.)
My son makes me happy everyday.
I believe Tyler has a diaper on, you can see it on the side. 🙂
My puggle makes me happy everyday!!
Carbing Up:
– Whole Wheat Pasta (1lb)
– Garlic (4 to 5 cloves)
– Shallot (minced)
– Fennel (half a bulb)
– Artichoke hearts (drained)
– Low Fat Feta (quarter cup)
– Some Extra Virgin Olive Oil
In a dutch oven, sweat garlic and shallots in a little olive oil. After they get warm, lower heat and cover. At the same time bring salted water to a boil and add your fav whole wheat pasta. Cook (about 9 min) until al dente. Drain the pasta but keep about a half cup of the cooking liquid.
Add the rest of the veggies into shallots and garlic and mix it well until all parts are warm. Place the pasta back in the cooking pot, mix in the sause type stuff, about two table spoons of olive oil, a quarter cup of feta and enough cooking water to get everything as “goopy” as you like.
Add cracked pepper and eat too much.
Something that makes me happy everyday is making dog-friends while I workout. My incentive to go on a long run is to meet some cute dogs in my neighborhood 🙂
Train’s 50 Ways to Say Goodbye is a favorite right now!
ditto!
My favorite plow to the finish line music is anything by Joan Jett. I used “I Love Rock n Roll” and “Bad Reputation” to help plow through the last mile of a tough half marathon. Being able to run injury free right now makes me extremely happy!!
Thanks so much for doing this giveaway! I don’t know if I’d ever be able to voluntarily part with a $50 Lulu giftcard 🙂 To carb up for a race, we (husband/siblings/friends, whoever is running that race) get together to make homemade meat sauce to heap over a giant helping of pasta. Occasionally we’ll also make garlic bread to really up the carbs. It is delicious, and at this point, something of a pre-race tradition.
Carbing up? Spaguetti pesto and hoppy IPA 🙂
Thanks for your generosity Ali!
Today it was running with my dog. Best of both worlds.
Awesome giveaway- my favorite songs to power me across the finish line are Use Somebody by Kings of Leon and Praan by Gary Schnyman
Ahhhh!! Lululemon! My current running song is Hopeless Wanderer by Mumford & Sons, but for something with a bit more pep, I’d say anything by Usher (yeah man).
Pretty much the entire Girl Talk ‘All Day’ album is my plow through the finish line/pump up playlist. The music makes me want to dance, which keeps my body moving!
Coffee and wine make me happy each day. I drink one until it’s time to drink the other, basically. Oops.
Fun giveaway! I have to have Birdie by Millencolin on all my running playlists.
I always have to eat a big serving of pasta the night before a race… and some chicken and veggies too!
Definitely pasta for carbing up both in the evening and the morning before the race 🙂 No bagels if i can avoid it!
For some reason I almost always end up eating my share of rolls or bread with butter. Bring on the pasta but I pile my plate with bread and butter. I love on the edge.
I know that many like to carb up by eating pizza. I am similar but enjoy making pizzas at home. It’s fun, relaxing and you dont have to wait in line for a table 🙂
Pics of my 2 yr old nephew! The joy of being an aunt…it really is the greatest! Secret: it gets better every day!
I’m a country girl stuck in Ohio, so my playlists are country-heavy. 🙂 Love Jason Aldean’s “That’s The Only Way I Know” right now.
Love carbing up with pizza & pasta! And sometimes Mexican food, but that’s not always so good for the tummy.
Sharing chocolate milk with my 3 year old at 6:30am after an early morning run 🙂
Something that makes me happy every day… that I have healthy legs that can carry me through the miles I run (or walk)!
playlist must haves are Sail by Awolnation and OPP by Naughty by Nature!
My little pig-shaped stress ball makes me happy! It’s just too cute and seeing it on my desk at work makes my day better.
Happy- hearing “good morning sunshine!” from my training partner – the way he says it makes getting my butt out of bed and to the gym so worth it. Carb’ing up – I snack on pretzels the day or two before a big race – extra carbs and salt, plus it’s not heavy and sitting in your gut all day. Song – “Westbound” by Allister (the whole album makes me want to race!) but it’s got this crazy tempo that just turns on the afterburners no matter how tired you are! Great giveaway, thanks!
Pizza. I love pizza, I would marry pizza. But, my crohn’s will not allow me to eat pizza everyday (sigh) so I shall say sunshine. Sunshine makes me giddy….I live in Portland, OR and so somedays I have to rely on my therapy lightbox, and I am grateful I am have sunshine everyday, even if it’s fake.
I love that jacket, it’s been on my wishlist for quite some time now!
Omg. The song: ‘I Don’t Like You’ by Eva Simons. FA REAL.
The supportive running community I live in makes me happy everyday. I live in Eugene, Oregon, where I am a part of several running groups that are sure to bring a smile to my face. But it is not just the in-person running community that makes me happy but also the online running community. Reading running blogs and comments on Facebook and Twitter from friends all around the country about their runs makes me happy too. I love that no matter where I am there is a community of runners, making an individual sport a group effort.
Long runs and big races give me permission to eat french fries… before and after.:)
i don’t carb bc i’m convinced my body hates carbs- i protein up instead 🙂 i don’t eat the same things either, i just try to make sure i eat clean, some plants and animals and that’s it!
every day is different, but the one thing that makes me smile every day is watching my son’s face while he tells me some random story. and seeing what crazy creations he’s whipped up between assignments at school!
I can’t believe I’m admitting this on the internet, but my “plow through” song for race day is Guns and Roses “Welcome to the Jungle,” or Gap Band’s “You Dropped a Bomb on Me.” Works every time!
My fave song to pump me up when I’m feeling worn out at the end of a run lately is “Gold Guns Girls” by Metric.
Coffee makes me happy every day. And running, about half the days. Playlist must-have: “Defying Gravity” from the Wicked soundtrack.
Daaang there’s a lot of people vying for that Lululemon $$$! But alas I can’t resist, I love me some fancy workout clothes.
Best plow through it song .. currently Ke$ha – Die Young. I even put it on my playlist for the BAA half three times because I love it that much.
My mom has cancer but is starting to get better and talking to her makes me happy everyday. Lululemon would probably make me happy too!
In all honesty, my double iced mocha with almond milk and a bit of coconut creamer makes me happy – every morning. Of course my cat too, he is funny but I only have coffee in the morning so it’s kinda special! My two song ideas for you are 80’s classics: Bonnie Tyler’s “I need a hero” and Lora Branigan’s “Gloria” from Flashdance.
Things that make me happy everyday; waking up to my cat nibbling on my toes, seeing my husband peacefully sleeping next to me, realising it’s another day I got through having UC and it’s not that bad, thinking about all of the wonderful friends and family I have.
My all time favorite running song would have to be “So Much Better” from the Legally Blonde musical…is that embarassing to admit?!
My puppy makes me so happy!
My favorite way to carb up before a big race is a big-honkin sandwich for lunch and a big-honkin bowl of whole-wheat pasta with a masala marinara sauce. i drool.
Running makes me happy everyday!!!
My must have finish line song varies…either the Pistol Annie’s Hell on Heels, or Eric Church’s Faster than my Angels Can Fly….both of those make me feel like I’m strong enough to just keep running!
I work long hours and often try to get my runs in before heading to work. These days, that means getting up well before the sun peeks its head out. I bring my dog along for the fun because–while working said long-days–she is holed up in the house all day by herself. So, getting to the point… The thing that makes me so, so, so happy every day is not actually the early morning running with my dog, but it’s the fact that when I get up early to run with her, she’s a good girl in the house all day and when I get home in the evening, she is so surpremely excited to see me that she seems to forget that I abandoned her all day. Exercise makes for sane and happy humans (and dogs!) so it allows me to actually enjoy my evenings with my pup, a glass (or two?) of wine, and my loving husband. So that’s what makes me happy!
Damn auto-correct!
My pug Rocco makes me happy everyday. No bad how upset I am, or how bad my day was, I cant stay upset once I see that smushy face and curly tail! 🙂
Getting a cuddle from m hubs makes me happy every. single. time. It’s the greatest.
My favorite song to get me pumped up is Til I Collapse by Eminem- I love to eat lots of pasta and definitely pancakes before a big race. I love to think of new fun pancakes to make, like apple with melted peanut butter and chocolate chip. I have also found that cupcakes the night before a run somehow always make the run so much better in the morning. Maybe just my perception but, hey, worth a try!!
My favorite way to carb us is mashed potatoes and french baguette dipped in olive oil.
My favorite way to carb up the night before a big race is traditional pasta. I’ve decided my pre-NYC marathon breakfast will be two English muffins with a little peanut butter.
My go to song is by the black eyed peas “I gotta frelying”. Although Kelly clarkson’s “stronger” is quickly approaching taking over as my theme song. Kara