Journal
Sep15 Running on the Road COMMENT
- Map my run is great – I don’t use this to track my runs but I do look up routes on it anytime I am in a new city and not sure where good places to go are. By seeing where other people (namely young single females) run, I can tell where is safe to head out.
- I also follow other runners (like a creep : ) ) to find good places, or just stop and ask for help. Actually last week while running in Minneapolis I got so lost because of some confusing trail signs, so I flagged down an runner going the other way to ask. She was so nice that she turned around and ran a mile back with me! The community of runners around the country is just full of the nicest people.
- What to bring on your long run? Everyone has different preferences, as you will see from reading Runners World but for me what seems to work so far is: Water!!! GU, (I also really like Sport Beans by Jelly Belly), Garmin Watch, Cell phone (for entertainment, and just in case..)
- I also fully believe that what they say about eating before and after training is so true, and so important! This is the especially difficult thing to deal with on the road where you eat out all the time and have very little control of what kind of food is available to you. So, I have started to pay attention days ahead of long runs what I am eating, and being carful to ask in restaurants “can you make this…” The number of times I have asked, “can I just buy a banana off you” is pretty comical. I end up relying a lot of protein shakes, and smoothies. I invested in a small portable smoothy maker so whenever I can buy bananas off restaurants, or scrounge up some fresh fruit I bend it up with some protein for a nice recovery drink.
- I have also found that hotel receptionists and cooks are generally really helpful and happy to help you out with simple things like toast and coffee in the early morning before breakfast opens. My latest food challenge was trying to cut a banana to put on bread for an early pre-run meal without a knife! I hilariously found that a straw, flattened and used like a wire between your two hands words pretty well. Add that to your bag of tricks for travel hacks.
- “Being and avid [runner] myself and like to travel around: how do you find neat places to go for runs when it seems you’re at a different city nearly every day?” – Jeff
- “I’m interested in eating healthier. How do you eat healthy when you are on the road?” – JoAnn
- “Protein supplements — how do you figure out which one is the right one?”
Aug31 #Fiddlespiration 1 COMMENTS
- Eileen Ivers: To paraphrase her bio, Grammy awarded, Emmy nominated, and the original fiddler of Riverdance she is Nine time All-Ireland Fiddle Champion, and has guested with artists such as the London Symphony Orchestra, Sting, Hall and Oates, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and Regina Carter, Patti Smith just to name a few. What I love about her how she brings so much experimentation and creativity to her playing – and this transcends genres which is a rare talent that I very much try to emulate. As you listen to her albums across the years you will hear how she can grove along seamlessly with a trad celtic tune, or a latin beat, or even a pop tune by like Michel Jackson. She is also a real showmen (show-women?) on every level a true performer who will thrill you and engage you in every tune she plays. Check out this video:
- Liz Carroll: Liz is also has won the prestigious All-Ireland Fiddle Competition. She is also the first American-born composer honored with the Cumadoir TG4, Ireland’s most significant traditional music prize. She tours as a solo artist, as well as with Greenfields of America, String Sisters, and Cherish the Ladies. Her albums have always been an inspiration for me, but her latest titled “On the off Beat” spurred a new and recent bout of creativity in me that got me through this last difficult tour. If you don’t have it yet, definitely get it! It is well with a listen. For me, Liz is an inspiration in raw musical talent. The way she plays tunes, the tunes she pics, and the variations she plays are just so good. But there is something about her sound for me that is unequalled. She plays so in the string with this thing I can only describe as a “sass.” That is what I love about her playing. A real highlight of the weekend for me was getting to do a duet with Liz at the acoustic set I did on Sunday. Check out this video for some Liz #fiddlespriation
Jul21 Exciting New Show! 1 COMMENTS
This is a big deal. I’ve trained for and run many half marathon’s on the road, and made running an important part of my life, but this will be my first full marathon! I’m nervous, and excited all at the same time. It will be a real challenge to train and stay on track all summer throughout our busy festival season, but I am completely committed. We decided as a band (myself, Pete, Ryan, and Twigger with Pat as our coach) to run this to raise money for ALS research. ALS became very real to us when a very close friend was diagnosed and we have been inspired to do something about it. Additionally, the forefront of research about this disease is currently being done at Trinity College in Ireland – another important connection that we want to support. So, I’ve just started training and we started our first few fundraising attempts as well. There is a long road ahead but I will keep you updated here!
If you wish to contribute to Team Gaelic Storm’s fundraising effort please click here:
(post dated April 20th, 2015)
Well, so far it has been a roller coaster.
If i’m honest I completely underestimated how difficult moving to another continent would be. I thought, as someone who travels professionally that I would be very able to handle this move, but the truth is it is really hard. I never get homesick on tour, but actually feeling that your “home” is in a different place makes a big difference. I love so much about ireland already and I am continually learning new things, creating new experiences and memories and establishing new and old friends. I think that is what home is about, so I am just trying to be patient with myself. But in the mean time, it is difficult. Many days of feeling kind of lost and some totally embarrassing moments of freaking out because you miss food from home, or crying in the shower.
Most days are amazing though. The past week has been really sunny, and I had the pleasure of touring around the country a lot to see some new places. Some of the highlights: Killarney, Wexford, Cork, Dublin. Of course being at home in Galway is different everyday! I have learned to drive here, and more even more exciting, I learned to surf!! Well I am terrible at it, but it is such a fun challenge to get our there, get some exercise but mostly drive around the beautiful irish coastline. The thing about surfing here is that it is F#@%-ing freezing. So I went to buy a wetsuit, and having never put one on before, I thought the whole process was hilarious.
Every day is a new adventure, a new challenge. Looking forward to going to Germany and Paris next week. My first trip away from my new home.