After working through the morning, by the time lunchtime rolled around, I was ready to get out of the house and exercise my right to vote.
I quickly made myself an egg sandwich on honey wheat toast, topped with a mixture of hummus, fresh dill, goat cheese and chopped vegetables.
The hummus vegetable mixture was actually leftover from the Mediterranean dip appetizer that my sister made for our Friendsgiving feast!
After I ate my sandwich, I headed out to vote. I anticipated long lines and pulled into a parking lot filled with exactly four cars.
Voting in Ocala at lunchtime was a rather speedy process.
And now we wait. 
Workout
I suppose I should touch on my workout for the day to keep things somewhat consistent around here. Before publishing my morning blog post, I took Sadie out for a five-mile run.
I am already loving the time change and the beautiful early morning sunlight that allows me to run before 7 a.m. without trepidation.
I usually listen to one of my favorite workout playlists when I go running and reserve podcasts for walks with Sadie, but today I ran to the latest Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me podcast from NPR and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it!
I figured I would miss the beat of my music and the energy I derive from some of my favorite workout songs, but the podcast distracted me and made my run pass quickly since I was really into the trivia. My pace wasn’t quite as fast as usual, but laughing out loud on a run just isn’t something that happens when I run to Usher or some of my favorite ‘90s jams. Highly entertaining!
I think I may look into downloading more podcasts and possibly audio books for the long runs of my half marathon training plan when I start training for the ZOOMA Florida half marathon in a couple of weeks. If you have any audio book recommendations, I’m all ears! (Pun!)
And speaking of half marathons…
Another Half Marathon?
Have any of you guys participated in the Miami Marathon or Half Marathon?
My friend Merri is trying to rally a group of our girlfriends to do this race together in January. Since I’ll already be trained for the ZOOMA Florida half marathon by then, I’m 95 percent sure this race will find its way onto my calendar.
It looks like my 2013 will begin with a lot of running!
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I absolutely love audiobooks! I downloaded Elin Hilderbrand “Summerland” and listened to it all throughout my training for my first half. It really does take your mind off of the running part because you are so focused on listening to the story! Not sure if you are into Nicholas Sparks but Elin Hilderbrand is the female version of him. 🙂
If you’re a fan of the Harry Potter series, all those are done so well on audiobook. So glad you voted today! It’s especially important in Florida!
I love seeing all the different “I Voted” stickers. I live in GA, so ours has a little peach on it. 🙂
I early voted in GA last week & my sticker was red white & blue!
I thought the sticker was fake looking, since I didn’t know different states have different stickers
I listened to Tina Fey’s Bossypants on audiobook when I had to do a five hour drive by myself. It was SO funny and made the hours fly by!
that is one i’ve been meaning to read forever!!
It is SO good. If you don’t mind looking like a lunatic laughing hysterically while you read (and/or listen to) it…
READ IT NOW. Everyone on the subway thought I was a nut for LOLing very much out loud but it’s worth looking crazy
I’ve been meaning to read that, too! It would make a great running audiobook, I’m sure.
I, too, agree that you should read Bossypants! HIGH-larious! I would love to get it in audio book because I’m sure it’s even better with a narrator! Happy Running!
Very intrigued about this one in Miami!!! I would love to run by the water 🙂
I ran Miami last year (I would link to my post, but that requires effort, lol). It was very, very humid. The course is really pretty though. It’s run by ING (same as NYC Marathon) and thought it would be better organized, but at least the beer was good 🙂 We stayed at one of the sponsor hotels — I HIGHLY recommend you do that as well – it was really nice just walking to the start.
Oh my gosh, that veggie/hummus mixture sounds so yummy, but then again I’m a sucker for anything with goat cheese! The Miami halfer would be so fun.. nothing better than doing something like that with your friends!
The Miami Half Marathon is fantastic! I ran it in 2011, and loved it! It was very scenic, and the course for the half is fantastic! It showcases some really neat places in Miami, and is very well organized! The medals are really cool too! I highly recommend it!
I will be running the Zooma Half Marathon in Janauary! I live in St. Marys, GA which is just a 30 minute drive to Amelia Island and I am really excited. I ran the Savannah Rock and Roll Half Marathon this past weekend, my first half, and loved it. Hope to see you in person in January…you really got me motivated to start running 🙂
congrats on your first half!!! AMAZING! and i’m so excited you’re doing ZOOMA. it’s supposed to be a relatively small race, so i’m sure we’ll see each other!
I was worried there would be a long wait, and I didn’t feel like waiting. Luckily, I was in/out in ten minutes. Woohoo!
One Podcast I recently started listening to was the Jillian Michaels Show. At first I was weary because after watching her on the biggest loser I wasn’t sure what to expect! and I am a Bob fan aha:) But I have really grown to love her show and she gives great advice and tips on healthy living and she has an awesome co-host Janice!
I listen to her podcasts while I run, too, and I really enjoy them!
Running with podcasts is seriously my favorite! Makes the time fly by. You already mentioned my absolute favorite–I’ve been a “Wait Wait” fan for years and love listening to the podcast on my run! I always save that one for my weekly long runs. 🙂
Some other good ones to check out are Radiolab’s podcasts and Stuff You Should Know. Radiolab takes an abstract idea (e.g. “color” or “cities”) and does an entire show around the topic. Stuff You Should Know is a little more specific. Both of them have a great (and free!) back catalog of episodes, so don’t just limit yourself to their new ones!
I LOVE listening to podcasts on long runs! I usually pick one that will last just the right length of time for my run, and it really makes the time pass quickly.
I’ve never thought about listening to a book or podcast while running but that’s a great idea! I love to read but hate that everything is bouncing around a bit too much on the treadmill and I love hitting the pavement outdoors. I am definitely going to look around for a good audiobook to experiment with. How’s the half training going?
Good luck with all that training. Sounds like a lotta’ running. 🙂
I’ll have to check out the Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me podcast. I’m already a big fan of NPR’s Planet Money.
Dave Ramsey?
Mmmm that sandwich looks delish!! I say if you’ll already be trained plus some friends are running it then definitely go for it!’ I’ll be in Miami in January running a Ragnar relay that goes to Key west!! Super excited esp since I’ve never been to Miami or key west!!
We ran that Ragnar last year and are doing it again this year! SO. MUCH. FUN. The race is amazing and running through the keys during sunrise is really breath-taking. You will love Key West too! Our team is the Hemingway Hustlers. Good luck with training 🙂
Thats awesome!!! this is my first Ragnar Relay- so I’m kind of nervous!! We got our legs and estimated times earlier this week and I’m running 8 miles at 1:30am!!! eeek!! Our team is Ragnarrittaville! 🙂
I listen to podcasts while running sometimes too! It makes the time fly by 🙂
YAY for a possible extra half marathon!
What a great idea, I hadn’t thought about listening to audiobooks while I worked out. Usually I try to watch and episode on Netflix but that can only happen when I do the elliptical inside. I am going to try it, thanks for the idea 🙂
I started listening to audiobooks while doing longer runs and now I hardly ever listen to music – I find books to make the time go by WAY faster! I’ve never listened to podcasts though so I think I need to try that out, too.
Do it! I’m currently trying to get my girlfriends to run a half with me, so I know how Merri feels! I feel like running a half or even a 5K with a group of girlfriends would be so fun! Now I just need to convince my friends. 😉
Yaya for voting! I really enjoyed training for my first half-marathon; it’s a great distance to run because it requires training, but it doesn’t take over your life. I’m eying a 13.1 in March 2013. 🙂
My old boss ran this race and she loved it. She said she got to watch the sun rise over the beach and that it was gorgeous. Definitely a race I would want to sign up for!
How fun! I voted in Ocala this morning too and it took like two seconds! 😛 I’m running the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon this Saturday! I’m super excited. I’ve never done the Miami one though, so I’ll definitely have to look into that!
xo
MacKensie
I’m in love with the Jen Lancaster books via audiobook. “Bitter is the New Black,” “Such a Pretty Fat” and “Pretty in Plaid” are my favorites. There are memoirs with a sharp tongue and snarky point of view. Even though I’ve read them all, the Harry Potter books are great on audio – the reader is awesome. My fave podcasts (beyond Peter Sagal): NPR’s “This American Life” and “Another Mother Runner.” Even though I am a mom, I’d like AMR regardless, And American Life has great, interesting stories.
You’ve already read Divergent, but it made an EXCELLENT audio book. From my experience, audiobooks with really good imagery are the best. They really paint a picture that you can get lost in.
Hello! I just committed to training for my second half-marathon in March. Would you mind sharing your training plan? I know you like to cross and interval train and bet you have a great one plan, since you are a pro at these already 🙂
I know ten years have passed since Usher’s 8701 but I still LOVE that album….glad I’m not the only one that still loves to work out to some retro rnb 🙂
1st of all – Yay for voting!
2nd – that hummus and egg combo sounds licious!
Beginning to think I need to give podcasts a try when I’m doing cardio. I used to listen to talk radio (Cosmo radio, nothing massively intelligent haha!) … so I feel as though I would enjoy podcasts, too!
I love Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me podcast! It’s funny and get’s you thinking sometimes. I downloaded 4 or 5 of them for a road trip and it made the drive go by so fast! I don’t know how a run would be with a podcast, but I guess it doesn’t hurt to try : )
What is the Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me podcast? I know it’s from NPR, but I don’t really know anything about the subject matter. What is it about?
I think you would rock two halves this year! Go for it love!
I’m heavily considering the ING Miami for my first half marathon! It looks gorgeous and you get to run over a few of the causeway bridges. There’s also a Key West Half Half and a Fort Lauderdale Half (called A1A marathon) about a month after the ING Miami which are both my back-ups if I don’t feel prepared enough for Miami!! I live in SoFla so I have options 😉
I recommend ft lauderdale A1A! I ran it last year..great race. It was beautiful. Starting in las olas under the stars and running along the ocean while the sun was rising..def highly recommended!
I´ve never run the miami half/full marathon, but I just registered for the marathon!! It would be so much fun if you run it, and maybe plan a blogger meet- up? I´m from Peru and am travelling to Miami for the race!
I ran the fort lauderdale A1A half marathon last year and my boyfriend ran the full…it was an amazing race! If you’ve ever been to fort lauderdale beach the road A1A runs parallel to the ocean and you run along side of it for the majority of the run (like all 9-10 miles of it if you are doing thr half). It was beautiful and I highly recommend it over the Miami half and full marathon. I say this only bc I have several friends that have ran both and all said the Miami race was way too crowded. But I’m sure the Miami race is still great and beautiful as well. It did get very hott and humid..but that’s Florida for ya!
I’m gearing up to run my very first race in a couple of weeks, a 5K and I’m really excited! I’m hoping to one day run a half marathon thanks to your running motivation!
I’ll have to try listening to podcasts. Long, cold runs coming up this month with 63 days until Disney and looking for something other than music to listen to!
Julie– gotta be honest. Not digging this new layout of your page. I know you were having issues with it the other other day, but now it has changed and not for the better in my opinion. My biggest dislike is that after a post, there’s no link to go to the older or newer posts. And as an FYI- the little icon that shows up in the tab at the top of my browser is now a grey “G” with black background, not the usual picture. Wasn’t sure if you were aware of these changes, so thought I’d share. Hope you get things worked out!! LOVE your blog! 🙂
That Miami Marathon sounds fun, I love the big races- all the people keeps me motivated …..I need to find another half for me to train for soon. I think I’ll start researching! 🙂
i am so jealous you get to run two half marathons next year! i was supposed to run my first one ever this sunday, but i injured myself (a muscle in my calf that goes over the tibia is super tight/inflamed). so bummed! also, i like running to radio apps because there’s a mix of talking and music, or running on the treadmill while watching a fun morning show like rachael ray 🙂
I totally agree about the time change. Finally sunrise is before 7am so I can wake up and run! 🙂
I love the time change too! So much easier to wake up and enjoy the day 🙂
I totally agree and do most of my runs to Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me and This American Life. I love audiobooks also. So good. Anything you can just get sucked into is great. I’ve heard Radiolab is great, too.
Just started reading your blog and I love it! Instantly hooked, especially with pictures of Sadie (I have a Sadie too and she is about the same color as yours). One of my favorite book series is by Libba Bray. The first book in the trilogy is called “A Great and Terrible Beauty.” It’s a fantasy drama set in the Victorian era in England. Fantastic read and the lady that does the audiobooks does a wonderful job. Highly recommend it!
If you like “Wait wait, don’t tell me,” definitely try “This American Life”!
What half – marathon training plan do you use?
You’re so lucky you get to do so many halfs! We don’t have that many in the winter in New England so I have to wait until June to run one when track ends. I bet the Miami one is a great course… very scenic!
Tha Manhattan half is end of January!
Sadly, I did not receive a sticker after I voted today. I was a little sad.
I wish I could listen to a podcast! I’m pretty much deaf in both ears so I can only hear Bassmaster or something similar through earphones. Have fun with your half-marathons! You’ll be starting the new year in great shape. 🙂 I’d love to hear about your training plan. You’re a great inspiration.
Emily Giffin has some nice “girly” books…I’ve listened to a couple while exercising and it makes the time fly. I want to keep running just to hear more! Ha! 🙂
Just so ya know, I’m loving the format tweaks! Super sleek and fun 🙂