Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Fall greeted us in New York City this weekend resulting in cool, crisp weather and sunny skies! I enjoyed a Chai Tea each day, my favorite Fall drink!

In case you’re catching up from the weekend, it was a stress free weekend due to my last minute decision to forego the RNR Philadelphia Half Marathon.

• Long Run Play Mix
• A Stress Free 17 Miler
• Fifteen Bottles of Beer

This morning, I have a special post thanks to a weekend email. As a blogger who does my best to write daily, sometimes it’s a blessing to have topics requested! Luckily, this weekend, Kristine emailed me with a list of running questions. She just conquered her first 10k this weekend and is excited about her new sport but in need of guidance. I am still guilty of not considering myself a runner, so the fact that she emailed me was an honor in itself! You can read more about my journey to becoming a runner here.

I’m going to answer her questions over the next few days since there were quite a few. Keep in mind that I’m not an expert; these answers are merely my opinion.

Part 1:

Do you have any tips for someone running their first half marathon in January?

Congratulations on signing up for your first half marathon! It will be an awesome and incredible feeling of accomplishment when you cross that finish line smiling ear to ear! I truly believe in the saying, “proper planning prevents poor performance.” You are at least ten weeks out from your big day which is plenty of time! I suggest finding a plan and sticking to it as closely as possible, especially since this is your first half. There are plenty of great places to find plans including Runner’s World Smart Coach and Hal Higdon’s website. I used his novice half marathon plan for my first half and loved it!

How many days a week should you run?

This is a very personal question, but based on my own experience I recommend 3-4 days maximum. There are clear benefits to cross training activities such as yoga, swimming, spinning, or strength training. If you are pushing your body each day through running you won’t have the opportunity to cross train and your muscles will get accustomed to the exercises. Last year, I trained for the marathon injury free even though I ran 6 days a week. But, I also gained 9 pounds in the process and lost a lot of upper body and abdominal strength. This time around, I’m only running 3-4 days per week and cross training the other days. So far, I’ve lost 8 inches and reduced my BMI 3% during marathon training!

How do you make running on a "dreadmill" more fun?

Over the past few months, I’ve actually done my best to breakup with the treadmill. I now prefer pounding the pavement, even with the crazy New York City streets, over running on the treadmill. But, if you’re stuck on the treadmill due to weather, travel, or other circumstances I have learned a few tricks over the years!

1. Create a great playlist that will keep you excited each mile. I often put my iPod on random so I don’t know what to expect next.
2. Break the run up into parts. During half marathon training last year, I had to do a 10 miler on the treadmill and broke it up into 2 5ks and then one 4 mile run. I even changed treadmills during each section!
3. When all else fails, find a treadmill near either a high traffic area or a television. This way you can take your mind off the run and focus on the people watching or the news. I actually love watching the news while I’m doing a morning treadmill run as it’s a nice change of pace.

What are your top 5-10 essential running clothing items?

Over the past few years, I’ve rotated my running wardrobe almost seasonally. I used to try a new item every time I bought new shoes. Last year however, during marathon training, I finally found a few key pieces that I fell in love with after just a few runs. Since then, these have been my go to running items.

• Lululemon Run Inspire Crop during the cooler months
• Lululemon Groove Short during summer months or in a hot and humid gym
• Thorlo Running Socks
• Camelbak Hydration Pack
• Goody Stayput Headbands
• Lululemon Run Swiftly Tech Short and Long Sleeve

Question: What is your favorite item for working out during the winter months?