1. If you’re heading out for fewer than 10 miles, almost none of you bring water. (I’m still trying to wrap my mind around this, but when it comes to long runs, I think  you folks know better than I!)
2. You guys friggin’ love Lady GaGa to keep you going on your run.
3. No one seems very excited about ab workouts, but almost everyone wants to be.

Lady GaGa

Based on this feedback, I’m sharing my new (untested; need to borrow a cord for my iPod) running playlist. It’s 70 songs lasting 4.5 hours, and stretches across a pretty broad range of genres. You might like some, you might hate some, but I hope it brings at least a touch of inspiration.

Running Mix, Part 1

Running Mix, Part 2

I’m also passing along the best ab workouts I could find. Some are goofy. Some are miserably intense–but that means you finish quickly. Some are just different. If you give them a try, or have anything to add, please go ahead and share your knowledge.

Averie and her AWEsome abs

Averie, of Love Veggies and Yoga, is one amazing woman. If you don’t follow her blog yet, you should. That is, if you want to hear how a loving mom of a 3-year-old/500 hour certified yoga teacher/fitness model/aspiring fitness competition contestant/vegan raw foodist pulls it all together with tremendous grace. (And seriously–look at those abs. She has a three-year-old!) I have to admit, I don’t even dream of abs like hers, but somewhere between what she has and what I have would be lovely. To help me get there, I check out her ABS FAQ post for added inspiration. She lays it out clearly and honestly, which I think is all any of us could hope for.

Standing Abs with Jennifer Gilardi

Once you’re done drooling reading her advice, head over to FitSugar and read the All Abs Workout column. It has illustrations and detailed instructions for nine intense exercises, including a few for those pesky lower abs. And if that’s not enough for you, take the Holistic Health Junkie‘s advice and pop on over to ExerciseTV and check out their videos. I have to say, when it comes to things I hate doing (um, abs!), I greatly benefit from having someone firmly directing me. When I lived in Philly, I made occasional (though too-rare) visits to one of the greatest trainers on the planet, Mr. Nate Mcintyre. [For those of you in Philly--hire him now. For those of you not in Philly, at least become Facebook friends so you can see his hardcore video posts.] Anyhoo–now that I’m halfway across the world, I’m taking Jen’s advice and downloaded a slew of hilariously-awkward-yet-intense videos from ExerciseTV, including Standing Abs, Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred, and a slew of freebies.

Edit: Tasha, aka The Voracious Vegan (who loves ab workouts–what?!) just suggested this awesome link to Angela’s blog over at Oh She Glows for more ab work. If you haven’t visited either of their sites yet, now’s the time.

I hope these links and lists help you get closer to your goals. If you have anything to add–you know what to do!

I love practicing with music on, so long as it’s the right music. Over the summer, I created a nice little playlist that has served me well, but it could use a little boost. So I ask:

What music do you like to listen to while practicing yoga?

Of course, it wouldn’t be fair not to share my little compilation. Here it is:

• Here Comes the Sun / The Beatles
• When I Was a Boy / Dar Williams
• The Seed / The Roots
• Finally Woken / Jem
• Into the Mystic / Van Morrison
• Everybody Knows / John Legend
• Sweet Jane / Cowboy Junkies
• Heartbeats / José González
• Imagine / John Lennon

If you’re ever in the mood for a pick-me-up, or just some great music that’ll bring a smile to your face–and really, who isn’t?–head over to the Playing for Change site and give a listen. Better yet, buy the album (available through iTunes) and send some revenue back to the organization. To give you a taste, here‘s one of my favorite videos, which happens to be their first. (I tried to embed the video, but…I’m blog-challenged.)