Liz Anjos a musician, sub 3:00 marathoner, Volée athlete and Oiselle model. We've been lucky enough to work with her a few times in studio and this fall had some time for her to play with the collection and curate her favorite Run, Race and Recovery looks for Fall 2015.
Liz just got back from Berlin where she raced the Berlin marathon as an elite. We caught up on life and what's ahead.
You're a full time musician, what's a typical day like when you're on tour?
I travel with my band by night on a tour bus, so when I wake up in the morning I'll be in a brand new city. The first thing I do is look up where the best coffee in town is, get breakfast and catch up on email, then go for a run. I've gone as long as 24 miles while on tour! It's usually my only chance to really sightsee and explore where I'm at. We load into the venue around noon, set up, then sound check and rehearse if needed from 3-5PM. After that there is a bit of downtime to shower and eat, then soon enough doors open and we put on a show!
Check out Liz's blog on three festivals in three days (and 3 x 3mile repeats at 6:35 pace) at her Pink Feathers Blog.
You have a solo career, Pink Feathers, as well as contribute to RAC, how does that balance work?
It was collaborating with Andre of RAC that really reignited my spark for singing and performing, something I grew up with. There was some traction with cover songs we were releasing and I thought it would be fun to put out music of my own. In a few weeks, I will be opening for part of the RAC tour as Pink Feathers. RAC typically does two major tours per year, so that leaves time for my solo endeavors as well.
How do you maintain marathon training while you're touring?
For whatever reason, I find that touring is actually really suitable for training. Each day is pretty routine and predictable so I know exactly when I'll be able to run. The tour as a whole is like a constant adrenaline rush, from getting pumped up before each show to jumping and dancing around stage for an hour. Then I'm usually so excited from the night before that getting up and running in the morning is no problem. I have to be careful that I'm eating nutritiously, taking in enough calories, and getting enough sleep to maintain energy for both workouts and shows.
RAC played Coachella for the first time this past spring, what was that like?
It was a dream come true! Playing Coachella is something my band mates and I have aspired to do for a long time. It was one of the biggest audiences we had ever played for, something like 10,000-15,000 people, plus it was broadcast live on YouTube to millions of people. It was a rush!
You recently raced the Berlin Marathon as an elite, what were the highs and lows?
My top moment was within the first mile, running freely down a completely empty major road through the Tiergarten and around the Berlin Victory Column, a beautiful bronze sculpture of the Roman goddess Victoria. It all felt very grand and monumental. My lowest moment came a little after midway through the race, when I realized something wasn't right with my legs and hips and knew it would be a loooong painful journey to the finish.
Read the full race recap at Liz's running blog, Running Liz.
Berlin looked ahhhmazing, tell us more!
The architecture was absolutely fascinating. Much of the city had been destroyed in World War II and many monuments and cathedrals had been reconstructed to be exactly as they were before. Those that weren't rebuilt were replaced by something totally modern by contrast, so there was a lot of old vs. new which I got to take in during the marathon. It was also very typical to see graffiti and overgrown ivy on many of the buildings, giving the city a unique aesthetic.
What's next on the racing/running calendar?
Club Cross Country Nationals with the Volée team in December and then the LA Marathon in February!
On the musical calendar?
The "Going Our Own Way" tour kicks off October 30th! I will be headlining with RAC and opening for a portion of the tour as Pink Feathers.
Mile repeats or long run? Mile repeats!
Summer or winter? Winter, I love to bundle up.
Salt & Straw or Pok Pok? One after the other, please!
Ocean or mountains? Mountains.
Cat or dog? Cats - plural! I am a proud new parent of two little kitties.
Early bird or night owl? Early bird.
Stevie Nicks or Debbie Harris? I love Stevie, but Debbie takes the cake. My fashion/music icon!
Listen to Pink Feathers on Spotify, Soundcloud and iTunes. Check out Pink Feathers official website (and blog). And follow along with Liz's running adventures at Running Liz.
