This is a Runner's Appetite

I posted this about a year ago when I was training for the Rock 'n' Roll half marathon. Sorry it's not the most original post, but it illustrates how to take something awful (running) with make it suck a little bit less with music. I will have you know that I signed up for the half again this year but was unable to motivate myself to run more than 4 miles and ended up selling my bib on craigslist.

.......................................................................................

I get home, and I am not going to lie to you after about 30 seconds I am pouring myself a glass of wine, and then my thoughts immediately turn to what I can eat. I know nothing of portion control. It's not a half a cup of this or 10 morsels of that. I want to eat things by the box, bag, or pot full. Strap on the feedbag, let's get this shit done.

I bet the mere 30 minutes of lumbering around the park did little to whittle away at the overzealous use of sugar in my coffee, the jumbo nerds consumed at regular intervals, or the foraging around people's desks for unwanted snacks throughout the day. But at least I got out there and did it which is a vast improvement over last week when training just dropped out of my vocabulary altogether. After a wake up call in the form of a 5.7 mile run up the lake Saturday, I realized I need to take this shit seriously or I am going to end up trampled at the mile 4 marker on August 2nd.

Then came the motivation...now, realize I am motivated by few things in life. If it doesn't have to do with food, beer, sports or shoes, I am probably not very interested in it - nor am I willing to break into any sort of sweat for it, but give me some good music and it can have a truly amazing effect on me.

Today was different than most days. Usually I have an idea of what I want to hear, but I have been a little bored lately with my tunes and due to having a new computer, I don't have some of my key albums that get my ass in gear. So I placed my faith in the genius command on my iPod. I started with Josh Rouse 'Directions' from The Smooth Sounds of Josh Rouse and hit the symbol thingy that says 'pick some good shit that goes with this' and what I got was just too good to be true.

And not that any of you really care, but this is what came up. I mean, I spend a good amount of time channeling my inner Rob Gordon and compiling lists of music I think certain lucky people may enjoy and I think I could just burn this playlist and give it to almost anyone I know without having to change a song.....

Directions - Josh Rouse
Come and Find Me - Josh Ritter
Cruel - Calexico
Everything in its Right Place - Radiohead
Closer to Mercury - Wheat
First Night - The Hold Steady
Golden Days - The Damnwells
Late Night Conversation - Josh Rouse
Soldier's Grin - Wolf Parade
Monster Ballads - Josh Ritter
Ten Dead Dogs - Wild Sweet Orange
A History of Lovers - Iron and Wine
Blonde on Blonde - Nada Surf
Lord, I'm Discouragesd - The Hold Steady
The Comeback - The Shout Out Louds
Apartment Story - The National
To Go Home - M. Ward
Golden Age of Radio - Josh Ritter
Chicago x 12 - Rogue Wave
You Can Make Him Like You - The Hold Steady
I Never Want to go Home - The Whigs

All right, I am going to go eat an entire side of beef now....