Mountain Lake Park again

Hi and Happy Boxing Day
I did manage to get out again this morning, after ministering to the needs of my kids. I went out around Mountain Lake Park again, with a lovely boof of eucalyptus trees, and the San Franciscans out mendicating. I was out a bit longer than yesterday, and had much less hacking and gasping from the microbes in my bronchi. Hooray for that.
Playlist
Turn It On -Flaming Lips
Transdermal Celebration -Ween
Tried and True -Ween
I Gotcha -Joe Tex
One Nation Under A Groove -Funkadelic
Sheena Is A Punk Rocker -The Ramones, for the kick
Total time out: 26:01

Back in the Northern Hemisphere

"Where have I been?" You probably haven't been wondering. Well, after leaving South Africa, crossing Africa and Europe to arrive late in Amsterdam, getting rerouted through Paris, and arriving back in Atlanta, I was home for a couple of weeks before coming to spend Xmas with the inlaws in San Francisco (Yes, the one in California). However, due to the rerouting in Amsterdam, I spent over a week without my running shoes, and the rest of my second checked bag. And also, thanks to some nasty microorganism that has decided to take up temporary residence in my lungs, my breathing has not been at it's peak. Thus for want of a nail (and due to coughing fits), the kingdom hasn't been jogging.
So, with those excuses dangling over my tenuous grip on fitness efforts, I haven't been running since I got back from South Africa. At least until this morning, which is why I bother posting.
As I said, I'm staying with my in-laws in the Richmond District, and finally felt well enough to go on a run through Mountain Lake Park, which is next to the Presidio. I did alright, not wanting to be out for too long after the hiatus, and only had coughing fits for the last half K or so. I did have a very nice and comfortable kick down 14th Ave, which I felt I had to extend, which is a rare feeling indeed.
It was a bit moist out there, just a thick fog or a very thin rain, so the tune-o-matic did come along and here is what it sang...

Playlist:
Indoda Yejazi Elimnyama -Amaswazi Emvelo. Do you get the impression that I love this song from how often I listen to it? Yes, it's true, I <3 this song quite a lot.
Can't Forget About You-Nas. This song also reminds me of South Africa, since it was on the radio quite a bit when I was there last year.
Gamma Ray -Beck
Academia -Sia
California Love -2Pac, Dr. Dre, and Roger Troutman. Dolle (obligatory), given my current location.

Time out: 21:and change, I didn't stop it in time for an accurate assessment.

Another run through Brooklyn

No, not the one in the Big Apple, the one in Pretoria.
I managed to get out this morning and stay out for 35:49, without Scotch (I didn't have his lead).
But it was probably for the best, as I jogged down to Magnolia Dell and up Queen Wilhelmina Street to Nieuw Muckleneuk Trim Park. Scotch probably wouldn't have been welcome in the parks.

Playlist:
Round and Round -Ratt
The Sky is Falling -Queens of the Stone Age
You're pretty good looking (for a girl) -White Stripes
Jumping Jack Flash -The Rolling Stones
19th Nervous Breakdown -The Rolling Stones
Fat Bottomed Girls -Queen
Won't Get Fooled Again -The Who
Blitzkrieg Bop -The Ramones
A hard rockin' playlist. I'm feeling a bit more sore than usual. Maybe because of the hills and uneven terrain. Maybe because of last night's dinner of beer, biltong and cigarettes. Yeah, probably that last one.

Dog Jog

Yesterday went for first jog since decamping to Brooklyn. I took my host's dog, Scotch, with me. He's a big German shepherd who loves to play with his volleyball in the yard. My housesitting neighbor had taken him for a run shortly before I got back, but what dog wouldn't go out for two runs in a day, if he had the chance? So we went out for a short one, only 18:52. He wasn't the best jogging partner. Our dog Trixie back in Auburn is a lot better, for the most part, if a little lazy. But around the neighborhood there's a lot of other dogs to provide distraction. I may get out again one more time before I head back to the wintertime.

Thrice! Thrice! Thrice around the Sportscentrum!

Huzzah! A new long of 1:03:34! I did take an extra day in between, but have gone out three times this week. I'll have to see if I can keep it up since I'm decamping to another location in Pretoria tomorrow, for one last week.

I also took some pictures with the tune-o-matic, which I'll post LATER.

And finally, a long all-Ween playlist
Exactly Where I'm At -From the album White Pepper
Take Me Away -From the album Chocolate and Cheese
Don't Laugh (I Love You) -From the album God Ween Satan: The Oneness
Mutilated Lips -From the album The Mollusk
Transdermal Celebration -From the album Quebec
Pretty Girl -From the album 12 Golden Country Greats
Pork Roll Egg and Cheese -From the album The Pod
Roses Are Free -From the album Chocolate and Cheese
Chocolate Town -From the album Quebec
Nan -From the album God Ween Satan: The Oneness
Buckingham Green -From the album The Mollusk
The Stallion Part 3. -From the album Pure Guava
Push Th' Little Daisies -From the album Pure Guava
Even If You Don't -From the album White Pepper
You Were The Fool -From the album 12 Golden Country Greats

Morning again, mixed

Managed to get up and go again this morning. It's getting easier and more necessary, as the sun comes up earlier and earlier, and we've been having afternoon showers almost every day for a week or more. It actually feels good to come into work, all jogged up and all.

The Playlist
Who's Gonna Save My Soul -Gnarls Barkley
Dashboard -Modest Mouse
Flashlight -Parliament
Fat Bottomed Girls -Queen
Bang A Gong (Get It On) -T.Rex
Wow and Flutter -Stereolab
Time out 38:04

An all Beck Monday

This morning, I did what really motivated and unslothlike people do. I got out of bed and went for a run. I usually don't, because I'm afraid I'm going to hurt myself and don't want to trash my plans for the day. I felt like a total wonk, as I crafted a note to cover the day's agenda while listening to the tune-O-matic. I opted to go for an all Beck playlist. To whit:
Beercan -from the album Mellow Gold
Girl -from the album Guero
Strange Apparition -from the album The Information
Jackass -from the album Odelay
Milk & Honey -from the album Midnite Vultures
Bottle of Blues -from the album Mutations. This song and Tropicalia are probably the only songs fast enough for jogging.
Gamma Ray -from the album Modern Guilt

I hit all the main albums except Sea Change. Kind of dark for a sunny South African morning. It's getting hot in here (I saw Beck cover that song at a concert in San Jose)
Time out: 34:08

Success in the war on sloth

Another double loop. Yay me. The weather and work have not been cooperating, though the days are getting longer.
Another bonus for today was making the double loop in 48:22, which usually has taken me over 55 minutes when I've counted. I tried to keep on pace with the music which may have helped. I lengthened my strides on the slower songs.

Playlist
Hey Ya! -Outkast
Mabala -Yahoo. From Afro Rock Vol. 1.
Chicken Strut -The Meters
Dirty Water -The Standells. In honor of Dustin Pedroia winning AL MVP.
Fight Test -The Flaming Lips
Nappy Dugout -Funkadelic
Sock It To 'Em, JB -The Specials
Backwater -Meat Puppets
Manteca -Dizzy Gillespie
Wasted Words -The Allman Brothers Band
Got To Give It Up -Marvin Gaye
Sheena Is A Punk Rocker -The Ramones

The Sermon (to myself)

Fray-ends, I am here today, to bear witness to the perils of one of the seven deadly sins. A subject which few of you, and few there are, will be amazed or astonished when I reveal that of which I bespeak. For it is that very sin which I myself have railed against for so many blog postings.
It is perhaps the most difficult of the seven deadly sins to resist, because all you have to do to commit this sin is...
Nothing. Let's face it: greed, lust, envy, vanity, you have to at least think to commit them. Even gluttony requires effort and means. Rage burns calories! But the one that remains, is certainly the most insidious of all because it's commission is by almost complete omission.
SLOTH.
Yeah, brothers and sisters. I am here today to tell you of the terrible dangers of sloth and indigence, and how the wages of sin were compounded upon me today.
I've been trying to keep my feet on the path, friends. One foot in front of the other, pace after pace, mile after mile, every other day so help me.
But I've been slipping. I told myself I would return to the path yesterday morning after I awoke. And lo, I did not. I told myself I would go last evening, but a mighty storm blew over me and told me that the time was not right, that I should go in the next morning.
And as it was Saturday, and I did not have to arise at an early hour, I did lay in my bed. I told myself I should arise and go forth! And I did not. I said "Get yon lazy duff off of thy comfy bed and begone, and with thee take the demon Sloth with you!" And I did not. I even told myself, "You have failed. The jogging experiment is over and sloth has WON". Albeit briefly.
Until the sun was high in the sky, and my sloth began to doze off and I leapt from the bed and threw off the covers (not in that order) and donned my raiment of jogging! My tune-o-matic did sparkle in the sunshine as I bade it to record the time of cardiovascular acceleration!
And I thought "Where are my jogging brethren and sistren?" and I thought "It's not really all that hot. And there are plenty of shady spots along the path". But lo these shady spots are the shady spots of the rising and setting sun! Not of the Noontide! And there was little shade for my weary frame. And lo I did probably get a little sunburned.
But did I falter? NO! Did I relent? NO! Did I wish I had stayed in that cozy bed all day long? uh... I mean NO NO and NO, friends! And I did perservere! And complete the loop! And did slake my thirst with cool water with orange slices in it! And I did cleanse myself of the honest sweat that I should have sweated yesterday or earlier this morning!
Can I get an AMEN?

And now, the selection of hymns from the Tune-O-Matic Hymnal, an all African mix. Only a few songs, but these songs are long.
Cantique -Kanda Bongo Man
Heavy Heavy Heavy -Geraldo Pino
Qhude Manikiniki -Umahlathini Nabo
Thul'ulalele -Amaswazi Emvelo
Okuzua -Orchestra Lissanga
Time out: 34:32. Here endeth the lesson.

Nasty creature, the sloth...

The last blog entry did shame me into going out and jogging again, but since then I've only been out twice. I think if it weren't for the blog, I might have quit by now.
Last night I went out for a single loop, which was only the second time this week. I'm going for three times a week, ideally every other day. So if I go again tomorrow I'll be back on track.
Let's see, what did I listen to? It was pretty random, if I recall. I wanted to have an all Outkast playlist, but the tune-o-matic is Outkast poor.

Marie Jose -Ryco Jazz
I'm A Mindless Idiot -Meat Puppets
Mess Around -Professor Longhair
Bowtie -Outkast

Don't think I can remember the rest right now. I'll try and get out tomorrow morning. For real...
And I did get more salad fixin's
I ran for 36:42

Oh no! The sloth!

I have been out twice since the last post. Another double lap around the loop at the sportscentrum, and a shorter one. But I've been off for another 4 days just because of being busy, weather, hanging with friends, and other excuses. And my diet has also been not so good, as I haven't been 'round the shops to get my full complement of salad fixings and other good stuff. So I need to motivate before the sloth really sets in. I was going to go this morning, but it was raining cats and dogs. Lots of excuses... I just need to get off my duff and run.

Woo hoo! New Long!

Today was notable for no fewer than three reasons.
Momentous occasion 1. It was a crappy crappy day, at least at the very end, so I thought about going home and drinking my problems away. But on my way home, I encountered many jogger brethren and sistren, so I thought maybe I’d run my problems off instead. To be brutally honest, this was a bold step forward for me.
Momentous occasion 2. I made it to the 1 hour mark, which extends my previous long by eight minutes. I thought about punishing myself with two laps around the fat part of the sportscentrum yesterday, but realized it was better not to, after the week off. But today I thought I could and I should do it, so I did. I really don’t know how long it is, but I know it’s twice as long as usual, so that must count for something. Momentous occasion 2.5. This is also the first time I went running on two consecutive days I started again.
Momentous occasion 3. An all Talking Heads playlist! Let’s see if I can remember it all in order…
Crosseyed and Painless –from Remain In Light. This song had a great video, choreographed by Toni Basil (as in Oh Mickey, you’re so fine…)
Making Flippy Floppy –from Speaking In Tongues.
Warning Sign –from The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads. One of my favorite TH songs, evar. Funky and fun to play. Ooh my hair! I move it around a lot!
Don’t Worry About The Government –from The Name of This Band… One of those songs that seems to transcend most situations, seems equally applicable in the USA or here in South Africa right now.
Memories (Can’t Wait) -from the Name of This Band… Living Color covered this song, which only made both acts cooler, in my humble opinion.
Once In A Lifetime –from Remain In Light. Another of my favorite TH songs. I think the Peace Corps should use this song for an advertisement. I’d be glad to volunteer my directing skills.
Burning Down The House –from Speaking in Tongues. A commercial success, and a great song. Can’t help but think of Revenge of the Nerds, though.
What A Day That Was –from Stop Making Sense.
Life During Wartime –from Stop Making Sense. “This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco, this ain’t no foolin’ around.”

I think I may have missed a couple, but whatever. I’m celebratin’ with some tasty salad, featuring the most buttery avocado I’ve ever eaten. Yum!

Week off

I just got back from a field trip, and, no, I wasn't able to get any running in. So no running for almost a whole week. I could have gone on Saturday, but I didn't. I saw the little guys on my shoulders, the one with the halo telling me to get off my lazy duff and get out there, and the one with the horns telling me to open a beer and watch my duff grow. So it was, I found it hard to get out the door on Sunday morning, although I really didn't feel like a beer just yet anyway. I think I felt like I had to punish myself for the break, but in the end, I went on a short one just to get back in the swing of things. Given how my legs were feeling, I'm sure this was the right thing to do. I did carry the tunes-o-matic, but didn't feel like listening, for some odd reason.
It was pretty lonely out at the sports center. Just a few odd tennis players out there.
Maybe I'll go again tonight...

Much better

I went back out to the Sports Centrum again yesterday. Took it a bit easier on the speed, and had a good kick at the end. Good thing I got out when I did, it started raining shortly after I got back.

I'm headed out to the field this week. We'll see if I can get some running in. Maybe my friend and colleague Gilbert will want to go out with me.

The playlist:
Joyce No. 2. -Johnson Mkhalali. I seem to be working through the entire Indestructible Beat of Soweto album, case in point...
Holotelani -Nancy Sedibe. From the same album.
Stereotypes, Part 1 & 2-The Specials.
Rhythm and Rhyme -George Clinton. GC Gone crazy.
Man in the Street -Don Drummond. The great Ska trombonist and his orchestra.
War in a Babylon -Max Romeo. Another of Lee 'Scratch' Perry's proteges.

Upside down

I started out with the intention of going on a quick one, then changed my mind. I found I had to slow down, and ran out of gas before I wanted to, so I had to walk for the last quarter mile or so.
I did listen to some tunes, with a distinctly African flavour.

Qhude Manikiniki -Umahlathini Nabo. Another great from the Indestructible Beat album
The W.A.N.D -The Flaming Lips. Not African, but still a great song
Okuzua -Orchestra Lissanga. From Afro Rock Volume 1. Will there ever be a Volume 2? Who knows?
Dimanches a Bamako -Amadou and Mariam. The Blind Couple of Mali once again
Cantique - Kanda Bongo Man. Some lovely lovely Zouk.

Still exploring the Sports Centrum

I've been out a couple of times to the Sports Centrum. I've got a pretty good course now, that takes about 35 minutes for me to get around. Yesterday I even dared to bring the tunes-o-matic.

Qhwayilahle -Moses Mchunu This and the next are from the Indestructible Beat of Soweto compilation.
Sini Lindile -Nganeziyamfisa No Khambalombvaleliso
Beercan -Beck
I Gotcha -Joe Tex
Cold Sweat, Part I -James Brown For some reason, I don't have part 2, which starts with giving the drummer some.
Hit It and Quit It -Funkadelic
Sweet Emotion -Aerosmith

A long one

I got a day off again, so I do what I normally do, and go a little longer.
I went out to the east this time, toward the sports centre. The sports centre has all the sports fields; rugby, soccer, cricket, tennis, basketball, and I did see a sign for baseball, but never found the diamonds.
I was out for about 45 minutes, so it was a good long evening run.

A quick one

I went for a quick one last night, in both senses of the word. Quick in the sense of a short amount of time, and quick in the sense of the rate at which I ran. I worked later than I'd hoped and found the sun starting to go down, so I hurried home, togged up and went back to UP campus for a speed round. I kept up a good pace, but my breathing was labored. I don't know if it was because of city pollution, the dry air, or just being out of shape that most contributed to that problem. Today the only problem is a little tightness in my left calf, which is a bit of a problem spot for me.

The UP campus is quite a lovely milieu for my running around. The students are all back from holidays, so it's a bit more crowded than before, but at evening time it's thinned out a bit compared to midday.

Back on track

This morning I went out again, with several new twists. One: instead of going at night, I went in the morning. Two: I haven't been out in almost a week, and I had a few beers last night. Three: I'm in South Africa, so a change of scenery. Also, no music. I don't know if I'll be comfortable jogging with my tune-O-matic, because of the crime here in Pretoria. But I did get out, after consulting with a coworker to get the low-down on safety.
I'm glad I went out. I felt pretty bad when I was out there, but I'm feeling a lot better now. I was inspired to go to the shops and get some fruits and veggies to complement my diet of mostly cah-rap.

Spandex

I am of the opinion that spandex is a potentially dangerous substance. It can provide unnatural ego enhancement in some, and may be a blight on others. That said, I like to wear the stuff on my legs when it gets chilly, which it is getting. I still have legs that do justice to spandex, while my ]torso would look like I was feebly attempting to smuggle a basketball. It keeps me warm, and snug, so I wear some occasionally. Also, I run in the dark, so no one has to see it.

I took a couple of nights off, or rather I spent a couple of nights on, as in, on the job, so I decided to go longer tonight. Tonight's playlist features the letters O-T prominently:

Dirty Water -The Standells. You know what that means. Bring on October!

Sock It To 'Em, J.B. -The Specials. Apparently, they weren't allowed to mention double O seven by name, so they just called him J.B. He's got you doing the bossa nova, he's got you doing the scratch!

Making Flippy Floppy -Talking Heads. I totally heart Talking Heads.

Bang a Gong (Get It On) -T. Rex.

Emperor Tomato Ketchup -Stereolab

Let's Spend The Night Together -The Rolling Stones, or, as Ed Sullivan would have it "Let's spend some time together".

Marie Jose -Ryco Jazz. Vibrato + Zairean Soukous + Scooby Doo references = WIN!

What'd I Say, Parts 1&2 -Ray Charles. Another influence from my Dear Old Dad, who was a fan of RC from way back in the day. I got to see him performing with the Modern Jazz Quartet some years ago. I remember Ray playing and just bouncing as if he only needed to keep one toe on the stage. I can't help but think of John Belushi as Beethoven, though.

Old Fowl Ska -Roland Alphonso

Coumba -Orchestra Baobab, another gem from one of David Byrne's monthly playlists.

Nansi Imali -Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Back before Apartheid crumbled, before Paul Simon made them world famous, there was the Indestructible Beat of Soweto.

Total Time: 50:49, enough time to go down to Chewacla SP and back. A personal long since starting back in the whole jogging thing

Yes, I've still been running

Okay, so I missed two nights of blogging but not two nights of jogging (going every other night). You see, I was jogging with my wife, so I wasn't listening to music, so there's not playlist. I could tell you what we talked about, the exact spots where Trixie the Dog took a dump, etc., but I don't see that as good blogging.
Instead, here's the playlist for tonight. I didn't go out until after the end of the Auburn-LSU game, which features into the playlist.

The World's A Mess It's In My Kiss -X. Auburn lost, the Sox lost. What can I say, this song just expressed my feelings at the moment., in a delightfully upbeat way that's good to get started jogging with.

Love Her Madly -The Doors. Perhaps inspired by the Ray Manzarek influence in the previous song.

Our Lips Are Sealed -The Go-go's. This is one of my favorite pop songs of the 80's, because of the awesome dreamy chord progression. I've thought it kind of ironic to sing a song about one's lips being sealed. I mean, it could just as easily be instrumental if one's lips were truly sealed.

The Boogie Monster -Gnarls Barkley. Another song with a catchy chord progression. It also reminds me of my jogging inspiration, my dear old Dad, who would call home from work sometimes. When one of the kids would answer and ask who it was, he would always say, "The Boogie Man".

You're My Best Friend -Queen.

Junco Partner -Professor Longhair. In honor of the other Tigers (from LSU), who took the game from my Auburn Tigers this evening. I loves me some Professor Longhair. My favorite verse:

"I heard him singin', six months ain't no sentence.
He said one year, was not no time.
He said he had a friend, still in Angola,
Servin' from 14 to 99"

Seven Nation Army -White Stripes.
Meg's thump-thump-thump sounds like my feet. I used to find the line "make the sweat drip from every pore" a little absurd, until I her it while jogging. I still find the idea of going to Wichita on a whim a little absurd.

Sheena Is A Punk Rocker -The Ramones.
I often like to end with the Ramones for two reasons, their songs are usually short, and generally quick, which is good for my ritual of "digging it out" at the end. My typical strategy is to go slow, because my goal is to get my heart rate up and get the cardio benefits of jogging, while reducing stress on my joints. I'm not trying to get fast, I'm not worried about my legs giving out, I just want to get my ticker going. However, I do like to get a little sprint on at the end of my run. This is on the advice of another of my running inspirations, my brother in law, who told me this is a good thing to do. So I do it.

Total time: 26:20

What is it all about?

Okay. Here's the deal.
I'm not a great athlete.
I've never run a marathon, though I'd like to some day.
I'm writing this because I started jogging again recently, and I'd like to continue. Thus I see this blog as a motivating factor, even if no one ever sees it. It may even inspire me to do some research into how I can better myself even more.
And also, I've always wanted to write liner notes.
When I run alone, or with my dog, Trixie, I listen to music, and that helps me to keep pace, and measure how long I'm out. So that's what it's really about.
Here's tonight's playlist.
Dirty Water -The Standells. Whenever the Red Sox win, this is the first song I listen too. Tonight, they beat the Blue Jays, 4-3, to pull within 1 game of Tampa Bay in the AL East.

Manteca -Dizzy Gillespie. Manteca is Spanish for butter or lard. Dizzy wrote this song with Chano Pozo, and it was one of the first popular songs to fuse jazz and Cuban music. A great song, beautifully orchestrated, and enough energy to jump start a cruise ship.

Sweet Emotion -Aerosmith. I remember buying Aerosmith's Greatest Hits on vinyl, only to find that the opening bass and vocoder riff were edited out, and the song started with the splash. Man, did I ever feel ripped off. I also remember almost getting to meet Aerosmith one New Year's Day, when I was volunteering for the Boston Food Bank. They were having a canned food drive where lucky fans bringing in one hundred odd cans of food (the sponsoring radio station's frequency), got backstage passes. I was there to collect the cans and put them up. I was supposed to meet the band, but missed out due to some snafu. I did go backstage and almost drank Aerosmith's chocolate milk. One of my first brushs with fame.

Join Together -The Who. A real nice segue from Sweet Emotion. Also a good pace and inspirational vibe to spur on the sweaty.

Who Are You -The Who. I don't watch CSI. I just like this song and have since I was a pup.

Beaux Dimanches -Amadou and Mariam. A very catchy song by the blind Malian duo, singing about life in Bamako, capital of Mali. It reminds me of life in Niamey, Niger, where I spent a good deal of time in the Peace Corps. I first heard this one through David Byrne's radio playlist from February 2008. I've been a long time Talking Heads fan, and have found some of DB's playlists to be absolutely fantastic. This one nearly made me weep, both by nostalgia for my days in Niger and South Africa, and by introducing me to some of the Dark Continent's greatest popular music.

Paradise -Ana Serrano van der Laan. A freebie from the iTunes store. Very catchy, bouncy, and almost saccharin sweet.

Total time: 27:32