Return of It

First run since my bday.  It's getting warm out there, and I should be trying to get out earlier.  Today I went down to Chewacla and back, then turned into the neighborhood across from Ogletree, Wright's Crossing I think it's called.  That made for a 4.56 mile loop altogether.  So my new goals for the new year: 40 miles a month, no run less than 4 miles, and try and complete 1 full marathon.

Playlist	Return of IT
Don't Blame It On I	the Congos
I Lost It	Lucinda Williams
Get It Together	Beastie Boys
It's Expected I'm Gone	Minutemen
Let It Bleed	Rolling Stones
Jam On It	Newcleus
Where It's At	Beck
Tougher Than It Is	CAKE
Life and How to Live It	REM

Distance 4.56 miles
Cumulative 13.67 miles
Pace 8:30 min/mi

Warming up/West Pace

It's starting to get warm out there. And here it is the first day of Spring? Happy Vernal Equinox!

For today's route, I hit the Shel Toomer Bike path and out around West Pace. It was the first time with the MapMyRun app, so I was able to measure it: 6.89 miles. Also, I recently was introduced to some Wilco that I really like. I've heard Mermaid Avenue, but it didn't really turned my knobs. But Yankee Hotel Foxtrot? That's some crazy good shtuff, there. Today's playlist features it prominently, to wit:

Playlist
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart	Wilco
Sugar Never Tasted So Good	White Stripes
Heavy Metal Drummer	Wilco
Who Loves the Sun	Velvet Underground
I'm the Man Who Loves You	Wilco
Live With Me	Rolling Stones
Kamera	Wilco
Evil Urges	My Morning Jacket
Do Nothing	the Specials
Reggaemyelitis	Peter Tosh
Here Comes Your Man	Pixies
Time to Pretend	MGMT
Inspector Gadget	Lee "Scratch" Perry
Monkey	Matthew Dear
How Many More Times	Led Zeppelin

Distance 6.89 mi

Cumulative 34.94 mi

Time 59:09

Pace 8:36 min/mi

Closing In on the Goal for February

I tried a new route this evening: Up to Gay, then right at Thach to Chewacla (Street, not the State Park), and down to Samford. Then up the hill to Dumas, and around to Wright's Mill down to University, and home. I thought it would have been longer, but it came out to be 5.4 miles. In my mind, I thought I could finish the month's goal with this one effort, but I didn't want to push it and finish with a big greedy bite; better to take it in two. I wore the compression suit, although it was just about 50 F when I left the house. I was still feeling a little heavy with dinner, too, though that was worked out about 2 miles in. Overall, I felt good.

I also wish to note that if there is any song that expresses joy moreso than "Cooperation", I'm not sure my heart could stand to hear it. That song just nails it.

Playlist
Vibrate On	Lee "Scratch" Perry
Over the Hills and Far Away	Led Zeppelin
Rudie Can't Fail	the Clash
The Man Who Sold the World	David Bowie
Mexican Radio	Wall of Voodoo
Jane Says	Jane's Addiction
Stay Close to Me	Bad Brains
Cooperation	Franco & Sam Mangwana
Can't You Hear Me Knocking	Rolling Stones
San Ber'dino	Frank Zappa

Time: 48:06

Distance 5.4 miles

Cumulative 37.1 miles

Pace 8:56 min/mi

Banned in DC

In Washington DC on vacation visiting family. I ran up over the P Street Bridge and into Georgetown, then down to the Potomac and around Georgetown Waterfront Park.

Playlist
I Luv I Jah	Bad Brains
Banned in DC	Bad Brains
Sissyneck	Beck
Evil Boy	Die Antwoord
Dirt Off Your Shoulder	Jay-Z
(I Love It When You) Call Me Names	Joan Armatradding
Secret Laboratory (Scientific Dancehall)	Lee "Scratch" Perry
Born Free	M.I.A.

Time: 33:55

Distance 3.7 miles

Cumulative distance 18.5 miles

Back in the Saddle Again

I finally made it back out on the road after an month and almost a half. My left calf was very tender and the pain affected my walking gait for most of a week after the injury back at the end of October. My web research and conversations with physicians suggested rest was necessary. Then I was busy, and now the busiest part of the year is over. So this evening I finally got out on the road for a fairly short run. I went down to Chewacla entrance and back, then at the top of the hill I went down Old Wright's Mill Rd, to add on a little bit.

Playlist

Back in the Saddle	Aerosmith
Fish Paste	Die Antwoord
Dr. Lee, PhD	Beastie Boys and Lee Scratch Perry
Memphis	Chuck Berry
Moonlight On Vermont	Captain Beefheart & his Magic Band
Stay Close to Me	Bad Brains
(I Was Born In A) Laundromat	Camper Van Beethoven
Guns of Brixton	the Clash
Back in Black	AC/DC

Times

L1	8:23
L2	7:18
L3	7:31
L4	10:03
L5	0:47
Total	34:02

Distance 3.8 miles
Cumulative 3.8 miles

New Month, New Route, Will I ever go back to my old ways?

Another couple of days off, followed by another long run. I'm not sure how this pattern affects my desired goals, i.e. getting more fit, losing weight, going longer, getting ready for half- or full-marathon. Most of the route I've done before, only now I've mish-mashed them into a new combination. Down University up to Donahue, up onto campus and up to Magnolia, across College and down Gay to Thach, Armstrong to Samford and back home via Gay St.

Playlist
Over the Hills and Far Away -Led Zeppelin
Alone + Easy Target -Foo Fighters
Crazy Train -Ozzy Osbourne
Superunknown -Soundgarden
The Distance -Cake
Chest Fever -The Band
Don't Sh*t Where You Eat -Ween
God is a Number -Sleater-Kinney
Dr. Lee, PhD -Beastie Boys (with Lee "Scratch" Perry)
Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell -Flaming Lips
Gold -GZA
For Your Life -Led Zeppelin
Coming In Hot -Peter Tosh
Xtabenium -Acme Rocket Quartet

Times
L1 (Home-> Donahue) 14:32
L2 (Donahue->College) 3:16
L3 (College-> Samford?) 4:33
L4 (?->Toomer's Corner) 13:58
L5 (Toomer's -> Samford/Gay) 7:01
L6 (Samford->Woodfield) 6:01
L7 (Woodfield-> Home) 11:54
Total 1:01:14
Distance 7.0 miles

Irie Jog

Another long one, first in a long while. Up to the Art Museum and back. For no apparent reason, I decided to go with an all-reggae playlist. Uplifting, soulful, spiritual reggae. It's been so rainy here this spring, which tonight made the jog smell very nice; Wisteria, cedar chips, Sunday night laundry. Somehow I think that inspired me to go long.

The Playlist
Feast of the Passover -The Congos (Passover is coming right up, friends)
Birds in the Treetops -Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus
Much Smarter -The Meditations
Roast Fish and Cornbread -Lee 'Scratch' Perry
Chinee Man -Culture
Tradition -Burning Spear
Never Get Weary -Toots and the Maytals
Equal Rights -Peter Tosh
New Name -Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus
Time 40:39

Songs in the Key of G through J

Two points make a line, and so you can say I'm back on track. I went back over the Interstate, up past Town Creek Park, to the stop sign. I thought of this as a short run. But after such a long hiatus, the hills felt a lot steeper, and my pace was a bit slower, and I did make it without expiring. For some reason, the them of the playlist was songs by artists in the G's through J's.

The Playlist
A Little Better -Gnarls Barkley. This felt like an appropriate song to kick off on. Nice, triumphant and inspirational tone.
Our Lips Are Sealed -The Go-Gos
The Jackass Song -Harry Belafonte
Paint The White House Black -George Clinton. A prescient ditty from the early Bill Clinton years. You may think George Clinton should be filed under C, or Harry Belafonte under B, but then you wouldn't be my Tune-O-Matic.
Sufferer's Time -The Heptones.
I Gotcha -Joe Tex
Police and Thieves -Junior Murvin. I much prefer this original version to the Clash's version. Sorry, The Clash.
25 Minutes to Go -Johnny Cash. An upbeat song about capital punishment.

Total time: 31:29