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

Fail, fall down, get up, get going again

So last month ended in abysmal failure.  I failed to meet my monthly mileage quota by a lot, mostly because I failed to get in my third half-marathon, which I was registered for and ready to go to, but my brain kept me away.  Excuses: I had a lot of work to do,  my daughter's softball team needed me,   I've had some personal crises in my life that made ten hours of driving alone and staying in a strange cheap hotel room only to physically exhaust myself all seem, um, unpalatable, to put it mildly.  So.  There's that.

Moving on to this month.  It's been getting warm again, so it's getting to that time of year where I need to put my miles in around the heat.  Today, it's supposed to thunderstorm, and I can hear the thunderheads rolling in.  I knew that three days into May I had to get going or get deeper into the hole, so I chose the former.  I opted for my favorite four mile, up to Samford and back.

Playlist	pretty hard stuff
For Those About to Rock, We Salute You	AC/DC
How Many More Times	Led Zeppelin
The Jean Genie	David Bowie
Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution	AC/DC
You Got The Silver	Rolling Stones
Books About UFOs	Husker Du
Corona	Minutemen

Time 32:55
Distance 4.00 mi
Cumulative 4.00 mi
Pace 8:13 min/mi

Muggy but nicer

It's a bit overcast and it might rain shortly, which is good because we need rain. The temperature is down a bit, but the humidity is quite high. I got off to a good start and decided to go down to Toomer's Corner and back, the ol' 5.6 mile route. And it's our Wedding Anniversary, yay!

Playlist -A nice one, seemed to flow well.
Take Me Away -Ween
Cut -Minutemen
China Girl -David Bowie
Highway to Hell -AC/DC
Celebration Day -Led Zeppelin
Buk-In-Hamm Palace -Peter Tosh
Loser -Beck
Cobbler -Meat Puppets
The Gnome -Pink Floyd
It's Up To You -the Specials
The Day I Tried To Live -Soundgarden
It's Summertime -Flaming Lips
Meanwhile Rick James... -CAKE
Nappy Dugout -Funkadelic

Times
L1 12:23
L2 6:31
L3 6:11
L4 4:49
L5 6:38
L6 3:34
L7 11:16
L8 0:48
Total 52:11

Distance 5.6 miles
Cumulative distance 28.5 miles

Hot again.

Another hot day, lazing in bed until it's almost the hottest part of the day. I did see a couple of friends driving by as I went along on my 4.6 mile route, up Gay to Samford and back via the Art Museum. Another 5K tomorrow. Overall, I felt pretty good out there, no major aches or pains or crippling fatigue. As always, glad to get home.

Playlist
The Battle of Evermore -Led Zeppelin
Up on the Sun -Meat Puppets
Singapore -Tom Waits
Going to California -Led Zeppelin
Little Man With A Gun In His Hand -Minutemen
Sheena Is A Punk Rocker -Ramones
Street Fighting Man -Rolling Stones
Burning Down the House -Talking Heads
The Jean Genie -David Bowie
They'll Need A Crane -They Might Be Giants
Dreadlock Holiday -10cc
Exactly Where I'm At -Ween

Times
L1 12:51
L2 6:26
L3 7:49
L4 3:45
L5 12:06
L6 0:55
Total 43:51

Distance 4.6 miles
Cumulative distance 19.8 miles

Clear cold day

Another run up and over the hill, down to Chewacla and back. My classes for this afternoon were canceled as an artifact of the 'winter weather' (really the Auburn football team winning the National Championship!) on Monday and Tuesday, so I took advantage of the extra time for a clear cold run.

Playlist
Slavedriver -Jenny and Johnny
The Glory of Man -Minutemen
The Distance -Cake
She Blinded Me With Science -Thomas Dolby
F*ckin' With My Head -Beck
Mutilated Lips -Ween
Paranoid -Black Sabbath
The Stallion Part 3 -Ween
Been Caught Stealing -Jane's Addiction
Motel Room In My Bed -X

Times
L1 8:10
L2 7:03
L3 7:21
L4 7:17
L5 0:46
Total 30:37 Glad to be back within the 30 minute range. Feeling like I'm getting back into the swing of things.

Distance 3.5 miles
Cumulative distance 16.9 miles

Exile on Gay Street

I just rebought Exile on Main Street, the Rolling Stones masterpiece, on iTunes. I've listened to my vinyl copy a few times recently, and determined it was a reasonable purchase. Tonight I made it up to Samford/Gay and back after a few days off. Feeling good, building back up in distance. Hopefully will fell okay tomorrow, when I'm on my feet all day.

Playlist
Samba Da Bemcao -Bebel Gilberto
Rocks Off -the Rolling Stones
Every Breath You Take -the Police
The Gnome -Pink Floyd
I Felt Like A Gringo -Minutemen
Sing A Simple Song -the Meters
Sweet Home Alabama -Lynyrd Skynyrd
The Song Remains The Same -Led Zeppelin
Ruby -Kaiser Chiefs
Happy -the Rolling Stones
Confusion Fog -Meat Puppets

Times
L1 13:35
L2 6:37
L3 6:09
L4 11:30
L5 0:53
Total 38:44

Distance 4.0 miles
Cumulative distance 9.4 miles

A little longer, a little better.

Another day, a little longer. Started out a little tight, but loosened up and went with it. Not all out, of course. Similar to yesterday's route, only all the way up College to Toomer's Corner, down Magnolia to Gay and all the way back down to home. At this point, I'll be glad to get 15 runs in this month, or over 75 miles.

Playlist -I'm sure these all belong to a genre that has a name, but I don't know what it is.
Cherub Rock -Smashing Pumpkins
Siva -Smashing Pumpkins
Sugar -Imperial Teen
Hot Pink -Meat Puppets
We're Here -Meat Puppets
Jane Says -Jane's Addiction
Books About UFOs -Husker Du
Little Man With A Gun In His Hand -Minutemen
There Goes My Gun -Pixies
God Is A Number -Sleater-Kinney
Superunknown -Soundgarden
Emperor Tomato Ketchup -Stereolab
The Day I Tried To Live -Soundgarden

Times
L1 12:03
L2 3:20
L3 (To Toomer's) 11:14
L4 0:49
L5 4:51
L6 5:43
L7 11:58
Total 49:57
Distance 5.63 miles

Ogletree loop

Ran out Ogletree and decided to go around the loop rather than turning around. That's actually the shorter route. Seven plus miles. Missed yesterday, because my daughter didn't have school and I was in charge.

Playlist
Sweet Child O' Mine -Guns 'N Roses
The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song -Flaming Lips
What Is Life -George Harrison
Rusty Cage -Soundgarden
Catch All This -Del the Funky Homosapien
16 Shells From a Thirty-Ought Six -Tom Waits
Rock The Casbah -The Clash
Nappy Dugout -Funkadelic
Diamond Dogs -David Bowie
Jesus and Tequila -Minutemen
That Girl From Brownsville, Texas -Jim White
Seven Nation Army -White Stripes
You Can't Catch Me -Chuck Berry
Atomic Dog - George Clinton

Times
L1 (Home ->SS) 8:28
L2 (SS ->Windway) 11:33
L3 (WW ->Moore's Mill) 18:40
L4 (MM ->University) 12:28
L5 (MM/Univ ->Home) 12:16
Total 1:03:26
Distance 7.07 miles

UDMGAG, a new tagged route.

University, Donahue, Magnolia, Gay, Armstrong, Gay. UDMGAG. Perhaps that what I should tag this route? It's cool and overcast. No students around due to Spring Break. Pretty much ideal conditions.

Playlist
Jumping Jack Flash -Rolling Stones
Miuzi Weighs a Ton -Public Enemy
It's Expected I'm Gone -Minutemen
Hot Pink -Meat Puppets
Cocaine Blues -Johnny Cash
So Easy -Eagles of Death Metal
Love Me Two Times -The Doors
Queen Bitch -David Bowie
Send a Message To Her -Beck
Finger Lickin' Good -Beastie Boys
Pay To Cum -Bad Brains
Back In Black -AC/DC
Peaches En Regalia -Frank Zappa
Run (I'm A Natural Disaster) -Gnarls Barkley
Our Lips Are Sealed -Go-gos
Manic Depression -Jimi Hendrix
I Love It Loud -KISS

Times
L1 (University) 13:56
L2 (Donahue) 16:04
L3 (Magnolia) 5:13
L4 (Gay/Armstrong/Samford) 5:47
L5 (Upper Gay) 5:35
L6 (Lower Gay/Home) 10:55
Total 57:31 Looks like a pretty good time. PB? YES! 7.0 miles in under an hour. Yay!

Another Pleasant Valley Sunday, on Thursday

A new route through a fairly new neighborhood nearby. I've avoided it thus far, as all my driving through the neighborhood kind of creeped me out, in how all the houses look exactly the same, and bear the name of the flora and fauna they've replaced. My subdivision is not better in this latter regard, though I'm not sure what a tanglewood is, anyway.

Playlist
Sissyneck -Beck
L.A. Woman -The Doors
I'll Stick Around -Foo Fighters
What Is Life -George Harrison
Purple Haze -Jimi Hendrix
Corona -Minutemen
Standing On The Verge of Getting It On -Funkadelic
Maiden's Milk -Meat Puppets
Cobbler -Meat Puppets
You're My Best Friend -Queen
Pink Eye (On My Leg) -Ween

Times
L1 11:30 (through neighborhood 'X')
L2 21:06 (Jct Ogletree Rd)
L3 7:38 (Ogletree SS ->Home, reckon that's a personal record for that leg!)
Total 40:13
Distance 4.9 miles A little over 8 minute miles. Not bad though, for the 4th day in a row. Good on last split, no doubt

Another New Route

First day without spandex in a while. It was nice out, but I like how the spandex keeps my downtown region nicely secured, if you catch my TMI. Another new route, this time up Wright's Mill Rd. toward downtown, through AU campus again, and back via the Arboretum, Art Museum, Woodfield, and Gay Street

Playlist. Enough with the alphabet, just some songs I wanted to hear.
Xtabenium -Acme Rocket Quartet
(I Love It When You) Call Me Names -Joan Armatradding
I Felt Like A Gringo -Minutemen
I Wanna Rock -Twisted Sister
I'm A Mindless Idiot -Meat Puppets
Jimmy The Exploder -White Stripes
Let Forever Be -Chemical Brothers
Rock & Roll -Lou Reed and Velvet Underground
The Song Remains The Same -Led Zeppelin
The Stallion Pt. 3 -Ween
I Wanna Know If It's Good To You -Funkadelic
To Kingdom Come -The Band
Rosa Parks -Outkast

Time
49:23
Distance 5.7 miles

Last time before major tuneomatic surgery

So on my trip to Charlottesville, I dropped my tune-o-matic, which cracked its screen :{(- (that's a frowning emoticon self-portrait). So after calling the manufacturer and the mobile company (who shall remain nameless, to protect the guilty) I now have to pay lots of money to send it away for an out of warranty repair/replace operation. Everything else still works, however, and if I keep it in a heavy-mil resealable bag, it stays dry and doesn't slice my finger to ribbons. Apart from that, I've been a bit lazy. A week off, though with hikes at Natural Bridge in Virginia, and some vigorous insect-collecting work out in T-town. So I haven't been completely sedentary. Anyway, it's good to be back and nice to get out for a run. It stopped raining (it was dumping this morning), and a bit warm for Spandex, but I wore it anyway. Down to Chewacla and back.

Playlist
Here Comes Your Man -The Pixies
Emperor Tomato Ketchup -Stereolab
All Your Goodies are Gone -Parliament
Mother's Little Helper -The Rolling Stones
What I'd Say (Parts 1&2) -Ray Charles
For Your Life -Led Zeppelin
History Lesson, Part I -Minutemen

Times
Length 1--> 8:46
Length 2--> 7:19
Length 3-->7:44
Length 4-->8:34
Total-->32:22 Pretty good, still up near that peak of 2 weeks ago. Can I get it down to 30:00? That would be nice.

Long Run to Shel Toomer and Back

I took an extra day or two off, so I went on a long (1hr+) run today, down to Shel Toomer Bike Path to the end and back. It's about six miles.

Playlist
Jeepster -T. Rex
Motel in My Bed -X
The New World -X
Found a Job -Talking Heads
Take Me Away -Ween
Roses are free -Ween
Cocaine Blues -Johnny Cash
I'll Never Forget You -Husker Du
Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing -Minutemen
Severed Goddess Hand -Meat Puppets
Sweet Home Alabama -Lynyrd Skynyrd
Dixie Chicken -Little Feat
Christine Sixteen -KISS
Our Lips are Sealed -Go-Gos
For All the Cows -Foo Fighters
Moonage Daydream -David Bowie
Shake a Leg -AC/DC
Crazy Train -Ozzy Osbourne

Times
Length 1->8:27
Length 2->7:39
Length 3->15:16
Length 4->15:45
Length 5->8:25
Length 6->9:02
Total->1:04:34
Definitely slowed down a bit between way out and back. Not too surprising, I guess. Shel Toomer has a bit more up and down, unlike the Ogletree route, which is longer but less topography.

At long last, feet on the concrete

So today I went on a run, at long last. Up over the hill and back again towards Chewacla. I wanted to head all the way down, but after such a prolonged hiatus, I figured it better to keep it short and sweet.

Playlist (punky):
Sweet Child of Mine -G'n'F'nR (I'm learning this song on the banjo uke, FUN!)
Stay Close to Me -Bad Brains
Coup d'Etat -Circle Jerks
The Glory of Man -Minutemen
Motel in My Bed -X
Fell in Love with a Girl -White Stripes
I'm a Mindless Idiot -Meat Puppets
Time out 19:24

A good long alternative mix

I thought about going out Sunday night after Saturday night, because I knew I'd miss last night due to a prior engagement. I didn't, so I went a bit longer tonight.

Playlist:
Spinal Meningitis -Ween
Sugar -Imperial Teen
Making Flippy Floppy -Talking Heads
Enchanted Porkfist -Meat Puppets
It's Expected I'm Gone -Minutemen
What's Going On -Husker Du
Float On -Modest Mouse
The Sky Is Falling -Queens of the Stone Age
Turn It On -Flaming Lips
The Distance -CAKE
Emperor Tomato Ketchup -Stereolab
Time out 44:13.5