musical inspiration

Tonight was all about the music. After getting off the bus, I looked around me and realized that it wasn’t raining, and it looked like it hadn’t been for a couple hours.  The rain had been steady all day so I decided that I needed to jump at the chance to get out while it was a bit dry—you know, “Make hay while the sun shines”
“Strike while the iron is hot”  all those home-spun pithy phrases that mean you should get your butt in gear while the opportunity presents itself.  The rain here has been relentless.  I asked someone if it is like this every year.  He said, “Well, it’s November.  It should be snowing.”  Wonderful.

While I got my clothes on (t-shirt, shorts and cotton sweat pants.  I would normally have gone out in only shorts in weather of 6 degrees, but at 10:30 I didn’t want to shock anyone with my white legs.  Actually, I guess I was the slightest bit embarrassed) I listened to “She’s a Beauty” by the Tubes.  Outside on the way to the first pull-up bar was “Just What I Needed” by the Cars.  I skipped “She Drives Me Crazy” by the Fine Young Cannibals (good for stripping, but not for running), “Go Your Own Way”—Fleetwood Mac. “Long, Cool Woman” –the Hollies; “Summer of ’69”—Bryan Adams; “Video Killed the Radio Star”—The Presidents of the United States of America; “Private Idaho” --the B-52’s; and “Money” –The Flying Lizards were all great songs for running.  I was forced to take some long strides during the Hollies, but mostly the movement of the songs propelled me to speed.
The best running beat and groovy sound came from “What I Like About You” by the Romantics.   Every time I hear it, I am taken back to 1993 when I was listening to a cassette tape playing on a Walkman.  At mile 17, it came through the headphones and I literally jumped as my legs took new found energy from the excitement surging through my ears.  I timed the Romantics to coincide with my mid-run sprint.  I was like a fairy tripping along the lily pads during the first 30 strides.  I’m sure that the couple people walking along were marveling at this half dressed, long-hair crazy old man breezing by them like Marty McFly in a flux capacitor-powered DeLorean.

Flux capacitor-powered DeLorean--Back to the Future

   I was sure I was going to smash my record until…for what felt like the last 20 seconds (but was probably only 5 seconds) my legs became full of lead.  I salvaged a time that beat my two-day old record by .05 seconds.
I finished with “Bye-Bye” –Jo Dee Messina; “Classical Gas” –Mason Williams; “Feels Like the First Time” –Foreigner; “Heads Carolina, Tails California (ain’t your daddy still in Des Moines)” –Jo Dee Messina; “If I’d Been the One” –.38 Special.  I was nearly finished when the unexpected happened.

A tune came across that has a beat and rhythm exactly in time with my stride.  “Jackie Don Tucker” –Toby Keith.*  When this song began, I was five steps from the final pull-up bar.  My feet began to touch the ground at precisely the beat of the song.  I immediately turned around and did another 2:59.  I loved it.  I swear, if I was listening to that all the time, I would run forever until I died or I wore holes in my shoes.

It may look like I’m running every day.  No, 4 days per week or so.  I ran tomorrow morning’s run tonight.  Now I can sleep late until maybe 7 and then go see a potential apartment.  Hopefully, the election results might be coming in by the time I wake up.

*I’ve liked this guy since 1992.  This was before he became the flag-waving poster child for the mentally challenged red necks who drink too much beer.  By listening to his music, I am doing my part for bi-partisanship.  Think of it as Joe Biden stretching his hand across the aisle toward Steve King R-Iowa.  (These two may not be in the same room very often, but it's the thought that counts)