What's a Runner to Do?

I've missed a couple of weeks of running now. Last week, I was feeling way to heavy, mostly as a result of a overeating and a busy schedule with not enough time to work out. This week, I have the flu and, in the words best said with a thick Texas accent, I'm feeling puny.

The Cowtown 5K is February 23, and I'd better get back to pounding the pavement . . . or treadmill.

Unless, of course, I can think of another excuse to convince myself not to run . . . my wife is right. I am SO easy.

The Joy of the Treadmill

I have found a reason to love the treadmill . . .

Yesterday, I was trudging along at my 10-minute pace on a treadmill adjacent to a rabbit cruising at his 'relaxed' 7-minute pace. But the absolute best part -- I never lost a single step on him.

I've told one of the owners of our firm, a marathoner, that I'm running in the Cowtown 5K next month. Guess I better, huh?

My Top 10 Running Songs

Some cyber-magic toy tied to my blog tells me what key words visitors used to arrive here (no worry; that's about all it tells me), and one of the most popular is the phrase 'best running songs.' I've noticed in other blogs that everybody has their favorite running songs, so here, in no particular order, is my Top 10 (and, like me, they are so '70s):

- Johnny B. Goode -- Chuck Berry
- After Midnight -- Eric Clapton
- Everybody's Everything -- Santana
- Foot-Stompin' Music - Grand Funk Railroad
- Born to Be Wild -- Steppenwolf
- Sweet Hitchhiker -- Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Radar Love -- Golden Earring
- Rock and Roll -- Led Zeppelin
- Born to Run -- Bruce Springsteen
- Gonna Fly Now (theme from Rocky) -- Bill Conti (we all gotta dance at the top of those steps)

The all have a strong beat that DRIVEs me. Honorable mention includes:

- Run Through the Jungle -- Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Theme from Shaft -- Isaac Hayes (I wish this was the theme music that played whenever I walked into a room)
- Crazy on You -- Heart
- Another One Bites the Dust -- Queen
- Call Me the Breeze -- Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Looking for a Hero -- Bonnie Tyler
- Saturday's All Right for Fighting -- Elton John
- Hot Rod Lincoln -- Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen
- Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers -- ZZ Top
- Smoke on the Water -- Deep Purple
- I'm a Man -- Chicago*
- Money for Nothing -- Dire Straits*

* these two start off slow, and I have a tendency to slow down with them

Can't say I didn't warn you. It's elevator music at 'the home.'

A Beautiful Day for a Run!

We're enjoying spring-like weather here in Fort Worth, and today was absolutely beautiful. I even left work early to be able to run outside before it got dark. I've only been running on the treadmill, so this was a real treat; but there were some things I forgot:

- Spring-like weather means wind, lots of it

- Outdoors means hills; my calves may need more work than the treadmill offers

- Outdoors and spring-like weather also means bugs; I think I swallowed one

I felt great when I was done. This was one of those runs that makes you a believer in the magic of endorphins. I was goofily dancing in the kitchen while fixing dinner; my wife and younger daughter just gawked and shook their heads.

I'm really excited about the Cowtown 5K. I think it's time for a PR (which, in my case, won't be tough to set, but that's okay; it'll be a PR).

Cowtown 2008

Okay. All right, already. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is now running a series of articles on how easy it is to spend the next eight weeks preparing for the Cowtown Marathon's 5K. Looks like I'm stuck. Run is February 23.