Genius: Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games, Of Montreal

A cold 4-miler on my routine course. Winds up to 25 mph made it interesting. There were four other runners out, so things are picking up. That's rare; usually I don't see any.

Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games, Of Montreal
Free Radicals, The Flaming Lips
Flower, Liz Phair
All is Full of Love, Death Cab for Cutie
Broken Drum, Beck
Real Love, Lucinda Williams
Weapon of Choice, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Undone - The Sweater Song, Wheezer
Quiche Lorraine (Live), The B-52's
McFearless, Kings of Leon

Went with some alternative today, making a good up-tempo run. Flower isn't for the faint of heart; Undone picked it up; and Quiche Lorraine was a perfect push at the end (the live version shows the B-52's a more hard, rather than pop, punk band; this live is much better than the studio). And Lucinda Williams? I guess you can float any genre and she fits right in. Amazing.

4.1 miles, 34:06, 8:19, 45 degrees

Earth Run Saturday!

MC and I ran a cross country 5K on Saturday at the Roger Milliken Center in Spartanburg. The Earth Run was held on the course for the NCAA and Junior Olympics Championships, so the course was great, yet challenging. A killer hill at the end tired many out, but MC had a 5K personal best 30:05! We both passed a lot of stragglers.

This was our second trail run. I prefer it (easier on the joints), but MC says she likes the bounce back from the pavement. Our other experience was with a 24-hour endurance run on a 5K course in Black Mountain. We call it the Diva Run, after MC's running team, the Divas. Hopefully, we'll do it again and get some guys involved. I ran a couple of legs (one with MC and the other with Mandy), but I'd like to do more.

Something about running through the woods is just good for the soul.

5K, 27:41, 8:54 per mile, 50 degrees.

Genius: Six Days on the Road, Steve Earle

I had a meeting canceled this morning, so took the chance to squeeze in 5+ miles before lunch and March Madness (I have Ohio St. winning it all). Just popped out into the neighborhood, and thought I'd like a singer/songwriter mix, so I went with Steve Earle -- but launched it with his cover of "Six Days on the Road." So that wasn't much of a singer/songwritery way of kicking things off. What the hell; it was a good place to start.

Great day to run: a little overcast, with the sun peeking out every now and then. 55 degrees, slight breeze.

Six Days on the Road, Steve Earle
I'm No Stranger to the Rain, Keith Whitley (a very true title for Greenville)
Kaw-Liga, Hank Williams
Sunday Morning Coming Down, Kris Kristofferson
Pineola, Lucinda Williams
Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground, Willie Nelson
Not Forgotten You, Kelly Willis
September When It Comes, Johnny Cash/Roseanne Cash
Soul of a Man, Ollabelle
Angel Band, The Stanley Brothers
Honky Tonkin', Hank Williams
I Lost It, Lucinda Williams

This mix gave me a great rhythm and it showed with a sub 9-minutes per mile pace. Hank's "Honky Tonkin'" give a great beat to finish out a run. If you're not familiar with Kelly Willis, check her out. And Lucinda is just the best.

Adios. Jake and Wheeler are laying out in the sun and I'm tuned into the tournament.

5.4 miles from the house. 48:26. 8:58 per mile. 55 degrees.

Leaving Genius behind...

Well, I went without the iPod on this great afternoon. Sunny, almost 70 degrees, a little breeze, and a scenic trail from downtown Greenville on the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

Running without the tunes was quite relaxing. You really feel the run without the interruption of the music; got in a great rhythm and was able to have a "mindful" run. Took in the scenery and felt a part of it instead of just running through it. Within the first 2 minutes, saw a Blue Heron on the falls downtown. Lot of turtles; lots of folks walking their dogs, walking hand-in-hand, walking alone. A few runners; one with two dogs, well-behaved. She musta watched Dog Whisperer.

At the end, I went to my truck and got the iPhone to take some pics. Ran into a couple with a Great Dane. I love Great Danes (take heart Jake and Wheeler, I don't love them more than you!).

Couldn't have asked for a better run. Got home, showered, and MC came home from work. She took a wine, and I shook a martini. Heirloom tomatoes, pecorino romano, parmigiano-reggiano and some cheddar, triscuits and wheat thins. Just perfect.

These kind of days (and runs) put a smile on my face...

6-miles on the Swamp Rabbit, 54 minutes (approx), 9 minutes per mile, 69 degrees. Hey, if anyone knows how to put cutlines under the photos, please fill me in.

3 miles with MC

MC and I went 3 miles today around the house. Were thinking of a trip to the Swamp Rabbit, but didn't want to take the time. So we settled on our normal 3-mile out and back. Left Jake and Wheeler at home -- they said they were tired from playing outside all day.

Nice day: 57 degrees, overcast, but a little breezy.

a note about the blogs listed on the side...

I've taken a few days' break from running, so I just wanted to give a shout out to the running blogs linked to in the sidebar here. They're quite varied, to say the least.

52 Beginnings is from a runner in Leesburg, VA, who is running 52 marathons in 52 weeks for a charity that supports South African AIDS orphans. Dana Casanave, the author, was overweight for most of her life -- until she started running in 2006. She's lost 70 lbs. and runs marathons and ultramarathons. Quite inspiring.

 The Happy Runner is a freelance writer and editor who gives running tips and logs her runs, which are usually 5K and 10K, but also the occasional marathon. Lite reading, but fun.

Between the Miles blogs about her training and running. Kara includes video "Runscapes" of her actual runs with narration. She likes Bob Marley.

Saturday Morning Zen features one primary author and posts from quite a few other runners. Lara Robinson combines mindfulness with her trail running. She is a professional writer, so this is a very good read. If you like yoga, zen and the outdoors, you'll like this.

Amy's Training Blog is written by Amy Reinink, a professional journalist. She gives tips and "tricks" to us non-professional runners.  Lots of motivation and cross-training posts.

Be A Good One is written by who is approaching 50. She is in marathon training mode, and Zen and yoga dominate.

Running from Camera is my favorite. It is quite literally a blog of photos of the author/artist running away from the camera. Based in Europe, the author sets his camera timer on 2 seconds, clicks and runs away from the camera. What a great concept...

Back to running tomorrow. MC and I are going to hit the Swamp Rabbit downtown.

Running as a Means of Transportation

I write this on behalf of my husband, Mike, who has embraced our new "in town" living by using his two feet to get places. We live about 6 blocks from my daughter Mattie's school. He is often the afternoon pick up person so he runs with an empty stroller to pick her up...short running shorts and all! They leave from school on either a run(4 miles) or to literally "run" errands. Yesterday the destination was our doctors office to pick up sample medications. He always gets the same response, "Did you run here?" He just smiles and responds, "Of course!" It is quite inspiring. I am trying to figure out how I can run in my business casual clothes to drop Mattie off, which is only 2 blocks from my work, in the morning.

We would love to hear how other runners or "joggers", as I call myself, incorporate running into their daily mundane life activities.

LC and Mike

Genius: Booty Call, G. Love

Booty Call, G. Love
What'cha Know About, Donavon Frankenreiter
No Woman No Cry, Xavier Rudd
Picture of Jesus, Ben Harper
Symbol of My Driveway, Jack Johnson
Bullet and a Target, Citizen Cope
Que' Onda Guero, Beck
To Be Young (Is To Be Sad Is To Be High), Ryan Adams
Heavy Metal Drummer, Wilco
Fishing Song, G. Love

Great day for running; first run in a long time in a tank and shorts. Rather funky, too, with this soundtrack...

4.1 miles from the house, 37:41, 9:11 per mile, 68 degrees.

Genius: Nobody Girl, Ryan Adams

Ran 8.3 miles on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, starting at the Traveler's Rest trail head and running south to Furman. MC ran the first 4.15. Left the dogs at home as we keep them to 3-4 miles at the most. Great day; best day of the 2010 for running yet. Ran the last 4.15 with the tunes going.

Nobody Girl, Ryan Adams
*Hell is Chrome, Wilco
Up All Night, Counting Crows
Free Until They Cut Me Down, Iron & Wine
Simple Twist of Fate, Bob Dylan
*Woman in You, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
Burning Photographs, Ryan Adams
Trunk, Kings of Leon

*These two are live versions, from Kicking Television and Live From Mars, respectively. Hell is Chrome live is great to run with; however, Woman in You is much better to run with on the studio version. Just too much live.

8 miles on the Swamp Rabbit (out and back), 1:18:20, 9:26 per mile, 4.15 miles with the Genius list, 50 degrees

Genius: Poison Whiskey, Lynyrd Skynyrd

Ran a 10K today, the first mile with MC and the pups. Early morning, during sunrise. The Genius list is for the last 5 miles after they looped back home.

Poison Whiskey, Lynyrd Skynyrd
Nobody's Fault But Mine, Led Zeppelin
I Shot the Sheriff, Eric Clapton
Twice As Hard, Black Crowes
*War Pigs, Black Sabbath
Glory Days, Bruce Springsteen
On a Plain, Nirvana
Trampled Under Foot, Led Zeppelin
Pistol of Fire, Kings of Leon
Drunken Angel, Lucinda Williams
The Three of Us, Ben Harper

*War Pigs was an anti-Vietnam War song written by Ozzy. In the song, he has the cajones to condemn to hell those responsible for beginning and continuing an unnecessary war. (Pretty interesting to hear Ozzy preaching!) I hadn't heard this in a long, long time, and I laughed out loud thinking how appropriate the song stands today. Found myself thinking of Bush, Darth Cheney, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz and Iraq.

10K from my home (this is a hard to follow route as it loops - somewhat), 5-mile time with Genius -- 47:13, 9:26 per mile, 34 degrees

Genius: Steve McQueen, Sheryl Crow

Steve McQueen, Sheryl Crow
American Woman, Lenny Kravitz
In God's Country, U2
Don't Tell Me, Madonna
Rain King, Counting Crows
So Much to Say, Dave Matthews Band
Drink the Water, Jack Johnson
Tangled Up in Blue, Indigo Girls
Talkin' Bout a Revolution, Tracy Chapman
Love is Free, Sheryl Crow
Let Love Rule, Lenny Kravitz
Private Idaho, B-52's
Ray of Light, Madonna
Ode to Family, The Cranberries
Brand New Day, Sting


5.4 miles run from my house, 48:49 minutes, 9:02 per mile, 40 degrees

Nice sunny day, perfect temperature today.

The first two songs are a great kick-off to any run. The Indigo Girls' cover of "Tangled Up in Blue" is excellent, with a serious timing change in the middle. I had to take care of a stray dog in the beginning of the run, but that took little time -- it did want to run with me, but the traffic was too heavy.