Day 73: Warrior Housewife: Powered by iPod

This is not me. But it could be me. So just pretend it's me.

To get going on my runs, music is a necessity. On the few occasions when I've forgotten to charge my iPod on my outdoor runs, or when my kids are playing the Wii on my indoor runs (meaning I can't turn on my cable-TV music station of choice), I'm forced to listen to the melodious sounds of my own labored breathing, which isn't exactly conducive to a productive workout.

I need a song that's going to get me motivated. Profanity-laced rap works well, I think because I'm already silently cursing like a sailor inside my head at the energy I'm forcing my body to expend. Dance and techno music is also quite effective. If I'm running at sunset/dusk, a time when I tend to get all touchy-feely and emotional in a Jimmy Buffett-isn't-life-beautiful-screw-everything-I-should-just-quit-my-job-and-open-up-a-snack-shack-in-Cozumel type of way, moody songs stimulate me to go the distance just a little longer.

If I'm on the treadmill and allowed to flip on the TV music stations, I usually gravitate toward either the retro rock station (because there's nothing like Guns n' Roses calling me a b**ch to make me crank that incline up), the dance station, or the classic alternative station. Though I don't know when U2, Til' Tuesday, and Elvis Costello officially became classified as "classic" alternative. These are your oldies now, folks.

On my iPod, I have an eclectic mix of tunes, so I have to set up workout playlists or the "Shuffle" option will fire up Vivaldi, the "English Patient" soundtrack (great stuff, but not for running), and "Row, Row, Row Your Boat."

Here was the playlist that jump-started me yesterday:

"Forget About Dre" (Eminem/Dr. Dre)
"Run to You" (Bryan Adams)
"Root Down" (Beastie Boys)
"Violet" (Hole)
"Meet Me at the Equinox" (Death Cab for Cutie)
"Devil Inside (INXS)
"Crazy Train" (Ozzy Osbourne)
"Elevation" (U2)
"Obsession" (Animotion)
"Get Busy" (Sean Paul)
"Freedom Rock" (Frank Black)
"Bring Me to Life" (Evanescence)

Unfortunately, I won't be able to sport my iPod for Warrior Dash. There'll be too much mud, muck, and other debris. I'll just have to listen to the voices in my head singing "She F***in' Hates Me" on race day.