Training Tuesdays: 07.19.11.

I've discovered the secret to doing long runs alone.

PODCASTS!

Why didn't anybody tell me this? Why didn't I think of this sooner? 

I'm not a big fan of listening to music while I run. It distracts me. Sometimes in a good way - in the way where I get so absorbed in a song that I forget I'm running. But usually in a way where I forget to breathe, I amp up my pace and generally forget my surroundings. Not good.

Thinking that my 14-mile solo run was going to be a challenge, I grabbed my iPod Shuffle as I was packing for the weekend. But knowing that there would be no way of keeping my ridiculously slow training pace while listening to Beyonce, Bad Religion and Outkast (eclectic, I know), I had a light bulb moment - why not put podcasts of some of my favorite radio programs on my Shuffle? I know "radio programs" makes me seem like an old lady. Hubs makes fun of me weekly. But, keeping busy on weekends recently, I haven't been catching Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! and This American Life every Saturday. What seems like a million years ago, I had subscribed to the Freakonomics podcast on iTunes, but had only listened to the first episode. So I loaded up my Shuffle with two of each program.

The programs had variation, were interesting, funny, thought-provoking, but mild enough that I kept a consistent (slow) pace. I was entertained, but not hurried.

I can't say that this is the reason for the success of my run (Lord help me if I even think of chalking it up to my pre-run McDonald's non-carb loading), but I can definitively say that this was my best run. Of the entire training program. Including short mid-week runs. Not only did the run feel good, but I felt great the rest of the day. I double checked my route to make sure I actually ran 14 miles. And I had!

I ran along the beautiful Columbia Trail, which stretches between High Bridge and Long Valley, New Jersey. The entire trail is 11 miles long. A few weeks back when I was in Jersey for a visit I did a 6-miler on the trail, starting in Long Valley and ending in Califon. It was a nice run, if maybe a little boring. So for this run, I started on the other end of the trail, in High Bridge, and ran just over 7 miles out and back. I got through one This American Life, one Wait Wait, and one Freakonomics. For the last couple miles, though, I did get a little push from Cee-Lo, Nicki Minaj, Spoon and the Scissor Sisters. And, yes, I did run those miles too fast.

This is my running schedule for the rest of the week:

Happy Weekend: On the Road.

In honor of hitting the road this evening, here are a few of my favorite road trip songs. Hope your weekend is full of music, adventure, fun and family.

Josh Ritter: Keeps His Chickens in the Car.

File this under reasons I love this city. Last night, my favorite singer and new author, Josh Ritter, had a book reading and signing at Politics & Prose. He discussed how he approached writing his novel, Bright's Passage, and how writing the novel was similar to and different from writing songs. Talking about how his writing method, he said he determines the rhythm and meter of a song and builds the lyrics and rhyme to fit. Similarly, he said determining the arc of the story helped him keep his ideas organized when approaching his novel. He recalled a quote by Tom Waits: "Gathering all this material together was like rounding up chickens at the beach." And then noted that he would have to keep his chickens in the car.

photo by Politics & Prose

Having an angel be a major character in the book made him realize how often angels show up in his songs. He played Folk Bloodbath and Galahad as examples.

photo by Politics & Prose

He was just as joyful talking about and reading from his novel and answering the audience's questions as he is when he's playing...which is pretty damn joyful. If you've never seen him live, see Exhibit A, below, to get an idea of what I'm talking about. Then go to his website, see when he's playing near you, and buy tickets. Stat.

Vic Theatre, Chicago, May 15, 2010 (yes, I was there)
photo by eight one seven photography

If you've never heard his music, please take a listen. This is a video from his NPR Tiny Desk Concert. The first song of his set, The Temptation of Adam, is a sweet, romantic song about strangers finding love in a missile silo during a nuclear war. It is one of my favorite songs of his, and favorite songs, period. To read more about this song, read this fantastic interview Josh did with Independent Weekly back in 2007. He also plays Lark, Rattling Locks and Kathleen during the NPR set.

You're welcome.