This is who I really am.

This week's Music Monday is 100 Million Miles by Monster Magnet. This is one of my favorite running songs. It's really been my mantra for the last few races I have run. I just finished up the MRTC Road Race Series. This year has been a lot harder because I have been dealing with more pain and injuries. This song reminds me that I just have to keep pushing and that when I am done running I can rest and recuperate. I also love the steady beat of the drums. On a easier run I sync each step with each beat. On my harder days I sync my right foot to each beat. That means a lot of turnover! The song is not about running but the chorus and drum beat make it a perfect running song. "Hey, there ain't no pain! 100 million miles away!" Enjoy!

This week's Music Monday is "Life Must Go On" by Alter Bridge. The thing I love about Alter Bridge is that their songs have a lot of emotion to them. Myles Kennedy writes in the same way that Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace that really hits every part of me. There are songs about dealing with loss, addiction, determination and depression. Some songs are heavier than others. Some are deeper than others. This song is very deep and yet not really heavy musically. I think Myles is just an amazing songwriter and has a voice that can reflect all of the emotions that are in his lyrics. I picked this song for a friend that I haven't been in touch with lately. This person is going through a rough time right now. Someone that always seemed so strong living a nightmare and struggling to handle everything. I'm sure this person is strong enough to endure. In fact I know it. But sometimes even the strong need to reminded that they can get through anything.

This week's Music Monday is "Bleed It Out" by Linkin Park. While I'm not a big Linkin Park fan, I really love this song. It's one of my favorite songs on my workout and running playlists. When this song comes on during a workout or a run I get a little extra adrenaline going. For me it's about going really hard and putting everything you've got into what your doing. It's not particularly fast or heavy but the clapping and the chanting chorus of "I bleed it out, digging deeper just to throw it away" give it a ton of energy. This is really great for my speed workouts. That's when I tend to go "harder". That's when I put the most work in. If you know me as a runner you know I'm hell bent on getting faster every day. Right now I'm working really hard in the gym with workouts from my trainer/pal Kate, so if you see me at the gym clapping and chanting to myself you know what song I'm listening to - "G...

This week's Music Monday is a triple feature. Perfect song for my problem..... What should happen. (Minus the violence of course).... What will likely happen. (It always does)...... So, the dilemma is that there is an issue. Probably just a simple miscommunication. Do I stand up and fight because I know I am not wrong? Or do I give up just like I always have? Giving up has always made everything better. But when is it time to say "enough is enough"?

This week's Music Monday is "Coeur d'Alene" by Alter Bridge. This song is about a lake near where the lead singer Myles Kennedy lives. It's a place where he goes to get away from everything and find peace. Listening to it makes me think about the place I go to "get away". That place for me is a long run. A long run for me is ten miles or more. There is something therapeutic about a long run. I can work out a lot of problems when I am out there. I know I am gonna be by myself for at least an hour and a half. I can do a lot of thinking.....or I can think about nothing. I can always tell when I need a long run. I get really frustrated easily, very irritable. I know my mind needs it even more than my body. Right now I have a something that is really bothering me. Something that I am dealing with internally that I haven't told anyone about. Right now I need a long run. I know that when I get one in I will hopefully get some clarity on the issu...

For all of my runner friends and friends that workout a lot I have some advice for you: HYDRATE! HYDRATE! HYDRATE! I have friends, and a wife, that don't drink enough water. You people are crazy! I try to carry a bottle of water with me everywhere. You need to drink water most of the day. I start drinking water as soon as I get up. If you are a runner you should try wearing a hydration belt. There are several different kinds. This is the one I wear:   I actually found it for $20 at T.J. Maxx. That is half the price they are usually. The price is worth it to get a good one even if you don't find it on sale.   With it still being hot outside you have to make sure you are hydrated BEFORE you go out and run. Take care of yourselves. And stay thirsty my friends.      

This week's Music Monday is my playlist from my most recent race, the Celebrate Munford 5K. This is something that I've wanted to do for a while. I mention in these posts from time to time about songs being on a playlist. I thought I would write about my playlist for my most recent 5K. I am starting this post a few days before the race. I am giving the details of why and how I chose these songs. After the race I will go back and finish the post with how the songs affected me. When I make a playlist for a race like this I try to do a few things: have a song to warm up with, songs that push me to run harder, and a song for how I feel once I have finished the race. The songs build up from "slower" to "insane". Here goes: 1. "Where Are You" - Our Lady Peace I chose this song to warm up with. Most times I'll go with a song that has a lot of "swagger". Something that kinda conveys a sense of confidence. Usually a rap song like the W...

This Week's Music Monday is "My Own Summer" by the Deftones. This is where it all started. This is the first Deftones song I ever heard back in 1997. This is my all-time favorite song. This song is why the Deftones are my favorite band. My dog's name is Chino after the lead singer Chino Moreno. This song is my ringtone. If I could somehow make it happen this song would play anytime I walk into a room kinda like a WWE entrance theme. The first time I heard this song I knew right away that this is my kind of music, this is my kind of band. You can't find a hard rock band out there right now that doesn't give props to the Deftones for being a band they were influenced by. At the time Linkin Park was becoming a big deal they were playing on a tour with Metallica, Limp Bizkit and the Deftones. For some stupid reason the Deftones played before Linkin Park. And sure enough Linkin Park gave props to the Deftones and covered this song. The one time I saw ...

I have three routes that I usually run. I have a one mile loop around the YMCA that I use the most. I have a loop around my neighborhood that I use when I can't get to the Y. But my favorite is an out and back from the Y. I use this out and back when I want to go for a long run or if I really need to make myself run. The route starts at the end of the parking lot of the Y and goes towards Navy Road. I cross over Navy Road to Veteran's Parkway and out to Navy Lake. Depending on how many miles I plan to run I know where to turn around and come back. All the way out to Navy Lake is 5 miles but I also use it for shorter distances. Days like yesterday is why I like that route so much. Yesterday was one of those days that I wanted to run at least 5 miles or more but I was really tired. I knew if I ran the loop at the Y I would be tempted to quit early. It's easy to talk yourself into shortening your run when you are running a loop because you keep coming back to your startin...

This week's Music Monday is "Unity" by Shinedown. This is another powerful song from one of my favorite bands. I've done posts about their songs "Bully"  and "Fly From The Inside" . They are a band much like Our Lady Peace that I could do a lot of posts about their music. A lot of their music is positive and "supportive". I really feel a connection with their message. They are a band that I always feel is there for me. Much like OLP, their music really "feels" like it's written for me. My favorite line of the song is: So have you ever been caught in a sea of despair? And your moment of truth Is the day that you say "I'm not scared" Another line that really connects with me: If I told you that you're not alone And I show you this is where you belong Put your hands in the air One more time This song is sort of a tribute to their fans and how they feed off the band and how the band feeds off of t...

I'm finally getting a chance to catch up on my most recent races. The 1st MRTC Road Race Series 5K was actually a couple weeks ago but I didn't get around to posting about it until now. The 5Ks this year are at Audubon Park near the Cancer Memorial on Perkins. I ran with Staci because it is fun to get out and run with her. We never get a chance to run together during the week so it is a great opportunity for us. Also, we were without the kids for a few days so we could really enjoy each other's company. The other reason I ran with her is because she was having some foot issues. It was her right foot. So I figured since her right foot was bad and my left knee was bad we could run side by side in case we needed to lean on each other to finish. Our time was 35:54. Not bad considering she hadn't run outside much leading up to it and she was being really tough dealing with her new ailment. She did have a nice strong finish as we got to the last tenth ...

This week's Music Monday is "Firework" by Katy Perry. I picked this song for my daughter Sophie. This is her favorite song. And it is the perfect song for her. She is the middle child and she has, well....."The Middle Child Syndrome". She has probably the worst personality for her place among our children. She has a hard time dealing with the fact that she is not quite old enough to do the things Nate does and not baby enough to get treated like Olivia. But what she doesn't understand is that she is as special to us as her siblings. Each of our kids are very special to us. Sophie is the princess. She is a "firework". She has a different personality than Staci and I. She has a different personality from the other two kids. This song is great for her because it has a great positive message. I hope when she gets older she will realize what it means. I want her to understand that she is, and always will be, special and that she only needs to ...

This week's Music Monday is "Open Road Song" by Eve 6. This is a great running song. One of those songs you can really get in a good groove while your running. Even though the song is about driving you can draw a parallel to running. The joy of being alone..."It's so perfect, I'm so perfect, You're so perfect, You're not here!" That can be for anyone, everyone or no one. "My pile shakes as I hit 80 on the open road!" I love that line! I really thought this band had a chance to be really good. They had the hit "Inside Out". But there were two songs on the album that are just amazing songs,  "Jesus Nightlight"  and "Showerhead" . Two "heartbreak" songs that get away from their punk/pop sound. "Jesus Nightlight" was a song that I related to when I went through a breakup because at the time a lot of that song was happening. But now it's just a really well written, beautifully sad ...

This week's Music Monday is "Fix Me" by 10 Years. This is a band I have really gotten into a lot lately. They've been around for a few years but I really got into them with their album Feeding The Wolves. They have a new album due out in August, Minus The Machine. They are on tour right now and just played in Nashville last night. Since the kids are at their grandparents' house for a few days Staci and I drove over to Nashville to see them live. It was a quick drive over and right back after the show. But it was worth it. I got to see two bands I really wanted to see, 10 Years and Kyng. And a band I hadn't heard much of in Fair To Midland. The bands were great but the crowd sucked. The hard rock crowds in Nashville just aren't what they are in Memphis. (Edit: rant deleted) Here is a song from 10 Years that I really like. The video is pretty funny. It has the band members as a couple different characters in a bar. Their music is pretty serious so s...

This week's Music Monday is "Working Man" by Rush. This is one of my favorite running songs. It is a song that found it's way to me in that weird way that a lot of other music has. Ever since I can remember I always HATED Rush. I think it was always Geddy Lee's voice. So if Rush came on the radio I would change the station. I may have heard this song at some point in my life but never gave it a listen because I HATE Rush. We don't get very many radio stations in our office at work but for a short while we could pick up a classic rock station so I would leave the radio on all night. One night, probably about a year ago, I walked into the office and I heard this amazing guitar solo playing. As I was rocking out at my desk I thought "damn this is sweet! Who is this?" Then it happened.......Geddy Lee's voice. SHIT! But I HATE Rush! If I would have walked in at any other point in the song I would have turned it down or walked out of the ...

This week's Music Monday is "Warrior" by Disturbed. I picked this song for a few reasons. This weekend my wife came to me with an idea her best friend from college came up with: she wanted to do the Warrior Dash . I had thought about doing it before but never really got too serious about it. We decided we wanted to do it and signed the three of us up. While I was at it, it was time to register for the MRTC Road Race Series . I talked Staci into doing it again this year. We did it last year and had lots of fun. The award you get for finishing all ten races in the series is the "Road Warrior". I will be going for my third "Road Warrior" trophy. Another reason I picked this song is because I am starting a new battle with my weight. I really haven't been trying lately. I let myself go when I was dealing with my tendinitis. I couldn't run for a couple months and I really didn't do the things I needed to do that I could have been doing. I...

This week's Music Monday is "Breathe" by Seven Channels. This is "one of those songs". One that I listen to that expresses my emotion of missing my father. Sunday night as I was getting myself ready to go back to work after a week of vacation I started thinking about how happy I was being a father. This song kept popping up in my head. One other thing kept sticking in my head: "are you proud of me Daddy?" That was my 5 year old daughter as I was teaching her to ride her bike with no training wheels. As this song kept playing in my head right along with Sophie's question, I stopped and wondered...."are you proud of me Daddy?"

This week's Music Monday is "Born 2 Run" by 7Lions. This is not a cover of the Springsteen song. It's not even a song that I would normally listen to. I heard this song on a couple of Sirius/XM stations that I listen to. (Octane and Faction) The song does not fit either station's format. But they play it. (Biting my tongue from ranting about how stations decide what music they want played......) Sorry. When the song started playing I was about to change it but decided to give it a very quick listen because of the title. The lyrics kept me from changing it. They are really good lyrics that relate to being a runner. I knew right away: "Damn! This song is a good running song! And Dammit! I'm probably gonna end up liking it!" It's not really my kind of song. It's more of a pop song. It has a dude rapping and a douchey singer with some douchey indie/soft rock dudes playing the music. (My apologies to any douches I offended) How this song ...

This week's Music Monday is "Let The Sparks Fly" by Thousand Foot Krutch. This is Nate and Sophie's new favorite song. They lose their freaking minds every time they hear it! The song is exactly the kind of music Nate likes. It's high energy and has a positive message. Sophie loves the parts when the lead singer sings with a higher pitched voice. They both love the "gimme 1....gimme2....gimme3" count.  We went to watch my niece play softball last week and they didn't want to get out of the car until the song was over! Reminds me of the way my sister and I acted when we were kids with my dad. Watching them through the rearview mirror helps me remember the way my dad would smile at us with great love. Enjoy!

I finally got the chance to run for the first time in over two months. And it was AWESOME! I got the "all clear" on Friday but somehow waited until Monday to get out and run. Going in, I had a little bit of fear. Really just little silly worries: will the knee be ok, will I get shin splints, will I remember how to run, will I be terribly slow, will I have to - gulp - walk. Monday afternoon was the perfect time to get that first run. I couldn't think of any better way to get going than my favorite running weather: hot-as-balls! The temperature had to have been over 90. I know a lot of people don't like running when it's that hot but I love it. It really make me pay more attention to my body and how efficient I am. As I was getting ready to go outside my kids asked where I was going. Of course they all wanted to go but the girls just can't make it but my son can ride his bike right along with me. Those are some of my favorite runs wh...