Pull up to the bumper, baby.

"... on the other hand, jars."

Once upon a time, it would snow in February.

Distance: 3.1 miles
Duration: 30:45
Pace: 9:55

1981 Playlist  

Predictable - The Kinks
Secret Journey - The Police
The Voice (152 bpm) - Moody Blues
Guilty (154 bpm) - Classix Nouveaux
Through Being Cool (156 bpm) - Devo
Just Too Easy (158 bpm) - Romeo Void
Pull Up to The Bumper - Grace Jones
Who Can It Be Now? - Men at Work
One World (Not Three) (168 bpm) - The Police

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 66°
Climate: overcast & warm
Mood: determined

So I'm moving, but not fast. Winded. Check the beats per minute. It's okay. we can do better.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes

It's ninety-one son, so something's got to change.

Epic Cleveland night last night. Standing around the atrium of the CMA (iykyk) sipping drinks, waiting for entrance to the 680-seat Gartner Auditorium for a unique performance from Jon Batiste.

Just before the performance began, I had to enquire of my spouse about the handsome young man seated next to her.

"Are you sitting next to the Mayor of Cleveland?" I whispered. She quietly assured me that she was. He'd already complimented her boots.

It was just that kind of night.

Distance: 3.75 miles
Duration: 36:50
Pace: 9:49

1991 Playlist

Rockin' Back Inside My Heart (Tibetan 12" Mix) - Julee Cruise
I Wanna Se You Up - Color Me Badd
International Bright Young Thing - Jesus Jones
Loaded - Primal Scream
Cream - Prince ft. The New Power Generation
Until the End of the World - U2
Pop Goes the Weasel - 3rd Bass
Finally - CeCe Peniston

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 57
Climate: sunny & cool
Pavement: dry
Mood: determined

Stretches: yes
Water: yes

That moment Jon Batiste shook hands with Mayor Justin Bibb right in front of me. What can you do but smile?

You're such a delicate boy.

Fuck, yes.

Distance: 3.1 miles
Duration: 30:40
Pace: 9:53

2001 Playlist

Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!) - Garbage
Freaks - Stephen Trask ft. Girls Against Boys
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger - Daft Punk
August Day Song - Bebel Gilberto
Smoke - Cornelius
Hella Good - No Doubt
Sparkling Diamonds from "Moulin Rouge" (OST)
In the Waiting Line - Zero 7 ft. Sophie Barker

Route: Forest Hill Park Loop
Temperature: 46°
Climate: breezy & cool
Pavement: dry
Mood: good

Stretches: yes
Water: ope

¿Dices que soy imperfecta?

Lying awake Thursday night, legs, knees, aching. I’m not sure how to be more careful or prepared. Pain reliever after each three mile run, I guess.

I have not run more than seven times in the month of February since 2018. So that's good. But it's below freezing today, so that sucks. I was intimidated by a playwright on Threads who said he ran in the the cold today so I'm like, oh fuck you.

Sigh.

Distance: 1 mile
Duration: 10:07

2011 Playlist
Price Tag - Jessie J

Houdini  - Foster the People

Dices - Selena Gomez  the Scene

Damn. Thought I was overdressed, then the wind hit me. Unpleasant. But I feel better, I do. 

Route: Neighborhood Loop
Temperature: 27°
Climate: bright & sunny & cold
Pavement: dry
Mood: all right

Stretches: yes
Water: yes

All I can feel is vertigo.

No, no. It's the weather. I can run when it's like this, I hate running when it's cold. 

Distance: 3.1 miles
Duration: 29:17
Pace: 9:26

2021 Playlist  
Chaise Lounge - Wet Leg

The Gathering - Frank Turner

brutal - Olivia Rodrigo

I Need Some of That - Weezer

Ho Not To Drown - CHVRCHES ft. Robert Smith

Strong Feelings - Dry Cleaning

Vertigo - Alice Merton

Mutante (Gui Boratto Remix) - Rita Lee ft. Roberto De Carvalho

Jesus. That was a good year for music!

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 55°
Climate: dusk, cool
Pavement: dry
Mood: good, after all

Stretches: yes
Water: yes

It's bleak in the 1970's sun.

Happy Presidents Day. Got another stye. Another one. I am sick of this. It's in the corner of my eye, makes me feel like I have a headache. Sick of it. Happy Presidents Day. Fuck.

Distance: 1 mile
Duration: 10:25

God. That was a delirious prelude, and a delirious run. Beautiful weather, I overdressed.

My belly is too big for this. I can breathe well at this weight.

1972 Playlist

Hocus Pocus - Focus

Old World - The Modern Lovers

Route: Neighborhood Loop
Temperature: 38°
Climate: sunny!
Pavement: mostly dry
Mood: delirious

Stretches: yes
Water: yes

I can't stop myself.

What a mess am I. Saturday headache, not at the start but building over the afternoon. Pain reliever, getting out, taking a nap, more pain reliever, late afternoon coffee. And God, my diet. Really, it's a bad habit -- that I am just eating it all before March. That's not how it is supposed to work.

Got to run, we're seeing Brecht tonight. Last chance to clear my head. Snow on the ground, short run. 

Distance: 1 mile
Duration: 11:13

1982 Playlist

Shock Den Affen - Peter Gabriel

New Religion (Carnival Version) - Duran Duran

Route: Neighborhood Loop
Temperature: 24°
Climate: overcast & cold
Pavement: layer of snow
Mood: achy, unfocused

My mother would have turned 89 this weekend. And my cousins uncovered some home movies in my aunts basement, they include many brief, fleeting moments of mom. A young woman, in motion. That's something I had never seen before. She was so lovely.

Stretches: yes, but I can do better

Water: yes

Drop to your knees.

Three days in a row -- in February! How odd. I may have taken a break, but tomorrow is pretty booked so I that will be my break. The goal is to get back up to speed, with my lungs and legs at capacity by March.

Still need to get that additional knee brace. Got to put that on the list. If it's not on the list, I forget. And the list is so important on a Saturday. My Saturdays are for ..? Housekeeping. Groceries. Also, writing and cooking.

We have had this pumpkin sitting here since fall. So? I made a pie. No idea I was going to do that today. That kind of spontaneity I can get behind.

Distance: 3.1 miles
Duration: 31:36
Pace: 10:11

Oh, shit. That was arduous. Perfect day, bright skies, a little cool, low breeze, but shit. I was out of breath. I am unprepared and weigh too much. Worth it? Sure, but fuck.

1992 Playlist

We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful - Morrissey  
They Reminisce Over You - Pete Rock ft. C.L. Smooth
Hit - Sugarcubes
Not Sleeping Around - Ned's Atomic Dustbin
Get Ready - 2 Unlimited
Kiss That Frog (Mindblender Mix) - Peter Gabriel
Candy Everybody Wants - 10,000 Maniacs
Free Your Mind - En Vogue

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 43°
Climate: cloudless  cool
Mood: all right

Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Writing your tragedy.

A four-mile run may be followed by a much shorter run. That is entirely acceptable, if it means moving on. There is nothing particularly notable about the year 2002 that warrants a longer playlist, just this banger which I didn't even know existed until a certain movie was released late last year.

Distance: 2 miles
Duration: 19:30
Pace: 9:45

2002 Playlist

Murder on the Dancefloor - Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Let Go - Frou Frou

Music Plus 1 - Cornershop

Funky So-and-So - The Sugarman 3 

Let's Go Again - Télépopmusik

Where Do They Make Balloons? - They Might Be Giants

I stand corrected. 2002 was an awesome year for music! However, my knees ache considerably, I need to make sure I take pain reliever, get another knee brace,

Route: Burlington Loop (clockwise)
Temperature: 52°
Climate: cloudy  breezy
Mood: surprisingly good -- now

Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Stripping down to dirty socks.

Earbuds!
(with visible acne scarring)

Had to sub today, left me exhausted. Thought I might nap after I got home, but it's fifty-seven fucking degrees out.

Distance: 4 miles
Duration: 39:38
Pace: 9:54

2012 Playlist

Let's Have a Kiki - Scissor Sisters
22 (Taylor's Version) - Taylor Swift
Good Time - Owl City ft. Carly Rae Jepsen
Paddling Out - Miike Snow
Five Seconds - Twin Shadow
Call Me Maybe - Carly Rae Jepsen
I'm Shakin' (160 bpm) - Jack White
Clarity - Zedd ft. Foes
Youth Without Youth - Metric
Die Young - Ke$ha
Locked Out of Heaven - Bruno Mars

Route: Forest Hills Loop
Temperature: 57°
Climate: clear skies  lovely
Mood: good

I think I have gained at least five pounds since the beginning of the year. I will begin again on March 1.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Groove in all slow motion.

Name this band.
(I call them "The Offspring")

Time in Athens, celebrating the twenty-first birthday of our eldest. The MIL is moving out of the homestead (it's staying the family, though) so this is perhaps our first weekend staying here. The years progress, things change. And that's all right.

Distance: 3 miles
Duration: 29:52
Pace: 9:57

Perfect spring weather. Unfortunately, it’s February. In spite of my kit, the warm air, the funky playlist, I was chugging. Just chugging along. Again, it makes a difference when you’re carrying a 20 pound weight.

2022 Playlist

Drown Me! - Junie & TheHutFriendseat

Gasoline - The Weeknd

Life Goes On - Ezra Collective for. Samoa the Great

Life is Good - Justin Caruso

Jackie Down the Line - Fontaine’s DC

Die Hard - Kendrick Lamar ft. Blxst, Amanda Reiner

Tonight - Phoenix ft.  Ezra Koenig

The Smoke - The Smile

The Only Heartbreaker - Mitski

Route: Hocking River Bike Path
Temperature: 55°
Climate: gorgeous
Mood: good