We've been running in the human race.

Friends and neighbors ... 59 Playlists for 59 Years.

2025 Playlist

Anxiety - Doechii

Who Laughs Last (160 BPM) - Lord Huron ft. Kristen Stewart

Basic Being Basic - Djo

catch these fists - Wet Leg

What Was That - Lorde

Swoon (164 BPM) - Peter Murphy

The Human Race - The Vapors

Love In Real Life - Lizzo

Got home from Europe, yanked out a crown. Oh well, better here than on the road, right?

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:45
Pace: 8:57

Stayed up too late last night, trashed the morning. I would like to declare this vacation finally over, please. Restorative run, though. Just what I needed to pull myself together. Banger playlist, too. There is still good music being made.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 58°
Climate: overcast & cool
Mood: eh.
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight: 160 lbs.

Got my head in the sky and a heart like a hurricane.

And we're back. Following a thirty-hour day (literally) we arrived home, managed to put a few things together before passing out. We saw so many beautiful things together, and as a family. It was just what I wanted.

And I only gained one pound. 

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:53
Pace: 8:59

Also, came home to find a new pair of shoes. We'd bought these the day before departure, but I didn't want to break them in on the trip. Why? Because they are eleven and a half. Yes, a half size larger than my last pair -- which were a half size larger than the pair before that.

Either my feet have gotten two sizes bigger in the twenty years since I began running in earnest, or I have always been cramming my feet into shoes that are too small. I think it's a bit of both.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 69°
Climate: clammy & humid
Mood: good
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight: 161 libs.

2015 Playlist

Magnets - Disclosure ft. Lorde

Bury Our Friends - Sleater-Kinney

Know Now - Public Image Ltd.

Pedestrian at Best - Courtney Barnett

Disappointing - John Grant ft. Tracey Thorn

Head Over Heels - JD McPherson

The Shade - Metric

Don't Wanna Fight - Alabama Shakes

She makes a man want to speak Spanish.

Stressful day on Monday, but not a lot of walking. Not unless you count pacing all over the train station in Zaragoza to locate a lost cell phone.

Distance: 5.75 miles

Duration: 55:47
Pace: 9:41

We have a fine duplex in Barcelona, with floor to ceiling glass doors in our rooms and living space, overlooking the street.

Route: To the Med and back.
Temperature: 60°
Climate: bright & beautiful 
Mood: good
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Final run in Spain. But was it worth it? Hell yeah, it was. It’s a two mile down run Carrer de la Marina to, well, the Marina. To the Mediterranean Sea. And right past the Basilica de la Sagrada Família, an iconic structure designed by Gaudi, and mobbed by sightseers. Other than that, the sidewalks were clear and wide, and I encountered many other runners.

2005 Playlist

Tropical Ice-Land - The Fiery Furnaces

Music Is My Hot, Hot Sex - CSS

I Don’t Want to Fall in Love - She Wants Revenge

O Green World - Gorillaz

Sugar, We’re Going Down - Fall Out Boy

Hips Don’t Lie - Shakira ft . Wyclef Jean

On Repeat - LCD Soundsystem

Black Horse and the Cherry Tree - KT Tunstall

Tear You Apart - She Wants Revenge

Ladykillers - The Similou

Bound Too Long - Crystal Method

Suddenly I See - KT Tunstall

Weak - Skunk Anasie

Looking at the World from the Bottom of a Well - Mike Doughty

Marvo Ging - Chemical Brothers

Our entire journey to date has been marked by showers — not an inconvenience, not unpleasant, just a fact. Today it is bright and sunny and warm in Barcelona.

It was so special to see the sea. Heading back was all uphill, and I got turned around at the basilica, which took me a couple blocks out of my way, but I figured it out.

One run in each city. I’m proud of myself.

Can’t keep running away.

My knees are going through it. Running is fine, but walking — walking and standing. It’s a lot. In the morning, well-rested. They feel all right. Zelda thinks that when my knees finally give out I should get a cane, and they are correct. I’m not looking forward to it. But when the time comes, I will embrace my cane life.

Distance: 3.5 miles

Duration: 31:35
Pace: 9:01

Decided against a morning run in the rain. I took a walk around Saturday night, to see where might be good, the river walk among the Nerbioi Ibaia, then to the Parque Etxebarria — which is a mountain, really. I would have liked to explore that, at the entrance I found was very steep. I decided this morning I neither wanted to risk losing my feet on the way up, not getting entirely drenched.

Route: Nervion River Walkway
Temperature: 59°
Climate: overcast & cool
Mood: good
Stretches: been walking all day
Water: yes

Spent the day at the Guggenheim Bilbao, and between then and dinner took a run by the river just before the evening rains. 

1995 Playlist

Runnin' - The Pharcyde

Friends of P - The Rentals

Shook Ones, Pt. II - Mobb Deep

Drop - The Pharcyde

We Prick You * - David Bowie

Gangta’s Paradise * - Coolio

Take Another - Filter

Kelly’s Heroes - Black Grape

I know that running culture is everywhere, but until I have seen others running, I am insecure. It was a joy to see the others, where they went, how they avoided the pedestrians, that they do use what I thought were bike lanes (not actually marked for bikes alone).

What a lovely, cool evening.

It’s not very far, I’ve been there before.

Weather this spring has been disappointing. Maybe I have just wanted what it should actually not be yet — warm. Not even so, when it was cool for so out just day in Madrid, I expected Spain to be warm this time of year. Why? Because it’s a Spanish-speaking country? Should I even admit I thought that?

Is probably due to the fact that the last time I was in Spain, it was July. More fool me.

First Run

Distance: 3 laps (plus those stairs)

Duration: 16:27
Route: Parque Del Oreste
Temperature: 49°
Climate: nice, light clouds

Two runs. The just, the Parque de Oreste which features a magnificent view of the city (sunset is a daily attraction, we were there last night with a hundred others) and the Temple of Debo’s, a sister to Dendur, in size and scale and shape, but out of doors, of course. 

Second Run

Duration: 13:59

Route: ???

Temperature: 50°

Then the boy and I ran. We planned to do El Campo

Del Molo, but it wasn’t open at eight. Instead, we took a meandering course around Plaza de Espana and ended up in Parque del Oreste! The historic structures and our winding course reminded me of Wii Fit.

Mood: good
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

1985 Playlist

Good Good Things - Descendents

Makes No Sense At All (160 bpm) - Husker Du

Are You Trying to Be Funny? - EBTG

I’m Your Man - Wham!

Walk Of Life (172 bpm) - Dire Straits

Singapore - Tim Waits

Physically you’re on the run.

Every couple weeks, Noom offers a “treat day” for which you will not expected to log anything — and receive no prompts to do so. I have backed these “treat days” — I used one for the sci-fi marathon in January, for example. But I have saved more than enough to block out our entire journey.

I will attempt moderation. But that’s the thing, I doing need to think about it.

Distance: 4.1 miles

Duration: 37:19
Pace: 9:20

I run Central Park every couple of years, last time in 2023. It’s taken twenty years of occasional park running before finally executing a perfect loop, without any wrong turns or doubling back, even entering and exiting the park at the same place.

Route: Central Park Loop
Temperature: 56°
Climate: perfect
Mood: good
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

My knees ache already, no surprise. We walked two miles yesterday, just returning to the hotel from Times Square. Worth it, though. The Thayer-Hansens, doing New York.

Dinner at Carmine’s, of all places. We told them the story of the night before I proposed. Not sure how they took that. Anyway, I managed to enjoy without being stuffed.

1975 Playlist

Boogie Shoes - KC & the Sunshine Band

Sweet Transvestite - Rocky Horror Picture Show OSC

Thunder Road - Bruce Springsteen 

December 1963 (Oh, What a Night) - Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons

Crossword Puzzle - Sly Stone

Stand By Me - John Lennon

Death On Two Legs (Dedicated to …) - Queen

Time Warp - Rocky Horror Picture Show OSC

Fly By Night - Rush

Tush - ZZ Top

How Long (Betcha Got a Chick On the Side) - Pointer Sisters

The run was epic. I used to think of love to live here, now I’m not so sure. I do love cities, but I’m very attached to my home.

How wonderful life is while you're in the world.

Good times at Larry's Dawg House

Twenty-two every-other-day runs. Consistency. I won't have the opportunity to run again until Wednesday, but if everything goes smoothly, it will be so worth it.

Distance: 4 miles

Duration: 35:36
Pace: 8:54

Visiting Athens, the elder commenced this weekend. So many emotions. They have always been a work of art unto themself, this weekend they received recognition for all this great work. Now it is time to move into the larger world.

What will happen?

Route: Hocking River Bike Path
Temperature: 56°
Climate: overcast & humid
Mood: good
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

1970 Playlist

We Can Work It Out - Stevie Wonder

I Think I Love You/Come On Get Happy - Th Partridge Family

Who Loves the Sun - Velvet Underground

Your Song - Elton John

Cracklin' Rosie - Neil Diamond

Domino/Everyone - Van Morrison

ABC - Jackson 5

Instant Karma (We All Shine On) - John Lennon & Yoko Ono

Thank you (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) - Sly & the Family Stone

Super Bad Pts. 1 & 2 - James Brown & the JBs

Won't have no troubles 'cause the whole world is my home.

The last forty-eight hours have been a lot. We discovered on Wednesday morning that my passport will be invalid (long story) and that I needed to get a new one immediately. My love booked an appointment in Buffalo for early yesterday morning.

I drove to Buffalo Wednesday night, arrived first thing yesterday morning, applied for my passport, and then had to wait around for a few hours. So I visited Niagara Falls.

Not the Canadian side, of course. I didn't have a passport. But now I do. 

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:55
Pace: 9:00

So much to do, and absolutely no time. Last Wednesday my run was anxious, for a number of reasons. I have to be careful, running anxious is not good. It's bad for my back. All this driving has been hard on my knees, too.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 61°
Climate: overcast & balmy
Mood: good!
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight: 160 lbs.

1980 Playlist

Goodnight Tonight - Paul McCartney

And Your Bird Can Sing - The Jam

After Dark - Andy Gibb

The Wanderer - Donna Summer

Hot Lunch Jam - Irene Cara

Turning Japanese - The Vapors 

Rapper's Delight (7" edit) - The Sugarhill Gang

The Tide Is High - Blondie

Love it when the media player serves up tunes I have never run to before!

Next up: Athens!

Stomp on the street when I hear a funky beat.

Every other day, for an entire month. That's something to be happy about. I have mapped out my runs for the next two weeks, I will miss some days but that is entirely acceptable, considering what we have planned.

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 25:29
Route: rec center
Mood: anxiety
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight: 160 lbs.

Going to take all my "Treat Days" all at once ... for two weeks. How will I fare? We'll find out.

1990 Playlist

This Love - Daniel Ash

Soul Free - George Michael

I Left My Wallet in El Segundo - Tribe Called Quest

Groove Is in the Heart - Deee-Lite

Justify My Love - Madonna

Hippychick - SoHo

Sinister Minister - Bela Fleck & the Flecktones 

Woof. Too cold outside, but too warm in the rec center.

I am worried about the health risks.

POV: It’s 4:30 am and your cat
has decided it’s time for breakfast
(Henry Fuseli –‘The Nightmare’)
British Museum

Another night on the couch. I wonder how long she's going to keep this up.

I should explain: the kitten wants to play with things in our room at 3:00 AM. Like, every single night. So, eventually, one of us goes downstairs to sleep on the couch with the fire going which draws the cat away from the bedroom to lie in front of the fire. Then we can all sleep.

Distance: 4 miles

Duration: 35:30
Pace: 8:52

Reading our elder child's undergrad thesis. How did we create such intelligent and talented young artists? Did we do something right?  

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 71°
Climate: absolutely perfect
Mood: angsty
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight: 160 lbs.

We persist. We maintain.

2000 Playlist

Theme from Gutbuster - Bentley Rhythm Ace

The Staunton Lick - Lemon Jelly

Household Names - Stereolab

Hard to Explain - The Strokes

Alguem - Bebel Gilberto

The Tower That Ate People - Peter Gabriel

Bohemian Like You - Dandy Warhols

Sad Sweetheart of the Rodeo - Harvey Danger

It's Gonna Be Me - *NSYNC

Keep in pace with the p*dophiles.

My ankle has been a bit wonky this week. Not when running, just the rest of the day. Though, I gotta say, running every other day? Works for me.

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 25:25

Every day I prepare the same breakfast, a bowl of fresh fruit (mostly berries) with granola and (plain, nonfat) yogurt. This fruit place opened a year or two ago in my office and every time I go there I can hear my mother's voice saying, "You know, you could just get fruit from the grocery store."

I used to think, what's the point, it's (the fruit) just going to go bad in the fridge before I eat all of it. But not if you have it every day. 

And also, it's like Seth Brundle, doing the Einstein thing, where he's got, like seven of the exact same outfit so he doesn't waste any time thinking about what to wear. Morning time I am not in the headspace to decide what to eat. And it's fresh and tasty and never disappoints.

Yesterday, I mixed in a tablespoon of sunbutter. Can you imagine?

Route: rec center
Mood: all right
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight: 160 lbs.

2010 Playlist

Black Sheep (Brie Larson Vocal) - Metric

Burn It Down - Sims

Mr. Saxobeat - Alexandra Stan

Too Dramatic - Ra Ra Riot

Drunk Girls - LCD Soundsystem

Psychic City (Classixx Remix) - Yacht

Run - Vampire Weekend

Like a G6 - Far East Movement

I feel anxious when I'm high.

Temperatures rise. Good news yesterday, very good news. It's about the summer. Can't share, not yet. But soon.

It's happening, Reg! Something's actually happening, Reg!

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:32
Pace: 8:53

Yesterday was Shakespeare's birthday (by tradition) and I was surprised to learn that I have only performed in eight full productions of his works, which is not too bad. But you'd think it were more.

Actually, that seems like a lot. I don't know. I've also directed seven. Two overlap.  

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 58°
Climate: sunny & gorgeous
Mood: okay
Stretches: yes
Water: not really

Weight: 160 lbs.

So, we've been watching sport. The Cavs are in the playoffs, and we are watching. Then there's all the baseball. It was the best of times, it was the blurst of time.

2020 Playlist

Jerk - Olive Tree

Pink Pony Club - Chappell Roan

Compression - Monica LaPlante

Yucky Blucky Fruitcake - Doechii

Caution - The Killers

Dynamite - BTS

Intrasport - King Gizzard & Th Lizard Wizard

Your Love (Déjà Vu) - Glass Animals

Just sick and tired of running.

Lock the doors, lower the blinds ...

Sixteen sequential, every-other-day runs. At this rate, I will be completing the annual playlists somewhere other than here. Not in Forest Hills, not at the rec center.

Just you wait.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 28:41
Pace: 9:14

I am starting to lose it. Doritos with lunch yesterday, like a whole snack bag. That's a bad old habit.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 52°
Climate: sunny & cool
Mood: okay!
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight: 160 lbs.

2016 Playlist

The Night Is Killing You - Kiss the Tiger

Um Chagga Lagga - Pixies

Can't Get Enough of Myself - Santigold ft. BC Unidos

Worship - Lizzo

Wedding - Poliça

Runnin' - Pharrell Williams

Soundcheck - Catfish & the Bottlemen

Suddenly - Drugdealer ft. Weyes Blood

Human - Rag'n'Bone Man

My mind begins to spread its wings.

Have a good 4/20, to all who celebrate.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 28:25
Pace: 9:10

Slight back pain, did a lot of house work yesterday. The weather warms, we must prepare to be outside.  

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 56°
Climate: sunny & cool
Mood: bit angsty
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight: 160 lbs.

2006 Playlist

Mr. Tough - Yo La Tengo

Maneater - Nelly Furtado

Stupid Girls - Pink

Sorry (Man with Guitar Edit) - Madonna

Incinerate - Sonic Youth

Double Pump - Girl Talk

Upside Down - Jack Johnson

It's a Set-Up - Plasticman

Everyone’s a little queer.

State Sen. Jerry Cirino defends bullshit
higher education bill in Cleveland talk
Ideastream Public Media, 4/17/2025
(Can you spot my spouse?)

The year playlists will be through before I know it. I don't even know what 2025 is yet, apart from national chaos and much more personal creative hibernation.

At least, thanks to my constant but not overwhelming running schedule, a third of the year will have passed before playing the 2025 Playlist, so there will be (there already is) over thirty minutes of music there, so I can get at least a 5K in.

However, as is usually the case, it's not necessary a great list, but just the most recent releases from artists I am familiar with, which generally catch my ear first, before other tracks that have already been (or will eventually be) released have gotten my attention, from artists with whom I am not yet familiar.

Is this interesting? I do not know. 

Distance: 4 miles

Duration: 37:40
Pace: 9:24

When one is stuck in an existential malaise, a three-day weekend isn't actually something to look forward to. "Oh, look. Another day searching for meaning and now I don't even have work to shirk from."

Warrants a longer run, I suspect. Especially on a lovely day such as this.  

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 60°
Climate: overcast & breezy
Mood: good?
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight:160 lbs.

1996 Playlist

Sea of Heartbreak - Johnny Cash

Tombstone - Suzanne Vega

Spinning the Wheel - George Michael

Macarena - Los Del Rio

Broken English - Queue Up

Super Bon Bon - Soul Coughing

Season of the Witch - Luna

Pink Triangle - Weezer

Walking Wounded (Dave Wallace Remix) (158 BPM) - EBTG

Yes, sir. That's exactly what we were listening to in 1996.

… and running much too fast.

Sarah Sherman punches down.

Back pain today. Driving halfway to Cincy, and all the way back, was stressful. We keep going.

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 25:56
Route: rec center
Mood: all right
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight: 160 lbs.

Flashing light in my eye. It’s small but distracting, right in the center of my vision.

1986 Playlist

September Gurls - The Bangles

Pillbox Tales - The Cure

Rumors - Timex Social Club 

I Can’t Wait - Nu Shooz

Bizarre Love Triangle (Stephen Hague 12” Remix) - New Order

Girls & Boys - Prince & the Revolution 

The Lady In Red - Chris de Burgh

They come a running just to get a look.

Our house smells like cat. The whole house, stinky cat. This is a shame, as Tiger is actually so much healthier than he was two months ago.

Distance: 2.1 miles

Duration: 19:21
Pace: 9:12

We're in Cincinnati for the night, to see the boy perform at Caffè Vivace. Brought my kit to do the block, like I did last fall.

Beautiful day. Walk in the park. Leisurely lunch. Mini-vacation (except for all the driving).

Route: Gaslight Loop
Temperature: 68°
Climate: between downpours
Mood: all right
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight: 160 lbs.

1976 Playlist

Moonlight Feels Right - Starbuck

I'd Really Love to See You Tonight - England Dan & John Ford Coley

Money, Money, Money - ABBA

Crazy On You - Heart

Somebody To Love - Queen

Do Ya - Electric Light Orchestra

"I'm not talkin' 'bout m'lady."

Going round and round.

New-to-me shirt.
(Non-compression.)

Weight maintained. Getting there is the really hard part. Maintaining it does not mean starving, or even feeling hungry. When I am hungry between meals, I have become very thoughtful about what and how much I eat.

And it’s not all vegetables or nuts or fruit. I eat chips. I just don’t eat out of a bag, I put them in a bowl, I count them. I had fish fry yesterday, just not the whole plate.

And I drove to Canton and back without stopping at Swenson's, even though, believe me, I thought about it.

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 24:15

Route: rec center
Mood: good
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight: 160 lbs.

1971 Playlist

Bitterblue - Yusuf (Cat Stevens)

It’s Too Late - Carole King

Jump In the Fire - Harry Nilsson

Strawberry Letter 23 (171 BPM) - Shuggie Otis

Oh! You Pretty Things - David Bowie 

What’s Going On - Marvin Gaye

Won’t Get Fooled Again - The Who

Man. 1971. Lot of shit going on. Speaking of which, when does the trade war become a real war?

Just watching all their feet.

Saw our first Guardians game for the season last night. Forty degrees. We had fun, won the game (almost fucked it, though) but, man. I feel still and tired this morning. If I hadn't gotten a call from a sick actor I wouldn't have gotten up as early as I did.

So, we run!

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 24:55
Route: rec center
Mood: good
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight: 160 lbs.

Some compulsive chewing at the game last night, provided the illusion of heat. Anyway, the occasional indulgence is fine. It's the constant indulgence that will get you.

1981 Playlist

Someday, Someway - Robert Gordon

Love Is Alright Tonite - Rick Springfield

Splintered In Her Head - The Cure

We Got the Beat - The Go-Go’s

I’m Your Money - Heaven 17

Penthouse & Pavement - Heaven 17

Our Lips Are Sealed - The Go-Go’s

I want to run.

You know, there's that time in the spring when you just really, really want decent weather for running. Sometimes -- get this -- sometimes it snows in APRIL.

Sometimes I feel so bad.

Anyway, things progress. Art happens. The stock market is down, but it goes back up again, you know? Like, the magnolia blossoms in my back yard that just started blossoming and then were caught in a frost and now they're brown and not as pretty.

What was I Talking about? Oh, yeah. Spring. Might be nice. Glad I can still run indoors. Fuck.

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 25:22

And now, the fun bunch. An early morning quartet of walkers who take all four lanes.

Route: rec center
Mood: good
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight: 160 lbs.

1991 Playlist

Who? Where? Why? (Crisis 12" Mix) - Jesus Jones

Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can’t Take My Eyes Off You) - Pet Shop Boys

Rush - Big Audio Dynamite II 

Losing My Religion - R.E.M.

Good Vibrations - Marky Mark & the Fun Bunch

Pain Lies On the Riverside - Live