Music and love have magnetic properties.

Yes, glad I did the Turkey Trot. My fastest five mile was in the 36 minute range, and that was a very long time ago. But we do not need to go fast. This is the only official race photo they got of me, I'm trying to turn on IG so I can record a few moments by the Guardians of Traffic and I look up and there's the photographer and even then I thought, well that's going to be the dumbest picture ever.

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 24:34

Route: rec center
Temperature: 32°
Climate: cold
Mood: all right

Roaring Twenties Playlist

White Horses - Wolf Alice

Mutante (Gui Boratto Rework) - Rita Lee & Roberto De Carvalho

Bean Fields - Shannon & The Clams

Fortnight (BLOND:ISH Remix) - Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone

The Loop *  - Toro y Moi

Open Relations - Heart Bones

The song "White Horses" popped up on The Current a month or so ago and I was playing it so loud and it filled my entire soul and I couldn't stop moving to it and now it's my favorite song of the year.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 161 lbs.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

2025 Cleveland Turkey Trot

2025 Cleveland Turkey Trot
Distance: 5 miles
Start: 9:30 AM
Official Time: 42:41.88
Pace: 8:32
Place Overall: 581 of 2018
Place Men 55-59: 19 of 67
Temperature: 33°
Climate: wind & light snow
Mood: Okay, so we're doing this.

Have not raced in some time. Have not raced in inclement weather for longer than that. Just walking to the venue from my parking spot was horrid, the wind coming off Lake Erie was almost unbearable.

I ask myself, why am I doing this? It’s not pleasant, it’s not social. I should be at home watching the parade, safe and warm.

The staging area, Public Hall, was a relief. Vast and clean, at least I could wait for the start in comfort.

155 - 164 BPM Playlist

Another Sunny Day - Belle & Sebastian

Don't Stop Me Now - Queen

If I Can't Change Your Mind - Sugar

Shadows in the Rain - The Police

Why Should I cry For You - Sting

A Man Needs to Be Told - The Charlatans

Twistin' the Night Away - Sam Cooke

Bejeweled - Taylor Swift

Everything - Nine Inch Nails

These Dreams - Heart

Give Me Back My Man - The B-52's

I started far back in the pack, which was unfortunate. It took a while before I could actually run. My fault. But soon I was running freer and could focus on just enjoying myself. And it was pretty all right. 

But I was even regretting choosing the five mile instead of the 5K ... until we split off around the second mile. At Carnegie and Ontario they took a right, and we continued onto the bridge. Oh, yeah. This is why. I would have missed that. Lorain-Carnegie, down West 25th and onto the Detroit-Superior. Worth it.

By the time I reached the finish line I was feeling good, and satisfied. My time was great, all things considered. And it was a well-organized race full of happy runners. But for a race like this, I really missed having a partner. Maybe next time.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

I got my shaking move.

Thanksgiving week begins, I rise early to be in and out of the gym before a plumber arrives to fix the dishwasher. This is only the beginning of our many escapades.

On a whim, I decided to apply for the Turkey Trot, gobble gobble. Haven't done that one in (checks notes) ten years??? Well, I guess it's been ten years. For many years since then we have been in Athens on Thanksgiving, the past several years, well. You know.

But this year few are coming into town and we are not going out of town. Why not a race. I haven't even participate in a race in (checks notes) two years???

Today, I will run, then rest for two days before the Thursday five mile. Maybe it will snow?

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 25:47

Upbeat Thanksgiving Mix

A Bar Song (Tipsy) - Shaboozey (162 bpm)

Another Sunny Day - Belle & Sebastian (156 bpm)

Do You Love Me - The Contours (151 bpm)

Common People - William Shatner

Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing - Stevie Wonder

Proud Mary - Tina Turner

Love Me Like a Rock - Paul Simon

Route: rec center
Temperature: 34°
Climate: clear & cold
Mood: all right

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 161 lbs.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: TBA

I'm on the dark side of the street (not the light side of the street).

We reach the end of another (abridged) week. I am full of anxiety but I do not know why. I mean, there are reasons. I have a headache for one. Don't appreciate that. But there are a myriad of little things, many of them are normal, I guess. The writing contest matinee approaches, the possibility of additional work, the IRS thing, the writing, the research.

I reached back and found that an anniversary is approaching for a particular artistic piece which has not aged well. But I want to share it. Should I fear? So many wonderful people collaborated on it, but I made a couple mistakes. Should I draw attention to it? Probably. Admit your mistakes and move on. Though, it's much easier when they are simply memory-holed. 

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:10
Pace: 8:46

God, it feels like years since my last run. Two days, but it feels like years. These have been busy days. I should embrace that. And what about today?

Everything But the Girl Workout Playlist

Lullaby of Clubland (Jay 'Sinister' Sealee Remix)

Come On Home (Extended Mix)

Twin Cities (Wildwood Remix)

One Place (acoustic)

Driving (Masters at Work Racing Mix)

These Early Days (Dave Bascombe Remix)

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 43°
Climate: sun w/light clouds
Mood: all right

Lovely, outdoor run. Wore the jacket, brought gloves which I removed halfway through. Still slight head pain but there is so much to do today -- and so much time to do it! 

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 164 lbs.

Maintain, son. Maintain.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

My head’s so clear.

Okay, I did it. An hour-long playlist featuring one track from every single Everything But the Girl LP. That's including from Worldwide.* 

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 25:53

Everything But the Girl Workout Playlist

Five Fathoms (Kevin Yost Everything & a Groove Mix)
Fascination 

Nothing Left to Lose (Extended Club Mix)

When All's Well

Rollercoaster (King Britt Scuba Remix)

Route: rec center
Temperature: 35°
Climate: partly cloudy
Mood: get it

A few days off become anxious, I have been neglectful, and there is so much to do. I need to re-collect. Last night we were back in town, had dinner with old friends. Tonight my slate is clean, but that also requires planning and preparation.

Make. Clean. Do. Read. Write. These are things I enjoy. Feel good. It will feel alright.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 165 lbs.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

*Two tracks from Temperamental to make it an hour, and nothing from their eponymous American debut because it is mostly identical to their UK debut Eden.

Not running out while my heart's unsteady.

Mini-vacation is Cincinnati. The boy has not one but two gigs this week. Feels like an exercise in enforced relaxation, for which we are immensely fortunate. A couple of nights at the Gaslight Bed & Breakfast, our home away from home, to write, watch TV, listen to jazz and flop around. And run.

Distance: 2 miles

Duration: 18:00
Pace: 9:00

The Best of Everything But the Girl (2025)

Before Today

No Difference

Driving

Each and Every One

Rollercoaster

I love each and every one of these tracks. But are they the best? Which is to say, is there nothing above? I have to quibble. Three tracks from Walking Wounded and one track from Temperamental -- and it's not "Five Fathoms"?

Nothing from Love Not Money? It's okay there isn't anything from Worldwide.

They should have asked me to curate. And perhaps I still may. A playlist called The Very Best of Everything But the Girl.

Route: Gaslight Loop
Temperature: 50°
Climate: sunny & beautiful
Mood: determined

Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: TBA

Actual lyric: "Not running out for a while, my heart's unsteady."

Two steps ahead of everyone.

How odd. By the end of the day on Wednesday, I was feeling poor, like I was getting a cold. I noticed during my run that I felt rather weak. Not weak enough not to run, and maybe that was it. I was using a BPM playlist and perhaps pushing myself harder than I should have been.

I thought I would wake up Thursday completely sick, but that did not happen. I am grateful. I don't want to be sick.

Still, in my torpor I polished off a bag of Peanut M&M's and what was left of a bag of Doritos from Sunday night. Illness as an excuse.  

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 26:01

I'd really love a brief uptick in the weather, for one more run in the woods. Committing to the rec center so soon is a drag. The fact is, I run faster in the rec center; it's flat, level, no dips or possible places to trip. I sometimes torture myself with images of losing my feet and going forehead-first into an I-beam.

But I can't tell if I'm the asshole or if it is everyone else. I know you are enjoying your time at the gym, but I am sick of people walking four abreast. They know there is a runner on the track, but they just chat and try to pay attention to when I come around but it's not that wide of a track. I come around in less than a minute.

I think they think I should just use the treadmill, but Jesus Christ, so could they.

Route: rec center
Temperature: 38
Climate: overcast & cold
Mood: driven

Best thing about the track is that I pause, briefly, after every mile and have a big healthy drink of water. That’s extremely helpful.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 165 lbs.

We're failing sugar season. Time to tighten up. But I did make this amazing pizza last night, using the marinara pasta with Romanesco as a topping.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

The Best of Everything But the Girl (2025)

Missing (Terry Todd Radio Edit)

Nothing Left to Lose

Tracey in My Room (Lazy Dog Bootleg Vocal Mix)

Walking Wounded (159 BPM)

Single

Corcovado (157 BPM)

This singles collection was released today, November 14, 2025. Most of the tracks I listened to today are from 1994-1996, so there's a lot of guilt and shame in there. My God, what would I have done without Tracey and Ben?