Top 50 Running Songs of the Year

One of the gifts of running is the opportunity to be fueled by music. Adulting doesn’t provide a lot of opportunities to listen to 4 hours of music non-stop, except during a 20 mile run.

2018 has been an amazing year for music. This list of 50 songs could have easily been 100. There is so much good music, from so many genres, that it is impossible to listen to all of it.  The songs listed below are my favorite running songs of the year. There is a lot of good music that I listen to outside of running (see Exit North), but this is what pushed me through over 1,700 miles in 2,108. Selections have been limited to one song per artist, yet Kendrick Lamar’s voice is heard on here five times.

Enjoy and go for a run!

Listen to this playlist at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/playlist/2018-running-songs/pl.u-7jXNsWNKMX7

50. What a Time to be Alive, Superchunk: If you can make a list of great songs this long, what a time to be alive!

49. God’s Plan, Drake: A million acts of kindness:

48. Better in My Day, Gazelle Twin, Elizabeth Bernholz shreds the myth of the glorified past with unrelenting force.

47. I Said Hi, Amy Shark: Amy invites us to ride on an emotional yo-yo

46. House, The Ophelias: Strong, all-female debut from Cincinnati.

45. (Hope) Is Just Another Word with a Hole In It, Nothing: While the vocals of this song are muffled, something about the drums turns my feet.

44. Hunger, Florence + The Machine: I’ll take another helping of whatever Florence is serving

43. Tints, Anderson .Paak: I don’t often listen to Anderson .Paak, but when I do Kendrick is Feat.

42. The Mantra, Mike Will MADE It: I don’t often listen to Mike, but when I do Kendrick is Feat.

41. Mona Lisa: Lil Wayne: I don’t often listen to Lil Wayne, but when I do Kendrick is Feat.

40. Love is Madness, Thirty Second to Mars: Jared Leto + Halsey = enough passion to pound any heart

39. Go with the Flow, Razorbumps: Debut release from Denton, Texas, the influence of Devo stretches across distance, age, gender, and time.

38. Make Me Feel, Janelle Monale: Prince lives!

37. Pressure, Muse (feat UCLA Marching Band): Because what the world needs now is more music Feat marching bands!

36. Bunny’s Blues, Lost Under Heaven: An appetizer while waiting for the new album in January, but I’ll take it.

35. Chun-Li, Nicki Minaj: I think Nicki may be losing it, but this song moves.

34. I’m a Man, Ty Segall, I often don’t get the hype of Ty Segall, but really like this song (Spencer Davis Group remake)

33. Almost Had To Start a Fight, Parquet Courts, I often don’t get the hype of Parquet Courts, but really like this song.

32. Abysmal Urn, The Oh Sees: A song whose beat perfectly matches my running gate. Lots of fun to run with.

31. I Like It, Cardi B: Mrs. B might be more persona than talent, but this song is a party.

30. ATM, J Cole: Mr. Cole lifts a mirror to a miserable world addicted to greed.

29. Birthday Song, Grouper: Be careful, Liz Harris’ siren voice will pull you in and shipwreck you on the rocks of despair. She is also an interesting visual artist (see image to the right)

28. I Shall Love 2, Julia Holter: A protest song that stands in the face of all opposition and demands, “I Shall Love”

27. Still Rolling Stones, Lauren Daigle: Rise Up! Yes, Ma’am.

26. I’ll Make You Sorry, Screaming Females: Love might make you sorry, but the Screaming Females never will.

25. Building in Flower, Innocence Mission, Soft, delicate, and powerful at the same time. Like a springtime stroll through an unsettled Van Gogh landscape.

24. Everybody’s Coming to My House, David Byrne: Once you go on a trip with David Byrne, you’ll never want to go back home.

23. Diet Gum, John Grant: Now with more raccoon proteins and life-affirming cockroach milk

22. Bang Someone Out, Sleaford Mods: Divide and separate, this is how it’s done, not just in the United Kingdom.

21. Nina Cried Power, Hozier: An Irishman celebrates American civil rights music and calls us all to live in to our own power.

20. If You Know You Know, Pusha T: A 1970s vibe with 2018 awareness

19. Tortoises all the way down, mewithoutyou: poetry, philosophy, and layers of sound that make my brain happy.

18. Sicko Mode, Travis Scott: Travis Scott is often too mellow for running, but this music fest features Drake, samples Biggie, and rocks.

17. APES**T, The Carters: While the album wasn’t Lemonade, this song shows Beyonce’s brilliance as she out raps Jay Z16. Over and Over and Over, Jack White: Jack will get your lungs blowing

15. All the Stars, Kendrick Lamar and SZA: Two of the year’s best voices blend together and pull us all closer.

14. This is America, Childish Gambino: The most important video of 2018 (of the century? ever?)

13. Ahead of Ourselves, Nine Inch Nails: Trent has been ahead of us for a long time, and still is. NiN continues to push the pace and we are running to try and keep up.

12. It’s Never OK, Sarah Mary Chadwick: Sarah’s music does not feature a fast RPM, but the emotional edge is more powerful than any beat.

11. Chloraseptic (Remix), Eminem: Revival may not have gone viral, but this is the jam!

10. Life is Beautiful, Lil Peep: No one personifies the beauty and tragedy of life more than Lil Peep: a gifted artist who made this planet more colorful but left way too soon.

9. Monument, Bambara: The spirit of Jim Morrison lives on in a tireless punk energy.

8. Train, Starcrawler: If Arrow de Wilde doesn’t get you moving, go to a doctor. Get on board, the train is bumblin’ in.

7. Victims of a Clown, Ministry: A call to action… Let us all unite!

6. 100 Miles and Running, Logic: Logic on fire!

IDLES at Ace of Cups, Columbus

5. Dark Store, Arndales: Darkness checks in, it doesn’t check out

4. Cops Shot the Kid, Nas: The beat will get your feet moving and the social message will move your heart.

3. Calling Out, Remember Sports: Calling you out of your malaise and in to joy.

2. Samaritan, IDLES: The best thing to happen to punk rock since 1977.

1. X, ScHoolboy Q, 2 Chainz & Saudi: Are we on ten yet? I live on ten.

 

 

Advertisements

Race Report: Columbus ULTRA Marathon 50

Only 0.5 percent of Americans run a marathon in a year. Yesterday; I was ready to join that rank.

 My intention when I woke up race morning was to run 50 miles. This same weekend, I had planned to run the Fall 50 in Wisconsin, but we were unable to make the trip. Rather than lose four months of training, i decided to create my own 50-mile route, using the Columbus Marathon for the first 26.2 and running back to and around Hilliard for the last 23.8.

 

This year in Ohio we had no spring and now we have had no autumn. Two weeks ago, it was in the 90s, now I scrape ice off my car in the morning. Race morning was below freezing. I debated whether to wear shorts or compression running pants. I walked outside in shorts and felt fine, so went with that. That would turn out to be the biggest mistake of the day. In the cold, my leg muscles tightened up and never let go. I kept thinking that surely after 10 or 40 miles my legs would warm up, but they never did. All day long, I never felt like I found my natural stride. 

 

With these tight legs, I considered quitting at the marathon finish line. That would still be a solid accomplishment, nothing wrong with counting myself among the 0.5 percent. Or so my brain told me.

 

My friend Johnny Rutherford wasn’t buying it.

 

I knew Rutherford was tracking me and had planned on running with me at some point. I sent him a text saying I was planning on stopping at the finish line and got this reply:

 

 

Unbeknownst to me, Rutherford had also setup a chat group. While I was whining about my tight legs, he was lining up people to run the final 24 miles with me back to Hilliard.

 

Even by this time, I ran with several amazing people. The Team Possum motto is that if you get to the end of the race and haven’t made a new friend, you are doing it wrong. About two miles in, I started talking with a woman running next to me. She was running her first half marathon on a dare. A few miles later I found out the dare came from my friend, Jonathan Flores, who she works with. There were 18,000 people on the course and the first person I talked to is a mutual friend.

 

About 14 miles in, after the half marathoners split off and left the course deserted, I ran with a woman named Marilyn who was having a hard time. I gave her the two Motrin I had with me and we promised to pray for each other.

 

Not long after, a church friend named Sean ran up behind me. He injured his hamstring at Burning River 100, recovered from that to assist his wife, Julie, with the Columbus half marathon, and now encouraged me for about 10 miles. I probably pushed him faster than he needed to go, but we both would finish.

 

I came across the finish line while loudly rapping the Public Enemy song, “I shall not be moved.” Darlene met me there with some Gatorade and a peanut butter sandwich. She later said she didn’t see me cross the finish, but she heard my distinctive scream of victory. This marked the third time Darlene met me. She brought me food and hydration on the desolate part of the course around mile 22 and cheered with David and Stephanie Connor in German Village.

By the time I finished the marathon, I had given in to Rutherford’s persistent texting and was going to give the 50 a shot. I made my way out of the secure area, back to the Scioto Trail, and met Jennifer and our friends Jon and Lisa. Jon served as my crew chief for the day and helped me with gear change, nutrition, and hydration. Seasoned boiled potatoes, Nutella wraps, and Tailwind infused water had me ready to go. All day long, I managed my nutrition well. I began the race overhydrated (thanks to a large Tim Hortons coffee) and took three porta-potty breaks in the first 12 miles. However, throughout the race I ate before I was hungry, drank before I was thirsty, and walked before I was tired. The sweetness of tailwind got tiring, but overall I did well in nutrition and hydration management.

 

At my crew chief led stop, a fellow Possum known as Goat met me. Goat is a remarkable man who recently overcame a significant injury and successfully completed Hallucination 100. Goat ran with me for about the next 12 miles, keeping me laughing and entertaining me with his stories.

 

As Goat and I approached the Culvers in Hilliard we saw a gentleman with a Team Possum hat waiting for us. I first met Michael near mile 10 of the marathon. He asked if I was doing the full, I replied “that and some extra,” and in typical possum style, he gave up the next few hours of his day to help me run my final 13. A couple of miles later we stopped for another bathroom and nutrition break at Erin’s house. Wil made chorizo burritos (my favorite) and Gatorade waited on the table.

 

About 4 miles later we picked up a phenomenal runner and human being named Morgan. Morgan recently completed the Hennepin Hundred in just over 21 hours. She is amazing and in a class beyond me. Yet, she was so supportive and complimentary of me. She kept saying, “you don’t look like someone who has run over 40 miles”. High praise from a high-end athlete.

 

Michael and I dropped Morgan off with her husband at Heritage Park and headed toward downtown Hilliard for the last five miles to the finish. We made an ill-advised stop in the nicest public bathroom I have ever been in. The warmth of the bathroom contrasted the cold outside. In the short time I stood in the bathroom, my legs tightened up again and it took a mile to loosen back up.

 

Nevertheless, press on we did. While my legs were never right all day, I never once felt tired or winded. I had a positive spirit, energy, and experience all day. Although cold, it was a beautiful day that began with fireworks at the start line and ended with a beautiful sunset.

 

Michael and I ran the last two miles at a solid pace, finishing at the Beer Barrel. Jennifer, Erin, Wil, and Kye cheered. Cold beer and warm food waited for us. But I would have never savored this experience without the dozens of people who carried me on race day. The Possum community shined with its true colors, the church community rallied around me, and my friends and family fueled me with much more than potatoes and Tailwind.

 

Running may seem like the most individual of sports, but there was nothing individual about completing this 50-mile run. 2018 marks the 10th anniversary of when I started running and this was my 12th marathon or ultra. This one is the most special of all, not because of what I did, but because of what we did together.

 

I am blessed beyond measure.

Run CBus 50K-ish Report

“How fast do you want to go?” I asked Johnny, Jake, and Morgan as we set out on the Run CBus 50K.

“Sub 12”, said Rutherford.

Perfect, i thought.

Then we ran the first mile in 10:51 and the second in 10:09, the third in 10:02. We didn’t run a single mile close to 12 minutes until mile 16, and that was as we navigated city traffic. I thought to myself, technically this is sub 12, but over a minute per mile faster than i would’ve done by myself.

This was my pinnacle training run for the Fall 50 in Door County, Wisconsin. I shared with the group my anxiety about having to make the 11 hour cutoff. I did 50 miles around the OSU oval last year, but went well over 11 hours. It scares me a little to wonder if i can make the cutoff, which is part of the reason i signed up for the race. As we ran the faster pace around Columbus, i thought that if i can maintain this, i can do the Fall 50.

The high temperature in Columbus on Friday was 86, on Saturday we ran in the mid 60s. The perfect weather was coupled with laughter and good conversation. Four people who come from different backgrounds and live different lives came together to not only run, but to enjoy each other’s company.

We stopped at three breweries along the way for dehydration, with special thanks to Sammie at Knotty Pine for opening up early for us (as we were ahead of schedule) and being gracious as we made a mess of the place.

But most importantly, thanks to Morgan, Jake, and Johnny who pulled my older body around Columbus. I expected we would finish at four, and we were done before 2:30. Our overall pace was 12:42, including stops. I need to average 13:08 for the Fall 50 and won’t be making beer stops, so that now seems more possible.

Running might be the most individual of sports, but once again the running community proved that we can achieve things together that we can never do alone.

Relive the run: https://www.relive.cc/view/1858972079

Running the Album: Bambara Shadow on Everything

On Sunday I saw my favorite punk band of the century in concert, IDLES. The show was remarkable with the band offering a playful spirit to their often-serious, justice-oriented messages. The crowd was as much a part of the show as the band, with a camaraderie of singing, stage diving, and moshing that felt like 1983. The latest IDLES album came out at the end of August, yet everyone at the concert seemed to know every word.

One of the great surprises of the concert was the opening band, Bambara. Opening bands usually have a thankless act of warming up a crowd that is paying little attention. However, Bambara caught our attention. In between acts, the crowd talked about how good Bambara was. One woman compared the lead singer to a punk Jim Morrison. I think Jim Morrison was punk rock and Bambara almost seems in on the comparison.

Bambara’s aptly titled 2018 album, “Shadow on Everything,” lays a foundation of depth from the opening song “Dark Circles”. Bambara’s music builds layers upon layers, complimented with a powerful beat. By the second song, “Doe-eyed girl” the album moves to full throttle, accelerating further on my favorite song “Monument” and continuing with “Wild Fires”. These songs would provide great adrenaline for a speed workout or the soundtrack for a 5K PR. As I listened to the album for the first time today, I was only trying to remain stretched out for a 50K on Saturday and had to practice unusual restraint.

Throughout the album, Bambara contrasts post-punk music with long, dark vocals. An album full of liminal space holds in tension  songs fast and slow, clear vocals and mumbled words, and male and female vocals that play off each other in “Backyard”. These combinations are enchanting as the album slowly discloses the underside of life in a small town. Join Bambara for a dark journey that will move your feet, mind, and soul.

Darby Creek Bison 10K Race Report

Three reasons I ran the Darby Creek Bison 10K trail race:

• The Battelle Darby Creek Metropark is one of my favorite places to run.
• The Ohio River Road Runners Club puts on great events.
• Trail running is my favorite running.

I didn’t specifically train for this 10K, I haven’t done any speed work in weeks or longer. I didn’t want to derail my training for the Fall 50 and did a 22 mile run on Wednesday. I was up until midnight last night. My plan was to treat this as a training run, if i finished at an 11 minute mile pace i would be happy.

And then the race director said go.

I assumed my legs would be sore from having already run over 40 miles this week. I was surprised how easily my legs turned as the energy of 75 other runners pushed me forward. I looked down at my watch after the first mile and was at an 8:30 pace.

Time to change plans.

While the first stretch of the race was a paved trail that looped around the parking area, the rest was what great runs are made of: trails of dirt, hills, rocks, and roots.

I have run these trails many times. The trail paralleled Darby Creek and i recognized the climb we were making toward an open meadow. I was less than excited to know we’d be running a mile through prairie grass. A couple of weeks ago i bonked out after bushwhacking through some high grasses. Fortunately it was cut lower than I expected and we returned to the cover of trees without losing pace. My favorite part of the course featured some steep hills, before returning back to the creek.

Coming out of the woods, and to the finish, i was able to sprint hard. Unfortunately, this segment was very short and i could’ve gone longer and harder. As the timing chip was cut from my shoe, i was asked “how old are you?” I replied, 51. A pint beer glass was handed to me with the statement “congratulations, first place in age group.”

First place in age group? I was shocked.

In my 51 years, i have never gotten first place in anything athletic. Not in an individual or team sport. I was the last kid picked as teams divided in elementary school and our little league team went 0-16. I didn’t train or rest for this race. And yet, a run on a beautiful course with great people resulted in an unexpected affirmation.

Hilltop USA 5K Race Report

I rarely seek out 5Ks.

Over the years, I’ve grown to enjoy longer distance trail runs more than anything. I will run a Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, or participate in an event like the Hangry Race Series solely for the cause, but haven’t planned my race schedule around a 5K in several years.

However, it is good when opportunity pushes me to do something I normally wouldn’t.

At the invitation of the unofficial leader of the Possum Racing Team (Mark Carroll), about 10 Possums participated in the unofficial 5K club championship. As a group more oriented to community than competition, and distance to speed, none of us saw this as battle for the fastest time, but as an opportunity to get together, benefit local veterans, and support the Hilltop neighborhood.

Some of the pre-race Possums

For me, the most enjoyable part of the morning was simply the opportunity to hang out with really cool people who share laughter and a running addiction. About half of us were either running home after the run or planning another run for later in the day. We are people with a running problem and it was this 5K that gave us the opportunity to come together.

The Hilltop USA 5K took place on the recently completed Camp Chase Trail. The segment we ran was flat and relatively unremarkable, compared to the wooded trails I’ve been racing in this year. However, the trail is part of the Ohio to Erie Trail that stretches from Cincinnati to Cleveland and US Bicycle Route 50 that goes from Indiana to Washington DC.

Over 250 people crowded on the narrow sidewalk and after counting down from five we were off.

My “A” goal was to break 24 minutes, my “B” goal was to set a personal record faster than the previous mark of 24:20, and my “C” goal was to take whatever the day would give me. I set these goals without specifically preparing for this event. I did not curtail my higher mileage training for the Fall 50 or pursuit of the Run the Year 2018 ambition. I did not do specific speed work or take any rest in preparation for the 5K. Instead, I truly decided to take what my body would give me. My plan was to run the first two miles around a 7:45 pace and then put the hammer down as much as I could for mile three and some change.

All went to plan for the first two miles, but when it came time to kick it up a notch for mile three, there was nothing extra there. Part of this came from drinking an iced mocha before the race. The milk and cream of the mocha were not making my stomach happy in the third mile. In fact, I coughed hard numerous times and started to worry that I was going to puke. I started to do math in my head, wondering if I could throw up and still make a PR. Fortunately, I did not have to test this theory.

By the end of the third mile, my stomach settled down. From a distance, I could see the finish line clock. As I got closer, the numbers clicked to 24 minutes. If I gave it all I had, I could set a personal record. I ran the last tenth of a mile as fast as I could and finished with a chip time of 24:09, breaking my best by 11 seconds and coming in 20th overall.

With no intentional preparation for this race, I finished ecstatic with the result and celebrated with a 10K run back home. In contrast to the race where I carefully monitored my speed, I ran home leisurely and simply enjoying the day.

Left to my own devices, I would have never signed up for a 5K in July. But thanks to the Possum community, I had a great time, got to see good friends, and help out veterans in one of the more disenfranchised neighborhoods of Columbus. People coming together is the best of America.

Top 10 Albums of the year (so far)

I normally wait until the end of the year to do this, but there has been so much good music this year and it is too hot to do yard work. So without any thought or analysis, here are my top 10 albums of the year (so far). Let me know what I’m missing.

1. Remember Sports-Slow Buzz
2. Ministry-Amerikant
3. Kendrick Lamar-Black Panther
4. Arndales-Shops
5. Grouper-Grid of Points
6. Jack White-Boarding House Reach
7. Starcrawler-Starcralwer
8. Sarah Mary Chadwick-Sugar still melts in the rain
9. Florence + the Machine-High as Hope
10. David Byrne-American Utopia