Capital City Half Marathon

Scoreboard

A Goal: 13 min/mile pace
Actual: 12:25 pace

B Goal: 3 hour finish
Actual: 2 hour, 44 minute finish

C Goal: Finish
Actual: Finished

First on the First

A year ago at this time I was on the couch with a broken arm and broken leg after getting hit-and-run by a car on Christmas Eve. While I lay on the couch, January 1st of 2021, my neighbor Cathy ran the “First on the First 5K” for me.

Today, we ran the race together on a wet morning.

825 people had nothing better to do on a New Year’s Day morning but to gather in the rain and run three miles through Westerville neighborhoods.

I spent 2021 recuperating from the accident. During the last year I didn’t keep track of how many miles I ran or how long it took me to complete them. I just tried to work my way back.

Today is the beginning of being back. It was not a particularly fast run, we averaged close to 11:00 minute miles. My weight is 30 pounds more than this time last year. But I strapped on my Garmin watch for the first time in a long time and took the first steps to being back as a runner.

We were hoping to set a new PR for Cathy but missed that by 20 seconds (making the last mile uphill didn’t help that).

It rained so much I couldn’t see out of my glasses, but it is good to be back.

I am not sure what races I will run this year. COVID has made organized, in person races uncertain. But today I begin the journey of running 2,022 miles this year–only 2,019 to go!

Photo by Robb McCormick Photography http://www.robbmccormick.com ©2021

2021 Albums of the Year

Five Stars: The top 10 albums of the year. Call Spoonful Records and get these on vinyl

1. Lingua Ignota, Sinner Get Ready
2. Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, Carnage
3. Lil Nas X, Montero
4. June Jones, Leafcutter
5. Dillbilly, Chaparral
6. Black Swan, Repetition Hymns
7. The Bug, Fire
8. Grouper, Shade
9. Sarah Mary Chadwick, Me and Ennui Are Friends, Baby
10. Senyawa, AlkisahFour Stars: This is really good stuff. Listen again and again.
11. Thomas Feiner & Anywhen, Opiates Revisited
12. Claire Rousay, An Afternoon Whine
13. Kanye West, Donda
14. Halsey, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power
15. girl in red, if i could make it go quiet
16. TV Priest, Uppers
17. Black Dresses, Forever in Your Heart
18. Lingua Ignota, Agnus Dei
19. Deafheaven, Infinite Granite
20. Backxwash, I Lie Here Buried With My Rings and Dresses
21. Arca, Madre
22. Arca, Kick iiiii
23. Arca, Kick iiii
24. Arca, Kick iii
25. Arca Kick ii
26. Tricky, Lonely Guest
27. Little Simz, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
28. screensaver, Expressions of Interest
29. Silk Sonic, An Evening with Silk Sonic
30. illuminati hotties, Let Me Do One More
31. Dry Cleaning, New Long Leg
32. NYX and Gazelle Twin, Deep England
33. Tamar Aphek, All Bets are Off
34. Steve Earle, J. T.
35. Black Country, New Road; For the First Time
36. Bartees Strange, Live at Studio 4
37. Tyler the Creator, Call Me If You Get Lost
38. Billie Eillish, Happier Than Ever
39. Rachika Nayar, Our hands against the dusk
40. John Forte, Vessels, Angels & Ancestors
41. Automotion, In Motion
42. James Blake, Friends That Break Your Heart
43. Peace Chord, Peace Chord
44. Catherine Graindorge, Eldorado
45. Greentea Peng, Man Made
46. shame, Drunk Tank Pink
47. A Winged Victory for the Sullen, Invisible Cities
48. Oh Sees, Weirdo Hairdo
49. Cabaret Voltaire, Shadow of Funk
50. Hali Palombo, Cylinder Loops
51. Meet Me @ The Altar, Model Citizen
52. Warren Ellis & Nick Cave, La Panthére des Neiges
53. Drakeo the Ruler, The Truth Hurts
54. Alan Vega. After Dark
55. Meat Wave, Volcano Park
56. Coldcut, @0
57. Circuit des Yeux, -io
58. Jonsi, Obsidian
59. Violet Cold, Empire of Love
60. Mannequin Pussy, Perfect
61. Angel Olson, Aisles
62. Luca Longobardi, Segments
63. Luca Longobardi, Weltschmerz
64. Bachelor, Doomin’ Sun
65. Bertie Marshall, Exhibit
66. Locked Sailor, Locked Sailor
67. Sloppy Jane, Madison
68. Soley, Mother Melancholia
69. Martina Topley-Bird, Forever I Wait
70. Indigo De Souza, Any Shape You Take
71. Ustad Saami, East Pakistan Sky
72. Steve Von Till, A Deep Voiceless Wilderness
73. Matthew E White & Lonnie Holley, Broken Mirror: A Selfie Reflection
74. Grip, I Died for This?
75. Adia Victoria, A Southern Gothic
76. Tirzah, Colourgrade
77. Mick Jenkins, Elephant in the Room
78. Spectacular Diagnostics, Ancient Methods
79. Prolaps, Ultra Cycle Pt 1, Vernal Birth
80. Closer, Within One Stem
81. Lushlife, Redamancy
82. El Michels Affair, Yeti Season
83. Alan Vega, Mutator
84. Fog Lake, Tragedy Reel
85. Leslie Jordan, Company’s Comin’
86. Ad Nauseam, Imperative Imperceptible Impulse
87. Claire Rousay, Both
88. Thee Oh Sees, Levitation Sessions Vol 2
89. Closer, Within One Stem
90. The The, The Comeback Special
91. El Love, Love Will Drown the Nest
92. Lael Neale, Acquainted with Night
93. The Armed, Ultrapop
94. Wolves in the Throne, Primordial Arcana
95. Iceage: Seek Shelter
96. Lucy Liyou, Practice
97. Talons’, new nightmares
98. The Underground Youth, The Falling
99. Paul Leary, Born Stupid
100. Cloud Nothings, The Shadow I Remember
101. Tindersticks, Distractions
102. hakobune, Above the Northern Skies Shown
103. L’Orange, The World is Still Chaos, But I Feel Better
104. Ben Marc, Breathe Suite
105. Nuha Ruby Ra, How to Move
106. Ian Sweet, Show Me How You Disappear
107. Uniiqu3, Heartbeats
108. Kill Scott Herron, The Revolution Will Now Be Live Streamed
109. Ana Roxanne, Because of a Flower
110. Hayley Williams, Flowers for Vases /descansos
111. Cabaret Voltaire, Dekadrone
112. Anika Pyle, Wild River
113. Damon Locks Black Movement Ensemble, Now
114. Irena and Vojtech Havlovi, Melodies in the Sand
115. Rats on Rafts, Excerpts from Chapter 3: The Mind Runs a Net of Rabbit Paths
116. Mouse on Mars, Aai
117. Basside and Sophie, F It Up
118. Jimmy Edgar, Cheetah Bend
119. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, B-Sides & Rarities (Part II)
120. Fax Gang, Aethernet
121. Rejoice, Damnation No Longer Hurts
122. Blanck Mass, In Ferneaux
123. Claire Rousay, A Softer Focus
124. John Dwyer, Endless Garbage
125. iamdoechi, Bra-less
126. Atarshi Gakko!, Snacktime
127. Typhoon, Sympathetic Magic
128. slowthai, TYRON
129. Julien Baker, Little Oblivious
130. John Hopkins, Music for Psychedelic Therapy
131. Maassai, With the Saints
132. Mogwai, As the love continues
133. Tommy Genesis, goldilocks x
134. Steven R Smith, The Growing Surface
135. Louisahhh, The Practice of Freedom
136. Zuli, All Caps
137. Viagra Boys, Welfare Jazz
138. Palberta, Palberta5000
139. Goat Girl, On All Fours
140. God Damn, Raw Coward
141. Anna Leone, I’ve Felt All These Things
142. Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Brains, Swing from the Sean DeLear
143. WILLOW, lately i feel EVERYTHING
144. Squirrel Flower, Planet (i)
145. Cold Beat, War Garden
146. Courtney Barnett, Things Take Time, Take Time
147. Dinosaur Jr, Sweep It Into Space
148. Sophia Kennedy, Monsters
149. Sharon Van Etten, epic Ten
150. Growing, Diptych
151. Rhiannon Giddens, They’re Calling Me Home
152. Home is Where, I Became Birds
153. Terrace Martin, Drones
154. Jonnine, Blue Hills
155. cehryl, time machine
156. The Staves, Good Woman
157. Pom Pom Squad, Death of a Cheerleader
158. Duran Duran, Future Past
159. Blu DeTiger, How Did We Get Here?
160. Moin, Moot!
161. Stereolab, Electrically Possessed
162. Vegyn, Like a Good Old Friend
163. Parannoul, To See the Next Part of the Dream
164. Thirdface, Do It With a Smile3 Stars: A quality listen. Worth a once through.
165. 645AR,  Most Hated
166. Don Toliver, Life of a DON
167. Turnstile, Glow On
168. Sleaford Mods, Spare Ribs
169. Melvins, Working with God
170. Angel Du$t, YAK: A Collection of Truck Songs
171. Common, A Beautiful Revolution Part 2
172. Heinrich Kobberling, Dissent Chapters 1-10
173. Ty Segall, Harmonizer
174. BADBADNOTGOOD, Talk Memory
175. PinkPantheress, To Hell With It
176. Poppy, Flux
177. Gabe ‘Nandez, Strife
178. Tropical F Storm, Deep States
179. Arooj Aftab, Vulture Prince
180. Hannah Jadagu, What is Going on?
181. Dawn Richard, Boomerang
182. J Cole, The Off-Season
183. Sleater-Kinney, Path of Wellness
184. Finneas, Optimist
185. Remi Wolf, Juno
186. Alien Nosejob, Paint It Clear
187. Joshua Crumbly, ForEver
188. Delivery, Yes We Do
189. Maria Dehart, Quarantunes
190. Nightshift, Zoe
191. Ryan Dugre, Three Rivers
192. Lisel & Booker Stardum, Mycelial Echo
193. Colin Miller, Hook
194. Godspeed You! Black Emperor, G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END
195. The Black Keys, Delta Kream
196. Lily Konigsberg, Lily We Need to Talk Now
197. Spirit of the Beehive, Entertainment, Death
198. Wristwatch, Wristwatch
199. Clark, Playground in a Lake
200. Lilli Lewis, Americana
201. Ty Segall, Harmonizer
202. Mastadon, Hushed and Grim
203. Dropkick Murphys, Turn Up That Dial
204. Sheep, Dog & Wolf, Two-Minds
205. Elori Saxl, The Blue of Distance
206. The Many, Have Mercy
207. Anzahlung, I’ve Lost My Footing on the World
208. Cleo Sol, Mother
209. Celeste, Not Your Muse
210. Dialect, Under-Between
211. Amy Shark, Cry Forever
212. Arlo Parks, Collapsed in Sunbeams
213. dodie, Build a Problem
214. Toth, You and Me and Everything
215. Toth, Death
216. Tems, If Orange was a Place
217. High Contrast, Notes from the Underground Remixes 2.0.zip
218. Robert Plant & Allison Krauss, Raise the Roof
219. They Might Be Giants, Book
220. Ashley Monroe, Rosegold
221. Charles Moothart, Soft Crime
222. Benny the Butcher & Harry Fraud, The Plugs I Met 2
223. Brian Eno, Film Music: science/fiction
224. Richard Barbieri, Chosen Spells
225. Kosei Fukuda, RUTEN
226. th1rt3en, A Magnificent Day for an Exorcism
227. Brian Eno, Film Music: Voices & Words
228. Another Sky, Music for Winter Vol 1
229. Editrix, Tell Me I’m Bad
230. Amulets, Bloomig
231. Tune-Yards, sketchy.
232. Supercorp, Lissajous I
233. Martin Gore, The Third Chimpanzee
234. John Dwyer, Witch Egg
235. Sal Dulu, Xompulse
236. Anna B Savage, A Common Turn
237. Clever Girls, Constellations
238. The Body, I’ve Seen All that I Need to See
239. 4 Mars, Super Somali Sounds from the Gulf of Tadjoura
240. Ragazze Quartet & Martijn Cornet, Schubert: Die Winterreise
241. black midi, Cavalcade
242. MODCON, Modern Condition
243. Alewya, Panther in Mode
244. Sons of Kemet, Black to the Future
245. 2nd Generation Wu, Hereditary
246. Revulsion, Revulsion
247. Nana Yamato, Yoakemae
248. Lost Girls, Menneskekollektivet
249. Predznanie, Терапия
250. She was a Visitor, ISO 220320
251. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, L. W.
252. Tinashe, 333
253. Julie Doiron, I Thought of You
254. Pozi, Typing
255. Chuck Johnson, The Cinder Grove
256. Divide and Distress, Gas Lit
257. Genghis Tron, Dream Weapon
258. Wau Wau Collectif, Yaral Sa Doom
259. Mint Julep, In a Deep and Dreamless Sleep
260. The Gubs, Daisy Cutter Genocide
261. nothing, nowhere. Trauma Factory
262. Lord Apex, Smoke Sessions 3
263. LICE, Wasteland: What Ails our People is Clear
264. Pauline Anna Strom, Angel Tears in Sunlight
265. Roy Montgomery, Island of Lost Souls
266. Pillow Dog, Happy Heart Attack Vol 1
267. For Your Health, In Spite Of
268. Psychadelic Porn Crumpets, SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound
269. David Gray, Skellig
270. The Parrots, Dos
271. Billy Nomates. Emergency Telephone
272. Valerie June, The Moon and Stars
273. Really From, Really From
274. Julius Eastman, Femenine
275. Ryley Walker & Kikagaku Moyo, Deep Fried Grandeur
276. Keeks, Heal
277. Helado Negro, Far In
278. Lande Hekt, Going to Hell
279. Kate Davis, Strange Boy
280. Bobby Lee, Origin Myths
281. Ai Yamamoto, Pan de Sonic
282. Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Theory of Ice
283. Pink Sweat$, Pink Planet
284. Pink Siifu & Fly Anakin, $Mokebreak
285. Hand Habits, dirt
286. Yu Su, Yellow River Blue
287. Lorde, Solar Power
288. Octo Octa, She’s Calling
289. Drake, Certified Lover Boy
290. Moon Taxi, Silver Dream
291. Bat Fangs, Queen of My World
292. Mickey Guyton, Remember Her Name
293. Abstract Mindstate, Dreams Still Inspire
294. Logic, Bobby Tarantino III
295. Mason Lindahl, Kissing Rosy in the Rain
296. Kasper Marott, Full Circle
297. Bicep, Isles
298. Central, Bpemr
299. Crumb, Ice Melt
300. Darkside, Spiral
301. Jane Fontana, In Situ
302. Floating Points, Promises
303. New Pagans, The Seed, The Vessels, The Roots and All
304. Middle Kids, Today We’re the Greatest
305. Epitaph, Tears for the Dying
306. Stortregn, Impermanence
307. Suffering Hour, The Cyclic Reckoning
308. Deekapz, Jewel Gems
309. Portrayal of Guilt, We Are Always Alone
310. Perfume Genius, IMMEDIATELY Remixes
311. Yoshinori Hayashi, Pulse of Defiance
312. Big Ghost Ltd & Conway the Machine, If It Bleeds It Can Be Killed
313. Altin Gun, Yol
314. The Martha’s Vineyard Ferries, Suns Out Guns Out
315. Mush, Lines Redacted
316. Parquet Courts, Sympathy for Life
317. Virginia Wing, Private Life2 stars: I am not sure what happened here, but something went wrong,
318. Idles, Crawler
319. Tori Amos, Ocean to Ocean
320. Coldplay, Music of the Spheres
321. Lana Del Ray, Blue Banisters
322. Lana Del Rey, Chemtrails Over the Country Club
323. Allie Crow Buckley, Moonlit and Devious no
324. Nermin Niazi, Disco Se Aagay
325. Portrayal of Guilt, We Are Always Alone
326. Voilaaa, Voiciii
327. Miss Grit, Blonde
328. His Name is Alive, Hope is a Candle
329. Pom Poko, Cheater
330. Midnight Sister, Painting the Roses
331. The Dirty Nil, F— Art
332. Marauder, Puissance 4
333. Snacking, Painted Gold
334. Foo Fighters, Medicine at Midnight
335. Edie Brickell & New Bohemiams, Hunter and the Dog Star
336. Sam Dew, Moonlit Fools
337. Passenger, Songs for the Drunk and Brokenhearted1 Star: Turn around now, don’t listen. You can’t unhear what you have heard
338. The Hold Steady, Open Door Policy
339. Cassandra Jenkins, An Overview of Phenomenal Nature
340. Albertine Sarges, The Sticky Fingers
341. Tele Novella, Merlynn Belle
342. Various Artists, Indaba IS
343. The Weather Station, Ignorance

100 Best Running Songs of 2021

2021 brought with it far fewer running miles. After bouncing off a car on Christmas Eve 2020, much of my year was spent in physical therapy and recovery. I began running again in June, did a 5K in August, and 10K in October.

Despite the reduced miles, there was still so much great music that came out this year. Here are the 100 best songs (in my unprofessional opinion) for running, driving, working out, cleaning, or just jamming.

You can listen to this playlist on Apple Music at https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/2021-running-songs/pl.u-06oxp93CYpkqX9p

Enjoy! Let me know what you have been listening to and what I missed.

1. Running, Fake Names
2. Hand of God, Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
3. I LIE HERE BURIED WITH MY RINGS and MY DRESSES (feat. Ada Rook), Backxwash
4. Bang (feat. Manga Saint Hilare), The Bug
5. I Who Bend the Tall Grasses, Lingua Ignota
6. MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name), Lil Nas X
7. Fly As Me, Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak & Silk Sonic
8. Drones (feat. James Fauntleroy, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg & Ty Dolla $ign), Terrace Martin
9. p r i d e . i s . t h e . d e v i l, J. Cole & Lil Baby
10. family ties, Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar
11. Jesus Lord, Kanye West
12. Don’t Judge Me, FKA twigs, Headie One & Fred again..
13. Mmmoooaaaaayaya, illuminati hotties
14. Serotonin, girl in red
15. t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l (feat. Travis Barker), WILLOW
16. Therapy, June Jones
17. a woman is a god, Tommy Genesis
18. Introvert, Little Simz
19. Unsmart Lady, Dry Cleaning
20. I am not a woman, I’m a god, Halsey
21. Different, Mickey Guyton
22. I’m Not a Man, Suzi Moon
23. Hit Like A Girl, Meet Me @ The Altar
24. Chaise Longue, Wet Leg
25. Woman, Doja Cat
26. Walkthrough! (feat. Eminem), Grip
27. Alert Level, Ministry
28. The Wheel, IDLES
29. Sean DeLear, Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds
30. All The Way Dumb, Angel Du$t
31. Unisil, SOPHIE
32. ISN’T EVERYONE, HEALTH & Nine Inch Nails
33. All Futures, The Armed
34. The Trembling of Glass, Rachika Nayar
35. In Blur, Deafheaven
36. Press Gang, TV Priest
37. Better in My Day, NYX & Gazelle Twin
38. High & Hurt, Iceage
39. That Feeling Like, Sarah Mary Chadwick
40. Oxytocin, Billie Eilish
41. Coming Back (feat. SZA), James Blake
42. Kill Me, Indigo De Souza
43. Solar Power, Lorde
44. Yella Bird, Dillbilly
45. Blue Vein, Lael Neale
46. I’ll Go Running, Squirrel Flower
47. 1 (feat. umru, Himera & trndytrndy), Petal Supply
48. Flight of the Screaming Baboon, Automotion
49. Bruxos, Pongo
50. Champagne Poetry, Drake
51. Pride, Violet Cold
52. Wet Dream, Wet Leg
53. Flux, Poppy
54. Stranger, Anjimile
55. Wrecking Ball, Lilli Lewis
56. Magnolia Blues, Adia Victoria
57. Death (with Francesco Turrisi), Rhiannon Giddens
58. Mean-Hearted Woman, Adia Victoria
59. Utopia, Niis
60. Pre War Tension (feat. Marta), Lonely Guest, Joe Talbot & Tricky
61. Kiamat (feat. bisinggama), Senyawa
62. Mountain Magick, Wolves in the Throne Room
63. Gloria, Angel Olsen
64. Alphabet, shame
65. Nothing Left, Alan Vega
66. Steady (feat. D Smoke & Wiz Khalifa), Camino
67. Die/Cry, Indigo De Souza
68. Born Yesterday, Arca & Sia
69. INVISIBLE, Duran Duran
70. Chickenskin (feat. Elucid), Spectacular Diagnostics
71. No Movement, screensaver
72. Have Mercy, Chlöe
73. Thot Shit, Megan Thee Stallion
74. Rainforest, Noname
75. good 4 u, Olivia Rodrigo
76. Anthony Kiedis, Remi Wolf
77. Bunny Is A Rider, Caroline Polachek
78. Rebel Girl, The Linda Lindas
79. Good Ones, Charli XCX
80. Bussifame, Dawn Richard
81. Go Down Deh (feat. Sean Paul & Shaggy), Spice
82. fitt (feat. Amaarae), Dua Saleh
83. LEMONHEAD (feat. 42 Dugg), Tyler, The Creator
84. Ship of Theseus, Zao
85. Rumors, Lizzo & Cardi B
86. Body (Remix) [feat. ArrDee, E1 (3×3), ZT (3×3), Bugzy Malone, Buni, Fivio Foreign & Darkoo], Tion Wayne & Russ Millions
87. Blood Machine, Charles Moothart
88. Dip, Stefflon Don & Ms Banks
89. Yebo Teacher, Moonchild Sanelly
90. Detainer Man, Pozi
91. You Work All Day and Then You Die, The Parrots
92. Raw Coward, God Damn
93. ENDLESS, Turnstile
94. Crimson + Clover, Pom Pom Squad
95. Troth (The Dreamers), Thomas Feiner
96. Back Of My Hand, Bachelor, Jay Som & Palehound
97. Perfect, Mannequin Pussy
98. Crappy Dreams Count, Moin
99. Truth (feat. Leo Conoza), Iamdoechii
100. As Time Goes By, Tamar Aphek

Making my way back

Spooky Dam 10K—Almost a DFL

In the Team Possum running world, the person who finishes last is seen as the most courageous. After all, it is the person who finishes last who has run for the longest amount of time. At the end of a Possum race, the DFL (Dead F*ing Last) person gets a ridiculously large trophy. I hoped today might be my opportunity.

I signed up to run the Spooky Dam 10K about 12 hours before race time, not particularly trained for a race. On Monday I saw my doctor and complained about weight gain. He said I should run more. So after my appointment I did as the doctor ordered, went for a run, fell, and injured my rib. I took the rest of the week off running and in the first mile of the race could definitely feel it.

The race is an out-and-back course on the walking trail that parallels the shore of Buckeye Lake. It was a typical late October, Ohio day: gray, cool, and drizzly. Yet, it is a picturesque community with cute lakefront houses. Residents came out in costume and cheered as we ran by.

Buckeye Lake, Ohio

At the 5K turn around point, the singer Shawna Croder ran up next to me and turned around with the overwhelming majority of the runners. The first quarter of the race featured a nice crowd; the last three quarters was pretty sparse.

After turning around at the 10K point, I initially thought only one person was behind me and this was my chance to finally get the illusive DFL. A few minutes later I saw an older gentleman still headed toward the turnaround point who was walking. I knew I couldn’t get the DFL with integrity. Always a bridesmaid, never a DFL.

However, on the return journey I ran with a guy named Brad. Brad was running his first ever 10K and I shared with him the Possum adage that “if you get to the finish line and haven’t made a new friend, you are doing it wrong.” He said, “well, I guess I’ll be your friend.”

Is it worrisome when a race volunteer is dressed like a witch?

In the last half mile I let Brad go ahead and crossed the finish line listening to the Dead Kennedy’s song, Halloween.

Probably the slowest 10K I’ve ever run and the closest I ever came to DFL. The only person slower than me was a man walking. However, considering it was 10 months since bouncing off a car and five days after falling on a rib, I am glad for the ability to finish.

Start Again

My leg
marked and swollen
My steps
uncertain
Just a few days ago
ready to quit

And yet
here I am
Legs turning
fast as they can
Heart less conditioned
remembering how it once pumped
Body churning its fastest
yet getting passed
Poured it all out
all I can do

Guess Who’s Back?

Running Sean in at Burning River 100

1963 in 2020

I have attempted the run the year challenge for three years in a row. And, I have fallen short each time.

In 2018 I finished with 1800 miles—a new personal best and a good start. In 2019 I again set a personal best with 1801 miles but still a couple hundred below the goal.

In 2020 I was determined to run the year and run the miles. I was sick in January, so missed a few days at the first of the year, and was behind ever since.

The virtual runs offered during coronavirus lockdowns did not help. In fact I think the uncanceled runs, provided by the same people who created run the year, served as cross purposes. While racing in a number of events sounds like a good way to catch up on miles, the resting before and after a race creates a net negative affect. In 2020 I raced in over 30 virtual races. Both wanting to push myself, and to support the running community.

I sought to run these races with some integrity. Not every race was a PR, although I did set some of those. But I did not go out and simply jog a 5K or finish a marathon as a slow jog. I put out a real effort as if I was racing. Among these 30 events I ran about a half dozen marathons and ultras.

Every week the deficit for my running balance improved more and more. Soon it was in the single digits. With a week to go, I had less than 50 miles to run. I can remember thinking on Christmas Eve morning, if I wanted to, I could run this whole thing in one day. But that is not how the day would turn out.

A mile into the run I got hit head on by a car. The driver didn’t stop. I could see the headlights coming at me but it was too late to do anything about it. I flew in the air like a cartoon character and landed on my right side. The adrenaline initially masked the pain, but I soon realized my arm and leg were like Jell-O. Another attempt at running the year was finished. Another time I have fallen short.

I am lucky to be alive. I can remember details of the accident that I wish I didn’t. I am sad to have put the ones i love through this hell again. But as the tattoo on my clavicle reminds me, i will rise above.

Top 366 Albums of 2020

2020 is a year that will go down in infamy historically… but, has been a remarkable year musically. 

For the last several years I have put out a list of my top albums of the year. This year, I kept a list of all the new albums I listened to. Instead of limiting to a finite number of favorite albums, I ranked them all. This worked out to 366 albums, one for each day of the year. 

Here are my  favorite albums that came out in 2020. The year may have sucked, but the music was fantastic. Thanks to Henry Rollins and his KCRW Radio Show, Iggy Pop’s Iggy Confidential, NPRs All Songs Considered, and all the other music sites that help to keep it fresh.

What did you listen to in 2020?

2020 Albums of the Year

1. Spanish Love Songs, Brave Faces Everyone
2. Public Enemy, What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down
3. IDLES, Ultra Mono
4. Arca, KiCk i
5. Nick Cave, Idiot Prayer
6. clipping., Visions of Bodies Being Burned
7. Mac Miller, Circles
8. Run the Jewels, RTJ4
9. Sault, Untitled (Black Is)
10. Sarah Mary Chadwick, Please Daddy
11. Mark Lanegan, Straight Songs of Sorrow
12. Touche Amore, Lament
13. BAMBARA, Stray
14. Tricky, Fall to Pieces
15. Eminem, Music to be Murdered By
16. Fontaines DC, A Hero’s Death
17. Juice WRLD, Legends Never Die
18. Drakeo the Ruler, Thank You for using GTL
19. Fantastic Negrito, Have you lost your mind yet?
20. Amnesia Scanner, Tearless
21. Jeff Rosenstock, No Dream
22. The Avalanches, We Will Always Love You
23. The Flaming Lips, American Head
24. Protomartyr, Ultimate Success Today
25. Perfume Genius, Set my heart on fire immediately
26. Quakers, II-The Next Wave
27. 2nd Grade, Hit to Hit
28. Oh Sees, Panther Rotate
29. Oh Sees, Metamorphosed
30. Porridge Radio, Every Bad
31. Nothing, The Great Dismal
32. Grimes, This story is dedicated to all those cyberpunks
33. Bill Callahan, Gold Record
34. Cabaret Voltaire, Shadow of Fear
35. Alien Nosejob, Suddenly Everything is Twice as Loud
36. X, Alphabetland
37. Princess Nokia, Everything Sucks
38. Princess Nokia, Everything Is Beautiful
39. Emel, The Tunis Diaries
40. Metz, Atlas Vending
41. Busta Rhymes, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God
42. Coriky, Coriky
43. Bob Mould, Blue Hearts
44. Big Sean, Detroit 2
45. Halsey, Manic
46. Dogleg, Melee
47. Juicy J, The Hustle Continues
48. Orville Peck, Show Pony
49. Sevdaliza, Shabrang
50. Son Lux, Tomorrows II
51. Son Lux, Tomorrows I
52. Oh Sees, Protean Threat
53. Cliquey Bitches, Scorpio Scorpio
54. Gulfer, Gulfer
55. J. Zunz, Hibiscus
56. Black Thought, Streams of Thought Volume 3
57. Shut it Down: Benefit for the movement for Black Lives
58. Arca, Riquiqui Bronze Instances
59. Ghostemane, Anti-icon
60. Drakeo the Ruler, We Know the Truth
61. Futuro, Os Segredos do Espaco e Tempo
62. Sufjan Stevens, The Ascension
63. Humanist, Humanist
64. Drive by truckers, The New OK
65. Logic, No Pressure
66. The Innocence Mission, See You Tomorrow
67. Le Butcherettes, Don’t Bleed
68. Magik Markers, 2020
69. Boris, Refrain
70. Nerrves, We Were Too Late Anyway
71. Alien Nosejob, Once Again the Present Becomes the Past
72. Sleeper and Snake, Fresco Shed
73. Oneohtrix Point Never, Magic Oneohtrix Point Never
74. The Bug, In Blue
75. Pop Smoke, Shoot for the stars aim for the moon
76. Soakie, Soakie
77. Diet Cig, Do you wonder about me?
78. Svalbard, When I Die Will I Get Better?
79. Ustad Saami, Pakistan is for the Peaceful
80. Body Count, Carnivore
81. Neil Young, Homegrown
82. Helena Deland, Someone New
83. Chubby and the Gang, Speed Kills
84. Pup, This place sucks ass
85. Jehnny Beth, To Love is to Love
86. Floral Tattoo, You can never have a long enough head start
87. Moses Sumney, grae
88. Kid Cudi, Man on the Moon iii
89. J. S. Ondara, Folk n Roll Vol 1, Tales of Isolation
90. Adrianne Lenker, instrumentals
91. Soul Glo, Songs to Yeet at the Sun
92. Adrianne Lenker, songs
93. Bartees Strange, Live Forever
94. Lomelda, Hannah
95. Pearl Jam, Gigaton
96. Waxahatchee, Saint Cloud
97. The Psychedelic Furs, Made of Rain
98. Dead lips, dead lips
99. The Waterboys, Good Luck, Seeker
100. Illuminati hotties, FREE I.H. This is not the one you’ve been waiting for
101. Ozzy Osbourne, Ordinary Man
102. AC/DC, Power Up 
103. Good Sad Happy Bad, Shades
104. Mourn, Self Worth
105. Gorillaz, Song Machine Episode 6
106. Childish Gambino, 3.15.20
107. The Cravats, Hooraland
108. Little Simz, Drop 6
109. Anti-Flag, 20/20 Vision
110. Hamilton Leithauser, The Loves of your life
111. The Weekend, After Hours
112. Charli XCX, how I’m feeling now
113. Grimes, Miss Anthropocene
114. Undeath, Lesions of a Different Kind
115. Angel Olson, Whole New Mess
116. Avett Brothers, The Third Gleam
117. Oklou, Galore
118. Lambchop, Trip
119. Death Valley Girls, Under the Spell of Joy
120. The Mountain Goats, Getting Into Knives
121. The Sea The Sea, Stumbling Home
122. Rina Sawayama, Sawayama
123. Deafbrick, Deafkids & Petbrick
124. Open Mike Eagle, Anime, Trauma, and Divorce
125. Jello Biafra & The Guantanomo School of Medicine, Tea Party Revenge Porn
126. Sleaford Mods, All That Glue
127. Eighth Blackbird, Singing in the Dead of Night
128. Phoebe Bridgers, Punisher
129. Rita Indiana, Mandinga Times
130. Miley Cyrus, Plastic Hearts
131. Fleet Foxes, Shore
132. Knot, Knot
133. Noveller, Arrow
134. Siti Muharam, Siti of Unguja
135. Jockstrap, Beavercore
136. Damaged Bug, Bug on Yonkers
137. Bob Dylan, Rough and Ready Ways
138. The Strokes, The New Abnormal
139. Dizzee Rascal, E3 AF
140. Fuzz, III
141. Alan Vega, City
142. Seth Bogart, Men on the Verge of Nothing
143. Boris, No
144. Halsey, Manic: Or are you normal
145. Tori Amos, Christmastide
146. Tom Morello, Comandante
147. Black Eyed Peas, Translation
148. Bright Eyes, Down in the Weeds, Where the world once was
149. Elvis Costello, Hello Clockface
150. Juliana Barwick, Healing is a miracle
151. Code Orange, Underneath
152. Eminem, Music to be Murdered by Side B
153. Annaca, Solace
154. Sightless Pit, Grave of a Dog
155. Nova Twins, Who are the girls?
156. Ian William Craig, Red Sun Through Smoke
157. Krust, The Edge of Everything
158. Taylor Swift, Evermore
159. David Bowie, ChangesNowBowie
160. Elliot Smith, Elliot Smith Expanded 25th Anniversary Edition
161. The White Stripes, Greatest Hits
162. Beastie Boys, Beastie Boys Music
163. Pylon, Pylon Box
164. David Bowie, Liveandwell.com
165. Pearl Jam, MTV Unplugged
166. Special Interest, The passion of
167. Stormlight, Natoma
168. Fake Names, Fake Names
169. Boneflower, Armour
170. The Lawrence Arms, Skeleton Coast
171. Stay Inside, Viewing
172. Daniel Blumberg, On&On
173. No Home, F’ing Hell
174. Kath Bloom, Bye Bye These are the Days
175. Closedown, Bask in the Dancing Light
176. Dream Wife, So When You Gonna
177. A. Swayze & the Ghosts, Paid Salvation
178. L. A. Witch, Play with fire
179. Awich, Partition
180. Lafawndah, The Fifth Season
181. Same, Plastic Western
182. Mozzy, Beyond bulletproof
183. Permanent Residue, S/T Tape
184. Fossil Arm, In Bad Decline
185. Wednesday, I was trying to describe you to someone
186. The Cool Greenhouse, The Cool Greenhousefpo
187. Megan thee Stallion, Good News
188. Bree Runway, 200ANDEVA
189. Wayfarer, A Romance with Violence
190. Brigid Dawson and the Mother Network, Battle of Apes
191. Lucinda Williams, Good souls better angels
192. Songdog, A Happy Endin
193. Infant Island, Sepulcher
194. Midewife, Forever
195. Deradoorian, Find the Sun
196. Sneaks, Happy Birthday
197. Alicia Keys, Alicia
198. Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist, Alfredo
199. Sad13, Haunted Painting
200. Frock Destroyers, Frock4Life
201. Green Day, Father of all
202. Fra Fra, Funeral Songs
203. The Suicide Machine, Revolution Spring
204. THICK, 5 Years Behind
205. Thundercat, It is what it is
206. Cold Beat, Mother
207. Jonsi, Shiver
208. Roisin Murphy, Roisin Machine 
209. Lucrecia Dalt, No Era Solida
210. 21 Savage, Savage Mode II
211. King Princess, Cheap Queen
212. Junglepussy, JP4
213. Speaker Music, Black Nationalist Sonic Weaponry
214. Yaeji, What We Drew
215. Frail Hands, parted/departed/apart
216. Ora Cogan, , Bells in the Ruins
217. Apollo Brown and Che Noir, As God Intended
218. Wu Fei and Abigail Washburn, Wu Fei and Abigail Washburn
219. Autechre, Sign
220. TORRES, Silver Tongue
221. Nas, King’s Disease
222. Boston Manner, Glue
223. Sam Prekop, Comma
224. Shackleton, Primal Forms
225. JARV IS…, Beyond the Pale
226. Wind Atlas, Arche-Fossil
227. Days and Daze, Show me the blueprints
228. Nine Inch Nails, Ghosts V
229. Nine Inch Nails, Ghosts VI
230. A. G. Cook, Apple
231. Bad Bunny, YHLQMDLG 
232. Strike Anywhere, Nightmares of the West
233. Jake Blount, Spider Tales
234. dj  blackpower, BLP2020 King of the Night
235. Travis, 10 Songs
236. Arrested Development, Don’t Fight Your Demons
237. Tame Impala, The Slow Rush
238. Brendan Benson, Dear Life
239. Adulkt Life, Book of Curses
240. The Beths, Jump Rope Gazers
241. Palm Reader, Sleepless
242. Loma, Don’t Shy Away
243. Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou, May Our Chambers Be Full
244. Mr Bungle, The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo
245. Soko, Feel Feelings
246. Numun, Voyage Au Soleil
247. KA, Descendents of Cain
248. Jay Electronica, A Written Testimony
249. Marilyn Manson, We Are Chaos
250. Crack Cloud, Pain Olympics
251. Wilma Archer, A Western Circular
252. Fossil Island, In Bad Decline
253. The Chats, High Risk Behavior
254. Sweeping Promises, Hunger for a way out
255. Nils Frahm, Empty
256. Yuja Wang, John Adams: Must the devil have all the good tunes?
257. Es, Less of Everything
258. Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia
259. Paul McCartney, McCartney III
260. Kelly Lee Owens, Inner Song
261. Haley Williams, Petals for Armor
262. Car Seat Headrest, Making a door less open
263. FACS, Void Moments
264. JFDR, New Dreams
265. Lithics, Tower of age
266. Algiers, There is No Year
267. Nazar, Guerilla
268. Blawan, Immulsion
269. Gaika, Seguridad
270. Nuvolascura. As we suffer from memory and imagination
271. Melenas, Dias Raros
272. Behemouth, A Forest
273. Michael Rother, Dreaming
274. Mutant Love, Revolution Redacted Pt. 1
275. Lady Gaga, Chromatica
276. Annie, Dark Hearts
277. Anjimile, Giver Taker
278. Hilary Woods, Birthmarks
279. Hook, Crashed My Car
280. The Bombpops, Death in Venice Beach
281. Inexorum, Moonlit Naviation
282. Soccer96. Tactics
283. Soccer mommy, color theory
284. Cable Ties, Fair Enough
285. Alice Bag, Sister Dynamite
286. The Soft Pink Truth, Shall we go on sinning that grace May increase?
287. Four Year Strong, Brain Pain
288. Lil Uzi Vert, Eternal Atake
289. Ratboys, Printer’s Devil
290. Spun Out, Touch the Sound
291. Troye Sivan, In a dream
292. Jonnine, Super Natural
293. Hamerkop, remote
294. Drive-by truckers, the unraveling
295. Gorillaz, Song Machine, Season One: Strange TImez
296. Five Finger Death Punch, F8
297. Aesop Rock, Spirit World Field Guide
298. Small Bills, Don’t Play it Straight
299. The 1975, Notes on a Conditional Form
300. Godcaster, Long Haired Locusts
301. Fiona Apple, Fetch the bolt cutters
302. Garcia Peoples, Nightcap at Wits’ End
303. The Lovely Eggs, I Am Mormon
304. Pure X, Pure X
305. Code Orange, Under the Skin
306. Disclosure, Energy
307. James Williamson & Deniz Tek,Two to One
308. Andy Bell, The View from Halfway Down
309. Rafiq Bhatia, Standards Vol 1
310. Nicole Atkins, Italian Ice
311. The Revivalists, Made is Muscle Shoals
312. Mura Masa, RYC
313. envy, The Fallen Crimson
314. Duma, Duma
315. Big Freedia, Louder
316. Khruangbin, Mordechai
317. Bit of, teenage wasteland
318. Peach, Peach
319. Baxter Dury, The Night Chancers
320. Kevin Morby, Sundowner
321. Polo G, The Goat
322. Tamikrest, Tamotait
323. Bishop Nehru, Nehruvia: My disregarded thoughts
324. GVLLS, Ep 2020
325. Cantine Sbuccia Split by Deaf Lingo, Double No
326. Cowboy Junkies, Ghosts
327. Partynextdoor, Partymobile
328. David Keenan, A Beginners Guide to Bravery
329. Forest Drive West, Parallel Space
330. Folian, Blue Mirror
331. Wire, Mind Hive
332. Smarts, Who Needs Smarts Anyway
333. Ohmme, Fantasize Your Ghost
334. Black 47, Saint Patrick’s Day Party
335. CJ Fly, RUDEBWOY
336. Afterbirth, Four Dimensional Flesh
337. Kamaiyah, Got it Made
338. Future, High Off Life
339. Marcus King, El Dorado
340. Sufjan Stevens and Lowell Brams, Aporia
341. Lukas Nelson, Naked Garden
342. Bobby Conn, Recovery
343. Lido Pimienta, Miss Colombia
344. Wasted Shirt, Fungus II
345. Pa Salieu, Send them to Coventry
346. Bbymutha, Muthaleficent
347. Too Much, Club Emotion
348. Trupa Trupa, I’ll Find
349. Agnes Obel, Myopia
350. AWOLNATION, Angel Miners and the Lightning Riders
351. Peel Dream Machine, Agitprop Alterna
352. Brian Fallon, Local Honey
353. Royce Da 5’9″,  The Allegory
354. Melenas, Dias Raros
355. Isobel Campbell, There is no other
356. 070 Shake, Modus Vivendi
357. Billie Joe Armstrong, No Fun Mondays
358. No Joy, Motherhood
359. Jessie Ware, What’s Your Pleasure
360. Johanna Warren, Chaotic Good
361. Brent Faiyaz, F the World
362. Future Islands, As Long As You Are
363. Paul Weller, On Sunset
364. Buscabulla, Regresa
365. Delanila, Overloaded
366. Tide Lines, Eye of the Storm