Music

Some days you just have to run on the treadmill. Or maybe you don’t, but I do. It’s hot or it’s raining or it’s cold or any other of the myriad excuses I can come up with. On these days it is particularly important to have your iPod charged up to keep you entertained. Outside you can run without it, maybe you even prefer it that way, but something has to pass the time on the treadmill.  Becky will usually run outside no matter how hot, wet, or cold it is, but she does like to have some good tunes for her cycling class.

When it comes to your iPod, it is extremely important to nag your children to put good music on it, especially if, like us, you are basically computer illiterate and unable to do it yourself. And by good music, that means the music you think is good, not the music they think is good. One day after turning on my iPod, I realized my son had taken all my music off and replaced it with some electronica stuff. To give him credit, he thought I would like it. And it was okay to listen to for a few minutes, but it definitely did not have the power to fire up a run like listening to old Motown hits or rocking out to Aerosmith.

We could go on all day about what songs we like to hear when we're exercising, but we'll limit it to just a couple.  We both love the theme song from Rocky (yes, we know it’s corny, but it would be so disrespectful to stop running during this song for any reason.  I mean, Rocky doesn't quit before he gets to the top of those steps, does he?)

My particular favorite right now is, embarrassingly enough, Age of Aquarius (come on and sing it with the 5th Dimension now!). So sorry, but just picture Steve Carell in the 40 Year Old Virgin and you will have to laugh and you will be able to keep running for at least another mile.

Yesterday I really got going with Elton John’s Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding. It starts out so slow and then gradually builds until you’re just unable to stop.

The Two Buff Chicks would like to know some of your suggestions for great music to listen to while exercising. And for today’s treat, perform a random act of kindness for someone! (By the way, yesterday after telling you to look for little ways to add exercise to your day, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, what did I do? I drove the four blocks to the Y and parked right out front. Why do we do that? We’re going in to exercise, but we need to save a few steps on our way? I need to start taking my own advice.)