Thursday, March 31, 2011

The Spirit of Radio

Begin the day with a friendly voice
A companion, unobstrusive
Plays the song that's so elusive
And the magic music makes your morning mood

Off on your way, hit the open road
There is magic at your fingers
For the spirit ever lingers
Undemanding contact in your happy solitude

Yes, I'm a Rush fan, but this isn't completely about them.

I've been running less and less with my iPod lately.  With the snowpiles in the winter around here sometimes cars don't see you until it's really too late so that time of year runs are music free.  In the summer I try to limit the iPod to runs over an hour.  Partly from the hassle of one more thing to take on a run, partly to save my hearing.

But sometimes music is a requirement.  Bad day at work and there's anger to run out and there is nothing like having the iPod there.  Long runs and a podcast or a audiobook.

I've run many miles with my iPod and now some songs are linked to runs and specific routes:

Rain on the Scarecrow - Heading east on the Fern Ridge Trail from our apartment in Eugene.

Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns - Waiting for my garmin to synch and starting a run from the apartment in Eugene.

Blue Sky - the ends of longer runs around the apartment in Hudsonville.

Allison Road - the bike paths along the Willamette River.

I Disappear - speed work in Riverside Park.

A Beautiful Life (live) - starting early runs in the summer from the apartment in Hudsonville.

Sometimes I need the music, sometimes I need my thoughts but I like having the option.  So thanks to Mr. Jobs and Apple for making it convenient.

2 comments:

Calvin said...

Nice, all my runs are i-pod free, I like it that way, but i understand the need for it once in a while

solarpowered said...

I quit the ipod a long time ago, but every so often I bring it out for days just like you're referring to...