parachute over me

In previous entries I have alluded to the factor music plays in my running, but it deserves an exclusive post. Since getting a nano a few years ago, I have in general brought it along on my runs when I am out on my own. I have noticed that the music provides a discernible boost, and in the past this has been a wholly good thing. But this year, when I am worried not only about going too slow, but also too fast, I am finding that running with tunes sometimes makes it hard to take it easy.

This point was driven home on last Saturday's run. I was a couple miles from finishing, pretty near the end of my rope and probably needing to coast in, when the arrival of Ben Kweller's This Is War quickened my stride almost involuntarily. Crazy.

I do still think music is more of a help than a hindrance right now. It gives my mind something to ponder besides fatigue, and going at a fast clip has not hurt me thus far (fingers crossed). I won't have music during the marathon, but the presence of so many other runners, spectators, skyscrapers, and adrenaline should more than compensate.

Beyond speed, music often promotes some other funny extracurriculars. The right song can often induce in the author one or more of the following:
-snapping
-grinning or tongue wagging
-breathless backing vocals
-air guitar or air drums
-air conducting or other forms of "beat punctuation"
-stutter stepping to match the song's rhythm or a particularly satisfying fill

These things surely look goofy, and I can recall at least one instance of being laughed at by passing bikers. Furthermore, these behaviors do nothing to conserve energy or preserve a proper running form. They have little purpose, but they are fun and generally feel like natural expressions of an exuberant spirit. On the good days, running feels a lot like worship, and music is a part of that.

Now would be a good time to list some songs I like running to, but because songs are so suited for different reasons, I'll categorize the tunes a little.

Some are just examples of solid, straightforward, upbeat rock. Good driving rhythm:
The Walkmen - Little House of Savages
Radiohead - Airbag
Spoon - Don't You Evah

Some have a beat that really correlates with my stride, helping me to either hold steady or recalibrate:
The Shins - Sea Legs
The Stills - The Mountain

Other songs are simply joyous and inspiring. It would be near impossible for me to stop running during one of these:
Sufjan Stevens - Come On! Feel the Illinoise!
Maps - So Low, So High

A select few infuse my pace with a sense of purpose, as if the safety of the world's schnauzer population depends on my not slowing down:
Snow Patrol - Run
Arcade Fire - Intervention

Finally, some songs have a section that sort of "blooms", delivering a jolt of euphoria that inspires some of the activities mentioned above:
Menomena - Muscle'n Flo
U2 - Zooropa
Guster - Parachute

If these selections were assembled into a playlist and looped, I could probably run the 26 miles in less than three hours, then collapse in a gelatinous heap.