Changed things up

There was a reference made to me this morning that I should change things up. It made me think. Hadn’t I already changed things around just in this past week? I had not posted to this blog daily while I used time instead (okay, I did take a break for a few days) to write on my book? I really did that and accomplished the 2200 words added to what I already had to make a total of 9000 words so far which was my personal goal for the week. I didn’t use time to post here instead of writing on my book. In fact, I wouldn’t allow myself to post anything here until I had already written on the other. That alone was changing things up.
I also have to admit I took a break for a few days from running. I ran last Monday…then not again until Saturday which was – I can’t believe I am saying this but – a short run. It was 3 miles something. It was also raining. I wasn’t feeling great about it, my socks and shoes were sopping wet but I felt like I needed to get back out and start running again after being absent from it all week.
So then today I knew I was supposed to do a long run. I really wanted to run outside but it was slightly cool and I thought I had better just head for the gym. On the way over the reference about changing things up came into my head again. I thought what if I did something simple like put my iPod on shuffle?
Put my iPod on shuffle? Let the thing roam around my entire music collection and play random songs all over the place? I didn’t know if I could do that. No, no…you don’t understand. I listen to CDs all the way through – start to finish – first track to last in that order. I don’t buy greatest hits albums because I know what track should follow which song and it messes me up if it’s not the right song! No kidding. For real. It drives me a little (more) crazy. But I thought I needed to change things up. I’d give it a try during my long run and see how it goes. I could always forward through a song I just didn’t want to hear.
I started my run and the shuffling started me off with the theme song from HBOs show True Blood. Cool, Bad Things by Jace Everett is one of my favorites. Great start! Then it went to some Jazzy Blues from Delbert McClinton, Acoustic unplugged with Eric Clapton, and then Jonny Lang. This was turning out better than I had thought! The background singer is hitting that high note while the male lead vocal is crying into the microphone. I am getting that violin and sax when Dave Matthews Band steals a track. I was trippin’ right along while it kept pulling one great song after another. Even the Jay-Z track gave me the rhythm to watch my stride and get my breathing in order (thank you, Sonny…I already mentioned to you the RadioHead CDs are great for long runs, too). Then it plays Wicked Way by Benjamin Taylor and it’s another hit.
It went on and on with great songs like that and I kept going on and on. I did forward past a few tracks but it was only about three out of my entire run, which, by the way, lasted a good hour 30 minutes. Yes, that is 1 hour 30 minutes and all on the treadmill – boredom city. But I did it. A reference was made that I was to change things up and I guess I did.
It turned out to be my longest and farthest run to date!  Talk about changing things up!
TT