Sky
That sky! I was on my way home from work yesterday and didn’t really want to run, but I knew I had this little 12 year old grasshopper girl at home in her running tights waiting for me, and I saw that sky! One of the side effects of being a runner person is that you always have the perfect excuse to go outside and run around in the pretty weather sometimes. Last night was like that. Gorgeous. My running partner was disappointed to have to stop after just under three miles, but they were hard miles yesterday. I worked out hard earlier this week and man-oh-man I felt all of those miles in every step. Gigi was cute because she became my coach, telling me that over time she could push me a bit and she was certain that I’d grow into a much faster runner. I told her I’m in it for the distance more and we ended up having a pretty fun conversation about speed and distance and which we like better. She said she wants to run really fast for a really long time. She said she wants to run marathons when she grows up- even ultra matathons… I told her I could for sure follow her up to a half marathon, but it’s amazing that her little balloon is already starting to tug away from our family bunch. For the other races I’ll have to be cheering her on at the finish line. 
I’ve recently realized that one of the current, primary reasons I love running is because I’ve engaged with music again in a very deep way. That doesn’t mean that I am listening to deep music, oh no, well, sometimes, but I am listening to it again like a teenager. Remember when you were a kid and you would listen to music so deeply that you would be able to sing some of the lyrics the second time through because you paid such close attention? And then after you’d follow it up by scouring the liner notes for lyrics and clues? It’s like that again. Where I repeat songs over and over, back up good parts to relisten and learn it so next time I might be able to sing along… It’s like that again. I first woke up to hip hop in Zumba. At first I was a little resistant, but the one that finally got me was Pitbull’s Baddest Girl in Town. I thought it was this little cute Spanish song and had no idea it was Pitbull until my friend Jessica pointed it out to me. Then I dove deep into his catalogue and amassed a solid collection and loved it. I still love it. But there comes a time when talking about lust, money and big, bouncy booties has me questioning the morals I want to impart to my kids. Seriously, nothing sounds as foul as when you turn on your car and Pitbull starts barking lyrics at your daughter about… Well… Google him and you’ll get it. That said, I still think he has a place in my phone. In my ear. On my run… But… My new love: Macklemore. Holy cow. I thought he was like the Dj Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince or something, but that man raps about things. Important things like money and fashion and marriage equality… Funny stuff too, but my runs are seriously motivated right now by being able to listen to more and more Macklemore. I want to run for a loooong time, just so I can process him. I never thought I’d listen to rap. But here I am and what a great place to be! Macklemore! What great motivation to run!
Macklemore>Pitbull