My (sometimes) Running Buddy & Guilty Pleasures

I saw several online news posts this week about an ugly rumor that Apple is going to discontinue their iPod Classic and iPod Shuffle. If you felt a tremor on the Richter scale yesterday that was probably from the decibel level of me screaming "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!" I love my shuffle. I mean love, LOVE (other than the gawd-awful 3rd generation re-design debacle).  I don't always run with music. If I'm running with people or just on a short easy run I don't bring music. I enjoy the conversation or soak up the environment around me. Now if I'm on a long run by myself or being forced to *ACK* run on the dreadmill then I bring the tunes along. They motivate me and keep me from crazy dreadmill boredom. I've even listened to audiobooks while on the long run.

The iPod Shuffle is just the perfect little running buddy. It's small, clips anywhere I want and is cost effective (= cheap). And 2 gigs of music is WAY more than I'll ever need on a long distance run. Plus, I do not like having anything strapped to my arms. I have tried running with a Nano and my iTouch. Meh.  I kept getting distracted by this ginormous velcro blood-pressure cuff strapped around my arm. There was a lot of grumbling in the Twitter world amongst athletes about Apple's rumored decision. I'm not the only one that loves their shuffle. I imagine that Apple will try and market the Nano 6th generation as the "new" and "improved" running buddy. I'm not buying it. I sweat profusely when I run. My clothes are usually soaked. The idea of clipping a $150 nano to my body to get drenched in sweat just isn't as appealing. I've already been through two Shuffles. (Side note: they do not like it when you pour Powerade all over them). I usually keep one or two in my desk as "back-ups to the back-up Shuffle". I don't know what I'm going to do if my little running buddy goes away. If Apple makes their announcement this week I suspect there will be a mad rush on Shuffle purchases - most of them by athletes. I know I will stockpile several for use until I can find a decent alternative.

*awkward segue*

 This whole Shuffle thing also got me thinking about updating my current Shuffle and what songs I like to put on it. Now I know all runners talk about playlists ad nauseum:

• what are the best songs for a running playlist?
• what songs are between 160 to 180 bpm (for cadence work)?
• what songs motivate you best? 
• (and so on and so forth...)

We're not going to talk about that here. We're going to talk about guilty pleasure songs. You know, those ones you have on your playlist that you're embarrassed to admit. The ones that are full of cheese, bad boy-band pop or ones that link you back to some good, gooey memory in your past. I have quite a few guilty pleasure songs on mine. These just get me moving and grooving. I have a hard time keeping myself from running, singing and spazztastically dancing when these songs come on (yeah....picture it). I thought I would share so that we all can come out of hiding and wave our uncool music proudly. Don't judge. :)

• L.O.V.E. - Ashlee Simpson
• Good Times - INXS
• Cherry, Cherry - Neil Diamond
• Baby (You've Got What it Takes) - Brook Benton & Dinah Shore
• Cecilia - Simon & Garfunkle
• Love Somebody - Rick Springfield
• Now that We Found Love - Heavy D and the Boyz
• Maniac - Michael Sembello
• The Lion Sleeps Tonight - Tokens
• 54-46 Was My Number - Toots & The Maytals
• Everybody (Backstreet's Back) - Backstreet Boys
• (You Drive Me) Crazy - Britney Spears
• Barbie Girl - Aqua
• Stir It Up - Patti LaBelle
• The Other Woman - Ray Parker Jr.
• Humpin' Around - Bobby Brown
• I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man) - Kenny Loggins
• Faded - soulDecision

What are some of your guilty pleasure songs?


Today I am thankful for: cool, crisp fall weather and pumpkin spice lattes!