Fast Forward Through C25K Week Three

“I always loved running... it was something you could
do by yourself, and under your own power.
You could go in any direction,
fast or slow as you wanted,
fighting the wind if you felt like it,
seeking out new sights just
on the strength of your feet
and the courage of your lungs.”
~Jesse Owens

I can’t say that I’ve embraced running to that degree, but it’s growing on me. Of course, I have to remind myself that I’m currently on a round of Lamisil for a fungus that’s growing on me.

As the running portions of this program expand, I’m having to rethink my approach. In previous weeks, I’ve just run when the voice on my little iPhone app says run and walked when the voice says walk. Now it seems more like I need a strategy for survival.

Up until now, I’ve just listened to whatever items come up on my iPod, whether it’s a Spanish lullabye, Rush Limbaugh podcast or zydeco dance tunes. Now it seems I need to get more calculating with my music choices.

I thought the theme song from “Rocky” would be a smart choice, but I wound up punching my neighbor in the neck and then shaking my hands above my head and celebrating.

Then I tried Kanye West’s “Stronger”, an upbeat hip-hop standard, but I picked an edited version and I kept stopping to see if I could work out what the missing dirty words were.

I flipped over to something from “A Chorus Line” but me doing high-kicks wrecked havoc with my running form.

Finally, I hit on my perfect running song...

I'm Popeye the Sailor Man,
I'm Popeye the Sailor Man.
I'm strong to the finich
Cause I eats me spinach.
I'm Popeye the Sailor Man.

I'm one tough Gazookus
Which hates all Palookas
Wot ain't on the up and square.
I biffs 'em and buffs 'em
And always out roughs 'em
But none of 'em gets nowhere.

If anyone dares to risk my "Fisk",
It's "Boff" an' it's "Wham" un'erstan'?
So keep "Good Be-hav-or"
That's your one life saver
With Popeye the Sailor Man.

I'm Popeye the Sailor Man,
I'm Popeye the Sailor Man.
I'm strong to the finich
Cause I eats me spinach.
I'm Popeye the Sailor Man.

Strong to the finish... you see, that really speaks to me. I'm going to keep going, keep pushing myself, keep heading for unchartered waters. Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper once said "A ship in port is safe... but that's not what ship's are built for."

We were built to go, built to move.

Built to run.

Now if I could just find me some spinach-flavored gum…

Help me bolster my "run for it" playlist. What songs make it easier for you to pick 'em up and put 'em down? What tracks keep you on the track longer?