So those who know my other blog that I run, know that I'm in training for a half marathon in March, provided it's not cancelled again. Due to Corona "guidelines" the rules for being in a gym mean that I cannot run on treadmills. That means that I'm running outside...in the dark. I don't like doing that given the fact that people in cars, who are already distracted by their phones, have an even lesser chance of seeing me running into an intersection at 8-9 MPH. Even with a vest of flashing lights.
Anyway, most of these runs are what are called "Maffetone" runs. That is I need to not go over a particular heart rate. I've been at it for about a year now and have become very aware of what can send your heart rate skyrocketing. Phone buzzes can result in 2-5 BPM rise. Thinking about a race you did or are going to do can also result in a 2-10 BPM rise. And listening to hype music will do all kinds of things to your heart rate.
So to combat the latter I have sometimes had to resort to listening to "slow jams". Yeah I could run with no music but I'm not that type. So now I'm running at night, with slow jams on to keep the heart rate in check when I hear:
Funny thing. When I first got into music as a youth, I was absolutely stuck on Doo-Wop. To the extent that in JHS few boys and I taught ourselves George Benson's "On Broadway" and did it doo wop style. No, I was never really that good a singer. Not that I cannot find and hold a note. It's that I didn't have that thing that separates "holding notes" from "oh he's good".
It's actually a metaphor for my life. I've usually been good at things. Enough to be better than average BUT never quite at the "elite" level. Better than most but there are a lot who are better.
*shrug*
This song was sampled by the Fugees and featured in an episode of Star Trek: Voyager.
One of the things I love about these older songs is that due to the morality of the time, you simply could not put out a record, for public broadcasting anyway, that directly talked about your parts and what you're going to do with them or want to have done to them. So "set the mood" music was "suggestive" and more, shall we say "courtly". Mind you I am well aware of music of that time, and earlier that was MORE suggestive than the example above, but still.
Anyway, thought I'd take a break from the politics and COVID. If you're a parent reading this, put on the speakers and let your kids hear the music your parents probably listened to when they were making you...or would that be your grandparents? You know you're getting old when you have to consider that.
