Sparkle, Neeley, Sparkle
This working out in the morning thing is killing me. I want to like it. I do like it. I look forward to waking up early, because it feels like I'm accomplishing something just by being awake. And I love running along the edge of the lake in the early morning.
Scratch that.
I love being at the edge of the lake in the early morning, but the actual running part makes me feel weak and trembly and so thirsty I think my throat is going to close up just as I'm running under one of the charming, but kind of creepy on account of the homeless people sleeping alongside them, tunnels. But I trudge along, and I walk when I need to, and I tell myself that I'll be stronger soon and won't need to walk so often. And I groove out to my June '05 running mix. Right now I'm completely obsessed with Big Audio Dynamite's "E=MC2," even though they are the very band which turned me onto classic rock in high school, because I couldn't abide their stupid "the horses are on the track" song which K-ROQ played nonstop circa 1986. This is not to say that my taste is super highbrow. Would you still respect me if I fessed up to just how much I love the JLo single "Get Right"? It always comes on just as I'm running up this hill in the middle of the lake front park. I ditch the dirt path when I get to the hill because it works my legs differently. That's my official justification. The real reason I do the hill is because it's an excuse to slow down and because from the top I can see the harbor and the lake and the Chicago skyline. Just after I descend the hill and get going on the path, just where it curves under another bridge, I have to skip the end of the song, because the part where a female child's voice overtakes JLo's and finishes out the song is too treacly even for me.
As I get to the part of my run where there is harbor on one side, and a golf course on the other, narrowing the path and making it a little less scenic, "Barracuda" comes on. This makes me run fast for a little bit, because I want to be tough like Ann and Nancy Wilson. But then I get asthmatic and weary and I talk myself into walking. Just when I reach the half-point turn around spot, Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" comes on. For a cheerless song, this totally cheers me up. No matter what, no matter how slow, I run the entire song. As I get back to the first of the scary bridges Sleater Kinney's "Jumpers" comes on, and I let myself slow down as I think, for the millioneth time, about how sad the song is (it's about jumpers, as in, off of bridges) and how stupid the lyrics are ("the lemons are like tumors. Little suns of sour").
By the time I get back home it's only 8 or so and while I'm super proud of myself, even sanctimonious, as my girlfriend is still deep asleep and maybe doesn't even know I've gone running, I'm also aware that the same headache I've had every day I wake up early and go running is on its way. And it's only 8. And I still have to go into school and play nice in a faculty meeting. And give my diva final. And I don't feel very sparkley.
Today we're having a high of almost 90, so I got up super early, in order to be on the lake path by 7 to avoid the heat. When I got there I saw three of my friends coming out of the water after a swim, on their way to the biking portion of their workout (they're training for a triathalon). I loved seeing them--the neighborhoodiness of Chicago is one of the things I love most about it--everywhere you go you see people you know. That and the glorious lake, which was pale, pale blue in the steamy morning heat.
Scratch that.
I love being at the edge of the lake in the early morning, but the actual running part makes me feel weak and trembly and so thirsty I think my throat is going to close up just as I'm running under one of the charming, but kind of creepy on account of the homeless people sleeping alongside them, tunnels. But I trudge along, and I walk when I need to, and I tell myself that I'll be stronger soon and won't need to walk so often. And I groove out to my June '05 running mix. Right now I'm completely obsessed with Big Audio Dynamite's "E=MC2," even though they are the very band which turned me onto classic rock in high school, because I couldn't abide their stupid "the horses are on the track" song which K-ROQ played nonstop circa 1986. This is not to say that my taste is super highbrow. Would you still respect me if I fessed up to just how much I love the JLo single "Get Right"? It always comes on just as I'm running up this hill in the middle of the lake front park. I ditch the dirt path when I get to the hill because it works my legs differently. That's my official justification. The real reason I do the hill is because it's an excuse to slow down and because from the top I can see the harbor and the lake and the Chicago skyline. Just after I descend the hill and get going on the path, just where it curves under another bridge, I have to skip the end of the song, because the part where a female child's voice overtakes JLo's and finishes out the song is too treacly even for me.
As I get to the part of my run where there is harbor on one side, and a golf course on the other, narrowing the path and making it a little less scenic, "Barracuda" comes on. This makes me run fast for a little bit, because I want to be tough like Ann and Nancy Wilson. But then I get asthmatic and weary and I talk myself into walking. Just when I reach the half-point turn around spot, Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" comes on. For a cheerless song, this totally cheers me up. No matter what, no matter how slow, I run the entire song. As I get back to the first of the scary bridges Sleater Kinney's "Jumpers" comes on, and I let myself slow down as I think, for the millioneth time, about how sad the song is (it's about jumpers, as in, off of bridges) and how stupid the lyrics are ("the lemons are like tumors. Little suns of sour").
By the time I get back home it's only 8 or so and while I'm super proud of myself, even sanctimonious, as my girlfriend is still deep asleep and maybe doesn't even know I've gone running, I'm also aware that the same headache I've had every day I wake up early and go running is on its way. And it's only 8. And I still have to go into school and play nice in a faculty meeting. And give my diva final. And I don't feel very sparkley.
Today we're having a high of almost 90, so I got up super early, in order to be on the lake path by 7 to avoid the heat. When I got there I saw three of my friends coming out of the water after a swim, on their way to the biking portion of their workout (they're training for a triathalon). I loved seeing them--the neighborhoodiness of Chicago is one of the things I love most about it--everywhere you go you see people you know. That and the glorious lake, which was pale, pale blue in the steamy morning heat.
posted by Margo, darling at 1:49 PM
5 Comments:
Hey, it was so nice to see you this morning! I will miss those things, running into my friends like that. Seeing people I know in Andersonville. Boo-hoo.
I love your taste in music! When I was a DJ on the college station (I was in high school), everyone requested Big Audio Dynamite's "E=MC2" all the freakin' time. That, and the Butthole Surfers "American Woman".
You're awesome! It's great that you're running in the morning! CD
Ditto the above! While I still can't say I was exactly *happy* to be not only awake, but steeped in frigid water that freakishly early in the morning, it was really cool to see you out there after our swim ... and our ride! Ain't Chicago (or at least our little corner of it) grand?
-mw
Ann and Nancy rock my socks. Except when Nancy (one of the most amazing female LEAD guitarists ever) says problematic things like:
"“Women are the support players in life. I think we nurture, we support, we make the canvas for everyone else to shine on. For me it’s always been about songwriting.”
That shit appeared in the CHicago Trib's Women's News section in an article about the supposed lack of strong female rock guitarists. Complete with also-problematic quotes from Camille-friend to patriarchy-Paglia.
But there's totally a girl named Ann Wilson who goes to DP. True story. It excites me greatly.
--tim
Tim, I'm so with you. I was really startled to read that quote from Nancy Wilson about women guitarists and women in general. I was looking to her as an inspiration and now I almost feel a little cheated. I mean, damn, the girl is a pioneer, a product of the women's lib 70s. How can she say something so ridiculous? I wish I could get her on the phone right now to explain herself! lol.
Yeah and Camille's quotes are absurd. There's nothing worse than a *woman* being sexist and patriarchal.
ps. What's 'DP'?
Post a Comment
<< Home