Song #1: "Rolling in the deep" Adele
I love Adele. I love her voice. Such a smooth sound and always puts me in a good mood. So yea, this first song on my running playlist just puts me in a good mood. And believe me, once I start running, I am already thinking of the 3 miles I have to run and I am already tired...LOL. But there is just something about this voice that soothes me. Plus the beat in this song helps me set my pace on running. I always try to run with the rhythm of this song.
Song #2: "What doesn't kill you makes your STRONGER" Kelly Clarkson
Yep, this song sums it up! This is the song that helps me make it for mile 1. I am going to have this phrase tattooed on my arm...SOON!!! Everything about this song reminds me that my dad died of a horrible disease, high blood pressure. He had a stroke. We were on vacation when he had this stroke. 2 days before his stroke, I had just spoken with him on the phone wishing him a happy birthday. That night he had the stroke. Getting that phone call on our last day in Disneyland....DESTROYED ME. It killed me too. 2 days later on our way home, spending the night in Arizona, I had to say "good-bye" to my dad over the phone as he passed away. This killed me. And here we are almost 4 years since he has passed and this song reminds me that I chose to live. I chose to change my life-style of bad eating and just start doing something physically to get my body moving. There is so much meaning behind the title of this song. Each step I take while I am running, the words repetitively remind me that I am STRONGER.
Song #3: "Never Say Never" Justin Bieber
What can I say about the Biebs? LOL! Nothing! But the lyrics on this song are so amazing. The first time I heard this song and used this song....it was so inspirational. I remember using it to help the elementary kids understand to never give up. The part of the song where Will Smith's kid raps about never giving up...love it! "Just like David who conquered the giant" When the rap comes on while I'm running, it helps me pick up the pace a bit. The beat helps me continue on a pace to finish the first mile. Of course, the lyrics just inspire me....not to quit! Another phrase I want tattooed on my arm! I told Ramon I am going to have a sleeve of phrases on one arm during my new journey of running....LOVE IT!
Song #4: "Local Man Ruins Everything" The Wonder Years
This song basically was chosen because of its rawness. This song ended up on my phone because of my son. Some of his songs got put on my phone when I was downloading music like 2 years ago. I remember making my very first running playlist. This was when I was trying to run a mile. I remember specifically thinking if I can run my mile in these first 4 songs this would help me. I would run and try to always run the mile. I failed quite a bit. That's okay! So yea, this song with it's raw and honest words helps me so much! It totally speaks of how I feel! This song is ME! This song makes me smile for 2 reasons: I am finishing up my first mile and I think of my son....Andrew Portillo. I think of him and how he has never ceased to amaze me of his raw talent. I think of his struggles with dyslexia and how he has conquered life! I am reminded of how he never gives up and just when others think he is no good.....he never ceases to amaze! My son is an amazing guitarist. Starting in the 4th grade playing on a beat up red guitar given to him by a friend, taking lessons from another friend...and now to think how this kid plays today. He never gave up on playing. He was sold out to the guitar. He has become one with this instrument. This instrument helps him express how he feels, what he is feeling and what he can offer to the soul......I have loved being on this journey with him and his music and his raw talent.
Song #5: "People Like Us" Kelly Clarkson
So as I begin mile 2 and I am already thinking...I have to keep pushing....this song comes on! This song comes on at the perfect time! Timing is everything in running. Listen to your breathing. Don't gasp. Keep your feet running with a rhythm. So as this song comes up, it just inspires me. I think of everyone that struggles with their weight. Everyone just like me! People like us have to stick together. I am learning daily of life's struggles with eating. I realize that I use it to comfort me. I realize that I use it to help me escape. I realize I use it to help me justify what I am feeling and it gives me the excuse to eat wrong things. I use it to reward myself for whatever reason I see just. I begin to see that this makes sense to all of us. Whether it's food or anything else to help you escape or run away....People Like Us we have to stick together...why???? Because we get it! We understand and no one is better than anyone. No one will ever be perfect. Everyone struggles. Everyone has to face their demons daily. So yea, we need to stick together and crawl up from the bottom daily. This song is amazing in all it's lyrics of rawness!
Song #6: "My Life would suck without You" Kelly Clarkson
Notice the Kelly Clarkson songs....lol....one of my favorite of all time singers! Of course this song just makes me think of the main man in my life...Ramon. Some people would think, "how wrong is this song to help you think of your husband"....people it's all about perspective and how the song reaches YOU. This song reaches me with the title.....the song reminds me that where I am today is because of the one and only guy that gave me a chance. The one and only guy who gave me my second chance at life. The one and only guy who saw me for who I was (even though I did not impress him the first time he met me, ha ha). This guy got me. This guy gets me. This guy keeps on getting me. 26 years of marriage and my life would suck if he was not in it! Our journey together has just gotten better. There are great changes for Ramon and I and I am sooooooooo looooooooking forward to it! So take away the whole boyfriend/girlfriend/relationship thing that is what this song was written about, this song brings me to the 2nd mile of my life and journey with Ramon.
Song #7: "Dark Side" Kelly Clarkson
Have you ever listened to this song? Have you ever payed attention to the lyrics? Wow! What an amazing song. This song comes in right after song #6 and it continues to keep Ramon on my thoughts. He knows my dark side. He knows what I did and he still loves me. Along with that I thank God for my freedom. I thank God because in all my ugliness and dark side.....He gave His Son to forgive me of my sins! And daily as I struggle with my dark side......they both (God and Ramon) get me. They just get me. Every day that I face my struggles.....every time that I run.....more light comes into my dark side.
Song #8: "Einstein" Kelly Clarkson
This song brings me in to finishing up mile 2...somewhere about this time...I am getting tired. I am wanting to stop running. I am wanting to just walk. I begin to think....no one is watching me, you are by yourself, just walk, it's not going to kill you if you just walk.......and then the lyrics come on. Once again, this song, it's a relationship boy/girl thing....and once again....it's all about PERSPECTIVE. "Dumb + Dumb = me" you know what I take from these lyrics? It's all about me making choices. Choose to walk and not run. Choose to shove bad food in my body. Choose to not love. Choose to not be obedient...etc. You start doing these things and it adds up to....ME! You do not have to be Einstein to know that bad choices will come back and bite you in the butt! My bad choices of eating for years...........almost killed me! Literally....almost killed me like the disease that killed my dad. So don't sit there and think that you still have time to eat wrong because eventually you will do something about it....but right now it's okay because you feel okay. Dumb+Dumb=Me
Song #9: "Cry Me a River" Michael Buble
Wow....where did this song come from? LOL! I'm a huge fan...and my hubby loves to listen to this guy sing. This song is simply on my playlist because it is my "relax" song. It is the song that let's me know that I am almost done. I am coming to the 3.1 mark. This song just makes me smile and I give myself some breathing space. My running pace/stride just floats. I cannot explain what I feel at this point, but it feels good. Something about knowing that you are almost at the finish line.....good feeling. This is how I feel at the end of the day when I know that I survived another day. I chose to eat clean. I chose to live! This song begins to make me think of these people: Ramon, Julia & Scott & Andrew...my family. As I am running I go down the list of these 4 people. I think of Ramon and how I am madly in love with him. I think of all the things we have done together and wouldn't change it for anything. I think of my daughter and her husband and how they just make me so proud. I think of how they are "blooming" (love it) into a beautiful couple that strives to be amazing in God. I think of their talents when they sing and make music together. I think to myself that I did that...I gave them some of that...and now they have gone and will go higher than I ever did in music. I love that they are genuine in their singing and artistry. I think of how my son-in-law loves my daughter and he treats her like a queen. I think of how they will make me a grandmother one day (no pressure) and I will love that baby like nobody's business! I think of how they are uprising leaders in their present life/career choice and most of all...they are making a difference in people's lives! And then of course the kid...Andrew. What can I say about this one? He is my shadow. He is that one kid that is already blowing people's minds with his guitar playing, but to me....he is still that kid that I am writing about in a book that I started writing about like 7 years ago and I will finish it this year!! He is shy. He is quiet. He is amazing. He is a creature of habit. He sticks to his beliefs with all his might and this is why I know he is going to BLOW people's minds in such a way that I do not even know. He gets it even though he doesn't admit it.
Song #10: "Love Alone is Worth the Fight" Switchfoot
So if you have been reading my previous blogs you'll know how this song came to be on my running playlist. The night before my first 5K....I needed to add more songs to my playlist....quickly downloaded the new Switchfoot album. I needed to sleep so I just went down the playlist of the album and selected a few songs that the titles caught my attention. This one song was the first. I didn't even listen to it. I didn't even think twice. Click. Added to the playlist...good night. This song comes on when I am getting to the end of the race. The song starts.....the echoing voices ignite me! The finish line ignites me. And then the lyrics.....
"And we find what we're made of...through the open door. (I see the finish line)
Is it fear you're afraid of? (I begin to cry)
What are you waiting for? (I am thanking God)
Love alone is worth the fight. (I think of my dad)
Love alone is worth the fight." (I think of my PRESENT LIFE and my 4 favorite people in the whole world....Ramon, Julia & Scott, Andrew......)
3.1 miles ran = 38:08.04 (time)
January 26, 2014
My running journey begins........
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| I crossed the finish line...and look there behind me who is that...my guy supporting me the whole time! Wouldn't change a thing.... |
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