The Fighter

Last night I went to the gym and did some elliptical. I went for 45 minutes and burned 806 calories. That was about 60 calories more than my 45 minute elliptical workout last week (I had the machine on a higher resistance setting and good tunes on the ipod).

It seems like the time I have the most difficulty running is toward the end of my long runs. By then I'm close to 3 hours into the training. So I'm not sure if 45 minutes of elliptical is benefiting my long runs? Maybe I'd be better off setting the elliptical on a low resistance setting and going for 2 hours? I have so many questions...I need to do some more reading. I wish there was an educated person I could ask.

It's time for the kick-butt motivational running song of the week. The song for this week is: Christina Aguilera's Fighter.

The song is about someone who has gone through a really crappy relationship. At this point I have to stop and say that the reason this song is motivational for me is not because I have been through bad relationships...I never have. L is the most wonderful woman in the whole world. She's not perfect. But she is great at all the important things. And the things that she's not good at really don't matter that much to me.

Do you remember that girl from high school who was really beautiful...and knew it? There is nothing worse than that conceded "I'm too good for you" attitude. That is sooo not L. She is humble, meek, gentle and puts other people before herself. And she is a 10 (on a 10 scale) on top of that. I'm the luckiest man in the world.

But despite being married to a great woman and never having a 'psycho chick' girlfriend, this song is still motivational. It starts out slow talking about how she's glad she has been through a lousy relationship because it made her a stronger person. The song builds until about 2:45 when it hits the part the runners of the world have been waiting for...

...but in the end you'll see, YOU WON'T STOP ME!"
I am a fighter...I ain't gonna stop...there is no turning back...I've had enough
(The song continues with the chorus)
Makes me that much stronger, makes we work a little bit harder, makes me that much wiser, thanks for making me a fighter.
Makes me run a little bit faster, makes my skin a little bit thicker, makes me that much smarter, thanks for making me...a fighter.

When I'm listening to this song (and nobody is looking) I like to lip sync the second line, "I am a fighter...I ain't gonna stop". It's positve reinforcement. It gets the blood pumping and gives me the power to keep going. People who've been through really dysfuntional relationships might grow bitter or callused when they hear this song. For me, it motivates me to be a better runner.