Creating a playlist has a special place in my heart. I remember when it was hard, when I had to hover by the radio with my cassette player cued on pause to start when I heard my favorite song. Evolving through CDs which were never worth anything for playlists, then on to digital. Going for my first Ipod and going from there.

Today I went out with a purpose, to hit a pace with my running partner, and the only tool I had was the one which has taken me through hundreds of miles of runs- my playlist. I have a playlist set for a certain pace, because it allows me to focus solely on the music, to push through the discomfort and distraction of running without it. Perhaps my brain just needs the distraction, but today was beautiful. Running in time to the music helps me set my body to pace and push myself in ways I can’t without it. So I realized, my music is company, inspiration and sometimes, coach.