With or Without You

Running brings back many memories. I can distinctly remember certain runs and everything that was around me at the time. The cool breeze, the leaves rustling, the night sky.. it comes back to me these days while I am getting back into my running routine. And when I feel bored/tired/annoyed/sick to the stomach, I try to picture that time when I felt light on my feet.

This brings me to the topic of music. My tastes for my running tracks have not changed throughout the years. My favourites being anything by Coldplay, U2, and the Killers. Mind you, I will not listen to these songs if I'm not at the gym or track. I'm afraid that if I do, they will lose the power to get me energized and pumped. So, I save them for when I need my endorphin kick.

I remember replaying "With or Without You" by U2 over and over and over. It was actually all I had on my favourite casset tape that was loaded into my yellow and grey walkman (The old days, when you had to lugg around a cd player or walkman.. before mp3 players and fancy phones). This song brings back a distinct memory of running under the moon along a bridge over the highway. My cotton black hijab pinned perfectly for the windy day. My loose navy trackpants, my ghetto oversized t-shirt. It must have been 6 years ago but I will never forget that night. And if it slips my mind, all I have to do is replay it and I'm there again.




"Smile like you mean it" by the killers is another. Everytime I hear this one it reminds me of the time when I was away from home. I struggled to workout in dingy women's only gyms in a third-world-country. I was really the only runner there. Running was something that women of that country just didn't do. They did their aerobics classes then stood around yapping and drinking tea. Which was good for me since I didn't have to wait long for the treadmill. And let's not forget that these women would bring their kids with them; and then yell at them when they picked up the weights or tried to climb the stationary bike - so jokes. The odd times when they would strike up a conversation with me they showed confusion. Why was I running? Why was I at the gym in the first place? Surely this was only a place for fatter women. I didn't really bother explaining to them that exercise is really for everyone; that I ran because I loved it; because it took me away and brought me back a stronger and better person. I just put on my headphones and was taken away from it all.



Try it yourself. Next time you go on a run, a run, a bike ride, or whatever.. take some upbeat tunes with you and try to push yourself a bit harder. Go farther or faster. It'll work. You might even enjoy an endorphin rush while you're out there.