The Benefits of Running Naked

I was re-inspired today by a running buddy I only know through the blogosphere: Paula (AKA Struggling to be Speedy). And she suggested that I, in order to get out of my running funk, go back to the basics with a little naked running*.

*Naked Running: To perform the action of running with only the necessary gear; to run without electronics.

Today I was reminded of a few reasons why running has stuck with me all these years-- and it's not because I can forget that I'm doing it through a song on my ipod. Let me take you through my run pre and post Pandora Station music:

Pre: Golden Hill to Balboa Park (1 mile)

1. Adele, First Love... Boring... slow. (Change station)
2. Arcada Fire, Sprawl I (Flatland)... Slow song again...eh I'll listen to it...uhk, no it's depressing. (Change Station)
3. Black Eyed Peas, Just Can't Get Enough... I hate Black Eyed Peas, but this is a really good song...Boy I think about it every night and day...I'm addicted and I just can't get enough
4. Jay Sean, Down...Good beat...Dang it's getting hot...Baby are you down, down, down, down, down...
5. Timbaland, Carryout... This is a new one...wow...autotuned like crazy... (Change Station)
6. Pandora won't reload at this point... cuss cuss.

Post Pandora Meltdown: Balboa Park to Point Loma (7 miles)

1. Hear a scream behind me and turn just in time to see a kid fall in the Balboa Park water fountain. Funny.
2. Lady to the right trips off a curb due to texting. Funny cuz she wasn't hurt.
3. Stop at a water fountain and hear a "Caw, Caw" like a crow: See a large man in blue jeans, no t-shirt, standing on the grass cawing at a flock of crows. He then dropped and started doing push ups. Weird. Eventually made me laugh--after I vacated the immediate area.
4. Waiting at the stoplight on Harbor and Laurel: See a man across the street also in blue jeans & no t-shirt, only he's small and bald and doing the grapevine along the running path. What the what?

Had I been listening to my music, I most likely would have missed these observations that got me through the second part of my run and ultimately made me feel better about myself.... It makes me wonder what I missed during the first part of the run.