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Posted 8/20/2012Â Â Â Updated 8/20/2012 
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Commentary by Lt. Col. Jason Nahrgang
50th Force Support Squadron commander
8/20/2012 - SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- I don't particularly enjoy running. There's something inherently annoying about the sound of my feet hitting the ground in some kind of pseudo-rhythmic pattern during the course of a mile or three that just grates on my nerves. Couple that with a breathing pattern that sounds like a three-legged goat trying to pull an apple cart up Lombard Street and just the audio portion of a "fun run" becomes nearly untenable, at least for me.
Enter my iPod. This little wonder of modern technology has transformed my loath of running into a tolerable recurring activity. Whether it's the monthly wing run, training for or taking the fitness assessment or struggling through the second of 2 miles interrupted by 10 in the saddle during the duathlon, the right music has a way of dulling the pain.
It was hot that day in July; dusty, a bit of a breeze, no rain in sight. Senior Airman Allen Orozcocastaneda, 50th Comptroller Squadron, had just finished warming us all up with what amounted to a mock fitness test. It was time for the Warfit Run. As I have become accustomed, I hit the "shuffle" button on the silver dollar-sized music gizmo and settled in to endure the pain.
The first 200 to 300 yards of the run is just accident avoidance, so it doesn't matter what is coming through the ear buds. Hop the track, avoid a sprain skipping past the sand volleyball court and fall in on the Dirt Boyz trail somewhere around mid-pack. Only then do I realize I've started off with a live version of Pink Floyd's, "Learning to Fly." How appropriate. As I'm approaching the last right turn near the North Gate, heading to the far northwest corner of the perimeter, I gaze out ahead, through the dust, at some 200 or so Airmen, all strung along the road, measuring each step of the 3-mile journey. As I round the turn, I see the same thing behind me and, almost on cue, Roger Watters belts out, "Into the distance, a ribbon of black....stretched to the point of no turning back..." The ribbon was a little more Air Force blue and physical training uniform gray, but the 3-mile perimeter run suddenly became an alternate universe as I watched my fellow Airmen pursue their quest for the finish line.
Somewhere along the back fence, Arcade Fire starts in with, "We Used to Wait." A line strikes a chord...remember the days when Skype, e-mail and the Internet were in their infancy? "...We used to wait for letters to arrive and how something so small could keep you alive." Now, in my mind, I'm deployed (again), anxiously checking mail every day for a letter from home. I already burned my allotted 10 minute phone call this week.
Whoa. That's the command chief doubled over on the side of the road. Did he just puke? Nope, he was just tying his shoe. I patted him on the back, asked, "You OK Chief?" and moved onward.
Next: Coldplay's "Violet Hill." Not in the mood....skip it.
Ah, there we go, "Dani California." Man, how long have Kiedis and Flea been making great music? Nothing terribly deep here, just the signature beat and thumb-slapping bass of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Another right turn, there's the water station, "Thanks guys," and on past Colonels' Row.
It's all downhill from here now. Enter M83's "Midnight City." What a great finish. Not a lot of meaning to find in the lyrics, but if you've seen the video on Youtube, there are some striking and powerful images. It's my 5-year-old daughter's favorite and watching her watch the video, mesmerized by the glowing eyes of the children at sunset, is a vivid reminder of just how much I love that little girl, and it drives me on.
Hey, an oasis! Nope, it's just the infield of the track. That must mean we're done. That wasn't so bad. In fact, begrudgingly, I must admit that I rather enjoyed that lap around the prairie dog down.
It's strange how a simple thing like a wing-wide run around the perimeter can provide a welcomed break from the daily grind, despite my aversion to running. I'm sure the experience is different for everyone, but for me, it's a time to simply check out for 30 minutes, get some exercise and see where the shuffle button takes me. The point is, I'm not a runner, but I've found a way to make it palatable, simple as the music "solution" may seem. There are myriad obstacles, challenges and difficulties we face in executing our day to day missions that may take some level of creativity to overcome.
Sometimes it's the little things that keep us going.
What's in your playlist?
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