SLIGHTLY PANICKED - but nothing too serious...

Loyal readers, donors, and supporters, I need your help! The Marine Corps Marathon is just 3 days away!! I was asleep a few minutes ago, and woke up singing a song that was so awful I can barely admit to you what it was. But, this is an honest and sincere request, so I will be honest and sincere in return.

The song I just woke up singing is "I Ran" by Flock of Seagulls. Normally, having this song stuck in my head wouldn't really bother me. I don't really LIKE it, but I can tolerate it just fine. I would probably consider it pleasant if I heard it playing over the PA system while waiting to check out at the grocery store. I might even hum along to it if the song happened to be the telephone hold music being played while my party was being paged. I don't mind it late night at the bar when the DJ makes the switch from classic rock to 80s retro...even when crazy women fight for their spot on the dancefloor to recreate their sexy dance moves from 1982.

Tonight, however, is a different story. I had settled into a wonderful carbohydrate induced sleep - the rain pitter pattering on my windows sent me into a comfy cozy dreamland I had been longing for all day.

Because I have only three more days until the marathon, I've been drinking excessive amounts of water- hydration is paramount at this point. I end up getting up a couple of times throughout the night to pee because of all the liquids I've consumed during the day.

About an hour after going to sleep tonight, I got up to use the bathroom. I returned to my cozy comfy bed, still warm from when I left it only minutes ago, I laid down on my back, closed my eyes and folded my hands accross my chest, and waited to fall asleep. That's when the song got into me -- started in my fingers then my toes and the next thing I knew I was tapping feet together and I swear my folded hands were seconds away from full fledged clapping.

'And I ran....I ran so far away"

It was then I realized I had not returned to my bed - my comfy cozy sleeping place - but to a den of cult 80s music that was less comfortable than having climbed into a puddle to return to my slumber. I jumped out of bed and immediately and frantically searched for my shuffle, plugged in the earbuds and erased that song from my memory. Luckily my shuffle was queued up for an amazing rendition of "The Weight (take a load off Fanny...)" so I was happy and ready to go back to dreamland.

Then I panicked. 26.2 miles is a long way to run with a shitty song in your head. As I was lying in bed, about to drift back off to sleep to the sounds of The Band, I realized I needed your help. Forgive me as it is almost 1:30am right now but I need to ask YOU to send me 4 songs you love. They will keep me company during my race. Your songs don't have to be exercise or running related at all - just songs you love to hear over and over. I'll buy them and put them on my shuffle before the race and listen when I need the exra push - like when I'm pushing through the BORING Haines Point loop or fighting the wind on the 14th Street Bridge. At the very least, I'll need your songs to switch my mind out of a "flock of seagulls" moment into one I want to embrace with full steam (and good music) ahead.

I have put so much time and effort into making this coming Sunday a reality. And so have all of you!! I would hate to have the experience of marathon day be shaken because of stupid songs getting into my head. And you know they say music is contagious just like hiccups - if I'm feeling badly about it there's a chance someone else might be hearing the FLOCK sing in their head tooo --- please save all of us runners from the possible meltdown.....

My request is very simple. Please help? Either post right here on this page or send to me via email. I will be so happy to hear from you.

Right now, though, I will attempt to go back to sleep...

"Well, Luke, my friend, what about young Anna Lee? He said, "Do me a favor, son, won't you stay and keep Anna Lee company?"

THANK YOU