Your favorite band sucks. A tribute to running with music and "the Empire"

There is big controversy in the running community about running with music. Some people like to run with it, others don't like to run with it, some people tell runners they can't run with it - usually concerning safety reasons - and the one thing we fail to see is in fact the music. During a few of my most memorable runs, I was accompanied by Anberlin, a true American rock band. Anberlin's lead vocalist, Stephen Christian, evokes a tone reminiscent of the 1980's, Duran Duran-ish, while the band mixes in a host of hard core guitar rifts, drum beats and a "Cadence" that nearly anyone can run to. I was of the lucky few who got to see Anberlin co headline with Switchfoot this past Sunday in New York City at the Best Buy Theater in Midtown. Brian Schantz of The Aquarian has a great review. But don't take my word for it.

Cadence is one of the most important aspects of good form running, typically around 180 beats per minute. Want to measure it yourself? Count each step you take while running for 15 seconds and then multiply by 4. This will give you a general idea of how many steps/beats, your taking every minute. A good indicator of measurement is if your counting between 42 and 46 steps every 15 seconds. But I digress.

Your favorite band sucks. How do I know this? Because it was printed on a sticker I got from Empire Discs (now closed) in Garden City - Long Island - NY. Known in my circle of friends as "The Empire," my friends and I would pile into my 2 door, 1986 Cadillac eldorado after class and go lose ourselves among the endless rows of music, waiting to be found. It was here back in 2003 that I discovered Blueprints for the Black Market, Anberlin's debut album. The first song on the album, "Readyfuels" is what turned me into a runner. If you've never run to music, it's my suggestion that to get your butt in gear and check out one of the great bands of the 2000's, run to "Redayfuels" and get back to me. You'll probably need a new pair of pants by the end of the run.