Choose the right music to beat the boredom of a treadmill trot

I know I said I'd write about supplements, but I feel I need a little more time to see if it's having any impact on my workouts. So instead, I will discuss the critical topic of what music to listen to while running.

I am a fairly recent convert to running with an iPod.

In fact, when I am running outside, I prefer running without music. On the treadmill, however, I have come to see my iPod as salvation, not just from boredom, but that odd musical selection playing in the gym and attempting to converse with strangers while sucking wind.

With the snowy December we've had, I have only been able to run outside one day in the last three weeks. Let's just say that was an adventure trying to stay on my feet, let alone find a workable pace, while my dog was pulling down the snow-covered trail.

So inside I am jogging, and boredom I am battling.

I will confess that my 13-year-old daughter, Rachel, programs and maintains my iPod for me, as I am as technically challenged as a person can be and not just give up and move to a cabin sans electricity. That means my iPod contains songs and artists to which I would not normally be exposed. And that, my friends, is both a good and a bad thing when you're trying to resist the urge to push the shutoff button and head home for a long winter's nap.

These tiny technological gadgets are difficult to work while lumbering along because the screens are so tiny! That's where watching dozens of episodes of "Name that Tune" come in handy. I can now identify the songs on my iPod within a few notes. And if the song doesn't inspire me in the first few bars, I'm probably not going to be smashing that fast forward button and praying for one of my favorites.

I love music — all kinds. But when you're fighting the urge to quit, it takes a special song to keep those feet moving. I have listed below my 12 favorite songs, in honor of the "Twelve Days of Christmas," which, incidentally, is NOT one of my favorite holiday tunes.

1. "Miss Halfway," by Anya Marina. I love this song because of the lyrics and the singer's resolve.

"I'm going to burn a pie now and then. I'm going to say the wrong things to your friends. I'm going to burn and shine and multiply. And when I do, you're going to see me in her eyes."

2. "The Reason," by Hoobastank. I absolutely love everything about this song. The only drawback to listening to this is that I can't help but sing along.

"That's why I need you to hear. I found a reason for me, to change who I used to be, a reason to start over new, and the reason is you."