Music is what allowed me to become a runner. Without music, I never would have been able to complete my first mile. Music is an important part of my life, and will be a great motivator in Sunday's marathon.

At the same time, I've learned to run without music, and from what I understand, there's a lot to take in on the streets of the NYC Marathon, so I don't want to lock myself into an ipod coccoon.

So here's my plan: when I get to mile 15, I'm rewarding myself with music. I've prepared an extra long playlist of some of my favorite running songs, just in case I end up needing it early. But hopefully, I'll be strong to at least mile 15.

The song that motivates me most this weekend? Temper Trap's Sweet Disposition (video above.) This song kind of sums up where I'm at emotionally right now, and inspires me to push through any challenges. That's my official marathon song, and when it hits my iPod, I'll be extra motivated to propel myself forward.

Here's the other stuff that's on my NYC Marathon playlist:

✓    My Girls    5:41    Animal Collective    Merriweather Post Pavilion  
✓    Walking On A Dream    3:19    Empire Of The Sun    Walking On A Dream 
✓    Sleepyhead    2:55    Passion Pit    Manners
✓    Rock Star (Jason Nevins Remix Edit)    7:42    N.E.R.D.
✓    Mr. Brightside (Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duke Mix)    8:50    The Killers   
✓    Tik Tok    3:20    Ke$ha    Animal   
✓    Dreams (Featuring Stevie Nicks)    4:39    Deep Dish    George Is On (Disc 1)   
✓    High Roller    5:30    The Crystal Method    Vegas     
✓    Hold On    5:58    Holy Ghost!    Hold On - EP   
✓    Sweet Disposition    3:51    The Temper Trap    Conditions   
✓    Kids (Soulwax Remix)    5:38    MGMT    Kids (Soulwax Remix) - Single   
✓    The High Road    3:52    Broken Bells    Broken Bells   
✓    Lisztomania (Classixx Version)    5:02    Phoenix    Lisztomania Remixes - EP      
✓    Two Weeks (Fred Falke Extended Mix)    7:59    Grizzly Bear    Two Weeks (Fred Falke Mixes) - EP   
✓    Relator    2:34    Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson    Relator - Single     
✓    The Reeling    4:48    Passion Pit    Manners   
✓    Fences    3:50    Phoenix    Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix   
✓    West Coast    3:32    Coconut Records    Nighttiming     
✓    Daylight    2:51    Matt & Kim    Grand  
✓    Are Friends Electric?    5:56    Gary Numan    Scarred   
✓    Here (In Your Arms) [Young Americans Remix]    5:21    Hellogoodbye    Hellogoodbye Remixes - EP   
✓    Cards to Your Heart (feat. Nick Littlemore of Empire of the Sun)    5:34    Groove Armada        
✓    Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys)    4:37    Jay-Z    The Blueprint 3 (Deluxe Version)  
✓    Sewn    5:57    The Feeling    Four Stops and Home - EP   
✓    In This City    4:06    Iglu & Hartly    And Then Boom
✓    Let It Rock    3:51    Kevin Rudolf & Lil Wayne    In the City (Bonus Track Version)   
✓    This Too Shall Pass    3:08    OK Go    Of the Blue Colour of the Sky   
✓    Dancing On My Own    4:46    Robyn    Body Talk, Pt. 1          
✓    Sucked Out    2:47    Superdrag    Regretfully Yours  
✓    Home    5:06    Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros    Up From Below (Deluxe Edition)     
✓    The Only One    5:00    The Black Keys    Brothers (Deluxe)       
✓    Dominos    3:46    The Big Pink    A Brief History of Love (Bonus Track Version)  
✓    Raindrops    4:10    Basement Jaxx    Scars (Bonus Track Version)    
✓    Technologic    4:44    Daft Punk    Human After All  
✓    Beggin'    3:38    Madcon    Beggin' - Single  
✓    A Kick In The Teeth    4:21    Fischerspooner    Odyssey   Alternative    25   
✓    Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Pt. 1    4:46    The Flaming Lips   
✓    Paper Planes    3:24    M.I.A.    Kala   

I still need to raise just under $500 for the American Heart Association, for entry into the race! You can help with a super generous donation!