Songwriters, hear my prayer.

Please come up with a new anthem that can be used to inaugurate sporting events. If it is specific to running/marathoning, even better. Something is wrong with the world when "Let's Get it Started" and "Start Me Up" are the only two songs played before every football, baseball, hockey, basketball, wrestling, softball, cricket, jai alai, gymnastics, rugby, soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, bowling or handball match.

Now the Flying PIg Marathon is offering runners the chance to vote on these and 8 other horrendous songs to hear at the starting line of the 10th Flying Pig Marathon.

Seriously? Eye of the Tiger? Life is a Highway? WTF? Who decided to revive Tom Cochrane's career? Why not throw in the Rocky theme while you're at it? (In all sincerity, I'm surprised the Rocky theme isn't an option.) Needless to say, I have been feverishly writing in options from my personal running playlist. Maybe someone at the Pig will download one of my tunes and take pity on runners who have been bleeding from the ears at the sound of the aforementioned songs. Have mercy on our souls.

Please - something different, something with depth. Something that speaks to reducing your body to a salty, limping, panting, dry-heaving mass in the name of enlightenment. Bonus points if you mention hitting the wall and busting through it. Something sentimental like, "I've seen a million faces, and I've rocked them all." It's a stretch, but you get the idea.

That said, I hereby initiate a contest to develop a new "Sporting event kick-off anthem." Please submit songs to me ASAP. I can't offer a meaningful cash reward, but I'll do my damnedest to get the Pig to debut the song at the start of the 10th running of the Flying Pig Marathon. It will be legendary. Imagine all the people...
Or something like that.

Amen