Just like her first number one single, Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott is finding herself inspired by running. The 31-year old country singer recently pledged herself to five days of “treadmill time” a week for the entire month of May.
Scott first shared her personal fitness challenge on Instagram, and has continued updating her followers on her progress throughout the month. (Want to up your own treadmill game? Check out RW’s new on-demand treadmill workouts, available for streaming straight to your device.)
On June 2, the country music star shared the final photo of her fitness challenge, saying that while she didn’t accomplish her goals, she would move forward, writing “MORAL OF THE STORY: Do your best, stay active, and when you can’t move eat things that your body uses as fuel.”
Scott’s drive to jump on the treadmill comes eight years after Tom Douglas, a songwriter from Atlanta, was overcome with inspiration while pounding the pavement during the Nashville Marathon.
As a longtime runner, Douglas has completed more than a dozen marathons in the past 18 years. But crossing the finish line isn't the only feat the songwriter has accomplished on race day. After completing a 26-mile trek through Nashville, the Tennessee native penned “I Run to You,” Lady Antebellum's first number one single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Douglas–who has co-written with Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert and Martina McBride–is certainly no stranger to mainstream success. But even he admits he never expected to write a hit country at the Nashville Marathon.
Here, the 54-year-old recounts how “I Run to You” first began to run through his mind.
RW: What inspired you to write “I Run to You” while you were running the Nashville Marathon?
TD: They say there are two marathons: mile 1 to 20 then 21 to 26. I was at about mile 16 and I was delirious. It was a hot day and I just happened to fall behind this guy that had “I Run This Town” on the back of his T-shirt.
I didn't pay much attention but, mile after mile, I started to distract myself from my misery. I started thinking, “What does that mean? I run this town like a jogger? I run this town like the mayor? I run this town like a mafia boss?” I started thinking of all these metaphors and analogies and it stuck with me.
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When did that translate into co-writing the song with Lady Antebellum?
The race was on a Saturday. I was supposed to meet with this new trio Lady Antebellum on Monday. When a new artist comes, you're supposed to have a great idea. I did not have a great idea.
I didn't have any idea. So I felt bad. I felt guilty. I felt like I was going to embarrass myself. Sure enough, they came over, pulled up three folding chairs and I didn't even really know what I was going to do. So I put my hands on the keyboard and sang, “I run from hate. I run from prejudice. I run from pessimists.”
I say this tongue-in-cheek but I ran so long and it was so painful that I developed a real hatred for the guy that I followed. I opened up my eyes and they were like, “Wow, that is so profound!” I said, “Yeah, I've been saving this for you for a long, long time.” Lo and behold, they recorded it and it became their first number one single.
Have you ever developed other great ideas for songs mid-run?
They think it's funny. In Nashville, they have songwriter rounds where you have three or four songwriters on a stage in a circle. Writers tell the stories behind their songs then they play the songs. People just love it. It's a story that I've told there. I always say, “I'm not sure everything I said is true but I hate to let facts get in the way of a good story.” So I'm just going to keep telling it.
Frazer Harrison/ Getty Images?
I've depended on exercise for years and years. Exercise really breeds creativity. It's just an absolute essential part of my regimen. It's amazing the way the mind works out of all the kinks once you get your body working. I think it clears your head so you can get out of your own way and free flow. Then, at some point, you go back and edit. Something about the movement gives you clarity. It's like a magical elixir.
So, have you heard from the guy with the “I Run This Town” T-shirt yet?
No. Fortunately, I haven't heard from him. He probably wouldn't like to hear that I developed a hatred for him.
So, have you heard from the guy with the I Run This Town T-shirt yet!
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