By day we run.

If it were not for my wife, I would not have gotten out of bed this morning to run. If I had not gotten out of bed to run this morning, I would not have had time to run later. If I had had a long run today, I would most likely be of a mind to bag the training.

Thank you, wife.

Distance: 6 miles
Route: Taylor-Cedar-Warrensville/Noble-Monticello Loop

1. Almost wiped twice on Taylor Road. Ice like glass beneath light, dusty snow.

2. New Bob Evans going up on Cedar Road. Which reminds me, I need to spend more time in the Inn on Coventry. Eggs Mando!

3. I did not think to notice there is no sidewalk on the West edge of Warrensville Rd. running past the de-forested park which will soon be Oakwood Commons, a shopping development. There was enough grassy room between the curb and the chain-link fence to run on when cars were coming toward me.

In the pre-dawn light I could see, well, nothing really, where there had once been many, many trees. About a hundred yards ahead of me a small animal dashed out from under the fence into the street and onto the median where it stopped and looked around. Too big to be a cat, too small to be a dog. In motion I thought it must be a racoon, but it was the wrong shape.

It was a fox. A silver fox. A homeless silver fox.

I stopped and watched. It turned and saw me, and swift as anything sprinted back across the street and under the fence. Nowhere else to go.

4. Almost wiped out twice on Monticello.

Temperature: 36º
Climate: snowy
Weight: 177.5 lbs.
Snack: banana
Hydration? yes
Stretches? yes

My friend Alicia is an official blogger for the Cleveland Marathon. I did not know there was such a thing. Having finally registered for the race, I enquired about becoming an official Cleveland Marathon blogger myself. However, I have been informed that since they announce one "class" of official bloggers each year, and that they have already does so for 2012, they will not be adding any additional bloggers.

I don't think I wouldn't mind so much if I felt I would ever been running this race again. It's taken me five and a half years to believe I could try again. Looking at it that way, I began to feel depressed. Recently however, looking at anything from any perspective has been making me depressed, so I can hardly blame any one individual or organization.

1985 Playlist
Eighties - Killing Joke
Nemesis - Shriekback
Stay Up Late - Talking Heads
Bittersweet - Everything But the Girl
Broken Wings - Mr. Mister
We Close Our Eyes - Go West
Shout - Tears For Fears
Take Me Home - Phil Collins
Cloudbusting - Kate Bush
Baby Screams - The Cure
Don't You (Forget About Me) [Extended Version] - Simple Minds
Ball of Confusion [Extended Version] - Love & Rockets

Cooldown:
Take On Me - a-Ha

UPDATE: Mother-in-law is taking us out for EGGS MANDO. I love that woman.