I’m in my September.

Monday, Twin Cities In Motion tweeted this:

City officials have informed us that the St. Paul chapter of Black Lives Matter is planning a disruptive protest... https://t.co/2YdLobau5S

— TwinCities In Motion (@tcmarathon) September 28, 2015

Yesterday, Nina forwarded an article from Runner's World,

Black Lives Matter Says It Plans to Disrupt Twin Cities Marathon

"Our plan is just to disrupt business as usual and try to create as much awareness as possible," [organizer Rashad Turner of Black Lives Matter St. Paul] told Runner's World.

"Our hopes are that when the marathon runners reach us at the finish line, instead of being more concerned with finishing the marathon, that they’ve been able to do some critical thinking throughout this week and understand how powerful it would be if we all stood together in solidarity against the injustices that are plaguing our society and plaguing the community right here in St. Paul, Minnesota.”

- Runner's World, 9/29/2015 

Runners World states the activists intend to "stop runners from finishing the marathon."

Distance: 3 miles
Duration: 23:22
Avg Pace: 7:46
Route: Forest Hills Loop

I approve of civil disobedience, and am a supporter of the Black Lives Matter campaign. As has been pointed out, time and again, the only appropriate time for BLM to have their voices heard is at a specific time in a specific place of someone else's choosing where no one can hear them except those who already agree.

Having openly criticized those supporters of Bernie Sanders who got the vapors over BLM disrupting one of his events (wrong time, they said, wrong place) I do not feel it is my place to criticize the proposed Oct. 4 protest at the marathon. Why is our event sacrosanct?

However, I will say it makes me uneasy because it is a marathon, and we have had a big city marathon "disrupted" quite recently and I regret the comparison this action will create. I have assumed that security at the finish line of any large scale marathon would be higher since Boston, and I do not want anyone to get hurt.

Having said that, I wish them luck in stopping me, because I do intend to finish and as you know, I am fast. However, after I cross that finish line I'd be happy to listen to anyone who cares to have a conversation.

Temperature: 59°
Climate: misty, light rain
Weight: 157 lbs.
Intake: bagel w/cream cheese & preserves
Hydration: yes

What's That Lyric?
No Sympathy From the Devil - Public Enemy

Don't need to walk around in circles.

Yep.

This morning the girl asked if I would ride bikes to school with her. Last week we did this, I borrowed her brother's bike because I thought, you know -- fun. I almost got a hernia.

So I swiftly dove into the basement and brought out my own bike. I pumped the tires and sprayed WD-40 into the gears and off we went. The gears kept slipping and there was nothing I could do about it, this poor, twenty year old machine was kept in a leaky garage for most of that time, neglected and dirty.

I'd like to take it in but I am afraid the bicycle guy will inform me that fixing it will be more expensive than buying a new one. Of course, I could always repair it myself ...

One thing I did realize on my way home after dropping the girl off at school is that cycling isn't a real sport. How can it be when you can just stop moving when you come to a decline? When I am running and I stop ... I have stopped.

Distance: 3 miles
Duration: 23:08
Avg Pace: 7:42
Route: Boulevard Loop

This morning we learned one of the girl's schoolmates had a migraine yesterday, and during our walk to catch the bus I explained to the boy what a migraine is, how to treat one, and what it feels like. Since then, I have had a headache.

The run was good. Strong, fast. But I do not believe I can run 8 minutes for the entire race. Not sure I should run any of the race at that speed. However, 8:30 would be good. I think. Maybe I can do that. So much depends on how my body feels on the day. Not much I can do about that except eat well and rest.

Temperature: 75°
Climate: okay
Weight: 157 lbs.
Intake: flavored almonds
Hydration: yes

What's That Lyric?
Circles - Soul Coughing

Just let us through.

Rubber duck factory fire on East 120th.

Trying to think of something to say before an eight mile run. I got nothing. Oh, wait. I finished a revision and plan to have a reading. There's that. Also, the city was having their irregular shredding day and as I searched through the attic I was once again overwhelmed by time. Not as in, I forgot what time it was, I mean stepping into the attic is like being subsumed by every moment of my previous existence all at once. A great cloud of all memory. It's had not to get taken in.

Distance: 8 miles
Duration: 1:03.30
Avg Pace: 7:56
Route: Lakeview to Little Italy Loop

Great clouds of smoke drifting through the Euclid Road entrance to the cemetery. Lots of fire engines. Not sure if I would be able to follow my rout, but they had only closed street traffic. Wicked big abandoned factory fire on East 120th Street.

Again, thinking of all the paper in our attic. I removed two boxes today. Hmn. That's not enough.

Temperature: 73°
Climate: coolish
Weight: 156 lbs.
Intake: tater tots & banana
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: no
Stretches: no

Eight miles, Feeling good. I think I'm ready.

Week Fifteen Total: 24 miles
Training To Date: 460 miles

What's That Lyric?
We Exist - Arcade Fire

Go, go, go.

Last night the girl and I caught
The Secret Garden at Great Lakes Theater

One week from today I will be in St. Paul.

Our actors are in schools.

Writing is being written.

The sidewalks are slowly being repaved.

Tomatoes are coming to fruition.

Plays are opening, and we are seeing them.

Games are played, homework is completed.

Meals are crafted and produced by each and every one.

Our home is an active, circulating mess of works-in-progress.

A week from tomorrow I will attempt a third marathon.

To life.

Distance: 4 miles
Duration: 29:35
Avg Pace: 7:23
Route: Cain Park Loop

Some Spotify radio channels based on a single artist will only provide you with songs of a certain genre, or worse yet, songs from a certain genre from a limited time period, or worse yet the same ten goddamn songs.

The Cars station provides a magical nexus that cuts across genre, time and space, a vast array of seeming unlimited tunes of great interest and providing great enjoyment to anyone who is white, male and in their mid-to-late-forties.

I forgot what an awesome song Dirty Laundry is.

Temperature: 72°
Climate: perfect
Weight: 157 lbs.
Intake: a little pita and hummus
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: yes
Stretches: no

What's That Lyric?
Shake It Up - The Cars

Strange noise.

All right. We are in the zone. Eating well, sleeping ... well, not horribly. The weather is IDEAL for running, right now. Welcome fall. I have been writing, thinking, I am engaged. Not depressed. Not lost, not aimless. Not scared. Focused. Attentive. Ready.

Distance: 6 miles
Duration: 44:04
Avg Pace: 7:20
Route: Cain Park Loop

Strange. So much of my training (that I remember) from 2006 was during the morning. Late summer long runs, very early in the morning. The memory of this is so strong that making plans to sleep normally and try to run in the afternoon seems like cheating. Really. Like I'm not doing it the right way. Ridiculous, the way my brain works.

Temperature: 79°
Climate: hot!
Weight: 155 lbs.
Intake: the usual
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: yes
Stretches: no

How is that brain working? Just figured out a rewrite that is due tomorrow. A funny bit, a serious bit. I could wrap it up right now except I got to make garlicky kale with greens. Because that is how we run.

Podrunner: Bass Motivations (168 bpm)

Did I say ideal weather? I didn't mean in the early evening. Wow! But that was awesome. Fast! Why so fast? Because Podrunner. Thank you.

With my mind she runs.

Dog In A Bathtub

This is how this happens. For three weeks we have been rehearsing the residency program, and there has been a lot of sugar and fat in the rehearsal room, and I have been eating it. My weight has not increased, but that is not the point. My sugar intake, that which I had been so carefully keeping, has spiked. I have gone from complete control, to more casual, to complete lack of control.

Yesterday was a our first day in schools. Not including meals, here are the items I consumed that are heavy in sugar:

One large coffee with flavored creamer, one large coffee cake muffin, one frosting topped mini-cupcake, a McFlurry (Oreo & ice cream), two small eclairs, three cookies.

Yes, a McFlurry. I stopped at MacDonald's after work for a treat. A treat. As if I were the one who had been on my feet teaching all day instead of sitting and watching people teach all day. And I still felt entitled to dessert twice after that.

So. We have had our fun. This morning, without a run first, I weighed 160 lbs. I should weight at least that much, but the weight should consist of better things.

Today, I was good.

Distance: 3 miles
Duration: 23:30
Avg Pace: 7:49
Route: Boulevard Loop

Been writing lately. Expanding on a piece I began last year. Taken me long-forgotten places, like that dream I had this summer. Today I had to visit a school on the near west side, GPS took me down a side street I had been down in nearly thirty years, one I describe in this new work. That was odd in its timeliness.

Temperature: 64
Climate: cool and humid
Weight: 159 lbs.
Intake: tater soup, with bread and butter
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: no
Stretches: no

What's That Lyric?
Golden Brown - The Stranglers

Live those dreams.

Desperate early morning run. No time to log three miles any other time of this day. No food, forgot to even drink a glass of water. Just out.

Distance: 3 miles
Duration: 24:16
Avg Pace: 8:04
Route: Boulevard Loop

Temperature: 55°
Climate: cool!
Weight: 157.5 lbs.
Intake: none
Hydration: no
Water Stop: no
Stretches: no

What's That Lyric?
Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood

Put my spine out of place.

My back has been acting up, not sure what to do about that, except to remember not to pick anything up. I have gotten pretty good about asking other people to pick things up, in general, and I feel entirely justified in doing so.

Today's long run was surprisingly difficult. Trying not to let it affect me mentally, just push on. But just the other day I was sharing with someone at work how my back doesn't bother me any more, and now it does.

Distance: 14 miles
Duration: 1:54:44
Avg Pace: 8:11
Route: University Circle Loop

Week Fourteen Total: 33 miles
Training To Date: 436 miles

Again with the right knee. Started freezing up in mile eleven. Warmed out of it but never felt as good again. That was after two steep inclines, first Little Italy and then Cain Park.

Right now I feel tired and hungry. Time to shower, take anti-inflammatory pain reliever and wrap that knee. There is a finish line ahead of me, but I haven't reached the starting gate yet.

These are not metaphors, I am talking about a literal starting gate and finish line.

Temperature: 59° → 61°
Climate: cool and sunny
Weight: 157.5 lbs.
Intake: fruit yogurt & grape nuts
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: yes (2x)
Stretches: yoga (10 min.)
Upper Body: 82 reps

What's That Lyric?
Suffragette City - David Bowie

Further all the time.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame + Museum

Saturday afternoon run.  Woke this morning at 5 AM and said no. Too tired. Not this morning. Besides, it was raining. But the day has worked out, rehearsal then to see the boy play Joan Jett songs at the Rock Hall, now a quick four miler before we head out for BURGERS. No idea where, don't really care.

Distance: 4 miles
Duration: 31:10
Avg Pace: 7:47
Route: Cain Park Loop

Hmn. Slight pain in my right knee for the first mile, then it stopped. In general, feeling free and strong.

Temperature: 66
Climate: overcast, cool, windy, sunny!
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: yes
Stretches: no

What's That Lyric?
Transmission - Joy Division

To long-legged women.

Whoa, I need more sleep than this. We had the first reading of the new Agatha Christie play last night, not quite the end of a long day. Concentration, focus -- drive. Not coming so easily. The middle of September and I am trying to remember the point of anything. Because I need more sleep than this.

Hmn. Girl has been sick, now the wife is ill. Hope that's not a sore throat. And now suddenly my ears hurt. Need to move on with the day, take pain reliever, ignore this.

Distance: 6 miles
Duration: 47:28
Avg Pace: 7:54
Route: South Euclid Loop

The Moth: Dog Mother, Tour Guide, and Milli Vanilli

Another podcast, another brisk run. It's a simple, square run. Two miles east, two miles south, two miles west, and then a funky dogleg home. Not actually a square, but it feels like one. Straight, straight, straight, funky dogleg.

Temperature: 64°
Climate: cool and humid
Weight: 157.5 lbs.
Intake: fruit yogurt & grape nuts
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: no
Stretches: yoga (10 min.)

Just gotta run.

Post-work run. Young man makes eye contact at a corner. Double bumps his heart. Respect.

Distance: 6 miles
Duration: 45:39
Avg Pace: 7:36
Route: Forest Hills to Cain Park Loop

Temperature: 79°
Climate: humid
Weight: 156 lbs.
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: yes
Stretches: no

What's That Lyric?
Yeah - LCD Soundsystem

We're on a road to nowhere.

Oh, for fuck's sake.

Long day. Late run. Happy birthday, doll.

Delirious run in the dark. Thank you, The Church, for that one song. Refused to stop running until it was over.

Fast run, insane. And now it's 10:30 PM. Rose at 5 AM to make crêpes. It wasn't Montréal, but still. Tonight we had the Yoga Mom families over to inaugurate the deck.

New writing last night, forward into the past. A new scene, a revision. Wednesday there will be a second reading for the new work, and I have already completed those edits, today. I completed them today, not a half-hour before the reading.

Then there's the five-minute play. Still clueless about that one, but I have plenty of thoughts. A plot would be nice, even a five-minute play needs a plot.

Distance: 3.23 miles
Duration: 25:13
Avg Pace: 7:48
Route: Boulevard Loop

Climate: 64°
Intake: can't even
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: no
Stretches: no

Little Creatures. The album of the summer of 1985. Good Lord.

What's That Lyric?
Road to Nowhere - Talking Heads

Better move now.

Tiresias Riddles The Fates

Here's the story, I eked it out the last two days of the week, rising at 4:00 AM to run eight and six miles. On Saturday I had an early rehearsal, then needed to prepare for an evening event. Should I go out into the rain to run four hours because the calendar said I had to? Or just sit tight and run the last twenty miles on Sunday, and be done with it?

For real. What would you do? I had costumes to iron.

But then, there was the Saturday night thing. The entire day, really, Rain and action and excitement and highs and, well, only highs, really. The boy played better than he ever has in a rock set of Joan Jett songs at the Beachland Ballroom, then the girl and I joined the company at CPT for Pandemonium in a downpour, and still had an amazing time.

I woke feeling absolutely wrecked. No way. Not twenty miles. No time, no energy.

And you know what? I don't care. I got this. I have been working up to this weekend for a month, my time is free my brain is clear, my early morning runs this past week have been surprisingly enjoyable, and it is time for tapering and tapering I will do. No second twenty miles run, that will wait for October 4.

Because I know what I am doing.

Distance: 3 miles
Duration: 23:52
Avg Pace: 7:56
Route: Boulevard Loop

Joan Jett set at Beachland Ballroom

Middle-aged men in Lycra ‘are a turn-off for new cyclists’

 Lycra-clad “weekend warriors” are deterring new cyclists from the sport- Evening Standard (UK)

This makes me sad. Because I am middle-aged. Question: Should I wear the skin-tight Captain America shirt for the marathon? Or does that thing just look embarrassing on me?

Week Thirteen Total: 22 miles
Training To Date: 403 miles

Temperature: 61°
Weight: 159.5 lbs.
Intake: bangers & mash
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: no
Stretches: no

What's That Lyric?
Move Now - Marshall Crenshaw

Better angels.

On your left.

One thing I neglected to note yesterday was how pleasant it was to run in the dark in temperatures in the mid-60s. Delightful, really.

Also, last week Fil asked about shoes. His were past their freshness date, but he has a long race coming up and should he continue to wear them through the race or get new ones?

People had all kinds of opinions, but as I normally ask in any given situation, "How does this affect me?" I checked and realized my shoes are well over a hundred miles past their limit.

Distance: 6 miles
Duration: 48:23
Avg Pace: 8:03
Route: South Euclid Loop

Radio 360: American Icons: The Lincoln Memorial

The idea of listening to podcasts is not necessarily inspiring. However, often I find them useful. Certainly downloading them means I am not streaming data, which helps with our cell plan. But I also run briskly while listening to them, and I feel as though I stand straighter. Today's episode concluded just as I was rounding the last bend and as I walked the last few yards I felt taller. Perhaps I was inspired by the man himself.

Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
- Song of Solomon 8:6

Temperature: 57°
Climate: cool
Weight: 155.5 lbs.
Intake: banana
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: no
Stretches: yoga (10 min.)
Upper Body: 80 reps

You've always got further to go.

Do you remember the time?

Not enough upper body work. Progress I made during the summer has run slack. It's not something I generally think about, but the strap for my iPhone is not supposed to wrap around my triceps two times.

Leaning towards demoralized. Been training since, I don't know, the beginning of the year, it seems. March, anyway. Not the official start of training, just when I started working out. Losing the weight.

But there have been moments of great beauty and wonder and satisfaction ... and they are not longer happening. I am tired. I am rushed. It doesn't feel good.

Distance: 8 miles
Duration: 1:05:49
Avg Pace: 8:13
Route: South Euclid Loop

Last night we had our final rehearsal for a brief scene we are creating for CPT's annual benefit, Pandemonium which will be held this Saturday night. The work continues. A good boy, I was asleep by ten,

Tiresias Riddles The Fates

This morning I rose at 4 AM, earlier to allow time for all the necessaries and perhaps even to get my prescribed eight miles in.

Temperature: 66°
Climate: humid, clear
Weight: 157 lbs.
Intake: yogurt, banana & granola
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: no
Stretches: yoga (10 min.)
Upper Body: 70 reps

Two things. One, that was a perfectly timed run. It felt great, the entire way. Yes, I could have used water, but it wasn't an issue, I felt great. Little traffic, cool air, gradual inclines, awesome, laid back, alt-rock, 1980s playlist.

Two, I have a play. It has two scenes. It needs a third scene. I just figured what happens during the third scene. This is running at its finest.

What's That Lyric?
Quiet Heart - The Go-Betweens

Making plans (for David.)

You ever have one of those nights when every creak keeps you awake? Yeah. Maybe four hours of sleep. Ridiculous.

Distance: 2.17 miles
Duration: 18:31
Avg Pace: 8:32
Route: Up the road and back.

This is the thing. If I am going to run eight miles, say, 4:30 isn't actually early enough. Because I have to leave the house no later than 5:00 AM in order to return by 6:00 AM. I have to return no later than six because that is when the children wake up and I have to be part of that process.

That means drinking water, eating some kind of breakfast, drinking coffee, suiting up and stretching. And also that one other thing. If I do not do that one other thing in the house, I will need to do it in a bush, say, or an available port-o-john.

I did go to the bathroom when I woke up. But just because it's 5:05 and you haven't left yet, doesn't mean you shouldn't try again. Because since you woke up you had the coffee.

So, anyway, no disaster, except for the waking up at 4:30 so you can run one mile out and back, instead of eight.

Temperature: 75°
Climate: humid
Weight: 157.5 lbs.
Intake: yogurt & granola
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: no
Stretches: yoga (5 min.)

Also, I hit my head on a thick, low-hanging branch while running on the sidewalk in the dark. Other people hit their head all the time. Bald people get to have a visible scab that shows everyone how uncoordinated they are.

Here's my comeback on the road again.

Hot daylight recovery run. My entire right leg feels like it's about the flame out, from my Achilles tendon to my hamstrings, all the way up. They do not burn, yet. I just feel as though any day they might. Must continue the yoga, I believe it is helpful. There is no indication that it hurts.

Tiny steps at the outset, but I had reversed my run and was taking the steep incline first. This worked out extremely well, and by the end of the first mile I felt strong and my strides were long.

Distance: 3 miles
Duration: 24:37
Avg Pace: 8:10
Route: Boulevard Loop

Must make plans for the week. Eight miles tomorrow, eight on Thursday, six on Friday. Early to bed, early to rise. Or failing that, just early to rise.

Temperature: 84°
Climate: hot, humid and bright
Weight: 159 lbs.
Intake: yogurt, granola & banana (and coffee)
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: no
Stretches: no (sorry)

What's That Lyric?
Big In Japan - Alphaville

Thanks to Jim, as always, for the awesome graphic,

You gotta try a little harder.

This week. Not a bad week, certainly not. But it has been taxing on the mental front. It would have been a long week regardless, as we have begun rehearsals for the residency program. But I also needed to complete the first draft of the outreach touring script by Tuesday, which I did. 

But this script, thinking of this script, has kept me from thinking of much else all summer. I certainly haven't been writing anything else, because any time I thought to, I would immediately feel regret and decide I really should be writing the tour script (which I was not really doing.)

This left a good three days to bear down and put the finishing touches on a grant application that was due Friday night at midnight.

So here we are. Those deadlines have passed, I accomplished my goals, and I am still here. And I do feel much, much more relaxed. Thank you.

I get to work with these people.

Distance: 10 miles
Duration: 1:21:55
Avg Pace: 8:11
Route: Uptown Loop

However, the running thing. Am I still training for a marathon? The other big new thing is that the kids started school on Monday, and that has kind of thrown me off a little bit. I have been running evenings. Friday was legitimately a day off, but not yesterday, which I chose to skip altogether.

Because I was at work from 9 in the morning until 9 at night. Because that.

Temperature: 84
Climate: bright, hot, sweaty
Weight: 157 lbs.
Intake: granola, yogurt & banana
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: no
Stretches: yoga (15 min.)

Hot, late morning run. Still in it. Lots of end of summer action, like a great all-year Shaw High School reunion going on in Forest Hills Park. Heading through Lakeview Cemetery I must report that yes, they now do have signage clearly stating you may not ride your bike through that park. Oh, well.

I have tried to reduce the amount of steep or continual climbing on my long runs, and so I have not been heading down to MLK as much as I have in training periods past. That just means I have been more enjoying my own neighborhood, Forest Hills, the side streets of Cleveland Heights, and so on.

I did come back up Little Italy, and did very well though it was exhausting. I headed up Lee towards Cain Park to take a water break - and then I remembered that hill and decided against it. So no water break. I must be sure to drink even more now than I already have.

Week Twelve Total: 26 miles
Training To Date: 381 miles

DID YOU KNOW ..? A ball cap with the brim turned to the front does an excellent job of keeping the sun out of your eyes.

What's That Lyric?
Comeback Kid - Sleigh Bells

James Murphy validates my entire Generation-X life choice. James Murphy is my personal Messiah.

On my way back out of the woods.

Run, then sleep. No time to reflect.

Distance: 6 miles
Duration: 48:29
Avg Pace: 8:04
Route: Boulevard Loop

Temperature: 73°
Climate: heat lightning!
Intake: dinner
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: no
Stretches: no

What's That Lyric?
Out of the Woods - Foals

I'm lightning on my feet.

Hi. Yes. Finished the first draft of that script. In bed by eleven Forward!

What I was unable to accomplish was a ten-mile run. I mean, how? When?

I rose at four-thirty today instead and would just see how far I got by six o'clock, when I would need to be home to rouse the kids and get ready for the day. I went the opposite direction to my usual, east on Monticello, but after a little over two miles I startled a skunk, and he startled me. I immediately ran backwards and turned around before he went off on me.

So, anyway. This is becoming challenging, not because of anything physical. Just the calendar.

Distance: 7 miles
Duration: 59:03
Avg Pace: 8:25

Temperature: 73°
Weight: 155.5 lbs.
Intake: banana
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: no
Stretches: yoga (10 min.)

What's That Lyric?
Shake It Off - Taylor Swift