Running often through my mind.

My birthday is coming up.

Living alone would be  challenge. My life is currently undefined. I mean, it is bound by work, by rehearsal, and .. what? Last night after rehearsal I came home, I had already eaten dinner, so that wasn't something I could do. I edited a play script, and that was enjoyable. I was on social media, cleaned up the house just a bit.

Hmn.

This is why I try to remember to call my mom every day.

Distance: 3.6 miles
Route: Forest Hill Loop

Slept later. Taking a few hours this morning before heading in. Every night I am in rehearsal until eight or nine, and there are still things that need to get done here. I have been taking thirty minutes each morning to stain the deck ... and there's still so much to do.

Temperature: 66°
Climate: cooler, overcast
Weight: 165.5 lbs.
Mood: good

Peaceful, funky morning run through the park. Saying hello. Love my city, love my neighborhood.

Cream Playlist
Cream - Prince
Computer Blue - Prince
Papa's Got a Brand New Bag - James Brown
Take Me With U - Prince
Where Did Our Love Go - The Supremes
I Can't Help It - Michael Jackson
Chain of Fools - Aretha Franklin
I Want You - Marvin Gaye
Ring-A-Ling - Black Eyed Peas

Shuffling days and lonesome nights.

This is happening (not here.)

Getting to sleep before midnight is impossible, you'd think I were still in Alaska. Even last week, it never happened. Keeping busy, to be sure. I am happy to be accomplishing housework, staining the deck, moving out garbage, sorting donations.

Then there are the rehearsals, which start and end early. I just can't rest my mind. I woke in the middle of the night in a sweat, the house was too hot. I'd hoped to get up at 5:30 but re-set the alarm, I need some rest, some time.

But I also need to run. It's in the mid-60s. Time to take care of this now.

Distance: 3.25 miles
Route: Forest Hill Loop

Beautiful day in the park. Lively run. The goslings are all grown up. The creek smells pretty rank.

Wasn't sure how well it would go when I started but I picked up pace early and never let up. Touch of a headache, hoping that will go. Didn't eat anything first, I am sure that had something to do with my feeling logy when I began.

Seriously. It's not even 7:30. The Bay Five-Mile starts at 8:30, on July 4th. Why do they do that?

Temperature: 66°
Climate: hot and clear
Weight: 164.5 lbs.
Mood: not bad

Keeping it below 165. I made a deal with myself not to buy any food outside of the house while the wife is away. There is far too much good stuff here in the fridge and the cupboard not to pack lunch or to go out to eat or something.

Of course, this is also true when she is home.

Rock Me Amadeus Playlist
It's Alright (Baby's Coming Back) - Eurythmics
Major Tom (Coming Home) - Peter Schilling
Thursday's Child - David Bowie
Rage Hard - Frankie Goes to Hollywood
The Living Daylights - a-Ha
Der Kommisar - Falco

The best years of our lives.

The wife and I were married on this date, seventeen years ago. Today I am alone in my house, she on the road to Topsail Beach with the kids. These things happen.

I am directing an abridged production of Twelfth Night to be performed at the Cleveland Public Library in celebration of Shakespeare's First Folio. So, it was either go to Alaska or take our annual trip to North Carolina. These things happen.

When these conflicts are work related, they seem almost worth it. The very first trip the family took to North Carolina was in 2010, I missed that, too. It was our first year of Camp Theater. I thought I'd missed out on something I'd never have the chance to see, but it's turned into an annual celebration with my in-laws, so it doesn't sting so much.

And our production of Twelfth Night (As Told By Malvolio) is going to be very good. We previewed it for a private audience at the library on Friday night, where it went over very well.

Distance: 3 miles
Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 81°
Climate: hot!
Weight: 164.5 lbs.
Mood: good

Yes, running in eighty degree weather can wear you down, but I do have plans to work inside and out, to tackle some projects -- or at least commence them -- projects which have waited patiently in my mental and literal to-do lists for such a day as today.

Also, I need to finally watch the Tonys.

Rock Me Amadeus Playlist
Rock Me Amadeus - Falco
Caravan of Love - The Housemartins
I Love You - Yello
Let Me Go - Heaven 17
Master and Servant (Slavery Whip Mix) - Depeche Mode

Warmdown
Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four) - Eurythmics

Gonna get home fast.

The 5K, Not The Marathon, Is The Ideal Race
By Christie Aschwanden, FiveThirtyEight
June 14, 2016

But, but ... I run a 5K every time I run.

Bay Village 5 Mile Run on Independence Day. Sometimes I run that, last year I was in Topsail.

My father ran that race often, and so I am inspired to hit it again this year. It's not my favorite run, longer than a 5K is less a "fun run" and more like a real race. The course is flat and boring. Bay Village architecture is boring, just handsome, little houses all in a row. Quite often it is hot and very hot.

But, you know. Dad.

Distance: 3.1 miles
Avg Pace: 7:11
Duration: 21:58
Route: Forest Hill Loop

Temperature: 72°
Climate: hot & overcast
Weight: 165.5 lbs.
Mood: good!

Big, fast, sweaty run. Astonished to see I really didn't gain any additional weight at the conference. I don't think I ate so many french fries in my life.

I miss the mountains. I am glad to be home.

88 Lines About 44 Women Playlist
Weird Science - Oingo Boingo
Peek-A-Boo - Siouxsie & The Banshees
Jukebox (Don't Put Another Dime) - The Flirts
Space Age Love Song - A Flock of Seagulls
WIld Sex (In The Working Class) - Oingo Boingo
Go * - Tones On Tail

Valdez: Day Seven (Oh, what a morning!)

Last day of camp. Took yoga yesterday, outdoors, which was majestic. Stayed up a bit too late last night, no worse for wear today ... except tired. Sleeping in is not really an option, though I did wake up to my actual alarm today. At seven!

Distance: 3.15 miles
Route: Port Valdez Loop

No idea what the temperature is. The internet says it is in the fifties, but it is already in the seventies. Nice hot run!

Climate: hot! bright! sunny!
Mood: wistful

Wondering if or when I will take a beak today. I will need to rest, I feel exhausted right now. Also, need to print boarding passes. The last day is often hardest day. I will try to take in every moment, you know ... without nodding off.

Careless Whisper Playlist
Policy of Truth (Capitol Mix) - Depeche Mode
Hot Stuff - Donna Summer
Save a Prayer - Duran Duran
All That She Wants - Ace of Base
Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money) - Pet Shop Boys

Valdez: Day Five (One step further.)

Just before we began staging The Way I Danced With You, I was amused to see this in my Facebook feed:


Reading this morning, wish me luck. Looking forward to valuable criticism and feedback.

Distance: 3.15 miles
Route: Port Valdez Loop

Rehearsal.

The internet says it's fifty-seven degrees. It's not, it's already something like seventy. AWESOME, sweaty run. My mapping program was not cooperating so I left my phone behind, it's so much easier when there isn't something in my hand when I run. Also, I have the route down so I didn't even need the map.

No idea how much weight I am gaining on this trip, but seriously. I don't care. I will make it up over the summer.

Climate: warm, cloudless, sunny & perfect
Mood: AWESOME

Pretty much figured out the premise for my entire Fringe script on my run. Because that is how I do that. Just need time to sit down and bang it out.

And I have never "banged out" a script in my life.

Careless Whisper Playlist
Careless Whisper - George Michael
Too Shy - Kajagoogoo
(Just Like) Starting Over (2010 Remix) - John Lennon
I Am ... I Said - Neil Diamond
Heal The Pain - George Michael
Everything She Wants (Remix) - Wham!

Valdez: Day Four (Just can't stop.)

Best laid plans. The problem is sleep, right? Too jazzed to get to bed, but my internal clock tells me it's five a.m. at one. Last night I took a prophylactic Ibuprofen and a Calms Forté and bedded down just a little after midnight. Set an alarm for 6:30 a.m.

Someone else set had set an alarm for six, and either they are dead or they didn't come home last night. So, anyway, I got up at six. It was a pretty solid, uninterrupted night of sleep. Hoorah!

Distance: 3.15 miles
Avg Pace: 7:45
Duration: 24:26
Route: Port Valdez Loop

No run yesterday, instead I attended yoga, which I would have done again today except it conflicts with a rehearsal for another playwright's work. It was very therapeutic and I enjoyed it a great deal, I hope attend again on Thursday (no yoga scheduled for tomorrow.)

If you want more detailed info on my days, go here. It is crazy to think that the very first time I brought a running kit with me so that I could run on a journey was not until the New York Fringe in 2004. Prior to that I would be in a strange place, sleeping in a strange bed, keeping odd hours with no opportunity to exercise or just experience whatever unique location as a runner.

I had even considered leaving my kit behind for this trip, can you imagine? I was apprehensive about where I might run, what dangers there might be. Can't imagine how disappointed I would feel right now.

Temperature: 48°
Climate: cool and bright!
Mood: good

First real sweat of the week! Clear blue sky, big green mountains. Yes, saw a Bald Eagle at Ruth Pond, acting like just another bird.

Price Tag Playlist
Came Back Haunted - Nine Inch Nails
Four Horsemen - The Clash
Life Is White - Big Star
No Anthems - Sleater-Kinney
That's Not Me - The Beach Boys
Radio Friendly Unit Shifter - Nirvana
Personality Crisis - New York Dolls

Yes, I listened to music. I really missed it. No regrets.

Valdez: Day Two

Rebar bottle tree.

Managed to sleep seven hours last night. I did wake up once at 3:30 but went right back to sleep. At the Post-Fringe Mixer last night, I remembered to ask about fresh brewed coffee, and will I could pop across the street to the grocery store, Meg suggested Latte Dah Espresso which is just up the street. Open at 6 on Sundays, a little beginning of the week treat.

Distance: 3 miles
Avg Pace:  8:22
Duration: 25:06
Route: Port Valdez Loop

Headed out in my hoodie, which turned out to be totally unnecessary. Perhaps I should have packed my windbreaker, only there's no wind. It's cool, but not too cool. Wearing the big cotton hoodie slowed me down.

No headphones, if I had been wearing them I would have missed those two, big black raptors going at each other over Ruth Pond. Maybe I can find out what they were.

Eaten a lot of terrible food the past few days. I even broke down in the Anchorage airport yesterday to get a breakfast sandwich from Starbucks and those are the absolute worst, but it was after eleven Eastern Time and I realized I had only had nuts and dried fruit, no wonder I had a headache.

This morning I had granola, dried fruit and yogurt (thank you, Safeway) and that boss coffee.

Temperature: 45°
Climate: cool, a little overcast
Mood: uncertain

Valdez: Day One

First: Take a sixteen hour plane journey to Valdez, including extended layovers at O'Hare and in Anchorage, with very little rest and terrible ear pressure.

Second: Arrive with a headache, check into your dorm and take an amazing, uninterrupted, one hour power nap.

Third: Go for a run with no idea where you are.

Distance: 3.25 miles
Avg Pace: 7:52
Duration: 25:37

Did a Google Earth investigation before I arrived, running down the virtual streets of Valdez. I saw a lot of pre-fab houses and shops, and very wide streets.

From that vantage point I missed out how this town is entirely boxed in by breathtakingly beautiful, snow-swept mountains. Every street I turned, bam. New mountain.

Even though we are approaching the longest day of the year, it has already been pointed out to me that there is far less snow for June than there was, for example, when my wife and I honeymooned in Alaska seventeen years ago.

Many thanks to whoever mapped this run. As I was approaching the two and a half mile mark, I ran past the conference center with its banner reading, Welcome Last Frontier Theatre Conference. Perhaps they who logged this run two years ago was also attending the conference.

Temperature: 48°
Climate: cool with very light rain
Mood: apprehensive

Good three mile run. If I can stay awake through the entire proceedings this evening, and get to sleep without undue interruption for from ten roommates (more on that as it develops) I should be okay!

A skinny mess that's breathless.

Finally, at long last. A beautiful weekend and actually prepared for a yard sale. Looked like rain, it still may. But sitting outside in this weather, chatting, reading, doing the social media, I cannot complain.

Hitting the Kids' Fest later. Remember that? Crazy. Weirder still, I know children who have written plays that will be produced there, performed by my colleagues at Great Lakes. My life is too full.

Distance: 3 miles
Avg Pace: 7:52
Duration: 23:38
Route: Forest Hill Loop

Awesome run. Light, free. Just a lap around the park. No goals, just running. LOTS of goslings, they have gotten huge, it's like a big family reunion of geese.

The spring happened so fast, I didn't notice the trees. Last fall I watched the forest turn color and shed their leaves, and ran through the naked woods all winter, But I neglected to take not of the greening. It's all there again.

It has been a perplexing spring.

Temperature: 75°
Climate: hot!
Weight: 165 lbs.
Mood: good

The Current Playlist
Synchonicity I - The Police
Hateful - The Clash
Next Girl - Black Keys
Margaret Glaspy - Emotions and Math
Cure For Pain - Morphine
Go - The Chemical Brothers ft. Q-Tip

Warmdown
Good As Hell - Lizzo

A thousand miles an hour.

Global Running Day!

Formerly National Running Day!

Yes, it is, uhm ... the first, uh, Wednesday in June (right?) and everyone must run!

Except you, I know you're not a runner, that's cool, you don't have to run.

Warm pre-dawn run, feels good. Great way to start the day.

The badge at right looks like a condom wrapper, what is up with that.

Distance: 3 miles
Route: Boulevard Loop
Temperature: 59°
Climate: warm!
Weight: 164.5 lbs.
Mood: good

Would very much prefer to keep my weight below 165. That's the goal, for the rest of my life.

It doesn't have to be Christmastime for the treats to appear. My brother is in town, came over for dinner last night and brought cannoli from Presti's. Because I had not, for example, dipped into the emergency ice cream supply at work yesterday afternoon (though I could hear it in there, screaming) I felt entirely justified in my indulgence. You wait for the good stuff to come to you.

Loser Playlist
Watch The Tapes (153 bpm) - LCD Soundsystem
Song For The Man - The Beastie Boys
Run, Run, Run - Velvet Underground
Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors - Radiohead
Ripcord - Radiohead
Super Bon Bon - Soul Coughing
Dry The Rain - The Beta Band