Funny how your feet in dreams never touch the earth.

No Mow May/Yo Mow May

28 years ago, when I was 26, I had a hernia operation. I find it remarkable that I have not had to have another one since. I guess they did a good job.

Distance: 2 miles

Duration: 19:54
Pace: 9:56

Route: Burlington Loop

Temperature: 67°
Climate: sunny & warm

Mood: good

Yesterday was a workout. Cutting the grass after "No Mow May" meant serious lifting in my arms, managing the weed whacker for an extended period of time. And I did my regular exercises. I chose to take it easy this morning on my run.

150 - 159 BPM Playlist

Do I Have To Talk You Into It - Spoon

2 + 2 = 5 - Radiohead

Runaway - Del Shannon

Halo - Beyoncé

A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles

Tandem Jump - Jonathan Richman

These Dreams - Heart

 

Okay, anything below 155 BPM is reserved for cold weather runs, I can't go that slow. I tried, I can't. Also? Caught a branch in my mouth. Ducking one branch, I ate a lower one. That hurt. Trim the branches that hang low over your sidewalks, people.

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: tbd

Upper body: 10 reps (2x)
Water: yes

Breakfast: coffee w/cream, fruit smoothie bowl w/mango, blueberries & raspberries, granola & honey

Lunch: spinach pie & baba w/pita & hot sauce

Happy Hour: Ginger beer over ice

Dinner: greens & beans, bread & butter, OJ

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: 179 lbs. (+1.0)

Goal: 175 lbs.

I wish that I knew what I know now when I was younger.

What a great weekend, relaxing and spending money in downtown Cleveland. While I did not over eat, I sure did drink a lot, morning noon and night. I guess that's fun once in a while.

Time for a HOT RUN!

Distance: 4 miles

Duration: 38:36
Pace: 9:39

Route: Forest Hill Loop

Temperature: 78°
Climate: sunny & HOT

Mood: very good

Early Alternative Playlist

Girls On Film - Duran Duran

Love Plus One - Haircut 100

Town Called Malice - The Jam

Cannonball - The Breeders

Train In Vain (Stand By Me) - The Clash

Tainted Love - The Soft Cell

Birthday - The Sugarcubes

Rise - The Public Image Ltd.

Ooh La La - The Faces

Roadrunner - The Modern Lovers

Goo Goo Muck - The Cramps

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: 90 sec.

Upper body: 10 reps. (2x)
Water: yes

Breakfast: coffee w/cream, (bland) gravy over (flat) biscuit, sausage patty, cut fruit & OJ 

Lunch: leftover pizza, slaw (1/2 C.), wafer cookies (2x)

Happy Hour: elderflower lemonade, fizzy water

Dinner: hot dog w/everything, slaw (1/2 C.)

So I get into these phases where I'll eat something with regularity like it's normal. Two dollar bag of Doritos, daily. Or a candy bar. Pop Tarts, maybe. Like, I'm fine I want this, I'll get it and eat it.

This has been the case with beer and whiskey, also, for some time. Or until just recently. Like, I want a drink, I'll have a beer.

Right now, at the end of a holiday day, I could have a beer, right? But that seems like a lot. I'm thirsty, but that seems heavy. Even a light beer. And that's a good way to feel. Yesterday we had a Bloody Mary at breakfast, which was good for my head. Yes, it was! And a beer at the game, because you do. There was "free" beer at the hotel before dinner, who wouldn't? Who wouldn't twice -- they weren't huge pours, after all. And a cocktail at dinner. That's how you have five drinks over the course of one day.

But, it's now the exception that proves the rule. No alcohol today, nor tomorrow. Probably over dinner on Wednesday, because we are going out to celebrate our son's graduation.

Intentional drinking. 

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: 178 lbs. (+2.0)

Goal: 175 lbs.

Everybody hates a tourist.

We've having an empty nesters "staycation" downtown. The boy is on a weekend camping trip, so we've gotten a room at the Drury and today we're seeing a Guardians game. I haven't taken a casual run around downtown in sixteen years.

Distance: 2.6 miles

Duration: 24:38
Pace: 9:22

Route: Public to Playhouse Square Loop

Temperature: 68
Climate: sunny & warm

Mood: good

Hotel headache this morning. It never fails, never wear long leggings to bed. Always, always, always keep water, pain reliever, and eye shades next to the bed.

I was lying awake, fretting over how well we did last night. 

Early Alternative Playlist

Movin’ On Up - Primal Scream

Common People - Pulp

The Lovecats - The Cure

Pretty in Pink - Psychedelic Furs

Dear God - XTC

Because the Night - Patti Smith

Here’s Where the Story Ends - Sundays

  

On that 2007 run I appraised my surroundings and found them full of memory.

• Turning onto Lakeside, running past the convention center, where we ran a few Turkey Trots and Cleveland Marathons (Halfs & Whole) in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2018.
• Marching down Lakeside, for science and Black lives in 2017 and 2020.
• Taking West 3rd to and around Public Square, where we played in 2016, and saw Henry V in 2019.
• Down Euclid Avenue, where we saw Sleater-Kinney at the HOB in 2015
• I got sushi that almost killed me from a certain grocery store in 2019
• At East 9th where we saw the Cavs parade in 2016
• Past East 14th where the Hanna reopened in 2008.
• And working and walking and working and walking.

Taking East 13th to Superior and back to the Drury. There are too many thoughts of downtown to recollect. And that makes me glad.

Stretches: yes
Abdominals: tbd

Upper body: tbd
Water: yes

Breakfast: coffee, Bloody Mary, yogurt parfait w/granola, English muffin w/butter

Lunch: nachos & beer

Happy Hour: beer (2x), popcorn

Dinner: old fashioned, rigatoni w/meatball, bread

All the booze!

Run to the hills ('cause the end is near.)

Back to 1936

Tonight is STATION HOPE! Amaya and I will perform a short play we have written together, we tried it out last night and it seemed to go over very well. I'm excited!

Distance: 3.75 miles

Duration: 35:02
Pace: 9:21

Route: Forest Hill Loop

Temperature: 67°
Climate: sunny & warm

Mood: very good

Goodness. Really. It just feels better to run when it is warm.

Gorillaz Playlist

New Gold ft. Tame Impala & Bobbie

Cracker Island ft. Thundercat

Stylo ft. Mos Def & Bobby Womack

Feel Good Inc. ft. De La Soul

We Got the Power * ft. Jehnny Beth

Dirty Harry

19-2000 (Soulchild Remix)

Clint Eastwood * ft. Del the Funky Homosapien

DARE ft. Shaun Ryder

Playlist was a little short. Ope. Had this act burned into my head the past two weeks (see below).

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: tbd

Upper body: 10 reps. (2x)
Water: yes

Breakfast: coffee w/cream 

Lunch: NOLA pizza (1x), cole slaw (1/2 C.)

Yardwork bevvie: fizzy water

Dinner: TBA

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: 176 lbs. (-1.5)

Goal: 175 lbs.

Not touching the ground at all.

Prom Season!

When the weather is nice, I love to run. I love it a lot.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 29:07
Pace: 9:23

Route: Forest Hill Loop

Temperature: 66° 
Climate: sunny & nice

Mood: good

Woke at three this morning, warm and my head spinning -- literally and mentally. I mean, if you consider vertigo literal head spinning. The wife has been using this new sleeping app called Endel, and it has made both of us crash and dream. But not last night. Between Prom and work, there's a lot to think about.

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: tbd

Upper body: tbd
Water: yes

High School Playlist (1982-1985)

The Whole of the Moon - The Waterboys

Fire in the Twilight - Wang Chung

And She Was - Talking Heads

It's Raining Men - The Weather Girls

Psycho Therapy - The Ramones

Cavern - Liquid Liquid

Weird Science - Oingo Boingo

Just a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful day.

Breakfast: coffee w/cream

Coffee Break: latte w/oatmilk

Lunch: hot dog with everything (1x), mac & cheese

Snack: banana, fizzy water, Doritos

Dinner: pizza (1x), salad 

Cocktail Hour: Muni Hazy IPA

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: 177.5 lbs. (-1.5)

Goal: 175 lbs.

The last generation.

Thank you, Ms. Turner.

Recently I lost interest in keeping my playwriting blog. It happened to coincide with the conclusion of my studies, and that may actually have been part of it. I'm not sure. The wife suggested, only once, that it might be a sign of depression, this lack of interest.

But I'm not depressed, not right now. I have been, in the past year. But I feel positive, engaged, seeing people, having fun (natural fun!) and every time I think of a topic for a blog post I also think, that sounds like work, and not work that you want to be doing right now.

Kept that blog for twelve years. Kept this one for over seventeen years, and will continue to do so as long as I continue to run.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 29:00
Pace: 9:21

Route: Forest Hill Loop

Temperature: 48°
Climate: sunny & cool

Mood: good

Tina Turner Playlist

Come Together * (w/Ike Turner)

River Deep - Mountain High * (w/Ike Turner)

We Don't Need Another Hero

Addicted to Love (Live)

Better Be Good to Me

It's Only Love (w/Bryan Adams)

The Acid Queen

What's Love Got To Do With It?

Stretches: yes
Abdominals: 90 sec.

Upper body: 10 rep. (2x)
Water: yes

Breakfast: coffee w/cream, fruit smoothie bowl w/blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, birthday granola & agave

Lunch: Hot Tito combo (pop & chips) from Geraci’s

Happy Hour: IPA (1x)

Dinner: blue cheese burger w/bacon, cheese curds

Salty, salty.

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: 179 lbs. (+0.5)

Goal: 175 lbs.

Who the fuck are you.

New hat.

Maybe I should take a break, and rest these weary knees. Or maybe I should just run slower this morning.

Distance: 2.25 miles

Duration: 22:43
Pace: 10:06

Route: Horizon Loop (clockwise)

Temperature: 63°
Climate: sunny & cool

Mood: good

Nice, easy, good. Saw a winning game last night, then the boy and I watched Sherlock Jr. Never seen a Buster Keaton film before, just little clips. He was an inspiring director. Even the boy was impressed.

He's a man now. I will still refer to him as the boy.

150-159 BPM Playlist

Transmission - New Order

Come Out and Play - The Offspring

I Need to Know - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

Who Are You - The Who

Puzzlin' Evidence - John Ingle ft. Bert Cross Chorus

Ballet For a Rainy Day - XTC

Watch the Tapes - CD Soundsystem

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: 90 sec. (2x)

Upper body: 10 reps
Water: yes

Breakfast: coffee w/cream, cut fruit w/yogurt & granola

Lunch: cheeseburger w/condiments, onion, pickle & tomato, macaroni salad

Dinner: Caesar salad, cupcake

It’s cupcake season.

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: 178.5 lbs. (+2.0) 

Goal: 175 lbs.

Hardened up your heart.

Yay, end-of-the-year party last night. Lots of food. Good times. What's next? 

For a guy who started the year announcing he wouldn't obsess about food, I am really obsessing about food.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 28:59
Pace: 9:20

Route: Forest Hill Run

Temperature: 66°
Climate: humid already?

Mood: good

 

Okay, post-race easy run.

 

155-164 BPM Playlist

Why Should I Cry For You? - Sting

Paint It, Black - The Rolling Stones

Giving Up On You - Wild Belle

Judy in Disguise (with Glasses) - John Fred & His Playboy Band

Puzzlin' Evidence- Talking Heads

Telstar - The Ventures

Bad Blood - Ryan Adams

Electric Co. (Live) - U2

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: tbd

Upper body: tbd 
Water: yes 

Breakfast: coffee w/cream

Lunch: cheeseburger, macaroni salad, lemon cupcake

Snack: cut melon and pineapple

Dinner: Italian sausage, pretzel, beer (ballgame)

Movie time: flavored soda

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: 176.5 lbs. (-0.5)

Goal: 175 lbs.

2023 Heights Tiger 5K

BDE (Big Dad Energy)

2023 Heights Tiger 5K
Start: 9:00 AM
Unofficial Time: 23:51.5

Pace: 7:24
Place Overall: 21/223
Place Mens 50-54: 1/2

Not the day I asked for, I would have preferred sun. But the temperature was perfect, and the rain held while the run was actually happening.

Temperature: 53°
Climate: overcast & misty 

Mood: good

I ran with intention. I wanted to go fast, and see what I could do. So I wore headphones (forgive me) and tried to keep up with the track. This worked until we got to the hill in Cain Park and I never really got it back. The hill took a lot out of me.

  

170-179 BPM Playlist

Go (Extended Mix) - Tones On Tail

Paper Planes - M.I.A.

Buried at Sea - MC 1000 ft. Jesus

Compression - Everything But the Girl

Sheena Is a Punk Rocker - The Ramones

Deathwish - The Police

Caught up with on of my son's friends in Cain Park, though. I think that surprised him, he's a member of the track team. It inspired him, too, he sped up and paced me by almost a minute.

Stretches: yes
Abdominals: 90 sec.

Upper body: 10 reps.
Water: yes

Heading down the last road before we reached the high school (and the finish) this kid, maybe ten years old, he noticed I was about to pass him and he intentionally moved in front of me, which was obnoxious. Like, I would try to pass him and he would move, again, to stay in front of me.

I laughed. But this was just the kind of thing I would have done at his age. The difference is, whoever I got in front of would probably have yelled, "Get out of my way, kid!" because that's how things happened to me. 

Anyway, we were finally passing someone else, he went left, I went right and blew past him. Little shit. 

Breakfast: banana, coffee w/cream

Lunch: one slab pepperoni pizza, taro boba tea

Snack: leftover gnocchi (small)

Happy Hour: Masthead IPA, chips

Dinner: pasta, sauce & parm w/corn

Evening: beer (1x)

Too wet and chilly to wait for results. No idea how I placed (yet) but I'm happy with my pace.

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: 177 lbs. (-1.5)

Goal: 175 lbs.

Run for your children.

Today, our son turns eighteen. Can you imagine?

Distance: 2.5 miles

Duration: 24:06
Pace: 9:38

Route: Forest Hill Loop

Temperature: 49°
Climate: sunny & cool

Mood: all right

Oof. Full stomach, woke at five, wearing a jacket. It was a slog. But it was nice. Maybe run the Heights 5K Saturday? I will rest tomorrow.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

I'm Always Chasing Rainbows - Alice Cooper

San Francisco - The Mowgli's

Poor Girl - X

This Is the Day - The The

No Sleep Till Brooklyn - Beastie Boys

Dog Days Are Over - Florence + The Machine

I Will Dare - The Replacements

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: 90 sec.

Upper body: 10 rep. (3x)
Water: yes

Breakfast: coffee w/cream, crepes w/whipped cream, pork sausage, mango juice

Coffee Break: latte w/oatmilk

Lunch: smoothie bowl w/blueberry, raspberry, mango, vanilla granola & agave

Snack: banana, English muffin w/butter & marmalade

Happy Hour: Hazecraft IPA

Dinner: Alsatian gnocchi w/pickle, bean salad

Keeping track of the diet again. It's been a month and I haven't lost any more weight. End of the day I get compulsive. But you know what? I am never not compulsive. I am no weaker today than I am any other day. Just be mindful. Relax.

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: 178.5 lbs. (-2.5)

Goal: 175 lbs.

Beer on Thursday? Yes. I just put up the NEW porch lights. I shall sip and enjoy.

I want a perfect body.

Nine years ago I wrote a thing about the significance of the music found in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie. It holds up.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 29:05
Pace: 9:22

Route: Forest Hill Loop

Temperature: 50°
Climate: sunny & cool

Mood: good

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Creep (Acoustic Version) - Radiohead

Crazy for You - Heart

Since You've Been Gone - Rainbow

In the Meantime - Spacehog

Do You Realize - The Flaming Lips

We Care a Lot- Faith No More

Koinu no Carnival (from "Minute Waltz) - EHAMIC

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: 90 sec.

Upper body: 10 reps.
Water: yes

Goodness. My shoulder keeps not getting better. But I keep on doing the exercises.

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: 181 lbs.

Goal: 175 lbs.

Seriously, though. More home cooking. Less fried food. Like, no fried food.

I'm just glad to be here.

An extended weekend in Athens, Ohio. I don’t wanna go into the details of why we’re here on a Tuesday, except to say that our eldest is moving into their first off-campus housing.

Tell you this, though. All of this joyful celebration has meant eating in restaurants or carry out for practically every single meal. It’s a lot.

But it’s beautiful overcast day, and we came prepared to run by the river.

Distance: 4 miles

Duration: 37:56
Pace: 9:29 

Route: Hocking River Bike Path

Temperature: 63°
Climate: overcast and cool

Mood: very, very good

College Playlist (1986-1990)

Sledgehammer (Dance Mix) - Peter Gabriel

End of the Line * - Traveling Wilburys

Left of Center - Suzanne Vega ft. Joe Jackson

Gigantic - Pixies

Dreamworld * - Midnight Oil

You Can Leave Your Hat On - Joe Cocker

I Touch Roses - Book of Love

The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul * - XTC

All She Wants Is (US Master Mix) - Duran Duran

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: 90 sec. (2x)

Upper body: 10 reps. (2x)
Water: yes

Going down swinging.

What a huge weekend. Saturday I commenced, our son played two gigs (jazz and rock) and then we went out for what has become a family tradition: fondue. 

Today there will be more, more, more. Another rock gig, I have to do a curtain speech, and then we will drive a couch to Athens for the eldest.

This is the craziest month. I love it.

160-169 BPM Playlist

Sugar, We're Goin Down - Fall Out Boy

Voices In My Head - Bob Mould

Run a Red Light - Everything But the Girl

Leaving Las Vegas - Tom Petty

The Tears of a Clown - The Beat

Diagonals - Stereolab

All Eyes On Me - Girl Talk

One Call Away - Chingy ft. Jason Weaver

Cold War - Janelle Monae

Oh! Rock Hall inductee Sheryl Crow is the Tom Petty we need. I didn't realize that before, but I like it.

Distance: 4 miles

Duration: 35:34
Pace: 8:53

Route: Forest Hill Loop

Temperature: 60°
Climate: fucking amazing

Mood: excellent

 

Lifted up my head, took in my surroundings, stretching my abdomen. Gorgeous day in the park. Staying away from goslings.

Stretches: yes
Abdominals: 90 sec.

Upper body: 10 reps. (2x)
Water: yes

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: 178 lbs. (+1.0)

Goal: 175 lbs.

Moved his body like a cannon ball.

So, yeah, I'm doing that thing where I drop a couple pounds and then I load up on fast food? Yeah. I have to not to do that.

Partner Run/Walk

Distance: 2.1 miles

Duration: 29:13

Run Pace: 10:23
Walk Pace: 17:32

Route: Horizon Loop

The kid is sensitive to stress fractures they developed last year, after one mile we decided to walk, and that was very nice, too.

Solo Run

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:12
Pace: 8:46

Route: Forest Hill Loop

Took my own solo run after, charged around the neighborhood. That was also very nice. It's spring!

165-174 BPM Playlist

Everywhere I Go - The Call

Fare Thee Well (Dink's Song) - Oscar Isaac & Marcus Mumford

Floridada - Animal Collective

Flying - The Beatles

Foundations - Kate Nash

Fragile - Sting

Freedom - Beyonce ft. Kendrick Lamar

Free Fallin' - Tom Petty

Temperature: 68°
Climate: sunny & warm!

Mood: very good

 

The vertigo has come back with force. This morning I was dizzy for over an hour, but also making pancakes for the boy who has a big test first thing.

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: 90 sec.

Upper body: 10 reps. (2x)
Water: yes

I want to take the breath that's true.

First off, Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret is a very good film.

Now, did I feel odd walking into the theater by myself to see it? Yes, I did.

But I had this great, brief discussion with the only other person who sat through the credits, an older woman (anyway, older than me) who sat behind me. We exchanged notes, and we both agreed we didn't expect it to be as good as it was. A lot of great lessons about dealing with trauma, and how to be a good person.

I love living in Cleveland Heights.

156-160 BPM Playlist

Fade Into You - Mazzy Star

Cool Places - Sparks ft. Jane Wiedlin

Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police

Don't Change - INXS

Where Are We Now? - David Bowie

Doubt - Hippo Campus

Gratitude - Beastie Boys

Lies - The Rolling Stones

Play For Today - The Cure

Circle of Life - Elton John

No Love Lost - LCD Soundsystem

Oh my GOD, Hippo Campus. Choose an identity.

Distance: 4 miles

Duration: 37:27
Pace: 9:21

Route: Forest Hill Loop

Temperature: 52°
Climate: sunny & nice

Mood: excellent

 

Legs felt heavy on Tuesday morning. Remember to take a break. Never push. Going fast is all right, but not with anxiety, not with your heart high in your chest. Do not force. Flow naturally into your strides. Listen to your body, always listen to your body.

 
Stretches: yes 
Abdominals: 90 sec. 

Upper body: 10 rep. (3x)
Water: yes

The right shoulder continues to hurt, but I continue to work it out. I take pain reliever, and also a topical analgesic. The only way out is through. There must be muscle, that is the only protection.

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: 177 lbs. (-2.0)

Goal: 175 lbs.

Glorious. Beautiful. Just the right pace. Dodging goslings and deer and cars. We are in the zone.

Two-Mile Eldest Run

I mean, yeah.

The eldest returns to Athens today. Yesterday, they read with me at an event to celebrate graduating NEOMFA students, It has been an epic weekend. 

Distance: 2.3 miles

Duration: 23:39
Pace: 10:17

Route: Horizon Loop (clockwise)

Temperature: 53°
Climate: overcast & cool

Mood: good

Cool and groovy. Good talk. I love running with my kids.

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: 90 sec.

Upper body: 10 reps.
Water: yes

The revolution will not make you look five pounds thinner.

Boy in the back, on drums.
Hope you got your griddles.

Falling into old habits, consuming too much at mealtime, a useless alcoholic beverage just before bed, not doing the exercises, taking a sleep aid.

The diet must be excused, this weekend has been delightful madness, attending two of our son's jazz concerts (school, Tri-C) on Friday night and Saturday afternoon -- each pushing three hours in length -- and then a play last night at Karamu. Dining out was practically necessary, especially with three house guests, if you include the eldest.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:31
Pace: 8:52

Route: Forest Hill Loop

Temperature: 64°
Climate: overcast & nice

Mood: good

160 - 169 bpm Playlist

Coming Up Close - 'Til Tuesday

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised - Gil Scott-Heron

Lake Shore Driving - Duran Duran

Clandestino - Manu Chao
Boombox - The Mosquitos

Rocket In My Pocket - Little Feat

Giving Up On You - Wild Belle

Thick As Thieves - The Jam

You Win Again - Bee Gee's

 

Yeah, like we're in training or something. Broke three back-to-bac nine minute miles, that's been a while. Set the playlist to overlap to keep up the pace. It felt good.

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: 90 sec.

Upper body: 10 rep. (2x)
Water: yes

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: time to get a new bathroom scale

Goal: 175 lbs.

Four-Mile Elder Run

This is weird.

Last Monday, when the eldest and I took that run in Athens and it was so fucking windy, they asked if I remembered that time on the beach and of course I knew exactly what they were talking about.

We had run about a mile down the beach, which was fine, and then turned around and I realized we had made a mistake, because the wind was very, very hard. It was 2015, they were twelve.

The goal, of course, was to run the Island Independence Day 5K together and they had already expressed concern that they wouldn't be able to manage it. This suddenly very difficult training run did not help.

On Sunday I reminded them how we had succeeded, we made the 5K, in our matching Captain America shirts, and finished it together in very good time.

Yes, they said. Even that day on the beach, they pushed hard and ran all the way to the house without stopping, peeling away from me and up the beach. At the time I thought they were trying to get away from me, that they were angry with me. What they were really trying to do was finish, by getting back to the house.

"I kept saying things like, you're doing great," I recalled. "And you kept telling me to shut up."

They laughed. They apologized. No need.

Distance: 4 miles

Duration: 41:34
Pace: 10:23

Route: Cain Park Loop

Temperature: 58°
Climate: sunny & warm

Mood: very good

Is it a coincidence that, after the first evening I have a cocktail at home, that my sleep is disrupted so completely? The fat before was fraught with anxiety, and I sought to unwind, but I slept a few hours and then lie awake, worrying.

Not just about issues, but about my health. I felt achy. I had resumed upper body exercises, was that it? Or did I have Covid? Were the next two weeks ruined?

I got up. I had a glass of water. I read. I tried to go back to sleep.

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: tbd

Upper body: tbd
Water: yes

Eldest requested a four mile and chose the city route. Went extremely well, it makes me so happy when they are home. And I feel so much better than I did in the middle of the night.

It don't run on wishes.

Once more, with the cold and the rain. Now that the playlists are through, I have less impetus to get out into shitty weather. But I do need to continue the exercises. The weight work has helped my injured shoulder considerably.

Sometimes I feel old and weak. And sometimes I really don't.

Alternate 2023 Playlist

Exhausting Lover - Ben Folds

Eyez - The Arcs

Daily News - Bartees Strange (160 bpm)

Welcome to My Island - Caroline Polachek

$20 - boygenius

Worth Nothing - Twisted ft. Oliver Tree

Nothing Left to Lose - Everything But the Girl

Hello to the Weekend - Maria Isa

Pontius Pilate's Home Movies - New Pornographers

Yup. There have been songs released so far this year, and I am aware of them.

That's right! 59 Playlists for 57 Years.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 30:25
Pace: 9:48

Route: Forest Hill Loop

Temperature: 48°
Climate: overcast & mild

Mood: anxious

 
Stretches: yes
Abdominals: tbd

Upper body: 10 reps
Water: yes

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: 179 lbs. (+1.5) 

Goal: 175 lbs.

Short Elder Run

Waiting on Mountain Stage
featuring Larry Groce

Brought a kit for an overnight in Athens, we had tickets to see Wilco at Mem Aud. Made plans with the eldest to take a run, but early morning was rainy and cold. We all just sat around for a while, drinking coffee and sitting by the fire, and eventually the sun came out -- so we went!

Ope. Forgot a supporter. Well.

It was a short run, made arduous by the wind in our faces heading back. Both of our ears ached, but we were glad we went. 

Distance: 1.3 miles

Duration: 12:41
Pace: 9:45

Route: Hocking River Bike Path

Temperature: 45°
Climate: overcast & windy

Pavement: damp
Mood: good