"For the boys on MTV."

Home, again. Keeping my run on. This morning I am unmotivated specifically because I do not know what to listen to. I'm sure I'll come up with something.

Memories of Fall 2021, when the boy and I visited NYC. Photos pop up in the social media feed, and there are those photo books on the table, of the shed they used for outdoor pandemic dining. It was a time of great transition. It remains so.

Distance: 3.25 miles

Duration: 31:20
Pace: 9:38

So, my streaming service is like, "Wouldn't you like to listen to something we've called 80s pop retro tuesday early playlist?" And I'm like, sigh, yes, nailed it, I'm so obvious, woo-hoo.

Route: Boulevard Loop

Temperature: 50°
Climate: cool

Mood: all right

 

Ugh, Running before daylight. Anticipating a bad foot fall with every step is not good for my back. We just need to run in the early evening, it's not worth the injury. 

 
Stretches: yes

Water: yes

Ouch, yeah, fuck. Hurt my back.

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: 175 lbs. (+2.0)

Revised Goal: 170 lbs.

They think that you'll be running.

Long days, busy nights. Saw three plays this weekend, going out of town the next two weekends ... it's all just crazy. Oh, also created a second draft of my new play.

Felt a slight pain in my calf yesterday. I have not been good about stretches. I'm practically begging to mess this up.

Planning to run twelve miles tonight, at the same time as Erie Effusion. Posted this on DJBG's Facebook page:

"Taking it on the run tonight (literally.) Upbeat and extended remixes will be deeply appreciated!"

I hope she takes that to heart, and also that it doesn't rain.

Distance: 12 miles
Duration: 1:48:21
Pace: 9:01
Route: All over. It was crazy.
Temperature: 66°
Climate: overcast & humid
Mood: all right
Stretches: better believe it
Water: yes, but parched on the road

Running at dusk invokes a kind of madness. First of all, heading out in the early evening, before sunset. it ran through a cloud of crepuscular gnats -- a deep cloud of gnats. They got in my mouth, stuck to my lips, were embedded onto my shirt.

As the sun went down, I wasn't sure where to head. The cemetery was closed for the evening, so I just headed towards Cedar Road, and unfamiliar trail. As I was listening to the radio through my iPod, I wasn't getting updates through my earbuds. I checked my phone at a stop sign and was surprised to discover I had already gone eight and a half miles

That was actually my 8:50 pace I was looking at. I put in what I believed was maybe three more miles was headed for home before I checked again and saw I had only gone seven and a half miles.

So I took a turn, back to the park, which I ran through using my phone as a flashlight. It was madness. One earbud out, listening to the woods, only slightly better than blind, listening to that show Dad likes to listen to on Sundays.

Disappointingly, I didn't get the request I made before leaving played. I assume it was a malfunction of the request system, DJBG likes to remind people she only has three listeners. But the show as upbeat!

Anyway, crazy, mad, blind, twelve miles run. Time to start the week.

Baseline: 179.5 lbs.
Today: 166 lbs. (-0.5)
Goal: 160 lbs.

Don't you worry about two left feet.

Thank you, Ric Ocasek.

Last night Chris and Allie came over to discuss transportation plans. We will be traveling to Chicago by TRAIN.

That's right, motherfuckers. By train.

Distance: 3.25 miles
Duration: 27:29
Pace: 8:27
Route: Boulevard Loop
Temperature: 62°
Climate: cool
Mood: stressed
Stretches: Somewhat. I need to work on that.
Water: yes

Night time run. Rushed. Not a good thing to do.

The Cars Playlist
Touch and Go
Shooting For You
Cruiser
Let the Good Times Roll (Live at The Agora)
Shake It Up
Night Spots
Hello Again

That last one goes out to Derf, who likes to imagine me dancing in parachute pants.

I'm a walking disaster.

Tonight, Chennelle, Josh and I met at Christopher's Pub (my new local joint, join me for live music every Friday and Saturday night) to discuss the show. Why, how, and when. Also, who. That is an interesting question.

Where, too. Someone's house? How many nights? Not sure. That's why beer.

So. We have set a date to hear the last version, out loud. Someone else reading, so I can hear it. Then a timetable for writing. This is going to happen now. And that is why I needed to run at nine PM.

Saturday:
Breakfast: coffee with cream, sour cream doughnut
Lunch: ramen with a poached egg
Snack: clementines, chocolate chip cookies (two), beer
Dinner: roasted artichokes with lemon butter, chickpeas with marjoram, fingerling potatoes

Sunday:
Breakfast: coffee with cream, fried egg sandwich with cheese
Snack: “ants on a log”, coffee with cream, two Twizzlers, hummus & crackers (3), beer
Dinner: lamb, asparagus, cauliflower & farro, salad with strawberries, potatoes & peas
Dessert: ice cream & cookies

Sunday, a holiday, I went a bit overboard. Yes, dessert. Yes, some (not much) of the sugar that came our way because Easter Bunny. But having some just makes me want more.

Monday:
Breakfast: coffee with cream, 1 cup raisin bran with 2% milk, add'l raisins, dried cranberries, salted almonds & banana
Snack: coffee with cream
Lunch: grilled cheese, tomato & tortellini soup (cup), small brownie
Snack: tea w/ sugar & cream, cinnamon butter crackers, salted almonds, raisins and pear slices
Beer: beer
Dinner: tomatoes and chickpeas over rice

Distance: 3.35 miles
Route: Boulevard Loop
Temperature: 58°
Climate: cool and dark
Mood: better

Brisk, cool spring run. First nighttime outdoor run, like this, in shorts and short sleeves, in how long? Something else. Few people on a Monday night, lots of critters. Two dog walkers, two skunks. What's the difference, really?

1981 Playlist
Apache - The Sugarhill Gang
Rehumanize Yourself - The Police
Demolition Man - Grace Jones
The Jam Was Moving - Deborah Harry
My Own Way (Noght Version - Duran Duran
Primary - The Cure
Upstairs * - Sparks

It was a good day, but painful. A lot of sitting, I felt it in my rear and in my hip. I wanted to run. That is why I ran. Also, training. Also, spring.

Baseline: 179.5 lbs.
Today: 180 lbs. (+0.5)
New Goal: 175 lbs.

This will take more concentration and dedication. I feel fine -- until I am not. Being hungry also makes me tired, unhappy, irritable. Today was good, I hope tomorrow will also be. But I must remain diligent. Strong. Dedicated.

I am raw material.

There always comes a day, and it's usually in the middle of February, where I'm just tired of running in freezing temps. Just don't wanna.

2015 Playlist
Wait For It - Leslie Odom Jr.
Angels - Chance the Rapper ft. Saba
Know Now - Public Image Ltd.
The Party Line - Belle & Sebastian
Run - San Cisco
A New Wave - Sleater-Kinney
Water - Ra Ra Riot
Snakeskin - Deerhunter
S.O.B.- Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

It can be demoralizing. There is a lot going on, and narrow windows in which to exercise. The week is supposed to be above freezing, I hope I can get back to business.

Distance: 3.25 miles
Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 43°
Climate: cool & misty
Pavement: wet w/slush and puddles
Mood: determined

Last Saturday night was a bit decadent. as there was a birthday party in the house. I asked the boy to serve me one scoop of ice cream, which he festooned with caramel sauce, whipped cream and mini-chocolate bits. But I only had two slices of pizza that night.

Sunday, however, was hard. Too many snacks, available for the taking. Doritos, potato chips, cheese balls. Grazing more or less all day. Self-control is hard when it's all right there.

Stretches: yes

So I waited until today. I waited until after dark. After work, after I had made dinner -- after I had put dinner in the warming drawer. Because that was when the running was meant to happen.

Baseline: 178 lbs.
Today: 174 lbs. (-0-)
Goal: 170 lbs.

The ghost of a steam train echoes down my track.

Cavs win. Big night. Dropping my car off at the mechanics' so it is cold tomorrow when they check for that horrible screeching its currently making. Late run.

Distance: 2.3 miles
Avg Pace: 7:58
Duration: 18:18
Route: Boulevard Loop

And that's it.

Temperature: 42°
Climate: cool
Weight: 164.5 lbs. (+3.0)
Mood: headachy

What's That Lyric?
Town Called Malice - The Jam

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

It's good in the dark.

Before:

A day's rest, I feel fine. What I do not feel like is running.

Today I co-conducted an eight-and-a-half hour orientation and rehearsal.

I drove home and slept for ten minutes.

Then I conducted a different hour-long rehearsal.

I need to put the finishing touched on the first draft of a script, to present tomorrow morning.

Today I need to run three miles.

Tomorrow ... I am schedule to run ten. When the hell is that going to happen?

I am entirely not in the mood to get up at four in the morning. No,

This isn't even considering any kind of housework getting done.

It's not always going to be like this. Really. It's not.

Distance: 3 miles
Duration: 24:51
Avg Pace: 8:16
Route: Boulevard Loop

After:

I really like running.

Temperature: 73
Climate: muggy, but nice
Intake: dinner
Hydration: yes
Water Stop: no
Stretches: not really

What's That Lyric?
I Can Change - LCD Soundsystem

I feel like an accident.

 

 Have the lambs stopped screaming?

Running late, going to bed right after. It puts me into a deep, deep sleep ... but one troubled by fast, dark thoughts of being out on the street, somewhere. Much more likely to give me dreams that take place at night, outside. Not scary, but surprisingly mind-bright and active. Waking is almost impossible, and lingering images linger.

Having said that, Friday was an extremely productive and positive day, charged with energy and mental action, even if I also felt somewhat lost and vacant. Does that make sense? Does it matter?

Temperature: 72°
Climate: muggy. sunny!
Distance: 3.25 miles

A three-day weekend with only one run, that is odd, and I would say unfortunate. Only these three days have been spent ripping up and remodeling the "master" bedroom ... we promised the girl her own room for fifth grade. She and the boy have co-habited since he moved out of our room. On Memorial Day weekend in 2009 their room was given a once-over which included a bunkbed and a fresh coat of paint.

Our room has been repainted a few times, though the crappy shag carpeting has remained -- until yesterday. God, what a disgusting mat. Underneath was newspaper from 1976. Seventies-era, chocolate brown shag, wall-to-wall carpeting. This was long overdue.

Middle School Playlist
Another Journey By Train - The Cure
C30, C60, C90, Go - Bow Wow Wow
Crosseyed and Painless - Talking Heads
Life Begins at the Hop - XTC
International Jet Set - The Specials
Sat In Your Lap -  Kate Bush
Chant No. 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On) - Spandau Ballet
Cleveland Rocks - Ian Hunter

The bunion on my right foot has been acting up, it feels more extreme, a bit more bent, sore, the area tingly. I have not worn a toe-separator - which for all appearances works successfully at keeping it in check - for some time, not since I began using zero drop shoes. An experiment, perhaps.

On December 7, 1980 I broke my right leg. It was a minor, hairline fracture. I treated myself like an invalid (the pain!) and no one stopped me. There was no physical therapy after, just some words of advice. "Walk normal." My right ankle stiff from disuse, I began to walk by turning my right foot out. It wasn't until movement classes in college that this was pointed out to me. I try, I try very hard to "walk normal" and even more importantly to run normal. Any photograph of me running shows how much I fail at this.

I can balance on my left leg, but not my right. And there is this bending of my right toe, which may have happened anyway, but that it occurred, suddenly, during my first, serious intensive training for a marathon should, in hindsight, not be a surprise, even if it was at the time.

Middle school. Some of the worst years of my life, some of the best years of pop music in all recorded history.