The crime was looking up the truth.

Thank God, it's Presidents Day. We had a lovely weekend with my wife's family, celebrating the life of her eldest uncle. I do love spending time with her family, very much. They are all so thoughtful, compassionate and creative. The service was remarkable. It was held in a chapel in Hyde Park, the priest gave the most sincerely affecting homily, I don't believe I have ever left a memorial service feeling so hopeful.

At the same time, I was nursing my cold and felt a bit stand-offish. I wanted to thank her, to thank the musician at the reception, our hosts, but I kept losing the moment. I can still do these things (well, not for the guitarist) and will make a note to do so.

Distance: 3.5 miles

Duration: 34:21
Pace: 9:49

We took the Lake Shore Limited. We discussed the possibility of never flying into NYC again. True, it takes half a day to get there, but so what? It's so much cheaper, the taxi from LaGuardia to wherever we're staying -- one way -- is one hundred bucks all by itself, and you get dropped off in the heart of the city! And it's not like air travel has anything to recommend it, it's maybe half the time, all told, right? Six hours, as opposed to twelve?

And you can read on the train, take a walk, relocate for a bit, they have acceptable food options, or you can bring your own. 

Then again, returning home today. Not sleeping on the coach, and it was so cold. I am so sick and tired of cold. Pulling in at 4:00 am. The day is a complete write-off. Thank God, it's Presidents Day.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 50°
Climate: sunny & lovely
Mood: more determined than ever

Pavement damp, puddled, or clogged with crispy snow. Nearly wiped out twice from slipping, once almost falling forward, the second to the side. Still, ran steady but easy, stopping when necessary, into the street when the sidewalk was high with snow and the street was free.

First outdoor run since the Turkey Trot, first park run since November 22. The gym is so even, so controlled, so predictable (others notwithstanding) the outdoors makes me breath harder, think harder, move harder. It is more taxing to run outdoors. It is more rewarding.

1992 Playlist

One Place (Acoustic) - Everything But the Girl

Eastern Bloc - Thomas Dolby

Mama's Always On Stage - Arrested Development

Television is the Drug of the Nation - Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy

We Are Each Other - Beautiful South

Humpin' Around - Bobby Brown

Galileo - Indigo Girls

The King of Wishful Thinking - Go West

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 161 lbs. (+1.0)

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: TBA

Got my head in the sky and a heart like a hurricane.

And we're back. Following a thirty-hour day (literally) we arrived home, managed to put a few things together before passing out. We saw so many beautiful things together, and as a family. It was just what I wanted.

And I only gained one pound. 

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:53
Pace: 8:59

Also, came home to find a new pair of shoes. We'd bought these the day before departure, but I didn't want to break them in on the trip. Why? Because they are eleven and a half. Yes, a half size larger than my last pair -- which were a half size larger than the pair before that.

Either my feet have gotten two sizes bigger in the twenty years since I began running in earnest, or I have always been cramming my feet into shoes that are too small. I think it's a bit of both.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 69°
Climate: clammy & humid
Mood: good
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight: 161 libs.

2015 Playlist

Magnets - Disclosure ft. Lorde

Bury Our Friends - Sleater-Kinney

Know Now - Public Image Ltd.

Pedestrian at Best - Courtney Barnett

Disappointing - John Grant ft. Tracey Thorn

Head Over Heels - JD McPherson

The Shade - Metric

Don't Wanna Fight - Alabama Shakes

Physically you’re on the run.

Every couple weeks, Noom offers a “treat day” for which you will not expected to log anything — and receive no prompts to do so. I have backed these “treat days” — I used one for the sci-fi marathon in January, for example. But I have saved more than enough to block out our entire journey.

I will attempt moderation. But that’s the thing, I doing need to think about it.

Distance: 4.1 miles

Duration: 37:19
Pace: 9:20

I run Central Park every couple of years, last time in 2023. It’s taken twenty years of occasional park running before finally executing a perfect loop, without any wrong turns or doubling back, even entering and exiting the park at the same place.

Route: Central Park Loop
Temperature: 56°
Climate: perfect
Mood: good
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

My knees ache already, no surprise. We walked two miles yesterday, just returning to the hotel from Times Square. Worth it, though. The Thayer-Hansens, doing New York.

Dinner at Carmine’s, of all places. We told them the story of the night before I proposed. Not sure how they took that. Anyway, I managed to enjoy without being stuffed.

1975 Playlist

Boogie Shoes - KC & the Sunshine Band

Sweet Transvestite - Rocky Horror Picture Show OSC

Thunder Road - Bruce Springsteen 

December 1963 (Oh, What a Night) - Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons

Crossword Puzzle - Sly Stone

Stand By Me - John Lennon

Death On Two Legs (Dedicated to …) - Queen

Time Warp - Rocky Horror Picture Show OSC

Fly By Night - Rush

Tush - ZZ Top

How Long (Betcha Got a Chick On the Side) - Pointer Sisters

The run was epic. I used to think of love to live here, now I’m not so sure. I do love cities, but I’m very attached to my home.

Won't have no troubles 'cause the whole world is my home.

The last forty-eight hours have been a lot. We discovered on Wednesday morning that my passport will be invalid (long story) and that I needed to get a new one immediately. My love booked an appointment in Buffalo for early yesterday morning.

I drove to Buffalo Wednesday night, arrived first thing yesterday morning, applied for my passport, and then had to wait around for a few hours. So I visited Niagara Falls.

Not the Canadian side, of course. I didn't have a passport. But now I do. 

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:55
Pace: 9:00

So much to do, and absolutely no time. Last Wednesday my run was anxious, for a number of reasons. I have to be careful, running anxious is not good. It's bad for my back. All this driving has been hard on my knees, too.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 61°
Climate: overcast & balmy
Mood: good!
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Weight: 160 lbs.

1980 Playlist

Goodnight Tonight - Paul McCartney

And Your Bird Can Sing - The Jam

After Dark - Andy Gibb

The Wanderer - Donna Summer

Hot Lunch Jam - Irene Cara

Turning Japanese - The Vapors 

Rapper's Delight (7" edit) - The Sugarhill Gang

The Tide Is High - Blondie

Love it when the media player serves up tunes I have never run to before!

Next up: Athens!

I know that I am strong.

Wow! Did I want to eat on Friday. Okay, then. The weather has turned, I think I'm trying to hibernate? In any event, I will continue to be thoughtful, even as we head out of town for the weekend. I thought of packing shoes for a run in Central Park, considering the duration of our stay (about twenty-four hours) I think I'd rather stick close to my person. 

Also, with the turn of the weather, it feels like time for zombies.

A Regular Meds Run 0113

Distance: 3.1 miles
Duration: 29:23
Pace: 9:21

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 60
Climate: breezy w/light rain
Mood: excited!
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Pain Reliever: TBD

Breakfast: coffee w/cream, oatmeal w/dried fruit, butter, brown sugar & cream

Coffee Break: PSL

Lunch: bread  potato salad

Dinner: TBA

What’s That Lyric?

Believe - Cher

Drive you to drink.

Brief pre-drive run. I have mapped a neighborhood run in Alexandria. Will I take it? I have gotten out of the habit of running in unfamiliar destinations, a habit it took great effort to get into. And it has been a while, not since Providence.

But then, it's still a while since we have done may things, right?

Distance: 1 miles

Duration: 9:33

Route: one time around the block 

Temperature: 36°
Climate: sunny!

Pavement: dry, with scattered tree bark
Mood: hopeful?

2007 Playlist

Girls & Boys In Love - The Rumble Strips

Falling Down - Duran Duran ft. Justin Timberlake

Jazzhole - Free the Robots

What was 2007? The London Tour. The Tempest. Returning to visual art. My very first XX Playlists For XX Years. Feelings of uncertainty. Not yet a playwright. Almost a playwright.

 
Stretches: yes 
Abdominals: TBD 
Water: yes

Breakfast: coffee w/oatmilk, half banana, trail mix 

Lunch: asparagus & crab bisque, Caesar salad, beans & greens (Nino’s in Laurelville, PA)

Happy Hour: Cherry Coke Zero

Also: bites of sweet things (not too much)

Dinner: ok … sliders, scotch egg, duck poutine, fried green tomato, Brussels sprouts, crab dip & chips, grilled peppers (a little bit of each) n/a Heineken

Alexandria at spring break is LIT.

Baseline: 195 lbs.

Current: 185 lbs.

Goal: 180 lbs.

I just want to run away with you.

Dudes on the porch in the rain.

My wife, daughter and MIL were supposed to be in the Cove last evening, should have arrived at dinner. Instead they spent the night in a hotel in Queens, after having spent hours on the ground waiting to fly. If all goes well, they will be with us this evening. If not, we all fall into despair.

My wife and I have spent only eight nights together this month, and I miss her.

Distance: 3.8 miles
Duration: 31:27
Pace: 8:16
Route: Martin Point Run
Temperature: 61
Climate: light rain
Mood: anxious
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

It rained yesterday afternoon and all last night. It's raining now. It's a light rain, lovely to run in. It has also brought the temperature way down.

Listened to the Spotify Morning Run 150-165 BPM Playlist, where I heard the song The Man by Ed Sheeran. God, I thought I hated him enough, what a toxic piece of shit. "I'll make your little secret public." Jesus.

Great playlist, though. With all the little hills on Martin Point Road and the variety of tempos, I was able to get a bit of our sprints in this morning.

What's That Lyric?
Run Away With You - Big & Rich

I run my feet hurt.

This guy.

Running six days a week suddenly seems like a lot of running, especially getting up earlier these past few days - even Saturday - in order to get it in.

Big theater weekend, saw Merchant of Venice last night, headed to see American Idiot tonight. Did some serious work preparing the boy for the context of the Shakespeare play ... American Idiot (which he's already seen) is about sex, drugs, rock and roll, nihilism and the Iraq War, but Merchant is much more insidious and troubling.

We will be traveling again and soon. As my training runs become longer and longer, I need to find some way to fit them into a traveling schedule. I'm looking forward to this, really. Can I find a good four mile path near Niagara Falls? Ten miles in Montreal? Like so many other things to plan for, I need to do research on this.

Distance: 5 miles
Avg Pace: 8.27
Route: Boulevard Loop

Bad start, I knew it would be a bad start, I didn't want to leave the house. Took me 45 minutes to get prepared. Normally it takes ten, maybe fifteen, to drink, eat, void, dress and roll out (not necessarily in that order.)

Had a headache, no idea why I had a headache. No alcohol yesterday, slept well in air-conditioned comfort. Just one of those pains that makes it hard to lift my head. I do not think I had enough water before stepping out, five miles without a planned water stop. Not good, not on a day like today.

Here is my report on Station Eleven (spoiler alert).

  Cleveland's great for the whole family.
Temperature: 77°
Climate: bright and humid
Weight: 157.5 lbs. (-2.5)
Intake: yogurt & granola
Hydration: yes
Water break: no
Stretches: yes

What's That Lyric?
Insistor - Tapes 'n Tapes