I begin to run.

She likes to get on things.

Here's the thing about the New Cat. Last fall we began our foster parenthood for a tortoiseshell kitty named Diwali, when the boy's boyfriend went to college. 

I was concerned about this, because when we brought Masha into our house in late 2024, it almost killed Tiger. Maybe Masha had nothing to do with it, but she wouldn't leave the old man alone and he started becoming very ill, indeed. He recovered, but I was worried another kitty would outright murder him.

The wife theorized that a new, younger cat would occupy Masha, and they would both leave Tiger alone. And she was right! That is pretty much what has happened. 

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 28:29
Pace: 9:11

However, I now love Diwali and am also even more concerned about her leaving when the boy's boyfriend moves off-campus and can assume possession of his cat.

In the meantime, Diwali likes to sleep on top of me. When I sleep on my side, she gets on my hips, or my thigh or my knees. I would think this would be uncomfortable for her, but its not. And it's sweet. Except it also means having a weight on my legs for hours at a time, which can be uncomfortable, even painful.

When I am in training, my knees can hurt a lot, and my thighs, or my back. I can only imagine how dreadful this would become with this cat sleeping on them.

But I love her.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 69°
Climate: warm & windy
Mood: fragile

1970 Playlist

Liar - Three Dog Night

Ball of Confusion (That's What the World is Today) - The Temptations

25 or 6 to 4 - Chicago

Mother Sky - CAN

No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature - The Guess Who

Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again) - Sly & the Family Stone

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 165 lbs. (+5.0)

So, the scale says I gained five pounds, which makes sense. I feel like I have gained five pounds, I woke with my belly full. This is what I am talking about. There's been a lot. There just needs to be fewer.

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: TBA

Sit-Ups: TBA

The wife and I have just been tired and not up to speed, for weeks. The sore throat is back. Because I'm dehydrated. Even though I have been drinking water. My legs felt heavy, that's been a while. Good run, though.

See you Tuesday.

You better move.

We are in weather insanity season. Sixty degrees and rain, thirty degrees and snow, fifty degrees and high winds, twenty degrees and cold. I hate it.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:53
Pace: 8:59

At the same time, I am also tired of running in circles indoors.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 33°
Climate: sunny & cool
Mood: not bad

1990 Playlist

Enjoy the Silence (Hands & Feet Mix) - Depeche Mode

My Friend Goo - Sonic Youth

U Can't Touch This - MC Hammer

Mama Said Knock You Out (12" Remix) - LL Cool J

From This Moment On - Jimmy Somerville

The Power (12" Version)  - SNAP!

Stretches: yes 
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs.

Maintaining. The past two days I have had a lot of restaurant produced foods, from Sushi En, McDonalds, Stone Oven, XYZ, Provence at the CMA. And snacking, a milkshake, Twizzlers. Not good.

But this is why: I have not been cooking. There are few leftovers, which is good, because we have been eating them and not letting them go bad. But I need to make a dinner. Tonight, for example! I will make dinner tonight. It's an at-home day. Lots of writing and housework to do.

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

See you tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow. It's going to be seventy degrees. See?

I hope this works out. Cardio.

I don't know if I have ever recorded this, but it is a remarkable phenomenon which has occurred many, many times at the very beginning of an outdoor run, but is forgotten by the time it has concluded.

It only happens out of doors, if it is particularly windy. A single tear will fall from my left eye. One tear, just once, and always and only from my left eye. Why is this?

Finally remembered to make note. Took long enough. Anyway, back to the gym.

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 27:08

Feeling particularly unmotivated this morning. Prefer to sit by the fire and do puzzles. I now believe puzzles to be the opiate of the masses. Sondheim was a master puzzler, but that was the way his mind worked. If he wasn't being clever he wasn't alive.

That's true of me, too. But I haven't written a Sweeney Todd yet.

Route: rec center
Temperature: 30°
Climate: cold 
Mood: uninspired 

2010 Playlist

One Day - Kings Go Forth

Too Dramatic - Ra Ra Riot

Rocketeer - Far East Movement ft. whoever

Pow Pow - LCD Soundsystem

Journal of Ardency - Class Actress

Holiday - Vampire Weekend

Cold War - Janelle Monáe

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs.

The weather was nice, now it's not. That brings me down. The bash is behind me, so there's a letdown there. And I do have a number of things to do, right now, which is making me tense but it really shouldn't, they aren't bad things. They are just ... responsibilities.

Also? The year 2010 reminds me of being a poor artist and a weak father.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: TBA

Our tummy is getting flatter. We are no longer processing calories, we are transforming them. I'm talking about us here. The royal me.

I'm catching up with myself.

There is something amazing about running on a spring day. When the air is perfect and the sidewalks are clear. It makes me feel so much stronger (not sure if that is the right word) and confident, and it feels so much better than when it is too cold, or running indoors.

The temps will dip again in a week. I'd love to not have to go to the gym for a while. 

Distance: 3.1 miles 

Duration: 27:38
Pace: 8:54

Getting that hour back, lost by Daylight Saving Time is particularly difficult this year. That it coincided with the gala did not help. Sunday was useless. Today isn't much better.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 66°
Climate: overcast & ideal
Mood: on the case

But this run made it much, much better.

1980 Playlist

Living Through Another Cuba - XTC

Lawn Chairs - Our Daughter's Wedding

Another Journey By Train - The Cure

Born Under Punches - Talking Heads

Telegram Sam - Bauhaus

Funkytown (Extended Version) - Lipps Inc.

Freedom of Choice - Devo

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs. 

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

Goddamn right, it's a beautiful day.

You may notice my posts have gotten longwinded. Once upon a time, they were quite brief, now I go on about all manner of things relating to my personal life (ideally related to my personal health) and there is a good reason for this:

I write them in advance.

Distance: 3.1 miles 

Duration: 29:29

Pace: 9:30

I used to compose my posts after I took a run. Ostensibly, to write about the run I just had. Which can be tedious.

"Had a run. The run was good. Weather is nice. Ah, uh. Yeah."

Because right after I have had a run, I am sweaty and winded and my keyboard gets drippy and salty. Better to reflect on how I am feeling between runs, when I can think and I am dry.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 58°
Climate: clear & lovely
Mood: tender

As with the playlists, which I plan in advance because there is nothing worse than trying to decide what to listen to right when I am about to head out. The "year" playlists are the best because I don't need to think about those at all, they are just there.

2000 Playlist

Mr. E's Beautiful Blues - Eels

Saginou - Zulya

Renegades of Funk - Rage Against the Machine

The National Anthem - Radiohead

Ms. Jackson - Outkast

Oops! ... I Did It Again - Britney Spears

Bye Bye Bye - *Nsync

Playground Love - Air ft. Thomas Mars

I even jot down what the first song will be, in advance. Usually the newest track to add to the list.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs.

Late night. Survival run this afternoon. So many plans laid to waste. But it was a wonderful party.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

Yes! We did that. Back on track. See you Tuesday.

You should feel invincible.

Maybe next time,
I'll be lucky.

On Wednesday, I received the announcement from the NYC Marathon that I did not make the lottery. I will not be going to New York this fall, at least, not to run in the marathon. There will be no 20 year celebration of my first marathon, I will not be attempting a fifth race, not this year.

Distance: 4.5 miles

Duration: 40:45
Pace: 9:03

I also resisted the temptation to sign up for a fund raising team. I told myself, if I do not get in, I am not going. Fund raising for Chicago made me culpable. Days before the race I knew it would not go well, but I felt responsible to the people who had donated, I had to run the race. I never want that to happen again, if I don't feel up to the race, I won't race.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 66°
Climate: beautiful, man. just beautiful
Mood: apprehensive

Because I have a show that weekend, Halloween weekend. When I signed up for New York, that was when I learned there would be a conflict. A November 1st race? Uh, okay. I'll put my foot in. We'll see what happens. It didn't happen. And that's fine.

2020 Playlist

On Division St - Nation of Language

Murphy's Law - Róisín Murphy

Compression - Monica LaPlante

It Might Be Time - Tame Impala

Heart of Glass (Live from the iHeart Festival) - Miley Cyrus

Dying to Believe - The Beths

Energy - Disclosure

Strange Times - Gorillaz ft. Robert Smith

Hollywood - Car Seat Headrest

Model Village - Idles

BandAid - Nur-D

Having said all that, I need to remember why I run. If I am not training, what am I running to? What am I running for? The running is its own reward. I remain fit. Noom helped me get to 160, and I have stayed there, it is the best weight for me to be. And since I quite the app (it does cost some money) I have maintained my eating habits, drinking water, and the exercise. And more exercise, the sit-ups, the push-ups -- not a lot, I'll never be muscular, and I don't need to be. But maintenance. Remaining fit.

And I enjoy the music.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs. (-0-)

I wanted to run yesterday. It was a beautiful day, but I had to work later than usual, and by the time I got home it was sundown. I no longer run outdoors after dark, it's just not safe. And by that, I mean I could trip or at the very least, run tentatively, afraid of running into something, and that can cause strained muscles and sore knees. Better not to.

It is also beautiful today.

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: TBA

Sit-Ups: TBA

Yeah. I may run tomorrow, too.

So sick of having sleepless nights.

David Finch

Daily life is dizzying. Glad to be well again. A week feeling poor, my sore throat finally abated entirely by Sunday. Last night I came home from work just feeling tired. Not ill, not weak, just sleepy. I had a short night, making dinner for all, then getting in bed by eight. Why not? I thought of those times I had too much to do and felt despair (yes! despair!) knowing how long it would be before I could rest, and how much little rest I would get.

That did not prevent me from waking up at four and taking an hour to get back to sleep ... for another twenty minutes.

I have been having dreams about looking at my phone. That should be a sign. I had posted a video of a fire that had accidentally started in a scene shop at a local theater and then realized I probably shouldn't post that and wandered around trying to get it deleted from all the different social media sites, meanwhile, all around me, the Human League performed a house concert in my kitchen, and a troupe of African dancers were rehearsing in the hallway.

Beautiful art and music was happening all around me, and I was focused on my phone.

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 26:31

Back to the gym. The elder and I discuss when we will run together, and when we will run apart. We are making plans.

Route: rec center
Temperature: 34°
Climate: damp & cold
Mood: adjusting

1971 Playlist

Pictures of Lily - The Who

Strawberry Letter 23 - Shuggie Otis

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised - Gil Scott Heron

Theme from “Shaft” - Isaac Hayes

Can You Get to That - Funkadelic

Alone Again (Naturally) -  Gilbert O’Sullivan

Jeepster - T. Rex

Peace Train - Yusuf/Cat Stevens

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs. (-0-)

Last indoor run for a while? Fingers crossed.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes