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

Pump positive vibes.

Same energy.

So. War in the Middle East. Jesus Fucking Christ.

Distance: 3.17 miles

Duration: 31:48
Pace: 10:01

New shoes. They did not have 880s in stock, which is shocking because every white man in America over the age of fifty wears NB 880. They did have 1080s, which are like walking on marshmallows. Doesn't necessarily sound like a bad thing, but I'm so high off the ground I was worried I might twist an ankle or something.

This did not happen. The elder and I both got new kicks, there may be a 10K in our future. Maybe.

Good partner run. But cold. But good. Very impressed they ran a 5K easily, our first time out in a while.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 27°
Climate: sunny & cold, light wind 
Mood: all right

Thirteen runs in February, illness took my off my game but I only missed one. Hope to make fifteen in March. March, right?

1991 Playlist

Diane - Material Issue

Good Vibrations - Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch ft. Loleatta Holloway

Visions of You - Jah Wobble's Invaders of the Heart ft. Shuhada' Sadaqat

Pain Lies On the Riverside - Live

Rush - Big Audio Dynamite

Why Should I Cry For You - Sting

7 - Prince & the New Power Generation

Rockin' Back Inside My Heart - Julee Cruise

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

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

You can run, you can run. But it will catch up.

Current read.

Mind cloud. I do have things to accomplish. I am on a bit of a brain sabbatical. There is some writing, though. I think this weekend might be good, we'll see. I just convinced myself that I don't actually just write down whatever comes into my head. Except here.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 28:41
Pace: 9:15

Tuesday evening I started feeling something in the back of my throat, but it wasn't until Wednesday night that it broke out into something debilitating. That night I slept for twelve hours. And yet, by the time I got to urgent care -- today -- nothing. Post nasal drip? What? Anyway, I have a sore throat.

And the weather is nice. 

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 53°
Climate: partly cloudy & cool
Mood: a little drowsy

2011 Playlist

We Will Become Silhouettes - The Shins 

Ritual Union - Little Dragon

Kyoto - Skrillex ft. Sirah

Little Talks - Of Monsters & Men

We Found Love - Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris

Money - The Drums

Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win - Beastie Boys ft. Santigold

Dance Wiv Me - Dizzee Rascal ft. Calvin Harris & Chrom3

In two more runs, I will be halfway through the year runs. And soon we will know if we will be attempting "number five." What's good about the year runs is that I don't have to think about what I am listening to next. If we return to training, that will be something to plan for. 

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 160 lbs.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes