Through the streets of your town.

Breaking Point 89

Big week. They're all big, though, aren't they? Meetings and marriages. And therapy. We're trying therapy. We don't want to; we're doing it because she wants me to. I'm not opposed to therapy; I have found it useful. I don't feel I need it now. And it costs money. 

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:52
Pace: 8:59

Also, my legs ache. Like, I feel tired now. I have been on a tear now, for months. Part of that is the running, I love the running. But it's cold again. I mean, I will wait until the afternoon, and it's beautiful, or can be beautiful. But I feel tired. I have not been resting enough. I think this is all an October let-down. It was a HUGE month. Two huge months. Now it is November. And I want a week in bed.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 57°
Climate: cool & lovely
Mood: weary

By midafternoon, I felt like shit. But I rally. It's rallying season.

Stretches: kinda?
Water: yes
Weight: 164.8 lbs. (-1.8)

Sophisti-pop 80s Workout Playlist

Streets of Your Town - The Go-Betweens

Marine Boy - Haircut 100

Cue Fanfare - Prefab Sprout

Back To Life (However Do You Want Me) - Soul II Soul ft. Caron Wheeler

I.G.Y. - Donald Fagen

Tom's Diner - DNA ft. Suzanne Vega

What Have I Done to Deserve This? - Pet Shop Boys ft. Dusty Springfield 

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: TBA

Sit-Ups: TBA

Life's what you make it. Celebrate it.

The halls, downtown, are decked. That they decorations came out the day after election day was truly shocking. And symbolic, I suppose.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 28:07
Pace: 9:03

And like that, it's winter. Winterish. Damp and cold. Fire and thick socks and comforters and maybe time t take in the side porch. Still unpacking from last weekend's show, putting away things.

A couple days ago, the wife called me regimented. That kind of bothered me. Not like, it hurt my feelings, just that she looks at it that way. Like my neuroses affect her, my need to have things just so.

But I don't want things to be just so. What I want is for things to no longer be as fucking disorganized and sloppy. I don't like tripping on things, I don't like playing "dodgem" with all the stacks of books and boxes and rags as I walk through the narrow halls of our little home. I never did.

Regimented. That would be me telling her what to do, and I never do that. 

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 54°
Climate: light clouds & cool, lovely
Mood: okay

Headachy. That's what this season is about. Weely headaches.

Sophisti-pop 80s Workout Playlist

Life's What You Make It (Extended Mix) - Talk Talk

It Doesn't Have To Be This Way - Blow Monkeys

Mercy Mercy Me/I Want You (Medley)- Robert Palmer

Mirror Man - Human League

These Early Days - Everything But the Girl

Someone Somewhere (In Summertime) - Simple Minds

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 166.6 lbs. (+3.0)

Yeah, twenty years ago this weekend we ran a marathon.

... But at least I know now that I will be a runner for life.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

Bright and early for their daily races.

Breaking Point 89

Here's the thing about Sugar Season (yes, we're still talking about Sugar Season) the SUGAR will BE THERE. There is NO NEED to seek the SUGAR, the SUGAR will FIND YOU.

The other day, it was the middle of the morning. And I got a cookie from the coffee house. Because, why not, I'm underweight, I can afford this (THAT IS NOT HOW FOOD WORKS) and what happened? At lunchtime it was decided the entire office needed a celebratory trip to the BEN & JERRY'S ACROSS THE STREET.

The sugar will come to you. And that's it. 

Distance: 3.1 miles 

Duration: 28:50
Pace: 9:18

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 49°
Climate: light, cold rain

Gear: shorts, long sleeves, cotton hoodie
Mood: good

Sophisti-pop 80s Workout Playlist
The Soul Awakening - China Crisis
Breaking Us in Two - Joe Jackson
It's Different For Girls - Joe Jackson
Suddenly Last Summer - The Motels
Mermaids - Andy Pawlak
Shout to the Top (Us Remix) - Style Council
Mad World - Tears For Fears

Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) 12" Mix - Kate Bush

Fall brings not only melancholy, but memory of past autumnal seasons, when we were in love and walking through urban forests of gold.

Stretches: yes

Water: yes
Weight: 163.6 lbs. (-0-)

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

Get the hell out.

Brief trip to Cincinnati and back, to hear the boy play the jazz. A time to relax and talk, or to just say nothing. November now, and the weather holds.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 25:53
Pace: 8:20

Sudden obsession with the Substack but it's a hobby. Conflicted as to whether I should let anyone know I even have it. Every new thing it's like, "Hey! This is the new thing!" It's not a new thing, it's an old thing.

What's next?

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 63°
Climate: overcast & cool
Mood: awesome & nervous

Acton refused Ramaswamy's concession call, because fuck that guy.

160-169 BPM Playlist
A Bar Song (Tipsy) - Shaboozey
Get Outta My Room - The Donnas
Everywhere I Go - The Call
I'm Your Baby Tonight - Whitney Houston
Too Dramatic -Ra Ra Riot
The Last Time - Rolling Stones
Hard to Explain - The Strokes
Roll Over Beethoven - The Beatles
Another Bridge - Everything But the Girl

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 163.6 lbs. (+0.4)

Twenty years ago today, it was one day before the big race. I reflected upon my entire running journey. Later, I wrote a play about it.

What if my father and I had had one conversation about running? Anything about it, anything at all. Some pointers, some encouragement. Maybe I might have learned something.

Sounds like he was already dead. But he wasn't.

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

I hope I never stop running. I want to be one of those wiry old men who jog slowly up the street, past your house. And I want to run one marathon. I'll do that tomorrow. Wish me luck. - 11/4/2006

The Devil will find work for idle hands to do.

We turn the clocks back and all hell breaks loose. Couldn't sleep last night, woke around three am to work on some new project. A new project? You haven't even finished the old ones! Anyway, I am trying out a Substack. We'll see how long that holds my interest.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 26:35
Pace: 8:34

Twenty years ago today, we were preparing to fly to New York City for the big race.

A pace team is headed by an experienced marathoner who will get you there in plus or minus two minutes from the time you choose. That means I'll be locked in to a finish time, but after all of this training, I believe it is reasonable to assume it will take 4.15. Remember; the goal is to finish.

I would be disappointed not to break four hours. And yet, I said it right there, I would take 4:15. And I wasn't too far off.. 

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 61° 
Climate: over cast & cool
Mood: great!

160-169 BPM Playlist

Magic MOuntain - War ft. Eric Burdon

You! Me! Dancing! - Los Campesinos

I've Done Everything For You (Working Class Hero) - Rick Springfield

What Difference Does It Make - The Smiths

Mansard Roof - Vampire Weekend

Mysterons - Portishead

Digital - Joy Division

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 163.2 lbs. (-1.8)

Planks: yes
Push-ups: yes

Sit-Ups: yes

Get on that.

You keep me running round and round.

We voted!

I will be in a state on anxiety until strike tonight is complete.

Then, who knows. Relaxation? We shall see. But it has been a great weekend.

Distance: 3.75 miles

Duration: 32:18
Pace: 8:36

SIXTEEN runs in October! FUCK yeah!

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 59°
Climate: light clouds & cool: ideal
Mood: good, actually

Monster Bash!

Living On the Ceiling - Rosetta Stone

Too Many Creeps -  Bush Tetras

Watching -Thompson Twins

Bloodletting (The Vampire Song) - Concrete Blonde

Red Right Hand - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

Unmarked Helicopters - Soul Coughing

You Want It Darker - Leonard Cohen

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 165 lbs. (+2.0)

Enjoy myself the past few days, eating out, eating a lot of good stuff, fish fry and burgers. Time to relax into vegetables again. It has been a celebration! 

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: TBA

Sit-Ups: TBA

I have had chapped lips for a week. The greasy food is NOT helping.

I'm a lyrical poet.

Twenty years ago today, I ran five miles and the only thing I posted was the header "That sucked." I believe the reason for this was an argument my wife and I had right before heading out that made me miserable.

An anonymous commentator, one who had been following my my progress, wrote:

Well, what did you expect? You didn't stretch or drink. You listened to no music, it took no time and you weighed nothing.

He also added:

Seriously, keep going, guy. You've trained, you've done the work. You will survive this.

I really appreciated that. I think that was my brother.

Distance: 3.1 miles

Duration: 27:08
Pace: 8:44

We made it to Thursday, and then I collapsed. Work at 3 AM with a headache. Slept too warm, got up, took pain reliever, didn't make any difference. Called off work. I feel bad about that, of course, but it/s noon and I still feel like shit.

This is becoming a regular thing now and I do not care for it. Then again, what I particularly do not care for is conducting a five day residency. It's very taxing for me now, on my feet for five hours, engaging somewhat disinterested students, using my voice a lot.

And Death of a Salesman. I mean, come on.

Anyway, I'm hoping a run will drive this out of me.

Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 72°
Climate: sunny & hot
Mood: good! but my head hurts!

Fall 1990 Mixtape
Praying For Time - George Michael

I'm Your Baby Tonight - Groove Is In the Heart - Deee-Lite

Dance of the Dream Man - Angelo Badalamenti

Feels Good - Tony! Toni! Toné!

Policy of Truth - Depeche Mode

We have begun shedding weight. For the moment I have become accustomed to eating less and getting anxious about any additional intake. I need to find the right balance. I can feel it in my hips, my end, my legs.

Of course, as I said, I have also been standing this week, a lot more than usual.

Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Weight: 163 lbs. (+0.2)

Planks: TBA
Push-ups: TBA

Sit-Ups: TBA