The hot heat rising.

Great way to close out the week, and absolutely delightful barefoot run, and I gave myself a fat blister on each of my big toes. Seriously, no complaints. Feels like a brief vacation, but all I need right now.

Distance: 2 miles
Duration: 19:51
Pace: 9:55
Route: Topsail Island Beach
Temperature: 79°
Climate: sunny and breezy
Mood: good

What's That Lyric?
Send My Love (To Your New Lover) - Adele

That little souvenir of a terrible year.

Full moon rising.

The beach house, this year, is located way at the the north end of Topsail Island. Previously, we had stayed at the south end. There was one house in particular the family rented for five (non-consecutive) years. It is located on the south end right next to the pier, across the street from the miniature golf.

Granted, I was only to make three of those years, but the place is impressed in my memory. It is where the children spent so much summer vacation joy. The decor there has nothing much to lend itself, I just remember the deck, the view, the proximity to things. There's a hot tub, which others used but I did not.

This place is away from everything, which I like those some do not. The wife misses the ability to walk to a bar, a restaurant a shop, the ice cream stand. I prefer the layout here. It's true, you can't get from the upper deck to the beach, you need to go back inside to do that on a lower floor.

But I like the layout of the upper floor much better. Before it was like a huge, long room, from kitchen, to dining area, and then a sitting place with TV and couches -- you need to walk through one area then the next to get out onto the deck.

Here, all the areas are next to each other, like a circle, from the kitchen counter clockwise to the dining area, and then to the sitting area It's smaller, but people can be doing anything, cooking, doing the jigsaw puzzle, watching the match and talk to each other, all in one space. You walk through the middle to get outside.

We have made journeys to the south side; for dinner Tuesday night, again yesterday when I took the girls shopping. I glanced at the rear of that other place, it's nothing to look at. The street view is not the point. We did not choose not to be there intentionally. It wasn't available when we made the reservation, very little was. This was a last minute decision.

Because when such decisions were to be made, we were mourning a loss, having a funeral. Not thinking so much about fun and summer and relaxation. All five of those summers, in that building, were spent with Chris. We are glad to be here, but I think we should be glad not to be staying there.

Distance: 3 miles
Pace: 8:46
Route: Topsail Beach
Temperature: 83•
Climate: hot & sunny
Mood: all right

Barefoot run, last of the season. Maybe I'll run tomorrow, but this morning I did it, I ripped up my toe. Basically I hit a stone on my way out, a small-one, well-placed. Didn't impede my momentum at all, just hurt, knew I'd separated skin. Anyway, no big deal.

Beautiful though, fast, running in the surf. Sprinting almost, in places. It was gorgeous. When I got back Is tripped down to my shorts and jumped in the surf. I floated on my back in the sea. I still live.

Exercises: yes

Can I also say my choice of music for running this summer has been almost maudlin. Yet, I like it. That's just where I am this year.

What's That Lyric?
Here's Where the Story Ends - The Sundays

2015 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon

Full Minnesota

Official Time: 3:42:07
Avg. Pace: 8:29

Previous Best: 3:56:19 (Cleveland 2012)

First of all, everyone loves Captain America.

Nine years ago, in New York, I wrote PENGO on my shirt. It was a great thrill hearing all the spectators cheering me on as "Pengo!" I mean, I could have written David, but then I wouldn't be sure they were talking to me. Lot of Davids in that race.

Today, I wore the Captain America shirt. And everyone loves Captain America. And that was entirely awesome.

Everything went very well, beginning last night when I finally (thanks to my sister-in-law Julie, who has been totally awesome and supportive through all of this) got on the phone with their friend Kelly, who has run the TCM some fifteen times.

"Hey, David," he said, when I got him on the phone, "Why are we doing this?"

"Oh, uh," I said, "I want to ask you about the course."

"No," he said, "I mean ..."

"Oh!" I laughed, "Yeah, no idea."

He told me about the route, many things I already knew from driving it. But he also said he was going to be using thin gloves and keep them on during the race. I'd gotten some beat-up winter gloves, which I assumed I would be dumping at the start. Ditto, the sweats.

But he encouraged gloves to use or not use while running, and I remembered how I lose feeling in my fingers on long runs. Denny was glad to take me to Target last night to get some ($3 for two pair in the dollar section) and also large trash bags so I could wear one after packing my sweats. I had planned to just throw them away, but if I timed it right I could pack them in my bag for UPS to take to the finish, and just wear a bag to hold heat in until the start. I could change into them at the finish.

After two races, I think I know how to time my intake-output cycle. I had the biggest pre-race breakfast yet: two fried eggs, toasted ciabatta, and a banana I pockets for just before the race. Many thanks to Denny for making breakfast and taking me to the light rail stop to catch the train for the starting line.

I arrived an hour before the gun, plenty of time to get oriented, have water, use the facilities, adjust my socks, and generally not stress. It was cold, but not too cold. Forty-five degrees at the start, it would be fifty at the finish.

My one error was entering the corral a bit too late. They are called corrals for a reason, and trying to make your way up to the front is very challenging once it is full. I was stuck behind the well behind the 4:00 team, I was supposed to be up with the 3:45 team. Catching up can be very hard, you're all moving fast in the same direction.

Making my way up to them, I could have missed downtown Minneapolis, in general, at least for the first twenty miles, I did a decent job of taking in the Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America®.

By the way, it really, really is.

I caught up with the 3:45 team, and passed them. I wanted them behind me. From childhood, I have been very bad at catching up. It brings out a failure anxiety, an ancient reminder that I am never the best player, ever. Always the slowest, the least coordinated.

However, I am apparently very good at running away from things.

The first five miles were amazing, deliriously so. Once I had headed out in front of my goal ... I slowed down. I relaxed into my running. I was like, "Really? This pace? I can make it just running like ... this?" Delusions of grandeur overwhelmed me. Maybe I could do three and a half!

Meanwhile, people kept yelling for Captain America! I passed this one guy who told me, "Oh, it's you! I was wondering why everyone was calling me Captain America, I thought I was just doing really great."

Denny and Julie and my seven year-old niece caught up with me in three locations, Julie took this action photo.

The fact is, the entire thing went by very well. I had an electrolyte drink and a water drink at every stop (except the one at Mile 25.) I had two GU gels with me, which I had at miles five and ten, and they handed out Cliff Shots at mile 17.

Just an endorsement, GU gels taste good. Cliff Shots do not.

I took on banana, an orange slice - but no Twizzlers. Those get stuck in my throat. Basically, I was extremely well-fed and hydrated, when I finished I had not felt and would not feel any cramping or nausea or any of the feels I had during my first marathon. I felt like I needed to pee through pretty much the entire race, but not urgently and so when I thought about it, I gave myself the same response I give the boy, "As soon as we get home, son."

Speaking of waste, however, I would like to mention what I have noticed as the increasing number of spectators signs relating to shitting or pissing yourself. Ha ha, now knock it off.

The signs were by and large very supportive and clever they always are. And some surprisingly topical:

If Trump Can Make It To The Primaries, You Can Run 26.2 Miles

- and -

If Mark Watney Can Grow Potatoes On Mars, You Can Run 26.2 Miles

The most difficult aspects of the race occurred around mile ten, I think, when it felt like both socks slipped, and suddenly I had seams biting painfully into callouses on both feet. The thought of blistering my feet open for the next sixteen plus miles was distressing, but all I managed to convince myself the pain would eventually go away, and it did. The flesh of my feet doesn't actually appear too damaged, actually.

I wish I could say the same for my toenails. For some reason training alone has been very hard on those and I believe I may actually lose a half dozen. Seriously. They're are all chalky and bruised. Weird.

One other thing, and this may have had something to do with my gloves (which I chose to wear for the entire race) or my awesome Captain America shirt, I don't know ... but my arms hurt more than they ever have. I mean, they started hurting halfway through the race, I have never felt so weak in my arms before.

The dreaded Mile 21, however, was not a problem for me at all. Thank you, Little Italy for all of those training runs, the miles up to Summit was no big deal at all. My brother's family had planned to catch me one more time, at Fairview and Summit, where we had watched the marathon four years ago. But I was too fast for them and they could not bicycle their way there in time.

However, by Mile 23 things had gone the way of all marathons and I was ready to be done. Just tired, stiff, looking forward to the state capitol building and the finish line.

Family at the finish line.

But what a sight it was. There are a few dips in the road but mostly downhill the last couple miles, where I could see the finish line dead ahead for the last point-two miles, and ran flat out towards the end.

I hadn't beaten my personal best - I had crushed it, shaving fourteen minutes from what I thought I was best capable of.

Maybe Amy is right. Maybe I can make 3:30. And where might that happen?

(Many thanks to the organizers and volunteers of the Twin Cities Marathon, which is an extremely fun and pleasant event all the way around. Extremely well-organized and truly the most beautiful urban marathon in America.)

I walked down to the beach.

Relaxation requires too many choices. We slept cool, I had gotten up in the middle of the night to drink water, read for a bit. My sinuses were totally clear thanks to yesterday's enforced salt water bath. I rose late - for me - after eight a.m.

It was already hot out on the deck, I wrote and read. Every time a runner went past I thought, hmn. I should do that now, before it gets too hot. But then, fuck that, I'm writing.

2011

The boy and I went out on the pier to fish for two hours. He has grown so much since we first did that. He is less antsy about actually catching the fish, he sits and we talk. He handles the rod as well as I do now, I feel less anxious helping him manage it. We relax deeper.

Also: there were dolphins. A pod of dolphins.

It's afternoon. I do not wish to wait until this evening to run. Three miles, in bare feet. I have to remember to go slow.

Distance: 3 miles
Avg Pace: 8.48
Route: Topsail Beach

Also: remember to lift your toes. Always. I just scored blisters on each of my big toes. However, I regret nothing, that was delicious.

My thigh continues to trouble me. It's my gas foot, driving several days irritated it terribly, now it just pains me constantly.

Temperature: 82°
Climate: bright and hot
Intake: banana
Hydration: yes
Stretches: yes

What's That Lyric?
Blue Monday - New Order

There is no way for you to win this race.

Rainbow.

We have arrived in North Carolina, and we had barely unpacked before I set out for my prescribed 10 mile run. After ripping my feet up three years ago - running barefoot on the beach for four miles - you would think I know better.

I was wearing shoes, but not the right shoes. I brought the green clown shoes, for fear of damaging my new UA slippers. This was not wise, as they no longer fit very well. I have two blisters on the tips of my second and third toes on my left foot.

But oh well. Seriously, no big deal. What was truly debilitating was the wind. It's been stormy here as it has been everywhere else. That was part of the reason I wanted to get out as soon as I could, I wasn't sure if it was going to rain or not.

Three miles out with the wind in my back ... ten five miles into the wind. Five miles. Into the wind. At mile six, my wife ran out to the beach with a bottle of water, which was awesome. I probably should have packed it in right there, but I figured, hey. Two more miles into the wind, what's the big deal? And then the final two with it at my back.

Sure. Tell yourself anything. Just get there.

Distance: 10 miles
Avg Pace: 8.32
Route: Topsail Beach

The final mile I took off my shoes and ran in the surf. I had looked forward to it, but it felt more desperate than joyful. Sorry. Anyway, if the weather holds the rest of the week will be considerably more pleasurable.

Running into the wind, right next to the ocean, my sinuses opened wide and I was just drooling wet snot for most of the run. I received a great deal of positive comments from the family when I finally staggered into the beach house, but I think I looked like a man on the verge of a coronary. I'm not being flip.

Anyway. Vacation!

Week Two Total: 25 miles
Training To Date: 49 miles

Temperature: 84°
Climate: windy!
Hydration: yes!
Stretches: no.

What's That Lyric?
Sofi Needs A Ladder - Deadmau5

It's a habit-forming need for more and more.

Patio Playground, Topsail Beach, NC
Relax, damn you.

Currently, I am about halfway through Born To Run (I have bad reading habits) a tale of insanity, ultramarathoners, drug cartels, barefoot running, and a lot of alcohol.

We are now on vacation at Topsail Beach. At the last minute I decided to actually bring running gear. Since the CLE I have been in running-hibernation, and it is time to break out. My belly is getting soft and my muscles slack.

However, reading this book I am loathe to put on shoes. Instead I am going to try a week of barefoot beach running and see what kind of damage that might inflict. The book is chock full of wonder showered on runners who have discovered the pain-free joy of barefoot running.

Since the CLE, I still feel residual pain from the foot injury (as yet undiagnosed) which the wife thought a stress fracture and I thought some kind of pulled tendon.

Topsail Four Mile

Distance: About 4 miles. Really, who cares.
Temperature: 76º

I begin by hitting the ball of the foot. This is an involuntary reaction to the assumption that hitting the arch or rolling heel to toe will be jarring, or expose the foot to unknown pain from foreign objects. After only a few strides I adjust, hitting the beach midfoot, feeling the impact. And they are correct. My alignment corrects itself, and I feel relaxed.

Running next to the surf is uncomfortable. Though the sand is firm, spalshing in the waves is not helpful. Further up the sand is looser, and harder to run in. Further up, the sand is firm, and gives a little, which is nice, but my right knee begins to hurt -- I am running on a slanted surface, slanted towards the ocean. I decide I must run on the beach.

I keep my eyes on the beach, which is a shame, because I would like to take in the surroundings, but I learn how to do that, too. I learn that running over tiny shells does not actually hurt.

Super Bon Bon Genius Playlist
Games Without Frontiers - Peter Gabriel
I’m Afraid of Americans (160 bpm) - David Bowie
Psycho Killer - Talking Heads
Murder By Numbers - The Police
One World (Not Three) (168 bpm) - The Police
Connection - Elastica
White Girl - Soul Coughing
I Got You - Split Enz
It’s The End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) - R.E.M.
So Far I Have Not Found The Science - Soul Coughing
Everyday I Write the Book - Elvis Costelo & The Attractions

It was a glorious run. For my efforts I have created two mammoth blisters, one on the pad of each large toe. Looking forward to how that plays out tomorrow.

First beer -- 10:30 AM.