Flood's Cove: Run Five

Nights are cool and can be damp. A nice fire can make us dry and take off the chill. These are lovely days.

Yesterday, I received a special birthday gift: I was asked to make muffins with the blueberries that Sarah picked, and for before she departed for home (she left yesterday). 

I’ve never made muffins from scratch, so I reached for the 1962 edition of The Joy of Cooking that has always sat on the shelf and opened it to the chapter on muffins, where I found mother’s own recipe for blueberry muffins, in her own hand, was neatly tucked.

And the muffins were a success. 

Distance: 3.5 miles
Duration: 32:42
Pace: 9:20

Deadpool & Wolverine Playlist

Iris - Goo Goo Dolls

The Power of Love - Huey Lewis & the News

The One That I Want from "Grease"

Bye Bye Bye - *NSYNC

The Lady In Red - Chris de Burgh

The Greatest Show from "The Greatest Showman"

Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) - Green Day

Like a Prayer - Madonna

  
Route: Martin Point Run
Temperature: 74°
Climate: sunny & warm
Mood: good
Stretches: yes
Water: not enough

Pain Reliever: TBA

Mother says I was a great mistake.

Waking up with a headache on vacation is all kinds of suck. I rose, made coffee, set a fire, and went right back to sleep. But by noon I was much better, and full of cake.

I have been mindful of my portions, so as to allow myself to have a little of everything. When the sourdough pretzels break out of a game of Scrabble, I want to say yes. But carbs have been piling high and there will be a price to pay. All I know is that I still fit into my shorts.

Our edlest and I will be return home on own own on Sunday, the boy is remaining here with friends and even my wife will stay a few extra days. She loves it here so much.

Yesterday afternoon we laid our mother to her final rest. Her ashes, her remains, has sat in a biscuit tin on a bookshelf in our bedroom for a year and a half. It has been a burden. Mother would not approve, either, and if she were here she would be happy for me.

It was a picture perfect afternoon, we set out on a boat, her sons, their families. Words were spoken, I very carefully poured (not scattered) her ashes into the drink (she always called it the drink, "don't fall in the drink") where they coallesced into a cloud beneath the green, holding together for the moment for us to see before we drifted apart.

Distance: 3.53 miles
Duration: 32:24
Pace: 9:10
Route: Martin Point Run
Temperature: 68°
Climate: sunny & beautiful
Mood: good

What's That Lyric?

Novocaine For the Soul - Eels

I'm feeling jake.

Barnstable, c. 1974

More vacation, more time away. We return to the ancestral place of respite. We do not own this cabin it owns us. My great-grandfather actually rented the Defiance on the water, bringing his family here first a hundred and ten odd years ago. that cabin was raised this past year, rising sea levels have caused it to flood at spring tide.

I heard a story once that the old man coveted the Barnstable, and was in conflict with the renter here to finally secure his place on the schedule to have it for the summer. I do not know what this means. Whoever told me that story has passed.

The Barnstable, too, has received a pleasantly signifcant upgrade. The porch is new. No longer sagging forward, and with wide, open stairs now in the middle, rather than off to the side, providing more space to move around and a new, unobstructed view of the cove.

Barnstable, 2020

Distance: 3.5 miles
Duration: 34:28
Pace: 9:50
Route: Martin Point Run
Temperature: 77°
Climate: gorgeous
Mood: all right now

Running at noon, the morning clouds burned away. A bright and sunny run. Kayakers. Dog-walkers, one other runner. All more than six feet away.

We are three in the big house. The first time it has been in my own name. I never thought that would happen. Next year it will be different. We had plans t put mother to rest but no one else wanted to risk the journey, and that is fair. We can wait. There is always time.

What's That Lyric?
Just Got Lucky - Jo Boxers

Run fast for your mother. Run fast for your father.

It is a nice thing, to have your family pay special attention to you on a certain day of the year. I mean, I am blessed with a wife and children who pay special attention to me every day of the year, but on Father's Day I get breakfast and gifts, too.

For the past several years my mother has remembered me on Father's Day, abent my own father. This year I am missing that. I should be thinking of him, but I am thinking more of her.

Visited the house yesterday, walked through its many rooms, and sobbed uncontrollably. I cried this morning, too.

Just feeling sad today. Maybe it will pcik up as we go.

Distance: 2 miles
Duration: 18:30
Pace: 9:15
Route: Two times around the block.
Temperature: 75°
Climate: not a cloud in the sky
Mood: mourning
Weight: 183 lbs. (-1.0)

Lost ten pounds. I'll gain it all back today.

What's That Lyric?
Dog Days Are Over - Florence + The Machine

New beginnings.

Yes, I saw Brittany Runs a Marathon. I was curious as to how it walks the line between celebrating such an achievement and loving the body you're in, and I am happy to report that it does a pretty good job at illustrating that those are two different things.

And it made me cry, and fuck you, it made me cry. Because running a marathon is hard, and I never knew how hard until last year and it made me never want to run ever again.

Or maybe it was because I watched my mother die and that made me never want to do anything ever again.

So, we're doing something different. I am going to run whenever. No goals, no races, no marathons. Not now, maybe not ever again, who knows. But I have a daughter who runs and I have a son who is now run-curious. And if they can get me to run, who am I to say no?

Happy New Year.

Distance: 2.35 miles
Duration: 25:00
Pace: 10:42
Route: Horizon Loop
Temperature: 33°
Climate: cool
Mood: good, thanks

He and I. We ran. No stopping. It's a whole new world.

Can't wait until the weekend comes!

On average, a dozen people read this blog. Unless I post something on social media, between ten and twenty people read each individual post. That's enough to assume they are all bots. No offense to those one or two of you who may be human.

You may have noticed I have had nothing to say for about a week. That is because my mother was in the hospital, I won't go into details, she's fine now, really. Fine and at home, which is good.

But I have never wanted to run a marathon less than I want to run Chicago on Sunday. I haven't had nor taken the opportunity to train properly. My long runs have been painful, and I'm not better prepared now than I was three weeks ago.

Distance: 4 miles
Duration: 34:32
Pace: 8:37
Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature: 62°
Climate: cool. nice.
Mood: all right
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

That, and I am depressed. Unfocused. Stressed out.

There is good news. I had an allergy test yesterday, and I am not allergic to seafood. I am allergic to the histamines that can develop in seafood that has been sitting around for a few days, so. Maybe no more raw seafood, no more sushi.

Tomorrow I meet with a new doctor, which I hope is a fruitful relationship. I need a physical. I am concerned about my sugar intake. Yesterday I wrote a play about it.

The weather in Chicago this week should be ideal. Dry, cool. Fifty degrees. I will be prepared for that.

That's it. That's all I got.

What's That Lyric?
Meccanik Dancing (Oh We Go!) - XTC

Don't let it get you down, good people.

For Christmas, mom got me a gift certificate for Cleveland Running Co. on Lee Road (thanks, Mom) which was very nice. Though I have only been running in the Asics Josh gave me for ten months, I have given them quite a workout, and my feet have been causing me pain of late.

And, hey. Gift certificate.

So Jim fixed me up with a pair of Brooks Neuro 2, and also a new pair of all-weather pants. Good news!

Distance: 3.25 miles
Route: Forest Hill Loop
Pavement: dry
Temperature: 54°
Climate: sunny & cool
Mood: decent

Lordy, if every day could be like today, I would run forever. Too much to do, however, so I kept it short. Bright and cool, with an amazing playlist. Only two more in the 52 Years list, and it is a bit anticlimactic. Worked up a head of steam then petered out in March. For the best, I imagine. And I probably get to complete the 2017 Playlist on another beautiful, spring day.

Baseline: 174 lbs.
Today: 166 lbs. (+2.0)
Goal: 165 lbs.
Ideal: 160 lbs.

Karl goes under the "knife" on Friday, arthroscopic surgery on his knee. He has a torn meniscus, as I had nine years ago and is having a similar procedure. Everything goes as planned, he'll be back on his feet in no time.

That was a difficult time for me, I was turning forty and I had my last run in July 2008. It was very painful, I just kept going even though things never got any better. I was in denial for some time. Since the operation in September 2008, I have run two marathons and basically feel as good as I ever have.

Positive thoughts for Karl!

1997 Playlist
Piku - Chemical Brothers
Good Shit - Cornershop
Come - The Vampyres
Fat Ass Joint - Cujo
Star People '97 - George Michael
Parsec * - Stereolab