I can take humiliation.

Today was really awful. And that's all I have to say about that.

Temperature: 77°
Distance: 5 miles

Skylarking - XTC (1986)
Summer's Cauldron
Grass
The Meeting Place
That's Really Super, Supergirl
Ballet For a Rainy Day (156 bpm)
1000 Umbrellas
Season Cycle
Earn Enough For Us
Big Day
Another Satellite
The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul (168 bpm)
Dear God
Dying (158 bpm)
Sacrificial Bonfire (151 bpm)

 Change must be earned.

Summer has come and passed.

American Idiot - Green Day (2004)
American Idiot
Jesus of Suburbia
City of the Damned
I Don't Care
Dearly Beloved
Tales of Another Broken Home
Holiday
Boulevard of Broken Dreams (167 bpm) 
Are We the Waiting
St. Jimmy
Give Me Novacaine (154 bpm)

Extra Lap
Wake Me Up When September Ends

Yesterday, I was dining on my own with the kids and Two Tribes came on the iTunes. They wanted to know what the song was about, which led to a condensed history of Cold War politics, which in my case meant beginning prior to the Crusades leading up to the present, with of course a recap of the events of 9/11 (hence, the Crusades.)

They wanted to know what wars had been going on since they were born, which was an uneasy conversation -- not because I wish to hide unpleasant matters from my children (I mean, I do, but they deserve to know) but because I do not like to make complicated matters simplistic AND I want to be sure they understand.

They bad, we good, does not really tell the whole story, and will lead to problems later on.

In any event, I concluded by lamenting that whereas the Cold War, Vietnam, World War II, have all inspired some wonderful protest music, the Iraqistan Wars did not.

But I had forgotten American Idiot. Enjoy the air show.

Temperature: 86°
Climate: Blazing hot sun ... and rain?
Distance: Who knows. Four miles?
Weight: 175.5 lbs.

For several weeks now, I have not had a decent night's sleep. First it was my right knee, which begins hurting in the middle of the night. Pressure from the left knee onto it when lying on my right, or worse, lying on my left with my right leg slightly bent towards the bed, and it hurts enough to keep me awake.

I have tried different ways of twisting my back so that my right knee rest without anything over it, but then my back hurts, and the last three hours of the night are spent half-awake, turning this way and that.

When I lie on my back I snore, and then the wife wakes me up.

My hip hurts, my knee hurts, my back aches, I have gained every pound I lost in training (did I lose weight during training?) and this is nothing new. It means I have stopped running.

Running past Boulevard School, the wife and the boy were watching the girl practice soccer, I stopped by to say hello. The boy wanted to run home with me. A little too far, and he was wearing jeans, and it was over eighty degrees. But I obliged him with a lap around the soccer fields.

Tomorrow rehearsals begin for the Great Lakes Theater School Residency Program. Summer 2012 is officially over.

You didn't run that.

Now it's personal.

This week, the Republican Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan recently stated in an interview with radio personality Hugh Hewitt that while he no longer runs marathons due to a bad back, his personal best is "Under three, high twos. I had a two hour and fifty-something."

Runner's World ran the numbers, and called him up. Ryan qualified his statement, stating: "My brother Tobin—who ran Boston last year—reminds me that he is the owner of the fastest marathon in the family and has never himself ran a sub-three. If I were to do any rounding, it would certainly be to four hours, not three. He gave me a good ribbing over this at dinner tonight."

 The only evidence that exists is that Paul Ryan has run one marathon. It was in 1990, and his time was 4 hours, 1 minute and 25 seconds. As one guy posted on the New Yorker website:

"I ran a 4:01 marathon while in college, over 30 years ago. It has bothered me ever since that I couldn't have run a 3:59 and while a cringe when people ask, I always tell them the 4:01 time. It's unforgettable."

That is so true. It is unforgettable. Only I ran 3:56.19. I will never forget that.

Now, I don't need to suggest that Senator Ryan intentionally lied about his fact, to make himself look more impressive, or that that should be interpreted as his being a pathologically dishonest person -- though Josh made that claim today. People brag about shit they didn't do. So common as to be normal. But traditionally, when they get called out on it, they are not allowed to forget it.

When our current VP, Joe Biden, ran for President in 1988, he was plagued by accusations of plagiarism. Supporters call this failing to give proper attribution. So, should Paul Ryan be held up to a different standard? I will suggest not. But Joe Biden's reputation was harmed by this accusation, and it stuck with him for many years. He did not become President in 1988, it took twenty years for him to attain his present position. Looks like he learned from his mistake, and I hope Paul Ryan learns from the mistakes he has made in the past several days, making shit up.

And maybe in twenty years, he will deserve to be Vice President.

Temperature: 73°
Climate: misty (Play Misty For Me. Get it?)
Distance: 3.25 miles
Weight: 176 lbs.

Hounds of Love - Kate Bush (1985)
Running Up That Hill
Hounds of Love
The Big Sky
Mother Stand For Comfort
Cloudbusting
And Dream of Sheep
Under Ice
Waking the Witch

New headphones. This time, they're white!

Can I go running with you?

Does any man my age actually wear pajamas?

I have been aching a lot the past several days. A couple days ago I woke with a terrible pain in my right knee. Just, through the whole knee. I got up, and it went away. Also, my back aches. I will roll over and sleep on the other side until it aches, and do this over and over again until I ache all over, and then give up and rise.

This morning has been slow, people rising slowly. The wife has had terrible insomnia, for weeks, but she got to rest after I got up. I made breakfast, piecemeal, for everyone. Getting headachy.

Finally, I announced I needed to take a run. The morning is beautiful. The wife agreed. I got my kit on.

The girl walked up and asked, "Can I go running with you?"

Absolutely. We went to the middle school track and ran a mile, two-tenths at a time.

Temperature: 64°
Distance: 1 mile
Route: Monticello Middle School track

You better get running.

Temperature: 73°
Distance: 3.25 miles
Weight: 176.5 lbs.

Can I run? Yes, I think I can. I have gained weight. I do not fit into my pants, again. Headphones poorly stored on a road trip with frag (sigh). Have not yet gotten the new "shoes". But the weather turns perfect and running is something I must do.

Tomorrow New Yorker's get Summer Streets. Lucky, lucky them. Enjoy the pavement, people. And will endeavor to do so here, too.

Handcream For a Generation - Cornershop (2002)
Heavy Soup
Staging the Plaguing of the Raised Platform
Music Plus 1
Lessons Learned From Rocky I to Rocky III
Wogs Will Walk
Motion the Eleven
People Power

With my new car (which has no aux input) I am discovering the album. This one came out ten years ago. It makes me think of rebirth. It is full of joy and fun and humor. Emerging from grief -- personal loss, 9/11... coupled with the fact that we had just learned we would be having another child.  One who is currently sitting nearby, paitning her brother's nails.

Interlude

Some day I will resume running. In the meanwhile, read this incredible story by Mark Singer about a guy who has cheated on a dozen marathons. (The New Yorker, August 6, 2012)

Watching telly. Drinking wine.

Yesterday we took a ferry that passed Marshall Point Lighthouse.

Run, Forrest. Run.

Thursday Itinerary:
Sleep late.
Fishing.
Kayaking.
Lunch.
Run.
First beer.

And it's only two. Tonight we have been invited to my aunt's and uncle's place on Martin's Point.

Distance: 3.8 miles
Temperature: 72° - Humid.

Blow Genius Playlist
Don't Blame the World, It's the DJs Fault - Cobra Starship
Single (169 bpm) - Natasha Bedingfield
Letters From the Sky - Civil Twilight
Infinity Guitars (158 bpm) - Sleigh Bells
Die Another Day - Madonna
Who'd Have Known (169 bpm) - Lily Allen
Go All the Way (Into the Twilight) - Perry Farrell
Somebody That I Used to Know (DJ Mike D Remix) - Gotye ft. Kimbra
I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend to Dance With You - Black Kids