They think that you'll be running.

Long days, busy nights. Saw three plays this weekend, going out of town the next two weekends ... it's all just crazy. Oh, also created a second draft of my new play.

Felt a slight pain in my calf yesterday. I have not been good about stretches. I'm practically begging to mess this up.

Planning to run twelve miles tonight, at the same time as Erie Effusion. Posted this on DJBG's Facebook page:

"Taking it on the run tonight (literally.) Upbeat and extended remixes will be deeply appreciated!"

I hope she takes that to heart, and also that it doesn't rain.

Distance: 12 miles
Duration: 1:48:21
Pace: 9:01
Route: All over. It was crazy.
Temperature: 66°
Climate: overcast & humid
Mood: all right
Stretches: better believe it
Water: yes, but parched on the road

Running at dusk invokes a kind of madness. First of all, heading out in the early evening, before sunset. it ran through a cloud of crepuscular gnats -- a deep cloud of gnats. They got in my mouth, stuck to my lips, were embedded onto my shirt.

As the sun went down, I wasn't sure where to head. The cemetery was closed for the evening, so I just headed towards Cedar Road, and unfamiliar trail. As I was listening to the radio through my iPod, I wasn't getting updates through my earbuds. I checked my phone at a stop sign and was surprised to discover I had already gone eight and a half miles

That was actually my 8:50 pace I was looking at. I put in what I believed was maybe three more miles was headed for home before I checked again and saw I had only gone seven and a half miles.

So I took a turn, back to the park, which I ran through using my phone as a flashlight. It was madness. One earbud out, listening to the woods, only slightly better than blind, listening to that show Dad likes to listen to on Sundays.

Disappointingly, I didn't get the request I made before leaving played. I assume it was a malfunction of the request system, DJBG likes to remind people she only has three listeners. But the show as upbeat!

Anyway, crazy, mad, blind, twelve miles run. Time to start the week.

Baseline: 179.5 lbs.
Today: 166 lbs. (-0.5)
Goal: 160 lbs.

My feet to the pavement.

Headache morning. God this house is moist. Short run.

Distance: 4 miles
Duration: 33:54
Pace: 8:28
Route: Forest Hill Loop
Temperature:68°
Climate: bright, cool (humid)
Mood: all right
Stretches: no
Water: no. oops.

Baseline: 179.5 lbs.
Today: 166.5 lbs. (+1.5)
Goal: 160 lbs.

What's That Lyric?
On 33 - Stereo MC's

You better run away for good.

The training continues! It does! As we taper, I have been advised not to change up my diet too much, which is fine, because I have been eating shit all month.

Just yesterday a colleague described this sexual experience she had eating a McDonald's spicy BBQ chicken sandwich while driving, so I just had to try it!

Do I regret it? Oh, fuck yes. Would I do it again? Probably.

Distance: 8 miles
Duration: 1:08:13
Pace: 8:31
Route: Forest Hill to Cain Park (and back)
Temperature: 68°
Climate: bright, sunny, awesome
Mood: very good, actually
Stretches: no
Water: yes, but I couldn't tell

What's That Lyric?
Rainy Taxi - Spoon

Baseline: 179.5 lbs.
Today: 165.5 lbs. (-0-)
Goal: 160 lbs.

You run from me.

Warning: Gross.

Okay, look. I'm just not doing the work for this marathon anymore and it is really getting to me. Just Monday night (long day, no time to run) I was tending to my wounded feet. In spite of my best efforts, nails had cut into nails and I was trying to trim them and clear up some of the callouses.

The nail on my middle toe on my right foot was bruised, and I was attempting to trim that back, when it went SQUISH. The nail started emitting fluid and then blood. It had separated from the nail bed. I have lost a toe nail two weeks before the big race.

Distance: 5.75 miles
Duration: 48:52
Pace: 8:29
Route: Forest Hill-Cain Park Loop
Temperature: 70°
Climate: gorgeous

Mood: not bad
Stretches: no
Water: no

And yet, we run. I messaged Marc Blandin, Team Challenge Coach, immediately after it happened with a very simple question, what do I do about this? You can see his response at right, basically don't freak out, it will be fine. And don't we all need advice like that?

Thanks, Marc!

Baseline: 179.5 lbs.
Today: 165.5 lbs. (-0.5)
Goal: 160 lbs.

What's That Lyric?
Oh Baby * - LCD Soundsystem

Chasing the clouds away.

Pre-Run Thoughts: The plan is to run twenty miles today. This is my final long run before tapering. And today my son will come with me, on his bike, traversing the distance between our house and his grandmother's.

I have made this journey several times, but always alone, and he has never made it so far. This will be an adventure. I hope it is a wise one.

We could have gone in the afternoon, but the temperature will blaze by noon. We will leave at 7:00 am. It will already be in the seventies.

For breakfast I've had buttery, garlicky spaghetti, and coffee. And water.

Distance: 20 miles
Duration: 3:13:56
Pace: 9:41
Route: Cleveland Heights to Lakewood
Temperature: 71° → 84°
Climate: bright, sunny & hot
Mood: very good
Stretches: yes
Water: yes
Energy snacks: Gatorade Prime Energy Chews, Simple Mills Soft Baked Spiced Carrot Cake Almond Flour Bar

Post-Run Realities: That was hard, and very hard. Having the boy as a companion was both emotionally satisfying, but also presented a few challenges.

He's fourteen, and has never gone twenty miles on his bike before. It took a toll on the muscles in his arms, shoulders, neck and back.

He also took two long bathroom breaks, which were opportunities for my muscles to freeze. Also, at mile three his got a flat tire, but he was also able to replace it with minimal effort, which I was entirely impressed by.

We had several additional stops to drink water, too, which were very important, too.

In fact, it was extremely good that he was along, because he carried a bag which included snacks and also water. We started shortly after sunrise, and the temperature rose our entire journey. It's a beautiful day, but hot.

The final stretch along Lake Avenue in Lakewood, was terrible. Just too bright, too hot, traversing those terrible sidewalks, and I was entirely done.

We arrived at my mom's house, but I still had to do a few laps in front of the place or I wouldn't have made twenty miles! Anyway, we had a late breakfast of bagels and I drank three glasses of water and two or orange juice.

And that was it. The time my son and I traveled across the city by foot. These days will not come again.

Week Fifteen Total: 29 miles
Total To Date: 354.5 miles

Remembering you running soft through the night.

This came in the mail yesterday.

This sucks. Not running for four days, I have a marathon in less than a month and I have that fatigue in my right thigh I get that reminds me I am not running.

We're all exhausted, which provides a neat excuse for members of the family to stop assisting with housework, only when I neglect housework, everyone notices.

Rehearsal period is always a challenge, in the old days I would get up at four o'clock just to run, today I just can't. Straight to work in the morning, straight to bed in the evening, and far too late in the evening, especially when emotions are high which they often are, and always at bedtime. All too predictable, inevitable, and apparently unavoidable.

The good news is I am writing mornings again. That's right, Writing. Why not run instead? Because fuck you, that's why.

Distance: 5.75 miles
Duration: 51:19
Pace: 8:55
Route: Forest Hill-Cain Park Loop
Temperature: 76°
Climate: sunny & bright
Mood: not good
Stretches: yes
Water: yes

Yes, I dyed my hair black, briefly, when I was a sophomore in college. And yet, that was a bright and sunny time. I was a strutting dick doing little work and playing all the time. It was the following summer that my heart went dark and the Goth-pop music I had been fiddling with started to really be a hook in my soul.

Hot summer, sun bigger and brighter and whiter than snow. But those short nights were a torment.

Today I chose the Dark & Gothic playlist. What a reminder. What a gas.

Baseline: 179.5 lbs.
Today: 166 lbs. (+1.0)
Goal: 160 lbs.

What's That Lyric?
Pictures of You - The Cure

Don't you worry about two left feet.

Thank you, Ric Ocasek.

Last night Chris and Allie came over to discuss transportation plans. We will be traveling to Chicago by TRAIN.

That's right, motherfuckers. By train.

Distance: 3.25 miles
Duration: 27:29
Pace: 8:27
Route: Boulevard Loop
Temperature: 62°
Climate: cool
Mood: stressed
Stretches: Somewhat. I need to work on that.
Water: yes

Night time run. Rushed. Not a good thing to do.

The Cars Playlist
Touch and Go
Shooting For You
Cruiser
Let the Good Times Roll (Live at The Agora)
Shake It Up
Night Spots
Hello Again

That last one goes out to Derf, who likes to imagine me dancing in parachute pants.