Running Shorts

Running gets pretty boring. Especially running by yourself. But every once in a while, you get a run that's just...special. Transcendent, I guess? I'm trying to think of how to describe a good run without being over-the-top. You get to see things - lots of things - that people don't often see, experience, or appreciate...and all in one hour. Today I ran, from Oakley, to Ault Park, west along Eastern to Columbia Tusculum, and then back up Delta/Linwood through Mt. Lookout. Some of the people/things I saw: My girlfriend's older sister...or, she saw me. I accidentally looked like I was avoiding her (but I promise I wasn't!). Awkward turtle... A pit bull with a biker gang. I was fully prepared to hop on top of a minivan if the dog (or bikers) came after me. The sun setting behind golden-red hills east of Downtown. A cyclist and a driver discussing Lance Armstrong's innocence. How do I know they were talking about Lance? Cyclist: "The guy's never test...

Ok, so maybe more than one announcement. But humor me: I just couldn't pass up that opportunity for assonance (or is it alliteration? Oh 11th grade literary terms...) in the title. Announcement 1: I didn't run the Cincy Half Marathon this weekend, like I had scheduled. The sprained ankle sort of precluded that from happening. I'm back to running now, and the ankle feels fine, but I figured it was smarter not to try and risk anything bay racing. Plus, the last time I took a week off before a half-marathon? Rock 'n Roll Half in Chicago this summer...it wasn't fun. So next race: Thanksgiving Day 10k, per the schedule on the left-hand side of the page. Announcement 2: I guess I kind of covered this in the previous announcement, but I'm back to running after the ankle issues. Took a week of little mileage, lots of ice, and a container of ibuprofen, but I'm ramping back up now. I don't think I should have lost too much fitness, so I plan on picking up a...

Dear Pothole on Paxton across from the Drexel, Maybe it was my fault, the way things ended between us. I do apologize for stepping all over you the last time we met (last Friday afternoon). It was rude of me, the way I treated you...I should have been looking more carefully. But in my defense, you treated me unfairly. You broke my heart -- or rather, sprained my ankle. And I don't mean that in a metaphorical sense. What you did to me, it...it really hurt. I mean, not at the time. At the time I was too mad to feel it. But later, when I was driving? That's when I really started to feel the pain. I wish Ron Swanson could have fixed you and all the other potholes just like you. Because of you, I crutched around all weekend. Because of you, I haven't run since Friday. Because of you, I still have trouble with lateral movement (Ok, that last one has not much to do with running. But when I'm ballin...). So in conclusion, you're tacky and I hate you . You, dear...

Ok, here it is, the final clue... This will my second of the five World Marathon Majors .

And here's the second clue...sorry I'm not really being too subtle here.

So in my last post I briefly mentioned I had big news to give. And I promise, I do have big news. But you didn't think I'd just come out and say it, did you? Oh no, I'm only going to give clues and you're going to have to guess. Partly to build the suspense, and partly because I'm trying to lengthen my blog. So anyway, without further ado, Here it is, your first clue: "One if by land, and two if by sea, And I on the opposite shore will be; Ready to ride and spread the alarm Through every Middlesex village and farm, For the country folk to be up and to arm."   Oh, and to entice all three readers to guess, the first person to guess correctly gets on hundred thousand points!