…I had written more, read more, spent more time with my kids/friends/family. Run more. Imagine you’re eighty-six, or ninety-three. (I wish for you a long life.) Let’s pretend for now: you’re lying down at home, under your favorite blanket, knowing a last breath is around the corner. Not a bucket list. Instead, you’re saying aloud: “I wish… …I had done ______________________.” …I had been ______________________.” …I had visited ____________________.” …I had NOT spent so much … [Read more...]
- Most of you know (broken record) that I’ve been injured, which is to say I’ve barely run in the past three months. There’s been weight gain, general weepiness, and a semi-conscious retreat from life. Alternate exercise has caused pain also. First, I thought it was simply a chiropractic issue and after Dr. Greg adjusted me, all would be well. After two visits, I felt better but only by half. I continued to rest and stretch a bit and finally went to the doctor, telling him I thought it was … [Read more...]
I’ve done some pretty dumb stuff in my life. I jumped out of an airplane. I had three children in three and a half years. I once voted Republican. (My GOP friends, you know I love you.) But the race I did this past Saturday takes the cake. My friend and I are training to run a sub 3:55 marathon in order to qualify for Boston. We’re not certain which race we’ll run to be eligible (probably Los Angeles next March) but she suggested we participate in a 25K (15.5 mile) trail run in Malibu … [Read more...]
On Wednesday, my friend Ann gave me a copy of Haruki Murakami’s book What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. By Friday morning, I had finished it and was contemplative. I was also looking forward to my Saturday morning run, my Sunday morning run, and Monday, Tuesday after that, Wednesday… I tend to get ahead of myself. In addition to friends and family, there are two aspects of my life that saved me from an early demise. The first was getting sober many years ago; the second, … [Read more...]
…not for another Royal Wedding, but for the Big Sur Marathon. We did it as a relay. Nine miles for me, eleven for my friend Beth, and six for my cousin. The teams are meant to be made up of five runners, but over the years (we’ve been at it now for fifteen), life happens and occasionally we come up short. But don’t take the weekend away from us. It happens in one of the most beautiful spots in the world – what I’ve seen of it, anyway – and despite almost missing some relay buses this … [Read more...]
I’m Irish. I explained that all last week. I was late meeting Wendy this morning because I was busy slicing three loaves of soda bread, one for each of my daughters’ classrooms. They’re proud to be Irish today, though I’m not sure they know what it means other than wearing green and proudly explaining their first names to people. If you don’t know me or my children, go ahead and guess what their names are. Hint: all three suggest locations of the Emerald Isle. (Duh. Goldie, Bun Bun and … [Read more...]