7 miles this Saturday

Hello everyone!!

I have held off writing about my 6 mile run probably because it was so painful. Not painful like I couldn't do it, but it was humid and hot and at times I felt as though I was breathing cotton. It has been SUPER hot the last few days -- I sweat just walking out the door in the morning, so you can imagine what was like to run in that heat. I must say it felt great to complete, but I did need a walk break or two.

My maintenance runs have been fun -- there is so much going on here -- there are so many things to see and people to watch while passing the miles and minutes. During my 4/5 mile run, I saw so many interesting things. First, A motorcade on Massachusetts Ave had me stranded at a stoplight for about 5 minutes. Dick Cheney, I presume. I watched a fight between 2 truck drivers and a cabbie - the cabbie was double parked and the truck couldn't get through -- the truck drivers were screaming in Italian (I think) and the cabbie was also screaming in a foriegn language so you can only imagine how entertaining that was. The cars stuck in traffic behind them slammed on their horns and held them down for a long time (as if that will do anything) - those of you who live in a city know the effects of the acoustics on small streets. I watched a homeless man receive a $5 bill - he thanked the woman as she walked away, and then walked straight into the liquor store. I also saw a father pushing his daughter in her stroller - he was so focused on talking to her that he ran the stroller into a newspaper dispenser. Child was fine - no worries. I watched what seemed like the entire working population of DC stuck in traffic headed for the suburbs. All + of + it = absolutely priceless.

The weather today was absolutely perfect - 8o degrees and much less humid than usual for DC in June. It made for a great run! I started out from my neighborhood and ran to Georgetown.

Seems like ever since I decided to run the 20th mile for Cimini, I've been seeing his look-a-likes everywhere. At least 3 times today, I had to do a double take to make sure it wasn't him. For those of you who knew him, he was easy to pick out in a crowd -- the thick brown beard, glasses, his stocky frame, khaki pants, Birkenstocks, and a tee shirt (more often than not - the tee shirt was a concert purchase, or perhaps a freebie from one of the many parts distribution companies he worked with - BMW, Napa, etc). Anyway, DC is a place where you don't see to many hippies out on the street - even in the GW or Georgetown area. When and if you do see them, you assume there's a Widespread Panic show in town, and that all the kids from the suburbs have flocked into the city for it. It's a shame, really. I love hippies. I've accepted the fact that each time I "see Cimini" while I'm running, its a sign that he's thankful for my effort. Each time, I think of a great memory he's blessed me with - I always laugh to myself and smile a bit. I still miss him like hell, though.

Anyway, halfway through my training run today, I stopped at the waterfront in Georgetown to enjoy the view of the almost perfect blue sky over the Potomac. I had one of those moments when you feel like you're not anywhere, like time doesn't matter. As if planned, "The Only Living Boy in New York" by Simon and Garfunkel was playing on my IPod -- a perfect song to "have a moment" to. I could have stayed there all day, sitting on a cement stoop watching the clouds in the sky assemble and reassemble themselves into my own personal artwork. Then, out of nowhere, "Lose Yourself" by Eminem came blaring over my IPod earphones and I got up and sprinted home.

Yes, Eminem brutally killed the moment.

Music is something that has been a big part of each of my maintenance runs during the week. I have found myself enjoying a lot of classic rock these days --- The Who, Yes, Traffic, the Beatles, Steely Dan, Zero, The Allman's and the Dead (those of you who know me well know these last two have always been a staple), but who would have guessed that these artists would be fun to run to? That's what is so great about music - each time you hear a song, there's something more to appreciate about it. There's no limit on your interpretation. I spent about 10 minutes deciphering what "Your Move" by Yes is really about. While running. Apple is genius -- who remembers running with a Sony Walkman or Discman? And your hand would sweat and you'd lose a grip or the disc would skip or the tape would end and you'd have to flip it. The IPod makes everything so much easier. Wish I were Steve Jobs.

So, I've babbled quite a bit in this blog. Sorry for those of you who have stuck it out this far. I'm running a 7 mile run on Saturday and I only hope the weather (and the overall experience) is as perfect as today.

If you care to come back to read about the rest of my running week, I'll be posting on Friday evening. If you don't - no prob. Just tell me to stop sending you emails ;-)

Thanks to Aunt Terri, Megan Remsen, and Steve for your VERY generous contributions to this cause. I'm absolutely blown away by your generosity.

I've decided to leave you with the lyrics to "Your Move" by YES. The part that got me today was "Don't surround yourself with yourself". Leave it, or take it all for what it's worth:

YES - I've Seen All Good People/Your Move


I've seen all good people turn their heads each day
so satisfied I'm on my way.
I've seen all good people turn their heads each day
so satisfied I'm on my way.

Take a straight and stronger course to the corner of your life.
Make the white queen run so fast she hasn't got time to make you wise.

'Cause it's time, it's time in time with your time and its news is captured
For the queen to use.
Move me on to any black square,
Use me any time you want,
Just remember that the gold
'Sfor us to capture all we want, anywhere,
Yea, yea, yea.

Don't surround yourself with yourself,
Move on back two squares,
Send an instant comment to me,
Initial it with loving care
Don't surround
Yourself.

'Cause it's time, it's time in time with your time and its news is captured
For the queen to use.
Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda.
Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit Don't surround
Didda. Yourself with yourself.
Don't surround yourself with yourself, Don't surround yourself.
Move on back two squares,
Send an instant comment to me, Send an instant
Initial it with loving care Comment to me. Don't surround Yourself.

'Cause it's time, it's time in time with your time and its news is captured
For the queen to use.
Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda.
Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda.
Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda.
Diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit diddit didda.

'Cause it's time, it's time in time with your time and its news is captured.



- Kate