Old Dude Doesn't Look Like a Lady

In the morning scanning the void of the car radio, early Willie plays, noted, this was fitting to be on 410 entering the inner sanctum of San Antonio. I make the turn on McCullough Ave. and park, here I am at my living quarters for five years of high school, and first year college at St. Mary's U. St. Anthony's is now a catholic coed high school, when I came here as a 14 year old kid it was a seminary, yes sir, a priest factory of sorts. What we did as fellow brothers in study turned into the most hilarious stint of existence that brings me here today, our 45 reunion. As we stand on the steps of the chapel for a photo, at 63, and maybe this is a norm across the U.S. you won't find too many long runners, the body shapes show it. Sure the grey or lack of hair, wrinkles etc are there but, well let's leave it at that. So much talent in this graduating class of 36 dudes. Two IA class basketball championships, One State Final football championship play, several State speech and drama awards, musical talent, I ran a 4:58 mile for 2nd at the State meet the only year I ran, hell what does a bunch of kids do. Yes we did do that too. We weren't allowed to roam the city, except once a month, for the day only. So we did night stealth runs downtown by bus and foot at night from 6- 9:30 pm to Hemis Fair, and snuck back into the line to night prayer in the chapel, honor system, no snitching. We bunked in a large open dorm and flipped unsuspecting souls in their sleep from their beds. We were loud and made noise. We lived each other's shit. I left St. A's today feeling like a celebrity in my classmates eyes, and they were that to me.

The Deal of a Lifetime

As time passes and our life begins to change, we weigh decisions that we believe are important to our best interests. Seems only normal. We want the best for ourselves, the best of everything. After all why would we settle for anything less. This world entices us to take the shot at things most attractive, after all do we really see anything else, does anything else matter? So we must move on with our agenda, and we must diplomatically extend our choices when it affects some we have included previously. Our moving up and on might leave others in our circle of previous choices behind. What worked before in our interests now are just outdated, like everything else material that we see and want. Old shoes, clothes, cars, new wants and putting out the old. Lowell George put it this way" The same people we mistreat on our way up, we will meet up on our way down". The essence of what started out really never changed, but it appears our present life is new and different and we think it has. After all, can we see anything else. Some would say that's living the dream. No time for second guessing, we must get on. Penza La Salute!

Lighthouse Blazes the Darkness

Boodini's life is in some kind of jeopardy, what seems like a dark tunnel with no light at the end, with the labor of a real job in a world that revolves around money and position, and what you think they think. Enough. It's no wonder everyday just seems like the same old vanilla ice cream. Lovers face one another, eye to eye. Friends however are side by side, their eyes look out at the trail ahead. This past Saturday was just such a day, and what a recharge realization. In the world of running, at least where the two of us visited, like so many races in the past, it is a level playground. Friends do see ahead, and they are side by side. So him and I ran, talking with friends new and old from around the area. Two guys, different distances, different paces, focused on getting to the finish line one step at a time. As we said to each other "See you at the finish", I saw his steps quicken and I realized he was serious about about sticking to his plan he had mentioned earlier in running his race. After all these years he still laid the hammer down, determined and persevering to get it done no matter what the pain or injury had to say. I was inspired, and tried to remember what that was like. What it was like to give your best, and to do even more. To me that day, as he moved out of sight, I was reminded that he was "That Guy". I was happy and proud for him, he is my friend, we are part of the same tribe. At that moment age and prestige were not blinding vision, there isn't much time left, but that day, we were able to listen way beyond the silence.

Do Whatever He Tells You

The fourth and final 60K is done and series buckled. None of them were pretty or well done. each one was a determination of will power against cowering under pressure and hiding under the table like a real coward. The final test started under heavy rain that blasted all through the night, the granite sloping trail was damn slippery and the party went on and never ended. It's the downturn of the hot summer months and for the last twelve weeks we ran, all night, in quality tough trail, and sucked it up  when quitting was grabbing at the ankles, and the cut off was minutes away from robbing the finish. The goal was accomplished and debt paid in full. If anything in an ultra world of high prices we got our money clicked off from attendance and finish. So now what, well, for one, we get to run another day. That we can say thankfully! Impossibilities are obliterated.

What Plan

Summer's day, she went away. Gone and left me, left me to stay. She's gone and I don't worry, cause she's sitting on top of the world. As I fumbled with the bird, trying not to hold to tight with the towel over it, the bird misses the box that I put it in to clean her kennel. With a small hop away I follow to retrieve. In the next instance we have a bird in flight, looking strong and up in the tall oak trees of the hood. All I can say is that's not what I planned, I was hoping to have it back to the G and F buildings. The more I thought about it maybe this would be a better match, besides the idea was just that it would be released and fly and live. For a moment there was the worry whether it would be alright, but that is water under a bridge. There are very few things we actually control, and even the ones we think we do, we really don't. There is a good chance that what you plan is not going to work, that's just the way the world is. Deciding what happens to nature's own is most certainly one of them. This time, with just the hope that things would turn for the better for a bird, in the final moments it did fly away. Nothing but doubts of a healthy outcome, and so little faith, it's good to know that the deed is done. Hope in the Long Run it all turns out right, Penza La Salute!

No Matter Same Road

One of the least things I look forward to at work is the misplaced animals that show up from time to time. Some are dead somewhere in a wall or under a floor, road or sidewalk, some are alive and misplaced. They are raccoons, Cooper's hawk, lots of variety of birds, dogs, opossum, skunk and I must have animal control written on my forehead, cause I am always the go guy for it. I can spot trouble, and a few days ago there was another bird barely alive, and obviously not going to make it. I could find another walkway that wouldn't lead me pass the critter, but somehow it just sucks you in the void. So I have Boodini's kennel in the shop for her cooler weather visits and it becomes a triage for the helpless bird. Poisoned or bad wing, it wasn't able to find food or water and overnight a feral cat would have a tasty meal for sure. So in the kennel it goes, and has been for a few days. It is coming around, whether it's a success story or not is still yet to be decided. But it's alive. My hope is to get to a spot where I will release it with its buddies that hang out between the F and G buildings and join in the daily poop sessions that they enjoy having there. So you walk a different way but it always leads down the same road.

Just Goes to Show You

After fifteen years I take my happy ass to the dentist. Exactly what you think is what they said, or was it me telling the Lady stuck with the cleaning, Mann these X-rays look like I'm ready for the skull of Halloween. Ugly! Well after two separate visits in the last week, it's all on a clean slate, now just keep on brushing. The only reason this is even slightly important, besides Not going to any doctors, which at my age is Not a good thing, is I am just the procrastinator. Until it becomes an issue which it always does, then I suffer through what a little simple maintenance could easily handle. So it goes with running, after the last 60K a few weeks ago, I decided to take some time off, that's perfectly understandable at least in my eyes. I probably ran 22 miles since then, mainly cause Boodini has her 5K's to do every few days. She can't take any time off. So now next weekend I have the final 60K and looky here, what you got, a under trained, weak excuse going out to suffer through Inks lake type terrain, at night, another butt crusher. I have to finish this to buckle,  fourth in the series. At least now the summer is about done, which to me is not so much running in the 90+ temperatures cause I've been doing that. It's really knowing that it's not another day of 100's, and then no end of the 100's in sight. We are coasting now, and actually Boodini has been doing far too much of that.