shut the computer down at 2:40 am and the taxes were as done as i could make them be for now. in less than 7 minutes i was setting the alarm for 5:55 am and trying to sleep. so much for my promise to get to sleep early. and even lowered my daily average of 4 hours a night. is this what getting older is going to be like?
was shutting the alarm off as when the phone rang and after catching up some on the news of the day in the UK, i was out the door and headed north on the trail towards the 8 mile marker. seems a bit lighter out each day now and i gather we are aging almost 20 minutes a week now. still, it seems cold for this time of year. legs felt strong, but my head seemed tired. the morning heart rate of 49 was proving a true indicator of fatigue.
but the sun was peeking through the clouds and i was all alone on the trail for now. up and down the hills i went and decided as i went across the bridge that went over the parkway, i changed my plans. there was no denying my body was running in two separate planes and the head was losing to the legs. i turned down the road and headed down towards the east blvd loop instead of continuing north. i could add miles later if i woke up. the new tenants have some canoes parked in their driveway and the new fence has, for whatever reason, been replaced by an even newer fence. strange. and then i came upon "navy lady". don't know her name but she and her husband are in the navy and we have run together before and i was thankful for the company and the chance to rag on english culture a bit and compare it to their experiences living in france.
navy lady believes that the people living in northern va. live in a bubble that is unlike a lot of the rest of the area. diverse, educated, employed and travelled,their interests are different than most of virginia. it is certainly not lynchburg, where i once watched them root for the south in a civil war
re-enactment, but i cling to my belief that despite the obvious differences people anywhere in any culture might appear to have, ultimately they all want some of the same things- a chance at a decent life for themselves and their families and a chance to not always live in struggle. that would be my simplified version.
three miles later i left her at the edge of the soccer park and turned back towards the northern trail. determined to stick it out for 10 miles i ran north far enough to be able to just turn and head home without adding on any distance once i hit waynewood. at seven miles my right hamstring reminded me that all was not well and i stopped and stretched for a quick minute. some relief and i made it home as the sun came fully out and the wind seemed to pick up. all in all not a bad run with 56 minutes in my training zone and a couple above. was thankful that navy lady is just a tad slower than me these days.
the "fun" part of the day now behind me, i quickly fell into errand mode after spending 10 seconds trying to convince myself to take a nap. ha on that i guess. off to the ban\k, the post ofc again, safeway for some food, and then the library and senior center to leave some donated stuff. then back to the house to get the golf clubs and head down to woodbridge to the cpa's ofc to deliver the taxes for quick double check , etc. that done i was off to the range.
worked on yesterday's lesson and was diligent about working every 10 balls for one thought. seemed to be helping. did my usual 100 pitch shots to start though as that gives me a sense of rhythm and confidence when i am behind a bunker i must go over.
then met a guy from west philly and mayfair. he had asked me something and i mentioned a restaurant in philly and he recognized it as being on city line ave. i was last there with a women's basketball team i was coaching for dinner way back in 1970. time flies.
anyway- we decided to go play 9 holes together and i actually played a little better today. got up and down 3 of the first 4 holes for par and was striking the ball well, even if it i was just missing the green. we played from the tips which isn't long on this course, but the wind was a screamer. really blowing! but true to my own spirit my new philly friend said it was good practice for when it really counted.
after the round i treated him to a bucket of balls and we hit on trying to watch each other for different things. went ok, but strangely, not as well as on the course. i like being target focused and willing the ball into the hole. then went to hit some chips and putted for awhile. hit another 80 pitch shots and all in all not a bad day of practice. i am determined! let the world beware.
by now it was pretty late in the day and i was hungry. had my little late lunch/early dinner and read for a bit and di some laundry and ran the dishwasher. sorry gail, but this house has one unlike the tent we live in at oxford.
just about midnight now and am not sure what is keeping my eyes open. so away i go. another day done and another day of possibilities coming. in a few minutes it will be 131 days to go.
almost forgot. i ran into carol today and we lamented that our friend steve had moved away to richmond. he and his dog were fixtures on the trail and i always knew i could count on them being out no matter what the weather was as he did me. i met carol when we were both going through our cancer treatment - like lance- her husband left her while she was doing chemo. are men really the schmucks they pretend to be?
carol's sister had also undergone chemo and had died during my last trip home from england and at the same time as her condo had been flooded out. the woman has had a string of bad luck for sure and has found solace in being out on the trail. a sweet woman whose only vice that i know of is that she voted for gw bush and she knows i love her but will never forgive her for that. but i digress....
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fact of the Day
Martha M Place gains a gruesome immortality today in 1899 when she becomes the first woman to die in the electric chair. Due to women being unable to vote at the time, she is sent to her death by an all-male jury.
The Scotsman Archive
thursday, 20 Mar 2008
The Scotsman Digital Archive
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