THE RUN FOR CHRISTINE
hellraisin'
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11 - 7:29 AM - PANHANDLE + BASEBALL FIELDS
4 miles. 36:06. 107.5 miles in total.
I took a day off yesterday just to give my body a rest. 'Twas a shame;
it was gorgeous yesterday morning. But today matches it. There's not a cloud
in the sky painted with an early morning palette. Today I decided to run
the Panhandle just to see something a little different. My only gripe is
that it's flat and quick, which is almost as interesting as my glove story
from Tuesday. I'm listening to Boston as I write this. "Amanda". That's
a cheesy song, but it ain't flat and quick. "I'm gonna take you by surprise
and look you in your eyes, Amanda". Yes, this was an uneventful run. Guitar
solo.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9 - 7:20 AM - GOLDEN GATE PARK
4.5 miles. 39:29. 103.5 miles in total.
My legs, heels, hammy and feet just weren't in this one. No real reason
why, other than maybe it's been four straight days on the road. Hey, I'm
wearing gloves today. Not Freezy Freakies. Just your regular Nike non-cotton
gloves tru-fitting. Yep. That's my life - telling you about my gloves.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 8 - 7:20 AM - SOME OF GOLDEN GATE PARK + STOW LAKE
4.5 miles. 36:36. 99 miles in total.
This was a very nice run under a very nice sky, but it was cold enough
to get me to start thinking about wearing running gloves. I don't know
why this was in my head this morning, but tuna melt. I want a tuna melt.
Badly. Maybe on sourdough bread. Yeah. Tuna melt. No onions. Each step I
took brought me closer to a tuna melt. Why? Why is this? Why can't I run in
peace with a clear mind? Why am I muddled with strange thoughts like tuna
melts? Why am I telling you this?
MONDAY, DECEMBER 8 - 11:43 AM - THE BRICKHOUSE RESTAURANT
Ate tuna melt. No onions. On focaccia bread - a swerve, but a pleasant
one. Delicious.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7 - 9:30 AM - GOLDEN GATE PARK + STOW LAKE
8 miles. 68:20. 94.5 miles in total.
This was the first time in weeks that I woke up to blue skies. You see,
this is weather tax season in San Francisco, just three weeks of crappy
overcast-and-rainy weather that we have to endure for the priviledge of
living in semi-perfect conditions year-round. And today - perfection. At
least relatively speaking. So I listened to the football games in progress
as I ran. I bet myself, jokingly, that I wouldn't make it to the Ocean
without a Tiki Barber fumble. Sadly, I won my bet. Dammit. At least we
didn't screw up in the red zone. Hold on. What's that? A blown field
goal by Matt Bryant? Ugh. I felt bad leaving my DirecTv NFL Sunday Ticket
at home for a run, but I just would have gotten sick again if I watched that
crap. Oh yeah, good run. I conquered the hill at Stow Lake like raging defensive
lineman conquer our line of scrimmage.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 - 8:45 AM - LAND'S END + GOLDEN GATE PARK + PANHANDLE
10 miles. 91:01. 86.5 miles in total.
I haven't really been able to run with my teammates because of an unholy
mix of sickness, rain and softball conflicts, and that made me so psyched
for this team run that I woke up early, stretched early and waited for
the train a little early, just so I could get there early. Well, one of
the things I've learned in life is that sometimes there are things you just
can't control, like the N-Judah train being about twenty minutes late. It
sounds worse when you realize they usually, in a perfect world where people
have places to go and things to do, arrive every five minutes. And there's
nothing I could do about that. So I was late. And they had left. So there
I went off and had one of the strongest runs I've had in a long time. I
started strong, I finished strong and I even had time to curse out the
N-Judah when I saw it pass by my house after my run was over. Ahh, the
pleasures of retribution.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4 - 7:16 AM - GOLDEN GATE PARK + BASEBALL FIELD
4.5 miles. 41:03. 76.5 miles in total.
I've been waking up early to go for my runs. Honest. But my right hammy
just didn't cooperate. Each time I'd stretch, it would just get tighter.
So I hatched a grande plan last night: No Stretching in the morning.
At that's what I did. I mean, that's what I didn't do. Uhh... yeah. So
I went for my run this morning, sans stretch, and it felt great. No tightness,
muscles loosened up, painfree, strong, enjoyable. Easily one of the best
runs I've had in awhile. I wonder what ailment my body will concoct next.
THOUGHT: It's bad enough when pompous white folk tie their sweaters around
their shoulders in an effort to look Kennedycool. I swear the next time
I see that, I'm gonna turn it into a noose. Anyway, I saw some pompous
white dude run with the same sweater-around-neck look. And this is even
stupider! Why restrict your breathing and make yourself more top heavy
during a run? Why not just wear docksiders without socks and go the extra
mile? I hate people.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27 - 10:54 AM - CLOVE LAKES PARK+FOREST AVENUE
13 miles. 120:00. 139.5 miles in total.
Thirteen miles. Why not? It's a nice day, and the scenery is nice, and
I have nothing to do until later, and there's no guarantee I'll be able
to find better running conditions while I'm here, so here I go, and I'm
off, and I have to tell you, it was great and all, but I couldn't wait to
get home and sit in a hot bath. With a rubber duckie. Don't laugh. The rubber
duckie is sexy. SEXY!
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23 - 11:33 AM - CLOVE LAKES PARK
7 miles. 63:00. 133.5 miles in total.
This was a nice run with my friend Larry and his dog Ralphie. Actually,
Ralphie was the pace dog when she wasn't shitting. And shit she did. She
runs the park almost daily. As does Larry, who also spent his time shitting.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 22 - 12:19 PM - CLOVE LAKES PARK
10 miles. 96:00. 126.5 miles in total.
It's actually kinda warm today in New York - 50s. I'm bundled up, but
there's no wind or fog and the sky is blue and, well, I can't believe I'm
writing this, but it's actually better running conditions here than in San
Francisco - sacre bleu! Blasphemor! And Clove Lakes in December is actually
quite beautiful. And it's nice to run with The FAN Sports Radio 660 AM New
York.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17 - 7:33 AM - GOLDEN GATE PARK
4.5 miles. 40:12. 116.5 miles in total.
I tried sprinting this one, but my shins had other ideas, so it became
a nice jog sprinkled with occasional pushing and mental jostling. Nothing
to report; I finished fine and with good spirits. But it was cold; damn
cold; but it'll be colder in New York.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16 - 7:21 AM - GOLDEN GATE PARK
4.5 miles. 39:30. 112 miles in total.
Feels good to be back running. I've been overloaded at work and the weather's
been too rainy for runners, and even though it's still wet and dewy, here
I am, one foot after the other, me and Howard Stern, and a finish line three
months away. SHIT! THREE MONTHS AWAY! Dammit. I better get my miles in before
I hit New York for Christmas.