Sunday's run was just right

It was good to go out running this morning and actually feel good about it. All week (since Tuesday) I have been off my feed, so to speak. I didn't want to run. I skipped two runs. I dragged dead legs on a five mile run with two walk breaks. It was all pitiful.

I blame it on spring break. To get in the mood I played hooky on Friday.

The house has been a whirlwind since Wednesday when son T came home. We had one cadet already here (since last Friday). T came in with another on Wedenesday. A former Army (now Blackwater) pal came by with his girlfriend. A West Point softball player on a Central Florida tournament swing was here twice. The lovely young blonds in the photos yesterday dropped in from Gainesville for the day on Friday. A French friend of T's came to town to stay with us for a week. An 18-year old girl who somehow got T's phone number late one night called several times and came by. A former girl friend of T's spent a few hours. Son C came over from the college.

The street was busy. Motorcycle. BMWs. Spec V Sentra. Jeep. Audi A4 (yeah, baby). SUVs. Who knows what else. The tattoo guy is not our son. He knows if he ever gets one he'll never see a home-cooked meal from his mother.

I am whipped. A five day spring break extravaganza. I guess living it close, on the periphery of all the action, is as good as it gets these days. Much more and I'd be toast.

We had a big dinner today -sort of a last supper - before the cadets all go back to the academy tomorrow morning. Before dinner I tried to find a semblance of normal by going out to run with the Sunday bunch at 7 a.m. It was overcast and cool enough to run without panting. I started slowly but gradually shook off the tiredness. I spent a lot of time talking and telling tales with Chris which (a) made the time go faster and (b) made the pace go harder.

My last mile I finished at a good 90 seconds a minute faster pace than the first mile. I felt redeemed from the drudgery of the past four running days. Next weekend is the 10K, my first in two years. Next weekend is also my college reunion. Here we go again.