No matter how hard you try ....

I succeeded in getting to the beach today but not without having to take work with me. I had a lot of homework to read and there was the matter of getting to the bottom of an incident that turned out to be most inconvenient for a lot of people. I will leave the details out but just say it made Memorial Day memorable in the wrong way.

Once I sat down in my beach chair, I closed my eyes and listened to the waves. The waves' rhythm helped clear my head of all the noise that rattles around in there. I dozed a little and then read my take home papers.

Central Florida has been mighty dry and brush fires have played havoc with road travel. Today I was returning from the beach and just as I was approaching my I-95 exit to head west to Orlando, I could see huge plumes of smoke blowing across my intended route home. Needless to say, the highway patrol closed the westbound road. Then they closed I-95 southbound too; which left me with two options: return north and find another way west or head east towards the intracoastal and find a way south to another westbound highway, the BeachLine, site of a 26-car pile up last week. I opted for the BeachLine figuring it must be all burned up by now.

I worked my way through the local roads to find the BeachLine and navigated home pretty fast but, I have to say, I got through all that mess in the nick of time. Closures, backups and detours on an interstate are never pretty and I would probably be still sitting there; or maybe sitting on the beach waiting out the fires. 500 acres of fire.

Clearing the pad but not reaching clouds

I have been waking up at O-dark-hundred most mornings; and if I went to bed by the time I want (before 10), then I'd be getting by on just about seven hours sleep. That's not really enough. At 500 I either run or roll over and worry about work stuff, then get up and read the paper to see what the paper says about work. I need a vacation in a bad way. I have not touched a beach since last September; and I live in Florida.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow I am going to the beach and I will dive into a book or the AM radiocast of a baseball game. Now that's something I can use.
When I run at 500 it takes a long time before I put one fast foot in front of another. I start by staggering to the bathroom, then dress, sip a tall glass of water while checking baseball scores, bring in the paper, glance at the headlines, then commit to the outdoors. It takes 45-60 minutes.
Saturday I ran as scheduled. I was supposed to go five miles. Slow and easy. I went medium and medium. At mile four I was out of gas. I am such a lightweight. I could not believe it. I walked it in.
Today I attempted my first back-to-back consecutive day workout in several months. It was not on my training schedule but pal Chris said I should try two-a-day workouts to build my strength back up. I thought I would attempt a B2B first.
I headed up to Park Avenue to fall in with my Sunday morning pack. We went slow and easy. My legs were telling me I was not fully recovered from yesterday's short four but I felt compelled to finish my fiver and do some more. I was hoping I could go six. At three miles, in thick humidity and low 70F temps, I was running on fumes. I parted ways with the team and headed the short route back to the car, walking some and jogging the last mile to finish.
Needless to say, I am a long way from ready to race anything. I know there will be a breakthrough somewhere but that mysterious veil is still all around me. Maybe I should hop over to the Middle East. They could at least tell me what my veil signifies. Or I could sniff out insurgents for the Army.
I am not a pleasant camper.
Meanwhile, back on the happy side of the face, older son T is home from USMA and we're having a burgers and beer fest tonight for any of his buds who are home and want to come over. To defend the castle (and afford everyone who asks about him all the time a chance to see him) I invited all my adult friends and neighbors. Most are at the beach but some will be here, with enthusiasm.
I should be at the beach.
Uniform of the day is bathing suit casual.
That is all.

No, that is not all: Someone please confirm they have received their June subscription issue of Runner's World. Mine never showed up.

That's enough. Later.

Upticking

The week is not over and I have already logged a whopping 14 miles. That's the best week since the first week of April - BS (before sickness). I did 5 miles this morning following the training plan. It went well at about a 9:15 pace. I didn't push it and everything feels good. Stretching afterwards was a reminder of how running can make me tight. I stretched a little longer. I am officially healthy again and back on the training wagon. Woo-hoo!
Next race will be July 4, I think. The Watermelon 5K.

Training Plan Exhibit A

I ran about three miles this morning and it was about all I could do. To think jeff used to tease me about my indifference to a measley 3-miler. It was all the training plan asked for, so in my current state of undeveloped stamina and strength, I am following the Galloway training plan for 4 hour marathoners available on the MCM site. If it seems too "walky" I'll dump it for something else. I still have time.
One thing that is different for me is that I know how to train. The last time I was in this (lack of) condition I did not know enough about ebb and flow, stretching, variated paces, etc. It's like a new way of running. I have no injuries or anything to slow me down; just benign neglect to overcome and that will happen.

Two runs and a son are in the barn

Right after my last post I went out to run 4 miles. It felt good and went fairly quickly at a 9 minute pace, my usual easy pace. I was heartened by the good feeeling I had in my legs later in the morning. You know, that tested and energizing tingle you feel for a few hours after a run. That was fine until the afternoon when I started having a relapse of the saliva flood et al. It hit me as I was taking the stage at my second son's high school graduation.
First, to settle the medical issue, I took a benadryl before bed and slept 11 hours Friday night to recover. 11 hours. It was blissful.
Friday was graduation day. Being in a high level position in the district and having a good relationship with the principal, I was able to pull a few strings. Unbeknownst to son C, I was going to be on stage in my gown and hood to shake his hand and present him his diploma. On the stage, there were two school board members, the superintendent, the area superintendent, the principal and one or two other notables; and then there was me, father of C.
We were "treated" to 18 Valedictorian addresses of 60 seconds or less, a litany of great student and school accomplishments and the shaking of 740 graduating senior hands before a standing room only arena of parents and families. Phew.
When C. came through he didn't shake hands; he hugged everybody including the supe and school board members. He was all fired up. It was a moving experience. I got to see eye to eye with a lot of sharp young kids; as well as a few who probably barely made it through, judging by their demeanor.
Graduation was followed by a celebratory dinner and a weekend of grad parties of girls C knows but would wish to know a little better, judging by how he is dressing up and behaving, so far. C is moving out of the house in the fall to attend college and that leaves me and Mrs. T alone in the house with the dogs. Anybody see Failure to Launch? I have plans for the boy's room. No; actually I have to rethink some plans I had in my head a while back and see what I can make of them.
Back to Running. I made it out of bed by 615 today and made it up to Park Avenue to see my Sunday morning running buds. Yes indeed; they still show up. I ran with Jack, Marty and Chris. I covered about six miles very slowly. I had the strength, though not for much more. The heat and humidity is picking up again.
Comng home, I sensed a hollowness. I could remember the intense sensations I had last fall when I could see the sun coming up over the lake, hear the birds chirping, see green trees and foliage shimmering, feel the quiet streets and all the little things that made running in the early morn so special. I knew they were all there this morning but I didn't have the feeling. Something is not right. Something is missing. There is a veil between me and where I want to be.