Today's run with my friends, by Eleanor Sunday

Editor's Note: This is a guest contribution by a very special friend.

Chadwick and me (I don't know what he's trying to prove here. We should be running.)

Hello! My given name is Eleanor (I was named after Eleanor Roosevelt) but my friends call me Ella. Everyone whom I have ever met in my entire life is my friend, so you too should feel free to call me Ella. Even if you haven't met me... yet.

Stephanie primped me all up last night like she usually does. I like it when she does that. I like to look pretty when I'm going for a run. It's still early as Chadwick gets his shoes on and begins to open the door to his Mini Cooper. I have this timed just perfectly. I start my leap into the car even before the door is completely open. Today, it's another perfect four-point landing onto the passenger seat.

At first, I don't know where we're headed, but I soon realize with delight that it's Lake Medina! I like Lake Medina! Of course, it's the same with the Lester Rail Trail, the Medina Square, and everywhere else Chadwick brings me. I like them all!

As Chadwick opens the door, I jump out, ecstatic to see our running friends. They're all right here! And we will all be running together! What could be better than this? I try to jump-hug some of them (Chadwick pulls me back so that I don't knock them over), and for others, I just hug them by rubbing up against their legs. Yes, I know, I know. I run with these guys almost every day. But I have to ask again: what could be better than this? I greet Katherine and Harold and Shannon and Debbie and Dan and Kelly, and Athena and the rest of them. I love them all! And we're all going to run together! (Oh yeah. I said that already. Sorry.)

As we begin running, I can tell that Chadwick isn't too sure about which way to go; he never is. But I know the way; he should just let me lead. Chadwick sometimes does a run without me. I understand that he occasionally goes to some places where I cannot. But those are sad days for me. Not happy days like this one! Of course, I wonder how Chadwick can possibly find his way anywhere without me to guide him. Dan lets Chadwick know the direction by pointing it out to me. Yeah, if Chadwick would only listen and pay attention more often. I suppose it doesn't matter; I love him anyway. (Editor's Note: Ella probably added this paragraph just to illustrate the fact that Chadwick is directionally challenged. It may or may not have actually occurred in this instance.)

We are on the trail, and I choose the right side. Chadwick had tried to get me over to the left, but today, right smells better. Dan suggests that Chadwick just move over to the right as well. Chadwick wisely does so. Everyone else is talking and running. I don't know what they're saying - probably some gossip about the ones who didn't show up today - but it doesn't matter. I'm running! With all my friends!!

Squirrel! I know that Chadwick has the harness around me (it works much better than a normal leash) so I need to pull hard and fast to chase the critter. Chadwick simply has to follow or else let go. He needs the extra little sprint now and then. It's the same for rabbits, by the way.

Now we're back to normal running with the group. I like it when we all run together. This is GREAT!

Puddle! It's on the opposite side of the trail, but I pull Chadwick over so I can run through it. That's what puddles are for! I like puddles! My tootsies thank me. Chadwick doesn't seem to mind that my paws will be full of wet mud when I climb back into the car. He's pretty good that way.

We run together some more. Shannon and Katherine think they're pretty fast, but I know I can out-sprint them. Today, we're just staying together. Dan is slowing down behind us. Poor guy. He can't help being old and slow.

Time to pee! Chadwick almost takes a tumble when I make this sudden stop. Sorry, buddy. When you gotta go, you gotta go.

Eventually, we get back to the car. I hope, I hope, I hope... Yes! We are going to do it all a second time! This is Great!!

It's a little sad when we finish for good. Time to get home, rest, and get ready for tomorrow's run. I think that one will be great as well!

The Hinckley 9, Number 282

You probably think that Dan is kidding about this being his two-hundred-eighty-second running of the Hinckley Nine. Think whatever you like. But he does have them all documented. Dan can be pretty scary sometimes.

Katherine Kinsey had set this one up, and Dan thought that it would be just her, Chadwick Sunday, Ella, Julie Boggs, Theresa Wright, and Dan himself. This group runs together a lot, and everyone is fairly reliable, especially Ella. But this time, said small group unexpectedly becomes part of a much larger one as Connie Gardner and a bunch of her friends show up. The more, the merrier.

And is quite merry. Until the hills start. Of course, if you're familiar with the clockwise running of the Hinckley Nine, you are well aware that said hills begin with the first few steps. Katherine, Chadwick, and Ella zoom on up Bellus Road, whilst the rest of us have slightly more difficulty. Connie and several of the other smart ones walk most of it. Not Dan. Dan tries to keep running, yet he's not able to keep up with the walkers. Dan hates it when this happens.

Dan struggles mightily to catch up with everyone as the big hills give way to slightly smaller rolling ones. Between huffs and puffs, he is barely able to carry on snippets of conversations. Then comes Effie. This time, Dan does have to walk, a little. But of course, he falls further behind again, anyway. Evidently, it doesn't matter whether he runs, walks, or crawls, he's going to fall behind.

Several runners unexpectedly turn into the trails for the rest of their run, and now Dan is really alone. He sets out to try to catch Julie. By the time she is hitting the final downhill miles on Kellogg Road, he does manage this feat. He informs her, between huffs and puffs, that now that she's caught, she has to stay caught. Dan begins telling stories that Julie has heard before. Just like everyone else has.

They turn onto Route 606, run down some more hills, and then turn onto Bellus. Julie finishes strong; Dan transitions to a slow saunter as soon as he hits the entrance to the parking lot. Chadwick, Katherine, and Ella are waiting patiently. Some (the ones who have issues) jog around to try to get their GPS watches to say ten miles. It's a good thing Dan doesn't have issues such as this (ignore the fact that he ran some before the start of the nine).

It's been one of Dan's better Hinckley runs. Too bad it nearly killed him.

Somethin' heavy hit me like an atomic bomb - redux

Meanwhile back in the jungle

The boys in the jungle had me on the run
When something heavy hit me like an atomic bomb
When I woke up and my head started to clear
I had a strange feeling I was with cooking gear
I smelled something cookin' and I looked to see
That's when; I found out they was a cookin' me
Great Cuckoo let me outta here...

These are some of the lyrics from Stranded in the Jungle, the 1950s song by the Cadets. That line, something heavy hit me like an atomic bomb was front and center in my mind today, as it was in April when I posted something just like this one. That time, it was about a final mile I struggled with. This time, it's been every mile I've tried to run since I returned home a few days ago. The problem this time is a sinus infection that I picked up whilst I was away.

It's been nasty. I just feel lousy, even as most of my congestion is now going away. My strength, such as it was, has not returned. I've been telling myself that eight miles is the new ten (since I used to run about ten a day, and now eight just about kills me) and that ten is the new twenty (because the ten I did the day after I got home felt like a marathon or more). 

At least I don't have any upcoming races to be concerned with. I'm registered for the Veterans Marathon in November, but I already know that I can't make it to that one. Time to start thinking more about next year instead.

Ship happens

The 18-day cruise from Rome to Lisbon produced the expected results: much less running than usual (about half) and much more eating than usual (about double). This, in turn, resulted in the usual gain of a pound a day. Now let me see... a pound a day for 18 days... How many is that? Oh, never mind. I'll figure it out sometime, and/or I'll weigh myself.

Although there were a few days where I managed to run on dry land, those were few and far between, because we were busy with other stuff most of the time. In addition, those runs were short - only a few miles for those same reasons, as well as this one: I often had already gotten my early morning run in for the day. If you've concluded that my running for this time period was somewhat less than optimal, you would be correct.

Here's a rundown of a typical Dan run on the MS Sirena.

The fitness center doesn't open until 6:00 A.M., and here it is, five-something. What to do? Run in circles on deck 10, of course. Running in circles, you ask? Isn't that awful, you ask? Maybe. But not always so much. I have options, you see... I can:

a) Run the 13 laps per mile recommended route. Yes, that's a lot of turning. But even here, there are options within this option. You see, I can run counter-clockwise (the usual direction, though I'm not sure why) or clockwise. See? All types of variations. I do a mile in each direction, but can only run clockwise when no one else is about. Today, I'm alone up here. Regardless of direction, I can only handle so much of this, so there's option b.

b) When I get tired of all that turning, I can do something else: add the two short aft hallways to the route. When I do this, it's only about 8 laps per mile. Another advantage is that I now (assuming that I'm going the accepted counter-clockwise direction) do two left-hand turns and two right-hand turns, and I don't even upset any fellow walkers or runners. The only disadvantage is having to do 180-degree turns at the end of each hallway. When I get tired of this, I can graduate further to option c.

c) This one only works when no one else is about. I can start in one direction, say clockwise, run one aft hallway, then turn and change direction all the way around the other way, in this case, counter-clockwise. When I get to the end of the other hallway, I turn 180 degrees and reverse direction one again. Now it's only five laps per mile, at least for each complete - going each way - circuit. The advantage here is that I'm constantly changing direction and my turns are completely evened out. Of course, I can only do this when I'm completely alone. 

d) By the time I get a few miles sorted out as described above, it's 6:00 and (Bob's your Uncle) the gym is open. I hate that mill, but it prevents me from running in circles or U-shaped thingies (c). I can only take so much milling around, so I will often revert myself back to option a again. 

And that's it. I will say that running outside has the advantage of being in the fresh sea air, watching the sun rise, and observing our visitation to a port or two. My running will, I hope, not take too very long to get back to normal. Then it will be time to travel again.

A rare run on dry land. This one is on Tenerife in the Canary Islands.