Running Commentary

This is a sunrise, as painted by Claude Monet. Yes, once again the sun has come up. And on this day it brings with it a nice clean slate. Tried to do this last night, but was too beat. Have had a cold and have been short on sleep, but felt better today, as is appropriate for the new year. Here's what I ended up bringing away from 2006: Number of extra pounds: three. Last Jan. 1, 119. This year, 122. Number of miles short: 20.25. For 2005, 731 total. For 2006, 710.75. Number of races run: four. Number of decades of life completed: six. Jan. 1, 2005, five and some change. Today, the big six-oh (and some change). Number of sore shoulders: one. A year ago, zero. During 2006, broken bone, torn muscle, lingering pain that may go into arthritis. I'm 5 feet, 4.25 inches tall. I don't eat meat but do eat fish. Don't smoke; haven't had a drink for two years come next Wednesday. Don't swear (too much) or hurt small animals. (What is there about taking stock that turns me ...

I remember my mother and father telling me that everywhere in the world they ever went they saw little brown birds. All the little birds looked pretty much alike, whether they were living in China, Greece, Africa, or in our backyard. Ran a 6-miler this morning that took me from the night into the day. All along the way as I clopped along, I noticed many such little brown birds waking up with the sun. It's cold now--winter officially arrives in a few days. But the birds are still plentiful, and they hop about in the grass and soar to the tops of trees for a brief reconnoiter before they fly away on some mysterious errand. There are other birds abroad at dawn also. Cawing crows, jeering jays. I, a stranger, barge right into this sociable avian community. As I pass through it, I'm aware how little mind I usually pay to these feathered denizens of the trees and the trails. We do have a bird feeder, but watching birds coming there to fill up day after day creates the (obviously fals...