Oh Tannenbaum

I think I saw my Christmas tree this morning! I was running along my usual path when I realized that with every chuff I took I was inhaling the wonderful scent of pine. The sun was almost up, so I could see there was fresh mulch lining the trail--very likely made from recycled holiday greenery.

It looked as if the sunrise might be spectacular (many puffy clouds on the eastern horizon) when suddenly, from nowhere, fog that glittered all the way down to the ground appeared, luminous and ghostlike. It was thick enough to dampen sight and sound, leaving me with no sensory input except my muffled footfalls hitting the damp, chip-covered ground. Eerie. Going on a run is a bit like going to a Major League Baseball game: you just never know what you're going to see.

Not too long ago I saw a couple walking their dog and their cat. Together (that is, the dog and the cat were together--and the couple too, for that matter). Then this morning, this very treespotting morning, I saw a big, fat raccoon waddling across the street where I live. Well, I have often walked down this street before, but the pavement always stayed beneath my feet before--oops, I think I just channeled Rex Harrison. About the raccoon. I said hey, you bandit. Knew it was a bandit from the mask it wore.

My training seems to be going reasonably well. I went last weekend to a dinner held by our running club and got inspired by all the friendly, skinny people I talked to. One result of the dinner was my making a commitment to run our club's monthly run. Hey, that's tomorrow morning. Yikes. Would like to do the 10K, but may settle for the 5 K (the options are 5K, 10K, or 15K, that is, once, twice, or three times around Lake Merritt).

The longest run I've done this year is 10 miles, and that was a week ago today. Took it very easy, deliberately including about five walking segments of 30 to 45 seconds each. It's amazing how that little trick, advocated and publicized by running expert Jeff Galloway, can extend a runner's energy. My next long one is scheduled for next weekend. When I did the 10-miler I'd scheduled myself for 9. Next week's run is slated to be an 11, but I may push for 12. I have started running four times a week rather than the usual three, and while I'm tired, I'm not as sore or worn out as I thought I'd be.

I must be in training; I'm losing two toenails, and a third isn't looking so happy. I know runners who never lose toenails, but I'm not one of them. So far, they've always grown back after I've cut my mileage back. One reason to go to gatherings of runners is that they're not grossed out by talking about black toenails, blisters, and worse. They can talk for hours about injuries and remedies (plantar faciitis! hamstring pulls! runner's knee! achilles tears! nosebleeds!) and still feel like going for seconds or thirds at the buffet table. A pretty fun bunch.

You have a good weekend, y'hear? Get outside, even if only to walk the cat.

Ps. In the interests of full disclosure about this training thang: This morning, January 27, my resting pulse was 51. My weight was 123.