Coming Off The Ledge
If ever there was a month I wish not to repeat, it’s this one. But if I could replicate a morning, today would top the list.
With the station wagon loaded with lots of homemade and store-bought goodies, posters, stickers, helium balloon machine and a cooler full of ice, I picked up my former training partner at 5:15 a.m., stopped at Starbucks and headed down to Hospitality Point in Mission Bay. A few years ago our track club marathon training program started The Welcome Committee to greet runners, especially the slowest ones, returning from touring 18 to 20 miles of San Diego on foot. I’ve always been its chair.
I decided to run part of the course with everyone since tomorrow morning I’m leaving early for the Festival of Books at UCLA. We first ran along a flood channel, and before too long we were heading into Ocean Beach, a part of San Diego everyone loves. We passed pooches having a ball at Dog Beach, a trio of dudes in dreadlocks (OB is a haven for hippies) and as we climbed Sunset Cliffs, a movie set. The best part for me was reuniting with my old running group as we gossiped, gawked and gave up running the entire huge Pt. Loma Nazarene hill. I split from the group as they headed downtown, attempting to feel my way back to Mission Bay.
I got lost.
When I finally found the cliffs, I opted for the dirt jogging trail, which takes you amazingly close to the edge of badly eroded earth. There are no barriers, so in some places it just takes one misstep to tumble into tumultuous waters below. Yes, it’s definitely dangerous. But, boy, is it beautiful.
Then I got lost again.
All in all, it took me an extra 30 minutes to make it back to home base, turning it into a 2-hour adventure, with negative splits. My group of helpers and I immediately began to decorate the gazebo area and cut up fresh fruit, finishing just as the first arrivals returned, hungry and tired. This year everyone got special stickers I made, which turned out to be a big hit. Many runners answered my call for fresh fruit (you guys are the best!), so food was plentiful right to the very last runner, who came in about 5 hours after the start. Chocolate milk, too. Special thanks to my friend Cindy for the vegan scones and Beth, on crutches due to a fractured hip, who nonetheless prepared parfaits for people. Jesu was my co-sticker-picker-upper. Louise (because I know you are reading this), the fresh pineapple was tops.
The marine layer burned off at precisely the right time, bathing everyone in warmth as someone nearby fired up the barbecue. We all drove off with our stickers, full bellies and a great sense of accomplishment.
With the station wagon loaded with lots of homemade and store-bought goodies, posters, stickers, helium balloon machine and a cooler full of ice, I picked up my former training partner at 5:15 a.m., stopped at Starbucks and headed down to Hospitality Point in Mission Bay. A few years ago our track club marathon training program started The Welcome Committee to greet runners, especially the slowest ones, returning from touring 18 to 20 miles of San Diego on foot. I’ve always been its chair.
I decided to run part of the course with everyone since tomorrow morning I’m leaving early for the Festival of Books at UCLA. We first ran along a flood channel, and before too long we were heading into Ocean Beach, a part of San Diego everyone loves. We passed pooches having a ball at Dog Beach, a trio of dudes in dreadlocks (OB is a haven for hippies) and as we climbed Sunset Cliffs, a movie set. The best part for me was reuniting with my old running group as we gossiped, gawked and gave up running the entire huge Pt. Loma Nazarene hill. I split from the group as they headed downtown, attempting to feel my way back to Mission Bay.
I got lost.
When I finally found the cliffs, I opted for the dirt jogging trail, which takes you amazingly close to the edge of badly eroded earth. There are no barriers, so in some places it just takes one misstep to tumble into tumultuous waters below. Yes, it’s definitely dangerous. But, boy, is it beautiful.
Then I got lost again.
All in all, it took me an extra 30 minutes to make it back to home base, turning it into a 2-hour adventure, with negative splits. My group of helpers and I immediately began to decorate the gazebo area and cut up fresh fruit, finishing just as the first arrivals returned, hungry and tired. This year everyone got special stickers I made, which turned out to be a big hit. Many runners answered my call for fresh fruit (you guys are the best!), so food was plentiful right to the very last runner, who came in about 5 hours after the start. Chocolate milk, too. Special thanks to my friend Cindy for the vegan scones and Beth, on crutches due to a fractured hip, who nonetheless prepared parfaits for people. Jesu was my co-sticker-picker-upper. Louise (because I know you are reading this), the fresh pineapple was tops.
The marine layer burned off at precisely the right time, bathing everyone in warmth as someone nearby fired up the barbecue. We all drove off with our stickers, full bellies and a great sense of accomplishment.
