Reach the Beach

Yesterday, a supposed recovery run after Saturday's 5M PR (30:35, still glowing), but, of course, too fast, really really meant to jog easy, but ended up with 7.1 miles in 47:00 (6:37); I have a pathological fear of running slow. No wonder I get injured, dodo-head.

Rest today, whale watch field trip with my daughter's 5th grade class. Cool. But, every time I'm in this situation, it's a little difficult, I get irritated and disgusted with the parents of my daugther's classmates (most/all parents came along.) Nearly every single one is, well, physically disgusting, and this is what I hate, having blatantly insulting thoughts cruising through my mind. I'm typically an underconfident type, but in this situation, I'm being very frank here, I feel superior, an alien sensation, and I feel guilty feeling this way.

I'm sure many/most are fine folks, but they've, nearly *all*, let their bodies go to such an extent, it's hard for me to imagine them making it to old age without extreme discomfort, premature institutionalization, or death; good grief, many of them are freaking limping just walking around. They're mostly younger than me (46) but are probably, on average, 25-100 pounds overweight. But the worst thing is that I witness their continual bad choices - drinking soda, eating donuts, c'mon guys, you can't even see your feet standing up, show some freaking restraint! It's embarrassing and a bad example for the kids. And I can just see the forecast for many of these kids, blowing up fat and lazy like the parents. What to do. I wish I could do something.

So on impulse I posted to a Reach the Beach Relay bulletin board about an interest in joining a team, and to my surprise got a quick response, from an experienced team; I may be on my way, we'll see how it goes. This is so not my nature, I've asocial tendencies, rarely join in reindeer games, finally loosening up the at ripe age of 46? I've also been invited to be on my brother-in-law's Hood to Coast Relay team again this year, I'm there; he says same fast small core (low 5:00 pacers) as last year, and maybe some other fast guys, maybe break 22 hours this time. Thinking about going to San Francisco for a bit and then a leasurely drive up the coast to Portland. Only three weeks between H2C and RTB, and then, if things go really well this year, another 3-4 weeks to a Fall Marathon.