Not Just Running

My dearest "Row-me-o."

Kip said I should write about something other than running. He is right. It’s just that training for the marathon has been a big new challenge for me, so I have found myself writing mostly about that. Maybe I also tend to have thinking time while I’m running, which translates into thinking-about-the-blog time.

So here is a quick RUN-down of the past weekend.

Friday night was date night. I toured the Venice canals with my romantic husband and then went to see The Soloist, an inspiring movie based on a true story. I highly recommend it. Jamie Foxx is amazing, as usual. Robert Downey, Jr. portrays a very relatable, burned-out LA Times journalist, not unlike many of my writer friends from the old days.

More significantly for me, Kip and I found Steve Lopez’s struggle painfully familiar on many levels. I won’t analyze it too much except to say that it is a must see for anyone who has ever been involved in urban ministry or thought they could change the world by helping “fix” someone.

Then early Saturday morning I ran 20 miles with my marathon-training buddy Jon. I love to say that, 20 miles! Not 20 minutes, but 20 MILES. It’s shy of the marathon’s daunting 26.2, but it’s still the longest run I have ever attempted.

It took us about 3 hours and 40 minutes and when it was over I was not completely wiped out. It made me begin to hope that I might be able to finish the marathon in less than 5 hours. Dare I think that is possible? Of course this was on a flat trail along the beach in 60 degree weather. I’m still bracing myself for the possibility of a 90 degree scorcher on May 25th.

Then Saturday afternoon, after a quick shower and power breakfast/lunch, Kip and I took my visiting brother-in-law Dan on a whirlwind driving/walking tour of LA. We went to Venice Beach to see the crazies. Then we went on to Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive. We saw Joan Rivers there too and apparently I was the only one who didn’t recognize her. I thought, hmm, that old lady looks really familiar. So I guess she is still alive.

Me, Kip and the little man on Rodeo Drive.

A stop at the top of a parking garage was part of Kip's whirlwind tour of LA.

Then we drove up to Hollywood and Highland to see more crazies hanging around the Mann Theater. It should be somehow comforting to know that if the recession hits hard enough you can still dress up as your favorite character, anyone from Chuckie to Jesus, and stand along Hollywood Boulevard for tourist photo ops and tips. There was even an elderly Cinderella there. I guess her prince never showed up.

We finished our LA tour at the Farmer's Market. My dear little brother Timmy joined us.

Put down the camera and have some ice cream!

Sunday morning, after 12 hours of sweet sleep, I caught a little bit of my 6-year-old son’s T-ball game in between running my 10-year-old daughter to a GS workshop.

Then later in the afternoon Kip, my son and I went for a sail. The weather was gorgeous, and it could have been beautiful if my son wasn’t so terrified. Every time the boat pitched he screamed hysterically and clung to me for dear life. After about an hour he began to enjoy himself, but I found the whole experience to be exhausting. Between our son’s hysteria and my own apprehension about Kip depending on me to help guide and sail the little boat, I was miserable and ready to call it a day.

We got back to the boat slip just in time to drive out to Hollywood and make our Sunday evening church service. I was inclined to skip church after such a busy weekend, but I was really glad we went. It was deeply refreshing to focus on scripture, the story of our faith, and respond in worship with friends. I needed it.

So I didn’t fold a single load of laundry this weekend, or make any meals other than the Korean Barbeque we picked up in Korean Town on the way home from church. But I did get a late evening lesson on physics from Kip. He drew diagrams on the white board and explained again how sailing “works.” I actually found it helpful. That should calm my anxiety about being asked to “quick grab that rope and pull!” and “hey, can you take the tiller and steer for a minute while I fix this …”

So that was my weekend. I know I’m blessed to have so much excitement and so many wonderful people to share it with.