Stepping Back/Stepping Forward


Since June I have stepped back from running in order to let my husband surf. This sounds ridiculous, but think about it: If I am running long on Sunday mornings -- as I have been doing regularly since, well, for a few years now at least -- then he cannot take that time to hit the surf early. That block of time is prime real estate, and if I have staked my claim there, he does not have much of a chance to get his share. Saturday mornings are non-negotiable, as that is time spent together with the children. I would not interrupt that for anything.

I've had a lot of freedom this summer -- I've gone on a few running-related trips, done some great races locally and farther afield. I have missed some beautiful opportunities to be with my little spuds. So I offered to stop training for my October marathon and hand those Sundays over to C for surfing. Which means I am out for October's race. But there is no sacrifice without a reward. The mornings alone with my children are languid, relaxed, creative times. We've made more time for reading together, for church, for cooking together. There are also the rewards that come to my marriage. C surfs with J, the husband of one of my dearest friends. C and J have become very solid friends, and I love seeing how happy this makes my husband. J is also a very spiritual man, and for some reason I cannot fathom, he is able to discuss his faith with C, where usually this subject would be off-limits. I am quietly so grateful for this. Not running on a Sunday morning is a paltry sacrifice for such a bounty.

But I need to make a decision for a January marathon. My local event is held on the exact routes I use to train. I've done it before. It's hilly. Half of it is run along the ocean -- and very beautiful. Half is run through bland industrial parks. Not ugly, just...uninspiring. It's a slog. I gave up the pursuit of PRs and the like a couple of years back, so it would be just to keep me honest through the holidays. It would help me stay aerobically fit in preparaton for an ultra I have my eye on for Spring 07.

O God, I am remembering the local marathon here. It stands out in my memory as having some of the worst on-route musical "inspiration" ever ever ever. If Barry Manilow himself were to perform at Mile 22, it could not be any worse. I have to think about this.

For now, husband is surfing, and I'm cool with that.

Watched a Movie:

Dot The I

This came toward the end of a Gael Garcia Bernal bender. My husband really loves to watch movies in his native Spanish, and there are so many good ones out now due to some kind of Mexican film boom. We had seen Amores Perros (good), Y Tu Mama, Tambien (dismal), Bad Education (good!! FUNK!), and this one (Dot the I) was the only on actually in English. My husband, who knows I love language, colloquialisms and vernacular, likes to point out the differences among Mexican Spanish, South American dialects, and classical Castilian. Nice side benefit.

OK. Dot the I. It makes unfortunate comparisons to itself and Memento, which is insulting and preposterous. Just because this movie tells its story with out-of-order snippets, and hints at unseen motives and identities, does not make it Memento. It doen't even make it particularly good. I love James D'Arcy and I will see almost anything with Bernal in it, but this was no better than OK. You really want to watch the payoff of the mystery (one character is actually "acting" in what he calls the ultimate reality show...he is making an emotional snuff film), but when it comes, it's a shoulder-shrugger. Eh. It tries really hard, and it shows.

JA Factor: Zero
F Factor: 8 out of 10
Rated: R
What it should be rated: R. I would not let my 15-year old nephew watch it. Not with me, anyway.