Monday, April 25, 2011

Running in Graveyards




Its an odd mind-set to go for a run when you think you might have bronchitis, but thats where I found myself. "Its allergies, its good to tough it out" More specifically, that is how I found myself there. And Waltham being Waltham, its best to go running in graveyards.

As a general rule of thumb, they're generally quite and not in use. Thankfully I've never run through and found a funeral procession, but there have been times where, in the distance, I was running by a mourner or two laying flowers and paying their respect. On the surface it seems innocuous, but no runner in the Spring is simply - silently - running by.

Fast forward to my hair-brained, tougher-than-thou run tonight. The gross details about running are never displayed in Runner's World or on gym posters, but if you've run, or you know an avid runner, they are omnipresent. If there are children in the room, stop reading this to them and jump down to the next paragraph. Hacking, Coughing, Snot Rockets and any cousin of spitting, slobbering, or generally leaking (sweating is in there too) is all a part of the territory.

How offensive is this? Is it disrespectful to traipse through row after rows of our dearly departed, wholly immune to our potential disrespect because Ke$ha drowns out any dissent being screamed from the sidelines (or tears, but I care not to think about that.)

So runners...what do you think?

Thursday, April 21, 2011

The start of something casual


Boston is a cruel city. Its streets aren't on a grid, its residents are short-tempered, and its weather is schizophrenic. Bike lanes are considered to be ample parking space by too many motorists; Canadian Geese use our running trails as dumping grounds.

Staying fit in this berg takes some resolve and a monk's patience, and still a little venting might be required now and then. So to the fleet-footed, lead-bellied, heart-broken, or just uninspired masses of the Hub, we present to you the grumblings of a few who've rumbled with the rabble, drank Rum in Kendall, and who've signed up for the James Joyce Ramble.

We hope you enjoy.