Beaching It

I laid on the Beach Towel watching my wife, daughter and sons playing in the Atlantic Ocean off of Assateaque Island. An occasional wave, if caught with good timing provided a short ride back to the beach. The water was chilly, the air was warm, partly cloudy skies with a gentle breeze kept the beach from getting too hot. In a word, perfect.

Earlier in the day I opted for a four mile run to gauge if there was any speed left in me after Catoctin training. I was encouraged to run fast to avoid the need for a blood transfusion as hoards of Hungry Mosquitoes were waiting for a feast. I hadn't thought this out too well and had left the house without the aid of bug spray. At one and a half miles I was pleased to see that I was running a sub seven minute pace and just as quickly displeased to realize that the keys to the rental car were no longer in my running shorts. I had very little doubt about the keys being found, but by who was my concern. If the keys had fallen on the paved section of the trail it would have been likely seen by another runner or biker. While the trail loop wasn't too busy, it was busy enough; thankfully I found the keys a half mile later sitting just along side of the trail. Taking no further chances the keys were placed in the zippered section of my hand carried water bottle. Except for the excitement of dropping keys I had a good run but know that I need some work on the track.

My body has not worked it's way out of a four to five day cycle it's stuck in, soon after I returned the floodgates opened up. Three hours later, sore and tired I decided to take a pain pill for relief and to quiet things down. Normally I never take a pain pill during the day, that is reserved for nighttime use but today I knew I would miss out on the Beach without it. A half pill worked wonders, actually better then I could have imagined, as I played in the surf I felt no pain in my gut, hands and the ever present numbness in my toes was absent. I will have to resist the temptation of using the pain pills during the day as I could see getting use to it quickly.

Timing is everything they say, in this case my timing must have been perfect, for after leaving the beach less then an hour passed before the second round of the “Grand Slam”. The return of the evil intestine kept us from going out to dinner but carry out from “Captain Zack's Seafood” was a tasty alternative. (Thanks Beverly)

As I sit here writing this I can still visualize Sue, our daughter and boys laughing and playing I the surf. I can see hundreds of families with their old and young staking out a piece of beach to build memories upon. What a grand day.

Mike