Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Swami Dearest at Venice Beach

When relatives visit from out-of-state I always take them to Venice Beach. The sights and sounds fulfill all Southern California stereotypes: The guitar-playing swami on rollerskates; gang members with more tattoos than an old sailors' home; fortune tellers, sleeping bums, artists and street performers, motorcycle hoods; hot-looking chicks on roller blades, conspiracy theorists ("Bush Killed My Turtles!"), pumped-up weight lifters, blaring rap music, Tibetan gongs and sea gulls wheeling overhead..

At least that's the way it used to be.

I hadn't been to Venice in many years. That gives you some idea how often we're visited by out-of-state relatives. Nevertheless, my niece came out and we took her down to the beach. Everything seemed pretty much the same, but a lot more orderly. Even the sleeping bums appeared to have been arranged by a landscaper. But I really wanted to see the guitar-playing swami. I'd promised my niece. My wife grew up in nearby Santa Monica and said the swami mostly works there nowadays, rollerblading along the fashionable 3rd Street Promenade.

Perhaps I should've checked with his agent first.

He has one.

Saturday, March 25, 2006

Inkling Charles S. Williams


Somewhere I read that March 25 corresponds to the Shire calendar day when Gollum and the Ring of Power toppled into Mount Doom, thereby unmaking Sauron and freeing Middle Earth. Sauron's kingdom was later auctioned off, becoming the Mordor Pitch and Putt. (For a proper Trilogy send-up, I suggest the Harvard Lampoon's 1969 "Bored of the Rings.")

In any case, I've had Tolkien and his peers on my mind for the last two weeks, ever since a member of my writing group lent me a book on "The Inklings." The Inklings were a mid-20th Century literary group in Oxford. Very distinguished. Among others, the Inklings featured J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Charles S. Williams. Novelist Dorothy L. Sayers, though not a member, hung with the Inklings and is said to have dogged Charles S. Williams until he explained Dante and Beatrice to her. Zany cut-ups, these English writers.

Tolkien, of course, wrote "The Hobbit" and the "The Lord of the Rings." C.S. Lewis wrote "The Chronicles of Narnia." And Charles S. Williams wrote some strange spooky fiction. (He also wrote numerous plays, poems, and critiques, but they weren't all that strange and spooky.) Williams took genres such as detective fiction and wove in heavy metaphysical elements. For example, "War in Heaven" opens like a murder mystery but we learn the Holy Grail has been discovered in a small English church. A race is on as various parties seek the Grail for its supernatural powers. (A bit like "Raiders of the Lost Ark" only 51 years earlier.)

Williams' books are dense as a neutron star. But there is something eerie and compelling in his work, as if he were able to part the veil and render events beyond our temporal senses. The closest comparison I can make is to the film, "The Others." Charles S. Williams leaves you convinced there's more to life — and death — than you'd normally care to dwell on.

His novels never really sold. But they're still in print. Williams, who worked as an editor for Oxford Press and taught classes in literature, died in 1945 at age 57. If I get through more of his books, I'll let you know.


Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Notes on Nuts 5K

A teammate running the LA Marathon, Jerry, posted a time a shade over 5 hours. Jerry said he'd probably have finished in the 4-hour range but for three bathroom breaks. The 5K port-o-potty lines were long. The marathon facilities must have been epic. (And ghastly, as only a marathon port-o-potty can be.)

A few teammates hung around to cheer Jerry and TNT marathoner Phil. They waited at the 20 mile mark. Seeing a marathoner at 20 miles is like seeing your parents naked — not pretty. You can run the last mile and look cool for the finish line camera. But at mile 20, the bloom is definitely off the rose. Runners struggling, walking, pulling themselves along on injured legs. Someone remarked that only finishing makes all the pain worthwhile. Having hobbled the last seven miles in Huntington Beach, I agree.

2776 runners finished the Emerald Nuts 5K. Coach Kate ran second in her age division (18-24) running the 3.1 miles in 21 minutes. That's a pace of 6 minutes and 46 seconds per mile. I can't think that fast.

Teammate Gionne snapped a few photos. From right to left, Jay, Ernesto, Melinda, myself and Chad perfect our "hanging-out-aimlessly-before-the-race" look.

Sunday, March 19, 2006

5K Nuts to Me

My Team in Training chapter ran the Emerald Nuts 5K this morning. With all the training I've missed, I did better than expected: 27:22 - an 8:49 per minute pace for the 3.1 miles. One of our coaches, Kate, placed second in her age group.

Most of the team took the Gold Line from Pasadena to Union Station in downtown LA, then transferred to the Red Line for a three-stop jaunt to Flower St. From there we walked over to the Staples Center and the start line. Very easy, stress free arrival - unlike the nerve-jangling chaos of Pacific Shoreline parking back in February. This was only the second time I've been on the Metro Rail. I'm guessing there must be some invisible ray that scans all passengers, identifying those without tickets and giving them kidney stones. Because no human being ever asked to see my ticket. I saw a bum conked out in a subway car. More were sleeping in the station. I grew nostalgic for Chicago.

I would love to run the LA Marathon next year. After the Chicago Marathon in October. And, of course, the San Diego Marathon in June.

Not that I'm looking ahead or anything.

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Health Club Hunt


Saw a very good health club today: a clean, well-lit establishment with up-to-date machines, a generous two-hour parking validation, and a great locker room with a glassed-in jacuzzi, faux wood lockers and carpeting that didn't appear to be Astro Turf.

The sales rep, a young guy named Reynaldo, pressed hard for me to sign up this very day. He overcame objections like nobody's business. I was offered a one-day discount, a money back guarantee, and a girl. (Not really, but if Reynaldo thought it would help him close he might've hinted at it.) I have one more health club to check out, so I declined. I told Reynaldo he'd probably end up owning the club very soon. But all Reynaldo wanted to hear was that I'd sign up this very day.

On the swimming fashion front, I noticed today that I am "overtrunked." My swim trunks are long, boxer style, and decorated with garish flowers, and Hawaiian words like "Mahalo." They are perfect for pool parties, vacations, and trips to Hawaii where they pass unnoticed. However the pool I frequent mostly attracts competitive swimming types. The guys wear smaller brief-style trunks. But I will not be stampeded. Big, baggy trunks are just fine for aqua running.

A further note on aqua running. I mentioned the chill/warm contrast. There is also a hot/warm difference. On bright sunny days, my head bakes. Today I put on sun screen. As a result, my pasty white Irish skin now has a head with movie star tan.

It appears as if I could only afford to send my head on vacation and it had a great time.

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Emerald Nuts in a Bind

On Sunday, San Gabriel Valley Team in Training will run the Emerald Nuts 5K. This 3.1 mile race follows in the wake of the L.A. Marathon down Figueroa and back to the Staples Center.

Traffic promises to be such a madhouse, that many of us will take the Metro Rail from Pasadena downtown to Union Station.

Nothing else really to say.

I just had to come up with something to justify the title.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Cross Training News

Interesting note on aqua jogging. Wearing a flotation belt, only your head and topmost shoulders extend out of the water. The local aquatic center features heated outdoor pools. Last week was cold. Thus my exposed head was chilled while the rest of my body stayed warm underwater.

Was birth like that?

Hill training begins tonight. Alas, I have a commitment that will keep me from joining my teammates. I learned so much last fall about my form and how I tend to run with my back and shoulders tight.

Health club shopping continues. Another update this week.

Parking is the key.

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