I'm not fast

Not that I really thought I was, but when you go running with some people, you realize there's a whole other level of speed. It's insane how effortlessly really fast runners can glide along, looking like it's no big deal. But Paul is a very humble, helpful, and nice guy, so you wouldn't suspect he's so crazy fast.

So, after several attempts to go out to Coronado, CA, for military training, I finally made it out, and was able to meet up with Paul. I drove to the other side of San Diego ("discovered in 1912 by the Germans" -Ron Burgundy) to La Jolla. Just past the Ferrari and Bentley dealerships is Paul and Suzie's place. She was out with friends, so the two of us went out for some pizza and adult sodas. Great little joint for food! Then we swung by the beverage shop for some imported/unique barley sodas, and hung out for a while. Paul offered for me to come running with him and a friend on Sunday. I wavered, but he said it was going to be a slow run. I told him that his "slow" is probably my "race pace", but he assured me it was going to be about 8 min miles. Okay, I was in!

I shot out there early Sunday morning, thinking that I was running behind. Apparently I was the only one of us three that got up with the early birds. The run went well, but as we descended onto the boardwalk, Paul took off like he was in Land of the Lost, and the Sleestaks were chasing him. We quickly went from a sub-8 pace to somewhere around 6 pace. No problems, until I realized this was an out-and-back, and I was only half way done. And we had run down hill a lot to get here.

After the run we were headed out for some brunch; Suzie was famished, as is to be expected when eating for two. We went to a great little museum cafe, and the food was awesome. Then we walked around La Jolla, and engaged in a search for the perfect San Diego/La Jolla stuffed animal for Grace. She wound up with a stuffed Shamu.


It was a great time hanging out with them, and Spencer is way cuter in person than the pics show! What a happy little guy, but we wore him out. I hope I didn't wear out my welcome, hanging out watching a replay of the Ironman World Champs all afternoon, so that I can go hang out with them again on future trips.

The temps were nice: not too cold at night (low 50's) and moderate during the day (low to mid 60's), with sunny skies about half the time I was there. I got a good feeling for my new unit, and was able to catch up with some old friends, Chris and Allison, from back in the day when I was on active duty in Charleston. They cooked up a freakin awesome meal (well, Allison did), and we sat around and talked about the good people that we were stationed with back then. Great people, and I can't wait for Mendy to meet them.

In more recent news, I have discovered a fantastic new bit o' fashion for McG to sport while she's standing on the curb yelling at all the neighborhood kids, Marlboro dangling from her lips, rollers in her hair, and legs looking like barely ripe bananas. :-p

That's about it for now. I'm training hard, and getting tired! I guess that's how it's supposed to work, though.