Great run (!) and more visiting!

Well, I had a great run this morning. My time was 9:53! I was soooo thrilled! I've been clocking in a lot of 11 minute miles and, more recently, 10:30~ minute miles. My last "good" pace was the Fitnatics 5K which I think was 9:40ish. And that was an aberration to a degree because I guess I just don't really push myself when I'm alone. So what's the difference? I honestly think it's Runner's World. I really haven't been keeping up on my reading and I have been going through my old, unread issues and I've found myself feeling so less "blah" about it and getting excited. So I think it's mental. I think. Who knows! But that reminds me, did you read the excerpt from 14 Minutes in the May issue? I'd like to read that book. Sounds like it is really good. So I did 3 miles this am. And I did hills at lunch. AGAIN! Two days in a row! And I had two people talk to me today. There's a new homeless guy I've seen a couple of times on the Kensington/Normal Heights bridge. And the other AM I was just thinking of what a hard life that has to be. Even out here where it really never gets too cold. Anyway, this morning I saw him on my way out and then he was still there on my way back in. And when I passed him he waved and I said, "Morning!" and then he clapped a little bit and then gave me thumbs up and said, "Morning! You're doing such a good job!" And that really made my day. More than a faster pace. And it makes me think about all the curves and turns in life that bring us to where we are. Who knows. He could have been a runner in high school. He could have received a track scholarship or had Olympic dreams. Or he could have just been a normal kid who figured he'd have a house and family and never dreamed he be a homeless guy in San Diego cheering on some girl running across a bridge. The second was when I was running hills. There is this older Asian lady I see often. She always walks with this little umbrella! And today when I ran by her we said hi and she said, "I haven't seen you in soooo long!" Read with a heavy accent! And I said, "I know!" Much typing. My fingers are nubs now!