Jungle Run

Today was the long run with the group on the dreaded "Jungle Trail". I wish I were kidding about the name, but it is actually posted as a landmark and a real destination for people from miles around. People travel to the Jungle Trail for mountain biking (which is funny, since it is as flat as everything else around here), running, walking and nature observation. The whole time we are out there, the only thing I can think is that I hope we do not observe any nature.

Lori picked me up at 5 am for the 5:30 start. When we got to the trail head, it was pitch black with no streetlights around for miles. Dr. George, Craig and Lori all had lights. Craig carried his flashlight, Lori had a small led light clipped to her hat, and geeky Dr. George was wearing-brace yourself-a head lamp. I asked him where the mine was. We did a small out and back and then picked up the rest of the group for a brighter 6:30 start. Patti asked Dr. George if he was heading into surgery with that dumb lamp. We ran out the north trail at that point, which is longer than the south trail we started on, but less scenic, unless you like huge blue pelicans and snakes. These are in abundance, but the snakes are "the good kind" I am told. Whatever. Anything in the snake family is not worth meeting on the trail if you ask me.

In the end, Lori and I continued after the other guys were done, and I think we finished with around 19 miles. She is doing West Palm Beach marathon in December. Atlanta is closing in fast for me, with Disney right around the corner after that. I am kind of thinking about West Palm beach, though. It sounds good to do another one along the way, just as a training run, of course.

I continue to meet new athletes and really like them. Everyone is so super welcoming and friendly. I am thrilled to death to have Thanksgiving in Georgia with old friends there. But, I continue to be homesick and miss all of the conveniences of our old lives. The little things that seem so trivial, but the things that add up to make life aggrivating here at times. Like, the fact that the grocery store does not open until 7:00 am, so when I am on the way home from track, I cannot just pop in and pick up milk for breakfast, since the doors are still locked. Or, the way getting my hair done yesterday cost almost $300. Who was this woman that she thought she could charge that? Frustrating to have to start all over with new everything, including finding the right hair person.

Mostly I miss the life we used to have in Carmel Valley with awesome neighbors and a wonderful school for the kids and beautiful parks we could go to in the middle of the day. While it is beautiful here, the parks remain vacant because it is too stiffling to go outside this time of year. My little guy keeps asking me to go to playgrounds every day. I can't help but feel my kids are missing out on some precious experiences while we are here. They are experiencing so many other new adventures here, it is true, but maybe I am just thinking it is not comparable to what I grew up with. Somehow, I still feel like California is superior in so many ways: the opportunities, the schools, the connections we have there. I wonder if I might ever come to feel like anything but a fish out of water here?