An Urban Boychick Takes on the Outdoors

We had to scramble to find a 5K in March. The week before we had decided to blow off a Pi Day 5K. I was exhausted from having had a gig the night before, it was cold and rainy, and Valerie had a headache. With the days ticking away we had to find a replacement. Fortunately it turned out that there was a 5K at nearby Nottingham Elementary School. We figured we'd do well in the standings, since everyone would be going slowly with their little elementary school kids. Wrong. Kids have a lot of energy. On a hilly course, I ran a somewhat respectable 32:25. Valerie finished ahead of three other people.  After the race we went out for breakfast at the Harrison Center where we bumped into the Yorktown High School girls softball team - including many former students who were excited to see their old math teachher, Mrs. A.

Here's a "meet cute" idea for a romantic comedy. It's a lovely springtime day. The boy and the girl each individually decide to go out for a bike ride. They both wind up riding the same bike path and keep getting stuck at red lights together, and begin to exchange witty banter as they wait for each light to turn green. She's young and attractive. He's older, but has a certain seasoned charisma from having lived life fully. When she finishes her ride she walks into a neighborhood cafe to get a cappuccino, and they simultaneously notice each other. Romance ensues. OK, I am not even remotely in the market to meet anyone, in a cute way or otherwise. And I'm a little short on seasoned charisma. But I did get caught with the same young woman at every red light on the bike path from Columbia Pike to the river. And one time we did actually speak to each other, exchanging a comment about how we were missing every light. When we got to the the intersection of the ...