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As I ran nine miles tonight I had a delightful time reminiscing about how far I’ve already come in terms of my running ability.  I tried to recall when exactly I started to train - certainly it was less than a year ago, I thought - but as I put one foot in front of the other, my concentration was on my running form (often uttering “run tall” to myself), rather than on where I could find the exact answer to my query.  As I rounded for home, however, it hit me - much gentler than the tree branch that I didn’t see that smacked me across the face.  This blog has not only served to be a great way for me to communicate my trials and tribulations to the world, with the added bonus of being quite therapeutic, but it has also served to document my personal history.  Thus, I searched the archives.  When exactly did I start to run, and struggle so mightily to complete the three miles that I attempted (one-third of the distance that I traversed tonight)?  Then I found it.  July 27th, 2009.  Wow…while I still have a ways to go before I’m marathon-ready, I’ve already come so far.  (http://briansereno.com/?p=942)

Running

With the unofficial start of summer officially upon us, so too have begun my daily checks of weather.com for nightly weather reports in Northern, VA.  While I’ve heard that the way to beat the summer heat while training for a marathon in the DC area is to arise early for a pre-dawn run, as I’ve previous discussed there is nothing about the way I’m wired that has me fit to do much of anything prior to 8:00 am, let alone run.  The trick then becomes to time my nightly runs so that I hit the streets as the hot sun sets, while returning home at a decent enough hour so that my adrenaline settles before bedtime.  With the added challenge of dodging this area’s infamous summertime thunderstorms and heat lighting that creeps upon the nation’s capital after particularly humid days, sometimes it’s just not possible to get a good run in.  For that reason I have become quite flexible, regularly utilizing the gym on property in place of an outdoor jog when Mother Nature demands that I stay indoors.  Tonight, for example, since the mercury never quite dipped far enough below 90 degrees until it was much too late to run, I knocked out six miles on the elliptical machine while watching a ‘True Life’ marathon on MTV.  Another day of training is thus in the books.  Mission accomplished.

Running

In the annals of movies that I’ve seen dozens of times, there is only one that I’ve ever seen twice while it was still in the movie theatre.  ’Speed’ holds that distinction.  Also among the movies that are oft quoted by me on account of the countless times I’ve seen it, ‘Speed’ once again ranks near the top.  The good versus evil manhunt between Keanu Reeves and Dennis Hopper in ‘Speed’ made for riveting theatre, at least in the mind of a high schooler.  Hopper also played the role of villain to perfection on the first season of ‘24′ - arguably the finest season of television in my TV-watching days - among many other legendary roles that the actor played before my time.  For the memories that he created for me, and because his death put yet another celebrity face on the devastating list of lives lost due to cancer each and every day, tonight I remember Dennis Hopper.  He fought his demons throughout his 74 years, none more deadly than the one that ravaged his body in recent months.  It is a shame that it takes the death of a celebrity to make the indiscriminate killer of cancer headline news, but that is the world in which we live.  Here’s hoping and praying that world knows cancer for not too much longer.

GBM

Drive safe.  Grill safe.  Swim safe.

…and whatever else it is that you may be doing this holiday weekend, do so carefully with sound decision making skills.  The unofficial start of summer is upon us.  Enjoy it safely, but with a mind towards the real reason for this holiday weekend.  It’s much more than a long weekend at the beach or pool.  Thanks to those that serve.

Other

Every once in awhile I write something herein for the sole reason of letting my parents know that I’m okay.  To say nothing of my streak, I can’t imagine the way my parents would worry if they ever woke up one morning and failed to see a new post without warning.  However, since I have the pleasure of my parents company tonight, this evening I am free of such worry, and will thus return my attention to them.  Until tomorrow…

Other

This morning’s routine trip to see my local oncologist yielded predictable results.  As if the MRI that I recently underwent at Duke didn’t clearly show that my brain is tumor free, a few simple physical tasks today somehow provided the missing links to assure my local team that I’m doing great.  I suppose if magnetic resonance imaging isn’t enough to prove my tumor-free state, it’s a darn good thing that I can trace the line from my ankle to my knee with my opposite heel, or else who knows what the medical community might think?  Seriously, after perfectly performing the few physical tasks that I was asked to complete this morning, I now have the blessing of my local oncologist to decrease the frequency of my visits to see her as well.  When all goes smoothly during our next trip to Duke at the end of June, I’ll no longer have an MRI every two months, but rather four times per year.  Similarly, as I’ve been seeing my local oncologist every two months as well (in the off-months between visits to Duke), I’ll now only see her every three months too, thereby decreasing my total number of brain-related doctor visits from 12 a year to eight.  Make no mistake, I actually find a way to enjoy each and every visit to the doctor that we make, but going to the doctor just isn’t something that I want to do if I don’t have to.  As well as I’ve been treated locally and at Duke, the decreased frequency of my future trips is a welcome thing in my book.

GBM

1) Due to one of Avastin’s side effects that hinders the coagulative properties of blood, I was told when I first began chemotherapy to avoid any activities in which I might get cut, including (to no disappointment of mine) trips to the dentist.  However, as I’m now chemo free, my excuse has expired and I ventured to the dentist today.  Pete - you’ll be happy to know that almost 31 years after I came into this world, I am still cavity free.  I am also renewing my commitment to flossing, as it seems much less painful to spend two minutes each night taking care of the small spaces between my teeth, than to spend two hours with metal in my mouth being scoured and scraped with sharp objects. 

2) I am looking forward to The Biggest Loser finale tonight, with the hope that Michael takes home the top prize.  Michael has taken a 180 degree turn from the lazy behemoth that first debuted on the show, and thus my thoughts on him have also changed entirely.  I now find him incredibly amusing, with a disarming wit and other qualities that make him very easy to root for.  Get it done for you and your Mom, Michael - and for the other Italian-Americans like me that doubted you. 

3) I’m also hoping that Daris continues to thrive, as he’s now my white rabbit on the running trails.  In his honor (but really because I’m in training), I’ll run nine miles tonight before settling-in in front of the television for the anticipated festivities.

4) Next, while I’m wholeheartedly hoping that I am wrong, I have a suspicion that Joy from last season’s The Biggest Loser won’t make an appearance tonight.  You may remember that Joy was offered $1,000 for every pound she was able to lose between last season’s finale and tonight.  Like I said, I hope I’m wrong, but I find it strange that the powers-that-be at NBC have never teased Joy’s return through promos, and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if she failed to lose any weight, even with an incentive that would drive most of us to starve ourselves for a year. (Editor’s note on 5/26: Apparently Joy’s name is actually Shay, and Shay did appear on the finale. However, while any weight loss is something to be proud of, I can’t quite understand how a 304 lb. woman with a $1,000 per pound incentive to lose weight, could only muster a 52 lb. weight loss. Disappointing.)

5) Finally, last night I delighted in the series finale of ‘24′.  ‘24′ entertained me greatly in its first few seasons, but since has only served to hijack my mind and my life for 1-2 hours per week with sheer nonsense and absurdity.  I tried to quit years ago after the second or third bad guy made the same improbable escape by cutting off their own arm to free themselves from handcuffs.  I then took a three or four episode break last season when a band of terrorists did the impossible and somehow took a boat to The White House’s back door.  Each time I was sucked back in.  I’m free now, ‘24′.  Thanks for memories, and good riddance.

Other

Rumor has it that the latest edition of American Idol is about to come to a close, with Crystal Bowersox and Lee Dewyze battling it out for the top spot.  Unlike last season when I found the show to be absolutely riveting, this season just didn’t hold my interest.  Like last season, however, when I accurately predicted the Kris Allen triumph over Adam Lambert in the finale, I found this season to be equally predictable months ago. (http://briansereno.com/?p=1515)

Other

This post is baseball’s equivalent of a bloop single that narrowly kept a hitting streak alive. After a legendary wedding, these few words are all I can muster, but in the spirit of keeping my streak alive…congrats Rich and Courtney! Thanks for letting me be a part of your amazing night. Oh what a night…

Other

I saw today on MLB Network that Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak began on this date in 1941. Well, while my streak of consecutive days blogging began long ago, perhaps it’s fitting that on the day that Joe D’s streak began, my streak is in serious jeopardy of coming to an end. Tomorrow morning I’ll board a plane bound for Chicago, where I’ll meet three Dekes for a two-hour ride to somewhere in Michigan for the wedding of yet another Deke. Saturday night could thus prove to be a night when the inclination (and/or ability) to post my nightly blog could escape me. Please consider this as forewarning that BrianSereno.com might go on hiatus until Sunday night, though I will make at least a small effort to keep my streak alive. Fingers crossed.

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