Craig's OTHER List: Can't Go Home, But Can't Stay Here

It has only been a little over three months since we moved to Delaware, though it seems like we have been there much longer. I guess that's what a home should feel like...like a home. We seem to fit into place with our surroundings, our neighbors and the super friendly stray cat that has lingered around for the last six weeks or so.

The visitor who came be known
as "Scrabble Cat"

You may remember Scrabble Cat, he showed up one night out of the blue mingling with us and our friends like he had been there for years. In a short time, he became common place. Following us around the yard, sleeping in our lawn chairs in the carport, waiting outside our door in the morning and even sprawled out on our front step as we came home from work. We, in a sense, had an outside dog in the form of a cat - with no idea where he had come from. Our two indoor cats, Whiskey & Jameson, had even gotten used to greeting Scrabble and conversing through our window screens - like visiting an incarcerated friend, with the exception of not having to utilize a telephone receiver in order to chat through the two inch thick pane of glass separating you.

The cat who chased moths & flies, and left us presents of dead birds on our patio came and went daily. We could always tell when he had been by as there would be giant dent in the food we left for him. On Thursday, July 6th, I came home from work to have that cat waiting for me as I pulled in and on Friday - I was off - it followed me around all day as I messed around the yard.

Later that afternoon, I headed out to grab a few beers and hangout with some friends at Barley Hopsters. As I was walking down the street, the cat followed me. Figuring it would stop soon, I kept going, but so did Scrabble Cat. Not wanting him to get crunched by a passing car, I picked him up and walked back to our yard. Thinking I was playing, I chase him a little then headed on my way again. The cat continued to follow, but only to the alley down from our place.

I turned the corner and watched as it just sat at the alley entrance, watching me. It wasn't going anywhere, just observing me head off as I continued on and disappeared down the street. The next morning I noticed the food we leave out for him hadn't been disturbed and the rest of the day went by without a sign of scrabble cat. The weekend came and went, then by midweek - still no sign of him.

This is a pretty good flick, if you
haven't seen it.

Thinking it was just me, L asked one day if I had seen him and upon telling her I hadn't, she replied, "Oh, that makes me sad. I kind of miss him." Its weird how small, familiar nuances become common place and get mixed in the shuffle, but then become a glaring void when they just aren't there any more. I run the streets of our neighborhood daily and hadn't seen him or - thankfully - his remains along any street. We were guessing (hoping) since he was super friendly and playful, he had become someone's new pet or maybe he found his way home or...he's just a loner...coming and going as he sees fit to fill whatever void needs filled.

Surprisingly, the latter seemed to have been the answer. This past Thursday, walking back from an evening in downtown Delaware, L suddenly points out, "Is that him!?" A smallish, black cat was hanging out on the front steps of a house about two block from our place. When called, the cat came up to us and yes...it was Scrabble Cat. I don't believe it belonged to the folks at this house either as there was a food and water bowl sitting outside of the front door off to the side, a familiar scene which had been taking place at our house for over a month. The cat greeted us, then sauntered back onto the porch and dug into some free food.

It was nice to know the cat was just making it's way around and not in some sort of distress. Maybe it knew something we didn't, kinda of like the Rex O'Herlihan character from Rustlers' Rhapsody. He's the only character aware of the plot outline and explains that he "knows the future" inasmuch as "these Western towns are all the same" and that it's his "karma" to "ride into a town, help the good guys, who are usually poor for some reason, against the bad guys, who are usually rich for some reason, and ride out again. Though, I doubt Scrabble Cat's knowledge is also connected to an unspecified "root" vegetable he digs up and eats - but I could be wrong.

Nevertheless, we found a new city, a new home, new neighbors and a new four-legged visitor in the last few months that helped us through a rather large transition - thanks fur ball for helping to make the change easy and enjoyable. Funny, that night I thought it would be cool if it would stop by and leave us a small vermin carcass now and then just to let us know it's doing okay. And, no lie, Friday morning L sent me a picture of a dead brown bat in our drive way (the picture is below). Thanks SC, our lawn chairs will always have your name on them.

Speaking of new, when is the last time you ran a mile - not just for time - but for competition? For me, I think the last 1500 I ran was in college in 1996 (the 800 was my forte), but high school would have been my last competitive mile (1994). Yeah, it has been a few years. Running a mile race isn't new, though it is familiar. I would say our relationship has been rather stale - like running into someone you hung out with 20 years ago who doesn't remember your last name and can only recollect that your first name starts with a "C"... or was it an "F"? But, yeah, great seeing you!

Wanting to try my hand to go all out and attempt to break the 5:00 minute barrier would come in the form of the Columbus Running Company Mile Dash, CRC's annual anniversary celebration. I would take part in their 14th anniversary Elite Mile Race. Sounds like a big time thing for me, but "Elite" in this case refers to those who can run a mile in under 6:00. Not an easy thing to do for many people, but something I can do with relative ease.

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If memory serves, my best mile in high school was 4:41. I doubt I will be reaching that anytime soon, but it would be fun to see how close I could get. Here we would start on Liggett Road before turning on Perimeter Drive and finish back at CRC's Dublin location in Avery Square - a flat, fast course. I can get in a 5:30 mile by myself, but running with a group of folks who have a faster pace and are more used to running a sub five mile would be of great assistance.

CRC Mile Dash Route

This, of course, would require being prepared for the all out effort in order to complete this mission and not crash somewhere in the middle. I would be joining Traffic Panther Teammate Gary in this quest. Last year, Gary was just short of that elusive 5-minute mark. Maybe this year, a team effort could push the both of us over the top.

The race may have started at 5 p.m., but there was no relief as it was blue sky, no shade and full sun releasing it's full 90 degree strength upon us. It was nice to know we were running only one mile, but being tagged with bib #1 didn't help curb the few butterflies fluttering away in my mind. We had a large mix of adults and teens and at the gun I had to remind myself there would be no time to cruise, it had to be all out.

About 15 yards in, one of those teens - wanting to get by some folks - cuts directly in front of me, clipping my right foot. Luckily I caught myself and didn't crash to the ground. He did have enough wherewithal to glance back and offer an apology, but holy crap man...this is happening in every race now! At least he wasn't dressed in some stupid superhero costume like the July 4th race. In a group of guys around my age (with Gary), we are passing folks and are trailing a significant group who will soon be getting further ahead.

I'm in the center, gray singlet with yellow stripe,
the finish in sight.

We turn onto Perimeter Drive and the crowd begins to spread apart. Hanging behind a couple of teens and Gary surges ahead, I follow and with a quick glance ahead the finish is in full focus. My legs are now rubber, my stride is as far as it can reach and my arms are pumping - pushing as much as I can muster. I'm able to glide by a couple high school kids, but Gary has a bit more left than I. The clock is in full focus and it's at 4:50, but I'm a little too far out to able be to break five minutes.

We pick off a couple more high school kids and through the finish we go. Sucking air and melting in the humidity, I glance at my watch: 5:04.05. Armed with bottles of water, L finds me and offers a congratulatory hug. A little disappointed to have been so close to breaking five minutes, but I'm still pumped at hacking off more than 30 seconds off of my best return to running mile. I then begin to wonder how I was able to do such things years ago. Funny, though, this was the same day - two years ago - when I was prompted to start running again, so not too shabby I guess.

Officially, my time was 5:05 - good enough for 37th overall (out of 131)and 6th in my age group. Unfortunately, Gary was also a little short of the sub five minute goal. At 5:02, he took 34th overall and 4th in the age group. The winner annihilated everyone with a 4:15, a full four seconds ahead of second place. It would be super cool to eventually break the five minute barrier, but there aren't exactly tons of one mile races out there. Somewhere down the road, we will try again.

A second from the finish, the look on my face has been
the subject of hilarity from L. Zoom in to understand why.

L & I and Gary & his family when out to eat and grab a few beers afterwards at Smokehouse Brewing. Afterwards, L & I went to nearby Sideswipe Brewing for an additional flight before heading home. I'm not trying to reverse the clock or go back to what once was, I just want to reach a plateau that had been long forgotten and say "hello" one more time. Oh, and this week is the one year anniversary of my trip to Las Catalinas, Guanacaste, Costa Rica - those damn Facebook memories are killing me. As you can imagine, Central Ohio is not the same.

I'm not sure what the rest of July or August will look like, other than sweating and coaxing our garden to produce some actual fruit from the rainforest of vegetation that has taken over our backyard. I can say, though, that I will be taking part in the Amish Country Half Marathon in September. It is a rather hilly course in Ohio's Amish Country (video), but the SWAG is quite impressive:

* Long-sleeved tech running shirt to all runners registered

* Deliciously Prepared Amish Country Hot Buttered Noodles & Much More when You Finish the Race

* A Taste-of-Amish-Country box (jam, homemade bread, noodles, cheese, fry pie, etc)

* Prizes will be awarded to top 3 finishers in each age group.

* Top 3 Finishers in the both the Men’s & Women’s Divisions in the Half Marathon Win Prize Money

And L, who has started running herself, signed up for the 5K portion of the event - a team effort all around.

For those who prefer to be the loner and fly by the seat of your pants, I applaud you for your capacity to be your own person and the ability to "be" in the realm of solitude. I know you are well aware, but just in case, if ever you crave human interaction or just simply need a helping hand - there are many of us out there ready and willing to offer assistance without expectation....

LUCERO - FOR THE LONELY ONES

Counted out

Out here with the lonely ones

Seeing how

We ain’t been the only ones

Down and out

Fell in love

It felt just like a broken heart

So easy just to fall apart

Fell in love

Come on baby dance with me

They’re playing for the lonely ones