After another crazy week, I try to put some of my favorite together. Running has certainly calmed me down during the quarantine. Hans Zimmer has a Spotify playlist and The Karate Kid has a podcast. We made dinner at home each night because, well, it's really the only choice we have.
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Marathon: If you’re thinking, Sean had a pretty awful week if running for almost four hours was his best activity, you’re wrong. On Sunday morning, Tiff and I drove up to Manchester, NH so I could torture myself. The morning was wonderfully brisk, a perfect temperature for a marathon (sneaky challenge when running a marathon is how to dress for the day. It can be maddening.). Having experienced a marathon like Chicago as a runner, and New York as a spectator, the value of being able to park near the start (and finish) line and just go run as invaluable. I will never forget the lonely, pained walk from the finish line of the Chicago marathon to our “meeting point.” I was dehydrated and didn’t realize it. The meeting spot Tiff and I decided on was probably a mile from the finish line, I think it took me 45 minutes to get there, which included a 10 minute rest in the grass with an ice pack on my head staring at the sky wishing it would stop spinning and trying to cool down. I remember stumbling down the street and being stopped by a homeless gentleman selling newspapers. He said to me, “Can you help me out.” I was so exhausted and, frankly, sick, that all I could muster up was a curt, “I just ran the marathon. I can barely help myself.”
Alright, back to Manchester. The course wasn’t great. There were long, lonely stretches through some barren spots in the city. The most satanic portion of the course was when I ran past the finish line at mile 24, only to run out a mile and then back to the finish line. Just an awful way to finish a marathon, the temptation to just make a u-turn and cross the line was there, trust me. However, I was grateful that miles 17-21 were on a trail because my knees were howling. I found the pacer for my goal time and tried to stick with him as long as I could. I settled in behind him and another runner named Peter. The pacer’s name was Ryan. He glided along for 26.2 miles, chatting away at Peter, a first time marathoner. Ryan was out for a Sunday jog — saying “Good Morning” to every single volunteer and thanking them for helping out — while Peter and I trudged along. I figured I’d struggle to keep up with Peter and Ryan at some point around mile 20, but I just put my head down and watched Ryan’s feet and tried to match his cadence as best I could, one mile at a time. I stuck with him and I managed, after losing him during the last mile, to catch him in the final dash to the finish line. I thanked him and he was genuinely excited for me to finish.
Every marathon comes with a bit of learning. This one reinforced something that I had already known: find someone who is better than you and try to keep up. This has always been true in golf, I love playing with people better than me (although my wallet doesn’t always love it...). You can learn so much. On Sunday in Manchester, Ryan, who could have run the race in under three hours if he wasn’t volunteering as a pacer, made me run my fastest marathon.
So yes, I could barely walk on Monday and Tuesday (the balcony at TDGarden was NOT fun). But it was still the best activity of my week.
The final steps with my running buddy for the day, “Ryan the Pacer.”
Slow Burn: This podcast is in its third season, but I just found out about it. This Slate pod covers one news story per season. The first season is all about Watergate. The second season is about the Bill Clinton Impeachment (timely…). Naturally, the third season follows up with a deep dive into the Biggie-Tupac murders. I have just started season 1, but I’d recommend jumping in on any of them based on what people have said and also on what I’ve listened to so far.
BOOKSMART: This movie is splendid. It follows two academic overachievers, Amy and Molly, who decide to let loose the night before their high school graduation. Hi-jinx ensue, friendships crumble and are reborn, the weirdness of high school is on full display. Here’s the NSFW trailer…
Death of Dick Long: We watched TWO movies this week, like we’re Baby Boomers or something! This movie is about a death in a small Alabama town. It pokes fun at stereotypes, has a hilarious soundtrack, and the acting is very good. It’s like watching how people would try to cover up a death in real life: stupid choices, strange coincidences, and a lot of cringe. Here’s the trailer.
Witch Elm: Tana French is probably one of my favorite authors. Aside from JK Rowling, I imagine I’ve read more books by her than any other author. This week I finished her latest book, Witch Elm, which is about Toby Hennessy and his run of bad luck. French’s Dublin Murder Squad books are exceptional and were just turned in a STARZ series that just debuted on Sunday. Witch Elm is the first book I’ve read by Tana French that isn’t part of the Murder Squad Series. I wrote about Witch Elm in in my Book Club… here’s the link.
The Burnout Generation: I’m not sure how I went nearly 11 months without this essay finding me, but it did this week. The essay discussed the burnout that Millennials are feeling and dives into why it might be the case. It’s long, it’s well-written, and it’s thought-provoking. A worthwhile read this weekend as you avoid all the chores you should be doing....
Pumpkin Turnover: There’s a spot in Cambridge called Sofra Bakery that makes delicious food. This week I had a school visit down near Sofra and decided to make a little detour for lunch (I had the spinach stuffed flatbread). I perused the bakery case for a treat to bring home. The pumpkin turnover was calling my name. It was an amazing pastry filled perfectly (Paul Hollywood would have been proud) with a pumpkin apple filling. It’s one of those things that makes you curse your former self for not buying two of them.
Mighty Squirrel’s Cloud Candy: I very good IPA. It doesn’t quite fit into the cold season vibes that you might be looking for. But if you pump up your heat and are looking for an, “I’m on deck after a long day and would like a beer to break this summer humidity” then this one might be for you. It’s on the sweeter side. I’m also a sucker for the name of the brewery, as we have a squirrel we’ve named “Ralph” that chills out on our deck (and attempts to turn our grill-cover an acorn hideaway).
Soccer Podcasts: Two more this week… Both and I talking about last weekend’s soccer in the Premier League, especially the Liverpool v. Manchester City Game. Our other pod is a deep dive into West Ham United’s club history.
Time Capsule: In episode 2 of our “of the decade” series, Tiff and I talk about technology of the last decade and the effects it has had on our lives.
It would be swell if you told your friends to check out these pods, and it would be sweller if you followed/subscribed on whatever podcast-listening-tool you use!
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